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Treadmill
Jack Cooper is an unhappy man—mind, body, and spirit. In the blink of an eye, he has lost his longstanding job to the economy, his mother to illness, and his wife to her secret lover. Beaten, broken, and crippled by tragedy, he withdraws into total isolation, narrowing his life down to the simplest of routines in order to block out the pain. His day begins with a strenuous workout at the Bethesda Health Club, his personal oasis where his mind and body can be free, and ends in his tiny apartment, where he escapes from reality with his books until he can lose himself in sleep. Nothing more, nothing less. That is, until he meets the enigmatic Mike Parrish. Stolen from the hospital as a newborn and passed around from household to household, Parrish has no official identification. To the government and the world at large, he does not exist. He is an anonymous drifter, but also the first person who breaks through Cooper’s emotional confinement. Cooper finds solace in his friendship with Parrish, a man who understands his plight and is sympathetic to his pain. But then Parrish suddenly disappears, leaving Cooper to search for a virtually invisible man. As he looks for clues as intangible as ghosts, and chases leads as fleeting as shadows, his search leads him back to the one place he called his the Bethesda Health Club. How much can be taken from a man before he has nothing to lose?
274 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 8, 2014
27 people are currently reading
153 people want to read
About the author
Warren Adler
79 books112 followersWarren Adler was an American author, playwright and poet. His novel The War of the Roses was turned into a dark comedy starring Michael Douglas, Kathleen Turner and Danny DeVito.
Adler was an essayist, short-story writer, poet and playwright, whose works have been translated into 25 languages.
Adler was an essayist, short-story writer, poet and playwright, whose works have been translated into 25 languages.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
March 10, 2015
I am sorry to say I really hated this book. I have been meaning to read more mysteries, but for some reason I have been picking up the rubbish ones. I am going to keep trying though! I’ll find a hidden gem soon.
This book was supposed to be about a friend who goes missing and then Cooper who tries his best to find out what happened to him, due to his routine being shattered once the man – Parrish – disappears. And I suppose it was about that. But it also somehow included politics, and when the explanation as to how that had a role in it came about, I was left confused. It didn’t make any sense to me, and therefore the mystery was hard to understand.
But putting that aside, the story had more downsides than simply the plot. I felt like the main character, Jack Cooper, was a flat one. We never learned too much about him on a personal level simply because he didn’t have one. He was a simplistic man plagued by OCD… and that was it. There wasn’t more to know about him and it bothered me.
I also felt like the story was told in a flat and boring way. There were parts that I felt were completely unnecessary and almost served to make more pages. It was slow paced, which added to my felt boredom. I’m surprised I even read all the way through. There were some points (especially the beginning) where there was a big info dump and it was telling and never showing.
Another thing that really bothered me was that Jack believed everything a woman told him simply because he believed he was in love with her. I do understand, but even though there is the term love is blind, I didn’t know it made you naïve and completely trusting immediately either. Ugh.
This is not one I would recommend.
This book was supposed to be about a friend who goes missing and then Cooper who tries his best to find out what happened to him, due to his routine being shattered once the man – Parrish – disappears. And I suppose it was about that. But it also somehow included politics, and when the explanation as to how that had a role in it came about, I was left confused. It didn’t make any sense to me, and therefore the mystery was hard to understand.
But putting that aside, the story had more downsides than simply the plot. I felt like the main character, Jack Cooper, was a flat one. We never learned too much about him on a personal level simply because he didn’t have one. He was a simplistic man plagued by OCD… and that was it. There wasn’t more to know about him and it bothered me.
I also felt like the story was told in a flat and boring way. There were parts that I felt were completely unnecessary and almost served to make more pages. It was slow paced, which added to my felt boredom. I’m surprised I even read all the way through. There were some points (especially the beginning) where there was a big info dump and it was telling and never showing.
Another thing that really bothered me was that Jack believed everything a woman told him simply because he believed he was in love with her. I do understand, but even though there is the term love is blind, I didn’t know it made you naïve and completely trusting immediately either. Ugh.
This is not one I would recommend.
March 21, 2015
“Nothing like a good mystery when you’re hitting the gym” I totally agree with Mr. Adler assessment when he wrote these words. “Treadmill” is a thrilling read, only a master storyteller could come up with a suspenseful and unique story where the plot keeps circling back to a Gym.
DC seems to be Mr. Adler’s city of choice to set his imagination in motion. Although this time none of the players are politicians we still find the atmosphere to have a very political tone. It opens on a treadmill, Jack Cooper, recently divorced, finds a lot of comfort in his daily routine at the gym working out alongside others, Mike Parrish is always there on the machine beside him….till one day Mike simply doesn't show up. His disappearance is the catalyst that precipitates events that we follow in this page-turner.
And what a page-tuner it turned out to be, cover to cover of lies, cover-ups, political machinations, deceits etc. not a dull moment and very suspenseful once on the move. This scenario is one that slowly pulled me in but once hooked I was done, hated to put it down so anxious to see what course this thriller would take. What came next did not disappoint, the outcome was unpredictable till the few last chapters when everything led back to the Bethesda Health Club. Now about the characterization, I don’t know how people are at gym but in “Treadmill”, Mr. Adler gave his cast a haunting and surreal behavior.
“Treadmill” is a winner one that can easily migrate from page to screen
DC seems to be Mr. Adler’s city of choice to set his imagination in motion. Although this time none of the players are politicians we still find the atmosphere to have a very political tone. It opens on a treadmill, Jack Cooper, recently divorced, finds a lot of comfort in his daily routine at the gym working out alongside others, Mike Parrish is always there on the machine beside him….till one day Mike simply doesn't show up. His disappearance is the catalyst that precipitates events that we follow in this page-turner.
And what a page-tuner it turned out to be, cover to cover of lies, cover-ups, political machinations, deceits etc. not a dull moment and very suspenseful once on the move. This scenario is one that slowly pulled me in but once hooked I was done, hated to put it down so anxious to see what course this thriller would take. What came next did not disappoint, the outcome was unpredictable till the few last chapters when everything led back to the Bethesda Health Club. Now about the characterization, I don’t know how people are at gym but in “Treadmill”, Mr. Adler gave his cast a haunting and surreal behavior.
“Treadmill” is a winner one that can easily migrate from page to screen
April 11, 2018
( Format : Audiobook )
"No body, no evidence. No evidence, no case."
Life played a cruel trick on Cooper. Within the same month, he lost his mother, his job and his wife told him she was leaving for someone else and did so the next day - taking his trust and his libido with her! An only child, he was not afraid to be alone; in fact, he welcomed it after the unexpected betrayal and he abandoned friends for a solitary apartment and his small library of books. He no longer read the papers or felt part of an ongoing world: he wanted to live entirely in the immediate, unaffected by the changing world around him, he lived frugally on unemployment benefit and joined a cheap gym to concentrate simply on himself.
Then, after six months of working out in the gym alongside another man whose routine there mirrored his own, he and Parish started to talk to each other, tentatively at first, but Parish's story was strangely fascinating.
So begins a new phase in Cooper's life which was to be bizarre, exhilarating, frustrating and terrifying.
Mr.Adler, the author, is still probably best known for his comedy, Wars of the Roses, which was made into a blockbuster film, but he writes in many different genres and this one, though having comedic touches, is far more a mystery thriller but with the main protagonist's psychological contortions foremost. The author is a master wordsmith and character builder and both are clearly evident in this book. Starting slowly, setting the scene for both Cooper and the man ,Parish, the reader is sucked into the strange happenings surrounding the people at the gym.
The narrator was good, with just the right sounding voice for Cooper, the main protagonist. Eric Bryan Moor read with clarity, good cadence and intonation and his voicing of the other characters was distinct. A good low key performance as befitted the text.
I have read, and mostly, very much enjoyed numerous of Mr.Adler's books so when I was offered a complimentary copy of Treadmill, with no conditions applied, I accepted with alacrity despite knowing nothing about it other than the title. And I am so glad that I did. It was refreshingly unusual and just a little scary. But above all, it was a rattling good read. Recommended
"No body, no evidence. No evidence, no case."
Life played a cruel trick on Cooper. Within the same month, he lost his mother, his job and his wife told him she was leaving for someone else and did so the next day - taking his trust and his libido with her! An only child, he was not afraid to be alone; in fact, he welcomed it after the unexpected betrayal and he abandoned friends for a solitary apartment and his small library of books. He no longer read the papers or felt part of an ongoing world: he wanted to live entirely in the immediate, unaffected by the changing world around him, he lived frugally on unemployment benefit and joined a cheap gym to concentrate simply on himself.
Then, after six months of working out in the gym alongside another man whose routine there mirrored his own, he and Parish started to talk to each other, tentatively at first, but Parish's story was strangely fascinating.
So begins a new phase in Cooper's life which was to be bizarre, exhilarating, frustrating and terrifying.
Mr.Adler, the author, is still probably best known for his comedy, Wars of the Roses, which was made into a blockbuster film, but he writes in many different genres and this one, though having comedic touches, is far more a mystery thriller but with the main protagonist's psychological contortions foremost. The author is a master wordsmith and character builder and both are clearly evident in this book. Starting slowly, setting the scene for both Cooper and the man ,Parish, the reader is sucked into the strange happenings surrounding the people at the gym.
The narrator was good, with just the right sounding voice for Cooper, the main protagonist. Eric Bryan Moor read with clarity, good cadence and intonation and his voicing of the other characters was distinct. A good low key performance as befitted the text.
I have read, and mostly, very much enjoyed numerous of Mr.Adler's books so when I was offered a complimentary copy of Treadmill, with no conditions applied, I accepted with alacrity despite knowing nothing about it other than the title. And I am so glad that I did. It was refreshingly unusual and just a little scary. But above all, it was a rattling good read. Recommended
April 13, 2018
Disclaimers first. I read this book as an audiobook for review purposes.
The narrator was perfect for this book. His reading personified the action that was taking place throughout the book. The story is a complicated mystery/suspense with many twists and turns. You need to follow along. Perhaps, with an audiobook, it is more easy to lose track of the action, which I did. But it is easy to go back and ‘reread’ a section. I enjoy mysteries, so I had my suspicions of characters from the beginning..... but it was hard to pinpoint what would happen next and who would be at the bottom of it.
That said, it is a dark story about an unhappy man, who is trying to manage his sorrows. It seems just as he is beginning to open up, things start happening. And he wants answers, and he pursues answers. And in doing so, he puts himself in the center of something much darker than all that went before.
This is an adult book and deals with adult interactions and adult topics. All and all I liked the story and enjoyed the book. It is not the book to read if you are depressed because it is about the dark side. It will make you think about things that you may not have contemplated before.
The narrator was perfect for this book. His reading personified the action that was taking place throughout the book. The story is a complicated mystery/suspense with many twists and turns. You need to follow along. Perhaps, with an audiobook, it is more easy to lose track of the action, which I did. But it is easy to go back and ‘reread’ a section. I enjoy mysteries, so I had my suspicions of characters from the beginning..... but it was hard to pinpoint what would happen next and who would be at the bottom of it.
That said, it is a dark story about an unhappy man, who is trying to manage his sorrows. It seems just as he is beginning to open up, things start happening. And he wants answers, and he pursues answers. And in doing so, he puts himself in the center of something much darker than all that went before.
This is an adult book and deals with adult interactions and adult topics. All and all I liked the story and enjoyed the book. It is not the book to read if you are depressed because it is about the dark side. It will make you think about things that you may not have contemplated before.
April 25, 2018
My first Warren Adler book, and he had me stumped the whole time I was listening! Jack Cooper goes to the gym everyday. He is a quiet man, keeps to himself, but befriends a fellow gym goer, Mike Parrish. Mike is another who is rather quiet, but the two have a camaraderie . When Mike stops showing up, Jack can't help himself but try to find out what happened to him. Did he move? Did he find another gym? Did he just stop coming, or maybe he's sick? What Jack uncovers is a scandal of huge magnitude. This mystery is smartly written with so many twists and turns, it's hard to decide who the bad guys were going to be. A whodunnit with a surprise ending that makes the story worth the listen!
Eric Bryan Moore narrates this story with a cast of characters from the quiet to the evil. His variety of voices is vast, and his talents bring this story to life. A dark mystery, the most evil of characters will send shivers down your spine with Moore's sinister voice and in the next scene bring the romance and passion of Sue with Mike in the most erotic of voices. His performances always promise pure entertainment.
Eric Bryan Moore narrates this story with a cast of characters from the quiet to the evil. His variety of voices is vast, and his talents bring this story to life. A dark mystery, the most evil of characters will send shivers down your spine with Moore's sinister voice and in the next scene bring the romance and passion of Sue with Mike in the most erotic of voices. His performances always promise pure entertainment.
May 3, 2018
I had requested and received audiobook version of this book for free from the author, in exchange for an unbiased review.
From the synopsis, I was a little confused about how is that a "supernatural / paranormal" story. And when I started listening to the book, I was still not sure whether the genre classification is correct. If you are also asking yourself the same question, just give the book a little more time and you'll see. The twists presented in this book are sooo.. umm.. twisted that I absolutely didn't see them coming. This is one of those books that flip 180 on reader expectations about where the story is going. I love books like that and thus, I love this book.
Though the book had started kinda slowly, after the first twist, it picks up speed and grabs your attention with all its might. The very well-written gritty character and a tight story-line keeps you engaged for rest of the book. And the ending is just wow.
The narrator did a fabulous job as well. The range of voices Eric Bryan Moore used in this book is commendable. Makes the listening experience all the more satisfactory.
From the synopsis, I was a little confused about how is that a "supernatural / paranormal" story. And when I started listening to the book, I was still not sure whether the genre classification is correct. If you are also asking yourself the same question, just give the book a little more time and you'll see. The twists presented in this book are sooo.. umm.. twisted that I absolutely didn't see them coming. This is one of those books that flip 180 on reader expectations about where the story is going. I love books like that and thus, I love this book.
Though the book had started kinda slowly, after the first twist, it picks up speed and grabs your attention with all its might. The very well-written gritty character and a tight story-line keeps you engaged for rest of the book. And the ending is just wow.
The narrator did a fabulous job as well. The range of voices Eric Bryan Moore used in this book is commendable. Makes the listening experience all the more satisfactory.
May 13, 2018
The way this book turned out took me totally by surprise. While it starts out a little slow, it makes up for it in how it finishes. By mid-book, I was on the edge of my proverbial seat. The tension and angst build and build, and characters and events take turns that are completely unexpected. I've read and listened to several of Warren Adler's books; this one has moved to the top of my list. This is a dark book, make no mistake, but pays off at the end.
The narration proved exactly right for this book. The slightly gravely voice suited the main character, and the other voices were perfect for each character, man or woman. I grew to care about these people, wanted to know why what was happening was happening, and why to them.
I listened to the Audible audio book version, which I received as a gift from the author, and thought it excellently written and performed. If I could have, I would have listened to it all in one sitting, but real life, sadly, didn't allow that. Opinions expressed in this review were not influenced by the author's generosity.
The narration proved exactly right for this book. The slightly gravely voice suited the main character, and the other voices were perfect for each character, man or woman. I grew to care about these people, wanted to know why what was happening was happening, and why to them.
I listened to the Audible audio book version, which I received as a gift from the author, and thought it excellently written and performed. If I could have, I would have listened to it all in one sitting, but real life, sadly, didn't allow that. Opinions expressed in this review were not influenced by the author's generosity.
July 26, 2018
Jack Cooper is a beaten down man...he is jobless, wifeless (she cheated), and he lost his mother. Trying to pull himself out of the depths of despair, he starts a workout regiment at a local health club. There he meets Mike Parrish. On paper, according to all government agencies, Mike does not exist. There is no record of his birth since he was stolen from the hospital. When Mike disappears, Jack is on a mission to find him. How do you mind a missing person who, on paper, does not exist? Overall, the story is good, would have been a 5 star effort if the beginning was not so slow. I had to stop, take a break, then really concentrate a second time to get into it. Narration was on point though...kept me 'hanging in there'.
I voluntarily accepted a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.
I voluntarily accepted a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.
April 15, 2018
I was gifted this audio book thru Auto boom with the understanding that I would leave an honest review. I found this book to be sexually explicit. Auto boom has the chance for authors to say if it has fowl language and if it is sexually explicit which they choose not to disclose. I find this in poor taste. I listen to books not always in private and not always with out little ears around. The story without all of that was a good mystery. I didn't see the ending coming right away which is always nice. This book should come with a R rating.
February 24, 2024
Human nature.
Another surprise from the author Warren Adler endless imagination.
I’ll make it short, what special about this story is no matter how hard you try you will have no idea what it’s all about and can’t even guess on what coming next, that a real talent by the author.
Narration by Eric Bryan Moore.
Recommended !!!
Oded Ostfeld.
Another surprise from the author Warren Adler endless imagination.
I’ll make it short, what special about this story is no matter how hard you try you will have no idea what it’s all about and can’t even guess on what coming next, that a real talent by the author.
Narration by Eric Bryan Moore.
Recommended !!!
Oded Ostfeld.
April 16, 2018
The author sent me this audiobook in exchange for a review and I’m pleased to say that I can give it 5 Stars. The story starts very slowly, leaving questions in the reader’s mind as to where the plot is going. It isn’t until close to the end that everything becomes clear. Warren Adler is a true master at devising clever and twisted plots and he’s done it again.
June 12, 2018
Very engaging book, even though I didn't really like any of the characters, they are sad, faulty and selfish folk. They are such 'real people' and believable. The story line does get more complicated even if it's not all that believable in the end you don't want to put it down. It made me push back my bedtime to reach the end.
January 17, 2022
This book was just what I needed during the holidays. Not too serious and easy to follow. Some suspense. Some danger. I wanted to relax and not have to work too hard with solving the mystery or even keeping track of characters.
November 16, 2014
Treadmill is quite the gripping, thrilling read! The main character, Jack Cooper, is basically on a treadmill in life. Within just a months' time, he lost his job, his wife, and his mother. He's now living alone in a small apartment and the only highlight of his day is his time spent at a local gym. He finds a lot of comfort in his routines, including making sure that he's at the gym at the same time every day, working out alongside all the other regulars who work out at that time. There is one other guy, Mike Parrish, who is especially important to the routine because they share a trainer and always move from machine to machine side-by-side. Everything's going alright until the day that Mike doesn't show up at the gym. For some reason, this hits a funny spot in Jack's gut, and he embarks on a quest to find out what happened to Mike.
I went into Treadmill expecting to like it, because I loved Trans-Siberian Express so much. So maybe that colored my final impression of Treadmill? But I make no apologies: I loved Treadmill just as much as I loved Trans-Siberian Express! I think my dad might receive both for Christmas now. And I looked up Warren Adler on FantasticFiction.co.uk, and he has many more books that I can request from my library!
As I said above, Treadmill is quite a thriller. It's set in DC, and while none of the characters are politicians, the political atmosphere does come into play in the plot. I love how Warren Adler does his books: they're much more setting-based than character-based, and that's unique. In this one, the one place that all the characters and plot points keep circling back to is the run-down Bethesda Health Club. All of the characters work out there. At the beginning of the book, none of the characters have interacted at all. You know how it is at the gym: everyone has in their own earbuds and is totally focused on their own workouts and not so much with the other gym patrons. But Mike's disappearance acts as a catalyst and suddenly all the characters start interacting.
The reader only gets to see the other gym patrons from Jack's perspective, and he doesn't have much information at first. This meant that I (the reader) also didn't have much information, which led to an even greater feeling of suspense. It was a little odd; I didn't feel particularly attached to Jack but I was totally 100% absorbed in the plot and his safety. He wasn't a bad guy, and I didn't hate him, but I didn't really think I'd be his friend in real life either.
It's hard to write about the book without giving anything away! I will tell you that there are lies and cover-ups and mystery and political machinations... so much suspense! I highly recommend that you go out and read this book. I just informed the hubby that he might need to read it.
I went into Treadmill expecting to like it, because I loved Trans-Siberian Express so much. So maybe that colored my final impression of Treadmill? But I make no apologies: I loved Treadmill just as much as I loved Trans-Siberian Express! I think my dad might receive both for Christmas now. And I looked up Warren Adler on FantasticFiction.co.uk, and he has many more books that I can request from my library!
As I said above, Treadmill is quite a thriller. It's set in DC, and while none of the characters are politicians, the political atmosphere does come into play in the plot. I love how Warren Adler does his books: they're much more setting-based than character-based, and that's unique. In this one, the one place that all the characters and plot points keep circling back to is the run-down Bethesda Health Club. All of the characters work out there. At the beginning of the book, none of the characters have interacted at all. You know how it is at the gym: everyone has in their own earbuds and is totally focused on their own workouts and not so much with the other gym patrons. But Mike's disappearance acts as a catalyst and suddenly all the characters start interacting.
The reader only gets to see the other gym patrons from Jack's perspective, and he doesn't have much information at first. This meant that I (the reader) also didn't have much information, which led to an even greater feeling of suspense. It was a little odd; I didn't feel particularly attached to Jack but I was totally 100% absorbed in the plot and his safety. He wasn't a bad guy, and I didn't hate him, but I didn't really think I'd be his friend in real life either.
It's hard to write about the book without giving anything away! I will tell you that there are lies and cover-ups and mystery and political machinations... so much suspense! I highly recommend that you go out and read this book. I just informed the hubby that he might need to read it.
September 15, 2014
A page turner with about a normal man whose soul and being are crushed emotionally by misfortune and betrayals. I loved the way the author portrayed the feelings of the protagonist, it was so real and lifelike that you couldn't help but feel for him. Being a workout fanatic myself the description of the gym setting and behavior of the patrons was surreal. Not to give away the story this is a must read novel and one of my top 10 reads so far in 2014!
I'd like to thank NetGalley for the ARC.
I'd like to thank NetGalley for the ARC.
May 15, 2015
[won an eBook copy of this in a giveaway]
This book was interesting and very...different. From start to finish the characters were gripping and mysterious and it really made for a great read.
more a 3.5 than a 3, but my disclaimer is that this is not my typical genre! very good read :3
This book was interesting and very...different. From start to finish the characters were gripping and mysterious and it really made for a great read.
more a 3.5 than a 3, but my disclaimer is that this is not my typical genre! very good read :3
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews