The Unthinkable has devastated the west coast, turning thriving towns into debris-filled wastelands. Lorry Martens, a former special operations medic struggling with PTSD and living in a reclusive barge community, has long repressed her lethal combat and interrogation skills. All she wants is a simple, peaceful life, but after Neil is murdered, she uncovers his role in an ancient conspiracy. Lorry is pursued into the shattered landscape by the deadly shadows of his secret life, and is forced to rediscover—and confront—the darkest parts of herself.

BRENT VAN STAALDUINEN is the award-winning author of the novels Nothing But Life, Boy, and Saints, Unexpected, as well as the story collection Cut Road. Accolades include the Kerry Schooley Book Award, the Bristol Short Story Prize, and numerous other awards. A recovering librarian, reformed high school English teacher, and long-ago army medic, Brent now finds himself mentoring writers, cheering for Forge FC, and wandering Hamilton’s streets looking for stories.

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"An intelligent, propulsive chase, a must for the smart thriller reader.” - Roz Nay, author of The Hunted

“Brent van Staalduinen’s gritty and masterful storytelling ensnares with its visceral intensity. Through vibrant characters, he reveals poignant truths, while the suspense keeps your heart racing. Not reading this book would be ‘unthinkable.’ ” — H&A Christensen, authors of STEALING JOHN HANCOCK

"Unthinkable isn’t just a well-paced action/thriller. It’s also a tense tour of the apocalypse-in-progress; the detailed character study of a highly trained killer; and – most surprisingly – an illustration of the way grief can shock us to the core, even if we believe ourselves unshockable." - Jamie Tennant, author of River, Diverted