What do you think?
Rate this book
Leave No Trace
A riveting, action-packed and emotionally gripping first novel by a female search and rescue expert, TANAMI tells the story of a woman stranded in the Australian Outback who must evade her boyfriend's killers as she leads his young daughter back to safety.
Tally Nowata has saved many lives as a search and resuce worker. In the mountains of her home, she is an expert at survival. But in the Australian outback, she is only a tourist -a tourist whose boyfriend, Paul, went to pick up his daughter and never came back. He has been missing for six days, leaving Tally stranded in the unforgiving wasteland of the Tanami desert.
She sets out to find him only to discover that he has been murdered and his daughter left to die. Tally knows that it's only a matter of time before his killers find the camp she left behind and the arrow pointing out her direction.
She is grieving, tired, and bitterly aware that she knows too little about this land, only bits and pieces of information that Paul had given her. But there is nothing to do but go on, carrying Paul's memory and his daughter with her in a desperate struggle for survival.
Tally Nowata has saved many lives as a search and resuce worker. In the mountains of her home, she is an expert at survival. But in the Australian outback, she is only a tourist -a tourist whose boyfriend, Paul, went to pick up his daughter and never came back. He has been missing for six days, leaving Tally stranded in the unforgiving wasteland of the Tanami desert.
She sets out to find him only to discover that he has been murdered and his daughter left to die. Tally knows that it's only a matter of time before his killers find the camp she left behind and the arrow pointing out her direction.
She is grieving, tired, and bitterly aware that she knows too little about this land, only bits and pieces of information that Paul had given her. But there is nothing to do but go on, carrying Paul's memory and his daughter with her in a desperate struggle for survival.
400 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 1, 2002
4 people are currently reading
157 people want to read
About the author
Hannah Nyala
10 books11 followersHannah Nyala's experience as a Search and Rescue tracker in the United States brings a gritty realism and emotional depth to the action-packed fictional adventures of Tally Nowata. Her previous Tally Nowata novel, Leave No Trace, is available from Pocket Books, as is her highly acclaimed memoir, Point Last Seen, which was made into a CBS-TV movie starring Linda Hamilton. She is currently at work on her next Tally Nowata novel. Visit her website at www.pointlastseen.com.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
March 14, 2023
4*
Mama haar boekenkast heeft, blijkbaar, zeer goede boeken. Hihihi. Dit was echt een toppertje.
Mama haar boekenkast heeft, blijkbaar, zeer goede boeken. Hihihi. Dit was echt een toppertje.
September 26, 2024
Brief synopsis from the book cover:
Longitude: 132 Latitude: 19 Date: December 7 Temp: 121 Fahrenheit, 10 A.M. Paul's been gone now for eight days. He was only supposed to be gone for the afternoon, off to the airport to pick up Josie. But he didn't come back. They didn't come back. Not that day. Not in the seven that came after. And now I'm quickly running out of food and water. I must leave our camp. I must find them. I must survive....
Search-and-rescue is Tally Nowata's profession -- and her passion. But now she's out of her element, half a world away from Wyoming's Grand Tetons, stranded, alone, in Australia's Tanami desert. She's hunting for those she loves -- and running from those who want to kill her....
Real-life tracker Hannah Nyala, author of the acclaimed memoir Point Last Seen, introduces a compelling heroine pitted against nature -- and the darkest criminal element -- in the ultimate fight for survival. A suspense-charged novel of courage and hope, Leave No Trace will leave you breathless.
