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The Devil and the River
When the rains came they found the girl's face. Just her face. At least that was how it appeared...
From the Richard & Judy Book Club-selected author of A QUIET BELIEF IN ANGELS. On a summer evening in 1954, 16-year-old Nancy Denton walked into the woods of her hometown of Whytesburg, Mississippi. She was never seen again. Two decades on, Sheriff John Gaines witnesses a harrowing discovery. A body has been unearthed from the riverbank, perfectly preserved, yet bearing evidence of a brutal ritualistic killing. Nancy has come home at last. Already haunted by his experiences in Vietnam, Gaines must now find out what really happened to the beautiful and vivacious Nancy. As he closes in on the truth, Gaines is forced to not only confront his own demons, but to unearth secrets that have long remained hidden. And that truth, so much darker than he could ever have imagined, may be the one thing that finally destroys him.
From the Richard & Judy Book Club-selected author of A QUIET BELIEF IN ANGELS. On a summer evening in 1954, 16-year-old Nancy Denton walked into the woods of her hometown of Whytesburg, Mississippi. She was never seen again. Two decades on, Sheriff John Gaines witnesses a harrowing discovery. A body has been unearthed from the riverbank, perfectly preserved, yet bearing evidence of a brutal ritualistic killing. Nancy has come home at last. Already haunted by his experiences in Vietnam, Gaines must now find out what really happened to the beautiful and vivacious Nancy. As he closes in on the truth, Gaines is forced to not only confront his own demons, but to unearth secrets that have long remained hidden. And that truth, so much darker than he could ever have imagined, may be the one thing that finally destroys him.
432 pages, Paperback
First published June 6, 2013
30 people are currently reading
655 people want to read
About the author
R.J. Ellory
51 books458 followersRoger began his first novel on November 4th, 1987 and did not stop, except for three days when he was going through a divorce from his first wife, until July of 1993. During this time he completed twenty-two novels, most of them in longhand, and accumulated several hundred polite and complimentary rejection letters from many different and varied publishers.
He stopped writing out of sheer frustration and did not start again for eight years.
In the early part of September 2001 he decided to start writing again. This decision was based on the realization that it was the only thing he had ever really wanted to do.
Between August 2001 and January 2002 he wrote three books, the second of which was called ‘Candlemoth’. This was purchased by Orion and published in 2003. ‘Candlemoth’ was translated into German, Dutch and Italian, and has now also been purchased for translation in numerous other languages. The book also secured a nomination on the shortlist for the Crime Writers’ Association Steel Dagger for Best Thriller 2003. His second book, ‘Ghostheart’, was released in 2004, and his third book, ‘A Quiet Vendetta’, was released in August 2005. In 2006 he published ‘City of Lies’, and once again secured a nomination for the CWA Steel Dagger for Best Thriller of that year. His fifth book – ‘A Quiet Belief In Angels’ - was published in August 2006, and in the latter part of the year it was selected for the phenomenally successful British TV equivalent of the Oprah Winfrey Book Club, the Richard and Judy Book Club.
‘A Quiet Belief In Angels’ went on to be shortlisted for the Barry Award for Best British Crime Fiction, the 813 Trophy, the Quebec Booksellers’ Prize, The Europeen Du Point Crime Fiction Prize, and was winner of the Inaugural Prix Roman Noir Nouvel Observateur. It has since been voted Best Thriller of 2009 in The Strand Magazine. The book was also optioned for film, and Roger has recently completed the screenplay for Oscar-winning French director, Olivier Dahan.
Following on from ‘A Quiet Belief In Angels’, Roger released ‘A Simple Act of Violence’, again securing a nomination for Best British Crime Fiction of 2008. In late 2009 he released ‘The Anniversary Man’ to rave reviews.
He stopped writing out of sheer frustration and did not start again for eight years.
In the early part of September 2001 he decided to start writing again. This decision was based on the realization that it was the only thing he had ever really wanted to do.
Between August 2001 and January 2002 he wrote three books, the second of which was called ‘Candlemoth’. This was purchased by Orion and published in 2003. ‘Candlemoth’ was translated into German, Dutch and Italian, and has now also been purchased for translation in numerous other languages. The book also secured a nomination on the shortlist for the Crime Writers’ Association Steel Dagger for Best Thriller 2003. His second book, ‘Ghostheart’, was released in 2004, and his third book, ‘A Quiet Vendetta’, was released in August 2005. In 2006 he published ‘City of Lies’, and once again secured a nomination for the CWA Steel Dagger for Best Thriller of that year. His fifth book – ‘A Quiet Belief In Angels’ - was published in August 2006, and in the latter part of the year it was selected for the phenomenally successful British TV equivalent of the Oprah Winfrey Book Club, the Richard and Judy Book Club.
‘A Quiet Belief In Angels’ went on to be shortlisted for the Barry Award for Best British Crime Fiction, the 813 Trophy, the Quebec Booksellers’ Prize, The Europeen Du Point Crime Fiction Prize, and was winner of the Inaugural Prix Roman Noir Nouvel Observateur. It has since been voted Best Thriller of 2009 in The Strand Magazine. The book was also optioned for film, and Roger has recently completed the screenplay for Oscar-winning French director, Olivier Dahan.
Following on from ‘A Quiet Belief In Angels’, Roger released ‘A Simple Act of Violence’, again securing a nomination for Best British Crime Fiction of 2008. In late 2009 he released ‘The Anniversary Man’ to rave reviews.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 105 reviews
March 18, 2018
A teenage girl is found brutally murdered half submerged in mud by the river. Sheriff John Gaines starts looking into missing persons reports since she cannot be recognized. What a shocker to find out that this girl has actually been missing for 20 years! But, it looks like it's been only days. How can that be?!
As he begins his investigation, Sheriff John Gaines finds there is so many lies and secrets that have been buried.
I have to say I was not that impressed with this mystery. I feel like it was something that I could have bypassed and another thriller to put on top of the pile. I don't like history in my novels at all and I feel like more then half of this book was about the Sheriff's time in the jungles of Vietnam. This was just too much and don't understand how this was part of the story. I wish the author would have just focused on the missing girl aspect.
I felt the book was very long and some of the sentences I felt kept running on and on? Again, I feel like I've been seeing a pattern in thriller/mysteries lately with being too LONG. The story can be quiet good without it dragging on! :(. In this case also, I feel like the author focusing so much on Sheriff Gaines previous experience in the Vietnam jungle took away from the actual plot. This was a bummer.
This feel short for me and overall 2 stars on this one.
Thank you to Netgalley and Overlook Press for granting my wish and providing an advanced arc in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Publication date: 3/6/18
Published to GR/Amazon: 3/17/18.
As he begins his investigation, Sheriff John Gaines finds there is so many lies and secrets that have been buried.
I have to say I was not that impressed with this mystery. I feel like it was something that I could have bypassed and another thriller to put on top of the pile. I don't like history in my novels at all and I feel like more then half of this book was about the Sheriff's time in the jungles of Vietnam. This was just too much and don't understand how this was part of the story. I wish the author would have just focused on the missing girl aspect.
I felt the book was very long and some of the sentences I felt kept running on and on? Again, I feel like I've been seeing a pattern in thriller/mysteries lately with being too LONG. The story can be quiet good without it dragging on! :(. In this case also, I feel like the author focusing so much on Sheriff Gaines previous experience in the Vietnam jungle took away from the actual plot. This was a bummer.
This feel short for me and overall 2 stars on this one.
Thank you to Netgalley and Overlook Press for granting my wish and providing an advanced arc in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Publication date: 3/6/18
Published to GR/Amazon: 3/17/18.
March 3, 2018
A teenage girl is found partially submerged in mud. She has been brutally murdered. Sheriff John Gaines immediately starts looking at any missing persons reports as no one recognizes her. Imagine his surprise when he learns that this girl went missing 20 years ago. She is perfectly preserved, looking as though it's only been days instead of years.
As he begins his investigation, he finds that there are decades of lies and secrets that need to be unearthed. The truth doesn't always set you free.
The crime portion of this book kept me turning pages. There were several suspects and I always appreciate a good who-dun-it. However, the first half of this book was more about the sheriff's time in the jungles of Vietnam. He saw things and did things many of us could never conceive of. While the author is a master of the English language, some of his sentences were longer than any letter I have ever written.
I found the book overlong, and much too wordy for my taste. Character development is always important to a story, but there comes a point when it can actually take away from the story rather than increase one's interest.
Many thanks to the author / The Overlook Press / Edelweiss for the advance digital copy. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
As he begins his investigation, he finds that there are decades of lies and secrets that need to be unearthed. The truth doesn't always set you free.
The crime portion of this book kept me turning pages. There were several suspects and I always appreciate a good who-dun-it. However, the first half of this book was more about the sheriff's time in the jungles of Vietnam. He saw things and did things many of us could never conceive of. While the author is a master of the English language, some of his sentences were longer than any letter I have ever written.
I found the book overlong, and much too wordy for my taste. Character development is always important to a story, but there comes a point when it can actually take away from the story rather than increase one's interest.
Many thanks to the author / The Overlook Press / Edelweiss for the advance digital copy. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
December 27, 2018
Een aanrader voor de thrillerfan, die nét iets meer wilt!
“Het kwaad en de rivier” - RJ Ellory
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Wat
Was
Dat? 😮
Wauw! Fantastisch, angstaanjagend boek! 447 pagina’s vol spanning, bedroefdheid, verwarring, intriges, familieperikelen en de dood... 🤯
Op de cover staat: “Schitterend en angstaanjagend. Een meesterwerk. - Michael Connelly”
#helemaaljuistdat! 😍
Het begint met 1 moord, 20 jaar geleden... Je kan je niet voorstellen wat daarna allemaal gebeurd bij de zoektocht naar de dader(s). 🤭
Fantastisch! En opnieuw een super verrassend einde! 😱
“Het kwaad en de rivier” - RJ Ellory
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Wat
Was
Dat? 😮
Wauw! Fantastisch, angstaanjagend boek! 447 pagina’s vol spanning, bedroefdheid, verwarring, intriges, familieperikelen en de dood... 🤯
Op de cover staat: “Schitterend en angstaanjagend. Een meesterwerk. - Michael Connelly”
#helemaaljuistdat! 😍
Het begint met 1 moord, 20 jaar geleden... Je kan je niet voorstellen wat daarna allemaal gebeurd bij de zoektocht naar de dader(s). 🤭
Fantastisch! En opnieuw een super verrassend einde! 😱
March 21, 2019
‘Sometimes the mind slipped its moorings.’
One summer evening in 1954, sixteen-year-old Nancy Denton walks into the woods of Whytesburg, Mississippi. She is never seen again, yet her mother still waits and hopes that she will return home. Two decades later, a young woman’s well-preserved body is unearthed from a riverbank. She has been brutally murdered. But by whom, and why? Sherriff John Gaines investigates. John Gaines has his own demons to face, and much of the first half of the story involves him attempting to piece together events from Nancy Denton’s past while ruminating on his own life. While this slows down the pace of the story, it helps bring the characters into much sharper relief in the second half.
‘Man, I tell you … sometimes the only certainty was that if you were killed today, you could not be killed tomorrow.’
It’s a dark story, and Nancy won’t be the only person whose death requires investigation by the end of it. There are ritualistic aspects to Nancy’s death which need explanation. While John Gaines’s is the main viewpoint, we also have some narrative from Maryanne Benedict (Nancy’s friend) recalling the events from the summer of 1954.
‘The memory of the dead is the greatest burden of all.’
Occasionally I became impatient, wanting the pace of the story to increase, wanting to get to the bottom of Nancy’s death. But towards the middle of the book I was fully engaged and unable to put it down.
This is the sixth novel I’ve read by Mr Ellory. I’ve enjoyed them all. My favourite (so far) is ‘Bad Signs’ but I still have a few more to read.
Recommended, if you enjoy dark mysteries and are prepared to invest the time to undertake the meandering journey required to appreciate the characters.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
One summer evening in 1954, sixteen-year-old Nancy Denton walks into the woods of Whytesburg, Mississippi. She is never seen again, yet her mother still waits and hopes that she will return home. Two decades later, a young woman’s well-preserved body is unearthed from a riverbank. She has been brutally murdered. But by whom, and why? Sherriff John Gaines investigates. John Gaines has his own demons to face, and much of the first half of the story involves him attempting to piece together events from Nancy Denton’s past while ruminating on his own life. While this slows down the pace of the story, it helps bring the characters into much sharper relief in the second half.
‘Man, I tell you … sometimes the only certainty was that if you were killed today, you could not be killed tomorrow.’
It’s a dark story, and Nancy won’t be the only person whose death requires investigation by the end of it. There are ritualistic aspects to Nancy’s death which need explanation. While John Gaines’s is the main viewpoint, we also have some narrative from Maryanne Benedict (Nancy’s friend) recalling the events from the summer of 1954.
‘The memory of the dead is the greatest burden of all.’
Occasionally I became impatient, wanting the pace of the story to increase, wanting to get to the bottom of Nancy’s death. But towards the middle of the book I was fully engaged and unable to put it down.
This is the sixth novel I’ve read by Mr Ellory. I’ve enjoyed them all. My favourite (so far) is ‘Bad Signs’ but I still have a few more to read.
Recommended, if you enjoy dark mysteries and are prepared to invest the time to undertake the meandering journey required to appreciate the characters.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
November 15, 2019
Having loved A Quiet Belief in Angels I was looking forward another RJ Ellory book but unfortunately this one didn't grab my attention as much. Found the plot and characters a bit flat.
There's too much Vietnam war back story which it was probably nice to some people but I wasn't in the right frame of mind for it.
There's too much Vietnam war back story which it was probably nice to some people but I wasn't in the right frame of mind for it.
February 5, 2018
On a summer evening in 1954, a sixteen-year-old girl named Nancy Denton walked into the woods near her home in Whytesburg, Mississippi. Twenty years later, on July 24th, 1974, a heavy rainstorm caused the riverbank to crumble revealing Nancy's almost perfectly preserved body... so begins The Devil and the River by R. J. Ellory.
The main focus of the story (at least in the first half) is Sheriff John Gaines, something of an outsider, trying to piece together what happened long ago. Trying to separate fact from fiction, legend from truth. Becoming more and more convinced that his investigation is turning into “a Southern f**king melodrama...that would put Tennessee Williams to shame.”
A battle hardened veteran of the Viet Nam War, Sheriff Gaines has seen some things, disturbing things, things he can't forget no matter how hard he tries, but nothing has prepared him for the discovery of the body of young Nancy Denton. Even after twenty years there are obvious signs of a brutal murder with ritualistic overtones.
In this small community not far from New Orleans where belief in the mystical, the unexplained, and the occult are strong the locals whisper of voodoo... grisgris ceremonies... sacrifices. There are some, the true believers, who feel “the devil has come to Whytesburg, Mississippi to collect a long owed debt.
About every fourth or fifth chapter of the book is told in the first person narrative from the point of view of Nancy's best friend, Maryanne Benedict, grown now and recounting the events of the summer that Nancy disappeared.
Sheriff John Gaines suffers from what we would today call PTSD. The initial focus of the investigation centers on a WWII veteran who has suffered even more than the sheriff from trauma experienced both during the war and since his return to civilian life. The author does a fine job of getting into the mindset of these men, painting a vivid “word picture” of their experiences and the resulting effects. The problem is that it becomes extremely redundant, redundant to the point of boredom. It's as if the writer is trying to drive home the point with a sledge hammer. How many times must we be reminded of “the nine circles of hell that was Viet Nam”?
At heart this is basically a good mystery novel.
The first half, which I almost gave up on and quit several times, is written in an almost stream of consciousness kind of way that gets downright mind numbing at times. Then...
Somewhere around the halfway point the story just comes alive. The characters - the same characters who have been there all along - suddenly become more real, people you can actually care about rather than just cardboard figures being moved about as needed. This novel is really like two books, the first half and the second half are so different it's almost as if there were two completely different writers at work. I have to wonder if the author intended it that way, as a way of showing how these long damaged people living colorless lives were somehow brought back to life by the horrible circumstances they are forced to confront. I don't really know.
I firmly believe that there is a five star book somewhere within these existing pages if a sharp eyed editor could get at it with an eye towards streamlining the overall story. If you manage to slog through the first half of this book you won't regret it, and if you give up on the book before you get there I wouldn't blame you a bit.
***Thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for allowing me the opportunity to read and review this title.
The main focus of the story (at least in the first half) is Sheriff John Gaines, something of an outsider, trying to piece together what happened long ago. Trying to separate fact from fiction, legend from truth. Becoming more and more convinced that his investigation is turning into “a Southern f**king melodrama...that would put Tennessee Williams to shame.”
A battle hardened veteran of the Viet Nam War, Sheriff Gaines has seen some things, disturbing things, things he can't forget no matter how hard he tries, but nothing has prepared him for the discovery of the body of young Nancy Denton. Even after twenty years there are obvious signs of a brutal murder with ritualistic overtones.
In this small community not far from New Orleans where belief in the mystical, the unexplained, and the occult are strong the locals whisper of voodoo... grisgris ceremonies... sacrifices. There are some, the true believers, who feel “the devil has come to Whytesburg, Mississippi to collect a long owed debt.
About every fourth or fifth chapter of the book is told in the first person narrative from the point of view of Nancy's best friend, Maryanne Benedict, grown now and recounting the events of the summer that Nancy disappeared.
Sheriff John Gaines suffers from what we would today call PTSD. The initial focus of the investigation centers on a WWII veteran who has suffered even more than the sheriff from trauma experienced both during the war and since his return to civilian life. The author does a fine job of getting into the mindset of these men, painting a vivid “word picture” of their experiences and the resulting effects. The problem is that it becomes extremely redundant, redundant to the point of boredom. It's as if the writer is trying to drive home the point with a sledge hammer. How many times must we be reminded of “the nine circles of hell that was Viet Nam”?
At heart this is basically a good mystery novel.
The first half, which I almost gave up on and quit several times, is written in an almost stream of consciousness kind of way that gets downright mind numbing at times. Then...
Somewhere around the halfway point the story just comes alive. The characters - the same characters who have been there all along - suddenly become more real, people you can actually care about rather than just cardboard figures being moved about as needed. This novel is really like two books, the first half and the second half are so different it's almost as if there were two completely different writers at work. I have to wonder if the author intended it that way, as a way of showing how these long damaged people living colorless lives were somehow brought back to life by the horrible circumstances they are forced to confront. I don't really know.
I firmly believe that there is a five star book somewhere within these existing pages if a sharp eyed editor could get at it with an eye towards streamlining the overall story. If you manage to slog through the first half of this book you won't regret it, and if you give up on the book before you get there I wouldn't blame you a bit.
***Thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for allowing me the opportunity to read and review this title.
July 27, 2020
Boek niet uitgelezen. Heb volgehouden tot pag 140. Van die 140 pag ging zowat de helft over het verleden van de sheriff...couldn’t care. Het werd echt storender bij elke blz die ik omsloeg. Daarnaast eindeloos gefilosofeer door diezelfde sheriff...komaan, doe wat met dat verhaal over dat dode meisje! Geen aanrader helaas.
July 10, 2013
I'm totally biased towards the books of R J Ellory.
Each new book from him is like an event, one NEVER to be missed.
Yet again another intriguing tale - girl aged 16 goes missing in 1954, found dead on a riverbank 20 years later - found by sheriff John Gaines, a man suffering from post Vietnam hangup supreme.
Not only do you follow the sheriff's moves towards uncovering this and several other mysteries, you virtually live in his socks, as you suffer with him again and again the Vietnam stuff and the pain of the horrors unfolding in Whytesburg, Mississippi.
Yes, you could accuse Ellory of repeating the pain and suffering, as similar bits pop up throughout the book, but that's how real life is - stuff keeps returning in your head at various times. For me it solidifies the character in your mind, and you find yourself caring about sheriff Gaines as you follow in his footsteps.
The characters in the book are painted well...and I could go on for ever....
Just read it!!!!!
Each new book from him is like an event, one NEVER to be missed.
Yet again another intriguing tale - girl aged 16 goes missing in 1954, found dead on a riverbank 20 years later - found by sheriff John Gaines, a man suffering from post Vietnam hangup supreme.
Not only do you follow the sheriff's moves towards uncovering this and several other mysteries, you virtually live in his socks, as you suffer with him again and again the Vietnam stuff and the pain of the horrors unfolding in Whytesburg, Mississippi.
Yes, you could accuse Ellory of repeating the pain and suffering, as similar bits pop up throughout the book, but that's how real life is - stuff keeps returning in your head at various times. For me it solidifies the character in your mind, and you find yourself caring about sheriff Gaines as you follow in his footsteps.
The characters in the book are painted well...and I could go on for ever....
Just read it!!!!!
April 15, 2020
This improved as it went along. But like other readers mentioned, it dragged due to the excessive and unnecessary references to the Vietnam War.
The plot was solid, but the book started out extremely gory. I loved the sheriff, the main character. The ending was great. 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 stars.
The plot was solid, but the book started out extremely gory. I loved the sheriff, the main character. The ending was great. 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 stars.
June 14, 2021
In his earlier novels, Ellory is interested in the shadowy part of each individual and the nature of evil. This one provides an unusually powerful narrative and impeccable suspense, which pushes, moves and fascinates the reader. A talented storyteller that demonstrates a rare level of sensitivity. An excellent read!
April 22, 2020
Peut-être plus 3,5. Pas le meilleur de l'auteur, donc j'en attendais plus. Mais ça reste un excellent roman. On est tenu en haleine, la psychologie tient une place importante, tout comme les ravages de la guerre sur les vétérans. On peut regretter quelques longueurs. Mais un auteur qui ne me déçoit jamais.
December 10, 2025
Très très bon polar. ❤️
June 9, 2013
Lies and corruption...
A young girl disappeared from the small town of Whytesburg, Mississippi, 20 years ago - a runaway, or so it was thought. But now, in 1974, a fierce storm has disturbed the mud at the river and Nancy's perfectly preserved body has risen to the surface. Sheriff John Gaines is a man who has seen a lot of horrors in his life, mostly during his tour in Vietnam, but he's shocked to see that the girl's body has been horribly mutilated. Still fighting the demons of his own war memories, Gaines must now try to find a way to the truth through a labyrinth of lies and corruption. The discovery of Nancy's body seems to have brought the devil into Whytesburg and more deaths are on the way...
There's a good story at the heart of this novel and Ellory's writing is always skilful enough to hold the readers attention. But there are some real problems with this book. It reads at times like a draft rather than a finished novel. For most of the first half we are constantly dragged back to Gaines' war experiences which, while relevant in explaining his character, don't move the plot forward at all and are overlong and repetitive. Continuity errors abound - for example, at one point Gaines tells retired attorney Nate Ross about a possible source of information, clearly forgetting that it was Nate who gave him this information four chapters earlier. At another point, a character tells Gaines she has just found out something that she, the same character, had already told him several chapters earlier. These are just a couple of examples of what was a recurring problem throughout the book.
And lazy devices for building tension - Gaines is stunned three-quarters of the way through to discover the reason for the mutilation of Nancy's body. However, he had the man who did it in custody much earlier in the book and, despite knowing and discussing with him the fact that he did it, it never occurred to Gaines to ask him why - clearly so that we could have the big revelation at a later point; though the reason had seemed pretty obvious from fairly early on anyway. Gaines' method of detection, in fact, seems to be to decide that someone did it and then later, for no particular reason, change his mind and decide that no, actually it was someone else. This goes on throughout until, pretty much by coincidence, he apparently fastens on the right perpetrator at the end - an end that is somewhat anti-climactic, I fear.
I thought Ellory's last book, A Dark And Broken Heart, was the best thriller of 2012 and this was one of the books I was most eager to read this year. So I'm afraid this has to count as one of the biggest disappointments of 2013. That doesn't mean it's the worst book I've read this year - far from it. Despite the plotting problems, Ellory's writing and strong characterisation make this a very readable story. But the sloppiness of the plotting combined with the frequent repetitiveness prevented this from developing anything like the darkness, depth or tension of some of his previous books.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
A young girl disappeared from the small town of Whytesburg, Mississippi, 20 years ago - a runaway, or so it was thought. But now, in 1974, a fierce storm has disturbed the mud at the river and Nancy's perfectly preserved body has risen to the surface. Sheriff John Gaines is a man who has seen a lot of horrors in his life, mostly during his tour in Vietnam, but he's shocked to see that the girl's body has been horribly mutilated. Still fighting the demons of his own war memories, Gaines must now try to find a way to the truth through a labyrinth of lies and corruption. The discovery of Nancy's body seems to have brought the devil into Whytesburg and more deaths are on the way...
There's a good story at the heart of this novel and Ellory's writing is always skilful enough to hold the readers attention. But there are some real problems with this book. It reads at times like a draft rather than a finished novel. For most of the first half we are constantly dragged back to Gaines' war experiences which, while relevant in explaining his character, don't move the plot forward at all and are overlong and repetitive. Continuity errors abound - for example, at one point Gaines tells retired attorney Nate Ross about a possible source of information, clearly forgetting that it was Nate who gave him this information four chapters earlier. At another point, a character tells Gaines she has just found out something that she, the same character, had already told him several chapters earlier. These are just a couple of examples of what was a recurring problem throughout the book.
And lazy devices for building tension - Gaines is stunned three-quarters of the way through to discover the reason for the mutilation of Nancy's body. However, he had the man who did it in custody much earlier in the book and, despite knowing and discussing with him the fact that he did it, it never occurred to Gaines to ask him why - clearly so that we could have the big revelation at a later point; though the reason had seemed pretty obvious from fairly early on anyway. Gaines' method of detection, in fact, seems to be to decide that someone did it and then later, for no particular reason, change his mind and decide that no, actually it was someone else. This goes on throughout until, pretty much by coincidence, he apparently fastens on the right perpetrator at the end - an end that is somewhat anti-climactic, I fear.
I thought Ellory's last book, A Dark And Broken Heart, was the best thriller of 2012 and this was one of the books I was most eager to read this year. So I'm afraid this has to count as one of the biggest disappointments of 2013. That doesn't mean it's the worst book I've read this year - far from it. Despite the plotting problems, Ellory's writing and strong characterisation make this a very readable story. But the sloppiness of the plotting combined with the frequent repetitiveness prevented this from developing anything like the darkness, depth or tension of some of his previous books.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
October 23, 2014
Een intrigerende cover en een titel die duidelijk wordt tijdens het lezen.
Op het voorblad staat heel toepasselijk:
'Wat in het verleden ligt, is de proloog' ~ William Shakespeare, The Tempest.
Ellory weet als Brits auteur op onnavolgbare wijze een sfeertje neer te zetten met een paar goed gekozen woorden.
Je waant je in het diepe zuiden van de U.S.A.
'En de regen stroomde, en de regen was zwart en hield niet op.'
Ook:
'We dansten op het veld, we lachten zoals we altijd hebben gelachen en toen liep Nancy naar de bomen aan het eind van Five Mile Road en is nooit meer gezien.'
Op een bepaald gedeelte in het verhaal, denk je als lezer dat je het wel weet! Je kent de dader!
Dat is niet het geval blijkt al snel daarna.
Sheriff Gaines wil alles alleen oplossen. Is dat wel zo slim? Ineens liggen alle mogelijkheden weer open, maar één persoon blijft in het gezichtsveld van Gaines.
Dan is er toch een onverwachte dader, dit had ik niet verwacht. Helemaal op het verkeerde been gezet. Alweer! Prachtig gedaan.
Een prachtige zin vond ik:
'Niemand had genoeg om hem gegeven om uit te zoeken waar hij was.'
Deze gedachte nadat Ganes het plaatje helemaal helder heeft.
Het verhaal begint en eindigt met oorlog. In dit geval de oorlog zoals John Gaines er mee te maken heeft gehad.
Mooi om nog een andere verhaallijn te ontdekken in het boek. Het zijn maar een paar hoofdstukken, maar het geeft goed weer hoe een en ander door deze persoon beleefd wordt.
De verhaallijn van Gaines begint op 24 juli 1974 en eindigt op 12 augustus 1974. In deze korte periode gebeurt zo enorm veel. Veel in het leven van de andere karakters, maar ook in het leven van Sheriff Gaines:
'Op een dag zal hij, misschien, de dingen zien zoals ze zijn... een cirkel, een wiel, iets zonder begin of einde... zoals de slang die zijn eigen staart opeet en tenslotte onherroepelijk verdwijnt.'
Bij deze goed gekozen woorden in het verhaal, die ook weer betrekking hebben op een passage in het boek, slaakte ik een diepe zucht en keek weer op!
Ik geloof niet, dat ik ooit sneller een boek uitgelezen heb. Graag gelezen!
Ik heb enorm genoten van dit boek en waardeer het met 5/5 sterren.
Op het voorblad staat heel toepasselijk:
'Wat in het verleden ligt, is de proloog' ~ William Shakespeare, The Tempest.
Ellory weet als Brits auteur op onnavolgbare wijze een sfeertje neer te zetten met een paar goed gekozen woorden.
Je waant je in het diepe zuiden van de U.S.A.
'En de regen stroomde, en de regen was zwart en hield niet op.'
Ook:
'We dansten op het veld, we lachten zoals we altijd hebben gelachen en toen liep Nancy naar de bomen aan het eind van Five Mile Road en is nooit meer gezien.'
Op een bepaald gedeelte in het verhaal, denk je als lezer dat je het wel weet! Je kent de dader!
Dat is niet het geval blijkt al snel daarna.
Sheriff Gaines wil alles alleen oplossen. Is dat wel zo slim? Ineens liggen alle mogelijkheden weer open, maar één persoon blijft in het gezichtsveld van Gaines.
Dan is er toch een onverwachte dader, dit had ik niet verwacht. Helemaal op het verkeerde been gezet. Alweer! Prachtig gedaan.
Een prachtige zin vond ik:
'Niemand had genoeg om hem gegeven om uit te zoeken waar hij was.'
Deze gedachte nadat Ganes het plaatje helemaal helder heeft.
Het verhaal begint en eindigt met oorlog. In dit geval de oorlog zoals John Gaines er mee te maken heeft gehad.
Mooi om nog een andere verhaallijn te ontdekken in het boek. Het zijn maar een paar hoofdstukken, maar het geeft goed weer hoe een en ander door deze persoon beleefd wordt.
De verhaallijn van Gaines begint op 24 juli 1974 en eindigt op 12 augustus 1974. In deze korte periode gebeurt zo enorm veel. Veel in het leven van de andere karakters, maar ook in het leven van Sheriff Gaines:
'Op een dag zal hij, misschien, de dingen zien zoals ze zijn... een cirkel, een wiel, iets zonder begin of einde... zoals de slang die zijn eigen staart opeet en tenslotte onherroepelijk verdwijnt.'
Bij deze goed gekozen woorden in het verhaal, die ook weer betrekking hebben op een passage in het boek, slaakte ik een diepe zucht en keek weer op!
Ik geloof niet, dat ik ooit sneller een boek uitgelezen heb. Graag gelezen!
Ik heb enorm genoten van dit boek en waardeer het met 5/5 sterren.
December 4, 2014
Voici le dernier-né de l’un de mes chouchous, qu’on ne présente plus, Ellory faisant partie de mon panthéon d’auteurs personnel.
John Gaines, un ancien du Viet-nam reconverti en shérif, tente d’élucider le meurtre d’une adolescente survenu vingt ans plus tôt. Le corps, récemment retrouvé dans la vase, semble ne pas avoir souffert du temps et de la décomposition. Gaines, qui a côtoyé la mort et l’horreur de près, et encore hanté par ses souvenirs de guerre, mettra un point d’honneur à résoudre ce mystère vieux de vingt ans. Intrigue, personnages, relations complexes, rebondissements, tout contribue à faire des Neuf cercles un excellent roman, le problème des classes sociales, du secret, des amours adolescentes, de l’attente, du regret, tout est magnifiquement traité.
Néanmoins, j’ai trouve ce roman nettement moins bon que tous les précédents.
Les digressions post-traumatiques de Gaines, son passé de soldat, les flash-back existentiels, personnellement, tout cela a failli avoir raison de ma patience. Beaucoup de répétitions inutiles m’ont semblé alourdir un rythme déjà laborieux. Mais bon, Ellory, quoi !
Donc j’ai poursuivi, vaillamment, attendant que l’histoire démarre. Et elle démarre, à un tiers du livre, voire plus. On entre enfin dans le vif du sujet, des personnages essentiels apparaissent, l’intrigue prend une nouvelle tournure, Gaines commence à obtenir des bribes de réponses, mais tout autant de nouvelles questions. L’histoire des protagonistes est complexe, et c’est avec vingt ans de retard que Gaines s’immisce dans la vie d’un groupe d’adolescents, cherchant à comprendre leurs relations, leurs affinités. L’ennui du premier gros tiers est oublié, Ellory est de retour ! Et pourtant, si tout semble bien mené jusqu’à la fin, j’ai tout de même trouvé que les ultimes rebondissements étaient un poil too much, un chouïa trop tiré par les poils du nez, mais alors un tout petit peu, hein, à peine plus qu’un téléfilm de M6. Oui, non, vraiment, la chose part un peu en cacahuète sur la fin, après la torpeur du premier tiers, c’est un revirement de trop pour le final. Donc dans l’ensemble, un Ellory qui m’a ennuyée, passionnée, et "perplexifiée". Dans l’ordre.
John Gaines, un ancien du Viet-nam reconverti en shérif, tente d’élucider le meurtre d’une adolescente survenu vingt ans plus tôt. Le corps, récemment retrouvé dans la vase, semble ne pas avoir souffert du temps et de la décomposition. Gaines, qui a côtoyé la mort et l’horreur de près, et encore hanté par ses souvenirs de guerre, mettra un point d’honneur à résoudre ce mystère vieux de vingt ans. Intrigue, personnages, relations complexes, rebondissements, tout contribue à faire des Neuf cercles un excellent roman, le problème des classes sociales, du secret, des amours adolescentes, de l’attente, du regret, tout est magnifiquement traité.
Néanmoins, j’ai trouve ce roman nettement moins bon que tous les précédents.
Les digressions post-traumatiques de Gaines, son passé de soldat, les flash-back existentiels, personnellement, tout cela a failli avoir raison de ma patience. Beaucoup de répétitions inutiles m’ont semblé alourdir un rythme déjà laborieux. Mais bon, Ellory, quoi !
Donc j’ai poursuivi, vaillamment, attendant que l’histoire démarre. Et elle démarre, à un tiers du livre, voire plus. On entre enfin dans le vif du sujet, des personnages essentiels apparaissent, l’intrigue prend une nouvelle tournure, Gaines commence à obtenir des bribes de réponses, mais tout autant de nouvelles questions. L’histoire des protagonistes est complexe, et c’est avec vingt ans de retard que Gaines s’immisce dans la vie d’un groupe d’adolescents, cherchant à comprendre leurs relations, leurs affinités. L’ennui du premier gros tiers est oublié, Ellory est de retour ! Et pourtant, si tout semble bien mené jusqu’à la fin, j’ai tout de même trouvé que les ultimes rebondissements étaient un poil too much, un chouïa trop tiré par les poils du nez, mais alors un tout petit peu, hein, à peine plus qu’un téléfilm de M6. Oui, non, vraiment, la chose part un peu en cacahuète sur la fin, après la torpeur du premier tiers, c’est un revirement de trop pour le final. Donc dans l’ensemble, un Ellory qui m’a ennuyée, passionnée, et "perplexifiée". Dans l’ordre.
December 2, 2017
Love anything written by this man, another cracking read. Fell a bit in love with John Gaines
August 27, 2016
Terwijl het hier zowat de warmste dag van het jaar is, lees ik deze broeierige thriller van R.J. Ellory.
Het verhaal speelt zich af in 1974 maar gaat verder terug in de tijd, zowat 20 jaar daarvoor en zowel de Koreaanse als de Vietnam oorlog komen erin voor omdat enkele van de hoofdrolspelers in de oorlog gediend hebben en daar al dan niet slecht of slechter uitgekomen zijn. Ik zeg bewust niet 'goed' want uit een oorlog kan je niet goed komen.
Aan de rivier wordt een meisje gevonden. Nadat ze is uitgegraven blijkt dat haar lichaam iets gruwelijks vertoond. De identificatie wordt snel gedaan, maar kan eigenlijk niet want het gaat om een meisje dat twintig jaar geleden verdween en het lichaam is bijna volledig intact en is dat van een meisje.
De hoofdrolspelers van de tijd van het meisje komen aan bod in het broeierige zuidoosten van de verenigde staten. Het is de tijd van zwaar racisme, van haat tegenover negers, van de Klan. Niet alleen het weer en het klimaat maakt het broeierig. Wanneer je oude beerput open trekt, kan het al eens gaan stinken en niet iedereen houdt van die stank. Hoe hoger in de hiërarchie, hoe meer men geneigd is dingen toe te dekken.
Het verhaal speelt zich af in 1974 maar gaat verder terug in de tijd, zowat 20 jaar daarvoor en zowel de Koreaanse als de Vietnam oorlog komen erin voor omdat enkele van de hoofdrolspelers in de oorlog gediend hebben en daar al dan niet slecht of slechter uitgekomen zijn. Ik zeg bewust niet 'goed' want uit een oorlog kan je niet goed komen.
Aan de rivier wordt een meisje gevonden. Nadat ze is uitgegraven blijkt dat haar lichaam iets gruwelijks vertoond. De identificatie wordt snel gedaan, maar kan eigenlijk niet want het gaat om een meisje dat twintig jaar geleden verdween en het lichaam is bijna volledig intact en is dat van een meisje.
De hoofdrolspelers van de tijd van het meisje komen aan bod in het broeierige zuidoosten van de verenigde staten. Het is de tijd van zwaar racisme, van haat tegenover negers, van de Klan. Niet alleen het weer en het klimaat maakt het broeierig. Wanneer je oude beerput open trekt, kan het al eens gaan stinken en niet iedereen houdt van die stank. Hoe hoger in de hiërarchie, hoe meer men geneigd is dingen toe te dekken.
November 17, 2016
Waar ik vroeger dacht dat ieder boek van deze geweldige schrijver beter en beter werd, moet ik, sinds zijn laatste 3 geschreven boeken, mijn mening bijstellen. 'De helden van NY' vond ik maar net ok, en ook deze 'Het kwaad en de rivier' kan me maar matig bekoren. Te lang uitgesponnen, teveel voor de hand liggende flashbacks naar Vietnam, en een einde en liefdeshistorie die je al van 200 bladzijden voor het einde ziet aankomen. R.J.Ellory blijft wel een schrijver die je zeker es moet gelezen hebben (mijn aanraders: 'Een inktzwart hart' en 'Bekraste zielen')
January 23, 2014
I believe this guy is the best crime/thriller writer around.He never disappoints and it's always a true pleasure to read any of his novels.
December 3, 2018
Let’s get the bad news about THE DEVIL AND THE RIVER out of the way before we get to the good news. Ellory, who is an unheralded master of thriller and mystery fiction, gets in his own way too much and too often here.
One of Elmore Leonard’s rules of writing was to edit out everything that reads like writing. If Ellory had followed that rule in his latest effort, it would be about a hundred pages shorter. It’s not that those pages are poorly written. In some instances, they contain some of his finest and most haunting prose. It’s just that Ellory sometimes tends to veer off of his story’s carefully constructed road and into a wondrous and beautiful ditch before getting the wheels back on the macadam. As a result, the reader is tempted, at various points, to grab the wheel and set the story back on course. That said, Ellory eventually gets to where he is going, and to marked and chilling effect.
THE DEVIL AND THE RIVER is set primarily in 1974 in the fictional southwest Mississippi town of Whytesburg, near the Louisiana border. John Gaines, newly returned from military service in Vietnam, finds himself appointed sheriff of Breed County. He gets his baptism by fire when the body of a young woman who has been missing for 20 years is discovered buried in a riverbank. The victim is 16-year-old Nancy Denton. While her body is almost perfectly preserved, it has been ritualistically desecrated in a particularly disturbing manner. Gaines is haunted by the discovery but is quickly able to locate a suspect who at first admits to the desecration but vehemently denies the murder. His newness on the job and rush to judgment results in a procedural error that threatens the potential prosecution of the suspect.
That is the least of Gaines’ problems, though. The unearthing of Nancy’s body sets off a chain reaction of murders, deaths and grisly discoveries that seem aimed at, or at least connected to, Gaines himself. The instigator of all of them appears to be the scion of a wealthy family who was friends with Nancy at the time of her disappearance and has interjected himself into the investigation. His denial of any knowledge of what occurred in the past and present is delivered with an unspoken wink and nod that belie his verbal assertions. Gaines is determined to bring him down, but is haunted by his own experiences, including a lost love and his traumatic time in Vietnam. To discover what happened to Nancy, Gaines will have to uncover many other truths concerning not only what occurred all those years ago in a small Mississippi town but also those of his own past. He may not survive either endeavor.
THE DEVIL AND THE RIVER contains some of Ellory’s best writing. While he may meander here and there from the fascinating and addicting story he has created, one is compelled to follow him and keep reading, simply to find out what happens next. And while I would not reflexively refer newcomers of Ellory’s fiction to this book, those familiar with his work will find much to love here --- with a bit of reading fortitude.
Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub
One of Elmore Leonard’s rules of writing was to edit out everything that reads like writing. If Ellory had followed that rule in his latest effort, it would be about a hundred pages shorter. It’s not that those pages are poorly written. In some instances, they contain some of his finest and most haunting prose. It’s just that Ellory sometimes tends to veer off of his story’s carefully constructed road and into a wondrous and beautiful ditch before getting the wheels back on the macadam. As a result, the reader is tempted, at various points, to grab the wheel and set the story back on course. That said, Ellory eventually gets to where he is going, and to marked and chilling effect.
THE DEVIL AND THE RIVER is set primarily in 1974 in the fictional southwest Mississippi town of Whytesburg, near the Louisiana border. John Gaines, newly returned from military service in Vietnam, finds himself appointed sheriff of Breed County. He gets his baptism by fire when the body of a young woman who has been missing for 20 years is discovered buried in a riverbank. The victim is 16-year-old Nancy Denton. While her body is almost perfectly preserved, it has been ritualistically desecrated in a particularly disturbing manner. Gaines is haunted by the discovery but is quickly able to locate a suspect who at first admits to the desecration but vehemently denies the murder. His newness on the job and rush to judgment results in a procedural error that threatens the potential prosecution of the suspect.
That is the least of Gaines’ problems, though. The unearthing of Nancy’s body sets off a chain reaction of murders, deaths and grisly discoveries that seem aimed at, or at least connected to, Gaines himself. The instigator of all of them appears to be the scion of a wealthy family who was friends with Nancy at the time of her disappearance and has interjected himself into the investigation. His denial of any knowledge of what occurred in the past and present is delivered with an unspoken wink and nod that belie his verbal assertions. Gaines is determined to bring him down, but is haunted by his own experiences, including a lost love and his traumatic time in Vietnam. To discover what happened to Nancy, Gaines will have to uncover many other truths concerning not only what occurred all those years ago in a small Mississippi town but also those of his own past. He may not survive either endeavor.
THE DEVIL AND THE RIVER contains some of Ellory’s best writing. While he may meander here and there from the fascinating and addicting story he has created, one is compelled to follow him and keep reading, simply to find out what happens next. And while I would not reflexively refer newcomers of Ellory’s fiction to this book, those familiar with his work will find much to love here --- with a bit of reading fortitude.
Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub
December 27, 2018
Let’s get the bad news about THE DEVIL AND THE RIVER out of the way before we get to the good news. Ellory, who is an unheralded master of thriller and mystery fiction, gets in his own way too much and too often here.
One of Elmore Leonard’s rules of writing was to edit out everything that reads like writing. If Ellory had followed that rule in his latest effort, it would be about a hundred pages shorter. It’s not that those pages are poorly written. In some instances, they contain some of his finest and most haunting prose. It’s just that Ellory sometimes tends to veer off of his story’s carefully constructed road and into a wondrous and beautiful ditch before getting the wheels back on the macadam. As a result, the reader is tempted, at various points, to grab the wheel and set the story back on course. That said, Ellory eventually gets to where he is going, and to marked and chilling effect.
THE DEVIL AND THE RIVER is set primarily in 1974 in the fictional southwest Mississippi town of Whytesburg, near the Louisiana border. John Gaines, newly returned from military service in Vietnam, finds himself appointed sheriff of Breed County. He gets his baptism by fire when the body of a young woman who has been missing for 20 years is discovered buried in a riverbank. The victim is 16-year-old Nancy Denton. While her body is almost perfectly preserved, it has been ritualistically desecrated in a particularly disturbing manner. Gaines is haunted by the discovery but is quickly able to locate a suspect who at first admits to the desecration but vehemently denies the murder. His newness on the job and rush to judgment results in a procedural error that threatens the potential prosecution of the suspect.
That is the least of Gaines’ problems, though. The unearthing of Nancy’s body sets off a chain reaction of murders, deaths and grisly discoveries that seem aimed at, or at least connected to, Gaines himself. The instigator of all of them appears to be the scion of a wealthy family who was friends with Nancy at the time of her disappearance and has interjected himself into the investigation. His denial of any knowledge of what occurred in the past and present is delivered with an unspoken wink and nod that belie his verbal assertions. Gaines is determined to bring him down, but is haunted by his own experiences, including a lost love and his traumatic time in Vietnam. To discover what happened to Nancy, Gaines will have to uncover many other truths concerning not only what occurred all those years ago in a small Mississippi town but also those of his own past. He may not survive either endeavor.
THE DEVIL AND THE RIVER contains some of Ellory’s best writing. While he may meander here and there from the fascinating and addicting story he has created, one is compelled to follow him and keep reading, simply to find out what happens next. And while I would not reflexively refer newcomers of Ellory’s fiction to this book, those familiar with his work will find much to love here --- with a bit of reading fortitude.
Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub
One of Elmore Leonard’s rules of writing was to edit out everything that reads like writing. If Ellory had followed that rule in his latest effort, it would be about a hundred pages shorter. It’s not that those pages are poorly written. In some instances, they contain some of his finest and most haunting prose. It’s just that Ellory sometimes tends to veer off of his story’s carefully constructed road and into a wondrous and beautiful ditch before getting the wheels back on the macadam. As a result, the reader is tempted, at various points, to grab the wheel and set the story back on course. That said, Ellory eventually gets to where he is going, and to marked and chilling effect.
THE DEVIL AND THE RIVER is set primarily in 1974 in the fictional southwest Mississippi town of Whytesburg, near the Louisiana border. John Gaines, newly returned from military service in Vietnam, finds himself appointed sheriff of Breed County. He gets his baptism by fire when the body of a young woman who has been missing for 20 years is discovered buried in a riverbank. The victim is 16-year-old Nancy Denton. While her body is almost perfectly preserved, it has been ritualistically desecrated in a particularly disturbing manner. Gaines is haunted by the discovery but is quickly able to locate a suspect who at first admits to the desecration but vehemently denies the murder. His newness on the job and rush to judgment results in a procedural error that threatens the potential prosecution of the suspect.
That is the least of Gaines’ problems, though. The unearthing of Nancy’s body sets off a chain reaction of murders, deaths and grisly discoveries that seem aimed at, or at least connected to, Gaines himself. The instigator of all of them appears to be the scion of a wealthy family who was friends with Nancy at the time of her disappearance and has interjected himself into the investigation. His denial of any knowledge of what occurred in the past and present is delivered with an unspoken wink and nod that belie his verbal assertions. Gaines is determined to bring him down, but is haunted by his own experiences, including a lost love and his traumatic time in Vietnam. To discover what happened to Nancy, Gaines will have to uncover many other truths concerning not only what occurred all those years ago in a small Mississippi town but also those of his own past. He may not survive either endeavor.
THE DEVIL AND THE RIVER contains some of Ellory’s best writing. While he may meander here and there from the fascinating and addicting story he has created, one is compelled to follow him and keep reading, simply to find out what happens next. And while I would not reflexively refer newcomers of Ellory’s fiction to this book, those familiar with his work will find much to love here --- with a bit of reading fortitude.
Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub
August 1, 2021
. MITIGÉE.
Je viens enfin de découvrir l'univers de R.J Ellory à travers son roman "Les neufs cercles".
Je ne m'attendais pas à un thriller autant axé sur la guerre, où les guerres devrais-je dire. Les personnages du roman ont tous plus ou moins subis une de ses horreurs qui ont marqué leurs vies.
En 1974, John Gaines, vétéran du Vietnam, a accepté le poste de shérif dans le Mississippi.
Hanté par son passé, il ne s'attendait pas à se retrouver à nouveau face à l'horreur. Le corps de la jeune Nancy, disparue vingt ans plutôt refait surface. Il à été mutilé et son cœur remplacé par un serpent ! Dans cette petite ville tranquille, la quête de vérité va devenir un vrai combat contre les secrets.
La partie sur l'enquête est extrêmement bien menée. On voit les rouages se mettre en place petit à petit. Ce shérif a vraiment à cœur de faire justice. Il est droit et extrêmement persévérant. Même si le crime est ancien, il ne se décourage pas.
J'ai davantage eu du mal avec les très (trop) nombreux récits sur son vécu lors de la guerre du Vietnam. Toute l'horreur est régulièrement mise en avant et détaillée, prenant parfois inutilement le pas sur l'enquête.
Je fus extrêmement surprise de voir l'ampleur du racisme dans le sud américain. Le racisme semble à son comble encore à cette époque et c'est déstabilisant car pour rappel ça se passe dans les années 70, donc il n'y a pas si longtemps.
J'ai vraiment eu l'impression d'avoir menée l'enquête sur ce continent américain. L'ambiance nous plonge en plein coeur de ces villes reculées où chaque habitant se connait.
Ça lecture est intéressante mais pas marquante. J'ai cependant très envie de découvrir d'autres romans de l'auteur car ces enquêtes sont riches et bien menées. Avez-vous des livres à me conseiller ?
Je viens enfin de découvrir l'univers de R.J Ellory à travers son roman "Les neufs cercles".
Je ne m'attendais pas à un thriller autant axé sur la guerre, où les guerres devrais-je dire. Les personnages du roman ont tous plus ou moins subis une de ses horreurs qui ont marqué leurs vies.
En 1974, John Gaines, vétéran du Vietnam, a accepté le poste de shérif dans le Mississippi.
Hanté par son passé, il ne s'attendait pas à se retrouver à nouveau face à l'horreur. Le corps de la jeune Nancy, disparue vingt ans plutôt refait surface. Il à été mutilé et son cœur remplacé par un serpent ! Dans cette petite ville tranquille, la quête de vérité va devenir un vrai combat contre les secrets.
La partie sur l'enquête est extrêmement bien menée. On voit les rouages se mettre en place petit à petit. Ce shérif a vraiment à cœur de faire justice. Il est droit et extrêmement persévérant. Même si le crime est ancien, il ne se décourage pas.
J'ai davantage eu du mal avec les très (trop) nombreux récits sur son vécu lors de la guerre du Vietnam. Toute l'horreur est régulièrement mise en avant et détaillée, prenant parfois inutilement le pas sur l'enquête.
Je fus extrêmement surprise de voir l'ampleur du racisme dans le sud américain. Le racisme semble à son comble encore à cette époque et c'est déstabilisant car pour rappel ça se passe dans les années 70, donc il n'y a pas si longtemps.
J'ai vraiment eu l'impression d'avoir menée l'enquête sur ce continent américain. L'ambiance nous plonge en plein coeur de ces villes reculées où chaque habitant se connait.
Ça lecture est intéressante mais pas marquante. J'ai cependant très envie de découvrir d'autres romans de l'auteur car ces enquêtes sont riches et bien menées. Avez-vous des livres à me conseiller ?
February 13, 2025
Vietnam veteran turned sheriff John Gaines has to solve the murder of Nancy Denton, whose body has been discovered in the riverbank. Nancy disappeared twenty years ago and the riverbank has given up her body with what looks like a voodoo ritual involved. Gaines has to solve the case but is up against the mighty Wade family.
My Thoughts:
I have met R J Ellory a couple of times and he really is a nice guy. I have read several of his book which I have enjoyed with my favourite being ‘A Quiet Belief in Angels’. However this book I didn’t enjoy as much.
My first niggle is that this book seemed never ending. It was a hard slog reading this book and I felt that it was very repetitive and it went on and on. It could quite easily have been a hundred pages or so shorter. I did find myself and I hate to say getting quite bored at times.
My other niggle is that this book could have been so much better and the theme of the voodoo could have been delved into more and then maybe the book would have had a little bit more going for it. The title itself gives the impression of perhaps voodoo, magic and superstition beliefs and it failed to deliver enough on these lines.
The story itself was very average and in true Ellory style the big reveal is at the end and by that time I was caring. I think I was hoping for something big to happen and it never did.
R J Ellory is one of my favourite authors based on his earlier books and I will look out for future works but this one was disappointing.
My Thoughts:
I have met R J Ellory a couple of times and he really is a nice guy. I have read several of his book which I have enjoyed with my favourite being ‘A Quiet Belief in Angels’. However this book I didn’t enjoy as much.
My first niggle is that this book seemed never ending. It was a hard slog reading this book and I felt that it was very repetitive and it went on and on. It could quite easily have been a hundred pages or so shorter. I did find myself and I hate to say getting quite bored at times.
My other niggle is that this book could have been so much better and the theme of the voodoo could have been delved into more and then maybe the book would have had a little bit more going for it. The title itself gives the impression of perhaps voodoo, magic and superstition beliefs and it failed to deliver enough on these lines.
The story itself was very average and in true Ellory style the big reveal is at the end and by that time I was caring. I think I was hoping for something big to happen and it never did.
R J Ellory is one of my favourite authors based on his earlier books and I will look out for future works but this one was disappointing.
May 13, 2019
A story about a dysfunctional Southern family and the small town Sheriff, struggling with the scars of PTS after Vietnam.
Sheriff John Gaines simply won’t be frightened away from his investigation by old Southern money after the preserved body of a murdered teenager is found.
This story has a Grisham type plot feel to it that delivers for 75% of the book but occasionally loses its way.
I loved the development of Sheriff Gaines character and the significance of the effects of the war in Vietnam was woven into the story well in my opinion.
Some of the other characters were not as well developed or easy to invest in.
The way that the author describes life, love and the dynamic of relationships within the community is enthralling and entertaining.
I felt that the plot struggled to get over the line in the way that it did and was left a little flat at the conclusion after the tension had been built up nicely.
The book does offer a lot and is worth a read despite these somewhat minor flaws in the grand scheme of things.
I would pursue more books by the author in the future, this being my first Roger J Ellor title.
Sheriff John Gaines simply won’t be frightened away from his investigation by old Southern money after the preserved body of a murdered teenager is found.
This story has a Grisham type plot feel to it that delivers for 75% of the book but occasionally loses its way.
I loved the development of Sheriff Gaines character and the significance of the effects of the war in Vietnam was woven into the story well in my opinion.
Some of the other characters were not as well developed or easy to invest in.
The way that the author describes life, love and the dynamic of relationships within the community is enthralling and entertaining.
I felt that the plot struggled to get over the line in the way that it did and was left a little flat at the conclusion after the tension had been built up nicely.
The book does offer a lot and is worth a read despite these somewhat minor flaws in the grand scheme of things.
I would pursue more books by the author in the future, this being my first Roger J Ellor title.
May 14, 2025
I believe the structure chosen by R.J. Ellory (jumping between the present and the past, as well as jumping to different forms of trauma) serves only to emphasize the horror that John Gaines feels as he works through the mystery of Nancy's death. I find the narrative and symbolic parallels between the horrors of the Vietnam war and the death of a young girl compelling. Rather than seeing the flashbacks and the war as interruptions of the story, I see it as a way to continue the overall narrative.
For example: Nancy's body is recovered almost perfectly preserved, 20 years later. When living in Gaines' mind, we recognize that his memories of the war, of the pain he felt and the deaths he caused, are just as preserved. Nancy has haunted the town for years, just as his trauma does. As we continue, Nancy and the war begin to converge in his mind. He sees her in his nightmares, added to the roster of ghosts and events that continue to haunt him.
There is a feeling of futility within the novel. All of this, for what? That is a question that kept ringing in my head. The US lost the Vietnam war, the loss of life and the cost being too much for nothing. Similarly, what was gained by Nancy's death?
For example: Nancy's body is recovered almost perfectly preserved, 20 years later. When living in Gaines' mind, we recognize that his memories of the war, of the pain he felt and the deaths he caused, are just as preserved. Nancy has haunted the town for years, just as his trauma does. As we continue, Nancy and the war begin to converge in his mind. He sees her in his nightmares, added to the roster of ghosts and events that continue to haunt him.
There is a feeling of futility within the novel. All of this, for what? That is a question that kept ringing in my head. The US lost the Vietnam war, the loss of life and the cost being too much for nothing. Similarly, what was gained by Nancy's death?
May 20, 2018
I was very disappointed in this book.
Although I like it when characters come to life through their background story, the author dragged the Vietnam history of sheriff Gaines out way to long and often. Not only was it to much, it also felt like a broken record because the stories seemed like variations of the same thing: Vietnam was a terrible hell hole and people that were there have seen and lived horrible things.
Because hey kept going back to Vietnam, the story seemed to develop quite slowly. I found myself scanning pages instead of reading them! Also: I felt like the whole book kept pushing me in the direction of one suspect, while to me it was quite obvious that someone else would end up being the killer.
In the last 20 pages all the pieces miraculously fell in to place at high speed and yes: the killer was someone else, someone that only had a really small part in the story before. Even more: someone the author tried really hard to make look innocent.
Sorry, but this was the last book by this author that I will be reading for a long time...
Although I like it when characters come to life through their background story, the author dragged the Vietnam history of sheriff Gaines out way to long and often. Not only was it to much, it also felt like a broken record because the stories seemed like variations of the same thing: Vietnam was a terrible hell hole and people that were there have seen and lived horrible things.
Because hey kept going back to Vietnam, the story seemed to develop quite slowly. I found myself scanning pages instead of reading them! Also: I felt like the whole book kept pushing me in the direction of one suspect, while to me it was quite obvious that someone else would end up being the killer.
In the last 20 pages all the pieces miraculously fell in to place at high speed and yes: the killer was someone else, someone that only had a really small part in the story before. Even more: someone the author tried really hard to make look innocent.
Sorry, but this was the last book by this author that I will be reading for a long time...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 29, 2017
I've never read anything by R.J. Ellory before, have only heard of him via news on his sock puppet review scandal a while back, and by chance came upon this book in an airport bookshop, and got it purely based on a whim. I'm glad I did.
This was a good story, although it took a little bit of effort in the beginning to get through Sheriff Gaines' internal Vietnam war reflections. Although maybe the twist seemed a bit obvious (and to be honest I expected it halfway through) it took nothing away from my enjoyment of reading the book. .
I like his writing style, it's eloquent and quite elegant without coming across as trying too hard to impress. The voice(s) were real, and the grit and stoicism of the characters, and their humanity, were well illustrated. I look forward to reading more of his work.
This was a good story, although it took a little bit of effort in the beginning to get through Sheriff Gaines' internal Vietnam war reflections. Although maybe the twist seemed a bit obvious (and to be honest I expected it halfway through) it took nothing away from my enjoyment of reading the book. .
I like his writing style, it's eloquent and quite elegant without coming across as trying too hard to impress. The voice(s) were real, and the grit and stoicism of the characters, and their humanity, were well illustrated. I look forward to reading more of his work.
February 11, 2021
Ellory is a fantastic author. Makes you care about the characters. I don't know how he writes about certain geographical areas as if he's lived there when he's in England. Describes the hwys, towns, accents, etc. and in this case it's Mississipppi and Louisiana. Even mentions the unwanted kudzu. This book involves an unlikely group of young people of which four are extremely rich teenagers and one in his 30s. One is found dead in the smelly, sinking mud of the area in perfect condition 20 years after the killing in 1954. Louisiana's superstitions are rampant as is a sort of voo doo ritual. A lot of the book involves remembrances of the Viet Nam War from vets and could have done without so much detail. It was necessary for the plot tho and Ellory must have done a lot of research for dates and places in Viet Nam.
December 17, 2017
I have always found R J Ellory's mystery novels to be among the best in the genre but this one seems to be a far more complex story than he has told in the past. I found it to be just a bit slow getting started but once Sheriff John Gaines receives information about the old murder of Nancy Denton, this story just keeps ramping up. It's dark and there are several dead ends in the case but Gaines never gives up in his search for justice for Nancy and for Michael Webster.
I have been a fan of R J Ellory through several books and with The Devil and the River he has firmly cemented his place in my list of favorite authors.
Thanks to Edelweiss and The Overlook Press for this ARC.
I have been a fan of R J Ellory through several books and with The Devil and the River he has firmly cemented his place in my list of favorite authors.
Thanks to Edelweiss and The Overlook Press for this ARC.
November 5, 2022
Kaft past bij het verhaal.
Kunnen we het een jeugdthriller noemen?
We gaan 20jaar terug in de tijd en de hoofdpersonages zijn dan 15 - 20 jaar.
Gaines, onze sheriff, een veteraan van de oorlog van Vietnam gaat trachten de zaak op te lossen.
We krijgen heel wat stukken die gaan over de oorlog in Vietnam maar die bepalen mede de reacties en het karakter van onze sheriff.
Op het einde blijft er echter niet veel daders over. De sheriff komt echter te laat om de dader te vatten;
Spannend vanaf het begin.
Weer een typische Ellory verhaal
Kunnen we het een jeugdthriller noemen?
We gaan 20jaar terug in de tijd en de hoofdpersonages zijn dan 15 - 20 jaar.
Gaines, onze sheriff, een veteraan van de oorlog van Vietnam gaat trachten de zaak op te lossen.
We krijgen heel wat stukken die gaan over de oorlog in Vietnam maar die bepalen mede de reacties en het karakter van onze sheriff.
Op het einde blijft er echter niet veel daders over. De sheriff komt echter te laat om de dader te vatten;
Spannend vanaf het begin.
Weer een typische Ellory verhaal
Displaying 1 - 30 of 105 reviews