By Erica Wiggins
One Step Too Far brings back Frankie Elkin who we met in Before She Disappeared. Now Frankie learns about a young man who has gone missing in a forest. The search for him has been abandoned by law enforcement, but his father and a small crew are still looking for him. When Frankie sees how desperate the father is, she goes to help but quickly sees that something is amiss. When more people start disappearing, Frankie sees that there is something dark going on and they are running out of time. Lisa Gardner is a New York Times bestselling author who lives in the mountains of New Hampshire with her family.
I have been a fan of Lisa Gardner’s books for a long time, so I was excited to dive in and read the continuation of Frankie’s story. I started this one and knew from the first few pages that this would be no exception. For anyone looking to pick this one up, while this is in a series, it can be read as an independent story with no difficulty.
The story begins with a group of friends going hiking and camping before their friend Timothy gets married. But then Timothy goes missing and time passes until it’s been five years later. Now Timothy’s dad and friends are back one last time to try to find out what happened. So, the search begins.
This story moves at a breakneck speed as it leads us out to the woods with vivid descriptions. Gardner creates an atmospheric and almost creepy feeling—plopping you down in the woods. You are right there with the characters listening for the strange sounds in the night while the author preys on the fears of anyone who has been camping—food going missing, noises in the night, injuries, and then adds in the determination of a father trying to find his son. This story is unputdownable.
The twists continue to come as the story progresses. The anticipation ramps up with heart-pounding moments that make you turn the pages faster and faster. I was able to easily picture myself in this situation, thinking about what I would do and how I would try to survive. As I got closer to the end, I thought I knew what was coming but it turns out that I had nothing figured out.
Needless to say, I loved this book. It had everything I want in a thriller: likeable characters that you quickly attach to, a cadaver dog name Daisy, and incredible twists and surprises that builds anticipation in the best way possible. I am hoping that Frankie gets to continue her story soon. If you love thrillers in a wilderness setting (that extra vulnerable factor), check this book out or really anything written by this author.
Thank you, Penguin Random House Canada, for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.