Of Ice and Villains

A Dark Fantasy Romance (House of Cryos Book 1)

By: Veronica Lancet

Narrated by: Mark Royse

When serial killer Marlowe Spencer-Astor stumbles upon Minnie, a mysterious homeless girl, he thinks he's found the perfect next victim. But soon, odd things start happening around her. Technology glitches, time stands still, and every man who sees her becomes instantly obsessed with her. Including Marlowe.

He may want to strangle her most days, but he also wants to feed her, take care of her and kill every man who even looks in her direction. Just as Marlowe recognizes that there is something seriously wrong with his new captive, he becomes unwittingly involved in an ancient battle between gods and demons that threatens the very fabric of the universe.

And as his obsession with Minnie grows, he realizes he'd do anything to keep her. Even going up against the most powerful god in the universe who wants Minnie for his own nefarious purposes.

But is Marlowe powerful enough to stop him?

Of Ice and Villains is a dark fantasy romance that blends the macabre sensibilities of Dexter with the supernatural thrills of The Exorcist. When a serial killer becomes the pawn in an eternal struggle between good and evil, no one's soul is safe. Previously titled Mayhem and Minnie.

©2024 Veronica Lancet (P)2025 Veronica Lancet

Marlow and Minnie

This is definitely a different kind of romance. I never imagined a serial killer as a romantic, and falling in love.
It is a bit dark, however everyone deserves love, right? My imagination was fully captured with the story. I did not anticipate some of the twists and that made it even better. I loved Minnie. The narrator did an awesome job portraying her as a sweet, small, and fragile character by voice. I would love more stories about Marlow and Minnie!
I received a free copy of the audiobook, and am voluntarily leaving my review.

I Enjoyed It

I loved this book. It was such a fun and intriguing read. I loved the concept of this story between an OCD serial killer with his own morals, and a homeless woman who is more than she appears. I loved Marlowe from the start- the way his mind works and just his overall personality. I also really liked Minnie. She turned out to be the perfect match for him. I liked that she fell for him first. I'm so used to it being the other way around.

I listened to this narrated by Mark Royse. I thought he did a great job bringing these characters to life and giving them distinct voices.

This is my first book by this author and I will definitely be listening to the next one. I also hope to hear more from this narrator, who is also new to me.

Overall: 4 stars
Performance: 4 stars
Story: 4 stars

Hero for a day

This the first book in the series of the House of Cryos. It does include a serial killer and the woman he saves. It is a romantic dark hero that fights falling for the woman in his life. It does end in a cliffhanger. I could not stop listening to this story. It is well written, and the author is able to bring her characters to life.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Is the female lead a victim or his lover?

Of Ice and Villains by Veronica Lancet is an excellent story of a dark fantasy romance with an interesting twist. Mark Royse is a great narrator and brings the story to life. The story is entertaining, humorous, dark, and sometimes intense. I never imagined reading a story about a serial killer who falls in love with a victim and can’t bear to see her hurt. There are twists that you don’t see coming, and it’s a fun read. is the female lead a new victim or his lover? Sometimes it seems both.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.would recommend

Captivating!

This is the first book in the house of Cryos Series, a Dark Fantasy Serial Killer Romance. Marlowe and Minnie's story is original, dark, funny, and captivating, full of intrigue, and twists. They are both enigmatic. The writing is imaginative and fascinating. Some scenes are darkly intense. I liked the dark humor, the banter, and the slow-burn romance. Mark Royse did an outstanding job bringing these characters and this story to life. I can't wait to listen to Of Ice and Sacrifice, the next book in the series. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Love VL

I’ve loved all of Veronica lancets books starting with the morally ambiguous series and Fairydale but I think this is my favorite one. I read it back before it was rebranded when it was Marlowe and Minnie and loved it then but the audiobook was fantastic. I really loved the narrator and can’t wait for book 2!

Marlowe and Minnie

First, I loved getting the book in the Marlowe's POV.
Usually, we get the FMC or mostly FMC pov in books. It's quite refreshing to get it solely from the MMC.

This was my first book by Veronica Lancet and I really enjoyed it!
The storyline was captivating and unique.
There was drama, humor, magic, some jealousy, and just a hint of spice.
I loved the chemistry between the main characters. The banter, possession, and obsession.
Overall, I think this was a great read and I look forward to book 2!

Of Ice and Villains!

What an intriguing and interesting story! This was definitely not what I was expecting but was definitely worth every bit of my time. The author does a great job with the build and development of the world and the characters. I do like the characters! It is an interesting twist on fairy tale like story.