Dead of Winter by Darcy Coates

While browsing Goodreads’ The 144 Most Read Books of the 2024 Reading Challenge, I stumbled upon Dead of Winter by Darcy Coates. The title and cover—a lone cabin against a stark winter landscape—immediately grabbed my attention. And when I saw it was listed in the horror section, I knew I had to dig deeper. The blurb promised trapped isolation, a severed head, a relentless snowstorm, and an And Then There Were None-style mystery. I was instantly hooked and added it to my Libby queue.

The book plunges you right into the action, with main character Christa and her boyfriend lost in a blizzard, struggling to stay alive. We then flash back to a bus ride, where Christa and nine strangers are on their way to a secluded cabin, a place of sentimental value to her boyfriend. This backstory provides crucial context for the harrowing situation they soon find themselves in. The quick shift from the bus to the blizzard effectively sets the stage for the cabin’s chilling isolation.

Trapped with a group of strangers, her boyfriend lost in the storm, and no hope of rescue, Christa faces a terrifying ordeal. Each night, someone is brutally murdered, their head displayed on a tree outside the cabin. Paranoia quickly sets in, as the group struggles to survive and determine who among them is the killer. Christa’s constant question: who is real, and who is the murderer?

I absolutely loved this book. It was the first in a long time that I had a hard time putting down, always wanting to read one more chapter. The isolated setting, with the cabin surrounded by a relentless blizzard, created a palpable sense of fear. The sheer amount of time the characters spent venturing into the blizzard really triggered my anxiety, which heightened the book’s thrill. This books vibes reminded me of the Tree of Thorns from Hyperion by Dan Simmons and the isolated, paranoia-fueled atmosphere of the Yellowjackets TV series, both of which I adore.

While I found the killer’s identity relatively easy to guess, the motive and the possibility of accomplices kept me guessing. In the end, I did find the motive a little weak for such extreme violence, but overall, this book was fun.

I’d classify Dead of Winter more as a thriller than outright horror. While the decapitated heads certainly add a gruesome element, the story’s focus is on the mystery and the characters’ psychological descent into paranoia. I’m curious about classifying Dead of Winter as horror instead of a thriller. Is it primarily a marketing distinction?

What are your favorite isolated setting thrillers? Have you read any other Darcy Coates books? Share your recommendations and thoughts in the comments below!”