Dead of Winter

By: Darcy Coates

Narrated by: Emily Ellet

Length: 11 hrs and 17 mins

Publisher's summary

When Christa joins a tour group heading deep into the snowy expanse of the Rocky Mountains, she's hopeful this will be her chance to put the ghosts of her past to rest. But when a bitterly cold snowstorm sweeps the region, the small group is forced to take shelter in an abandoned hunting cabin. Despite the uncomfortably claustrophobic quarters and rapidly dropping temperature, Christa believes they'll be safe as they wait out the storm.

She couldn't be more wrong. Deep in the night, their tour guide goes missing...only to be discovered the following morning, his severed head impaled on a tree outside the cabin. Terrified, and completely isolated by the storm, Christa finds herself trapped with eight total strangers. One of them kills for sport...and they're far from finished. As the storm grows more dangerous and the number of survivors dwindles one by one, Christa must decide who she can trust before this frozen mountain becomes her tomb.

©2023 Black Owl Books (P)2023 Black Owl Books

SO wanted a good winter thriller!

Sadly, 3 stars for Dead of Winter by Darcy Coates from this reader. I absolutely love winter settings for mystery/thrillers. And, the setting was appropriately snowy and cold and remote. The plot seemed perfect, too- a woman who is stranded with a group of strangers in an abandoned cabin in the woods after their tour bus is unable to make it to the lodge due to a snowstorm. But the story got a little silly early on and never recovered (for me). You know from the publisher's synopsis on the book jacket that a dismembered head is discovered in the tree outside of the cabin and so begins a pseudo locked room-esque whodonit. Unfortunately, the dismemberment reoccurs so frequently it lost all of it's shock value. It wasn't horrible but I just found the writing, character development (or lack thereof) and the pacing a bit immature. I would still recommend it for anyone who enjoys winter atmosphere in a mystery.

Pretty Good Story Pretty Bad Reader

The story that Darcy Coates has written is interesting and engaging. She does a great job, especially in the sensory department. Darcy consistently makes a lot of great choices in this area which bring you right into the frozen landscape of this story.

The reader, Emily Ellet, on the other hand, is constantly making some very bad choices when reading. These bad choices always occur when she is trying to sound like a man. Her male impressions are so bad, it rips you right out of the story. Maybe if men and boys all weirdly sounded like MTV's Beavis and Butthead, then I could tell you that she would is nailing it. BUT they don't. Her absurd impressions of male prosody are laughable. Emily should just use her own voice which is actually very interesting when not trying to sound like a man, and let the listener use their own imagination. Every one who listens to or reads books already has the ability to visualize a story. Adult listeners certainly don't require an elementary or preschool, Storytime, approach. So Emily Ellet, some advice from a listener ho can see that you are a talented reader in almost every other circumstance, please consider not trying to sound like a man, It's not working. I kid you not.

Too long

Overall story was good but went on a bit too long and ending became obvious.

Slow

Good story, but very slow read. Could have been much shorter. I liked the book, but don’t know if I’ll read anymore from the author.

Whodunnit with a Twist

I figured out the twist only because this is my favorite genre. I’ve read hundreds of books just like this one HOWEVER many of the women in my Book Club did not see the end coming (like at all)! I think it’s worth the read and it should keep you guessing. Pay attention, there are lots of hidden clues in each chapter.

Mid at best

Totally predictable. Literally anyone could figure it out but it did have a few twists that got me. Also the killer is so bad. I won’t him
Also the narrator was really good

loved it!

loved the plot. and twists and jump scares! it was easy to follow and stayed hooked. couldn't put it down

Had me on the edge of my seat

Several times she had me thinking oh god its this guy! Or that guy! No wait that guy! I have read almost all of her books and i still didn’t have it figured out, maybe it makes me slow but i found the story riveting!

Unexpected

This book was worth a read. It was Pretty good. Nice twist in the end. Didn’t see that one coming.

Unpredictable

The sorry was riveting and the twists were excellent. A couple of grammatical errors (I vs me and such) which is annoying considering there are editors involved. Will def read more of her books.