Nick Petrie’s The Runaway is a slightly different approach to the Peter Ash series than expected. All the core elements that make the books so entertaining and engaging are in abundance, but this time the narrative is equally personal for Peter Ash as it is for the true star of this emotionally jarring story, Helene.
Helene is a nineteen-year-old living in an awfully deserted town with an abusive caretaker. Desperate to escape a terrible fate, she hitches a ride with a charismatic drifter. What she doesn’t know is that the drifter is no better than the torturous fate she thought she had escaped. Nick Petrie’s vividly immersive scenarios make you feel the gut-wrenching horror she faces at the prospect of being trapped in a vicious relationship against her will.
When she crosses paths with Peter Ash, she tries to escape the clutches of her abusive partner. Ash’s good-natured tendency to fight bullies makes him her best hope to get to safety. Right off the bat, the situation seems dire for both Peter and Helene as their pursuers seem to be adept at combat tactics, pushing Ash to unleash his barely-contained inner wolf to match up to his unforgiving and brutal adversaries.
There’s no shortage of crisp fast-paced action sequences from cool car chases to bloody shootouts as Peter goes full-Rambo on his enemies by making the most out of any and all resources at his disposal. The beautifully descriptive backdrops to the action sequences make for breathtaking cinematic moments. However, the story actually belongs to Helene more than Peter. Her transformative journey, as disturbing as it is empowering, is done justice as Nick Petrie does a fantastic job of keeping her away from the stereotypical damsel-in-distress trope.
The Runaway is a powerful action-packed story that portrays the unflinchingly true nature of evil while balancing an inspirational embodiment of heroism that is more necessary today than ever. A real treat for all thriller fans.
Follow Kashif on Twitter or contact him via the site.
Purchase The Runaway
(Note: most indie bookstores can fulfill an order as quickly as larger retailers. Please consider contacting them for your next purchase.)
Barrington Books
Chapter 2 Books
Murder By The Book
Once Upon A Crime
The Book Dragon
The Poisoned Pen
