Don't Let In the Cold

by Keely Parrack

Overview

A claustrophobic, high-stakes thriller that will have you fearing what waits out in the cold.

It was supposed to be just one night in the cabin: one night for Lottie and her brand new stepsister, Jade, to try to get along. When a solar flare causes a massive blackout—no power or cell signal—Lottie knows they've got a long night ahead of them.

Then, in the dark, someone else shows up at the cabin—a stranger named Alex, claiming to be lost and needing shelter from the coming snowstorm. But later that night, Lottie spies him in the driveway talking to two mysterious men in a pickup truck, and she's sure he's lying about why he's here.

Before Lottie can find out more, a fire forces her, Jade, and Alex out into the blizzard, where they must rely on one another to get to safety—wherever that is. In the remote, freezing Tahoe wilderness, they have to survive more than just the elements. Soon it becomes clear that Alex's accomplices are hunting for all three of them, in a scheme that's gone too far and taken a chilling, deadly turn.

Perfect for readers who love:

• Mysteries for teens
• Snowy, atmospheric thrillers
• Fans of Natasha Preston, Natalie Richards, and Karen McManus

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781728256764
Publisher:	Sourcebooks
Publication date:	09/06/2022
Pages:	352
Sales rank:	188,090
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.20(h) x 1.10(d)
Age Range:	14 - 18 Years

About the Author

Keely Parrack was born in the UK but moved to the US twenty years ago, where she works as a teacher and bookseller. She lives with her family in the Bay Area. Find her online at keelyparrack.com

Editorial Reviews

"Claustrophobic and suffocatingly high stakes. Each expertly-plotted twist of this edge-of-your-seat winter thriller will chill you to the bone. Parrack spins a tale of survival and found family that will equal parts delight and terrify you. I couldn't stop reading—safely under my covers." — Rebecca Hanover, New York Times bestselling author of The Similars

"The action is fast-paced, with just enough romantic tension... [a] comfortingly familiar page-turning suspense" — Kirkus Reviews

"[For] readers who like mysteries that defy imagination" — Youth Services Book Review

"Parrack’s latest brings nonstop action... Readers will appreciate Lottie's emotional journey in the wake of so many disappointments in her life, all while being tested in unfamiliar circumstances, from both nature and humankind" — Booklist

"Twisty" — School Library Journal

"I shivered my way through this survival tale, in which no place is safe for long, and no one can be trusted." — Parker Peevyhouse, author of The Echo Room

"A tense thriller that tightens the screws on every page. A worthy addition to the genre!" — Gretchen McNeil, author of Ten and #murdertrending

From the Publisher

10/01/2022

Gr 7–10—While Lottie's newlywed mother and new stepdad go on a quick honeymoon, Lottie is tasked with spending the night with her stepsister, Jade, in a remote winter cabin in Tahoe. What she expects to be an awkward evening quickly devolves into life-or-death terror after a solar flare knocks out the power and Alex, a seemingly friendly stranger who claims to be lost, shows up at their door. A chain of increasingly bizarre events results in the three teens running for their lives as they battle an unexpected blizzard, a fire, wild animals, a burglary ring, a religious zealot, and more over the course of four tumultuous days. Although the circumstances are certainly dire, the light, conversational tone of the dialogue often feels out of place and drains much of the tension from the conflict. The characters' odd decisions at times strain belief and seem engineered by the author to give them a reason to flee. A syrupy romance that develops between Alex and Lottie late in the story feels discordant given their injuries and critical condition. Although Jade is Black and tells Lottie that she does not feel attraction to boys and Alex is Asian, these identities are only label-deep and are not developed in even a cursory way within the story. VERDICT This twisty but ultimately mundane tale of survival is surprisingly lifeless. Not recommended for purchase except where additional, more accessible action/adventure titles are needed.—Catherine Cote

School Library Journal

2022-05-25
A Tahoe blizzard is the setting of Parrack’s debut.

Seventeen-year-old Lottie, a White English girl who’s been repeatedly let down by her flighty Mum, isn’t happy about spending the night alone in a remote cabin with her quiet, nature-loving new stepsister, 15-year-old Black American Jade, while their parents go on their honeymoon. They’ve only met three times before and haven’t exactly clicked. Then again, it’s only one night. How bad could it be? Then the power goes out and the stranger arrives. Alex, described generically as Asian, is tall and charming and claims to have lost his way—he’s just a boy walking his dog. However, his story is full of holes, and before long Lottie suspects he’s hiding something. Just as she confronts him, a fire breaks out in the cabin, and Lottie, Jade, and Alex are forced out into the cold and snow with only each other to rely on; one night on their own turns into a dayslong struggle for survival. It’s unfortunate that encounters with a bear, a mountain lion, and an avalanche are nothing compared to the human threat stalking them through the wild white wilderness. Lottie’s first-person narration is generic, but the action is fast-paced, with just enough romantic tension between Lottie and Alex to keep it interesting, while the tentative nature of Lottie and Jade’s new sister relationship fades quickly as they learn to rely on and appreciate each other.

Comfortingly familiar page-turning suspense. (Thriller. 13-17)

Kirkus Reviews