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One Second Away

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What happens when your worst nightmare becomes your reality?

One sunny day in California, Jessie is hugging her nine-year-old son, Dylan, goodbye at the airport. He's travelling by himself, all the way across the country, to visit his father, Jessie's soon-to-be ex-husband, and his grandparents. Her heart breaks, but she puts on a brave face and gives her son one last wave as a flight attendant leads him away. 

Several hours later, Jessie gets a frantic call from Dylan's grandmother in New York. Dylan is missing.

In a second, Jessie's world turns upside down. The AirTag she'd stuck in his backpack says he's still at LAX. The airline insists that he was picked up at JFK by an elderly couple claiming to be his grandparents--but Jessie's in-laws insist they haven't seen him. Dylan has disappeared into thin air.

At the same moment, miles away, in Toronto, a train operator loses control of a subway train, and the fiery crash injures dozens of passengers.

Jessie doesn’t know it yet, but this crash is inextricably linked to Dylan's disappearance. She has to find out how—and where her son is.

Propulsive and page-turning, the latest from bestselling author Rick Mofina is a race-against-the-clock global thriller that will leave you breathless.

399 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 28, 2026

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About the author

Rick Mofina

69 books1,389 followers
Rick Mofina is a former journalist who has interviewed murderers on death row in Montana and Texas, flown over L.A. with the LAPD and patrolled with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police near the Arctic. He's also reported from the Caribbean, Africa and Kuwait's border with Iraq. His true-crime freelance work has appeared in The New York Times, The Telegraph (London, U.K.), Reader’s Digest, Penthouse, Marie Claire and The South China Morning Post, (Hong Kong). He has written more than 20 crime fiction thrillers that have been published in nearly 30 countries.

His work has been praised by James Patterson, Dean Koontz, Michael Connelly, Lee Child, Tess Gerritsen, Jeffery Deaver, Louise Penny, Sandra Brown, James Rollins, Lisa Unger, Brad Thor, Nick Stone, David Morrell, Allison Brennan, Heather Graham, Linwood Barclay, Peter Robinson, Håkan Nesser and Kay Hooper.

The Crime Writers of Canada, The International Thriller Writers and The Private Eye Writers of America have listed his titles among the best in crime fiction. As a two-time winner of Canada's Arthur Ellis Award, a four-time Thriller Award finalist and a two-time Shamus Award finalist, the Library Journal calls him, “One of the best thriller writers in the business.”

Series:
* Tom Reed and Walt Sydowski
* Jason Wade
* Jack Gannon

Awards:
Arthur Ellis Award
◊ Best Novel (2003): Blood of Others

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5 stars
80 (34%)
4 stars
111 (48%)
3 stars
27 (11%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 87 reviews
Profile Image for theliterateleprechaun .
2,707 reviews206 followers
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
April 3, 2026
Rick Mofina’s exhilarating cyber thriller raises the alarm about how tech companies can invade privacy and dismantle security to further their invasion.

We are only a few months into 2026, but I’m becoming increasingly aware that this is definitely the era of AI, data breaches, online privacy issues, hacking, and tracking. The fact that this pacey suspense spotlights all those insecurities (and then some) makes this a novel that will resonate with many. Mofina has given us the perfect blend of bingable thriller and a warning about cybersecurity threats.

Filled with surprises up to the final paragraph, and with no halt to the breathless action, this propulsive and addictive novel needs to be on every thriller’s reading list. I’d previously enjoyed ‘Someone Saw Something’ and with this 5-star novel, Mofina has quickly placed himself on my auto-read list. I’m coming for your back list!

Check your heart rate before reading! Do not attempt if you’ve already bitten your nails to the quick!

