The Second Stranger

An incredibly taut “locked inn” suspense novel that features just a handful of characters over an intense eight hours. We’re in a small hotel in the Scottish Highlands with a blizzard raging. It’s incredibly remote, and the only other sign of life is Porterfell, a prison far in the distance. It’s Remie Yorke’s last night managing the hotel—not that there is that much to manage with just two guests, one of whom has disappeared. In the morning, Remie will be on her way to Chile with no plans to ever return to Scotland. Meanwhile, the hotel grows even more isolated as the roads shut down and phone lines and internet access die. Suddenly a police officer, Don Gaines, appears. Beat-up, he claims to have been in an accident transporting a prisoner from Porterfell—a dangerous prisoner who’s now on the loose. Gaines goes about securing the hotel, when another officer shows up claiming to be Officer Don Gaines. He’s just as convincing, with the appropriate identification. Will the real Donald Gaines please stand up? Lest it seems as though I’m sharing spoilers, be assured that this is just the beginning. There’s plenty more to be revealed in this absolute nail-biter of a thriller.