The Cold Read

"Tara Laskowski gives readers their very own slasher movie! With one diabolical twist after another, The Cold Read will keep you guessing until the very last page."
—Alma Katsu, author of Fiend

They're there to make a sequel. But someone came for revenge.

A decade ago, the release of the horror film No One Can Hear You Scream catapulted a young no-name cast into Hollywood fame. But below the surface, they were dealing with the fallout of their friend’s tragic death on set.

Now the cast is reuniting at the remote ski resort where the movie was filmed to announce the sequel and get a first glimpse of the screenplay. Cassidy, Jake, Ben, and Ruby—they’ve all followed different paths over the years, and each has their own reason for agreeing to return to a place they had sworn to leave behind.

At first everyone works hard to ignore the shadows of the past and focus on the opportunity ahead. But the reunion takes a dark turn during the midnight announcement to fans when a disturbing incident stirs up a long-buried secret.

Each of them has something to lose. Each of them has something to hide. And if they want to survive the weekend, they'll have to deliver the performance of a lifetime…

“A witty, wicked thriller packed with juicy secrets.” —Andrea Bartz on The Mother Next Door

“Will keep you obsessively reading well past your bedtime.” —Paul Tremblay on One Night Gone

“A riveting puzzle for fans of Lucy Foley and Ruth Ware.” —Hank Phillippi Ryan on The Weekend Retreat