Morderstwo na szlaku

by Jenny Blackhurst, Magdalena Słysz (Translator)

Najnowszy thriller Jenny Blackhurst, jednej ze wschodzących gwiazd wśród angielskich autorek thrillerów.

Dwie osoby potrafią dochować tajemnicy. O ile jedna z nich jest martwa.
Młoda brytyjska turystka przepada bez śladu na malowniczym szlaku wycieczkowym.
Nikt nie wie, czy zaginiona jeszcze żyje.

Nikt. Oprócz Laury.

Dziewiętnastoletnia Maisie opuszcza dom rodzinny w Wielkiej Brytanii, żeby wędrować szlakiem West Coast Trail w Kanadzie. Wkrótce przyłącza się do spotkanego po drodze rodzeństwa, Sery i Ricka. Od razu się zaprzyjaźniają. Niestety, nie na długo… Wymarzona wędrówka w wesołym towarzystwie, wśród malowniczych krajobrazów, zmienia się w koszmar, kiedy pewnej nocy ktoś zostaje zamordowany. I choć nie ma ciała, zeznania świadka doprowadzają do uwięzienia – być może niewinnej osoby…

Dwadzieścia lat później kobieta o imieniu Laura wpada w panikę, gdy dowiaduje się, że w pobliżu kanadyjskiego szlaku turystycznego znaleziono ludzkie szczątki, a media zaczynają powoli wyjawiać szczegóły. Laura, dziś szczęśliwa żona i matka, ma na sumieniu śmierć człowieka i od lat ukrywa się pod zmienionym nazwiskiem. Wygląda jednak na to, że sekret, którego strzegła przez niemal ćwierć wieku, wkrótce wyjdzie na jaw. Ktoś jest zdeterminowany, by Laura zapłaciła za to, co się stało: obserwuje jej dom i wprowadza chaos w jej życie.

Jak daleko posunie się Laura, aby chronić swoje starannie pielęgnowane życie rodzinne? I co tak naprawdę wydarzyło się ponad dwie dekady temu w Kanadzie?

Genres: Audiobook, Thriller, Mystery, Fiction, Crime, Mystery Thriller, Suspense

352 pages, Paperback

First published January 12, 2023

Reviews

[Lit with Leigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you Canelo and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. IYKYK, my reviews are always honest.

One sentence review: HONDA CIVIC RELIABLE POPCORN THRILLER - do not be discouraged because of the 3 star rating

SYNOPSIS

In 1999, Maise leaves the UK for a hiking trip in Vancouver that ends in murder. Fast forward 25 years, a woman named Laura hears that remains have been found and starts to panic.

MY OPINION

I don't vibe with citizens gone rogue thrillers, but this is Honda Civic Reliable. Although I did like The Girl Who Left better, I can comfortably say that Jenny Blackhurst has joined Alafair Burke as a go-to author when I'm hankering for a Honda Civic Reliable read.

What I like most about Blackhurst's books is how self-aware the MC is. It's almost satirical how the MC pokes fun at herself for "running into an abandoned warehouse like I'm Lara Croft" or thinking things like "If I was out for revenge, I'd go for the big kill not waste time sending creepy messages." This satirical/tongue in cheek approach is soooo much better than other authors who take their shit sooo serious and write a "super smart" therapist with the decision making of a toddler.

She also does a great job in addressing the usual "holes" in popcorn thrillers like why the MC doesn't call the police and why they don't get security cameras when hoes start leaving creepy messages. In fact, I think this is one of the first popcorn thrillers I've read where the MC DOES get security cameras to thwart the baddie from breaking & entering. How refreshing LOL.

Although I clocked the twisty twist pretty early, I don't read popcorn thrillers to have my brain twisted like a pretzel. Blackhurt's writing is simple and straightforward like the plot. Yes there's some CC here and there, but she doesn't waste time being fake deep with heavy-handed similes and figurative language. Something pops off every chapter. In the first 10%, there's clear conflict and all the major players are introduced. There's no spinning our wheels trying to set the mood by describing the floofiness of the clouds and how her face is a grey tinge like chicken you've left too long in the fridge (that's an actual simile for the new Stacey Willingham book LMAO).

