What do you think?
Rate this book
Nowhere Safe: A Psychological Thriller
For twenty years, Sloane Keller has hidden in plain sight.
As a flight attendant, she lives between terminals and hotel rooms, always moving, never rooted.
To the world, she’s unshakable. But Sloane isn’t who she says she is.
Once, she was Nicole LeBlanc—the girl who vanished the same night her best friend Lucy drowned. The town believed Nicole died too. Instead, she fled and built a new life.
But when a passenger calls her by her old name mid-flight, Sloane’s carefully constructed world begins to collapse. Someone knows who she really is. Someone knows what happened that night by the river.
And someone is determined to make her remember.
As the threats escalate and her memories twist into doubt, Sloane must return to the past she swore she’d never face. Because the truth didn’t drown with Lucy—
it’s been waiting for Nicole to come home.
Unreliable and twist-filled, this psychological thriller forces readers to question every page. Nothing is as it seems, and no one—not even Sloane—can be trusted.
As a flight attendant, she lives between terminals and hotel rooms, always moving, never rooted.
To the world, she’s unshakable. But Sloane isn’t who she says she is.
Once, she was Nicole LeBlanc—the girl who vanished the same night her best friend Lucy drowned. The town believed Nicole died too. Instead, she fled and built a new life.
But when a passenger calls her by her old name mid-flight, Sloane’s carefully constructed world begins to collapse. Someone knows who she really is. Someone knows what happened that night by the river.
And someone is determined to make her remember.
As the threats escalate and her memories twist into doubt, Sloane must return to the past she swore she’d never face. Because the truth didn’t drown with Lucy—
it’s been waiting for Nicole to come home.
Unreliable and twist-filled, this psychological thriller forces readers to question every page. Nothing is as it seems, and no one—not even Sloane—can be trusted.
242 pages, Paperback
Published December 18, 2025
18 people are currently reading
1793 people want to read
About the author
Kate Anslinger
26 books239 followersKate is the author of the Grace McKenna Mystery series and The Town Series. She’s also penned several standalone novels and co-authored a nonfiction book or two. In addition to her life as a novelist, Kate is a ghostwriter, book coach, and a veteran of the United States Air Force. Her debut novel Saving Jason, touches upon the struggles of PTSD, a topic that is near and dear to her heart. Kate lives on the North Shore of Boston with her husband, two daughters and golden retriever pup.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
January 9, 2026
If you’re into twisty thrillers this book is for you! This follows a woman who had something tragic happen in her past! She had her name changed and has moved on with her life! She’s a flight attendant and years later on one of her flights a passenger calls her by her old name and boy does it take off from there! This was so fun and twisty I’d definitely recommend! Thank you to Kate Anslinger for the arc! This is my 3rd book by her and won’t be my last!
December 26, 2025
3.5 Stars
A psychological thriller novel that will take you on a roller-coaster ride of deception and chicanery.
Sloane Keller hides in plain sight as a flight attendant—never in one place, always moving. She’s running from her past after her best friend, Lucy, drowned when they were teenagers.
But someone knows what really happened that night by the river.
A psychological thriller novel that will take you on a roller-coaster ride of deception and chicanery.
Sloane Keller hides in plain sight as a flight attendant—never in one place, always moving. She’s running from her past after her best friend, Lucy, drowned when they were teenagers.
But someone knows what really happened that night by the river.
Review of advance copy received from Author
ARC review: this was a fantastic, fast paced psychological thriller. I was captivated from the beginning. There were lots of twists and a surprise at the end that I definitely did not see coming! Amazing read!!
February 11, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Nowhere Safe by Kate Anslinger was a fast-paced psychological thriller that completely pulled me in. From the first few chapters, I felt that familiar “just one more chapter” urge because I had to know what was going to happen next. This is the kind of story that slowly peels back secrets and keeps you questioning everything—and everyone.
The story follows a woman who has spent the last 20 years reinventing herself after the tragic death of her best friend, a death she has always felt responsible for. She’s worked hard to build a new life and bury the past, convincing herself that those secrets are long behind her. But when pieces of her former life begin resurfacing, she’s forced to confront the truth she thought she’d escaped. As the past collides with the present, paranoia builds and the tension ramps up in a way that makes it impossible to stop reading.
I loved the psychological suspense and the way the author slowly revealed what really happened. The pacing was strong and the tension stayed high throughout most of the book.
If you enjoy stories about buried secrets, guilt, reinvention, and the past coming back to haunt you, this one is definitely worth picking up. A solid, twisty read that kept me hooked until the end.
The story follows a woman who has spent the last 20 years reinventing herself after the tragic death of her best friend, a death she has always felt responsible for. She’s worked hard to build a new life and bury the past, convincing herself that those secrets are long behind her. But when pieces of her former life begin resurfacing, she’s forced to confront the truth she thought she’d escaped. As the past collides with the present, paranoia builds and the tension ramps up in a way that makes it impossible to stop reading.
I loved the psychological suspense and the way the author slowly revealed what really happened. The pacing was strong and the tension stayed high throughout most of the book.
If you enjoy stories about buried secrets, guilt, reinvention, and the past coming back to haunt you, this one is definitely worth picking up. A solid, twisty read that kept me hooked until the end.
December 27, 2025
I had the pleasure of receiving this as an e-ARC and voluntarily will be giving my honest review. Absolutely loved this book. Its a fast paced psychological thriller that will have you drawn in right from the start. This had a lot of twists and turns that surprised me. Just WOW on the ending never saw that coming!! Chefs kiss🥰
“Twenty years ago, Nicole Leblanc disappeared the day after her best friend drowned in a Louisiana river.
Now she’s Sloane Keller, a flight attendant with a spotless record and a past no one questions—until a passenger calls her by the name she buried”
Someone knows who she really is.
Someone knows what happened that night.
And someone is determined to make her pay.
“Twenty years ago, Nicole Leblanc disappeared the day after her best friend drowned in a Louisiana river.
Now she’s Sloane Keller, a flight attendant with a spotless record and a past no one questions—until a passenger calls her by the name she buried”
Someone knows who she really is.
Someone knows what happened that night.
And someone is determined to make her pay.
January 4, 2026
Nichole LeBLanc AKA Sloan Keller, lived a life she thought was far from her past. That's why she assumed the identity of Sloan Keller a Flight Attendant. One flight too many a man who Sloan didn't know was stalking her. Bringing up her former name and claiming to know things about her past. He taunted her enough she was suspended and under investigation by her employer. Due to a complaint of some sort. Well Sloan/Nicole needed to get to the bottom of this Stalker problem and head back to Louisiana where her past and her future will collide. This story is a bundle of secrets, misconceptions, cover ups, rumors and family lies. It's an edge of your seat thriller that have enough twist make you wonder about Louisiana and it's people and what they'd do to protect or not others. Thanks Kate!
December 31, 2025
I received an ARC of this book. This is the second I have done for this author and as much as I enjoyed the first one, this one was even better! I am learning quickly to expect the unexpected with Kate's books. And I absolutely loved the little Easter Egg mention of her other book that I ARC read! Kate is very quickly becoming one of my favorite authors!
January 20, 2026
A girl drowns. Another girl disappears. Which is which? Who is Sloane Keller? Who is Bryan Broussard?
Pretty good psychological thriller from Kate Anslinger. It will keep you on the edge of your seat, wondering what will happen next.
Thank you to Kate for the ARC. Sorry it took a while to get read.
Pretty good psychological thriller from Kate Anslinger. It will keep you on the edge of your seat, wondering what will happen next.
Thank you to Kate for the ARC. Sorry it took a while to get read.
December 31, 2025
My second Kate Anslinger book and definitely not my last! I'm usually not a thriller girl as I am easily scared and freaked out lol but Kate's books have just enough edge to keep me hanging on without freaking me out. Ready to read her new novella next!
Read
December 30, 2025On the Edge of Your Seat! Kate has a remarkable way of pulling you in with her well-developed characters and twisty plot. Just when you think you’ve figured out the ending, she surprises you with clever twists that keep you hooked. This book had my heart racing from start to finish.
January 9, 2026
I absolutely loved this mystery/thriller!! In true Kate fashion, everything about this book was incredible, fast paced, unexpected and just when I thought I had it all figured out - I DID NOT!!
January 27, 2026
I had the honor of receiving an ARC of this book. It was a fast-paced thriller that had some great twists and turns. I enjoy a book that makes you day out loud, “what!?!” Definitely worth reading!
January 1, 2026
This book was written by a greqt indie author and had to read! It is about a young teen and what happens to her as a teen. She goes away to get away from town she grew up in. The book was good. I kept waiting for something to happen and it took a few chapters to get to something new cause it was going back and forth like a plane flight. There were some twist but it didnt reach a really good one. There were things happening to benefit the main character.
I will read any suspense/thrilker by Kate Anslinger. She is great author. This one wasnt as good as previous book I read called Dark Matter. It was a 10 out of 5 stars!!! Read it
I will read any suspense/thrilker by Kate Anslinger. She is great author. This one wasnt as good as previous book I read called Dark Matter. It was a 10 out of 5 stars!!! Read it
January 1, 2026
I enjoyed this book until the end. It was too quick of a resolution to satisfy me. I’m sure others will enjoy it though.
This was a Goodreads win ebook.
This was a Goodreads win ebook.
January 9, 2026
This psychological thriller novel offers an intense journey filled with deception and intrigue. From the start, the captivating narrative keeps you engaged, featuring numerous twists and an unexpected conclusion that catches you off guard.
Kate's exceptional writing immerses you in the story, making you feel like a detective yourself, experiencing each secret, turn, and plot twist as they unfold. This book comes highly recommended for those who enjoy a gripping read!
Kate's exceptional writing immerses you in the story, making you feel like a detective yourself, experiencing each secret, turn, and plot twist as they unfold. This book comes highly recommended for those who enjoy a gripping read!
January 7, 2026
Rather unbelievable.
January 15, 2026
Thank you to @KateAnslingerAuthor for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Nowhere Safe was a really solid psychological thriller that kept me curious the whole way through. The setup alone pulled me in and kept me wanting to continue reading past my bedtime. A flight attendant who has spent decades running from her past and suddenly gets called by her real name mid flight is such an panicky and crazy way to kick things off.
Sloane was an interesting character to follow. She lives in constant motion, never settling, and that sense of unease carries through the entire story. I liked how the book slowly peeled back who she really was and what she might be hiding, while also making me question how much of her own story she actually remembers correctly. The unreliable narrator angle worked well here and definitely had me second guessing things more than once.
The pacing was mostly strong and the tension kept building as the threats escalated and her past started creeping back in. There were twists I saw coming and a few that genuinely caught me off guard, which made the reading experience fun without feeling over the top. I also appreciated how the mystery around Lucy and the night at the river stayed central instead of getting lost along the way.
Overall this was a twisty, atmospheric read that kept me engaged and slightly uncomfortable in the best way. If you enjoy psychological thrillers with unreliable narrators, buried secrets, and a slow unraveling of the truth, this is definitely the book for you!
4.25 Stars!
#NowhereSafe, #KateAnslinger, #PsychologicalThriller
Nowhere Safe was a really solid psychological thriller that kept me curious the whole way through. The setup alone pulled me in and kept me wanting to continue reading past my bedtime. A flight attendant who has spent decades running from her past and suddenly gets called by her real name mid flight is such an panicky and crazy way to kick things off.
Sloane was an interesting character to follow. She lives in constant motion, never settling, and that sense of unease carries through the entire story. I liked how the book slowly peeled back who she really was and what she might be hiding, while also making me question how much of her own story she actually remembers correctly. The unreliable narrator angle worked well here and definitely had me second guessing things more than once.
The pacing was mostly strong and the tension kept building as the threats escalated and her past started creeping back in. There were twists I saw coming and a few that genuinely caught me off guard, which made the reading experience fun without feeling over the top. I also appreciated how the mystery around Lucy and the night at the river stayed central instead of getting lost along the way.
Overall this was a twisty, atmospheric read that kept me engaged and slightly uncomfortable in the best way. If you enjoy psychological thrillers with unreliable narrators, buried secrets, and a slow unraveling of the truth, this is definitely the book for you!
4.25 Stars!
#NowhereSafe, #KateAnslinger, #PsychologicalThriller
December 11, 2025
Nowhere Safe is a psychological thriller that captures you from the moment you open the book! I just received this ARC yesterday and I was entirely submerged in Sloane Kellers story, so much so, that I read this entire book in one sitting! Nowhere Safe follows FMC, Sloane Keller, flight attendant for Velocity Airlines, with a seemingly normal life until one day she hears two little words from a passenger in row 13, “Hi Nicole.” Heart racing and paralyzed with fear, Sloane Keller (or should I say Nicole) realizes that she is staring face to face with someone who knows her secrets! Secrets she thought were buried by the river, all those years ago, that is until, they weren’t! If you want to find out what happens next then you’ll just have to read Nowhere Safe to find out! I absolutely love Kate’s books and the way that her writing takes over your brain interactively in a way that has her readers playing detective, like you’re living in the pages of her books with every secret, every turn, and every plot twist along the way! This was such an incredible read! Highly recommend.
