Totally terrifying - but in that really good way! Do not read this book whilst sipping a hot drink as I jumped so hard I spilt my tea. Do not start this book at 10 o clock at night unless you still want to be reading at 2 in the morning because you wont be able to put it down. And do not read this book if you think you can always guess who done it, because I promise you that in this case you wont guess. It is the best Lisa Gardner book EVER and I’ve read them all and I am praying that it will be the first in a new series. Buy it for yourself, buy it for your friends and then you can scare each other senseless.

I really enjoyed this book. I love Frankie Elkin as a character, and this book has a great story, a believable cast of characters, and a gripping ending. A perfect book for a winter evening.

LISA GARDNER – ONE STEP TOO FAR ****

I read this novel in advance of publication through NetGalley in return for an honest review.

This is a breathless almost claustrophobic novel, with its main characters trapped in the mountains of Wyoming. For the most part of its running time the characters are searching for the body of Timothy O’Day, a young man who, five years earlier, trekking with friends, had disappeared. His body had never found, and each year Tim’s father and Tim’s friends search different quadrants of mountain for signs of his remains. Only this year they are joined unexpectedly by tough ex-alcoholic drifter Frankie Elkin, who devotes her life searching for missing people.

It reminded me of a cross between Deliverance and Strayed. Woman against nature, and woman against the evil of humans. The rugged location is as important as any of the characters. Like the narrator it’s tough and visceral. You can feel every bruise and sore joint. It also makes a change to be sliding down scree and crossing ravines rather than choking in fumes on city streets.

Had it not been for some of her writing I would have rated it higher. As it was, I found her dialogue tags very intrusive: they stuck out like sore thumbs.

“He fell,” I provide. Instead of “He fell,” I said.

“Said” and “says” disappear; that’s why authors use them; “provide” and “state” jar. Each time they appeared, which was frequently, they took me out of the thrill of the adventure. Readers should be engrossed in what the characters are going through, especially in a strong story like this, not made aware of the mechanics of writing.

Other than that, it was a good story well told, with plenty of twists; a real page-turner.

Frankie Elkin, hunter of the missing, returns in this intensely dark and nailbiting thriller from Lisa Gardner, after her previous outing located in Brooklyn where she finds her first living missing person, she is now in what for her is the far more unfamiliar territory of the Popo Agie Wilderness in Wyoming with its picturesque mountains and woods. She arrives in the small town of Ramsey intending to join a party looking for the remains of Tim O'Day, who disappeared 5 years previously, on a camping trip with his 4 friends, prior to getting married. His grieving father, Martin, and the friends had embarked on unsuccessful annual attempts to find him, this is the final trip led by the experienced Nemeth, including Luciana and her beautiful SAR cadaver dog, the yellow lab Daisy, and Big Foot obsessive, Bob.

No-one is keen on Frankie joining, she has no hiking or camping experience in the wilderness, but when one of the friends has to drop out, she is accepted. She might live to regret this decision as she finds herself struggling to meet the physical demands, but this is the least of her worries as she and the group find themselves prey, being hunted by what appears to be a serial killer, always one step ahead of them, their food rations reduced and ruined, having to contend with desperately serious injuries, and being shot at. As Frankie gets to know the group, she uncovers secrets and lies, getting to know the 3 friends, Miggy, Neil and Scott, their feelings of guilt over the loss of Tim, angry at being railroaded into the nightmare annual search for him by the determined Martin, but unable to refuse. As the position of each member of the group becomes ever more precarious, will any of them survive to tell their story?

Gardner knows how to weave a tense and suspenseful crime story, and here she picks the perfect wilderness location, atmospherically depicting its beauty, remoteness and dangers, a captivating place that attracts hikers, some of whom have gone missing through the years. This, along with the author's capacity to create and develop characters we cannot help but care for, make for a winning combination when it comes to her crime fiction. Frankie is a complex woman, haunted by the trauma of her past, a recovering alcoholic, compassionate, committed to find the missing because of those left behind, suffering and mourning, having lost essential pieces of themselves and their sense of identity. This is a riveting crime read, with oodles of tension and suspense, that will make you think twice before you head out on your next hiking trip in the wilderness! Highly recommended. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.

I didn't realise this is the second book in a series until I'd finished it. I wondered why certain plot points weren't explained. This needs to be made clearer for readers.

The plot was okay although I found it rather slow. I couldn't connect with the main character but not because of the writing.

A new Lisa Gardner novel is always a treat, and this latest outing is no exception. Amateur missing person investigator and perpetual nomad Frankie Elkin has returned after her introduction in January 2021.

I enjoyed the first in the Frankie Elkin series, but One Step Too Far delivers an even tenser, gripping storyline with a more developed character who I’m hoping will continue for many more books yet.

Far removed from the big city Frankie’s latest search takes her into rural Wyoming, joining the fifth year of the search for Tim O’Day. Tim’s father Martin, the four best friends who were on the same hiking trip Tim disappeared from, a search dog and her handler, the local search and rescue leader and a genuine Bigfoot hunter, are all heading deeper into the extensive forests to try and find any trace of Tim’s body. Frankie turns up, a bit like the old TV series The Littlest Hobo, and invites herself on the hike when one of the original party gets ill.

The hike through the woods pushes Frankie to her physical limits, and as things go wrong there’s a real chance none of them will make it home.

I loved the characters, the relationships between them and how these were portrayed. Frankie’s personality traits really shone out as she casts her lot in with these complete strangers, having to quickly rely on them for survival whilst also uncovering the secrets which could lead to finding out what really happened to Tim.

An excellent read.

A really terrific book which had me hooked from start to finish. Told through the eyes and voice of Frankie, a recovering alcoholic, this book is set in the wilderness of Wyoming and the search for an experienced hiker who went missing on his stag weekend. Five very close friends became four, and another anniversary search for the truth begins. Poorly equipped for wilderness, and with no connection to any of the attendees or the missing friend, Frankie an obsessive searcher pushes herself into the search party on a trip that proves more dangerous than anyone could have considered, and a lot of hidden truths come.

One Step Too Far is the second in the Frankie Elkin series. Although I hadn’t read the first book, this did not detract from this novel. Gripping, thrilling and dark, this book will keep you gripped to the end. Thank you to NetGalley, Random House UK, Cornerstone and the author for the chance to review.

This was a gripping read with complex characters that gradually drew me in and left me eager to discover who the perpetrator was. Frankie Elkin has a troubled past which she deals with by living a simple life but for the fact she spends most of it seeking missing people. She is intrigued by the case of a man who went missing on his stag do camping trip five years ago but more so as his mum is terminally ill and she wants to give her answers before she passes away. She persuades the missing man’s father to let her join his hotchpotch search group for a week long stay in the wood to explore an area not previously searched but it soon becomes obvious that the woods hide bigger secrets than missing people.

This is the first Lisa Gardner book I’ve read and the things Frankie hinted at in her past made me aware she’s been in other books which I would be very interested in reading now but it didn’t spoil this story. The other characters were varied, the guilt ridden groomsmen, the big foot hunter, the cadaver handler, the experienced local and the struggling father. This built up the initial story well but once in the woods it really did grab me with the characters, environment and events. I did suspect who the perpetrator might be but it didn’t spoil anything and it certainly didn’t detract from the action. 9/10

4.75⭐️

Frankie Elkin #2

I was excited to read this book as I totally loved Frankie in the first book, a complex character fighting her own demons,so gutsy, observant and intuitive, a seemingly selfless woman (it’s more complicated than that) investigating when the police have given up.

In this book Frankie is spontaneously drawn in when a young man goes missing while in a National Park. She had intended going to search for a missing boy.
Search and rescue have given up looking, but she joins his father and friends in the search.

She soon learns that his disappearance isn’t as straight forward as she first thought.
Frankie managed to talk her way into the search party, but oh my, she’s badly under qualified and under prepared for this one. A potential liability. I was at a loss to think what Frankie could possibly bring to the search. I think I was able to buy into her inclusion as it was an unofficial search and half of the group were less experienced in hiking and searching.
However once in the wilderness Frankie’s skills come to the fore. It pushed me to the limit of what I thought is believable action for Frankie and in equal measures is what made it different, fresh and interesting.

The writing style is compact and easy reading. It grabbed my attention from the first page.
The characters are so well developed I love Frankie’s directness, her frailties and her strength.

This is a very different book. It’s a more action orientated than the first book.

I was transfixed by Daisy the SAR /cadaver dog and her handler. It was such interesting reading and absorbed into the story well.

I was disappointed with some of Frankie’s decision making. The poor decision making however made for a very entertaining read.

I am wondering what the author can do to keep this series fresh, and avoid becoming same old scenarios without over stepping the boundaries of believability. The reader can see that Frankie has found what she is looking for, but if she waits too long that opportunity will be lost. I want a happy ending for Frankie.

I am really looking forward to seeing where this series goes next.

I love Lisa Gardner's writing and this book definitely didnt disappoint. As with all her book sit started off slow and then packed a punch towards the end. It was tense, suspenseful and unpredictable leaving me unable to guess what was happening and unsure what to believe or trust. I really enjoyed reading this book.

Expect twists and turns windier than the mountain paths on which this dramatic thriller is set! This is the second Lisa Gardner book featuring Frankie Elkin, the recovering alcoholic who seeks resolution for families - and maybe her own redemption - by specialising in missing person cases where the police and authorities have long given up.
In a departure from the bustling streets of Boston where she solved her last case, Frankie has joined a mountain search team on their annual mission to locate the remains of hiker Timothy O'Day, a young man who disappeared on a hiking trip just before his wedding over five years ago. Tim's father, three of his best friends from the original trip, a search dog trainer and her dog, a local guide and a bigfoot hunter make up the rest of the team.
As Frankie trudges uphill, events rapidly go downhill, as it becomes apparent someone - or something - doesn't want them in the mountains. The party face danger from an unseen enemy - but is it one of their own?
This was so thrilling right from the start. Aside from the mystery of the plot and the fast paced unpredictability of the narrative, Frankie is a great character, and this story gives more insight into her background and the curcumstances which have led to her turning her back on her old life.
Each other person in the story has their own back narrative, too, which makes for a multi-layered read that is as much character as it is plot driven.
The majesty of the mountains contrast with the menace that lurk on its wooded slopes, and the mystery waiting to be solved will keep you turning the pages to the end.

#OneStepTooFar #NetGalley
Her best book after Never Tell.
A young man disappears during a stag weekend in the woods. Years later, he's still missing. But his friends who were with him that day are still searching for him. Still hunting. They hike deep into the wilderness. With them is missing person specialist Frankie Elkin. What they don't know is that they are putting their own lives in terrifying danger, and may not come back alive.
I loved it. It intrigued me the most after Never Tell. Lisa Gardner is a phenomenal author.
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK Cornerstone Century for giving me an advance copy.

I didn’t realise this was the second in a series. It was definitely a bit of a slow burner but equally gripping too. The plot was well written and I found the characters very intriguing.

One Step Too Far finds the reader back with missing persons hunter Frankie Elken. Travelling from Boston (where the events of last year's Before She Disappeared, also featuring Elken, took place) cross-country to her next case, she is in Wyoming when she hears about the mysterious disappearance of a man during a camping trip for his bachelor party years ago. She quickly inveigles her way into the search party, who go out annually, and finds herself being stretched to the very limit by the rough terrain of the mountains. And that's before some strange events in camp begin to make it clear that someone is tracking the trackers...

Frankie Elken isn't my favourite of Gardner's characters, but I enjoyed One Step Too Far more than her first outing. Taking the action out into the wilderness - where nature can be as much of a threat as other humans - worked really well at establishing and building the tension. The relationships between the other bachelors are well drawn; their trauma from what happened years ago manifesting in myriad ways. However, the eventual solution to the mystery felt jarring and far-fetched to this reader.

One step to far by Lisa Gardner is the 2nd in the Frankie Elkin series. I didn’t realise this at first, but you can read this as a standalone.
Frankie Elkin goes above and beyond to search for missing people that Police cannot find. She hears of a young man in Wyoming who five years previous gone missing in a national park. He was with his friends camping. Where he is disappeared never seen again. They have been several attempts to find him no luck. So now five years later, his father with the help of others is going to search for his body to be laid to rest.
Frankie has never been hiking before so she must learn fast how to deal with the rough terrain and get back safely. But what seems to be a straightforward search and rescue. It turns out a more of a game of survival when they come across a hunter that is not hunting animals but themselves.
Thank you, Random house Cornerstone for a copy of One step too far. Lisa Gardener is a new author for me. I found this quite slow at the beginning, but I am so glad I stuck with this. This turned out to be a creepy gripping thriller. Who is trying to kill campers and why? And why is Frankie searching for missing people. What is she trying to prove? All, these questions are answered at the end. This is an interesting story so much I will look out for the other books this author has read. 4 stars from me.

I really enjoyed this book about Frankie, who searches for missing people. I haven't read the first book, that introduces the character, but that didn't effect the enjoyment.
Go back 5 years and the groom disappears on his stag party hiking in the woods. Each year, they go back to search for him. This time Frankie joins the search and strange happenings begin.
This was a real page turner.

Frankie hunts and finds missing people. She has no qualifications, just a determind and analytical mind that brings success, albeit not usually alive, but answers bring closure. This rollercoaster of a book finds her in Wyoming, surrounded by unfamiliar wilderness, mountains, streams, forests, dangerous crevices and boulders and unseen predatory wildlife. She joins the annual search for Tim, son of Martin, who went missing five years previously while on a pre-wedding camping trip with his friends. Undaunted by the task ahead she willingly sets off with the group that include those who know the terrain well and are experienced in extreme conditions. Although struggling to keep pace, Frankie refuses to give in and gradually gets to know her fellow travellers while also understanding their roles in Tim’s life and what actually happened five years ago. Dangers come thick and fast, not all natural and as the journey progresses, it becomes obvious their main threat is not from the weather or terrain. Survival becomes all encompassing and without giving anything away, the individual nightmares become all too real and it appears not everyone will survive the trip. A story with fear and tension throughout and this gripping adventure will have the reader turning the pages at breakneck speed in order to end this terrible ordeal. Strong characters throughout that blend together perfectly to ensure every type of human nature is covered. An excellent conclusion to the book, left no stone unturned but opened the possibility of a sequel, one that I’d be delighted to read.

I read the previous book about Frankie Elkin, an investigator who searches for missing people in order to return them to their relatives even if it’s only for the closure they get.
The first book was excellent and I thoroughly enjoyed the story and the premise of Frankie, who is a loner with a difficult past and hidden demons.
In “One Step Too Far” we learn more about Frankie as she joins a search party looking for an experienced hiker who went missing five years earlier.
Tim goes on an expedition with college friends just before his wedding and disappears in the Wyoming wilderness. Despite a massive search he is never found and his father ,Martin, organises an annual hunt, hoping to find him. Martin’s wife is now terminally ill and he wants to tell her what has happened to Tim before the inevitable occurs.
Frankie joins with the group , meets the college friends as well as a rescue dog and her handler,Luciana, Bob a Bigfoot hunter and Nemeth, a wilderness guide.
At first they are reluctant to let her join in but she is finally accepted when one of Tim’s college buddies is forced to drop out.
Although the expedition is going to be difficult, particularly for Frankie, who is inexperienced, it turns out to be incredibly dangerous when the hunters become the hunted as someone does not want them to find out what is really hidden in the wilderness.
I found this book much more slow paced than “Before She Disappeared”. There was a lot of description of the hike, the items used by the hikers on the trek and many flashbacks to the original hike when Tim disappeared as Frankie questions the friends. This meant that it took a long time for the narrative to draw me in and I kept picking up and putting down the book. However the last quarter of the novel moved a lot more quickly although, to be honest, I was not too surprised at the eventual denouement.
I was still intrigued about Frankie and would definitely be interested in reading about her next investigation and learning more about her life.
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for my arc.

I LOVE the character of Frankie Elkin and really enjoyed the first book in the series (this is book 2). Having read the first book was great, but, this can absolutely be read as a stand alone and wouldn't spoil book one if you then go back and read it.

This is an expertly drawn story that had me enthralled throughout. The characters are so well written, as you'd expect from this excellent author.

In a remote town, a group of men stagger into a diner, muttering about an attack / BigFoot / missing friend and 5 years later the protagonist, Frankie, joins the search. It's clear that the author is a keen hiker from the various descriptions and the story romps along as the team come under more and more threat from an unknown source.
It's a thriller of a ride and I loved every page.

More of Frankie.....please!

Congratulations to Lisa Gardner and thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK / Cornerstone for the opportunity to preview.