NEW 2025 SUSPENSE FICTION: THE REUNION by BRONWYN RIVERS and A KILLING COLD by KATE ALICE MARSHALL
Reunions are dangerous events in crime fiction, as these two new books by Bronwyn Rivers and Kate Alice Marshall clearly show.
Old friends, dark secrets, a remote location and a past and present timeline, Bronwyn Rivers’ debut suspense novel, The Reunion (Constable, 11 February 2025), makes good use of some popular thriller tropes.
Ten years ago, six teenagers hiked into the Blue Mountains wilderness, but only five came out alive. The survivors have barely seen each other since the tragic bushwalk. When their dead friend’s mother invites them to a 10-year memorial, they reluctantly return to the rugged landscape. The weekend at an isolated homestead, without phone signals, should be a time to reflect and reconnect. However, each friend harbors secrets from the hike, and someone is determined to unveil the truth.
After a nice bit of eerie foreshadowing, The Reunion opens at an easy pace as the five friends regather at the scene of the earlier tragedy. The ‘Ten years previously‘ timeline quickly sets the scene and the present day story moves along at a decent pace. Not a lot happens in the early stages, but Bronwyn’s enticing writing style keeps the reader interested and the gothic overtones of decay and death at the old farmhouse add to the sense of suspense.
The tension mounts as the story continues, and there are enough twists and shifts of suspicion to keep things interesting. The characters are nicely formed and credible, and the creepiness of the bush is well conveyed. I had queries about some of the plot details, but was happy enough to go with the flow.
In all, The Reunion is an enjoyable suspense novel that will keep you engaged and turning the pages all the way to the last page surprise.
The Reunion was released in Australia on 11 February 2025. The book will be released in the United Kingdom in September, but the Audible version is available now.
Also ably employing devices of old secrets, a gothic family reunion, and a lonely location is A Killing Cold, (Macmillan, 25 February 2025), by Kate Alice Marshall.
A whirlwind romance between Theodora Scott and the much wealthier Connor Dalton finds the pair at the majestic Idlewood, the Dalton’s isolated winter retreat, for the annual family reunion. Viewed with suspicion by the members of the powerful Dalton family, Theo tries to impress but is distracted by the threatening messages on her phone, the footprints in the snow outside her cabin window and the strange sense of familiarity she has about this place. When she discovers an impossible photo of her as a child at Idlewood, old memories of something bad begin to come flooding back, putting Theo at great risk.
A Killing Cold operates at a more highly charged emotional level than The Reunion, and the twists are far more spectacular and frequent. The flicking back and forth between the present and the past, courtesy of flashbacks and dreams, adds plenty of psychological drama, and the book builds to an avalanche of surprises and violence. The characters are well crafted and Theo is an engaging narrator with secrets of her own and a steely determination.
There are plenty of co-incidences, but they are well handled and do not greatly impact the enjoyment of this entertaining thriller. Fans of Freida McFadden will enjoy this twisty, chilling tale.
A Killing Cold is released in Australia on 25 February 2025. It was released in the United States on 4 February 2025 and in the United Kingdom on 11 March 2025.