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.

This eARC came from Netgalley.com and I am providing an unbiased review.

This is basically the fifth book in the Colter Shaw series, that was adapted to television as "Tracker". Our MC Colter Shaw is back, and in this part of the tale, he is called in to working with his sister at the site of a levee failure, to help locate a family that was washed off the levee. As time runs out on being able to save this family, things start happening to make the Shaws question a possible evil intent - that the levee was sabotaged and someone wants to destroy the town and surrounding areas.

In the previous books, and yes, even the television show, I have come to like Colter Shaw, as I have Lincoln Rhyme, from other novels by Deaver. There is usually a very realistic spin on events that are occurring in his stories, and is generally quite a nice read. However, I felt a bit lost with this one. The storyline stayed consistent, and realistic, but it just felt too ... fake, I guess, to me. The level of political power, etc, that Shaw over-stepped in solving the issues was just a bit too much for my belief.

Coulter Shaw teams up with his sister Dorian in an effort to save a small town from disaster when a levee breaks, threatening to flood the whole town. But Coulter soon feels something more sinister is going on and doesn’t know who to trust. Is anyone really who they say they are??

Another adventure full of innuendos and red herrings that are signature Jeffery Deaver trademarks.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

While not the Colter Shaw story I was expecting, it was a great read and one that expanded the series a bit by focusing on his sister Dorian. When Colter is hire to find a family lost in a flood after a levee collapses, Dorian, a disaster relief specialist is called in.

The mystery of why the levee collapsed and the forces behind it make for a great read.

Highly recommend.

Despite this book being set within the timespan of a few days, it's jam-packed with action. A failing levee endangers the residents of Hinowah, California, a mission Colter becomes involved in after receiving a text from his sister, Dorion. But the levee isn't the only urgent situation at hand; there's a missing family who don't have long left to live, not to mention a delicate family matter in the form of letters left behind by Colter's father, Ashton, which seem to point at an increasingly urgent matter.

We get a whole new cast of characters with this book, a personal favorite being third-grade teacher turned traffic cop Debi Starr. It's nice to have more family involvement as well, with Dorion present throughout (the scene where she is formally introduced cracked me up), and Mary Dove features in a fantastic scene. There's misdirection and uncertainty about who can be trusted, with the final reveal proving to be the most shocking of all.

I can't wait for the next book, which promises a formidable mission for Colter given the setup at the end of South of Nowhere. Meanwhile, it might be time for me to finally check out the television adaptation?

This book was an adrenaline rush from page one and then meandered through the middle of the story setting up a surprising ending. Colter Shaw is a great character, and I plan to read more stories featuring his “finder” business. I received an ARC from NetGalley, and the opinions expressed are my own.

Having enjoyed watching the adapted for television version of Jeffrey Deaver’s books featuring the character of Colter Shaw, I expected South of Nowhere to play out much like the show, CBS’s Tracker. I was correct in that the Shaw family members portrayed in the book are in keeping with those in the TV show. However, South of Nowhere, the fifth in the book series but the first for me, was bigger and better, far surpassing what a one hour story can convey in terms of drama, excitement, suspense and characterization. I will continue to be a fan of The Tracker but look forward to supplementing my interest in Colter Shaw and his heroic exploits through the novels.
Colter Shaw is a tracker of missing persons, escaped convicts, and those running from the law. He aids the police in solving crimes. Colter is referred to as a rewardist but prefers to call himself a reward seeker, the monetary rewards being payment for the jobs he decides to take on. Shaw travels the country in a RV. He likes to work alone and depends on the survivalist skills his parents, Ashton Shaw and Mary Dove Shaw, a physician, passed on to him, Ashton Shaw, a murder victim, instilled his doctrines and beliefs in Colter and his brother, Russell and sister, Dorian. Ashton lived as he taught and Colter relies on his father’s teachings and examples to effectively work resourcefully as a professional tracker helping people, catching bad guys and fighting disasters.
The setting of the story is rural Northern California. Dorian is a disaster response specialist with her own company and reaches out to her brother when the need becomes urgent to locate a family of four whose car was swept away in flooding waters when a levee begins to fail in the small town of Hinowah. Both Dorian and Colter offer their services for free as it grows more certain that the levee will collapse and the residents must be evacuated, a task made difficult due to the reluctance and refusal of many to cooperate.
Many questions need answering. After Colter is attacked by a big man he names “Bear’ while attempting to rescue the family, suspicions of sabotage begin to arise. If it is sabotage, who has motive? Will the village completely wash out? Did a woman, 26 years old, who was driving the car in front on scenic route 13 when the levee collapsed, survive? Is a mining company or a local farmer involved? Or companies in the nearby town?
Subplots involve Mary Dove, the family compound and a figure from the family’s past.
Although I hope to never have to put them to the test, the story taught me quite a few survivalist tips. The characters were well drawn, memorable, and imperative to the storyline. The narrative was action packed, terrifying and anxiety provoking while it also brought up environmental concerns, information regarding the indigenous history of the area, and questions about natural resources. The politics of governmental aid and how it is disbursed during a crisis was also highlighted in the plot.
Colter Shaw is a protagonist to be admired. I look forward to catching up with him in the first four books in the series. Reward yourself by reading South of Nowhere.
I would like to thank NetGalley and G.P. Putnam’s Sons for an advance copy of this book and the opportunity to write an honest review.

A very suspenseful and entertaining Colter Shaw story.
Colter and his sister Dorion are working together to save a small town in No California from
flooding as the main levee collapses.
As the story builds so does the intrigue surrounding what is really happening here.
when signs begin to appear that the levee might have been sabotaged and deliberately
blown up to ensure flooding, the action ramps up and everyone becomes a suspect.
Colter is his usual independent, well evened character with determination to get to the bottom
of this regardless of who is behind it.
Throw in some family stress and the story becomes another Deaver classic.
Great read.

I found South of Nowhere to be a very exciting novel. Without any spoilers, the tension built up in several parts of the book had me at the edge of my seat and staying up late to finish reading. The characters are likable and well defined and there is a conclusion with an unanticipated surprise. My sole criticism (and one that keeps me from giving the book a fifth star) is the inclusion of excerpts from the fantasy book one of the characters is writing. I found it very distracting and completely unwarranted!
I thank NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam (and especially Jeffrey Deaver for writing this exceptional novel) for the opportunity to read and review this book prior to publication.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

"South of Nowhere" by Jeffery Deaver is a heart-pounding thriller that takes readers on a wild ride through the treacherous landscapes of Northern California. Deaver, known for his masterful storytelling and intricate plots, delivers yet another gripping tale with this latest installment in the Colter Shaw series.

The story follows Colter Shaw, a skilled tracker and reward seeker, as he races against time to save a small town from a catastrophic flood. With the help of his sister, Dorion, a disaster response specialist, Colter must navigate the murky waters and uncover the truth behind the levee's collapse, as he works to save survivors.

Deaver's ability to create a palpable sense of urgency and suspense is evident throughout the novel. The foggy, rain-soaked setting adds to the tension, making every moment feel fraught with danger. The pacing is relentless, with surprising twists and turns.

Colter Shaw is a compelling protagonist, with a blend of rugged determination and vulnerability that makes him relatable and likable. His interactions with his sister and the townspeople add depth to the story, highlighting the importance of family and community in the face of adversity.

The supporting characters are well-developed; Deaver excels in creating multi-dimensional characters that feel real and authentic, enhancing the overall reading experience.

This story explores themes including resilience, survival, family, and the impact of natural disasters on small communities. Deaver handles these themes with sensitivity and insight, providing a thought-provoking backdrop to the thrilling plot.

"South of Nowhere" is a thrilling and emotionally resonant novel that showcases Jeffery Deaver's talent for crafting suspenseful and engaging stories. With its richly atmospheric setting, complex characters, and intricate plot, this book is sure to captivate readers from start to finish. Whether you're a long-time fan of Deaver or new to his work, *South of Nowhere* is a must-read that will leave you breathless.

I could read a Colter Shaw novel every month..Glad there is a series on tv now. really liked how this book brought the Shaw family together.

Very well plotted out Good twists love Mr. Deaver
Fast paced offering several mini stories within
Got lost with main character since read out of sequence but still followed the plot