Author: Gilliam McAllister
Publisher: William Morrow
Publication Date: May 5, 2026
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
This isn't your typical kidnapping thriller. When Simone receives that devastating phone call and learns her daughter Lucy has been taken, the kidnappers don't want money—they want her to do "the unthinkable." This moral complexity becomes the novel's driving force, pushing Simone into increasingly impossible situations where every choice seems wrong, yet she must choose anyway.
What struck me most was McAllister's nuanced examination of how mothers and fathers love differently. The author doesn't shy away from the controversial assertion that "women love their children more than men," but then complicates it beautifully with the observation that "maybe we love her differently" and that children need both kinds of love—"different—but together, they are potent." This isn't about one parent loving more than the other, but about the unique ways maternal and paternal love manifest.
The author succeeds in crafting a thriller that forces readers to confront an uncomfortable question: How far would you go to save your child? And perhaps more unsettling—would you go further than your spouse? The result is a heart-pounding journey through the Texas desert that entertains while genuinely challenging readers to examine their own moral boundaries and the complex nature of parental love.
The twists that come in the final act genuinely surprised me, and the finale feels genuinely satisfying, bringing together all the moral threads McAllister has been weaving throughout. While the premise may stretch believability at times, the emotional truth at the story's core more than compensates for any logical leaps. This is a thriller that will stay with you long after you've turned the final page.
A big thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for providing an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
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