Frankie Elkin learns of a man who has gone missing in a national forest. The police have essentially stopped looking for him since he has not been located. After discussing with the missing man’s father, Frankie decides to help out. She quickly finds that there are more sinister things happening here than meets the eye. And when additional people start to vanish, Frankie realizes that she must work quickly to solve this one!

ONE STEP TOO FAR is the second in a series with main character, Frankie Elkin. I liked this one even better than the first, BEFORE SHE DISAPPEARED, which I also enjoyed. I appreciated that Lisa Gardner further developed Frankie’s character and kept me guessing and fully entertained from beginning to end. I felt this was a great spin on the wilderness survival theme and would highly recommend it!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Dutton for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This review will be posted to my Instagram Blog (@coffee.break.book.reviews) in the near future.

Frankie Elkens might be great at finding people but clearly she's not a murderino because no one every told her to STAY OUT OF THE FOREST. I've read several books this year that have made clear the danger of the natural world, and if I'd thought I was never going camping in my life before, this one definitely solidified that.
All that aside, Frankie is a character I'm just thrilled to read more about. We get more of her life story in this one. I love that despite her commitment to not putting down roots, she has a knack for connecting with people and sussing out what is going on with them. This story is populated with fascinating characters, and when they find themselves fighting for survival and truly being tested, I found that I really cared about each of them. Loved this one.

This time of year, we start seeing the "best of" lists for books. We vote in the end of the year contest hosted by Goodreads, and maybe we start composing some lists of our own. This book should be included on every "best of" list, because really, what more could you ask for in a story? You've got a complete novice joining a wilderness missing persons investigation, in really rough terrain, with no gear or preparations. Add in an enigmatic trail guide, the missing man's father and friends, a Bigfoot hunter, and a cadaver dog handler, plus adorable charge, lead them all into vicious wild terrain, and then......

Well, of course I can't tell you any more than that! Lisa Gardner is at the top of her game here. I was literally breathless, turning pages as fast as I possibly could, with silent shiny tears streaming down my face the whole time. I finished the book last night around 7pm and it still hasn't left my thoughts. 

When it's time for yearly awards and "best of"  lists for 2022, I hope that others will remember One Step Too Far and make sure its given the recognition it rightly deserves. Sometimes a January book can feel far away at the end of the year, but I don't think this story will fade. I know it has stayed with me.  Thank you to Penguin Group Dutton and Netgalley for the chance to review this advance copy.

One Step Too Far by Lisa Gardner. Frankie is one spunky lady. Enjoyed Frankie's second rescue and all the information on survival and hiking. Fell in love with Daisy but then who wouldn't. Definitely will not look at tampons and superglue in the same light anymore. The vivid descriptions of the landscape and people made it feel like I was there too. The author's note at the end of the book was an informative and bonus read. Looking forward to Frankie's next rescue..

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

As always, Lisa Gardner has done it again!
Frankie Elkin is a woman who travels around the country helping to find missing people. Frankie finds herself in Wyoming looking for a young man Tim. Tim and 4 of his groomsmen (college friends) had gone camping in Shoshone National Forrest to celebrate his upcoming wedding. During the night one of the friends disappeared from their campsite and Tim, an experienced hiker and outdoorsman, went off in search of the missing friend and was never seen again.
We now go to five years later where Tim’s Dad, Martin is leading a final search for Tim. This year Martin wanted to find Tim’s remains so that they could be buried next to Tim’s mother who was near death. Eight people joined the party: Frankie, Martin, Nemeth, 3 of the college friends, Bob a Big Foot searcher and Luciana and her cadaver dog, Daisy.
Many twists and turns will continually keep you guessing.

I love Frankie Elkin so much.. When I first started reading this book, I was sure I liked the premise of it. Seemed a little far fetch for what Frankie could do. However, Gardner did great work on blending all the pieces together. One minute I thought I had it figured and the next I was way off point. The way she weaves the characters stories together is amazing. I really enjoyed the first Frankie Elkin story and this one didn't let me down. I had all kinds of emotions going on with this book and then throw in the dog and it makes it even better. I look forward to the next Frankie story.

Having lived in Wyoming for a few years I was eager to read a book with Popo Agie as the setting. One Step Too Far is a page-turner. I've spent a few nights allowing myself just one more chapter and have been reading on my lunch break as well. The author uses Frankie to allow readers to learn about the other characters and come to care about them and their safety. The danger and adventure are fairly nonstop and draw the reader in. I would certainly recommend this title.

Different to my usual genre but a thoroughly good book anyway. Couldn’t put it down. Well written book. Well done.

One Step Too Far was a fun, action-packed thriller that had me guessing until the very end. I love this new character of Lisa Gardner's and can't wait to read more of Franky's adventures!

"One Step Too Far"
by Lisa Gardner
"One Step Too Far" by Lisa Gardner is the second novel in the Frankie Elkin series and I love it! Frankie reminds me of Reacher in so many ways, but I understand her so much better. I will definitely keep reading this series.

I loved this book. Anything set in the great outdoors has the potential to have twists and unexpected turns. I thought it all figured out, but no. I won't even close.

“My name is Frankie Elkin and finding missing people is what I do. When the police have given up, when the public no longer remembers, when the media has never bothered to care, I start looking. For no money, no recognition, and most of the time, with no help...Why do I do what I do? Because at the end of the day, the people left behind matter as much as the ones who are missing.”

Frankie Elkin is back, this time in Wyoming, when she hears about a man who went missing in a national forest 5 years prior. He was camping with his friends and disappeared one night...never to be seen again despite tremendous effort.

Now, on the 5-year anniversary of his disappearance, the man’s father, along with a myriad of folks, are planning on one more search to find his body and bring him home. Frankie, living her nomad lifestyle, wants in...even if the leader of the group doesn’t think she will be particularly helpful.

“Can you shoot a gun?”

“God no. I rely on my charm.”

“And when a bear charges?”

“Um, run faster than the next person?”

Frankie has her work cut out for her as the group does laborious hikes through the woods and sleep outside in the elements. The group knows that at least 5 other hikers have disappeared in these woods over the years. Coincidence? Or is the answer far more nefarious?

Nefarious indeed. Frankie and the group will have to use all of their willpower if they want to escape the woods alive.

I have been waiting (im)patiently to read the next Frankie Elkin thriller, and this did not disappoint! She’s one of my favorite characters, and I’m so glad author Lisa Gardner decided to turn her life into a series (this is book #2, so now is a good time to catch up).

Frankie is funny, charming, and endearing. She’s also an alcoholic (dry for 10 years), has suffered extreme loss, and is complex and lonely. While there were many points that made me chuckle, don’t be fooled. This is a dark book with heart-palpitating danger lurking. I couldn’t put it down!

I honestly couldn’t believe how much I came to love the characters in this story. At first, they were mainly cold and rude, but they grew on me...More importantly, they grew on Frankie. Hands down, my favorite character is Daisy, an adorable yellow lab who also happens to be a phenomenal search and rescue dog. Dog lovers are going to fall in love with her!

I found the last 25% highly suspenseful, but also very touching. By the end, I had tears in my eyes. I can’t wait to see where life takes Frankie next, and I hope she learns to figure out her life. The ending definitely makes me want more!

Thank you to Dutton for sending me a widget of the ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Expected Publication Date: 1/18/22.

Review also posted at: https://bonkersforthebooks.wordpress.com

I'm a big Lisa Gardner fan and this one was definitely different. The setting was not typical of her books but if you are into nature and adventure and peril then this is great. Lots of long descriptions about hikes and scenery which I could have done without but if you like that then this is a great fit for you.

5 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
I would definitely be recommending this book to readers on my Instagram bookstagram account.

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Lisa Gardner, a thrilling new novel that sends missing persons expert Frankie Elkin into a national forest in Wyoming looking for a young man who disappeared without a trace. But when the search team encounters immediate threats to their survival, Frankie realizes she’s up against something very dark—and she’s running out of time. An entire search team went into the forest, but will any of them make it out alive?

I've been a Lisa Gardner fan forever, and this novel set me back on my heels. The survival tips imbedded in the story gave it a real sense of the dangers these characters faced. I never saw the ending coming, and that's a real and rare treat for a thriller lover like me. Highly recommended!

I always enjoy Lisa Gardner's books and writing style and this book hit the mark for me. Characters were well developed, plot was on point, the twist was unexpected, just an all around excellent read. I will be purchasing this book for our library shelf. Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy.

I love Lisa Gardner and would read any book she wrote! I have come to especially love the "Frankie" series. While I really enjoyed this book, I found some of the events that happened in the wilderness to be a bit far-fetched and unbelievable. About halfway through the book, I had an idea on who the "bad guy" was and I was half correct. Loved the twist at the end. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this advanced copy.

Lisa has done it again. She takes you on a roller coaster ride and leaves you breathless. Good job! One Step Too Far is definitely worth your time!!

So, I’ll admit that I didn’t read the first book in the new Frankie Elkin series by Lisa Gardner. I was a little bitter that a new path was being forged. A path that was taking me away from D.D. Warren and Tessa Leoni. I liked and knew those characters so much, it was hard to accept a newcomer. But…

Frankie Elkin is every bit as sassy as D.D. but carries a heavy weight in her heart from past mistakes and losses. Her compulsion to bring peace to families of the lost is evident in almost every page of this book. She has no special training other than her life experiences, but her tenacity and ability to read the people around her have led to 16 families having closure.
Now, in the remote wilds Frankie joins a team searching for a young man who went missing five years earlier. After a bachelor party camping weekend goes very, very badly the young man is never seen again. Frankie joins the young man’s father along with a cadaver dog and trainer, three best friends of the young men, an experienced guide, and a Bigfoot hunter. Yep, I said Bigfoot!

Not everyone is who they say they are, and there are still many secrets left from the night the young man disappeared. As mishaps befall them and survival takes precedence over the search, who will make it out alive?

I read this book in about two days, which is lightning speed in our household. Each time I feared the next chapter would drag, Gardner pumps in more exhilaration. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to start reading the first book in this series to see what I missed out on.

Note: This book can be read as a standalone, but it does heavily reference Frankie’s past, which may have been more illuminating had I read the first book prior to this one.

Author: Lisa Gardner
Books in Series: Before She Disappeared Frankie Elkin #1

Another great thriller by Lisa Gardner. This one features Frankie Elkin for the second time, and I hope not the last. Frankie travels around helping to solve cases that seem almost hopeless to solve. She does this with no expectation of reward just her need to solve the mystery. This time it’s the disappearance of a man on a trip with friends into the woods. Like all of Ms. Gardner’s books it hooks you in the first few pages and keeps going at a quick pace.