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Lincoln Perry #1
Tonight I Said Goodbye
A remarkable debut mystery from the award-winning author of the 2003 St. Martin's Press/Private Eye Writers of America Prize for Best First Private Eye Novel.
Michael Koryta's Tonight I Said Goodbye marks the emergence of a stunning new voice in crime fiction. With its edge-of-your-seat pacing, finely drawn characters, and rock-solid prose, Tonight I Said Goodbye would seem to be the work of a grizzled pro; the fact that the author is just twenty-one years old makes it all the more amazing.
Investigator Wayne Weston is found dead of an apparent suicide in his home in an upscale Cleveland suburb, and his wife and six-year-old daughter are missing. Weston's father insists that private investigators Lincoln Perry and Joe Pritchard take the case to exonerate his son and find his granddaughter and daughter-in-law. As they begin to work they discover there is much more to the situation than has been described in the prevalent media reports. There are rumors of gambling debts and extortion, and a group of Russians with ties to organized crime who don't appreciate being investigated--a point they make clear with baseball bats.
With some assistance from newspaper reporter Amy Ambrose, Perry and Pritchard believe they are making swift progress. But then they are warned off the investigation by a millionaire real estate tycoon and the FBI. Just when they feel they are closing in on a possible source of answers, another murder forces them to change direction in the case.
Perry travels to a resort town in South Carolina and there he finds more than one game being played, and all of them are deadly. The stakes quickly become very personal for Perry, and it's clear that there will be no walking away from this case.
In a debut that has already garnered praise from some of today's top writers, Michael Koryta immediately establishes himself as a standard bearer for the next generation of crime writers.
Tonight I Said Goodbye is a 2005 Edgar Award Nominee for Best First Novel.
Michael Koryta's Tonight I Said Goodbye marks the emergence of a stunning new voice in crime fiction. With its edge-of-your-seat pacing, finely drawn characters, and rock-solid prose, Tonight I Said Goodbye would seem to be the work of a grizzled pro; the fact that the author is just twenty-one years old makes it all the more amazing.
Investigator Wayne Weston is found dead of an apparent suicide in his home in an upscale Cleveland suburb, and his wife and six-year-old daughter are missing. Weston's father insists that private investigators Lincoln Perry and Joe Pritchard take the case to exonerate his son and find his granddaughter and daughter-in-law. As they begin to work they discover there is much more to the situation than has been described in the prevalent media reports. There are rumors of gambling debts and extortion, and a group of Russians with ties to organized crime who don't appreciate being investigated--a point they make clear with baseball bats.
With some assistance from newspaper reporter Amy Ambrose, Perry and Pritchard believe they are making swift progress. But then they are warned off the investigation by a millionaire real estate tycoon and the FBI. Just when they feel they are closing in on a possible source of answers, another murder forces them to change direction in the case.
Perry travels to a resort town in South Carolina and there he finds more than one game being played, and all of them are deadly. The stakes quickly become very personal for Perry, and it's clear that there will be no walking away from this case.
In a debut that has already garnered praise from some of today's top writers, Michael Koryta immediately establishes himself as a standard bearer for the next generation of crime writers.
Tonight I Said Goodbye is a 2005 Edgar Award Nominee for Best First Novel.
307 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2004
340 people are currently reading
3229 people want to read
About the author
Michael Koryta
51 books2,511 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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 445 reviews
March 23, 2019
This story...um...well...
Screw it!
What the fuck is wrong with me??
No, I don't mean the psychological issues and all the other things, you wise-ass.
Why am I struggling so much with thrillers these days?
Koryta is a good writer - granted, his writing style is very comfortable and easy to read. No problem there. But this story?
Look, do you remember that scene in the movie AMERICAN PIE, where the guy is on the bed, about to lose his virginity, and the girl takes off her bra, and he has an orgasm?
Well, I feel as unsatisfied as that girl...
Nothing. There was NOTHING that surprised me in this one. I figured out who killed the PI at about 60%. I felt the story was so straight forward, everything was right there halfway through the book.