All in all, this has all the ingredients for a solid popcorn thriller. Straight-forward, easy to digest writing. Wholesome characters and a mom who puts her kids' lives first. Some juicy secrets. A lil jokey joke here and there. My main rich homie qualm was the VERY Scooby Doo ending. Idk if it was supposed to be funny, but it was?

If you like Shalini Boland and Samantha Hayes, I think you'll really enjoy this. Give it a whirl, gwurl (gender neutral term ok)

PROS AND CONS

Pros: Honda Civic Reliable writing and plot, dark humour throughout, solid characters

Cons: ending was... lol????

[Louise Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maisie leaves her precarious home in the UK to hike the West Coast Trail in Canada. She meets brother and sister Sera and Ric, and what begins as a fun-filled experience in a beautiful, secluded setting quickly turns sour. Twenty-five years later, a woman named Laura is panicked to learn at a body was found near the trail and the police suspect they're the bones of Sera. The secret she's been hiding for quarter of a century is about to come out - and someone is determined to make sure she tells the truth, and pays the price, as she should have done back then.

This story has a dual timeline, the past - 1999 and the present day. This is a gripping, twisted and compelling read. I was pulled into the story from the first page. Laura is happily married with two children, so why does the discovery of a body on the West Coast Trail threaten to tear her life apart? The tension builds throughout. The characters are well fleshed out and relatable. A story where you think you know everything, but you actually know nothing at all. All the loose ends were perfectly tied up. Another fantastic read by the author.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #Canelo and the author #Canelo for my ARC of #TheHikingTrip in exchange for an honest review.

[Susan's Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

My thanks to my blog partner, Bogi, for bringing this thriller to my attention!

You should read his excellent review here:

<"https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5122049535

A highly enjoyable read, set partly in Canada (for the hike in beautiful B.C.) and then the U.K.
I will definitely be reading more of this author's thrillers!

[Jayne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Jenny Blackhurst's "The Final Wife" was a surprise 5-star read for me.

"The Hiking Trip" was a surprise 2.5-star read.

Nobody bats 1000%, including talented authors.

I was not the right reader for this book.

This book had a dizzying dual timeline, too many characters, satanic elements, and repetitive text.

I prefer pacy thrillers with fewer well-developed characters.

I also do not enjoy books with satanic elements.

I listened to the audiobook narrated by Sara Poyzer.

Although Sara Poyzer did a superb job with the narration, the book would have benefited from a multi-cast narration.

This was an Audible Plus freebie.

2.5 stars.

[Kay Oliver · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a spooky, eerie read that you should definitely take out into the wilderness if you want to scare yourself senseless. It took me a while to get into this as the writing style really rubbed me the wrong way. But the suspense and ominous elements won me over.

"It took just three little words to ruin my life the second time around. Human remains found."

[Liz Barnsley · Rating 4 out of 5]

A proper psychological thriller this one, with a classic mystery at the heart of it,, an engaging, possibly unreliable narrator and plenty of twistiness to keep you entertained.

Beautifully done with an addictive, involving sense to it, this is one of those books you devour in one sitting wanting desperately to know the outcome.
Excellent stuff.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5

So many unlikeable characters apart from possibly the dog.

[Chrissie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't know why I listened to this audiobook - this genre usually lets me down.

This was not the exception.

[Bec (becbingesbooks) - sorry, behind with lots of catching up to do · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up.

My synopsis:

The Hiking Trip is a dual timeline story about Maisie in 1999, lacking independence and travelling on a trail in Canada, meeting new people and trying new things, and about Laura in 2019, who is panicked about bones having been found on the same trail Maisie had hiked several years earlier. Laura had rebuilt her life since the Canada trip and now someone is trying to unravel all her secrets.

My opinion:

This was a good crime thriller. It was full of twists - some more predicatable than others.

I found following so many different characters on the hiking trip to get a bit messy and to start, it was a bit slow and boring but by about 50-60% in, it all flowed well and was fab.

I guess what I struggled most with in this book was the lack of character development, even though I enjoy plot driven books more so. I just didn't really care for any of the MCs, making it hard to become overly engrossed in the book. The plot was 👌 though, even if unbelievable at times - but isn't that why we love fiction?!

I'd recommend this book if you're looking for a good "popcorn thriller" as I hear it is referred to by many now 😆. However, don't go in expecting the extremely fast paced, can't put it down type.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Publication date: 12 January 2023

[Jo Lee · Rating 2 out of 5]

An audible plus title that I’m afraid to say was a bit disappointing.

[Eva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Laura seems to have it all. A wonderful husband, two adorable children, a delightful dog and a lovely house. But Laura isn't all she appears to be. Her life is mostly built on lies and secrets, and the past might just come back to haunt her when one of those secrets looks set to be revealed.

Human bones have been discovered on a hiking trail in Canada. They are believed to belong to a young woman called Sera, who disappeared on the trail twenty-five years ago. Laura knows all about it. After all, she was on that hiking trip all those years ago. Someone is desperate for her to tell the truth, as she should have done back then. To what lengths will Laura go to keep her family and carefully constructed life safe?

'The Hiking Trip' hooked me from the very first page. The chapters alternate between events on the fated hiking trip twenty-five years ago, and the present day where odd things start to happen in Laura's life. On the hiking trip, the reader first meets a young woman called Maisie. She has come all the way from the UK to hike the West Coast Trail in Canada. Here she meets Sera and Ric, and what was supposed to be an adventure and a fun-filled experience quickly turns into an absolute nightmare.

I must say it didn't take me long to figure out how Laura could possibly have been involved, but that didn't ruin my reading experience at all. There were still plenty of other things left to discover. 'The Hiking Trip' is full of intrigue and mystery as you try to figure out what happened to the characters on that trip. There are a few of them, though some more important than others. And some are utterly and completely toxic. So massively unlikeable that I often rolled my eyes at Maisie, not understanding how she couldn't see what I was seeing.

Obviously this is fiction. However, for some reason, my brain still prefers it when things actually make sense. I'm not entirely sure they did here. I have questions that remain unanswered, actions by characters that baffled me for which I would have liked more of an explanation. Mostly though, I feel a sense of injustice. Like maybe someone got away with something, and it just doesn't sit right with me. I'm not the author so clearly I don't know if that was intentional or even if that's the way I'm supposed to be feeling. It's all in the eye of the beholder, isn't it? All this is a roundabout way of saying that I love it when a book makes me think. Even if it means going around in circles for a few days.

With 'The Hiking Trip', Jenny Blackhurst delivers another solid and entertaining psychological thriller. Just like I've come to expect from her. The story is massively addictive, makes you question everyone and everything, and will have you glued to the pages. Very much enjoyed it and I look forward to whatever she comes up with next.

[Cailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maisie leaves her home in the UK to solo hike the West Coast Trail in Canada. While waiting at the bus, she meets siblings Sera & Ric and they instantly hit it off. They spend the first few days together before something goes terribly wrong.

25 years later, body remains are found on the trail. A woman named Laura is panicked by the news and believes she is being stalked by someone who was involved with the incident.

I REALLY liked this book. It was somewhere between 4-4.5⭐️ for me. It had everything that I love in a novel. Short chapters, different POVs, Cliff hangers, and some clever plot twists that I didn’t anticipate.

While it was slightly predictable, I still couldn’t put it down! I read it in one day.

If you’re interested in an easy, unputdownable thriller, I would recommend giving this one a read!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Laura führt ein beschauliches, nettes Kleinstadtleben. Doch nach ihrer sehr bewegten Vergangenheit hat sie absolut nichts gegen etwas Geruhsamkeit. Die Erinnerung an ihre Vergangenheit kommt je zurück, als Laura im TV einen Beitrag über einen Leichenfund am West Coast Trail sieht. Vor über 15 Jahren hat sie dort eine grauenhafte Wandertour mit Freunden erlebt. Ist das gefundene Skelett die seit dem vermisste Seraphine? Ihr Verschwinden konnte niemals gänzlich aufgeklärt werden, da die Leiche bis heute nicht aufgetaucht ist. Und nach all dieser langen Zeit erhält Laura plötzlich kleine Präsente geschickt, die alle auf die Geschehnisse von vor 15 Jahren hindeuten…

Die Geschichte spielt sich auf zwei Zeitebenen ab. Einmal lesen wir die Gegenwart aus Lauras Sicht. Wir bekommen mit, dass sie damals bei der Wandertour dabei war. Heute lebt sie mit ihrem Mann und ihren zwei Kindern in einer kleinen Stadt und hat die Erlebnisse von damals gänzlich hinter sich gelassen. Auf der Zeitebene in der Vergangenheit befinden wir uns im Jahr 1999 und begleiten die Wandertruppe bei ihrer Tour. Wir bekommen Stück für Stück die Geschichte offengelegt. Mit der Zeit werden beide Zeitebenen verbunden, ein paar Twists hier und da, und schon hat man am Ende eine stimmige Gesamtstory.

