The Golden Road: A Novel

By: Michael Wright

Narrated by: Rod Hackathorn

#1 Amazon New Release in Mystery after third week of being published. Best Seller on Audible in Thriller and Mystery a month after being published.

The Golden Road cuts through fifty miles of Maine’s wilderness part asphalt, part dirt, all shadow. It’s the last man-made line before the forest takes everything back. Beyond it, maps blur, signals die, and people disappear.

Cal Thorne swore he’d never return. Twenty years ago, his brother vanished out here, another cold case written off as a hiker gone wrong. But when new signs surface, Cal shoulders his pack and steps off the road in search of answers.

What he finds is a world of vanished trail markers, stolen food caches, and nights haunted by whistles that feel too close. Starvation, predators, and something else, something that has been waiting in the pines.

Rustic, harrowing, and unforgettable, The Golden Road is a survival thriller where the wilderness itself feels alive and it never lets go.

©2025 Michael Lowell Wright (P)2026 Michael Lowell Wright

Edge of your seat survival thriller

I truly enjoyed this story! I read the paper back, but had to hear it narrated as well. I enjoyed hearing it, but certainly got the creeps after dark living in the woods of Maine myself!
a must read for the spooky lovers!

Unexpected storyline

This was a fascinating story that kept handing out twists and turns. I ended up listening in one sitting! I definitely recommend it.

Great job Rod Hackathorn. Very enjoyable book. ❤️

Liked it all. This book kept our interest and we enjoyed it all. Looking forward listening to more

Excellent read. Peaceful

Vivid descriptions of interior Maine. Exciting at times, peaceful at other times. Excellent read. Loved the varying pace

A harrowing journey through dark woods and creatures

I don't often suggest how listeners should consume material, but this story is best suited for dark rooms and headphones. While there are no environmental sounds, the impactful descriptions of the main character's perilous trek through dangerous places creates an eerie and tension-filled atmosphere if given the proper space. Cal seeks confirmation of his missing brother's whereabouts, and despite his experience and knowledge of travel and hunting, encounters mishap after mishap and numerous brushes with death. Only sheer determination and will can see him through to the next day, and the one after that. This is his story, struggling to survive, narrated steadily and clearly by Rod Hackathorn. [Disclosure: I received this title for free and listened at 2.0x.]