February 3, 2026
This was such a gripping psychological thriller. The story follows Sloane Keller, a flight attendant who has spent twenty years hiding her past as Nicole Leblanc. When a passenger recognizes her, everything she worked to bury begins to surface.
The plot centers around a long-buried disappearance, the death of her best friend, and the secrets Sloane has been carrying ever since. The story moves quickly and keeps you questioning everything and who can be trusted.
I loved how layered this book was. Every chapter added more suspense, more lies, and more tension. Just when I thought I understood what happened, another twist appeared.
The ending caught me off guard in the best way, but it also left me wanting more, especially when it comes to Nikki’s mom. I really hope this story continues.
If you enjoy fast-paced psychological thrillers about hidden pasts, buried secrets, and shocking reveals, this is definitely worth reading. Kate Anslinger will never disappoint you!
https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZThf2hsV4/
Review of advance copy received from Author
I was privileged to be an early reader for Nowhere Safe 🤗 Kate Anslinger has written her “twistiest”book yet! Nowhere Safe is SUSPENSEFUL and oh so good! Think “If Firefly Lane were a thriller!” Nicole & Lucy’s lifelong friendship reminded me of Tully & Kate and how they grew up being the best of friends 🥰🥰Nicole/Sloane lives with a new identity as an airline attendant thinking she’s successful in concealing her past. Life goes sideways when a relentless stalker finds her… I loved the dual timeline. Reading about Nicole’s past and the tragedy that changed everything had me hooked. The DESCRIPTIVE way this was written is without flaw. I felt all the emotions, smells, and sounds throughout the entire book. Kate, what a banger you’ve written! Buckle up for the twists up until the last sentence! ✈️🤗 PS That book cover is 🔥
January 9, 2026
I was privileged to be an early reader For Nowhere Safe. Kate Anslinger has written her “twistiest” book yet! Nowhere Safe is SUSPENSEFUL and oh so good! Think “If Firefly Lane were a thriller”! Nicole & Lucy’s lifelong friendship reminded me of Tully & Kate and how they grew up being the best of friends. Nicole/Sloane lives with a new identity as an airline attendant thinking she’s successful in concealing her past. Life goes sideways when a relentless stalker finds her…I loved the dual timeline. Reading about Nicole’s past and the tragedy that changed everything had me hooked. The DESCRIPTIVE way this was written is without flaw. I felt all the emotions, smells, and sounds throughout the entire book
January 15, 2026
This was my third book by Kate Anslinger, and honestly, it was her best one yet! I’m a tough critic when it comes to psychological thrillers, so for me to give this five stars speaks volumes.
This story follows Sloane Keller (aka Nicole Leblanc), a flight attendant for Velocity Airlines who has spent most of her life running from her past—and from a tragic accident involving her best friend. For the most part, she’s been successful in escaping that past and creating an alternate reality. Until one day… a passenger boards her plane and knows exactly who she is. This encounter sends her spiraling back into the life she worked so hard to leave behind.
This book takes you on a roller coaster of twists and turns and will keep you guessing until the very last page. If you love a thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat, I highly recommend this one!
And to Kate—thank you for always sharing your work with me. I’m honored to be an ARC reader for you, and I can’t wait to see what you write next!
This story follows Sloane Keller (aka Nicole Leblanc), a flight attendant for Velocity Airlines who has spent most of her life running from her past—and from a tragic accident involving her best friend. For the most part, she’s been successful in escaping that past and creating an alternate reality. Until one day… a passenger boards her plane and knows exactly who she is. This encounter sends her spiraling back into the life she worked so hard to leave behind.
This book takes you on a roller coaster of twists and turns and will keep you guessing until the very last page. If you love a thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat, I highly recommend this one!
And to Kate—thank you for always sharing your work with me. I’m honored to be an ARC reader for you, and I can’t wait to see what you write next!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thank you so very much to Kate Anslinger for an ARC of her upcoming release, “Nowhere Safe” in exchange for an honest review.
One thing I really enjoy about Kate’s books is how well she does suspense and how she ropes you as the reader in right away! We follow a dual timeline of the past and present of the main character, Sloane who we soon learn changed her name to escape her past. It’s a roller coaster ride of her going about her life when suddenly that past is at the forefront unexpectedly and things begin to spiral from there. She is forced to deal with something she’s been avoiding for nearly 20 years.
The end of this book, I legit found myself gasping out loud a few times because Kate really threw me for a loop as she always does. This is a great read if you enjoy twisty mystery thrillers that are shorter reads.
