“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…
Coming November 10, 2026
Pre-order your copy!
Praise for The Cold Read
“Tense and claustrophobic, The Cold Read is a tightly plotted tale of horrors both cinematic and all too real—I was riveted.”
—Kate Alice Marshall, New York Times bestselling author of What Lies in the Woods and A Killing Cold
“Tara Laskowski’s The Cold Read is a superb blend of closed-circle mystery, sly homage to the witty slasher films of the ’80s and ’90s, and a breathless, snowbound psychological thriller. Laskowski gives us flawed, fascinating characters—from arch filmmakers to self-involved actors to obsessive fans—and strands them in an abandoned ski lodge thick with dread, ratcheting up the tension until it explodes into a conclusion that earns every twist it delivers. Absolutely a blast to read!”
—John Copenhaver, award-winning author of Hall of Mirrors
“The Cold Read has all the ingredients for a tightly plotted thriller: an abandoned ski lodge with a violent history, a group of actors fraught with secrets and trapped by a winter storm, an outsider bent on revenge, and a killer poised to strike again. Punctuated by an online chorus of ravenous fans, I loved the concept of a low-budget horror movie where the real terror happens off camera. With a twist in every chapter, this book had me guessing all the way to the end.”
—Jennifer Fawcett, author of Beneath the Stairs and Keep This for Me
“The Cold Read is a chilling, suspenseful, twisting puzzle of a great read with a vivid winter mountain setting. I felt like I was there with the characters in the old ski lodge, haunted by a mysterious event that took place years before. An excellent page-turner!”
—Alice Henderson, author of the Alex Carter series, including the latest novel Storm Warning
“Tara Laskowski has done it again. The Cold Read is a brilliant, addictive thrill ride you’ve come to expect from this author, so be prepared to read it all in one sitting because you won’t be able to put it down.”
—Seraphina Nova Glass, two-time Edgar-nominated author of On a Quiet Street and Too Close to Home
“The Cold Read is Tara Laskowski’s best novel—and that’s saying something. A love letter to slasher movies, with characters that hit hard and a plot that never lets up. Laskowski delivers a killer blend of thriller and horror that would make Stephen King proud. It cuts deep—and hacks its way into your heart.”
—Alex Finlay, bestselling author of The Anniversary
Tara Laskowski delves into the icy heart of horror with this chilling locked-room mystery set in a snow-bound haunted ski lodge. This book will give you chills on the hottest summer day. Laskowski is the queen of horror suspense!
—Carol Goodman, New York Times Bestselling and two-time Mary Higgins Clark Award winning author or The Lake of Dead Languages and Our Marriage is Murder
“This is the best book Tara Laskowski has written in her award-winning, celebrated career. The perfect marriage of a thriller and horror, The Cold Read makes you care deeply about its characters and their motivations, and leaves you with unforgettable images. You can feel the cold snow in this abandoned ski resort just as strongly as you feel an impending sense of dread. A wonderful achievement.”
E.A. Aymar, author of When She Left