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: 6.64

256 RATINGS

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Community Reviews

What Bookclubbers are saying about this book

✨ Summarized by Bookclubs AI

Readers say *The Winter People* offers a gripping blend of suspense, mystery, and supernatural elements, with strong female leads and multiple timelin...

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.
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.
Tia Maria
Dec 06, 2024
5/10 stars
Nope. Horror is not for me.
Hartfullofbooks
Nov 11, 2024
7/10 stars
This is the third book by McMahon I’ve read and so far she never disappoints. A fast paced thriller with multiple timelines and multiple strong female leads all trying to solve the same mystery. I love this author’s skill in weaving supernatural with thriller and it’s always hard to put her books down. If you’re looking for a spooky winter thriller with some mystery elements I’d recommend this one!

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