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Aaron Quinn #1
Three Days to Die
HE DIDN'T MEAN TO OVERHEAR ... but he did.
HE ONLY HEARD A FEW WORDS ... but he heard too much.
HE RAN ... but he was followed -- a mistake that would turn thirteen-year-old Aaron Quinn's, and his beautiful, courageous, single mother, Ashley's, worlds upside down.
THE CLOCK STARTS TICKING ... when Aaron is stolen from his mother by a psychotic killer and thrust headlong into a dark underworld of armed robbery, prostitution, and death. Will Aaron lose his mind as he's forced to participate in a deadly crime spree and witness first hand the horror of cold-blooded murder?
THE WALLS CLOSE IN ... on Ashley when she listens to a tape recording left on her pillow by the killer, giving her two choices:
1) Call the police and risk being responsible for her only child's death ...
2) Offer herself as a sacrifice in exchange for his life ...
WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOU WERE HER?
---
A CRIME THRILLER
An ACTION MOVIE
A LOVE STORY
In THREE DAYS to DIE, debut author John Avery takes you on a perilous journey unlike any suspense thriller you've read before.
From the opening sequence to the smashing ending, THREE DAYS to DIE moves at lightning speed, introducing the world to an exciting new hero, a beautiful and plucky heroine, and a truly frightening villain.
"John Avery opens Three Days to Die with a bang and then sprints toward the finish line ... taking thriller lovers of any age on a heart-pounding, pulse- tingling ride, and he does it with style. Five Stars!" – Jill Allen, Foreword Review
"I truly got lost between the pages of this wonderfully told story - though I did cringe and even cry sometimes and wanted to hit someone at other times, which is totally against my nature. It just goes to show how totally absorbed I was in the world John Avery created in Three Days to Die." - N. Budden - Amazon Top Reviewer
---
*** Adapted from the original screenplay, THREE DAYS to DIE, by John Avery - Shortlisted for Hollywood's prestigious 2010 - PAGE International Screenwriting Awards ***
Approx 225 pages
Recommended for adults 16+
HE ONLY HEARD A FEW WORDS ... but he heard too much.
HE RAN ... but he was followed -- a mistake that would turn thirteen-year-old Aaron Quinn's, and his beautiful, courageous, single mother, Ashley's, worlds upside down.
THE CLOCK STARTS TICKING ... when Aaron is stolen from his mother by a psychotic killer and thrust headlong into a dark underworld of armed robbery, prostitution, and death. Will Aaron lose his mind as he's forced to participate in a deadly crime spree and witness first hand the horror of cold-blooded murder?
THE WALLS CLOSE IN ... on Ashley when she listens to a tape recording left on her pillow by the killer, giving her two choices:
1) Call the police and risk being responsible for her only child's death ...
2) Offer herself as a sacrifice in exchange for his life ...
WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOU WERE HER?
---
A CRIME THRILLER
An ACTION MOVIE
A LOVE STORY
In THREE DAYS to DIE, debut author John Avery takes you on a perilous journey unlike any suspense thriller you've read before.
From the opening sequence to the smashing ending, THREE DAYS to DIE moves at lightning speed, introducing the world to an exciting new hero, a beautiful and plucky heroine, and a truly frightening villain.
"John Avery opens Three Days to Die with a bang and then sprints toward the finish line ... taking thriller lovers of any age on a heart-pounding, pulse- tingling ride, and he does it with style. Five Stars!" – Jill Allen, Foreword Review
"I truly got lost between the pages of this wonderfully told story - though I did cringe and even cry sometimes and wanted to hit someone at other times, which is totally against my nature. It just goes to show how totally absorbed I was in the world John Avery created in Three Days to Die." - N. Budden - Amazon Top Reviewer
---
*** Adapted from the original screenplay, THREE DAYS to DIE, by John Avery - Shortlisted for Hollywood's prestigious 2010 - PAGE International Screenwriting Awards ***
Approx 225 pages
Recommended for adults 16+
224 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 25, 2011
172 people are currently reading
1049 people want to read
About the author
John Avery
4 books16 followersJohn Avery is the Amazon international bestselling author of the suspense/thrillers, THREE DAYS to DIE (Aaron Quinn thriller series, No. 1), the exciting sequel, BLACK COBRA (Aaron Quinn thriller series, No. 2), and his critically acclaimed historical thriller, THE LINEN SHAWL (A 12th Century English tale of Love and War).
John loves to write stories that force good people into terrifying situations - just to see how they react.
John loves to write stories that force good people into terrifying situations - just to see how they react.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews
August 22, 2014
A nice little thriller that, though entertaining, you will forget the moment you finish reading it.
I did enjoy the book as I was reading it, the writing is nothing special, but gets the job done.
The plotting has a few holes and could have been tightened up but nothing so bad that it knocks you out of the story.
I also would have liked to see the main characters fleshed out a bit more as I really did not connect with anyone in the story.
If the thriller is your favorite genre then you should not be disappointed by this book.
May 5, 2024
Just not good
On the positive, it was short. But the entire story was just preposterous. I will not continue reading this series.
On the positive, it was short. But the entire story was just preposterous. I will not continue reading this series.
March 18, 2017
Thirteen-year-old Aaron Quinn is a normal, if not troubled, middle school student. His father was killed in Iraq and his mother was recently remarried to a man named Thomas Davidson. His transition from son to step-son was far from harmonious and amicable.
After skipping the first day of school, Aaron and his best and only friend Wilson (Willy) Abbott were awarded detention for their efforts. This enforced punishment blew his afternoon schedule to hell, and he arrived home way too late for supper. As could be expected, his step-father wasn’t pleased. The scene that played out was to be expected but what follows doesn’t.
On a miserable, cold, and wet night, where do you go as a young teenager? You go, of course, go to a place where you are warm, dry, and feel safe. In Aaron’s case, this is an old, deserted cannery. The cavernous building has always intrigued Aaron and Willy and they both felt safe in its familiarity, but not tonight.
Johnny Souter, Benjamin (Beeks) Madison, and Lars (Needles) Sheldon form a gang that specializes in robbing banks. Like back in the day, when Bonnie and Clyde terrorized the populace, these men stopped at nothing to gain their goals.
Nothing is what it seems and the characters are enigmas and transform before your eyes.
I am pleasantly surprised with this short novel. The gears in my mind continue to grind as my eyes devour the words. If you’re looking for a novel to keep you on the edge of your seat, you need not look further. This short, James Patterson style novel is sure to leave an impression.
After skipping the first day of school, Aaron and his best and only friend Wilson (Willy) Abbott were awarded detention for their efforts. This enforced punishment blew his afternoon schedule to hell, and he arrived home way too late for supper. As could be expected, his step-father wasn’t pleased. The scene that played out was to be expected but what follows doesn’t.
On a miserable, cold, and wet night, where do you go as a young teenager? You go, of course, go to a place where you are warm, dry, and feel safe. In Aaron’s case, this is an old, deserted cannery. The cavernous building has always intrigued Aaron and Willy and they both felt safe in its familiarity, but not tonight.
Johnny Souter, Benjamin (Beeks) Madison, and Lars (Needles) Sheldon form a gang that specializes in robbing banks. Like back in the day, when Bonnie and Clyde terrorized the populace, these men stopped at nothing to gain their goals.
Nothing is what it seems and the characters are enigmas and transform before your eyes.
I am pleasantly surprised with this short novel. The gears in my mind continue to grind as my eyes devour the words. If you’re looking for a novel to keep you on the edge of your seat, you need not look further. This short, James Patterson style novel is sure to leave an impression.
September 22, 2020
Good story about a young teenager, whose father had died and now has a bully for a stepfather.
Young Aaron Quinn witnesses criminals talking about a botched bank robbery and becomes their target.
His stepfather is killed (good) and Aaron is kidnapped and kind off joins the criminal group. The top dog bad guy wants Aaron's mom for himself, and a stranger who befriended Aaron comes to their aide.
Young Aaron Quinn witnesses criminals talking about a botched bank robbery and becomes their target.
His stepfather is killed (good) and Aaron is kidnapped and kind off joins the criminal group. The top dog bad guy wants Aaron's mom for himself, and a stranger who befriended Aaron comes to their aide.
May 23, 2017
The plot was entertaining, but confusing. Character development was flat.
June 11, 2017
Nothing to hard for teens
Really a good short story. Could have been a great novel. But maybe that's what it is..Thanks for writing. Enjoy!
Really a good short story. Could have been a great novel. But maybe that's what it is..Thanks for writing. Enjoy!
September 25, 2017
Great book
Started reading it one night and could not put it down until I had finished it. I had to find out what happened to is character.
Started reading it one night and could not put it down until I had finished it. I had to find out what happened to is character.
January 20, 2019
Good book
You people should just read this book yourselves and write your own review on this novel yourself and I really enjoyed reading this book very much so. Shelley MA
You people should just read this book yourselves and write your own review on this novel yourself and I really enjoyed reading this book very much so. Shelley MA
Read
October 5, 2019If by chance
A young boys fantasy for life and video games come true. But not all live happily ever after. Friendship is important.
A young boys fantasy for life and video games come true. But not all live happily ever after. Friendship is important.
February 2, 2020
Don't waste your time. Horrible writing, unbelievable plot.
February 14, 2021
Enjoyed this book - first time I've read anything by Mr Avery. The story, at times, was a little far fetched, but you need that sometimes rather than things being too realistic.
January 11, 2022
Don’t waste your time.
Run away from this book as fast as you can. It’s not worth a minute of your time. Run. Now
Run away from this book as fast as you can. It’s not worth a minute of your time. Run. Now
February 21, 2022
Couldn’t quite work out if this was written for kids or not. I’m guessing not given some of the content. Weirdly infantile storyline that beggars belief tbh. I really wouldn’t bother.
January 31, 2023
Three days to read.
