Cold Truth

When you can fake anything, how do you know what’s real?

Harlow Close has made a career as an influencer uncovering the secrets of Winnipeg, dubbed ‘North America's strangest city’. The region is renowned for its sub-zero temperatures, dropping to minus 40 degrees – sometimes for months at a time. Yet, it’s not just the frigid winters and geographic seclusion that render Winnipeg peculiar.

When Harlow's father mysteriously disappears amidst a particularly brutal cold snap, suspicions of foul play arise. It’s not like Scott to miss phone calls –and he's been even more cautious since that time he was catfished by a romance scammer. Unhappy with the pace of the police investigation, Harlow launches her own search, enlisting her sister Blaise’s reluctant help.

As Harlow struggles to uncover what happened to her father, she’s forced to question everyone and everything around her – including herself.

‘With Dark Mode, Ashley Kalagian Blunt announced her arrival on the thriller scene with a bang. In this follow-up, we would expect nothing less than a smart, twisty plot, set in an unforgettable place and populated by deeply human characters – but Cold Truth does even more than that. In bringing us into the depths of Canadian winter, Ashley takes us right into what makes us who we are. Blood ties and shady online dealings come to the fore in this enthralling novel. I adored this book – compelling crime fiction at its absolute best.’ HAYLEY SCRIVENOR, author of Dirt Town and Girl Falling

‘Cold Truth is bone-chilling in every way: a missing father, a complicated relationship between sisters and a taut mystery in an icy Canadian winter. With twists that had me gasping, the story rocketed towards a gripping finale. I could not put it down! Another explosive thriller from the master of the cliff-hanger.’ PETRONELLA MCGOVERN, author of The Liars and The Last Trace

‘Ashley Kalagian Blunt has done it again, delivering another propulsive psychological thriller that filled me with dread from the first page to its shocking conclusion. Set in the depths of the Canadian winter, Cold Truth was truly chilling; a relentless ride that had me guessing at every turn and reading into the early hours of the morning. Kalagian Blunt has established herself as the master of terrifying, addictive thrillers that will leave you questioning your own safety.’ SHANKARI CHANDRAN, author of Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens and Unfinished Business

‘Vivid, twisty, fast-paced and action-packed, I tore through Cold Truth in two days. It left me shivering—with both cold and the stark reminder that in this world where anything can be faked, truth is as stable as quicksand.’ PIP DRYSDALE, author of The Next Girl and The Close Up

‘Atmospheric, twisty and terrifying, Cold Truth is a taut and pulse-racing thriller that left me with an icy shiver. A story of sisterhood, loss, deceit and triumph – laced with the menace (and malice) of the dark web. I devoured this moreish book and was devastated to finish it. Ashley Kalagian Blunt just keeps on getting better and better.’ ALI LOWE, author of The School Run and The Running Club

‘Q: What do you get if you mix digital crime, high stakes action, subzero temperatures and the complexities of sisterhood? A: The new lightning-paced thriller from Australia’s queen of tech noir. With a plot and setting that give whole new meaning to the word ‘chilling’, Cold Truth not only confirms Ashley Kalagian Blunt’s special gift for twists and turns but also her uncanny knack for character magic and black humour. Trust me, if you thought Dark Mode was unputdownable, you won’t want to miss this spinetingling pageturner. Come for the scares, stay for the harsh reality.’ ANNA DOWNES, author of The Safe Place and Red River Road

© 2025 Wavesound from W. F. Howes Ltd (Audiobook): 9781004217564

Release date

Audiobook: August 1, 2025