Those Who Wish Me Dead

A teenage witness to a brutal murder is hidden in a Montana wilderness program for troubled youth, taking on a new identity to escape the ruthless killers pursuing him. Two professional assassins track him to the remote mountain location where he's under the protection of wilderness survival experts Ethan and Allison Serbin. The story moves between multiple perspectives as a massive forest fire and violent electrical storm create additional threats in the harsh mountain terrain. Hannah Faber, a former smokejumper haunted by a past tragedy, becomes entangled in the deadly chase from her isolated fire tower post. The novel combines elements of survival fiction, chase thriller, and psychological suspense against the backdrop of Montana's unforgiving wilderness. Its themes explore redemption, the weight of past failures, and the lengths people will go to protect those in their care.

Readers describe this as a fast-paced wilderness survival thriller that keeps them engaged throughout. Many finish it in one or two sittings. Readers appreciate: - The atmospheric Montana wilderness setting - Well-developed characters, especially the teenage protagonist - Technical details about firefighting and survival skills - Tense chase sequences and mounting suspense Common criticisms: - Some find the ending rushed - A few side characters lack depth - The plot requires suspension of disbelief at times Average Ratings: Goodreads: 3.9/5 (14,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (2,300+ ratings) From reader reviews: "The forest fire scenes put you right in the middle of the inferno" - Goodreads reviewer "Characters make decisions that don't make sense just to move the plot forward" - Amazon reviewer "Best survival thriller since No Exit" - Barnes & Noble review "The wilderness feels like its own character" - Goodreads reviewer

The River by Peter Heller A wilderness guide faces both natural dangers and human threats while navigating a remote river after witnessing a crime.

No Exit by Taylor Adams A stranded woman at a highway rest stop discovers a kidnapped child and must outwit the captors during a blizzard.

The Wild Inside by Christine Carbo A National Park Service officer tracks a killer through Glacier National Park while confronting his past trauma with grizzly bears.

The Cold Nowhere by Brian Freeman A detective protects a teenage runaway through the Minnesota wilderness while pursuing a murderer who hunts them both.

The Line That Held Us by David Joy A hunting accident in the Appalachian mountains leads to a spiral of violence and revenge between two families in the backwoods.

🔥 Smokejumpers are elite firefighters who parachute into remote areas to combat wildfires, with only about 400 active jumpers in the entire United States. 📚 Michael Koryta wrote his first published novel at age 20 while still a student at Indiana University, making him one of the youngest writers to have a book published by a major press. 🌲 Montana's wilderness areas, where the book is set, cover more than 3.4 million acres, making them perfect settings for isolation and survival stories. ⚡️ Lightning causes approximately 85% of wildland fires in the United States, matching the book's use of an electrical storm as a plot element. 🎬 The book was adapted into a 2021 film starring Angelina Jolie as Hannah Faber, with significant changes to the original story but maintaining the core wilderness survival theme.