Warning Signs
a novel
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- Pre-Order
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- Expected Feb 10, 2026
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- $16.99
Publisher Description
The heart-stopping second novel from the author of Nightwatching, in which a father-son ski weekend becomes a desperate fight for survival.
At twelve years old, Zach admires his father almost as much as he fears him. When Bram takes him on a father-son ski trip in the Colorado backcountry with a few select others, Zach feels brave and cautiously optimistic—his mother taught him the ways of the mountain, and the hushed whiteness should quieten Bram’s temper.
But Zach knows his father well enough to always be on high alert: to the shifting dynamics inside the cabin, to his father’s every move, to what lies beyond the warmth of the fireplace. Because something is out there, on the mountain. Something that’s killing animals and picking them clean.
When the trip takes a turn for the worse, Zach fears he’s in more danger than he realized. He’ll have to rely on his own survival skills if he hopes to make it home alive—but will that be enough?
Sometimes it’s smart to be afraid.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
This taut wilderness thriller from Sierra (Nightwatching) centers on Zach Fisher, a sensitive 12-year-old on a backcountry ski tour in the Colorado Rockies with his stern father, Bram, and a group of Bram's associates. What was once a father-son tradition organized by Zach's late mother, Grace, has since become a showcase for Bram to impress his business backers. Among the guests are Shane, the cocky son of a media mogul; Jon, a laid-back ski-film celebrity; Dave, a gregarious investor; Russ, Dave's blunt, awkward son; and Steve, the group's quiet guide. When Bram's assistant, Ginny, goes missing, the sharp-eyed Zach finds a jeweled earring tangled in kindling at the cabin—an early sign that all is not as it seems. Then a deadly avalanche strikes, and the discovery of a corpse, animal remains, and the earring's bloody twin fan paranoia among the guests, alluding to ugly truths about Bram and eroding trust among the survivors. When a second avalanche hits, Zach must find the strength to survive both the elements and his father's tightening grip. Sierra's vivid setting, well-shaded characters, and knack for suspense keep the pages turning, even if the narrative is somewhat padded. This is an icy delight.
