Jonah

by Carl Rackman

The war is almost over. But not yet.

At Okinawa, the US Navy destroyer Brownlee grimly prepares to battle a swarm of Japanese kamikazes suicide aircraft.

Mitch “Lucky” Kirkham, a young gunner on the Brownlee, wakes up miraculously unscathed after his crewmates are killed by a fearsome kamikaze strike. Bullied and resented amid accusations of cowardice and worse, Mitch re-boards his patched-up ship for the long voyage back to San Francisco. All he wants is to go home.

But far out in the boundless emptiness of the Pacific, a strange madness begins to seize the sailors on the Brownlee. Terror, hysteria and suicide torment the men amid sightings of ghosts and a terrifying monster that stalks the ship by night.

Mitch stumbles upon a possible explanation for the madness. But as the ship presses on alone, deeper into the vast Pacific Ocean and the grip of insanity, will anyone listen to him before his famous luck runs out for good?

Jonah is a searing, psychological suspense thriller, the latest from Carl Rackman, author of Irex and Voyager.

Praise for Carl

"A spectacularly good first novel" - Terry Tyler, author of Tipping Point and The Devil You Know
"This a truly excellent book" - Amazon Reviewer
"A very enjoyable, well-written debut from a new writer well worth keeping an eye on." - Amazon Reviewer
"I have to say it’s hard to believe this is a debut novel. It’s so good and the quality of the writing is excellent throughout." - Between The Lines Blog Review
"Mr Rackman is an exceptional writer and this is a superb first outing – a psychological thriller, a seafaring adventure, and first-rate murder mystery." - Noelle Granger, Author of Rae Brewster Mysteries series

249 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 2, 2017

About the author

Hi! I'm Carl Rackman, a British former airline pilot turned author. I spent my working life travelling the world and this has given me a keen interest in other people and cultures. I've drawn on my many experiences for my writing.

I write suspense thrillers with a grounded science-fiction theme. I like reading novels that feature atmospheric locales and I enjoy complex, absorbing storylines combined with rich, believable characters, so that's the sort of fiction I write. I try to create immersive worlds for the reader to explore, and characters who are more than just vehicles for the story.

I come from a naval military background and have held a lifelong interest in military history and seafaring - all my books usually contain some of these elements!

I hope you'll enjoy my books and leave reviews. I try to personally thank reviewers if they've particularly enjoyed my books.

Reviews

[S. Bavey · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story is set on board the US Navy destroyer Brownlee in the Pacific Ocean towards the end of the Second World War. Mitch ‘Lucky’ Kirkham miraculously survives a Kamikaze attack to the gun turret to which he was assigned. He was already known as ‘Lucky’ following another amazing wartime escape two years prior to this attack. He is accused of cowardice and desertion, and bullied by his fellow sailors. His tormentors are unwilling to believe his defense that he did not run away at the sight of the Japanese aircraft bearing down on him, but was just lucky.

Unfortunately instances of bullying, hazing and sexual harassment in the US Navy are rife, the culture of not ratting out your fellow seamen allows for many more instances to go unreported than the military service would be keen to admit. As the victim of such violent bullies, who are set on ending his life on more than one occasion, Mitch Kirkham can hardly be considered lucky in his daily life, but nicknames have a tendency to stick.

“Brownlee had been his home for two years, a community filled with friends and characters. Now it was a wall of hostility, cold and unfriendly. So much had changed in such a short time.”

Subsequently the survivors traveling back to Pearl Harbor on the Brownlee begin to be haunted by terrifying visions from their respective pasts and even a sea monster. Are their fragile mental states suffering from survivors’ guilt or combat stress and causing these visions, or is there something more sinister at play in the middle of the Pacific Ocean?

The use of flashbacks to explain the visions experienced by each of the haunted men works well as a device and gives the reader an occasional break from the setting on board the Brownlee. Could these visions be related to the performance enhancing amphetamines the seamen take in order to keep themselves awake during their long watches, now that the crew is short-handed?

“...yet another seaman sat quivering on the floor with his head in his hands. Others recounted their fantastic stories of how the monster had snatched away one of their crew mates.“

The chaplain McGready Is Mitch Kirkham’s only friend/confidant now that his friends have perished in the Kamikaze attack. Mitch soon realizes he cannot trust McGready’s confidentiality either, as it becomes clear that what he told the chaplain in confidence has got back to his tormentors.

From being “Lucky” Kirkham, Mitch eventually earns the titular nickname of “Jonah”, being accused of bringing bad luck to the rest of the crew while he himself remains blessed with good fortune in their eyes.

“They think I’m some kind of Jonah. I heard somebody use the word this morning. It’s very unlucky to use that name on a ship, Father.“

The characterisation in Jonah is excellent and you very quickly realise what type of person both Mitch and his nemesis, Halloran are going to be. The ego of the ship's Captain comes into play later in the story, as does the fairness and integrity of Doc Coolidge.

Despite my lack of naval knowledge I did not find it necessary to consult the included glossary of terminology, since Rackman is very good at giving just enough context that you can figure out what is being referred to without needing a definition. There are also plans of the Brownlee included at the beginning of the book, but on the Kindle the accompanying text is almost impossible to make out.

With themes including the use of performance enhancing drugs, wartime PTSD, combat fatigue, bullying within the Navy, the inability to escape unfairness due to the chain of command, isolation at sea and survivors’ guilt, Jonah is an intriguing psychological thriller with spooky moments, horror elements and even a few expertly delivered, unexpected twists in the tale. I would recommend Jonah to all fans of psychological thrillers, wartime scenarios or fans of naval military intrigue.

[Georgia Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a member of Rosie Amber’s Book Review Team and chose to read Jonah after seeing some other reviews for it. I received a copy of the book from the author but this has not influenced the content of my review.

It gives me great pleasure when an independent author has committed time, effort and money to ensure that when they publish their book it is the best that it can be, and that is the case here. Everything about Jonah’s presentation is professional which means no distracting typos or formatting errors during the read.

Mitch Kirkham, branded Lucky Kirkham, re-boards his ship, the Brownlee, after it has undergone repairs following a kamikaze strike. He just wants to get home but once out on the ocean a mysterious insanity starts to take over the crew and, amid an atmosphere of strange sightings that cause hysteria and suicide, he discovers the cause of the terror, and who’s behind it.

I know very little about naval warfare or the ins and outs of military ships and actually I have little interest in either but I was drawn into this story by the compelling characters Rackman creates and the setting in which he puts them.

I hadn’t read the blurb and knew nothing about the paranormal element and while this wouldn’t usually be my thing when it is incorporated into the storyline so naturally I completely accepted it without issue. I also really enjoyed the flashbacks into various characters’ lives which gave the background to the visions that haunted them.

There is a fair amount of detail about the ship and crew and with many technical terms the author has provided a glossary at the back of the book. But who has time to go looking for that when this skilful writer manages to impart all the information in a way that makes it clear what is going on, doesn’t slow down the storyline, and provides chapters of a length that make you want to fit in one more before you go to sleep. Well-written and thoroughly enjoyable I have no hesitation in recommending Jonah.

[Aidan Ricketts · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t typically enjoy war stories, specifically those set during World War 2. However, Jonah being set at sea made it stand apart from other books I’ve read from the same time period. Being on a ship inherently creates tension, since there is no escape, and Carl Rackman leans heavily into this. Moreover, this novel has very little combat (other than a battle scene at the very beginning), and is more a look at naval life, with a supernatural undertone.

The book focuses on the life of Mitch Kirkham aboard the US Navy destroyer Brownlee. After surviving a horrific battle, the novel explores Mitch’s naval experiences, and through his interactions, other experiences of different characters. It deals with PTSD and bullying, before switching direction with the introduction of ‘The Brownlee Beast’.

I thought that the character of Mitch was excellent, as Rackman made him feel relatable by having him grapple with moral quandaries. He means well, but doesn’t always make the best choices – similar to most real people. Furthermore, it is very easy to feel sympathy for him, as he often gets into bad situations through no fault of his own.

Many of the supporting characters were also good, with my favourite being Doc. While not actually a doctor, he had rudimental medical training as the pharmacologist onboard. I felt drawn to his strong moral compass and his relentless work ethic. While many of the other characters were strong, I would have liked more development of the captain since he appears in quite a few scenes without us really understanding his motivations.

The author’s deep naval knowledge was obvious, but technical vocabulary never impeded my reading. He created a glossary at the end of the book, but I never felt the need to use this, since he did such a good job of making the meaning of new words obvious by the surrounding paragraph. It felt very well blended.

I don’t want to talk about the themes for too long, as I can’t mention some of the most interesting ones in case I spoil anything. However, I found the examination of chain of command very interesting, as well as the somewhat toxic culture that was found aboard the ship. That being said, the main aim of this book seems to me to be to entertain, which it does very well.

The mysterious element of the book is handled very well, and it kept me guessing until the final reveal. The action is also paced very well, with the tension staying with me long after I’d put the book down for the night.

However, I found the ending to be unsatisfying. The pacing was again good, and it felt like a proper climax, but the resolution just felt too perfect. There were also flashbacks interspersed throughout the book that, while I didn’t dislike them, and thought they were very well written, didn’t seem to add anything to the plot as a whole.

Overall, this book was a 5.5 out of 7 for me. It was easy to get into and this ease of reading continued throughout. The few small things I wasn’t a personal fan of are easily outweighed by the well-crafted plot and relatable characters. I would recommend it to anyone who likes thrillers, especially historical ones, as well as fans of psychological horror (since it shares some similar elements, while not strictly falling into that genre).

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

[Cathy Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Carl Rackman is rapidly becoming one of my favourite authors. His debut novel Irex, was published in 2016, closely followed by Voyager, and now we have Jonah, a suspenseful and compelling thriller.

In a foreboding prologue the crew of the Royal Navy Destroyer, HMS Venator, spot a Nazi U-Boat showing no signs of life, just sitting on the surface of the ocean. Seizing the chance to get rid of the enemy vessel they were not at all prepared for the hair-raising behaviour of the few survivors.

Fast forward to another ship five years later, the USS Brownlee, patrolling a stretch of the Pacific alongside the USS Mattersley, providing an early warning system against air attacks by Japanese kamikaze pilots. Twenty-one year old Mitch Kirkham was one of two gun loaders and when they are again under attack, this time by many more planes than previously, the terrified young sailors could only hope the defending Navy pilots would be able to reduce the force of the attack before the Japanese aircraft reached the ship.

For the second time ‘Lucky’ Mitch Kirkham survives an attack which kills many of his crewmates. The remaining ship’s crew become suspicious of his lack of injuries, among other things, branding him a coward and earning him the nickname Jonah. He’s subjected to victimization and bullying, finding his only real friend in Father MacGready, the ship’s chaplain. Mitch is not looking forward to the long journey back to San Francisco. But that’s only the beginning for Mitch, the troubled ship and it’s crew, as the situation aboard goes from bad to worse when the sailors become afflicted by a strange madness which causes hallucinations, murder and suicide. Mitch finds out to his cost that not everyone is who they seem.

Set towards the end of the Second World War and told in the third person, mostly but not exclusively from Mitch’s perspective, the story is tense and described vividly, particularly the problems caused by the proximity of the living and working conditions, as well as the fear and anxiety of the men. Extremely well written and researched, the plot is plausible, perfectly paced and I had no idea how it would unfold and I certainly didn’t expect that ending, despite the narrative’s ominous build up. I love the flashbacks, which tie in with certain characters, showing how events from the past have never really left them. Characterisations are distinct and well defined and the dialogue authentic. The effects of war, stress, survivor’s guilt and how subordinates are at the mercy of their superiors, are all frighteningly realistic. It’s only January but I can see this featuring in my list of best reads for this year.

[Terry Tyler · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is stunningly good. I finished it in the early hours of this morning when my eyes were tired and I wanted to go to sleep, because I had to know what happened.

Jonah ticks every single box. It's exceptionally well written, interspersed with tales from members of the crew from before the war, relevant to the plot (love little flashbacks like this!). It's meticulously researched, completely convincing, but Rackman hasn't fallen into the amateur's trap of explaining naval terms to the layman; it is assumed that the reader will gather what they mean, sooner or later, and I did. There's a glossary at the back, if you need it.

The story is utterly gripping and unpredictable, the sense of menace builds up at just the right pace, and even by the last chapter I had no idea of the outcome (and, indeed, thought it would go another way). The characterisation is well defined, the dialogue spot on, and it's edited, proofread and formatted to the best of traditional publishing standards.

It's really, really, really good. You should download it. Immediately. Definitely one of the best five books I've read this year.

[Olga Miret · Rating 4 out of 5]

