Her last breath

This intricate thriller from Adams (The Last Word) kicks off with a daring attempt to rescue a young woman trapped in a remote Washington State cave system known as the Devil's Staircase. Meanwhile, aging detective Layla Washington of the Stevens County Sheriff's Department grapples with the fact that she faces mandatory retirement at the end of the year. Sidelined during the rescue mission itself, she's sent to interview the survivor, Tess. During the interview, Washington teases out the harrowing story of what happened to Tess and her best friend Allie, a successful travel writer and influencer who organized the trip. What began as a bonding exercise, Tess says, quickly turned dangerous when the friends were pursued by an armed killer in the depths of the Devil's Staircase. As Tess's tale unfolds, however, Washington notices discrepancies and wonders what the young woman might be hiding. Adams expertly manipulates readers' expectations, neatly dropping in clues and surprises that cast suspicion in new directions. The result is a visceral tale of daring and deceit that will keep even seasoned suspense fans on their toes. Agent: David Hale Smith, InkWell Management. (Feb.)

Adams (The Last Word) delivers another pulse-pounding novel brimming with claustrophobic tension and heart-stopping twists. Detective Layla Washington, now in her 60s, is awaiting updates on a young woman trapped inside the Cascade Range's notorious Devil's Staircase cave system. When a body is discovered outside the caves with a gunshot wound, Layla is dispatched to interview the sole survivor. The novel then flashes back to childhood friends Tess and Allie, who set out on a caving adventure. Tess, anxious but determined, follows Allie into the depths of the cave, only to find a masked man in wait. He stalks them through the passageways and corners them, shooting Allie. Desperate to escape, Tess crawls into the claustrophobic "drainpipe" tunnel while the killer closes in behind her. The narrative alternates between Washington's tense interrogation of Tess and the harrowing events inside the cave. As Washington digs deeper, she uncovers unsettling truths about Allie's secretive past and her role in running a successful travel business with Tess. VERDICT Readers will hold their breath with every page, desperate to see who survives. Fans of Adrian McKinty and C. J. Tudor will also find much to love in this adrenaline-fueled story, quite possibly Adams's best yet.--Kerri Copus