Run For Your Life
Riley Fletcher’s morning run takes a terrifying detour when she wakes up captive, wounded, and dependent on the very man who snatched her. Dawson Miller is a meticulously prepared predator with a chilling agenda.
Held in a secluded lakeside cabin, Riley's injuries make escape almost impossible. But it’s Dawson’s unsettling tenderness, his calculated care, that truly unravels her. This isn't a random act of violence. This is personal. And Riley, somehow, is the crucial piece in a plan so elaborate, so twisted, it chills her to the bone.
With every passing moment, Riley realizes the stakes are higher than mere survival. She must unmask Dawson's true intentions and find a way to break free, not just for herself, but to prevent a deeper, darker catastrophe only she can foresee.
- Riley - Atticus employee
- Dawson - Riley’s kidnapper
- Aurora - Dawson’s daughter
- Elizabeth - Aurora’s mother
- Riley gets hit on the back of the head while out for a run.
- She wakes tied up and gagged in the back of a truck.
- Dawson takes Riley to an isolated cabin.
- Riley recognizes Dawson as someone who used to work in her building before he got fired three weeks ago.
- Riley starts vomiting and develops a fever.
- Dawson cares for Riley for several days, nursing her back to health.
- Dawson tells Riley he has a daughter, Aurora.
- Riley goes through Dawson’s backpack and finds huge bills from a children’s oncology hospital, insurance denial letters, and a list of people at Atticus whom Dawson believes are responsible for Aurora’s death.
- Dawson instructs Riley to drive while he holds a gun on her.
- Dawson says they are going to Atticus, where Riley will use her access code to get them into the building and film everything he does.
- Riley crashes into a tree on purpose to stop Dawson from hurting all those people.
- Riley wakes up in the hospital.
- Riley speaks with Elizabeth who tells her that Dawson is a good man but he broke when Aurora died.
- Dawson survives the crash and is headed to prison.
Lucinda Berry knows how to trap you in a nightmare right from the jump. The narrative is locked in Riley’s perspective and told in the present tense, which puts you right inside her head as the panic sets in. Berry does an excellent job capturing the visceral terror of Riley's kidnapping, making it a very atmospheric and tense experience. It’s a fast-paced, breathless read, fueled by short chapters that give the story a lot of momentum.
The entire time, the looming question of what the actual motive is behind the abduction keeps the suspense dialed up. While the core twist lands well and adds a great layer to the story, the actual conclusion felt just a little flat for me. The buildup was so intense that the final moments didn't quite deliver the punch I was expecting.
If you like suspense, mysterious kidnappings, and fast-paced survival stories, then you will enjoy this book.
- Terminal illness
- Kidnapping
ASIN: B0GHSG5DNY
Publication Date: July 7, 2026
Note: Details are for the original edition. Other formats, editions, and audiobook versions may be available.
