Ruby Falls

by Gin Phillips

One body. Five suspects. Total darkness.

A tense, claustrophobic historical mystery set almost entirely underground at the onset of the Great Depression about the discovery of a 150-foot waterfall in the middle of a mountain, the unthinkable crime that happens in its caves, and a woman who’s never felt more alive.   

In 1928, a Chattanooga man disappears down a hole in the ground and discovers a 150-foot waterfall in the middle of a mountain that he names after his Ruby Falls. Within months, visitors can buy tickets to see the falls for themselves. Ada Smith has been sneaking into the caves at night, entranced by the natural wonders around her and the freedom granted by this new underground world.

But it’s tough timing for a natural wonder. As the country flounders in the Great Depression, a shrewd public relations ploy seems like the only way to save Ruby Falls. A famous mind reader and mystic agrees to launch himself into the Ruby Falls caverns where he will attempt to locate a hidden hatpin using only his psychic abilities. He'll be joined by five his manager, his wife, a guide, a Chattanooga businessman, and a reporter from the Chicago Times. But they’re not alone in the caverns. Ada and another guide, Quinton, have been asked to follow the mind reader’s party at a distance, staying out of sight. They are a safety net, in case of a broken leg or busted flashlights.

One of them will be dead before the end of the day.

Faced with a corpse and the stark reality that one of the people in her midst is a killer, Ada needs to get everyone—the murderer and the innocents—back aboveground before their light runs out.

Ruby Falls is both a unique twist on the locked-room mystery and an exploration of loss and what it means to start over. It’s a heart-racing story of survival and a testament to the threads that bind strangers together. Set against the true story of the discovery of Ruby Falls, the novel also draws on the memoirs of Katie Stabler, a female guide at Wind Caves in South Dakota.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Mystery, Historical, Fiction

336 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication March 3, 2026

About the author

Gin Phillips has published seven novels, and her work has been sold in 29 countries. Her newest novel, RUBY FALLS, will be published by Atlantic Crime on March 3, 2026.

Gin’s debut novel, THE WELL AND THE MINE, won the 2009 Barnes & Noble Discover Award. Her novel, FIERCE KINGDOM, was named one of the Best Crime Novels of 2017 by the New York Times Book Review. It was also named one of the best books of the year by NPR, Publishers Weekly, Amazon, and Kirkus Reviews. Gin’s novels also have been named as selections for Indie Next, Book of the Month, and the Junior Library Guild.

Born in Montgomery, Al., Gin graduated from Birmingham-Southern College with a degree in political journalism. After time spent in Ireland, New York, and Washington, D.C., she currently lives with her family (including a wonderfully weird golden mountain doodle) in Birmingham, Al.

Reviews

[robinreadstoomuch · Rating 4 out of 5]

In 1928, Ruby Lambert’s husband Leo discovers a massive waterfall inside of Lookout Mountain near Chattanooga, Tennessee. He names it Ruby Falls after his beloved wife.
This amazing discovery attracts visitors from all over the world.
Meanwhile, Ada Smith has been exploring the caves of Lookout Mountain alone at night.
Unfortunately, The Great Depression hits Tennessee hard. Leo and Ruby are struggling to keep their attraction open to the public.
Along comes famous mind-reader Jeremiah Hagathorn. He proposes a publicity stunt that Leo cannot resist.
Someone will hide a hat pin inside Lookout Mountain, and Jeremiah will find it using only his psychic ability.
Jeremiah is accompanied by his wife and three others, including a reporter. Ada and fellow spelunker Quinton are secretly hired to follow the crew in case of an emergency.
A simple publicity stunt turns dangerous and deadly quickly.
Ruby Falls is a unique thriller that takes place underground in darkness. The story also becomes a tale of survival!

Thank you Atlantic Crime Publishers and NetGalley for sending me this ARC.

[Jen G · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thanks to Grove Atlantic and NetGalley for the e-ARC.
Living in north Georgia, I found the premise and setting interesting, but the story and characters did not hold my interest. Fans of historical fiction/romance/mysteries may enjoy this one.

[Deanna Loves to Read!!:) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh my! I really loved this different, unique, historical locked-room mystery! It is also based on a real place.

Taking place during the Great Depression, Ruby Lambert's husband, Leo, discovers a big waterfall in of Lookout Mountain. This is where they have been mining, and this discovery is unexpected. People come from all over to see it.

Ada Smith is Ruby's best friend. She has lost her husband, and the depression has hit. She begins exploring the caves and tunnels of Lookout Mountain at night when no one is around. While doing this, she meets a worker one night named Quinton. He does not judge or condemn Ada, but instead gives her advice on exploring, and even joins her at times.

The depression affects their town hard, and especially Leo and Ruby. They made a huge investment and turned Ruby Falls into a tourist attraction with a restaurant, tours, and weekend dances. However, to drum up more business, Leo decides to invite Jeremiah Hagathorn to partake in a PR event. Hagathorn is a renowned mind reader. LEo will have 2 of his most trusted people hide a hat key somewhere in the monstrous caves and tunnels. Then a group of people, including the two hiders, a journalist, Hagathorn's wife, and a tour guide, will go down and Hagathorn will have 12 hours to find it. Unbeknownst to the group, Ada and Quinton are hired to follow the group from a distance to keep an eye and provide a safety net.

However, tragedy happens and Ada and Quinton have to get the other explorers out before another death occurs.

This was a claustrophobic, atmospheric mystery. I really liked most of the characters. I really liked the characters, especially Ada and Quinton. They are intelligent and resourceful. Ruby is also very likable. This is more a mystery than a thriller, but there are tense moments and just an overall dark, closed in vibe. IT is very well written and comes together nicely, and I was a little surprised at the reveal- or more for the motivation behind the crime! Well done!

There is a lot of reflection in the characters, that at times made the story drag a bit. And it is told through multiple viewpoints- but I felt this worked for the story. I highly recommend for anyone interested in a mystery with a unique take on the locked room mystery!

I also highly recommend the author's note at the end. I found it very interesting about the history of the falls!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atlantic Crime for the ARC. This is my honest and voluntary review.

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Growing up in Tennessee, I have seen the billboards along highways and interstates for Ruby Falls my entire life. I have even visited there on more than one occasion as a child. So, when I saw there was a murder mystery that takes place right here in my own backyard...sign me up!

We are in the late 1920s, and Ruby Falls is not as fully developed as it is now. We join in progress a situation that involves caves. There isa lot of backstory of the protagonist in the first part of the book. It allows for a lot of depth of character for later.

We do find ourselves with a group that is going deep into the caves. This part of the story has strong Agatha Christie vibes, and I am all for it. When they find themselves in peril, a body turns up. Now, not only are they trying to survive, but they know the killer is one of their own and must find out who it is. If they survive nature, a huge “IF”, they may not survive the killer.

There was only one part of the story that didn’t connect with me and that was a part of sexual tension. I see where it could fit in the protagonist’s story, but it just didn’t seem to fit the rest of the novel.

Check out “Ruby Falls”, the novel. Well, while we are at it, why don’t y’all come on down to Tennessee and visit Ruby Falls. Enjoy some sweet tea. Sit a spell on my front porch. We will talk about books.

I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review.

[Christina Hiers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Growing up in East Tennessee myself, I was drawn to this historical fiction called Ruby Falls. This book follows Ada Smith, strong female main character who explores the caves on her own at night. This story is so intriguing and has amazing character development. If you like caves, a good mystery/ thriller, or historical fiction, pick up this book and dive in. During the Great Depression the cave needs a new stunt or gimmick to draw in customers. They decide to enlist a mind reader and mystic to explore the cave in search of a hidden hat pin in the caves. Cute right? That's when the story turns! Tragedy strikes. Ada and her partner have to figure out what happened and get everyone out with losing another member of their party. Think Murder on the Orient Express but in a spooky cave with some smart characters. 5 stars!

[Jensen McCorkel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ruby Falls starts off as a strong historical fiction/thriller. We have a interesting time period and very unique setting and a very strong premise. The atmosphere is the best part of this read. It is haunting, suffocating with elements of sensory deprivation slowly eating away at the mental stability of the characters. Eleanore is an unreliable narrator but that is what makes her most intriguing. She is fearless yet anxious and clearly coming apart inside. Though well written the story begins to slow and drag a bit for me. Not so much that I lost interest completely but enough for me to glance ahead and watch chapter length, if that makes sense. The ending almost seemed written by a different author which was unexpected.

Overall it was a well written story that was good not great. If you read books for atmosphere though, this will be the read for you.

[Diana Luzsanyi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely LOVED this book! I have loved all of Gin Phillips books and expected nothing less from Ruby Falls, but this book is next level. There are no new stories, only new ways to tell them. The story is a good one, the storytelling, masterful. The way in which these richly drawn characters evoked the picture in my mind’s eye, far exceeded my expectations. I was so drawn to them that for the duration of the novel, I felt truly surrounded by their presence. Her writing is so beautiful, I feel as if she deliberated over every single word. Ms. Phillips’ novels always feature strong women and Ruby Falls is no exception. Ada is a strong woman who knows who she is and knows what she doesn’t know. She is wise beyond her years. You will love her! Preorder your copy now. Available March 3, 2026. You’ll thank me

[Alana · Rating 4 out of 5]

A closed room (err cave) mystery done differently and well. I loved the period of time this was set in and the fact that Ruby Falls is a real and beautiful cave system.

It took me a bit to get into this as the beginning was lagging a little. Once it gets going, you get to learn a lot about Ada and her love of exploring this cave. As someone who has a degree in Geology and earth sciences, I enjoyed the bits of mineral talk and exploration. Having been in caves I could really feel the claustrophobia oozing from every page.

I grew to enjoy Ada and I liked being in her head even if at times she was losing it.

If you enjoy mystery novels with decent twists, an interesting setting and time period, this is a solid read.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC

[Coventry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ruby Falls takes place underground in the dark which makes it unique. Apparently it is a real place so that adds into the story. This is a well written mystery with good characters and a surprising who dun it. It is told through multiple characters, so that can be a bit confusing. The book is full of mystery and intrigue though.

[Kidlitter · Rating 3 out of 5]

A DRC was provided by Edelweiss in exchange for a fair and decidedly not meandering review.

Good, not great, historical fiction. Strong start in an interesting time period and unusual setting, then the story loses its way. The reader feels like one of the characters lost in the caverns, but there's some lovely writing that carries through to the end.

[Allison Celeste · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book!

[J R · Rating 4 out of 5]

premise and ideas were super interesting, and the mystery was really well crafted, though at points it dragged a little. 4 stars. tysm for the arc.

[Katherine Itro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ruby Falls by Gin Phillips is a compelling and suspenseful novel that captivates readers from the very first page. The protagonist, Ada, emerges as a remarkably resilient and complex character, shaped by the many challenges she has faced throughout her life. The narrative begins prior to the discovery of Ruby Falls, but the true heart of the story unfolds as Ada becomes involved with a rescue team.
Without revealing too much, it is worth noting that the character development in this novel is exceptional, and the plot is rich with tension and intrigue. Phillips masterfully crafts a “whodunnit” that keeps readers guessing until the very end. I found the book difficult to put down, and would highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys mysteries and suspenseful fiction.

[abigail parrish · Rating 5 out of 5]

my staff pick review -
i loved this book! i admit that it took me a few days to get into it, but once the crew was underground, i couldn't put it down! the story is told primarily from Ada's perspective, but occasionally shifts to the characters that have never been in the caves, and we are privy to their dynamics as they are led deeper and deeper by a wild man who will stop at nothing to achieve his goals. at once touching and suffocating, this book will drag you into the depths right alongside them, and you will crave it. in three words: tense, intimate, and claustrophobic.

a historical fiction/mystery novel by gin phillips.

my edelweiss review -
I LOVED this book! I admit it took a few days to really get into it, but once the crew is underground, I couldn't put it down. It's claustrophobic, it's intense, it's nerve-wracking, but it's still captivating and at times incredibly intimate and touching. The story is told primarily from Ada's perspective, but it occasionally switches to other perspectives to explore mostly other character dynamics that Ada isn't privy to, but also the private thoughts of the characters who had never before experienced the caves in any capacity, let alone with a time constraint and a wild man leading them deeper and deeper. I rate this a nine out of ten, but if we're talking stars, it's a five out of five for me. Expect this treasure on March 3rd, 2026!!