Run on Red by Noelle W. Ihli

Two young women, Laura and Olivia, are driving at night on a remote rural road when a vehicle follows them for miles before ramming their car. There is no cellphone coverage, and what they thought was a case of road rage becomes even more sinister when they see the men who get out of the truck are masked.

The women decide to flee on foot into the dark woods, utterly terrified. This is just the beginning of a cat-and-mouse chase, as they try to outrun and outsmart the men chasing them.

Who are the men? What do they want? The questions swirl as they try to stay ahead of them, and when one of the voices sounds familiar, they realise this is not a random event, but something planned. But they don’t understand what is happening, just that they are in terrible danger. At one point, Laura is captured, and Olivia must choose between running for help and staying with her friend. What they both know is that if they are going to make it home, they will have to do all they can to survive.

I found this book extremely chilling, so it won’t be for everyone, as its premise is creepy. But as I read on, I found it compelling, mainly because Laura and Olivia’s strength and resilience are so impressive, and it turned out to be a story about them and their friendship rather than about the men pursuing them. Be warned, this book will get your pulse racing, though!

Reviewer: Karen McMillan

Pan Macmillan