Monday, February 8, 2021

Never Far Away - Michael Koryta

I discovered Michael Koryta a few books back and have been a fan ever since. He writes fantastic thrillers. His latest is Never Far Away.

Okay, the prologue was crazy good and I was immediately hooked! Nina disappeared ten years ago in Florida, presumed dead. She left behind two children in their father's care. In Nina's place, Leah was born. Leah has kept a low profile, working as a wilderness guide in a remote area of Maine. And, yup guessed it - the past comes a calling and her children are in danger.

Koryta has created a great lead in Leah. I liked her right away. She's not a trained killer or secret agent. But you know what they say...don't poke the mama bear. She'll do what she has to do to protect her kids. The kids, Hailey and Nick, are also well drawn - their thoughts, responses, emotions and interactions with Leah ring true. Now, onto the men in pursuit of Leah. They're two stone cold hit men on a mission, especially the one called Bleak. (great name!) But...here's the fun bit. If you've read If She Wakes, you're going to know this name - Dax Blackwood. Yes, the young hit man is also interested in Leah and her pursuers. But is he there to help or hurt? I love this antagonist - his dialogue and thoughts are so unpredictable. Is he crazy or cunning?

The action is non-stop in Never Far Away and kept me up late with the 'just one more chapter' mantra running through my brain. The plot is inventive and unpredictable. Some twists require a grain of salt, but just go with it. Koryta is a master of this genre.  An escapist novel that reads like a movie. I can absolutely see it on the screen. Here's an excerpt of Never Far Away

2 comments:

Ethan said...

I've been a fan of his for years now. His early thrillers all had a supernatural bend to them, so it has been interesting to see him evolve to writing more standard thrillers. Funnily enough, I opted out of reading an ARC of this one in exchange for reading a thriller that did have some supernatural elements in it. Still, I hope to get to this one soon!

Luanne said...

Ahh - I don't know if I would have picked up the supernatural ones, but will pick up his next suspense novel in this style. I look forward to seeing what you think Ethan.