Run

by Terry Lander

When Geoff gets home drunk after a pool night, he accidentally stabs and kills his long term girlfriend, Jennifer. Ignoring his opportunity to act, he flees to Pnie, a village in Poland, hoping to rebuild his life.

After meeting Maria, a local shop owner, Geoff finds himself helping out in ways he could never have imagined. However, an earthquake stops their lives dead and he looks to his old skills as a builder to steady the situation.

This book is an exaggeration of our own lives, how different groups of people often see us differently, and explores a deeper need to belong.

147 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 3, 2025

About the author

Terry Lander is a British author best known for his novellas, Monster Jackpot and Run, and novels, Banned, Alf & Mabel and Red Light London. He started writing in 2005 and has explored a number of different genres, often focusing on the unpredictability of human nature and the emotive side of his characters.

In 2017, Terry started writing children’s books, starting with Natalie’s Fiendish New Headteacher, which spawned two sequels as part of the Natalie Underwood series. He also co-wrote Lewis and Bruno Face the Artificial Intelligents with fellow author Jamie Arron.

Reviews

[Kat · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can’t say with any certainty that I really know what Run was about, but it’s a sad and very sobering tale, one that tells the story of a man who accidentally killed someone he loved and ran away in a panic. There’s not much emotional depth put into this story and our main character, Geoff, so it was sometimes hard to connect and really get at what the message was. But I enjoyed spending some time in a small Polish village with Geoff, and I liked how it painted him as far more than a murderer.

After a night of drinking and playing pool, Geoff returns home to his longtime girlfriend, Jennifer. As expected, they argue, with a kitchen knife perilously close. Unfortunately, Geoff accidentally stabs Jennifer before hitting his head and being knocked out. Even more unfortunately, Jennifer is dead when he comes to, and he desperately chooses to run to Pnie, Poland, a small town he once went to for work, instead of calling the authorities. Pnie offers a way for him to change his life, leading him to shopkeeper Maria, who offers him a room and employment. Life is peaceful and predictable, and he becomes familiar with many of the locals, but tragedy strikes when a massive earthquake almost decimates the town, and the recent past comes for Geoff at the same time.

Run is a really quick read, telling more of a bare bones story. While I felt it kept the emotional impact at a minimum, it did offer some food for thought, forcing me to re-examine the despicable actions of some individuals. I was surprised by how the story made me hope for Geoff, and made me see him as more than a murderer. He was humanized with many sides to him, flaws and all. It sometimes made me feel like everyone decrying him just didn’t really understand and saw him as something other than human. I really enjoyed how he was painted as so much more than an accidental murderer, and yet he himself often felt like he was harsher on himself than everyone else was.

As much as I was drawn to this story of a man who accidentally kills someone he loves and then flees, and then wanting to know what happened to him and if justice ever catches up to him, I also felt compelled to read this to find out if Geoff ever managed to redeem himself. I am satisfied that this book offered everything I expected and hoped for; I was just lacking emotional depth and the full exploration of his situation and what he makes of his life. The narrative is very quick as it doesn’t linger in any of the scenes, moving quickly from one to the next. At times, I felt like this story was being told to me in as short a time as possible, and part of me felt like I was screaming for it to slow down a little. I really wanted to get to know Geoff and Pnie better, but a lot of the slowness and details were given to the disaster situation after the earthquake, so the pacing felt a little off to me.

I really enjoyed exploring Pnie with Geoff. I’ve never been to Poland, but it felt delightful and quaint. I also really enjoyed meeting the people Geoff comes into contact with. There’s the suggestion of attraction between Geoff and Maria, but I liked the hold Jennifer had over him, even in death. Those scenes were probably my favorite, offering a glimpse into Geoff’s mind and reinforcing his loyalty despite the relatively normal wandering eye he has. But I really liked meeting the people of Pnie. They felt like they could be anyone anywhere. I can’t speak to any authenticity, but it reminded me of a small town with a European flair, so I really enjoyed my time there.

In the end, Run isn’t the most compelling story of a person on the run I’ve read, but it does slant the light a little differently. I enjoyed getting into Geoff’s mind a little, and I liked how he tried to be a good, helpful, kind person despite the blood on his hands. There’s an interesting complexity to him. I just wish the story had taken its time a little more and let everyone and everything breathe. Otherwise, I found this to be quick and thought provoking.

Thank you to the author for a review copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Luke · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book. I read it in a couple of sittings as it was very easy to read and I really wanted to know how the plot concluded. This was the perfect follow up to Landers Monster Jackpot. Looking forward to his next book.

[Danny Grale · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really different, I liked the flow of the book.