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!

In SOUTH OF NOWHERE, written by Jeffery Deaver, three drivers are heading through a rainstorm and encounter a levee road. One driver and his family are sucked into the overflowing river. Also, tracker Colter Shaw is visiting his mother and receives a text requesting his immediate help. How are these two incidents connected? I read on to find out.

Initially, I am a bit confused in this novel. It is the first book I am reading in the Colter Shaw thriller series, so I imagine experiencing the previous books would have been helpful. There seem to be a lot of people to keep track of. I find I am annoyed by the acronyms. The plot gets exciting during the last quarter of the book, but not enough changes to make me reassess my opinion. Thank you, PENGUIN GROUP Putnam and NetGalley, for the chance to read and review an advance reader copy of SOUTH OF NOWHERE.

Mixed review for me. Always love Jeffery Deaver books and his usual tense thrillers. This story didn’t take off like his other books, even ones in this series. A slow start and a slower build with lots of characters and a bit of action. May be best for folks who enjoy more complex character sets and growing plots.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the opportunity to read this ARC.

I usually really enjoy Jeffrey Deaver books. I especially like the Lincoln Rhyme novels. The Colter Shaw books are good, but South of Nowhere had to many things going on and too many characters to keep track of.

Fast paced with an interesting and very timely setting, South of Nowhere, featuring tracker Coulter Shaw tells the story of the sudden collapse of a levee in the small Northern California town of Hinowah. The road along the levee has caved in and a vehicle containing a family is missing. Can Shaw et al find the vehicle in time to save the trapped family inside? Will the raging river below what’s left of the levee flood the town?

While the clock is ticking clues are unearthed and the nature of the collapse becomes questionable. Who will be harmed by the impending flooding this disaster will bring? Who would benefit? Has the levee been eroded by the water below or are more sinister forces at work? Is there any intervention that can prevent a full collapse? At a time when flood disasters are an all to common occurrence, the author has created a very real life scenario. I hung onto every page while Mr Deaver revealed layer upon layer of a story that has real life implications.

Five stars for a well written thriller that will have your heart pounding right up until the ending which I didn’t see coming. Publication date is May 6, 2025. Mark it as a must read. Many thanks to NetGalley and to Penguin Random House fir an ARC in exchange for my review.

A thriller with scenarios I just couldn't figure out! I love the energy of the book, and the outside the box thinking that goes into Colter and his sister racing to save the town,. As always, the series delivers captivating stories that keep me reading into the night.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This was an OK book for me. It had suspense, betrayal, and Coulters family was a big part of the story. It just didn’t grab me like other books by this author. I finished it but hope his next book is better. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.

I have read all the Colter Shaw books and was VERY excited to see another book in the series! As I waited to read the book, I wondered who Colter would be tracking in this story. Once I started reading this latest book, though, I realized the formula of this story is different from his others. South of Nowhere focuses on a levee that is failing and on saving a town in the river's path. Instead of tracking for a reward, Colter is working with his sister and various authorities to avert the disaster and solve the mystery of the damaged levee. While different from the usual Colter Shaw tracking thrillers, the storyline is engaging with twists, turns, and misdirections. South of Nowhere also contains the Shaw family's unique "never" lessons that really elevate the series. There is a setup for another book at the end of this one, so I'm already looking forward to reading Colter's next adventure! Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Group Putnam, and Jeffery Deaver for providing a digital review copy of this book.

Fans of Jeffery Deaver’s Colter Shaw series will welcome the fifth installment of the series, South of Nowhere. Colter Shaw’s sister, Dorion, who is a disaster relief expert working in a small Northern California town of Hinowah where the levee has been breached and a family of four is missing, asks her brother for help in locating them. While at the site, there is a problem, and it is thought that the whole levee will be destroyed and the town will be decimated. However, while Shaw investigates, he finds some evidence that there is foul play involved, and he must stop it. There are other subplots that add to the story.

As usual, Deaver tells a story that keeps readers on the edge; his popularity is earned because of his writing style and skillful abilities. He has a way of building suspense while keeping his readers on the edge. He has a knack for developing his characters, and making them seem real. Colter Shaw is a unique protagonist, who is likeable; the supporting characters are believable and also well developed, to make the story flow.

All told, Deaver is a master, and this novel is interesting and easy to read. It will keep the interest of most readers. The award seeking aspect is a different take on a main character, and the survivalist skills are interesting. Once again, Deaver has done an excellent job in this novel.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

La parte del dique y los rescates fue bastante entretenida, y estuve completamente pegada al libro, deseando saber si lograrían rescatar a la familia del auto y si conseguirían evacuar a todo el pueblo antes de que fuera demasiado tarde. Sin embargo, después de eso, sentí que ocurrieron muchas cosas sin importancia, que se alargaban hasta volverse aburridas.



Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really wanted to like this book, I tried so hard, but I could barely get through it. This did not read as a Colter Shaw book, but more about what his sister Dori was doing but putting the focus on Colter. Where is the high stakes reward seeker we fell in love with?

Deaver brings back Colton Shaw for another heart pounding and roller coaster rescue. This time his sister Dorion joins him. You can’t miss reading any of the Colton Shaw books & the Tracker TV show is phenomenal. Thanks for the ARC.

“South of Nowhere” by Jeffery Deaver is book 5 of the Colter Shaw series. This series which has now been converted to TV always deals with a realistic societal topic with a high adrenaline rush. In this book a failing levee endangers a small town in California. Colter becomes involved because his sister who is a disaster relief specialist texts him for help as a family of 4 was swept away when levee collapsed. There is little time for this family to survive in their car and the possibility of total flooding of the town is pointing to some sinister circumstances. There are many new characters and personal family dramas in this novel, enough to make it a fun adventure and interesting addition to the series.

Thank you NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Another Colter Shaw with appearances by the whole family. An interesting use of his talents with an impending levee break and much more to the story (as usual). Tough to figure this one out (for me and Colter!).

This was a fantastic addition to the Colter Shaw world! I loved seeing more Shaw family dynamics, and the twists and turns of the story were dramatically perfect, as always. The plot was intense but fascinating, especially to someone like me who is the granddaughter of a civil engineer and has heard a thing or two about levees and dams. I took away one star because of how hard it is to relate to the characters. Even the side characters seemed like a “caricature” of real people – too perfect or too evil or too unique.

Overall a great book and totally recommend!

I thought that this thriller was really good albeit a bit far fetched. Sometimes you need a book that will let you escape and this was it for me!

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

One of my favorite shows is Tracker. Since finding out that it’s based off a series, I’ve been reading the series. I was so excited to receive a ARC for book 5. This book blew me away. No matter what was happening it was chefs kiss. The twists and turns about a small town in California being flooded and the story within. I also loved how it sets up for book 6 which the premise sounds so good.