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Cold Trigger
Copelyn Barlowe has relocated to a secluded cabin in the very small town of Bear Lake, California. Seeking solace and a fresh start she is trying to bury her past.
Just a couple nights in there is a knock on the door. Copelyn is hesitant to get it but against her better judgement she does. Finding sisters Marianne and Georgiana Lambert at her door. She begins to find a send of community and peace.
Copelyn's life takes a dark turn when during a major storm her cabin is invaded by four armed and dangerous men. What she doesn't know is they are wanted by local authorities. After a confrontation Copelyn ends up with the barrel of a gun to her back as she lies to the local Fish & Game Warden, Whit Gibbs about seeing the men. Her one lifeline walking away in the storm.
Copelyn Barlowe must dig deep to survive the night but what she doesn't know is that she will be facing a lot of her demons that she has been running from. The weather making the whole night worse, Copelyn's resilience is tested...will she be able to make it out alive?
Just a couple nights in there is a knock on the door. Copelyn is hesitant to get it but against her better judgement she does. Finding sisters Marianne and Georgiana Lambert at her door. She begins to find a send of community and peace.
Copelyn's life takes a dark turn when during a major storm her cabin is invaded by four armed and dangerous men. What she doesn't know is they are wanted by local authorities. After a confrontation Copelyn ends up with the barrel of a gun to her back as she lies to the local Fish & Game Warden, Whit Gibbs about seeing the men. Her one lifeline walking away in the storm.
Copelyn Barlowe must dig deep to survive the night but what she doesn't know is that she will be facing a lot of her demons that she has been running from. The weather making the whole night worse, Copelyn's resilience is tested...will she be able to make it out alive?
255 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 20, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
April 26, 2026
Short Chapters, Maximum Damage
The pacing in this book is criminal. The chapters are short and punchy, which sounds simple, but Menges uses it masterfully. You keep telling yourself just one more and then it's suddenly 3 a.m. and you've finished the whole thing. There's a relentless forward momentum that never lets you breathe. Exactly what a thriller should be.
The pacing in this book is criminal. The chapters are short and punchy, which sounds simple, but Menges uses it masterfully. You keep telling yourself just one more and then it's suddenly 3 a.m. and you've finished the whole thing. There's a relentless forward momentum that never lets you breathe. Exactly what a thriller should be.
April 27, 2026
Edge of My Seat the Entire Second Half
I read the first half comfortably. The second half I read with my knees pulled to my chest, anxious. Menges escalates the tension so precisely, each layer of threat building on the last, that by the final act I genuinely didn't know if Copelyn was going to make it. And the resolution? Satisfying in all the right ways. This is the kind of book you press into people's hands.
I read the first half comfortably. The second half I read with my knees pulled to my chest, anxious. Menges escalates the tension so precisely, each layer of threat building on the last, that by the final act I genuinely didn't know if Copelyn was going to make it. And the resolution? Satisfying in all the right ways. This is the kind of book you press into people's hands.
April 26, 2026
One Night. One Woman. Zero Mercy.
I picked this up on a whim and did not put it down until 2 a.m. Copelyn Barlowe is the kind of protagonist you root for so hard it almost hurts. She's running from something, and then suddenly something far worse comes running straight at her. The cabin setting during the storm is claustrophobic in the best possible way. Menges writes tension like she was born doing it. Absolutely gripping from the first knock on that door.
I picked this up on a whim and did not put it down until 2 a.m. Copelyn Barlowe is the kind of protagonist you root for so hard it almost hurts. She's running from something, and then suddenly something far worse comes running straight at her. The cabin setting during the storm is claustrophobic in the best possible way. Menges writes tension like she was born doing it. Absolutely gripping from the first knock on that door.
April 26, 2026
Small Town, Big Danger
I love a good survivalist thriller and Cold Trigger delivered everything I wanted. What really sets it apart is how layered Copelyn is. She's not just a woman in danger, she's a woman with a past, trying to build something new, and that emotional undercurrent makes every scary moment hit ten times harder. The moment she lies to Warden Whit Gibbs with a gun at her back? My heart stopped. Brilliant setup.
I love a good survivalist thriller and Cold Trigger delivered everything I wanted. What really sets it apart is how layered Copelyn is. She's not just a woman in danger, she's a woman with a past, trying to build something new, and that emotional undercurrent makes every scary moment hit ten times harder. The moment she lies to Warden Whit Gibbs with a gun at her back? My heart stopped. Brilliant setup.
April 26, 2026
A Heroine Worth Fighting For
Copelyn's craving for a fresh start and independence is so deeply human and relatable that I was emotionally invested in her survival long before the danger even arrived. When the threat does come, it isn't just physical. She's also battling the demons she relocated to escape. That dual tension of external danger and internal reckoning is what elevates Cold Trigger above a standard thriller. Beautifully crafted.
Copelyn's craving for a fresh start and independence is so deeply human and relatable that I was emotionally invested in her survival long before the danger even arrived. When the threat does come, it isn't just physical. She's also battling the demons she relocated to escape. That dual tension of external danger and internal reckoning is what elevates Cold Trigger above a standard thriller. Beautifully crafted.
April 26, 2026
Friendships That Ground You in the Chaos
I wasn't expecting to love the friendship element as much as I did. Sisters Marianne and Georgiana Lambert bring a genuine warmth to the story that makes the horror that follows feel even more jarring. Menges understands that you need light to make darkness land, and those friendships are the heart of the book. I was protective of all three women by the halfway point.
I wasn't expecting to love the friendship element as much as I did. Sisters Marianne and Georgiana Lambert bring a genuine warmth to the story that makes the horror that follows feel even more jarring. Menges understands that you need light to make darkness land, and those friendships are the heart of the book. I was protective of all three women by the halfway point.
April 26, 2026
Bear Lake Will Haunt You
The setting alone deserves five stars. Bear Lake, California comes alive under Menges' pen, remote, quiet, and completely cut off once that storm rolls in. It stops being cozy really fast. I loved how the town's smallness worked against Copelyn rather than for her. Nowhere to run. Nobody close enough to hear. Menges clearly knows this kind of landscape, and it shows.
The setting alone deserves five stars. Bear Lake, California comes alive under Menges' pen, remote, quiet, and completely cut off once that storm rolls in. It stops being cozy really fast. I loved how the town's smallness worked against Copelyn rather than for her. Nowhere to run. Nobody close enough to hear. Menges clearly knows this kind of landscape, and it shows.
April 26, 2026
That Title Payoff Is Everything
The way the title Cold Trigger weaves itself into the narrative is one of the most satisfying authorial choices I've seen in a thriller in a long time. It ties the story together like a bow, and when you hit those moments you'll know exactly what I mean. It made the ending feel complete and deeply intentional. That's the mark of a writer who plans.
The way the title Cold Trigger weaves itself into the narrative is one of the most satisfying authorial choices I've seen in a thriller in a long time. It ties the story together like a bow, and when you hit those moments you'll know exactly what I mean. It made the ending feel complete and deeply intentional. That's the mark of a writer who plans.
May 9, 2026
I could not put this one down! Every second I was engaged and needed to know what was going to happen next. As always the details made you feel like you were Coplyn and you were the one going through everything. I love a good full story, one where you see tragedy and character growth. This one was amazing from beginning to end, it’ll keep you on your toes and never knowing where the story will go next.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This was such a fun, nail biting thriller! I was literally on the edge of my seat the whole second half of the book. I had to force myself to stop reading so I could go to bed. Loved how everything wrapped up nicely at the end!
Review of advance copy received from Author
This book is such a fast, addictive read—it’s one of those “just one more chapter” situations, except the chapters are short and snappy so suddenly you’re halfway through without even realizing it. I absolutely loved that pacing. It kept everything moving and made the tension hit even harder. And the rollercoaster of trying to figure out who the killer is?? I was constantly second-guessing myself. The author does such a good job of making you guess, overthink, and side-eye literally everyone. 👀 I changed my mind so many times and loved every second of it.
As for the characters, I got attached. 🥰 The friendships felt real and warm and grounding in the middle of everything going on, which made the story even more engaging. But especially the main character—I was all in on her journey. Her craving for a fresh start and independence really stuck with me. There was something so relatable about wanting to step away, reset, and build something on your own terms. Also… not gonna lie, I was low-key jealous of her small business and wanted to run it myself. 😍😂
One thing I thought was such a nice touch was how the title Cold Trigger was sprinkled into the story itself. It made everything feel intentional and tied together, like the author really wanted to make the story come full-circle. Those little moments made the whole book feel more complete and satisfying by the end.
Overall, this was such a fun, immersive read with heart, tension, and characters I didn’t want to let go of. Definitely one of those books that sneaks up on you and then lives rent-free in your head for a while after. 💭📖
As for the characters, I got attached. 🥰 The friendships felt real and warm and grounding in the middle of everything going on, which made the story even more engaging. But especially the main character—I was all in on her journey. Her craving for a fresh start and independence really stuck with me. There was something so relatable about wanting to step away, reset, and build something on your own terms. Also… not gonna lie, I was low-key jealous of her small business and wanted to run it myself. 😍😂
One thing I thought was such a nice touch was how the title Cold Trigger was sprinkled into the story itself. It made everything feel intentional and tied together, like the author really wanted to make the story come full-circle. Those little moments made the whole book feel more complete and satisfying by the end.
Overall, this was such a fun, immersive read with heart, tension, and characters I didn’t want to let go of. Definitely one of those books that sneaks up on you and then lives rent-free in your head for a while after. 💭📖
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews