⚡ Book Review (Spoilers!): Gray After Dark by Riley West
⭐️ 5 out of 5 stars | Genre: Thriller / Survival / True Crime-Inspired Fiction
🚨 FULL SPOILERS ahead! If you want to go in blind, stop right here.
📍 Gray After Dark — A Dark, Gripping, And Shockingly Good Read
Oh. My. Gosh.
👉 I LOVED this book.
👉 And the fact that it’s inspired by a true story? That just took it to a whole other level.
Gray After Dark hooked me right from the start and didn’t let go. It’s tense, emotional, horrifying — but also filled with hope.
🧵 The Full Plot — Here’s Exactly What Happens
🎯 The Setup
Our heroine, Miley Petrowski, is a pro biathlete training at Hidden Springs Resort — a place with a dark past.
➡ Four years earlier, a girl named Rayna vanished there.
➡ Torn, bloody clothing was found. The police said: bear attack. Case closed.
Fast-forward: Miley goes for a run one day and is abducted by father-son duo Fred and Hamish — two terrifying, unhinged men.
🕳 Welcome to the Nightmare
They drag Miley to their remote “home” — a hellish cabin in the woods.
➡ There, she meets Mary — but soon realizes this is Rayna, the missing girl from years ago.
Fred and Hamish rename Miley “Ruthie Sue”, and it’s clear they want to break her spirit through horrific abuse.
👉 Rayna (Mary) has already endured this — she’s missing an eye and has learned to “behave” to survive. That makes planning an escape together almost impossible.
🚨 The Search
Back at the resort:
✔️ The staff alerts authorities.
✔️ Search parties go out… for a while.
✔️ But when they find Miley’s torn, bloody clothing? The cops say another bear attack and call it off.
But not everyone gives up.
➡ Brent (Miley’s old friend) and Wes (her new co-worker) refuse to stop searching.
➡ They camp out, trek through the wilderness, and keep hope alive.
💀 The Tragedy
Miley makes several escape attempts, but Fred and Hamish keep catching her — and the punishments get worse.
Finally, Brent and Wes stumble onto the cabin. But Hamish shows up:
➡ He kills Wes and seriously injures Brent.
➡ Miley convinces Hamish that Brent is dead and that she doesn’t know him, trying to win his trust.
Seeing the brutal murder shake Rayna to her core, Rayna decides: Enough is enough.
💥 The Showdown
Miley grabs Brent’s rifle and shoots Fred dead.
➡ Hamish tries to escape — but Rayna sprays him with bear spray.
➡ Miley finishes it, shooting and killing Hamish.
Rayna tends to Brent, who’s barely clinging to life, while Miley runs for help.
➡ Miley reaches the resort.
➡ A medical helicopter rushes out to rescue Brent and Rayna.
🌅 The Aftermath
Four years later:
➡ Miley and Brent are married, with a baby.
➡ They win Olympic silver medals together.
➡ Rayna is in the stands, cheering them on — free at last.
🧠 My Take
✅ Terrifying and heart-pounding — I couldn’t put it down.
✅ Incredible pacing, even during the darkest moments.
✅ Loved the blend of true crime inspiration and fiction.
✅ The ending? SO satisfying.
✨ Final Thoughts
I’m giving Gray After Dark 5 out of 5 stars.
✔️ One of the best survival thrillers I’ve read.
✔️ Gritty, emotional, and powerful.
✔️ A reminder of resilience, friendship, and the will to survive.
📚 If You Liked This, Try:
🏞 The Marsh King’s Daughter by Karen Dionne — another tense survival thriller
🌲 Into the Forest by Jean Hegland — dark and haunting wilderness story
💀 Room by Emma Donoghue — abduction fiction that packs an emotional punch
🛒 Buy Gray After Dark
👉 Grab it on Amazon (affiliate link)
💬 Let’s Chat!
Did Gray After Dark have you on the edge of your seat too? Could you breathe during that final showdown?! Drop a comment — I want to hear your thoughts!
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