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Sleeper
Time is running out, and his enemies are closing in.
Boon Dohir seems to have it all-an upscale apartment, an expensive car, and an envious lifestyle.
But under this self-assured veneer lies a different Boon, one haunted by shadows he can't escape. Nights find him alone, drowning in a spiral of booze and guilt. He doesn't drink for pleasure, but to forget. Because Boon Dohir has secrets, dark ones he's kept hidden for years. But now, one of those secrets is stirring, ready to shatter his carefully constructed façade. And this time, it's not just his reputation on the line-it's his life.
With danger closing in, Boon will have to confront the demons he's fought so hard to hide. But these particular demons aren't just memories; they're the kind that come back with a vengeance.
Boon Dohir seems to have it all-an upscale apartment, an expensive car, and an envious lifestyle.
But under this self-assured veneer lies a different Boon, one haunted by shadows he can't escape. Nights find him alone, drowning in a spiral of booze and guilt. He doesn't drink for pleasure, but to forget. Because Boon Dohir has secrets, dark ones he's kept hidden for years. But now, one of those secrets is stirring, ready to shatter his carefully constructed façade. And this time, it's not just his reputation on the line-it's his life.
With danger closing in, Boon will have to confront the demons he's fought so hard to hide. But these particular demons aren't just memories; they're the kind that come back with a vengeance.
322 pages, Paperback
Published November 7, 2024
About the author
David Kettlehake
7 books18 followersDavid Kettlehake’s fascination with reading began at a very young age. Even though his father was a minister and his mother was a social worker and money was tight, his parents never said no to books. He still vividly remembers reading under the covers at night with a flashlight, while listening for the footfalls of his parents telling him (for the last time!) to go to sleep.
The first book he ever checked out of a library was Robert A. Heinlein’s Rocket Ship Galileo, back in elementary school. But as often as not, he could be found reading an Alistair MacClean thriller, or horror short stories from H.P. Lovecraft. Science fiction and fantasy novels came later, and even now the books he picks up are from genres all across the board.
For the most part, his protagonists are average people caught up in events outside their control, forcing them to overcome their own fears and shortcomings in order to succeed…or survive.
He deeply believes that reading should be fun and pleasurable, and that when you finish one of his books you breathe a deep, satisfied sigh, and wish there were just a few more pages.
David and his wonderful wife Lisa have three terrific kids, Nikki, Aaron, and Ian. He and his wife live in the suburbs of Columbus, Ohio. They love traveling here and abroad and seeing the world, which is why his stories tend to gravitate outside of the U.S.
His third novel, the YA dystopian thriller GRAY, will be released in September of 2020 through Brother Mockingbird Publishing.
Please visit his website at www.davidkettlehake.com, or email him at david.kettlehake@gmail.com
The first book he ever checked out of a library was Robert A. Heinlein’s Rocket Ship Galileo, back in elementary school. But as often as not, he could be found reading an Alistair MacClean thriller, or horror short stories from H.P. Lovecraft. Science fiction and fantasy novels came later, and even now the books he picks up are from genres all across the board.
For the most part, his protagonists are average people caught up in events outside their control, forcing them to overcome their own fears and shortcomings in order to succeed…or survive.
He deeply believes that reading should be fun and pleasurable, and that when you finish one of his books you breathe a deep, satisfied sigh, and wish there were just a few more pages.
David and his wonderful wife Lisa have three terrific kids, Nikki, Aaron, and Ian. He and his wife live in the suburbs of Columbus, Ohio. They love traveling here and abroad and seeing the world, which is why his stories tend to gravitate outside of the U.S.
His third novel, the YA dystopian thriller GRAY, will be released in September of 2020 through Brother Mockingbird Publishing.
Please visit his website at www.davidkettlehake.com, or email him at david.kettlehake@gmail.com
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
August 12, 2026
Sleeper by David Kettlehake is the kind of thriller that draws you into the troubled world of its protagonist and gradually reveals just how fragile a carefully constructed life can become. What initially appears to be the story of a man who has achieved success and comfort quickly develops into something much darker, with guilt, secrecy, danger, and the consequences of past choices constantly pressing in on Boon Dohir.
What I particularly appreciate about the premise is that Boon does not seem designed to be a straightforward hero. He is a complicated character carrying emotional baggage and making morally questionable choices while still attempting to do things that appear, on the surface, to have a positive purpose. That contradiction makes him much more interesting than a conventional protagonist. It creates the uncomfortable feeling that you can understand some of his motivations without necessarily agreeing with his decisions.
The atmosphere is another strong aspect of the story. There is a persistent sense that something is waiting just beneath the surface, and the descriptions of Boon's isolation, guilt, and dependence on alcohol give the character an unsettling vulnerability. His expensive lifestyle and outward confidence become almost like a mask, making the contrast with what he is experiencing internally especially effective. The more his carefully maintained façade begins to crack, the more compelling his situation becomes.
I also enjoyed the moral questions surrounding the story. The book appears to ask whether good intentions can truly justify questionable actions and whether someone can outrun the consequences of the choices they have made. Those questions add depth to the suspense because the danger is not simply about physical survival. Boon is also being forced to confront the person he has become and the secrets he has spent so much time trying to keep buried.
Kettlehake's thriller setup has plenty of ingredients for readers who enjoy stories involving complicated characters, hidden secrets, escalating danger, and moral ambiguity. Rather than presenting everything in simple black and white, the story seems interested in the uncomfortable space between right and wrong, which makes Boon's circumstances considerably more engaging.
Overall, Sleeper presents an intriguing and tense thriller built around a protagonist whose polished exterior hides a much more troubled reality. The combination of suspense, personal guilt, danger, and moral complexity gives the story more substance than a straightforward chase or crime narrative. Readers who enjoy thrillers where character and psychological tension are just as important as the external danger will likely find Boon Dohir's story worth exploring.
What I particularly appreciate about the premise is that Boon does not seem designed to be a straightforward hero. He is a complicated character carrying emotional baggage and making morally questionable choices while still attempting to do things that appear, on the surface, to have a positive purpose. That contradiction makes him much more interesting than a conventional protagonist. It creates the uncomfortable feeling that you can understand some of his motivations without necessarily agreeing with his decisions.
The atmosphere is another strong aspect of the story. There is a persistent sense that something is waiting just beneath the surface, and the descriptions of Boon's isolation, guilt, and dependence on alcohol give the character an unsettling vulnerability. His expensive lifestyle and outward confidence become almost like a mask, making the contrast with what he is experiencing internally especially effective. The more his carefully maintained façade begins to crack, the more compelling his situation becomes.
I also enjoyed the moral questions surrounding the story. The book appears to ask whether good intentions can truly justify questionable actions and whether someone can outrun the consequences of the choices they have made. Those questions add depth to the suspense because the danger is not simply about physical survival. Boon is also being forced to confront the person he has become and the secrets he has spent so much time trying to keep buried.
Kettlehake's thriller setup has plenty of ingredients for readers who enjoy stories involving complicated characters, hidden secrets, escalating danger, and moral ambiguity. Rather than presenting everything in simple black and white, the story seems interested in the uncomfortable space between right and wrong, which makes Boon's circumstances considerably more engaging.
Overall, Sleeper presents an intriguing and tense thriller built around a protagonist whose polished exterior hides a much more troubled reality. The combination of suspense, personal guilt, danger, and moral complexity gives the story more substance than a straightforward chase or crime narrative. Readers who enjoy thrillers where character and psychological tension are just as important as the external danger will likely find Boon Dohir's story worth exploring.
Displaying 1 of 1 review