I love Lisa Gardner and have enjoyed many of her books including the first in this series with Frankie Elkin, “Before She Disappeared”.

This novel has a completely different setting. Instead of a run down neighborhood in Brooklyn we are transported to the wilderness of Wyoming. Not just any wilderness, but an incredibly difficult area to search with the culmination at sheer cliff face, almost impossible to climb.

How did Frankie get here?? She is reading a local Wyoming newsletter. There is a mother who is dying, who wants only to bring her missing boy home. Something about this case calls to her and she gets off the bus in the small town of Ramsey.

It doesn’t take Frankie long to find the proposed search party conferring in the local bar. They are a group of 8 which include a cadaver dog, Daisy and her handler Luciana and a professional Big Foot hunter.

Tim has been missing ever since a campout with his friends before his wedding, 5 years ago. The search had been extensive with many experienced hunters and teams of search dogs but no trace of Tim has ever been found.

Husband and father, Martin, is determined to lead one more search party for Tim to fulfill his wife’s dying wish.

When one of the group, Josh, becomes ill, Frankie talks the group into allowing her to fill his spot. Frankie has no professional training in hiking the wilderness but, using Josh’s backpack and supplies, she sets off at dawn with the group.

NO ONE IS PREPARED FOR WHAT WILL GREET THEM THIS TIME!!! Frankie is very good at getting people to talk, finding out their secrets and solving puzzling cases. What she lacks in training she makes up for with a quick, problem solving mind that is always one step ahead of everyone else.

No spoilers here but this short quote after two days of hiking and various unforeseen actions:

“‘THIS WHOLE THING HAS BECOME SOMETHING BIGGER THAN DISCOVERING TIM’S BODY. SOMETHING MORE SINISTER.”

I can’t remember ever crying with the characters in a thriller, but I did this time!! Ms. Gardner’s skill at describing and rounding out her characters is stellar. The writing flows well and I felt immersed in the wilderness of Wyoming. We also get the background on Frankie and why she does what she does!!

Don’t miss this one if you love character driven novels. It’s more than a thriller, it’s a study in human behavior, THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY!!

I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher through NetGalley. It was my pleasure to read and review this novel which is set to publish on January 18, 2022.

I miss DD from Lisa Gardner's Boston series, and I'm not sure I'll ever quite 'get' Frankie, but Lisa Gardner knows how to write an entertaining mystery - and I will definitely continue to seek out her books.

I read half the book in one day. I just didn't want to put it down. The only reason I am not giving it 5 stars is because the story itself (once I got to the halfway point) seemed a bit far fetched. One of the characters even says something about surviving this horror movie, which is what it felt like. A little over the top. But still very enjoyable, and I really wanted to see how it ended.

Sadly I missed book one in the Frankie Elkin Series... Before She Disappeared.

But One Step Too Far by the amazing Lisa Gardner is a favorite of mine so far!

Frankie is a recovering alcoholic. And her character is amazing...
She is a badass but also very smart.
Lisa is an absolute favorite of mine. The way she can create a perplexing and interesting character in Frankie, Is ravishing.
There is a cast of amazing supporting characters that you have you rooting for along the way too.
The plot is gripping and there are enough twists to keep you turning the page.
I was completely immersed reading this book and now I have to read book one.
Gardner has gone and written a moving and thrilling book packed with action and enough intrigue to keep a reader up late at night finishing this brilliant story!
Her writing style I could read her all day everyday if I could!
So if you're looking for a fast paced and addictive read?
Please don't miss this one. It is seriously a fabulous one.

Thank you ever so much to the amazing people at Penguin Dutton for this eARC!
I will post and tag to my platforms closer to pub date!

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.