Lisa gardener has been one of my favourite must read authors for years so to have the chance for a pre release and save myself the wait?! Best Christmas ever!! Now the book in question..... blew me away! As always, it had me hooked from the outset. It was so creepy and had me on edge the whole way through. I had no clue who or what was behind it all until it was on the page in front of me in black and white. It absolutely keeps you guessing and has you spinning in circles in your own mind. The characters are so well written and you will just be completely engrossed and sucked in! Its not often that I get so invested in fake people that I end up sitting at 2am crying over a book but this one had me crying into my pillow more than once. The tension in this book absolutely leaps off the page and into your home, you will find yourself looking over your shoulder more than once and that eerie, uneasy feeling just settles in for the duration. Long before you even know what you're feeling so uneasy about. I can't remember the last time I felt emotions from a book so viscerally, in every inch of my body. This book doesn't have characters, it has people who are so well written that they literally become real in your mind and you will find yourself not just feeling the tension, but also their fear, their joy, their love, their loss, their anger and more. It literally brings out every single emotion you can feel. You do always expect high quality from Lisa Gardener but this was just beyond!! The story is so complex and intelligent that you just can't put it down. All I can say is make sure you've not got anything in the oven and you aren't expected anywhere for a good few hrs because once you start this book, you won't be able to stop! And you won't regret a second of it. AMAZING!!!! Easily one of the best books I've read this year! Now to wait on the next one.

Another gripping read by the amazing Lisa Gardner. Frankie Elkin is back with a whopper of a case to solve and she does so with all her being, she's a bad ass missing persons investigator, fiercely independent, determined and I just love everything about her. This second book in the series is a tense filled ride with secrets, lies and pulse pounding twists. All the characters are believable and I loved each and every one of them. When Frankie goes into the wilderness she encounters snares, hidden caves, accidents with members of the search party, blood, gashes and a mountain of lies. It's really dark in places but that adds to the whole atmosphere of the story. Lisa knows how to keep her readers gripped and this book did not disappoint. I would easily give it more stars if I could and I can't wait to read what Frankie gets up to next.

I was disappointed in this book as I thought it would be a good read. The characters were unbelievable and the story was messy and at times quite slow. Not as good as I hoped. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

I am a huge fan of Lisa Gardner, having loved most of her back catalogue, so I had big expectations for One Step Too Far. This dark, tense, suspenseful story had me gripped from the beginning with the drama being revved up chapter by chapter in true style of this author.

There was a little part (just a small tiny part) when I thought it was drifting but I was quickly pulled back by the plot twists and turns. There were also parts where my heart was racing with adrenaline, absorbed in the atmosphere. This author’s writing is not for the faint hearted!

The only reason this is not a five star read for me is because it failed to push my favorite book written by this writer off the top spot. Maybe I’m just being harsh?

I undoubtably recommend this if you are a fan of entertaining and consuming reads - a definite must read!

Thankyou to #netgalley for arc of this book
Frankie Elkin is back !
And finds herself in a dusty backwater town in Wyoming. She ends up in a diner overhears a conversation about a young groom who went up hiking with his five groomsmen five years ago and he went off during the night and was never found. Consequently his dad and groomsmen come back every year and carry out search of area to try and find a trace of him. Frankie ends up part of the group as on guy drops out, even though she has no hiking or wildernesses experience. They have plenty help with a local guide Nemeth and a big foot expert Bob as well as Luciana and her cadaver dog daisy.
Two days in and two men are injured in bizarre accidents and then the dog gets a scent but is spooked but so is her handler, and half their food is destroyed but by animals that leave no footprints Frankie notes. Luciana decides to leave and get help for injured men Nemeth says he will walk her out to trail
Meanwhile Frankie makes a disturbing discovery of her own that makes her worry for all their safety

I have mixed feelings about this book. The main character, Frankie, is definitely believable and well rounded and I really feel like I know her. The story has a good plot, and it’s all explained in the end. There just seemed to be an awful lot of back story and information that didn’t really move the story along. Overall I did enjoy it and it was well written, I just found myself struggling a bit to get through it. Thank you #netgalley

This story starts out as you'd expect. Frankie joins the search for a man who'd gone missing in the wilderness 5 years ago. The group set off and camp miles from civilisation. Then things go wrong and it's now a matter of their survival.

