Five women reluctantly pick up their backpacks and start walking along a muddy track.

Only four come out on the other side.

The hike through the rugged Giralang Ranges is meant to take the office colleagues out of their air-conditioned comfort zone and encourage teamwork and resilience. At least, that’s what the corporate retreat website advertises.
Federal Police investigator Aaron Falk has a keen interest in the whereabouts of the missing hiker, Alice Russell.

Because Alice knew secrets, about the company she worked for and the people she worked with.

The four returning women tell Falk a tale of fear, violence and fractured trust during their days in the remote Australian bushland. And as Falk delves into the disappearance of Alice, he begins to suspect some dangers ran far deeper than anyone knew.

Even though it’s #2 in a series, I picked up this book and had no problem reading it without knowing about/having read the first.

Any interesting blend of suspense, mystery, and a bit of thriller set in a dual timeline, the author really hooked me with the prologue (I think it was the prologue; I’ve already returned the book to the library, so I’m not sure). I encourage you to read it, even if you don’t usually read prologues. Harper uses it well, and there’s a spot at the end of the book when you say, “Ahhh … I see it now.”

Suspense/mystery novels always amaze me because I have no idea how authors can put together those kinds of stories. It was exciting and interesting to find out what happened, but there were also several parts of the story that really made me sad for the characters. Overall, though, it hooked me early and kept my interest — an entertaining read.

Rated PG-13/R for language and thematic elements. Get your copy here!