A Cold Season

After her husband goes missing in Afghanistan, Cass takes her young son Ben to start fresh in her childhood village of Darnshaw. What should be a peaceful new beginning quickly turns ominous as the remote village reveals itself to be eerily different from her memories. As Ben's behavior grows increasingly disturbing and winter storms cut off all escape routes, Cass finds herself trapped in a community harboring dark secrets. The isolation intensifies as she discovers unsettling truths about both the village and its inhabitants while struggling to protect her transforming son. This supernatural horror novel examines themes of grief, isolation, and the lengths a mother will go to save her child against a backdrop of unrelenting winter and ancient evil. Through its stark setting and mounting tension, it explores how trauma and loss can leave us vulnerable to forces beyond our control.

Readers found A Cold Season to be a slow-burning supernatural horror novel that builds tension gradually. The book gained attention as part of Jo Fletcher Books' initial horror lineup. Readers appreciated: - The atmospheric winter setting and isolated village location - The realistic portrayal of a single mother's struggles - The subtle buildup of unease rather than overt scares Common criticisms: - Pacing drags in the middle sections - Character decisions feel implausible - Ending feels rushed and unsatisfying Review Scores: Goodreads: 3.3/5 (1,200+ ratings) Amazon UK: 3.5/5 (100+ reviews) Amazon US: 3.4/5 (50+ reviews) Several readers noted the book works better as a psychological thriller than horror. One Goodreads reviewer wrote: "The wintery atmosphere is perfect but the story never quite delivers on its promise." Multiple Amazon reviewers mentioned struggling to connect with or believe the main character's choices in the latter half.

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✧ The novel's setting of Darnshaw, while fictional, draws inspiration from real Yorkshire villages known for their isolation during harsh winters, particularly those in the Pennine hills ✧ Author Alison Littlewood wrote "A Cold Season" as her debut novel, and it was selected for the Richard and Judy Book Club, significantly boosting its visibility and sales in the UK ✧ The book's exploration of military spouse experiences reflects real statistics - over 1.1 million military spouses face similar challenges of uncertainty and isolation when their partners are deployed ✧ The supernatural elements in the story incorporate aspects of traditional Yorkshire folklore, particularly winter spirits and malevolent forces associated with remote moorland communities ✧ The novel's winter setting was partially inspired by the severe UK winter of 2010-2011, which saw record-breaking snowfall and temperatures as low as -21.3°C in parts of Yorkshire