The wilds

Pearse's third Elin Warner book (following The Retreat) finds Elin on sabbatical, recovering from a stressful case that became too personal. She spends this time with her brother Isaac at a national park in Portugal. Isaac tells Elin that his friend's sister Kier is missing and was last seen in this same park. Before long, they stumble upon too many coincidences to ignore and are quickly engulfed in the investigation. The audio alternates between Elin's point of view in the present and Kier's life in Devon before her disappearance. Desperately trying to escape childhood trauma, Kier lives as a drifter, faithfully checking in with her brother Penn, until she suddenly goes quiet. As Elin digs for the truth of what might have happened, she becomes increasingly unsettled by the park's wild shadows and the mysterious inhabitants who live within. Pearse's writing is vividly descriptive, illustrating the vastness of the national park and how beautiful yet threatening it can be. Narrator Elizabeth Knowelden offers a clear, well-enunciated performance, deftly shifting well between genders and accents, including a skillful Southern drawl. VERDICT A compelling thriller, great for fans of edgy twists and suspenseful conclusions.--Lacey Webster