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True Dark
On a warm, quiet morning in a speck of a town near the Mexican border, an old man stops at an airstream diner and orders coffee. When the owner of the diner appears, the old man shoots him to death, pays his bill, and drives away. The sheriff, Leo Murphy is called in to investigate the murder. His instincts lead him to his brother, Ryan. The black sheep of the family, Ryan Murphy lives just south in Mexico. He makes a living as a coyote, moving illegal cargo across the border. The brothers have an arrangement regarding Ryan’s illegal Don’t ask, don’t tell. When the old man’s car breaks down in the middle of the desert Leo takes him into custody. If only things had gone according to Ryan’s plan. Now a cold-blooded killer named Wicked Bill is on his way from Miami to help Ryan clean things up. The Murphy brothers need to redefine the lines they will and won’t cross to protect each other and those closest to them from interlopers on both sides of the law. In True Dark, Mike Miner has created a vivid and dangerous world. Praise for TRUE “Admirers of Mike Miner’s previous novels will undergo quick conversions to devoted fans when they read True Dark. Everything Miner does well—the spare dialogue loaded to within an inch of mercy, a story that doesn’t so much unfold as uncoil, breathtaking tension—he has sharpened to a masterful art in True Dark. That Miner does this without ever letting go of your heart, no matter how jaded, is the mark of emerging genius.” —James Anderson, author of The Never-Open Desert Diner and Lullaby Road “A carefully calibrated and complex page-turner that cascades over generations and decades without ever losing intensity. Miner keeps upping his game. Plot lines, eras, and characters interlace effortlessly in a well-crafted page-turner. Miner’s skills have out-paced his peers. True Dark is a perfect crime novel.” —Tom Pitts, author of 101 and American Static
238 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 22, 2019
14 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
November 28, 2019
Five brutally desolate stars for this finely-tuned southwestern Noir. Miner has absolutely hit it out of the park with this one. Set in a desolate corner of the American west just this side of the border, echoing generations of Westerns with the sheriff and the desperadoes defacing off. Out here in the vast emptiness there's no one to come help. You are on your on your own with only your wits, your ingenuity, and your guns to set the tone.
It is the story of two brothers, starting with their childhood adventures and learning to survive snakebites and the most treacherous girl in school. Two brothers who become polar opposites. One is on the run, the blonde coyote, traipsing back and forth across the desolate borderlands. The other grew up to be sheriff just like his daddy before him. Although in this cowpoke town, you only get one deputy. And trouble is coming to this quiet nowheresville, trouble so scary it's hard even to describe.
This is an incredible read right from page one through to the end. From the great descriptions of the sky and the desert to the bold characters so vivid they just come alive. It may be a modern day story but it could really have been set decades in the past.
It is the story of two brothers, starting with their childhood adventures and learning to survive snakebites and the most treacherous girl in school. Two brothers who become polar opposites. One is on the run, the blonde coyote, traipsing back and forth across the desolate borderlands. The other grew up to be sheriff just like his daddy before him. Although in this cowpoke town, you only get one deputy. And trouble is coming to this quiet nowheresville, trouble so scary it's hard even to describe.
This is an incredible read right from page one through to the end. From the great descriptions of the sky and the desert to the bold characters so vivid they just come alive. It may be a modern day story but it could really have been set decades in the past.
January 28, 2020
This novel starts really, really strong. The first chapter sets up the depth of the relationship between the Murphy brothers as well as the awesome, playful themes of natural and existential darkness that are present throughout the entire thing. It's quite high-minded.
I wouldn't say the rest is bad... it's just not quite up to par with the killer expectations chapter 1 is setting up. I feel like the aforementioned themes are at odds with a rather stereotypical story of bad guys sorting out border business. It's not bad... it's just that you've lived through a variation of it before, with lesser characters. I thought that Leo and Ryan Murphy deserved better. The bond they share is special.
True Dark is halfway between Mike Miner's splendid Hurt Hawks and the more average Prodigal Sons. It's still better than most crime you'll read out there, but you can't help thinking that somewhere, there's a even better novel left on the cutting floor of this one.
I'm very harsh and some of you might be head over heel with True Dark, but I know Mike Miner and he can be better than that.
I wouldn't say the rest is bad... it's just not quite up to par with the killer expectations chapter 1 is setting up. I feel like the aforementioned themes are at odds with a rather stereotypical story of bad guys sorting out border business. It's not bad... it's just that you've lived through a variation of it before, with lesser characters. I thought that Leo and Ryan Murphy deserved better. The bond they share is special.
True Dark is halfway between Mike Miner's splendid Hurt Hawks and the more average Prodigal Sons. It's still better than most crime you'll read out there, but you can't help thinking that somewhere, there's a even better novel left on the cutting floor of this one.
I'm very harsh and some of you might be head over heel with True Dark, but I know Mike Miner and he can be better than that.
December 18, 2019
Noir excellence
It's a shame that more readers don't buy books by small presses. It's been my experience that some of the best writing and stories are published by independent small presses like ALL DUE RESPECT. This book by author Mike Minor is a perfect example of that. Like hidden treasure discovered. I devoured this fantastic tale as fast as I could turn the pages. Family loyalty, deceit,greed, corruption, suspense, secrets, good guys, and bad guys,. All encompassed in a cinematic thrill a minute story that kept me glued till the final sentence. Damn! I absolutely loved it!
It's a shame that more readers don't buy books by small presses. It's been my experience that some of the best writing and stories are published by independent small presses like ALL DUE RESPECT. This book by author Mike Minor is a perfect example of that. Like hidden treasure discovered. I devoured this fantastic tale as fast as I could turn the pages. Family loyalty, deceit,greed, corruption, suspense, secrets, good guys, and bad guys,. All encompassed in a cinematic thrill a minute story that kept me glued till the final sentence. Damn! I absolutely loved it!
December 20, 2019
It's a classic Western. That's what I realized early on as I read True Dark. It starts with the setting and continues with the themes: family, honor, revenge, regret, atonement, and many more. It continues with the characters: sheriffs, bad guys, bad guys who are torn, plus a rich supporting cast. It's very fluid and easy to read, and Mike Miner deftly executes a tricky timeline of flashbacks and flash-forwards. Finally, like all good Westerns, there's a climactic shootout. It's the kind of story that Sam Peckinpah could have really sunk his teeth into.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews