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Close Reach
In a riveting tale of suspense and terror on the high seas, Jonathan Moore pits human beings against nature—and something far one another.
Kelly Pratihari-Reid and her husband sail their yacht into Antarctic waters, thinking their gravest concerns will be ice and storms—and their cracked marriage. A British girl shrieking across a short-range VHF frequency ends that illusion. It’s coming, she screams. It saw us and it’s coming back! Her voice is drowned by a tide of signal-jamming static, and Kelly sees a target on the radar A ship is coming for them.
Thus begins an unforgettable cat-and-mouse game across stormy polar seas and dire landfalls. Kelly’s pursuers will test her to the limits of her endurance—and beyond. For the ship in her wake is crewed by pirates, with a young leader trained to use the most sadistic tortures in pursuit of his ultimate objective . . . a goal as shocking as it is horrific.
Kelly Pratihari-Reid and her husband sail their yacht into Antarctic waters, thinking their gravest concerns will be ice and storms—and their cracked marriage. A British girl shrieking across a short-range VHF frequency ends that illusion. It’s coming, she screams. It saw us and it’s coming back! Her voice is drowned by a tide of signal-jamming static, and Kelly sees a target on the radar A ship is coming for them.
Thus begins an unforgettable cat-and-mouse game across stormy polar seas and dire landfalls. Kelly’s pursuers will test her to the limits of her endurance—and beyond. For the ship in her wake is crewed by pirates, with a young leader trained to use the most sadistic tortures in pursuit of his ultimate objective . . . a goal as shocking as it is horrific.
273 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 6, 2014
About the author
Jonathan Moore
9 books395 followersJonathan Moore is an Edgar Award and Hammett Prize nominated author of six novels.
His third novel, THE POISON ARTIST, was a selection of the BBC Radio 2 Book Club. His novel THE NIGHT MARKET was optioned as a feature film by Amazon Studios and Mandeville Films, and his books have been translated into 12 languages.
Before graduating from law school in New Orleans, he lived in Taiwan for three years, guided whitewater raft trips on the Rio Grande, and worked as an investigator for a criminal defense attorney in Washington, D.C. He has also been an English teacher, a bar owner, a counselor at a wilderness camp for juvenile delinquents, and a textbook writer.
Connect with Jonathan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/jonathanmoorefiction.
His third novel, THE POISON ARTIST, was a selection of the BBC Radio 2 Book Club. His novel THE NIGHT MARKET was optioned as a feature film by Amazon Studios and Mandeville Films, and his books have been translated into 12 languages.
Before graduating from law school in New Orleans, he lived in Taiwan for three years, guided whitewater raft trips on the Rio Grande, and worked as an investigator for a criminal defense attorney in Washington, D.C. He has also been an English teacher, a bar owner, a counselor at a wilderness camp for juvenile delinquents, and a textbook writer.
Connect with Jonathan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/jonathanmoorefiction.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews
November 15, 2017
This is yet another story that confirms my firm belief that nothing good ever happens on a boat. The movies and TV alone provide an endless list of real and fictional disasters like Jaws, The Poseidon Adventure, Titanic, A Perfect Storm, All Is Lost, Dead Calm, Captain Phillips, that episode of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia where the gang buys a boat and Dennis makes a chilling explanation of the ‘implications’ when sailing with a lady, that other episode of Sunny when the gang goes on a cruise and everything goes horribly wrong.... Damn. I didn’t realize Sunny had two episodes about boats…Maybe three if you count the time that Frank hijacks the tourist boat to get to the movies…
Where was I? Oh, yeah. Boats. You can keep ‘em.
But some people actually are foolish enough to leave land. Like Kelly and Dean, a couple who have spent a year going around the world on their sailboat Freefall in an effort to save their marriage. Their relationship is on the mend as they’re cruising near Antarctica when they hear a frantic radio call from someone in trouble, and the signal is quickly jammed. They try to find the source of the transmission but have no luck. As they head to South America the radar tells them that a ship is following them, and it’s getting closer.
I’ve become a big fan of Jonathan Moore lately thanks to the excellent trilogy he wrote in which each book had its own particular style. The Poison Artist was moody psychological suspense, The Dark Room had a whodunit mystery vibe, and The Night Market was a near-future sci-fi conspiracy thriller. In the tight 200 pages of Close Reach Moore shows that he can do yet another genre that is equal parts survival-at-sea and horror.
It’s a terrifying story that works in large part due to the detail work Moore put in to make even a landlubber like me understand how the boat functions and what being on your own in a remote part of the ocean is really like. The tension ramps up to nail biting levels as Kelly and Dean try to fight their way through an on-coming storm while the mysterious boat gains on them.
I don’t want to spoil the twists and turns of the story, but suffice it say that when the confrontation comes a whole ugly level of hell is unleashed. Fair warning that this is a dark and brutal story that has blunt and graphic descriptions of all kinds of harm that people can inflict on one another. It made me wince and squirm at several points, but Moore’s skill and pacing keep it from sinking down to the level of torture porn.
The frank nature of the violence isn’t going to be for everyone, but if you’re up for it then you’ll get a fantastically gruesome tale that’ll make you practically taste the salt of the cold ocean spraying across your face.
Where was I? Oh, yeah. Boats. You can keep ‘em.
But some people actually are foolish enough to leave land. Like Kelly and Dean, a couple who have spent a year going around the world on their sailboat Freefall in an effort to save their marriage. Their relationship is on the mend as they’re cruising near Antarctica when they hear a frantic radio call from someone in trouble, and the signal is quickly jammed. They try to find the source of the transmission but have no luck. As they head to South America the radar tells them that a ship is following them, and it’s getting closer.
I’ve become a big fan of Jonathan Moore lately thanks to the excellent trilogy he wrote in which each book had its own particular style. The Poison Artist was moody psychological suspense, The Dark Room had a whodunit mystery vibe, and The Night Market was a near-future sci-fi conspiracy thriller. In the tight 200 pages of Close Reach Moore shows that he can do yet another genre that is equal parts survival-at-sea and horror.
It’s a terrifying story that works in large part due to the detail work Moore put in to make even a landlubber like me understand how the boat functions and what being on your own in a remote part of the ocean is really like. The tension ramps up to nail biting levels as Kelly and Dean try to fight their way through an on-coming storm while the mysterious boat gains on them.
I don’t want to spoil the twists and turns of the story, but suffice it say that when the confrontation comes a whole ugly level of hell is unleashed. Fair warning that this is a dark and brutal story that has blunt and graphic descriptions of all kinds of harm that people can inflict on one another. It made me wince and squirm at several points, but Moore’s skill and pacing keep it from sinking down to the level of torture porn.
The frank nature of the violence isn’t going to be for everyone, but if you’re up for it then you’ll get a fantastically gruesome tale that’ll make you practically taste the salt of the cold ocean spraying across your face.
November 18, 2017
It's been so long since I've actually reviewed a book that I'm feeling a lot rusty, but this little terror of a gem is so gripping and so good that I felt I had to write something. This one is a Kemper rec -- and we all know what a persnickety pants he is -- so that alone should put this tightly written 200 page nightmare high on your TBR radar.
As Kemper points out in his review -- this book isn't going to be for everyone. It contains graphic -- and readers, I do mean graphic -- depictions of violence. Jonathan Moore is a talented writer (his skills on full display here) and his vivid, descriptive prose will grab you by the throat and you will SEE EVERYTHING in your mind's eye unfold in full, unrelenting technicolor. The suspense and tension are almost unbearable at times, both exquisite and excruciating. It's an often overused compliment of any decent thriller to refer to it is as a "page-turner", or a "nail-biter" or as "unputdownable". But sweet jebus people, if ever a book qualified as being any of these, it's this one.
Despite its lean 200 page length that's jam-packed with details about the logistics of sailing the perilous high seas, Moore still manages to find room for a shit ton of nerve-wracking action sequences, and to make us deeply care about our main protagonists -- married couple Kelly and Dean. He will put our intrepid heroes through A LOT, and you will go through all of it with them.
As Kemper points out in his review -- this book isn't going to be for everyone. It contains graphic -- and readers, I do mean graphic -- depictions of violence. Jonathan Moore is a talented writer (his skills on full display here) and his vivid, descriptive prose will grab you by the throat and you will SEE EVERYTHING in your mind's eye unfold in full, unrelenting technicolor. The suspense and tension are almost unbearable at times, both exquisite and excruciating. It's an often overused compliment of any decent thriller to refer to it is as a "page-turner", or a "nail-biter" or as "unputdownable". But sweet jebus people, if ever a book qualified as being any of these, it's this one.
Despite its lean 200 page length that's jam-packed with details about the logistics of sailing the perilous high seas, Moore still manages to find room for a shit ton of nerve-wracking action sequences, and to make us deeply care about our main protagonists -- married couple Kelly and Dean. He will put our intrepid heroes through A LOT, and you will go through all of it with them.
April 25, 2014
Close Reach by Jonathan Moore is what might be called a mini-surprise. It's a brief 200 pages that start out as a chase thriller staged over the Antarctic seas. I expected to be entertained but I didn't expect such a visceral edge-of--the-seat roller coaster ride. Kelly Pratihari-Reid and her husband are in their yacht off the Antarctic coast. Kelly receives a distress call from a terrified British woman. "They're Coming!". Who "They" are is not yet known but in an isolated area where satellite radios and all other communication devices are being jammed, they don't want to know. A thrilling chase begins, At first I was a little disoriented with the sea faring terms and maneuvers. I'm a certified land hugger. Yet that was not enough to thwart the excitement of the chase. Yet soon the story become a tale of harrowing survival on and off the sea. The author creates a group of unmerciful sociopaths villains with a terrifying motive and our luckless couple soon find out that this is not just a case of piracy. In the second half, there are some very brutal scenes that may scare off the more squeamish yet nothing in this book could be called gratuitous. It is brutal but necessary to elicit the overall sense of terror and urgency. Frankly, if I was a film maker I would be banging on the author's door demanding the rights to this very visual and visceral tale of adventure. This is a nautical adventure tale that will give you a sleepless night or two.
March 20, 2023
2.8⭐
Like a bitterly cold mid-winter's day, this horror/thriller novella is short, dark and nasty. It also sets its claws into you and drags you along 'til its bloody conclusion. Husband and wife Dean and Kelly are sailing around the world in an effort to repair their fractured marriage. They're anchored off an island in Antarctica ( don't ask me why) when they hear the British accented voice of a young woman crying out a desperate warning over the radio. Things go rapidly downhill from there.
It's tightly written and it keeps your attention focused with a series of horrific incidents, each one more gruesome than the last. I liked the book despite the heavy suspension of disbelief required. Modern day pirates cutting a gory swathe of destruction, even in Antarctica, would tend to be noticed. I did like the touch where the villains jam their victims radio by blasting it with death metal (I'm crediting Moore with some sly musical criticism here).
I liked Moore's 'The Night Market' a bit better than this one, mostly because it had some well done science fiction elements and it just wasn't quite so perverse. It's still a quick, suspenseful read, if you're in the mood for one. -30-
Like a bitterly cold mid-winter's day, this horror/thriller novella is short, dark and nasty. It also sets its claws into you and drags you along 'til its bloody conclusion. Husband and wife Dean and Kelly are sailing around the world in an effort to repair their fractured marriage. They're anchored off an island in Antarctica ( don't ask me why) when they hear the British accented voice of a young woman crying out a desperate warning over the radio. Things go rapidly downhill from there.
It's tightly written and it keeps your attention focused with a series of horrific incidents, each one more gruesome than the last. I liked the book despite the heavy suspension of disbelief required. Modern day pirates cutting a gory swathe of destruction, even in Antarctica, would tend to be noticed. I did like the touch where the villains jam their victims radio by blasting it with death metal (I'm crediting Moore with some sly musical criticism here).
I liked Moore's 'The Night Market' a bit better than this one, mostly because it had some well done science fiction elements and it just wasn't quite so perverse. It's still a quick, suspenseful read, if you're in the mood for one. -30-
November 12, 2019
Danger on the high seas
Dean and Kelly are sailing on their 70' custom yacht, designed by Dean, on the Antarctic Ocean.
They hear a cry for help on their radio and realize that it's an acquaintance. And soon they are in the path of the same pirates that overtook their friends.
What follows is a beyond dangerous chase across storm driven seas as Dean and Kelly try to escape.
This is an action-packed book and I loved the sailing details. There are twists to the story and a vast thirst for revenge.
I highly recommend this thriller.
Dean and Kelly are sailing on their 70' custom yacht, designed by Dean, on the Antarctic Ocean.
They hear a cry for help on their radio and realize that it's an acquaintance. And soon they are in the path of the same pirates that overtook their friends.
What follows is a beyond dangerous chase across storm driven seas as Dean and Kelly try to escape.
This is an action-packed book and I loved the sailing details. There are twists to the story and a vast thirst for revenge.
I highly recommend this thriller.
December 26, 2014
When I started out reading this I wasn't so sure I was going to like this. This is defiantly one of those books that you should continue to read because it got better as time went on. The beginning is full of boat and sailing terms. Although I spent quite a bit of my youth on the water I still don't know the bow from my butt. My stepfather would yell, "Porgies on the bow", every time he hooked a fish. It didn't matter where he was on the boat or if he was on land he would still yell it. Now you understand why I can't tell you the bow from my buttock.
Anyhoo...Dean and Kelly are sailing on their yacht somewhere off the coast of Chile in the Antarctica Ocean when they hear a call for help come over the radio. As quickly as it began, it goes away. They find out that the help call came from some friends of theirs that were also sailing somewhere in the vicinity. They go to find the boat and come to find out that the people who sent out the call have been kidnapped by Pirates. The man is dead and the woman, Lena has been thrown into a crab cage naked with just a blanket. Kelly and Dean fight with the men, but eventually they are defeated and captured. Thus begins Kelly and Dean's fight for survival. Kelly soon learns that she must fight for Dean and Lena's survival as well as her own since both are incapacitated. Once Kelly gets the upper hand she finds herself doing things that she never knew she could or was capable of doing. At one point in the book she mentions about crossing a line and not coming back from it. This is what Kelly must do to survive.
Close Reach is wonderfully written with a twist that uncovers why these men are doing what they are doing that you would never guess.
Anyhoo...Dean and Kelly are sailing on their yacht somewhere off the coast of Chile in the Antarctica Ocean when they hear a call for help come over the radio. As quickly as it began, it goes away. They find out that the help call came from some friends of theirs that were also sailing somewhere in the vicinity. They go to find the boat and come to find out that the people who sent out the call have been kidnapped by Pirates. The man is dead and the woman, Lena has been thrown into a crab cage naked with just a blanket. Kelly and Dean fight with the men, but eventually they are defeated and captured. Thus begins Kelly and Dean's fight for survival. Kelly soon learns that she must fight for Dean and Lena's survival as well as her own since both are incapacitated. Once Kelly gets the upper hand she finds herself doing things that she never knew she could or was capable of doing. At one point in the book she mentions about crossing a line and not coming back from it. This is what Kelly must do to survive.
Close Reach is wonderfully written with a twist that uncovers why these men are doing what they are doing that you would never guess.
Read
September 2, 2018If you like books with nice sailboats as a character, strong women leads, and really nasty villains, you’ll enjoy this book. It’s perfect for a flight, perhaps not so good if you intend to sail to the tip of South America.
The plot involves former Pinochet ruffians, now on the run, who have made a business of capturing, torturing, and then killing anyone traversing around the Horn. Anchored at Deception Island, a rapidly awakening volcanic island, they “persudae” their captives to reveal bank account and other financial information. Their most insidious, however, involves health, DNA, and blood information in order to capture a specific person for a specific purpose that I won’t reveal. Let’s just say it involves the leader of the group and some surgeons.
As it happens when they overtake Kelly and her husband Dean in their rather amazing 70 ft yacht Freefall, they have bit off a bit more than they can chew in the character of Kelly who happens to be a surgeon. Turns out when pushed she can be as mean and evil as the bad guys.
Enough said. If gore turns you off, skip this one, otherwise a fast read. I’ll get others by the author.
Check out this bit about Deception Island: http://www.slate.com/blogs/atlas_obsc...
The plot involves former Pinochet ruffians, now on the run, who have made a business of capturing, torturing, and then killing anyone traversing around the Horn. Anchored at Deception Island, a rapidly awakening volcanic island, they “persudae” their captives to reveal bank account and other financial information. Their most insidious, however, involves health, DNA, and blood information in order to capture a specific person for a specific purpose that I won’t reveal. Let’s just say it involves the leader of the group and some surgeons.
As it happens when they overtake Kelly and her husband Dean in their rather amazing 70 ft yacht Freefall, they have bit off a bit more than they can chew in the character of Kelly who happens to be a surgeon. Turns out when pushed she can be as mean and evil as the bad guys.
Enough said. If gore turns you off, skip this one, otherwise a fast read. I’ll get others by the author.
Check out this bit about Deception Island: http://www.slate.com/blogs/atlas_obsc...
August 6, 2024
"Time was blowing apart; seconds shattered, and their broken pieces cut into her and burned like shrapnel."
Ok so I'm drawn to nautical stories⛵🛳🛥. In my experience there is usually bad stuff that takes place on said boat/ship but in the case of this suspense/horror/ thriller novel "bad stuff" is an understatement, definitely terror on the high seas.
I read the author's novel Blood Relations and I really enjoyed it so that's why I chose this one (also the nautical thing :)). Moore is a very good writer, he writes a good story and keeps you turning pages, however, my only criticism is that it didn't have to be so gruesome. The violence, torture, gore, etc. is way too graphic, it still would have been a good story if it had been dialed down some, this one is not for everyone.
Ok so I'm drawn to nautical stories⛵🛳🛥. In my experience there is usually bad stuff that takes place on said boat/ship but in the case of this suspense/horror/ thriller novel "bad stuff" is an understatement, definitely terror on the high seas.
I read the author's novel Blood Relations and I really enjoyed it so that's why I chose this one (also the nautical thing :)). Moore is a very good writer, he writes a good story and keeps you turning pages, however, my only criticism is that it didn't have to be so gruesome. The violence, torture, gore, etc. is way too graphic, it still would have been a good story if it had been dialed down some, this one is not for everyone.
March 10, 2014
ARC for review.
Rollicking (what a great word. I must use it more.), fast-paced horror/thriller. Physician Kelly is on a three year(?) around the world sailing trip with husband Dean and even before the insanity begins to occur the whole thing sounds like a nightmare. Combine the nausea induced by constantly rolling seas along with unending chill and wetness, plus no company but each other? It does NOT sound like the ideal situation in which to heal your wounded marriage, but is a perfect reason to never leave land again, lest your life turn into a mash up of "Dead Calm" and "All is Lost" with a soupcon of "Gilligan's Island" for flavor. And that's before the crazies show up.
However, the story is certainly a page-turner and I liked Kelly (resourceful yet not perfect). I also liked the fact that her Indian background was touched on, but not really significant. While there were parts that didn't ring true () but I tore through it and some of the imagery was great ().
Recommended for sailing enthusiasts who don't mind some dark fiction.
Rollicking (what a great word. I must use it more.), fast-paced horror/thriller. Physician Kelly is on a three year(?) around the world sailing trip with husband Dean and even before the insanity begins to occur the whole thing sounds like a nightmare. Combine the nausea induced by constantly rolling seas along with unending chill and wetness, plus no company but each other? It does NOT sound like the ideal situation in which to heal your wounded marriage, but is a perfect reason to never leave land again, lest your life turn into a mash up of "Dead Calm" and "All is Lost" with a soupcon of "Gilligan's Island" for flavor. And that's before the crazies show up.
However, the story is certainly a page-turner and I liked Kelly (resourceful yet not perfect). I also liked the fact that her Indian background was touched on, but not really significant. While there were parts that didn't ring true () but I tore through it and some of the imagery was great ().
Recommended for sailing enthusiasts who don't mind some dark fiction.
July 31, 2017
As a sailor myself, I appreciate finding a thriller with a sailing theme wherein the author gets it all right. I came to a point in reading this novel when I simply had to put the book down for several days because it terrified me. I have been there at sea when a boat appeared to be stalking us, and I know first hand just how alone you are. Of course, I did finally have to pick the book up again because the author had hooked me so with his characters, I had to see how it ended.
Well done, Jonathan Moore. I have recommended this book to a number of my sailing friends. Hang on, I told them, and be prepared for a wild ride.
Well done, Jonathan Moore. I have recommended this book to a number of my sailing friends. Hang on, I told them, and be prepared for a wild ride.
November 29, 2018
It continues to absolutely boggle the mind that the Jonathan Moore who wrote the San Fran trilogy is the same guy who wrote Redheads and now this. All of the technical boat stuff was well done, and there is a bit of sailing through a storm that is just relentlessly lovely writing, but miss me forever with Strong Female Characters who have gang rape backstories.
September 19, 2014
This is probably closer to 2.5 stars.
I'm not quite sure why I keep picking up books on survival in the ocean, when I myself am terrified of it. I will never go on a cruise for this reason, and this book probably added to reasons why a sea journey is not for me.
Kelly and her husband, Dean go on a trip sailing into antarctic waters in an effort to rejuvenate their marriage. After receiving a disturbing transmission from another ship in distress that cuts off abruptly, they discover that they are the next ones in line in the game of cat and mouse.
The book was a quick read that I struggled to get into, but soon found myself quickly flipping pages. The story of survival and how far you would go to protect your love ones was a bit disturbing, as well as some of the bloodier scenes in this book.
Kelly however, proves herself to be smart and resourceful, and while I didn't really connect with her as a character and as a result didn't invest completely in the story, I did enjoy that the bravery she displayed and her cunning.
My main issue is with the ending being a bit abrupt and I felt could have included a bit more details to make me feel like the story was complete.
However it is a short read that may be worth picking up if you are looking for a thrilling story, with a side of gore.
Cross posted at Kaora's Corner
I'm not quite sure why I keep picking up books on survival in the ocean, when I myself am terrified of it. I will never go on a cruise for this reason, and this book probably added to reasons why a sea journey is not for me.
Kelly and her husband, Dean go on a trip sailing into antarctic waters in an effort to rejuvenate their marriage. After receiving a disturbing transmission from another ship in distress that cuts off abruptly, they discover that they are the next ones in line in the game of cat and mouse.
The book was a quick read that I struggled to get into, but soon found myself quickly flipping pages. The story of survival and how far you would go to protect your love ones was a bit disturbing, as well as some of the bloodier scenes in this book.
Kelly however, proves herself to be smart and resourceful, and while I didn't really connect with her as a character and as a result didn't invest completely in the story, I did enjoy that the bravery she displayed and her cunning.
My main issue is with the ending being a bit abrupt and I felt could have included a bit more details to make me feel like the story was complete.
However it is a short read that may be worth picking up if you are looking for a thrilling story, with a side of gore.
Cross posted at Kaora's Corner
April 22, 2014
Disclaimer: thank you netgalley and Random House for supplying me with a copy of this book.
Close Reach is a dark, chilling thriller about increasingly desperate encounters on the cold waters of Antarctica. I sailed... ahem... through this book in one night.! Moore has created a page turner that is equally gritty and gory, yet the couple's inner strength is this story's true driving force.
I have to admit that this book was nearly a did-not-finish for me, and I did skim the last sections to find out Kelly's fate. I know a lot of readers, with stronger stomachs than I, that will appreciate this stomach churning (and I'm not talking sea sickness!) read.
2.5 stars
Close Reach is a dark, chilling thriller about increasingly desperate encounters on the cold waters of Antarctica. I sailed... ahem... through this book in one night.! Moore has created a page turner that is equally gritty and gory, yet the couple's inner strength is this story's true driving force.
I have to admit that this book was nearly a did-not-finish for me, and I did skim the last sections to find out Kelly's fate. I know a lot of readers, with stronger stomachs than I, that will appreciate this stomach churning (and I'm not talking sea sickness!) read.
2.5 stars
February 24, 2015
Violence and Macabre on the High Seas
When I seek out fiction with an adventurous sailing theme, I usually don’t expect to discover a nautical version of Steven King’s “Misery.” As a connoisseur of sailing adventures, I was attracted Moore’s latest and looked forward to reading an adventure taking place on sunny shores with a bit of mystery/thriller thrown in for entertainment. Instead, I was surprised by the dark tug that “Close Reach” achieved in the first passage of this heavy on plot and light on character development piece of fast paced fiction.
Without giving away the fun of discovering “what happens next,” I’ll only share the opener and a couple of plot elements to nibble on if you dare to dive into the darkness of the violence people seem to be able to inflict on one another in the interest of personal gain. Instead of a turquoise glow of translucence reflecting on the sugar white sands of an atoll in the tropics where a yachting couple might venture with their 70’ offshore performance/cruising cutter, Kelly and her husband Dean are anchored in a cove in the shelter of an island off the Antarctic peninsula when they hear a distress call over the yacht’s VHF, transmitted from another vessel, followed by the disturbing sounds of heavy metal goth music. What comes next is the equivalent of a modern day cinematic chase scene, played out in 40 foot seas matched equally by a wind velocity of 40 peaking to something more in knots. The result? You’ll want to read this one for yourself.
The questions that interrupted my imagination while reading this story centered on the idea of violence begets violence, or “it is either you or me.” These are the things you’ll be thinking when you ask yourself just what would it take for a physician to violate their Hippocratic oath in the interest of survival?…then maybe, when does survival become vengeance?
I wouldn’t suggest this novel to anyone faint of heart or in anyway squeamish about violence on every level ranging from rape to torture, and outright callous murder. Moore knows his sailing and all that encompasses the description of the drama that can ensue when running in a storm. He presents the action well without getting bogged down in technical details. If he’s not entirely familiar with medicine and surgery, he had me fooled.
Take this one on your next cross country flight and you’ll feel a need for a breath of air at the end. It is a fast paced read that will leave you breathless and maybe even land bound.
When I seek out fiction with an adventurous sailing theme, I usually don’t expect to discover a nautical version of Steven King’s “Misery.” As a connoisseur of sailing adventures, I was attracted Moore’s latest and looked forward to reading an adventure taking place on sunny shores with a bit of mystery/thriller thrown in for entertainment. Instead, I was surprised by the dark tug that “Close Reach” achieved in the first passage of this heavy on plot and light on character development piece of fast paced fiction.
Without giving away the fun of discovering “what happens next,” I’ll only share the opener and a couple of plot elements to nibble on if you dare to dive into the darkness of the violence people seem to be able to inflict on one another in the interest of personal gain. Instead of a turquoise glow of translucence reflecting on the sugar white sands of an atoll in the tropics where a yachting couple might venture with their 70’ offshore performance/cruising cutter, Kelly and her husband Dean are anchored in a cove in the shelter of an island off the Antarctic peninsula when they hear a distress call over the yacht’s VHF, transmitted from another vessel, followed by the disturbing sounds of heavy metal goth music. What comes next is the equivalent of a modern day cinematic chase scene, played out in 40 foot seas matched equally by a wind velocity of 40 peaking to something more in knots. The result? You’ll want to read this one for yourself.
The questions that interrupted my imagination while reading this story centered on the idea of violence begets violence, or “it is either you or me.” These are the things you’ll be thinking when you ask yourself just what would it take for a physician to violate their Hippocratic oath in the interest of survival?…then maybe, when does survival become vengeance?
I wouldn’t suggest this novel to anyone faint of heart or in anyway squeamish about violence on every level ranging from rape to torture, and outright callous murder. Moore knows his sailing and all that encompasses the description of the drama that can ensue when running in a storm. He presents the action well without getting bogged down in technical details. If he’s not entirely familiar with medicine and surgery, he had me fooled.
Take this one on your next cross country flight and you’ll feel a need for a breath of air at the end. It is a fast paced read that will leave you breathless and maybe even land bound.
April 1, 2018
Although at times the writing felt a little clunky, the reading experience was gripping and addictive from start to finish. Horrifying and real up until the last few pages, but at that point it didn't really matter. Good light read.
January 3, 2017
A fairly short book but there is nothing sweet about it. This was harrowing. Pirates are not something you expect to see in Antarctic waters but that is exactly what Kelly and Dean encounter.
Following a thwarted bid to escape pirates in the icy southern waters, their sophisticated yacht is captured and they become prisoners of the pirates. They find they are not the only ones. In fact some of the victims have been specifically targeted.
Things are not looking good but Kelly fights back. Like a one woman army she fights to save her husband and a woman, Lena, that she shares a cage with and for whom a horrible fate awaits. Yes its pretty gruesome. Some reviewers have posed the question of how far you would go to survive. Are you kidding? What have you got to lose? I say go for it. Kelly kicks arse but is her one woman rampage going to be enough?
You will want to read this in one sitting (short - remember?). It is quite the page-turner and would have rated higher except that the negatives for me were mainly the lack of character development. We learn very little about Kelly and Dean and even less about Lena. We learn almost nothing about the pirates and what motivates them, where they are from etc. It would make a scarily good action movie though. Think Captain Phillips (you know the Tom Hanks pirate movie based on real events - I think) on steroids and uppers!
Following a thwarted bid to escape pirates in the icy southern waters, their sophisticated yacht is captured and they become prisoners of the pirates. They find they are not the only ones. In fact some of the victims have been specifically targeted.
Things are not looking good but Kelly fights back. Like a one woman army she fights to save her husband and a woman, Lena, that she shares a cage with and for whom a horrible fate awaits. Yes its pretty gruesome. Some reviewers have posed the question of how far you would go to survive. Are you kidding? What have you got to lose? I say go for it. Kelly kicks arse but is her one woman rampage going to be enough?
You will want to read this in one sitting (short - remember?). It is quite the page-turner and would have rated higher except that the negatives for me were mainly the lack of character development. We learn very little about Kelly and Dean and even less about Lena. We learn almost nothing about the pirates and what motivates them, where they are from etc. It would make a scarily good action movie though. Think Captain Phillips (you know the Tom Hanks pirate movie based on real events - I think) on steroids and uppers!
February 13, 2018
You have to have a pretty sick mind to actually enjoy this book due to the nature of the cruel antagonists and level of violence..... I loved it!
Some parts were very disturbing and also frustrating as the main characters did absolutely nothing to deserve such treatment from the dastardly Chilean sea pirates. However, once you see the slightest glimmer of hope and a hint at possible revenge for our hapless victims then the book really kicks into gear. It doesn't feel so much like a voyeuristic view into the world of sadists anymore. The book actually develops a main character that can kick some ass who doesn't tend to lean too much on a self righteous path and is genuinely after some good old fashioned bloody revenge!
A quick read that is tense, horrific at times, sad, satisfying and over all a good blood splattered story.
I'd lean more on a 3.5/5 or 7/10. I will definitely be checking out more of the authors work.
Some parts were very disturbing and also frustrating as the main characters did absolutely nothing to deserve such treatment from the dastardly Chilean sea pirates. However, once you see the slightest glimmer of hope and a hint at possible revenge for our hapless victims then the book really kicks into gear. It doesn't feel so much like a voyeuristic view into the world of sadists anymore. The book actually develops a main character that can kick some ass who doesn't tend to lean too much on a self righteous path and is genuinely after some good old fashioned bloody revenge!
A quick read that is tense, horrific at times, sad, satisfying and over all a good blood splattered story.
I'd lean more on a 3.5/5 or 7/10. I will definitely be checking out more of the authors work.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 7, 2017
Sailing...
Ok...so I'm really not into boats or sailing. This looked interesting so I thought I would give it a try.
I'm glad I did. Kelly, Dean & Lena...The 3 most important characters. Who lives & who dies? Kelly & Dean have been on a long sailing trip trying to repair their marriage. So far it has been working. From their radio they pick up a message from an intensely terrified young girl. And then nothing. They can't notify any authorities as their signals have been blocked. What's worse...someone is following them. And getting closer every minute.
Lots of action & terror in this book. These men are evil. They are after Dean & Kelley for a specific reason. And they catch them.
There was a lot of sailing jargon I didn't understand but it took nothing away from the storyline. Let's just sat I'm proud of Kelly...a wonderful heroine...😉
Ok...so I'm really not into boats or sailing. This looked interesting so I thought I would give it a try.
I'm glad I did. Kelly, Dean & Lena...The 3 most important characters. Who lives & who dies? Kelly & Dean have been on a long sailing trip trying to repair their marriage. So far it has been working. From their radio they pick up a message from an intensely terrified young girl. And then nothing. They can't notify any authorities as their signals have been blocked. What's worse...someone is following them. And getting closer every minute.
Lots of action & terror in this book. These men are evil. They are after Dean & Kelley for a specific reason. And they catch them.
There was a lot of sailing jargon I didn't understand but it took nothing away from the storyline. Let's just sat I'm proud of Kelly...a wonderful heroine...😉
August 19, 2017
I really enjoyed this book - I do like sailing/ocean books and didn't mind the sometimes detailed boating descriptions. I was surprised how the male author made his female heroine so intelligent and sailing savvy and how he understood (for the most part) her female feelings. I loved how tough she was and totally agreed with how brutal she could be in retaliation and for survival. An eye for an eye. I did have a twinge of sympathy for the one who had shown her a soft/weak spot but knew that she had done the right thing in the long run. She was a "Ninja" and the ending was wrapped up quickly and in a satisfying manner.
February 9, 2020
(3). As soon as you start this book be prepared to fasten your seatbelt. Do not plan on moving around, getting something to eat or hitting the rest room. The action is fast, furious and intense. Edge of the seat for 200 plus pages with only a touch of interlude. No time for character development, except for perhaps our leading lady protagonist. I had to pause once or twice to let the intensity die down, but a really fun read. Good stuff.
August 9, 2022
I was introduced to Jonathan Moore by first reading "Five Christmases", his Edgar Award winning novel. There are some rough scenes in that work, but nothing like the excessive violence and sick characters found in "Close Reach".
I very much enjoyed Moore's writing style and story telling ability, however.
Can anyone tell me if Moore's in between novels have this excessive violence? I've had enough of that.
Thank you, Jesse
I very much enjoyed Moore's writing style and story telling ability, however.
Can anyone tell me if Moore's in between novels have this excessive violence? I've had enough of that.
Thank you, Jesse
August 4, 2017
The best book I've read in a long while .
An avid reader, I complete 2 to 5 books every week. This is by far the best book I have read in a long time. The storyline, the attention to detail, the colorful descriptions, all were well done and well put together in a very engrossing plot. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a great adventure fiction.
An avid reader, I complete 2 to 5 books every week. This is by far the best book I have read in a long time. The storyline, the attention to detail, the colorful descriptions, all were well done and well put together in a very engrossing plot. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a great adventure fiction.
August 19, 2017
Riveting heart pounding book. I could not lay it down. The excitement just kept going
This is an adventurous book. I think anyone who reads it will be caught up in the story, right from the start. It has been a long time since I read a book in one sitting. This book will grab you from the start, and you will vividly feel you are right there with the characters.
This is an adventurous book. I think anyone who reads it will be caught up in the story, right from the start. It has been a long time since I read a book in one sitting. This book will grab you from the start, and you will vividly feel you are right there with the characters.
July 16, 2018
I gave this book 4 stars only because it was so violent. I didn't expect that and was a little tough to get through in some parts. BUT, overall was exciting, unexpected, and a total page turner. I think this would make a good movie with - SPOILER ALERT - a female badass in the lead.
Wow! Glad it's over, though. I was stressed the whole way through.
Wow! Glad it's over, though. I was stressed the whole way through.
February 19, 2026
Moore remains one of my favorite writers, and is still on the must read list - in fact I'm cranky that I've now read all of his novels to date.
Close Reach starts with high terror from the first few pages, hard to read almost from the start.
And it just gets more difficult to read from there. The prose is stunning, producing physical reactions.
I just don't enjoy this level of torture porn.
Close Reach starts with high terror from the first few pages, hard to read almost from the start.
And it just gets more difficult to read from there. The prose is stunning, producing physical reactions.
I just don't enjoy this level of torture porn.
March 8, 2017
A departure from my favorite author.
A departure from Mr. Moore's usual writing but gripping and bone chilling none the less. The heroine of the book continually amazed me with her strength and fortitude. Don't miss this one .
A departure from Mr. Moore's usual writing but gripping and bone chilling none the less. The heroine of the book continually amazed me with her strength and fortitude. Don't miss this one .
August 12, 2017
Very Gritty Sailing Story!
Written like a screenplay- a gruesome sea story that grips you from the beginning and doesn't let go. Not the happiest ending, but if you like revenge tales, very satisfying. You really feel as if you are in the stormy Southern Sea.
Written like a screenplay- a gruesome sea story that grips you from the beginning and doesn't let go. Not the happiest ending, but if you like revenge tales, very satisfying. You really feel as if you are in the stormy Southern Sea.
September 7, 2017
Captivating read!
This is a very different book for me but it caught my attention quickly and wouldn't let go until I had finished! Lots of plot twists and physical and psychological interplay amidst the descriptive narrative.
This is a very different book for me but it caught my attention quickly and wouldn't let go until I had finished! Lots of plot twists and physical and psychological interplay amidst the descriptive narrative.
October 9, 2022
Close Reach: A Novel
The say goes "He'll has no fury like a woman". In this book you meet Kelly. She and her husband, Dean are captured by Pirates and when her husband is kill she go for vengeance and rescue a girl who is being prep for surgery. Can she do it? Great story.
The say goes "He'll has no fury like a woman". In this book you meet Kelly. She and her husband, Dean are captured by Pirates and when her husband is kill she go for vengeance and rescue a girl who is being prep for surgery. Can she do it? Great story.
August 18, 2017
This book has it all
Suspense, love and a harrowing battle for your life. I couldn't put it down. It's true there is nothing like a woman with nothing left.
Suspense, love and a harrowing battle for your life. I couldn't put it down. It's true there is nothing like a woman with nothing left.
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