One thing I really enjoy about Kate’s books is how well she does suspense and how she ropes you as the reader in right away! We follow a dual timeline of the past and present of the main character, Sloane who we soon learn changed her name to escape her past. It’s a roller coaster ride of her going about her life when suddenly that past is at the forefront unexpectedly and things begin to spiral from there. She is forced to deal with something she’s been avoiding for nearly 20 years.
The end of this book, I legit found myself gasping out loud a few times because Kate really threw me for a loop as she always does. This is a great read if you enjoy twisty mystery thrillers that are shorter reads.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Nowhere Safe is an absolute thriller of a book! Kate has out done herself with this book!
I instantly fell in love with Sloane and could not put this book down. I felt like she was a friend that I needed to help get to safety. The twists and turns in this book sometimes made me feel like I was on a rollercoaster. Sometimes I laughed, other times I cried, other times I was so intrigued the world could have fallen down around me because I was so engrossed in the book and storyline. Just remember that no matter what you do, even if you change your name nowhere may be safe!
I instantly fell in love with Sloane and could not put this book down. I felt like she was a friend that I needed to help get to safety. The twists and turns in this book sometimes made me feel like I was on a rollercoaster. Sometimes I laughed, other times I cried, other times I was so intrigued the world could have fallen down around me because I was so engrossed in the book and storyline. Just remember that no matter what you do, even if you change your name nowhere may be safe!
February 23, 2026
Nowhere Safe by Kate Anslinger is the story of a woman named Sloane who became a flight attendant to essentially vanish from her former life.
Sloane took off in high school the night her best friend, Lucy, drowned. A lot of people in her hometown believe she ran because she’s responsible for Lucy’s death.
By not putting down roots, Sloane has been able to make a life for herself that she enjoys. That is, until a man on a plane calls her by her real name, Nicole.
I worried at the beginning of this book that I was going to get bored with the airport/airplane/hotel aspects of this book, but I didn’t at all.
The book was certainly written in a way that kept my attention.
But Sloane’s character bugged me. She said she went home to find out the truth, but she didn’t dig in or ask critical questions of the people who could give her information. Instead, she just kept waiting for things to happen to her or for information to slap her in the face. It bugged me.
I gave this book three stars.
Sloane took off in high school the night her best friend, Lucy, drowned. A lot of people in her hometown believe she ran because she’s responsible for Lucy’s death.
By not putting down roots, Sloane has been able to make a life for herself that she enjoys. That is, until a man on a plane calls her by her real name, Nicole.
I worried at the beginning of this book that I was going to get bored with the airport/airplane/hotel aspects of this book, but I didn’t at all.
The book was certainly written in a way that kept my attention.
But Sloane’s character bugged me. She said she went home to find out the truth, but she didn’t dig in or ask critical questions of the people who could give her information. Instead, she just kept waiting for things to happen to her or for information to slap her in the face. It bugged me.
I gave this book three stars.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This was one of my favorite book of Kate’s yet. It was full of twists and turns. The story was so real and I genuinely felt for the MFC, Nicole/Sloan. It has childhood friendships, mystery, abuse, death, new identities and a few other surprises along the way. You never knew who to trust or what secret would be revealed. This is the kind of book I love and the ending was a shocker for me. Bravo Kate!!!
January 4, 2026
3.5 stars - I appreciate the arc opportunity for this book! I have enjoyed another book of Kate’s and am a fan of the psychological thrillers.
I appreciated the twists that we all crave in a thriller, not knowing what’s coming next. At times it was a bit predictable but you’ll have that. I just felt like there could have been more in each twist and maybe felt a little let down?
I appreciated the twists that we all crave in a thriller, not knowing what’s coming next. At times it was a bit predictable but you’ll have that. I just felt like there could have been more in each twist and maybe felt a little let down?
January 14, 2026
To start this review off with, my first words were just WOW! when I read this book I couldn't put it down. it kept me very intrigued. I couldnt see the twists coming. I thought one thing but was completely wrong. this was a very good mystery/thriller book. People are dead.... or are they.. Read this book and find out. my jaw dropped quite a few times.
January 15, 2026
Nowhere Safe is a psychological thriller about a FMC who is running from her past yet it ends up finding her at 30,000 feet in the air. She has to use all shes learned over the years from hiding to figure out how she was discovered while at the same time navigate her own grief and trauma. This read is raw, fast paced, and soooooo good!
January 14, 2026
Omg this book was so good it kept me my toes I questioned everything and I could not put it down it had me hooked right from the start and I’m barely venturing into thriller books and this one did not disappoint
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews