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It takes a whole village to save a child in this breath-taking standalone thriller from the acclaimed author of The Jimmy Mullen Series.
It wasn’t her dad they were after – it was her.
Ruby Winter is surprised when her reclusive father invites a strange solider into their house. Intrigued, she tries to eavesdrop on their conversation, but is alarmed when she hears a fight break out. She dashes into the kitchen to save her dad, but he’s not the one in trouble.
The soldier has been stabbed and is bleeding out on the floor. Refusing her pleas to call an ambulance, her dad urges her to pack a bag – they have to run. As they try to escape her dad is shot and Ruby is chased by one of the soldier’s comrades but is hidden by Lucas, a boy she has ignored up till now.
Ruby and Lucas saw a military-style ambulance whisk her dad away. She is desperate to find him but the village is quickly under siege. The roads in have been blocked and soldiers are patrolling the streets urging everyone to stay indoors for their own safety.
Ruby must work out who took her father and why. But what if learning the truth means discovering the life she once knew was a lie?
(P) 2023 Quercus Editions Ltd
It wasn’t her dad they were after – it was her.
Ruby Winter is surprised when her reclusive father invites a strange solider into their house. Intrigued, she tries to eavesdrop on their conversation, but is alarmed when she hears a fight break out. She dashes into the kitchen to save her dad, but he’s not the one in trouble.
The soldier has been stabbed and is bleeding out on the floor. Refusing her pleas to call an ambulance, her dad urges her to pack a bag – they have to run. As they try to escape her dad is shot and Ruby is chased by one of the soldier’s comrades but is hidden by Lucas, a boy she has ignored up till now.
Ruby and Lucas saw a military-style ambulance whisk her dad away. She is desperate to find him but the village is quickly under siege. The roads in have been blocked and soldiers are patrolling the streets urging everyone to stay indoors for their own safety.
Ruby must work out who took her father and why. But what if learning the truth means discovering the life she once knew was a lie?
(P) 2023 Quercus Editions Ltd
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Reviews
Fast paced and gripping but with a heart of solid gold. Great stuff
I raced through it. I loved the characters and the dark humour. A cracking, pacy read.
A tour de force. From behind the twitching curtains of a small divided village a force of unlikely ne'er do wells come together in this edgy, electrifying modern thriller. Once again Wood proves himself a brilliant champion of the underdog
Begins at the speed of a runaway train. A propulsive page-turner
Punchy, pacy and packed with powerful scenes. Nailed on to be one of THE books of 2023
A good thriller needs more than just a compelling plot, I want to care about the characters too. Trevor Wood pulls that off superbly in You Can Run with a cast of characters I was sorry to say goodbye to at the end.
Trevor Wood has written another cracker of a book. A different cast of characters from his previous trilogy but equally engaging with a theme that focuses on community and what it takes to belong. I loved it
Got up early to finish this smashing new book. Go Ruby! What a hero! Books of 2023 will definitely include You Can Run
Superb. Wood delivers the perfect package with brilliantly authentic voices and a wildly exciting plot. But it's a thriller with heart. The perfect balance of pace, compassion and black humour as we rally for his exquisitely executed underdogs. Everything you want from a book
A menacing isolation action thriller. At once an affecting mediation on family and identity, and also a heart-pounding survival tale that digs into issues of power and class
A masterclass in suspense ... vividly-drawn villagers take on a foe that exudes genuine menace. Wood has distilled the authenticity and wry humour of his Jimmy Mullen trilogy into this compulsive thriller. Be careful picking it up - you won't want to put it down!
An incredibly fun, page-turner locked village thriller (is that a thing? It is now!). It's exciting, has a cast of great characters, humour and is full of personality!
At once tense and compelling, Ruby is a character that no one could fail to root for
Trevor Wood is a force to be reckoned with in the genre
Wood's punchy prose is perfect for such an enticing set-up, and he's a past master at keeping those cliff-hangers (and revelations) coming
Cracking . . . Breathlessly gripping
Trevor Wood has fashioned a rip-roaring, action-packed and nail-bitingly tense thriller
Original and unputdownable
A gripping new tale from adopted Geordie Trevor Wood
Trevor's inimitable voice, humanity and humour really shone through in this locked village mystery
A sinister standalone thriller