This book terrified me…
An eighteen-year-old daughter kidnapped from under the same roof as a mother? Number one fear right there.
Summary - A high-stakes thriller where Simone, on a Texas vacation with her daughter Lucy, wakes to find her kidnapped and a burner phone left behind. The kidnapper demands she follow strict, illegal instructions rather than pay money, forcing her into a desperate, morally grey, and fast-paced, action-packed race across the desert to save her child.
I think my main issue with this one was its pacing. I understand a thriller can’t be fast paced throughout and I would never want that, but that doesn’t mean the slower-pace parts need to be needless or boring - these moments would have been a great opportunity to develop the characters some more.
Other than that, I was pretty invested in the plot and the mother character because I clearly put myself in Simone’s shoes and that devastated me.
Caller Unknown is out May 5 and I can’t wait to hear what you all think! Thank you @netg for this advanced reader copy.
Have you read anything by Gillian McAllister? I have read a couple now and Wrong Place, Wrong Time is definitely my favorite!
Find Caller Unknown at the publisher →
Toni Rocchetti is a copy editor helping authors strengthen their narratives, deepen character arcs, and find the story that is already in the draft. She reads 80+ books a year across literary fiction, memoir, and nonfiction — and writes about what she is learning along the way. Work with Toni →