My rating:
Plot: 3 out of 5 stars
Writing: 3 out of 5 stars
Character development: 3 out of 5 stars
Overall: 3 out of 5 stars
Recommended for readers of:
General Fiction
Thriller and Suspense
Review:
An interesting story maybe a little bit unrealistic in places. The book is nicely written and even though it can be a bit slow in places, it has an interesting plot with plenty of suspense that captures you. You find you can’t help yourself rooting for Tally and Josie to survive their ordeal. The characters appear realistic because their actions were explained well. Overall an suspenseful story with interesting characters
Longitude: 132 Latitude: 19 Date: December 7 Temp: 121 Fahrenheit, 10 A.M. Paul's been gone now for eight days. He was only supposed to be gone for the afternoon, off to the airport to pick up Josie. But he didn't come back. They didn't come back. Not that day. Not in the seven that came after. And now I'm quickly running out of food and water. I must leave our camp. I must find them. I must survive....
Search-and-rescue is Tally Nowata's profession -- and her passion. But now she's out of her element, half a world away from Wyoming's Grand Tetons, stranded, alone, in Australia's Tanami desert. She's hunting for those she loves -- and running from those who want to kill her....
Real-life tracker Hannah Nyala, author of the acclaimed memoir Point Last Seen, introduces a compelling heroine pitted against nature -- and the darkest criminal element -- in the ultimate fight for survival. A suspense-charged novel of courage and hope, Leave No Trace will leave you breathless.
My rating:
Plot: 3 out of 5 stars
Writing: 3 out of 5 stars
Character development: 3 out of 5 stars
Overall: 3 out of 5 stars
Recommended for readers of:
General Fiction
Thriller and Suspense
Review:
An interesting story maybe a little bit unrealistic in places. The book is nicely written and even though it can be a bit slow in places, it has an interesting plot with plenty of suspense that captures you. You find you can’t help yourself rooting for Tally and Josie to survive their ordeal. The characters appear realistic because their actions were explained well. Overall an suspenseful story with interesting characters
October 15, 2018
I want to give this 3.5 stars, but Goodreads won't let me. It's quite well done, but a tad overcooked, in the sense that you may find yourself counting pages left to go to the end. There's such a weight of suffering to be endured to get to the conclusion that the reader is almost as exhausted as the protagonist! If you have patience, and don't mind a rough ride, the wilderness and the heat are very well conveyed. (Readers from beyond Aussie shores might not believe some of what's in here, but most of it's pretty accurate. Artistic license was exercised here and there.)
April 6, 2021
Really got into this. The process of staying alive in the Australian outback was pretty well described. However, it was the emotional story that got to me in places. It's amazing how maternal instincts kick in. I even got teary eyed with the albino dingo. Nice quick read.
November 5, 2023
This was a great book! The obstacles seemed impossible and the relationship developing between Tally and Josie was wonderful. There was danger not just from the killers but from the desert as well. Each time you think they are done for they figure something out.
January 8, 2018
Verhaallijn bleef steeds hetzelfde, maar het was op zich wel leuk om te lezen
September 27, 2019
Very suspenseful. A few too many flashbacks which seemed to drag, but a good read.
December 3, 2009
For Tally Nowata a trip to Australia was supposed to be a well deserved vacation. She was looking forward to spending a little quiet time with her lover Paul. Instead, the trip turns into her worst nightmare. Paul left to pick up his daughter at the airport fourteen days ago. He was only supposed to be gone a few hours. Stranded alone in the scorching desert with very little water and even less food Tally must seek out the nearest town (which is an insurmountable length away) in order to survive. As a skilled Search and Rescue Wilderness Ranger in the Rocky Mountains, Tally has had extensive training in survival methods. Unfortunately, Tally is out of her element and all of her survival training is virtually useless in the desolate desert.
As Tally leaves the relative safety of the camp she and Paul had built she soon stumbles upon the grisly truth behind Paul’s disappearance and realizes she’s in far greater danger than she ever anticipated. Hidden in Paul’s ruined vehicle Tally finds Paul’s young daughter (from a failed marriage) Josie who has managed to survive on the meager supplies left in the vehicle. The discovery of Josie gives Tally a reason to carry on even when grief threatens to undo her. She must, at all costs, get the girl to safety.
