Cass is building a new life for herself and her young son, Ben, after the death of her soldier husband Pete, returning to the village where she lived as a child. But their idyllic new home is not what she expected : the other flats are all empty, there's strange graffiti on the walls, and the villagers are a bit odd.
And when an unexpectedly heavy snowstorm maroons the village, things get even harder. Ben is changing, he's surly and aggressive and Cass's only confidant is the smooth, charming Theodore Remick, the stand-in headmaster.
Not everyone approves of Cass's growing closeness to Mr Remick, and it soon becomes obvious he's not all he appears to be either. If she is to protect her beloved son, Cass is going to have to fight back.
Cass realises this is not the first time her family have been targeted by Theodore Remick. But this time, the stakes are immeasurably higher...
About the Author
Alison Littlewood is a writer of dark fantasy and horror fiction. Her short stories have appeared in numerous magazines, including Black Static, Crimewave and Not One Of Us, as well as the British Fantasy Society's Dark Horizons and the charity anthology Never Again. A Cold Season is her first novel. She lives near Wakefield, in West Yorkshire, with her partner Fergus.
Industry Reviews
The book's strength lies in the atmosphere built by the author in both the weather and landscape, this gives the book a resonance and depth Into Horror 'a scary read that will chill you to the bone' CrimeSquad. CrimeSquad 'This is a very spooky story ... Disturbing in a Midsomer Murders kind of way' Daily Express. Daily Express 'When it comes to debut novels, Littlewood offers forth a masterpiece that stakes immediately claim as one of 2013's finest' Horror Novel Reviews. Horror Novel Reviews 'This is a very spooky story. You'll love it if you are into tales of the occult, or a fan of film classic The Wicker Man' Judy Finnigan. Judy Finnigan 'hugely enjoyable' Richard Madeley. 'Littlewood's first novel is an assured and finely-crafted piece of work, probably the best horror debut since Joe Hill's 2007 novel, Heart-Shaped Box' Reader Dad. Reader Dad 'A thick layer of snow hides the sins of a creepy rural village in Alison Littlewood's chilly debut novel ... an itchy tension-cranker of parental paranoia' SFX. SFX 'A Cold Season is an intelligent, sensitive book. Its chills are delivered with precision certainly, but in subtle yet equally terrifying manner it's the parts that aren't scary which speak as loudly as the parts that freak you out' Spooky Reads. Spooky Reads 'Littlewood's fiction is set in a world where the possible and the improbable rub shoulders, and strange stuff creeps through the gaps in out of the way places. She is the real deal, a writer with a unique vision and the talent to make us see the world anew through her eyes' Peter Tennant, TTA Press. TTA Press A Cold Season has taken the horror world by storm and shows no signs of slowing down' This Is Horror. This Is Horror "Alison Littlewood uses old flavors with a fresh and personal approach to brew a story both sensible and terrifying at the same time' Dark Wolf. Dark Wolf
