Wow, this one was a hard read at times! Not because of the writing, but because of the subject matter. But I persevered, and I’m glad I did.

The main premise is that Miley, an Olympic biathlete, is working at a summer resort. She goes out running in the Frank Church wilderness (over 2 million acres) every morning, and she doesn’t share her route with anyone. She is captured and taken by two “mountain men” and the rest of her captivity is just awful. These guys are cruel, filthy monsters. She’s afraid for her life, and I don’t blame her.

There are other threads to the story. Miley’s closest friend Brent comes to join the search for her. Her coworker Wes also searches, and he has a crush on Miley, something Brent is not happy about. Also, Miley has a chronic shoulder pain with no apparent physical cause, and it manifested after the death of her mother in a car crash in which Miley was the driver. The wreck was her fault, and she’s carried all of that and held Brent, and everyone else, at arm’s length.

It’s a multi-layered tale and it’s definitely worth the read. It’s my first book by this author, and I’ll look for others.

My thanks to NetGalley and Dynamite. Books for the digital ARC. My review is voluntary.

I received an ARC copy and I’m so glad I did! I had just found this author recently and this is the second one I’ve read. I love the style or writing and while I found parts difficult to get through, it had me on the edge of my seat!

What if bears aren’t the only thing in the forest you should be afraid of?

Miley, an Olympic-level athlete, has just suffered a devastating personal loss & takes a temporary job at a remote lodge in the mountains of Idaho to earn a little money in the off-season & continue training in her free time. She’s barely gotten through orientation when she’s kidnapped & taken even deeper into the Frank Church Wilderness - as the situation with her abductors escalates, Miley starts to wonder if she’ll ever escape, if anyone from search & rescue will find her… & if she can hold on that long.

This was a terrifying read, but just like the other novel I’ve read from this author (Run on Red) I’m glad I braved it because it was quite a story. I loved all the information I learned about biathlon (cross-country skiing & rifle shooting) athletes & the wilderness setting was described beautifully. I appreciated all of the content warnings at the beginning of the book, & it was interesting that this story was loosely based on the abduction of Olympian Kari Swenson. I also enjoyed the accompanying short story (After the Dark).

Thank you to NetGalley & Xpresso Book Tours for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Should you read this?
Yes, if… you want a DARK thriller that will make you clench your teeth and stay up late rooting for the characters
No, if… you don’t want to read a book that feels terrifyingly realistic
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

Gray After Dark by Noelle Ihli is a riveting psychological thriller that keeps readers on the edge of their seats from start to finish. The story follows Miley, an Olympic competitor, who finds herself abducted by two off-grid preppers while out on a run. Ihli expertly crafts a tense and gripping narrative as Miley, or Miles, navigates the harrowing ordeal of trying to escape her captors. The character development is rich, and the tension is palpable throughout the book. While it's not without its flaws, particularly with some of the believability of some events, Gray After Dark ultimately delivers a thrilling and intense read worthy of four stars. Ihli's storytelling prowess shines in this new release, leaving readers eagerly awaiting her next venture into the realm of psychological suspense.

I struggled to finish this book as I found the violence - domestic, sexual, etc. very difficult to read. I liked this author 's book Red on Red which also contained violence. For some reason it seemed different in this book and I did not enjoy this read.

The protagonist is kidnapped and held captive.

Too raw for me at this time.

NetGalley review Kindle ARC.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.


Let me start off by saying that I never expected to enjoy a thriller with backwoods, survivalist kidnappers as the main antagonists.

I was wrong.

One of the things I loved most about Gray After Dark was the main character. Miley is a biathlete recovering from a physical injury and personal loss. Through dual timelines and POVs we are able to get a better sense of who Miley is through her relationships with a teammate and her mother. I loved reading about Miley's training for the Olympic biathlon and her determination to succeed in her sport.

When I realized exactly who the kidnappers are going to be, I lost a little of the enjoyment I'd been having with this book. However, Miley's physical and emotional suffering of the hands of her tormenters kept me turning the pages. I was invested in Miley and a new character named Mary.

With our giving away spoilers, I'll say we also got a peek inside the mind of Brent, Miley's teammate and potential love. For the most of the book, Brent's POV chapters felt slow, and I skimmed many pages. By the end, the pace picked up and were a crucial part of the finale.

My main complaint for this book is that while there were many cringe-worthy moments, this book did not have the creepy and atmospheric elements found in the more recent books by this author.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys survival stories, especially ones with equal amounts gore and romance.

Gray After Dark is standalone part-thriller, part-survivalist story of overcoming odds against horrifying trauma. Based loosely on the true-life abduction of Olympian Kari Swenson in 1984. I’ve read Noelle W Ihli before and this one was my favorite so far. The story is dual POV and is quite dark in subject matter. The story follows Miley who is abducted on a run and follows her experience and fight for survival while her loved one’s search for a clue as to her whereabouts. The story has some tense moments, some fierce characters and will have you feeling all the emotions. Be sure to check out Noelle W Ihli’s other works if you enjoy this one as each book is unique and offers up something special.

Miley’s plans are far from what she imagined they would look like as this Olympic trainee finds herself held captive in an off grid cabin. Are her athletic skills and her sharp mind enough to save her?

This book is another favorite of mine by author Noelle West Ihli. Packed full of suspense and detail that will suck you right into the woods with her characters. I could not put this one down, let alone see what was coming next.

Fantastic!! If I could rate this book higher, I would!
This story is about Miley, a young Olympic athlete, who had taken a summer job at a very secluded resort in the middle of a very vast forest in Idaho. Miley is hoping to get in some training during her off times at the resort and is running alone on a deserted trail when she crosses paths with some hunters.
This story was so fast paced, I couldn’t put it down! Every chapter was interesting, and I was on the edge of my seat till the very end!
I read almost entirely thriller novels, so it
can be hard sometimes to find a truly unique story. I can say without of doubt, I have never read a storyline line this! 5⭐️!

Thank you to Xpresso Book Tours and NetGalley for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

First and foremost, I went into this book completely blind - which makes this author's books that much more shocking to me - but I didn't realize until after I finished, that it was based on actual events. That always makes a story so much more intriguing to me.

The story is told mainly from Miley's POV with some flashbacks and Brent's POV. It was a bit slow to start to me, but I think that is just because I'm not familiar with the Olympics or the event referenced and couldn't relate. But it didn't take long at all for that to change and it quickly left me hanging on every word with my heart in my throat. There were some parts that were difficult to read through, so if you have triggers, you may want to be cautious. I would have liked to have had the ending drawn out a bit more, it left me with some questions and wanting more but overall a good and intense read.

5/5

A little bit thriller, a little bit suspense, maybe a dash of horror....Noelle Ihli did it again!!!

When Olympic athlete Miley goes for a remote run in the woods - and someone is waiting for her.

Inspired by true events, Gray After Dark is a fabulous read that I couldn't put down.

The characters are incredibly realistic (including the "bad guys"; they feel really REAL *shudder*), and Miley is a strong, likable protagonist that you can't help but root for.

This is an INTENSE read and I literally caught myself holding my breath at one point! The writing really is that good. *clapping*

If you are a fan of edge-of-your -seat thrillers (another reviewer compared this to a particularly good Lifetime story) then give this a try!

PS: Similar to her other books, Noelle W Ihli does a particularly good job treading on sensitive subjects with respect (subjects that other authors might take as an opportunity to throw in the ICK). With that said, as always, check your TW (subjects include kidnapping, murder, pregnancy loss, domestic abuse, infertility, SA/violence, Stockholm syndrome, gun violence).

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. All views expressed are my own.

Gray After Dark is a dark suspenseful thriller inspired by the real-life abduction of an Olympic athlete back in the eighties. I hadn’t heard of this author before but saw some rave reviews so decided to give it a go. I can’t say I exactly enjoyed it because the relentless violence inflicted on the main character was hard to read about, but it’s certainly an exciting and ultimately satisfying read.

Miley Petrowski has taken a casual summer job at an upmarket lodge in the Frank Church wilderness park while she recovers from a serious injury and gets back into training for the Winter Olympics biathlon event. While out on a solo run, she is taken at gunpoint by a father and son duo living deep in the forest. Starved, chained and brutalised, how could she possibly escape?

When I read the synopsis of this prior to requesting it, I thought it would mostly focus on Miley outrunning and outwitting her evil captors, which is the kind of story I like, but this is all left to the end of the book - there’s a whole lot of suffering before she reaches that point, and mentions of animals being harmed that I really didn’t like reading about, although it’s not gratuitous. I liked the way it’s told from both Miley’s POV and that of her friend and training partner Brent - even though the denouement is fairly predictable. It’s well written and scarily believable, and the afterword explains how Kari Swenson’s story fits in, including the author’s outrage at how her abusers were portrayed in the media.

Thanks to NetGalley and Dynamite books for the ARC. I am posting this honest review voluntarily.
Gray After Dark is available now.

Wow, this book was wild! This is the third book of Ihli’s I have read and it is my favorite of hers so far. Whew this book was wild! This is the third book of Ihli’s I have read and it is my favorite of hers so far. The first part was a little bit of a slow burn but then I couldn’t put it down. So intense and stressful!

I went into it blind and was surprised to read it was loosely based on true events. Really interesting retort and I’m glad Ihli included that so I could learn more about it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Xpresso Book Tours for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

This is my 2nd book by Noelle Ihli..and I loved it!
So well written, likable main characters, with all the storyline neatly put ttogether. I also liked the brief epilogue.
There is some abuse, and kidnaooing that might bother people, but it was so well written that it shouldn't bother most readers.
A very solid 4 star read..if actually say it's closer to 4.4 out of 5.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC

Gripping story as it begins we follow a women Miley, who goes to a resort in the woods to work as she arrives she learns a women went missing who use to work their years before , they never found her it was said a bear must of attacked her .
So as miley goes one day for a swim in the lake she meets 2 men as they are taunting her while she swims naked in the lake she don’t want to get out , they have her clothes and guns , it’s tense and heart beating fast as the events unfold they take her and the life Miley lives is unbelievable and the women she meets , could it be the missing girl from years before ?what a wild ride inspired by true events !

I loved this book and miley.
I loved that it went off the grid and in the middle of nowhere.
That one had been missing for so long but working together this concluded to an end. I loved the ending.
I loved the additional book about rayna

“In, one, two, three, four. Out, one, two, three, four.”

Miley is an Olympic competitor who suffers a tragedy that affects her so deeply she loses her chance at a medal. Determined to do better at the next Olympics, she takes a job at a remote lodge in the mountain wilderness. There, she can train in beautiful surroundings and come to terms with circumstances in her life. One day on her run she’s abducted, taken deep in the forest and held captive. Inspired by the true story of Kari Swenson, a biathlete competitor, Gray After Dark is a stellar psychological thriller with depth, that will hold YOU captive!

Y’all this was so intense, my hands just wouldn’t let go of the book! The intense anxiety was so palpable, I need a massage now after all the tension. Noelle certainly knows how to build an overwhelming sense of dread that had me on pins and needles. I even held my breath a few times! Being in Miley’s head was both terrifying and inspirational. Some truly horrible things happen, but Noelle handles the subject matter and content expertly. Nothing is overdone, made graphic or included just for shock value. Little did I know there’d also be a beautiful love story. Not a romance, but a proper, know someone as well as you know yourself love story, that plays an integral part.

Gary After Dark hit all my targets! Atmospheric (a cabin in the woods is now solidified as one of my favorite settings), characters I care about, suspenseful, clever, poignant and inspiring! This isn’t a story of two deranged mountain men doing horrible things, although that does happen. This is a story about resilience, inner strength, fortitude and what it takes to survive!
______
Thank you Noelle, for gifting me this stunning gem. I’m thoroughly enamored with your writing and must immediately read your backlist! Thank you also to Dynamite books and NetGalley.

Scroll down for potential spoiler content warnings.





























































⚠️Content Warnings: Stockholm syndrome, domestic violence, gun violence, Mention of pregnancy loss, infertility, and sexual violence

Holy smokes!!! This new release from Noelle Ihli is a heart-racing page turner if there ever was one!!! If you love a good survival trope that keeps you on the edge of your toes and turning pages to see what happens to the MC next, you'll love this one!!! It took a few chapters to set up, but once the action started, it did not stop!! Thank you NetGalley for this arc! #GrayAfterDark #NetGalley

Noelle can do NO WRONG. Every book I have read by her is automatically a winner.

Miley finds herself in a situation that is made up of the stuff of our nightmares. Will her strong will be able to get her out, or will the dark win? Find out in Noelle’s newest novel. Available on KU!