Madeline Hill was just nine years old when her father, Charles, vanished from her life without a word. Twenty-three years later, a stranger named Reuben appears at her door, claiming to be her half-brother. With information from a private investigator, Reuben reveals not only the existence of other siblings, but also the possible whereabouts of the man who abandoned them all.
What begins as a hesitant reunion soon unfolds into a cross-country road trip to meet their half-siblings, Pepper and Theron, each living in different states. But as the journey progresses, confronting the man who both shaped and shattered their lives becomes inevitable.
Charles Hill is a character I genuinely despise. He represents the kind of man who walks away from responsibility without remorse, who leaves behind scars without ever acknowledging the pain he caused. And yet, Wilson doesn't let him be a one-note villain. He explores how even an absent, deeply flawed father can leave behind good and bad memories that continue to shape his children long after he’s gone.
This story is a slow burn of psychological reckoning. The siblings’ journey is not just across states, but through grief, longing, anger, and healing. There’s a raw beauty in how they confront the past, not to forgive it, but to try to understand it.
They say we can't choose our parents. But Run For The Hills reminds us that we can choose how we carry them in our memories. This novel delivers a quiet emotional punch with a bittersweet, satisfying ending. A compelling, character-driven narrative, I give it a solid 4.5 stars.