Gripping from page one “Leave No Trace” only intensifies as Tally must not only struggle to survive against impossible odds but finds herself running for her life. Though tense and filled with suspense the book shines as Tally and Josie, initially wary of each other, get to know each other on a level most people will never experience. Both need each other to survive and forge a bond that gives them the drive to needed to get through the endless days and nights. The characters experience incredible growth and Tally, especially, finds it a life altering experience.
I’ve never had to struggle to survive nor have I been stranded in a barren desert but the author brings the terrifying experience to vivid life. The things Tally and Josie must do in order to survive are sometimes disturbing and are gruesomely described but never for shock value. The story slows down here and there but never for any tedious length of time. Just when it seems like everything will be okay another overwhelming obstacle is thrown in the way. The desperate search for food, the delirium, exhaustion and unexpected wounds and, again, the careful attention to character development make this book an unforgettable experience.
As Tally leaves the relative safety of the camp she and Paul had built she soon stumbles upon the grisly truth behind Paul’s disappearance and realizes she’s in far greater danger than she ever anticipated. Hidden in Paul’s ruined vehicle Tally finds Paul’s young daughter (from a failed marriage) Josie who has managed to survive on the meager supplies left in the vehicle. The discovery of Josie gives Tally a reason to carry on even when grief threatens to undo her. She must, at all costs, get the girl to safety.
Gripping from page one “Leave No Trace” only intensifies as Tally must not only struggle to survive against impossible odds but finds herself running for her life. Though tense and filled with suspense the book shines as Tally and Josie, initially wary of each other, get to know each other on a level most people will never experience. Both need each other to survive and forge a bond that gives them the drive to needed to get through the endless days and nights. The characters experience incredible growth and Tally, especially, finds it a life altering experience.
I’ve never had to struggle to survive nor have I been stranded in a barren desert but the author brings the terrifying experience to vivid life. The things Tally and Josie must do in order to survive are sometimes disturbing and are gruesomely described but never for shock value. The story slows down here and there but never for any tedious length of time. Just when it seems like everything will be okay another overwhelming obstacle is thrown in the way. The desperate search for food, the delirium, exhaustion and unexpected wounds and, again, the careful attention to character development make this book an unforgettable experience.
March 17, 2015
This is a brutal story about surviving against all odds. The main character, Tally, is a badass woman who normally works at a rescue team and has saved many lives. But when she goes to the Tanami desert in Australia with the man she loves, her whole world is turned upside down. Her boyfriend Paul disappears and she is chased by murderous psychopaths as she is forced to cross the desert to save herself and Paul's little daughter.
It's a story about hope, love, family and so many other things. It is also, as I said, very brutal, and I felt so much for the heroine, one of the toughest characters I've ever read about. Loved every page of it.
It's a story about hope, love, family and so many other things. It is also, as I said, very brutal, and I felt so much for the heroine, one of the toughest characters I've ever read about. Loved every page of it.
March 31, 2012
I love this book. A murder happens in front of the woman. She must run or be killed. The biggest problem is she's in the desert and running for her life. She is a trained tracker, does she have the brains to out smart the killer? The novel takes place in 24hrs? It is a roller coaster ride, you have to hang on as you race to the end. Very fast read, you don't want to put down once you start.
May 16, 2007
This book would have been really good if it had stopped 150 pages sooner. After that it just got incredibly far fetched. Incredibly.
June 25, 2008
This book is an amazing tale of survival. The lead character is a tracker and in Search and Rescue. Very cool.
April 25, 2012
transferring reading records from spreadsheet
September 1, 2012
This book made a profound impression on me. I couldn't believe all the main character had to go through. (I didn't like the constant use of the 's' word but she was very stressed out.
September 9, 2012
Straightforward, predictable pulp.
May 28, 2014
An intense book, but the ending was abrupt and unsatisfying.
October 6, 2012
One of my favorite books of all time. About strength and survival. An inspiring book!
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews