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The Storm King
Haunted by dark secrets and an unsolved mystery, a young doctor returns to his isolated Adirondacks hometown in a tense, atmospheric novel in the vein of Michael Koryta and Harlan Coben.
Burying the past only gives it strength—and fury.
Nate McHale has assembled the kind of life most people would envy. After a tumultuous youth marked by his inexplicable survival of a devastating tragedy, Nate left his Adirondack hometown of Greystone Lake and never looked back. Fourteen years later, he’s become a respected New York City surgeon, devoted husband, and loving father.
Then a body is discovered deep in the forests that surround Greystone Lake.
This disturbing news finally draws Nate home. While navigating a tense landscape of secrets and suspicion, resentments and guilt, Nate reconnects with estranged friends and old enemies, and encounters strangers who seem to know impossible things about him. Haunting every moment is the Lake’s sinister history and the memory of wild, beautiful Lucy Bennett, with whom Nate is forever linked by shattering loss and youthful passion.
As a massive hurricane bears down on the Northeast, the air becomes electric, the clouds grow dark, and escalating acts of violence echo events from Nate’s own past. Without a doubt, a reckoning is coming—one that will lay bare the lies that lifelong friends have told themselves and unleash a vengeance that may consume them all.
Burying the past only gives it strength—and fury.
Nate McHale has assembled the kind of life most people would envy. After a tumultuous youth marked by his inexplicable survival of a devastating tragedy, Nate left his Adirondack hometown of Greystone Lake and never looked back. Fourteen years later, he’s become a respected New York City surgeon, devoted husband, and loving father.
Then a body is discovered deep in the forests that surround Greystone Lake.
This disturbing news finally draws Nate home. While navigating a tense landscape of secrets and suspicion, resentments and guilt, Nate reconnects with estranged friends and old enemies, and encounters strangers who seem to know impossible things about him. Haunting every moment is the Lake’s sinister history and the memory of wild, beautiful Lucy Bennett, with whom Nate is forever linked by shattering loss and youthful passion.
As a massive hurricane bears down on the Northeast, the air becomes electric, the clouds grow dark, and escalating acts of violence echo events from Nate’s own past. Without a doubt, a reckoning is coming—one that will lay bare the lies that lifelong friends have told themselves and unleash a vengeance that may consume them all.
400 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 6, 2018
207 people are currently reading
3530 people want to read
About the author
Brendan Duffy
3 books127 followersBrendan Duffy is the author of THE STORM KING and HOUSE OF ECHOES. He lives in New York.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 284 reviews
September 22, 2022
Have you ever read a book and simply couldn't fit it neatly into a single category? That's how I felt about The Storm King; I found that it defied genre boundaries and haven't a clue how to portray the correct recommendation for it. It is suspenseful, yes, but I wouldn't market it as a thriller. The story is a slow burning mystery, a delectable piece of crime fiction, and a coming of age story- all wrapped into one neat and tidy novel. I hate to compare books to one another, but the only one that gave me a similar feeling while reading recently was The Chalk Man by C.J. Tudor; this wasn't due to the plot or writing style being similar, but they both had some similar themes regarding the loss of childhood innocence and centered around mysterious circumstances of murder. Again, I emphasize the FEELING here, being that it caused much contemplation over important themes. Are we a product of our circumstances? Do each of our actions force a chain of similar reactions that could have been avoided otherwise?
Nate reminded himself that this was Greystone Lake. This was death and loss and secrets and lies and rage. But it was also home. For the next few days, he must make himself belong here again. This was the barest minimum of his debt.
If you're looking for a fast paced thriller or even the briefest of psychological suspense to carry the weight of the story, you won't find it here. This book is for the patient reader who is looking for deep characterization over action and drama; the lush writing and complex formatting is best served to those who like to take their time and experience the growing up process alongside these teens. I found the style of storytelling to be quite compelling; here we have past and present tense being shown from the third person POV which made for a challenging (in a good way) reading experience and kept me guessing as to what was coming next. It's the type of story that gives you some of the answers up front and then fills in the blanks along the way. I know I have harped on the fact that this isn't a thriller, but the final 75 pages or so WERE indeed thrilling. So there you have it. ;)
It was a storybook town, but as in any fairy tale, things were not as perfect as they first appeared.
I cannot convey how incredibly refreshing and invigorating it was to pick up a mystery that was neither "the twisty-est psychological thriller you've ever read" or "insert generic plot of marriage in crisis featuring domestic abuse and marital rape". This was just a straight up classic crime fiction with a traditional feeling mystery, full of rich characters and insightful writing. I cannot believe I haven't seen this book plastered all over every form of social media yet, so if you're tired of the in-your-face mainstream reads of late, give this one a try. Highly recommended and a tale I won't soon forget.
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my copy.
Nate reminded himself that this was Greystone Lake. This was death and loss and secrets and lies and rage. But it was also home. For the next few days, he must make himself belong here again. This was the barest minimum of his debt.
If you're looking for a fast paced thriller or even the briefest of psychological suspense to carry the weight of the story, you won't find it here. This book is for the patient reader who is looking for deep characterization over action and drama; the lush writing and complex formatting is best served to those who like to take their time and experience the growing up process alongside these teens. I found the style of storytelling to be quite compelling; here we have past and present tense being shown from the third person POV which made for a challenging (in a good way) reading experience and kept me guessing as to what was coming next. It's the type of story that gives you some of the answers up front and then fills in the blanks along the way. I know I have harped on the fact that this isn't a thriller, but the final 75 pages or so WERE indeed thrilling. So there you have it. ;)
It was a storybook town, but as in any fairy tale, things were not as perfect as they first appeared.
I cannot convey how incredibly refreshing and invigorating it was to pick up a mystery that was neither "the twisty-est psychological thriller you've ever read" or "insert generic plot of marriage in crisis featuring domestic abuse and marital rape". This was just a straight up classic crime fiction with a traditional feeling mystery, full of rich characters and insightful writing. I cannot believe I haven't seen this book plastered all over every form of social media yet, so if you're tired of the in-your-face mainstream reads of late, give this one a try. Highly recommended and a tale I won't soon forget.
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my copy.
October 24, 2017
Vengeance is a bitter brew served in your own cupped hands.
Nate McHale finds himself tracking far distant miles from home aboard a cramped bus in the direction of Greystone Lake, New York. A hurricane is churning up along the east coast making travel hazardous at best. His thoughts turn to his wife Meg and his daughter Livvy who are headed to the safety of her parents' home. Images of his patients also swirl in the mind of this pediatric surgical oncologist.
Now what would draw this dedicated man away from his family and his practice on such a foreboding day as this? A funeral. But not just an ordinary funeral. Lucy Bennett, Nate's first love, has been found in the depth of the woods after she had been missing for fourteen years. Nothing proves more than these ties that certainly bind. Although Nate has distanced himself from his hometown of Greystone Lake, there are still darklings so rooted in the past that they continue to zig and zag and bleed into the present. There's a stain on Nate's soul, admitted or not.
Nate visits his band of brothers from his youth. The name of Lucy is spoken in hushed whispers. They visit their ol' haunt of The Night Ship along the abandoned pier. The Night Ship was once a lively nightclub back in 1964 which housed some unscrupulous activities and tragedies. It also served as a nesting place for Nate and Lucy until the wee hours of the morning.
But the air is now filled with more electricity than just the impending storm approaching them. Crimes are being committed in the area with severe damage to personal property including the pub owned by Nate's grandmother, Bea. Who's behind all this? Is it one individual or a group of vigilantes with a dark vendetta? And why?
Brendan Duffy has created a tale here that should make even ol' Alice dizzy from falling down this rabbit hole. He throws everything into this one with unrelenting slams into the walls of that cavernous hole. The reader doesn't have time to steady the mind after this continuous onslaught. And sometimes, just sometimes, this can be just too much of a good thing. You'll have to judge for yourself if you're buying everything that he's selling. Still a good read even though it's like trying to fold back a treacherous paper roadmap. So many, many folds and creases.
I received a copy of The Storm King through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Ballantine Books (Randomhouse) and Brendan Duffy for the opportunity.
Nate McHale finds himself tracking far distant miles from home aboard a cramped bus in the direction of Greystone Lake, New York. A hurricane is churning up along the east coast making travel hazardous at best. His thoughts turn to his wife Meg and his daughter Livvy who are headed to the safety of her parents' home. Images of his patients also swirl in the mind of this pediatric surgical oncologist.
Now what would draw this dedicated man away from his family and his practice on such a foreboding day as this? A funeral. But not just an ordinary funeral. Lucy Bennett, Nate's first love, has been found in the depth of the woods after she had been missing for fourteen years. Nothing proves more than these ties that certainly bind. Although Nate has distanced himself from his hometown of Greystone Lake, there are still darklings so rooted in the past that they continue to zig and zag and bleed into the present. There's a stain on Nate's soul, admitted or not.
Nate visits his band of brothers from his youth. The name of Lucy is spoken in hushed whispers. They visit their ol' haunt of The Night Ship along the abandoned pier. The Night Ship was once a lively nightclub back in 1964 which housed some unscrupulous activities and tragedies. It also served as a nesting place for Nate and Lucy until the wee hours of the morning.
But the air is now filled with more electricity than just the impending storm approaching them. Crimes are being committed in the area with severe damage to personal property including the pub owned by Nate's grandmother, Bea. Who's behind all this? Is it one individual or a group of vigilantes with a dark vendetta? And why?
Brendan Duffy has created a tale here that should make even ol' Alice dizzy from falling down this rabbit hole. He throws everything into this one with unrelenting slams into the walls of that cavernous hole. The reader doesn't have time to steady the mind after this continuous onslaught. And sometimes, just sometimes, this can be just too much of a good thing. You'll have to judge for yourself if you're buying everything that he's selling. Still a good read even though it's like trying to fold back a treacherous paper roadmap. So many, many folds and creases.
I received a copy of The Storm King through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Ballantine Books (Randomhouse) and Brendan Duffy for the opportunity.
May 16, 2018
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Sins from the past....
Nate is returning to his hometown after 14 years. Sadly, it’s no joyous homecoming. He’s there to attend the funeral of an old girlfriend that vanished right after high school. Can you ever leave the past behind?
Among his group of friends Nate was known as the Storm King. Together they dished out their own version of vigilante justice through what they termed thunder runs. Their misguided quest was to right any wrongs that they came across. Usually accompanied by a not so healthy dose of teenage mischief. Cross your fingers that you weren’t on the receiving end of their mayhem.
This is a slow build. More than once I considered a DNF. But, there was always just a little tid-bit that gripped me and kept me turning the pages. This book will appeal to those who like a slower-paced, deliberate suspenseful read.
Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine and Brendan Duffy for an ARC to review in exchange for an honest review.
Sins from the past....
Nate is returning to his hometown after 14 years. Sadly, it’s no joyous homecoming. He’s there to attend the funeral of an old girlfriend that vanished right after high school. Can you ever leave the past behind?
Among his group of friends Nate was known as the Storm King. Together they dished out their own version of vigilante justice through what they termed thunder runs. Their misguided quest was to right any wrongs that they came across. Usually accompanied by a not so healthy dose of teenage mischief. Cross your fingers that you weren’t on the receiving end of their mayhem.
This is a slow build. More than once I considered a DNF. But, there was always just a little tid-bit that gripped me and kept me turning the pages. This book will appeal to those who like a slower-paced, deliberate suspenseful read.
Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine and Brendan Duffy for an ARC to review in exchange for an honest review.
December 18, 2017
3 Stars.
Nate McHale “The Storm King” returns home to Greystone Lake after a Fourteen Year absence. If he had it his way, he would never return to this town. It has too many bad memories. Memories of his family’s death, memories of his High School girl friend Lucy’s disappearance and memories of the mean tricks he and his buddies used to play on people. Yet now he is returning for Lucy’s funeral - her body has been found and Nate is the prime suspect. His visit isn’t going to be fun and to top it off, it takes place during a Hurricane that brings Greystone Lake to its knees.
Upon his return, Nate realizes that his grandmother and all of his old friends are in danger, including “The Storm King” himself. No one in town is happy that Nate is home and people are wrecking havoc. Just like the old days, when it was Nate and his friends who were wrecking havoc on the townsfolk and those they thought deserved it. Now the tables are turned. Nate is determined to find out who is behind the pranks and is also determined to find out who killed Lucy before they strike again. In order to do so, he must return to his old haunt, the Night Ship and what he finds there will shock him to no end.
“The Storm King” started out strong but became convoluted and was way too long and drawn out to hold my interest. Parts of the story were enjoyable however and I enjoyed the intertwining relationships between Nate and his friends.
Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and Brendan Duffy for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Published on Goodreads, Twitter and Instagram on 12.18.17.
*Will be published on Amazon on 2.6.18.
Nate McHale “The Storm King” returns home to Greystone Lake after a Fourteen Year absence. If he had it his way, he would never return to this town. It has too many bad memories. Memories of his family’s death, memories of his High School girl friend Lucy’s disappearance and memories of the mean tricks he and his buddies used to play on people. Yet now he is returning for Lucy’s funeral - her body has been found and Nate is the prime suspect. His visit isn’t going to be fun and to top it off, it takes place during a Hurricane that brings Greystone Lake to its knees.
Upon his return, Nate realizes that his grandmother and all of his old friends are in danger, including “The Storm King” himself. No one in town is happy that Nate is home and people are wrecking havoc. Just like the old days, when it was Nate and his friends who were wrecking havoc on the townsfolk and those they thought deserved it. Now the tables are turned. Nate is determined to find out who is behind the pranks and is also determined to find out who killed Lucy before they strike again. In order to do so, he must return to his old haunt, the Night Ship and what he finds there will shock him to no end.
“The Storm King” started out strong but became convoluted and was way too long and drawn out to hold my interest. Parts of the story were enjoyable however and I enjoyed the intertwining relationships between Nate and his friends.
Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and Brendan Duffy for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Published on Goodreads, Twitter and Instagram on 12.18.17.
*Will be published on Amazon on 2.6.18.
October 29, 2017
"Because everyone is guilty of something. Everyone deserves to be punished."
Just a thought...the past is never really in the past. Actions have consequences.
Can I just say "READ IT!" and leave my review at that? No? Then read my review below:
Seriously here is the gist: The book opens after Nate has won his baseball game and he is traveling home with his family when there is a terrible accident and he is the only survivor. He is the sad boy who survived. He is raised by his Gram and has been given the nickname, "The Storm King" by his group of friends. He and his friends engage in pranks that get him on the wrong side of people growing up. He also becomes the boyfriend of Lucy, the daughter of the man accused in the death of his family members. His teenage years are turbulent and event filled. After one night of drinking and violence, he awakens to learn about the disappearance of his girlfriend. Has she run away as she once planned? Has something bad happened to her? No one knows. It is a question that he will think about often over the years.
Fast forward to the future: Nate is now a happily married man and father. He has become a respected doctor/surgeon of oncology and his life seems pretty good. That is until he has been called home to attend a funeral - the funeral for Lucy, his long lost girlfriend. Her body has been found in the woods by their hometown. Evidently she never ran away as they all believed all those years ago. As I mentioned, Nate has never stopped thinking about her. He has unanswered questions about the fate of his first love and wants answers. Nate decides to attend the funeral and hopefully get some answers about what happened to Lucy even though there is also a hurricane churning up the coast. Once he is back in his hometown, he is reunited with his high school friends and has learned that pranks are being committed all over town. Certain people are being targeted and property is being damaged. Who is behind all of this? Why do the pranks/destruction of property seem personal?
Nate and his friends also go visit the "Night Ship" which sits alongside the pier. It is the stuff of legends. Bad things happened on the night ship and Nate and his friends: Tom, Johnny, Owen and Lucy, grew up hearing the stories and singing the songs about two twin girls. The group used to hang out there and Nate and Lucy used it for their late night rendezvous.
The entire town has an eerie feel. Lucy's remains have dredged up old suspicions and thoughts about her disappearance. People look with questioning and blaming eyes. Who is to blame for her being found dead? What happened to her all of those years ago? Who is responsible for the pranks being committed around town. The pranks have become more sinister, violent and personal.
Add all of this up with a bad storm brewing and you have the recipe for the perfect setting for when the proverbial shit hits the fan. Atmospheric and dripping with the need for vengeance, this book cooks up the perfect mystery via coming of age tale. Bodies start turning up and as Nate begins to get some answers to his questions, he also learns that there was so much more he didn't know. Can you ever really go home again? People have secrets...what happens when you learn them? When you learn the truth will it set you free or will you learn that sometimes the truth is just the truth and somethings cannot be changed?
Whew!
I received a copy of this book from Random House publishing - Ballantine Books and Netgally in exchange for an host review. My Thanks to them for giving me this opportunity.
See more of my reviews at www.openbookpost.com
Just a thought...the past is never really in the past. Actions have consequences.
Can I just say "READ IT!" and leave my review at that? No? Then read my review below:
Seriously here is the gist: The book opens after Nate has won his baseball game and he is traveling home with his family when there is a terrible accident and he is the only survivor. He is the sad boy who survived. He is raised by his Gram and has been given the nickname, "The Storm King" by his group of friends. He and his friends engage in pranks that get him on the wrong side of people growing up. He also becomes the boyfriend of Lucy, the daughter of the man accused in the death of his family members. His teenage years are turbulent and event filled. After one night of drinking and violence, he awakens to learn about the disappearance of his girlfriend. Has she run away as she once planned? Has something bad happened to her? No one knows. It is a question that he will think about often over the years.
Fast forward to the future: Nate is now a happily married man and father. He has become a respected doctor/surgeon of oncology and his life seems pretty good. That is until he has been called home to attend a funeral - the funeral for Lucy, his long lost girlfriend. Her body has been found in the woods by their hometown. Evidently she never ran away as they all believed all those years ago. As I mentioned, Nate has never stopped thinking about her. He has unanswered questions about the fate of his first love and wants answers. Nate decides to attend the funeral and hopefully get some answers about what happened to Lucy even though there is also a hurricane churning up the coast. Once he is back in his hometown, he is reunited with his high school friends and has learned that pranks are being committed all over town. Certain people are being targeted and property is being damaged. Who is behind all of this? Why do the pranks/destruction of property seem personal?
Nate and his friends also go visit the "Night Ship" which sits alongside the pier. It is the stuff of legends. Bad things happened on the night ship and Nate and his friends: Tom, Johnny, Owen and Lucy, grew up hearing the stories and singing the songs about two twin girls. The group used to hang out there and Nate and Lucy used it for their late night rendezvous.
The entire town has an eerie feel. Lucy's remains have dredged up old suspicions and thoughts about her disappearance. People look with questioning and blaming eyes. Who is to blame for her being found dead? What happened to her all of those years ago? Who is responsible for the pranks being committed around town. The pranks have become more sinister, violent and personal.
Add all of this up with a bad storm brewing and you have the recipe for the perfect setting for when the proverbial shit hits the fan. Atmospheric and dripping with the need for vengeance, this book cooks up the perfect mystery via coming of age tale. Bodies start turning up and as Nate begins to get some answers to his questions, he also learns that there was so much more he didn't know. Can you ever really go home again? People have secrets...what happens when you learn them? When you learn the truth will it set you free or will you learn that sometimes the truth is just the truth and somethings cannot be changed?
Whew!
I received a copy of this book from Random House publishing - Ballantine Books and Netgally in exchange for an host review. My Thanks to them for giving me this opportunity.
See more of my reviews at www.openbookpost.com
February 2, 2018
Nate McHale known as "The Storm King" returns home to Greystone Lake after 14 years. Nate is dreading his return home with so many bad memories of his family's death and his high school friend Lucy's mysterious disappearance. Lucy's body is found and Nate finds himself as the prime suspect of her death.
When Nate returns, he finds that his grandmother and all of his old friends are in danger including himself. The town hasn't cozied up well to Nate's return and the town is playing some pranks on Nate. Nate is determined to find out who is behind Lucy's death and the mysterious pranks in Greystone.
The Storm King started out with a bang but unfortunately became too long until the plot was finally revealed. My attention was wavering in and out and I caught myself getting bored. I have read many mystery/thrillers and this one was just ok.. nothing that I would highly remember or recommend.
Overall, 3 stars on this one for me.
This was my first read by Brendan Duffy and I am glad that I was able to experience his talent.
Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group Ballentine for an advanced arc in exchange for an honest review.
Publication date is 2/6/18
Published on GR: 2/2/18
When Nate returns, he finds that his grandmother and all of his old friends are in danger including himself. The town hasn't cozied up well to Nate's return and the town is playing some pranks on Nate. Nate is determined to find out who is behind Lucy's death and the mysterious pranks in Greystone.
The Storm King started out with a bang but unfortunately became too long until the plot was finally revealed. My attention was wavering in and out and I caught myself getting bored. I have read many mystery/thrillers and this one was just ok.. nothing that I would highly remember or recommend.
Overall, 3 stars on this one for me.
This was my first read by Brendan Duffy and I am glad that I was able to experience his talent.
Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group Ballentine for an advanced arc in exchange for an honest review.
Publication date is 2/6/18
Published on GR: 2/2/18
December 18, 2017
Joe Hill could have written this. It's that good. The Storm King, on it's surface is a thrilling who-dun-it. Behind the riveting plot, it examines what we do (both good and bad) and the far reaching consequences our actions have. I took one star off for a disappointing scene that made me roll my eyes like a teenager. Thankfully, the scene is brief and wasn't enough to mar the overall success of this entertaining novel. I'm keeping my eye on Duffy. He's an author worth watching.
March 18, 2018
You can read all of my reviews at Lit·Wit·Wine·Dine.
THE GOOD:
Cover – It’s one of the most beautiful covers I’ve seen in a long time.
Atmosphere – Greystone Lake is the perfect setting for this book. The atmosphere is picturesque and immediately ominous.
Writing – I found Brendan Duffy’s writing style to be straightforward and easy to read. It was smart without being pretentious and very descriptive without being flowery.
Pacing – For the most part, I thought the book was well-paced. It was not an edge-of-the-seat thriller but it was engaging. There were a few intense nail-biting moments toward the end.
Plot – I love a story that takes the protagonist home to solve a mystery. I’m drawn to old cases in which a body suddenly shows up. I love books about characters forced to reconcile with their past. The Storm King was all of these.
THE BAD:
Characters – While most of the characters were well-developed, I didn’t find myself connecting to or, in truth, liking any of them.
Implausibility – This was a huge obstacle for me. What we have here is another case of an author with a great imagination putting all the things into one book. I don’t want to post spoilers but there’s a part of the book that could’ve been turned into a great book in itself. As the book went on, events became more and more inconceivable.
THE VERDICT:
I think The Storm King had great potential. Brendan Duffy is a talented writer and I would definitely read his next book. My overall experience with this book was significantly impacted by the issues I had with its implausibility. I would not discourage anyone else from reading it as plausibility is very subjective and reader-specific.
3.5/5 stars
Many thanks to Ballantine Books for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
THE GOOD:
Cover – It’s one of the most beautiful covers I’ve seen in a long time.
Atmosphere – Greystone Lake is the perfect setting for this book. The atmosphere is picturesque and immediately ominous.
Writing – I found Brendan Duffy’s writing style to be straightforward and easy to read. It was smart without being pretentious and very descriptive without being flowery.
Pacing – For the most part, I thought the book was well-paced. It was not an edge-of-the-seat thriller but it was engaging. There were a few intense nail-biting moments toward the end.
Plot – I love a story that takes the protagonist home to solve a mystery. I’m drawn to old cases in which a body suddenly shows up. I love books about characters forced to reconcile with their past. The Storm King was all of these.
THE BAD:
Characters – While most of the characters were well-developed, I didn’t find myself connecting to or, in truth, liking any of them.
Implausibility – This was a huge obstacle for me. What we have here is another case of an author with a great imagination putting all the things into one book. I don’t want to post spoilers but there’s a part of the book that could’ve been turned into a great book in itself. As the book went on, events became more and more inconceivable.
THE VERDICT:
I think The Storm King had great potential. Brendan Duffy is a talented writer and I would definitely read his next book. My overall experience with this book was significantly impacted by the issues I had with its implausibility. I would not discourage anyone else from reading it as plausibility is very subjective and reader-specific.
3.5/5 stars
Many thanks to Ballantine Books for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
December 4, 2017
Whew, there was a lot going on with this one! Dragged at points, but the ending was solid.
I don't think I have every described a book as 'heavy', but that's the word that comes to mind as I try to summarize my thoughts about this one. It's a turbulent, intense, roller coaster ride. One that takes you back and forth in time, highlighting the actions of a small group of high school kids with an odd sense of justice. These high school kids are now adults, and when their fearless leader Nate (nicknamed 'The Storm King')returns home, he starts to see the consequences of their actions and how they helped shaped them as individuals, as well as the town itself.
I can't say I liked any of the characters outside of Gram, but I don't think I was supposed to. I think the author did a good job keeping me off balance as the story unfolded, not allowing me to cop to the 'kids will be kids' mentality that so often embraces these types of stories. There isn't any room for sympathy here with these characters. It's about actions and consequences, with some karma thrown in to even the score.
For those who enjoy a good atmospheric mystery, this one is for you!
ARC provided by NetGalley
I don't think I have every described a book as 'heavy', but that's the word that comes to mind as I try to summarize my thoughts about this one. It's a turbulent, intense, roller coaster ride. One that takes you back and forth in time, highlighting the actions of a small group of high school kids with an odd sense of justice. These high school kids are now adults, and when their fearless leader Nate (nicknamed 'The Storm King')returns home, he starts to see the consequences of their actions and how they helped shaped them as individuals, as well as the town itself.
I can't say I liked any of the characters outside of Gram, but I don't think I was supposed to. I think the author did a good job keeping me off balance as the story unfolded, not allowing me to cop to the 'kids will be kids' mentality that so often embraces these types of stories. There isn't any room for sympathy here with these characters. It's about actions and consequences, with some karma thrown in to even the score.
For those who enjoy a good atmospheric mystery, this one is for you!
ARC provided by NetGalley
June 18, 2018
The Storm King returns... Nate McHale left Greystone Lake 14 years ago, just after the disappearance of his high school girlfriend, Lucy. His sad and turbulent childhood led him and his small band of friends to punish those whom they felt had wronged them. But at what cost? How do your actions in the past ultimately affect other people? When human remains are found in the lake, Nate returns for the funeral only to find the tables have turned, and now someone is out for revenge on him and his band of vigilantes.
THE STORM KING is part coming of age story and part mystery/suspense. A rather complex mystery, at that. I do enjoy Brendan Duffy's writing style — it's descriptive and clever, and easily pulls the reader into the story. While the intertwining mysteries in this book had me curious, I felt like the plot moved too slowly and things were too drawn out. It was hard, too, because it was difficult for me to sympathize with any of the main characters or their motivations, which given Nate's childhood tragedy, shouldn't have been the case.
While this book didn't grab me quite like his first, House of Echoes, I think readers who enjoy slow burn, atmospheric tales should give it a try. It definitely highlights the point that actions have consequences, even many years down the road.
THE STORM KING is part coming of age story and part mystery/suspense. A rather complex mystery, at that. I do enjoy Brendan Duffy's writing style — it's descriptive and clever, and easily pulls the reader into the story. While the intertwining mysteries in this book had me curious, I felt like the plot moved too slowly and things were too drawn out. It was hard, too, because it was difficult for me to sympathize with any of the main characters or their motivations, which given Nate's childhood tragedy, shouldn't have been the case.
While this book didn't grab me quite like his first, House of Echoes, I think readers who enjoy slow burn, atmospheric tales should give it a try. It definitely highlights the point that actions have consequences, even many years down the road.
April 8, 2018
The McHales of Greystone Lake were driving into the hills for a family picnic. Nate, outfielder for the junior varsity team, hit the game winning triple and was given the game ball. The ball was placed in a basket along with peaches for the picnic. When the car swerved, the baseball became lodged under the brake pedal and the airborne car landed in the lake. Nate was the sole survivor from the family of four. A baseball had destroyed his world. For the next two years, he lived with his grandmother.
Nate McHale experienced a plethora of emotions ranging from survivors guilt, emptiness, agony, and rage. He was the "Boy Who Fell". Bullies converged on him, taunted him and prodded him to react. They were jealous of his "golden boy" status and wanted to bring him down. Nate, assisted by best friends Tom and Johnny, was determined to wreck havoc on "chosen targets" under the cover of storms and hurricanes. Vandalism such as burst pipes, backed-up sewerage, and broken windows were considered to be storm damage. Who could prove otherwise?
"The Night Ship" was once the center of tourism in small town Greystone Lake. The Night Ship was now bankrupt, condemned property. That did not deter Greystone Lake kids from leaving green glow sticks as Halloween offerings to this "shrine". The Night Ship, atmospheric and perhaps haunted, was an awesome place for Nate, Tom, Johnny and Nate's girlfriend Lucy to chill. The friends attend a high school graduation party where things got out of hand. Lucy disappeared. Seemingly, Lucy had run away. Nate leaves Greystone Lake and its memories of death, loss and secrets behind when he heads for college in New York. Fourteen years have passed and Nate never returned home. He has become a successful pediatric oncologist treating his patients and their parents with love and compassion. He is a devoted husband and father.
Nate's happiness and peace of mind become shattered and chaotic when he returns to Greystone Lake to attend the funeral of girlfriend Lucy whose body has been found in the headlands after fourteen years. Nothing good is bringing Nate to his hometown where the "lake returns what it takes". The darkness he left behind will emerge in both old and new ways.
