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A Cold Place for Dying
It’s Christmas Eve. Having lost his wife, Joe Whitaker is spending the day hunting deer with bow and arrow in the mountains of New England. He finds a sense of peace getting back to nature, and even leaves his phone in his truck, wanting to free himself from the everyday world for a few hours. But no sooner does he enter the woods than his peace is interrupted by Nicole, a frantic woman running barefoot through the snow. She claims she was kidnapped and had managed to escape, but the man who imprisoned her is now on her tail and won’t stop until she’s his hostage again.
Joe wants to help Nicole, but when he comes across Dan, the man pursuing her, he’s told Nicole has a serious mental illness and is delusional. Dan claims he isn't her kidnapper - he’s her husband. As a snowstorm bears down on the mountain, Joe soon finds himself in a deadly triangle with a mysterious man and a panicked woman, not knowing who to trust. If he makes the wrong choice, it might just cost him his life.
Joe wants to help Nicole, but when he comes across Dan, the man pursuing her, he’s told Nicole has a serious mental illness and is delusional. Dan claims he isn't her kidnapper - he’s her husband. As a snowstorm bears down on the mountain, Joe soon finds himself in a deadly triangle with a mysterious man and a panicked woman, not knowing who to trust. If he makes the wrong choice, it might just cost him his life.
249 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 2021
About the author
Kristopher Triana
68 books2,296 followersKristopher Triana is the author of Gone to See the River Man, Full Brutal, They All Died Screaming, Shepherd of the Black Sheep, Toxic Love, and more.
His fiction has appeared in countless magazines and anthologies and has been translated into multiple languages, drawing praise from Publisher's Weekly, Cemetery Dance, Rue Morgue, Scream, The Ginger Nuts of Horror and others.
Full Brutal won the Splatterpunk Award for Best Horror Novel of 2019, and Triana won the award again in 2022 for The Night Stockers, which he cowrote with Ryan Harding.
He lives in Connecticut.
His fiction has appeared in countless magazines and anthologies and has been translated into multiple languages, drawing praise from Publisher's Weekly, Cemetery Dance, Rue Morgue, Scream, The Ginger Nuts of Horror and others.
Full Brutal won the Splatterpunk Award for Best Horror Novel of 2019, and Triana won the award again in 2022 for The Night Stockers, which he cowrote with Ryan Harding.
He lives in Connecticut.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 104 reviews
August 2, 2023
This was a killer thrill ride! Poor Joe still mourns the loss of his wife and lives a fairly secluded, lonely life. He takes Christmas Eve to go hunting and stumbles onto a very bizarre situation involving a woman who may have escaped from being a sex slave or is an unstable and extremely mentally ill. And she is being chased by a man that may be her husband or a maniac. Pretty wild extremes, right? Triana wrote this so well, in that you have no idea who's telling the truth or lying up until the very end. So Joe is navigating back and forth, as these two people are volatile and violent, just trying to do the right thing. And boy does this guy have the patience of a saint. I would've just hightailed it outta there! But solid intrigue and the entire setting of the snowy woods was perfect. Now I wanted a little more about Christmas here. It was used a bit, but I feel like there could have been a deeper dive into the holiday and Joe's grief and its significance to him. I also wanted a lot more background on Dan and Nicole/Katie, as opposed to the bit of an information dump at the very end. There could have been some more finesse with divulging the truth, especially if the story, which is fairly short, was given some additional pages to breathe. But otherwise, this was a very good experience by a solid author.
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November 13, 2021Exclusive, signed, limited editions for Night Worms November 2021 package, Season of Fear in partnership with Thunderstorm books!
Kristopher Triana is one of our favorite authors and it was a *dream* to be able to showcase her work in this custom package paired with another favorite, Ania Ahlborn.
Kristopher Triana is one of our favorite authors and it was a *dream* to be able to showcase her work in this custom package paired with another favorite, Ania Ahlborn.
March 21, 2023
This was a short and engrossing survival thriller.
'Gentle flurries skittered across the windshield, an angelic ash that made him think of the sort of holiday seasons
he’d only seen in movies.'
Joe decided to spend his Christmas Eve hunting in the woods, well aware that there is a snowstorm imminent. While in the woods he spots a woman running through the undergrowth...then the story unfolds.
Although this is a fairly simple, short and predictable place, there was enough action and an element of tension that kept me interested in reading on.
This was my first time reading this author and probably will not be my last.
'Gentle flurries skittered across the windshield, an angelic ash that made him think of the sort of holiday seasons
he’d only seen in movies.'
Joe decided to spend his Christmas Eve hunting in the woods, well aware that there is a snowstorm imminent. While in the woods he spots a woman running through the undergrowth...then the story unfolds.
Although this is a fairly simple, short and predictable place, there was enough action and an element of tension that kept me interested in reading on.
This was my first time reading this author and probably will not be my last.
March 5, 2023
Excellent, and taut story, full of twists and turns. Triana writes smoothly, with no downtime to even catch your breath.
December 22, 2023
3.5⭐️ but rounding down because the ending was a bit of a let down. Also, the mental health discussions left a bad taste in my mouth, though I did know from the synopsis that I’d likely find that aspect frustrating, so I can’t say I wasn’t warned. Despite that, this atmospheric novella did have me glued to the pages. The whole time I wondering how it was going to play out and which character(s) were lying vs which were telling the truth.
If this book was Taylor Swift lyrics:
“I guess you really did it this time
Left yourself in your warpath
Lost your balance on a tightrope
Lost your mind tryin' to get it back”
If this book was Taylor Swift lyrics:
“I guess you really did it this time
Left yourself in your warpath
Lost your balance on a tightrope
Lost your mind tryin' to get it back”
November 28, 2021
Two novellas in one book. The first and meatiest one is A COLD PLACE FOR DYING. It was a great, dark thriller with lots of atmosphere. I really liked the main character Joe. He was a a good man, and put himself in danger in an effort to save others. His love was for late wife was very real to me too. It is always good to see a male character treating a female characters with such understanding and care, as he does with the quite crazed character of Nicole. As a woman, I appreciate seeing that in a work by a male writer. While there is violence against a woman in the story, there is also violence against men, so it didn't feel exploitive, but instead central to the plot. You don't know who to trust in this one and it keeps you guessing. I found the story quite gripping and the ending satisfying, if tragic. FIVE STARS.
The second story THE LOVE NEST was good, but not as good as the first. This was clearly tacked on as a bonus for this special edition. This one is more weird/uncanny but certainly mysterious, as was the other one. The main characters are likable and their bond becomes so strong. The villains are crazy. There is a Lovecraftian element to the story that makes it differ from the other, which is more a down-to-earth thriller. I give this one THREE AND A HALF stars.
Triana's writing is rich and visceral, and his character development is superb. He holds no punches with his elements of horror either. I've enjoyed many of his books and was glad I was able to get a copy of this rare one.
The second story THE LOVE NEST was good, but not as good as the first. This was clearly tacked on as a bonus for this special edition. This one is more weird/uncanny but certainly mysterious, as was the other one. The main characters are likable and their bond becomes so strong. The villains are crazy. There is a Lovecraftian element to the story that makes it differ from the other, which is more a down-to-earth thriller. I give this one THREE AND A HALF stars.
Triana's writing is rich and visceral, and his character development is superb. He holds no punches with his elements of horror either. I've enjoyed many of his books and was glad I was able to get a copy of this rare one.
December 10, 2023
It makes me sad to not give this a higher rating because honestly this was really fun & exciting to read for the majority of the book. Once our main character got to the woods, it was a blast. Unfortunately, I had some issues with the beginning and the ending was SO LAME. 3.5 stars
March 23, 2025
Quick fast-paced he said she said survival thriller. Entertaining enough, but the ending was a little meh. Also the mental health portrayal was a little rough.
That being said, great atmospheric scenery and Triana did a good job of getting me to play guess the liar.
That being said, great atmospheric scenery and Triana did a good job of getting me to play guess the liar.
April 23, 2023
I really like this novella. This can be read if a few hours and has a good ending. 3.75 🌟
January 4, 2022
These two novellas are completely outside what I would call Triana’s “wheelhouse,” but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
I loved the second one and thoroughly enjoyed the first.
Joe has always excelled at archery. He decides to test his skills by embarking on a solo hunting trip on Christmas Eve to put his talents to the test. He figures taking it back to living off the land is about the most manly thing you can do. Just as he’s about to shoot a massive buck, a woman comes crashing through the thicket, scaring both the deer and Joe. What he immediately notices is that she has no shoes on her feet and she isn’t dressed for the cold weather.
She begins to tell a tale of kidnapping and abuse, but she also shows signs of mental instability. Someone starts calling her name, leaving Joe to decide whether he wants to face the the voice calling out or flee further into the brush.
Faced with two conflicting stories, Joe tries to suss out the truth for himself.
LOVE NEST:
Brian gets side swiped in a car accident. He literally doesn’t see what’s coming until he wakes up inside a cage. But he isn’t alone, there’s a woman with him.
This one has a darker feel to it. It definitely keeps you guessing as to what the hell these characters are talking about. Who is this “mother?”
The ending of this one was completely unexpected.
I loved the second one and thoroughly enjoyed the first.
Joe has always excelled at archery. He decides to test his skills by embarking on a solo hunting trip on Christmas Eve to put his talents to the test. He figures taking it back to living off the land is about the most manly thing you can do. Just as he’s about to shoot a massive buck, a woman comes crashing through the thicket, scaring both the deer and Joe. What he immediately notices is that she has no shoes on her feet and she isn’t dressed for the cold weather.
She begins to tell a tale of kidnapping and abuse, but she also shows signs of mental instability. Someone starts calling her name, leaving Joe to decide whether he wants to face the the voice calling out or flee further into the brush.
Faced with two conflicting stories, Joe tries to suss out the truth for himself.
LOVE NEST:
Brian gets side swiped in a car accident. He literally doesn’t see what’s coming until he wakes up inside a cage. But he isn’t alone, there’s a woman with him.
This one has a darker feel to it. It definitely keeps you guessing as to what the hell these characters are talking about. Who is this “mother?”
The ending of this one was completely unexpected.
November 29, 2022
A fun and quick winter read.
Joe finds himseld in a deadly triangle with a mysterious man and a panicked woman, not knowing who to trust?
If he makes the wrong choice, it might just cost him his life.
Joe finds himseld in a deadly triangle with a mysterious man and a panicked woman, not knowing who to trust?
If he makes the wrong choice, it might just cost him his life.
November 30, 2021
I deeply enjoyed this suspenseful story. The majority of the book features just three main characters during a mountaintop snowstorm. The dialogue and action is taut and gripping. The tension builds and builds and you can really imagine yourself in a similar situation as main character Joe is.
I've seen some other female reviewers complain that this is somehow anti-me too movement or something based on the fact that whether or not the character of Nicole is telling the truth about being kidnapped is a big question. I think that critique is a bit much to say, and also persnickety. The character of Joe goes out of his way to help Nicole throughout the entire book, even at risk of his own life. Some PC readers seem to think it's never okay to have a female character that is mentally unstable or traumatized (there are other women in the story who aren't BTW). I've read most of Triana's books and he always writes women extremely well (see GONE TO SEE THE RIVER MAN and Delia in THE 13TH KOYOTE). The female character in A COLD PLACE FOR DYING just happens to be disturbed/traumatized. That's all. Doesn't mean all women are. The author isn't saying that. Triana has also been very open about his own struggles with mental illness (see his book RUIN SEASON) I think he is writing from his heart with a character like Nicole.
The bonus story LOVE NEST is pretty twisted and has an unexpected slant. Yes, a woman is kept in a cage...but so is a man! That's the plot! Some people have a problem with this. I didn't. I like horror stories and that's what this book is. Not every character, female or otherwise, has to bounce back from horrible things like a superhero. Abuse screws people up.
If you're overly sensitive this one might not be for you. But if you love good suspense and horror that offers more than ghosts and goblins this is a solid read.
A COLD PLACE FOR DYING - 5 stars
THE LOVE NEST - 4 stars
I've seen some other female reviewers complain that this is somehow anti-me too movement or something based on the fact that whether or not the character of Nicole is telling the truth about being kidnapped is a big question. I think that critique is a bit much to say, and also persnickety. The character of Joe goes out of his way to help Nicole throughout the entire book, even at risk of his own life. Some PC readers seem to think it's never okay to have a female character that is mentally unstable or traumatized (there are other women in the story who aren't BTW). I've read most of Triana's books and he always writes women extremely well (see GONE TO SEE THE RIVER MAN and Delia in THE 13TH KOYOTE). The female character in A COLD PLACE FOR DYING just happens to be disturbed/traumatized. That's all. Doesn't mean all women are. The author isn't saying that. Triana has also been very open about his own struggles with mental illness (see his book RUIN SEASON) I think he is writing from his heart with a character like Nicole.
The bonus story LOVE NEST is pretty twisted and has an unexpected slant. Yes, a woman is kept in a cage...but so is a man! That's the plot! Some people have a problem with this. I didn't. I like horror stories and that's what this book is. Not every character, female or otherwise, has to bounce back from horrible things like a superhero. Abuse screws people up.
If you're overly sensitive this one might not be for you. But if you love good suspense and horror that offers more than ghosts and goblins this is a solid read.
A COLD PLACE FOR DYING - 5 stars
THE LOVE NEST - 4 stars
November 10, 2021
Spoilers in this review. I am so disappointed in this book. I got this in a Nightworms box and was so excited. The cover and the premise of the book had me so stoked.
But oof was this not great.
After losing his wife, Joe Whitaker decides to go back to basics and decides to spend sometime alone, hunting in the mountains. He is quickly interrupted by a woman, Nicole, who says she's on the run from the man who kidnapped her. But the man who kidnapped her and catches up soon after says he is her husband and that she has serious mental health issues.
The writing of Nicole really rubbed me the wrong way. She was crude and cursed constantly and was always shouting. She is meant to be seen as either crazy or really distraught and I feel like her character tone was so one note and that this author just did not know how to present a female character (and I think her having a mental illness and her being frightened because she was kidnapped would be conveyed differently. But he just made her seem "crazy" regardless).
This book is basically a lot of arguing back and forth between the three characters. And Joe is stuck in the middle trying to decide what's right. In the end, Dan was telling the truth about Nicole's mental instability but he wasn't exactly treating her well as he did bind her to a bed during her serious episodes. And I mean...overall this book isn't treating mental health kindly. And it isn't presenting women characters kindly. I was sooo disappointed by the ending. I feel like there could have been so many directions that could have been done, and this one was so predictable and ugh, I am so bummed honestly because I really wanted to like this one.
I didn't read the second story in the book. This writing style didn't click for me at all.
But oof was this not great.
After losing his wife, Joe Whitaker decides to go back to basics and decides to spend sometime alone, hunting in the mountains. He is quickly interrupted by a woman, Nicole, who says she's on the run from the man who kidnapped her. But the man who kidnapped her and catches up soon after says he is her husband and that she has serious mental health issues.
The writing of Nicole really rubbed me the wrong way. She was crude and cursed constantly and was always shouting. She is meant to be seen as either crazy or really distraught and I feel like her character tone was so one note and that this author just did not know how to present a female character (and I think her having a mental illness and her being frightened because she was kidnapped would be conveyed differently. But he just made her seem "crazy" regardless).
This book is basically a lot of arguing back and forth between the three characters. And Joe is stuck in the middle trying to decide what's right. In the end, Dan was telling the truth about Nicole's mental instability but he wasn't exactly treating her well as he did bind her to a bed during her serious episodes. And I mean...overall this book isn't treating mental health kindly. And it isn't presenting women characters kindly. I was sooo disappointed by the ending. I feel like there could have been so many directions that could have been done, and this one was so predictable and ugh, I am so bummed honestly because I really wanted to like this one.
I didn't read the second story in the book. This writing style didn't click for me at all.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 16, 2022
“The closest bonds we will ever know are bonds of grief. The deepest community one of sorrow.” – Cormac McCarthy, All the Pretty Horses
Definitely a chilling read, in more ways than one 🥶
Christmas Eve and Joe is out deer hunting. He’s deep in the winter woodlands when he encounters an underdressed woman and her potential kidnapped. Chaos ensues as a blizzard roles in.
I wasn’t sure who to believe or which way the story would go! The suspense was unreal!!! This is why you should take a phone or GPS in reach device with you when you’re alone in the wilderness!!
This was a pretty quick story, so it’s not like there’s going to be a ton of character development and arcs. On that note, Joe’s flashback scenes, while interesting, didn’t always seem relevant to the story at hand. The ending was wrapped up in a nice little bow, but it would’ve been cool if there was an Organization.
Definitely a chilling read, in more ways than one 🥶
Christmas Eve and Joe is out deer hunting. He’s deep in the winter woodlands when he encounters an underdressed woman and her potential kidnapped. Chaos ensues as a blizzard roles in.
I wasn’t sure who to believe or which way the story would go! The suspense was unreal!!! This is why you should take a phone or GPS in reach device with you when you’re alone in the wilderness!!
This was a pretty quick story, so it’s not like there’s going to be a ton of character development and arcs. On that note, Joe’s flashback scenes, while interesting, didn’t always seem relevant to the story at hand. The ending was wrapped up in a nice little bow, but it would’ve been cool if there was an Organization.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 12, 2021
This novel is very much written from the male gaze, and the female characters in both stories are very one dimensional, focused almost exclusively on their body descriptions and stereotypical "crazy" and "sensual" female behaviors. In the second story, The Love Nest, the narrator even describes that the woman's vulva is dilating... It's too bad because honestly it was suspenseful and interesting and I finished reading even while disgusted because I wanted to find out what happened. The unrealistic and sexist male gaze got worse and was not worth finding out.
January 9, 2026
In this bite-sized novella, Triana brings us a tense, dark thriller set on Christmas Eve. The story follows Joe, a quiet man whose solitude is shattered when while bow-hunting deer, he encounters a barefoot woman running through the snow. Nicole claims she has escaped from a kidnapping and that the man who held her captive is now hunting her down. Joe wants to help, but when he confronts the pursuer, he is told a very different story. Nicole is allegedly schizophrenic, and the man chasing her is actually her husband. As a snowstorm closes in, Joe becomes trapped in a deadly triangle with a frantic woman and a mysterious man, unsure of who, if anyone, he can trust.
WOW, this was twisty and incredibly suspenseful. Triana continues to prove his versatility as a storyteller, effortlessly moving between extreme horror, splatterpunk, and dark thrillers. Even at just 115 pages, he crafts a gripping, fast-paced tale. The blizzard felt like a character in its own right. I could practically feel the cold seeping into my bones while reading, and I found myself reaching for a blanket to keep warm. 🥶
The flashback chapters added emotional depth, allowing us to understand Joe and the grief he is carrying. I could really feel his sorrow, and I love when an author gives us time to connect more deeply with the main character. The present-day chapters were packed with nonstop tension and nail-biting suspense. I did not know who to believe! Was Nicole telling the truth? Was her “husband” Dan right? And why was Joe inserting himself into such a dangerous and MESSY situation? Why is he so incredibly patient and kind? 😅
The violence toward the end was extremely brutal, and I was here for it! However, I do wish the final outcome and twist had gone in a different direction. It felt a bit disappointing, as the story had the potential to end on a stronger, more impactful note.
Overall, this was a quick, entertaining read that kept me on edge the entire time. It would make a great introduction to Triana’s work if you have not read him before, and a solid recommendation for anyone who loves dark thrillers.
WOW, this was twisty and incredibly suspenseful. Triana continues to prove his versatility as a storyteller, effortlessly moving between extreme horror, splatterpunk, and dark thrillers. Even at just 115 pages, he crafts a gripping, fast-paced tale. The blizzard felt like a character in its own right. I could practically feel the cold seeping into my bones while reading, and I found myself reaching for a blanket to keep warm. 🥶
The flashback chapters added emotional depth, allowing us to understand Joe and the grief he is carrying. I could really feel his sorrow, and I love when an author gives us time to connect more deeply with the main character. The present-day chapters were packed with nonstop tension and nail-biting suspense. I did not know who to believe! Was Nicole telling the truth? Was her “husband” Dan right? And why was Joe inserting himself into such a dangerous and MESSY situation? Why is he so incredibly patient and kind? 😅
The violence toward the end was extremely brutal, and I was here for it! However, I do wish the final outcome and twist had gone in a different direction. It felt a bit disappointing, as the story had the potential to end on a stronger, more impactful note.
Overall, this was a quick, entertaining read that kept me on edge the entire time. It would make a great introduction to Triana’s work if you have not read him before, and a solid recommendation for anyone who loves dark thrillers.
December 16, 2022
He Shot an Arrow in the Air...
No spoilers. 3 1/2 stars. Joe Whitaker was treating himself to a hunting trip in the snowy woods of New England...
A Christmas present to himself...
He had a bead on a large buck with his arrow when suddenly a barefoot woman came crashing out of the trees...
She said her name was Nicole and that she had been kidnapped. She fearfully asked Joe...
Are you part of the organization?...
She told a story of imprisonment at the hands of a man called Dan. She said that Dan had killed her baby then...
... dismembered her and buried her in these very woods...
As they talked, Dan appeared....
Night was quickly coming on and a snow storm was beginning. Was Dan an abuser or a concerned husband?...
Dan had a gun. Nicole ran into the woods and Joe fell on some ice discharging an arrow. When Joe got to his feet, all he saw was a trail of blood...
Joe followed the trail to real trouble...
He shot an arrow in the air; It fell to earth, he knew not where...
This is one of my favorite authors and this novella was well-written like most of his stories. So why the 3 1/2 star rating? The story itself was very predictable and the ending just ended. I kept expecting some last minute twist but it just petered out to an abrupt end.
GONE TO SEE THE RIVER MAN by this author was a much better story.
No spoilers. 3 1/2 stars. Joe Whitaker was treating himself to a hunting trip in the snowy woods of New England...
A Christmas present to himself...
He had a bead on a large buck with his arrow when suddenly a barefoot woman came crashing out of the trees...
She said her name was Nicole and that she had been kidnapped. She fearfully asked Joe...
Are you part of the organization?...
She told a story of imprisonment at the hands of a man called Dan. She said that Dan had killed her baby then...
... dismembered her and buried her in these very woods...
As they talked, Dan appeared....
Night was quickly coming on and a snow storm was beginning. Was Dan an abuser or a concerned husband?...
Dan had a gun. Nicole ran into the woods and Joe fell on some ice discharging an arrow. When Joe got to his feet, all he saw was a trail of blood...
Joe followed the trail to real trouble...
He shot an arrow in the air; It fell to earth, he knew not where...
This is one of my favorite authors and this novella was well-written like most of his stories. So why the 3 1/2 star rating? The story itself was very predictable and the ending just ended. I kept expecting some last minute twist but it just petered out to an abrupt end.
GONE TO SEE THE RIVER MAN by this author was a much better story.
December 31, 2022
Nice little thriller for winter. It’s fast paced and quick to the point.
Triana is one of my favorite authors but I was very disappointed in all the errors I found in my copy. Multiple spelling mistakes and a name mix up at the end. Seems like easy things to find when a book has probably been formatted and edited 3 times or more since this is a re-release.
Triana is one of my favorite authors but I was very disappointed in all the errors I found in my copy. Multiple spelling mistakes and a name mix up at the end. Seems like easy things to find when a book has probably been formatted and edited 3 times or more since this is a re-release.
December 21, 2021
3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 for the entertainingly bizarre second story.
This is two tales in one book. Our main story that shares the title is about a man named Joe who's lost his sense of purpose and is spending a lonely Christmas Eve atop a mountain to do some bow hunting. He meets two people, a man and woman, with two very different stories, and needs to figure out who to trust and who is dangerous.
This was a fun, fast-paced story that kept me guessing until the end. I really liked the situation, though I did find a couple of the little details difficult to believe (such as being unable to call 911 on a locked phone).
The second story, Love Nest, is a surprising tale about a man and woman who have been captured by Maine hillbillies for some unknown, nefarious purpose. The hillbillies have strange demands for the two of them and they are forced to comply... With surprisingly Lovecraftian results. I honestly loved how bizarre this one was, though I felt like the casual mentions of assault could have been handled better.
I wasn't sure what to expect out of this book but it really surprised me and I never could predict what was going to happen in the story.
This is two tales in one book. Our main story that shares the title is about a man named Joe who's lost his sense of purpose and is spending a lonely Christmas Eve atop a mountain to do some bow hunting. He meets two people, a man and woman, with two very different stories, and needs to figure out who to trust and who is dangerous.
This was a fun, fast-paced story that kept me guessing until the end. I really liked the situation, though I did find a couple of the little details difficult to believe (such as being unable to call 911 on a locked phone).
The second story, Love Nest, is a surprising tale about a man and woman who have been captured by Maine hillbillies for some unknown, nefarious purpose. The hillbillies have strange demands for the two of them and they are forced to comply... With surprisingly Lovecraftian results. I honestly loved how bizarre this one was, though I felt like the casual mentions of assault could have been handled better.
I wasn't sure what to expect out of this book but it really surprised me and I never could predict what was going to happen in the story.
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January 12, 2022I received this book in my Night Worms package.
There are 2 novellas. So far I only read the first one A Cold Place for Dying. I'm not sure how I feel about it. It did keep my interest. I really wanted to know how it ended. I'm not sure about the mental health angle. It was really over the top. Especially towards the end. Of course this is Kristopher Triana and his writing can definitely be over the top. And yet for this author this novella was on the tame side.
There are 2 novellas. So far I only read the first one A Cold Place for Dying. I'm not sure how I feel about it. It did keep my interest. I really wanted to know how it ended. I'm not sure about the mental health angle. It was really over the top. Especially towards the end. Of course this is Kristopher Triana and his writing can definitely be over the top. And yet for this author this novella was on the tame side.
February 8, 2024
INTENSE! You can feel the pain the characters are experiencing through the pages. Loved how this kept me engaged in the story! Highly recommend, especially on a cold snowy day!
November 26, 2021
Great Thunderstorm Books exclusive. This book contains 2 new novellas by Triana. I own all of his books, and i'm happy to have this in my collection. The first Novella is a thriller and fast paced.
January 9, 2024
What a wild ride!
I only put this book down when I had to! The story follows Katie/Nicole, Dan and Joe, who finds the both of them while bow hunting on the mountainside in a snow storm. Joe has to figure out whether Dan or Katie/Nicole is telling the truth about why they are there and the circumstances surrounding. Katie/Nicole accuses Dan of being held hostage and killing her child, while Dan says that he is her husband and she's having a manic episode and has run away from home.
An absolute easy 5 stars and quick read! This one had me guessing the whole time!
I only put this book down when I had to! The story follows Katie/Nicole, Dan and Joe, who finds the both of them while bow hunting on the mountainside in a snow storm. Joe has to figure out whether Dan or Katie/Nicole is telling the truth about why they are there and the circumstances surrounding. Katie/Nicole accuses Dan of being held hostage and killing her child, while Dan says that he is her husband and she's having a manic episode and has run away from home.
An absolute easy 5 stars and quick read! This one had me guessing the whole time!
January 15, 2024
This was just fine for me. I’ve liked other Triana books more than this one, but the wintery atmosphere was well written and developed and that kept me engaged. I had a feeling I knew where the ending was going, which characters to trust and not trust and for that, it was just a solid 3 star book. Not a new favorite but also, glad I finally read it when I’ve been waiting for the winter season to get to it
December 25, 2024
The concept of this books is super intriguing: a guy alone in the woods on Christmas Eve is approached by a woman claiming to have been kidnapped by a man, but then said man shows up and says she is his clinically insane wife. Whom to believe? There isn’t much substance here besides that really fun scenario. As I read, I kept wondering what I’d do in the situation and was sufficiently entertained for an afternoon.
November 29, 2022
Great thriller. Joe is one of my favorite characters.
August 24, 2023
3.5 stars. The story for A Cold Place For Dying was a fast paced and kept me wondering what was going to happen next. A Love Nest wasn't quite as action packed, but it did keep me turning the pages even though it got a bit uncomfortable to read and felt like some bizarre and twisted male fantasy . Entertaining, but not exactly the extreme and brutal horror that I was expecting.
December 18, 2024
I didn't realize when I started this one that it was actually a novella and a short story.
The first story is the novella, A Cold Place for Dying. In this story Joe, who has recently lost wife to cancer, goes into the woods on Christmas Eve to hunt. He leaves his cell phone in the car and takes his bow and arrow and his survival skills and treks into the wilderness. While there, he runs into a woman who claims she is being chased down by a crazy man.
This story was kind of wild and even though it wasn't great, I still enjoyed it though the ending fell pretty flat.
The second story was The Love Nest and this was just weird and left me with a bad taste in my mouth. I also wanted to slap the shit out of both main characters--Brian and Millie--and they weren't even the villains.
Three-ish stars but I wouldn't necessarily recommend this.
The first story is the novella, A Cold Place for Dying. In this story Joe, who has recently lost wife to cancer, goes into the woods on Christmas Eve to hunt. He leaves his cell phone in the car and takes his bow and arrow and his survival skills and treks into the wilderness. While there, he runs into a woman who claims she is being chased down by a crazy man.
This story was kind of wild and even though it wasn't great, I still enjoyed it though the ending fell pretty flat.
The second story was The Love Nest and this was just weird and left me with a bad taste in my mouth. I also wanted to slap the shit out of both main characters--Brian and Millie--and they weren't even the villains.
Three-ish stars but I wouldn't necessarily recommend this.
January 4, 2026
a good reminder to mind your own business
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