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Hank Madden #2
The Big Exit
Carnoy follows his 2010 debut, Knife Music, with a thriller set in California’s Silicon Valley that has it all: a convoluted but convincing plot, a likable protagonist facing terrible odds, and a meaty supporting cast working for and against him.
While Richie Foreman served seven years in prison for vehicular manslaughter, the friend he claims was actually behind the wheel, Mark McGregor, not only achieved success as “a hotshot Internet entrepreneur” but also married Richie’s former fiancée, Beth Hill.
When Beth finds Mark’s bloody body on the floor of the garage of their pricey Menlo Park home, she and Richie become natural suspects in Mark’s murder. Evidence suggests that Richie was at least involved in the killing. While troubled lawyer Carolyn Dupuy represents Beth, and charismatic Marty Lowenstein (aka “the DNA Dude”) defends Richie, local legend Det. Sgt. Hank Madden seeks definitive proof of Richie’s guilt.
This exceptionally satisfying murder puzzle should whet readers’ appetites for more.
--Publishers Weekly
While Richie Foreman served seven years in prison for vehicular manslaughter, the friend he claims was actually behind the wheel, Mark McGregor, not only achieved success as “a hotshot Internet entrepreneur” but also married Richie’s former fiancée, Beth Hill.
When Beth finds Mark’s bloody body on the floor of the garage of their pricey Menlo Park home, she and Richie become natural suspects in Mark’s murder. Evidence suggests that Richie was at least involved in the killing. While troubled lawyer Carolyn Dupuy represents Beth, and charismatic Marty Lowenstein (aka “the DNA Dude”) defends Richie, local legend Det. Sgt. Hank Madden seeks definitive proof of Richie’s guilt.
This exceptionally satisfying murder puzzle should whet readers’ appetites for more.
--Publishers Weekly
320 pages, Hardcover
First published October 11, 2012
30 people are currently reading
803 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 165 reviews
May 17, 2017
Thank you to my Goodreads friend Elyse for sending this to me during a book exchange (she got Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster in return). Sorry it took me so long to get to it!
I really enjoyed this book. One thing I try to do when I have a book on tap is avoid reading anything about it. Because of this, I was pleasantly surprised by the plot and got much more than I was expecting. Yup . . . it sat on my shelf for 2 years and I had no idea what it was about (and, I don't really feel like the cover represents the content, either. Not a complaint, just an observation)
The best way I can describe it is that it has the feel of a hard boiled mystery set in modern day. It has lots of the same clever dialogue and unique characters, but instead of rotary phones, they have cell phones. Instead of a magnifying glass, they have DNA analysis. I think if your are a fan of Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler, and don't mind the cyber age additions, you will enjoy this one.
Oh, and did I mention there is a Sinatra impersonator?
I really enjoyed this book. One thing I try to do when I have a book on tap is avoid reading anything about it. Because of this, I was pleasantly surprised by the plot and got much more than I was expecting. Yup . . . it sat on my shelf for 2 years and I had no idea what it was about (and, I don't really feel like the cover represents the content, either. Not a complaint, just an observation)
The best way I can describe it is that it has the feel of a hard boiled mystery set in modern day. It has lots of the same clever dialogue and unique characters, but instead of rotary phones, they have cell phones. Instead of a magnifying glass, they have DNA analysis. I think if your are a fan of Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler, and don't mind the cyber age additions, you will enjoy this one.
Oh, and did I mention there is a Sinatra impersonator?
June 29, 2017
The Big Exit by David Carnoy is a solid whodunit murder mystery! Carnoy did a fantastic job developing these engaging characters in a high-tech Silicon Valley setting. The story hooks you in from the start - all the twists and turns will keep you guessing until the end.
I want to thank my Goodreads friend Matthew for the book recommendation!
I want to thank my Goodreads friend Matthew for the book recommendation!
December 26, 2012
I'd rate this a 4.5-star book.
I read a lot of mysteries/thrillers, and while I don't always figure everything out every time, I love books that have enough plot twists to keep me guessing without throwing out red herrings all over the place. David Carnoy's The Big Exit didn't let up the entire time, and although I saw a few things coming, I still thought this was a pretty great read.
It seemed like Richie Forman had it all—a successful career in marketing, a beautiful fiancée, and a terrific singing voice. Driving home with his best friend, Mark, following an impromptu bachelor party, they were involved in a terrible car crash that killed a young woman. Richie swore he wasn't driving; in fact, he remembered falling asleep in the passenger's seat, despite all of the evidence to the contrary, including his friend's testimony. His engagement ended when he was sent to prison, where he encountered some unspeakable incidents, and his former fiancé married his old best friend.
When Richie got out of prison, he started looking for a job to supplement the income he earned as a Frank Sinatra impersonator. Then Mark is murdered, and Richie is the prime suspect, although the police also suspect Mark's wife, Beth. As Richie tries to clear his name, the evidence mounts, as does his suspicion that Beth was trying to set him up. The more digging he and the police do into the case, the more the twists keep coming, until no one is quite sure just what happened the day Mark was murdered.
David Carnoy is a terrific storyteller, juxtaposing creative plot development with some really fascinating twists, as well as complex characters. Thanks to some serious insomnia, I read the entire book in a day, and it definitely is a fast and satisfying read. Richie is a fascinating character, and as the action unfolded, I was surprised quite a bit when something different than what I expected happened. I did keep forgetting how old the characters were; they all seemed much older than they truly were, so I had to keep adjusting the pictures in my head.
I'm not sure if this was the case with the print version of the book, but the e-book version of this book was one of the most poorly edited things I've ever read. Spelling and grammatical errors were plentiful, as were mistakes in characters' names and other facts, so I found it a bit distracting. But other than that, I really enjoyed this book, and would highly recommend it to fans of suspense novels.
I read a lot of mysteries/thrillers, and while I don't always figure everything out every time, I love books that have enough plot twists to keep me guessing without throwing out red herrings all over the place. David Carnoy's The Big Exit didn't let up the entire time, and although I saw a few things coming, I still thought this was a pretty great read.
It seemed like Richie Forman had it all—a successful career in marketing, a beautiful fiancée, and a terrific singing voice. Driving home with his best friend, Mark, following an impromptu bachelor party, they were involved in a terrible car crash that killed a young woman. Richie swore he wasn't driving; in fact, he remembered falling asleep in the passenger's seat, despite all of the evidence to the contrary, including his friend's testimony. His engagement ended when he was sent to prison, where he encountered some unspeakable incidents, and his former fiancé married his old best friend.
When Richie got out of prison, he started looking for a job to supplement the income he earned as a Frank Sinatra impersonator. Then Mark is murdered, and Richie is the prime suspect, although the police also suspect Mark's wife, Beth. As Richie tries to clear his name, the evidence mounts, as does his suspicion that Beth was trying to set him up. The more digging he and the police do into the case, the more the twists keep coming, until no one is quite sure just what happened the day Mark was murdered.
David Carnoy is a terrific storyteller, juxtaposing creative plot development with some really fascinating twists, as well as complex characters. Thanks to some serious insomnia, I read the entire book in a day, and it definitely is a fast and satisfying read. Richie is a fascinating character, and as the action unfolded, I was surprised quite a bit when something different than what I expected happened. I did keep forgetting how old the characters were; they all seemed much older than they truly were, so I had to keep adjusting the pictures in my head.
I'm not sure if this was the case with the print version of the book, but the e-book version of this book was one of the most poorly edited things I've ever read. Spelling and grammatical errors were plentiful, as were mistakes in characters' names and other facts, so I found it a bit distracting. But other than that, I really enjoyed this book, and would highly recommend it to fans of suspense novels.
November 29, 2012
Whodunit 'this' time?
I've now read 'both' books by David Carnoy......'whom'.....is a natural storyteller.
BOTH books are FUN --fast reads...
I liked "Knife Music" a 'touch' better the "The big Exit' (only because of personal taste in the plot)
Knife Music was more Medical-thriller --(with a hot doctor, cute teenage girls...etc.): and I am 'female'.
where as The big Exit is more 'Digial-High Tech' thriller...(a good read for the IT wizards in Silicon Valley). I'm 'computer' challenged....lol (so the 'tech-chat would always go over my head) --ha ha ---but not to fear---I still got much out of this 2nd gem.
Its also fun to read about books in my home town ---(David is great at this)
He could write about the Private High School 'wars' & drama' -and- 'stress' in this area. (our daughters could contribute 'data')... lol
I hope to see David speak tonight at Kepler's (having second thoughts as I've had such little sleep the past two nights). Looking for a driver?.....lol
I've now read 'both' books by David Carnoy......'whom'.....is a natural storyteller.
BOTH books are FUN --fast reads...
I liked "Knife Music" a 'touch' better the "The big Exit' (only because of personal taste in the plot)
Knife Music was more Medical-thriller --(with a hot doctor, cute teenage girls...etc.): and I am 'female'.
where as The big Exit is more 'Digial-High Tech' thriller...(a good read for the IT wizards in Silicon Valley). I'm 'computer' challenged....lol (so the 'tech-chat would always go over my head) --ha ha ---but not to fear---I still got much out of this 2nd gem.
Its also fun to read about books in my home town ---(David is great at this)
He could write about the Private High School 'wars' & drama' -and- 'stress' in this area. (our daughters could contribute 'data')... lol
I hope to see David speak tonight at Kepler's (having second thoughts as I've had such little sleep the past two nights). Looking for a driver?.....lol
February 26, 2022
The Big Exit - David Carnoy
2,5/5
متوقعة ولا تقدم شيئًا مميزًا..
2,5/5
متوقعة ولا تقدم شيئًا مميزًا..
February 7, 2013
I really loved this book. This is Carnoy's second thriller but the first I've read and I'm hooked. He is an executive editor at CNET and regularly interviewed on television as a tech expert. With that background you might think his novels would appeal only to techies but you would be wrong. This is a complex plot, masterfully told, that pulled me in and held me firmly until the end. I'm sort of the opposite of a techie but I understood and followed everything.
The characters either just get to you, like hero Richie Forman, or you are fascinated because you can't figure out which side they're on, like for instance his ex-fiance and sudden widow Beth McGregor. Forman is an ex-con and the reason he served time is the necessary background to the whole story. It involves a traffic accident in which a woman was killed. At the time Forman was engaged to Beth but when he went to prison on the basis of Mark McGregor's testimony that Forman was driving, Beth married McGregor. You can see there are all kinds of emotions involved here, and a mystery. Just who was actually driving?
Now Forman is out and understandably having a tough time finding a job. He is a great Frank Sinatra impersonator so he's eking out a living in a night club. Then he scores a job at an organization that works pro bono for people who have been wrongly convicted of crimes. He's on a trial basis when McGregor is found beaten to death and Forman is arrested for murder.
That's all I can tell you without giving away too much but I wanted to get you into the story enough that you would want to find out what happens because I don't want you to miss this book. Sorry for the gushing. I'm just impressed with this author and his writing style and his characters.
Highly recommended reading
Source: The Overlook Press through Partners in Crime Tours
The characters either just get to you, like hero Richie Forman, or you are fascinated because you can't figure out which side they're on, like for instance his ex-fiance and sudden widow Beth McGregor. Forman is an ex-con and the reason he served time is the necessary background to the whole story. It involves a traffic accident in which a woman was killed. At the time Forman was engaged to Beth but when he went to prison on the basis of Mark McGregor's testimony that Forman was driving, Beth married McGregor. You can see there are all kinds of emotions involved here, and a mystery. Just who was actually driving?
Now Forman is out and understandably having a tough time finding a job. He is a great Frank Sinatra impersonator so he's eking out a living in a night club. Then he scores a job at an organization that works pro bono for people who have been wrongly convicted of crimes. He's on a trial basis when McGregor is found beaten to death and Forman is arrested for murder.
That's all I can tell you without giving away too much but I wanted to get you into the story enough that you would want to find out what happens because I don't want you to miss this book. Sorry for the gushing. I'm just impressed with this author and his writing style and his characters.
Highly recommended reading
Source: The Overlook Press through Partners in Crime Tours
January 23, 2018
A fast paced mystery that I tended to wander away from far too many times... i listened to audio, when one wanders you miss too much, I wandered because this book took place where I grew up, ALL OF IT... every street mentioned, my high school, country club, shopping center, my husband's home town, I just was reliving my youth, but the story kept rolling along without me... when you hold a book you don't miss a sentence, paragraph, heck probably a page or two, thus the enjoyment slips for me, I am not sharply focused on who dunnit! This may have been a five for all the wandering I did... I also stared at the cover too much, I have owned the kindle for a long time, I never even knew there was a face there, I was more hell bent on seeing ca/nv border through the circuits 😉
February 28, 2013
Mysteries are one of the trickiest stories to tell, especially these days. Throw in technology, procedure and the fact we are basically spoon fed crime drama’s throughout popular media it makes it even harder to present a truly outstanding and gripping tale. David Carnoy has done it with this book. It was three-hundred plus pages of non stop, breath-holding action. The characters were easily embraced and so well fleshed out you felt like you were a fly on the wall in every scene.
It could easily be coined a dot.com murder mystery, except the murder mystery is just one thing going on in the book. It is the anchor for everything else going on, the aging detective, the depressed and confused trophy wife (who also happens to be the lead suspect in the cases ex-fiance). Oh and the lawyer who is introduced to us while trying to inject herself with hormones for invitro. There are many other characters who you fall in love with or at least love to despise, including the dead guy!
The story flows back and forth in time and place with such ease and no jarring effect I was never confused at what was going on! Well wait, that is not entirely true, I saw a few things coming but most of the time Carnoy had me hopping trying to figure out all the pieces in this huge puzzle which stretched from the Valley to the Bay.
One of my big pet peeves with story telling these days is name dropping tech devices or items which will end up dating the book later down the road. I few mystery writers have done that and it kills the read a decade from now. I do not think this will be the case with The Big Exit. Only in a San Fransisco based criminal mystery do we have cops where the station has gone green and they use iPads instead of paper and the statement will last as long as the book does. There were many items and procedures being used where are ground breaking in today’s crime solving and with the book centered around the founders of some huge dot.com and internet start up companies, it makes perfect sense to include them.
As I mentioned this is not just a story about a murder, this is a story about today’s world, how small it really is with the internet and social media. How anyone and everyone can make an impact with a few strokes of the keys and some clever marketing. But it has a price, just as everything does, the real question is can any of us, including all in the book, truly survive it? One didn’t and he was tagged in blood as a hack. His ex-partner from a decade before who claims he was innocent of a prior crime but still ending up serving almost a decade is now facing charges of murder to the only one who knew the truth about that night.
Extenuating Circumstances define so many folks lives in this book. Past crimes, marriages still on going instead of dissolving, a leave of absence and relationship, an extra glass of wine or two or three and staying on the job… Everyone has reasons and circumstances! It was such a great read and I definitely will be picking up David’s other novel, Knife Music. I highly recommend this book to anyone who thinks they are hard pressed to be stumped with a mystery and who is not afraid to dive a bit deeper in the characters lives, as well as their own.
4 out of 5 floppy discs!
It could easily be coined a dot.com murder mystery, except the murder mystery is just one thing going on in the book. It is the anchor for everything else going on, the aging detective, the depressed and confused trophy wife (who also happens to be the lead suspect in the cases ex-fiance). Oh and the lawyer who is introduced to us while trying to inject herself with hormones for invitro. There are many other characters who you fall in love with or at least love to despise, including the dead guy!
The story flows back and forth in time and place with such ease and no jarring effect I was never confused at what was going on! Well wait, that is not entirely true, I saw a few things coming but most of the time Carnoy had me hopping trying to figure out all the pieces in this huge puzzle which stretched from the Valley to the Bay.
One of my big pet peeves with story telling these days is name dropping tech devices or items which will end up dating the book later down the road. I few mystery writers have done that and it kills the read a decade from now. I do not think this will be the case with The Big Exit. Only in a San Fransisco based criminal mystery do we have cops where the station has gone green and they use iPads instead of paper and the statement will last as long as the book does. There were many items and procedures being used where are ground breaking in today’s crime solving and with the book centered around the founders of some huge dot.com and internet start up companies, it makes perfect sense to include them.
As I mentioned this is not just a story about a murder, this is a story about today’s world, how small it really is with the internet and social media. How anyone and everyone can make an impact with a few strokes of the keys and some clever marketing. But it has a price, just as everything does, the real question is can any of us, including all in the book, truly survive it? One didn’t and he was tagged in blood as a hack. His ex-partner from a decade before who claims he was innocent of a prior crime but still ending up serving almost a decade is now facing charges of murder to the only one who knew the truth about that night.
Extenuating Circumstances define so many folks lives in this book. Past crimes, marriages still on going instead of dissolving, a leave of absence and relationship, an extra glass of wine or two or three and staying on the job… Everyone has reasons and circumstances! It was such a great read and I definitely will be picking up David’s other novel, Knife Music. I highly recommend this book to anyone who thinks they are hard pressed to be stumped with a mystery and who is not afraid to dive a bit deeper in the characters lives, as well as their own.
4 out of 5 floppy discs!
July 24, 2017
I listened to this book on audio at the recommendation of a friend. I found the narrator did a nice job and that the story was likable. It was not too heavy and the ending had a nice twist to it that I did not see coming. I even found it witty at times. Just what I needed for a road trip. Not amazing, but just right.
My rating: 3.5 stars
My rating: 3.5 stars
June 20, 2017
This was a very entertaining read and I didn't have anything figured out. Nicely done.
January 19, 2013
Richie Forman was once a promising marketing executive, when his career and life were derailed because he and his partner Mark MacGregor got into a car accident in which a woman was killed and another severely injured. Forman, who was drunk at the time, claimed that he was not driving, even though he was found in the driver's seat. He said that MacGregor was driving. Unconvinced, the jury sent him to jail.
Now he is out of prison and struggling to put the pieces of his life together. He has a gig singing Sinatra songs at a local club, and convinces the Exoneration Foundation, a legal firm headed by Marty Lowenstein, which specializes in using DNA evidence to free people wrongly convicted, to hire him as a mail room employee and screener of prisoner's mail asking the Foundation for help.
Carolyn DuPuy, the prosecutor, who put him in jail, has just broken up for the second time from her long term doctor boyfriend, and is trying to get pregnant with donated sperm. Now a private lawyer she has has been put on leave by her law firm because she has been hitting the bottle too much.
Beth Hill, Richie Forman's lover from when the accident occurred, ultimately married MacGregor while Forman is in jail. She lives with him in a palatial home. MacGregor has made a bunch of money with several internet projects.
All of their lives once again collide, when MacGregor is found by Hill dead in the garage of her house. Hill calls Dupuy when the police arrive fearing that they will suspect her of killing MacGregor. All was not rosy in her relationship with MacGregor. Plus she spent some time with Forman the day of the murder. Also, it appears that MacGregor was suspicious of his beautiful wife, and had her car and phone bugged.
Meanwhile Detective Hank Madden, who arrested Forman for the car accident, immediately suspects that Forman was involved, a suspicion which is buttressed when Forman's prints appear at the MacGregor house and a piece of evidence belonging to Forman is found near MacGregor's body.
Who killed Mark MacGregor. Was it Richie Forman, who still claims that his former partner framed him for murder? Was it Beth Hill, who was in a love hate relationship with MacGregor? Why are two big guys following Forman?
As Madden tracks down leads in the case, Marty Lowenstein, arrives to represent Forman. Lowenstein's specialty is DNA, but his young assistant Ashley has convinced him that Forman's injuries from the original car accident are inconsistent with the injuries that a driver would receive. If Forman was framed by MacGregor once, maybe he is not guilty of this murder.
This almost classic who-done-it is a real page turner and the ending is very convincing. The characters, with the possible exception of Beth Hill, all seem very real.
Its a very good read.
Now he is out of prison and struggling to put the pieces of his life together. He has a gig singing Sinatra songs at a local club, and convinces the Exoneration Foundation, a legal firm headed by Marty Lowenstein, which specializes in using DNA evidence to free people wrongly convicted, to hire him as a mail room employee and screener of prisoner's mail asking the Foundation for help.
Carolyn DuPuy, the prosecutor, who put him in jail, has just broken up for the second time from her long term doctor boyfriend, and is trying to get pregnant with donated sperm. Now a private lawyer she has has been put on leave by her law firm because she has been hitting the bottle too much.
Beth Hill, Richie Forman's lover from when the accident occurred, ultimately married MacGregor while Forman is in jail. She lives with him in a palatial home. MacGregor has made a bunch of money with several internet projects.
All of their lives once again collide, when MacGregor is found by Hill dead in the garage of her house. Hill calls Dupuy when the police arrive fearing that they will suspect her of killing MacGregor. All was not rosy in her relationship with MacGregor. Plus she spent some time with Forman the day of the murder. Also, it appears that MacGregor was suspicious of his beautiful wife, and had her car and phone bugged.
Meanwhile Detective Hank Madden, who arrested Forman for the car accident, immediately suspects that Forman was involved, a suspicion which is buttressed when Forman's prints appear at the MacGregor house and a piece of evidence belonging to Forman is found near MacGregor's body.
Who killed Mark MacGregor. Was it Richie Forman, who still claims that his former partner framed him for murder? Was it Beth Hill, who was in a love hate relationship with MacGregor? Why are two big guys following Forman?
As Madden tracks down leads in the case, Marty Lowenstein, arrives to represent Forman. Lowenstein's specialty is DNA, but his young assistant Ashley has convinced him that Forman's injuries from the original car accident are inconsistent with the injuries that a driver would receive. If Forman was framed by MacGregor once, maybe he is not guilty of this murder.
This almost classic who-done-it is a real page turner and the ending is very convincing. The characters, with the possible exception of Beth Hill, all seem very real.
Its a very good read.
January 5, 2013
I have read a lot of Crime/Thriller novels over the past 6 months and while this wasn't my favorite, it did keep me turning pages right to the end. It reminded me a little of Gone Girl, plot wise, but I didn't hate myself for wasting time when I was done with it like I did with Gone Girl! I also finished this one much faster.
Richie is fresh out of prison and trying to make a fresh start when he finds himself accused of killing his former best friend. This former best friend married Richie's ex-fiance while he was in prison for a crime he believes he didn't commit. In real time, the time from the murder to the resolution is relatively short, but we have scenes that go all the way back to when Richie starts working for the Exoneration Foundation. I think that the flashback scenes were nice and they helped to tell the story, but I had a hard time with the tense change as we went from past to present. It's probably not something that will bother most people, but for some reason it did me. In fact it may not even be noticeable to some, I am just really weird about stuff like this when I am reading!
I will say, that while I liked the story I never fully connected to any of the characters. They were likable enough, but there was something that kept me just outside of the story throughout the whole book. I kind of feel like I just got to know them on the surface and it never went any deeper than that. I liked the (minor) character of Ashley the best, but she isn't explored in any depth at all since she was just a bit player in the story. I know that this is somewhat of a sequel to Knife Music, which I haven't read, so that may be why I didn't get some of the characters. There is a character, a lawyer, who is starting fertility treatments and there is a whole chapter devoted to her injections, etc...and then it's not really explored further. These types of things may be connected to the first book. I don't particularly feel the need to read the other book though.
All in all, it's a pretty fast paced read and there are some twists that you will see coming and some you won't. I like that it had a nice tidy ending! If you like thrillers, detective novels or anything about Silicon Valley then you may want to give this book a try. It's not a read again book for me, but I did enjoy it!
Richie is fresh out of prison and trying to make a fresh start when he finds himself accused of killing his former best friend. This former best friend married Richie's ex-fiance while he was in prison for a crime he believes he didn't commit. In real time, the time from the murder to the resolution is relatively short, but we have scenes that go all the way back to when Richie starts working for the Exoneration Foundation. I think that the flashback scenes were nice and they helped to tell the story, but I had a hard time with the tense change as we went from past to present. It's probably not something that will bother most people, but for some reason it did me. In fact it may not even be noticeable to some, I am just really weird about stuff like this when I am reading!
I will say, that while I liked the story I never fully connected to any of the characters. They were likable enough, but there was something that kept me just outside of the story throughout the whole book. I kind of feel like I just got to know them on the surface and it never went any deeper than that. I liked the (minor) character of Ashley the best, but she isn't explored in any depth at all since she was just a bit player in the story. I know that this is somewhat of a sequel to Knife Music, which I haven't read, so that may be why I didn't get some of the characters. There is a character, a lawyer, who is starting fertility treatments and there is a whole chapter devoted to her injections, etc...and then it's not really explored further. These types of things may be connected to the first book. I don't particularly feel the need to read the other book though.
All in all, it's a pretty fast paced read and there are some twists that you will see coming and some you won't. I like that it had a nice tidy ending! If you like thrillers, detective novels or anything about Silicon Valley then you may want to give this book a try. It's not a read again book for me, but I did enjoy it!
February 2, 2013
4.5 Stars
'The Big Exit' is a thrill-ride of twists and turns that keeps the reader on their toes throughout the entire novel. There are several layers within the plot that weave seamlessly together to create a web of intricate lies, deception, mystery, and even murder. What starts out looking like a horrible crime - a murder of a wealthy Internet businessman - quickly escalates as evidence connects people from the victim's past and a very public trial to the murder. At the heart of the novel is the victim's wife, Beth, who discovers her husband's body and quickly becomes ensnared in the ensuing investigation. Alongside Beth, we have other intriguing main characters: Richie Foreman, Beth's former fiance and the victim's old friend - who just happens to have been involved with them in the earlier homicide of a young woman and served prison time because of it. There is also Hank Madden, an older homicide detective who is determined to find the connection between these two crimes; Carolyn Dupuy, a lawyer who is representing the victim's wife; and Marty "the DNA Dude" Lowenstein, a local pro bono legend, who is representing Richie. All of these people must come together to uncover the truth about who killed Mark McGregor and why.
The writing was impeccable and had me captivated from the first paragraph. The plot slides effortlessly from past to present and easily entwines the varying perspectives of the characters as well as the different subplots throughout the book. The characters are very realistic and easy to identify with, but they were also written in a way that made the reader sympathize with them all while being suspicious of the truth. The book is a true mystery and had me guessing and second-guessing until the very end. I loved how there were so many different twists and turns and nothing was really how it seemed. There's tons of action and thrills along with real character interaction and incredible mounting tension until the truth explodes from the pages. Overall, I loved this book. It was a tantalizing thriller wrought with mystery and intrigue. I highly recommend it to lovers of puzzling mysteries and thrillers that keep you eagerly flipping the pages.
Disclosure: I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
'The Big Exit' is a thrill-ride of twists and turns that keeps the reader on their toes throughout the entire novel. There are several layers within the plot that weave seamlessly together to create a web of intricate lies, deception, mystery, and even murder. What starts out looking like a horrible crime - a murder of a wealthy Internet businessman - quickly escalates as evidence connects people from the victim's past and a very public trial to the murder. At the heart of the novel is the victim's wife, Beth, who discovers her husband's body and quickly becomes ensnared in the ensuing investigation. Alongside Beth, we have other intriguing main characters: Richie Foreman, Beth's former fiance and the victim's old friend - who just happens to have been involved with them in the earlier homicide of a young woman and served prison time because of it. There is also Hank Madden, an older homicide detective who is determined to find the connection between these two crimes; Carolyn Dupuy, a lawyer who is representing the victim's wife; and Marty "the DNA Dude" Lowenstein, a local pro bono legend, who is representing Richie. All of these people must come together to uncover the truth about who killed Mark McGregor and why.
The writing was impeccable and had me captivated from the first paragraph. The plot slides effortlessly from past to present and easily entwines the varying perspectives of the characters as well as the different subplots throughout the book. The characters are very realistic and easy to identify with, but they were also written in a way that made the reader sympathize with them all while being suspicious of the truth. The book is a true mystery and had me guessing and second-guessing until the very end. I loved how there were so many different twists and turns and nothing was really how it seemed. There's tons of action and thrills along with real character interaction and incredible mounting tension until the truth explodes from the pages. Overall, I loved this book. It was a tantalizing thriller wrought with mystery and intrigue. I highly recommend it to lovers of puzzling mysteries and thrillers that keep you eagerly flipping the pages.
Disclosure: I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
February 8, 2013
Let me tell you, NOTHING is as it seems in this mystery suspense novel. This was a fast paced story that circled around very well written characters, although they all seemed to be making fast and sure assumptions as to who was guilty of the murder of Mark MacGregor in the attached garage of his home with an ax-like tomahawk instrument. Ritchie Forman was an ex felon, had served his time and additional time for injuring an inmate during an unprovoked assault. Beth Hill MacGregor was Ritchie's ex fiancee' who ended up married to Mark when Ritchie was sent away for a crime Mark Committed rather than Ritchie. Carolyn DuPuy was the perfectly groomed and brilliant defense attorney hired by Beth Hill Macgregor and Marty Lowenstein was Ritchie's attorney, both smart and shifty!! Hank Madden was the point detective on this case and he was certain he had his man in
Ritchie Forman. Of course Ritchie had a few friends no one else had heard of, Ashley, his co-worker and her boyfriend! There were contradictions in just about everything they learned in this case and it caused a lot of niggling frustrations to surface and be reconsidered. I obviously watch too much television for these characters came to life from crime shows I have watched on t.v. I'm certain I have watched a Marty Lowenstein on Law & Order and that's who I pictured.
I read chapters from Carolyn's point of view and that of Beth and Ritchie too. Detective Madden spoke to me in his own chapters and I felt like I knew these characters intimately, but I did not have a clue until it was pointed out specifically what was behind it all; I'm usually better than that, but the author wrapped up all the loose ends and it all made sense in the end. It was an excellent read, ,mysterious and suspenseful, some rekindling of old feelings and very well developed friendships for Ritchie, the Sinatra Songster! One of the best mysteries of this year! Read it for yourself and enjoy!
Ritchie Forman. Of course Ritchie had a few friends no one else had heard of, Ashley, his co-worker and her boyfriend! There were contradictions in just about everything they learned in this case and it caused a lot of niggling frustrations to surface and be reconsidered. I obviously watch too much television for these characters came to life from crime shows I have watched on t.v. I'm certain I have watched a Marty Lowenstein on Law & Order and that's who I pictured.
I read chapters from Carolyn's point of view and that of Beth and Ritchie too. Detective Madden spoke to me in his own chapters and I felt like I knew these characters intimately, but I did not have a clue until it was pointed out specifically what was behind it all; I'm usually better than that, but the author wrapped up all the loose ends and it all made sense in the end. It was an excellent read, ,mysterious and suspenseful, some rekindling of old feelings and very well developed friendships for Ritchie, the Sinatra Songster! One of the best mysteries of this year! Read it for yourself and enjoy!
February 1, 2014
Mysteries are made in part by what the author doesn't tell us. In The Big Exit, David Carnoy lays out the mystery right at the start like an invitation into the spider's web. And unwittingly, I enter. So, a husband, murdered at home, and discovered by his wife. Prosaic enough, but, of course, nothing is what it seems. As the narrative progresses, the author parcels out twists and revelations that keep me reading, taking precious fiction time from other books on the queue.
The author uses a style of presentation that is based almost entirely on dialogue, and one of Carnoy's strengths as a novelist is the construction of his characters' conversations. Some of the characters do seem a little too voluble, as in the detective telling his main suspect details of the investigation, and the doctor who speaks of a patient's hospitalization in full HIPAA disregard. Nonetheless, with this technique, the narrative does zip along.
Having taken me, the reader, far along the story and committed to reading on to the very end, I thought the author owed me a big reveal. But I saw it coming way ahead of the story, and this may have spoiled the book for me.
There is promise in this sophomore effort. I would have given this 4 stars if the second half was as inveigling and tight as the first. Maybe I'll take a look at Carnoy's first novel for comparison. For now, I give this 2 stars.
The author uses a style of presentation that is based almost entirely on dialogue, and one of Carnoy's strengths as a novelist is the construction of his characters' conversations. Some of the characters do seem a little too voluble, as in the detective telling his main suspect details of the investigation, and the doctor who speaks of a patient's hospitalization in full HIPAA disregard. Nonetheless, with this technique, the narrative does zip along.
Having taken me, the reader, far along the story and committed to reading on to the very end, I thought the author owed me a big reveal. But I saw it coming way ahead of the story, and this may have spoiled the book for me.
There is promise in this sophomore effort. I would have given this 4 stars if the second half was as inveigling and tight as the first. Maybe I'll take a look at Carnoy's first novel for comparison. For now, I give this 2 stars.
April 25, 2014
Here we go again, another book that has been on my want to read list since December 6, 2012 and I have finally read it!
So, what can I say? This book is about a man trying to reclaim his life after spending years in prison for a vehicular murder he claimed to be innocent of. It was a bachelor party for Richie Forman that ended in an accident that took the life of an innocent woman. Richie claimed that his best friend, Mark McGregor, must have somehow put him in the driver’s seat after the accident, but no one believed him, not the investigator, not the prosecutor, not even the jury; so, instead of attending his wedding Richie ends up in jail and his fiancé ends up marrying his best friend.
When Richie gets out of jail, he starts doing gigs as a Sinatra impersonator; but his true goal is to get a job with the ‘DNA DUDE’ at the Exoneration Federation. He talks his way into the job, making friends with a young investigator, who wants to look into Richie’s case and his claim of innocence. Life for Richie is finally good, until two guys show up at apartment building stalking him and Mark McGregor ends up dead. Suddenly, the entire cast from Richie’s initial trial is thrown together in a wild race to find the truth.
Hurray for David Carnoy! Awesome Book! Twists and turns that were never expected lead this book to a 5 star rating!
So, what can I say? This book is about a man trying to reclaim his life after spending years in prison for a vehicular murder he claimed to be innocent of. It was a bachelor party for Richie Forman that ended in an accident that took the life of an innocent woman. Richie claimed that his best friend, Mark McGregor, must have somehow put him in the driver’s seat after the accident, but no one believed him, not the investigator, not the prosecutor, not even the jury; so, instead of attending his wedding Richie ends up in jail and his fiancé ends up marrying his best friend.
When Richie gets out of jail, he starts doing gigs as a Sinatra impersonator; but his true goal is to get a job with the ‘DNA DUDE’ at the Exoneration Federation. He talks his way into the job, making friends with a young investigator, who wants to look into Richie’s case and his claim of innocence. Life for Richie is finally good, until two guys show up at apartment building stalking him and Mark McGregor ends up dead. Suddenly, the entire cast from Richie’s initial trial is thrown together in a wild race to find the truth.
Hurray for David Carnoy! Awesome Book! Twists and turns that were never expected lead this book to a 5 star rating!
February 1, 2013
Have you ever been in the mood for a really great mystery that will keep you guessing and on the edge of your seat? Well, then, The Big Exit is the book for you! I thoroughly enjoyed this book! It is very well written with so many twists and turns that it will leave your head spinning. I don't want to talk about the plot because that would ruin it for readers. Let's just say you will be guessing until the end like me. The story is told through varying points of view. I liked that aspect of the book.
The characters in the book are compelling. I loved Richie. I felt so badly for him. Through the book, he professes his innocence in the crime in which he has spent years in prison . Now, he has been accused of murdering the man that he says should have gone to jail. I liked Richie so much, I wanted to believe him. I think any fan of murder mysteries will be a fan of this book. I haven't read Mr. Carnoy's first book, Knife Music, but I know I'll be adding it to my TBR pile!
The characters in the book are compelling. I loved Richie. I felt so badly for him. Through the book, he professes his innocence in the crime in which he has spent years in prison . Now, he has been accused of murdering the man that he says should have gone to jail. I liked Richie so much, I wanted to believe him. I think any fan of murder mysteries will be a fan of this book. I haven't read Mr. Carnoy's first book, Knife Music, but I know I'll be adding it to my TBR pile!
December 7, 2012
This book was absolutely fantastic! Fabulous character development-the characters were colorful but not over the top and were interesting throughout- and a super tight plot that was consistently interesting throughout. The only hiccup was there was one paragraph where the author was talking about "Hughes" being killed and the dead person's name was actually Ramos. Other than that this is a solid punch of a thriller/mystery. There are some cross over characters from his first novel Knife Music (?) so if you like to read books 100% in order than you may want to read that one first, not really necessary but just a suggestion. I have already bought his first one for my Nook and it is two down on my reading list. This is an author that I will eagerly anticipate reading again!
February 13, 2013
This is Carnoy's second novel but the first one I read, or rather listened to. (I mistakenly thought it was his first.) Although it isn't as bad as his first Knife Music (nothing NOTHING could be that bad!) it's bad enough. The plot scrambles all over the place, the twist isn't a twist so much as a "gotcha" with no foreshadowing.
It would be a lie to say this reads like poor first attempt or second attempt or nth attempt. It's just a poor book.
It would be a lie to say this reads like poor first attempt or second attempt or nth attempt. It's just a poor book.
March 19, 2016
This book started off so strong...and I'm disappointed that it seemed like it wanted the reader to go through dips and turns...make you think that you knew who the "killer" was...and then pull you in a totally different direction. I did assume that the wife was the killer, but...I don't want to spoil this for everyone else. It's one of those books where I expected more, and got so much less. The first half was excellent...but I'm not sure what happened.
June 11, 2017
A twist is only a killer twist when you don’t see it coming.
When you’re so seduced and comfortable and intrigued by the existing fictional landscape that you are plenty satisfied with the questions and the momentum of the story.
When you’re into the story but completely settled with all the existing parameters.
Right?
You’re so comfortable, in fact, that you aren’t thinking twist.
And, then, wham—gotcha.
By even starting out talking about the twist, I fear I’ll ruin the fun for others. It’s even difficult to review "The Big Exit" (such a doubly delicious title) without wanting to splatter all over the review space about what David Carnoy manages to pull off. But I’ll restrain myself.
"The Big Exit" is fun for lots of reasons long before, you know, that moment. Carnoy’s got an old-school Raymond Chandler vibe going with a story set in the dot-com world and Silicon Valley start-ups. At least, the set-up is old-school triangles and cover-ups. Love, greed, etcetera.
Richie Forman is our guy. He was big in dot-com marketing before the night of his own bachelor party, when he was arrested at the scene of a car crash that killed a young woman. With a high blood alcohol level, Richie gets arrested but he is pretty sure he wasn’t the one driving. He spends years in prison and while he’s behind bars his ex-fiancé takes up with the other guy who was in the car, his former best friend Mark McGregor. In fact, Beth Hill and Mark McGregor are married.
As "The Big Exit" starts Richie is looking to fill a job opening at The Exoneration Foundation, a firm dedicated to freeing innocent men from prison. He’s also making a living as a Frank Sinatra impersonator (a very colorful undercurrent throughout the book). But then McGregor turns up dead, with the word HACK scrawled in blood on the garage floor near his body. The cops quickly circle around both Richie and Beth as suspects and Carnoy gives good screen time to a full cast of interesting characters. There’s the prosecutor who put Richie away, the accident investigator, and a muckraking journalist who covers Silicon Valley, among others. Carnoy, who is executive editor of CNET, a website that reviews technology products, knows this turf well.
Carnoy shifts points of view, circles around, shows us different angles. The plot is one part legal caper, one part police procedural, and one part James M. Cain-ish darkness. Carnoy gives us plenty of Richie but the detectives and lawyers play a big role, too, and all the shifting keeps us nicely off balance. Detective Sergeant Hank Madden almost takes over the story. “In law-enforcement years, he’s ancient, a relic at sixty-two. After his promotion to detective sergeant last year, he retired the gold wire-framed, oversized glasses that his colleagues liked to suggest could be carbon-dated back to somewhere between the Disco and New Wave eras.” Madden has a drop foot from childhood polio but has a “minor act of heroism” that has come to define is career and he’s staying on at work beyond the point at which it makes financial sense, given potential retiree pay. It was Madden who was at the scene of the “Bachelor Disaster,” the case that would go to trial and end with a jury siding with McGregor, pinning the blame on Forman.
As the end comes down, Richie Forman with a splitting headache and his hands cuffed together around the legs of a sink in a laundry room, all hope is certainly lost and then, well, there are only a few pages left and you’re not going to stop before finishing this one.
"The Big Exit" is complex, memorable and fun. And forget I said anything about a twist.
When you’re so seduced and comfortable and intrigued by the existing fictional landscape that you are plenty satisfied with the questions and the momentum of the story.
When you’re into the story but completely settled with all the existing parameters.
Right?
You’re so comfortable, in fact, that you aren’t thinking twist.
And, then, wham—gotcha.
By even starting out talking about the twist, I fear I’ll ruin the fun for others. It’s even difficult to review "The Big Exit" (such a doubly delicious title) without wanting to splatter all over the review space about what David Carnoy manages to pull off. But I’ll restrain myself.
"The Big Exit" is fun for lots of reasons long before, you know, that moment. Carnoy’s got an old-school Raymond Chandler vibe going with a story set in the dot-com world and Silicon Valley start-ups. At least, the set-up is old-school triangles and cover-ups. Love, greed, etcetera.
Richie Forman is our guy. He was big in dot-com marketing before the night of his own bachelor party, when he was arrested at the scene of a car crash that killed a young woman. With a high blood alcohol level, Richie gets arrested but he is pretty sure he wasn’t the one driving. He spends years in prison and while he’s behind bars his ex-fiancé takes up with the other guy who was in the car, his former best friend Mark McGregor. In fact, Beth Hill and Mark McGregor are married.
As "The Big Exit" starts Richie is looking to fill a job opening at The Exoneration Foundation, a firm dedicated to freeing innocent men from prison. He’s also making a living as a Frank Sinatra impersonator (a very colorful undercurrent throughout the book). But then McGregor turns up dead, with the word HACK scrawled in blood on the garage floor near his body. The cops quickly circle around both Richie and Beth as suspects and Carnoy gives good screen time to a full cast of interesting characters. There’s the prosecutor who put Richie away, the accident investigator, and a muckraking journalist who covers Silicon Valley, among others. Carnoy, who is executive editor of CNET, a website that reviews technology products, knows this turf well.
Carnoy shifts points of view, circles around, shows us different angles. The plot is one part legal caper, one part police procedural, and one part James M. Cain-ish darkness. Carnoy gives us plenty of Richie but the detectives and lawyers play a big role, too, and all the shifting keeps us nicely off balance. Detective Sergeant Hank Madden almost takes over the story. “In law-enforcement years, he’s ancient, a relic at sixty-two. After his promotion to detective sergeant last year, he retired the gold wire-framed, oversized glasses that his colleagues liked to suggest could be carbon-dated back to somewhere between the Disco and New Wave eras.” Madden has a drop foot from childhood polio but has a “minor act of heroism” that has come to define is career and he’s staying on at work beyond the point at which it makes financial sense, given potential retiree pay. It was Madden who was at the scene of the “Bachelor Disaster,” the case that would go to trial and end with a jury siding with McGregor, pinning the blame on Forman.
As the end comes down, Richie Forman with a splitting headache and his hands cuffed together around the legs of a sink in a laundry room, all hope is certainly lost and then, well, there are only a few pages left and you’re not going to stop before finishing this one.
"The Big Exit" is complex, memorable and fun. And forget I said anything about a twist.
July 9, 2018
Great story! I didn't really see the ending coming, which is unusual for me lately since I read so many books and can anticipate so many story lines. I was pleasantly surprised. Very good storytelling and an interesting concept.
January 4, 2013
I thought I knew what was going on right away, then there was so much stuff thrown in to the mix, it kept me guessing all the way to the end. The characters wee well developed and quirky although not stereotypes, the archetypes come through strong. Sinatra impersonator gets out of prison, finds out his gilfriend has married his ex-partner but now the partner ends up dead. Wow - the who done it was well played.
May 22, 2013
David Carnoy is a new author for me as I haven't read his first book, "Knife Music." The Big Exit was a great thriller with believable characters. I will back-track to read "Knife Music" and wait hopefully for this author to write more and more of this quality of work. This was a really good, really well-written book.
April 3, 2013
I listened to this over the course of a few weeks while driving into work...my first experience with this writer and I really enjoyed it. The story line was intricate and the concept, while not novel, was modern electronic and techie. Good mystery with excellent character development.
March 12, 2013
Listened to this while skiing in Breckenridge and it was a blast! David Carnoy will definitely be on my future reading list. A great action packed adventure with terrific combo of characters. First rate thriller.
February 13, 2014
Listened to this book and thought it was a great read. If you enjoy mysteries and audiobooks give it a listen.
July 30, 2018
Run of the mill murder mystery. Not bad.
Apparently this is a second book in a series-- I didn't know that, and didn't feel like I was missing info.
Apparently this is a second book in a series-- I didn't know that, and didn't feel like I was missing info.
June 25, 2021
This was a 5 star read for me as far as thrillers go. Fast paced, no bs, nice twists, really enjoyable, yeah.
I have to say I once fell asleep while listening to the audiobook and woke up to a sentence, something like "an entity formerly known as..." and got like supernatural vibes from the book, which I thought was a bit of a let down, but I'm glad I stuck with it as it turned out to be a pretty classic whodunit mystery. Not too scary, I could listen to it at night (obviously).
And apropos of nothing, the voice / chill tone of Frank Madden character in the audiobook reminded me of Marcel Wallace from Pulp Fiction. Every time he said something it brought smile to my face.
Summary with *spoilers* ahead.
I have to say I once fell asleep while listening to the audiobook and woke up to a sentence, something like "an entity formerly known as..." and got like supernatural vibes from the book, which I thought was a bit of a let down, but I'm glad I stuck with it as it turned out to be a pretty classic whodunit mystery. Not too scary, I could listen to it at night (obviously).
And apropos of nothing, the voice / chill tone of Frank Madden character in the audiobook reminded me of Marcel Wallace from Pulp Fiction. Every time he said something it brought smile to my face.
Summary with *spoilers* ahead.
October 26, 2022
My overall feeling about the book was not as promising as most would have expected.
The story begins with Richie Forman being released from prison and looking for a job. All of a sudden his ex-best friend has been found brutally murdered in his garage. As Richie is known as the ex-best friend and is fresh out of prison, the cops identify Richie as the prime suspect immediately. Detective Madden also states that Beth Hill the fiance could be a suspect but is more leaned to Richie. The book ends with a twist I would have never expected.
The reason I rated this book 3/5 stars is because the book was very slow at times. This book also sounded much better in the book flap than the actual book itself. A couple of good things about this book are that The Big Exit always had you wanting to read more because there was always a cliffhanger around the corner. I mean, who doesn't love a suspenseful book? This book is very slow and worth the read if you are willing to read a slower-paced book. So overall 3/5 star rating.
The story begins with Richie Forman being released from prison and looking for a job. All of a sudden his ex-best friend has been found brutally murdered in his garage. As Richie is known as the ex-best friend and is fresh out of prison, the cops identify Richie as the prime suspect immediately. Detective Madden also states that Beth Hill the fiance could be a suspect but is more leaned to Richie. The book ends with a twist I would have never expected.
The reason I rated this book 3/5 stars is because the book was very slow at times. This book also sounded much better in the book flap than the actual book itself. A couple of good things about this book are that The Big Exit always had you wanting to read more because there was always a cliffhanger around the corner. I mean, who doesn't love a suspenseful book? This book is very slow and worth the read if you are willing to read a slower-paced book. So overall 3/5 star rating.
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