Down River
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Review
'I don't always agree with the Richard & Judy recommendations, but this time I am with them all the way. This book is a really classy thriller, with a plot that is complex and beguiling without being too convoluted ... Whenever I thought that I had unravelled the plot, another twist left me flummoxed, and the solution had me blinking with surprise and admiration'
(Matthew Lewin, Guardian )'[Hart] explores betrayal and forgiveness in indelible prose' (Observer )
'Hart spins a clever mystery and keeps skilful control of his plot' (Sunday Telegraph )
'Hart builds the suspense of this whodunit expertly'
(Douglas Wight, News of the World )'A Chandleresque thriller'
(Sunday Times )'A heart-pounding thriller that explores the dark side of human nature'
(Metro )'A gripping thriller full of twists and turns'
(Oldham Evening Chronicle )'Hart proves here he is certainly no one-hit wonder'
'This is a big, warm-hearted novel'
'The story works both as a suspenseful whodunit and as a sensitive rumination on the emotional force of family dynamics' (Washington Post )
'If you value Harper Lee, James Lee Burke, Truman Capote and Michael Malone, its time to add John Hart to your bookshelves' (New York Sun )
'A novel about the power of family, how it defines and follows us, no matter how far or fast we run . . . Evocative storytelling and lush prose' (Boston Globe )
'Splendid . . . a beautifully constructed story of personal redemption, family secrets and murder a small-town epic, if there is such a thing' (Booklist (starred review) )
'A taut, entertaining thriller . . . there are few books published that can legitimately be called a must-read, but this is one of them' (Chicago Sun-Times )
'This pacy, well-written mystery grabs you from the first page and keeps you there until the last.' **** (MX Sydney Magazine )
'The 'current hot kid of American crime fiction'
(TNT Magazine )Sunday Telegraph
'Hart spins a clever mystery and keeps skilful control of his plot'
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
25 of 26 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Often I read reviews on Amazon, where people have generally liked a novel, and there is one where the reviewer writes 'I must be missing something', or words to that effect. Well in the case of this novel, I must be that person, because I don't understand all the hype about it at all.
I just about forced myself to finish it as I was (just) interested enough to read the end, but only just. I kept thinking there must be some amazing twists in the plot to come, but they never arrived, and I had already realised what some of the outcomes were going to be earlier on in the book. This isn't a problem if the writing itself is stylish and the tale enthralling enough to keep one reading whether you have worked out the plot in advance or not, but in this case I don't think it is.
The main character, Adam Chase, finally returns to his home town to face the demons of his past, which saw him wrongly accused but fortunately acquitted of the murder of a local young man. The action centres around his family and a small circle of other inhabitants, and gradually unravels how their pasts have actually crossed and reveals hidden secrets that lead to the revelation of the real murderer, but not before a further murder and an assault have occured. Chase rekindles a romance with a local detective on his return and proceeds to antagonise her and the other detectives by going behind their backs to conduct his own investigations.
The relationships could have been built more believably, which would have evoked more empathy with the characters, or at least an understanding. It all just seems a bit sketchy.
If you want a very easy, undemanding read, which admittedly many readers do in the summertime, then maybe give this a try. Evidently many others have enjoyed it more. But I think there are other thrillers out there just as enjoyable but with more style to the writing and more depth to the characters than this one, with more pace and excitement. For me, it simply isn't in the same league as the brilliant 'A Quiet Belief in Angels' by R.J.Ellory, for example. I think I just like my tales a bit more meaty and substantial really.
I just about forced myself to finish it as I was (just) interested enough to read the end, but only just. I kept thinking there must be some amazing twists in the plot to come, but they never arrived, and I had already realised what some of the outcomes were going to be earlier on in the book. This isn't a problem if the writing itself is stylish and the tale enthralling enough to keep one reading whether you have worked out the plot in advance or not, but in this case I don't think it is.
The main character, Adam Chase, finally returns to his home town to face the demons of his past, which saw him wrongly accused but fortunately acquitted of the murder of a local young man. The action centres around his family and a small circle of other inhabitants, and gradually unravels how their pasts have actually crossed and reveals hidden secrets that lead to the revelation of the real murderer, but not before a further murder and an assault have occured. Chase rekindles a romance with a local detective on his return and proceeds to antagonise her and the other detectives by going behind their backs to conduct his own investigations.
The relationships could have been built more believably, which would have evoked more empathy with the characters, or at least an understanding. It all just seems a bit sketchy.
If you want a very easy, undemanding read, which admittedly many readers do in the summertime, then maybe give this a try. Evidently many others have enjoyed it more. But I think there are other thrillers out there just as enjoyable but with more style to the writing and more depth to the characters than this one, with more pace and excitement. For me, it simply isn't in the same league as the brilliant 'A Quiet Belief in Angels' by R.J.Ellory, for example. I think I just like my tales a bit more meaty and substantial really.
35 of 38 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
There isn't much product information available on Amazon so to give you an idea what it's about, Adam Chase lives in New York having left his home town five years following an acquital from a murder charge - all this is revealed within first and second chapter so it isn't a plot spoiler - but his friend from home calls him and he has to go back. When he gets home people start turning up dead and unfortunately Adam looks like number one suspect with only him being able to clear his name.
