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Bliss House Novels #2.5
Cold Alone: A Bliss House Story
It's 2008, and Nicole Martin feels lucky to have a job. She certainly isn't daunted by the notion of working at Bliss House, an inn that has a reputation for being haunted. (And not your average distant footsteps in the hall, and orbs in photographs haunted, either.) When the inn’s owners ask her to stay overnight while they travel to Richmond, halfway across Virginia, she jumps at the chance. She imagines an epic girl's night of drinking wine and watching movies in the grand old house, but when a snowstorm hits, Nicole finds herself alone. Bliss House is restless, and as Nicole's darkest secrets surface, the house will use them to try to make her one more victim of its deadly games.
I wrote COLD A Bliss House Story, to give you a quick glimpse into the world of Bliss House, the setting for my gothic suspense novels, BLISS HOUSE and CHARLOTTE'S A Bliss House Novel. Though all three are set in Bliss House at different times, they can be read in any order. The most recent installment of the series is CHARLOTTE’S STORY, set in 1957, in which Charlotte Bliss can only learn the truth about the man she married, and the death of her four-year-old daughter by letting the troubled ghosts of Bliss House lead her. You'll find excerpts of both BLISS HOUSE and CHARLOTTE'S STORY inside COLD ALONE. Enjoy!
I wrote COLD A Bliss House Story, to give you a quick glimpse into the world of Bliss House, the setting for my gothic suspense novels, BLISS HOUSE and CHARLOTTE'S A Bliss House Novel. Though all three are set in Bliss House at different times, they can be read in any order. The most recent installment of the series is CHARLOTTE’S STORY, set in 1957, in which Charlotte Bliss can only learn the truth about the man she married, and the death of her four-year-old daughter by letting the troubled ghosts of Bliss House lead her. You'll find excerpts of both BLISS HOUSE and CHARLOTTE'S STORY inside COLD ALONE. Enjoy!
41 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 20, 2015
11 people are currently reading
109 people want to read
About the author
Laura Benedict
35 books422 followersLaura Benedict is the Edgar- and ITW Thriller Award- nominated author of eight novels of suspense, including The Stranger Inside). Her Bliss House gothic trilogy includes The Abandoned Heart, Charlotte’s Story (Booklist starred review), and Bliss House. Her short fiction has appeared in Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine, and in numerous anthologies like Thrillers: 100 Must-Reads, The Lineup: 20 Provocative Women Writers, and St. Louis Noir. A native of Cincinnati, she lives in Southern Illinois with her family. Visit her at www.laurabenedict.com.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
February 18, 2023
I love the Bliss House Novels, however, this short story (that I found when I browsed the kindle app and that I had forgotten I owned) was not especially interesting and the ending was very abrupt. You know, like that's it? I recommend reading the novels instead.
February 17, 2018
Shivering
Although this was a short story, almost a novella, it was as powerful as a novel could be. I swear the snow fell on my shoulders as I sat outside reading the story...in August. The cat may have been one of my favorite...distractions. None of the three characters were perfect by any means, but they were much more interesting because of it. If you have never read Ms. Benedict's works before what a wonderful first peek. If you have? She didn't disappoint. Not one bit.
Although this was a short story, almost a novella, it was as powerful as a novel could be. I swear the snow fell on my shoulders as I sat outside reading the story...in August. The cat may have been one of my favorite...distractions. None of the three characters were perfect by any means, but they were much more interesting because of it. If you have never read Ms. Benedict's works before what a wonderful first peek. If you have? She didn't disappoint. Not one bit.
July 15, 2025
After reading Bliss House and finding out it was part of a series, I was so excited to get the other books and devour them. This was a quick sit-down read, and while I appreciated the elements of the house and the backstory that I knew from Bliss House - this wasn't that original and felt more like a spooky story told by the campfire. I didn't like Nicole, Brittany, or Travis, so when the most interesting character introduced was the cat, the story didn't have much to stand on. Still looking forward to reading the other novels - I have plenty of authors whose novels I love but their short stories aren't my favorite.
February 5, 2016
Nicole Martin isn't especially scared of haunted houses. Yes, she was in pretty desperate need of a job when she applied for the cleaning position at Bliss House, but really it's not the so called ghosts creeping her out so much as her weird boss!
Nicole has the whole inn to herself for the night and with a snowstorm on the horizon and no guests allowed, Nicole has invited her roommate over to keep her company. As the night progresses and her friend is still a no show, though, Bliss House finally starts getting to Nicole. And that's exactly what the house wants.
(Note: if you have read Bliss House, then you know how things end for Nicole's bosses.)
"Cold Alone" has two of of my all-time favorite horror elements: atmosphere and ghosts. Seriously, it's no secret that a good haunted house story is my favorite kind of horror story. Benedict spends just the right amount of time building up the tension and setting the tone for the story so that by the time things start to go south for Nicole - and we all know it's going to go south! - I was questioning the noises in my own house. (Yes, I was reading it in the middle of the night while I was home alone. That's the best way to tackle any creepy read!)
Nicole starts our rather bravely in this story. She's strong and seemingly unshakable. But it turns out it's not just Nicole and the ghosts trapped in the house together during the snow storm; Nicole is shouldering some pretty hefty guilt. Sadly for Nicole, Bliss House is just not the place you want to be if you've got anything weighing on you. Hell, even if you've got all your shit together you probably still don't want to be stuck in a place like Bliss House!
Readers, you do not have to have read Bliss House to read "Cold Alone." In fact, if you've been curious about Bliss House or Benedict but haven't yet taken the plunge, "Cold Alone" can be your gateway read. The e short comes with excerpts of both Bliss House and Charlotte's Story as a nice little bonus, too. Give it a shot and find out why Laura Benedict is one of my favorites!
Nicole has the whole inn to herself for the night and with a snowstorm on the horizon and no guests allowed, Nicole has invited her roommate over to keep her company. As the night progresses and her friend is still a no show, though, Bliss House finally starts getting to Nicole. And that's exactly what the house wants.
(Note: if you have read Bliss House, then you know how things end for Nicole's bosses.)
"Cold Alone" has two of of my all-time favorite horror elements: atmosphere and ghosts. Seriously, it's no secret that a good haunted house story is my favorite kind of horror story. Benedict spends just the right amount of time building up the tension and setting the tone for the story so that by the time things start to go south for Nicole - and we all know it's going to go south! - I was questioning the noises in my own house. (Yes, I was reading it in the middle of the night while I was home alone. That's the best way to tackle any creepy read!)
Nicole starts our rather bravely in this story. She's strong and seemingly unshakable. But it turns out it's not just Nicole and the ghosts trapped in the house together during the snow storm; Nicole is shouldering some pretty hefty guilt. Sadly for Nicole, Bliss House is just not the place you want to be if you've got anything weighing on you. Hell, even if you've got all your shit together you probably still don't want to be stuck in a place like Bliss House!
Readers, you do not have to have read Bliss House to read "Cold Alone." In fact, if you've been curious about Bliss House or Benedict but haven't yet taken the plunge, "Cold Alone" can be your gateway read. The e short comes with excerpts of both Bliss House and Charlotte's Story as a nice little bonus, too. Give it a shot and find out why Laura Benedict is one of my favorites!
November 22, 2016
Definitely helped satisfy my craving while waiting for book three to arrive! I've read both Bliss House and Charlotte's Story, and I loved their engrossing stories filled with mystery. So when I heard that there was a short story to accompany the series, I had to read it! In this short story, the reader learns the story of a young maid that is snowed in alone at Bliss House. Because of her guilty conscience, Bliss House uses it to fuel terror her time spent there. This is the perfect companion to the series or even just a great stand alone short story to introduce a reader to the perplexing Bliss House.
October 27, 2015
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to spend a night alone in a haunted house? Cold Alone is a look into the frightful night of one housekeepers ordeal.
While Cold Alone by Laura Benedict is such a fast read that it seems to end before it even begins, it is a heart-thumping good read. And once you are finished with it you can be thankful that more thrills can currently be found in two full length novels; Bliss House and Charlotte's Story.
While Cold Alone by Laura Benedict is such a fast read that it seems to end before it even begins, it is a heart-thumping good read. And once you are finished with it you can be thankful that more thrills can currently be found in two full length novels; Bliss House and Charlotte's Story.
June 5, 2016
I'm hooked! =)
Every story I read by Laura Benedict draws you in until you can't stop reading until you get to the end. She gives s just the right amount of haunt, suspense, passion, character building, and I'm going to stop there because I'll keep going on and on. Just simply read her books. Excellent writing! =)
Every story I read by Laura Benedict draws you in until you can't stop reading until you get to the end. She gives s just the right amount of haunt, suspense, passion, character building, and I'm going to stop there because I'll keep going on and on. Just simply read her books. Excellent writing! =)
July 26, 2016
Another great creepy story about this blasted house!!!
Perfect story to read on the beach!
Perfect story to read on the beach!
September 2, 2016
Not to be read at bedtime
How can a house built of stone and wood have a personality that is so realistic and so evil? Those who sense the evil , beware!
How can a house built of stone and wood have a personality that is so realistic and so evil? Those who sense the evil , beware!
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews