A gripping thriller about survival, betrayal, and family loyalty in the Montana wilderness. Fast-paced, gritty, and packed with action. Great for fans of outdoor survival thrillers.

Cat and mouse thriller set in the mountains of Montana during a blizzard. Hired killers are chasing two teens and their guardian, and family friends and the teens' estranged father and evil grandmother are on the hunt as well. Fast-paced, edge of your seat thriller with memorable characters who all have mixed motivations and sordid pasts. The cast of minor characters were a few too many, but other than that, it was a great read from start to finish.

Allison Brennan is one of my favorite authors so I was absolutely thrilled at the chance to read her newest novel North of Nowhere. This is an emotionally charged page turner that keeps the reader engaged with a storyline that includes an exceptional cast of characters, a captivating plot and setting, and an intensity that remains consistent throughout the novel.
Brennan’s writing style reveals the true depth and the raw emotions of the characters in a way that completely draws the reader in. There are two kidnapped children trying to escape a murderous father, a rancher and his son trying to protect these children, and two vastly different members of a mafia crime family, both searching for the kidnapped children, but each for a different reason. One of the most poignant emotions that each character in this novel shares is fear; a fear for their very own lives.
The setting in this novel is in the mountains of Montana with a massive blizzard approaching. Brennan gives such an exceptional description of the approaching storm that the reader can almost smell the snow in the air and feel the stinging bite of the wind.
The intensity in this novel is constant and never wavering. There were twists and turns throughout the novel, however, due to an extremely well composed and suspenseful plot, the intensity remains continuously until the gripping end.
North of Nowhere is not as gruesome and grisly as some of Brennan’s other works, however, she didn’t disappoint! Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC and I am leaving an honest and voluntary review. I rate this book a 5 out of 5 stars.

Loved this story!
The females are badass and don’t back down from anything.

The emotional turmoil of the two kids in this story is heartbreaking yet inspiring at the same time.

A lot going on in this story but it all comes together and makes this a great read.

Allison Brennan's "North of Nowhere" is a captivating thriller that skillfully blends suspense, mystery, and emotional depth. Set against the stark and haunting backdrop of northern Idaho, the novel centers on the disappearance of a young woman and the hidden secrets within a seemingly peaceful community.

The narrative follows Maxine "Max" Revere, a former FBI agent, who returns to her hometown to investigate a cold case that has haunted her for years. As Max delves deeper into the mystery, she uncovers a series of shocking revelations that not only threaten to unravel the lives of those involved but also compel her to confront her own past. Brennan masterfully crafts a multi-layered story filled with twists and turns that keep readers guessing until the very end.

One of the novel's strengths is its character development. Max is a compelling protagonist, driven by her passion for justice and her determination to uncover the truth. Her emotional struggles and complex relationships add depth to the story, making her journey resonate on a personal level. The supporting characters are equally well-crafted, each bringing their own secrets and motivations that enrich the plot.

Brennan's writing is both engaging and atmospheric, vividly depicting the rugged Idaho landscape. The setting plays a crucial role in the story, enhancing the sense of isolation and danger that permeates the narrative. The pacing is expertly balanced, with moments of intense action interspersed with quieter, reflective scenes that allow for character growth and development.

Themes of trust, betrayal, and the impact of past choices are woven throughout the narrative, prompting readers to consider the complexities of human relationships and the lengths to which people will go to protect their loved ones. Brennan skillfully explores the emotional toll of unresolved trauma, making the story not only a thrilling mystery but also a poignant examination of the human experience.

"North of Nowhere" is a gripping and thought-provoking thriller that will keep readers on the edge of their seats. With its intricate plot, well-drawn characters, and atmospheric setting, Allison Brennan has crafted a standout novel that will appeal to fans of suspense and mystery alike. Whether you're a longtime follower of her work or new to her writing, this book is sure to leave a lasting impression.

A fast-paced thriller that keeps you on your toes! I kept think that I would not be caught in a blizzard like this. I liked how determined Kristen is - and how everyone bands together successfully yo reach a positive outcome.

This is an extremely fast paced thriller. It takes place in the Montana mountains during a snow storm, with a teen and her young deaf brother lost in the wilderness and many people trying to find them -- some with hopes of saving them and some with hopes of murdering them. The writing about the Montana wilderness and the effects of a blizzard is evocative and convincing. Characterization is generally well developed, but the missing teen and her aunt are so similar in personality and, to some extent, family experiences that they can be hard to keep separate from each other even given their ages. Brennan helps the reader see the impact of whiteout conditions on the deaf boy, at least from the perspective of his sister. But she does not give us the boy's experience directly. Some of the characters are more nuanced than others, and they save the book from being completely plot driven. In the end, there is a hopeful ending that brings everything together.

The tension in North of Nowhere never lets up: the plot is pure adrenaline. It’s been described as Yellowstone meets Succession. The unpredictability of the winter weather in the Montana wilderness, combined with the power of immense wealth to force outcomes, makes the analogy accurate. North of Nowhere is a standalone, falling into the gothic/thriller/dysfunctional family bucket because of its convoluted and terrifying family dynamics. But let’s not get ahead of the action.