"The Storm King" by Brendan Duffy is an atmospheric mystery and thriller. The characters, although well fleshed out, were not very likable to me. Many of the principals did not seem redeemable. Too many occurrences were swept under the rug. Why were the so-called pranks not considered to be crimes and followed up? The happenings in this small town were too "stormy" for this reader's taste.
Thank you Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine and Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review "The Storm King".
Nate McHale experienced a plethora of emotions ranging from survivors guilt, emptiness, agony, and rage. He was the "Boy Who Fell". Bullies converged on him, taunted him and prodded him to react. They were jealous of his "golden boy" status and wanted to bring him down. Nate, assisted by best friends Tom and Johnny, was determined to wreck havoc on "chosen targets" under the cover of storms and hurricanes. Vandalism such as burst pipes, backed-up sewerage, and broken windows were considered to be storm damage. Who could prove otherwise?
"The Night Ship" was once the center of tourism in small town Greystone Lake. The Night Ship was now bankrupt, condemned property. That did not deter Greystone Lake kids from leaving green glow sticks as Halloween offerings to this "shrine". The Night Ship, atmospheric and perhaps haunted, was an awesome place for Nate, Tom, Johnny and Nate's girlfriend Lucy to chill. The friends attend a high school graduation party where things got out of hand. Lucy disappeared. Seemingly, Lucy had run away. Nate leaves Greystone Lake and its memories of death, loss and secrets behind when he heads for college in New York. Fourteen years have passed and Nate never returned home. He has become a successful pediatric oncologist treating his patients and their parents with love and compassion. He is a devoted husband and father.
Nate's happiness and peace of mind become shattered and chaotic when he returns to Greystone Lake to attend the funeral of girlfriend Lucy whose body has been found in the headlands after fourteen years. Nothing good is bringing Nate to his hometown where the "lake returns what it takes". The darkness he left behind will emerge in both old and new ways.
"The Storm King" by Brendan Duffy is an atmospheric mystery and thriller. The characters, although well fleshed out, were not very likable to me. Many of the principals did not seem redeemable. Too many occurrences were swept under the rug. Why were the so-called pranks not considered to be crimes and followed up? The happenings in this small town were too "stormy" for this reader's taste.
Thank you Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine and Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review "The Storm King".
September 24, 2017
This ARC was provided complements of NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review. My gratitude sent to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine Books for allowing this pre-release edition made available.
The author drove home a lesson known all too well. To me anyway. Wrapped up in an old cliché that says it best: "You can run but you can't hide." Our feelings. Emotions. Travel the world with us. No leaving them behind. Our constant companion. This superbly-written narrative took me scene-by-scene through the turmoil that had shaken a town down to its very foundation. Once, a wondrous mountain retreat. Behold Greystone Lake. Unprepared, I took a perilous journey that led to heartbreak and horror. I could not look away. Not an option. Nor, could I stop reading. The scenes progressively gathered momentum with an ending that ultimately, hit with the power of a freight-train. I never saw it coming. Thrilling ride.
Nate McHale played junior varsity on Greystone Lake's baseball team. One of their star players. His team had just won a game. A picture perfect spring day in April. He was awarded the game ball for knocking home the winning run. An honor. What more could he ask for? Time to celebrate. His parents and younger brother Gabe headed out in the family car to enjoy Nate's one simple request. A peach pie. The game ball perched in the front seat next to his mom. Suddenly, an oncoming car swerved into their lane. Nate's father reacted quickly swerving in time to avoid a collision. In doing so, the baseball rolled off the seat and wedged itself under the brake pedal. There was no stopping. When his father tried to apply the brakes, the pedal wouldn't budge. Doomed, the car careened over a cliff and plummeted into Greystone Lake. To the bottom. Nate survived with a shattered arm and broken ribs. His family gone. If only he'd struck out...
Sixteen years had passed since the tragic accident. Nate McHale had turned his life around. Now a medical doctor. Surgeon. A satisfying life. Until now. It would all need to be put on hold for a while. How long - not sure. The past was desperately calling to him. After saying his sad goodbyes to his wife Meg and three-year-old daughter Livvy, he began his fateful journey back to his old stomping grounds. To his old memories. Some good. Others nightmares. Greystone Lake. Welcome home.
Hikers had found Lucy's body hidden in the foothills that surrounded the lake. What was left of it anyway. Fourteen years had gone by. Beyond decomposition. Hyoid bone crushed - tattered panties revealed blood and semen. The medical examiner's report concluded; she had been raped and murdered. The community fell into a state of shock. Raped and murdered.
At one time, they had feelings for each other. More than just feelings. They were High School sweethearts. Homecoming king and queen. The talk of the town. Nate envisioned a bright future with her. They were in love. Young love. Marriage. Children. Life. The whole works. Then one day, she just disappeared. Everyone in town thought she'd run away. Everyone that is, except Nate. He searched high and low for her. Exhausted, he gave up. With the blink of an eye. Gone were the dreams. The hope. Shattered.
After all these years, he'd never stopped thinking about her. Couldn't. Now, fourteen years later summoned back to attend her funeral. She'd been found. His darling Lucy. Coming back home brought with it all the uncontrollable misery and rage that consumed him in his former life. Maybe, he really wasn't so different now after all. An electrifying feeling once again raced through his blood.
After an initial greeting, his former best friend, town Deputy, Tom, drove him to his grandmother's house. He had lived with her for two years following the tragic accident that claimed his family. Till graduation. Upon entering his old bedroom upstairs, he found a baseball that had been thrown through a nearby window. Sitting on top of the bed. This could be no coincidence given the timing of the funeral. What message was he being sent?
His time at Greystone Lake had spiraled down from bad to worse. A teenager's body had been found washed up along the shore. Not the result of drowning. She had been murdered. Strangled. Her friend, possibly boyfriend, missing. There's a killer on the loose. The town was thrown into a frenzy. Why had she been murdered? Where's the missing boy?
It had been confirmed. Finally. Lucy had not run away as everyone imagined. Nate's suspicions proved true. The one time he wished he was wrong. Closure's not all cracked with what it's supposed to be. A sad reality. All that mattered now was finding the one responsible for her murder. Most likely, someone present at the funeral. His present life, family, work - on the back burner. He would not rest. Even at the risk of his own life.
The author drove home a lesson known all too well. To me anyway. Wrapped up in an old cliché that says it best: "You can run but you can't hide." Our feelings. Emotions. Travel the world with us. No leaving them behind. Our constant companion. This superbly-written narrative took me scene-by-scene through the turmoil that had shaken a town down to its very foundation. Once, a wondrous mountain retreat. Behold Greystone Lake. Unprepared, I took a perilous journey that led to heartbreak and horror. I could not look away. Not an option. Nor, could I stop reading. The scenes progressively gathered momentum with an ending that ultimately, hit with the power of a freight-train. I never saw it coming. Thrilling ride.
Nate McHale played junior varsity on Greystone Lake's baseball team. One of their star players. His team had just won a game. A picture perfect spring day in April. He was awarded the game ball for knocking home the winning run. An honor. What more could he ask for? Time to celebrate. His parents and younger brother Gabe headed out in the family car to enjoy Nate's one simple request. A peach pie. The game ball perched in the front seat next to his mom. Suddenly, an oncoming car swerved into their lane. Nate's father reacted quickly swerving in time to avoid a collision. In doing so, the baseball rolled off the seat and wedged itself under the brake pedal. There was no stopping. When his father tried to apply the brakes, the pedal wouldn't budge. Doomed, the car careened over a cliff and plummeted into Greystone Lake. To the bottom. Nate survived with a shattered arm and broken ribs. His family gone. If only he'd struck out...
Sixteen years had passed since the tragic accident. Nate McHale had turned his life around. Now a medical doctor. Surgeon. A satisfying life. Until now. It would all need to be put on hold for a while. How long - not sure. The past was desperately calling to him. After saying his sad goodbyes to his wife Meg and three-year-old daughter Livvy, he began his fateful journey back to his old stomping grounds. To his old memories. Some good. Others nightmares. Greystone Lake. Welcome home.
Hikers had found Lucy's body hidden in the foothills that surrounded the lake. What was left of it anyway. Fourteen years had gone by. Beyond decomposition. Hyoid bone crushed - tattered panties revealed blood and semen. The medical examiner's report concluded; she had been raped and murdered. The community fell into a state of shock. Raped and murdered.
At one time, they had feelings for each other. More than just feelings. They were High School sweethearts. Homecoming king and queen. The talk of the town. Nate envisioned a bright future with her. They were in love. Young love. Marriage. Children. Life. The whole works. Then one day, she just disappeared. Everyone in town thought she'd run away. Everyone that is, except Nate. He searched high and low for her. Exhausted, he gave up. With the blink of an eye. Gone were the dreams. The hope. Shattered.
After all these years, he'd never stopped thinking about her. Couldn't. Now, fourteen years later summoned back to attend her funeral. She'd been found. His darling Lucy. Coming back home brought with it all the uncontrollable misery and rage that consumed him in his former life. Maybe, he really wasn't so different now after all. An electrifying feeling once again raced through his blood.
After an initial greeting, his former best friend, town Deputy, Tom, drove him to his grandmother's house. He had lived with her for two years following the tragic accident that claimed his family. Till graduation. Upon entering his old bedroom upstairs, he found a baseball that had been thrown through a nearby window. Sitting on top of the bed. This could be no coincidence given the timing of the funeral. What message was he being sent?
His time at Greystone Lake had spiraled down from bad to worse. A teenager's body had been found washed up along the shore. Not the result of drowning. She had been murdered. Strangled. Her friend, possibly boyfriend, missing. There's a killer on the loose. The town was thrown into a frenzy. Why had she been murdered? Where's the missing boy?
It had been confirmed. Finally. Lucy had not run away as everyone imagined. Nate's suspicions proved true. The one time he wished he was wrong. Closure's not all cracked with what it's supposed to be. A sad reality. All that mattered now was finding the one responsible for her murder. Most likely, someone present at the funeral. His present life, family, work - on the back burner. He would not rest. Even at the risk of his own life.
February 6, 2018
Thanks to Netgalley and Random House/Penguin/Ballantine for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The Storm King was a strong sophomore run from Brendan Duffy, and was a mystery/thriller with bite. Some have been comparing his atmosphere to Stephen King, and I can totally pick up on that vibe. You've got the small town where bad stuff went down. You've got the adult coming home to said small town, years later, and meeting up with old friends and enemies. You've got flashbacks to when they were young and all the bad stuff was happening. You've got explosive climaxes and bitter but hopeful denouements in all the story threads, past and present. I can totally see King as an influence.
Overall, I really enjoyed the book. Once I got past the first bit, it really picked up and I read the last 70% or so in one sitting. Seriously, couldn't put it down. The short chapters really made that "just one more chapter" problem I have even worse. I think it was well-plotted, the solutions and storylines made complete sense and worked with the story, and the characters were deep and developed and brought to life on the page.
When it comes down to it, I have two major issues with the book. To start, the first few paragraphs almost made me put the book down. From the perspective of a teenager, it felt off-kilter and forced, with all the "big words" that teenagers (and most non-reading adults) wouldn't use, and definitely wouldn't think about while playing baseball. It's a minor issue, but it was jarring and weird and turned me off. I'm glad I pushed past it and kept reading, because if you ask those around me while I was reading it, I was complaining about it... loudly.
Secondly, I felt like the reveal of the killer and the killer's identity was kinda meh. Where it went from there was super-effing-creepy, and there were hints leading up to the reveal dropped into the characters' shared histories, but I was kind of hoping for more when I read so many jaw-dropping reviews of the novel.
When it comes down to it, the book was great, and I can't praise the atmosphere and setting that Duffy has created enough. He did an amazing job making me feel like I was there... like the Lake was a part of me, like it was a part of the characters. He developed his characters and unraveled and rewove his plot with sophistication and ease.
I'll definitely be checking out his debut, which I missed (House of Echoes), in the future, and keep an eye out for future books by the guy. Four "Just June" stars.
The Storm King was a strong sophomore run from Brendan Duffy, and was a mystery/thriller with bite. Some have been comparing his atmosphere to Stephen King, and I can totally pick up on that vibe. You've got the small town where bad stuff went down. You've got the adult coming home to said small town, years later, and meeting up with old friends and enemies. You've got flashbacks to when they were young and all the bad stuff was happening. You've got explosive climaxes and bitter but hopeful denouements in all the story threads, past and present. I can totally see King as an influence.
Overall, I really enjoyed the book. Once I got past the first bit, it really picked up and I read the last 70% or so in one sitting. Seriously, couldn't put it down. The short chapters really made that "just one more chapter" problem I have even worse. I think it was well-plotted, the solutions and storylines made complete sense and worked with the story, and the characters were deep and developed and brought to life on the page.
When it comes down to it, I have two major issues with the book. To start, the first few paragraphs almost made me put the book down. From the perspective of a teenager, it felt off-kilter and forced, with all the "big words" that teenagers (and most non-reading adults) wouldn't use, and definitely wouldn't think about while playing baseball. It's a minor issue, but it was jarring and weird and turned me off. I'm glad I pushed past it and kept reading, because if you ask those around me while I was reading it, I was complaining about it... loudly.
Secondly, I felt like the reveal of the killer and the killer's identity was kinda meh. Where it went from there was super-effing-creepy, and there were hints leading up to the reveal dropped into the characters' shared histories, but I was kind of hoping for more when I read so many jaw-dropping reviews of the novel.
When it comes down to it, the book was great, and I can't praise the atmosphere and setting that Duffy has created enough. He did an amazing job making me feel like I was there... like the Lake was a part of me, like it was a part of the characters. He developed his characters and unraveled and rewove his plot with sophistication and ease.
I'll definitely be checking out his debut, which I missed (House of Echoes), in the future, and keep an eye out for future books by the guy. Four "Just June" stars.
February 24, 2018
3.5 up in the air stars
Sometimes I really liked this book and there were other times where the opposite was true. I had kind of a love/hate relationship with this book.
Nate is a young boy when tragedy strikes when a car accident occurs because of a drunk driver, Nate loses his family and goes to live with his grandmother. The drunk driver forces Nate's family into the river where many unsavory things have seemed to have happened but Nate is saved and survives. The story picks up years later as Nate, a successful oncology pediatric surgeon, married with a daughter, decides to return home, home to the lake community he left fourteen years ago when a body is discovered. Nate returns home as a hurricane is bearing down on his former community.
As Nate reconnects with former friends we learn of their bond, one that earned Nate the named of The Storm King. This group of boys and one girl Lucy, the daughter of the drunk driver who was responsible for Nate's family's death form a pact together. They extract revenge on those who had wronged them always done and blamed on the weather, done during a storm. These were not harmless pranks but ones that would extract a very heavy toll. Nate was charismatic, good looking, a boy all the other boys wanted to be, and ultimately loves and carries on with Lucy. On graduation from high school night after much drinking and pill popping, Lucy disappears and is never found. The mystery deepens and the search for Lucy goes on. When a body is found fourteen years later, it becomes the reason for Nate's return.
While Nate is home these "pranks" start up again and the search is on for their perpetrators and then another girl turns up dead.
All this is done with the background of storms lending a most sinister and moody aspect to the story. At times the story was as murky as the storm itself. It seemed to shift back and forth in the two time periods clumsily but one could not help but be fascinated by the flow of the book.
I, at times, wanted to put the book aside, but didn't and I am glad I finished. While I didn't love the novel, I did like it enough to see it to its conclusion. Murky as it sometimes was, it was different with a startling concept of what anger and rage can often do.
Sometimes I really liked this book and there were other times where the opposite was true. I had kind of a love/hate relationship with this book.
Nate is a young boy when tragedy strikes when a car accident occurs because of a drunk driver, Nate loses his family and goes to live with his grandmother. The drunk driver forces Nate's family into the river where many unsavory things have seemed to have happened but Nate is saved and survives. The story picks up years later as Nate, a successful oncology pediatric surgeon, married with a daughter, decides to return home, home to the lake community he left fourteen years ago when a body is discovered. Nate returns home as a hurricane is bearing down on his former community.
As Nate reconnects with former friends we learn of their bond, one that earned Nate the named of The Storm King. This group of boys and one girl Lucy, the daughter of the drunk driver who was responsible for Nate's family's death form a pact together. They extract revenge on those who had wronged them always done and blamed on the weather, done during a storm. These were not harmless pranks but ones that would extract a very heavy toll. Nate was charismatic, good looking, a boy all the other boys wanted to be, and ultimately loves and carries on with Lucy. On graduation from high school night after much drinking and pill popping, Lucy disappears and is never found. The mystery deepens and the search for Lucy goes on. When a body is found fourteen years later, it becomes the reason for Nate's return.
While Nate is home these "pranks" start up again and the search is on for their perpetrators and then another girl turns up dead.
All this is done with the background of storms lending a most sinister and moody aspect to the story. At times the story was as murky as the storm itself. It seemed to shift back and forth in the two time periods clumsily but one could not help but be fascinated by the flow of the book.
I, at times, wanted to put the book aside, but didn't and I am glad I finished. While I didn't love the novel, I did like it enough to see it to its conclusion. Murky as it sometimes was, it was different with a startling concept of what anger and rage can often do.
December 28, 2017
An exciting mystery/thriller that's pretty unique - at least it doesn't seem to follow a formula like so many thrillers. Nate returns to his hometown, after fourteen years away, for the funeral of his high-school girlfriend, Lucy. Lucy's had been missing since high school graduation when her body was found. Before the funeral Nate gets together with his old friends who, together with Nate used to terrorize the town by achieving vengeance against their enemies. Back then Nate was their leader and his friends called him the Storm King. The mystery of who killed Lucy needs to be solved. The town has many legends that are brought up in the story and they intermingle with current events in the lives of the townspeople and Nate and his friends. This kept me riveted throughout. Good writing and good characters make for a fine story.
Thanks to Brendan Duffy and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine through Netgalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to Brendan Duffy and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine through Netgalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
February 18, 2018
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5
First of all, thank you to Ballantine Books for sending me a review copy of this book! All opinions are my own.
The Storm King literally starts out with a tragedy, and it was both a sad and dramatic start to the book. It was also imperative to the story this novel tells. Because of this, I was instantly hooked.
The Storm King is a beautiful coming of age tale along with so much more. It is actually really hard to fit this book into one category because there is so much going on. I usually enjoy more fast-paced thrillers, but I wouldn't call this fast-paced or a thriller. More of a character study/coming of age/mystery/dark and ominous story. Now that is not to say that just because it isn't fast-paced there isn't a lot going on in this book, because there is, I just didn't find it to be what I would usually consider fast-paced.
I felt like I read this book fairly quickly, but I was still taking my time as I read it. It's not really the type of book you can just burn through. To me, Brendan Duffy meant for this book to immerse you and that you should take your time in reading it so you can savor it.
There is a lot of detail in this book, but it was told in such a way that I didn't mind it at all. I also felt that everything I was reading was necessary to knowing these characters and the community they are a part of. The detail just fit so well with the tone of the book, and it was incredibly atmospheric.
I also really enjoyed the progression of Nate's character in this book. I think that out of everyone, he learned the most. I appreciated that he learned the most after he was an adult when he comes back to the town he grew up in. It just goes to show that people can still change if they want to. All of the characters were so detailed though, and there were characters I both loved and hated (for good reasons).
Final Thought: If you love atmospheric books with plenty of detail that include a mysterious murder aspect then The Storm King could be the book for you! I'm definitely going to be going back and reading House of Echoes now that I know how much I enjoy Duffy's writing.
*This title was published on 06 Feb 2018*
First of all, thank you to Ballantine Books for sending me a review copy of this book! All opinions are my own.
The Storm King literally starts out with a tragedy, and it was both a sad and dramatic start to the book. It was also imperative to the story this novel tells. Because of this, I was instantly hooked.
The Storm King is a beautiful coming of age tale along with so much more. It is actually really hard to fit this book into one category because there is so much going on. I usually enjoy more fast-paced thrillers, but I wouldn't call this fast-paced or a thriller. More of a character study/coming of age/mystery/dark and ominous story. Now that is not to say that just because it isn't fast-paced there isn't a lot going on in this book, because there is, I just didn't find it to be what I would usually consider fast-paced.
I felt like I read this book fairly quickly, but I was still taking my time as I read it. It's not really the type of book you can just burn through. To me, Brendan Duffy meant for this book to immerse you and that you should take your time in reading it so you can savor it.
There is a lot of detail in this book, but it was told in such a way that I didn't mind it at all. I also felt that everything I was reading was necessary to knowing these characters and the community they are a part of. The detail just fit so well with the tone of the book, and it was incredibly atmospheric.
I also really enjoyed the progression of Nate's character in this book. I think that out of everyone, he learned the most. I appreciated that he learned the most after he was an adult when he comes back to the town he grew up in. It just goes to show that people can still change if they want to. All of the characters were so detailed though, and there were characters I both loved and hated (for good reasons).
Final Thought: If you love atmospheric books with plenty of detail that include a mysterious murder aspect then The Storm King could be the book for you! I'm definitely going to be going back and reading House of Echoes now that I know how much I enjoy Duffy's writing.
*This title was published on 06 Feb 2018*
April 23, 2019
This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life in Books.
I thought that this was a rather interesting book. I have had this one in my review pile for some time but hadn't yet worked it into my reading schedule for one reason or another. I decided to grab the audio and give it a try. I was initially drawn to the book by its description and the mysterious cover. I did enjoy the story and am glad that I finally had the chance to read it.
Nate is at the center of this story and while I liked his character, I was never quite sure if he should be trusted. We see Nate as both a teenager and an adult. As an adult, Nate is a pediatric oncologist and a husband and father. His life seems very upstanding but as I worked my way through the book, it seemed that he had a few things that he might be hiding.
As a child, Nate's family were in an accident at the lake which left his parents and sibling dead. He grew up with his grandmother after the accident and grew close to a group of friends which included his girlfriend, Lucy Bennett. This was one of those books that the more you read the more connected the events in the story seemed to become. Everything seemed to be tied together in one way or another.
As an adult, Nate returns to town when Lucy's remains are found and events from the past are brought to the forefront. The story did keep me guessing and I was never quite sure which direction things might end up going. I really liked the way that the story was laid out giving the reader just enough of both the present and the past to really keep the story moving.
I thought that Jon Lindstrom did a fantastic job with the narration. I believe that this was my first experience with this narration and I have no complaints at all. He did a wonderful job with all of the character voices and I thought that the dialogue flowed nicely. He had a very pleasant voice and I thought that he was able to bring a lot of excitement to the story. I wouldn't hesitate to listen to his work again in the future.
I would recommend this book to others. I thought that this was a well-done mystery that kept me guessing until the very end. It was interesting to see how interconnected the events in the book were and how everything came together in the end. I look forward to reading more of Brendan Duffy.
I received a digital review copy of this book from Random House - Ballantine Books via NetGalley and purchased a copy of the audiobook.
Initial Thoughts
Maybe 3.5 stars but I am rounding up for now. It was interesting how the events from the past intersected with the present. Nate was an interesting character and I wasn't ever completely sure that I should trust him. There were a few good twists and things that kept me guessing. I listened to the audiobook and thought that the narrator did a fantastic job with the narration.
I thought that this was a rather interesting book. I have had this one in my review pile for some time but hadn't yet worked it into my reading schedule for one reason or another. I decided to grab the audio and give it a try. I was initially drawn to the book by its description and the mysterious cover. I did enjoy the story and am glad that I finally had the chance to read it.
Nate is at the center of this story and while I liked his character, I was never quite sure if he should be trusted. We see Nate as both a teenager and an adult. As an adult, Nate is a pediatric oncologist and a husband and father. His life seems very upstanding but as I worked my way through the book, it seemed that he had a few things that he might be hiding.
As a child, Nate's family were in an accident at the lake which left his parents and sibling dead. He grew up with his grandmother after the accident and grew close to a group of friends which included his girlfriend, Lucy Bennett. This was one of those books that the more you read the more connected the events in the story seemed to become. Everything seemed to be tied together in one way or another.
As an adult, Nate returns to town when Lucy's remains are found and events from the past are brought to the forefront. The story did keep me guessing and I was never quite sure which direction things might end up going. I really liked the way that the story was laid out giving the reader just enough of both the present and the past to really keep the story moving.
I thought that Jon Lindstrom did a fantastic job with the narration. I believe that this was my first experience with this narration and I have no complaints at all. He did a wonderful job with all of the character voices and I thought that the dialogue flowed nicely. He had a very pleasant voice and I thought that he was able to bring a lot of excitement to the story. I wouldn't hesitate to listen to his work again in the future.
I would recommend this book to others. I thought that this was a well-done mystery that kept me guessing until the very end. It was interesting to see how interconnected the events in the book were and how everything came together in the end. I look forward to reading more of Brendan Duffy.
I received a digital review copy of this book from Random House - Ballantine Books via NetGalley and purchased a copy of the audiobook.
Initial Thoughts
Maybe 3.5 stars but I am rounding up for now. It was interesting how the events from the past intersected with the present. Nate was an interesting character and I wasn't ever completely sure that I should trust him. There were a few good twists and things that kept me guessing. I listened to the audiobook and thought that the narrator did a fantastic job with the narration.
February 5, 2018
Sometimes it’s just reading the right book at the right time, but this book really kept me riveted from the beginning to the end. Unlike some other reviewers I didn’t feel a lag anywhere and I thought the story flowed extremely well, from one incredible episode to the next.
Nate McHale, born and raised in the small town of Graystone Lake on the East Coast, finds himself heading there for the funeral of his first high school love, Lucy Bennett. Lucy had been declared missing, or a runaway, for the 14 years since Nate has been away. Her body had recently been found and declared a murder.
Since that time Nate has made himself into a new person. He is a respected pediatric oncologist, married with one young child. He had never really planned to return to the Lake with all of the ghosts of his past but didn’t think he could avoid this funeral. His friends from the high school gang, Johnny, Tom and Owen never left the area and have all done pretty well for themselves. Tom is a deputy in the police force and his father is the police chief, has been since Nate’s high school years.
Nate survived a car crash that ended in the lake, drowning his mother, father and younger brother. He never felt as though he should have escaped the same fate. During his high school years he and his friends did some serious vandalizing and terrorizing of those that they felt “deserved” it for whatever reason, no one was ever killed or injured. Most of this came from Nate’s hidden anger and fury when he seemed to turn into another person. The Night Ship is an old falling down relic from the past, it had once been a lively nightclub, but Nate and Lucy use it as their secret haven. Then graduation came and went and Lucy disappeared.
Now on Nate’s arrival a new scourge of vandalism has taken place, this time against Nate and his friends. One had his car brake lines cut, the other a collapse of great windows in the establishment that he ran, costing thousands to repair. A young girl is found dead, strangled, floating in the water. So many things are pointing to vigilantes now from another, or a group of others, against the crimes that Nate, The Storm King, committed. When his aunt is seriously hurt during a building fire at the tavern that she still ran, Nate is beside himself.
There are many mysteries here to discover, layers upon layers of lies and who is behind some or all of it remained a mystery. Nate did all of the sleuthing that he could to try and uncover the truth behind Lucy’s death when it’s discovered that she was, indeed, murdered. How it all unfolds is for you to discover.
With the background of the brewing hurricane Madea, the story plays out in a non stop exciting pace.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good adventure, thriller or mystery, as this book combines all three.
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher through Edelweiss, thank you.
Nate McHale, born and raised in the small town of Graystone Lake on the East Coast, finds himself heading there for the funeral of his first high school love, Lucy Bennett. Lucy had been declared missing, or a runaway, for the 14 years since Nate has been away. Her body had recently been found and declared a murder.
Since that time Nate has made himself into a new person. He is a respected pediatric oncologist, married with one young child. He had never really planned to return to the Lake with all of the ghosts of his past but didn’t think he could avoid this funeral. His friends from the high school gang, Johnny, Tom and Owen never left the area and have all done pretty well for themselves. Tom is a deputy in the police force and his father is the police chief, has been since Nate’s high school years.
Nate survived a car crash that ended in the lake, drowning his mother, father and younger brother. He never felt as though he should have escaped the same fate. During his high school years he and his friends did some serious vandalizing and terrorizing of those that they felt “deserved” it for whatever reason, no one was ever killed or injured. Most of this came from Nate’s hidden anger and fury when he seemed to turn into another person. The Night Ship is an old falling down relic from the past, it had once been a lively nightclub, but Nate and Lucy use it as their secret haven. Then graduation came and went and Lucy disappeared.
Now on Nate’s arrival a new scourge of vandalism has taken place, this time against Nate and his friends. One had his car brake lines cut, the other a collapse of great windows in the establishment that he ran, costing thousands to repair. A young girl is found dead, strangled, floating in the water. So many things are pointing to vigilantes now from another, or a group of others, against the crimes that Nate, The Storm King, committed. When his aunt is seriously hurt during a building fire at the tavern that she still ran, Nate is beside himself.
There are many mysteries here to discover, layers upon layers of lies and who is behind some or all of it remained a mystery. Nate did all of the sleuthing that he could to try and uncover the truth behind Lucy’s death when it’s discovered that she was, indeed, murdered. How it all unfolds is for you to discover.
With the background of the brewing hurricane Madea, the story plays out in a non stop exciting pace.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good adventure, thriller or mystery, as this book combines all three.
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher through Edelweiss, thank you.
January 20, 2018
3 stars. I liked this book, the first half had me turning pages quickly and I got to know all of the characters and their stories. I couldn't wait to pick it up. I enjoyed the setting, the hurricane coming and all the rain, rain always makes a story a little more creepy to me. The second half of the book has a lot going on, maybe too much! It was hard to keep track of all the twists and turns and all of the different story lines. There were parts that were unrealistic and I was a little disappointed in where the story went. There are many high ratings for this book so maybe it was just not the right book for me. I did enjoy it, just not as much as I had hoped.
Thank you to Random House for a copy in exchange for a review.
Thank you to Random House for a copy in exchange for a review.
January 10, 2018
Nate became "The Boy Who Fell"... when his family's car careens into a lake, he's the only survivor. In a small town, legends and stories are all too real and now he is a part of it implicitly. He leaves, marries, has his own child and gives back by becoming a well respected surgeon for kids with cancer. Then he gets called back to his hometown for a funeral. With the impending storm, Madea, approaching, his return brings forth memories he soon would rather forget. A reunion with his old crew and how what goes around does indeed come around.
Let me just tell you all now, I ADORE this book! The author takes you on Nate's journey, from the day he "fell", to the present, to his school days past and then back. Never once are you confused as the chapter titles are aptly set up so you know where you're landing - from "The Boy Who Fell" to "Graduation Day" to numbered present day chapters and so on. While we mainly see this story through Nate's eyes, we periodically are given a different POV as things are revealed so you get the whole feel of a scene as we realize that one action provokes reactions from the characters differently. I love getting the full circle consequences. Most people are so caught up in their own little world, they don't realize that their actions, comments, etc. affect people differently.
My favorite parts of this book was the camaraderie of the boys and their Thunder Runs - in their young world, the sense of vengeance they deemed necessary created their brotherhood.. including the token girl, Nate's first love and the funeral that he came back for - Lucy. The author sets up the story through the first half and we get the sense of why Nate is hesitant to be home and why things are starting to happen. And nothing is more appropriate than it all happening during the Madea storm... churning up the Lake that has a hold on the people in this town. Then we get into the last half and it's full throttle - this is where I did not want to put the book down.
I personally think Duffy did a brilliant job in bringing everything together. We empathize with the pack mentality and the young mistakes that are made. Remembering how, as a child, your world is smaller and you see things so much differently than you do as an adult. Then also realizing as an adult, how your actions as a child can cause a ripple effect. A truly wonderful atmospheric read that I highly recommend to those who love that mystery set in a small town and whose characters you love and loath to get to know.
This is truly a novel of friendship, vengeance and the coming of age in which you either accept what the lake takes and then gives back, or never learn and must deal with the consequences.
Thank you to Ballantine Books for this copy in return for my honest review.
Let me just tell you all now, I ADORE this book! The author takes you on Nate's journey, from the day he "fell", to the present, to his school days past and then back. Never once are you confused as the chapter titles are aptly set up so you know where you're landing - from "The Boy Who Fell" to "Graduation Day" to numbered present day chapters and so on. While we mainly see this story through Nate's eyes, we periodically are given a different POV as things are revealed so you get the whole feel of a scene as we realize that one action provokes reactions from the characters differently. I love getting the full circle consequences. Most people are so caught up in their own little world, they don't realize that their actions, comments, etc. affect people differently.
My favorite parts of this book was the camaraderie of the boys and their Thunder Runs - in their young world, the sense of vengeance they deemed necessary created their brotherhood.. including the token girl, Nate's first love and the funeral that he came back for - Lucy. The author sets up the story through the first half and we get the sense of why Nate is hesitant to be home and why things are starting to happen. And nothing is more appropriate than it all happening during the Madea storm... churning up the Lake that has a hold on the people in this town. Then we get into the last half and it's full throttle - this is where I did not want to put the book down.
I personally think Duffy did a brilliant job in bringing everything together. We empathize with the pack mentality and the young mistakes that are made. Remembering how, as a child, your world is smaller and you see things so much differently than you do as an adult. Then also realizing as an adult, how your actions as a child can cause a ripple effect. A truly wonderful atmospheric read that I highly recommend to those who love that mystery set in a small town and whose characters you love and loath to get to know.
This is truly a novel of friendship, vengeance and the coming of age in which you either accept what the lake takes and then gives back, or never learn and must deal with the consequences.
Thank you to Ballantine Books for this copy in return for my honest review.
March 15, 2018
Ho hum,This is a pretty good mystery I found the beginning pretty slow but the action picks up in the end. It has a decent plot but the writer needs seasoning something to keep it going when the plot lags, over all it's a okay read just not a reread.
February 1, 2018
I read Brendan Duffy's debut novel House of Echoes when it was published and blow away. It was such a fabulous story and I couldn't wait to read The Storm King to see if that book would be as good.
The Storm King is about repercussions and consequences. How ones youthful acts can have consequences years later. Nate lost his family when he was young and he and his friends took out their anger on the people that they thought deserved it. He never reflected on what the consequences would be. Not until twelve years later when a body is found and he has to return back to his hometown to see the effect of his action all those years ago.
I found The Storm King to not really grab me the way House of Echoes did. Don't take me wrong, the writing is good and the story is good. It's just not mind-blowing good. There is just not much suspense in the story and I cared very little for the characters. The best part is when Nate sees the bigger picture, how everything is connected. Also, the final confrontation at the end was good.
The Storm King is a book that I wanted to love, but in the end, its story just didn't truly appeal to me. It's a case of good writing, but with a story that just didn't rock my boat.
I want to thank Ballantine Books for providing me with a free copy through Edelweiss for an honest review!
The Storm King is about repercussions and consequences. How ones youthful acts can have consequences years later. Nate lost his family when he was young and he and his friends took out their anger on the people that they thought deserved it. He never reflected on what the consequences would be. Not until twelve years later when a body is found and he has to return back to his hometown to see the effect of his action all those years ago.
I found The Storm King to not really grab me the way House of Echoes did. Don't take me wrong, the writing is good and the story is good. It's just not mind-blowing good. There is just not much suspense in the story and I cared very little for the characters. The best part is when Nate sees the bigger picture, how everything is connected. Also, the final confrontation at the end was good.
The Storm King is a book that I wanted to love, but in the end, its story just didn't truly appeal to me. It's a case of good writing, but with a story that just didn't rock my boat.
I want to thank Ballantine Books for providing me with a free copy through Edelweiss for an honest review!
November 27, 2017
3.5 stars--somewhere between liked and really liked. Warnings for violence (including sexual and animal violence).
This book is dark, a thriller that's almost horror. It's about guilt and justice and how the things we do can linger years after the event. I enjoyed the plot quite a bit, and the emphasis on consequences--even consequences that come years after the act--made this stand out over most thrillers. It took me a bit to get into the book, but once I did, I was hooked and devoured it. I'm being vague here on purpose to avoid spoilers, but I enjoyed the suspense created by the characterization.
And Duffy is now one of my always-read authors, since I enjoyed his first book as well.
I received this review copy from the publisher on NetGalley. Thanks for the opportunity to read and review; I appreciate it!
This book is dark, a thriller that's almost horror. It's about guilt and justice and how the things we do can linger years after the event. I enjoyed the plot quite a bit, and the emphasis on consequences--even consequences that come years after the act--made this stand out over most thrillers. It took me a bit to get into the book, but once I did, I was hooked and devoured it. I'm being vague here on purpose to avoid spoilers, but I enjoyed the suspense created by the characterization.
And Duffy is now one of my always-read authors, since I enjoyed his first book as well.
I received this review copy from the publisher on NetGalley. Thanks for the opportunity to read and review; I appreciate it!
April 28, 2020
Probabil cea mai frumoasă surpriză din acest an, citită la recomandarea unui prieten cu care am gusturi comune, însă cu care nu mă potrivesc întotdeauna. Dacă ar fi avut și finalul pe care mi l-aș fi dorit eu, cu siguranță aș fi urcat-o în topul celor mai bune cărți mystery citite vreodată.
Nate McHale revine după paisprezece în orașul natal pentru a participa la înmormântarea iubitei sale din liceu, al cărei cadavru fusese descoperit în pădurile din jurul orașului. Un uragan enorm se apropie amenințător de oraș și tocmai acum Nate trebuie să-și lase soția și fiica să se adăpostească la socrii lui, el trebuind să se întoarcă în oraș pentru a face pace cu trecutul.
Un trecut tumultuos, dureros și terifiant. Pe când era mic, mașina în care se aflau Nate, fratele său mai mic și părinții lor s-a prăbușit în apele lacului Graystone și doar Nate a supraviețuit, în chip miraculos. Ceva anume s-a întâmplat atunci, ceva ce l-a schimbat complet pe Nate, care, împreună cu o gașcă de prieteni la fel de suciți ca el, au început să le facă farse macabre unor locuitori ai orașului ce meritau pedepsiți.
La viață s-a trezit Regele Furtunii, personaj de legendă, acum o sursă de inspirație pentru o bandă de huligani moderni, ce-au început și ei să plătească vechi polițe. Și se pare că iubita lui Nate a fost asasinată, nu a fugit încotro a văzut cu ochii, cum s-a crezut inițial.
Povestea pendulează în trecutul îndepărtat, pe când într-o clădire enormă de pe malul lacului aveau loc petreceri somptuoase și un mafiot își făcea mendrele cum voia, apoi în copilăria lui Nate, în adolescență, și, în final, în prezent.
O superbă înlănțuire de povești de groază, de taine și mistere considerate îngropate și uitate, care revin să-i bântuie pe cei care le-au trăit și care au crezut că nu le vor mai descoperi nimeni. Personaje sinistre, monștri cu chip de om, toți au ceva de ascuns, schelete în dulap și secrete îngrozitoare.
Și pe măsură ce uraganul Medeea își face tot mai tare de cap, Regele Furtunii se retrezește la viață.
Mai multe, în numărul zece al revistei OPT Motive: https://optmotive.ro/2020/10/art8/ind....
Nate McHale revine după paisprezece în orașul natal pentru a participa la înmormântarea iubitei sale din liceu, al cărei cadavru fusese descoperit în pădurile din jurul orașului. Un uragan enorm se apropie amenințător de oraș și tocmai acum Nate trebuie să-și lase soția și fiica să se adăpostească la socrii lui, el trebuind să se întoarcă în oraș pentru a face pace cu trecutul.
Un trecut tumultuos, dureros și terifiant. Pe când era mic, mașina în care se aflau Nate, fratele său mai mic și părinții lor s-a prăbușit în apele lacului Graystone și doar Nate a supraviețuit, în chip miraculos. Ceva anume s-a întâmplat atunci, ceva ce l-a schimbat complet pe Nate, care, împreună cu o gașcă de prieteni la fel de suciți ca el, au început să le facă farse macabre unor locuitori ai orașului ce meritau pedepsiți.
La viață s-a trezit Regele Furtunii, personaj de legendă, acum o sursă de inspirație pentru o bandă de huligani moderni, ce-au început și ei să plătească vechi polițe. Și se pare că iubita lui Nate a fost asasinată, nu a fugit încotro a văzut cu ochii, cum s-a crezut inițial.
Povestea pendulează în trecutul îndepărtat, pe când într-o clădire enormă de pe malul lacului aveau loc petreceri somptuoase și un mafiot își făcea mendrele cum voia, apoi în copilăria lui Nate, în adolescență, și, în final, în prezent.
O superbă înlănțuire de povești de groază, de taine și mistere considerate îngropate și uitate, care revin să-i bântuie pe cei care le-au trăit și care au crezut că nu le vor mai descoperi nimeni. Personaje sinistre, monștri cu chip de om, toți au ceva de ascuns, schelete în dulap și secrete îngrozitoare.
Și pe măsură ce uraganul Medeea își face tot mai tare de cap, Regele Furtunii se retrezește la viață.
Mai multe, în numărul zece al revistei OPT Motive: https://optmotive.ro/2020/10/art8/ind....
December 17, 2017
This took me a bit to really get rolling. I'm not sure if the story is too long or if all the excitement was just packed into the last half. But, once I hit the halfway point I was hooked and this turned out to be a complete page turner. The story line is filled with lots of twists and turns and it's one of those books where you just see so many different sides of each character that you are constantly trying to guess their secrets and motives. All this was set in the Northeast during a hurricane which made for perfect reading during a gloomy weekend. :)
Many, many thanks to the wonderful Goodreads giveaway program in which I won this copy in exchange for an honest review.
Many, many thanks to the wonderful Goodreads giveaway program in which I won this copy in exchange for an honest review.
July 5, 2018
From USA Today
***
It’s always a good sign when a novelist is up to something weird. Brendan Duffy’s second book mingles horror, historical fiction, supernatural suspense and old-fashioned murder mystery, the rare phantasmagoria whose pieces click into a satisfying resolution. Set in the Adirondacks, it’s about Nate, the sole survivor of a childhood car crash. Far from home, he’s assembled a happy life, career, wife, daughter, but when he returns for the funeral of a high school friend, all of his ghosts await him. The Storm King could be a cleaner book — Duffy’s multiple plot lines sometimes get snarled, and his writing is full of bad habits. (“There was a menagerie of suffering in the cages of Nate’s soul.”) But this is a gutsy, intricate, evocative piece of mischief, much closer than anyone usually gets to that particular spell cast by Stephen King.
***
It’s always a good sign when a novelist is up to something weird. Brendan Duffy’s second book mingles horror, historical fiction, supernatural suspense and old-fashioned murder mystery, the rare phantasmagoria whose pieces click into a satisfying resolution. Set in the Adirondacks, it’s about Nate, the sole survivor of a childhood car crash. Far from home, he’s assembled a happy life, career, wife, daughter, but when he returns for the funeral of a high school friend, all of his ghosts await him. The Storm King could be a cleaner book — Duffy’s multiple plot lines sometimes get snarled, and his writing is full of bad habits. (“There was a menagerie of suffering in the cages of Nate’s soul.”) But this is a gutsy, intricate, evocative piece of mischief, much closer than anyone usually gets to that particular spell cast by Stephen King.
February 23, 2018
Sometimes you pick up a book and you have zero idea what it’s about. That’s what happened to me with this book.
When this book came up for review, I got the pitch at the same time as I got the pitch for The Pearl Sister. For some reason, my brain combined the two books and I said yes to both of them. The title of this book sounded romantic and like it would be in the same vein as The Pearl Sister so why not read that one too.
Then The Storm King book arrived in my mailbox and I vaguely remembered agreeing to read it, having already read and reviewed The Pearl Sister though, I was literally scratching my head wondering what this book was in fact about.
I didn’t even bother to read the description and blurb before I started it since it was close to Valentine’s Day and I felt like ‘a blind date with a book’ was a nice way to celebrate Valentines Day. So I went into this one completely blind.
This book was clearly NOTHING like The Pearl Sister nor was it a romantic novel or magical realism book, that the title seemed to suggest to me for some reason.
This book is a thriller in every sense of the word for me. It was suspenseful mystery and had some crime fiction elements, but for me it was a thriller. I know other reviewers might not agree–others put it in suspense or mystery and firmly NOT a thriller–but I went with thriller. It’s hard to explain why, because it wasn’t a fast paced novel. In fact, the mystery was a slow burn and it also had a bit of a coming of age story in the plot. But as the story and mystery built, I was eager to keep reading and devoured as much as I could in one night–especially the last 100 pages or so. Perhaps the build up and multiple layers in the plot helped propel me forward in the story, and become more invested in the plot, making it feel like a thriller even if it wasn’t meant to be called a thriller. Not sure but when I thought about where I might place this book….thriller was the first genre that came to mind.
The coming of age plot line added a lot to the narrative for me. I found it interesting and made the plot relatable and meaningful for readers. This book wasn’t a ‘run of the mill’ story which I think a lot of reviewers had a hard time categorizing it and articulating where it should be. It is not a formula driven plot but yet it has hints of traditional crime fiction novels…..with an edge. I loved his style so much. It was refreshing and interesting.
Duffy is a new author to me and I was impressed with this prose style and the complexity of his story. I haven’t read a ton of thrillers or books by greats like Harlan Coben (it’s suggested that fans of Coben will like this book) so I really have no one to compare this author to. I enjoyed how concise the writing was and how multilayers the plot and characters were. After finishing this book, I was so happy I went into it essentially blind. The novel was a mystery to me as was the plot and I loved going into this book blind. Had I remembered what it was about or read the summary first, I might not have enjoyed it so much. I was surprising and thrilling in a different way than I normally read books which heightened my sense of the novel itself.
While this was not the book I was expecting to read, it was a book that was more than a delight to read.
See my full review here
When this book came up for review, I got the pitch at the same time as I got the pitch for The Pearl Sister. For some reason, my brain combined the two books and I said yes to both of them. The title of this book sounded romantic and like it would be in the same vein as The Pearl Sister so why not read that one too.
Then The Storm King book arrived in my mailbox and I vaguely remembered agreeing to read it, having already read and reviewed The Pearl Sister though, I was literally scratching my head wondering what this book was in fact about.
I didn’t even bother to read the description and blurb before I started it since it was close to Valentine’s Day and I felt like ‘a blind date with a book’ was a nice way to celebrate Valentines Day. So I went into this one completely blind.
This book was clearly NOTHING like The Pearl Sister nor was it a romantic novel or magical realism book, that the title seemed to suggest to me for some reason.
This book is a thriller in every sense of the word for me. It was suspenseful mystery and had some crime fiction elements, but for me it was a thriller. I know other reviewers might not agree–others put it in suspense or mystery and firmly NOT a thriller–but I went with thriller. It’s hard to explain why, because it wasn’t a fast paced novel. In fact, the mystery was a slow burn and it also had a bit of a coming of age story in the plot. But as the story and mystery built, I was eager to keep reading and devoured as much as I could in one night–especially the last 100 pages or so. Perhaps the build up and multiple layers in the plot helped propel me forward in the story, and become more invested in the plot, making it feel like a thriller even if it wasn’t meant to be called a thriller. Not sure but when I thought about where I might place this book….thriller was the first genre that came to mind.
The coming of age plot line added a lot to the narrative for me. I found it interesting and made the plot relatable and meaningful for readers. This book wasn’t a ‘run of the mill’ story which I think a lot of reviewers had a hard time categorizing it and articulating where it should be. It is not a formula driven plot but yet it has hints of traditional crime fiction novels…..with an edge. I loved his style so much. It was refreshing and interesting.
Duffy is a new author to me and I was impressed with this prose style and the complexity of his story. I haven’t read a ton of thrillers or books by greats like Harlan Coben (it’s suggested that fans of Coben will like this book) so I really have no one to compare this author to. I enjoyed how concise the writing was and how multilayers the plot and characters were. After finishing this book, I was so happy I went into it essentially blind. The novel was a mystery to me as was the plot and I loved going into this book blind. Had I remembered what it was about or read the summary first, I might not have enjoyed it so much. I was surprising and thrilling in a different way than I normally read books which heightened my sense of the novel itself.
While this was not the book I was expecting to read, it was a book that was more than a delight to read.
See my full review here
February 21, 2018
4.5 stars Dark and brooding. Loved this!
February 24, 2018
In this atmospheric thriller, Dr. Nate McHale returns to a small town he left many years before, to attend a funeral. As Nate's past mistakes catch up with him, he finds that history is repeating itself in the worst way possible.
Brendan Duffy's characters are evolved and flawed, in a good way. Alternating between the present and the last few years of Nate's high school career, "The Storm King" draws the reader in and holds them by the throat. I deeply enjoyed this immersive novel.
Thanks to Brendan Duffy, Random House/Ballantine, and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Brendan Duffy's characters are evolved and flawed, in a good way. Alternating between the present and the last few years of Nate's high school career, "The Storm King" draws the reader in and holds them by the throat. I deeply enjoyed this immersive novel.
Thanks to Brendan Duffy, Random House/Ballantine, and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
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March 10, 2018DNF. Novels described as “atmospheric” are so hit or miss for me. Not rating. It just wasn’t for me!
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