- Audio CD
- Publisher: Macmillan Audio; Unabridged edition (July 12 2011)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1427212236
- ISBN-13: 978-1427212238
- Product Dimensions: 15 x 13 x 2.8 cm
- Shipping Weight: 340 g
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #589,763 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Details |
Product Description
Review
Praise for IRON HOUSE:
*Named #1 best crime fiction novel of 2011 by Oline Cogdill, South Florida Sun-Sentinel
"If you crave thrillers that are vividly beautiful, graphic, will make you bleed, try John Hart." — Patricia Cornwell
"Lean, hard and absolutely riveting, Iron House is a tour de force. With his best book yet, John Hart has clearly joined the top rank of thriller writers." — Vince Flynn
"John Hart delivers another outstanding thriller... Secrets, lies and an abandoned former orphanage beckon the reader into a web of violence and emotion. Hart creates such vivid imagery, the reader sees the story slowly unfolding in full color. Iron House immerses the reader in a world that's haunting in its tone and power." --Associated Press
"Hart 2.0: bullet-fast and super gory, everything amplified and intensified... Hart, again working in multiple voices and from a variety of perspectives, is somehow able to pull together all of the moving parts and to do the near impossible: to transform a bloody tale of murder and mayhem into something of a meditation - or, better yet, a fugue - on familial love. In so doing, he has taken a giant step forward as a writer, demonstrating yet again the impoverished imaginations of those who dismiss popular fiction and automatically relegate "genre writers" to the bargain basement of the house of literature." --Charlotte Observer
“Using standard ingredients (long-lost brothers, organized crime, a beautiful girl), Hart whips up an intoxicating brew." --Entertainment Weekly, A-
"Two orphaned boys' lives take vastly different routes in this forceful tale about family bonds and the legacy of violence set in Manhattan and North Carolina. This is Hart's fourth novel, having already earned three Edgar Award nominations, resulting in two back-to-back wins." --South Florida Sun-Sentinel
"The book combines suspense, a love story and plenty of twists and surprises. The characters are vivid, and readers can feel the tension build. Hart continues to write literate thrillers." --The Oklahoman
"It isn’t as if Hart’s career needed jump-starting. His first three stand-alone thrillers have been greeted by an ever-growing crescendo of praise, including two Edgar Awards. Definitely not the kind of writer who needs a breakthrough book. And, yet, Iron House lifts Hart to an altogether new level of excellence…. The present-time plot—disaffected Mob hit man on the run, trying to carve a new life without endangering those he loves—makes a superb thriller on its own (steadily building tension, magnificently choreographed fight scenes, including a High Noon–like finale), but it’s what Hart does with the backstory that gives the novel its beyond-genre depth. Like the great Peter Hoeg in Borderliners (1994), Hart uses the familiar story of mistreatment in an orphanage as a way into the inner lives of his characters, and the blind fear, abject confusion, and yearning for love he finds there are both heartbreaking and curiously hopeful, in an almost postapocalyptic way. An unforgettable novel from a master of popular fiction.” –Booklist, starred review
"This rich, impressive contemporary thriller from two-time Edgar-winner Hart (The Last Child) focuses on two brothers, Michael and Julian, both raised and abused at the Iron House of the title, an orphanage in the mountains of North Carolina.... Hart deftly interweaves a complex family history story with Stevan's intense, bloody quest for vengeance.... [The book's] powerful themes and its beautiful prose will delight Hart's fans--and should earn him many new ones." --Publishers Weekly, starred review
“Mr. Hart has really stepped things up a notch with Iron House...one of the most interesting and masterful pieces of suspenseful fiction that I have read.”—My Reading Room
“This is one of the best books I have read this summer! It has a little something for every reader.... Romance, politics, mystery, an unpredictable plot line , suspense and lots of murder (warning: some scenes are very graphic)… In addition to the exciting plot, this is a story about the importance of family, the scars that remain from an unstable childhood and the struggle to overcome the past.” —The Book Blurb
“Iron House is…gut wrenching, and keep[s] you on the edge of your seat while your heart is beating in your throat.”—MPL’s Book Nook
“It is rare that I give a book a five out of five rating. I feel this one deserves it. Iron House is a hard charging thriller with lots of action and suspense. But it is also an intense psychological thriller, with deep characters that are both flawed and exceptional.” —Reading with Mo
“Hart builds a larger-than-life tale of love postponed, the loyalty of brothers, the sacrifice of blood, and the madness of those inured to violence as a solution.” –CurledUp.com
“Iron House is…as much about its rich cast of layered, authentic, and damaged characters as its captivating storyline. The author ramps up the helter-skelter thriller aspects without losing any of the layers and depth he’s already become famous for.”
