No Higher Ground - by Nicole Brooks (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

Perfect for fans of Lucy Foley and Will Dean, No Higher Ground is a high-stakes, race-against-time thriller of one family trapped during a flood of epic proportions.

In the midst of a terrifying, once-in-a-lifetime flood, Raven, her two children, and their Chihuahua are trapped on the rooftop of her childhood home along with her stepmother, Joan. Surrounded by a raging torrent, Raven fights to stay calm as her thoughts turn to her sister, Ivy, who died tragically when they were children in the now-flooded basement below.

As the water rises at an alarming rate, rescue becomes dangerous and nearly impossible. With her daughter's asthma worsening, her newly defiant teenager challenging everything, and her stepmother behaving strangely, Raven's control slips, and tensions in the family reach a boiling point. When shocking memories from her childhood unexpectedly return, fracturing the past, it becomes evident that no one on the rooftop will be the same after the storm.

If they make it out alive ...

Set over six relentlessly tense hours, No Higher Ground is a powerful exploration of grief, guilt, and trauma--and a chilling reminder of our helplessness in the face of nature's mercilessness.

Review Quotes

"No Higher Ground is a stunning debut from Nicole Brooks--propulsive, emotional, and impossible to put down. As flood waters rise and time runs out, the tension is matched by an intimate exploration of the bond between mother and child. Vivid, cinematic scenes will be sure to pull readers right in!"

--Ellen Won Steil, author of The Lives of Others "Ellen Won Steil, author of The Lives of Others"

"A perfect book for fans of unflinching, immersive stories that use an environmental crisis to crack open existing fissures in characters' lives. In a compelling story deftly unfurled, with dark secrets threatening to surface at any moment, Brooks skillfully weaves together the unstoppable forces of floodwaters and truth, reminding us that neither can be held back forever."

--Lisa Brideau, award-winning author of Adrift "Lisa Brideau, award-winning author of Adrift"

"As the floodwaters rise, the cracks in family dynamics surface in this utterly nerve-racking, nail-biting read. The tension is relentless and the imagery so cinematically vivid that I was clinging to the roof with the characters whose lives and relationships are at stake. Nicole Brooks is an indomitable force as she bursts onto the thriller scene with an absolutely spectacular debut."

--Samantha M. Bailey, USA Today and #1 internationally bestselling author of Hello, Juliet "Samantha M. Bailey, USA Today and #1 internationally bestselling author of Hello, Juliet"

"Brooks's novel is filled with strong emotions that will evoke sympathy. Recommended for readers who are drawn to dramatic family novels."

--Library Journal "Library Journal"

"Nicole Brooks has talent. Her prose is crisp and exciting, and the tension in No Higher Ground rises like the water in the story, propelling the reader along page after page. I really love this book, and I think readers will too."

--Rene Denfeld, author of Sleeping Giants "Rene Denfeld, author of Sleeping Giants"

"This debut thriller from Nicole Brooks is a white-knuckle ride from start to finish. The secret horrors of the past are woven skillfully into the terrifying present-day flood, so that the tension builds to an almost unbearable pitch. I couldn't put it down!"

--Kate Riordan, bestselling author of The Heatwave "Kate Riordan, bestselling author of The Heatwave"

"With No Higher Ground, Nicole Brooks deftly weaves pulse-pounding tension, sky-high stakes, and the power of memory to both harm and heal. At once a nail-biting story of survival and a deep meditation on buried family secrets that rise with the same force as the unrelenting floodwater. A masterful debut from a very talented author to watch."

--Laurie Elizabeth Flynn, USA Today bestselling author of Till Death Do Us Part "Laurie Elizabeth Flynn, USA Today bestselling author of Till Death Do Us Part"