I was gifted this copy and was under no obligation to provide a review.
Profile Image for Wendy.
2,024 reviews701 followers
May 13, 2026
Rick Mofina never fails to give us a pulse-racing read and in One Second Away he does just that.
In California Jessie hugs her 9 yr old son Dylan goodbye at the airport. He is traveling alone to visit his Dad and grandparents in New York. Several hours later Jessie receives a call that Dylan is missing.
At the same time, miles away in Toronto a subway train operator loses control of his train causing it to crash, killing multiple passengers. Across the globe more cyberattacks are causing trains to lose control and the death toll is rising.
The clock is ticking not only to find Dylan but to stop whomever is hacking into the train systems around the world.
And how are these stories connected?
This edge of your seat thriller was unputdownable.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for an arc of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
Profile Image for Christine.
2,041 reviews63 followers
April 28, 2026
4.25
Rick Mofina's thrillers are full of suspense with sympathetic characters and dilemmas. Of course the situations are more intense than most people experience, but the heart of the story is relatable, such as balancing career with family. In this book, a mother going through a divorce is terrified when her young son goes missing. Since Jessie Ward owns a cyber security company with top secret government contracts and her estranged husband is a prominent journalist uncovering cybersecurity schemes, dark forces may be involved in young Dylan's abduction.

In addition to Dylan going missing after Jessie puts him on a flight from Los Angeles to New York to spend time with his father and grandparents, there is also a storyline about malfunctioning train controls, beginning with a subway train crash in Toronto and moving on to other incidents around the world. There are a lot of moving pieces in the story and some move faster than others. There are some high-stakes, action-packed scenes in the book but there are some pacing issues with parts of the plot advancing more slowly.
Overall, I enjoyed this complex and sometimes scary thriller. I figured out who was behind many of the crimes and why, but the final scenes are still very suspenseful with a satisfying conclusion.

I received an advance copy of this ebook from Penguin Random House Canada and NetGalley, but my review is voluntary and unbiased.
Profile Image for Zoe.
2,443 reviews346 followers
April 24, 2026
Tense, twisty, and relentlessly suspenseful!

ONE SECOND AWAY is a sharply executed, menacing thriller that draws readers deep into the lives of Jessica Ward, a cybersecurity expert who will stop at nothing to find her kidnapped son, and Claire Brenner, an investigator convinced that a recent Toronto subway crash was caused by something far more sinister than mere driver error.

The prose is brisk and precise. The characters are intelligent, resourceful, and flawed. And the plot unfolds as a high-stakes cat-and-mouse game, packed with twists, turns, action, intrigue, power, duplicity, jealousy, manipulation, and cybercrime.

Overall, ONE SECOND AWAY is a dark, edgy, intricately crafted page-turner by Mofina that was satisfying, thoroughly entertaining, and a story I absolutely loved.
Profile Image for Adah Udechukwu.
713 reviews98 followers
May 5, 2026
It was interesting but it was longer than I expected
Profile Image for Fannie.
73 reviews3 followers
April 5, 2026
Review as an advance from Netgalley


Received this book before publication date… and thrillers are not usually what I read.
I couldn’t put it down! Captivated from the first page!

But… won’t ever ride a transit system ever again without thinking about these characters! 😂
Profile Image for Stephanielikesbooks.
765 reviews86 followers
May 1, 2026
Rick Mofina writes solid thrillers but his last couple haven’t been my favourites. However, with this new one, he returns to form. This is a good one.

One Second Away was a fast-paced, gripping action thriller about a missing 10-year-old boy, his frantic mother, and a murder, all happening against the backdrop of AI-empowered cyberattacks turning trains into runaway deathtraps.

This one started off quickly and the pace kept up. I could feel the mother’s worry and fear as she experienced every parents’ nightmare. The short chapters and alternating POVs kept my interest, eager to see what was going to happen next. There were red herrings, twists and turns, clues scattered throughout, and a tense, satisfying ending.

Thanks to the publisher for this complimentary digital copy. All opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Rob Eamer.
171 reviews2 followers
May 16, 2026
There were lots of twists and turns but in the end, there were too many characters, some components were too technical and some storylines were unnecessary.
Profile Image for Nadine Byrne.
297 reviews
May 10, 2026
3 ⭐️⭐️⭐️
One Second Away is a fictional thriller centered on cyber security; critical systems overrides that caused catastrophic events; murder and child abduction. While the premise was interesting, I found the story a bit too drawn out, with too many characters and side plots that distracted from the main storyline. The ending was also fairly predictable. Overall, it had a strong concept but didn’t fully hold my attention.
Profile Image for Pally.
74 reviews
April 19, 2026
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

What a rollercoaster rush of a book this was! I whizzed through the book so quickly
This is what you call a thriller! I hope this books a movie coz wow 🤯
This is the first book I’ve read of Ricky and I can’t wait to pick up more now. It was exhilarating reading the events unfold and it felt like race against time. The use of deepfake, AI, control of trains, my god..

