4 out of 5 stars
On Amazon UK
On Amazon.com
On Goodreads
How I discovered this book: Amazon browse
In a Nutshell: Man whose son has just died goes on a mission to find the son of a friend who has been abducted. Paranormal element.
I was attracted to this book because I'm a sucker for a cover with a road going into the distance, and I made the decision to buy because the reviews are so good. I didn't realise until later that I'd read an earlier book by this author, Squall, that I thought only so-so; this book, though, is in a different class.
The early part, when main character Peter is dragging himself through his days after the death of his son, is so well done and believable. I'm not usually much of a one for death-in-family dramas, but this is very readable. At a group for parents who have lost children, he meets Roger, whose son was abducted. Roger is a mess; aggressive, drinking too much. Peter begins to see a connection with Roger's son and another boy abducted previously.
After the great start I felt my enthusiasm for this book ebb and flow; sometimes I was really enjoying it, other times I thought it needed a bit of editing down, as there is a fair bit of detail that I found too long-winded. Then I'd start to enjoy it again, particularly in some terrific bits of dialogue with some people Peter meets on his search; small town types, and a great section in which some the policemen on watch outside another abducted child's house are killed. You know when you read a few pages and find yourself sitting back, thinking, wow, that was good?
One thing I did like was that the paranormal element (only minor) is not over the top; it was just kind of touching. And he never tried to explain it, which absolutely worked for me.
The last third of the book is the best, really gripping, and the plot unfolds in a way I would never have guessed; it would make a great TV series. I definitely recommend!
3 out of 5 stars
On Amazon UK
On Amazon.com
On Goodreads
How I discovered this book: Amazon browse. Attracted by the title (I love anything about disaster in terrible weather). Liked the blurb, and it was free. It's a short book, only 178 pages on Kindle.
The blurb:
Bush pilot and family man Tom Stokes is about to face the worst day of
his life. On a clear winter morning, he sets out to do some repairs on a
remote hunt camp, leaving his five-year-old son and very pregnant wife
snug in their beds.
On the return trip, a squall forces him into
an emergency landing and he winds up—quite literally—in the lap of petty
criminal Dale Knight. Dale, now a fugitive from the law—and worse, from
a merciless drug lord who just happens to be his brother—draws Tom into
a web of mayhem and treachery that puts not only his life at risk, but
the lives of his wife, son . . . and unborn child.
I quite enjoyed this. It alternates from various points of view all the way through, which I liked, the pace is fast, the dialogue good, the characters clear and well-defined. It didn't quite hit the spot, though; it was a nearly-but-not-quite for me as far as the storytelling itself was concerned. There's a bit of sloppy proofreading (words like 'defuse' that should be 'diffuse') that wouldn't have bothered me if I'd really loved it.
The story is good, and mostly well thought out, with some nicely psychopathic killers, a ruthless slapper, a likeable junkie, and, of course, the 'goodies' ~ Tom and his family. There are some dodgy plot points, though, such as why Tom would have gone out in a flimsy plane to repair a building (that could have waited) when a severe storm was on its way, especially when it was his and his beloved son's birthday and his wife was about to give birth. Then the whole reason why the aforementioned killers find his house - he left his wallet in the plane after it crashed into the house in which Dale was taking a bath. Seemed completely out of character for someone so conscientious, especially considering that his license was in it, and he knew Dale was being hunted by dangerous people.
It's like a less compelling Blake Crouch novel. I'd try something else by this author, though.
