What do you think?
Rate this book
How It Happened
"And that is how it happened. Can we stop now?"
Kimberly Crepeaux is no good, a notorious jailhouse snitch, teen mother, and heroin addict whose petty crimes are well-known to the rural Maine community where she lives. So when she confesses to her role in the brutal murders of Jackie Pelletier and Ian Kelly, the daughter of a well-known local family and her sweetheart, the locals have little reason to believe her story.
Not Rob Barrett, the FBI investigator and interrogator specializing in telling a true confession from a falsehood. He's been circling Kimberly and her conspirators for months, waiting for the right avenue to the truth, and has finally found it. He knows, as strongly as he's known anything, that Kimberly's story—a grisly, harrowing story of a hit and run fueled by dope and cheap beer that becomes a brutal stabbing in cold blood—is how it happened. But one thing remains elusive: where are Jackie and Ian's bodies?
After Barrett stakes his name and reputation on the truth of Kimberly's confession, only to have the bodies turn up 200 miles from where she said they'd be, shot in the back and covered in a different suspect's DNA, the case is quickly closed and Barrett forcibly reassigned. But for Howard Pelletier, the tragedy of his daughter's murder cannot be so tidily swept away. And for Barrett, whose career may already be over, the chance to help a grieving father may be the only one he has left.
How It Happened is a frightening, tension-filled ride into the dark heart of rural American from a writer Stephen King has called "a master" and the New York Times has deemed "impossible to resist."
Kimberly Crepeaux is no good, a notorious jailhouse snitch, teen mother, and heroin addict whose petty crimes are well-known to the rural Maine community where she lives. So when she confesses to her role in the brutal murders of Jackie Pelletier and Ian Kelly, the daughter of a well-known local family and her sweetheart, the locals have little reason to believe her story.
Not Rob Barrett, the FBI investigator and interrogator specializing in telling a true confession from a falsehood. He's been circling Kimberly and her conspirators for months, waiting for the right avenue to the truth, and has finally found it. He knows, as strongly as he's known anything, that Kimberly's story—a grisly, harrowing story of a hit and run fueled by dope and cheap beer that becomes a brutal stabbing in cold blood—is how it happened. But one thing remains elusive: where are Jackie and Ian's bodies?
After Barrett stakes his name and reputation on the truth of Kimberly's confession, only to have the bodies turn up 200 miles from where she said they'd be, shot in the back and covered in a different suspect's DNA, the case is quickly closed and Barrett forcibly reassigned. But for Howard Pelletier, the tragedy of his daughter's murder cannot be so tidily swept away. And for Barrett, whose career may already be over, the chance to help a grieving father may be the only one he has left.
How It Happened is a frightening, tension-filled ride into the dark heart of rural American from a writer Stephen King has called "a master" and the New York Times has deemed "impossible to resist."
359 pages, Hardcover
First published May 15, 2018
1214 people are currently reading
10154 people want to read
About the author
Michael Koryta
51 books2,523 followersMichael Koryta (pronounced Ko-ree-ta) is the New York Times-bestselling author of 14 suspense novels. His work has been praised by Stephen King, Michael Connelly, Lee Child, Dean Koontz, James Patterson, Dennis Lehane, Daniel Woodrell, Ron Rash, and Scott Smith among many others, and has been translated into more than 20 languages. His books have won or been nominated for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, Edgar® Award, Shamus Award, Barry Award, Quill Award, International Thriller Writers Award, and the Golden Dagger. They've been selected as "best books of the year" by publications as diverse as the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Amazon.com, O the Oprah Magazine, Entertainment Weekly, People, Reader's Digest, iBooks, and Kirkus Reviews.
His recent thriller Those Who Wish Me Dead was named the summer's best thriller by both Amazon and Entertainment Weekly, and was selected as one of the year's best books by more than 10 publications. The audio version was named one of the best audio books of the year, as well, the second time that Robert Petkoff's narration of Michael's work has earned such an honor. The novel is currently being adapted as a major motion picture by 20th Century Fox.
Michael's previous work ranges from a trio of supernatural novels--So Cold the River, The Cypress House, and The Ridge, which were all named New York Times notable books of the year and earned starred reviews from Publishers Weekly--to stand-alone crime novels such as The Prophet (A New York Times bestseller) and Envy the Night (selected as a Reader's Digest condensed book), to a series of award-winning novels featuring private investigator Lincoln Perry--Tonight I Said Goodbye, Sorrow's Anthem, A Welcome Grave, and The Silent Hour.
Various film and television adaptations of the books are underway, with The Prophet, So Cold the River, The Cypress House, and Those Who Wish Me Dead all optioned as feature films, and the Lincoln Perry series and The Ridge being developed for television. Michael has written for the screen in both feature film and television. Oscar and Emmy winners are attached to every project.
Before turning to writing full-time, Michael worked as a private investigator and as a newspaper reporter, and taught at the Indiana University School of Journalism. He began working for a private investigator as an intern while in high school, turned it into his day job in the early stages of his writing career, and still maintains an interest in the firm. As a journalist, he won numerous awards from the Society of Professional Journalists.
Michael's first novel, the Edgar-nominated Tonight I Said Goodbye was accepted for publication when he was 20 years old. He wrote his first two published novels before graduating from college, and was published in nearly 10 languages before he fulfilled the "writing requirement" classes required for his diploma.
Michael was raised in Bloomington, Indiana, where he graduated from Bloomington North High School in 2001, and later graduated from Indiana University with a bachelor's degree in criminal justice. In 2008 he was honored as a "distinguished young alumni" by Indiana University, and in 2010 he was named "distinguished alumni' by the criminal justice department.
Michael's passions outside of writing and reading involve a variety of outdoor pursuits - hiking, camping, boating, and fishing are all likely to occupy his free time when he's not working on a new book. Some of his favorite spots in the world are the Beartooth Mountains, the setting of Those Who Wish Me Dead and a place to which he returns at least twice a year; the flowages of the Northwoods in Wisconsin, where he began fishing with his father as a child and still returns each fall; St. Petersburg, FL, and the Maine coast.
His recent thriller Those Who Wish Me Dead was named the summer's best thriller by both Amazon and Entertainment Weekly, and was selected as one of the year's best books by more than 10 publications. The audio version was named one of the best audio books of the year, as well, the second time that Robert Petkoff's narration of Michael's work has earned such an honor. The novel is currently being adapted as a major motion picture by 20th Century Fox.
Michael's previous work ranges from a trio of supernatural novels--So Cold the River, The Cypress House, and The Ridge, which were all named New York Times notable books of the year and earned starred reviews from Publishers Weekly--to stand-alone crime novels such as The Prophet (A New York Times bestseller) and Envy the Night (selected as a Reader's Digest condensed book), to a series of award-winning novels featuring private investigator Lincoln Perry--Tonight I Said Goodbye, Sorrow's Anthem, A Welcome Grave, and The Silent Hour.
Various film and television adaptations of the books are underway, with The Prophet, So Cold the River, The Cypress House, and Those Who Wish Me Dead all optioned as feature films, and the Lincoln Perry series and The Ridge being developed for television. Michael has written for the screen in both feature film and television. Oscar and Emmy winners are attached to every project.
Before turning to writing full-time, Michael worked as a private investigator and as a newspaper reporter, and taught at the Indiana University School of Journalism. He began working for a private investigator as an intern while in high school, turned it into his day job in the early stages of his writing career, and still maintains an interest in the firm. As a journalist, he won numerous awards from the Society of Professional Journalists.
Michael's first novel, the Edgar-nominated Tonight I Said Goodbye was accepted for publication when he was 20 years old. He wrote his first two published novels before graduating from college, and was published in nearly 10 languages before he fulfilled the "writing requirement" classes required for his diploma.
Michael was raised in Bloomington, Indiana, where he graduated from Bloomington North High School in 2001, and later graduated from Indiana University with a bachelor's degree in criminal justice. In 2008 he was honored as a "distinguished young alumni" by Indiana University, and in 2010 he was named "distinguished alumni' by the criminal justice department.
Michael's passions outside of writing and reading involve a variety of outdoor pursuits - hiking, camping, boating, and fishing are all likely to occupy his free time when he's not working on a new book. Some of his favorite spots in the world are the Beartooth Mountains, the setting of Those Who Wish Me Dead and a place to which he returns at least twice a year; the flowages of the Northwoods in Wisconsin, where he began fishing with his father as a child and still returns each fall; St. Petersburg, FL, and the Maine coast.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 816 reviews
June 28, 2018
It seems that I didn't enjoy this one quite as much as my fellow Goodreaders, but that doesn't mean that I disliked it. This was overall an entertaining read, and while I had to suspend some belief in the plot's plausibility, it kept me reading and wanting to know "how it happened". The story did drag a bit in a few spots, and it didn't seem to hold that creepy factor that so many of his other books have, so maybe I'm just more drawn to his books with a borderline (or full on) supernatural thread to them. I would definitely recommend this to readers who are more looking for a police procedural rather than a psychological thriller. Well written, claustrophobic, and tense, I think a majority of readers will take to Koryta's latest novel.
Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy via NetGalley.
August 27, 2020
Me quedé absolutamente enganchado con el primer capítulo (la confesión de su participación en los hechos de Kimmy Crepeaux). A partir de ahí, ya no pude parar de leer.
Esta novela me ha recordado mucho al mejor Dennis Lehane por su estilo, y eso es alabarla mucho. La construcción es perfecta, y no he podido encontrar defectos ni en el argumento ni en los personajes (especialmente, los de Rob Barret y su antagonista, Matthias Burke). Su descripción de la Maine rural estadounidense ha sido también un plus.
Todo ello conforma una novela negra absolutamente claustrofóbica, pero sin excesos, y donde no decae el interés en ningún momento de la lectura. A destacar también que la versión que yo he leído era en castellano, pero la traducción realizada por Montserrat Triviño me ha parecido magistral, cosa que no se suele destacar en las reseñas. Aún así, procuraré leer la siguiente sin intermediarios lingüísticos.
Sorprendentemente, esta es mi primera novela de Michael Koryta, y resulta que tiene ya bastantes publicadas, por lo que ya tardo en añadirlo a la lista de autores a seguir.
Esta novela me ha recordado mucho al mejor Dennis Lehane por su estilo, y eso es alabarla mucho. La construcción es perfecta, y no he podido encontrar defectos ni en el argumento ni en los personajes (especialmente, los de Rob Barret y su antagonista, Matthias Burke). Su descripción de la Maine rural estadounidense ha sido también un plus.
Todo ello conforma una novela negra absolutamente claustrofóbica, pero sin excesos, y donde no decae el interés en ningún momento de la lectura. A destacar también que la versión que yo he leído era en castellano, pero la traducción realizada por Montserrat Triviño me ha parecido magistral, cosa que no se suele destacar en las reseñas. Aún así, procuraré leer la siguiente sin intermediarios lingüísticos.
Sorprendentemente, esta es mi primera novela de Michael Koryta, y resulta que tiene ya bastantes publicadas, por lo que ya tardo en añadirlo a la lista de autores a seguir.
June 7, 2018
3.5 Stars
Kimberly Crepeaux is well known in her rural hometown in Maine. She is well-known for being an addict, a teen mother, a liar and a snitch. So, when she confesses to FBI agent, Rob Barrett as to her involvement in the killings of Jackie and Ian and the disposal of their bodies - not many people believe her confession or version of events. Except for Barrett, who has been trained in telling a true confession from a false one. He believes her confession and becomes almost obsessed with his search for the bodies and the truth.
Barrett's case quickly goes downhill when the bodies are found two hundred miles from where Kimberly claimed they would be. Barrett is re-assigned, and the case is considered closed. But Kimberly sticks to her story and convinces Jackie's father that she told the truth. Barrett decides to come back to town and do some more digging. He has always believed Kimberly and will not be deterred in his quest to learn the truth.
Throughout the book, Rob Barrett is told by various characters that even if he thinks he knows what is going on that he is in fact wrong and does not know the truth at all. He MIGHT think that he knows the answers, but he doesn't. This book had a few twists and turns which kept the action and the plot moving. It becomes evident that there was more to the story and this small town in Maine than meets the eye.
This book started a little slow for me but then began to pick up steam. The title of the book is very appropriate as that was the theme of the book - How did it happen? Why did it happen? What really happened? That is what keeps the pages turning, wanting to know who is telling the truth, who has something to hide, and will Barrett ever get to the bottom of things.
This proved to be a fast-easy read which started as a police procedural and quickly turned into one man's quest to learn the truth no matter what it will cost him. The last part of the book really kicked things into gear (as last parts of books usually do) and as the answers came, everyone learns the truth and then some!
Thank you to Little, Brown and Company and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookpost.com
Kimberly Crepeaux is well known in her rural hometown in Maine. She is well-known for being an addict, a teen mother, a liar and a snitch. So, when she confesses to FBI agent, Rob Barrett as to her involvement in the killings of Jackie and Ian and the disposal of their bodies - not many people believe her confession or version of events. Except for Barrett, who has been trained in telling a true confession from a false one. He believes her confession and becomes almost obsessed with his search for the bodies and the truth.
Barrett's case quickly goes downhill when the bodies are found two hundred miles from where Kimberly claimed they would be. Barrett is re-assigned, and the case is considered closed. But Kimberly sticks to her story and convinces Jackie's father that she told the truth. Barrett decides to come back to town and do some more digging. He has always believed Kimberly and will not be deterred in his quest to learn the truth.
Throughout the book, Rob Barrett is told by various characters that even if he thinks he knows what is going on that he is in fact wrong and does not know the truth at all. He MIGHT think that he knows the answers, but he doesn't. This book had a few twists and turns which kept the action and the plot moving. It becomes evident that there was more to the story and this small town in Maine than meets the eye.
This book started a little slow for me but then began to pick up steam. The title of the book is very appropriate as that was the theme of the book - How did it happen? Why did it happen? What really happened? That is what keeps the pages turning, wanting to know who is telling the truth, who has something to hide, and will Barrett ever get to the bottom of things.
This proved to be a fast-easy read which started as a police procedural and quickly turned into one man's quest to learn the truth no matter what it will cost him. The last part of the book really kicked things into gear (as last parts of books usually do) and as the answers came, everyone learns the truth and then some!
Thank you to Little, Brown and Company and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookpost.com
May 27, 2018
A rural community in Maine, Kimberly, a known drug addict, has a story to tell. One that solves the murders of two locals whose bodies were never found. The FBI sends in Barrett, who has ties in this community from the summers he spent here in his youth. He has an unsolved tragedy in his own background, one that haunts him to this day. Kimberly tells her story, who did the murders, and where the bodies can be found, to Agent Barrett. He believes her though many don't. The problem is the bodies are not where she said they were, and Barrett in disgrace is sent to the Montana field office
Crime fiction at its best. An unpredictable story with many strange twists and turns. Loved Barrett, who puts everything on the line to prove his belief inKimberly is not wrong. A crime that harkens back to an old nemesis of Barretts from those long ago summers. A crime that will tie into other deaths that are perpetuated in Maine and across the country. He is determined to prove his theory about the murders of these two young people, who had been in love, with their whole future ahead of him. He is the rare lawman who cares about the victim, not just the solving orbs case.
A quick paced novel, some edge of your seat suspense, and a well told story. Definitely recommend to readers who enjoy well thought out crime fiction.
ARC from Edelweiss.
Crime fiction at its best. An unpredictable story with many strange twists and turns. Loved Barrett, who puts everything on the line to prove his belief inKimberly is not wrong. A crime that harkens back to an old nemesis of Barretts from those long ago summers. A crime that will tie into other deaths that are perpetuated in Maine and across the country. He is determined to prove his theory about the murders of these two young people, who had been in love, with their whole future ahead of him. He is the rare lawman who cares about the victim, not just the solving orbs case.
A quick paced novel, some edge of your seat suspense, and a well told story. Definitely recommend to readers who enjoy well thought out crime fiction.
ARC from Edelweiss.
April 7, 2018
3.5 stars
Kimberly Crepeaux is not known for telling the truth. She does the heroin, is a teen mom and now adds jail house snitch to her resume.
FBI investigator Rob Barrett is one of the few people who actually believes her story. After all she IS implicating herself in the murder of two local teenagers. She tells them where the bodies are and now Barrett just has to go find them.
The bodies turn up at a completely different location. Murdered in a different way than Kimmy told. So Barrett looks like a ding dong and gets sent off to the boonies.
Kimmy can't let it go though and keeps contacting him and when the father of the murdered girl joins up with her Barrett heads back to Maine.
So this book did drag in spots, but the thing kept me reading. I totally wanted to know how it was going to wrap up. The character development is pretty freaking awesome. The bad? Some of it didn't seem plausible but who cares? I still sorta liked it.
(Or read some books...)
Booksource: Netgalley in exchange for review.
Kimberly Crepeaux is not known for telling the truth. She does the heroin, is a teen mom and now adds jail house snitch to her resume.
FBI investigator Rob Barrett is one of the few people who actually believes her story. After all she IS implicating herself in the murder of two local teenagers. She tells them where the bodies are and now Barrett just has to go find them.
The bodies turn up at a completely different location. Murdered in a different way than Kimmy told. So Barrett looks like a ding dong and gets sent off to the boonies.
Kimmy can't let it go though and keeps contacting him and when the father of the murdered girl joins up with her Barrett heads back to Maine.
So this book did drag in spots, but the thing kept me reading. I totally wanted to know how it was going to wrap up. The character development is pretty freaking awesome. The bad? Some of it didn't seem plausible but who cares? I still sorta liked it.
(Or read some books...)
Booksource: Netgalley in exchange for review.
March 3, 2019
Normally, a book ends with a confession. Here, that’s the beginning. Kimmy is a “jailhouse snitch”, a druggie with a string of petty crimes a mile long. She confesses to being party to the murder of two teenagers and tells the FBI agent where to find the bodies. Only problem? No bodies. And the other person that she accuses knows to keep his silence. And then, the bodies show up hundreds of miles away and everything is wrong.
This is a great story with firmly fleshed out characters. Each one, even the secondary characters, were easily pictured in my mind. We hear not only the present day story, but Barrett’s childhood with his bully of a grandfather which has played such an important role in who he is today and why he can’t let this go. Koryta puts together an interesting cast of characters that believe Kimmy. Not your traditional police procedural.
And the plot quickly gets even more intense. Barrett is re-assigned but can’t stay away. And then bodies start piling up. There’s obviously more going on than Barrett knows. It’s not just a question of how it happened, but why.
I found this an enjoyable, engaging read. At times, it strayed slightly into the unbelievability range, but never enough to dampen my enjoyment. I definitely wanted to learn the how and why.
My thanks to netgalley and Little, Brown for an advance copy of this book.
April 30, 2018
Oh, it is so much fun to discover a book that is so well written and a new-to-me talented writer.
When FBI agent Rob Barrett gets a confession from a petty criminal about a double murder, he believes her. He’s an expert at knowing the difference between false confessions and the real thing, after all. But when the police follow up on her tips, things don’t seem to add up.
It’s quite a feat for an author to get the reader so invested in a fictional character you feel bad when they fail, and you desperately hope they can somehow succeed in the end.
I really enjoyed this page-turning novel and highly recommend.
Thanks so much to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for the opportunity to review this mystery, which RELEASES MAY 15, 2018.
For more reviews, please visit: http://www.theresaalan.net/blog
When FBI agent Rob Barrett gets a confession from a petty criminal about a double murder, he believes her. He’s an expert at knowing the difference between false confessions and the real thing, after all. But when the police follow up on her tips, things don’t seem to add up.
It’s quite a feat for an author to get the reader so invested in a fictional character you feel bad when they fail, and you desperately hope they can somehow succeed in the end.
I really enjoyed this page-turning novel and highly recommend.
Thanks so much to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for the opportunity to review this mystery, which RELEASES MAY 15, 2018.
For more reviews, please visit: http://www.theresaalan.net/blog
May 23, 2018
From the beginning of Michael Koryta’s new book, readers know “How it Happened.” At least that’s how it appears. Rob Barrett returns to the small town of Port Hope, Maine where he spent his summers as a teenager and where his former girlfriend Liz lives. In his first murder case as an FBI investigator and interrogator, Rob is able to obtain a confession from Kimberly Crepeaux, something no other law enforcement officer has been able to do. Despite Kimberly’s history as a notorious liar and heroin addict, Rob is absolutely convinced she is telling the truth about how Jackie Pelletier and Ian Kelly were murdered and where their bodies were dumped. The problem is that the evidence doesn’t match Kimberly’s confession. That evidence leads to the perpetrator of the murders and the case is closed. Rob is not convinced and his continuing investigation into a closed case and determination to find out what really happened results in him being reassigned to Montana. But he’s obsessed and returns to Port Hope in secret to either find out the truth or discover that he can’t rely on his instincts and his skills at discerning true confessions from false ones.
There aren’t many authors who can begin a thriller with a confession and yet somehow maintain a high level of suspense throughout the book. But Michael Koryta has pulled this off masterfully. The plot is fiendishly clever and the last third of the book was a high tension thrill ride for me. And when I finished, it was with the conclusion that “How It Happened” was perhaps Koryta’s best book yet, and one I’ll definitely be recommending.
Thank you to Little, Brown and Company and NetGalley for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
There aren’t many authors who can begin a thriller with a confession and yet somehow maintain a high level of suspense throughout the book. But Michael Koryta has pulled this off masterfully. The plot is fiendishly clever and the last third of the book was a high tension thrill ride for me. And when I finished, it was with the conclusion that “How It Happened” was perhaps Koryta’s best book yet, and one I’ll definitely be recommending.
Thank you to Little, Brown and Company and NetGalley for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
June 30, 2023
La novela no está mal. La trama me ha gustado mucho al principio porque es la típica novela del investigador que sabe que su teoría es cierta cuando todo el mundo está en su contra. El malo está claro y es un malo muy prepotente. Todo iba bien hasta que, al final, la trama se ha complicado y demasiados personajes se han involucrado en la investigación. Entonces, el agua ha empezado a penetrar en el casco del barco y la novela se ha ido hundiendo poco a poco, página a página, hasta que el final acaba perdiendo interés.
No obstante, los personajes son interesantes y destaca también bastante el paisaje marítimo del estado de Maine.
----------------------------
The novel is not bad. I liked the plot a lot at the beginning because it is the typical novel of the investigator who knows that his theory is true when everyone is against him. The bad guy is clear and he is a very arrogant bad guy. Everything was going well until, at the end, the plot got complicated and too many characters got involved in the investigation. Then, the water has started to penetrate the hull of the ship and the novel has been sinking little by little, page by page, until the end loses interest.
Nevertheless, the characters are interesting and the Maine seascape is also quite remarkable.
No obstante, los personajes son interesantes y destaca también bastante el paisaje marítimo del estado de Maine.
----------------------------
The novel is not bad. I liked the plot a lot at the beginning because it is the typical novel of the investigator who knows that his theory is true when everyone is against him. The bad guy is clear and he is a very arrogant bad guy. Everything was going well until, at the end, the plot got complicated and too many characters got involved in the investigation. Then, the water has started to penetrate the hull of the ship and the novel has been sinking little by little, page by page, until the end loses interest.
Nevertheless, the characters are interesting and the Maine seascape is also quite remarkable.
August 28, 2018
I’ve been in a pretty serious book slump. I’m trying to catch up on reviews and when I came across this book on my currently reading shelf, I had honestly forgotten all about it. Hmmm. Not a great sign! Implausible and at times outright dull, I barely remember the plot, so I will just say that this one didn’t work for me. 2.5 stars
March 23, 2018
Thank you to Ashley from @littlebrown #partner for sending me How It Happened by Michael Koryta! I thoroughly enjoyed this one. I haven’t read anything by this author but that will soon change. This comes out MAY 15th! Can we talk about this cover?!?!
Right in the first chapter we are given a story of “how it happened” from a drug addict named Kimberly. She tells a long tale of what happened the day two people go missing. She even tells where to find them. FBI agent, Rob Barrett, believes her immediately. However, he is the only one, everyone knows Kimmy is a lying addict. He specializes in confessions. He knows she is telling the truth. Yet, once he starts investigating her story things don’t add up. What really happened that day? Who is all involved?
Small town, secrets, drugs, shady characters ooo yes!! Recommend! 4 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Right in the first chapter we are given a story of “how it happened” from a drug addict named Kimberly. She tells a long tale of what happened the day two people go missing. She even tells where to find them. FBI agent, Rob Barrett, believes her immediately. However, he is the only one, everyone knows Kimmy is a lying addict. He specializes in confessions. He knows she is telling the truth. Yet, once he starts investigating her story things don’t add up. What really happened that day? Who is all involved?
Small town, secrets, drugs, shady characters ooo yes!! Recommend! 4 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
August 8, 2023
Super buena lectura!!! me ha enganchado mucho y vaya que lo disfruté. Sus personajes para mi gusto super bien perfilados, la ambientación también muy bien descrita no decae el interés en ningún momento. Tiene giros bastante buenos que te hace dudar si realmente las cosas fueron como dicen o no... resulta que no todo es como parece y los buenos son malos y los malos buenos. Mathias lo odié demasiado no se si egocéntrico sea la palabra adecuada, pero en serio lo odié. Barrett me gustó bastante, me gustó su tenacidad por descubrir la verdad y no dejar correr las cosas. Los personajes femeninos Lizz y Kimmy tmb estuvieron muy bien la vdd.
Nunca pensé que se pudiera enredar como lo hizo y tuviera agarrado de los pelos a muchos de los que vivian en el pueblo a tal grado de cometer asesinatos o intentos de, como dije los giros fueron bastante buenos y no me los vi venir.
El final... bueno para mi gusto el ultimo capi fue el más flojo de toda la trama, me hubiera gustado algo mejor pero cierra de una buena forma.
Se lleva 4.7 estrellas y lo recomiendo no conocía al autor y seguramente busque más novelas suyas
Nunca pensé que se pudiera enredar como lo hizo y tuviera agarrado de los pelos a muchos de los que vivian en el pueblo a tal grado de cometer asesinatos o intentos de, como dije los giros fueron bastante buenos y no me los vi venir.
El final... bueno para mi gusto el ultimo capi fue el más flojo de toda la trama, me hubiera gustado algo mejor pero cierra de una buena forma.
Se lleva 4.7 estrellas y lo recomiendo no conocía al autor y seguramente busque más novelas suyas
September 18, 2018
Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
I received an ARC of this one about a century ago and promptly put it on the backburner due to my friends’ “meh”-ish ratings and reactions. But then something popped up on my radar that changed my mind . . . .
Uncle Stevie don’t spout off too often and I most certainly drink his blend of Kool-Aid.
The story here starts with a young woman in an interrogation room confessing her part in a pair of murders. She provides every detail regarding the where, when, why and how. The only problem? When searched, it’s discovered the bodies aren’t in the place she swore they would be. Now it’s up to FBI Agent Rob Barrett to figure out truly how it happened.
So I think I know what happened to at least some of the people who didn’t loooooove this one: THEY READ IT WRONG. Ha! I keed, I keeeeed. But seriously, if a reader picks this up expecting . . . .
There’s a very good chance they could be disappointed because this story? It’s 100% . . . .
(That’s code gif for police procedural.)
I dug it.
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, NetGalley!
I received an ARC of this one about a century ago and promptly put it on the backburner due to my friends’ “meh”-ish ratings and reactions. But then something popped up on my radar that changed my mind . . . .
Uncle Stevie don’t spout off too often and I most certainly drink his blend of Kool-Aid.
The story here starts with a young woman in an interrogation room confessing her part in a pair of murders. She provides every detail regarding the where, when, why and how. The only problem? When searched, it’s discovered the bodies aren’t in the place she swore they would be. Now it’s up to FBI Agent Rob Barrett to figure out truly how it happened.
So I think I know what happened to at least some of the people who didn’t loooooove this one: THEY READ IT WRONG. Ha! I keed, I keeeeed. But seriously, if a reader picks this up expecting . . . .
There’s a very good chance they could be disappointed because this story? It’s 100% . . . .
(That’s code gif for police procedural.)
I dug it.
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, NetGalley!
October 21, 2023
Ha sido una buena lectura. No había leído ningún libro de Michael Koryta, pero ya tengo en lista el resto de sus libros publicados en español.
Dice la sinopsis:
Gracias a la declaración de una yonqui, el agente del FBI Rob Barrett está a punto de cerrar un caso de doble asesinato en una pequeña localidad de Maine. O, al menos, eso cree él, ya que las pruebas y las circunstancias del crimen invitan a pensar que todo ocurrió de un modo diferente al de la confesión. Con casi todo en su contra, Barrett está dispuesto a jugarse su reputación y su carrera para averiguar lo que pasó con exactitud.
¿Qué destaco del libro?
El comienzo. Los buenos principios son importantes en este género y el de este libro lo es. Engancha justo con ese primer capítulo y, en mi caso, ya no lo solté. El nivel de intriga que crea es importante, espolea la curiosidad del lector y la necesidad de seguir leyendo. La estructura propia de un thriller, los giros y el ritmo ágil contribuyen a ello.
El desarrollo de la trama. La intriga generada en el primer capítulo no decae. Cada pieza que Barrett descubre crea a su vez nuevos interrogantes. En contra de lo que parece no es una novela previsible. Es verdad, que hubo cosas que vi venir, pero me pasó como al protagonista, reparé en los detalles sin saber interpretar el conjunto.
Los personajes tienen una buena construcción, más de lo que se puede esperar en un libro de este género, especialmente el de las dos figuras principales, sin que el resto desmerezca. Se aleja de los personajes en blanco y negro, cosa que yo agradezco. Tampoco nos vamos a encontrar con detectives traumatizados hasta el esperpento como parece ser la tónica actual.
La ambientación en el Maine rural de sobresaliente. Un añadido de lujo.
El final sin ser espectacular está bien hilado. Fluye desde atrás. Otra cosa es que lo veamos venir. Es correcto y cierra bien.
En conclusión. Un thriller de buena factura, con una trama inteligente, buenos personajes y una magnífica ambientación. Recomendable.
Dice la sinopsis:
Gracias a la declaración de una yonqui, el agente del FBI Rob Barrett está a punto de cerrar un caso de doble asesinato en una pequeña localidad de Maine. O, al menos, eso cree él, ya que las pruebas y las circunstancias del crimen invitan a pensar que todo ocurrió de un modo diferente al de la confesión. Con casi todo en su contra, Barrett está dispuesto a jugarse su reputación y su carrera para averiguar lo que pasó con exactitud.
¿Qué destaco del libro?
El comienzo. Los buenos principios son importantes en este género y el de este libro lo es. Engancha justo con ese primer capítulo y, en mi caso, ya no lo solté. El nivel de intriga que crea es importante, espolea la curiosidad del lector y la necesidad de seguir leyendo. La estructura propia de un thriller, los giros y el ritmo ágil contribuyen a ello.
El desarrollo de la trama. La intriga generada en el primer capítulo no decae. Cada pieza que Barrett descubre crea a su vez nuevos interrogantes. En contra de lo que parece no es una novela previsible. Es verdad, que hubo cosas que vi venir, pero me pasó como al protagonista, reparé en los detalles sin saber interpretar el conjunto.
Los personajes tienen una buena construcción, más de lo que se puede esperar en un libro de este género, especialmente el de las dos figuras principales, sin que el resto desmerezca. Se aleja de los personajes en blanco y negro, cosa que yo agradezco. Tampoco nos vamos a encontrar con detectives traumatizados hasta el esperpento como parece ser la tónica actual.
La ambientación en el Maine rural de sobresaliente. Un añadido de lujo.
El final sin ser espectacular está bien hilado. Fluye desde atrás. Otra cosa es que lo veamos venir. Es correcto y cierra bien.
En conclusión. Un thriller de buena factura, con una trama inteligente, buenos personajes y una magnífica ambientación. Recomendable.
June 5, 2018
1.5*
Yes, I'm rating this harsh. No, I don't care.
To say that this was a disappointment is an understatement. Even when I discovered this was more like a police procedural than his usually bout of mysteries I still kept HOW IT HAPPENED on my TBR. I usually like PPs, I can roll with this. But this was pushing it.
Koryta knows how to keep his readers hooked- I'll give him that. With (bordering on unnecessary) short chapters, you feel compelled to finish if for no other reason than to get this over with. In the beginning, I was eager to know more about Kimberly, how Rob was going to get Mathias. Strong character development. But soon Liz is introduced (side note: it's starting to dawn on me that Koryta's female "sidekicks" are more-or-less interchangeable with one another. Blonde hair? Small breasts? Give it a rest.) & I couldn't stop rolling my eyes at their scenes. A bit too hopeful (suspend that disbelief & not just for them, either), but I've been told I'm a bitter bitch, so 🤷♀️😂.
I was aware that drugs would be a plot line in this novel, but I didn't realize it would overshadow the entire book. By the second half, this has the hints of a DEA manual (yes I'm not blind to my state's substance abuse problem or the lack of help that can be provided to those who desperately need it), but once things start to become clear, you know what the inevitable conclusion will reveal. (Hint: it's not even close to interesting or "different" & everything to do with convenient & mundane.) I thought more time would be spent on Mathias' trail, but no. We just got more of him & Liz (how much substance did that add?) or the story behind his mother's death, or him chasing Kimberly.
Because of this, the story lags. It's slow & the only reason why I finished this in a day was because I'm getting close to my summer hiatus & I want to wrap everything up. It's disappointing when it all falls together easily & to say anymore would be a spoiler. I also want to mention that I didn't care for Rob's character- he is, in my opinion, an unfeeling FBI agent. One who is there, does his job, grows uncomfortable with the facts & attempts to find the truth- but he is lacking passion, genuine emotion & conviction it will take to get justice for Ian & Jackie. It feels like he was destined to be the hero from page 1 & he didn't have a lot of obstacles standing in his way. (No, I'm not counting that "event"; most all PPs have events of this nature. No one has to agree with this statement, but he just left a bad taste in my mouth.) And that ending? Ugh.
I liked the other book I read from this author, THOSE WHO WISH ME DEAD. Hopefully Koryta will just stick to his more supernatural elements in the future.
Yes, I'm rating this harsh. No, I don't care.
To say that this was a disappointment is an understatement. Even when I discovered this was more like a police procedural than his usually bout of mysteries I still kept HOW IT HAPPENED on my TBR. I usually like PPs, I can roll with this. But this was pushing it.
Koryta knows how to keep his readers hooked- I'll give him that. With (bordering on unnecessary) short chapters, you feel compelled to finish if for no other reason than to get this over with. In the beginning, I was eager to know more about Kimberly, how Rob was going to get Mathias. Strong character development. But soon Liz is introduced (side note: it's starting to dawn on me that Koryta's female "sidekicks" are more-or-less interchangeable with one another. Blonde hair? Small breasts? Give it a rest.) & I couldn't stop rolling my eyes at their scenes. A bit too hopeful (suspend that disbelief & not just for them, either), but I've been told I'm a bitter bitch, so 🤷♀️😂.
I was aware that drugs would be a plot line in this novel, but I didn't realize it would overshadow the entire book. By the second half, this has the hints of a DEA manual (yes I'm not blind to my state's substance abuse problem or the lack of help that can be provided to those who desperately need it), but once things start to become clear, you know what the inevitable conclusion will reveal. (Hint: it's not even close to interesting or "different" & everything to do with convenient & mundane.) I thought more time would be spent on Mathias' trail, but no. We just got more of him & Liz (how much substance did that add?) or the story behind his mother's death, or him chasing Kimberly.
Because of this, the story lags. It's slow & the only reason why I finished this in a day was because I'm getting close to my summer hiatus & I want to wrap everything up. It's disappointing when it all falls together easily & to say anymore would be a spoiler. I also want to mention that I didn't care for Rob's character- he is, in my opinion, an unfeeling FBI agent. One who is there, does his job, grows uncomfortable with the facts & attempts to find the truth- but he is lacking passion, genuine emotion & conviction it will take to get justice for Ian & Jackie. It feels like he was destined to be the hero from page 1 & he didn't have a lot of obstacles standing in his way. (No, I'm not counting that "event"; most all PPs have events of this nature. No one has to agree with this statement, but he just left a bad taste in my mouth.) And that ending? Ugh.
I liked the other book I read from this author, THOSE WHO WISH ME DEAD. Hopefully Koryta will just stick to his more supernatural elements in the future.
June 6, 2018
Excellent read. I think I've found my book of the year. I'd read Koryta's first and part of his second book and thought Meh. I picked this one up off the self at Barnes and Noble, started reading and couldn't put it down. The writing craft is sensational. I went and bought all of his other books. I can only hope they are of this same craft level.
Highly recommend.
Highly recommend.
May 5, 2025
This book was excellent. 4.5 stars. I could not round it up but I considered it. Possibly I balked from giving it that fifth star because of the explosive italics bomb start. That's becoming a trend (3 books I've read in the last 3 weeks have done this action, crime, chewy, grizzly witness beginning; I find that really an odd coincidence? ) Or is that the new trend for the ADHD attention span of the common modern psychology thriller reader? Or for the dual or triple narrator switching field advocates?
What that does is make the prime core of the novel for reveal tension purposes- it all almost plays backwards. In other words, you know who and what and where. But the tension is connecting the why with the proofs to a onus or group or motive connection to the why. Here we have a witness who no one believes because of her past lieing scales. Does that happen! Especially within a town just like this with the 2nd vacation house "summer" people and the industries that live off of their trade. Servants, gardeners, maintenance people, caterers etc.
I have not read this author much at all. I believe possibly one other book. He's good at core personality cognition. I really like the way he flushes out the human. You know them in layered ways. Quickly. He does more in actions than in conversations too. Minute movements. And he writes well in form and continuity. Some physical issues are far-fetched. But I can't prove by any means that they are impossible.
The locale feel was also very good. At least a 4 star for this state and this season. And he is super, super timely. Opioids and other current drug demises being exactly central to what is happening and has happened in the last 18 months for such painful statistics as has occurred.
I would not suggest this book for those who like cozy who dun its. This is not the complete and total opposite 180 degrees from cozy because it holds some characters of moral (good intent) standards of self-worth. (As opposed to the myriad of total dysfunction human cabals/ massive user units- that are being currently published as majority of moderns presently.) And also holds some core bravery and loyalty too in its depictions. No little thing for such a sorrowful and brutal scenario- for there to be some regret in a portion of the naughty members. But it does seem to overlap a level of horror quotient that bothers me. And not only for the most tender of us either. The depth of the hate exposed is also brutal.
Lastly, I think Koryta has a deep understanding of psychological aspects embedded in the working workplace world and the class cognition to masters/ servants etc. That was 5. Nothing is more stereotyped, IMHO, in that dimension (quite incorrectly) in fiction writing of the last decade that the service industries or the blue collar class.
What that does is make the prime core of the novel for reveal tension purposes- it all almost plays backwards. In other words, you know who and what and where. But the tension is connecting the why with the proofs to a onus or group or motive connection to the why. Here we have a witness who no one believes because of her past lieing scales. Does that happen! Especially within a town just like this with the 2nd vacation house "summer" people and the industries that live off of their trade. Servants, gardeners, maintenance people, caterers etc.
I have not read this author much at all. I believe possibly one other book. He's good at core personality cognition. I really like the way he flushes out the human. You know them in layered ways. Quickly. He does more in actions than in conversations too. Minute movements. And he writes well in form and continuity. Some physical issues are far-fetched. But I can't prove by any means that they are impossible.
The locale feel was also very good. At least a 4 star for this state and this season. And he is super, super timely. Opioids and other current drug demises being exactly central to what is happening and has happened in the last 18 months for such painful statistics as has occurred.
I would not suggest this book for those who like cozy who dun its. This is not the complete and total opposite 180 degrees from cozy because it holds some characters of moral (good intent) standards of self-worth. (As opposed to the myriad of total dysfunction human cabals/ massive user units- that are being currently published as majority of moderns presently.) And also holds some core bravery and loyalty too in its depictions. No little thing for such a sorrowful and brutal scenario- for there to be some regret in a portion of the naughty members. But it does seem to overlap a level of horror quotient that bothers me. And not only for the most tender of us either. The depth of the hate exposed is also brutal.
Lastly, I think Koryta has a deep understanding of psychological aspects embedded in the working workplace world and the class cognition to masters/ servants etc. That was 5. Nothing is more stereotyped, IMHO, in that dimension (quite incorrectly) in fiction writing of the last decade that the service industries or the blue collar class.
March 19, 2018
Whoa! What a fun ride How It Happened was. I am familiar with Michael Koryta's writing and I haven't been disappointed yet. The depth that Koryta goes into with regards to character development is top-notch for a suspense thriller such as How It Happened.
Early in the novel we're reading Kimberly Crepeaux's confession of how she, along with a couple accomplices, killed Ian Kelly and Jackie Pelletier. Ian and Jackie have been missing and finding their bodies would help to bring resolution to their parents who have been living on pins and needles hoping that they haven't fallen victim. The catch to this confession is that, no one believes Kimberly's account of events. In the small, rural, Maine town she lives in, she's known as a low-life druggie, who's word isn't worth a grain of salt. Not only is her story implausible to most who hear it, it also involves an upstanding citizen in the community who couldn't have possibly taken part in such a horrific crime.
Enter FBI interrogator Rob Barrett. He's been assigned with getting Kimberly's confession because he's familiar with the town and the layout of the land. Suffice it to say, Rob's the only person who believes Kimberly. Although he's relying solely on his FBI training and gut, there's something about her harrowing story that rings true even when the evidence doesn't support the confession.
What I loved most about How It Happened is the character depth Koryta goes into. Rob Barrett, the investigating agent, came alive for me in a way no other suspense thriller character has. As the investigation becomes more and more difficult, and the confession looking to be a wash, Barrett struggles with his own personal demons that follow throughout. There's something burrowing deep inside of him that he doesn't want to surface. For all intents and purposes, he only wants the world to see what he wants them to seen. As How It Happened progresses, Rob's protective layers are unable to withhold what's burrowing deep inside, ready to break loose.
Getting away from this small town and it's secrets is his best bet. But how can anyone leave when the truth is still out there to be found?
On the other hand, a very vital character just wants to be seen at all and be taken seriously. Regardless of our station in life. Rather it be an addict, a gardener, a businessman, or a millionaire, there's innate feeling inside us all to be noticed and taken seriously. These needs if not met, can create a monster. This novel is all about the monsters we hide and the ones we share with the world.
If I had one gripe with this novel it would be that I felt the ending was a little anti-climatic for me. I felt that the journey warranted more than what was given. I mean, Rob Barrett went through so much to find the truth. Once he does find the truth, it all just seemed like really? That was worth all this carnage?
Anyway...
How It Happened was amazing. I definitely could not put the book down. Michael Koryta provided a well written, engaging, character driven ride through rural Maine. As mentioned before, How It Happened was not my first read nor will it be my last from this author. Michael Koryta is definitely one to read if you haven't yet.
Copy Provided by Little, Brown and Company via Netgalley
Early in the novel we're reading Kimberly Crepeaux's confession of how she, along with a couple accomplices, killed Ian Kelly and Jackie Pelletier. Ian and Jackie have been missing and finding their bodies would help to bring resolution to their parents who have been living on pins and needles hoping that they haven't fallen victim. The catch to this confession is that, no one believes Kimberly's account of events. In the small, rural, Maine town she lives in, she's known as a low-life druggie, who's word isn't worth a grain of salt. Not only is her story implausible to most who hear it, it also involves an upstanding citizen in the community who couldn't have possibly taken part in such a horrific crime.
Enter FBI interrogator Rob Barrett. He's been assigned with getting Kimberly's confession because he's familiar with the town and the layout of the land. Suffice it to say, Rob's the only person who believes Kimberly. Although he's relying solely on his FBI training and gut, there's something about her harrowing story that rings true even when the evidence doesn't support the confession.
What I loved most about How It Happened is the character depth Koryta goes into. Rob Barrett, the investigating agent, came alive for me in a way no other suspense thriller character has. As the investigation becomes more and more difficult, and the confession looking to be a wash, Barrett struggles with his own personal demons that follow throughout. There's something burrowing deep inside of him that he doesn't want to surface. For all intents and purposes, he only wants the world to see what he wants them to seen. As How It Happened progresses, Rob's protective layers are unable to withhold what's burrowing deep inside, ready to break loose.
Getting away from this small town and it's secrets is his best bet. But how can anyone leave when the truth is still out there to be found?
On the other hand, a very vital character just wants to be seen at all and be taken seriously. Regardless of our station in life. Rather it be an addict, a gardener, a businessman, or a millionaire, there's innate feeling inside us all to be noticed and taken seriously. These needs if not met, can create a monster. This novel is all about the monsters we hide and the ones we share with the world.
If I had one gripe with this novel it would be that I felt the ending was a little anti-climatic for me. I felt that the journey warranted more than what was given. I mean, Rob Barrett went through so much to find the truth. Once he does find the truth, it all just seemed like really? That was worth all this carnage?
Anyway...
How It Happened was amazing. I definitely could not put the book down. Michael Koryta provided a well written, engaging, character driven ride through rural Maine. As mentioned before, How It Happened was not my first read nor will it be my last from this author. Michael Koryta is definitely one to read if you haven't yet.
Copy Provided by Little, Brown and Company via Netgalley
March 18, 2018
How It Happened was a really great twisty, crime character drama, centred around Rob Barrett, an FBI agent searching for the truth behind the deaths of a local couple in a tight knit rural Maine community. A place he knows well, where a few characters from his past linger, this becomes somewhat of an obsession..
I love crime novels like this one that are beautifully written and manage to create a lot of character depth and engagement whilst also twisting a mystery cleverly enough to keep you unsure of the outcome. In this case we have a girl who has a bad reputation, where local knowledge would normally persuade you that she is lying – however this particular agent knows something deep down and so spends pretty much the entire story trying to prove that her version of events is indeed true – against seemingly impossible odds.
It is important to care about the characters and I found Kimberly to be strangely sympathetic – everyone is against her, even the evidence is, ultimately even Rob isn’t sure. In that way that we love to root for the underdog, the author makes us want her to be vindicated. Around all this other clues and town secrets emerge, our main protagonist has to allow that perhaps he has a certain amount of bias and all the while one father sits in the background waiting, waiting for someone to tell him why his daughter is lost to him.
It is intricately and wonderfully woven, atmospheric and often claustrophobic – I was totally riveted by it and the finale did not disappoint. An all round excellent bit of storytelling.
Recommended.
I love crime novels like this one that are beautifully written and manage to create a lot of character depth and engagement whilst also twisting a mystery cleverly enough to keep you unsure of the outcome. In this case we have a girl who has a bad reputation, where local knowledge would normally persuade you that she is lying – however this particular agent knows something deep down and so spends pretty much the entire story trying to prove that her version of events is indeed true – against seemingly impossible odds.
It is important to care about the characters and I found Kimberly to be strangely sympathetic – everyone is against her, even the evidence is, ultimately even Rob isn’t sure. In that way that we love to root for the underdog, the author makes us want her to be vindicated. Around all this other clues and town secrets emerge, our main protagonist has to allow that perhaps he has a certain amount of bias and all the while one father sits in the background waiting, waiting for someone to tell him why his daughter is lost to him.
It is intricately and wonderfully woven, atmospheric and often claustrophobic – I was totally riveted by it and the finale did not disappoint. An all round excellent bit of storytelling.
Recommended.
August 3, 2023
Me ha gustado mucho esta novela que te hace dudar de todo y de todos, los buenos no son tan buenos, tienen debilidades y se pasan al lado oscuro, pero llegarán a hacer lo correcto en algún momento....
La novela comienza con la confesión de un asesinato y la búsqueda de los cuerpos que supuestamente se encuentran en un estanque. A partir de ahí, comienza una investigación que me ha parecido muy intrigante, llena de giros que no te esperas, e intentas averiguar quién es el asesino y sus motivaciones para cometer los asesinatos.
Barrett, el agente del FBI, al cargo del caso, pone en peligro su carrera por averiguar la verdad y hasta su vida.....
Los personajes me parece que están muy bien perfilados, entre los que más me han gustado están Barrett, Lizzy, Kimmy, Don Johansson y Howard Pelletier y entre los que menos me han gustado destacado a Mathias Burke, aunque tampoco me han gustado Ronnie Lord, George Kelly y Mark Millinock.
Hay algunos hechos de la trama que no me esperaba
El final es lo que me ha parecido algo más flojo con respecto al resto del libro, pero no desmerece, es una novela muy recomendable que he disfrutado mucho.
La novela comienza con la confesión de un asesinato y la búsqueda de los cuerpos que supuestamente se encuentran en un estanque. A partir de ahí, comienza una investigación que me ha parecido muy intrigante, llena de giros que no te esperas, e intentas averiguar quién es el asesino y sus motivaciones para cometer los asesinatos.
Barrett, el agente del FBI, al cargo del caso, pone en peligro su carrera por averiguar la verdad y hasta su vida.....
Los personajes me parece que están muy bien perfilados, entre los que más me han gustado están Barrett, Lizzy, Kimmy, Don Johansson y Howard Pelletier y entre los que menos me han gustado destacado a Mathias Burke, aunque tampoco me han gustado Ronnie Lord, George Kelly y Mark Millinock.
Hay algunos hechos de la trama que no me esperaba
El final es lo que me ha parecido algo más flojo con respecto al resto del libro, pero no desmerece, es una novela muy recomendable que he disfrutado mucho.
July 22, 2018
Why have I not discovered Michael Koryta sooner? How It Happened was my first book by this author and it definitely won’t be my last! What a absolutely gripping fast-paced thriller! He started it off perfectly. Laying out all his cards and then backing up it up with this intense narrative. I literally read it in A DAY. The story kept developing and taking twists and turns that I DID NOT SEE COMING!! I really LOVE that!! ( I feel I can pretty much predict any plot these days..so a shocking revelation always makes me one happy chick 🐥)
**4.25 stars** ~.25 added because I felt this was a bit exciting then my usual 4-star ratings! 🙂
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
**4.25 stars** ~.25 added because I felt this was a bit exciting then my usual 4-star ratings! 🙂
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
June 7, 2018
Dark, twisty, thrilling, plus beautiful sentences. One of my favorite crime novels of the year.
May 15, 2018
This book begins with Kimberly Crepeaux, a heroin addict and jailhouse snitch, telling a highly seeming probable story of the death of a young couple. At first, when I was reading this very first part, I wasn't sure what was going on. However, I soon figured out it was the junkie's testimony. And away, the book went.
This book was outstanding! I think it is Mr. Koryta's best book yet.
You just know that the murder is solved very early in the book, but your questioning it. How can the author tell you "what happened" so early it in the book? How could Barrett get it so wrong? Or did he?
Hence, the title "How it Happened". That was the cray, cray part. My mind came up with so many scenarios. Yes, they were mostly wrong, but who wants to guess it right? And when it all came out . . . turns out that I had one thing right, but was not even in the same country as to how all of it happened.
I spent my Mother's Day deeply absorbed in this thrill ride and loved every minute of it!
Huge thanks to Little, Brown and Company and Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest, unbiased opinion.
This book was outstanding! I think it is Mr. Koryta's best book yet.
You just know that the murder is solved very early in the book, but your questioning it. How can the author tell you "what happened" so early it in the book? How could Barrett get it so wrong? Or did he?
Hence, the title "How it Happened". That was the cray, cray part. My mind came up with so many scenarios. Yes, they were mostly wrong, but who wants to guess it right? And when it all came out . . . turns out that I had one thing right, but was not even in the same country as to how all of it happened.
I spent my Mother's Day deeply absorbed in this thrill ride and loved every minute of it!
Huge thanks to Little, Brown and Company and Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest, unbiased opinion.
February 5, 2019
Otro libro que me apetecía mucho leer y que esperaba con ilusión.... y me ha defraudado. No es que el libro esté tan mal, pero no ha cumplido mis expectativas ya que esperaba mucho más después de haber leído un libro anterior del mismo autor “Aguas gélidas”.
El libro empieza, narrado en primera persona, con la confesión por parte de una madre soltera, adicta a las drogas, de unos crímenes cometidos meses antes; lo que aclara la desaparición de una pareja que se estaba investigando.
A partir de aquí, seguimos los pasos del protagonista, Rob Barrett, agente del FBI desplazado a la zona para la investigación. Rob, al contrario de la mayoría de los implicados en el caso, está convencido de la veracidad de la confesión y hace todo lo posible para confirmarla.
El caso tiene lugar en una zona costera de Maine, que vive del turismo en verano y de la pesca cuando es posible. Las víctimas son el hijo de una familia adinerada que tiene una mansión de veraneo en la zona y la hija de un pescador de langostas.
Todo el libro, a pesar de estar narrado en tercera persona, transcurre alrededor de Rob; viéndolo todo desde su punto de vista; al tiempo que conocemos su vida, sus pensamientos y, sobre todo, sus frustraciones y sus dudas. De pequeño pasaba los veranos en casa de su abuelo, un matón borracho, dueño de un bar en el pueblo donde han ocurrido los hechos, lo que hace que conozca a algunos de los implicados.
También nos va contando como, poco a poco, se va implicando con las familias de las víctimas, llegando al punto de poner en peligro la investigación.
Pesa a que parece que ha de ser absorbente o apasionante, manteniendo el interés y la intriga, se hace lento y pesado, debido a la gran cantidad de repeticiones que he encontrado, tanto en la parte de la investigación en si, como en la parte de la narración referente a la vida del protagonista.
El libro empieza, narrado en primera persona, con la confesión por parte de una madre soltera, adicta a las drogas, de unos crímenes cometidos meses antes; lo que aclara la desaparición de una pareja que se estaba investigando.
A partir de aquí, seguimos los pasos del protagonista, Rob Barrett, agente del FBI desplazado a la zona para la investigación. Rob, al contrario de la mayoría de los implicados en el caso, está convencido de la veracidad de la confesión y hace todo lo posible para confirmarla.
El caso tiene lugar en una zona costera de Maine, que vive del turismo en verano y de la pesca cuando es posible. Las víctimas son el hijo de una familia adinerada que tiene una mansión de veraneo en la zona y la hija de un pescador de langostas.
Todo el libro, a pesar de estar narrado en tercera persona, transcurre alrededor de Rob; viéndolo todo desde su punto de vista; al tiempo que conocemos su vida, sus pensamientos y, sobre todo, sus frustraciones y sus dudas. De pequeño pasaba los veranos en casa de su abuelo, un matón borracho, dueño de un bar en el pueblo donde han ocurrido los hechos, lo que hace que conozca a algunos de los implicados.
También nos va contando como, poco a poco, se va implicando con las familias de las víctimas, llegando al punto de poner en peligro la investigación.
Pesa a que parece que ha de ser absorbente o apasionante, manteniendo el interés y la intriga, se hace lento y pesado, debido a la gran cantidad de repeticiones que he encontrado, tanto en la parte de la investigación en si, como en la parte de la narración referente a la vida del protagonista.
August 30, 2021
Primer libro que leo de este autor y me ha encantado! Buena historia, ambientación, caso policial, etc. Te atrapa hasta el final. Solo tengo un pero por algo que o no leí o no se aclaró del caso. Todo lo demás, excelente.
January 9, 2025
Kindle.
I think this was one of Koryta's best. Really fast-paced. Timely subject matter. Excellent setting (he is ravenously detailed about Maine and its enigmatic fog). I really liked Agent Barrett, although, man, did that guy take some hits! The minor characters were well-drawn, particularly Howard. I really loved Howard.
I took one star off for the resolution--it was very much an info dump, a la Tana French. Don't love that device--the convo between characters where one says, "This is how it all happened."
I think this was one of Koryta's best. Really fast-paced. Timely subject matter. Excellent setting (he is ravenously detailed about Maine and its enigmatic fog). I really liked Agent Barrett, although, man, did that guy take some hits! The minor characters were well-drawn, particularly Howard. I really loved Howard.
I took one star off for the resolution--it was very much an info dump, a la Tana French. Don't love that device--the convo between characters where one says, "This is how it all happened."
August 23, 2023
Nunca había leído un libro en el que un agente del FBI tuviera tan mala suerte y fuera tan torpe. Y no, no es comedia. Barrett ha ido durante toda la historia dando bandazos de un lado al otro, sin averiguar nada y metiéndose en problemas con todo el mundo solo por cabezonería. Y sí, solo a partir del 70% empiezan a atarse cabos (no gracias a él, por supuesto) y acierta en el culpable solo por fijación.
Es un libro que entretiene, con un caso que atrapa, pero que no me ha dejado buen sabor de boca (tampoco malo). Digamos que esperaba algo con más tensión y con un personaje que tuviera otro perfil. También con una historia que tuviera menos agujeros argumentales...
A pesar de todo, he pasado un buen rato leyendo este libro. Quizá no me haya aportado lo que esperaba, pero se deja leer.
Es un libro que entretiene, con un caso que atrapa, pero que no me ha dejado buen sabor de boca (tampoco malo). Digamos que esperaba algo con más tensión y con un personaje que tuviera otro perfil. También con una historia que tuviera menos agujeros argumentales...
A pesar de todo, he pasado un buen rato leyendo este libro. Quizá no me haya aportado lo que esperaba, pero se deja leer.
August 6, 2018
4 star
Michael Koryta's latest book begins with a confession. A young couple from Port Hope, Maine have been missing for some time. Kimberley Crepeaux, a well-known untrustworthy resident in Port Hope is currently in custody and claims to have information on what happened to Jackie Pelletier and Ian Kelly. Kimberley tells an amazing story to FBI Agent Rob Barrett who has been assigned the case. Barrett knows the area and some of the people because he would spend his summers in Port Hope with his grandfather, owner of the bar the Harpoon. Barrett is convinced Kimberley is telling the truth but there is no evidence. And when the evidence is found, it tells a completely different story. What really happened? And why is Kimberley insisting on her version?
Michael Koryta can tell a great story and I love to read his writing. This book features many unreliable characters and I was never sure of what was the truth. I usually do not enjoy books like this but this one did hold my interest. I recommend it to readers who do not mind being taken down the garden path!
Michael Koryta's latest book begins with a confession. A young couple from Port Hope, Maine have been missing for some time. Kimberley Crepeaux, a well-known untrustworthy resident in Port Hope is currently in custody and claims to have information on what happened to Jackie Pelletier and Ian Kelly. Kimberley tells an amazing story to FBI Agent Rob Barrett who has been assigned the case. Barrett knows the area and some of the people because he would spend his summers in Port Hope with his grandfather, owner of the bar the Harpoon. Barrett is convinced Kimberley is telling the truth but there is no evidence. And when the evidence is found, it tells a completely different story. What really happened? And why is Kimberley insisting on her version?
Michael Koryta can tell a great story and I love to read his writing. This book features many unreliable characters and I was never sure of what was the truth. I usually do not enjoy books like this but this one did hold my interest. I recommend it to readers who do not mind being taken down the garden path!
August 4, 2023
Lo terminé y me ha gustado. La verdad es que el final podía haber sido un poco más rebuscado
La ambientación ha sido buena y el personaje principal ha sido perseverante a pesar de como dejó su reputación al principio.
Interesante autor.
Valoración: 8/10
Sinopsis: Gracias a la declaración de una yonqui, el agente del FBI Rob Barrett está a punto de cerrar un caso de doble asesinato en una pequeña localidad de Maine. O, al menos, eso cree él, ya que las pruebas y las circunstancias del crimen invitan a pensar que todo ocurrió de un modo diferente al de la confesión. Con casi todo en su contra, Barrett está dispuesto a jugarse su reputación y su carrera para averiguar lo que pasó con exactitud.
La ambientación ha sido buena y el personaje principal ha sido perseverante a pesar de como dejó su reputación al principio.
Interesante autor.
Valoración: 8/10
Sinopsis: Gracias a la declaración de una yonqui, el agente del FBI Rob Barrett está a punto de cerrar un caso de doble asesinato en una pequeña localidad de Maine. O, al menos, eso cree él, ya que las pruebas y las circunstancias del crimen invitan a pensar que todo ocurrió de un modo diferente al de la confesión. Con casi todo en su contra, Barrett está dispuesto a jugarse su reputación y su carrera para averiguar lo que pasó con exactitud.
June 6, 2018
3.5 I don't know why I didn't like this more than I did, but...
Chelsea Humphrey, Diane S., and Shelby *trains flying monkeys* all wrote real reviews that, although not quite as good as my stunner of an incomplete sentence review, are quite excellent. : ))
Chelsea Humphrey, Diane S., and Shelby *trains flying monkeys* all wrote real reviews that, although not quite as good as my stunner of an incomplete sentence review, are quite excellent. : ))
Displaying 1 - 30 of 816 reviews