- Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
- Publisher: Minotaur Books; Reprint edition (Sep 30 2008)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0312945663
- ISBN-13: 978-0312945664
- Product Dimensions: 17.2 x 10.8 x 2.7 cm
- Shipping Weight: 204 g
- Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #99,522 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Details |
Product Description
From Publishers Weekly
Scott Sowers delivers a solid performance reading Hart's powerful second novel. Five years ago, Adam Chase was put on trial for the murder of a local teenager. Although he was acquitted of the crime, the majority of Rowan County, N.C., was never convinced of his innocence. The resulting hostility and humiliation compelled him to leave his hometown and escape to the anonymous streets of New York. A phone call from one of his oldest friends brings Adam back home, where he finds himself embroiled in a thick web of old family secrets and lies that lead back to that murder and to a death that has haunted him and his family for more than two decades. Hart writes with an intimate sense of melancholy and loss that Sowers resonates perfectly. Using a low-key, Southern accent to good advantage, Sowers draws the listener into the story from the very beginning with his simple, earnest delivery, and holds them tight.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.
From Booklist
*Starred Review* King of Lies (2006), Hart's debut, was gripping and stylishly written, but it pales in comparison to this complex, emotionally charged novel. Adam Chase returns home to small-town North Carolina after five years living in New York City. He left his hometown—or, in fact, was run out of town—after he was acquitted of murder. He has returned home because his family is there and because everyone he has ever loved is there. But when his oldest friend goes missing, and Adam is beaten to a pulp by his friend's father's stooges, he begins to regret his decision. As he tries to reconnect with family and friends, Adam learns that some people he's known all his life are hiding dark secrets—and that the truth surrounding the murder he was accused of five years ago is more frightening and closer to home than he could have imagined. Down River is a beautifully constructed story of personal redemption, family secrets, and murder—a small-town epic, if there is such a thing. Hart dexterously juggles a large cast of characters and several intricate plotlines, and when he starts to tie together the threads of the various stories—well, that's when the real magic begins. A truly splendid novel with a deep emotional core. Pitt, David
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.
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Most helpful customer reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
And You Think You Have a Dysfunctional Family,
By Donald Mitchell "Jesus Loves You!" (Thanks for Providing My Reviews over 112,000 Helpful Votes Globally) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER) (#1 HALL OF FAME)
This review is from: Down River (Hardcover)
Just when it seemed like it would be impossible to create a new form of a troubled family, John Hart smashes our stereotypes with some serious new dimensions to that cliché, the dysfunctional family. Many people have had wicked stepmothers, but how many have had a stepmother who accuses a stepchild of murder and becomes the main witness against him?After an acquittal, Adam Chase is paid off by his father for Adam's inheritance in the family partnership and leaves town for New York where he leads an aimless life. All that changes when his best friend calls from North Carolina asking Adam to return to help him make something of himself. Adam procrastinates but eventually heads home. Once there, he finds that time has not healed very many wounds . . . but has certainly opened some new ones. It's like the story of the prodigal son, except the prodigal isn't treated with open arms by his father. Instead, the prodigal is shunned and treated like he's killed someone. That background quickly heats up as new violence flares around Adam and his family. Because of his background, Adam finds himself accused again . . . even if he's only in the vicinity. As badly as Adam has been doing, others have been struggling more. John Hart does an outstanding job of keeping family mysteries, crime mysteries, and personal mysteries up in the air while slowly bringing Adam up to date on what's really been going on in his home town. Unlike most stories of this sort, I was kept guessing about many things right up to the end. I found that combination of good story telling, excellent character development, strong plot, lean narration, and lots of action made for a superb book. Bravo! John Hart is a major talent. It's always great to find such a writer when he's early in his career. I plan to read his first book, King of Lies, as well.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great Thrill Ride!,
By
This review is from: Down River (Mass Market Paperback)
Adam Chase left home five years ago after narrowly being acquitted of a murder charge. Seeking refuge in New York he has had no contact with his family or former friends until he receives a phone call.Danny Faith, an old friend who had always stood by Adam's side has asked Adam to come home but doesn't tell Adam exactly why, only that he desperately needs his help. Not one to turn his back on a friend, Adam packs up and heads home to Rowan County and his rich father. When people begin to hear that Adam is back in town, no one knows why and it's not sitting well with a lot of folks who still believe he is guilty of murder. Adam's previous love, Robin, a Detective with the Rowan County police force isn't sure she's happy that Adam's back either. He left her five years ago without a phone call, word or note since. Not long after Adam arrives home, dead bodies begin to surface, including that of the very person who called and asked him to come home, Danny Faith! The town's police force suspects Adam and now Adam must unravel a web of lies and deceit and violence so terrible that it will make you shudder. A great thrill ride with twists and turns that will leave you shaking your head!!
5.0 out of 5 stars
Powerful, gripping murder mystery,
By
This review is from: Down River (Mass Market Paperback)
This is one of those stories that catches your attention almost right away and ends up not letting go. I couldn't put it down. Talk about a family that's in a mess. A mother shoots herself in front of her young son; a father remarries; a step-mother testifies that her stepson killed another young man; a brother is hundreds of thousands in debt for illegal gambling; and much, much more.We meet the characters one by one as the protagonist, Adam Chase, returns home after a five year absence, to find that even though he'd been acquitted of murder back then, a lot of people in town still think he was guilty. He's not even sure about what his estranged family thinks. So, as he slowly works his way up to meeting his father again for the first time, various other things happen. Wherever he goes there seem to be bodies as several more mysterious murders occur. And as Adam tries to unravel the truth about who did what when, he also uncovers many of the secrets that have bedevilled his family and its various members for decades. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The characters are complex and fascinating and the plot has enough twists and turns to foil even the most intrepid sleuth. I did guess some of it before the end but, of course, had no idea of the why. That takes quite a bit of explanation, all of which makes sense without any suggestion of a deux ex machina at work. This is an excellent mystery and an excellent story of the lives, customs and secrets of a small southern town and its inhabitants. I have no hesitation in awarding it 5 stars out of 5.
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