Review: The King of Lies by John Hart

THE KING OF LIES is the first novel of two time Edgar Award winner John Hart  (The Last Child, Down River, Iron House) He is a North Carolina native, who went from defense attorney to novelist, writing crime thrillers based in North Carolina.  

About The Book - (from GoodReads)
Jackson Workman Pickens--known to most as "Work"--mindlessly holds together his disintegrating life: a failing law practice left to him when his father, Ezra, mysteriously disappeared, a distant wife who shares their loveless marriage, and an estranged sister who bore the brunt of their childhood trauma.
 
And then Ezra's body is discovered.
 
Set to inherit his father's fortune, Work becomes a prime suspect.  But so does his sister, Jean.  As much as Work's life was overshadowed by his domineering father, Jean's life was nearly destroyed by him. But does that make her capable of a vicious murder?  Fearing the worst, Work launches his own investigation, crossing paths with a power-hungry detective, a string of damning evidence, and the ugly rumors that swirl within his small, moneyed Southern town.
 
Desperate for the redemption that has eluded him for so many years and stripped of everything he once valued, he fights to save his sister and clear his name--in this poignant and thrilling anatomy of a murder and its ripple effect within a family and a community.


My Thoughts

Its no secret that I am a big fan of John Hart. The first book of his I read was THE LAST CHILD last year and I really enjoyed it. Earlier this year I read IRON HOUSE, his latest and I was blown away. 

THE KING OF LIES doesn't get off to a quick start like IRON HOUSE does, but Hart methodically lays the ground work for what is, I believe, a very good mystery.  The questions surrounding Ezra's disappearance and subsequent discovery of his remains keep the story going and has many paths to travel. The convincing list of suspects and their involvements with the victim creates a believable and engaging story. The fact that the lead detective only wants to focus on Ezra's son, Work, only makes the other suspects more visible, in my opinion.  

I did feel the story dragging a little bit about half-way through.  I was ready for a tempo change and, luckily, soon after after having that thought, things began to happen at a quicker pace and with more excitement.  That said, I was pleased with THE KING OF LIES. I'm happy I took the time to read it and I do plan to read his second novel, DOWN RIVER, at some point as well. 

Having read his three later novels, I have definitely seen the progression of a really great suspense writer. In fact, IRON HOUSE  is one of my top picks of this year. His writing gets more intense and exciting with each book.  Needless to say, I am anxiously awaiting his next release. 

THE KING OF LIES

Author: John Hart

Publisher: Minotaur Books

Published: 2006

Pages: 320

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Source: Public Library

Teaser Tuesday: 10.18.11

Today I'm taking my teasers from John Hart's debut novel, THE KING OF LIES which was published in 2006. I'm a big fan of his later work and though I've read his last two books, I'd never read his first two. i'm correcting that omission now.

My Teasers:

Eventually, I arrived at the park, my house before me like a stranger's.  It glowed in the eerie light, and loomed taller than normal against the gunmetal sky.  The cops ere there, too, at least a dozen of them; and my neighbors, like my colleagues, had gathered for the feast.  ~ page 290 Large Print Edition

If you'd like to participate in Teaser Tuesday, simply follow these easy instructions;

• Open your current book to a random page
• Choose two teaser sentences to share, being careful NOT to include any spoilers
• List the name of the book, author and page number you took your teasers from
• Go to Should Be Reading and share the link to your post in the comment section

Thanks for stopping by today! I hope you enjoyed my teasers!

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You Might Also Like:

• Review: IRON HOUSE by John Hart

Review: Iron House by John Hart

Two time Edgar Award winner John Hart released this, his fourth novel, in July and having read and loved his third book, THE LAST CHILD, published in 2009, my expectations were pretty high. Fortunately, he did not let this reader down. Keeping with his style, the story was filled with twists and turns and kept me on the edge of my seat.