The good guys are good the bad guys are bad. Excellent storyline. Good character studies. Could not put it down had to know what was going to happen next.
The good guys are good the bad guys are bad. Excellent storyline. Good character studies. Could not put it down had to know what was going to happen next.
March 19, 2017
Really great
Read it in one sitting. Couldn't wait for that happy ending. Great story and provokes interesting thoughts on judging others without knowing why they did what they did.
Read it in one sitting. Couldn't wait for that happy ending. Great story and provokes interesting thoughts on judging others without knowing why they did what they did.
September 17, 2011
Three Days to Die by John Avery, is a story about Aaron Quinn a thirteen-year-old boy who finds himself in a world of trouble after overhearing a secret conversation among a group of bank robbers. Aaron is kidnapped shortly after being discovered by the three criminals, Johnny Souther, Beeks and Needles. Forced into helping his captors rob banks in order to save his mother's life Aaron, quickly realizes that robbing banks isn't as simple or fun as it may sound. After finishing Three Days to die I am pleased to say this book is filled with great suspense. I almost felt like it was a movie playing out in my head the way it went from sequence to sequence. I loved Aaron Quinn! Avery did a great job creating this character. Aaron was brave yet naïve and foolish like so many thirteen-year-olds. It was interesting seeing him transition through the whole ordeal. Michael's character was interesting but at times his purpose through out the book felt trivial, until the end. As a reader I also wanted to know a little bit more about Aaron before, he was kidnapped. I felt a little robbed myself over his character. I loved Johnny Souther's back story and Needles'. Avery did a great job showing the complexities of human behavior. Overall, I enjoyed Three Days to Die. It was a fast paced story that left no room for dull moments. I highly recommend this book to readers who enjoy thrillers and suspense!
Merged review:
Three Days to Die by John Avery, is a story about Aaron Quinn a thirteen-year-old boy who finds himself in a world of trouble after overhearing a secret conversation among a group of bank robbers. Aaron is kidnapped shortly after being discovered by the three criminals, Johnny Souther, Beeks and Needles. Forced into helping his captors rob banks in order to save his mother's life Aaron, quickly realizes that robbing banks isn't as simple or fun as it may sound. After finishing Three Days to die I am pleased to say this book is filled with great suspense. I almost felt like it was a movie playing out in my head the way it went from sequence to sequence. I loved Aaron Quinn! Avery did a great job creating this character. Aaron was brave yet naïve and foolish like so many thirteen-year-olds. It was interesting seeing him transition through the whole ordeal. Michael's character was interesting but at times his purpose through out the book felt trivial, until the end. As a reader I also wanted to know a little bit more about Aaron before, he was kidnapped. I felt a little robbed myself over his character. I loved Johnny Souther's back story and Needles'. Avery did a great job showing the complexities of human behavior. Overall, I enjoyed Three Days to Die. It was a fast paced story that left no room for dull moments. I highly recommend this book to readers who enjoy thrillers and suspense!
Merged review:
Three Days to Die by John Avery, is a story about Aaron Quinn a thirteen-year-old boy who finds himself in a world of trouble after overhearing a secret conversation among a group of bank robbers. Aaron is kidnapped shortly after being discovered by the three criminals, Johnny Souther, Beeks and Needles. Forced into helping his captors rob banks in order to save his mother's life Aaron, quickly realizes that robbing banks isn't as simple or fun as it may sound. After finishing Three Days to die I am pleased to say this book is filled with great suspense. I almost felt like it was a movie playing out in my head the way it went from sequence to sequence. I loved Aaron Quinn! Avery did a great job creating this character. Aaron was brave yet naïve and foolish like so many thirteen-year-olds. It was interesting seeing him transition through the whole ordeal. Michael's character was interesting but at times his purpose through out the book felt trivial, until the end. As a reader I also wanted to know a little bit more about Aaron before, he was kidnapped. I felt a little robbed myself over his character. I loved Johnny Souther's back story and Needles'. Avery did a great job showing the complexities of human behavior. Overall, I enjoyed Three Days to Die. It was a fast paced story that left no room for dull moments. I highly recommend this book to readers who enjoy thrillers and suspense!
September 20, 2011
When I troll through Amazon looking for new books to read, I tend to not head towards the suspense/thriller section. Neither on Amazon nor at the bookstore when I head over there to buy presents for people. I bet your asking what my point is. Well, I have one I promise. My point is, is that when I got the request from the author to review his suspense/thriller novel I wasn’t sure if I wanted to step into that turf? Generally, I read paranormal, urban fantasy, erotic romance, and erotica. I tend to stay away from anything serious worrying that it’s going to tug at my gut to much or I find holes that I wanted filled that aren’t.
However, with Three Days to Die I have to say this was a very pleasing read. From the beginning the author dives into the life of the main character a thirteen year old boy that through the course of his childish actions throws him into a tail spin. Not only does he risk his own life but he is told he has to rob banks or his mother will die. If you are thinking this is just some bad guy that can be foiled. You are so very wrong. This is a bad guy that isn’t a demon, vampire, or some other obvious monster of the night. This is a real flesh and blood person that has his fingers dipped into some seriously bad things, which only leads you deeper into this book and makes it even more realistic.
There were a few things that kept me from giving it a full five stars. For one, the first 40% of the book was a bit choppy and it dragged a bit. You wanted into the action and you got a taste when Aaron first encounters the ‘bad guys’. However, it stops short and there is a lot of who is who, what is going on here, why is this happening, and I found myself putting it down more than I was picking it up. But I did pick it back up, and I was very much glad I did. Once the action hit, it didn’t stop. You find out more details of the ‘villains’ in this book and where you sympathize with some, you venomously hate the main bad guy. That is what you need to do when you write a bad guy. Make him real, make him ruthless, and making him so you are rotting for the heroes of the book to shoot the guy.
I found myself a bit weepy, biting my nails, and then going YES at the end. I did think it was left with a bit of dangling, the last few pages were a bit hard for me to follow I wasn’t sure if time had passed or if it was right after the incident. But I did get it by the last page. If you like thrillers and suspense, then grab this book for sure!
I received a copy of this book for review from the author.
However, with Three Days to Die I have to say this was a very pleasing read. From the beginning the author dives into the life of the main character a thirteen year old boy that through the course of his childish actions throws him into a tail spin. Not only does he risk his own life but he is told he has to rob banks or his mother will die. If you are thinking this is just some bad guy that can be foiled. You are so very wrong. This is a bad guy that isn’t a demon, vampire, or some other obvious monster of the night. This is a real flesh and blood person that has his fingers dipped into some seriously bad things, which only leads you deeper into this book and makes it even more realistic.
There were a few things that kept me from giving it a full five stars. For one, the first 40% of the book was a bit choppy and it dragged a bit. You wanted into the action and you got a taste when Aaron first encounters the ‘bad guys’. However, it stops short and there is a lot of who is who, what is going on here, why is this happening, and I found myself putting it down more than I was picking it up. But I did pick it back up, and I was very much glad I did. Once the action hit, it didn’t stop. You find out more details of the ‘villains’ in this book and where you sympathize with some, you venomously hate the main bad guy. That is what you need to do when you write a bad guy. Make him real, make him ruthless, and making him so you are rotting for the heroes of the book to shoot the guy.
I found myself a bit weepy, biting my nails, and then going YES at the end. I did think it was left with a bit of dangling, the last few pages were a bit hard for me to follow I wasn’t sure if time had passed or if it was right after the incident. But I did get it by the last page. If you like thrillers and suspense, then grab this book for sure!
I received a copy of this book for review from the author.
January 23, 2015
This review was originally posted to Jen in Bookland
Three Days to Die was an odd read. I feel like it gave itself too short of a timeframe for everything to happen so nothing felt believable. It was just...if everything would have happened in a longer time frame you could have actually developed the story so the characters and what happened would make sense and it would seem realistic instead of this strange kind of fantasy characters you get. It is an interesting idea, but the execution just wasn't believable and like it was all just made up (yes, I know it is not a true story, but it should at least seem believable within the parameters of the book).
So Aaron is this thirteen year old kid with a mean step-father who runs away one night to his secret hang out. While there he calls his bff who he has been mean to for no reason and asks him to come meet up. Before the friend gets there Aaron overhears some bad guys talking about robbing banks and such and then they find him and chase him and he runs away scared.
So Aaron is trying to figure out what to do and apparently calling the police is not an option. I forget why he didn't, maybe he has his mom to think of or something, but that should have been the first thing he did I would think. He does meet a guy, Michael, who comes off as kind of creepy at times. At first I thought oh great, he runs away from one set of criminals only to find this creepy guy and more bad things for Aaron. Only not so much. Apparently Michael is supposed to be a good guy and helps Aaron out. Okay...it was just strange. I kept expecting Michael to be a bad guy, but he wasn't.
So Aaron gets captured by the bad guys in a crazy way, and the mom gets involved as she sees them and yeah. So they make Aaron help with the robberies and he just kind of goes along with it. It is not like it is really hard for them to convince him to help out. It just didn't make a lot of sense to me. Things go bad and then Aaron feels bad about it eventually and then the whole ending. Yeah. It was just really really unbelievable. The last few pages were just like wait what? Really? It was just extra crazy. An interesting premise, but I just couldn't believe anything that was happening which made it not the best.
Three Days to Die was an odd read. I feel like it gave itself too short of a timeframe for everything to happen so nothing felt believable. It was just...if everything would have happened in a longer time frame you could have actually developed the story so the characters and what happened would make sense and it would seem realistic instead of this strange kind of fantasy characters you get. It is an interesting idea, but the execution just wasn't believable and like it was all just made up (yes, I know it is not a true story, but it should at least seem believable within the parameters of the book).
So Aaron is this thirteen year old kid with a mean step-father who runs away one night to his secret hang out. While there he calls his bff who he has been mean to for no reason and asks him to come meet up. Before the friend gets there Aaron overhears some bad guys talking about robbing banks and such and then they find him and chase him and he runs away scared.
So Aaron is trying to figure out what to do and apparently calling the police is not an option. I forget why he didn't, maybe he has his mom to think of or something, but that should have been the first thing he did I would think. He does meet a guy, Michael, who comes off as kind of creepy at times. At first I thought oh great, he runs away from one set of criminals only to find this creepy guy and more bad things for Aaron. Only not so much. Apparently Michael is supposed to be a good guy and helps Aaron out. Okay...it was just strange. I kept expecting Michael to be a bad guy, but he wasn't.
So Aaron gets captured by the bad guys in a crazy way, and the mom gets involved as she sees them and yeah. So they make Aaron help with the robberies and he just kind of goes along with it. It is not like it is really hard for them to convince him to help out. It just didn't make a lot of sense to me. Things go bad and then Aaron feels bad about it eventually and then the whole ending. Yeah. It was just really really unbelievable. The last few pages were just like wait what? Really? It was just extra crazy. An interesting premise, but I just couldn't believe anything that was happening which made it not the best.
March 8, 2012
Author John Avery says on his Amazon author page that he likes to put ordinary characters in extraordinary circumstances to see how they will respond.
That is exactly what he does in his thriller, THREE DAYS TO DIE.
Aaron Quinn is a teenage boy whose father died in combat, and whose mother has replaced him with a new companion, an abusive, overbearing drunk. He is in that nether world between childhood and adolescence, a bike-riding, fun-loving kid who must deal with adult issues as he seeks to protect his mother, who has already suffered enough in her young life.
But this common-place scenario becomes uncommonly violent when villains kidnap Aaron and force him to join them in a crime spree, using a death threat against his mother as leverage.
Avery compresses the action into three days of mayhem, packed with bank robberies, killing and terror. Along the way, we come to know Aaron’s beautiful mother Ashley Quinn, his best buddy Willy, a mysterious wealthy author, a couple of yeoman crooks, a sinister crime lord, and the crime lord’s viper of a girlfriend.
Avery does a good job putting the reader inside Aaron’s head as the teenager responds to life and death situations. According to the notes at the back of the book, Avery plans a series of Aaron Quinn books that will allow his readers to follow Aaron’s future escapades as he develops into manhood.
We wish we had come to know some of the other characters better. We get only a glimpse into the life of Michael, the writer. One of the crooks is a former medical doctor relegated to a life of crime. Although Avery tells us how this transformation came about, we feel like the crook’s story has a lot to it that we never learn. Likewise, Ashley is the sort of person we know we like, but we are not sure exactly why.
THREE DAYS TO DIE is a quick read. It is fast-paced with short chapters and cliffhangers. This structure appeals to me in thrillers, but in this case I would have liked a little more layering here and there.
If you like action-packed thrillers with a lovable young hero, you owe it to yourself to read THREE DAYS TO DIE.
As a reviewer for World Literary Café, I received a complimentary copy of the book.
December 20, 2011
Having read and reviewed mostly romance novels here, I thought it was about time I had a look at something different. I do usually like a good thriller/action book so I was looking forward to getting my teeth into Three Days to Die by John Avery, part of the Aaron Quinn thriller series.
The plot surrounds a 13 year old boy Aaron who after witnessing a murder is captured and held hostage by the criminal gang. He spends the next three days being dragged further and further into their world of criminal activities. At some point during his capture he almost becomes a validated member of the gang, shades of Stockholm syndrome come through and up to a point, the reader experiences this too. As the story unfolds, you gradually learn more about the gang and how they came to be part of it. By the end I found myself empathising with them to a point. However, this is not the crux of the story, just an aside.
I found the book to be fast paced with lots of action and a plausible plot. At several points I really had no idea what was going to happen next and I found myself feeling anxious for the characters, especially Aaron and his mother. Without giving the ending away, I found it finished the novel off nicely with no loose ends.
I like the style the book was written in but it took me a couple of chapters to get used to the narrative switching viewpoints within the same scene. However, once I was aware of this after a while it wasn't a problem and didn't distract me from the story line at all. The chapters are short and pacy which encourages you to read on and there is plenty of tension throughout.
An enjoyable read which had several lines that made me laugh out loud, my favourite being Aaron speaking to his friend Willy about having to use guns ... "We're not in Kansas anymore, Toto."
The plot surrounds a 13 year old boy Aaron who after witnessing a murder is captured and held hostage by the criminal gang. He spends the next three days being dragged further and further into their world of criminal activities. At some point during his capture he almost becomes a validated member of the gang, shades of Stockholm syndrome come through and up to a point, the reader experiences this too. As the story unfolds, you gradually learn more about the gang and how they came to be part of it. By the end I found myself empathising with them to a point. However, this is not the crux of the story, just an aside.
I found the book to be fast paced with lots of action and a plausible plot. At several points I really had no idea what was going to happen next and I found myself feeling anxious for the characters, especially Aaron and his mother. Without giving the ending away, I found it finished the novel off nicely with no loose ends.
I like the style the book was written in but it took me a couple of chapters to get used to the narrative switching viewpoints within the same scene. However, once I was aware of this after a while it wasn't a problem and didn't distract me from the story line at all. The chapters are short and pacy which encourages you to read on and there is plenty of tension throughout.
An enjoyable read which had several lines that made me laugh out loud, my favourite being Aaron speaking to his friend Willy about having to use guns ... "We're not in Kansas anymore, Toto."
July 8, 2013
A teenager named Aaron Quinn gets unintentionally caught up with a group of bank robbers with a deranged leader. Soon, his family, more than a bit dysfunctional, is also ensnared. I liked the opening in a bank robbery scene and then everything flashes back to three days earlier and we learn how Aaron's friends and family become entrenched in the drama.
There were some parts that I felt stretched credibility while reading including some cliched characters like the adult, rich author friend, Michael. Also, Aaron's age seemed troublesome at times; sometimes he seemed much younger and at times older (like when he starts shooting guns with his friend). I wondered if this was intended to be a young adult novel or an adult novel (I categorized as ya-adventure, because it kinda leaned that way at times)? On a positive front, the story moved at an above average thriller pace. Overall, I'd probably read another John Avery story, but am not that interested in more tales with Aaron Quinn as the lead character. 2.75 stars, rounded up. 2,506 Kindle locations.
(Anecdotal: this didn't impact my rating nor my feelings about the story in any way but I became uncomfortable at the end of the book when the publisher actively encouraged readers to leave "5 star reviews." I think it's a good idea to encourage readers to leave reviews with their honest opinion--some don't realize how useful reviews are to selling more books--but encouraging readers to leave a specific rating didn't sit very well with this reader. Curious what other readers think of this practice?)
There were some parts that I felt stretched credibility while reading including some cliched characters like the adult, rich author friend, Michael. Also, Aaron's age seemed troublesome at times; sometimes he seemed much younger and at times older (like when he starts shooting guns with his friend). I wondered if this was intended to be a young adult novel or an adult novel (I categorized as ya-adventure, because it kinda leaned that way at times)? On a positive front, the story moved at an above average thriller pace. Overall, I'd probably read another John Avery story, but am not that interested in more tales with Aaron Quinn as the lead character. 2.75 stars, rounded up. 2,506 Kindle locations.
(Anecdotal: this didn't impact my rating nor my feelings about the story in any way but I became uncomfortable at the end of the book when the publisher actively encouraged readers to leave "5 star reviews." I think it's a good idea to encourage readers to leave reviews with their honest opinion--some don't realize how useful reviews are to selling more books--but encouraging readers to leave a specific rating didn't sit very well with this reader. Curious what other readers think of this practice?)
September 17, 2011
Three Days to Die by John Avery, is a story about Aaron Quinn a thirteen-year-old boy who finds himself in a world of trouble after overhearing a secret conversation among a group of bank robbers. Aaron is kidnapped shortly after being discovered by the three criminals, Johnny Souther, Beeks and Needles. Forced into helping his captors rob banks in order to save his mother's life Aaron, quickly realizes that robbing banks isn't as simple or fun as it may sound. After finishing Three Days to die I am pleased to say this book is filled with great suspense. I almost felt like it was a movie playing out in my head the way it went from sequence to sequence. I loved Aaron Quinn! Avery did a great job creating this character. Aaron was brave yet naïve and foolish like so many thirteen-year-olds. It was interesting seeing him transition through the whole ordeal. Michael's character was interesting but at times his purpose through out the book felt trivial, until the end. As a reader I also wanted to know a little bit more about Aaron before, he was kidnapped. I felt a little robbed myself over his character. I loved Johnny Souther's back story and Needles'. Avery did a great job showing the complexities of human behavior. Overall, I enjoyed Three Days to Die. It was a fast paced story that left no room for dull moments. I highly recommend this book to readers who enjoy thrillers and suspense!
October 4, 2014
Three Days to Die by John Avery
A middle school student finds himself pulled into the morass of a criminal crew who are violently robbing banks.
Aaron is in a less than stellar family situation with an abusive step father intimidating his mother and terrorizing Aaron. Aaron's escapism is with Willy, his British accented sidekick. Together they pull pranks and roam the streets trying to avoid going home. Aaron blunders into a criminal gang and is suddenly an unwilling participant in violence.
Avery postulates some interesting things. His web site states that he likes to put ordinary people into tense situations to see how they react. Aaron exhibits some classic Stockholm characteristics as he bonds with several of the criminals.
The gang members are a confusing mélange with a very mixed background. Needles appears to have been drawn in due to debt and desperation. The "good" reasons for his criminal behavior are pale in comparison to the violence he helps to perpetuate.
A white knight appears in the appearance of Michael who befriends Aaron and plays a minor part in the story. Aaron's hyper-attractive mother scores the attention of Souther the psychopathic gang leader.
The story had a lot of action but there was a lack of depth in some of the characters. The overall feeling was a shallow but exciting story with some plausibility concerns. I still enjoyed it.
Web site: http://www.johnaverybooks.com/
A middle school student finds himself pulled into the morass of a criminal crew who are violently robbing banks.
Aaron is in a less than stellar family situation with an abusive step father intimidating his mother and terrorizing Aaron. Aaron's escapism is with Willy, his British accented sidekick. Together they pull pranks and roam the streets trying to avoid going home. Aaron blunders into a criminal gang and is suddenly an unwilling participant in violence.
Avery postulates some interesting things. His web site states that he likes to put ordinary people into tense situations to see how they react. Aaron exhibits some classic Stockholm characteristics as he bonds with several of the criminals.
The gang members are a confusing mélange with a very mixed background. Needles appears to have been drawn in due to debt and desperation. The "good" reasons for his criminal behavior are pale in comparison to the violence he helps to perpetuate.
A white knight appears in the appearance of Michael who befriends Aaron and plays a minor part in the story. Aaron's hyper-attractive mother scores the attention of Souther the psychopathic gang leader.
The story had a lot of action but there was a lack of depth in some of the characters. The overall feeling was a shallow but exciting story with some plausibility concerns. I still enjoyed it.
Web site: http://www.johnaverybooks.com/
September 6, 2012
Aaron Quinn is a typical 13-year old teen. His father had been killed in a military action when he was nine years old and he was raised by his single mom, Ashley. That is until she remarried a man, Tom, a man you might say is unworthy. She regrets marrying Tom, who is harsh and abusive. Aaron's best friend and best buddy is Willie. They have a secret hideout in an abandoned old fish cannery. They would often ride their bicycles there where they had stashed sundry items. When they agree to meet there one night after Aaron has a confrontation with his stepfather, Aaron quickly learns that the warehouse is also a meeting place of some despicable bank robbers. There is another man, a successful author, Michael, who encounters Aaron later that night disheveled, bruised and bleeding near the town's park. He wants to help Aaron. Will he prove to be Aaron's guardian angel? This story makes you aware of some reasons why people become criminals. Is it need, greed, or just a compulsion? Author Avery sweeps you rapidly into this thriller and it's very absorbing and hard to put down. His short, direct chapters entice you to keep reading. I highly recommend this story of suspense and action.
June 25, 2012
This is marketed as a thriller- young boy stumbles upon criminal activity and is kidnapped. They pursuade/force him into crime as well. A few other mildly interesting things happen along the way, but nothing I would rate as "thrilling". If not for the occassional swear word, I would think this was a YA novel.
The characters are sketches at best and react to situations without depth, and with rsther inconguous emotions. For example, while Aaron us being held prisoner, his captors decide to teach him to shoot a rifle. Aaron's reaction is to be disappointed that he's not a great shot. Really? He's not terrified, angry he's being forced to do this, or even nervous? A lot of scenes just don't ring true.
To top it off, the author seems to attempt to make up for the thin plot and immature dialogue by putting in a lot of gratuitous description of non-consequential things- things like a diner and a woman's outfit. Honestly, I skimmed these sections.
I hate to write negative reviews, but don't waste your time. I only finished it because a) it was a free download on my Kindle, and b) I am compulsive like that.
The characters are sketches at best and react to situations without depth, and with rsther inconguous emotions. For example, while Aaron us being held prisoner, his captors decide to teach him to shoot a rifle. Aaron's reaction is to be disappointed that he's not a great shot. Really? He's not terrified, angry he's being forced to do this, or even nervous? A lot of scenes just don't ring true.
To top it off, the author seems to attempt to make up for the thin plot and immature dialogue by putting in a lot of gratuitous description of non-consequential things- things like a diner and a woman's outfit. Honestly, I skimmed these sections.
I hate to write negative reviews, but don't waste your time. I only finished it because a) it was a free download on my Kindle, and b) I am compulsive like that.
January 19, 2015
In Three Days To Die, John Avery spins the story of 13-year old Aaron Quinn and his friend, Willy Abbott, who discover an abandoned fish cannery. After exploring the building together, the first time, Aaron decides to return alone for a second look. While inside, Aaron notices voices coming from upstairs. After further investigation, Aaron discovers that the cannery is being used as a base for three bank robbers, John Souther, Needles, and Beeks ... and they discover him. Aaron is kidnapped by the bank robbers, and he's forced to participate in future robberies. Aaron, Needles, and Beeks don't realize that Souther has been moonlighting and has other motives for kidnapping Aaron. Aaron is not Souther's target. Souther has his sights set on Aaron's mother, Ashley. Suspense abounds, as Aaron tries to free himself from the bank robbers in time to save his mother.
During this outing, Avery has created a novel that is well-written, easy to read, full of suspense and well-developed characters. This is the first novel of his that I have read, and I will be looking for others in the future.
During this outing, Avery has created a novel that is well-written, easy to read, full of suspense and well-developed characters. This is the first novel of his that I have read, and I will be looking for others in the future.
March 5, 2015
I have to admit it, this was nowhere near as bad as I feared it might be. So far this is the first of my bookbub/kindle special books to rate as many as three stars.
The plot is generic tv movie fare, but to be honest swap the teenage protagonist for Jack Reacher and we wouldn't question the flimsy nature of the plot, we'd be too busy enjoying the action. The writing flows nicely, there are some decent moments of suspense. It does suffer from 'too much detail' syndrome at times. A fairly standard failing of these self-published novels. All the references to the heroic military careers of dead fathers is unnecessary. The onanistic descriptions of Michael's loft apartment and Aston Martin are pure teenaged wish fulfilment, and merely distract from the story.
That might sound terribly negative but I enjoyed it, and was almost tempted to give it a fourth star. However I read it in two hours. To go up a notch it needs a little extra tightening and polishing and ideally enough depth that it couldn't be started and finished on a long lunch break.
The plot is generic tv movie fare, but to be honest swap the teenage protagonist for Jack Reacher and we wouldn't question the flimsy nature of the plot, we'd be too busy enjoying the action. The writing flows nicely, there are some decent moments of suspense. It does suffer from 'too much detail' syndrome at times. A fairly standard failing of these self-published novels. All the references to the heroic military careers of dead fathers is unnecessary. The onanistic descriptions of Michael's loft apartment and Aston Martin are pure teenaged wish fulfilment, and merely distract from the story.
That might sound terribly negative but I enjoyed it, and was almost tempted to give it a fourth star. However I read it in two hours. To go up a notch it needs a little extra tightening and polishing and ideally enough depth that it couldn't be started and finished on a long lunch break.
December 16, 2011
I wouldn't particularly choose to read a novel where the central character is a thirteen year old boy but I am so delighted that I read Three Days to Die. The main character Aaron and his friend, although they are young, come across as real people - not stereotypical teenagers. They have problems, hopes and fears in their everyday world that compare to any adult concerns.
I flew through this book at quite a lick and that's always a good sign for me; I just kept reading far into the night because the adventure never stops. I particularly enjoyed the episode where the boys were locked up in the factory - fabulously descriptive writing. John Avery seems to be able to get under his characters' skins and he hits the emotional button time and time again.
The book focuses on themes of loneliness, loss and abandonment at a variety of levels in all of the characters in the book.
So if you enjoy a fast paced thriller with an emotional heart, Three Days to Die is the one for you.
I flew through this book at quite a lick and that's always a good sign for me; I just kept reading far into the night because the adventure never stops. I particularly enjoyed the episode where the boys were locked up in the factory - fabulously descriptive writing. John Avery seems to be able to get under his characters' skins and he hits the emotional button time and time again.
The book focuses on themes of loneliness, loss and abandonment at a variety of levels in all of the characters in the book.
So if you enjoy a fast paced thriller with an emotional heart, Three Days to Die is the one for you.
March 21, 2012
I really didn't know what to expect when I began reading this book. I knew Aaron Quinn would find himself in a position of helping to rob a bank but, reading about him and his friend Willy, I wondered how it would get to such a point.
I was glued to the book and would have lost lots of sleep if I didn't discipline myself. I empathized with Aaron - a boy who had a loving family until his father got killed in the line of duty. However, years later, when his mother decided to get married to a man she had been dating, any hope of an idyllic life turned to ashes as they both lived to regret her decision.
Three Days to Die took me on a journey into the heart of a human soul who is desperate to change the circumstances of one's life - and it rings true for every character in the book.
Three Days to Die will grip you until the last page has been read...
I was glued to the book and would have lost lots of sleep if I didn't discipline myself. I empathized with Aaron - a boy who had a loving family until his father got killed in the line of duty. However, years later, when his mother decided to get married to a man she had been dating, any hope of an idyllic life turned to ashes as they both lived to regret her decision.
Three Days to Die took me on a journey into the heart of a human soul who is desperate to change the circumstances of one's life - and it rings true for every character in the book.
Three Days to Die will grip you until the last page has been read...
July 12, 2013
Aaron ran off to avoid his abusive step-father. It was the proverbial jumping out of the pan and into the fire when he arrived at an abandoned building that he and his friend had used as a hide out to find it inhabited by dangerous criminals. He managed to escape but the thugs successfully tracked him down and captured him again.
The next three days of young thirteen year old Aaron's life is full of horror and dread. Prepare for a wild ride of suspense in this fast paced plot full of action.
This is also a story of human nature. We are shown how good people can be compelled to do bad things, and maybe even enjoy it at the time. But the question remains that when the chips are down which decision will they make? Do they do the right thing or will they continue on the path of evil deeds with little or no conscience? You will find examples of both here.
The next three days of young thirteen year old Aaron's life is full of horror and dread. Prepare for a wild ride of suspense in this fast paced plot full of action.
This is also a story of human nature. We are shown how good people can be compelled to do bad things, and maybe even enjoy it at the time. But the question remains that when the chips are down which decision will they make? Do they do the right thing or will they continue on the path of evil deeds with little or no conscience? You will find examples of both here.
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