Tuesday, March 9, 2021

Book Review: "Cover Your Tracks" by Daco S. Auffenorde

Daco Auffenorde's thriller, Cover Your Tracks, is a heart-pounding thriller that reads like it would make a great movie.

Margo Fletcher is traveling by train from Chicago to Spokane, Washington, for a family event. The weather forecast called for light snow, but the storm seems a little heavier than expected. Somewhere in an isolated portion of the Rockies, the train starts to brake but initially no reason is given. Since Margo is eight months pregnant, she’s justifiably concerned about what is going on.

Nick Eliot, a former Army Ranger, knows trouble is ahead. A massive avalanche is headed directly for the train. He warns everyone in their train car to move to the back of the train for safety, but since the conductor tells everyone to stay seated, only Margo is willing to listen. Is Nick right? Should she trust this man she’s never met with her life and her baby’s?

She decides to follow Nick, and they make their way to the last train car, which he uncouples to separate them. Not long after, the avalanche engulfs the rest of the train, destroying it and throwing the cars into a ravine far down below. It is doubtful anyone could have survived.

Now they’re alone in the middle of nowhere, in the midst of a winter storm. A rescue crew may never find them, if they even realize the train is missing right away. Nick and Margo try to find shelter but must contend with the elements and worry about wild animals looking for food, with Margo growing increasingly concerned about her baby.

But as Nick leads her to a watchtower on top of a mountain—away from where she thinks they need to go to find help—Margo has to decide whether to trust this stranger. Both have secrets that have brought them to this moment—will these secrets impact their ability to survive?

When I first heard about Cover Your Tracks I joked that it sounded like a Liam Neeson movie, and it really does. The plot alternates between the present and both of Margo and Nick’s backstories. It’s an intense story at times and so atmospheric—I really felt like I could be out in the middle of the storm. There are lots of twists and turns which take you to a very different place than I expected.

One warning: the book is a bit graphic in its descriptions of violence and killing animals. It’s not gratuitous but it could be a trigger for some. (You could skim over those parts and not miss anything.) But this is definitely one pulse-pounding read!

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