Run on Red is a pulse-pounding survival thriller that keeps readers on edge from beginning to end. The story follows two college friends, Laura and Olivia, who are driving to a friend’s party out of town. They’re on a remote highway in rural Wyoming when Olivia senses someone is tailgating them. What at first seems like an unsettling exaggeration quickly morphs into something more sinister: they’re being followed. And this is no road rage incident—it’s a deadly, calculated game of cat and mouse!

The entire story unravels over one horrifying night, and readers get to experience one horrifying moment after another as the girls try to flee their pursuers and stay alive. The fast-paced, relentless tension gives a constant sense of anxiety and claustrophobia—readers will literally feel their heart rates rise as the girls are cornered again and again! Ihli turns the eerie, deserted highway into an endless stretch of paranoia with its deteriorating weather conditions and harsh surrounding wilderness that gives a sense of impending doom.

Laura and Olivia are relatable and compelling characters. Their dialogue, at first, is filled with exactly what you’d expect of young women their age—until, of course, they realize they’re in real danger. Then they become women trying to survive a horrifying situation, and they show real grit, quick thinking, and heart-pounding fear—it’s all very dramatically cinematic, as though watching an engrossing horror film you just can’t take your eyes off of! In particular, Olivia shows incredible courage and decision-making during some of the most harrowing moments, and readers will admire her for it! The two women are constantly reassuring each other, and their friendship becomes a much-needed emotional grounding amidst all the craziness. There are some tense moments where they argue and are at odds over the best way forward to stay alive—it’s all so compelling and nerve-wracking, and readers will be engulfed by it all until the very end! The villains are kept ominously faceless for most of the story. Their cruelty and predatory behavior make them extremely unlikable, especially when their attack initially seems unmotivated and random. And don’t even attempt to guess their identities, as you’ll need more backstory that comes later—and even then, finding any empathy for them will be near impossible!

The isolated, rural highway setting is the perfect backdrop for a terrifying cat-and-mouse car chase. The time spent on and near the highway takes up a good chunk of the story, and it becomes a menacing antagonist itself—there’s no cell phone service on its roads, no way to get off, and no clear path to safety! Ihli’s writing is sharp and straightforward, and the book has short chapters, many of which have cliffhangers. Readers will be furiously turning pages in a sense of urgency to finish—eager to find out what transpires and to relieve themselves from the high tension!

Despite the adrenaline-charged scenes early on, the substantial storytelling only comes in the second half, when the motives behind the horrifying attack are revealed—and some of the details are utterly disturbing! Even still, Ihli doesn’t bog the reader down with excessive details—she gives readers just enough to explain everything without plot holes and continues to focus on the danger to maintain high tension. After some thrilling scenes late in the story, the ending that follows feels a bit rushed. But for what the novel sets out to be—a pulse-pounding survival thriller—the quickly resolved conclusion is suitable. Go in with the right expectations, and you’ll find this to be a near-flawless read!

Overall, Run on Red is a thrilling ride of non-stop tension. If you haven’t read Noelle W. Ihli’s books before, this is a great one to start with, as you’ll be thrust right into her typical pulse-pounding storytelling that doesn’t let up. Anyone looking for a fast-paced, terrifying story with strong female protagonists should immediately grab a copy of this book!