It is like this:
The blurb was the foreplay.
The taking off of the bra is opening the book.
The potential to make this a satisfying experience was there - the words in the book was like a penis.
The story was just...um...too flaccid to provide any satisfaction.
Okay, I think I actually mind-fucked myself a little by putting me in the girl's shoes...please don't tell my wife about this review, I'm too afraid she'll say something ego-destroying like:
"So you DO know how it feels!"
(Honey, if you are reading this, you know I'm only joking...we both know you've had way more orgasms than me!)
Maybe I need to shift my focus a bit, at least for a while, because I'm beginning to wonder if the problem I'm having with this genre isn't only me...
Screw it!
What the fuck is wrong with me??
No, I don't mean the psychological issues and all the other things, you wise-ass.
Why am I struggling so much with thrillers these days?
Koryta is a good writer - granted, his writing style is very comfortable and easy to read. No problem there. But this story?
Look, do you remember that scene in the movie AMERICAN PIE, where the guy is on the bed, about to lose his virginity, and the girl takes off her bra, and he has an orgasm?
Well, I feel as unsatisfied as that girl...
Nothing. There was NOTHING that surprised me in this one. I figured out who killed the PI at about 60%. I felt the story was so straight forward, everything was right there halfway through the book.
It is like this:
The blurb was the foreplay.
The taking off of the bra is opening the book.
The potential to make this a satisfying experience was there - the words in the book was like a penis.
The story was just...um...too flaccid to provide any satisfaction.
Okay, I think I actually mind-fucked myself a little by putting me in the girl's shoes...please don't tell my wife about this review, I'm too afraid she'll say something ego-destroying like:
"So you DO know how it feels!"
(Honey, if you are reading this, you know I'm only joking...we both know you've had way more orgasms than me!)
Maybe I need to shift my focus a bit, at least for a while, because I'm beginning to wonder if the problem I'm having with this genre isn't only me...
November 22, 2025
Добър дебют за Майкъл Корита, хареса ми историята.
Малко се е овъртолил с руската мафия, но пък май няма западен писател, който би се справил по-добре. 😉
Главният му герой - Линкълн Пери, е симпатичен и достоверно изграден персонаж. Партньорът му Джо също.
Написана е на приятен английски, подходящ за изучаващи езика.
Малко се е овъртолил с руската мафия, но пък май няма западен писател, който би се справил по-добре. 😉
Главният му герой - Линкълн Пери, е симпатичен и достоверно изграден персонаж. Партньорът му Джо също.
Написана е на приятен английски, подходящ за изучаващи езика.
August 7, 2016
I enjoyed reading this library book. The author wrote it when he was only 20 years old. It won the PWA(Private Eye Writers) award for a debut novel. The book opens with Lincoln Perry, 1/2 of a private investigation company having a conversation with John Weston. John wants to hire them to find out what happened to his son, Wayne, dead from an apparent suicide. He was found dead in a wealthy Cleveland, Ohio suburb. His daughter in law and granddaughter have disappeared. He wants answers and gives Lincoln a two thousand dollar retainer, which his company needs badly as they are in debt. When they start to investigate, they find a much bigger and more dangerous case than they suspected. The Russian mob, the FBI and local police are involved. There is homage paid to Dashiell Hammett's "Maltese Falcon" in that one of the characters claims to be in love with Wayne Weston's widow. He is an ex partner to Wayne Weston in their Private eye company. He offers to help with the investigation. Shades of Sam Spade!! There are some twists and turns in the plot, but I did suspect who the hidden bad folks were.
Some quotes: "The silence was a heavy thing. The house seemed to hold a sense of a family;..."
"There was a VCR built into the television,..." 2004 book, already has an anachronism.
I read this book in 2 days, very hard to put down.
This book will count for Ohio in my US state challenge.
Some quotes: "The silence was a heavy thing. The house seemed to hold a sense of a family;..."
"There was a VCR built into the television,..." 2004 book, already has an anachronism.
I read this book in 2 days, very hard to put down.
This book will count for Ohio in my US state challenge.
December 14, 2023
Un novela policiaca, una pareja de investigadores 🕵🏻, donde Lincoln Perry es el protagonista y su compañero Joe Pritchard un mero apoyo con pocas apariciones; y un misterio encarnado en el aparente suicidio de un detective privado llamado Wayne Weston, además de la desaparición de su pequeña hija y su atractiva esposa.
La historia es entretenida, sobre todo porque el misterio está blindado en un principio sin fisuras.
Pero existen varios escollos que se me fueron presentando y no puedo dejar de mencionarlos.
Se supone que la policía está involucrada así como el FBI en la investigación, pero resulta que no hicieron las indagaciones básicas……… Perry empieza a encontrar rastros e indicios a manos llenas, y la policía no se entero de nada 😇…….
Ya cuando la historia avanza y se empieza a resolver el misterio, te das cuenta que hace agua por todos lados, en serio pueden desaparecer personas implicadas directamente y no ser buscadas, sobre todo cuando dejaron rastros y más rastros.
Existe una idea enquistada en la trama de parecerse a las historias policiacas de los 40’s, 50’s, es decir están los elementos, un detective atractivo, peligro, mucho peligro y una mujer hermosa, pero nunca se siente real, no hay complejidad en los personajes, los diálogos son demasiado acartonados, el ambiente se siente falso.
Los malos son súper malos y se dan a manos llenas, pero Perry es un súper hombre que los contrarresta con su ingenio y valentía, es como un Rambo pero sin metralladora y sin bandana.
Al final todo se resuelve por arte de magia.
Además es una novela dubitativa, que se queda en medio, cuando quiere se presentan modernidades tecnológicas y cuando quiere se regresa a la época de la incomunicación y donde las personas no eran grabadas en las calles.
Entretenida si es, pero no hay mas allá, aún cuando el libro lo busca desesperadamente, es como una persona insegura buscando a cada momento que le digan que si es bueno, que si vale la pena, etc.
Si existiera un libro wannabe, sería este.
La historia es entretenida, sobre todo porque el misterio está blindado en un principio sin fisuras.
Pero existen varios escollos que se me fueron presentando y no puedo dejar de mencionarlos.
Se supone que la policía está involucrada así como el FBI en la investigación, pero resulta que no hicieron las indagaciones básicas……… Perry empieza a encontrar rastros e indicios a manos llenas, y la policía no se entero de nada 😇…….
Ya cuando la historia avanza y se empieza a resolver el misterio, te das cuenta que hace agua por todos lados, en serio pueden desaparecer personas implicadas directamente y no ser buscadas, sobre todo cuando dejaron rastros y más rastros.
Existe una idea enquistada en la trama de parecerse a las historias policiacas de los 40’s, 50’s, es decir están los elementos, un detective atractivo, peligro, mucho peligro y una mujer hermosa, pero nunca se siente real, no hay complejidad en los personajes, los diálogos son demasiado acartonados, el ambiente se siente falso.
Los malos son súper malos y se dan a manos llenas, pero Perry es un súper hombre que los contrarresta con su ingenio y valentía, es como un Rambo pero sin metralladora y sin bandana.
Al final todo se resuelve por arte de magia.
Además es una novela dubitativa, que se queda en medio, cuando quiere se presentan modernidades tecnológicas y cuando quiere se regresa a la época de la incomunicación y donde las personas no eran grabadas en las calles.
Entretenida si es, pero no hay mas allá, aún cuando el libro lo busca desesperadamente, es como una persona insegura buscando a cada momento que le digan que si es bueno, que si vale la pena, etc.
Si existiera un libro wannabe, sería este.
May 30, 2014
This who done it was paced very well which helped me to get to know the main characters personalities as the mystery unfolded. What started out as one investigation ended up turning into many different ones that kept our investigators twisting and turning.
There was a little bit of everything: the mob, police corruption, murder, a damsel in distress and a child that pulls on the heart strings. Perry and Pritchard, the main detectives make a good pairing and the narration was done just right for these two fairly rugged men.
There was a little bit of everything: the mob, police corruption, murder, a damsel in distress and a child that pulls on the heart strings. Perry and Pritchard, the main detectives make a good pairing and the narration was done just right for these two fairly rugged men.
July 12, 2015
An enjoyable start to a new (for me) series. I like the characters, the writing style and a good, multi-layered plot. I'll definitely seek out more of Koryta's works.
May 25, 2021
3.5 🌟 Lincoln Perry y Joe Pritchard son unos ex-policías que se dedican a la investigación. Un día John Weston los contrata para esclarecer la muerte de su hijo y la desaparición de su nieta y su nuera.
En el transcurso de la investigación aparecen nuevos elementos tanto sorprendentes como peligrosos.
Tenía tiempo que no leía un thriller donde los protagonistas son investigadores. Me gustaron los personajes, la ambientación y la manera tan sencilla de la narración.
Algo que me gustó es que el libro se desarrolla en la ciudad de Cleveland del estado de Ohio. Un lugar que fui hace unos años y del cual tengo muy buenos recuerdos.
En general, el libro me gustó y más sabiendo que el autor lo escribió con tan solo 20 años de edad, mostrando su talento para este tipo de género.
En el transcurso de la investigación aparecen nuevos elementos tanto sorprendentes como peligrosos.
Tenía tiempo que no leía un thriller donde los protagonistas son investigadores. Me gustaron los personajes, la ambientación y la manera tan sencilla de la narración.
Algo que me gustó es que el libro se desarrolla en la ciudad de Cleveland del estado de Ohio. Un lugar que fui hace unos años y del cual tengo muy buenos recuerdos.
En general, el libro me gustó y más sabiendo que el autor lo escribió con tan solo 20 años de edad, mostrando su talento para este tipo de género.
September 3, 2007
TONIGHT I SAID GOODBYE (Private Investigators-US-Cont) – Ex
Koryta, Michael – 1st in series
Thomas Dunne Books, 2004 – Hardcover
Private investigators Lincoln Perry and Joe Pritchard have been hired by John Weston to provide that his son, also a private investigator, did not commit suicide and to locate his missing daughter-in-law and granddaughter. With the help of journalist Amy Ambrose, the case involves them with one of the city's wealthiest citizens, the FBI and the Russian mafia.
*** Michael Koryta admits he is a huge fan of Dennis Lehane, which does show in his writing. Koryta is 22 years old, which does not show. The difference is, rather than the psychopathic sidekick, this is a pair of ex-cops, one young who was fired, and his mentor partner who retired. They are a great team. There is good sense of place, excellent dialogue and escalating tension with a twist at the end. This is an excellent debut and a very good read.
Koryta, Michael – 1st in series
Thomas Dunne Books, 2004 – Hardcover
Private investigators Lincoln Perry and Joe Pritchard have been hired by John Weston to provide that his son, also a private investigator, did not commit suicide and to locate his missing daughter-in-law and granddaughter. With the help of journalist Amy Ambrose, the case involves them with one of the city's wealthiest citizens, the FBI and the Russian mafia.
*** Michael Koryta admits he is a huge fan of Dennis Lehane, which does show in his writing. Koryta is 22 years old, which does not show. The difference is, rather than the psychopathic sidekick, this is a pair of ex-cops, one young who was fired, and his mentor partner who retired. They are a great team. There is good sense of place, excellent dialogue and escalating tension with a twist at the end. This is an excellent debut and a very good read.
December 15, 2019
Recall being impressed by this, and wanting to read more of Michael's world ... after a few more, I came to not want to try his stories again, ... a violence and bleakness aversion.