Sympathieträger war wie immmer niemand im Buch, aber die Autorin hat es wunderbar geschafft, die Charaktere mit Gehimnissen zu umhüllen. Niemand wirkt so richtig vertrauenswürdig, weil man immer denkt, dass jeder irgendwelche Geheimnisse mit sich rumträgt und nie mit der ganzen Wahrheit herausrückt.

Vom Label „Psychothriller“ bin ich auch bei diesem Buch nicht überzeugt, da mir nicht genug „psycho“ enthalten war, wie auch schon bei jedem anderen Buch der Autorin. Ein Thriller ist es von mir aus, aber es ist nichts enthalten, was den Begriff “Psychothriller” rechtfertigen würde.

“Der finstere Pfad” ist nun schon das fünfte Buch, das ich von der Autorin lese und bisher waren für mich alle in einem guten Mittelfeld angesiedelt. Die Bücher sind immer recht solide, nicht überragend, aber immer gut. Für Thriller-Anfänger sind sie sicherlich gut geeignet, aber jemand der ausschließlich Thriller liest, der könnte sie vielleicht ein wenig zu seicht finden. Mir fehlt meist der letzte Kick, um das Buch so richtig atemberaubend zu finden. Aber falls man mal wieder etwas solides und unaufgeregtes sucht, kann man getrost zu den Büchern dieser Autorin greifen. Immerhin ist es auch schon mein fünftes und wird sicherlich auch nicht das letzte sein.

[Auđur · Rating 3 out of 5]

DNF, This s just not for me 🥲

[Kim Carter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this for:
⛺️ Unreliable narrators
⛺️ Jumping timelines
⛺️ unlikeable characters

⭐️⭐️⭐️. 💫

I was excited to pick this one up after reading ‘The Girl who left’ last year which got 5 wonderful stars from me. Officially added JB to my auto-buy list!

Things I loved:
▫️The writing style makes it so easy to read
▪️Decent twists. One in particular made me double take when I was reading. Bloody love when that happens
▫️Unreliable narrators are always fun!
▪️The setting felt unique
▫️Enjoyed the past & present timelines. It added to the mystery

Things I struggled with:
▪️Not a whole lot. The story was gripping & the ‘reveal’ wasn’t predictable!
▫️The ending felt a tiny bit cliche
▪️I think the reason I’ve given it 3.5* rather than 4/5 is because whilst the story was clever, I was expecting more from the setting to help build atmosphere & tension.

Overall it was a solid thriller! Easy to read & kept me interested throughout! Thank you Canelo & NetGalley for the arc of this book ❤️

P.S. Please read the trigger warnings on this one before diving in or drop me a DM xx

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maisie is waiting at the airport for her friend Ruth as they are going to hike the West Coast Trail in Canada. When Ruth fails to turn up Maisie continues on her own.

Maisie meets brother and sister Sera and Ric and they agree to travel together. But soon this adventure of a lifetime turns into a nightmare.

Twenty five years later a body is found near the trail. Is it Sera's body.

I really enjoyed this book, the tension builds throughout to make this a fantastic read by this author.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Emily Busby · Rating 4 out of 5]

did NOT expect to go into this book and then binge it in less than 24hrs!! loved it to say the least

[Maddie · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

[Sophie Narey (Bookreview- aholic) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an absolutely brilliant physiological thriller book , definitely the type of book that weaves its way into the readers mind so when you've managed to pull yourself away from it , it makes you want to diver right back in !

The characters in this story are well defined and full of depth , you certainly feel like you get to know them throughout the book, the storyline is one full of mystery , intrigue, twists and turns . It is written in a duel narrative but the author has done it in such a way that it flows effortlessly through the story.

[Jessica&#x1f383;&#x1f47b;&#x1f4da; · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars rounded up to 3. I listened to this on audiobook. I enjoyed it for the most part. Towards the last hour of so though it kind of dragged on for me. I was having a hard time wanting to finish it. It was just okay for me.

[Lizz Ottusch · Rating 2 out of 5]

Oh boy, this was one rough. As with all books I don’t like, I am truly glad to have read it, and glad to know that other people like it.

Changing my rating to 2/5 instead of 1/5 because there was one twist I didn’t expect.
For the most part, it was your standard time-hopping thriller where the crime happened in Ye Olden Days and you’re fed information piece by piece.

I usually enjoy these books, but I couldn’t stand the choices the FMC made. She was so incredibly stupid not to tell her husband or the police. The “if he knew what I’d done he would never forgive me” line got SO OLD after the first 40 times she used it as the reason not to involve him. Call me a scaredy-cat, but it was hard to stay in the Reading Daze™️ when I was frequently internally screaming.

[Darcie · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was shocking. No offence to the author, but I wanted to rip my eyeballs out. The unnecessary smut is what put me off. Ik it's a book, but if the events were to happen irl. Well they wouldn't even happen irl so what can I say. I had to force myself to finish this book and getting to that last page was like a huge achievement.

[Holly in Bookland · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m kinda bummed that I didn’t live this. I had everything figured out halfway through, so there were no surprises at the end for me. It was fast read for me & entertained me for awhile, but I don’t w the story will stick with me.

[Morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was an interesting plot, I enjoyed the suspense aspects but the story kind of went off the rails a bit towards the end. I liked some of the twists and turns that the story had, but I got a touch lost at the end. Still worth the read to me though!

[Milena Nastaj · Rating 5 out of 5]

11/10 😋

[Danielle B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maisie attends a hiking trip alone on the West Coast Trail of Canada when her good friend backs out on her. However, she has no problems making some friends along the way. One of girls she meets is named Seraphine. Things heat up one crazy day and Seraphine goes missing and is thought to have been murdered. Twenty-Five years later, Laura, a mother of two, hears the news that remains of a body have been found on the trail. She starts to panic. Who is Laura really? And what secrets is she hiding?

This was my first book by Jenny Blackhurst. I will say it won't be my last. This was a really great story filled with twists that I did not see coming. I always enjoy a nice surprise. That being said, this was a quick and easy read that I think all thriller lovers will enjoy! Highly recommend!

Many thanks, to NetGalley and Canelo for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This review will be posted to my Instagram Blog (@coffee.break.book.reviews) in the near future.

[Donaam · Rating 2 out of 5]

1,75/5⭐️

[Pocahontas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lauras beschauliches Leben endet jäh, als die Nachricht von einem Skelettfund in Kanada schreckliche Erinnerungen wachruft: Vor 15 Jahren wollte die damals Zwanzigjährige gemeinsam mit einer Wandergruppe den legendären West Coast Trail bezwingen. Doch der Jugendtraum wird zum Albtraum, als sie eines Nachts mitansehen muss, wie ihre Freundin Seraphine brutal ermordet wird. Beweisen kann sie die Tat nicht, denn die Leiche verschwindet anschließend spurlos. Wurde sie nun Jahre später endlich gefunden? Während die Polizei die Ermittlungen wiederaufnimmt, erhält Laura plötzlich rätselhafte Geschenke - Dinge, die einst Seraphine gehörten. Hat der Mörder von damals es nun auf sie abgesehen?
Meinung
Als Laura die Nachricht im Radio hört baut sie einen Unfall. Der Leser spürt direkt ihre Anspannung und Unsicherheit.
Die Gegenwart wird aus Lauras Sicht erzählt. Der Aufbau ist sehr spannend. Zudem kommen Rückblicke aus dem Jahr 1999 sowie Zeitungsartikel und Bloggeinträge.
Beide Handlungsstränge sind gleichermaßen Spannend und irreführend.
Die Auflösung fand ich grandios.
Große Lese Empfehlung

[Sophie Flynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this one! It was my first Jenny Blackhury but definitely won’t be my last. A twisting tale that will have you yearning to pack your bags and travel the world one minute then scared to leave the safety of your home the next. I was gripped until the final page.

[Darlene · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bardzo fajnie się jej słuchało, ale ostatecznie zabrakło mi czegoś w fabule...