During an extreme snowstorm, Darby Thorne finds herself stranded at a rest stop in the middle of nowhere. The four strangers who are also stuck there seem friendly enough, at least. However, when Darby ventures out into the freezing cold, hoping for a signal to call home, she glances into one of the parked cars – and to her utter horror, discovers a bound little girl…

Darby considers telling the others, but one of the four strangers must be the owner of the car, and they could be armed. It's a high-stakes situation, as Darby must save the girl without risking her own life and those of the other innocents. Who will prevail? The storm, the perpetrator, or Darby? Time is ticking…

The basic idea of «No Exit» is almost classic: an isolated setting, a group of people among whom a monster is hiding… This immediately creates a tense atmosphere, and the first pages build a solid baseline of suspense. The initial situation is undoubtedly promising, but in my opinion, its potential was not fully realized.

Yes, Adams manages to maintain intense suspense throughout the whole book! However, some of the twists seem exaggerated and thus unbelievable. It's a bit like a rollercoaster ride – thrilling, but sometimes just too much of a good thing.

Darby is an interesting main character, and her development over the course of the story is remarkable. However, some of the secondary characters felt a bit flat and stereotypical; their decisions seem unrealistic at times. I would have liked to see more depth and nuance in their portrayal.

The writing style is solid; it brings scenes to life with vivid descriptions and an intense atmosphere. The dialogue, however, is sometimes great, sometimes clunky and overconstructed.

Conclusion:

«No Exit» is a gripping thriller that provides a few hours of good entertainment, no doubt! However, it has its weaknesses when it comes to believability and character depth. Overall, it's a solid book, but not the outstanding masterpiece I'd hoped for.