“Put simply, Iron House is another terrific novel from Hart – the kind of crime thriller that many who don’t usually read crime or mystery would heartily enjoy. It’s as much about its rich cast of layered, authentic, and damaged characters as its captivating storyline. Hart exhibits some style as he vividly evokes not only the ‘Southern’ setting – in all its tarnished glory – but also aspects of the broader human condition. He shows that there can be plenty of thrills without having to resort to ‘world-changing’ plotlines, by simply focusing on matters that are life-and-death, spiritually or physically, for characters in their own small world.” —Crime Watch
“Excellent storytelling skills, suspense, and flashbacks make this well worth reading. Hart has brought to life the trials of childhood, of psychological damage, and the power of love and family to overcome it all.”—Reviewing the Evidence
“Iron House, a book that many critics and Hart fans are calling his best ever…is filled with…chaotic twists and turns, and scenes that will long stick in the minds of imaginative readers.”—Book Chase
Overwhelming Praise for the National Bestselling Work of John Hart:
THE LAST CHILD
"A magnificent creation...Huck Finn channeled through Lord of the Flies." — THE WASHINGTON POST
"A rare accomplishment—a compelling, fast-paced thriller written with a masterful, literary touch." — Jeffery Deaver
"If you haven't read John Hart...you ought to." — NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
"This generation's Pat Conroy." — THE PROVIDENCE JOURNAL
DOWN RIVER
"Settles the question of whether thrillers and mysteries can also be literature." — PUBLISHERS WEEKLY (starred review)
"There are few books published that can legitimately be called a 'must-read,' but this is one of them." — CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
"A beautifully constructed story of personal redemption, family secrets, and murder—a small-town epic...." — BOOKLIST
KING OF LIES
"Grisham-style intrigue and Turow-style brooding." — THE NEW YORK TIMES
"A top-notch debut, Hart's prose is like Raymond Chandler's, angular and hard." — ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY (Grade A)
"[An] ambitious debut thriller...a gripping performance." — PEOPLE
Product Description
An old man is dying.
When the old man is dead they will come for him.
And they will come for her, to make him hurt.
John Hart has written three New York Times bestsellers and won an unprecedented two back-to-back Edgar Awards. His books have been called “masterful” (Jeffery Deaver) and “gripping” (People) with “Grisham-style intrigue and Turow-style brooding” (The New York Times). Now he delivers his fourth novel—a gut-wrenching, heart-stopping thriller no reader will soon forget.
HE WOULD GO TO HELL
At the Iron Mountain Home for Boys, there was nothing but time. Time to burn and time to kill, time for two young orphans to learn that life isn’t won without a fight. Julian survives only because his older brother, Michael, is fearless and fiercely protective. When tensions boil over and a boy is brutally killed, there is only one sacrifice left for Michael to make: He flees the orphanage and takes the blame with him.
TO KEEP HER SAFE
For two decades, Michael has been an enforcer in New York’s world of organized crime, a prince of the streets so widely feared he rarely has to kill anymore. But the life he’s fought to build unravels when he meets Elena, a beautiful innocent who teaches him the meaning and power of love. He wants a fresh start with her, the chance to start a family like the one he and Julian never had. But someone else is holding the strings. And escape is not that easy. . . .
GO TO HELL, AND COME BACK BURNING
The mob boss who gave Michael his blessing to begin anew is dying, and his son is intent on making Michael pay for his betrayal. Determined to protect the ones he loves, Michael spirits Elena—who knows nothing of his past crimes, or the peril he’s laid at her door— back to North Carolina, to the place he was born and the brother he lost so long ago. There, he will encounter a whole new level of danger, a thicket of deceit and violence that leads inexorably to the one place he’s been running from his whole life: Iron House.
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Most helpful customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Nuanced and thrilling,
By
This review is from: Iron House (Hardcover)
John Hart stands head and shoulders over other thriller writers for his lean and evocative writing and his richly nuanced characters. A very satisfying read.Iron House is about brothers who grow up in Iron House, an orphanage out of Lord of the Flies. Julian, the younger brother, is weak both physically and emotionally and is thus a magnet for brutality. His brother Michael will do anything to protect him. The boys are separated when Michael shoulders the blame for a just murder committed by Julian. Michael runs away and Julian is adopted by a billionaire senator and his wife. Over the years he achieves fragile health and happiness. Michael grows up on the street and ultimately becomes the protege and killer for a kingpin mobster. When the mobster dies, Michael tries to turn his life around but it isn't that easy. The mobster now in charge sees Michael as a valuable asset and is willing to do anything to keep his loyalty. He threatens to kill Elena, Michael's pregnant fiancee, and he says that he will kill Julian as well. Michael hasn't seen his brother since that fateful night when he ran away from the orphanage. Now he has to find his brother and make sure that he's safe. But he also has to protect Elena. The story unfolds with page-turning complexity and will keep you on the edge of your seat.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Does not disappoint!,
By Barbara J. Scott "book enthusiast" (Vancouver, BC) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)
This review is from: Iron House (Hardcover)
I have been looking forward to this book for quite a while, having read Harts last three books, and it certainly was worth the wait. The author manages to develop his characters very quickly, leading the reader into the story right away. John Hart creates some very sympathetic characters in this book, even those who are extremely bad people. This story takes the reader from the protagonists childhood, into his life as an adult and back again. The pace of the book is very fast, moving from incident to incident at breakneck speed. Note: there are some very violent and gory passages in this book. As in all Hart's books there is a surprise ending - the fun is in getting there.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta) Amazon.com:
4.0 out of 5 stars (197 customer reviews) 71 of 89 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Full meal deal.,
By Susannah St Clair Foxy Loxy - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Iron House (Hardcover)
Pre-release customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program
One of the things I love about John Hart is the depth of his writing. Reading a John Hart book is like having the most incredible dinner with ALL the trimmings. His characters are deep, often flawed but you become totally involved with them. In this particular story, he does get harsh and sometimes, well maybe often, bloody. But it does not stop you from wanting to know where all the little jigsaw pieces are going to fit. Every time you think you know where he is headed, he slips onto a new path. Its a love story of many facets. It is also a brutal story of horrible beginnings with people who, at the end, will still be damaged goods. They will learn to be the best they can with all that has happened to them. There is mystery. Yep, lots of it. It will keep you on your toes worrying about how this can turn out ok. But it basically does.Each John Hart story is unique in its subject but very much the same in the good prose and depth. This is the fourth I have read and I think the most raw one. I suggest you pick up any one of his books. May I say, start with "Down River" or "The Last Child" and then graduate to "Iron House". You should be impressed . No, take that back, you WILL be impressed. 43 of 54 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
"Bless this house, oh Lord we pray, make it safe." Song lyrics,
By michael a. draper - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Iron House (Hardcover)
Pre-release customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program
Have you ever considered how difficult it is to get out of an impossible situation and change the future?Michael and his brother, Julian, were raised in a home for boys. Iron House provided shelter and discipline. Julian was constantly abused and bullied by the other boys. Michael wanted to protect his brother and was forced to fight for both of them. As a result, he became a ferocious combatant. When Julian finally struck back at his main tormentor, Michael took the blame. Julian was adopted and Michael left the home and lived on the streets, constantly having to defend himself. At age fifteen, he was attacked by a group of boys in Spanish Harlem. He fought courageously and Otto Kaitlin, a crime boss, witnessed the fight and rescued Michael. Otto saw a similarity to himself as a youngster. Michael became his protege and later, his main enforcer. Otto's own son, Steven, continued his education but didn't have Michael's fighting spirit. Years later, Michael meets Elena and falls in love. The author describes the setting vividly and when she becomes pregnant, Michael realizes that he wants to leave the life of crime to have a normal existence. He has loved three people, his brother Julian, Otto, and now Elena. His love of these people becomes the motivating force in his life. Michael's final scene with Otto shows his compassion in a way that is beautifully written and memorable. John Hart is one of the finest mystery writers that we have and is a mulitple Edgar Award winner. He portrays the enviable ability to describe his central characters with a view of life which make them interesting and sympathetic. Michael leads the way and shows admirable qualities of the love he has for his family. He is brave in his actions to protect those he loves, no matter what the cost to himself. These qualities make the reader want to know all that they can about him. The story is reminiscent of a number of Charles Dickens' novels such as "David Cooperfied" and "Oliver Twist," where the children who are the central characters at the start of the story are in terrible situations and are impoverished. The reader feels empathetic about them and knows that somehow they must rise above the destitute. The manner in which John Hart shows this transformation is entirely realistic and well described. With this novel, John Hart's readers will be taken on a dramatic ride that they have never experienced. 47 of 60 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars
Damaged children, broken adults,
By Carla Lilie "carlachris" - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Iron House (Hardcover)
Pre-release customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program
When I read the product description for "Iron House" on Amazon I thought it seemed a little clichéd, the mob enforcer who finds love and seeks to break out of his old life, but can't because the mob won't let him go. He finds himself on the run with the woman he loves, who, of course, has no idea who he really is because he has been lying to her ever since he met her. I decided to give it a shot for two reasons; the first is the excellent reputation of John Hart. The second is the creepy, Southern Gothic atmosphere it looked like the book would deliver.Well, the book does deliver. "Iron House" is consistently interesting, smoothly written, and has a variety of, for the most part, well-drawn characters . I did think the book would center more on the relationship between the two brothers, Julian and Michael, so I was a bit disappointed that Julian himself is missing for much of the book. There were elements of this book I really enjoyed, and it always held my interest. However, and I know my opinion is in the minority here, I can only give it three stars. One of the main reasons is for the scenes where the torture inflicted on characters is graphically detailed. Yes, I expected darkness in this book, but how the author chooses to depict it makes a big difference to the reader. For me, it went too far. In the end, it all seemed excessive; too many deaths and too much craziness. I also got tired of reading about the obscene amount of money some of the characters had at their disposal. I would like to have had some hint that Michael was at least going to try to do some good with the money, especially since it was basically ill-gotten gains. I also thought the last two chapters should have been left out of the book. For me, Michael and Julian's last visit to Iron House was a satisfying and proper ending. I imagine a lot of readers will disagree with me on this, but I would have preferred the Michael and Elena storyline to have ended on an ambiguous note. I won't be more specific, because I don't want to spoil anything, but the last chapter did not sit right with me and, in fact, seemed kind of silly. Judging by the reviews already written for "Iron House," most readers seem to really like it. I just had too many problems with it to rate it any higher. |
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