This was a hard review to write. I didn't hate the storyline, I quite enjoyed the concept but there was just so much going on and jumping back and forth in time and from different characters POVs that it kind of felt a little all over the place.
There were some inconsistencies that were a bit confusing as well and I have to say I didn't really fall in love with the ending, which kind of felt a bit unrealistic to be honest.
It was a bit of a hard slog to get through in the end and didn't have that twist or shock factor that I was waiting for!

Book one in a new series featuring Detective Emily Kenyon, who is a strong, compassionate woman who is very protective of her daughter Emily.
When they both find themselves drawn deeper into the mystery of the case Emily is trying to solve lots of emotions are brought to the surface.
Jenna is a strong added bonus to the story showing a fresh insite into a dark theme from a younger point of view.
The pacing is a steady one, and the outcome is well worth the wait, all be it an unsettling one.
Thoughtful,dark, and very engaging.
Thanks to Netgalley and Storm Publishing for the Arc.

Fast-paced and gripping, A Cold Dark Place immediately pulls you in with a strong, flawed protagonist- a single mother and homicide detective- and a suspenseful atmosphere enhanced by an ominous, unknown narrator. Gregg Olsen’s references to real-life crimes add authenticity and depth, and the mystery unfolds in unpredictable ways that keep you guessing. While the writing is straightforward and effective, I feel that the story would have benefitted from deeper character development and more resolution, especially regarding side characters like Bonnie and Nick as I feel like I have some unanswered questions. Still, it’s a solid, enjoyable crime thriller that holds your attention throughout.

This is book number one in the Emily Kenyon series. It also seems to be a rewrite and published with a different publishing company. I have read several of Gregg Olsen's true crime writings, this is the first time I'm reading his fiction writing. You can tell a difference., it doesn't quite feel like the same author. That is not to say anything bad, I enjoy both writing styles. I found the main character of Emily a strong female lead. The story kept me turning the page and I enjoyed the plot twist. I will be reading the next in the series.

A Cold Dark place was a very captivating story!
After a tornado ramshackles a town, bodies are found where a house used to be, but their cause of death was not the natural disaster but something more sinister.
The towns detective is on the case but when her daughter goes missing things start to spiral out of her control.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I was hooked from the beginning and had no idea where the story was going so it had me on the edge of my seat! Absolutely loved the main character and her determination to find out the truth. The unravelling of everything nicely ties things up and I cannot wait to read more with the Emily Kenyon series!
Thanks to netgalley and Storm publishing for the arc!

Gregg Olsen’s A Cold Dark Place kicks off with an intriguing setup: a series of gruesome crimes in a quiet town, a determined detective named Emily Kenyon, and a teenager caught in the crossfire of a long-buried secret. The story spans multiple timelines, weaving past and present as secrets unravel and identities come into question.

There’s no doubt that Olsen knows how to create an eerie atmosphere. The pacing in some sections is brisk, and there are flashes of tension that work well. The premise has all the right ingredients for a chilling thriller, with murder, hidden truths, and a killer who manipulates from the shadows. For readers new to crime fiction, there’s an accessible quality to the writing that makes it easy to dive into.

That said, this one didn’t quite land for me.

The story jumps between timelines and characters so often that it starts to feel disjointed, and unfortunately, the threads only come together in a very loose way at the end. I found it hard to connect with the characters, especially since many felt underdeveloped. Emily, who’s supposed to be the anchor of the story, often makes choices that strain believability. A police officer heading solo to an abduction scene, for example, pulled me out of the story more than once. These types of plot decisions matter to readers who appreciate thrillers that respect logic and procedure.

There’s also a disturbing subplot involving women who idolize the killer in very unsettling ways. Without giving too much away, I’ll just say it crossed into cringey territory and didn’t add much to the emotional depth or suspense of the book. It just felt off.

Thriller readers tend to be sharp and enjoy picking up on layered clues and smart twists. This book didn’t offer that kind of payoff. While the idea behind the story had promise, it lacked the clarity and cohesion that could have made it truly gripping.

Still, every book finds its readers, and Olsen has a solid fanbase for a reason. This one just wasn’t the right fit for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for providing me with a copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.

When his family is slaughtered a teen boy goes on the run but police wonder if he's a killer or a victim. Not only does the son disappear but also a school friend who happens to be Detective Emily Kenyon's daughter. No one knows if she went willingly or was kidnapped but Emily is determined to find out.
The story is a fast paced, thrilling read with twist and turns galore. Once you start reading you don't want to stop. Thanks to Netgalley and Storm publishing for the chance to read this chilling book.

Detective Emily Kenyon is investigating a triple homicide of a family in her small town when her teenage daughter goes missing. Things only grow more complicated when she discovers her daughter, Jenna, is hiding from her and helping the lone survivor of the slaughter, a high school friend who just happens to be the prime suspect.

As Detective Kenyon searches for her daughter and answers to the crime that is rocking her town, she also has to face mistakes from her past. She uncovers a link to a scandalous baby adoption ring, a decades old serial killer, and relies on the help of the original detective still looking for justice.

I've read Olsen's books before and this one fell short for me. At times, I felt like I was attempting to put together a jigsaw puzzle and half the pieces were missing.

This was a pretty average read for me. It frustrated me that there wasn't a lot of police work going on, there were a lot of characters to keep track of and the end just didn't do it justice. And whilst I read it rather quickly, I don't think that I'll be reading any other books from this author.

A Cold Dark Place
by Gregg Olsen
Pub Date: May 22 2025

A Cold Dark Place is my first Gregg Olsen book. This was a good, creepy thriller-mystery that had me hooked from the very beginning. It had complex characters and awesome plot twists that kept me wanting to not put the book down! A lot of suspense but I feel it ended with a lot of unsolved pieces. As this is the first book in a series, perhaps the second book will pick up and continue on with the story.

Synopsis: In a secluded farm house in the Pacific Northwest, a family has been slaughtered—and a teenage son has disappeared. Single mother and cop, Emily Kenyon spearheads a dark hunt for a killer. But Emily’s teenage daughter Jenna is one step ahead of her. Then another family is butchered, and another. As Emily fits the puzzle pieces together, she makes a chilling discovery: the killer is coming after her and her daughter . . .

Many thanks to #StormPublishing #NetGalley and #AColdDarkPlace for providing me with an E-ARC of Fantastic new series!

I’m conflicted over this book. Some parts of it were really good, but others were weak, and I struggled at times to understand the motivation of the characters. There was a lot going on and at times the whole plot line became rather convoluted.
The story centres on the deaths of three members of one family, and the disappearance of the only remaining member. The case is being investigated by a detective who is a single mum to a teenage daughter. Being a small town, the daughter is friends with the missing family member. To this, we add a convicted killer, an adoption agency, and more murders. The ending of the book seems rather too contrived and i found it a little disappointing.

I requested this book as the title pulled me in. Unfortunately I'm disappointed by it, I found it very hard to get in to and quite drawn out.
Wouldn't recommend.

No one thinks it will happen to them. When a natural disaster hits in small town Cherrystone, Washington, it makes solving the murders that are uncovered all that more difficult. Then when Detective Emily Kenyon's own daughter disappears, the race against time is on. You won't regret adding this book to your reading pile. It won't stay unread for long.

3.25/5 stars! "If You Tell" is one of my favorite True Crime novels I have ever read, so when I got the opportunity to read "A Cold Dark Place." I liked parts of this, but it is clear that the author's strength lies in presenting true crime in an amazing and thrilling fashion. This felt very all over the place, which made it hard to stay engaged. Our FMC is also very gullible and passive, which is done way too much to female characters, and frustrated me, as a highly competent woman. I did enjoy the final twist.

A Cold Dark Place
By: Gregg Olsen

4 Stars

This book was the definition of an edge of your seat thriller. It was almost like watching a crazy murder documentary. It was twisty. With every page turn, you get a new and shocking piece of the puzzle.

Emily Kenyon is a detective whose town just had a twister go through. While doing a wellness check, she finds a mystery that brings back her past. It also messes with her future when her daughter goes missing. Emily is on the hunt in this story that will leave you shocked.

This was such a well written story. Pieced together like it is, it leaves you craving more while keeping you completely captivated. It is a story of a detectives worst nightmare and a mothers love. It is fast-paced and thrilling from page one. I really enjoyed this mystery.

*I want to thank Netgalley and the author for this book in return for my honest review*

Stormi Ellis
Boundless Book Review

Woowie this was a good one! I genuinely couldn’t believe the ending I didn’t see that coming. It was so dark and twisted in all the best ways!

I am usually a fan of this author but this book missed the mark for me. The premise was great and I had high hopes. And there were aspects I really liked. Unfortunately the story itself is very disjointed. For being the first in a series, the main character is a cop that doesn't come across as one. I can't really explain it, but most of the book the fact she is a cop wasn't even in my mind. The mystery felt like it had too many points packed in and none were able to make the reader invested.

This book tells the story of Detective Emily Kenyon and her daughter Jenna, a teenager who has a certain interest in her colleague Nicholas Martin. Nicholas is a teenager whom the Martin family adopted. During a tornado that devastates part of Cherrystone, the family's house is destroyed. Nicholas survives and entices Jenna to help him escape the scene of destruction. Jenna and Nicholas run away; Emily tries to find her daughter and discover how Nicholas managed to attract Jenna. Will Emily be able to solve this mystery?

This was a bit of convoluted plotting, which left me feeling just a bit disappointed. The promise was good but the characterisation was undeveloped. I tried to like Emily but I failed to get to grips with who she really is and found her to be weak and unbelievable. The ending was all too rushed and unbelievable, which is a shame, and there were too many unanswered questions. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

An In a remote Pacific Northwest farmhouse, a family is brutally murdered—and their teenage son vanishes. Detective Emily Kenyon is on the case, but her daughter Jenna may be one step ahead… and in danger.
As more families are slaughtered across the country, a chilling pattern emerges—pointing to a killer shaped by a dark, twisted past. Emily must uncover the truth before Jenna becomes the next victim.
Gregg Olsen book is a gripping psychological thriller about buried secrets, fragile trust, and the terrifying line between good and evil. Thanks to NetGalley and to the publishers of this book for giving me a free advance copy of the book to preview and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

























Unflinching Decent into the Mind of a Killer.