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The Ninth Step
Is it true what they say? That we’re only as sick as our worst secret? Because Helen Patrice has one. Last night, she murdered a stranger…
Helen is a recovering alcoholic struggling through a twelve-step program. Now it’s time to make amends for a crime she got away with—a hit and run accident that killed the wife of school teacher Edgar Woolrich. It’s time to face the consequences. When she finally gathers the courage to meet him, the ninth step begins with a lie—the first of many as their relationship grows, and Helen knows it’s far too late to reveal the truth to a man she’s come to love. Then one day, she receives an anonymous note: Does he know you killed his wife?
Now her devastating trail of deceit is about to lead her into the darkest place so far—that of other people’s secrets…
Helen is a recovering alcoholic struggling through a twelve-step program. Now it’s time to make amends for a crime she got away with—a hit and run accident that killed the wife of school teacher Edgar Woolrich. It’s time to face the consequences. When she finally gathers the courage to meet him, the ninth step begins with a lie—the first of many as their relationship grows, and Helen knows it’s far too late to reveal the truth to a man she’s come to love. Then one day, she receives an anonymous note: Does he know you killed his wife?
Now her devastating trail of deceit is about to lead her into the darkest place so far—that of other people’s secrets…
304 pages, Paperback
First published September 4, 2012
5 people are currently reading
522 people want to read
About the author
Grant Jerkins
11 books96 followersGrant Jerkins is the author of THE NINTH STEP and AT THE END OF THE ROAD. Winner of the Writers Network Screenplay and Fiction Competition (the Fade In Awards), his first novel, A VERY SIMPLE CRIME, was selected from well over two-thousand entries to take the top honors, and has since been optioned for film.
Grant lives with his wife and son in the Atlanta area.
http://www.grantjerkins.com
Grant lives with his wife and son in the Atlanta area.
http://www.grantjerkins.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
March 17, 2013
An immensely entertaining thriller from Jerkins involving a drunk-driving hit and run accident and the consequences that follow when the guilty party goes to AA and attempts to satisfy "the ninth step", which is to make amends for those people you hurt. Although the story, at times, may seem a bit over-the-top, the unfolding events are so fascinating and compelling you won't care. Jerkins weaves a very tight narrative around his in-over-their-heads main characters and you find yourself on the edge of your seat wanting to know how it all works out. A very satisfying conclusion wraps the whole thing up but you're left wishing the story would just keeping going on in its merrily way. A very fast read as I finished it in two days. Very highly recommended for those who love a thriller that truly thrills.
April 26, 2019
A suspense novel about the illusion of control in our lives and what happens when we wake up from this illusion. I love Jerkins' writing - it's minimalist and realistic, with no embellishments and no mercy for the reader. The characters are not likable, and their morality is dubious. As in real life, they operate according to their interest and make decisions based on what's good for them, regardless of what is considered "good" or "bad". It seems that they do not care about being considered "good" or "nice", which mirrors modern society, where people have dropped all pretense of trying to be or at least seem to be considerate, civil or kind to one another. There is no real friendship, no trust and no true love.
The characters find life unbearable, and have ways to drug themselves so as not to experience it in full - whether by alcohol, obsessive puzzle solving or greed. This also feels true to me, as a member of an older generation in which shame and guilt were still considered positive emotions that drive people to behave themselves, and who now has to adjust to an "every-man-for-himself" kind of atmosphere and to a post-modernist dismantling of the concepts of good and evil.
In short, this is a well-paced, suspenseful novel which is a fun read and leaves you with some food for thought as well.
The characters find life unbearable, and have ways to drug themselves so as not to experience it in full - whether by alcohol, obsessive puzzle solving or greed. This also feels true to me, as a member of an older generation in which shame and guilt were still considered positive emotions that drive people to behave themselves, and who now has to adjust to an "every-man-for-himself" kind of atmosphere and to a post-modernist dismantling of the concepts of good and evil.
In short, this is a well-paced, suspenseful novel which is a fun read and leaves you with some food for thought as well.
July 14, 2022
Actual Rating: 3.5 stars of 5 stars
Who would’ve thought the victim could be part of an absolute mad fuckery?
Who would have thought this schizophrenic approach on homicide and substance abuse would go down into a dark scene set of a family’s smudgy future?
Reading The Ninth Step just proclaimed itself as a non-disclosure representation that even the smartest and decent human beings could be devious in their awareness of being total murderers. The plot twists were very thrilling—commendable, even. What doesn’t justify it was the focus of motive on Helen’s treachery under the influence of her alcoholism. I am fazed by the fact that her character just went all out like that. And Edgar, just seemed to bargain off his life into forming a delusion of his new family. Nevertheless, it’s not like I didn’t enjoy reading this thrilling book.
And I will say it, the turn of events was like a premeditated form straight-cut out of You but the characters were not that hot. But it was effective—the thrill and choice of ambience and setting.
Well done. God damn.
Who would’ve thought the victim could be part of an absolute mad fuckery?
Who would have thought this schizophrenic approach on homicide and substance abuse would go down into a dark scene set of a family’s smudgy future?
Reading The Ninth Step just proclaimed itself as a non-disclosure representation that even the smartest and decent human beings could be devious in their awareness of being total murderers. The plot twists were very thrilling—commendable, even. What doesn’t justify it was the focus of motive on Helen’s treachery under the influence of her alcoholism. I am fazed by the fact that her character just went all out like that. And Edgar, just seemed to bargain off his life into forming a delusion of his new family. Nevertheless, it’s not like I didn’t enjoy reading this thrilling book.
And I will say it, the turn of events was like a premeditated form straight-cut out of You but the characters were not that hot. But it was effective—the thrill and choice of ambience and setting.
Well done. God damn.
February 25, 2017
Helen is an alcoholic. On her drive home one evening spent partying, Helen blacks out, crashes into another car killing the female passenger. Awakening to her offense, she leaves the scene of the crime. Edgar, the husband of the deceased is obsessed with bringing the "murderer" to justice. Helen lives with the guilt until she joins AA. Make amends or keep the secret?
I think this book is proof that a great read doesn't have to be 500+ pages of overly descriptive writing.
And the premise is a good one. The chapters are short, sometimes only 1 page. It is this style of writing that contributes to the swiftness in which the plot builds and moves. Creeping in those hidden dark natures of humanity begin to take hold treating the reader to some very striking character development. No one and nothing is what it seems. I don't see this as a particularly intriguing mystery but rather more like the snowball rolling down the hill effect. It just gets bigger as it goes, is unstoppable until in the end, it shatters.
I think this book is proof that a great read doesn't have to be 500+ pages of overly descriptive writing.
And the premise is a good one. The chapters are short, sometimes only 1 page. It is this style of writing that contributes to the swiftness in which the plot builds and moves. Creeping in those hidden dark natures of humanity begin to take hold treating the reader to some very striking character development. No one and nothing is what it seems. I don't see this as a particularly intriguing mystery but rather more like the snowball rolling down the hill effect. It just gets bigger as it goes, is unstoppable until in the end, it shatters.
September 20, 2012
Having read, loved, and been surprised by each of Grant Jerkins' other dark, twisty novels, THE NINTH STEP does not disappoint. Each of his stories takes on different sets of interpersonal issues and plays with expectations and conclusions to a wonderfully satisfying effect.
In THE NINTH STEP, Jerkins deals with the loss and regret of two individuals -- one, an alcoholic who blacks out while driving one night and winds up killing another driver, then tries to cover it up, and the other, the husband of the woman killed in the accident who is obsessed with mathematically and statistically trying to determine what car and what driver may have caused his loss.
I don't want to reveal how Jerkins handles the interactions that come about when the alcoholic reaches the ninth step in a twelve-step program of sobriety, but the author takes these two people in directions than one would not expect and arrives at his shocking climax in ways the reader would not imagine. Like all of Jerkins' stories, it is a wonderful read by a writer with a grasp of the darker aspects of human nature and a writing style that is both terse and elegant. It is a treasure of a book.
In THE NINTH STEP, Jerkins deals with the loss and regret of two individuals -- one, an alcoholic who blacks out while driving one night and winds up killing another driver, then tries to cover it up, and the other, the husband of the woman killed in the accident who is obsessed with mathematically and statistically trying to determine what car and what driver may have caused his loss.
I don't want to reveal how Jerkins handles the interactions that come about when the alcoholic reaches the ninth step in a twelve-step program of sobriety, but the author takes these two people in directions than one would not expect and arrives at his shocking climax in ways the reader would not imagine. Like all of Jerkins' stories, it is a wonderful read by a writer with a grasp of the darker aspects of human nature and a writing style that is both terse and elegant. It is a treasure of a book.
October 31, 2012
Started strong, not sure about the ending.
January 3, 2017
What a great book! A bizarre plot, with plenty of turns & twists. I won't give away anything - just read it for yourself! Very quick read. I couldn't put it down!
July 19, 2019
About 75 kindle% of the way in...
I am totally digging The Ninth Step. The book is an engaging character study of two people: 1) Helen, an alcoholic veterinarian, and 2) Edgar, a nerdy high school teacher. The narration is kept to a minimum, and the author lets the characters tell you about themselves. Hearing the logic and philosophy of addicts is always twisted and entertaining. Nerds are less entertaining, but still...getting to know Helen and Edgar is fun and interesting.
The author has a quirky style; many of the chapters are really short. It was off-putting to my snooty sensibilities at first (ha), but then, I got into it. The short chapters really work, and they add a sense of urgency and tension to what's going on.
QOTD
Helen opened the desk drawer and retrieved her purse. From the purse she pulled a mini bottle of Absolut vodka and broke the seal. Holding the chart up to shield her actions, Helen chugged the contents, put the empty bottle back in her purse, and popped an Altoid from the tin sitting on her desk. The whole process was quite fluid and took less than three seconds.
- Helen at work, The Ninth Step
After 75 kindle%...
Blargh. The ending hits the wall and is plot-heavy and jump-the-shark-y. OK, let me explain. Plot-heavy: The ending has lots of action, but we lose our close connection to Helen and Edgar. Shark-jump-y: Many of the plot twists are not believable, and this makes the ending feel silly.
So, bottom line...the book fell from a strong 4 bill-stars to just 3 bill-stars. While I'm a little disappointed, it's okay, and this is still a good read. I recommend Ninth Step to anyone, and who knows, maybe you'll like the ending better than I did.
thanks...yow, bill
PS – Skip this (bogus) part, ok? It's a little Bill-philosophy. Thanks.
I've recently read two books that featured addicts who had been abused as children. There's Helen here in The Ninth Step. Helen uses Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) as the foundation of her recovery, and the result is quite positive. Previously, there was Patrick Melrose from, well, Patrick Melrose. Patrick Melrose went through psychotherapy to recover. Even though he's not “using” any more, Patrick Melrose is still very negative and quite unhappy.
My point: I think the two processes here say something about the nature of positivity and negativity. Helen's AA experience was very external. Make amends. Talk to people. Consider others before yourself. Patrick Melrose's therapy is the opposite. It's a very private and introspective journey that focuses on his internal workings. Patrick Melrose has been wronged (and he has), but the impact of his actions on others is less important.
Maybe it's a dichotomy. Positivity = external, think of others, push out, like AA. Negativity = internal, concentrate on yourself, search internally for answers, like therapy. Maybe. (shrug) And probably, this doesn't apply to just addicts.
That's it. (ha)
August 27, 2021
A very quick read, especially the first half, as you flit between the stories of the two main characters. Things slow down and get more serious once they're more entangled with each other. Good for cuddling up in bed after a long day and focusing on someone else's problems instead of your own.
December 21, 2017
Now I know why I was never good in math, as the logic escapes me! But the end result is a sinister read.
October 2, 2019
I finished this book in one day! I couldn’t put it down!
November 28, 2020
I love Grant Jerkins books.
July 10, 2023
Well written and fast-paced!
December 16, 2024
This book is great; page turner definitely keeps you interested.
December 12, 2016
Even though I'm not entirely into thrillers, this book wove such a great story.
April 23, 2023
Fun and well paced thriller about a drunk driver and the victims husband and a night they both made a mistake. This book isn’t a masterpiece or anything , it’s just a solid, twisty, exciting ride. Easily digestible and an easy read. 4.4
October 2, 2012
“You do not ease your own burden by transferring it to others to carry. That strikes to the very heart of the ninth step. First, do no harm.” – Martha
To be fair, veterinarian Helen Patrice never set out to do harm. Not when she slowly slipped from college party girl into functioning alcoholic, slamming shots from mini bottles throughout the day at work at her vet hospital.
Not when she’d go out in the evenings to one of her rotating cycle of bars and get so hammered that the next day she’d barely remember the anonymous sex she’d engaged in with some stranger in the bathroom or parking lot.
And certainly not that fateful evening after one of those alcohol drenched bar hops when she was involved in a hit and run accident. No, Helen never set out to do harm. But what she did after the harm was done…
High school geometry teacher Edgar Woolrich was driving the other car involved in Helen’s accident. He and his wife, who’d announced her pregnancy earlier that evening, were on their way home after a night out celebrating the news. Unfortunately, their route home took a life-altering detour: Edgar’s through the ER, his wife and unborn child’s through the morgue.
When Helen realizes the following morning what has happened she painstakingly covers up the accident. Determined to turn over a new leaf, she joins Alcoholics Anonymous and begins earnestly working the 12 Step program. Edgar, too, is earnestly working a program. His, however, is one of his own creation. Using his skill with numbers, he spends hours creating probability charts and graphs in effort to figure out who was involved in the accident that took his wife and unborn child from him.
Their respective quests end up on course for a collision of another kind when Helen finally reaches the 9th Step: Make direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others. And this, boys and girls, is where The Ninth Step, the third book from Atlanta author Grant Jerkins, kicks into seriously high gear.
In her misguided, twisted effort to make amends, Helen ends up working her way into Edgar’s life. In fact, they actually end up involved romantically, with Edgar none the wiser as to Helen’s involvement in the accident. Of course Jerkins being an author who loves to explore the darkest corners of people’s hearts, he gives readers that setup then mercilessly rips the scabs off the wounds both Helen and Edgar are trying so desperately to recover from in order to see how they react when their backs are pressed to the wall. He does this by injecting several wild cards into the scenario, both people and events which force Helen and Edgar to choose what “truth” matters most to them and how far they’re willing to go to protect it.
As with his previous novels, A Very Simple Crime and At the End of the Road, with The Ninth Step Jerkins once again proves himself an absolutely fearless writer who’s willing to take readers – cringing and squirming, kicking and screaming – down some very uncomfortable roads. He carefully constructs the lives of Helen and Edgar, separately, so the reader has a very clear picture of who they and what they’re made of. Then he pulls the rug out from under everyone, readers and characters alike, by slamming the two of them together and throwing into question everything you thought you knew to be true.
If you like story lines wrapped up neatly and prefer your characters to fit into tidy, easily defined boxes, well, this isn’t the book for you. Jerkins excels at creating characters who reflect the complexities of the real world. They are conflicted, flawed, and when pushed, morally flexible. They are, in short, painfully believable. Even when committing questionable, even criminal acts, it’s hard not to at least understand where the characters in Jerkins’s novels are coming from, even if you don’t actually condone their behavior. And it’s a sure sign of an author’s skill when he can lead readers deep into a moral quagmire and have them struggling right alongside the characters to decide what the proper course of action really is.
Jerkins now has three published novels under his belt, and every one of them has a completely different flavor. However, from the Southern Gothic of a massively dysfunctional family, to a coming of age story wrapped in a mystery, to a twisted love affair born of deceit, they do all have one thing in common…they are all examples of the type of stellar storytelling an author in complete control of his craft is capable of. If you’re not yet reading Grant Jerkins’s work, please do yourself a favor and start. Now.
To be fair, veterinarian Helen Patrice never set out to do harm. Not when she slowly slipped from college party girl into functioning alcoholic, slamming shots from mini bottles throughout the day at work at her vet hospital.
Not when she’d go out in the evenings to one of her rotating cycle of bars and get so hammered that the next day she’d barely remember the anonymous sex she’d engaged in with some stranger in the bathroom or parking lot.
And certainly not that fateful evening after one of those alcohol drenched bar hops when she was involved in a hit and run accident. No, Helen never set out to do harm. But what she did after the harm was done…
High school geometry teacher Edgar Woolrich was driving the other car involved in Helen’s accident. He and his wife, who’d announced her pregnancy earlier that evening, were on their way home after a night out celebrating the news. Unfortunately, their route home took a life-altering detour: Edgar’s through the ER, his wife and unborn child’s through the morgue.
When Helen realizes the following morning what has happened she painstakingly covers up the accident. Determined to turn over a new leaf, she joins Alcoholics Anonymous and begins earnestly working the 12 Step program. Edgar, too, is earnestly working a program. His, however, is one of his own creation. Using his skill with numbers, he spends hours creating probability charts and graphs in effort to figure out who was involved in the accident that took his wife and unborn child from him.
Their respective quests end up on course for a collision of another kind when Helen finally reaches the 9th Step: Make direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others. And this, boys and girls, is where The Ninth Step, the third book from Atlanta author Grant Jerkins, kicks into seriously high gear.
In her misguided, twisted effort to make amends, Helen ends up working her way into Edgar’s life. In fact, they actually end up involved romantically, with Edgar none the wiser as to Helen’s involvement in the accident. Of course Jerkins being an author who loves to explore the darkest corners of people’s hearts, he gives readers that setup then mercilessly rips the scabs off the wounds both Helen and Edgar are trying so desperately to recover from in order to see how they react when their backs are pressed to the wall. He does this by injecting several wild cards into the scenario, both people and events which force Helen and Edgar to choose what “truth” matters most to them and how far they’re willing to go to protect it.
As with his previous novels, A Very Simple Crime and At the End of the Road, with The Ninth Step Jerkins once again proves himself an absolutely fearless writer who’s willing to take readers – cringing and squirming, kicking and screaming – down some very uncomfortable roads. He carefully constructs the lives of Helen and Edgar, separately, so the reader has a very clear picture of who they and what they’re made of. Then he pulls the rug out from under everyone, readers and characters alike, by slamming the two of them together and throwing into question everything you thought you knew to be true.
If you like story lines wrapped up neatly and prefer your characters to fit into tidy, easily defined boxes, well, this isn’t the book for you. Jerkins excels at creating characters who reflect the complexities of the real world. They are conflicted, flawed, and when pushed, morally flexible. They are, in short, painfully believable. Even when committing questionable, even criminal acts, it’s hard not to at least understand where the characters in Jerkins’s novels are coming from, even if you don’t actually condone their behavior. And it’s a sure sign of an author’s skill when he can lead readers deep into a moral quagmire and have them struggling right alongside the characters to decide what the proper course of action really is.
Jerkins now has three published novels under his belt, and every one of them has a completely different flavor. However, from the Southern Gothic of a massively dysfunctional family, to a coming of age story wrapped in a mystery, to a twisted love affair born of deceit, they do all have one thing in common…they are all examples of the type of stellar storytelling an author in complete control of his craft is capable of. If you’re not yet reading Grant Jerkins’s work, please do yourself a favor and start. Now.
October 3, 2012
Whenever I think about no longer accepting review copies because they "get in the way" of my own reading list, I think of Grant Jerkins and immediately decide it's better to keep on receiving them. It was by saying yes to a review copy request that I read his first novel in 2010. Now, three books later, Grant Jerkins is one of my favorite writers.
The Ninth Step, Jerkins' third novel, was released last month by Berkley Prime Crime. It's a fantastic read. It will especially freak you out if you're in a twelve step program or have ever worked the steps. Yes, The ninth step of the title refers not to stairs, but to step nine of the big twelve: "Made direct amends to to such people whenever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others."
Edgar Woolrich is a happily married high school geometry teacher who collects Japanese puzzle boxes. Helen Patrice is a veterinarian and an alcoholic. When his obsession and her addiction cross paths the result is an intriguing story of who-done-what and who'll-do-what next. I love Jerkins' characters. Even though they are not always likeable, they have a realness and a warmth that makes them seem all so human. And in this case . . . oh, the humanity.
What I like about Jerkins' novels is that they're all so different from one another. I enjoy a good series, but it is also refreshing to read a good crime novelist who can create such solid stand alone novels that you're not left wishing the author had written a book more like the last one.
A Very Simple Crime (2010) was about a down on his luck prosecutor investigating a murder that takes him into the depths of a family's psychological abnormalities. At the End of the Road (2011) goes back in time to the summer of 1976 when a young boy witnesses an accident, tells no one, and what unfolds afterwards for the boy and others. I think of it as a coming of age novel with a creepy, dark core.
I don't want to say that The Ninth Step is his best yet, because that makes it sound like his two previous novels weren't up to snuff. They are. But what I especially admire about The Ninth Step is it's black humor. I often don't enjoy humor mixing with crime because it can seem too forced or too flip or too cruel. Jerkins uses humor in a way that acknowledges the pain of the human condition, but this humor also reveals that our pain is often the result of past choices, as well as showing the reality that we do have choices now, no matter how messed up things seem.
Here's an example from early on in the novel, about Helen:
The self-inspection did not reveal additional damage. Externally, Helen was still quite attractive--her breasts sagged only a little; her ass, while bigger than in the past, had not succumbed to gravity and was plump in a pleasingly feminine way; and the broken capillaries that formed a haphazard Etch A Sketch across her nose and cheeks were easily concealed with modest amounts of makeup. The shell, the facade, was fine. Unfortunately, she was rotting from the inside out. Like the shiny apple that concealed the corruption of the worm deep inside. It occurred to her hungover mind that she was the perfect hybrid of Doctor Dolittle and Dorian Gray (41).
I like this example because it tells you so much about Helen: about her age, her chronic drinking, how she deals with it, her sense of humor, her denial. Her checklist is on the light side, but it hints at the tragic darkness to come. It's avoidable, yet inevitable.
If you like suspense novels that focus on interpersonal relationships, check out The Ninth Step and Jerkins' early novels as well. They'll keep you in their grip and leave you thinking about the story and characters long afterwards.
The Ninth Step, Jerkins' third novel, was released last month by Berkley Prime Crime. It's a fantastic read. It will especially freak you out if you're in a twelve step program or have ever worked the steps. Yes, The ninth step of the title refers not to stairs, but to step nine of the big twelve: "Made direct amends to to such people whenever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others."
Edgar Woolrich is a happily married high school geometry teacher who collects Japanese puzzle boxes. Helen Patrice is a veterinarian and an alcoholic. When his obsession and her addiction cross paths the result is an intriguing story of who-done-what and who'll-do-what next. I love Jerkins' characters. Even though they are not always likeable, they have a realness and a warmth that makes them seem all so human. And in this case . . . oh, the humanity.
What I like about Jerkins' novels is that they're all so different from one another. I enjoy a good series, but it is also refreshing to read a good crime novelist who can create such solid stand alone novels that you're not left wishing the author had written a book more like the last one.
A Very Simple Crime (2010) was about a down on his luck prosecutor investigating a murder that takes him into the depths of a family's psychological abnormalities. At the End of the Road (2011) goes back in time to the summer of 1976 when a young boy witnesses an accident, tells no one, and what unfolds afterwards for the boy and others. I think of it as a coming of age novel with a creepy, dark core.
I don't want to say that The Ninth Step is his best yet, because that makes it sound like his two previous novels weren't up to snuff. They are. But what I especially admire about The Ninth Step is it's black humor. I often don't enjoy humor mixing with crime because it can seem too forced or too flip or too cruel. Jerkins uses humor in a way that acknowledges the pain of the human condition, but this humor also reveals that our pain is often the result of past choices, as well as showing the reality that we do have choices now, no matter how messed up things seem.
Here's an example from early on in the novel, about Helen:
The self-inspection did not reveal additional damage. Externally, Helen was still quite attractive--her breasts sagged only a little; her ass, while bigger than in the past, had not succumbed to gravity and was plump in a pleasingly feminine way; and the broken capillaries that formed a haphazard Etch A Sketch across her nose and cheeks were easily concealed with modest amounts of makeup. The shell, the facade, was fine. Unfortunately, she was rotting from the inside out. Like the shiny apple that concealed the corruption of the worm deep inside. It occurred to her hungover mind that she was the perfect hybrid of Doctor Dolittle and Dorian Gray (41).
I like this example because it tells you so much about Helen: about her age, her chronic drinking, how she deals with it, her sense of humor, her denial. Her checklist is on the light side, but it hints at the tragic darkness to come. It's avoidable, yet inevitable.
If you like suspense novels that focus on interpersonal relationships, check out The Ninth Step and Jerkins' early novels as well. They'll keep you in their grip and leave you thinking about the story and characters long afterwards.
December 31, 2012
Don't know what I was expecting, but it sure wasn't that.
Helen is a recovering alcoholic and seeks out Edgar, the man who was driving the car she crashed into, resulting in the death of Edgar's beloved wife Judy. As Helen and Edgar's relationship grows, Helen becomes part of a blackmail scheme when a note appears: does he know you killed his wife?
With the threat of losing everything, Helen must come to terms with her past and what this means for her future and the man she now loves.
This is a swift read with interesting characters and some great twists. I didn't think I would find Helen to be a very interesting or sympathetic character, but Jerkins does a good job making her human and good intentioned. Her character changes so dramatically from the beginning of the book to the end, I don't honestly know what I think of Helen by then, but I do know it was a great ride.
Edgar on the other hand is safe, sweet and quiet. He's a school teacher who collects Japanese puzzle boxes, awaiting the birth of him and Judy's first child when they are struck by Helen's car and his life changes forever. Edgar's normal life is set into an uncontrollable downward spiral so that when Edgar does finally manage to pull it back together and find happiness, I'm rooting for him. It's easy to see early on that Edgar's choices will forever be tainted by this series of events, so that when things do reach their climax and get out of control, Edgar becomes an extreme character of himself.
A series of creepy and shady characters complete Helen and Edgar's friends and non-friends. The unsettling feeling of something always being a little off starts on page one and reaches a powerful climax by the end. The good guys aren't good, the bad guys aren't bad. Well, they are, but oh, how that line is very blurry by the end.
The ending is satisfying, yet extremely harsh. I did like the ending but the momentum for the story was so out of control by that point, I feel like everything was uneasy still. Which isn't a bad thing.
I really enjoyed this book and I think most people would really like it. It's a thriller you can't put down.
Helen is a recovering alcoholic and seeks out Edgar, the man who was driving the car she crashed into, resulting in the death of Edgar's beloved wife Judy. As Helen and Edgar's relationship grows, Helen becomes part of a blackmail scheme when a note appears: does he know you killed his wife?
With the threat of losing everything, Helen must come to terms with her past and what this means for her future and the man she now loves.
This is a swift read with interesting characters and some great twists. I didn't think I would find Helen to be a very interesting or sympathetic character, but Jerkins does a good job making her human and good intentioned. Her character changes so dramatically from the beginning of the book to the end, I don't honestly know what I think of Helen by then, but I do know it was a great ride.
Edgar on the other hand is safe, sweet and quiet. He's a school teacher who collects Japanese puzzle boxes, awaiting the birth of him and Judy's first child when they are struck by Helen's car and his life changes forever. Edgar's normal life is set into an uncontrollable downward spiral so that when Edgar does finally manage to pull it back together and find happiness, I'm rooting for him. It's easy to see early on that Edgar's choices will forever be tainted by this series of events, so that when things do reach their climax and get out of control, Edgar becomes an extreme character of himself.
A series of creepy and shady characters complete Helen and Edgar's friends and non-friends. The unsettling feeling of something always being a little off starts on page one and reaches a powerful climax by the end. The good guys aren't good, the bad guys aren't bad. Well, they are, but oh, how that line is very blurry by the end.
The ending is satisfying, yet extremely harsh. I did like the ending but the momentum for the story was so out of control by that point, I feel like everything was uneasy still. Which isn't a bad thing.
I really enjoyed this book and I think most people would really like it. It's a thriller you can't put down.
September 5, 2012
If you asked her, Helen would tell you she's a functioning alcoholic. Lately, though, it's taking more and more alcohol to function. In fact, to be able to work as a vet (she owns her own practice), she has to start drinking during the day. And one night, she's driving home from the bar and gets in an accident.
Meanwhile, Edgar's life is perfect. He has a job he loves, a great marriage and his wife is pregnant. And then one night, he and his wife are driving home and they get in an accident.
Not surprisingly, this accident---that kills Edgar's wife---devastates Helen. She decides to get sober and joins AA. But she's having trouble with the ninth step---the one about making amends. She goes to see Edgar (not telling him who she really is) and they quickly fall for each other.
And then one day, she gets a note in the mail. "Does he know that you killed his wife?"
This was an interesting book. I'd heard good things about Grant Jerkins and I really liked the premise.
This book felt a little rushed to me (it's under 300 pages) and I'm not sure how Edgar---who was so destroyed by his wife's death that he kept creating charts to try and determine who was responsible and who visited the police station ALL THE TIME---would remarry in less than a year.
But even though I didn't particularly buy into that aspect of it, I did enjoy the book. The chapters are short, and it was very hard to put down.
Meanwhile, Edgar's life is perfect. He has a job he loves, a great marriage and his wife is pregnant. And then one night, he and his wife are driving home and they get in an accident.
Not surprisingly, this accident---that kills Edgar's wife---devastates Helen. She decides to get sober and joins AA. But she's having trouble with the ninth step---the one about making amends. She goes to see Edgar (not telling him who she really is) and they quickly fall for each other.
And then one day, she gets a note in the mail. "Does he know that you killed his wife?"
This was an interesting book. I'd heard good things about Grant Jerkins and I really liked the premise.
This book felt a little rushed to me (it's under 300 pages) and I'm not sure how Edgar---who was so destroyed by his wife's death that he kept creating charts to try and determine who was responsible and who visited the police station ALL THE TIME---would remarry in less than a year.
But even though I didn't particularly buy into that aspect of it, I did enjoy the book. The chapters are short, and it was very hard to put down.
January 28, 2013
When I started reading this book I wasn't that impressed but by the time the car crash that's the propelling event in the book takes place, I was hooked. I don't know of many books that have this many sharp twists and turns and hooks and pull them off as completely believable within the setting of the novel. Things happen that might not be likely in real life but nothing happens that contradicts what these thoughtfully crafted characters would do when confronted with such events.
This is a book about how deceit and doing the right thing can be the same thing. About how taking responsibility and shirking it can happen in the same action. It's about the nature of secrets and the nature of morality.
There's a bit of improbability as events pile up toward the end of the book, and yet I found myself yelling "Yes!" as the characters pull off more and more astonishing feats to try to keep hold of the lives they have painstakingly recreated from the wreckage of their pasts.
Readers familiar with the Twelve Steps will get extra jokes that are in this book, but such familiarity is not essential for enjoyment.
This is a book about how deceit and doing the right thing can be the same thing. About how taking responsibility and shirking it can happen in the same action. It's about the nature of secrets and the nature of morality.
There's a bit of improbability as events pile up toward the end of the book, and yet I found myself yelling "Yes!" as the characters pull off more and more astonishing feats to try to keep hold of the lives they have painstakingly recreated from the wreckage of their pasts.
Readers familiar with the Twelve Steps will get extra jokes that are in this book, but such familiarity is not essential for enjoyment.
December 11, 2012
This is a book that I won from one of the Goodreads drawings, and I probably wouldn't have known to pick it up, otherwise. I'm glad it got sent to me, because it turns out I really enjoyed it.
I was expecting something a little spooky, and this is not a spooky book. But it is strangely compelling and weirdly twisted, and Jerkins maintains a perfect level of tension throughout. I caught myself almost wanting to yell at the book a couple of times, like you yell at the screen when the teenage girl in the horror movie runs up the stairs. "No, what are you thinking?!" To me, that's a good thing, it's a sign that I became invested in the characters, and started to see them as slightly more than fictional.
They did make some odd choices. There was a LOT of character development toward the end, and I wasn't sure I went with them on all of it. But the ending, while being absolutely nothing that I expected, left me satisfied and thoughtful. I spent quite a bit of time that night thinking about what I'd do in that situation.
All in all, a really enjoyable read.
I was expecting something a little spooky, and this is not a spooky book. But it is strangely compelling and weirdly twisted, and Jerkins maintains a perfect level of tension throughout. I caught myself almost wanting to yell at the book a couple of times, like you yell at the screen when the teenage girl in the horror movie runs up the stairs. "No, what are you thinking?!" To me, that's a good thing, it's a sign that I became invested in the characters, and started to see them as slightly more than fictional.
They did make some odd choices. There was a LOT of character development toward the end, and I wasn't sure I went with them on all of it. But the ending, while being absolutely nothing that I expected, left me satisfied and thoughtful. I spent quite a bit of time that night thinking about what I'd do in that situation.
All in all, a really enjoyable read.
October 27, 2012
I won this book in First Reads. I highly recommend this book to readers who love fast-paced unsentimental writing about crime, especially crimes involving profoundly ordinary people.
The great strengths of this novel are the spare, yet thorough, characterization and the relentless pace. The cumulative effect is like a sledgehammer.
This book reminds me a lot of stories by James M. Cain. In fact,
the way this story plays out is what I would imagine would have happened to Walter and Phyllis, from the film 'Double Indemnity,' if they hadn't killed each other.
'Functional' drunk, Helen, winds up in AA after killing a woman in a hit-and-run accident during a blackout, expertly covering it up, and failing in an attempt to kill herself. As part of her 12 step program, the ninth step requires her to make amends to those she's wronged. She decides to make it up to the widower, Edgar, by replacing his dead wife in his life. Of course, someone knows the truth, and begins to blackmail her.
I will be reading more from this author.
The great strengths of this novel are the spare, yet thorough, characterization and the relentless pace. The cumulative effect is like a sledgehammer.
This book reminds me a lot of stories by James M. Cain. In fact,
the way this story plays out is what I would imagine would have happened to Walter and Phyllis, from the film 'Double Indemnity,' if they hadn't killed each other.
'Functional' drunk, Helen, winds up in AA after killing a woman in a hit-and-run accident during a blackout, expertly covering it up, and failing in an attempt to kill herself. As part of her 12 step program, the ninth step requires her to make amends to those she's wronged. She decides to make it up to the widower, Edgar, by replacing his dead wife in his life. Of course, someone knows the truth, and begins to blackmail her.
I will be reading more from this author.
October 7, 2012
I loved Grant Jerkins' first two books, so I was excited to find out a new one was on the way. I bought it when it came out, and even though I wanted to finish the book I was in the middle of before beginning The Ninth Step, I lasted about a day before giving in. I knew it would be a fun read, and it was. I don't know where Jerkins' gets his ideas, but his books are so original and include just the right amount of dark and twisted "stuff." As I read this one, I was reminded of the woman who hit a pedestrian and drove home with him stuck in her windshield, alive, and left him there for a couple of days until he died. Unfortunately, that's a true story, but Jerkins could have written it. It also makes me so happy to read a mystery/crime book that isn't part of a series.
March 3, 2015
Came across this while weeding the Mysteries at my library. Fairly predictable; not a true mystery in the sense of trying to figure out "who done it". The author actually does quite a bit of leading and obvious foreshadowing. There's a small twist at the end, though a careful reader would have suspected it. The moral questions the story raises would make for interesting discussion topics - revenge, making amends, cause-and-effect, chaos and the "butterfly" theory.
Overall, a fast-paced, enjoyable read.
Overall, a fast-paced, enjoyable read.
June 19, 2012
The Ninth Step is quirky, dark, well written and definitely different. I just wish I could have liked the main characters. I felt sorry for Edgar at first but by the end of the book I really didn't like either he or Helen - but, I also couldn't stop reading until the end.
I think this is more of a man's book. I just couldn't get over my feelings about Helen long enough to enjoy the wicked trail of deceit and twists and turns that Jerkins created.
I think this is more of a man's book. I just couldn't get over my feelings about Helen long enough to enjoy the wicked trail of deceit and twists and turns that Jerkins created.
September 2, 2013
4.5 stars. I love this author. His first book is one of my all-time favorites. This book may not be for everyone but I love Jerkins' writing, turn of phrase, sardonicism, and darkness. I didn't love how the book ended and thought it strained credulity with one of the main characters but I loved it anyone and just really truly enjoy his work no matter what happens with the characters and whether or not I find it realistic (which it wan't by the way :-)
July 4, 2013
I was a fan of "A Simple Crime" so I thought I would check this out and I am glad I did. Excellent writing, solid characters, and more twists that bag of pretzels! Very entertaining read and it pulls you in and doesn't let go.
The only possible downside I can see is some people may have trouble liking the characters. All of them are flawed and not always likable, which makes them seem so real.
Check this one out, you won't regret it!
The only possible downside I can see is some people may have trouble liking the characters. All of them are flawed and not always likable, which makes them seem so real.
Check this one out, you won't regret it!
June 12, 2016
I thought this book was well written - in fact, I had trouble putting it down. I love a good mystery and a twist at the end that I never expected. Well done! I love the character of Edgar Woolrich - he's a methodical person, bordering on being OCD. He's a regular guy with just enough quirks to make him interesting. The tragedy that sets this story in motion will linger with you for a while. I highly recommend this book.
December 30, 2012
Another solid read from one of my favorite authors. The story starts out really strong. I couldn't put the book down for the first 2/3, but then it lulls a little toward the end. Not a big fan of the direction the characters went, but that's the thing about Grant's books: You never know what to expect. Now I wait for his next book . . . tick tock.
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