I will say i guessed the twist and the reasoning felt cliche but didnt falter me to finishing the book. It was a quick read but so so good!!
Profile Image for Mel Kathryn.
55 reviews4 followers
May 3, 2026
This story leans hard into every parent’s worst fear the idea that life can change in a single secondand it delivers. The pacing is FAST, the chapters are addictive, and the tension just keeps building.

For me, this was less about a shocking twist (to be frank I knew right away) and more about the anxiety of it all. That constant feeling of “something is about to go very wrong” never really lets up.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for letting me get my hands on another great Rick Mofina book!!
79 reviews3 followers
April 28, 2026
I received this book as an arc from Netgalley. This book was really 3.5 stars. I guessed who was behind everything from the very beginning. While I found the it jarring to jump timelines of events, I did find the book really quick to read.
Profile Image for Enid Wray.
1,535 reviews82 followers
Read
March 22, 2026
Exactly what you expect from Rick Mofina.
Profile Image for Yvonne (It's All About Books).
2,788 reviews321 followers
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
April 28, 2026

Finished reading: April 26th 2026


"Jessie's fears intensified. The FBI and now the press were involved, and that put everything into overdrive."

*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by Netgalley and Doubleday Canada in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***

REVIEW

Profile Image for Alan (the Lone Librarian) Teder.
2,823 reviews283 followers
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
April 9, 2026
Runaway Trains 🍁
A review of the Doubleday Canada eBook ARC provided by NetGalley for the Doubleday Canada paperback/eBook/audiobook to be published April 28 2026.

One Second Away puts its foot on the gas right from the get-go and doesn't let up at any point in its 400 page thrill ride. We start with POVs from cybersecurity tech-whiz Jessica Ward seeing off her 9-year-old son Dylan on a seemingly risk-free unaccompanied-child plane trip across country to his dad and in-laws, and then to crashes and near-misses of subway trains under inexplicable circumstances.

As international safety and security experts delve into the mystery of how trains are being apparently cyber-hijacked, Jessie is horrified to hear that Dylan was never met by his grandparents and has apparently been kidnapped.

Inexplicably there are no ransom demands for either the boy or for the threats to rail travel. Jessie herself comes under suspicion as she was in the middle of a custody battle with journalist husband Vaughn Ward. Gradually it becomes clear that the kidnapping & terror threat motives must somehow overlap due to either attempts to obtain Jessie's confidential cybersecurity information or to prevent Vaughn's exposé of a cyberterrorist organization.

One Second Away races through various international settings as Jessie crosses the country seeking clues to the kidnappers and the location of her son. It all comes to a thrilling close when the roots of the conspiracy are revealed and she has only seconds to prevent a final fatal train collision.

This was a compulsive read which kept you turning the pages faster and faster towards its satisfying conclusion. Maybe it is a 4.5 rating, as I would have had more satisfaction from more details on the unveiling and apprehension of the culprits, but I do not hesitate in bumping this up to a Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ stars.

My thanks to Doubleday Canada and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC copy of the eBook, in exchange for which I provide this honest review.

Soundtrack
After I settled on my lede header, I immediately thought of the Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers same-titled song from the Let Me Up (I've Had Enough) (1987) album. You can listen to the track Runaway Trains on YouTube here or on Spotify here.

Trivia and Links
Canadian author Rick Mofina is a former journalist who now writes crime and suspense thrillers which often use series characters. His most popular novel (based on current GR reviews and ratings) is Cold Fear (2001) which is part of the Tom Reed and Walt Sydowski (2000-2004) series. See further information at his website here.
Profile Image for Lori L (She Treads Softly) .
3,070 reviews122 followers
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
April 6, 2026
One Second Away by Rick Mofina is a very highly recommended complex thriller where the stakes are high and the pace is fast.

The novel opens with a train operator in Toronto notices a few glitches in the automated while traveling his route. Then his worst nightmare comes true. He has the green light to proceed along the track when he sees a stopped train in front of him. The resulting crash kills five passengers and injures dozens of others. Was this human error or is something more nefarious in the works.

