No Exit

I don't read many thrillers, and when I do I rarely love them. [b:Gone Girl 19288043 Gone Girl Gillian Flynn https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1554086139l/19288043.SY75.jpg 13306276]? More like, I didn't like it. [b:The Woman in the Window 40389527 The Woman in the Window A.J. Finn https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1528225499l/40389527.SY75.jpg 52941950]? More like, I also didn't like it. No Exit was a huge surprise, the type of book that makes me reconsider an entire genre. No Exit's protagonist, Darby, is a college student who just learned her mom has late-stage pancreatic cancer. She drives through heavy snow, desperate to reach her before she passes away. An imminent blizzard descends in full, and it's futile. She's snowed in at a rest stop with a handful of strangers. As if that's not bad enough, Darby notices something suspicious in one of their cars. A pretty strong indicator that while the rest stop provides shelter, that doesn't mean it's safe.Adams strikes the perfect balance between “reading this is very stressful” and “I can't put this down.” He includes some surprising commentary about how humor and media can be (though obviously are not inherently) used to normalize and glamorize violence. He looks at how “bad guys” don't necessarily think of themselves as such, treating patterns of behavior as outliers where their hand was forced.It's hard to compare this to books or movies without risking spoilers, but if you're seeking some dark, terrifying entertainment against the backdrop of a lot of snow, pick up No Exit. And realize how good it is when you become anxious about YOUR phone battery dying before Darby can call for help.