Nowhere to Run

by N.J. Moss

A woman is trapped in a taxi with a killer who has very special plans in place for her . . . After her martial arts class, Katy Mitchell gets into a taxi as usual. But something is wrong as her driver, Markus, misses the turn. Instead, he takes her on a wild, frightening ride. He is testing her, Markus explains. He drives to an abandoned building where he’s holding another hostage. If she kills her fellow captive, Markus will set her free. But Katy can’t bring herself to commit murder. Markus considers her weak but he’s willing to give her more opportunities to prove herself to him . . . Katy’s only hope is to figure out what’s motivating Markus, how his mind works—and why he has chosen her for this bizarre and violent journey. But will she make it through the night without compromising everything she stands for?

Genres: Thriller

232 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 1, 2024

About the author

NJ Moss worked as a fiction ghostwriter for ten years before he turned his skills to his own work. His latest novel is The Husband Trap.

When he is not working on his next thriller, you can normally find him walking his dogs (Loki and Gizmo, a Jack Russell terrier and a Chihuahua), rollerblading up and down the promenade of Weston-super-Mare, or spending time with his lovely wife.

Reviews

[Mickey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, this one will certainly make you wary the next time you jump in a cab. This was a very fast-paced, dark thriller that doesn't really give you time to catch your breath. One minute Katy is getting in a cab, the next, she's taken on a frightening journey that affects the lives of all the people they come across that evening.
I enjoyed the story for the most part, but I wasn't overly keen on the ending. It just felt anticlimactic and I just feel like there should have been more to it.

[Kirstie Cooper · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anyone that knows me, knows that I am a huge fan of this authors books - mainly because he isn't afraid to push boundaries and his books always seem to have the wow factor for me - as in I can't believe what I have just read 🤣
This one didn't disappoint, and was very twisted and messed up.
Some parts were a little far fetched, but my first February book was a Classic which is famous the world over and is written from a horse's perspective, so who is anyone to judge on a book being far fetched 🤷
I don't even bother to read the blurb of Nathan's books anymore, as it's a given that I will want to read it.

[Heather Cairns · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is quite a dark book that starts off with Katy getting a taxi home after a jujitsu class and the journey that follows. I did think it was a little far fetched with how extreme the things were that happened. I liked the writing style but just felt it was a bit unrealistic with how Markus got away with things and things went to his plan and Katy didn’t react much

[Julie Lacey · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good psychological thriller.
Katy gets into a taxi that she’s booked but after a few minutes she gets a text saying her taxi has arrived. She messages back and realises all is not what it seems.
The driver of the taxi tries to cover up that he’s not who she thinks and it soon becomes clear he’s got plans for Katy.
He takes her to several places and each time his requests are more dark and twisted. Katy tries to stay strong but it gets harder the more time goes on.
This is a good read.

[Lydia · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️
This is a dark, fast paced thriller. If that’s your thing , READ THIS BOOK!

It’s about a young woman called Katy who gets into a taxis and is kidnapped. The story is fast moving and holds your attention.
However I felt that it was far-fetched how things escalated so quickly! I think a slightly slower pace may have created more tension.
The story does keep you guessing and I read the whole book in two sittings!

Thank you to bloodhound books for the ARC.

[Scott Parsons · Rating 5 out of 5]

A deep dark psychological thriller. Katy Mitchell, a counsellor, was raped two years ago and has had difficulty recovering from the ordeal. She has been taking martial arts classes at night in order to better defend herself should she be attacked again. When she leaves the training facility she follows her usual routine of calling a cab from the firm she usually employs. She gets a text from a regular driver Markus saying he would there in a while. But then a taxi immediately turns up. It is not driven by Markus. The driver has some excuse about Markus being delayed.

When Katy gets in the cab she realizes that something is amiss. She texts Markus who says he had received a text cancelling her call. He does not know her driver. By then Katy realizes she has been abducted. The driver starts to talk about her, her life and the rape incident. He has obviously been stalking her. She wonders : what is his intention? Will he too rape her and this time kill her?

The driver reassures her that that is not his intention. He has different plans for her. He thinks she is weak and he intends to test her. He takes to a desolate place where another abductee is prisoner. He tells Katy that if she kills the captive, he will set her free. But Katy cannot bring herself to take another's life.

