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The Wild Between Us
The rescue of two missing boys in the Sierra Nevada mountains relies on unraveling the mysteries of the past in an addictive novel of heartrending suspense. After inheriting his uncle’s lodge, Silas Matheson hopes the grandeur of the California Sierra Nevada will be a fresh start for his two young sons, and a chance to finally face his demons. It was here, fifteen years ago, that Silas and his friends Jessica, Danny, and Meg ventured into the mountain wilderness and Jessica vanished without a trace. When his boys go missing in the same dark woods, the fear and guilt that Silas has been running from ever since come crashing back. Silas’s panicked call brings in the local search and rescue unit, and two familiar Danny and Meg. As the frantic search gets underway, the three friends are plunged into a painfully recurring nightmare, each of them thinking, This can’t be happening again. With a storm brewing and the boys’ fates threatened with every desperate hour, the secrets of the past begin to surface, and this time, for Silas, Danny, and Meg, there’s no escaping the truth.
301 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 7, 2023
323 people are currently reading
5262 people want to read
About the author
Amy Hagstrom
2 books71 followersAmy Hagstrom is a writer and editor with two decades of experience in the travel and outdoor industry, recognized as an O Magazine Insider and previous columnist and feature writer at Travel Oregon, US News, and Huff Post. A lifelong outdoors enthusiast, she served as a volunteer EMT with her local county search and rescue unit before launching her travel writing career.
After raising three children in the Pacific Northwest, Amy spent time in central Mexico before landing in the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts. Visit her at amyhagstrom.com.
After raising three children in the Pacific Northwest, Amy spent time in central Mexico before landing in the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts. Visit her at amyhagstrom.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 125 reviews
November 2, 2023
Fifteen years ago, a girl went missing in the woods. She's never been seen since, but suspicions linger. Three other teenagers—Meg, Danny, and Silas—were in the woods with her, and they can't explain. And now, for the first time since it happened, they're all back in the same place...except Silas's young boys are lost in the woods, and it's a race against time and cold to find them.
This makes for a wonderfully solid read from a debut author. I'm a sucker for lost-in-the-woods books and gone-for-a-hike-in-the-woods books and murderer-in-the-woods books (and on and on it goes), and it's really satisfying to see so much of this book take place, well, in the woods.
The heavier emphasis is on the present-day search. Another reviewer noted that this is more a SAR book than a mystery, and that feels accurate—the search and rescue is very much the A plot to the disappearance B plot. That's partly because the search is so much more time-sensitive; there's a chance that Silas's boys can be saved, while there's no realistic good outcome for a girl who has been missing in the woods for more than a decade. But it's also because the POV characters aren't ready to share everything they know about that day fifteen years ago, when four went into the woods but only three came back out.
If there's a weak spot, that's where I see it—personal preference, but I'm generally not a fan of mysteries where POV characters know more than they're telling. It takes away a lot of the suspense for me, and I ended up wishing that we'd gotten more of that story earlier. Also, I guessed at the resolution of the years-old disappearance (or at least, the general shape of the resolution) relatively early on, and while I don't mind having guessed at it (give me a resolution that makes sense with the information you've been given rather than a twist that comes out of absolutely nowhere, any day of the week), there's a pivotal character who I would have liked to see more of in the present day.
With all that in mind: I want more of this! Quibbles aside, I won't hesitate to pick up more of Hagstrom's books...especially if they take place in the wild.
Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.
This makes for a wonderfully solid read from a debut author. I'm a sucker for lost-in-the-woods books and gone-for-a-hike-in-the-woods books and murderer-in-the-woods books (and on and on it goes), and it's really satisfying to see so much of this book take place, well, in the woods.
The heavier emphasis is on the present-day search. Another reviewer noted that this is more a SAR book than a mystery, and that feels accurate—the search and rescue is very much the A plot to the disappearance B plot. That's partly because the search is so much more time-sensitive; there's a chance that Silas's boys can be saved, while there's no realistic good outcome for a girl who has been missing in the woods for more than a decade. But it's also because the POV characters aren't ready to share everything they know about that day fifteen years ago, when four went into the woods but only three came back out.
If there's a weak spot, that's where I see it—personal preference, but I'm generally not a fan of mysteries where POV characters know more than they're telling. It takes away a lot of the suspense for me, and I ended up wishing that we'd gotten more of that story earlier. Also, I guessed at the resolution of the years-old disappearance (or at least, the general shape of the resolution) relatively early on, and while I don't mind having guessed at it (give me a resolution that makes sense with the information you've been given rather than a twist that comes out of absolutely nowhere, any day of the week), there's a pivotal character who I would have liked to see more of in the present day.
With all that in mind: I want more of this! Quibbles aside, I won't hesitate to pick up more of Hagstrom's books...especially if they take place in the wild.
Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.
January 13, 2024
The Wild Between Us is the first novel by American author, Amy Hagstrom. When Aunt Mary’s gift of the Marble Lake Lodge coincides with his ex, Miranda’s departure for a dream job in Manchester, Silas Matheson quits his job protecting vulnerable Oregon wilderness and takes his two young sons with him to run the lodge.
But returning to Feather Creek after fleeing fifteen years earlier isn’t easy; he’ll have to face Meg and Danny, the friends he left behind after Jessica Howard went missing in the Marble Lake Wilderness back in 2003, and he’s not expecting a warm welcome.
Two weeks on, he’s just discovering how run down the place is when almost-eight-year-old Spencer and five-year-old Cameron, bored with waiting on the promised hike, set out alone in the late afternoon to climb the ridge, and fail to return. Mid-November is not a good time for two boys without warm clothing, food or drink, to be lost in the Sierra Nevada.
Meg Tanner and Danny Cairns get an early-hours call as part of the Feather River Search and Rescue team, coming face to face with Silas, and the unsettling memory of eighteen-year-old Jessica missing in the same place.
They’re searching right where Jessica went missing, but this time, looking for two young boys. Silas, Meg and Danny have each told lies and kept secrets for fifteen years: what might be exposed during the search? And can they put aside differences to find the boys?
Except for Spencer’s prologue, Silas and Meg alternately carry the story, although their lies make them unreliable narrators, and the dual timeline narrative very gradually reveals just what happened on the day four teens went into the Wilderness and only three returned. It becomes clear that Silas, now dedicated to the protection of the wilderness, was charismatic, impulsive and rather selfish, and that each of the teens made some poor choices.
There’s a lot of detail about the Search and Rescue process, no doubt drawn from the author’s experience, and Hagstrom’s descriptions of the setting are very evocative. An impressive debut.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing
But returning to Feather Creek after fleeing fifteen years earlier isn’t easy; he’ll have to face Meg and Danny, the friends he left behind after Jessica Howard went missing in the Marble Lake Wilderness back in 2003, and he’s not expecting a warm welcome.
Two weeks on, he’s just discovering how run down the place is when almost-eight-year-old Spencer and five-year-old Cameron, bored with waiting on the promised hike, set out alone in the late afternoon to climb the ridge, and fail to return. Mid-November is not a good time for two boys without warm clothing, food or drink, to be lost in the Sierra Nevada.
Meg Tanner and Danny Cairns get an early-hours call as part of the Feather River Search and Rescue team, coming face to face with Silas, and the unsettling memory of eighteen-year-old Jessica missing in the same place.
They’re searching right where Jessica went missing, but this time, looking for two young boys. Silas, Meg and Danny have each told lies and kept secrets for fifteen years: what might be exposed during the search? And can they put aside differences to find the boys?
Except for Spencer’s prologue, Silas and Meg alternately carry the story, although their lies make them unreliable narrators, and the dual timeline narrative very gradually reveals just what happened on the day four teens went into the Wilderness and only three returned. It becomes clear that Silas, now dedicated to the protection of the wilderness, was charismatic, impulsive and rather selfish, and that each of the teens made some poor choices.
There’s a lot of detail about the Search and Rescue process, no doubt drawn from the author’s experience, and Hagstrom’s descriptions of the setting are very evocative. An impressive debut.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing
May 16, 2023
THE WILD BETWEEN US is a powerful dual-timeline debut. I loved every moment I spent with the characters in the stunning backdrop of the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
After fifteen years, Silas Matheson returns to the wilderness he once loved. His aunt has gifted him the family lodge to help reboot his jerry-rigged life as a single dad, but Silas isn’t sure why he’s quit his job and uprooted his two young sons to move back. Is it because of the girl he once loved, or is he seeking redemption for his role in the tragedy that derailed his life?
Late one afternoon, eighteen-year-old Silas was hiking with his former girlfriend, Jessica, and his two best friends, Meg and Danny. Jessica disappeared, and her body was never found. What happened remains a mystery shrouded in guilt and secrets. And the sheriff’s implication that one of the three survivors lied.
When Silas left for college, he severed all contact with Meg and Danny. Now he’s back. And he still makes no attempt to see them.
But when seven-year-old Spencer and five-year-old Cameron go missing in the same woods where Jessica was last seen, the three former friends are pulled back into an eerily similar crisis. Meg and Danny, still a couple, are now active volunteers with search and rescue.
The sheriff is the same man who interviewed everyone fifteen years earlier. When he looks at Silas, it’s clear he’s forgotten nothing about the unsolved case that continues to haunt the community.
As tension mounts, old animosities rise, and time runs out to find the boys as night temperatures drop. What follows is a heart-pounding page turner. With a great twist.
Pre-order this book now, and thank me later.
After fifteen years, Silas Matheson returns to the wilderness he once loved. His aunt has gifted him the family lodge to help reboot his jerry-rigged life as a single dad, but Silas isn’t sure why he’s quit his job and uprooted his two young sons to move back. Is it because of the girl he once loved, or is he seeking redemption for his role in the tragedy that derailed his life?
Late one afternoon, eighteen-year-old Silas was hiking with his former girlfriend, Jessica, and his two best friends, Meg and Danny. Jessica disappeared, and her body was never found. What happened remains a mystery shrouded in guilt and secrets. And the sheriff’s implication that one of the three survivors lied.
When Silas left for college, he severed all contact with Meg and Danny. Now he’s back. And he still makes no attempt to see them.
But when seven-year-old Spencer and five-year-old Cameron go missing in the same woods where Jessica was last seen, the three former friends are pulled back into an eerily similar crisis. Meg and Danny, still a couple, are now active volunteers with search and rescue.
The sheriff is the same man who interviewed everyone fifteen years earlier. When he looks at Silas, it’s clear he’s forgotten nothing about the unsolved case that continues to haunt the community.
As tension mounts, old animosities rise, and time runs out to find the boys as night temperatures drop. What follows is a heart-pounding page turner. With a great twist.
Pre-order this book now, and thank me later.
November 18, 2023
The Wild Between Us is a fantastic and impressive debut novel.
I loved the dual timeline storytelling, I think it's the best style of writing and always keeps me glued to the story. The author nailed this approach and executed it flawlessly.
I can't wait to see what she writes next.
I loved the dual timeline storytelling, I think it's the best style of writing and always keeps me glued to the story. The author nailed this approach and executed it flawlessly.
I can't wait to see what she writes next.
October 19, 2023
Fast paced, tension filled, and entirely atmospheric! I enjoyed the dual timelines. I was white knuckling this book from the beginning until the end. I couldn’t put it down! The conclusion was shocking and incredibly well done. This was my first book by the author and will not be my last! Well done.
November 16, 2023
I don’t think anything could be worse than having your children missing, but making it worse, in the Sierra Nevada mountains in the freezing temperatures and inclement weather. Time is critical in finding Spencer and Cameron, Silas’s young boys. They got tired of waiting for their dad to go for a hike and ventured out on their own, only to find out they couldn’t find their way home. Scared, cold, afraid, would they be be found or would they lose their little lives , a fear of Silas’s.
Silas is sickened and is tragically remembering this horrific situation which seems all too familiar of his past, 15 years ago, in these very mountains, he and his friends lost their friend Jessica, and NEVER found her. His closest friends, Danny and Meg along with Jessica had gone hiking and Silas was always the one to push the limits and explore the depths of the mountains. One “funny” thing, led to another and the sky darkened, Jessica ran and they heard a scream!
How is it possibly for one person to have two tragic situations in their life! Silas loved the mountains and wanted to share his love with his boys. Did his carelessness cause him the most tragic fear of all?
Interesting topic and suspense is what drove me to choose this book. I rated it 4 stars for the fact I felt like the search dragged on at points and was a bit slow during those parts. Despite that, great novel and entertaining.
Thanks to @netgalley for this ARC
Silas is sickened and is tragically remembering this horrific situation which seems all too familiar of his past, 15 years ago, in these very mountains, he and his friends lost their friend Jessica, and NEVER found her. His closest friends, Danny and Meg along with Jessica had gone hiking and Silas was always the one to push the limits and explore the depths of the mountains. One “funny” thing, led to another and the sky darkened, Jessica ran and they heard a scream!
How is it possibly for one person to have two tragic situations in their life! Silas loved the mountains and wanted to share his love with his boys. Did his carelessness cause him the most tragic fear of all?
Interesting topic and suspense is what drove me to choose this book. I rated it 4 stars for the fact I felt like the search dragged on at points and was a bit slow during those parts. Despite that, great novel and entertaining.
Thanks to @netgalley for this ARC
October 4, 2023
I was back and forth on how I feel about this one. It was too slow in some parts but readable and interesting in other parts. I was invested enough to be curious about how it would end and I especially enjoyed the earlier timeline. The “reveal” was a little too Scooby Doo and predictable but overall this was a pretty good read, about 3.5 but I’ll round it up to 4.
Thanks to Netgalley, Lake Union Publishing and Amy Hagstrom for this ARC ebook. The Wild Between Us will be published November 7, 2023.
Thanks to Netgalley, Lake Union Publishing and Amy Hagstrom for this ARC ebook. The Wild Between Us will be published November 7, 2023.
July 5, 2023
I was annoyed and impatient by the frequent flashbacks to the past while reading about the present search for two missing boys in the mountains. However, the two plots came together nicely in the later part of the book, you just have to be keep reading.
The story itself was quite good. I just hoped that the way the past was presented didn't intrude so much on the present as to seem disruptive.
The story itself was quite good. I just hoped that the way the past was presented didn't intrude so much on the present as to seem disruptive.
November 9, 2023
4.25⭐️
Silas left his home in the Sierra Nevada mountains fifteen years ago, after a group hike led to one of his friends going missing, shattering their world. He returns for the first time with his two young sons after inheriting a lodge, only for those two boys to go missing. The story moves back and forth between these two interconnected mysteries, bringing long-buried feelings and truths to light as the rescue mission works hard to find the boys.
This was a well-told dual timeline mystery that kept me engaged from start to finish. I had my suspicions but was kept guessing right up to the end, all while finding myself genuinely worried for the fate of the boys.
Thank you Amy Hagstrom, Lake Union Publishing, and NetGalley for providing this ARC for review consideration. All opinions expressed are my own.
Silas left his home in the Sierra Nevada mountains fifteen years ago, after a group hike led to one of his friends going missing, shattering their world. He returns for the first time with his two young sons after inheriting a lodge, only for those two boys to go missing. The story moves back and forth between these two interconnected mysteries, bringing long-buried feelings and truths to light as the rescue mission works hard to find the boys.
This was a well-told dual timeline mystery that kept me engaged from start to finish. I had my suspicions but was kept guessing right up to the end, all while finding myself genuinely worried for the fate of the boys.
Thank you Amy Hagstrom, Lake Union Publishing, and NetGalley for providing this ARC for review consideration. All opinions expressed are my own.
November 7, 2023
I always think of Fall as hiking season and this is a perfect hiking read! This is basically 2 stories. Taking place in the present Silas returns to his teenage home after a divorce with his 2 young boys and these boys go missing in the "wild". The other story is Silas and 3 high school friends Meg, Danny, and Jessica...as they're out hiking Jessica goes missing and is never found. These 2 stories converge in the end. Is it a happy ending? You'll have to read and find out yourself!! I enjoyed reading about the growth and maturity of Silas and had to keep reading to find out if the boys or Jessica are saved. Thank you Lake Union Publishing for the book to read and review.
October 31, 2023
Amy Hagstrom, the author of “The Wild Between Us” has written a captivating and intense novel. The Genres for this novel are Mystery, Nature, and Fiction. In this exciting and edgy novel, the author vividly describes the colorful and dark scenery of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, and the dramatic and complex characters. The timeline for this story is set in the present and goes back twenty years to. the mysterious disappearance of a young girl.
Silas Matheson moves to his inherited home in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, with his two young sons. Silas had been friends in high school with Danny and Meg, who both are involved with Search and Rescue. Silas hasn’t reached out to his friends, and the tragedy of a young girl, from years before, stays in their memories. When Silas’s sons decide to go on an adventure and explore the terrain, no one would believe they disappear. Danny and Meg, and many other people help with the search and rescue mission. The rescue crew is facing the harsh elements of nature, and the cold as time passes by.
There are secrets, betrayals and danger. There are twists and turns and many surprises. I highly recommend this edgy and thought-provoking novel.
Silas Matheson moves to his inherited home in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, with his two young sons. Silas had been friends in high school with Danny and Meg, who both are involved with Search and Rescue. Silas hasn’t reached out to his friends, and the tragedy of a young girl, from years before, stays in their memories. When Silas’s sons decide to go on an adventure and explore the terrain, no one would believe they disappear. Danny and Meg, and many other people help with the search and rescue mission. The rescue crew is facing the harsh elements of nature, and the cold as time passes by.
There are secrets, betrayals and danger. There are twists and turns and many surprises. I highly recommend this edgy and thought-provoking novel.
September 4, 2023
Silas moves with his two young sons to a family cabin in the Sierra Nevada region. However, Silas is haunted by his past. Fifteen years earlier, Silas went for a hike in the wilderness with his three friends, Jessica, Meg, and Danny. But, Jessica did not make it out. And she was never found.
Fifteen years later, history is repeating itself. Silas' two boys go missing in the same woods. Meg and Danny now work for the search and rescue team., helping with the search of Silas' boys. The three friends are thrown into the past. The weather is turning stormy. With every minute, the boys have less of a chance making it out alive.
Unfortunately, this book was not it for me. I found it quite boring at times. It lacked any thrills or exciting twists. The premise of the story is intriguing, which is why I requested a copy. But it really lacked any thriller elements. The dual timeline really drew things out. I was not interested in the past timeline at all. It was boring and repetitive and added nothing to the "mystery". This should be classified as a search and rescue story, not a mystery. The description of the book should be changed to reflect the same, as other mystery readers may be drawn into this book under false pretences.
Thank you Lake Union Publishing for the ARC.
Fifteen years later, history is repeating itself. Silas' two boys go missing in the same woods. Meg and Danny now work for the search and rescue team., helping with the search of Silas' boys. The three friends are thrown into the past. The weather is turning stormy. With every minute, the boys have less of a chance making it out alive.
Unfortunately, this book was not it for me. I found it quite boring at times. It lacked any thrills or exciting twists. The premise of the story is intriguing, which is why I requested a copy. But it really lacked any thriller elements. The dual timeline really drew things out. I was not interested in the past timeline at all. It was boring and repetitive and added nothing to the "mystery". This should be classified as a search and rescue story, not a mystery. The description of the book should be changed to reflect the same, as other mystery readers may be drawn into this book under false pretences.
Thank you Lake Union Publishing for the ARC.
October 3, 2024
2.1 / 5 ⭐️ I dont know whether to be upset or indifferent with this book.
It had phenomenal potential but fell extremely flat on everything. Ended up guessing the failed attempt at a “twist” about 100 pages in. It drug on and missed all of the prime opportunities to make it, what I know could have been, a great story.
It had phenomenal potential but fell extremely flat on everything. Ended up guessing the failed attempt at a “twist” about 100 pages in. It drug on and missed all of the prime opportunities to make it, what I know could have been, a great story.
November 14, 2023
I thought this book was so good! I enjoyed the plot and the setting so much that I absolutely devoured it! This is a debut, and I can not wait to read more by this author.
Silas Matheson hasn't been back to Feather River in the California Sierra Nevadas since the day the search for Jessica Howard was called off. Jessica went missing while they were hiking with friends Danny and Meg. Silas left Feather River without a word to anyone. When his uncle leaves Marble Lake Lodge to him, he thinks maybe it will be a nice change, a fresh start for him and his boys. But when his boys go missing in the same wilderness as Jessica, the memories start to surface. Danny and Meg are part of the SAR team, so he will have to face them after all these years. As the three are united, old sparks start to fly. Secrets from the past are dredged up, and tensions begin to rise. Can the team find the boys before it's too late?
Told in dual timelines and dual POVs, this book kept me turning pages. I thought it was very well written and completely unputdownable. Reading about the SAR team was fascinating. I absolutely loved that Meg was part of the team, and I was able to read her perspective while searching for the boys. The ending was a shock, and I totally didn't see it coming. If you're looking for a good atmospheric mystery set in nature, look no further. I absolutely 100 % recommend this book!
Silas Matheson hasn't been back to Feather River in the California Sierra Nevadas since the day the search for Jessica Howard was called off. Jessica went missing while they were hiking with friends Danny and Meg. Silas left Feather River without a word to anyone. When his uncle leaves Marble Lake Lodge to him, he thinks maybe it will be a nice change, a fresh start for him and his boys. But when his boys go missing in the same wilderness as Jessica, the memories start to surface. Danny and Meg are part of the SAR team, so he will have to face them after all these years. As the three are united, old sparks start to fly. Secrets from the past are dredged up, and tensions begin to rise. Can the team find the boys before it's too late?
Told in dual timelines and dual POVs, this book kept me turning pages. I thought it was very well written and completely unputdownable. Reading about the SAR team was fascinating. I absolutely loved that Meg was part of the team, and I was able to read her perspective while searching for the boys. The ending was a shock, and I totally didn't see it coming. If you're looking for a good atmospheric mystery set in nature, look no further. I absolutely 100 % recommend this book!
October 15, 2024
Mother Nature blessed northern California with some cooler weather (okay, the mid-80s, but that is cooler than it has been) which made it perfect reading weather for this book! Between the nice breeze through the trees in my back yard, and the beautiful descriptions of the Sierras, I could feel the beauty and the danger of the mountains and forest. For most of the book, I really enjoyed the juxtaposition of the older timeline where the reader already knows that Jessica is not found with the current timeline of the hunt for Silas' sons where the reader doesn't know the outcome. Slow and tense, letting each development settle in while the book went back to the other timeline. Well, up until a certain point, then I just wanted to know what was going on with the young boys! It was frustrating to be interrupted and worry about the boys (are they dead? are they alive? will they be found?) and have to read about a girl we already know is gone, in one way or another. But, that is the mark of good writing, good pacing, and a good story, right? And, this reader wasn't disappointed! Oh yeah, and that was before the twist. The unnecessary but wow that was a good one twist! I am so glad I won this book in an online giveaway! I've found a new author that I look forward to reading more from.
This book was a gift from the author. This review is my own opinion.
This book was a gift from the author. This review is my own opinion.
July 14, 2023
Amy Hagstrom skillfully weaves an enigmatic tale, which kept me captivated until the end. There are some unexpected revelations, very well developed characters and vivid descriptions of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, all of which kept me enthralled.
When Silas Matheson’s two young sons go missing in the rough terrain surrounding their home, it is somewhat of a deja vu moment, not only for Silas himself, but for the Search and Rescue Teams involved. Fifteen years prior, Silas had a friend go missing in these exact mountains. He knows exactly how it must look to have it happen again.
The story is told in a dual timeframe between Silas’ childhood and currently as a father. There are some definite thought-provoking moments dealing with human behavior and the complexities involved in keeping secrets. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a tale of family drama, coming of age stories or just a good mystery.
Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the eARC.
When Silas Matheson’s two young sons go missing in the rough terrain surrounding their home, it is somewhat of a deja vu moment, not only for Silas himself, but for the Search and Rescue Teams involved. Fifteen years prior, Silas had a friend go missing in these exact mountains. He knows exactly how it must look to have it happen again.
The story is told in a dual timeframe between Silas’ childhood and currently as a father. There are some definite thought-provoking moments dealing with human behavior and the complexities involved in keeping secrets. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a tale of family drama, coming of age stories or just a good mystery.
Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the eARC.
February 9, 2024
This book was not for me even though the plot sounded super interesting. It lagged anything interesting or exciting. I didn't care for all the back and forth from 15 yrs ago to present. The beginning of the book never tells who the characters mentioned are in relation to the dad of the missing boys. So right off the bat you're clueless as to who these people are. When the boys are found the book doesn't make it exciting and just terribly written. It doesn't explain where exactly the boys were when they were found nor were they found together or separately but later it tells you they were not found together.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 17, 2023
Gripping page turner and outdoor adventure thriller with a mix of romance. I found myself on the edge of my seat wanting to find out why happened in both time lines. The author offers a great sense of place that appeals to all outdoor lovers. It isn’t often that a novel like this can wrap up multiple story line satisfactorily but this one landed.
April 27, 2024
A dual timeline book that explores two SAR cases that are both tied to one of the main characters. I definitely enjoyed the imagery in this book to an extent but at times, it seemed overdone and wordy. Dual timelines are usually not my thing unless both timelines are very intriguing and I don’t mind going back and forth between the two. However, I still enjoyed this book and wanted to know the ending!
June 12, 2025
I liked this book and the author did an excellent job going between the storylines, fifteen years apart. I found that I cared about the characters and wanted to find out what happened next, and it kept my interest. I predicted the ending, but it was still a good book and I would recommend it.
November 22, 2023
Thank you to my partner, Kate Rock Book Tours, and the author. I appreciate the gifted paperback, and I am leaving this review voluntarily!
1. 𝑨 𝑷𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒔’ 𝑵𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒆 - When Silas’s boys go missing, it brought back a moment when we lost our youngest son with a raging river nearby. Thank God he was fine, but I felt the terror to my bones the whole story!
2. 𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑺𝒆𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒕? - There is an underlying secret that we can’t quite grasp but get many hints to it. When the full truth of this secret was revealed, I was surprised by the actions of the characters.
3. 𝑮𝒖𝒊𝒍𝒕 - So much guilt is felt by almost all of the characters for some reason or another. And most of them have true reasons to feel that guilt.
4. 𝑫𝒖𝒂𝒍 𝑻𝒊𝒎𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒔 - Each chapter left me grasping for more. I almost wanted to skip ahead and read the one storyline and come back to the other one. But obviously that didn’t make sense! Both timelines equally grasped my attention!
5. 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑺𝒖𝒑𝒆𝒓 𝑺𝒆𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒕 - Whoa 🤯 I truly didn’t see this ending coming! The secret behind the secret was well hidden throughout the story, and I think it will leave you feeling shocked!
1. 𝑨 𝑷𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒔’ 𝑵𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒆 - When Silas’s boys go missing, it brought back a moment when we lost our youngest son with a raging river nearby. Thank God he was fine, but I felt the terror to my bones the whole story!
2. 𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑺𝒆𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒕? - There is an underlying secret that we can’t quite grasp but get many hints to it. When the full truth of this secret was revealed, I was surprised by the actions of the characters.
3. 𝑮𝒖𝒊𝒍𝒕 - So much guilt is felt by almost all of the characters for some reason or another. And most of them have true reasons to feel that guilt.
4. 𝑫𝒖𝒂𝒍 𝑻𝒊𝒎𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒔 - Each chapter left me grasping for more. I almost wanted to skip ahead and read the one storyline and come back to the other one. But obviously that didn’t make sense! Both timelines equally grasped my attention!
5. 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑺𝒖𝒑𝒆𝒓 𝑺𝒆𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒕 - Whoa 🤯 I truly didn’t see this ending coming! The secret behind the secret was well hidden throughout the story, and I think it will leave you feeling shocked!
September 14, 2023
I stayed up way too late on more than one night reading this absolutely engrossing and incredibly well done debut. Amy Hagstrom transported me to the Sierra and had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. A deep love and respect for the wilderness is found throughout this dual timeline story of desperate missing persons searches in the mountains, but the terrain is both friend and foe, a truly complex character in and of itself. Hagstrom’s human character’s are also vivid and real, and her writing is both clear and visceral. I felt the lashing rain, the biting cold, I saw the beautiful lodge rising up from the forest, and I hurt for Silas, Meg, and Danny as they faced their past choices and their present reality of two lost little boys. Read this book and prepare for your heart to race—in a good way!
December 12, 2023
“You’re leaving me with all this?”
“No. I’m taking it with me.” 😭😭😭😭😭
This book had me SWEATING from the very first page. Maybe since I’m a parent myself but good lord, this book nearly had me in tears thinking of those little boys lost 😭 I loved the dual timeline and watching them solve two cases at once. And when I tell you I did NOT see the end of the first story coming…I loved this book.
“No. I’m taking it with me.” 😭😭😭😭😭
This book had me SWEATING from the very first page. Maybe since I’m a parent myself but good lord, this book nearly had me in tears thinking of those little boys lost 😭 I loved the dual timeline and watching them solve two cases at once. And when I tell you I did NOT see the end of the first story coming…I loved this book.
November 19, 2023
Thank you in advance to the author, Amy Hagstrom, for providing an advanced review copy through Kate Rock Book Tours. A positive review was not required nor requested, and all words are my own.
Suspense books are my MOST favorite genre. I like books that keep me on the edge without jumping at sounds or movement; I also like books that keep me guessing to the end. And, Amy Hagstrom’s debut is just that.
However, dual-time (which this is) and time-slip can be a bit tricky. It requires the reader to keep a keen “eye” on details, and pay attention.
In this case – it’s essential. This bounces between 2018 and 2002/2003. The 2018 timeline covers the “Matheson” search; while the 2002/2003 timelines takes readers in the months before the “Howard” search.
Hagstrom introduces readers to (the main characters):
🏕️ Silas
🏞️ Meg
🚒 Danny
Along with Cameron and Spencer (Silas’ boys), the members of the search and rescue (SAR) team, as well as Jessica.
POVS: Silas (2018; 2002/2003)
Meg (2018, 2002/2003)
As I usually review either clean reads or Christian fiction, I do have to sometimes put a warning such as this on certain books as this language is not consist with those books. This does NOT mean the book is bad in anyway, this is to warn certain readers in advance.
LANGUAGE WARNING: S-Bomb, G-d@mn!t, F-Bomb, B!t@h – there is NOT a continuous proliferation of the words, however those not comfortable with the language should be warned.
Since this book is not just about an unsolved disappearance of a teen, but also about the disappearance of two small children, readers are cautioned this can be emotional and disturbing. As a result, it can be a hard read for some people.
That said …
In the 2018 timeline, Hagstrom begins the book with Spencer (7) and his younger brother, Cameron (5), exploring a trial their dad had taken them on. By the end of the prologue, readers can surmise that the boys have gotten lost.
In November 2018, after his ex-wife gets a job in Manchester (UK) and Silas inherits the cabin in Marble Lake, he moves his boys there.
In the middle of surveying what the cabin needs in the way of repairs, the boys have snuck out – and Silas’ worst nightmare takes him back to that summer in 2003 when Jessica Howard, a friend, disappeared and was never found.
However, coming to help search for the boys are two people Silas hasn’t seen since the search was called off – Megan and Danny. And, it is clear Danny has a problem with Silas. Yet, he’ll do his job. It’s obvious that while he once wanted to be a firefighter, Danny is seemingly handling this as a penance.
It’s clear that Sheriff Walters knows they’re all back where it began. Silas thinks this is some kind of karma because of Jessica. And, knowing about when the search was called off for Jessica – Silas wants to make sure everything is done to find the boys. This time though, he has an insider for the process – Meg.
While there is a professional boundary for searchers and family, there is too much history to ignore, some of it may help.
The search for Cameron and Spencer begins to blur lines – not only in the parallels, but in professionalism. The fractious “relationship” between Megan, Silas, and Danny is again in the spotlight – but, this time, there is more on the line and more people watching.
In the 2002/2003 timeline, Hagstrom starts eleven (11) months before the “Howard Search” (September 2002) – when Meg and Danny were seniors in high school and a couple before Silas comes into their lives. Danny knew Silas from his summer visits and apparently saved his life. Quickly, they become a trio, and it is clear that something is wrong with Danny; there’s also something between Silas and Meg. At times it is Silas who feels like a third wheel, and other times Meg. She definitely sees a new side to Danny.
Danny’s plan is to become a firefighter, Megan isn’t sure what she wants.
Around Homecoming, Silas starts going out with Jessica. However, their relationship doesn’t work – despite the foursome going on “adventures” together. Meg is uncertain how to feel about Jess being in the pack.
Within a few months, there is another shift within the group. And, Meg is beginning to wonder what it’d be like to go outside of the area she’s known. But, her choice is seemingly at the heart of what is bothering Danny. Then again, she wonders about her and Danny.
What leads up to that fateful night is a string of bas decisions, emotional upheaval, and the want for something more. But, there is also a simmering resentment and jealousy that catches up to all of them when Jessica goes missing.
For her first novel; Hagstrom manages to pack a lot of emotion, intensity, suspense, into a gripping, visceral, and dramatic dual-time story. This is one that could EASILY be a Lifetime movie.
Even from the back cover, I was drawn into this read – invested in both Jessica’s disappearance in 2003 as well as Silas’ sons in 2018. The descriptive imagery and the technical SAR terms had me feeling as if I was right there in the forest with everyone – holding my breath to see what going to happen. At times, I even felt like a voyeur, watching the dynamics unfold. I attribute that to the author using third person/present tense. It’s not a format I read too much. That didn’t hinder the story though.
The intensity and parallels between Jessica’s disappearance and the boys’ disappearance had my mind circulating with different theories. Though, it was – in a way – predictable to me. I had a feeling right off as to the “who” it was for the 2003 timeline, as well as the “how it likely happened”. But, despite that, I wanted to see how it was going to play out; and how it was going to work with the 2018 timeline. Some of the reveals weren’t surprising, more like gossip being proven true. But, the shock was in being right. I also enjoyed watching the characters see it unfold around them. I was wondering if the title was going to come into play somewhere from something someone said or a reference.
With the 2018, Hagstrom jumps right into the plot; but the 2003 story doesn’t really get “there” until about 72% in. The short chapters and non-stop pacing (for the 2018 timeline) definitely had me turning the pages as fast as I could.
The worst part of the 2002/2003 storyline was that it did seem to detract from the 2018 story; yet it was also a great part of the story. That is one of those – was it needed, maybe it was, kinda works, yet drags – kind of plot arcs. A writer has to do well in presenting it, and a reader has to WANT to read it. And, the reader has to stick with it even until the end.
One thing that was not established was whether Meg and Danny were married, or if they were merely living together. It wasn’t too important, but I was wondering, especially after what’d happened in 2003; and why she made the choices she did.
The ending was satisfactory, but still left me wanting more. For now, it seems this is a standalone read.
Those who enjoy the genre might want to check out this new author.
NOTE ➡️ This is the second book to mention a different type of search dog. Most people know about cadaver dogs, air-scent dogs are a different one. This was one I read about in a Harlequin Love Inspired Suspense book earlier this year. I do like that more writers are exploring different types of search dogs and the complexities of search and rescue.
Suspense books are my MOST favorite genre. I like books that keep me on the edge without jumping at sounds or movement; I also like books that keep me guessing to the end. And, Amy Hagstrom’s debut is just that.
However, dual-time (which this is) and time-slip can be a bit tricky. It requires the reader to keep a keen “eye” on details, and pay attention.
In this case – it’s essential. This bounces between 2018 and 2002/2003. The 2018 timeline covers the “Matheson” search; while the 2002/2003 timelines takes readers in the months before the “Howard” search.
Hagstrom introduces readers to (the main characters):
🏕️ Silas
🏞️ Meg
🚒 Danny
Along with Cameron and Spencer (Silas’ boys), the members of the search and rescue (SAR) team, as well as Jessica.
POVS: Silas (2018; 2002/2003)
Meg (2018, 2002/2003)
As I usually review either clean reads or Christian fiction, I do have to sometimes put a warning such as this on certain books as this language is not consist with those books. This does NOT mean the book is bad in anyway, this is to warn certain readers in advance.
LANGUAGE WARNING: S-Bomb, G-d@mn!t, F-Bomb, B!t@h – there is NOT a continuous proliferation of the words, however those not comfortable with the language should be warned.
Since this book is not just about an unsolved disappearance of a teen, but also about the disappearance of two small children, readers are cautioned this can be emotional and disturbing. As a result, it can be a hard read for some people.
That said …
In the 2018 timeline, Hagstrom begins the book with Spencer (7) and his younger brother, Cameron (5), exploring a trial their dad had taken them on. By the end of the prologue, readers can surmise that the boys have gotten lost.
In November 2018, after his ex-wife gets a job in Manchester (UK) and Silas inherits the cabin in Marble Lake, he moves his boys there.
In the middle of surveying what the cabin needs in the way of repairs, the boys have snuck out – and Silas’ worst nightmare takes him back to that summer in 2003 when Jessica Howard, a friend, disappeared and was never found.
However, coming to help search for the boys are two people Silas hasn’t seen since the search was called off – Megan and Danny. And, it is clear Danny has a problem with Silas. Yet, he’ll do his job. It’s obvious that while he once wanted to be a firefighter, Danny is seemingly handling this as a penance.
It’s clear that Sheriff Walters knows they’re all back where it began. Silas thinks this is some kind of karma because of Jessica. And, knowing about when the search was called off for Jessica – Silas wants to make sure everything is done to find the boys. This time though, he has an insider for the process – Meg.
While there is a professional boundary for searchers and family, there is too much history to ignore, some of it may help.
The search for Cameron and Spencer begins to blur lines – not only in the parallels, but in professionalism. The fractious “relationship” between Megan, Silas, and Danny is again in the spotlight – but, this time, there is more on the line and more people watching.
In the 2002/2003 timeline, Hagstrom starts eleven (11) months before the “Howard Search” (September 2002) – when Meg and Danny were seniors in high school and a couple before Silas comes into their lives. Danny knew Silas from his summer visits and apparently saved his life. Quickly, they become a trio, and it is clear that something is wrong with Danny; there’s also something between Silas and Meg. At times it is Silas who feels like a third wheel, and other times Meg. She definitely sees a new side to Danny.
Danny’s plan is to become a firefighter, Megan isn’t sure what she wants.
Around Homecoming, Silas starts going out with Jessica. However, their relationship doesn’t work – despite the foursome going on “adventures” together. Meg is uncertain how to feel about Jess being in the pack.
Within a few months, there is another shift within the group. And, Meg is beginning to wonder what it’d be like to go outside of the area she’s known. But, her choice is seemingly at the heart of what is bothering Danny. Then again, she wonders about her and Danny.
What leads up to that fateful night is a string of bas decisions, emotional upheaval, and the want for something more. But, there is also a simmering resentment and jealousy that catches up to all of them when Jessica goes missing.
For her first novel; Hagstrom manages to pack a lot of emotion, intensity, suspense, into a gripping, visceral, and dramatic dual-time story. This is one that could EASILY be a Lifetime movie.
Even from the back cover, I was drawn into this read – invested in both Jessica’s disappearance in 2003 as well as Silas’ sons in 2018. The descriptive imagery and the technical SAR terms had me feeling as if I was right there in the forest with everyone – holding my breath to see what going to happen. At times, I even felt like a voyeur, watching the dynamics unfold. I attribute that to the author using third person/present tense. It’s not a format I read too much. That didn’t hinder the story though.
The intensity and parallels between Jessica’s disappearance and the boys’ disappearance had my mind circulating with different theories. Though, it was – in a way – predictable to me. I had a feeling right off as to the “who” it was for the 2003 timeline, as well as the “how it likely happened”. But, despite that, I wanted to see how it was going to play out; and how it was going to work with the 2018 timeline. Some of the reveals weren’t surprising, more like gossip being proven true. But, the shock was in being right. I also enjoyed watching the characters see it unfold around them. I was wondering if the title was going to come into play somewhere from something someone said or a reference.
With the 2018, Hagstrom jumps right into the plot; but the 2003 story doesn’t really get “there” until about 72% in. The short chapters and non-stop pacing (for the 2018 timeline) definitely had me turning the pages as fast as I could.
The worst part of the 2002/2003 storyline was that it did seem to detract from the 2018 story; yet it was also a great part of the story. That is one of those – was it needed, maybe it was, kinda works, yet drags – kind of plot arcs. A writer has to do well in presenting it, and a reader has to WANT to read it. And, the reader has to stick with it even until the end.
One thing that was not established was whether Meg and Danny were married, or if they were merely living together. It wasn’t too important, but I was wondering, especially after what’d happened in 2003; and why she made the choices she did.
The ending was satisfactory, but still left me wanting more. For now, it seems this is a standalone read.
Those who enjoy the genre might want to check out this new author.
NOTE ➡️ This is the second book to mention a different type of search dog. Most people know about cadaver dogs, air-scent dogs are a different one. This was one I read about in a Harlequin Love Inspired Suspense book earlier this year. I do like that more writers are exploring different types of search dogs and the complexities of search and rescue.
July 26, 2024
The author is a technically proficient writer. She knows her subject matter, the setting, search and rescue processes and procedures and all the minutia that goes with it. This seems to come from her background having lived in the region and having worked SAR. So these plot points seemed authentic and with enough detail without going burying us in needless acronyms and details just to prove she knew the subject matter. Same with the setting, she painted the picture very well, the mountains, forests, the lodge, town and school even. The lodge and outdoor scenes felt beautiful.
I would have appreciated a map in the front laying out where things are in relation to each other; the lodge, its buildings, the trails, ridge, lakes mentioned, direction of town, etc… I have found when these have been included in books of this type it really helps me visualize things. It was initially confusing because the author uses some real locations (the Feather River) and some made up location names (Feather River City and County) and a mix (Marble Lake Wilderness, similar to the Marble Mountain Wilderness which is not in the Sierra but instead far northwest past Redding). I am good with the use of fictional locations but the mixture was a bit confusing and maps help with both but fictional locations especially so.
The plot is interesting and the chapters are short enough that it is an easy read. Plenty of places to stop when you need to without disrupting the flow. The story is told from the 3rd person POV (close) shifting between Silas and Meg. We also briefely see the story from Silas’s son Spencer’s POV in a Prologue where we see the boys become lost. The problem with the close POV perspectives of Silas and Meg is the primary mystery of the plot is what happened to Jessica fifteen years ago, not the disappearance of Silas’s boys; we know from the prologue they went hiking without their dad and got lost. So while there is tension over whether they will be found, and if so, will they still be alive (November in the High Sierra), its not really a mystery story about what happened to them. No, the mystery is what happened to Jessica and what have Silas, Meg, and Danny (who isn’t a POV character) been hiding for fifteen years?
Because its clear from the beginning that both Silas and Meg (and Danny) have relevant information, something it is indicated early on they hid from everyone way back when, and the author has them thinking on this yet withholding what exactly they are hiding in their own thoughts to keep it from the reader who sees their thoughts due to the POV. This makes no sense, the mental gymastics they go through continuously throughout the book as their thoughts in the present drift back to Jessica’s disappearance fifteen years ago then they shut themselves down from thinking about it further for no real reason other than the author has to because we are in their head. This is on the author, she chose to write it like this, dangling this secret in front of us and bizarely letting us into the minds of the characters who know the secret. Why not have another character who isn’t privy to the secret be the protaganist or a co-protaganist instead? That creates tension; will they figure it out? I was curious about what the three were hiding but I was more annoyed at how the story was laid out to me and it led to me finding the characters kind of unlikable early on. As events were revealed that didn’t really change.
So far as the plot/story, though this is really more of a suspense thriller than a mystery, the author does lay clues for the reader to what happened and it was pretty well done. The author starts dropping hints pretty early and by the halfway point I had a pretty good idea of what happened and why; not necessarily specifics of what went down. The author kept laying out more clues and that’s a fun feeling when you as a reader get validation, the tension just keeps building as you worry for some characters who are unaware of what we are seeing, things he/she/they missed and weren’t put together by them. I thought the scene where it all comes out was not done so well, kind of unrealistic and a let down after that build up. It also came well before the end of the book which still awaited resolution on Silas’s missing kids. The conclusion of that also got a little far-fetched and cheesy. Not terrible but not as good as expected, the book was very promising up to the last fifty pages or so. The wrap up was just not so good and dragged on much longer than it should have.
The writing around her characters was a bit immature early on. The behavior and dialogue of Silas’s kids, and of Silas, Meg, and Danny themselves as teens in the flashbacks felt unrealsitic at times. There also is a lack of certain characters you would expect to see, even briefely, whose absence stands out, like other classmates from their school during certain scenes. The few additional characters featured (his aunt and uncle, the Sheriff, other deputies and SAR members) get no development or backstory (even Jessica got minimal) and are like cardboard cutouts who don’t exist if the main characters aren’t around; others (like Meg and Danny’s single parents, Silas’s parents) don’t really even appear, they are just mentioned as existing and apparently have no relevence to their lives or the events in the book.
Meg and Silas, who are the main characters, were the most fleshed out because we did see inside their thoughts (to a degree) and got some limited albeit vague backstory, but even they remained enigmas deep into the novel. Danny is an enigma thoughout really because he was not a POV character, so like Jessica and other characters we never get too deep into him.
This is also seen when we are learning about Silas through his POV recollections of his divorce, where he refers (in his mind) to his job in “environmental law”. I don’t see anyone internally using a broad generalized term like that in their own mind when thinking about their job. Just a lot of weird stuff like that where it seems she had created background details and personalities for characters but some details were vague, which made how she inserted them into the story jarring and unnatural.
This is a tough book to rate. There was much that I felt wasn’t done well; character development, some dialogue, and the ending/wrap-up felt not well thought out. Thats a lot. But even with that it is a very exciting story, it was a fun read, and the author really can set the scene. I don’t think it is a 4/5 novel but its better than 3/5, somewhere in between. I would however recomend it.
I would have appreciated a map in the front laying out where things are in relation to each other; the lodge, its buildings, the trails, ridge, lakes mentioned, direction of town, etc… I have found when these have been included in books of this type it really helps me visualize things. It was initially confusing because the author uses some real locations (the Feather River) and some made up location names (Feather River City and County) and a mix (Marble Lake Wilderness, similar to the Marble Mountain Wilderness which is not in the Sierra but instead far northwest past Redding). I am good with the use of fictional locations but the mixture was a bit confusing and maps help with both but fictional locations especially so.
The plot is interesting and the chapters are short enough that it is an easy read. Plenty of places to stop when you need to without disrupting the flow. The story is told from the 3rd person POV (close) shifting between Silas and Meg. We also briefely see the story from Silas’s son Spencer’s POV in a Prologue where we see the boys become lost. The problem with the close POV perspectives of Silas and Meg is the primary mystery of the plot is what happened to Jessica fifteen years ago, not the disappearance of Silas’s boys; we know from the prologue they went hiking without their dad and got lost. So while there is tension over whether they will be found, and if so, will they still be alive (November in the High Sierra), its not really a mystery story about what happened to them. No, the mystery is what happened to Jessica and what have Silas, Meg, and Danny (who isn’t a POV character) been hiding for fifteen years?
Because its clear from the beginning that both Silas and Meg (and Danny) have relevant information, something it is indicated early on they hid from everyone way back when, and the author has them thinking on this yet withholding what exactly they are hiding in their own thoughts to keep it from the reader who sees their thoughts due to the POV. This makes no sense, the mental gymastics they go through continuously throughout the book as their thoughts in the present drift back to Jessica’s disappearance fifteen years ago then they shut themselves down from thinking about it further for no real reason other than the author has to because we are in their head. This is on the author, she chose to write it like this, dangling this secret in front of us and bizarely letting us into the minds of the characters who know the secret. Why not have another character who isn’t privy to the secret be the protaganist or a co-protaganist instead? That creates tension; will they figure it out? I was curious about what the three were hiding but I was more annoyed at how the story was laid out to me and it led to me finding the characters kind of unlikable early on. As events were revealed that didn’t really change.
So far as the plot/story, though this is really more of a suspense thriller than a mystery, the author does lay clues for the reader to what happened and it was pretty well done. The author starts dropping hints pretty early and by the halfway point I had a pretty good idea of what happened and why; not necessarily specifics of what went down. The author kept laying out more clues and that’s a fun feeling when you as a reader get validation, the tension just keeps building as you worry for some characters who are unaware of what we are seeing, things he/she/they missed and weren’t put together by them. I thought the scene where it all comes out was not done so well, kind of unrealistic and a let down after that build up. It also came well before the end of the book which still awaited resolution on Silas’s missing kids. The conclusion of that also got a little far-fetched and cheesy. Not terrible but not as good as expected, the book was very promising up to the last fifty pages or so. The wrap up was just not so good and dragged on much longer than it should have.
The writing around her characters was a bit immature early on. The behavior and dialogue of Silas’s kids, and of Silas, Meg, and Danny themselves as teens in the flashbacks felt unrealsitic at times. There also is a lack of certain characters you would expect to see, even briefely, whose absence stands out, like other classmates from their school during certain scenes. The few additional characters featured (his aunt and uncle, the Sheriff, other deputies and SAR members) get no development or backstory (even Jessica got minimal) and are like cardboard cutouts who don’t exist if the main characters aren’t around; others (like Meg and Danny’s single parents, Silas’s parents) don’t really even appear, they are just mentioned as existing and apparently have no relevence to their lives or the events in the book.
Meg and Silas, who are the main characters, were the most fleshed out because we did see inside their thoughts (to a degree) and got some limited albeit vague backstory, but even they remained enigmas deep into the novel. Danny is an enigma thoughout really because he was not a POV character, so like Jessica and other characters we never get too deep into him.
This is also seen when we are learning about Silas through his POV recollections of his divorce, where he refers (in his mind) to his job in “environmental law”. I don’t see anyone internally using a broad generalized term like that in their own mind when thinking about their job. Just a lot of weird stuff like that where it seems she had created background details and personalities for characters but some details were vague, which made how she inserted them into the story jarring and unnatural.
This is a tough book to rate. There was much that I felt wasn’t done well; character development, some dialogue, and the ending/wrap-up felt not well thought out. Thats a lot. But even with that it is a very exciting story, it was a fun read, and the author really can set the scene. I don’t think it is a 4/5 novel but its better than 3/5, somewhere in between. I would however recomend it.
March 31, 2025
Mystery/Suspense
Silas returns to his childhood home in the Sierra Nevada mountains. His marriage has ended, and he and his 2 boys look to start a life anew in his family's lodge. It needs a lot of repair work. When Silas is working on a project the boys wander off and get lost in the mountains. Two of the rescue workers are known to Silas. The three of them, plus another friend had a similar experience as teens. The 4th member of their group disappeared and has never been found.
This was a very smart, tightly plotted mystery. I enjoyed the storyline and pacing of the novel. This is an author to watch.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC of this novel.
Silas returns to his childhood home in the Sierra Nevada mountains. His marriage has ended, and he and his 2 boys look to start a life anew in his family's lodge. It needs a lot of repair work. When Silas is working on a project the boys wander off and get lost in the mountains. Two of the rescue workers are known to Silas. The three of them, plus another friend had a similar experience as teens. The 4th member of their group disappeared and has never been found.
This was a very smart, tightly plotted mystery. I enjoyed the storyline and pacing of the novel. This is an author to watch.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC of this novel.
October 25, 2023
Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for my advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 3.5/5
I’m not much of a spooky or horror reader, so I felt like I wasn’t really making the most of October and its associated themes. However, I was accepted for the NetGalley ARC of The Wild Between Us, a mystery fiction set in the Sierra Nevada mountains, and it was an apt read.
“After inheriting his uncle’s lodge, Silas Matheson hopes the grandeur of the California Sierra Nevada will be a fresh start for his two young sons, and a chance to finally face his demons. It was here, fifteen years ago, that Silas and his friends Jessica, Danny, and Meg ventured into the mountain wilderness and Jessica vanished without a trace. When his boys go missing in the same dark woods, the fear and guilt that Silas has been running from ever since come crashing back. Silas’s panicked call brings in the local search and rescue unit, and two familiar Danny and Meg.
As the frantic search gets underway, the three friends are plunged into a painfully recurring nightmare, each of them thinking, This can’t be happening again. With a storm brewing and the boys’ fates threatened with every desperate hour, the secrets of the past begin to surface, and this time, for Silas, Danny, and Meg, there’s no escaping the truth.”
This is a heart-wrenching mystery that unravels in a dual-timeline narrative, which works perfectly here in building suspense, creating mirrors and stacking up the mystery. I found it a little hard to follow in an eBook format, since I like flipping back and forth to check on dates, which is definitely something to consider. Our protagonist Silas, once magnetic at high school, is now a newly single father of two. After returning to his uncle’s lodge where one of his friends went missing on a group hike, he must face his demons when his children both go missing on the mountains.
Hagstrom does a brilliant job in warping time and creating a pressure-cooker effect here. There’s tension right from the start, delivered beautifully against a backdrop of stunning nature landscapes, then the frantic, realistic dialogue adds to this. I did find one or two passages read a little cliche, but the story itself was good enough to balance that out.
I found it difficult to like any of the characters, except for the two little boys, and I suspect this was intentional. Danny and Meg were full of leftover teenage angst, and Silas seemed inherently flawed in every way. But, it did provide a juicy story to uncover and, annoyingly, I was captivated at every turn. (Perhaps I just haven’t read a mystery in a while, and this really scratched an itch!)
I devoured The Wild Between Us in a matter of days, so it’s safe to say I enjoyed it. The characters are well-developed and the scenery throughout the book really appealed to the nature lover in me. Although the back-and-forth started to grate on me a little, I think that was largely down to the format.
The Wild Between Us is due to publish on 7 November 2023.
Rating: 3.5/5
I’m not much of a spooky or horror reader, so I felt like I wasn’t really making the most of October and its associated themes. However, I was accepted for the NetGalley ARC of The Wild Between Us, a mystery fiction set in the Sierra Nevada mountains, and it was an apt read.
“After inheriting his uncle’s lodge, Silas Matheson hopes the grandeur of the California Sierra Nevada will be a fresh start for his two young sons, and a chance to finally face his demons. It was here, fifteen years ago, that Silas and his friends Jessica, Danny, and Meg ventured into the mountain wilderness and Jessica vanished without a trace. When his boys go missing in the same dark woods, the fear and guilt that Silas has been running from ever since come crashing back. Silas’s panicked call brings in the local search and rescue unit, and two familiar Danny and Meg.
As the frantic search gets underway, the three friends are plunged into a painfully recurring nightmare, each of them thinking, This can’t be happening again. With a storm brewing and the boys’ fates threatened with every desperate hour, the secrets of the past begin to surface, and this time, for Silas, Danny, and Meg, there’s no escaping the truth.”
This is a heart-wrenching mystery that unravels in a dual-timeline narrative, which works perfectly here in building suspense, creating mirrors and stacking up the mystery. I found it a little hard to follow in an eBook format, since I like flipping back and forth to check on dates, which is definitely something to consider. Our protagonist Silas, once magnetic at high school, is now a newly single father of two. After returning to his uncle’s lodge where one of his friends went missing on a group hike, he must face his demons when his children both go missing on the mountains.
Hagstrom does a brilliant job in warping time and creating a pressure-cooker effect here. There’s tension right from the start, delivered beautifully against a backdrop of stunning nature landscapes, then the frantic, realistic dialogue adds to this. I did find one or two passages read a little cliche, but the story itself was good enough to balance that out.
I found it difficult to like any of the characters, except for the two little boys, and I suspect this was intentional. Danny and Meg were full of leftover teenage angst, and Silas seemed inherently flawed in every way. But, it did provide a juicy story to uncover and, annoyingly, I was captivated at every turn. (Perhaps I just haven’t read a mystery in a while, and this really scratched an itch!)
I devoured The Wild Between Us in a matter of days, so it’s safe to say I enjoyed it. The characters are well-developed and the scenery throughout the book really appealed to the nature lover in me. Although the back-and-forth started to grate on me a little, I think that was largely down to the format.
The Wild Between Us is due to publish on 7 November 2023.
November 21, 2023
4 stars
You can read all of my reviews at Nerd Girl Loves Books.
The book came out on Nov. 7 & I highly recommend you pick it up now! It’s available on Kindle Unlimited, paperback & audible.
I made the mistake of picking up this mystery/thriller to start reading at 10pm. Long story short, it’s 3am & I only stopped reading because I fell asleep & the book hit me in the face. I could not put it down! The story is set in a small remote town in the Sierra Mountains of California. It’s told from the POV of Silas, a man who is moving back to the area to run his aunt’s mountain resort with his two young sons, & Meg, a woman who works at the sheriff department & is married to Danny.
Meg, Danny, and Silas were a tight-knit trio during their senior year of H.S., until an incident happens on the mountain & Silas’ girlfriend Jessica disappears. The present timeline is set in 2018 & the past timeline is set in 2002. The search & rescue team could not find Jessica, & the mystery of her disappearance still follows the trio wherever they go. Now, Silas’ two young sons are missing on the mountain, & the suffocating fear, dread & frustration of their disappearance brings back the tortured memories of Jessica.
I loved the author’s writing style. It effortlessly flowed on the pages & time melted away. From the beginning of the book I felt a sense of dread, & it continued to grow the more I read. Once Silas got to the lodge, the tension built up & I kept waiting for disaster to strike. You just know something bad happened to Jessica, & clearly one or more of the three is hiding something. The group of three has fractured & they look upon each other with a sense of mistrust & disdain. As I read I kept going through scenarios that could have happened in 2002. I’m half-way through this book & I’ve been obsessing about it all day at work. Seriously, you need to check this book out asap!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Kate Rock Book Tours the author and Lake Union Publishing.
You can read all of my reviews at Nerd Girl Loves Books.
The book came out on Nov. 7 & I highly recommend you pick it up now! It’s available on Kindle Unlimited, paperback & audible.
I made the mistake of picking up this mystery/thriller to start reading at 10pm. Long story short, it’s 3am & I only stopped reading because I fell asleep & the book hit me in the face. I could not put it down! The story is set in a small remote town in the Sierra Mountains of California. It’s told from the POV of Silas, a man who is moving back to the area to run his aunt’s mountain resort with his two young sons, & Meg, a woman who works at the sheriff department & is married to Danny.
Meg, Danny, and Silas were a tight-knit trio during their senior year of H.S., until an incident happens on the mountain & Silas’ girlfriend Jessica disappears. The present timeline is set in 2018 & the past timeline is set in 2002. The search & rescue team could not find Jessica, & the mystery of her disappearance still follows the trio wherever they go. Now, Silas’ two young sons are missing on the mountain, & the suffocating fear, dread & frustration of their disappearance brings back the tortured memories of Jessica.
I loved the author’s writing style. It effortlessly flowed on the pages & time melted away. From the beginning of the book I felt a sense of dread, & it continued to grow the more I read. Once Silas got to the lodge, the tension built up & I kept waiting for disaster to strike. You just know something bad happened to Jessica, & clearly one or more of the three is hiding something. The group of three has fractured & they look upon each other with a sense of mistrust & disdain. As I read I kept going through scenarios that could have happened in 2002. I’m half-way through this book & I’ve been obsessing about it all day at work. Seriously, you need to check this book out asap!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Kate Rock Book Tours the author and Lake Union Publishing.
September 22, 2023
Silas returns home to Sierra Nevada with his two young sons after inheriting his uncle’s lodge. Silas hasn’t been home in fifteen years since his friend vanished without a trace. It isn’t soon after returning that Silas’s boy go missing as well.
Silas’s panicked calls bring in the local search-and-rescue unit which contains two familiar faces, his old friends Danny and Meg. As the search gets underway, the three friends are plunged into a recurring nightmare and they can’t help but think this can’t be happening again.
When lives are on the line, they know there is no escaping the truth.
I really enjoyed this one and it had me feeling so many emotions, it was such a wild ride. The thing I didn’t like about this one was the flashback chapters. They started so far in advance that it didn’t make sense to me, and I found myself skipping large portions of them. The stories eventually did come together, but I felt that most of it was unnecessary and distracting. This book was definitely a search and rescue story, more literary fiction. I loved the different point of view that were present. The characters were all well developed and complex. The atmosphere of this book was also described very well, so it felt like you were right there with the characters. I really liked how this book was wrapped up as well. I love it when all the loose ends are tied up.
If you are looking for an emotion search and rescue story, then check this one out.
Thank you so much to Lake Union Publishing, and Netgalley @netgalley, so sending me an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
Silas’s panicked calls bring in the local search-and-rescue unit which contains two familiar faces, his old friends Danny and Meg. As the search gets underway, the three friends are plunged into a recurring nightmare and they can’t help but think this can’t be happening again.
When lives are on the line, they know there is no escaping the truth.
I really enjoyed this one and it had me feeling so many emotions, it was such a wild ride. The thing I didn’t like about this one was the flashback chapters. They started so far in advance that it didn’t make sense to me, and I found myself skipping large portions of them. The stories eventually did come together, but I felt that most of it was unnecessary and distracting. This book was definitely a search and rescue story, more literary fiction. I loved the different point of view that were present. The characters were all well developed and complex. The atmosphere of this book was also described very well, so it felt like you were right there with the characters. I really liked how this book was wrapped up as well. I love it when all the loose ends are tied up.
If you are looking for an emotion search and rescue story, then check this one out.
Thank you so much to Lake Union Publishing, and Netgalley @netgalley, so sending me an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
October 20, 2023
First and foremost, this book's author is a fantastic, utterly engaging wordsmith. I could feel right away that this author wrote with intelligence and with a more than basic understanding of the environment she was writing about. I checked out her background and it makes sense that her debut novel was about a subject she was familiar with.
With that said, I felt at times that I wanted there to be more action and movement forward in the story in places. I did understand that we needed a backstory and an understanding of how we get to the final chapter with all the pieces put in place. Perhaps it's the flashback scenes that were too drawn out and the search scenes that made me skim a little. I love flawed characters and this author gave us a couple of them that clearly held onto their pain for far too long.
I would recommend this story especially for the detailed descriptions of the mountains in Nevada. The gorgeous backdrop became another character in this story. The lost children tugged at my mommy heart so badly. I cannot even imagine that happening and the child enduring the 48 hours in the bitter cold. Overall, this story also weaved a great suspense story between 3 people but by the time we got to the what actually happened, I almost didn't care. Perhaps I needed MORE of the suspense and less of the descriptions of the mountains to really feel this story would grip me.
I rounded up my 3.5 to 4.... great debut! Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
With that said, I felt at times that I wanted there to be more action and movement forward in the story in places. I did understand that we needed a backstory and an understanding of how we get to the final chapter with all the pieces put in place. Perhaps it's the flashback scenes that were too drawn out and the search scenes that made me skim a little. I love flawed characters and this author gave us a couple of them that clearly held onto their pain for far too long.
I would recommend this story especially for the detailed descriptions of the mountains in Nevada. The gorgeous backdrop became another character in this story. The lost children tugged at my mommy heart so badly. I cannot even imagine that happening and the child enduring the 48 hours in the bitter cold. Overall, this story also weaved a great suspense story between 3 people but by the time we got to the what actually happened, I almost didn't care. Perhaps I needed MORE of the suspense and less of the descriptions of the mountains to really feel this story would grip me.
I rounded up my 3.5 to 4.... great debut! Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
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