During this same time period, Jessie Ward nine-year-old son, Dylan, is flying to see his dad, Vaughn, in NYC. Jessie and Vaughn are separated. Vaughn's parent's, Dylan's grandparents, Lillian and Miller, will be picking him up at JFK. Jessie has several ways to track Dylan and he has made this trip once before, so they both know the procedures. Then, several hours later Dylan is missing. His grandparents claim to have received a message sending them to another gate. The airline claims that Dylan was picked up by an elderly couple with the ID of Lillian and Miller. Vaughn says he is working up in Canada, but will immediately head back to NYC. Jessie's worst nightmare is unfolding before her eyes.

Jessie's company Instinct Nine-99 specializes in the creation of classified advanced network security systems, with many big, private and government contracts. Two of her exceptional programmers, Bobby and Serita, use their specialized skills to help Jessie try to find Dylan. At the same time, Vaughn's actions are odd and the police are suspecting Jessie of plotting something to keep Dylan away from his father. Jessie and her team have to actually help the FBI and police with information they uncover, including pictures of the elderly couple who did take Dylan.

There is a whole lot of action and intrigue happening in this well-written thriller with events that could be ripped from headlines today (but hopefully never happen). The pace is fast through both the investigation of Dylan's disappearance and the inquiry into the glitches resulting in crashes of trains in major cities across the globe. There are several other things going on that make it clear the stakes are high and the danger is very real. Both story lines are interesting, although Jessie's search for her son will be the most frightening one for any parent.

Expect an intricate plot in both of the complicated cases along with several heart-stopping incidents during the investigations. The short chapters help to keep the tension building and the suspense high throughout the novel. Once you start reading, it will be hard to set this thriller aside.

One Second Away is a perfect choice for readers who enjoy complex, fast-paced thrillers and everyone following Rick Mofina's novels. Thanks to Doubleday Canada for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2026/0...
Profile Image for Catharine.
99 reviews
April 29, 2026
Rick Mofina knows exactly how to weaponise ordinary fears, and in “One Second Away,” he takes every parent’s worst nightmare and turns it into a relentless, pulse-pounding thriller.

What begins with a child travelling alone across the country quickly spirals into something far darker and far more complex. A missing boy, conflicting stories, an abandoned AirTag, and a devastating subway crash in another city—none of it should connect, and yet somehow it does. That uneasy sense of scale is what makes this story so gripping. It starts personal, intimate even, before widening into something far more sinister.

Mofina’s strength has always been his pacing, and here he keeps the tension high from the very first pages. The chapters move quickly, revelations arrive at just the right moments, and there’s a genuine urgency that makes it difficult to put down. He understands how to structure suspense so that every thread feels meaningful.

What worked particularly well was the emotional undercurrent. Beneath the action and conspiracy is a mother’s desperation, and that grounding gives the novel real weight. Jessie’s fear and determination anchor the story, ensuring it never becomes just another procedural puzzle.

The plot occasionally asks for a little suspension of disbelief, and some of the twists lean into cinematic territory, but the sheer momentum carries it through. This is one of those books where you happily go along for the ride because the storytelling is so assured.

“One Second Away” delivers exactly what thriller readers want: high stakes, fast pacing, and enough tension to keep you second-guessing until the end. A gripping, edge-of-your-seat read from an author who knows precisely how to keep readers hooked.

I received a complimentary copy of this book.
Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and may be found on Goodreads, Amazon, and NetGalley.

My thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the DRC of “One Second Away” by Rick Mofina. “One Second Away” is published and available from 28 April 2026.
Profile Image for Darlene.
734 reviews32 followers
May 13, 2026
4.5 stars
Published on Peeking Between the Pages (https://peekingbetweenthepages.com/20...)


One Second Away is a fast paced and suspenseful thriller and is exactly what I look for when I read one of Rick Mofina’s books. What could be more tense than a ten-year-old boy gone missing, his mother mad with worry, a murder, and cyber attacks linking it all. This was such a rollercoaster of a ride and I flew through the pages!

