It's funny how things happen. This is my 2nd abduction/off the grid book in the last week!

Set in rural Idaho, Miley is set on training for biathlon while she works at a bougie summer resort. Stubborn, fierce, and goal oriented, Miley doesn't think to share her running whereabouts with anyone at camp, or with her best friend Brent, who's been hinting at wanting to be more than friends.

First comes the moose, then the gunshot, then the men at the edge of the lake. From that moment on, all Miley can think about is surviving and escaping.

I didn't realize that "preppers" were a thing...doomsday preppers, those preparing to live off the land when the crap hits the fan. "Off the grid."

The author does a great job placing the reader in this setting and making you feel like it could actually happen. The incredulity, the insanity, the ruthlessness, all trying to choke out the slight glimmer of hope. Hope for escape. Hope for rescue. Miley was a strong and formidable heroine and I enjoyed her character, rooting for her all the way.

When I read the acknowledgements I realized something similar IRL had happened, giving the author the inspiration perhaps, and I appreciate knowing that. I applaud the author for shining a light on something important.

This is my first book by this author but it definitely won't be my last!

I've been a big fan of Noelle's books for a while now-having read most of them. Because I've read so many of her books and have enjoyed them, I did not check trigger warnings as I haven't needed to in the past. That was my mistake. I was initially drawn to this premise, but as I got into this book, I learned it just wasn't for me.

Other reviewer have mentioned really enjoying this book and this was a great reminder for me (and hopefully other reviewers) to always check trigger warnings even when requesting a book from a familiar author. I really wish NetGalley had a trigger warning section for books-especially because it can be difficult to find them for newer arcs.

Anyway, I encourage other potential readers to check trigger warnings before requesting and ultimately, I think this is just the case of a book not being right for me as a reader than any specific issues with the book itself.

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for providing an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

4.5⭐️

Thank you to netgalley for this advanced copy!

I absolutely was on the edge of my seat reading this. I felt fully immersed and loved how the writing made you feel and root for the characters.

This will have you gripped and even more so, you won’t be able to put this down!

This is my second book by this author and she is quickly becoming one of my favourite authors. I will definitely be checking out this author's backlist because I need more!

Gray After Dark is a high-octane mystery that will keep you guessing right until the very last page. The characters are relatable and Ihli's writing style is one that gets you involved in the story so much so that you don't realize how much time has passed until you finish the book.

If you are a fan of mysteries and thrillers, I would definitely check this one out. Many thanks to Dynamite Books and NetGalley for providing an ARC for review.

Phew! This is action packed from the very beginning to the very end! Nearly had to take a breather there at the end. I loved the setting of the book, the cabins, the wilderness, the characters. I love how the chapters alternated between the main character and the search for her. I enjoyed how easy the story flowed and kept me wanting to read more. This book is also based on a true story! Top 5 for 2024 for sure!

A big thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for gifting me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

After reading Run on Red, I had to request a copy of this. This was a classic kidnapped in the woods case where the FMC is terrified no one will find her out in the middle of nowhere. Although the plot itself feels a bit played out, Miley's character kept me interested. Her perseverance had me waiting for what her next move would be through every chapter. I LOVED the ending. Ihli challenged me to think differently about this type of plot and she managed to keep the ending fresh without being too predictable or unrealistic. Four stars.

Sweet baby kittens on a cracker, I walked into this one blindly and now I think I'm traumatized. This is not an easy book to read and I considered DNF'ing it about a hundred times in the first fifty percent. Not that there's anything wrong with the writing – the author is obviously talented – but the subject matter is just so distasteful that it was really, really hard to digest. With that said, however, I read the entire book in about ten hours (and that's including a few hours of sleep) so it's also completely riveting despite its bazillion trigger warnings (which include violence, murder, kidnapping, sexual assault, severe Stockholm syndrome, and animal cruelty).

This novel revolves around Miley, a biathlon Olympian athlete with a whole lot of emotional baggage, who is kidnapped in the remote Idaho wilderness by a couple of deranged mountain men in search of a “bride” for one of them. It's based on the true story of Kari Swenson, an Olympian who was kidnapped in Montana in 1984. While Miley's fictional ordeal differs from Kari's in many respects (especially in length – Kari's abduction lasted less than 24 hours while Miley's lasted for weeks), the basic details are very similar. I think that's part of what made this book so difficult to read, knowing that it's based on the experiences of an actual person.

And I have to say, the bad guys in this book are absolutely terrifying. They're full of violence and misogyny and are all too realistic – these are certainly not cartoon villains that exist only in the movies, but the men you think of when you're walking alone late at night with your keys in your hand as a makeshift weapon. I truly cannot overstate how awful they are and how much I wanted to give both of them multiple swift kicks in a very unpleasant place while I was reading this book, and I am not a violent person.

Miley is a strong protagonist, however, and her resilience is amazing. You can't help but root for her (although, to be fair, who else are you going to root for? the human monsters?) and while I'm not a nail-biter, I almost took up the habit while waiting to see whether or not she'd make it out of the forest a) alive and b) mentally and physically unscathed.

This isn't a pleasant book and it's not easy to read, but at the same time it's basically unputdownable. If you enjoy books that read like Lifetime movies in novel form, you should definitely consider giving this one a read. 3.95 stars, rounded up.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Dynamite Books for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review.

A harsh wilderness, an abduction and a daring escape, mixed with a love story, made this book a heart-pounding thriller! 5 stars!!! Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to read this.

This is my favorite book of 2024 so far. I couldn’t put It down. It was everything I love in a thriller book; atmosphere, character, plot, setting. I found myself gasping at times. Last night I stayed up way too late and then I woke up in middle of the night because I dreamt about It. The situation that the main character Miley finds herself in - is beyond terrifying. This would be my worst fear.

Miley goes for a run in the vast mountain wilderness, following a trail before her shift one morning. She stops halfway for a swim and is abducted by two mountain man preppers living off the grid. Their intention with her is what nightmares are made of.

Miley is one of the most bad ass characters I’ve read in a long time. She is strong and smart. I loved how certain events throughout the story weren’t neatly wrapped up. It made the events seem more believable.

I love in books when I find the title of the book and why it’s called what it’s called. I highlighted the passage because I loved It so much.

This story was truly one that will stay with me forever. Learning It was based on an actual crime that happened in 1984 was sort of like a gut punch. I had never heard of this case until now. Now, I need to research that case more in depth. Thank you Noelle Ihli and NetGalley for this advanced readers copy. I am very grateful I had the opportunity to read this.

Noelle Ihli does it again, this is probably on par with Room for Rent as my favorites of hers to date. This book had me racing to finish, I needed to know what happened to Miley and the rest.

WOW, I have very few more words than that. If you are looking for a thriller that will make you feel like you’ve just competed in the biathlon, this is it. Fast paced from the start, and a true page turner!

Thank you to NetGalley and Noelle Ihli for the privilege of reading this ARC.

Holy cow this book left me speechless. Such an amazing psychological thriller. I couldn't put it down!!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review!

Holy moley!! My blood pressure must have been through the roof whilst I read this one! I was so scared and anxious for the main character. I felt like the story had started a little slow, but boy when it picks up it doesn't stop! I felt like I was watching a movie, so engrossed in it, and the details were so well described! Highly recommend it!

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the ARC!

I couldn't stop reading this book!
It grabbed me from the start and even though there were parts that were hard to read I needed to know what would happen next.
This author has a knack for that! I love being on the edge of my seat!!
All the characters felt real & I was very invested in this story.
I loved the ending.
🏅 🏃‍♀️ 🐰 🐔
Huge thanks to NetGalley and Noelle for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!
I will definitely read her next books!!
Set to publish 3/22/24

Miley selected the Hidden Springs Ranch, an exclusive resort in Idaho’s Frank Church Wilderness, because she can earn money and continue her training on the many trails in the forests this summer.. She’s a biathlon athlete preparing for the Olympics, still grieving her mother’s death and avoiding a relationship with her teammate Brent. Her co-workers warn her about danger from bears in the woods but the worst danger she will find walks on two legs.

Miley is kidnapped by a prepper duo during a run. Fred and his son Hamish have plans to marry her to Hamish and have her help Fred’s wife Mary with cabin housework. This is far from Miley’s plan. What comes next is a horrific accounting of life in the cabin paralleled by the desperate search for Miley…or her body.

Gray after Dark, based loosely on a true story, is a testament to Miley’s will, to her refusal to give up, and to her never ending attempts to strengthen her body and mind for what is to come. Some pages will make you flinch but you won’t be able to stop reading. Miley, Rayna, Brent, Wes and even Fred and Hamish are characters so vividly written that they leap off the pages. That Frank Church Wilderness with it millions of miles of dense woodland, is a character in itself. 5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley, Dynamite Books and Noelle W. Ihli for this ARC.

𝔹𝕠𝕠𝕜 ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨
𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐲 𝐀𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐛𝐲 𝐍𝐨𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞 𝐖. 𝐈𝐡𝐥𝐢
𝙶𝚎𝚗𝚛𝚎: Thriller
𝙿𝚊𝚐𝚎𝚜: 370
𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Miley is an Olympian with a tragic past.

She gets a job at a cabin as a kicthen hand. She goes Running in the woods every morning.

One night with all the camp staff they speak of a girl from 4 years prior who worked there and went missing in the woods presumed killed by a bear attack but no body was ever found.

On one of Mileys morning runs she stops at a lake to swim and is abducted by a father and son Frank & Hamish.

The story goes on to her being held prisoner in their cabin in the woods and the torture she endures daily while being held captive. (I dont want to say too much to spoil it for those of you who haven't read it yet).

My god I'm pretty sure I held my breathe and screamed multiple times at the characters in this book!! Literally on the edge of my seat!

Noelle is fastly becoming one of my favourite thriller authors.

Gray after dark is available now on Amazon for pre order & releases on March 22nd! I highly recommend this book.

This is a compelling, action filled story. I recommend it highly. An Olympic athlete is kidnapped during her training run and kept prisoner. The father and son kidnappers are truly horrific and the life that she now leads could not be more devastating. This kept me reading late into the night. I literally could not put this book down. The characters are so well developed that you are pulled into the ordeal the victims are experiencing. Thanks to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy to read and review.

First 5 star read of 2024!
This was my first book by this author and I was blown away; this fast paced thriller kept me on my toes the entire time. I could not put this down; I was rooting for the girls the entire time, and were defeated when they were too. Ilhi knows how to keep their readers wanting more, between cliffhanger chapters and having unpredictable characters. I felt fear for the characters, but also pain when they told their stories; Miley’s loss had me in tears for her. This book is sure to be one you won’t be able to or want to put down once you’ve started it

I have always enjoyed this author's previous work, which was fast-paced and easy to read, creating suspense while not becoming too in-depth. This, however, was different with immeasurable depth, character development, and details that I felt myself drawn into the story, watching everything unfold before me. Abducted by two off-the-grid men in the middle of The Frank Church Wilderness, this was horrifying to visualize. I was utterly shocked reading the events that took place, progressively disturbing and hard to read at times, to say the least. Inspired by true events, this was an edge-of-your-seat, suspenseful read. This is not for the light of heart. The author did an amazing job of not romanticizing the situation or the sadistic monsters who believe women are for the taking. The writing was elaborate with every detail and emotion felt throughout. This author has upped her game with this one, and I give it four and a half stars.

Thank you, Netgalley and Dynamite Books, for this ARC.

Oh my goodness, what a ride! This one was a nail biter from start to finish. Definitely beware if you have any triggers, but an excellent read that I finished oh so quickly!

This book will legit make you want to punch a couple of characters right in their stupid, patriarchal faces, repeatedly. The sheer entitlement boils my blood.

I looked up Kari Swenson when I was about halfway through the book, and you should know that the press and the public romanticized the persons responsible for the actual, real-life kidnapping of Swenson in Montana back in 1984. The fact that the perpetrators were glorified as true "mountain men" taming the wild frontier instead of focusing on, you know, that they were mentally disturbed, brutally violent criminals who could only rough it by stealing from nearby cabins and lodges--all of this infuriated Swenson's family, and rightly so. People even clamored for photo ops with these dudes!! It boggles the mind. I appreciate that Ihli addresses this madness in her afterword, and that she made a conscious effort to praise Kari Swenson for her strength and resiliency in the face of unspeakable evil.

Okay, onto the book itself. Ihli takes bits and pieces of the actual kidnapping, but she changes some things around and adds her own spin on the idea of what if the perpetrators weren't caught right away. You'll be horrified at what happens. It's scary to think that there are still some men who consider women to be their actual property. You accidentally spilled his dinner? Best prepare yourself for immediate retribution.

There's some stuff in here that is very hard to read, but I do appreciate that there are no sexually explicit scenes. There is a LOT of violence, fyi. See the first line of my review again. Ihli makes you ask yourself, what would you do if you were put in a similar situation? Would you have the wherewithal to keep looking for opportunities to escape? Or would you accept your fate? Food for thought.

A special bonus, for me, at least, because I love learning new things, is the information on the Olympic biathlon--cross country skiing interspersed with five different shooting targets. It's fascinating stuff!

This comes out in less than three weeks! Check it out! I'm going to go look at Ihli's other books now.

I received a copy from NetGalley and Dynamite Books (thank you!) in exchange for my honest feedback.