Oh my goodness Gregg Olsen does it again! This was a fantastic read with out of this world great characters kept. A quick pace and troubling subject matter kept me flipping pages long past my bedtime. A dark and twisty roller coaster ride left me gobsmacked. Run don’t walk to get a copy of this amazing book. Huge 5 stars from me.
Thank you NetGalley, Gregg Olsen and Pinnacle Books for the opportunity to read and review this gem of a book.

It had an interesting start with Detective Emily Kenyon heading up to check out a house that had been hit by the tornado that touched down in Cherrystone and finding out the family had been murdered beforehand and their son was missing. Jenna is a good kid but I was not a fan of her choices, like going on the run with said missing boy, Nick, instead of working with her mom to figure things out (since her mom has police connections to get info fast). Jumping between the past with the case and conviction of serial killer Dillan, to Emily desperately searching for her missing daughter, while looking into the murders and finding even more murders. So, yeah, lots of excitement with serial killers, women obsessed with serial killers, babies sold, and finding your real roots (which is not always a good thing in this case).

Though kind of dated, this was a pretty good introduction to the series, and while I did not much like Emily, I did like how she wouldn't let anything stand in her way during the search for her daughter.

I do like the new cover for this book. Very eye catching and I am glad older books get to be rereleased for new readers to find.

Wow. I went into A Cold Dark Place expecting a solid crime thriller—but what I got was so much darker, deeper, and more disturbing than I ever anticipated. Gregg Olsen doesn’t just write about crime—he drags you into the cold, messy aftermath and makes you sit with it.

This book had me on edge from the first chapter. The pacing is relentless, but never rushed. Olsen knows how to build tension slowly, like a storm rolling in, and by the time the lightning hits, you’re already holding your breath. There were scenes that made my skin crawl—not because of gore, but because of how real it all felt. The horror isn’t just in the crimes themselves, but in the silence, the secrets, and the way trauma ripples through everyone involved.

The characters feel authentic, especially the lead—a woman trying to untangle a decades-old case while confronting the wreckage of her own past. I appreciated how Olsen gave her both strength and vulnerability; she’s not a superhero, but she’s persistent, sharp, and haunted in a way that feels earned. The more she uncovered, the more unsettled I became—and I mean that in the best way.

There’s a psychological undercurrent to this book that really got under my skin. It’s about what people hide, what they justify, and how violence doesn’t just end—it echoes. A Cold Dark Place lives up to its title in every way. It’s chilling, not just because of what happens, but because of how easy it is to imagine it happening again, somewhere else, in real life.

Whilst there's nothing hugely wrong with this book, there's nothing that stands out as hugely right either.
It's predictable, cheesey and a bit dated at times .... but I believe its a release from 2007, so it's only of its time.
It has a serial killer, something I'm always happy to read about, and this one sounds great... until he opens his mouth to speak 🤣
The whole plot is tangled up, and I enjoyed working out the detailed.
Overall I enjoyed it, but I'm not sure I'll be rushing for the rest of series.

Having read ‘If you Tell’ I was thrilled to be considered to read this book as an arc thanks to NetGalley and couldn’t request a copy quick enough.
I got straight into it and again this didn’t disappoint.
The bases for what is going to be a series sees Detective Emily Kenyon thrown into a murder after a vicious tornado wreaks havoc on her hometown. The discovery of 3 bodies link back to an historic 20 year old case when Emily realises they weren’t killed by the tornado but where infact murdered. This take Emily on a dark muddy past where the answers may lie.
Excellent read that had me hooked from start to finish and looking forward to the next in the series.

Sure, here’s a longer, more in-depth review followed by an updated list of hashtags:

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**Review: *A Cold Dark Place* by Gregg Olsen**

Gregg Olsen’s *A Cold Dark Place* is a gripping psychological thriller that blends small-town crime, personal trauma, and the twisted legacy of a serial killer. From the moment Detective Emily Kenyon steps onto the scene of a horrifying family murder in rural Washington, the stakes rise quickly—and keep escalating. A tornado has destroyed the farmhouse, but the real storm is what happened inside. Three people dead, one teenage son missing—and the question lingers: is he a survivor, or the killer?

Olsen doesn't waste time setting up tension. The book wastes no time launching into a layered narrative that moves across timelines and locations, creating a mosaic of disturbing clues and long-buried secrets. The investigation stretches from Washington to Iowa and Salt Lake City, revealing chilling parallels between cases decades apart. Olsen effectively uses flashbacks to gradually build the larger picture, although at times the back-and-forth pacing demands close attention.

Emily Kenyon, the heart of the series, is a strong but complicated protagonist. She's a seasoned detective and a single mom, constantly pulled between her duties and the safety of her teenage daughter, Jenna. What makes Emily so compelling isn’t that she’s perfect—it’s that she’s deeply human. She struggles, she second-guesses herself, and at times she makes the wrong call. But her determination is unwavering. When her daughter disappears with the missing murder suspect, the case becomes personal in the worst possible way.

