Michelle Prak's stand-out debut, THE RUSH, is an atmospheric, twisty, and unsettling psychological thriller covering two days. A road trip during a ferocious storm in the Australian Outback sets the stage for betrayal, murder, fear, and survival, keeping you on the edge of your seat and leaving you breathless!

A full-throttle thriller, dark and propulsive, creepy, chilling, intense, adrenaline-fueled, fast-paced, and terrifying— keeping you turning the pages to see how the three storylines will converge.

Set in the Australian outback of the Northern Territory, where tourists flock in the dry months but stay away in the wet months.

Alternating between three relentless narratives:

ONE: A BODY: Quinn Durand leaves the Hotel where she works, heading for the family farm an hour away to prepare it for sale. The day the rains began, Quinn and her dog, Bronte, left the farm on the way back to The Pindarry when she spotted a body on the side of the road. Knowing she couldn't leave him, she did not know what to do. There is an empty stretch of road and no cell reception. Now downpouring. An arm grabs her when she checks to see if he is alive. SCARY!

TWO: AN UNINVITED GUEST: At the Hotel/Pub, The Pindarry, Andrea and Matt, owners (Quinn's boss), prepare for the downpour. Hunkered down with her three-year-old toddler, Ethan, sleeping, she is startled by a bang on the door from a motorcycle biker seeking shelter. Matt has been called away to help with a flooding issue and is not there. Does she let him in? Will she be able to get rid of him? If so? Is he dangerous? She has no idea what will happen next. Will their family be threatened? Terrifying!

THREE: FOUR BACKPACKERS: On the road, two couples travel across the county, struggling against the violet rains. They do not know one another well. Hayley and her boyfriend Scott (who borrowed his grandfather's old 4 WD) are on university break with little money, and they invited two others, Joost (an engineering student from the Netherlands) and Livia (Brazillian environmentalist and activist)—strangers joining them on a road trip to share expenses. They planned on sleeping in tents but did not count on the heavy rain. But what do they know about one another? The roads are flooded. They disagree. This one was very creepy! There is a threat even worse than the storm brewing...Never do this! You do not know what psycho is in your car, and you are trapped.

Quinn knows all too well what deadly storms can do from her childhood, destroying everything in its path.

How will the three storylines connect? A body on the side of the road, a biker, and backpackers?

THE RUSH is a gripping, intense, and riveting thriller with grit and gloom. The author diabolically ratchets the tension with every page. It is compelling and absorbing, a nail-biting suspense filled with terror and horror that will leave your heart pounding!

A wild adventure, dark and menacing. Each story is as terrifying as the other against this rainy, stormy backdrop, locked in an atmospheric and claustrophobic situation with darkness lurking with every page turn.

THE RUSH reminds me of Taylor Adams' No Exit book and movie and The Last Word (two of my favorites). It is cleverly written, with an unnerving atmosphere and pulse-pounding twists. A dark and twisted, deadly psychological cat-and-mouse thriller—I dare you not to jump out of your skin reading/listening. I kept rewinding in the car, going WHAT? Did I miss something?

THE RUSH would make a spine-chilling movie and an idea book club pick. A super debut and look forward to reading more from this Aussie author, Michelle Prak (adding to my list of favorites).

AUDIOBOOK: I listened to the audiobook narrated by Jodie Harris for a spine-chilling performance. Wow, this had to be challenging! Rather than a full cast for the different voices and accents, she managed to rock all the multiple scenes with four unique voices and three accents (both male and female): Australian, Brazilian, and Dutch. I cannot imagine how difficult this would be.

Special thanks to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for an advanced listening copy for an honest opinion.

Blog review posted @
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@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: April 9, 2024
Rating. 4.25 Stars
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📚 Just finished "The Rush" by Michelle Park – a gripping ride! While it had its moments, I struggled to stay engaged throughout. Not my top choice, but I get why it might resonate with others. #BookReview #ThrillingListen 🎧

I listened to the audiobook and the narrator was great with different voices including accents for the characters. The storyline was interesting but the characters were just not. I found that it jumped around a lot but it didn’t hold my interest. I DNF at 66%. I’m sure this will be a favorite for some but it was a miss for me.

There were problems with this, like the characters' reactions and the eventual motives. But this book really had me nervous, which was very enjoyable. It had the same mood as some of the horror movies I've watched about the Australian outback. The narrator helped pull that off -- she had to do multiple voices, and gave the right performance for each. Thanks to NetGalley for letting me listen to this audiobook

I'm having a hard time landing on a rating for this debut novel, The Rush, by Michelle Prak. The story follows several characters in the Australian outback as a storm approaches. There is an underlying tension that builds throughout as we experience the timeline through different points of view. Overall, I really enjoyed it. However, as the story came together, one particular plot point just didn't make sense to me. I know thrillers require some suspension of disbelief, but this one was just a little too much for me, given the rest of the story.

The narration was good.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #DreamscapeMedia for a free copy of #TheRush by Michelle Prak. All opinions are my own.

4.5🌟
Buckle up…It’s going to be a bumpy ride!

Australian couple Hayley and Scott have hit a stale patch in their relationship. Deciding they need to get away, they believe a road trip across Australia is just what they need to reignite the spark.

To help with costs and make things a bit more adventurous they find 2 other young travelers to join them. Joost from the Netherlands and Livia from Brazil.

By the way…did anyone think to check a weather report?

The storm of the century is heading their way and about to create massive flooding all along their route.

Meanwhile, somewhere in the outback, the only pub/ lodging in the area is also preparing for the storm. Running the pub, Andrea, Matt and their son live there as well. In the off season their only other help comes from Quinn, a young Australian woman. But when Matt is called away to help a neighbor it’s up to Andrea and Quinn to keep the tiny pub safe.

And the torrential rains started falling…

I loved the vividly descriptive writing, putting me right in the middle of the Australian outback. I was side-by-side with the characters trying to survive the dangers lurking in the storm.

You can feel the tension rising as the storm increases.

I had just a couples issues that kept this from being a full five-star experience.
☔️ I was frustrated with the ending, feeling it felt a bit rushed. After the huge build up I wanted more. (maybe that's just me)
☔️ Jodie Harris did a great job with the narration on the audio version. But since it was told from multiple POV’s I felt that additional narrators would have added so much more to the experience.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media 🎧

A disturbing and chilling of friends and the ultimate betrayal. Horrific implications are created by the passion for adventure, and the wish for a great outback experience. What unfolds is a tale of treachery and shadow games born from unhealthy obsessions,

"The Rush" by Michelle Prak is a thriller set in rural Australia. If you don't mind violence, some gore, as well as some relationship angst, and misogyny in your thrillers, then this book might be for you. It's a good thriller aside from these things. (Just my opinion. )

This book is told from three points of view.

The travelers:
A couple, Hailey and Scott, are going on a long driving and camping trip through rural Australia. They invite two other unknown people from a rideshare board, Olivia from Brazil, and Joost from the Netherlands to join them. They're traveling in Scott's grandfather's old car. A big monsoon is coming

The Pindary -
Andrea and Matt, and their toddler, Ethan, is the family who runs the restaurant/bar called the Pindary in the Outback.

Third POV - Quinn is a young woman who works for them and lives with them. She goes to her family home for supplies and finds a very injured man on the side of the road.

Characters - 4/5
Writing - 3/5
Plot - 4/5
Pacing - 3/5
Unputdownability - 3/5
Enjoyment - 3/5
Narration - 5/5
Cover - 5/5
Ending - 1/5 because it perpetuates a myth, but it's 4/5 exciting

Narrator Jodie Harris did a truly fantastic job! She had to read many scenes with four voices and 3 accents - Australian both male and female, Brazilian female, and Dutch male in dialogue. I am really impressed with her ability to do that! I highly recommend this narrator!!

Thank you to Netgalley, Dreamscape Media, and author Michelle Prak for providing this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Crooked Lane Books and Dreamscape Media for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of the debut thriller by Michelle Prak, the audio wonderfully narrated by Jodie Harris - 4.5 stars!

Four strangers set out on a road trip across Australia. Hayley and her boyfriend, Scott, are on a break from university and found two other people to share the expenses of the trip. But they are still strangers. Andrea and Matt own and work at a remote pub, where Quinn also works. When a storm comes, they must prepare with sandbagging, and Matt is called away to help a neighbor, leaving Andrea alone with their young son. Quinn is on the road when she spots a body - and stops to help.

This story takes place over 48 hours, going back and forth in time, from multiple viewpoints. This author nails the atmospheric tension of the desolate landscape and impending storm, coupled with the fears that all women alone face. I was terrified for all of them! Each different storyline will have you on the edge of your seat, and the ending was perfect. Fabulous debut - can't wait to read more from this author!