About The Book:
(No spoilers)


Michael and his younger brother, Julian, knew nothing of their family. Basically, they didn't have one. Abandoned at a tender age, they were taken in by an orphanage named for the mountain where it was located.  Iron House Orphange for Boys had once been an asylum for the insane and still had dark reminders of those long ago days within it's walls.

The two brothers were extremely close and with Julian being the younger, weaker boy, Michael took the role of Julian's protector. Growing up in the orphanage among other discarded boys and juvenile delinquents, life was very hard and even dangerous, considering the lack of supervision at the orphanage. Most of the time Michael was there when his brother needed him but one night the older, tougher boys caught Julian alone and this time his brother wasn't there to save him. After the beating Julian snapped and by the time Michael found him it was too late.   Quick decisions had to be made. With his brother in shock, Michael grabbed the evidence and took off, taking the blame with him. He ran far away and ended up on the streets of New York until he was taken in by a man who he would later find out was once a street thug but had become the head of one of the most powerful crime families in the state. Through his teenage years he groomed Michael and with his natural skills and level-headedness, he became a valuable asset to the organization.

Now in his mid 30's and the old man dying, Michael dreams of a life away from crime. The old man gives him permission to leave and start a new life, but it isn't going to easy. The boss's son is against Michael leaving and vows to hunt him down.  But he also has information on Julian and threatens to kill him if Michael tries to leave. Also at risk is Elena, Michael's girlfriend, who knows nothing of his life in the mob...and who is carrying his baby.

In the following days, Michael and Elena's lives are turned upside down as they makes their way to North Carolina to the family that adopted Julian to make sure he is protected. He was adopted by a State Senator and his wife right after Michael ran away from the orphanage and from the looks of it on the outside, Julian has everything he needs, including protection. But looks can be very deceiving. Once he is able to get to the inside of Julian's heavily guarded adopted family, Michael realizes a whole new set of dangers...and questions, some of which lead him back to Iron House.

My Thoughts


I'll just get right to it and say that I loved this book. The synopsis I gave is just the tip of the iceberg to what is going on in this story. John Hart effectively and successfully develops a multi-layered story that takes you from one gripping aspect to the next. This is not just a story about two brothers and a life of crime. IRON HOUSE has many elements that are brought together seamlessly while keeping the reader in suspense the whole way through. This book has more action than his previous books which only makes the story even more suspenseful.

There are many colorful characters that add other dimensions to the story, but Michael, by far, is the main character and my favorite. Although he is a tough mob enforcer, he also has a tender side that is brought out beautifully.  I began cheering him on early in the book. There is not one slow or dull part within these pages. There is more than just one mystery to this novel. Just when you think you have all the answers, something happens to leave you with more questions. I was completely satisfied with the ending and, in fact, hated to see it end. As I was reading, I kept telling myself that this book would make a great movie! I could even see someone like Russell Crowe playing the lead part...OK, I digress....

Bottom line: if you haven't read John Hart's work, you are missing out on some thrilling fiction.  While I eagerly await his next book, I am definitely going to read his first two: THE KING OF LIES and DOWN RIVER. I have no doubt I will be equally impressed. Critics have compared his style of writing to Grisham, but in my opinion, Hart takes it to a whole new level and shouldn't be compared to Grisham at all. If you are unfamiliar with this author, I encourage you to visit his website to learn more about him and his books. You can even read the first chapter right from the website.

I would like to thank Chelsea Smialek at St. Martin's Press for my copy of this thrilling new book. It is definitely on my list of top books of 2011. If you do read it, you will soon see why John Hart is my favorite Southern Suspense writer.

