Lilly Martin is trapped in a snowbound cabin with a man she hit with her car. A familiar face, Ben Tierney is a freelance writer she met the previous summer, and the last person she expected to run into during a mountain blizzard. Together, they are determined to survive the cold and snow, with no electricity or running water. Mutual attraction creates tension in the confined space of the cabin, until Lilly begins to suspect Tierney of having a sinister alter ego.

In the town below, Lilly's ex-husband, Dutch Burton, gets word she and Tierney are stuck in the cabin. When FBI agents arrive in the middle of the storm with news that Tierney may be the serial killer who has plagued the quiet town for the past two years, Dutch vows to rescue Lilly.

Cleary, North Carolina, is about to see more action than ever before.

"Chill Factor" is a multi-layered novel of suspense, with at least two subplots to draw the reader into the small town's atmosphere. Each character is distinctly individual, and the setting is decently rendered. The main plot is twofold: Lilly must be rescued from a potential serial killer; and the killer must be captured before anyone else dies.

While the writing itself was nicely done, it seems that the story suffered from the inclusion of too many layers. More attention was given to weaving the subplots and main storyline together than to the stories themselves; therefore, the ending came together, but not as well as it could have. The motives behind certain events were weak, such as the choices Lilly made (then discarded, then made again) regarding Tierney.

While certain plot points were weak, the suspense did pull through with a few heart-pounding moments. The subplots were interesting, although some loose ends were left hanging.

"Chill Factor" rates as an average read. It's not great, but it's worth reading if you enjoy Sandra Brown and moderate suspense.

-C.W.

Back to "B" - Review look-up by Author

Back to "C" - Review look-up by Title

Back to "3-Books" - Review look-up by Rating

Back to "Suspense" - Review look-up by Genre