Erie author Carter Wilson releases new thriller set in fictional Colorado town
The psychological suspense novel, “When They Find Me,” centers on a woman hiding in a remote cabin and a survivalist family that mistakenly targets her home.
By Jillian Foster ·
Carter Wilson, a bestselling author who lives in Erie, Colorado, released his newest psychological thriller, “When They Find Me.” The novel is one of Wilson’s 11 standalone works and follows a woman named Annie Wolfe who is hiding from her past with her 12-year-old daughter.
The story began when Wilson considered the concept of home invaders targeting a specific person but arriving at the wrong address. He expanded the premise by asking what would happen if the resident was more dangerous than the intruders. Wilson decided to place the characters in a remote Colorado cabin during a blizzard two days before Christmas.
The plot introduces a second character, Riven, who belongs to a survivalist family seeking revenge. This group, led by a father named Coyote, believes in a strict natural order where one must kill or be killed. Wilson described the family’s worldview as almost cult-like. Their path crosses with Annie’s before either understands how much they have in common.
Wilson deliberately chose to set the book in Colorado, a location he rarely uses for his thrillers. He created a fictional town called Expanse, which has a population of 313. Wilson said he drew from 30 years of living in the state and visiting small mountain towns to build the setting.
The narrative is told from two female points of view: Annie, the resident, and Riven, the invader. Wilson noted that as he wrote, he realized a shared rage against the patriarchy connected the two characters. Annie wants to be left alone, while Riven wants to stop being told what to do.
Wilson does not outline his manuscripts and said he discovered the book’s major plot twist halfway through the draft. He believes twists must feel earned and inevitable. He plans to release his next novel, “What She Made Me Do,” in August 2027.
Following that, Wilson will publish “The Dr. Happy Murders” in the spring of 2028. That book will be his first young adult novel and his first co-written project, partnered with Josh Viola. It will follow teenagers investigating the suspicious deaths of their mothers.