A ripping good read recommended to lovers of WWII historical fiction in a naval setting and atmospheric thrillers. I write this review on behalf of Rosie’s Book Review Team (authors, if you want to have your books reviewed, check here. I know I am one of the members, but it is a great team) and I thank Rosie and the author for providing me an ARC copy of the book that I freely chose to review. Although I had read great reviews of one of Rackman’s previous books, Irex, I had not read his work yet but I was eager to check his new novel, especially as it came greatly recommended by other reviewers from Rosie’s team. The novel did not disappoint. It is a thriller set (mostly) in a US Navy destroyer in the Pacific during WWII. Moby Dick is one of my favourite novels (depending on the moment you ask me, my favourite) and I do like a story set at sea, although I’m not an expert on the topic. As we read the novel it becomes clear that the author has researched the historical period and the setting well and he is skilled at making readers get under the skin of the characters and share in their experiences and settings. Although some of the nautical terms might not be familiar to us, we can easily guess from the context, and we share in the heat, exhaustion, tension, anxiety, fear, and camaraderie. The setting of the novel, the destroyer, apart from being a confined space is a microcosms where we can find men from all walks of life, career navy men, enlisted men, older and younger men, some who’d never even seen the sea and others from long nautical tradition, and men from a variety of religions, ethnic backgrounds, and regions of the USA. These men are thrown together to fight a war under extreme circumstances and when we meet them they have all experienced things we would not wish on anyone. The story is written in the third person, mostly from the point of view of Mitch Kirkham, “Lucky” Kirkham, a gunner who seems fated to survive when everybody around him dies. Early in the book, we witness another example of his good luck (by that point he had already earned his nickname following a battle in Okinawa where he was one of the few survivors), but unfortunately, not everybody sees things the same way, and he gets bullied and victimised, accused of being a coward. To add to his difficulties, strange things start happening on the ship. Some of the men start experiencing unusual things, there is paranoia, violence, deaths, and the weirdest explanations are suggested. His peers insist that Mitch is a Jonah (they believe he is bringing them bad luck or worse and want to throw him overboard), and his life becomes increasingly complicated. The narrative of what happens in the ship (mostly from Mitch’s point of view, although at times, often when he is out of action, we also share in the point of view of a few other characters, like the medic of the ship, or the second in command), is interspersed with flashbacks (or memories) of incidents of the past of some of the men in the ship, usually those that end up right in the middle of the action. These snippets give us a better idea of what these men were like at home, in their real lives, when they were not cogs in the Navy machine, and they provide clues as to the psychological make-up of the characters (and also make us wonder what they might all have in common). Although the novel is mostly action-driven, we get brief glimpses into the men’s personalities and motives that add to the complexity and to the enjoyment for those of us who like well-defined characters. As a psychiatrist and somebody who enjoys psychological thrillers, I started wondering about the situation and coming up with my own theory from early on (no, I won’t share any spoilers). Yes, I was right; although the nitty-gritty detail is not fully revealed until the very end of the book and it is… Well, if you like conspiracy theory books, I think you’ll be pleased. It is also very believable and that is the scariest aspect of it. I had to do some research of my own after reading the book, because although I had read about some aspects of the story (it is not based on real events, but it realistically portrays the life of navy men at war and the way the Navy operated), I did not realise the extremes to which these men were subject to. The book is not only vividly written, intriguing, and tense, but it also deals with many important topics, such as survivors’ guilt, PTSD, war and fighting, the treatment of the combatants, experimentation, and the use of attention-enhancing drugs and its dangers. And yes, as a Moby Dick lover, I did particularly enjoy the end. As mentioned, the book is well researched and there is a glossary of terms and also an author’s note to explain the background to the story and clarify which aspects are based on truth and which have come out of the author’s imagination. I’d recommend it to lovers of historical fiction, especially set in WWII, people who love atmospheric thrillers, within a naval setting and to anybody who enjoys a ripping good read.

[Steve Cantwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent read.
I had been waiting for this to come out, having thoroughly enjoyed both of Rackman's previous books, Irex and Voyager. I wasn't disappointed. It is a brooding, moody thriller, which had me hooked from the beginning.
Jonah is set on an American military ship during the second world war. It is a close, claustrophobic place to be as people begin acting in strange and hostile ways, and talking about monsters. When you are in the middle of the Pacific Ocean there is nowhere to run to.
Carl Rackman again manages just the right balance between description and action, creating the inescapable atmosphere wonderfully. He is a master storyteller and I am already looking forward to his next offering.

[Jane Sleight · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great book from Carl Rackman. I love his writing style; the prose flows as smooth as molten chocolate. He sets the scene without it feeling like an info-dump and then propels you into the story, making you feel as though you’re in a speedboat, skimming the waves to the thrilling conclusion. Even if you’re not interested in ships or the US Navy, you’ll enjoy it because of the quality of the storytelling. Highly recommended.

[Richard Sharrocks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Riveting page turner with fast action

An exciting read that will keep you enthralled to the end. Jonah is a fast-paced action-packed thriller that makes you want to keep turning the pages all the way to its conclusion.

[Elizabeth Lloyd · Rating 4 out of 5]

When a U boat is spotted floating on the surface of the Atlantic in 1940 by a British destroyer, the remaining German crew accuse one of their shipmates of being a Jonah. Why then, in the Pacific in 1945, do the same events seem to be recurring on US Navy destroyer Brownlee?

The protagonist of this novel, “Lucky” Mitch Kirkham is introduced to us as he and his crewmates are involved in a terrifying battle with a continuous attack by Japanese Kamikaze pilots. For the second time in his naval career, Mitch survives while others are killed. He finds himself an outcast, distrusted, disliked and mistreated by his immediate superior. When his life is threatened he is befriended by Father McGready, who gives him some hope that he will return home safely, but soon many of the crew are showing symptoms of hysteria, seeing ghosts and talking of a sea-monster. Mitch is a naturally curious individual, an interesting character to follow, but this leads him into more trouble. He no longer knows whom he can trust or who will be acting strangely, next.

The author gradually reveals the back stories of Mitch and the other characters so that we understand their demons. Battle scenes are vividly described and full of tension. It is evident that Carl Rackman has thoroughly researched wartime life in the US navy and we can imagine ourselves on board the Brownlee. As the plot develops, the reader feels an increasing fear of imminent disaster leading to an eventful, surprising conclusion.