The Long Rain: A Novel

by Peter Gadol

Lawyer Jason Dark has finally gotten his life together - he has revived his father's dying vineyard and happily reunited with his wife and son. But one rainy night as he drives recklessly along a mountain road, Jason accidentally hits and kills a young man. When he tells no one, the death is pinned on a drifter. In an attempt to save the innocent man, Jason decides to defend him in court. But the case takes an unexpected twist - one which will haunt Jason for the rest of his days.

Genres: Fiction, Mystery, Crime, Suspense

304 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

Reviews

[Patrick Barry · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is a story of chained redemptions. Lawyer Jason's failure as husband and father drive him to restore his late father's ruined vineyard. He is on the cusp of success has earned his family back when while speeding he strikes and kills a boy. Afraid of losing his regained life he conceals his crime, but the authorities pin the crime on another man through a coerced confession. Jason's conscience wins out, somewhat, and he offers his legal service, pro bono, as Frantz's attorney. He develops a close relationship with his client that leads to an interesting series of choices.

It's an interesting tale that in an orderly way tells much about grape growing and wine making, as it navigates Jason's chaotic family relationships. Can you create sympathy for a man who repeatedly makes bad choices? I suspect like me many readers will cut some slack for him. A very good read.

[Alora · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm glad that I read this book without reading the synopsis. What you can expect is a lot of information on how to make wine, which surprisingly doesn't terribly interrupt your read. I gave it three stars because I could not put the book down once I got past the halfway point. But my interest dwindled once I reached the resolution.

[Unsolved ☕︎ Mystery · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not going to say very much about this book. I've worked all week and very tired. I can't think; my brain is mush.

This started out really draggy. It was on into the book before anything really started happening.

I wasn't enjoying the story as much towards the ending.
Things happened that were stupid and unnecessary.

On the plus side, I learned about wine-making; very detailed on that.

[Sandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A dark and tragic story of human failings. However, I could not put it down. I struggled between rooting for and against Jason.

[Wim Boeren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deze gelezen in het Nederlands. Jammer dat ze de Nederlandse titel verandert hebben. De originele titel is veel beter.

Hoe dit boek het hoofdpersonage, Jason Dark, zijn hele leefsituatie, zijn noden en dromen, zijn familie... alles opbouwt is zo perfect. Alles wordt langzaam maar zeker opgebouwd. Het kan met momenten traag zijn maar het leest wel vlot. Het hield mijn aandacht de hele tijd en ik wist nooit waar het verhaal naartoe ging. Ik ging mee op de emotionele rollercoaster met Jason. Het werd ook nooit ongeloofwaardig, iets wat in het thriller genre meestal wel het geval is.

Het enige waar ik niet van hield is de lange exposes over wijn maken. Ik begrijp dat mondane taken uitleggen het verhaal meer authenticiteit geeft maar ik was echt niet mee met wat hij allemaal deed in zijn wijnmakerij. Teveel specifieke woorden die ik niet begreep. Af en toe zocht ik wel een woord op maar het bleef heel moeilijk om te volgen.

[Delacole · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had little motivation reading a story that's own jacket cover says the main character can't win. But I tried for about a fourth of the book, then did quick scan up to the last six or so pages, which I carefully read. The ending to the story was better than I imagined it could be, but it didn't inspire me enough to read the previously scanned pages.

[Jennifer Leather · Rating 1 out of 5]

Omg this was a slog. It was well written and the image of the vineyard and town were there in full technicolour but the main character was such a dull miserable person I struggled with it. The long rain gives an atmosphere of grey desolation, desperation and depression. Think of a wet grey winter day and how it makes you feel and that’s how this book will leave you.

[Chelsea · Rating 4 out of 5]

The underlying mystery of the novel kept me interested, but the book is filled with long monologue-style narrative that can be hard to slog through at times. Not a very quick read, but the overall plot line has enough twists and turns to keep you captivated and moving through.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book stuck with me for awhile.

[Jeanine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Copyright 1996 some of the scenarios are dated but I enjoyed reading this book. Meandering at times and full of descriptions but also full of feelings and a moral dilemma

[Stacey Krueger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well crafted and kept me engaged and interested in the outcome. The characters were not likeable, but I found myself wanting to know the resolution.

