The Winter People: A Suspense Thriller

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • The New York Times bestselling author of The Invited will shock you with a simmering psychological thriller about ghostly secrets, dark choices, and the unbreakable bond between mothers and daughters. • "One of the year's most chilling novels." —The Miami Herald

West Hall, Vermont, has always been a town of strange disappearances and old legends. The most mysterious is that of Sara Harrison Shea, who, in 1908, was found dead in the field behind her house just months after the tragic death of her daughter.
 
Now, in present day, nineteen-year-old Ruthie lives in Sara’s farmhouse with her mother, Alice, and her younger sister. Alice has always insisted that they live off the grid, a decision that has weighty consequences when Ruthie wakes up one morning to find that Alice has vanished. In her search for clues, she is startled to find a copy of Sara Harrison Shea's diary hidden beneath the floorboards of her mother's bedroom. As Ruthie gets sucked into the historical mystery, she discovers that she’s not the only person looking for someone that they’ve lost. But she may be the only one who can stop history from repeating itself.

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Published Jan 6, 2015

400 pages

Average rating: 6.66

261 RATINGS

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Community Reviews

What Bookclubbers are saying about this book

✨ Summarized by Bookclubs AI

Readers say *The Winter People* delivers a gripping mix of suspense, mystery, and supernatural elements, with strong female leads and dual timelines t...

BMC
Mar 04, 2026
7/10 stars
Such a creepy concept but the modern storyline wasn't as good as the past one.
K Olson
Jan 14, 2025
6/10 stars
I saw this as a giveaway on Goodreads and thought it sounded like a great psychological thriller. I somehow missed the paranormal part of it and probably would not have read it if I had known. The story definitely draws you in and it's a fast read. There are some good twists in the plot.
Steph Tenney
Feb 24, 2026
8/10 stars
All I can say is WOW! I absolutely loved this book. I listened to it on audiobook and literally did not want to quit listening to it. I gives me Wakewood vibes if you've ever seen that movie.

It starts off in the past with Sara's daughter dying tragically and stricken by grief she looks for any and every way to bring her daughter back. Her auntie knows of a spell/ ritual that will bring back the dead for 7 days. However in those 7 days if they do an evil deed they will live for much longer but be different. In present times Ruthie and Fawn's mom goes missing with no trace of where she may have gone and they know she is not one to just up and leave due to her beliefs . Following both timelines back to back, it gives you the feel of uncertainty and dread. The author does very well in providing imagery of their surroundings and at certain points its almost like you can feel the cold within your own bones.

Overall I really love this book and the only reason I rated it 4 stars instead of 5 was because the ending was abrupt. I kinda wish I had more information on what happened with the sleeper.
JennaPaints
Jan 17, 2026
9/10 stars
I thought this book was pretty good, I couldn't put it down... I found myself drawn back to it time and time again to finish and find out what happened. I like that it changes perspectives. It kept the story moving and wasn't hard to follow. I actually had this book for a few years and had started it but gotten sidetracked. Then a friend invites me to join a Book Club meeting where it was the book to be discussed. Knowing I had the book, I accepted! And I am so grateful I did! I throughly enjoyed this tale, especially while in the middle of a Connecticut winter myself! Loved that CT made its way into the story!
juli1357
Jan 07, 2026
7/10 stars
I’ve owned this book for years. I bought it primarily because I liked the cover. I finally have the opportunity to read it as part of a book club. It was completely different than what I expected, but I enjoyed it. I look forward to reading more of Jennifer McMahon‘s work.

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