Voices in the Snow

Voices in the Snow is dread inducing but also cozy at the same time.

Clare wakes up in an old, gothic home with a stranger and little memory of the last several hours. The stranger claims that he found her on the road in bad shape and brought her back to his home that is vacant for the winter (and very remote) to help her. She's stuck in the house for now as she's injured and there's also a strange snowstorm. Soon Clare starts seeing and hearing strange things and beginning to think the house may have something sinister in it, but her companion at least seems nice and is helping her. As bits of her memory comes back she starts realizing the danger that they're both in.

Darcy Coates writes some of the most atmospheric and eerie yet cozy horror. One minute I was wishing I could be in the remote house and the next I'm quickly changing my mind. When I think of snowstorms I think of curling up by the fireplace with hot cocoa and a book but the reality in this book is that this snowstorm is very claustrophobic and almost sinister. It creates the perfect backdrop to the other happenings going on.

Another thing that Darcy does so well is writing great characters. Clare is someone I can see myself being friends with. Dorran embodies what makes “weird” people so enigmatic but also charming. The plot, the setting, and the characters along with Darcy's writing style had me quickly moving through this book and excited to read the next book in the series. It's the perfect winter read.