IRON HOUSE
Author: John Hart
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Published: July 2011
Pages: 432
Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

Teaser Tuesday: Iron House

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It's Tuesday already and that means another teaser! Teaser Tuesday has always been one of my favorite memes to participate in because its such a great way to peek inside of the many different books that are currently being read. If you're not familiar, here are the guidelines -

• Grab the book you're currently reading and let it fall open to a random page
• Choose 2 teaser sentences to share, being careful NOT to include any teasers
• List the title, author and page number you took your teasers from

It's that simple! Today I'm taking my teasers from John Hart's new novel, IRON HOUSE. As is all of his work, its very suspenseful and full of twists and unexpected turns. I'm thoroughly enjoying it.

Michael saw red as a day from childhood flashed into his mind with such clarity it was physical.  Julian was eight and had been missing for an hour when Michael finally found him in the same bathroom where Hennessey would later die with a rusted blade in his neck. ~ page 126

For more great teasers, visit Should Be Reading every Tuesday.

The Sunday Salon: A New Season

Happy Sunday and welcome to Books and Cooks! September brings a new season and along with it comes excitement! I'm looking forward to the next few months for a few different reasons. First, as you know, I've had a difficult summer with the loss of my father after a long battle with cancer. Its been hard to get used to the loss but we are taking it a day at a time. I'm hopeful that with the new season, it will bring a fresh start for my family.  With September also comes the college football season, which I am especially excited about. The first games were yesterday and my team, the University of Florida Gators did not disappoint. Although it wasn't a great match-up, a Win is a Win! We'll take it!

With everything going on, I still managed to read a few really good books in the last few months. The latest one was CROOKED LETTER, CROOKED LETTER by Tom Franklin. I'll be posting that review in the next day or so. Many of you told me it was a great book and you were right! Southern Fiction is my favorite genre and Tom Franklin did a terrific job. But more on that later this week.

I'm reading a new novel by John Hart right now. It's called IRON HOUSE. I became a big fan of his work after reading THE LAST CHILD a few years ago. His writing was poignant and gripping and so far this new book has proven to be equally as good. The story revolves around two brothers, Michael and Julian, who were abandoned as babies and grew up in an orphanage in North Carolina until Michael, who is the oldest, was ten years old. Julian, being younger and not as strong as his brother was always being tormented by the older boys. But Michael was there to protect him - most of the time. Tragedy struck one winter night and Michael was forced to run away from Iron House, leaving Julian behind. The story continues as Michael, now a grown man, working for the man who took him off the streets of New York as a boy, now wants out of the dangerous and violent life he was brought in to all those years ago.

I'm really enjoying this story so far and it promises to only get better. If you have never read John Hart and you like suspenseful, edge of your seat Southern Fiction, you should definitely check him out.

As for today, I have a very relaxing day planned.  When I'm not flapped out in my comfy chair with my book, I'll be online playing Scrabble with my cousin in Texas.  (She is the queen of Scrabble, but I'm beating her at the moment!)  John is away at a bow shoot, so its very quiet here today. I should get a lot of reading done. Enjoy the holiday weekend and please visit again soon!

The Last Child by John Hart

THE LAST CHILD is the story of 13 year-old Johnny Merrimon who is still trying to deal with the abduction, a year earlier, of his twin sister.  Since Alyssa’s disappearance, the life that Johnny had known is nothing but a distant memory.  As if it weren’t hard enough to lose his sister, the tragedy also proved to be too much for his parents.  His father walked out and his mother retreated into herself, not able to function and leaving only a shell of the woman she used to be.  

Johnny and his mother aren’t the only ones who are tortured by Alyssa’s disappearance. Detective Clyde Hunt, the lead investigator on her case hasn’t been able to let go either.  With little to go on and no hard evidence, Detective Hunt has allowed the case to take over his personal life and has cast a shadow of doubt on his professional career. His wife has left him, his son hates him and he’s always being scrutinized by his superiors at work.

Feeling that everyone has given up, Johnny vows that he will not stop until he either finds Alyssa or someone who knows what happened.  With his mom out of it most of the time, he is left unsupervised and spends much of his time scouring for information on known pedophiles hoping to find some answers. Detective Hunt keeps a distant watch over Johnny, partly out of guilt and partly out of genuine admiration for the boy. When another girl goes missing, Johnny is in the middle of it, which makes him more determined than ever to keep looking for answers. Even when those answers point to the most unlikely people. 

John Hart weaves a very realistic tale of mystery and suspense that I really enjoyed.  This story has a very compelling plot and constantly leaves you asking questions.  Just when you think you may have something figured out, something or someone else enters the picture and the questions begin again. I found that the more I read, the faster the pages were turning. 

I love when a story unfolds without predictability and that is what John Hart has accomplished here.  There’s more to this story than a simple abduction and the subsequent crumbling of a family. It’s also more than just a cop feeling guilty over a lost child. Even the title of the book has deeper meaning than what it appears.  Hart reveals all of it masterfully.

At first I did think Johnny’s ventures into the dangerous world of pedophilia were stretched a bit, but I quickly changed my thinking.  If I was a resourceful, determined boy, as Johnny is, and was left to fend for myself, and wanted answers as badly as he does, there’s no doubt I would do what I felt I had to do.  It’s common knowledge that we all think we’re invincible when we’re young. 

THE LAST CHILD is the first John Hart novel I’ve read, even though I do own DOWN RIVER, for which he won the Edgar Award for Best Novel in 2008. I don’t know why I have put off reading DOWN RIVER, but I am looking forward to it even more now and have moved it to the top of my TBR pile. 

THE LAST CHILD

Author: John Hart

Website: www.johnhartfiction.com

Publisher: Minotaur Books

Published: May 12, 2009

Pages:  384

Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

  

It's Monday! What Are You Reading This Week?

Each week J. Kaye wants to know What are you reading this week? 

Today I'll be finishing Teri Coyne's THE LAST BRIDGE, an Early Review copy from Library Thing. What a quick read it has turned out to be! And very intense.

Next I'll be reading THE LAST CHILD by John Hart.  It has a release date of May 12th and sounds like a good mystery.  I'll also be reading BEACH TRIP by Cathy Holton as part of an upcoming blog tour with TLC Book Tours. 

Last week was not a great reading week for me with it being my first week as a 'layed off' employee.  I was busy cleaning out my office (it's amazing how much stuff you accumulate in nine years!!) and helping my former boss get familiar with all the 'how-to's" of my job.  I also attended a funeral of a friend, which didn't exactly put me in a reading mood.  I'm hoping this will be a much more productive week. 

I did manage to read TRUE COLORS by Kristin Hannah last week and I'll be posting that review in the next day or so.  Also, be sure to stop by on the 19th for my review of SAINTS IN LIMBO by River Jordan.  If you're looking for something different to read, you'll want to check that one out. 

So that's my plan. What are your reading this week? 

"Waiting On" Wednesday: The Last Child

"Waiting On " Wednesday is a weekly even hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine where we talk about upcoming book releases that we're excited about.  

My can't-wait-to-read book this week is John Hart's THE LAST CHILD due to be released May 12th. 

From Publishers Weekly:

A year after 12-year-old Alyssa Merrimon disappeared on her way home from the library in an unnamed rural North Carolina town, her twin brother, Johnny, continues to search the town, street by street, even visiting the homes of known sex offenders, in this chilling novel from Edgar-winner Hart (Down River). Det. Clyde Hunt, the lead cop on Alyssa's case, keeps a watchful eye on Johnny and his mother, who has deteriorated since Alyssa's abduction and her husband's departure soon afterward. Whena second girl is snatched, Johnny is even more determined to find his sister, convinced that the perpetrator is the same person who took Alyssa. But what he unearths is more sinister than anyone imagined, sending shock waves through the community and putting Johnny's own life in danger. Despite a tendency to dip into melodrama, Hart spins an impressively layered tale of broken families and secrets that can kill.

Doesn't that sound like a great book? What new release are you waiting on?