Switchback

by K.L. Griffiths

A twisty, chilling story about escape, reckoning, and a past that refuses to stay buried.

Seth’s ex-girlfriend, Ivy, is going to kill him—unless he manages to kill himself first. Living in the woods beside the factory where he works, drinking himself numb, showering at a truck stop, Seth’s life is a slow-motion crash. When a forklift accident leaves him an amputee, recovery forces him into the care of a kindhearted embalmer and a girl who rescues stray cats. Their quiet generosity unsettles Seth more than his injury. It suggests he might still have something left to lose.

But Ivy has found him, and nowhere is safe—not for Seth and not for the people who’ve taken him in. With his settlement check and new prosthesis, Seth hits the road, bicycling across America. Camping. Drinking. Glamping. Drinking. Trying to thrill himself dead...and always looking over his shoulder.

As Ivy closes in, Seth must make a choice he’s never made stop running, or risk losing the friends who gave him a second chance. To save them, Seth has to confront the one thing he’s never outrun—his past, and the night that should have killed him.

283 pages, Paperback

Published April 29, 2026

About the author

Kelly Lynn (KL) Griffiths lives in her imagination and works as a librarian in Northeast Ohio. Her horror and sci-fi stories have appeared in various publications and have been nominated for Best Small Fictions.

Long before thriller was a genre, it was Kelly’s way of life. Known to jump off cliffs and throw cartwheels in fancy places, her happiest moments are spent wandering the local trails with her husband, practicing yoga, and eating ice cream.

You can find her at klgriffiths.com.

Reviews

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn't put this book down. The main character, Seth, is someone you will love to hate. His arc from story's start to finish is interesting and engaging. And surprisingly satisfying. Throughout the story, there are things you think would satisfy a reader's hopes for Seth, and then the author weaves in new characters and plot twists, and you wonder where it will take him. Hence, the inability to put the book down! In the end, the novel leaves some unanswered questions, but in the best way.

[Ann O'Mara Heyward · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Switchback, KL Griffiths gives us a memorable protagonist in Seth that we begin rooting for early on, almost in spite of ourselves. Through this fast-paced read, she brings us along for the wild ride of Seth’s spiritual and physical journey as he desperately tries to outrun the trauma of his past for an uncertain future that may…or may not…hold redemption. KL Griffiths expertly builds the suspense, as we move toward Seth’s final stand against the terrors of his past. We don’t know if he will prevail, but by the end, we care tremendously. Another great book from the author of Bookworm and Spiked!

[Sean Seebach · Rating 5 out of 5]

A road trip thriller too unique to be called a thriller and too thrilling to be called anything else.
Seth pulls at the heart strings and his redemption is beautifully dovetailed into the shocking and believable conclusion.
Griffiths always sticks the landing.