This was a strong fifth book in the Colter Shaw series, it had that element that I was looking for and enjoyed the feel of this book. It had that element that I enjoyed from the previous four books in this series. Jeffery Deaver has a strong writing style and enjoyed the feel of this story and that there is a tension to this.

In Jeffery Deaver's fifth in the Colter Shaw series, South of Nowhere (G.P. Putnam's Sons 2025), Colter Shaw, son of a survivalist family and expert tracker, works with his sister, a disaster response specialist, to find a family washed away when a levee collapses. Task completed, the real job isn't when it's apparent the levee's demise might have been man-instigated and the reasons ongoing. The plot is as complicated as the mystery. For example: While trying to save a family of four on a ticking clock of limited air, Colton is attacked. Why? Another: One of the car's caught in the collapse might be a fiancée who uses the disaster to escape a narcissistic boyfriend. And no surprise: There are a myriad of small town politics that play into whodunnit and whobenefits. Colter must solve these moving parts before the next piece of the nefarious plan occurs. Underpinning everything Colter does is a list of rules taught him by his father, meant to cover every survivalist situation his son might face. We learn them as Colter employs them. Rules like:

"Never be without a means of escape..."

"Never be without access to a weapon..."

"Never assume what appears innocent is not a threat..."

I read the first four of this series and was excited to grab this one. I love survivalist stories, how man overcomes the impossible, and this didn't disappoint. A warning: Stay frosty because there is a lot to remember as the plot unfolds. If you love clever stories with lots of intricate pieces, strap yourself in and be ready for anything.

The levee is breaking. Why is the levee breaking and who is behind it and what are the reasons? Colter Shaw becomes involved as he gets a cryptic message from his sister to come help. This book continues with side subplots and you don’t know where they will lead. Fantastic read!

Review: A story line to nowhere, more like. Stud man dude, Shaw, is a not-bounty hunter with a heart of gold (he does pro-bono work sometimes) and in this instance, he is going to help a small town with problems.

Besides the narrative plot which is rambling, confusing and wholly unbelievable, the characterization is OTT. Shaw is fairly one-dimensional but is an expert at everything like his sister. He also has a half-sister he never knew about because his brilliant professor dad hid it. The character development was weak and the movement did nothing to enhance said development.

I recieved this ARC for an honest review

0.2/5