Jenna, too, adds an interesting layer to the story. Her belief in the boy’s innocence creates a moral gray zone: is she being naive, or is there something darker at play that the adults are missing? This dual perspective—from a mother chasing justice and a daughter chasing truth—adds emotional depth to the suspense.

One of the standout aspects of the book is Olsen’s ability to get inside the heads of his characters, from law enforcement to the mentally unhinged. He’s especially skilled at portraying the motivations and psychology of the story’s female characters—both the tough and the twisted. The serial killer groupies who emerge later in the book are a fascinating, disturbing touch, underscoring how evil isn’t always isolated.

If the novel falters, it’s in a few areas of execution. Some readers noted—and it’s fair—that the book needed a cleaner edit. There are typos, occasional missing words, and scenes that jump abruptly between timelines without clear transitions. That said, these hiccups don’t diminish the strength of the plot or the drive to keep turning pages. The payoff at the end is worth the effort, and the twists genuinely surprise without feeling cheap or gimmicky.

*A Cold Dark Place* is a satisfying, atmospheric crime thriller that’s smartly written and packed with emotional intensity. Olsen knows how to keep readers on edge, how to create flawed yet believable characters, and how to tell a story that haunts long after the last page. Whether you're a longtime crime fiction reader or just dipping into the genre, this book delivers. And if you're like most readers, you’ll immediately want to pick up the sequel, *Heart of Ice*.

**Rating: 4.5/5 – A dark, twisty ride that keeps you guessing and feeling until the very end.**

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**Hashtags:**

#AColdDarkPlace #GreggOlsen #CrimeThriller #PsychologicalSuspense #MurderMystery #SerialKillerFiction #DetectiveEmilyKenyon #ThrillerReads #TwistyMystery #MotherDaughterDrama #CrimeFictionFans #Unputdownable #PageTurner #SmallTownSecrets #FlashbackThriller #PacificNorthwestCrime #BookReview #SuspenseBooks #FemaleDetective #DarkReads

this wasn’t for me even as someone who loves thrillers. the main character was so unlikable, and i hate the whole weak woman ‘’trope’’ — you could just tell this was written by a man. the rest of the characters were very boring and nonsensical.

it’s a decent thriller with but the ending fell flat to me, could’ve been a much shorter since it barely had any wowing twists and too many plot lines that felt confusing at times. this was my first time reading this author and and unfortunately, i don’t think his writing style fits my taste.

thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this ARC — opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I enjoyed this one, I love a good detective book and this was soooo good the characters were amazing and complex. The twists just kept coming the plot was so thought out I couldn’t put it down
A fab thriller

A first for me by this author, and what I understand to be the introduction to a new series.

Detective Emily Kenyon is investigating the murder of a local family, hard enough at the best of times but especially difficult in the aftermath of a tornado which ripped the said family’s home to shreds. One of the sons of the family is missing, and it doesn’t take long to for two and two to be put together to make five and he becomes the main suspect of the heinous crime. That is until other family murders surface in different cities. Jenna, Emily’s daughter is on a mission to prove the innocence of the accused, which brings her to odds with her mother, and facing more danger than she could ever have imagined.

A slow calculated start that sort of built in suspense. The main character, Emily, was hard to like and I struggled to engage with her. The writing was ok, though definitely geared towards the American market. As a keen reader of American authors I don’t usually find this a problem, but I was certainly out of the loop with some of the narrative in this book, with the names of cases that are maybe more familiar to USA readers, good job we have Google!

Slow, repetitive and plodding, with a convoluted and somewhat chaotic ending, this book won’t set the world alight.

Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing.

A good, twisty mystery. After a tornado touches down in her home town, Detective Emily Kenyon discovers that 3 people were actually murdered, not killed when their house was destroyed by the storm. Tracking down the killer proves to be a really tough ask with Emily's daughter getting dragged into the middle of it all as well. There's a link to a 20 year old case too, which muddies the water even further, making it difficult at first to put all the pieces together. I like Emily, she strong and tenacious. A good, fast read!
Thanks to Netgalley, Storm Publishing, and Gregg Olsen for the free copy of this re-release. All opinions are my own.

In a secluded farmhouse in Cherrystone, Washington, a family has been slaughtered and a teenage son has disappeared. A frightened child or a cold-blooded killer?! Great read! This book had chilling suspense, murder, mystery, intriguing, kidnapping, and some crazy twists and turns! The story was very interesting! I highly recommend reading this book! Thank you NetGalley and storm publishing for sharing this book with me!

A Cold Dark Place by Gregg Olsen, published by Storm Publishing, is book one in the Emily Kenion Series and was first published in 2007.
Detective Emily Kenion is single mother to 17 year old teenage daughter and her lastest case leads her on a hunt that'll lead dangerously close to her own family.
Fast paced, complex, complicated, twisty, just a great crime thriller - 4,5 stars.

This is a killer good book! As in, keep track of the killers and the killed.
It’s fast paced with lots of backstory and detail of Detective Emily Kenyon,
her daughter and more. If you read the book prior, give it a other shot~
it’s really good! Not sure when the second book is expected but it should
be great! Lots of the story lines are ripe for updates!
My thanks to Pinnacle Books for the download of the book for review purposes.

A Cold Dark Place is set in the secluded backdrop of Cherrystone, Washington, and the story unfolds as a family is brutally murdered and their teenage son goes missing, stirring a whirlwind of questions: was he a terrified victim or a cunning killer?

I had a love/hate relationship with the main character, Emily Kenyon, who is a single mother and detective. She came across at times as pushy and unpleasant, especially to a younger colleague who was only trying to help.

The author does a good job of building suspense, especially as similar murders in Iowa and Salt Lake City reveal a chilling pattern. The pacing held my interest as Emily unravels a web of deception that stretches back for decades.

The ending left me perplexed, and it felt rushed and contrived. The reveal of the culprit or culprits was good, but it just felt like the ending didn't match the pace of the rest of the book.

I would like to read more if this is going to be a series. I would recommend this book with the caveat about the strange ending. I would rate this book a 3.75 out of 5 stars (rounded to 4).

#AColdDarkPlace #NetGalley @Stormbooks_co

A Cold Dark Place by Gregg Olsen

As single mother and detective Emily Kenyon leads the hunt for a killer, her teenage daughter secretly reaches out to the missing boy, drawn to his artistic soul and convinced of his innocence.

When identical family murders erupt in Iowa and Salt Lake City days apart, Emily discovers chilling connections between the crime scenes. As she pieces together the puzzle, Emily uncovers a sinister pattern stretching back decades – and realises the threat to her daughter is far worse than she ever imagined.

A first time read by this author and I really enjoyed his writing style . The plot was exciting and intriguing and kept me up much longer than I anticipated as I had to keep,reading .
Having said that as much as I enjoyed the book , I couldn't quite take to the main character ( Emily ) and felt no real connection to her which I have to do it make the book a five stars for me .

This is my first book by this author and I enjoyed it quite a bit. This story set in Washington where we have our main character Emily who is a single mom and a cop. There’s a brutal killing happens in a family and the son of the family goes missing. He becomes the suspect but Emily’s daughter Jenna is sure of his innocence. In the mean time there are 2 other families are killed in a same way in different city, which makes the case far more complicated. It goes back to many years and Emily comes to know what kind of danger she and her daughter in cause they are the next target of the killer. Quite entertaining and good twist. Will recommend.

Thank you Storm publishing and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this book.

Det. Emily Kenyon is already exhausted from dealing with the aftermath of a tornado when she is called to check on a family in the country. What she finds sends her life in a tailspin and leads to the disappearance of her daughter. The story deals with a serial killer and his victims. It does jump back and forth in time, but by the end, all the lines are merged to explain the entire story. This is the first of a series and the ending leaves you in no doubt that more is coming.
Thanks to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC.

Gregg Olsen is a must read for me. His books are always wickedly suspenseful. This one was a bit slower than most of his others, but it was still a great thrill ride. The characters are richly crafted and the plot is haunting.

I’m very excited to see there’s a sequel on the way with Emily Kenyon in the starring role.

This author is a literary jack-of-all-trades. I’ve already read a true crime by him, something like a mini young adult series, and of course the amazing Megan Carpenter series. When I came across this book, which originally appeared in 2007 but is now being reissued, I was extremely curious.

Getting to know a new main character in a series, in all her facets both professionally and personally, is always a fun bonus. I immediately consider whether I would want this person as a friend or rather as someone who doesn’t quite click with me. Naturally, you feel more connected to the protagonist if you find her likable, and that makes you more sympathetic toward the story as well. Someone you like less tends to bring the overall experience down a bit for me. That doesn’t mean it’s not a good story, but it’s a personal feeling and certainly doesn’t detract from the writer’s talent.

In this case, I didn’t find Emily to be a very pleasant person. She talks condescendingly about one of her colleagues who still has a lot to learn, and she seems to have forgotten what it was like to be a rookie herself. I also get the impression that she doesn’t get along well with many people.

I had a bit of trouble getting into it at first, but as the story progressed, I was drawn in.

Emily doesn’t always make the right choices. She has seen firsthand how cold-blooded the killer is, and still she chooses that path. Not the wisest decision…

I thought the concept the book is based on was particularly good, and there are some great revelations. Along the way, I thought I knew where it was going—and yet, not really. :) 4 stars

Thank you

I liked this murder mystery and the fact that it takes place in and around Seattle was great. I will say that overall I enjoyed this story but I did get annoyed at the author with some of the wording used and felt it came off a bit misogynistic. This book has plenty of twists and is pretty fast paced, and a fairly quick read.

Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing for access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.