I thought this book was interesting, exciting at times, action, and interesting characters. I have watched Tracker on TV, so I pictured Colter as the TV Colter, nothing made me think otherwise. I thought it was a bit confusing at the end. Some interesting other mysteries added to the main mystery. All in all, I enjoyed the book. I would recommend, especially if you enjoy Tracker.

South of Nowhere is the 5th book in the Colter Shaw series from Jeffery Deaver.

"When a levee collapses in the small town of Hinowah, Colter Shaw is brought in to look for a missing family that went into the water with the collapse. A surprise attack makes Colter question whether the levee came down from natural causes or was sabotaged. Colter and others must find answers before the water destroys the town."

Colter has a unique job - he's a reward seeker. He's finds people or things where there's a reward offered. Since he grew up with a survivalist for a father, Colter looks at everything through that lens. It's a very different way of looking at life. Deaver has moved away from his overexplaining phase. There are still plenty of topics introduced but not 5-6 pages of it. Deaver never lets up on the action and the twists in this story. There are multiple suspects and red herrings. Deaver is a master at misdirection - there's always a reveal that's he's been subtly setting up that you miss and then boom. There are several here.
This can be read as a standalone but you'll want to read all of the Colter Shaw books.

Another great, entertaining read from Deaver.

A Colter Family Effort

Three vehicles speed down a remote road in northern California while crossing a levee in Hinowah, a fictional small town in Northern California. At 6:15 a.m., the first car almost crosses when the levee fails. The driver of the second vehicle, a truck, sees the first vehicle gun it to make it across, but the levee gives away underneath him. He does see whether the first car made it before his truck tumbles into the river. He sees the car behind him fall into the river. He escapes from his truck and makes it to land before the truck goes under the water. From this start, the novel starts with an even greater disaster recovery story.

The main storyline has four threads. The first is the disaster recovery that lasts throughout the novel. Hinowah’s mayor, who also acts as the police chief, is in charge. A very bossy woman who claims to run a disaster recovery company shows up to help. She takes charge with a fierce intensity. Colter arrives and starts to help in the search and rescue for the car and passengers who went into the river. A three-person team from the Army Corps of Engineers arrives to help stabilize the levee. This thread lasts until the end of the novel. The second thread starts with a text to Colter from a professor who taught at the same university as Colter’s father. He tells Colter that someone had called the university asking about his father and family. She gave her name and wanted to know where the Colter family compound was. The call was suspicious. This thread leads to more information about the Colter family, a significant source of angst for them. The third thread deals with the fiancée of the woman in the first car. The fiancée arrives at the levee failure and hires Colter to find her. This thread has many twists and some good surprises. The last thread follows Colter's investigation into who caused the levee to fail. This thread is a complex investigation that sets the hook on my interest for me and the highest level of danger in the book for Colter and others. As for difficulties, just when did Colter not have difficulties?

For the background, this novel provides more information on Colter’s mother and sister through their history and interactions during the novel. Much of this occurs in the thread where the woman is looking for them. Another interesting aspect of Colter is that he has found a lady friend. This side of Colter is interesting, as I had not seen it before. Lastly, Colter mentors young Hinowah officer a little and tries to advance her career. All these aspects enhanced my enjoyment of reading this novel.

Some aspects of this novel can cause some readers to stop reading. There are no intimate scenes, but one just before and after. Vulgar, rude, and impious language is present at a noticeable level. They all seemed to be consistent with what was happening in the scene. Several violent scenes are described as they occur, and several others involve Colter or others in imminent danger. They are all presented in the edgier mode as they happen. This novel can be your first read, as I found nothing in this novel that required reading the previous novels in this series.

I enjoyed this novel because it kept me on the edge until the end. The twist at the end was a cherry on top. Another element that made me smile was the quirky explosive expert. On the downside, I found nothing that did not contribute to my reading enjoyment. Saying that I could not stop reading would be an understatement. I have read six Deaver novels, three of them from this series. I enjoyed reading this novel the most. Deaver is one of my Must-Read authors. I strongly recommend reading this novel. I am waiting for his next novel. It was an easy novel to rate. I rate it with five stars.

I received this novel's free prepublication e-book from Penguin Group Putnam through NetGalley. My review is based solely on my own reading experience. Thank you, Penguin Group Putnam, for the opportunity to read and review this novel early.

I discovered Colter Shaw a couple of years ago and teach the first book in the series, called The Never Game, in my mystery and thriller class. My seniors enjoy reading it and often pick up the next book to read on their own. I love reading novels in this genre - I love the suspense and the danger and the excitement. I absolutely loved the first two books, and then I liked the third and fourth, but not as much. But with this, the fifth book in the series, Jeffrey Deaver has done it again. By bringing in his sister Dorion and giving his mom a more active role, Deaver brings excitement to the books. Also, it was fun to have a book that wasn't necessarily about finding people for a reward, yet Shaw still used his skills to help. I thank NetGalley and Putnam Books for the ARC and recommend it to readers who like a fun crime novel.

South of Nowhere by Jeffery Deaver is filled with suspense and action in the fifth book in the Colter Shaw thriller series. Reward seeker Colter Shaw is brought in by his sister Dorion, a disaster response specialist, when a levee collapses in Hinowah, California. A family was swept away for the raging water and there is limited time to find and save them. As he searches for them, Colter is attacked. Is the levee at risk of full failure from natural causes or is someone sabotaging it? Racing against the clock, Colter, Dorion, and the local police force work to find the truth as they evacuate the town before a total collapse of the levee.

Shaw found the law profession stimulating, but a poor fit for his restlessness. Instead, he now runs a rewards business, where he usually only accepts payment if he delivers what is requested such as finding a missing person. However, he does occasionally take a for-hire job as well as doing some work for free as he in doing in this story. He loves solving a problem no one else can solve. He also tends to work better alone and observes and assesses situations dispassionately. Dorion is the more extroverted of the siblings, but compliments unsettle her. She’s logical and can easily takes charge in stressful disaster situations, but she also works well with officials. Their mother, Mary Dove, is talented, an in-demand academic researcher, and a physician.

The story starts with a storm, the levee, and three vehicles. Stunning and heartbreaking, the book starts out strong, but gets even better as the characters became better known and the action amps up. The tension starts immediately and continues throughout the novel and this sense of urgency kept me rapidly turning the pages. The plot has plenty of twists and turns as well as surprises along the way. The novel has great world-building and atmosphere. It was easy to feel as if I was in Hinowah with the characters. The tension, stakes, and action build up to an exciting ending that is over-the-top, but satisfying. The author’s ability to combine strong characters and complex plots with excellent pacing kept me fully engaged. Themes include family, water, infrastructure, domestic violence, and much more. This novel does a great job of setting up a thread for another book in the series as well as a new subsidiary business that Colter might or might not pursue.

Overall, this suspenseful high-stakes thriller is well-written and engaging with great characterization and extraordinary atmosphere. If you enjoy thrillers, then look no further than this novel. This series has also been adapted for television. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

PENGUIN GROUP Putnam – G.P. Putnam’s Sons and Jeffery Deaver provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date is currently set for May 06, 2025. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.

South of Nowhere by Jeffery Deaver is a highly recommended thriller and the fifth novel in the Colter Shaw series. Colter makes a living as a reward hunter and tracker usually searching for missing persons or fugitives. This series was was adapted for CBS's TV show Tracker.

Colter Shaw is called in to help by his sister, Dorion, a disaster response specialist, after a levee collapses in Hinowah, a small town in Northern California. A vehicle with a family of four inside was swept into the water and Colter has the ability and skills to try and track where it went. Plenty of complications arise along the way.

This is the first of the Colter Shaw series that I have read but I do watch the television series, Tracker, based on these books and the character. I had no trouble understanding the background of characters because of the tv show. My interest and attention was held throughout the book and I enjoyed the characters and the plot.

So, just as I was reading this book, I found myself in the middle of the Eaton Fire disaster. While this book is largely about a different sort of a disaster, it was a hell of a read when you're actually kind of living part of it.

I do love Colter Shaw and found myself invested in him and the various characters we meet.

I will also say that having now had personal experience with a disaster specialist it was almost (almost) accurate.

While my personal response to this book was understandably biased by my own experiences, I thought the author did a pretty good job though reactions to the disaster in the book were nowhere near the reality of it.

Good read though.

South of Nowhere by Jeffery Deaver is a highly recommended thriller and the fifth novel in the Colter Shaw series. Colter makes a living as a reward hunter and tracker usually searching for missing persons or fugitives. This series was was adapted for CBS's TV show Tracker.

Colter Shaw is called in to help by his sister, Dorion, a disaster response specialist, after a levee collapses in Hinowah, a small town in Northern California. A vehicle with a family of four inside was swept into the water and Colter has the ability and skills to try and track where it went. Plenty of complications arise along the way.

It seems the whole levee may be collapsing soon, which would wipe out the whole town. Then some nefarious player seems to be up to no good and attacks Colter while he is searching for the family. Further questions arise over what is really happening when Colter detects explosive residue near the site of the collapse, bringing into question whether it was really an accident. There is a minor storyline about someone named Margaret, who may be Colter's half sister and things happening to their mother, Mary Dove, a MD.

The pace moves fast while the pages will fly by and the twist keep coming in this well plotted thriller. The time that has passed is tracked as the narrative unfolds. There are several plot points and threads to follow while the truth is sought and uncovered. The novel starts out as a disaster novel and morphs into something else entirely. Personally, I felt like you needed to set some disbelief aside while reading, but this was easily done as the story immediately grabs your attention and keeps it without flagging.

Colter and Dorion, along with their brother Russell, grew up with a survivalist father, Ashton, and some of the many lessons he taught them are included along the way. Since this is the fifth book in the series those new to the series may not have all the background information others have, although there is probably enough shared to keep you up to speed enough to enjoy the action. All the characters are fully realized individuals.

South of Nowhere is a great choice for those who enjoy thrillers. Thanks to the Penguin Group for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

The review will be published on Edelweiss, Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

This was a thrilling book in the Colter Shaw Series. Though I have not read all the books I have seen the series and this book was better then the show. We began the story with Colter at home with his mom. He then gets a text to go to the village of Hinowah. He arrives to a serious situation and has to help his sister with a Levee Collapse. She is a disaster response person who shows up and is helping the Mayor/ Police Chief try to get things under control the problem is that A vehicle Has gone missing in the Never Summer River with a Family inside and also there is no federal or state help for the Levee situation so Colter and his Sister have to take matters in to their own hands managing things themselves with minimal help from just a fire chief and a small town police force of 3 or 4 officers it seems.

Then some Army Corps of Engineers show up and try to “Help” however things begin to get crazy things blow up , People get shot , a woman goes missing and all while still trying to manage the potential flooding. Colter has his hands full on this one for sure.

The story was very detailed and full of fast paced thrills. There was many twists and turns that kept me trying to guess who the real mastermind and his accomplices were In the end this story was resolved and we do know Colter is off for another reward seeking mission which may or may not be the premiss of the next book in the series. I received an advanced Copy of this book but am leaving this review voluntarily. Note : The book had some minor spelling errors but since I received an advanced copy This was not a big deal to me and will probably be fixed in the final cut of the book. Looking forward to the next 5 star book in the series by Jeffrey Deaver! 😊

Jeffrey Deaver just has a way of crafting compelling, complex characters. And Colter Shaw (not to mention the situations he often finds himself in) is nothing if not compelling. Have to say this one partially feels like it could have been ripped from the headlines, (what with the mass devastation from the flooding last year in North Carolina) and starts off with Shaw looking for a missing family that is believed to have been swept away when a levee collapses near a small town in Northern California. But when he comes under attack while searching, Colter has to wonder if there is way more going on than meets the eyes. Was the levee an accident or is something more sinister going on? Deaver has been entertaining me for decades, and he’s honed his craft to razor-sharp point. This is a tight, finely paced thriller. And if he can keep cranking out thrillers of this caliber, I hope to be reading him for decades more. I’d like to thank PENGUIN GROUP Putnam | G.P. Putnam's Sons and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an eARC of South of Nowhere.

Jeffrey Deaver never disapoints. The fifth book in the Culter Shaw series is the best one yet. Great characters, non-stop action, unexpected twists and intriguing subplots kept me reading late into the night. This can easily be read as a stand alone but I highly recommend starting with "The Never Game" and read them in order. Highly recommended

Thanks to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for an advanced reader copy

When a levee in a small town suddenly ruptures and a family is lost in the river downstream, Colter Shaw is called in to help. His sister, Dorion, is already on-site assisting with the flooding, and the two of them have to work together to understand what happened and why, while the rest of levee is threatening to break through and flood the town.

There are several plots woven through this book, making it interesting to the reader. Did the girl in the blue camaro who crossed the levee just before it broke survive, or is she lost just like the family? Where did the family end up? Why did the levee break, and was it the work of someone with ill intent? All these questions are answered as the book progresses, along with a family mystery for Colter, Dorion and their mother Mary Dove.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book, but my opinions are my own.

This was not my favorite Jeffrey Deaver book, I think it had too much going on, and too many people/things to keep up with, so it lost me. Just my personal opinion.

I received an ARC for free and gave my honest opinion voluntarily.

This is the fifth book in the Colter Shaw series. I've read the previous books in the series, including the short stories, and this one takes a departure from the usual formula, offering a more complex plot with a larger cast of characters. While the story can feel overloaded at times, with many moving pieces and subplots, it remains full of suspense and packed with unexpected twists. Though it may not follow the typical Colter Shaw reward seeking case, the book can still manage to keep readers on the edge of their seat, earning a solid 4 stars for its gripping, if sometimes chaotic, narrative.

WOW, Colter Shaw (5) is an amazing ride! Called to a small Northern California town by his sister (Dorion) to help with a levee that's about fail. Was this natural occurrence due to heavy rain and snow melt or sabotage? Colter is immediately on the case, hoping to rescue a family. He has many difficulties to contend with, right off the bat. the clock is ticking, and the story gets more and more complicated. different plot lines come together putting Colter, Dorion. their mother and an aspiring fantasy novelist all in harm's way. this novel, like the last one (Hunting Time) is not just straight forward tracking down people in trouble. its a fast-paced page turner. hopefully Mr. Deaver continues with this excellent cast he's assembled.

Jeffrey Deaver will always be one of my favorite writers and I honestly don't understand how he stays so consistently good. Carter Shaw is back, because he happened to be in the right place at the right time to help when a town is in danger of flooding. But while he should be seeking higher ground, Shaw is looking for a family whose vehicle went into the water after a bridge collapse.
I was so tense hoping he would find the family before it was too late, But wait! There's a lot more going on than it seems.
I love how clever Deaver's plots are, and I'm always surprised. I also love the snark, which brings some humor. Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this

Another awesome adventure with Jeffery Deaver. I love every book you write. Thank you for giving me the chance to ready your book.

Jefferey Deaver does it again! Colter Shaw is back at it again. This time he is called in by his sister Dorian to help out when a levee breaks in a small town, putting the town at risk. When the levee broke there were vehicles on it and one went over into the river. With time working against them Colter and others are searching for the missing vehicle. While doing so, Colter is attacked and others may be missing. This leads Colter and his sister to believe something else may be going on and is the levee damage from natural causes or foul play.

Deaver is a master at the thriller and knows how to pull the reader into the story. One minute you're thinking you have it figured out and then he throws in a twist and you're looking in another direction. Then he makes a turn and you're headed in another. The pacing is great and it keeps you moving along with the action. There is a small side story in the book that doesn't have much of an impact but is obviously there to set up the next novel. This is great because it means we have more Colter Shaw books coming! I've been a fan of Deaver's for awhile ever since I got hooked on his Lincoln Rhyme novels and just recently started the Colter Shaw books after loving the show Tracker. Great book and can't wait for the next one in the series!

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

#SouthofNowhere #NetGalley #ColterShaw

Remember that old Barbara Mandrell song, "I was Country when Country wasn't Cool?" Well, that sort of applies to this series, which began with "The Never Game" in 2018 - well before the smash hit TV show, "Tracker," which debuted on Oct. 13, 2024. I haven't missed a book - this is the fifth - nor an episode of the show, but just between you and me, the books are better.

The star of the show, Colter Shaw, spends most of his time doing work similar to that of a bounty hunter; when people need help finding other people and offer a financial reward, if the case sounds worthwhile, he'll take it on. Other times, as happens here, he plies his trade pro bono. Colter's sister, Dorion, makes her living as a disaster response specialist; when something goes horribly wrong, she comes in to direct cleanup of the mess. This time, a levee has collapsed in the tiny town of Hinowah in northern California, and she asks Colter to join her to help find a family whose car has been swept away in the rushing water with them still in it.

That's a tragic situation, but even more so is the real possibility that the rest of the levee will collapse, sending a torrent of water that could obliterate the town. Residents are being asked to evacuate and most do - the most notable exception being an elderly native Ohlone woman who refuses to budge. As the responders do their thing to shore up the levee and get residents out of harm's way, Colter learns that the collapse may not have been an accident. But if that's the case, who was behind the dastardly deed and what was the motive?

As if that weren't enough to deal with, writings from Colter's late survivalist father, Ashton, suggest a heretofore unknown family connection that could rock Colter, Dorion, his brother Russell and his mother Mary Dove right to the core - and bring the threat of physical danger. But here too, what's real and what isn't? And can Colter figure it all out in time?

I don't think it's a spoiler to say the star of the series lives to see another day, but the devil is in the details - and the book is full of them as well as plenty of action. Certainly it's another winner in my book, and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to catch up with one of my favorite heroes. Well done!