Just as he did in his first novel, Finishing Kick, Paul Duffau's newest novel, Trail of Second Chances, is written from the viewpoint of a teenage, female distance runner. Somehow Duffau, a male writer in his 50s, is able to very convincingly and impressively channel the mind of his young female protagonist. In this novel, Rebecca (or Becca) is a very talented runner on the cusp of making the Olympic Games. Her father and coach was also a talented runner in his youth, very narrowly missing his own Olympic dream. As sometimes happens when a parent's own dreams fail to come true, the parent can find a new dream in a successful child. And as a result, sometimes the child feels added pressure to succeed and fulfill that shared dream, while also feeling his or her autonomy threatened. Such is the case with young Becca. In Trail of Second Chances, Duffau creates both some personal tension between daughter and father, and later a great deal of suspense as both characters suddently face a life-or-death situation that will change their lives and relationship forever. Once again, Duffau's story starts off like an easy warm-up, and then steadily picks up the pace until his characters, and readers, are gasping for breath as they charge toward a dramatic finish. Throughout the novel, Duffau displays his knowledge of distance running, in particular mountain trail running, that rings true to the delight and inspiration of runners of all ages. A highly recommended read. Here's the link for the book: