The Trip

If it came down to saving yourself or saving a friend, which would you choose? Palmer & her old friends go on a luxurious Pacific Coast sailing trip, hoping to recover from her broken marriage. Twenty years earlier, a tragic rafting accident during their senior year claimed the life of their friend Courtney and left deep scars on the group. When a storm hits, the captain goes missing, the first officer is inexperienced, and then someone disappears under suspicious circumstances. Palmer must navigate dangerous waters and unravel long-buried secrets about what really happened all those years ago. I became a fan of Audrey J. Cole after reading The Last Flight, so I was extra excited about being approved for an ARC of her upcoming book, The Trip. This was quite the wild ride- which is ironic to say given the cruise was also a wild ride. I wasn't too sure how I'd like the "girl's trip" vibe bc I know girls can be mean so it's not always my favorite plot line, but this one worked so well. I appreciate that Palmer, as the main character, was the most level headed. Though as we dove deeper into the story, we learn that no one is safe and everyone is hiding something. The book alternates between two timelines: a senior-year rafting trip that ended in tragedy and the present-day cruise. Cole expertly weaves them together, each revealing just enough and had me questioning every character’s motives. Literally everyone could be the killer and the entire time you're skeptical. This was a true game of whodunnit, but also who's-the-killer-now. Anyone who enjoys a locked room mystery will enjoy The Trip! I received an advanced copy of this book and I am leaving this review voluntarily. The Trip publishes January 6, 2026. Trigger Warnings: death of a friend, drowning, storms at sea, violence, betrayal, grief, gaslighting.