At long last, Smith follows up his bestselling novel, A Simple Plan, with a stunning second novel. I expected this story to be a thriller, but I didn't expect the raw supernatural horror that clenches your heart as you read this frightening novel. Four American friends on vacation in Cancún, Mexico - Jeff, Amy, Eric and Stacy - befriend a German tourist, Mathias, and three happy Greeks who do not speak English.

Mathias' younger brother, Heinrich, was last seen headed off to follow a new girlfriend on an archaeological trip to some Mayan ruins, but now Mathias is afraid that Heinrich won't return in time to catch their scheduled flight home.  He convinces the four Americans and the only sober Greek to go with him in search of his brother.  They take a bus part of the way, and then convince a taxi driver to take them further into the jungle, against his advice. The path they expected to find is obscured, the rough map doesn't seem quite right, and the natives do not speak English. They eventually do find the Ruins, but discover that their return path is blocked by very threatening Mayans with guns and bows and arrows.

Signs of a great menace escalate, and their situation becomes serious when the Greek suffers a broken back at the bottom of an abandoned mine shaft. Surely the other Greeks will come looking for their friend within the next day or so. They regret their impulsive trip into the jungle when their water and food begin to run out. Survival and escape become their primary concern. Then the bodies of the archaeologists are discovered...

When the real enemy, which was not at first apparent, becomes increasingly obvious, the threat is too bizarre to comprehend. The deadly menace starts taking its toll, leaving the survivors to disagree and bicker among themselves. Of them all, only Jeff and Mathias remain clear-headed while the others fall victim to their emotions, denial increasing with each new test. They must work out a plan to escape.

Scott Smith is the new generation of horror.  His creative genius takes you to places that are incomprehensible, turning up the tension page by page.  No matter how much you want to stop reading, because you know what's going to happen, you can't stop. 

Go ahead - get a copy and read it.  I dare you.