Jessie drops her son Dylan off at the airport. He’s travelling by himself to visit his father and grandparents. While Jessie is apprehensive, Dylan did travel alone just a month ago. Hours later though Dylan’s grandmother phones in hysterics to say that Dylan has gone missing. The airline says an elderly couple looking like Dylan’s grandparents picked him up but they insist it wasn’t them and Dylan’s AirTag shows him still being at the airport. Where has he gone and who took him? With Jessie being a cybersecurity expert and her ex-husband a prominent journalist suspicions fall on them but Jessie is determined to uncover every clue to find her son and she has the resources to do so. Meanwhile in Toronto there is a subway crash that kills and injures many. As the story unfolds we learn that there are many sinister forces at work and seemingly unrelated events are coming together in a much bigger, scarier conspiracy.

Wow this was one of those books that gripped me from page one and didn’t slow down until the last page. More than once I thought I had things figured out only to find pages later I didn’t. One Second Away is a tense, action packed thriller and showcases Rick Mofina at his best. Highly recommended!

Review copy provided by the publisher for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Lee.
1,096 reviews126 followers
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
February 9, 2026
One Second Away launches straight into panic as Jessie watches her young son board a plane alone, believing he’ll be safely reunited with his father on the other side of the country. Hours later, her world implodes, Dylan never arrives. The airline insists he was collected by relatives who were never there, while the tracker Jessie hid in his bag shows he never even left Los Angeles. At the same time, a catastrophic subway disaster in Toronto sends shockwaves through the news cycle. What Jessie doesn’t yet realise is that these two events are threads of the same chilling conspiracy, one rooted in digital sabotage, hidden networks, and the terrifying reach of modern technology. As she races to uncover what happened to her son, every new clue raises more suspicion, and every person around her becomes a potential threat.

Rick Mofina propels the story forward with relentless momentum. The short, sharp chapters, shifting perspectives, and a sense of urgency that never lets up. The novel blends emotional stakes with high‑tech intrigue, creating a thriller that feels disturbingly plausible in today’s world of cyberattacks and AI‑driven manipulation. The tension builds beautifully, with twists that land at just the right moment and a cast of characters who keep you guessing about their true motives. It’s the kind of book that pulls you in from page one and refuses to let go, perfect for readers who crave n.‑paced suspense, global stakes, and a mother’s desperate fight to bring her child home. As always loved it!!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy, all opinions expressed are my own.
1,746 reviews25 followers
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
April 24, 2026
***I received an ARC from Net Galley in exchange for my honest review

Jessie hugs her 9-year-old son Dylan goodbye at LAX as he prepares to board the plane to NYC, to spend the next month with his dad & grandparents. A few hours later she gets a frantic call from her former in-laws, saying that Dylan isn't there. Jessie checks the air tag she put in his bag and it still shows LAX as the location, and when she facetimes with the police at the airport in New York, they show that an elderly couple, looking a lot like his grandparents, picked up Dylan. When they try to reach Dylan's father, no one is able to contact him. At the same moment, miles away, in Toronto, a train operator loses control of a subway train, and the fiery crash kills five passengers and injures dozens of others. Was this a fatal human error or something more sinister? And how exactly is it connected to the disappearance of Dylan? Because, somehow, it is.....

I always enjoy this author's books. This one was definitely a thrill ride. Probably not the best idea for me to finish this right before bedtime because I am going to be too keyed up for hours now. I always thought that taking a train might be a good way to take a take a trip, but I have changed my mind. You couldn't pay me to get on one now. There were two high stakes storylines that were going on at the same time that you knew were somehow connected, but it took awhile before the pieces started to fall into place. It had a twist at the end, and then ended in a heart-stopping finish. I highly recommend this one!
Profile Image for The Honest Book Reviewer.
1,642 reviews38 followers
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
April 27, 2026
An entertaining thriller with a solid concept, but the execution didn’t land that well for me. And I have read Mofina before, and loved the read.

The premise of the story is engaging. It pulls at what I think many readers would fear, the abduction of a child. But here’s the thing. The story moves at a good pace, and there are some moments of tension that felt well developed. But two things stood out to me. The dialogue often felt stilted and oddly formal, which pulled me out of the narrative at times. When you’re reading a thriller that’s fast-paced and relies on immersion, the dialogue was noticeable. And then there’s the long wait for plot movement. I don’t want to give too many details away, but there’s a gap between two events that felt too long and removes a fair bit of tension.

I also think the scope of the book was a bit too large, causing some characters to not have enough depth. I did like Jessie, Dahlia, and Chelsea, but I did struggle to connect completely with Jessie as a protagonist. I do think many readers will connect with her more than I did. Maybe it was the stilted dialogue, I’m not sure, but something just didn’t click for me like I thought it would.

But Mofina knows how to write some big scenes and there are some really great scenes in this book that felt cinematic. They felt designed for visual impact and that gives the story a true Hollywood feel.

It’s an easy and entertaining read that will attract a lot of readers.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing a free copy of the book for an honest review.
Profile Image for Emerald Maple.
164 reviews22 followers
Read
April 18, 2026
I enjoyed this one. Lots of threads that you know will come together in the end but you are not sure how they connect. As Jessie says goodbye to her son at LAX, she feels the guilt of letting him go, of the contentious divorce but soon she gets a panicked call from his grandparents who were supposed to be picking him up. They were redirected by the airline to another gate but it wasn't Dylan's gate and by the time they got back, he had vanished and the footage shows no one there.

Jessie's work as a cyber security expert with government contracts means it could be a ransom, her divorce means it could be parental kidnapping from either side, various signs point to child trafficking and other potential reasons leaving lots of investigation for the various authorities involved. It is fast paced, you feel Jessie's panic as she races around following clues frustrated by the dead ends.

The mystery of why the trains crashed and who is behind it, Dylan's disappearance and how they are linked are still the main story but they use the tech to help uncover the links.

I did guess who was behind it, but it was just a guess. The book provided plenty of other suspects and there were definitely times when I thought I was wrong about them.

Thanks to Doubleday Canada for the advance copy for review through Netgalley
53 reviews1 follower
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
April 18, 2026
Rick Mofina has done it again. With his latest novel, Rick Mofina delivers a gripping, emotionally charged story that pulls you in from the very first page and refuses to let go. Thank goodness I had a rainy day to sit and devour this story!

What sets this book apart is his uncanny ability to balance relentless suspense with deeply human storytelling. The pacing is razor-sharp—every chapter ends with just enough tension to keep you turning pages late into the night—but it’s the characters that truly elevate the experience. They feel real, flawed, and utterly compelling, making the stakes hit that much harder.

Mofina’s background in journalism shines through in the authenticity of the narrative. The details are vivid without ever feeling heavy, and the plot unfolds with a precision that keeps you guessing right up to the final twist. Just when you think you’ve figured it out, he skillfully shifts the ground beneath you.

This is more than just a thriller—it’s a story about resilience, choices, and the ripple effects of our actions. Fans of fast-paced, intelligent suspense will find themselves completely absorbed.

In short, this book is a must-read. Whether you’re already a fan of Rick Mofina or discovering him for the first time, this novel is a standout that showcases him at the top of his game.
Profile Image for Kristy Johnston.
1,353 reviews78 followers
April 30, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and Doubleday Canada for a free review copy.

Jessie hugs her 9-year-old son at the airport and sends him off with the airline personnel to travel from LA to New York to visit his dad and grandparents. The grandparents call in a panic when they go to the gate to pick him up and he’s not there. The story quickly escalates to a search for a missing child involving the local police and the FBI starting with immediate questions for the parents and grandparents. Jessie is a cyber security expert and her soon to be ex-husband is a freelance reporter who often takes the dangerous stories. Is it a custody dispute or are their enemies after them?

This story is told in short chapters and escalates quickly into a runaway train. Literally, because interspersed with the missing child story are events starting in Toronto involving runaway trains ending in spectacular crashes injuring passengers and wreaking havoc on transportation. How are these stories connected? I had my suspicions and while it was a little more complicated than I imagined, I was on the edge of my seat flipping pages to find out if mother and son would be reunited or if the story would end in tragedy or at least another train wreck.

Recommended to thriller readers who enjoy fast-paced investigative procedurals.
38 reviews2 followers
May 17, 2026
One Second Away by Rick Mofina is a gripping cyber-thriller that leaves readers questioning how close we really are to devastating, life-altering cyber threats. This was my first introduction to Mofina’s work—and it certainly won’t be my last. He delivers strong character development while maintaining a fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat narrative that keeps you hooked from start to finish.

The story follows Jessica Ward, who sends her son, Dylan, on a flight to JFK to visit his father and grandparents in New York. However, upon arrival, Dylan is abducted by a couple posing as his grandparents. What follows is a tense search to locate Dylan and uncover who is behind the kidnapping—and, more importantly, why.

At the same time, a catastrophic train accident in Canada, caused by a malfunction, results in significant loss of life. As similar incidents begin occurring around the world, countries are forced to work together to determine whether these events are connected and how the trains are being controlled. The race is on to stop further disasters before more innocent lives are lost.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for providing this advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
Profile Image for Anne.
787 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
February 4, 2026
One Second Away is a very thought provoking read that deals with current issues of AI and cyber terrorism. I was drawn into the story quickly and the author grabbed my attention and interest and held it to the last page. The authors writing is engaging and this quickly became one of those moorish reads that was hard to put down. The story is full of tension, suspense, thrills and mystery which kept me guessing and desperate to know what would happen next. The plot line is certainly well thought out and all to believeable today. I loved the different country settings, the individual story threads and enjoyed following all the agencies and their investigations. There are some scenes where Rick Mofina expertly builds up the tension making you (ok, me) think oh no oh no because you're certain you know what is going to happen although you really hope you're wrong. I guessed correctly which character was responsible and felt the ending was a little too rushed for my liking, although the epilogue gives good closure. If you like thrillers then I'm sure you'll enjoy this read and I'd recommend it.

4 stars
Profile Image for cattolyst.
199 reviews3 followers
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
April 8, 2026
I found this story quite fast-paced, but that’s because time was an essential thing to consider, especially if your son’s life was on the line. Reading this felt like a wild goose chase, and seeing Jessie be a few hours late to leads or locations where her son was broke my heart. The whole story got me itching to know who, what, why, and how. And yes, those were all answered.

Cyber intrusions and attacks are getting more common now. But on trains? After reading this, maybe I’m scared of trains now. While caused and executed by a person, technology plays a huge role as the antagonist in this book. The impact of using technology for good versus bad highlights the dilemma in the story. Kind of glad modern technology is being used in thrillers, since it makes the chase more intense. With it, you can trust no one. With the clever involvement of AI manipulation, I honestly did not expect who the culprit was, so it was a bit of a shock to me when they were revealed. I feel like it ended too abruptly, but I would take a happy, bittersweet ending all day.

🧾 Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Profile Image for Tiffany K.
45 reviews9 followers
April 29, 2026
One Second Away by Rick Mofina is a tense and compelling thriller that taps into every parent’s worst fear. It blends the intimate, emotional stakes of a missing child, with a series of mysterious transit accidents unfolding across the globe, and gradually uncovers the unexpected ways these threads collide.

What stood out most to me was the constant tension and panic created by the missing child premise. As a mother, I found myself anxiously turning the pages, following Jessie as she tried everything in her power to find her son, Dylan. The story hooked me from page one, and I especially loved how the author layered in twists that kept me second-guessing everyone right alongside her.

💬 What to Expect:
• Tropes: missing child, murder, race against the clock thriller
• Tone: Emotional, dark, and intense
• Pacing: Fast, I couldn’t put it down
• Best for readers who love: International intrigue and thrills a minute

I flew through this one and would recommend it to anyone who loves a global thriller with multi-faceted layers. Bonus points for setting part of the novel in my hometown of Toronto!
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101 reviews1 follower
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
April 7, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
One Second Away by Rick Mofina hits the ground running—literally—with hackers seizing control of Toronto’s train system and sending two passenger trains onto the same track. From page one, this thriller doesn’t slow down.

As international cyber experts race to stop further attacks, the story pivots to an even more terrifying crisis: the disappearance of a child. Cybersecurity CEO Jessie Ward’s nine year old son vanishes enroute from LAX to JFK, launching a tense, emotional hunt filled with secrets, rivalries, and suspect motives. Is the truth tied to Jessie’s estranged journalist husband? A tech competitor? Or a much bigger conspiracy?

Mofina masterfully weaves global cyberterrorism with a heartpounding child abduction, bringing both storylines together in a gripping, highstakes finale. This was impossible to put down—smart, timely, and relentlessly suspenseful.

Highly recommended. I’m already looking forward to Mofina’s next book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Rick Mofina for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
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