A killing cold by Kate Alice Marshall

Theodora (known as Theo) has escaped a troubled family life as the adopted daughter of abusive parents who hide their harsh discipline under the guise of religious training. In her adult life she has tried to expunge their memory from her life, but it is her dreams about her life before her adoptive parents took her in, aged four, that continue to haunt her. A romance and now engagement to the wealthy Connor Dalton thrusts her into Dalton family secrets and life-threatening danger when she visits their mountain-top retreat. Her past is examined because a girl from poorer circumstances is a threat to wealth and power, and her own vague memories of the mountain cabins brings a dangerous collision of past and present. Can Theo’s love for Connor survive or is her own life at risk? 

This is a tragic tale threaded with danger and readers will be trapped on the mountain-top with Theo. With twists and plot deviations and risk and accusations at every turn of the page, this becomes a compelling drama that will keep you enthralled. Every member of the Dalton family seems to distrust Theo, and she is having difficulty holding onto the truth of her love for Connor, but it is the return of hazy memories that makes her doubt the family that she might be marrying into.  And is Theo a victim or a perpetrator of violence? This distrust of the main character and the distrust of all who share the wintertime and snow covered cabins creates a chilling storyline and a book that adults will enjoy… a good holiday read (but perhaps not before a ski-lodge holiday!). The central character is post-University aged, so this is not a book aimed at the YA environment, but it could be read by mature readers aged 17+.

Themes: Psychological thriller, Murder, Wealth and power, Romance, Trust.

Carolyn Hull