I found this book to be claustrophobic even though it's set in the wild outdoors. Nowhere seemed safe and the tension ramped up and up. I was quite gripped and thoroughly enjoyed this story.

Twisty, tight, and incredibly atmospheric!

One Step Too Far is an engrossing, sinister thrill ride that takes us back on the road to solve the unsolved with Frankie Elkin, a middle-aged wanderer who now finds herself in the rugged Wyoming countryside and completely out of her element when she joins a search party, including the victim’s father, three of his friends, and three search and rescue specialists heading into the Shoshone National Forest wilderness to once and for all discover what happened to Timothy O’Day five years ago when he stepped away from his campsite never to be seen again.

The writing is brisk and sharp. The characters are tormented, scarred, and vulnerable. And the plot is tense, action-packed and full of suspicious personalities, unreliable characters, unexpected twists, nefarious motivations, mayhem, survival, violence, and murder.

Overall, One Step Too Far is an unpredictable, tortuous, gripping tale by Gardner, that like all her previous novels, kept me guessing from the very first page and left me unsettled, highly entertained, and certainly eager for more.

Frankie Elkin is back !! This is the second book in the series but it can be read as a standalone, although I would definitely recommend reading the first.

Frankie heard of a man that went missing, just before his wedding, in a national forest. His father and friends continue the search five years on and Frankie decides to join them on their latest desperate search.

Soon Frankie realises that there is more going on than just this one missing man. But can she discover the truth before the search comes to a devastating end ? Will everyone make it out of the forest ?

A great second book in the series. Frankie is a great character with some many different levels to her. Am looking forward to her next search !!

Thank you to Random House UK and NetGalley for a digital copy of this book.

Five years ago Tim O'Day disappeared from his bachelor party whilst camping in remote woods. Every year, his father and friends return to search for him.

Frankie Elkin has made it her mission in life to solve cold cases of missing people. She inveigles her way into the group looking for Tim, despite having little experience of hiking and camping. As the trek takes them deeper into the isolated environment a sense of being watched, almost hunted become palpable.

This is a gripping read, full of suspense and tension. It is set against a perfect background of wilderness and danger. The characters are all well created, human and full of flaws. The action is intense and the plot is clever.

I'd highly recommend One Step Too Far.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I know I'm in a minority but I wasn't a big fan of this book: it's well written and the descriptions of the setting are great. Unfortunately I didn't care about the characters and the story fell flat.
Not my cup of tea.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I hadn’t realised this book was the 2nd in a series so I need to go and read the first book then read this. So my review will be posted on here at a later date.

I haven’t read the first book of this series which is important to point out but I did enjoy this book and feel that it can be read and enjoyed as a stand-alone. Frankie Elkin is searching for missing people and is helping to try and locate a missing man who went missing in a national park five years ago. This book is full of suspense and tense moments. Overall I enjoyed this book.

One Step Too Far is the new thriller from Lisa Gardner, the bestselling writer of many suspense novels.
5 years ago Timothy went in the wilderness with his 4 best friends to celebrate his upcoming marriage, he is never seen again. Every year his father and friends hike out to try and find his remains, this year they are accompanied by Frankie Elkin, who specialises in finding missing people.
This is an highly accomplished thriller. The character of Frankie, who has featured in a previous novel, is a really interesting creation with a fascinating back story. The tension ratchets up over the novel until it is almost unbearable and the final twist is really clever. It’s a joy to be in the hands of such an experienced storyteller. I’ve never read anything by amLisa Gardner before but I will certainly seek out her novels again. Thank you to #netgalley and #randomhouse for allowing me to review this ARC

One step too far is an exciting recent novel by a favourite author now.

Frankie Elkin has a gift at finding missing persons long after their cases went cold and they always turn to be more interesting than expected.

A man went missing in a national forest while camping with another three colleagues and since then his father hasn't stopped, searching each year because he wants to find the body so he can a peace of mind for everything that happened.

The hunt has lots of difficulties as there are characters that will be very helpful and interested in joining forces, but there are others that see everything as a time lost and are reluctant to help.

It's heartbreaking and thrilling, a story that will make you feel bad for each one of them, but it also brings closure and a great ending.

Very grateful to the publisher for my review copy through NetGalley

Love a story with many woven threads around a main story. Blooming loved it. Think Agatha Christie crossed with Harlan Coban. Just brilliant. Read it in two sittings.

A story of one woman’s determination and a fathers undying love for his son.

Frankie Elkin finds missing people. No-one asks her to do this and no-one pays her to do it but it is her calling. And she is incredibly good at it.

Frankie learns about a young man, Tim, who went missing in a national park a few years ago while on a camping trip with his best friends. It was his bachelor weekend. Every year since, his father has taken a team into the park to look for his son. Now Frankie joins the team as they make one last attempt to bring a body back home.

As they start out on the gruelling hike, it becomes clear very quickly that not everyone wants to be a part of the search crew. Tim’s college buddies are there out of guilt but their close bonds have been shattered by that weekend and soon it becomes clear that they have been keeping secrets. When their camp gets sabotaged and people start getting hurt, it becomes clear that they are not alone in the park.

This was such a fantastic read! Frankie is a phenomenal character and unlike any you have probably encountered before. I read this in a day because I just had to know what happened next. There’s quite a few characters to keep track of but each has their own story that keeps you invested in all of their outcomes. This book will be released at the end of Jan and I can guarantee that you will enjoy it. There is a previous book in the Frankie Elkin series called Before She Disappeared but I found this book much more entertaining.

I’m not even sure where to start with this review. The book was ok, the story had some good aspects but it just didn’t grip me. I nearly gave up several time and then at about 60% through, it finally got interesting. The characters were not entirely likeable, which is not really an issue, but there didn’t seem to be any redeeming features in any of them until the end. The ending for me was unrealistic and very far fetched so I have to surmise that it just wasn’t a book for me although I’m sure others will enjoy it.

Timothy O’Day was thirty-three years old when he went missing. The first member of his family to go to college, he graduated from Oregon State University with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. Described by his friends as a regular MacGyver, the woods were Tim’s happy place. Tim knew his shit, and was the reason they were camping for his bachelor party weekend – so into the mountains they’d gone. They hiked for seven miles looking for the perfect camping spot in one of the deep canyons, near a broad river – the five of them each carrying a six-pack of beer and some bottles of Maker’s Marks with the distinctive red wax seal …

Crashing trees and a wail had the college friends bursting from their tents in the dead of night, bleary eyed, trying to pinpoint the source of the disturbance. “Build up the fire” One demanded! “Make noise of their own.” “Double check the food stash they’d strung up in the trees away from their campsite.” … which is why it took them a few minutes before they realised their party of five had become four!

Volunteers showed up, the national guard arrived to assist … twenty-three long, exhausting days passed and the temperatures dropped and snow blanketed the upper elevations … and only family members and friends remained! Martin O’Day continued the longest, with a lifetime of experience and the advantage of being the one who had trained his son. Martin O’Day searched for his son. Then he searched for signs of his son. And then, he searched for his son’s body. The college friends, Neil, Josh, Miggy and Scott did their best to assist while juggling jobs, family and daily life. Wracked with guilt, they had little choice, but going back to those woods was the last thing any of them wanted to continue to do. “Grizzly bear,” Neil whispered. “Mountain lion,” Josh Argued. “Goddammit,” Miggy said.

As for the real answer, the woods never said. As seasons turned into years and Timothy O’Day became one more missing hiker – vanished without a trace, here are things most people don’t know: At least sixteen hundred people, if not many more remain missing on the national public lands. Hikers, Day trippers, Children on camping trips. One moment they were with us, the next they’re gone. There is little in the way of designated funding – a large scale search effort can cost upwards of three hundred thousand dollars a day. For many County Sheriffs, that’s their annual budget. Meaning, when volunteers go away, so do rescue efforts. Leaving behind a family with little hope and no closure. Most will continue on their own for as long as they are able. Some, such as Martin O’Day, continue to hunt every year, assisted by friends, funded by online campaigns and advised by various experts. Martin has been at it for five years now – this August will be his final attempt on the anniversary of his son’s disappearance! His wife, Patrice is dying of cancer, and it’s her dying wish to see her son again and for them to be buried together!

As Frankie Elkin reads the article again, and then again, something about the story has gotten under her skin. Finding missing people is what she does. When the police have given up and the public no longer remember, she starts looking. For no money, no recognition, and most of the time, no help! She has no professional training, she is not a former detective or registered PI or ex-anything special … She is an average, middle-aged white woman – short on belongings – long on regrets. One day, a woman in AA talked about her daughter who had disappeared and the police’s lack of interest in finding a young woman with a troubled past. This is where it all began. She has had sixteen missing persons cases – and found only one living soul. Why do I do what I do? Because at the end of the day, the people left behind matter as much as the ones who are missing. We mourn the ones we’ve lost, but we agonise over the pieces of ourselves they took with them.

“Can you shoot a gun?”

“God no. I rely on my charm.”

“And when a bear charges?”

“Um, run faster than the next person?”

Frankie Elkin & Nemeth (former National Park Ranger)

“If Nemeth and Martin were picking hiking teams on a mountain playground, we’d definitely be the last kids they tapped.”

Frankie Elkin

I read Before She Disappeared, #1 in the Frankie Elkin series, in preparation for this book which I got a free copy of sent straight to my Kindle for an honest review … and I’m so happy I came across this series when I did – I’ll definitely be keeping up with it and longing for the next book to come out. I absolutely love Lisa Gardner’s writing style and subsequently her main character, Frankie. She is smart, funny, refreshingly honest and heartwarming. As a rule, thrillers don’t tend to be all that funny, but … I don’t think I’ve laughed this hard reading a book – well – since I read her last one!

I loved the atmosphere of the dense woods and mountains, the tension built throughout the book to the point of suspense having you on the edge of your seat. The constant danger, feeling of being watched and not knowing who or what was coming for them was palpable, but Lisa Gardner somehow managed to write in some comedy gold along the way, plus a fair share of beautiful honest human moments and heartbreak. With a cast of nine main characters (including Daisy of course) this could have easily gotten confusing fast but the way they were all written and introduced in groups. It just worked really well and you got time with and got to know each of the characters. I have loved both of the books so far in the Frankie Elkin series. The two books are very different to each other but equally as good.

Highly recommend – the book is due to be released on 20th January 2022. My thanks to the author and Random House Uk for the gifted copy to review via NetGalley.

I read Before She Disappeared earlier this month in anticipated for this release, but I struggled to warm to Frankie and couldn't really understand her motive for doing what she does. So I was a little apprehensive going into this second book. However, I ended up absolutely loving it.

This second instalment answered all of the questions that I still had about Frankie and allowed me to get to know her much more personally. I ended up really enjoying her company this time around, which made the whole experience much more engaging. Not only that, but I found this case so much more exciting, as well, so this turned out to be an all-around entertaining read for me.

One Step Too Far is a gripping, atmospheric, and tense murder mystery. The woodland setting is hauntingly creepy and I genuinely felt like I was in the middle of a horror film. You really do feel on the edge of your seat with this one, and my heart was racing with so many of the discoveries.

The characters are all well-developed and I really enjoyed trying to figure out who had the most motive to want to hurt Tim, or even if Tim was really dead at all. I wasn't particularly shocked by the final revelation so that's the only thing that stopped me from giving this book five full stars, but I sure had a lot of fun with the build-up and anticipation of what was really going on.

I didn't think I would be saying this after finding the first book so average, but I really want a book three now!