by C. J. Box
First published 2014
Annie takes her younger brother William on an unauthorized fishing expedition into the North Idaho wilderness. Her anger at their mother drives this secret adventure deep into the forest. The siblings stumble upon an execution and lock eyes with the four men who carried it out. The killers are respected Los Angeles police officers. Annie and William cannot return home because these men know their identities and addresses. They cannot seek help from law enforcement because their pursuers wear badges. The children flee through unfamiliar terrain with nowhere safe to turn. They encounter Jess Rawlins, a traditional rancher who suspects corruption among the authorities in Blue Heaven. Rawlins stands as their sole potential ally against four determined officers who will eliminate anyone who threatens to expose their crime. The siblings must rely on this stranger while the corrupt cops hunt them through the wilderness. Their survival depends on staying ahead of men with resources, training, and official authority who cannot afford to leave witnesses alive.
Genres: adventure, suspense, mystery, crime, thriller, action
Vibes: dark, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-allies, fish-out-of-water, on-the-run
Setting: Blue Heaven, Idaho, Los Angeles, North Idaho
Period: Contemporary
222 pages · Kindle Edition · Corvus
Content warnings: violence