The novel's authenticity owes much to the author's personal experience, but a sure voice just one of the novel's virtues. A clever plot, breakneck pacing and outstanding characters make this a five-star read. Tyler Zahn is a terrific protagonist, and his arc, from grief-driven apathy to relentless focus, is perfect. I loved this book. ( )

I am really enjoyed this book, but I feel like I am missing a whole bunch of story that started before this one. I would highly recommend to anyone who likes edge of their seat thrillers. ( )

Stable by Cam Torrens has it all! This book is a riveting tale of suspense, mystery, and unexpected heroines that will capture your heart. I love a book with intriguing characters, ones you believe you might enjoy sitting on the back porch, sipping coffee, shooting the shit.

Zahn was a favorite. He’s a complex man, struggling with relationships and intimacy, but his priorities are spot on. His daughter, Daria, is tough, honest, and knows how to survive difficult situations because she’s survived catastrophic events in the past. But even she was dubbed by the person no one suspected was capable of such evil.

Set in the rustic town of Buena Vista, Colorado, where neighbors have known each other for years, and look out for each other. This is why the book is so captivating, it’s not what you expect, it’s so much more. I felt as if the landscape was a vital part of this story, almost a character in itself, and definitely added to the tension and intrigue.

Torrens has created a tale that you simply can not put down. Every chapter and page draws you into the next. The climax of the story, while tense and disturbing, leaves you wanting for more. I highly recommend this five-star read, and if you’re like me, I didn’t want to leave the mesmerizing characters behind. I was thrilled to hear there will be a sequel, False Summit, coming out in November of 2023! ( )

I absolutely loved this book! If I had had enough uninterrupted free time and didn't need to eat or sleep, I would have finished it in one sitting! I found it very suspenseful from start to finish. I was familiar with the setting for the story and also familiar with some of the characters based on my life experience so that made it very appealing from the beginning. Once I started reading though, the story took over and I could not wait to turn the page (or swipe on my Kindle). I really enjoyed the writing style as it kept me hooked and always wanting more. Several times I thought I had the ending figured out, only to be led down another exciting path in the story towards a different conclusion. Bottom line - Stable is Great. I can't wait for the next installment in the Tyler Zahn saga. ( )

Disclaimer: An electronic copy of this book was provided in exchange for review by publishers Black Rose Writing, via Library Thing.

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This is an impressive debut for what is apparently proposed as an action series set in Colorado and centering on law enforcement and search and rescue scenarios. It’s Torrens’ first published novel, but there is apparently an unpublished prequel lurking about somewhere, with events from it referenced in this volume. Torrens does a workmanlike job of orienting the reader in the timeline, providing just enough information about the characters and events to provide background for the series opener.

Tyler Zahn is a retired Air Force pilot, a divorced dad, and a man who carries a lot of unresolved guilt around on his shoulders. He’s also moving toward qualifying for membership in a civilian auxiliary to the local sheriff’s department, and is an active member in the Search & Rescue team based in the small Colorado mountain town where he now lives.

So he’s a busy man when his estranged daughter chooses to spend an extended spring break from college visiting and getting re-acquainted. The two are working toward a tenuous relationship when the disappearance of a nine-year-old girl visiting the area upsets Zahn’s carefully-planned (daughter Daria would probably say over-planned) vacation schedule.

The suspense gets cranked up as the reader realizes (and the searchers and law-enforcement personnel begin to figure out) that more than one child is involved, and that the whole slimy mess is somehow tied up with the kiddy-porn video industry. Things come to a boil about three-quarters of the way through the book when Daria inadvertently stumbles onto the secret and is taken hostage, along with the remaining girls, as the perpetrator attempts to escape the manhunt on their trail.

It's a ripping good read, and wraps up with a mostly satisfactory resolution and a few signposts indicating the way to the next entry in the series.

Certainly it’s not perfect. The fact that Zahn’s ex-wife is Black (and Daria, obviously, is bi-racial) feels sort of just tacked-on and doesn’t seem to have a lot to do with any of the issues or motivations father and daughter are trying to work through. The villain’s motivation and actions run from obscure to unlikely, and when the underlying reason is revealed, it doesn’t do much to take the character out of the nut-job category – always an easy way out for an author looking to provide a “why” for the conflict.

On the positive side, Torrens’ real-life experience as an SAR responder in the area where he’s set his tale provides an engaging background that rings true in both procedure and motivation. This is a writer and a series to keep an eye on. ( )