Beck sets up a camping trip for herself, twin sister Imogen, and their shared best friend, Tilda, having decided it’s time to address the Thing that has lived like a ghost among them for years. They set off into a remote part of the Grand Canyon, the sisters confident with years of trail experience, but Tilda not so much, upending the normal dynamic of their relationship, in which Tilda was the alpha. The Thing is overshadowed a few days out when their food stores are raided, and, soon after, their entire campsite is ransacked. They find themselves weaponless and vulnerable to an unknown predator. To say more would spoil an outstanding read. Suffice it to say that what follows is a stunning—at times sensitive, at times feral—exploration of just how deep and powerful the bonds of sisterhood and female friendship can be and how a squeaky mouse can become a roaring lion. By far, the winning character is the Grand Canyon itself. The women become “part of something elemental,” drawing strength from its majesty when their fear runs as deep down as its river. This bildungsroman, mixed with a dark fairy tale and a touch of Kate DiCamillo's The Tale of Despereaux, makes Stage's third triumph, following Wonderland (2020) and Baby Teeth (2018). Recommend as women’s fiction as well as psychological suspense.- Booklist