Book Blurb:
New York Times bestseller Allison Brennan delivers a pulse-pounding thriller about one family fighting for their land against both human enemies and Mother Nature.
After the sudden death of her husband, Ellen McKenna is doing everything she can to keep her Texas farm afloat. She and her family hope to expand their operation, but times are tough and making ends meet is more expensive than she imagined, much less trying to grow. Many of their neighbors in Cooke County have thrown in the towel and agreed to sell their farms to a local businessman, but despite similar pressure, Ellen refuses to let her dreams die.
On top of the usual hardships, a series of recent storms has left the region partly flooded, and as the heavy rain begins again one morning, all the members of the McKenna family jump into action to protect their land and animals. Ellen’s oldest son discovers an injured dog—and the dog leads him to a man barely clinging to life, the apparent victim of a brutal home invasion. Then, Ellen’s younger kids go to check on a nearby neighbor and walk into a threat none of them saw coming.
Before anyone can figure out what’s really going on in their idyllic rural valley, the storm picks up again in intensity, and the McKenna kids find themselves in over their heads with no way to call for help. To protect her farm–and her family—Ellen must face down all the forces trying to tear them apart.
Allison Brennan’s talent for twisty, tense pacing combines with a deeply drawn family drama and the unforgiving power of nature in this compelling standalone thriller.
A Macmillan Audio production from Minotaur Books
My Review:
It’s a farm. Accidents happen.
This one was fatal and Ellen McKenna found herself a widow with four children and a teetering farm. Many of the local farmers of Cooke County, Texas, are struggling and there is a businessman who is more than happy to pick up failing farms for ten cents on the dollar. She continues to refuse. It was her husband’s legacy. Their land. Their home.
In fact, a string of suspicious accidents are happening that has put everyone on edge.
The constant storms and threat of floods doesn’t help. She is separated from the kids, each on missions of their own and caught in serious circumstances with pounding rain, the loss of county bridges, and imminent flooding. The descriptions of the dark and howling storm lends to the tension of the storytelling and ramps up suspense.
As each of the McKenna family members wrestle with complex situations of their own, layers of the storyline meld to complete the picture and leads to a satisfying conclusion.
I’ve read a number of the author’s books, the last one being Don’t Open the Door in July, 2025. The plot is a good one and she wrote an atmospheric one this time but repeated circumstances a bit too much for me and lost a bit of momentum.
Many thanks to my local library for providing me with the opportunity to listen to and review this audiobook. The thoughts expressed here are my own.
Rosepoint Publishing: Three point Five Stars 
Book Details:
Genre: Crime Thrillers, Suspense
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Narrator: Amanda Stribling
Release Date: June 23, 2026
Title Links:
Amazon-US | Amazon-UK | Barnes & Noble | Kobo
The Author: Allison Brennan is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling and award winning author of more than forty thrillers and numerous short stories. She was nominated for Best Paperback Original Thriller by International Thriller Writers, had multiple nominations and two Daphne du Maurier Awards, and is a five-time RITA finalist for Best Romantic Suspense. Allison believes life is too short to be bored, so she had five kids and writes three books a year. Originally from northern California, in 2019 she and her husband relocated to Arizona where they enjoy baseball Spring Training, hiking, and spending time with their kids, grandson, and assorted pets.
©2026 V Williams
Rosepoint Publishing 