[Maria Capretta · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this book in 2009, it is not remarkable as I don’t remember much about it. I don’t care to learn about wine making in a novel.

[Aj · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Long Rain by Peter Gadol is a great suspense novel that explores relationships, morals and guilt. Jason Dark is putting the pieces of his life back together. He’s moved to a family vineyard, opened up a small law practice in the rural town and is renewing relationships with his estranged wife and troubled son. But then things go awry. On a rainy night on a country road he accidentally runs over and kills a teenager. No one is around for miles and miles.

What would you do?

Maybe the answer is easy for you and you do the right thing, but Peter Gadol explores the sinister side - the weak side - that might try to cover it up. Dark convinces himself that nothing good can come of his admission. The boy is dead and will stay dead. As a lawyer, Dark sees jail or a civil suit that takes away all he’s just reclaimed. He must accept the burden of guilt to protect his family and new life.

The Long Rain is a great suspense novel. Don’t mistake it for a mystery novel. This isn’t a whodunit because you know who committed the crime. It’s not quite a thriller either. You won’t find gory descriptions of a serial killer, no chases with gun waving thugs and nothing blows up in a fiery orange ball. You will be treated to a fascinating internal, psychological drama.

Read my entire review on the Used Books Blog:
http://usedbooksblog.com/blog/the-lon...

[Djrmel · Rating 2 out of 5]

A man returns to the defunct family vineyards and winery to lick his wounds after a divorce. The plot is extremely predictable - he decides to restart the winery, becomes a bit of a community leader, his wife and kid come back to him, bad thing happens to threaten it all (the flap tells what the bad thing is, a big mistake in my opinion, because it takes half the book to get to the bad thing), the man covers up the bad thing so that he can keep his happy life, and of course he pays for covering up said bad thing. There is truly not an original or unique turn in this book. What kept me reading, however, was the setting. I had no idea how incredibly delicate and magical the process of making wine is, and I'll never drink a glass again without thinking how many things have to be just right for the wine to have gotten to that point.

[Donovan · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF.

I was willing to give this a chance despite being reluctant to spend time with a character who is...
white/privelaged/male- contemplating his own existence.
{ eyeroll} Unsurprisingly, it did not exceed my expectations.

If I sound like a jerk, well- I'm fine with that. But I'll leave you with a sample of the writing, in case you are curious about reading this book.

"he finished off whatever bottles of Cabernet he found in his cellar and spent his last days...
in a daze."

Hemingway he is not.

[Stephkay · Rating 1 out of 5]

It's never explained how a PhD art history student drives around in a sports car, but everything, everything, about the production of wine is explained in explicit detail. The vineyard is mentioned briefly in the blurb, but nowhere is there a hint that it dominates the text inside. The oenology talk, and the rest of the story, smacks you across the face with heavy-handed symbolism.

Great if you want to learn to make wine, not so much if you were looking for anything else.

[Gracelyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wow I mean the message of this book is really big. And I could ponder over all the hidden meanings and themes for days. Weeks even. You just really gotta read it to know. And I mean especially the end. It's not predictable, but it's real. It's real life and it's beautiful in a way. This guy. He's just going through a rough season.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has an awesome plot! Someone should make it into a movie.

[Adrianna · Rating 2 out of 5]

Didn't enjoy this book.

[Janie · Rating 3 out of 5]

disturbing - walking in the shoes of a screw up guy. following his pathetic choices and incompetence while conveying the sense that he could be just a very jinxed guy next door.

[Martin Treanor · Rating 5 out of 5]

The characters are vivid. I felt a genuine affinity with their struggles.
It's the only book by Peter Gadol I've read, but it won't be the last.

Martin :)

[Blake King · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the most memorable books I've read and i might want to read again. I'm surprised I can never find any of his other books at Chapters.

[Bonnie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another House of Sand and Fog. Good read but depressing.

[Jamie Wayland · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well written, great descriptions. A battle with shame and morals, both upsetting and engrossing.

[Kirsty · Rating 3 out of 5]

at first I wasn't too sure on the book and it did take me a while to get into the story but I really enjoyed the ending. It wasn't quite what I was expecting

[Ace · Rating 3 out of 5]

The unexpected ending and twist made me remember this book.