December 8, 2018
It was an exceptionally well written and fast paced book which I enjoyed thoroughly. Michael Koryta has easily climbed up the charts of the authors I genuinely like even though I'm yet to read his other novels. There were enough twists and turns to keep me from putting it down. The characters were interesting, I instantly liked Joe. I kept trying to guess what was going to happen next but the book proved me wrong everytime. Highly unpredictable! And there was lot of action for the action junkies like myself. The thrill and adrenaline rush while the hotel scene was unparalleled. The plot was attractive and complex. I'd say that it's an amazing book and I'd recommend it to every crime, thriller, or mystery fans.
October 29, 2014
Well-written, engaging debut novel. I wasn't sure which characters to trust until very nearly the end of the book.
January 9, 2012
I have read three of this author's more recent novels in the horror/supernatural genre and have enjoyed them quite a bit. So I was somewhat disappointed in this novel, the author's first. He has grown as a writer since then, and even though this book was not bad, I would not call it good. The banter between the two partners seemed forced, and I did not get a good sense of how they meshed together as a team. The situations that they found themselves in did not seem realistic. I was especially surprised at the easy out the author took on how Julie was found. How convenient! And I especially did not like how the book ended. I could not understand how Lincoln could not be repulsed by Julie after learning that she was the one who killed her husband, and in cold blood, not self defense. After that, after he let her go, I did not care one whit about him. I truly doubt that I will read another in the series, though I will continue to read the author's other books in the genre he seems to excel in.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 16, 2014
I know this is the author's first book. That's why I gave it 2 stars - because There is potential for improvement.
A couple of minor irritants: Glocks don't have safeties that are engaged or released; and, those devices that hold bullets are called "magazines", not "clips".
Major complaint: some of the ludicrous, laughable, unbelievable plot lines. For example, one of the detectives is sitting in a hotel hot tub, and the woman he's been searching for *just happens* to get in the hot tub with him!?
Even more implausible, how likely is it for a woman - any woman - to casually slip into a hot tub with a complete stranger late at night in a hotel? Totally implausible and quite ridiculous.
A
A couple of minor irritants: Glocks don't have safeties that are engaged or released; and, those devices that hold bullets are called "magazines", not "clips".
Major complaint: some of the ludicrous, laughable, unbelievable plot lines. For example, one of the detectives is sitting in a hotel hot tub, and the woman he's been searching for *just happens* to get in the hot tub with him!?
Even more implausible, how likely is it for a woman - any woman - to casually slip into a hot tub with a complete stranger late at night in a hotel? Totally implausible and quite ridiculous.
A
April 14, 2016
This was an excellent read. In the Cleveland suburb of West Olmsted, John Weston hires private investigators Lincoln Perry and Joe Pritchard to learn who killed his son Wayne and what happened to his missing daughter-in-law Julie and five year old granddaughter Betsy. The police suspect a murder-suicide though they have not found Julie or Betsy. From there the story just gets better and better. From a multi billionaire , the Russian Mob and all the twists and turns to finally figure out...what the HECK is going on here and why? A great read- will definitely read the next in this series (This being the first in the Lincoln Perry series)
July 24, 2012
Another enjoyable crime thriller from Koryta, this one the first in the Lincoln Perry series. Well-written with interesting characters, including the two lead PI's, and funny when it needs to be. The story moves along at a brisk pace and, while the relevations aren't exactly shocking, they are satisfying and fit within the story. If you like crime noir, you will likely enjoy this book. Highly recommended.
September 30, 2018
Entretenida. Realmente asombra pensar que Michael Koryta escribió esta novela con tan sólo 20 años. De lectura sencilla pero con los giros de un buen policial. Mantiene la intriga. Recomendable.
September 23, 2017
Wow, I'm tempted to give this book five stars. It is an exciting suspenseful book with interesting characters. P.I.s Lincoln Perry and Joe Prichard, a former Cleveland police detectives are hired to investigate the apparent suicide of a fellow P.I., Wayne Weston, and his missing wife and ten-year-old daughter. In course they encounter Russian mafia and close calls. The story is told by Perry, and I like his light, humorous dialogue. What is amazing is that Koryta wrote the book when he was only twenty. I want to try others in the series. A GRs friend told me that get more violent; so I may not like them. Will have to see, but I highly recommend this book for mystery lovers.
May 18, 2017
This was a new author for me and pleased I chose him. I really enjoyed this from the beginning. It was a good easy enough read, the main characters were favourable and it was a decent story (some things I did guess however).
September 24, 2014
Unfortunately even Scott Brick's excellent narration could not salvage this badly plotted mess. There were so many holes in the plot I gave up trying to solve the mystery and basically spent the second half of the book trying to guess what stupid thing the protagonist would do next.
There's a good long list of bad choices and even worse plotting. Here are a few:
I could go on, but I think you get the idea. Oh yeah. I almost forgot. There was a "twist" at the end. Too bad that by the time it came, I could not have cared less what happened to any of these pathetic characters.
There's a good long list of bad choices and even worse plotting. Here are a few:
I could go on, but I think you get the idea. Oh yeah. I almost forgot. There was a "twist" at the end. Too bad that by the time it came, I could not have cared less what happened to any of these pathetic characters.
January 22, 2015
Tiene de todo: un detective cínico y su compañero, humor negro, chicos malos (la mafia rusa), hombres poderosos y malos, agentes de policía de dudosa credibilidad, una mujer bonita en problemas y peligrosa, una periodista (también bonita) y leal a sus amigos, un romance y un misterio que va encerrando varios misterios más.
A parte, ¿cómo negarme a leer un libro cuyo primer párrafo es: “La última vez que John Weston vio a su hijo con vida fue una helada tarde de la primera semana de marzo en la que, mientras ambos charlaban a la entrada del garaje, su nieta hacía un muñeco de nieve. Antes de marcharse, le dio una paternal palmadita en el hombro y prometió que volverían a verse pronto. Y así fue. Menos de cuarenta y ocho horas más tarde, lo vio muerto, tendido en una camilla con una bala de pequeño calibre en la cabeza. John se ahorró el horror de ver a su nieta en un estado parecido, pero la razón de ello apenas podía consolarlo. La niña de cinco años, Betsy Weston, y su madre habían desaparecido.”?
(Si bien en Goodreads encontré el libro por la misma editorial (Sudamericana es un sello del grupo editorial Random House) y la misma cantidad de páginas, la tapa del mío me gusta más.)
A parte, ¿cómo negarme a leer un libro cuyo primer párrafo es: “La última vez que John Weston vio a su hijo con vida fue una helada tarde de la primera semana de marzo en la que, mientras ambos charlaban a la entrada del garaje, su nieta hacía un muñeco de nieve. Antes de marcharse, le dio una paternal palmadita en el hombro y prometió que volverían a verse pronto. Y así fue. Menos de cuarenta y ocho horas más tarde, lo vio muerto, tendido en una camilla con una bala de pequeño calibre en la cabeza. John se ahorró el horror de ver a su nieta en un estado parecido, pero la razón de ello apenas podía consolarlo. La niña de cinco años, Betsy Weston, y su madre habían desaparecido.”?
(Si bien en Goodreads encontré el libro por la misma editorial (Sudamericana es un sello del grupo editorial Random House) y la misma cantidad de páginas, la tapa del mío me gusta más.)
September 11, 2016
I expected much more from my first Michael Koryta mystery, if I’m being honest. “Tonight I Said Goodbye” feels almost like an out-dated book. For a young writer I expected more originality, more unique plot-twisting, more depth.
On the plus side, I liked the main characters, the 2 ex-cops turned PI very much. Both Lincoln Perry and Joe Pritchard have a well defined personality, and are likeable and honorable men. Both from different generations, and it’s great to see how they respect each other and get along so well (with wit and humour). Where I felt the story falling short was in the plotting and in the clichés, especially the cliché of the bereaved widow who was missing or presumed dead, but was actually hiding in plain sight in another state. Julie Weston was depicted as a caricature. She was extremely one dimensional it was laughable. Furthermore I saw through her crocodile tears and falseness a mile away.
In the witty PI genre, this is far from being excellent or original, like for instance a Elvis Cole story - in my opinion. So, I’m not sure if I ever will read another book in this series.
On the plus side, I liked the main characters, the 2 ex-cops turned PI very much. Both Lincoln Perry and Joe Pritchard have a well defined personality, and are likeable and honorable men. Both from different generations, and it’s great to see how they respect each other and get along so well (with wit and humour). Where I felt the story falling short was in the plotting and in the clichés, especially the cliché of the bereaved widow who was missing or presumed dead, but was actually hiding in plain sight in another state. Julie Weston was depicted as a caricature. She was extremely one dimensional it was laughable. Furthermore I saw through her crocodile tears and falseness a mile away.
In the witty PI genre, this is far from being excellent or original, like for instance a Elvis Cole story - in my opinion. So, I’m not sure if I ever will read another book in this series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 9, 2025
A solid 4 star debut from Koryta that heralded his arrival in fine fashion. All the classic elements of a good detective story are here. The wisecracking PIs, the case that turns complicated quickly, the mounting danger as they find themselves in over their head with the wealthy and powerful.
Other than a couple of twists the reader will see coming this is a surprising ride that keeps you guessing until the end. While not quite at the level of Lehane's Kenzie/Genarro novels, Tonight I Said Goodbye should appeal to fans of modern, character driven detective thrillers.
Other than a couple of twists the reader will see coming this is a surprising ride that keeps you guessing until the end. While not quite at the level of Lehane's Kenzie/Genarro novels, Tonight I Said Goodbye should appeal to fans of modern, character driven detective thrillers.
July 19, 2012
An excellent debut novel from a Cleveland native, Michael Koryta's "Tonight I Said Goodbye" is the first in a series of detective novels starring his private eye partners Perry and Pritchard. This one deals with the murder of a private eye, the disappearance of the victim's wife and daughter, and the Russian mob in Cleveland. It's a suspenseful read with some pretty good plot twists throughout. Recommended for fans of Les Roberts (another mystery writer who uses Cleveland as a setting), Harlan Coben, and Robert Parker.
October 27, 2023
For a first book by a 21-year old man this book isn't bad...just typical for a PI-novel-with-bad-people-and-a-twist toward the end.....Mr Koryta could write a decent plot without devolving into random fucking (oy!)...but the book, while very page-turning, wasn't any better than most books of the genre....I have yet to read any other of his books (they are languishing on a shelf in the upstairs bathroom) so won't condemn Koryta yet...amen
October 19, 2016
Two-haiku review:
Private detectives
Man dead, wife, daughter missing
Russian mob involved
Exciting thriller
Good characters, twist at end
Liked it quite a bit
Private detectives
Man dead, wife, daughter missing
Russian mob involved
Exciting thriller
Good characters, twist at end
Liked it quite a bit
April 3, 2022
Slow but enjoyable.
March 25, 2019
An investigator is found dead in his home, an apparent suicide. His wife and daughter are missing. This begins an intense thriller involving the search for the killer and the apparent victims. In the midst there is gambling, gun running, illegal money transfers and all manner of corruption. The tale keeps you locked to the story until the final resolution. Well worth reading.
October 4, 2023
I understood this was the author’s first book. It’s hard to believe it was one of the best books I’ve read this year. I’m now getting other of Koryta’s books from the library and hoping they are as good.
December 30, 2023
Definitely enjoyed the book. It was a bit predictable at times, and the story felt slightly cliché, but it still managed to surprise me at the end with a plot twist I never saw coming. It was my first time in a long time reading a true mystery novel and now I low key want to read more mystery👀
August 28, 2018
Good story and reasonable amount of action but I didn't develop any particular fondness for the detective. Probably won't read any more in this series.
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