The Girl in the Maze

Martha Covington, Book 1

By: R.K. Jackson

Narrated by: Hillary Huber

USA TODAY BESTSELLER

Perfect for fans of Gillian Flynn, Paula Hawkins, and Tana French, R. K. Jackson’s lyrical, twisty psychological thriller debut follows an aspiring journalist as she uncovers dark truths in a seaswept Southern town—aided by a mysterious outcast and pursued by a ruthless killer.

When Martha Covington moves to Amberleen, Georgia, after her release from a psychiatric ward, she thinks her breakdown is behind her. A small town with a rich history, Amberleen feels like a fresh start. Taking a summer internship with the local historical society, Martha is tasked with gathering the stories of the Geechee residents of nearby Shell Heap Island, the descendants of slaves who have lived by their own traditions for the last three hundred years.

As Martha delves into her work, the voices she thought she left behind start whispering again, and she begins to doubt her recovery. When a grisly murder occurs, Martha finds herself at the center of a perfect storm—and she’s the perfect suspect. Without a soul to vouch for her innocence or her sanity, Martha disappears into the wilderness, battling the pull of madness and struggling to piece together a supernatural puzzle of age-old resentments, broken promises, and cold-blooded murder. She finds an unexpected ally in a handsome young man fighting his own battles. With his help, Martha journeys through a terrifying labyrinth—to find the truth and clear her name, if she can survive to tell the tale.

©2015 Randal K. Jackson (P)2025 Randal K. Jackson

Gripping!

Enjoying R.K. Jackson’s captivating storytelling and Hillary Huber’s brilliant narration. This audiobook is a treasured discovery!

A compelling heroine and a vivid sense of place

I really liked the protagonist. She sharp, intelligent, and complex, with her struggles with schizophrenia adding real depth to the story. The earthy, coastal setting feels alive and atmospheric. I also found the narrator's voice soothing and easy to listen to. This really draws you in!

Tightly woven story

Great paced psychological thriller following the plight of a young schizophrenic girl. The story is laced with elements of the supernatural, similar to Riley Sager.

looking forward to more from this author

This author did a great job of keeping me suspended in doubt. He blurred the lines between the main characters mental illness and possible supernatural elements to the point where I couldn't tell if Martha was declining into madness or the supernatural elements of the book were actually happening. I do however feel like there were some unanswered questions in the first book so I was thrilled to hear there was a sequel which I shall be reading next. I'm not a huge fan of thrillers but this was a fun starter book for me to venture more into this category. Definitely had the spooky elements I was looking for in an October book read.

Vivid. Evocative. Grabs you and won't let go

WOW! That's all I can say. This story intrigued me from the beginning. By the end, my heart could hardly take the tension. R.K. Jackson is a writer of extraordinary talent, making you see, hear, and smell the islands off the coast of Georgia and believe that each character lives and breathes. Hillary Huber's narration brings it even more to life. Her ability to develop unique, spot-on voices and bring out the personality of each character is a wonder.

But it's the story that matters, and this one is a dozy. I don't want to give spoilers, but sufficit it to say, while this is a psychological thriller—did Martha see and hear what she thought she did, or is it all manifested from her illness?—it's so much more. Give it a listen. You won't be disappointed.