I am certain that in 2012 I will buy more books than I can read, as it is always the same each year actually. But the first acquisition of this year is Alison Littlewood’s debut novel, “A Cold Season”. I am familiar with Alison Littlewood’s short fiction, mostly those published in the excellent Black Static. Although my first encountering with her fiction wasn’t something memorable, “The Empty Spaces” in Black Static 16, the next two shifted the scales of the balance, “Black Feathers” in Black Static 22 and “About the Dark” in Black Static 25. Therefore I had no hesitations when I placed “A Cold Season” in my shopping basket.
As was the case last year with another title that sits firmly on my wish list for 2012, Simon Bestwick’s “The Faceless”, Alison Littlewood’s debut novel “A Cold Season” benefits from the many talents of Mark West who created its book trailer. And once again we have an atmospheric and haunting trailer, appropriate for the idea that I formed about “A Cold Season” so far. Of course, that until I will read Alison Littlewood’s novel. But first I have to keep a close eye on the postman.
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...
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