Member Review

The little old mining town of Hinowah in California is facing obliteration by deluge when part of a levee on a flooding river collapses, and the town’s ill-prepared administration is unequal to the task. Luckily, Dorion Shaw, who runs a disaster response company, is in the vicinity on another job and offers her assistance immediately. She also calls her brother, and professional reward-seeker, Colter Shaw, to rescue a family trapped in a car that was swept away by the river. When things begin to look bleak for the town, with no support from the county bosses, a team from the Army Corps of Engineers, led by an impressive woman, arrives to control the situation. But, in a short while, Colter’s keen instincts detect something suspicious, and the revelations that follow put an entirely new spin on the happenings, placing him in the crosshairs of dangerous enemies. On the personal front, Colter is alarmed by the information he received earlier about someone desperately trying to locate his mother, possibly intending to harm her, if the history of the Shaw family is anything to go by. He must resolve the rapidly escalating troubles at Hinowah before he can focus on the threat to his mother.

The fifth outing of Colter Shaw, South of Nowhere, features Deaver’s trademark crisp plotting, vivid characterisation, and brisk pacing, as expected. He throws challenge after challenge at Colter, who has evolved into a highly resourceful and dependable character, ratcheting up the intensity, and it is tremendous fun to watch Colter navigate those challenges. In addition to Colter, it is nice to see his mother and sister play substantial roles. The local law enforcement figures are equally compelling, especially Debi Starr, the schoolmarm-turned-lawkeeper. The novel delivers twists – some genuinely surprising, others more predictable – that keep the pages turning. A couple of subplots offer enjoyable diversions. However, with the focus spread across multiple characters and threads, the intensity feels slightly dialled down compared to the earlier entries in the series, despite the high-stakes disaster and action sequences. The book closes with a new assignment for Colter – this time a personal one – that promises to be his most hazardous mission yet. South of Nowhere is another engaging instalment in the series, and I am eager to see how Colter rises to meet his next challenge.

I am grateful to HarperCollins, UK for the digital review copy of South of Nowhere in exchange for my honest review.