Dig Two Graves: A Noir Thriller of Revenge

by Andrew Hallman

“If I was after revenge, best believe you’d have to dig more than two graves.”

Von Martin walks out of prison with nothing—no job, no home, no real plan. His ex-wife has moved on with his former best friend. His daughter doesn’t recognize him. His old boss pretends he doesn’t exist.

Everyone tells him to play it safe. Keep his head down. Stay clean. Rebuild.

But Von knows respect isn’t something you get by asking politely.

What starts as a quest to salvage his dignity quickly spirals into a blood-soaked reckoning through the sultry heat and septic underbelly of Southwest Florida. Brutally funny, cynically violent, blisteringly sunburnt, this is the story of a man fighting to reclaim his place in a world that has long since left him behind.

You probably shouldn’t root for Von Martin.

But you just might anyway.

✅ Praise for Dig Two Graves

🏅 Gold Medalist, Literary Titan Book Awards (2025)
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “If you like crime stories with grit, moral ambiguity, and a voice that sticks in your head, then this one is worth your time.” —Literary Titan
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “A dark, thought-provoking exploration of a man’s fight for dignity in a world that offers little mercy. Noir fans, like myself, will savor every word.” —Carol Thompson
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “An intense mix of raw emotion and gripping suspense… left a strong and lasting impression on me.” —Alma Boucher

Genres: Thriller

222 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 20, 2025

Reviews

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won a Kindle copy in a Goodreads giveaway. The writing was fine but I absolutely could not connect with the main character. I wanted to like him. I normally like characters who are down on their luck and want to do better but there was nothing there through the entire book.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Von Martin seems to get lost in revenge and anger in this story. Hallman does an excellent job of building this character. I couldn't put the book down because I needed to know what happens to Von. Where does he end up? What happens to the supporting characters such as Raul, Jasmine, and even Pastor Tom? This story plays with your emotions and pulls at your heart, but ultimately I was rooting for Jasmine to realize her worth. Feelings of anger and needing revenge in life may not get you to where you ultimately want to be or where you need to be. Think twice before the feeling takes over.

[Book Reviewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dig Two Graves is a hard-hitting noir tale about a man just out of prison, stumbling back into the world with nothing but a Bible, some rage, and a whole lot of unresolved history. Von Martin is bitter, raw, and desperate. He wants to see his daughter, reclaim his place, and claw back respect in a world that seems determined to keep him down. What unfolds is a tense ride through betrayal, revenge, and the messy business of survival, with every page steeped in grit and sweat.

I felt torn while reading. On one hand, the writing is sharp and immersive. The author captures the voice of Von with uncanny precision. It feels like you’re right there with him, stuck in his head, tasting his anger, hearing his rationalizations, even when you know he’s full of it. That intimacy made me uneasy, but in the best way, because it’s rare to find a book that commits so fully to the flawed perspective of its main character. On the other hand, Von is not an easy guy to root for. He’s selfish, volatile, and often cruel, and I caught myself rolling my eyes at his self-pity while also sympathizing with his hunger for dignity. That push and pull kept me hooked.

The ideas in this book hit harder than I expected. It’s not just a revenge story. It’s about the weight of time wasted, the way choices narrow your life, and the slow decay of trust. There’s this constant tug between the possibility of redemption and the lure of destruction, and I felt that tension every step of the way.

By the time I turned the last page, I was impressed. Dig Two Graves is not for someone looking for a comforting read. It’s for readers who want to wade into murky waters, who can handle being close to a character that repels as much as he fascinates. If you like crime stories with grit, moral ambiguity, and a voice that sticks in your head, then this one is worth your time.

[H2ArcReader · Rating 3 out of 5]

The writing in this book was great. The pacing was brisk, and the action scenes were written in a way that kept me pulled in from start to finish. The story itself flows really well — not too heavy, not too slow — which made it easy to keep reading.

My issue is Von.
He has to be one of the biggest narcissists I’ve ever read. The way he manipulates and gaslights people is honestly disturbing. I don’t usually get that worked up over a character, but this one made my skin crawl. The author did such a good job making him believable that I kept catching myself reacting to him like he was a real person.

It’s a strange mix — appreciating the writing and the craft, while feeling completely disgusted by the main character. I’ll give credit where it’s due: Von is written too well. He’s not charming. He’s not misunderstood. He’s just… toxic.

If you like fast-paced stories with strong writing and characters who make you question your own tolerance for manipulation, this book delivers. Just know going in, Von isn’t the type of character you love to hate — he’s the kind you just hate.

[ABrahosky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whew! Heavy!

Andrew Hallman delivers a fast-paced crime story full of deep symbolism and a scathing view of a man who is always blaming his circumstances on someone or something else.

It is a tale of an anti-hero… someone I wanted desperately to succeed, but watched helplessly as he caroms from one bad decision to another. The frightening part is that it is easy to see how he could have reached the conclusions he did that contributed to his spiral.

This could be a cautionary tale for the modern generation seeking reasons to assign blame outside of their own actions.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full of suspense, couldn't put it down. I was particularly captivated by Von, one of those characters who makes you feel something (great writing will do that!), even if it is frustration, because Von can't get out of his own way long enough to make one good decision! His internal dialogue deepens the sense of Von as a real full-bodied character who bumbles his way through it all, rationalizing and deflecting but makes you hope that he'll get it all figured out at some point.

[Tanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

He has just left prison and he has nothing to his name. His ex wife is now with his ex best friend and he daughter does not recognize him even his old boss wants nothing to do with him. He was told to keep his head down but he will soon be back to killing. See what happens next
I received an advance copy from hidden gems and a great thriller

[Cheryl Tabor · Rating 5 out of 5]

When your life goes to ship, it often times stays that way unless you change course. This story of a man who gets out of prison, and nothing goes right for him. His life fell apart at his incarceration and his actions of his release did not get any better. In fact he just obliterated it. Thanks Goodreads, Author and publishers.

[Kristen C · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a gritty, fast-moving read that keeps you hooked from start to finish. The writing has a cool feel and the tension builds just right. Some parts are a little over the top, but that just adds to the fun. Overall, it’s a sharp, dark thriller that delivers plenty of punch and attitude.

[Rod · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Before setting out on a journey of revenge, first dig two graves”: Confucius

Von Martin finds that his release from prison after four long years doesn't mean much to anybody; his best friend has moved in on his wife, his daughter doesn't recognise him and his former boss wants nothing to do with him. Von is looking for some way to wind it all back, but it seems pretty clear from the book's title that things were going to go spectacularly pear-shaped.

I could see few redeeming traits in the character Hallman has drawn for us, and can only assume that was his intention. I could not empathise in any way, and could only wonder about a character with so little self awareness that almost every step seemed calculated to bring about the greatest self-damage.

Supporting characters were paper-thin (the sheriff seemed straight out of Smokey and the Bandit) with the possible exception of Jasmin/Nora, but even she was more caricature than character.

The pacing is pretty good, the style (short, sharp and choppy) suited the narrative, the action scenes were sufficiently engaging. But, frankly, I thought the book unexceptional, and skimmed a chapter or two. Still, I did want to see whether Von somehow managed to dig himself out of the hole. So there's that going for it.