This book is very all over the place for me. There are pretty much 2 storylines. One with Scott, Haley, Livia and Yost which are really annoying to me but the other storyline regarding Quinn and Andrea and her husband is good. Yost is a bit creepy for me but for a debut it was really good just not for me. It was fast paced and it all connected at the end. It’s definitely a rush.

The Rush by Michelle Prak is a survival thriller set in the Australian wilderness where there’s miles and miles of empty terrain. While some might find peace in the outback, away from civilization, the isolation could be deadly.

The book has multiple POVs across a two day timeline. One of the narrators starts with two traveling couples, backpacking through the uninhabited outback and suddenly finding themselves unprepared for the “perfect storm” that’s brewing. With the anticipated fun of the trip obliterated and tensions rising, it becomes clear that the duos do not really know each other or feel safe in each other company.

Meanwhile, Quinn is rushing home to avoid the storm when she happens upon a body. While checking on the person who she presumes dead, an arm reaches up and grabs her. The dilemma of how to transport this person who is much heavier than she, and without causing further injury, is only made worse by her inability to call for help. The only place around for miles is home, which is also a pub owned by her boss, and she is forced find a way to help this person.

Back at the pub, the owners, Andrea, her husband, and 3-year-old son, are preparing for the worst. Andrea’s husband leaves the two to check on a neighbor and Andrea is feeling especially vulnerable. Just when she thought things were settling down for the storm, there’s a persistent knock on the window- and Andrea is transported back to a time when she was in a similar and difficult position.

The author, Michelle Pak, did a phenomenal job at developing the characters. She provided enough background information, supporting stories/anecdotes, and interactions to make the characters relatable and believable. The premise of the story is terrifying in its own way as there’s nothing scarier than being in a foreign place, with sudden natural disaster that you’re unprepared for, and you’re relying on others that you barely know. The way the storylines interact was also enjoyable!

While I enjoyed the story, I found myself not liking any of the characters enough to feel connected to the book. I listened to the audio version and loved the narrator (on 1.75), but I feel as though that created a disconnect that I would’ve overcome if I’d read a written copy. The storylines, narration, twisty ending, etc we’re all wonderful and I anticipate this book to be high on the list for booktok this summer. As always, thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this ARC.

The way I thought this would be a thriller about surviving a bad storm, when really it’s about surviving AWFUL people during a storm 🫣🫣

This was a REALLY good listen!! I loved the multiple POV storyline - getting to know each person/group & what they’re each going through as the storm approaches & then the plot twists throughout, as those storylines all merge & crossover each other.

Yost is terrifying! + the Scott plot twist: 🤯

The narrator was AMAZING & conveyed all the emotions perfectly: 🤌🏼🤌🏼🤌🏼 This was such a different plot & I LOVED it!!

Thank you to Dreamscape Media for the audio ARC through NetGalley 🤍

The Australian Outback - typically a dry place, but a ferocious storm hits and leaves many people trapped where they are. Two couples vacationing struggle against the storm, while locals are preparing for the worst. Andrea and her husband, local owners of the bar/inn are dealing with the storm and a group of biker's that are a little rough. At one point, all of these people come together in good and bad ways, creating turmoil, friction and even murder. This one kept me on the edge of my seat, I couldn't quit listening! I really enjoyed it. The only thing I didn't much care for was the Dutch accents. I just found them slightly annoying but usually accents don't bother me.

The Rush
By Michelle Prak

This is a story about the Australian Outback during a rare storm. Andrea and her husband Matt live in the middle of nowhere and run a country pub. When the storms start, Matt is called away to help a neighbor with flooding. All seems fine until a biker comes and starts giving Andrea a hard time. When another visitor seeks shelter from the storm, he is able to get the biker to leave. All seems fine but is it really? How is this stranger? When Quinn, the live in help, comes back with an unconscious man in her car, things start to not add up.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the advanced copy of this audiobook.

This was a chilling tale! Great weather setting with the storms and the subsequent flooding. Really enjoyed the characters and the different times and streams of the story. Well done with keeping the tension coming and from multiple angles. The ending tied things up in a way that continued the suspense and the fear but also had good resolution for some...

It is a little hard to believe this is the author’s debut novel because this thriller was rather terrifying. Everyone know the Australian outback is dangerous, but this book introduces to things you wouldn’t think to be afraid of. This story is told through several different voices of different women struggling through a rare Australian rainstorm so sudden and fierce it is flooding everything. Hailey, her boyfriend Scott decide to use their break from university to go on an adventure roadtrip and invite along Livia, a Brazilian activist, and Joost a boy from the Netherlands. Their adventure is interrupted with the rain, but it turns more dangerous than they imagined. Meanwhile Andrea’s husband is at a neighbor’s trying to keep his home from flooding and alone with her toddler while a biker comes to seek shelter. The story has some pretty good twists and while there were some parts I wished would move a little faster the last third zipped by and I couldn’t have stopped listening for anything. I gave it 4.5 stars rounded up for some excellent twists. I listened to the audiobook and felt like the narrator did a wonderful job. The voice of Joost may be haunting me for a bit.

The Rush
Michelle Prak
The setting is the Australian Outback during a torrential rain.
1. Two couples, Scott, Hayley, Livia and Joost, were touring the country Australian Outback. They are headed to Darwin and The Pindarry. Usually, the area is very dry with drought conditions but, the clouds have released a torrent of rain. The couples are essentially strangers; they begin to get on each other’s nerves. They may think they are prepared for any contingency, but they are very naïve. Rain brings floods and they are surrounded by rising water but that is the least of their worries.
2. Quinn Durand lives and works at The Pindarry, the local pub. She is rushing home when she sees a body lying in the road. She has no cell phone reception and there are no cars for miles. The rain begins to fall.
3. Andrea and her husband, Matt run The Pindarry; they live there with their three-year-old son, along with Quinn. When a motorcycle gang arrives, Andrea is terrified. She insists her husband sends them on their way. They drive off trying to beat the storm. Her husband is called away leaving her and their son on their own. There is a pounding on the door. There is more to fear than the storm.
This tale has it all! I could not turn off this audio book. The plot at times may seem like three separate tales but they are all interconnected. The motorcycle gang was a rowdy bunch and seemed threatening. I could see why Andrea was frightened. Scott was cruel and obnoxious, he treated Hayley terribly. Hayley was immature, naïve, and talked nonstop. Livia was caught up in the environment, protecting animals and the planet. Joost, well Joost was strange from the beginning.
This is a fast-paced tale. This was one aspect I never could figure out but that didn’t stop it from being a great read. The ending pulled it all together leaving this reader satisfied.

A very strong 3 out of 5. Starts out a bit slow and hard for me to connect with. Then it got quite good and was hard to put down! Enjoyed the middle part a lot. Was twisted and hard to figure out for sure. I felt like the characters were believable and easy to connect with. Very descriptive writing and easy to picture the different scenes and landscapes. I would recommend this author and will look for again. I felt the ending got to be a bit long and complicated. But overall enjoyed it.

I wanted to enjoy this book, it’s just not as fast paced as I would like. I kept waiting for things to pick up but unfortunately this book just lost my interest. The description was promising but as I listened to the audiobook I was more disappointed.

This is a tense and chilling Aussie Northern Territory outback thriller by Michelle Prak which I listened to on audio, approximately 8 hours and 30 minutes long, ably narrated by Jodie Harris, who managed to keep me invested in the drama of a story that did not always manage to keep my interest, ensuring that I saw it right through to the end. Quinn Durand is rushing for the safety of home, the Pindarry pub where she lives and works, run by Matt and Andrea, who have a young son Ethan, impelled to leave after a forecast of huge torrential rains heading towards the remote and isolated region. As she drives on the empty roads, the rains are just beginning when she notices a body by the side of the road, she stops.

The ferocity of the rains is eye opening, and of course, to ramp up the tension and suspense, communications are out, and making a road trip are 4 young people who underestimate the impact of the flooding and stormy weather. Hannah is hoping to reignite her relationship with Scott, and joining them on the adventure of camping and working their way through their itinerary of locations, and the challenge of the outback are backpackers Livia, an environmentalist, and Dutch engineering student, Joost. Needless to say, the conflict ridden group are totally unprepared for what they are facing. With Matt away, Andrea ends up having to offer sanctuary to a biker. An air of relentless and frightening menace hangs over a narrative with the immersion into the multiple perspectives.

It soon becomes apparent that the weather is not the only danger at play, as the different threads eventually begin to connect. I found this to be a mixed bag of a read, you are going to need to suspend your sense of disbelief, and not all of the characters worked for me. Having said that, I imagine there will be many readers who will enjoy this fast paced, thrill ride of a book a lot more than I did, for me it was just okay, but I did enjoy the audio that kept me going through the darkness of the 48 hours time span of the read. Many thanks to Dreamscape Media for a ALC.