The writing style took me a little while to settle into. The sentences are disjointed in places and there is no descriptive narrative as such. The only thing I can compare it to is Gordon Ramsey when he does his recipes and he simply says the bog standard ingredient and method. Hopefully you know what I mean if you've ever watched his most recent shows. Because of this, I couldn't get into a flow and my reading initially wasn't enjoyable. However I soon got used to it and eventually the plot became more of a focus than the writing style.
All of the characters are interesting. Some of the relationships will leave you a bit puzzled, mainly for me that was the relationship between Grace and Adam. Eventually all the links between the characters becomes clear and you can start putting two and two together; yet I don't think you'll ever completely work everything out. John Hart has been clever and there are some amazing aspects of the plot that come in the last quarter of the novel.
I don't feel like it's a fast paced thriller but it is definitely atmospheric and exciting; leaving the reader to question the betrayals that have happened and whether they would do the same in Adam's situation. Even when explanations have occured you are still left with an unsettled feeling of whether people should've done what they did. As for other novels like it, the blurb talks about John Grisham, Scott Turow and Raymond Chandler; I haven't read any of those but they are ones I'll hunt out in the future based on this novel. Whilst I've only given it a 4 star review and not a 5, it is only the writing style that let it down as the plot was great.
This book is part of the Richard & Judy Summer 2008 Reads and I can see why. It has huge appeal for a range of audiences, this is my seventh read from the summer reads and it is third to 'No Time for Goodbye' and 'East of the Sun'.
The writing style took me a little while to settle into. The sentences are disjointed in places and there is no descriptive narrative as such. The only thing I can compare it to is Gordon Ramsey when he does his recipes and he simply says the bog standard ingredient and method. Hopefully you know what I mean if you've ever watched his most recent shows. Because of this, I couldn't get into a flow and my reading initially wasn't enjoyable. However I soon got used to it and eventually the plot became more of a focus than the writing style.
All of the characters are interesting. Some of the relationships will leave you a bit puzzled, mainly for me that was the relationship between Grace and Adam. Eventually all the links between the characters becomes clear and you can start putting two and two together; yet I don't think you'll ever completely work everything out. John Hart has been clever and there are some amazing aspects of the plot that come in the last quarter of the novel.
I don't feel like it's a fast paced thriller but it is definitely atmospheric and exciting; leaving the reader to question the betrayals that have happened and whether they would do the same in Adam's situation. Even when explanations have occured you are still left with an unsettled feeling of whether people should've done what they did. As for other novels like it, the blurb talks about John Grisham, Scott Turow and Raymond Chandler; I haven't read any of those but they are ones I'll hunt out in the future based on this novel. Whilst I've only given it a 4 star review and not a 5, it is only the writing style that let it down as the plot was great.
This book is part of the Richard & Judy Summer 2008 Reads and I can see why. It has huge appeal for a range of audiences, this is my seventh read from the summer reads and it is third to 'No Time for Goodbye' and 'East of the Sun'.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This story starts well chunters on for a while then ends. If the 340 odd pages were edited to about 240 it could have been a page turner instead of the slow, predictable and rather boring book that it is. For all the time John Hart takes to tell the tale of the dysfunctional Chase family , I could not relate to them nor their financial and family pressures.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Hard to believe
I find it hard to believe that Down River came from the same pen as The Last Child and The King of Lies, which I thought a magnificent novel of its kind. Read more
Published 11 days ago by Allegra
Good Read
Never read John Hart before and did not know what to expect. Slow start to this story, but as it progressed I got more into the plot and the twist at the end suprised me. Read more
Published 2 months ago by reg
Dull as dishwater
It's not a good sign when you feel a sense of achievement at finishing a book. Half way through I felt like giving up but determination and bulldog spirit pulled me through. Read more
Published 5 months ago by V5RCB
Just plain painfully tedious
I couldn't wait to finish this book because it was one of the most boring books I have ever read. It was supposed to be a thriller but instead of my heart rate racing it nearly... Read more
Published 20 months ago by Ms. Aileen C. Hankin
Good Sophomore Effort
I enjoyed Hart's first novel, the dark "King Of Lies", and was expecting more of the same over-written gloom with his second stand alone thriller "Down River". Read more
Published 23 months ago by B. Turnbull
Tedious
I see no one's yet given this novel a one-star review. Well somebody had to and I'm afraid it's going to be me. Read more
Published on 18 April 2010 by Jonathan Posner
A good read
I loved the language in this book, and even though I could see who dunnit from very early on, I just kept on reading. Read more
Published on 18 Feb 2010 by liveenl
Unbelievable characters
The characters in this book are over-the-top and it's all a bit too macho. All the men are over 6ft. There's a lot of drinking and driving. And fisticuffs. Read more
Published on 27 Oct 2009 by Nicolas Doye
If you like Dennis Lehane you will love this
A Great read for those who like their thrillers to be inhabited by real and interesting characters. I had tried a hundred scenarios during the reading of this book but none of... Read more
Published on 9 Sep 2009 by T. A. Partington
Boring
Stopped reading this book halfway through. Perhaps the second half was better but I found the first half tedious and not particularly well written. Read more
Published on 28 July 2009 by S Donard
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