The Rush

Prak’s atmospheric debut thriller traces three intersecting story lines set in the remote Australian outback. Quinn Durand leaves the pub where she works after hearing a prediction of torrential rains and flash floods. On her way home, she finds an unresponsive man. With no cell service, she approaches him, and he grabs her. Back at the inn, Quinn’s boss, Andrea, is hunkered down with her toddler, left alone after her husband went out to help a neighbor. Then, a banging at the door heralds a biker seeking shelter. Finally, a hapless group of university students are left to struggle against the rains as they fight for survival. Jodie Harris narrates each individual as they struggle against the menacing storm and navigate the equally troubling dangers presented by the people around them. Though the rapidly changing perspectives are occasionally disorienting, Harris’s narration ramps up the tension and conveys the book’s desolate atmosphere.