Sixteen-year-old Kristen McIntyre is the heroine. Her younger brother Ryan is deaf: she has a heightened sense of responsibility for him even though they are loved and protected by Tony Reed, their de facto father. One morning, everything changes for Kristen and her brother when Tony triggers an escape plan that has been long in the making. His preternatural awareness of danger is no accident: “Tony Reed was alive today because he always listened to his gut.” On his daily predawn reconnoiter, Tony spots two strangers “lurking on the road leading to Triple Pine Ranch, where Tony had worked since settling in Big Sky.” Their semi-hidden vehicle has California plates. Kristen and Ryan’s father, Boyd McIntyre, head of a Los Angeles crime syndicate, has discovered where his children have been living for the last five years and he’s hard on their heels.

He woke Kristen at five-thirty, as soon as he returned from his morning recon. She sat bolt upright, her hand reaching for her nightstand where he’d taught her to store her weapon. His chest tightened. He’d trained his sixteen-year-old daughter to be a fighter.



She’s not your daughter.



“Plan B, baby,” he said.



She stared at him, fully awake, fists clenched. What kid woke up alert and ready to fight?



She didn’t ask questions, she didn’t argue. Five years in hiding, and she still knew that hesitation could mean death. Or worse.



Silently, Kris swung her feet over the bed and slipped on her sturdiest boots. She slept in sweats and a tank top, even in the cold; she pulled on a thermal shirt then a school sweatshirt. She played soccer for her high school, the Bobcats. Green and gold, like her eyes.



Just like her aunt Ruby.



Just like her murderous father.

Their Plan B is to flee to “a remote cabin no one knew about, more than three hundred miles from Big Sky, with enough food and water to last them all winter if necessary, until they could disappear again.” Tony’s heart is telling him to stay and fight—that’s all he wants to do but five years ago, when Maggie, the kids’ mother was murdered, he vowed he wouldn’t kill again. He rescued the children from the corrupt McIntyre family and disappeared with them.

They leave their house on horseback and go to the ranch where Tony “borrows” his boss’s plane. Boyd’s henchmen pepper the plane with gunfire, piercing the fuel line, forcing Tony to make an abrupt and dangerous water landing. Tony doesn’t make it: brother and sister are on their own, “searching desperately for safety—unaware of the severity of the approaching storm.”

Is this an opportunity for them to escape the McIntyre family again or a disaster? Will their years of wilderness training and planning pay off? By the way, the woods are getting crowded. There are bad guys, led by Boyd and his local expert tracker, good guys, rancher Nick Lorenzo and his son Jason, and folks who are somewhere in the middle, like Ruby McIntyre (at least in Kristen’s estimation). She once loved Ruby dearly but then Ruby abandoned them. Ruby did leave Los Angeles to join the Army, but she left so the children would be safe. She didn’t want her horrific mother and corrupt brother to find Kristen and Ryan through her, so she cut off all contact.

“When she gets an emergency call that the plane has gone down with the kids inside, she drops everything to try to save them.”

Before Plan B, Kris and Ryan spent a lot of their free time at the Triple Pine Ranch where Tony worked. Kristen and Jason Lorenzo are close friends, perhaps someday hoping to be more than friends. Nick and Jason don’t know why Kristen and Ryan are on the run—their goal is simply to find two young people they know who are likely lost in the wilderness. The police get involved. Allison Brennan also introduces a malevolent red herring into the mix. Who can Kristen trust? A massive winter blizzard is descending on the woods: can she keep herself and her brother alive?

North of Nowhere is intense, believable, and straightforward. It’s violent and scary but underlying the desperate quest of Kristen and Ryan to stay alive and reach safe harbor is their love for each other. They come to realize that even after Tony’s death, there are other good, honorable adults in their world, people who love them and want them to live, thrive, smile, and laugh. Will it happen? There are massive hurdles, including a family member who would rather torture and even kill rather than let anyone in her family live a life of their own. I defy readers not to put their money on Kristen McIntyre—she is forged in steel, and she has smarts and grit in abundance.

Family Survival in Montana Wilderness

North of Nowhere, a gripping thriller by Allison Brennan, follows the harrowing story of Kristin and Ryan McIntyre, siblings who have been hiding for five years from their murderous father, Boyd McIntyre. Boyd, the head of a Los Angeles crime family, finally tracks them down to a small town in rural Montana. As a snowstorm brews, the siblings, along with their godfather Tony, must navigate a treacherous wilderness while evading Boyd's relentless pursuit.

Overall, North of Nowhere is a compelling and intense thriller that showcases Allison Brennan's skill as a storyteller. The novel's strengths lie in its strong character development, suspenseful plot, and the evocative setting of the Montana wilderness. However, some readers may find the conclusion less satisfying compared to the gripping build-up. Despite this, the novel's fast pace and emotional depth make it a worthwhile read.

North of Nowhere by Allison Brennan delivers an intriguing premise set against the rugged Montana landscape. The story revolves around Tony Reed, who fled his past life in Los Angeles and his ties to the McIntyre crime family, taking Boyd McIntyre’s children, Kristen and Ryan, with him to protect them from their family's dark legacy. Five years later, Boyd tracks them down, determined to retrieve his children and settle the score with Tony.

The novel starts strong, with well-crafted characters and a plot that immediately grabs your attention. The suspense builds as Tony, Kristen, and Ryan attempt to escape, relying on the survival skills Tony taught them to navigate both a looming blizzard and the relentless pursuit of Boyd and his men. Meanwhile, Tony’s current employer, rancher Nick Lorenzo, and his son Jason, along with the kids’ estranged aunt Ruby McIntyre, are also in the mix, trying to ensure the children's safety.

While I enjoyed the story’s darker, suspenseful elements and appreciated the depth given to the characters, the pacing slows down midway through the book. The introduction of several new characters towards the end made the resolution feel drawn out, slightly diminishing the tension built up in the earlier chapters. However, the novel's atmosphere and setting kept me engaged, and there were a few standout moments that made the read worthwhile.

This was my first experience with an Allison Brennan novel, and while the pacing issues detracted from the overall impact, I’m still curious to explore more of her work. If your looking for novel filled with action and high-stakes, I do recommend you check this one out!

Very good as are most of her books. Exciting suspense. Likable characters. Great plot. What's not to like! Definitely recommend,

Action packed thriller. Lots of good characters and characters you love to hate. I really enjoyed the setting of this story and seeing how nature can sometimes be the biggest adversary.

I think that all of Allison Brennan's books provide a great balance between romance, mystery and crime. I really enjoyed getting to know all of the characters and the plot kept me turning the pages to see what was going to happen next, I recommend this book for any mystery/romance lovers!

I expected this to be a fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat thriller that I wouldn't be able to put down. Although it was somewhat fast-paced, it didn't keep me on the edge of my seat and I found myself wanting to put it down.

Tony fled years ago with his godchildren to keep them safe and away from their dangerous family and his crime family after the death of their mother. He has made a life for them in a small Montana town, but the fear that eventually Boyd, their father, would find them has always been in the back of his mind. Nevertheless, he treats the children as if they are his own kids (and those around him believe that they are) and the children treat him like a father. Kristen is your typical angsty teen with a chip on her shoulder, but a deep love for her younger brother, Ryan. Ryan, who is hearing impaired, is a sweet kid who absolutely adores Tony and his sister. But the past comes back to haunt them when Boyd finally locates them and comes to collect his children and exact his revenge on Tony. But that may not be the only danger that they all face.

I enjoyed the characters. I loved that a hearing impaired character was included and added an extra element to the plot. The plot itself was a bit much for me. It was a bit absurd and far-fetched. Crazy unrealistic plots don't automatically mean I won't enjoy a book. If it's a solid story and keeps me interested, then I don't mind if it's not realistic. This book, however, was kind of boring. I hate to say that, especially considering it felt like non-stop action, but I just couldn't get into the story. I'm not sure what it was that missing for me. I'm definitely in the minority though. The reviews for this book are very good so it just must be a miss for me.

Rating: 2.5

Missing kids, drug runners, murder, and corrupt cops. This story has it all. It has lots of twists that keep you guessing. 4 stars

First off a big thank to the publisher for letting me read the lasted book by Allison Brennan, and I enjoyed it ,come to think of it ,this might actually be my first standalone by her since I tend to pick up her series . But this one was actually good ,not once did I want to put it down ,and I loved the atmosphere of the book as will as the location she used in her story , because it made me ask myself if that had happened to me would I been able to survive.

North of Nowhere is read by Eliza Foss. It's a race through the cold thriller. Female lead mafia, child abuse, murder and a countdown to who gets the fleeing children first. Now I will admit that this wasn't for me only because thrillers are hit or miss. However, I can say it has a lot of action, family chaos and goons running amuck in freezing temps. The moose had me laughing. Thriller fans should totally grab this. I kept listening due to Foss' excellent voice and Brennan writes in a way that makes you need to know the end. I also need to shoutout St. Martins Press, Minotaur for pushing me out of my comfort zone with this one!

This was my first novel by this author, and it was a stunner! The characters were well developed and the plot was tense and suspenseful. I found myself binging this book to find out the ending!

This book was extremely slow and boring. Will not be reading from this author again. I thought this was going to be a great mystery, but it was too predictable.

As a fan of suspenseful thrillers, I found myself drawn to Allison Brennan's latest book. The fast-paced narrative and thrilling chase sequences kept me eagerly turning the pages. However, I couldn't help but feel a twinge of skepticism at the seemingly endless reign of the crime family depicted in the story. While I'm usually willing to suspend disbelief for the sake of a good read, the sheer magnitude of their criminal activities spanning decades felt slightly unrealistic to me.Nevertheless, I found myself engrossed in the story, eagerly awaiting the downfall of the nefarious characters. There's something satisfying about seeing justice served, no matter the form it takes. I eagerly anticipate Allison Brennan's next gripping tale, ready to dive into another adrenaline-fueled adventure.