The driver then takes Katy on a long and twisted ride filled with nightmarish encounters. One incident involves a visit to the parents of the man who had raped her. This does not end well for the parents.

Katy's terror mounts as he takes her to a seaside cliff and indicates that they are going to jump onto the rocks below, the odds of survival being very slim. The police appear on the scene and Katy manages to free herself from the kidnapper and gave him a push which sends him over the cliff. Did he die? Was he swept out to sea? We learn the answer later as the novel ends on a peculiar note.

An excellent, well plotted thriller, an intriguing read. Thanks to Bloodhound Books for providing me an Advance Review copy of this novel, which I greatly enjoyed.

[Alyson Read · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s been two years since Katy Mitchell, a counsellor, was raped – a word she still cannot bring herself to say – and since then she’s been taking Brazilian jujitsu classes. After all, the self-defence training she had done for years let her down badly when it really mattered. She takes a taxi home after, always using the same cab firm and thinks nothing of climbing in the back of the taxi that pulls up. But when one of the regular drivers texts her to say he is waiting for her, she quickly realises the man driving who calls himself Markus is not all he seems to be. He knows a lot about her. Taken hostage and frightened, she complies with his wishes and soon finds herself facing a terrible predicament. Kill a man and be set free or face the consequences. This is only the start of a terrifying journey of challenges she is taken on but what does this dangerous psychopath really want from Katy and what does he mean by “it’s about the light”? Will anyone make it through the night unscathed?
What would you do to stay alive? The story is told initially by both Markus and Katy, and later other characters have their input too, as the taut tension is maintained right from the very first chapter throughout the story. There was an aspect in the middle that seemed a bit unnecessary and added confusion to an already very twisty story. Dark in nature and content, and designed to shock and sometimes horrify, Katy’s extraordinary ordeal at the hands of this twisted manipulative monster is the stuff of nightmares and may not suit all readers but I know a lot will love it.

[Misfits farm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Omg! A dark and twisty read not for the nervous. Katy gets into a taxi after her martial arts class. It's a firm she regularly uses and finds a different driver. After going to where Markus has another captive and giving her an ultimatum, she is then taken to the house of the parents of someone from her past- someone who is now incarcerated. Markus appears to know everything about her and even what her thought processes are. Can she escape before he kills her and others?

Oh heck! This is darker than dark and incredibly sinister. It’s raw and gutsy and more than your average nightmare. That said, it's captivating, wanting to know how and if Katy escapes from the evil clutches of Markus. It's a plot with lots of twists and a read I didn't want to put down, but might not be one to read alone on a taxi journey. It’s menacing and ominous, clever and disquieting. A speedy read that kept me enthralled.

[Danny Matheson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another excellent book from this author! As is the norm for Katy she books a taxi to take her home from her regular martial arts class. The person who turns up to collect her, Markus, is someone she has not seen before but as the car has the correct branding on it she doesn't think too much about it. Getting into the car is the first of many things she does wrong that night. It transpires that Markus is not a taxi driver and appears to know an awful lot about Katy.
She is then taken on a night of terror and unimaginable horror as Markus "tests" her. As is the normal with this author boundaries are pushed and there are many twists and turns. Some people would maybe think that it is a bit far fetched but do you know how you would react if you were placed in the situation that Katy was put in? If anything this book should make you think before acting rashly.
It is well paced and full of thrills.

[Allison Valentine · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you want a deap dark psychological thriller then NJ Moss is definitely for you.
He doesn't hold back and every book he writes has you completely hooked.

Nowhere to Run is a twisted thriller that had me at certain points rooting for the bad guy Markus!

Katy is a trained counsellor but after she was attacked and raped, her life hasn't been the same.
Taking up Jujitsu classes have helped but she still feels vulnerable.
After her normal weekly class she orders her reliable taxi firm to pick her up and the taxi driver Markus is chatty and full of banter until he isn't.

Markus takes Katy on a journey that she doesn't want to participate in.
He has murder and mayhem in mind and Katy is the centre of it all.

Can she escape the evil clutches of Markus before he ends her life?

This book gave me the heebie-jeebies from the start to the end. Well done Mr Moss for a fantastic read.

[Lori Jean Zuber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nowhere to Run by NJ Moss

Katy Mitchell hops into an orange cab as usual, to get home from her jujitsu class. As the car moves along, she realizes the driver is becoming more and more disturbing. Suddenly, after taunting her, she realizes that she has been captured by a psychopath. As she rides helplessly in the cab, she realizes that this driver, Markus knows everything about her! He says that he is taking her on a night’s drive, and it will be up to her whether or not she survives.

What an exhilarating thriller! Moss’ main characters, Katy and Markus are portrayed expertly. I was able to put myself in that cab and witness firsthand, the horrors Katy goes through. Katy changes in this story. As we watch her grow, Markus is changing too.

I loved this orginal story. It’s scary that a psychopath could actually be our next cab driver!

[Vicsta Dolan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Katy has just finished her jujitsu class and she waits for a taxi as usual where her driver Markus arrives. After some mix up in the messages from the taxi company Katy is concerned with who her driver is. Ravi her regular taxi driver messages her back and says he doesn’t have a colleague called Markus.
Who is Markus and what does he want with Katy and why does he give her an ultimatum?

Who is Patrick and what is his involvement with the dark web forum?

Being held by Markus stirs up old memories for Katy and she is forced to confront the parents of a previous perpetrator.

A good solid storyline with lots of twists and Katy was definitely a strong character having to deal with Markus. I particularly loved the line “Mess this up you lose a finger. Ring the police you lose your life.” A good ending but what becomes of Markus??

[Booklover BEV · Rating 5 out of 5]

He will never let you go.
Katy Mitchell has just finished her Thursday night Brazilian Jujitsu self defence class, she is exhausted and achy and always takes a Orange taxi home, and Markus arrives she has never seen him before.
He also knows her name and hairs on her neck pricked, this isn't right he's very chatty she just wants to get home.
Receiving a text to say her taxi has arrived and her paranoia kicks in.
She never did get home.
Taxi driver Markus Noah takes her to a abandoned building to kill his other hostage then she will be free.
Nowhere to run sends your mind on a wild goose chase with loads of harrowing chapters.
He has her now so what will she do.
I got goose bumps, this really is a jaw dropping read right through, one of the best from this author, his writing just grows on me and hits all the right emotions. I loved it!

[Lesley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, this book doesn't give the reader a second to catch their breath! It is full on action from the word go.

As if she hasn't suffered enough in her life, Katy ends up in a taxi with Markus, who turns out to be a right wrong'un, to say the least.

Murder and mayhem follow, only some of which is part of his terrible plan. Who will survive the night?

I loved the non-stop drama and, in fact, almost read this in one sitting. It was only afterwards, when I had a proper chance to think, that I realised there were a few loose ends and unanswered questions, hence the four stars. Maybe my questions will be answered in a sequel?

If you want a fast-paced thriller and don't mind a fair bit of violence, check out Nowhere To Run.

Thanks to the author,  and Bloodhound Books for the eARC of this book.

[Vivian · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a typical NJ Moss book this one will grab you from the beginning, takes you on a wild ride and won't let you go until you finish reading it. This one will let you into the mind of a psychopath, very intelligent man looking for pleasure or something to take him out of the boredom of his life.
We go along on the murderous ride along with his newest abductee Katy, it is a wild ride taking place in a span of one night but its consequences will be felt for months to come for everyone involved in this night.
As usual with the author's books there are a lot of twists and turns and surprises along the whole story. His books are one better than the next one, and that's why I can't wait to read his next book, whenever it comes out.

[HB · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great read this was, a real page turner that had me gripped from the start. The main character Katy has a back story which is revealed as the novel progresses brought about by a taxi driver who is absolutely not what he seems!

Her journey quickly becomes a (almost unbelievable) nightmare which takes some dark turns allegedly designed to teach her lessons, definitely not the way I'd like to be taught tho!

I don't want to give any spoilers as I want you to enjoy the book as much as I did, all I can say is please read it, you won't be disappointed!

Thanks to Bloodhound books for my copy.

[kirsty · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, it was well written with a compelling and terrifying story line and well developed characters that were very believable, especially Katy, I really liked her.
I couldn't put it down and read it in one sitting, it is such a gripping read and hooked me right from the beginning and I was engaged right until the very end.

The book is fast paced and full of tension with twists and unpredictability that kept me guessing all the way through. There was never a point that fell flat.
This is my first book by the author, but, it definitely wont be my last, I loved it and I will definitely always think about it every time I get in a taxi from now on.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read as ARC from Bloodhound.

I was really drawn to this book for the blurb - woman stuck in a taxi with a killer. The plot was fast paced with lots of action. I particular enjoyed the POV of Martin, having not seen it done this way before.

I missed the depth and back stories to the main characters. I wanted to know why we were rooting for the protagonist and for her to have more of a character arc. The blurb poses the question ‘will she compromise everything she stands for?’ but I didn’t feel in any doubt that she would, at any point.

If you like Quentin Tarantino films - violence, villain POV and action then you will enjoy Nowhere to Run.

[Alison Taylor-Muhl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh, I do love an NJ Moss book! ‘Nowhere to Run’ is another great read from this very talented author - fast paced, dark, and somewhat chilling. Nathan is a novelist who constantly pushes boundaries, and this new offering is no exception. There are lots of twists and turns and yes, some parts are slightly far-fetched, but it all adds up to a gripping read that kept me engaged to the end – an end where I was unsure what the outcome would be! All in all, a dark and gripping tale, which I have no hesitation in recommending.

[Bobbi Wagner · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an author that I have enjoyed reading from the first book I picked up. This is one of my favorites yet. I found this book to be well written with twist and turns like no other. I enjoyed being pulled into the story by the characters. They are strong, relateable and kept the story engaging. Their growth throughout is great which made the story easy to read. This is a fast paced, suspenseful, hard to put down story that you don't want to miss. I really enjoyed reading this story. I highly recommend this book.

[Caroline 'relaxing with my rescue dogs' · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well this makes you think and I definitely wouldn't mention it to my daughter who is anxious already re going in taxis or rideshares. This takes you on a thrill ride, yes you do have to suspend reality but sometimes it is great to escape reality. It was very interesting how some of the themes were explored, very thought provoking and well researched.

This author never disappoints. I was given an advance copy by Bloodhound books but the review is entirely my own.

[Kelli Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book makes me so thankful that I live in a rural area and don’t have to take public transportation! OMG. This is a dark, psychological thriller that grips you from the moment you pick it up! This is definitely a fast read. I didn’t want to put it down. I needed to know what happened next! Reminds me a little of ‘Saw’. This author never disappoints and I’m so happy he messaged me to let me know about it. I don’t want to give anything away so go grab yourself a copy!

[Rebecca Charlesworth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dark and twisted, all is not what it seems. Since the “incident” Katy hasn’t been the same. Getting in to what she believes is her regular taxi she receives a text a few minutes later to say her taxi is here, but she’s already in her taxi, or is she. A good read from the author, a storyline that held my interest to see where it would go and what the outcome would be.

[Nanci · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow just wow!! Had me on the edge of my seat and wondering will I ever not think of this book when I get in an Uber/Lyft/Taxi😧!! I thriller and a twisted story line that sometimes seemed far fetched but kept me engrossed and gasping and wondering just what will happen next !! An absolute page turner !!!

[Alison Bryant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this (although it did feel a bit far fetched at times) but the fact it didn’t follow all the expected ways that a book like this will go made it much more interesting. The character Martin was a bit of a mystery as to why we found out so much about him in some ways.

[Jude Srivalsan · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely brilliant work of fiction that I couldn’t put down. I had to finish it and stayed up all night. The author has excelled himself in creating a psychological thriller that will scare you to bits whilst making you feel sorry for the protagonist! A must read!

[Josephine Bilton · Rating 5 out of 5]

One night can change your life forever.
I devoured this book in almost one go. It kept me hooked, so much so I forgot to cook my dinner! It's a terrifying story of a woman trapped with a psychopath. I loved it.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Katy has had a rough few years but she seems to be managing ....Just about, that is until she steps into a taxi driven by Markus.
Can her survival instinic kick in.
This book is dark and twisted but extremely well written and will have you gripped from start to fininsh.
Loved it.

[Jill Coates · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very intense from the first chapter and had me totally hooked the whole way through. I've read and enjoyed a few books by this author and they are always good but always different. A brilliant read.

[Lynn Mccarthy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book i really enjoyed it had me gripped from the beginning when katy gets in a cab thinking it is her cab driver but she is so wrong then begins a frightening journey. Katy has to face her fears.
The book has lots of twists and turns in it brilliant.