The girls trip

This novel's star trio, Hope, Ash, and Caro, who met in an online book club during the pandemic and became internet friends but haven't yet managed to meet IRL. Hope is a popular actress whose life isn't as glamorous as it appears; Ash is a busy entrepreneur, wife, and mother who doesn't want anyone to know that her marriage is far from perfect; and Caro is an anesthesiologist who recently suffered devastating professional and personal losses. Each woman has a reason to disappear for a few days, so they decide that a much-needed girls' trip to the Sonnet Resort at Eden National Park is in order. The trip is more than just a getaway; it is also the chance for the trio to lure a stalker into the open. When one of the women disappears, the question becomes whether Mother Nature is to blame or if something more sinister is at play. The appearance of strange text messages and photographs and other occurrences threaten to fracture their friendship, as the novel works toward several shocking reveals. VERDICT Condie's (The Unwedding) latest is a page-turner with twists that will surprise even the most seasoned of suspense readers.--Linsey Milillo

Does anyone think this girls trip will end well? Hope, Ash, and Carolina met at a Zoom book club during Covid-19, when they were the only three who showed up. The subject was Agatha Christie, and the three women bonded instantly over their love of the grand dame and all things mysterious. It took only a few virtual gatherings for Hope, who'd been pretending her camera was broken, to get comfortable enough to reveal that she was, in fact, a famous actress. Now, two years later and following hundreds of hours of conversation, the women have decided the time is right to meet in person. They plan a trip to the beautiful Sonnet resort near Utah's Eden National Park, and Hope suggests a little twist: What if, like their idol Agatha--who famously went missing for 11 days after finding out about her husband's infidelity--they didn't tell anyone about their plans and just seemed to disappear for a few days? Of course, this won't end well--or, at least, it will get really, really complicated. Because: Caro is keeping secrets from her husband. Because: Ash's marriage is falling apart. Because: Hope thinks one of them is being targeted by a stalker, so she's built in some additional plans to help them fall off the grid. But no one could have anticipated the flash flood through the slot canyon known as the Underground, nor the young woman working at the resort who seems to have her own agenda. The second half of the novel becomes nearly silly with intrigue and overlapping red herrings, disappearances, and suspicious deaths, but the first half sets up a very real sense of tension. As in her previous novel,The Unwedding (2024), Condie offers a wild, beautiful backdrop to the plot, reminding us that nature, not unlike human passions, can't be controlled or bent to anyone's plan. There's plenty of action, so strap in for a ride. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.