Chilling holiday horror about an unhappy couple running from their problems and straight into the maw of a terrifying beast, perfect for fans of Paul Tremblay and Sara Gran

For the last year, Holly and Brian have been out of sync. Neither can forget what happened that one winter evening; neither can forgive what’s happened since. Tonight, Holly and Brian race toward Pinebuck, New York, trying to outrun a blizzard on their way to the ski village getaway they hope will save their relationship. But soon they lose control of the car—and then of themselves.

Now Sheriff Kendra Book is getting calls about a couple in trouble—along with reports of a brutal and mysterious creature rampaging through town, leaving a trail of crushed cars, wrecked buildings, and mangled bodies in the snow.

To Kendra, who lost another couple to the snow just seven weeks ago, the danger feels personal. But not as personal as it feels to Holly and Brian, who are starting to see the past, the present, and themselves in a monstrous new light . . .

I received an advance galley of this book courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts are my own.

I know I have said this several times before, but I love a thriller or horror book set in the middle of nowhere during a snowstorm, and this book is exactly that. The author takes us into the frozen wilderness of Pinebuck, New York, where the tranquility of falling snow hides monstrous dangers – both literal and emotional. While it left me grappling with unanswered questions that slightly dulled its impact, its atmospheric setting, layered characters, and exploration of trauma make it a worthwhile read.

The story begins with Holly and Brian, a couple whose strained relationship sets the emotional tone for the novel. Attempting to mend their fractured bond, they embark on a trip to a remote village, only to be caught in a blizzard along the way. Brian swears he sees something lurking in the snowstorm ahead of them just before their car spins out of control, setting off a chain of events that intertwine their lives with a monstrous force lurking in the snow-covered town. Upping the mystery even more is that another young couple recently went missing from this same area. Is there something hunting young couples, and will the local sheriff be able to figure it out before her town turns on her?

The author’s strength lies in his ability to craft an atmosphere that perfectly fits the story. The snowstorm becomes a character in itself – a silent, omnipresent force that amplifies the isolation and danger the characters face. The juxtaposition of the storm’s quiet beauty and its deadly potential mirrors the tension in Holly and Brian’s relationship. As a reader who loves novels set in remote, snowbound locations, I found Mahoney’s descriptions mesmerizing. From the way the snow muffles sound to how it obscures danger, the author perfectly captures the sensory experience of being trapped in a blizzard. This setting heightens the stakes, making every decision the characters make feel urgent and dangerous.

Holly and Brian are compelling protagonists, their fractured relationship serving as the emotional core of the novel. Both are haunted by a shared trauma that happened a year earlier and watching them confront their pain while navigating the escalating dangers of the night is gripping. Their journey feels authentic, and I appreciated how Mahoney avoided simple resolutions, instead letting their growth emerge naturally through their harrowing experiences. As we slowly unravel the mystery around what hunts (and, to an extent, haunts) them, we also learn what got them here in the first place. The reveal is expertly paced and is a real highlight of the story.

The side characters also shine, each contributing to the story in meaningful ways. Cookie, the diner owner, brings warmth, humor, and humanity to a bleak situation, while Kendra, the town sheriff, adds layers of determination and vulnerability. Her past losses make her deeply invested in Holly and Brian’s survival, and her perspective adds emotional weight to the narrative. Tanner, the loner who drives the snowplow, plays an understated but crucial role in the overall plot.

Despite several strengths, the book still left me feeling like something was missing in the end – and I can’t quite place my finger on what. Perhaps it was the lack of resolution to certain plot points or the absence of a clear explanation for the creature’s origin. While ambiguity can effectively maintain mystery, it was a little frustrating in this case. In the end, I found myself with too many unanswered questions, detracting from the story’s emotional payoff.

Overall, this is an atmospheric, character-driven thriller that excels in its depiction of isolation, danger, and the ways in which we are forced to deal with unresolved trauma, making it more than just a monster story. If you enjoy novels set in snowbound locales with complex characters and a touch of the supernatural, this book is worth picking up. Just be prepared for an ending that may leave you pondering what lies beneath the surface of both the storm and the story.