One Step Too Far: (A Frankie Elkin Novel Book 2) by Lisa Gardner

Meet Lisa Gardner:

"New York Times #1 bestselling crime novelist Lisa Gardner began her career in food service, but after catching her hair on fire numerous times, she took the hint and focused on writing instead. A self-described research junkie, she has parlayed her interest in police procedure, criminal minds and twisted plots into a streak of bestselling suspense novels. Her 2010 novel, THE NEIGHBOR, won Best Thriller from the International Thriller Writers. Most recently, she was honored with the Silver Bullet Award for her work with at-risk kids and homeless animals. Lisa loves to hike, travel the world, and yes, read, read, read!

Readers are invited to enter the annual "Kill a Friend, Maim a Buddy" Sweepstakes, where they can nominate the person of their choice to die in Lisa's latest novel. People have nominated themselves, spouses, bosses. It's cheaper than therapy and twice as much fun! For more details, visit Lisa's website.

Lisa's latest novel BEFORE SHE DISAPPEARED, is available January 19, 2021. Meet Frankie Elkin, an everyday average woman who specializes in finding missing people. When the locals have given up, when the media has never bothered to care, Frankie takes on the challenge. Her latest mission has brought her to Mattapan, Boston to find a missing Haitian teen. Eleven months later, Angelique Badeau's disappearance remains a mystery. What happened to the quiet, studious teen? Frankie learns quickly the dangers of asking too many questions, but that won't stop her from discovering the truth behind what happened BEFORE SHE DISAPPEARED." ~Amazon

"From #1 New York Times bestselling author Lisa Gardner, a chilling thriller about a young man gone missing in the wilderness of Wyoming…and the secrets uncovered by the desperate effort to find him.

Timothy O’Day knew the woods. Yet when he disappeared on the first night of a bachelor party camping trip with his best friends in the world, he didn’t leave a trace. What he did leave behind were two heartbroken parents, a crew of guilt-ridden groomsmen, and a pile of clues that don’t add up.

Frankie Elkin doesn’t know the woods, but she knows how to find people. So when she reads that Timothy’s father is organizing one last search, she heads to Wyoming. Despite the rescue team’s reluctance, she joins them. But as they hike into the mountains, it becomes clear that there’s something dangerous at work in the woods…or someone who is willing to do anything to stop them from going any further.

Running out of time and up against the worst man and nature have to offer, Frankie and the search party will discover what evil awaits those who go one step too far…" ~Amazon

Numeric Breakdown:

1: didn't like it/skip it2: it was okay/it wasn't for me
3. liked it/worth a read
4. really liked it/loved it
5. it was amazing/must read!

Creepy, and oh-so-enjoyable!

Tim, Scott, Josh, Miggy, and Neil went into the woods for a bachelor party and left them one-man-down. Tim never made it out and was never found. However, on this last hike into Ramsey Wyoming's Popo Agie Wilderness, Author Lisa Gardner takes readers on a convincing and life-like adventure through a fictional setting. Where the forest isn't the only thing to dear.

Tim's father, Martin O'Day, is giving the woods one last search. It's the most important search in the five years since Tim's disappearance because Mrs. O'Day has cancer and won't make it much longer. As a promise to her, this search is to cover new territory, and hopefully - finally, bring their son home and lay him to rest beside her. With Martin is a group of people who are ready to find Tim and put this ordeal behind them for the rest of their lives.

Nemeth is an ex-Shoshone National Forest district ranger and knows the area of Ramsey as a local guide. He has skill, strength, and fortitude to get through another search. Original to the team, he was on the scene when three of the men tripped out of the woods half-coherent and terrified. Once he gained their story and rounded up the locals for a voluntary search, he and Sheriff Kelley made a thorough and unrelenting exploration. Their efforts didn't locate Tim.

For twenty-three days, searchers and canine teams combed the wooded area and hoped to find signs of life. They were unable to spot a shoe-print, and eventually, they all wandered home and back to their lives. However, Martin O'Day wasn't ready to give up on his son and recruited teams time and again for expeditions into the mountains. Tim's mother and fiancé kept on top of getting the word out and asking for help, but in the end, the search for Tim's body became their last hope.

College buddies, Scott, Neil, Josh, and Miggy attempted to join the search party whenever possible. This time, though, they had agreed it would be the last. They needed to get on with their lives and put this entire nightmare behind them. The bad dreams and guilt would never go away, but this had to be the last forage into the hostile and secretive forest.

Enter, Frankie Elkin. An experienced searcher of the lost, Frankie reads the story of Tim's disappearance and decides to lend her assistance. She feels she's up to the task of a hike through the woods, and she inserts herself into the newest search group. However, it doesn't take long for Frankie to second guess her decision and for the entire outing to turn into a nightmare.

Because whatever happened to Tim is about to happen again. The woods have a secret, and a secret can be kept if all of them are dead.

I liked this second installment of the Frankie Elkin series better than the first. It held a little more interest for me plot-wise, and I liked trying to figure it all out. Although at first you seem to have too many suspects, it kinda becomes apparent what's happening, and I figured it out really quickly. Still, I appreciated the chills and thrills of getting to the end, Frankie's strength and determination, and the solving of a five year mystery.

Overall, I enjoyed the plot and the setting. It kept my attention from the beginning, and even when I knew who had done it, I liked figuring out if I was right and piecing all the answers together. It was nice, and I appreciated the commadrie and friendships Frankie developed. I liked seeing her interactions and the kind heart and excellent listening skills she possesses. She's certainly an original character, and I have to say I really enjoyed her focus on the case and the lack of distraction with romantic entanglements. Except for some language that I personally had a problem with, I'd rate my experience a 4/5 - really liked it!

Thanks for joining me, and as always, Happy Reading!! :)

~Rebecca Reddell, Author