What do you think?
Rate this book
When These Mountains Burn
Winner of the 2020 Dashiell Hammett Award for Literary Excellence in Crime Writing Acclaimed author and "remarkably gifted storyteller" (The Charlotte Observer) David Joy returns with a fierce and tender tale of a father, an addict, a lawman, and the explosive events that come to unite them.When his addict son gets in deep with his dealer, it takes everything Raymond Mathis has to bail him out of trouble one last time. Frustrated by the slow pace and limitations of the law, Raymond decides to take matters into his own hands. After a workplace accident left him out of a job and in pain, Denny Rattler has spent years chasing his next high. He supports his habit through careful theft, following strict rules that keep him under the radar and out of jail. But when faced with opportunities too easy to resist, Denny makes two choices that change everything. For months, the DEA has been chasing the drug supply in the mountains to no avail, when a lead--just one word--sets one agent on a path to crack the case wide open . . . but he'll need help from the most unexpected quarter. As chance brings together these men from different sides of a relentless epidemic, each may come to find that his opportunity for redemption lies with the others.
269 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 18, 2020
278 people are currently reading
11157 people want to read
About the author
David Joy
9 books2,027 followersDavid Joy is the author of the Edgar nominated novel Where All Light Tends to Go (Putnam, 2015), as well as the novels The Weight Of This World (Putnam, 2017), The Line That Held Us (Putnam, 2018), and When These Mountains Burn (Putnam, 2020). His memoir, Growing Gills: A Fly Fisherman's Journey (Bright Mountain Books, 2011), was a finalist for the Reed Environmental Writing Award and the Ragan Old North State Award for Creative Nonfiction. His latest stories and essays have appeared in The New York Times Magazine, Garden & Gun, and The Bitter Southerner. He is the recipient of an artist fellowship from the North Carolina Arts Council. His work is represented by Julia Kenny of Dunow, Carlson & Lerner Literary Agency. He lives in Jackson County, North Carolina.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 611 reviews
March 18, 2020
Gifted storyteller and poet at heart David Joy has crafted a heartbreaking and harrowing tale of addiction, family, love, revenge/vengeance and chasing the high.
Ray "Raymond" Mathis receives a call saying that his son is in trouble. He owes a lot of money and his dealer needs Ray to pay up in order to save his troubled son. It won’t be the first time he has had to save his son. His son's addiction has created havoc and heartache in their lives over the years. Fed up with it, Ray decides it's time to act.
Denny has spent years chasing that high after a workplace accident left him unemployed and in pain. He supports his habit through theft but when he finds himself in a certain situation, he decides that well....
Two men, the DEA and the mountains themselves set the stage for this tragically beautiful tale which leaves a mark. David Joy's writing is beautiful, lyrical and powerful. His characters are raw, flawed, fragile, hard and vulnerable all at the same time. He spins a bleak tale with such beautifully worded sentences that it seems odd to say it was a pleasure to read such a sad, gripping and captivating tale. No one writes pain quite like David Joy. I could actually feel his characters pain seeping from the pages.
Thank you to G.P. Putnam's Sons and Edelweiss for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Ray "Raymond" Mathis receives a call saying that his son is in trouble. He owes a lot of money and his dealer needs Ray to pay up in order to save his troubled son. It won’t be the first time he has had to save his son. His son's addiction has created havoc and heartache in their lives over the years. Fed up with it, Ray decides it's time to act.
Denny has spent years chasing that high after a workplace accident left him unemployed and in pain. He supports his habit through theft but when he finds himself in a certain situation, he decides that well....
Two men, the DEA and the mountains themselves set the stage for this tragically beautiful tale which leaves a mark. David Joy's writing is beautiful, lyrical and powerful. His characters are raw, flawed, fragile, hard and vulnerable all at the same time. He spins a bleak tale with such beautifully worded sentences that it seems odd to say it was a pleasure to read such a sad, gripping and captivating tale. No one writes pain quite like David Joy. I could actually feel his characters pain seeping from the pages.
Thank you to G.P. Putnam's Sons and Edelweiss for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
September 22, 2020
⭐5 𝙎𝙩𝙪𝙣𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙎𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙮 𝙏𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙎𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙨⭐
In Tooter's review she said this is the best book she's read in two years. That is such a strong statement that I decided to read this immediately and I'm so glad I did because this is one hell of an amazing book!
Set in a small town in North Carolina, we meet Ray. He's recently lost his wife and is dealing with his adult son who is a heroin addict. After being pushed to his limits, Ray devises a plan to rid his town of its head drug dealer.
Other POVs are of Denny - a local addict who's story intertwines with Ray's in surprising ways, and two detectives working the case.
This is 𝘯𝘰𝘵 a flashy story that had me turning the pages in a frenzy. Instead it is a very honest, heartfelt, character-driven talented display of writing. I now plan to read all of David Joy's previous books!
However, if you or a loved one have struggles with addiction, this book may be too difficult for you.
𝙄𝙩 𝙝𝙖𝙙 𝙣𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙗𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙖𝙙𝙙𝙞𝙘𝙩𝙨 𝙙𝙞𝙙𝙣'𝙩 𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙙 𝙤𝙧 𝙙𝙞𝙚𝙙, 𝙞𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙨𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙠 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚𝙨 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙛𝙚𝙡𝙡 𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧.
In Tooter's review she said this is the best book she's read in two years. That is such a strong statement that I decided to read this immediately and I'm so glad I did because this is one hell of an amazing book!
Set in a small town in North Carolina, we meet Ray. He's recently lost his wife and is dealing with his adult son who is a heroin addict. After being pushed to his limits, Ray devises a plan to rid his town of its head drug dealer.
Other POVs are of Denny - a local addict who's story intertwines with Ray's in surprising ways, and two detectives working the case.
This is 𝘯𝘰𝘵 a flashy story that had me turning the pages in a frenzy. Instead it is a very honest, heartfelt, character-driven talented display of writing. I now plan to read all of David Joy's previous books!
However, if you or a loved one have struggles with addiction, this book may be too difficult for you.
𝙄𝙩 𝙝𝙖𝙙 𝙣𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙗𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙖𝙙𝙙𝙞𝙘𝙩𝙨 𝙙𝙞𝙙𝙣'𝙩 𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙙 𝙤𝙧 𝙙𝙞𝙚𝙙, 𝙞𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙨𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙠 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚𝙨 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙛𝙚𝙡𝙡 𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧.
May 17, 2020
If you haven't read David Joy yet, you are missing out - if you're a reader that appreciates unvarnished stories about family relationships, aging, economic struggle, characters who have been battered by life's random cruelties and limited options, as told by an author who is a master of plotting and pace, and isn't afraid of dwelling in the darkness his characters inhabit. He understands the people who populate his novels and he only introduces the reader to those that are essential to the story. Not for Joy the random walk-ons and utterers of two lines used as a device for informing the reader of something that occurred off-stage or long ago.
No event or twist seems forced or inauthentic. He's a master of the beginning, the middle and the end, and I say that because I've read quite a few novels in 2020 written by authors who excel at the middle of the book, but the on-ramp and off-ramp are awkward or sudden or provoke a response of, "is that all? what was that ending?"
Individual sentences in When These Mountains Burn don't necessarily display the literary quality of Joy's writing, but the structure and discipline of his story-telling are on full display here. If you haven't seen the Netflix documentary, The Pharmacist, or aren't familiar with the arc western North Carolina and Appalachia, generally, took from oxycontin to heroin and fentanyl as the mines and the textile and furniture factories closed, and the 2008 recession hit, and the jobs that allowed kids to grow up and stay where they're from disappeared and weren't replaced with anything but the occasional Wal-Mart job, if you're willing to drive aways, you might be surprised by the hopelessness in When These Mountains Burn. But if you have been paying attention, and have empathy for people making different choices than you might, and if you're willing to spend some time with drug dealers, young junkies pawning off their relatives' and their neighbors' possessions, and a father who knows his actions won't forestall the inevitable, Joy tells the tale like few others.
These are familiar themes for Joy. Raymond Mathis is a complex and interesting character. Mountains didn't satisfy my soul like his 2018 novel, The Line That Held Us, which I found to be stunning and original, and I almost had a sense here that Joy was coasting in comfortable territory, when he's capable of stretching his gifts into something new. But that's akin to faulting one of your favorite restaurants for serving the same stellar dish for a dozen years simply because you've had and enjoyed it before. New and different have their place. Sometimes excellence and consistency is enough.
The release date is August 18. If you are looking for a way to help out one specific and gifted artist who isn't a multi-millionaire and runs the risk of his latest novel's success being dimmed by the COVID-19 impact on book purchases, pre-order When the Mountains Burn. It won't burn a meaningful hole in your bank account and it will mean a lot to David Joy. If you want to do yourself a favor, buy The Line That Held Us at the same time, if you haven't read it already. Read that now. In August, you get to enjoy Mountains. Helping a writer pays dividends for you.
Thanks to Edelweiss and G. P. Putnam & Sons for an ecopy.
No event or twist seems forced or inauthentic. He's a master of the beginning, the middle and the end, and I say that because I've read quite a few novels in 2020 written by authors who excel at the middle of the book, but the on-ramp and off-ramp are awkward or sudden or provoke a response of, "is that all? what was that ending?"
Individual sentences in When These Mountains Burn don't necessarily display the literary quality of Joy's writing, but the structure and discipline of his story-telling are on full display here. If you haven't seen the Netflix documentary, The Pharmacist, or aren't familiar with the arc western North Carolina and Appalachia, generally, took from oxycontin to heroin and fentanyl as the mines and the textile and furniture factories closed, and the 2008 recession hit, and the jobs that allowed kids to grow up and stay where they're from disappeared and weren't replaced with anything but the occasional Wal-Mart job, if you're willing to drive aways, you might be surprised by the hopelessness in When These Mountains Burn. But if you have been paying attention, and have empathy for people making different choices than you might, and if you're willing to spend some time with drug dealers, young junkies pawning off their relatives' and their neighbors' possessions, and a father who knows his actions won't forestall the inevitable, Joy tells the tale like few others.
These are familiar themes for Joy. Raymond Mathis is a complex and interesting character. Mountains didn't satisfy my soul like his 2018 novel, The Line That Held Us, which I found to be stunning and original, and I almost had a sense here that Joy was coasting in comfortable territory, when he's capable of stretching his gifts into something new. But that's akin to faulting one of your favorite restaurants for serving the same stellar dish for a dozen years simply because you've had and enjoyed it before. New and different have their place. Sometimes excellence and consistency is enough.
The release date is August 18. If you are looking for a way to help out one specific and gifted artist who isn't a multi-millionaire and runs the risk of his latest novel's success being dimmed by the COVID-19 impact on book purchases, pre-order When the Mountains Burn. It won't burn a meaningful hole in your bank account and it will mean a lot to David Joy. If you want to do yourself a favor, buy The Line That Held Us at the same time, if you haven't read it already. Read that now. In August, you get to enjoy Mountains. Helping a writer pays dividends for you.
Thanks to Edelweiss and G. P. Putnam & Sons for an ecopy.
November 28, 2022
My Reviews Can Also Be Found On:
My Blog | Twitter | Amazon | BRC Blog | StoryGraph
Oh wow, this book hits hard and tackles addiction in a real way. This is my first book by this author and I don't know what the heck took me so long, I am kicking myself for not picking this up sooner. Even though this is a very character driven novel what an excellent storyteller Mr. Joy is. Grit lit is a new favourite genre for me and this story shows the far reaches of drug abuse, not just for the user but for their families and the community at large. It also shows that drug abuse can strike anywhere, anytime no matter your background or skin colour.
I loved the writing, the depth of the characters, and the way Joy built the scenes in my mind's eye. His ability to tackle philosophical dilemmas and complex interpersonal conflicts is amazing. I read this beautifully written and engaging book in a single sitting. I highly recommend it to readers who enjoy character driven plots and readers who are simply looking for a well worded, great story. Mr. Joy has a new fan!
This title is currently available for purchase.
Oh wow, this book hits hard and tackles addiction in a real way. This is my first book by this author and I don't know what the heck took me so long, I am kicking myself for not picking this up sooner. Even though this is a very character driven novel what an excellent storyteller Mr. Joy is. Grit lit is a new favourite genre for me and this story shows the far reaches of drug abuse, not just for the user but for their families and the community at large. It also shows that drug abuse can strike anywhere, anytime no matter your background or skin colour.
I loved the writing, the depth of the characters, and the way Joy built the scenes in my mind's eye. His ability to tackle philosophical dilemmas and complex interpersonal conflicts is amazing. I read this beautifully written and engaging book in a single sitting. I highly recommend it to readers who enjoy character driven plots and readers who are simply looking for a well worded, great story. Mr. Joy has a new fan!
This title is currently available for purchase.
October 6, 2020
There's a massive drug problem in the western North Carolina mountains and a frustrated 6'5" Ray Mathis with a junkie son is fed up....especially after the threatening phone call....and broken agreement.
There's lots of law here bouts with the Cherokee tribal police and US Drug Enforcement field division, but nothing ever seems to get done.
And Ray has had enough....so he and his explosive and fearless buddy decide to take matters into their own hands, and all seems to go well until the visit from Deputy Leah Greene chastising him for a big screw-up. Now in serious danger, Ray approaches an intruder with a deadly agenda and receives help from an unlikely adversary.
Love old Tommy Two-Ton and the addictive writing of David Joy! Great read! (Thanks Tooter!)
June 18, 2021
This story burned as slow as the mountains in N.C. Yes, I’m swimming against the current yet again.
A story of a father whose son is an addict and has a large debt to pay. A father who becomes a vigilante -Move over Charles Bronson. This one just didn't hit the grit that I loved in The Line That Held Us
This was overall well written, but for me, lacked the character development and just couldn't hold my attention. Others loved this so take this with a grain of salt. Or not.
3.5⭐️
A story of a father whose son is an addict and has a large debt to pay. A father who becomes a vigilante -Move over Charles Bronson. This one just didn't hit the grit that I loved in The Line That Held Us
This was overall well written, but for me, lacked the character development and just couldn't hold my attention. Others loved this so take this with a grain of salt. Or not.
3.5⭐️
August 26, 2020
With wildfires ablaze in the North Carolina mountains, a deep haze of smoke hangs over the area below. It's business as usual for all things drug related. Junkies, tweakers, and addicts all seem to be drawn to an outlet mall of sorts, made up of trailers rather than storefronts. Pick your poison, it will surely be available here.
Our actions carry consequences, and some of these consequences demand to be set right. This is a story of a world weary father who has bailed his son out of trouble time and again. A man name of Denny Rattler who is a junkie looking for a reason to change but failing miserably. And a undercover agent who has been left too long in the field.
David Joy has written another one that is not to be missed. Grit lit at its finest. The ugliness of lives written with beautiful passages. It may not sound like it would work, but it does.
Our actions carry consequences, and some of these consequences demand to be set right. This is a story of a world weary father who has bailed his son out of trouble time and again. A man name of Denny Rattler who is a junkie looking for a reason to change but failing miserably. And a undercover agent who has been left too long in the field.
David Joy has written another one that is not to be missed. Grit lit at its finest. The ugliness of lives written with beautiful passages. It may not sound like it would work, but it does.
January 10, 2021
Review published to blog: https://books-are-a-girls-best-friend...
Drugs run rampant in the mountains of North Carolina. Such that addiction is the norm and times are troubled.
When Ray Mathis’s son, Ricky gets himself into yet another pickle, Ray does the only thing he can, he rescues his son, just like always. Ricky, of course, is an addict, therefore a savior, he does not want. Having no other alternative, Ray takes matters into his own hands, damn the consequences.
Denny Rattler is a Junkie. Theft is his game. Without taking whatever he can get, he’d never be able to score. Denny never imagined this would be his life and now he can’t find a way out.
Then there’s the DEA. Busting up a Drug Ring on a Cherokee Reservation is the main objective. You know what they say about the best-laid plans, however.
Devastating, dirty, gritty, hard-hitting, and heart-wrenching, “When these Mountains Burn” is one helluva novel by David Joy. Focusing on addiction, familial dysfunction, vengeance, and love, this book tore at my heart. With its dark storyline and deftly written characters, I recommend it to those who love character-driven literary fiction and who can handle difficult topics.
Thank you to Edelweiss, Penguin Publishing Group - G.P. Putnam and Sons for the arc.
Published on Goodreads and Edelweiss on 1.10.21
Drugs run rampant in the mountains of North Carolina. Such that addiction is the norm and times are troubled.
When Ray Mathis’s son, Ricky gets himself into yet another pickle, Ray does the only thing he can, he rescues his son, just like always. Ricky, of course, is an addict, therefore a savior, he does not want. Having no other alternative, Ray takes matters into his own hands, damn the consequences.
Denny Rattler is a Junkie. Theft is his game. Without taking whatever he can get, he’d never be able to score. Denny never imagined this would be his life and now he can’t find a way out.
Then there’s the DEA. Busting up a Drug Ring on a Cherokee Reservation is the main objective. You know what they say about the best-laid plans, however.
Devastating, dirty, gritty, hard-hitting, and heart-wrenching, “When these Mountains Burn” is one helluva novel by David Joy. Focusing on addiction, familial dysfunction, vengeance, and love, this book tore at my heart. With its dark storyline and deftly written characters, I recommend it to those who love character-driven literary fiction and who can handle difficult topics.
Thank you to Edelweiss, Penguin Publishing Group - G.P. Putnam and Sons for the arc.
Published on Goodreads and Edelweiss on 1.10.21
September 15, 2020
5+++++++++ Stars. Best book I've read in two years.
September 7, 2021
When I saw that one of my favorite authors had a new book out-I begged. Then my library finally got tired of my hagged ass and bought it for me! yay!
This book. Maybe it waited on me for the right time. See I started reading it the night that I helped with narcaning and cpr on someone who had just overdosed on heroin and fentanyl. Needless to say I cried some during this book. Books can be so personal and I live in the area where this book is set and my personal life is affected by some of this god awful drug trade.
Raymond Mathis is an old guy who has just had enough. His son is an addict. He gets a call saying that if he doesn't come up with the money his son owes the drug dealer will kill him. Raymond saves his son once again. Knowing that it is never going to stop.
That is the thing with this crap! It never stops. An addict will sell his family if need be for that next fix. You hear that they are getting clean and then the weirdness starts all over again. I'm sure it's the same in every city everywhere but these mountains are burning with it. IT never stops. They get arrested, then probation and then they violate and it starts all over again. AND THE DEALERS that slap on the hand and back on the streets.
My head and heart hurts with this bull shit.
Anyways. This book takes you there. You feel the frustrations from the point of views from the family, the law enforcement and even the user. Read it.
Booksource: My library.
August 18, 2020
Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
“There was something someone told me the other day that really struck home. They said everything in this world carries consequences. I think that’s about right, don’t you?”
In case you aren’t familiar with David Joy, he’s an author who writes “rural noir crime novels” (a/k/a Hick Lit). And he’s one of the best. He’s one hundred percent my go-to guy when I’m looking for . . . . .
He also gives great book recs, posts some delish looking foodie pics and has about 12,473 nicknames for his four-legged best pal. I mean, that’s what I’ve heard. I definitely don’t internet stalk him or anything.
Back to the book. I was lucky enough to get a rare approval from Edelweiss for this title months and months and months ago and promptly read it . . . and kind of didn’t know if I liked it or not. I’m not going to go into details because I poured my heart out in some sort of sobby oversharing review regarding my family’s experience with a heroin addict once and I ain’t about to do it again. Let’s just leave it with the first part of this book was a bit of a gut punch and hit a little too close to home in its reality. It’s one thing to read a sympathetic fictional character – it’s quite another when he could be your own Daddy.
Anyway, so I read this and like I said I wasn’t quite sure I really liked where it went so I never wrote anything up about it – and then I re-read it last week since I knew release date was coming up. I stand by this still missed the mark just an eeeeeensie bit for me, but really I think it’s because I want things as black as Mitchell’s soul and this one provided a little bit of hope at the end.
This is a story of a father and son, the opioid crisis, drug runners, lawmen (and women), The Outlet Mall and it takes place while the mountains surrounding it all burn. It’s tightly woven, perfectly paced and well told.
Recommended.
ARC provided by Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
“There was something someone told me the other day that really struck home. They said everything in this world carries consequences. I think that’s about right, don’t you?”
In case you aren’t familiar with David Joy, he’s an author who writes “rural noir crime novels” (a/k/a Hick Lit). And he’s one of the best. He’s one hundred percent my go-to guy when I’m looking for . . . . .
He also gives great book recs, posts some delish looking foodie pics and has about 12,473 nicknames for his four-legged best pal. I mean, that’s what I’ve heard. I definitely don’t internet stalk him or anything.
Back to the book. I was lucky enough to get a rare approval from Edelweiss for this title months and months and months ago and promptly read it . . . and kind of didn’t know if I liked it or not. I’m not going to go into details because I poured my heart out in some sort of sobby oversharing review regarding my family’s experience with a heroin addict once and I ain’t about to do it again. Let’s just leave it with the first part of this book was a bit of a gut punch and hit a little too close to home in its reality. It’s one thing to read a sympathetic fictional character – it’s quite another when he could be your own Daddy.
Anyway, so I read this and like I said I wasn’t quite sure I really liked where it went so I never wrote anything up about it – and then I re-read it last week since I knew release date was coming up. I stand by this still missed the mark just an eeeeeensie bit for me, but really I think it’s because I want things as black as Mitchell’s soul and this one provided a little bit of hope at the end.
This is a story of a father and son, the opioid crisis, drug runners, lawmen (and women), The Outlet Mall and it takes place while the mountains surrounding it all burn. It’s tightly woven, perfectly paced and well told.
Recommended.
ARC provided by Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
March 24, 2021
David Joy always gives me goosebumps with his poignant words. Although his stories are gritty, heart breaking, and emotional, he always portrays what is needed to be said, things we often don't want to hear. He gets down and dirty with the parts of life many would prefer being tucked away from the mainstream. However, drug addiction can never be hidden, it wreaks havoc on those who have succumbed to their allure and devastates the families of the addict.
Ray Mathis has been saving his son, an addict for years, so when Ricky is in need, Ray spends his last dime helping his son. As we well know, trying to help an addict can be a bitter agonizing battle and of course Ray has seen so much of this in his son's life. Ray is at the end of options, so being a strong and determined man, he decides to battle alone in the only way he knows how, he will take on the suppliers.
The community in the mountains of North Carolina are rift with drugs and drug running. Many a powerful drug lord, has made his fortune with terror and a no holds barred way of dealing with addicts. Ray takes on one of these kingpins and what results is a tale that is hard hitting and shows what a man frustrated and not afraid of dying himself can do.
Coincidentally, there is a DEA investigation occurring and unbeknownst to Ray he becomes embroiled in it. The DEA has an undercover agent secluded within one of the groups, and many are fearful that Ray will mar the progress being made. They also are contending with people who are on the take and allowing these drug problems to continue. As the author explains so well, the people in this mountain have so little to look forward to. They are poor, lacking opportunities and have moved so far away from family values.
Another addict, Danny Rattler, a thief who steals anything that comes in his path, has a sister who he loves. When her life is threatened, Danny, strung out on drugs, needs to step forward and become part of the DEA sting operation. Will he have the wherewithal to try and put an end to the drug operation on a Cherokee reservation?
This book is raw. It's real life out in these communities where life is difficult, people are dirt poor, opportunities are nil and kids are bored. It's a story we have heard so very many times all across our country as drugs take over the lives of so many and break hearts and minds. Life is changing but changing for the better is not the case for so many.
We have lost our way and for many, the way back will never be attained.
“His mind turned instantly back to what had been troubling him over the past week. He was grieving the loss of a place and a people. It was hard enough to bury the bodies of those you loved, but it was another sadness altogether to witness the death of a culture. There was the gone and the going away, and there was the after. He found it difficult to imagine what would become of this place, harder still to witness what it was already becoming."
Ray Mathis has been saving his son, an addict for years, so when Ricky is in need, Ray spends his last dime helping his son. As we well know, trying to help an addict can be a bitter agonizing battle and of course Ray has seen so much of this in his son's life. Ray is at the end of options, so being a strong and determined man, he decides to battle alone in the only way he knows how, he will take on the suppliers.
The community in the mountains of North Carolina are rift with drugs and drug running. Many a powerful drug lord, has made his fortune with terror and a no holds barred way of dealing with addicts. Ray takes on one of these kingpins and what results is a tale that is hard hitting and shows what a man frustrated and not afraid of dying himself can do.
Coincidentally, there is a DEA investigation occurring and unbeknownst to Ray he becomes embroiled in it. The DEA has an undercover agent secluded within one of the groups, and many are fearful that Ray will mar the progress being made. They also are contending with people who are on the take and allowing these drug problems to continue. As the author explains so well, the people in this mountain have so little to look forward to. They are poor, lacking opportunities and have moved so far away from family values.
Another addict, Danny Rattler, a thief who steals anything that comes in his path, has a sister who he loves. When her life is threatened, Danny, strung out on drugs, needs to step forward and become part of the DEA sting operation. Will he have the wherewithal to try and put an end to the drug operation on a Cherokee reservation?
This book is raw. It's real life out in these communities where life is difficult, people are dirt poor, opportunities are nil and kids are bored. It's a story we have heard so very many times all across our country as drugs take over the lives of so many and break hearts and minds. Life is changing but changing for the better is not the case for so many.
We have lost our way and for many, the way back will never be attained.
“His mind turned instantly back to what had been troubling him over the past week. He was grieving the loss of a place and a people. It was hard enough to bury the bodies of those you loved, but it was another sadness altogether to witness the death of a culture. There was the gone and the going away, and there was the after. He found it difficult to imagine what would become of this place, harder still to witness what it was already becoming."
August 26, 2020
I didn’t think that this book was as wonderful as some of the author’s other books, but it is still very good. Although I am not all that fond of reading about drug addicts or dealers, I thought the author did a good job of showing the impact of drugs on segments of the population. People seem to be caught in an endless loop. I particularly felt for Raymond Mathis who ran out of options to help his 41 year old son. This author writes beautifully and creates believable characters and excellent dialog. If you haven’t read him before you might want to start with “The Line that Held Us” or “The Weight of this World”. His books are grit lit with fewer cliches than usual.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
January 26, 2022
Taken into the world of addicts, drug dealers, and a sting operation, along with a father's revenge for his son made this a page turner for me.
December 28, 2020
"The good thoughts always seemed to flash and sparkle and then burn out like fireworks. In the end, there was always the darkness." -- page 235
Joy's When These Mountains Burn is a fairly standard or routine crime story, but it's made special by a couple of exceptions. The first is that the 'point of view' jumps between three distinct characters throughout the plot - a grieving and vengeful widower who lost a young adult son to drug addiction, a young drug addict who routinely performs residential burglaries to finance his habit, and a low-ranking undercover DEA agent who is skillfully assembling a case for successful prosecution. The second is the setting, which is a small town in the western section of North Carolina (where said state borders Georgia and Tennessee) that neighbors the Qualla Boundary of the Cherokee tribe.
While a lesser story might cut to the suspenseful and violent scenes leading to an explosive climax, this book worked best, and was more memorable, during the quieter moments. Author Joy is especially capable of getting inside the heads of widower Ray and drug addict Denny, and readers then follow their individual thoughts as they ponder how they arrived at this place in their lives and/or how their hometown (or, it can also be said, much of America) has possibly changed for the worse starting in the latter half of the 20th century. Also, the author was particularly good with providing some nice moments and stylistic details for even the minor characters like the county sheriff, one of his female deputies, and the DEA agent's tough but seasoned supervisor. Again, this might sound somewhat like another mindless action flick involving the nation's narcotics problem, but I believe the book works because readers will realize that 'real life' - in all its messiness and tragedy - really is those long stretches of small drama between the shoot-outs and car chases.
Joy's When These Mountains Burn is a fairly standard or routine crime story, but it's made special by a couple of exceptions. The first is that the 'point of view' jumps between three distinct characters throughout the plot - a grieving and vengeful widower who lost a young adult son to drug addiction, a young drug addict who routinely performs residential burglaries to finance his habit, and a low-ranking undercover DEA agent who is skillfully assembling a case for successful prosecution. The second is the setting, which is a small town in the western section of North Carolina (where said state borders Georgia and Tennessee) that neighbors the Qualla Boundary of the Cherokee tribe.
While a lesser story might cut to the suspenseful and violent scenes leading to an explosive climax, this book worked best, and was more memorable, during the quieter moments. Author Joy is especially capable of getting inside the heads of widower Ray and drug addict Denny, and readers then follow their individual thoughts as they ponder how they arrived at this place in their lives and/or how their hometown (or, it can also be said, much of America) has possibly changed for the worse starting in the latter half of the 20th century. Also, the author was particularly good with providing some nice moments and stylistic details for even the minor characters like the county sheriff, one of his female deputies, and the DEA agent's tough but seasoned supervisor. Again, this might sound somewhat like another mindless action flick involving the nation's narcotics problem, but I believe the book works because readers will realize that 'real life' - in all its messiness and tragedy - really is those long stretches of small drama between the shoot-outs and car chases.
December 4, 2022
8/10 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
El punto fuerte de esta novela es la narrativa ágil, con descripciones inteligentes, sobre las adicciones. En concreto las de las drogas duras. Las intravenosas.
David Joy (escritor) cambia la estilográfica por una aguja para escribir una novela en la que destacan cuatro personajes protagonistas muy bien definidos:
_El primero, con el que más empatía he sentido, es Ray. Arrastrado a la fuerza a un mundo al que no pertenece por la adicción de su hijo Ricky.
_El segundo es Denny Rattler, adicto que aún conserva el suficiente sentido común para moverse y sobrevivir en ese mundo. Me ha recordado a Jessy Pinkman de la serie "Breaking Bad". Un personaje realmente bueno.
_El tercer personaje es Ron Holland. Para mí el más flojo. Supongo que era obligatorio meter a un policía en esta novela.
_Y cuarto personaje, que hace de nexo entre el resto, es la droga. Presente hasta en la manera de vestir de los personajes. Principal protagonista en esta novela. Capaz de hacerles mirar a Dios a la cara.
“No era que a los adictos les diera igual vivir o morir, sino que la sensación que perseguías se hallaba al borde del abismo y a veces te caías”
El punto fuerte de esta novela es la narrativa ágil, con descripciones inteligentes, sobre las adicciones. En concreto las de las drogas duras. Las intravenosas.
David Joy (escritor) cambia la estilográfica por una aguja para escribir una novela en la que destacan cuatro personajes protagonistas muy bien definidos:
_El primero, con el que más empatía he sentido, es Ray. Arrastrado a la fuerza a un mundo al que no pertenece por la adicción de su hijo Ricky.
_El segundo es Denny Rattler, adicto que aún conserva el suficiente sentido común para moverse y sobrevivir en ese mundo. Me ha recordado a Jessy Pinkman de la serie "Breaking Bad". Un personaje realmente bueno.
_El tercer personaje es Ron Holland. Para mí el más flojo. Supongo que era obligatorio meter a un policía en esta novela.
_Y cuarto personaje, que hace de nexo entre el resto, es la droga. Presente hasta en la manera de vestir de los personajes. Principal protagonista en esta novela. Capaz de hacerles mirar a Dios a la cara.
“No era que a los adictos les diera igual vivir o morir, sino que la sensación que perseguías se hallaba al borde del abismo y a veces te caías”
April 17, 2020
If someone were to ask me to describe a David Joy novel, this is how I would try:
I strongly recall watching my paternal grandmother prepare meals with her well-worn wooden rolling pin. It was so enjoyable to watch her prepare wonderful food items out of basic agreements with her strong, gnarled hands and an object she had used for years and years.
One day, I told her I wished to have one just like hers. Not too much later, my grandmother gave me her rolling pin as a gift. It is one of my most cherished items and one I continue to use this day.
Memories of my grandmother, the existence of her rolling pin, and the thought of decades of meal preparation with such a tool, is what it is like to read words strung together by David Joy. Opening one of his books and reading the words contained therein is like examining a long owned knife, with a much-used blade, now worn narrow from its former width due to sharpening, honing and usage over the years.
Joy's writing is like looking at heirloom items and wondering just how many rich tales items such as those could tell if only they could speak.
David Joy's When These Mountains Burn is about life - past, present, future - and the destruction of life due to the invasive nature of drugs and what is left behind in their wake. The novel is also about the loss of culture and heritage and how the holes left behind by that loss are filled with many things of less value and meaning.
Set in the mountains of Western North Carolina, the novel mainly follows Ray Mathias. Mathias is a widower, living alone with his loyal dog, and with a life encumbered by his transient, drug-addicted son. For some time, Ray no longer locks the doors to his home, knowing one way or another, his son will return to steal what little of value he has left to sell and feed his drug habit. His thinking is why impede his son's entry when that would only mean damage done to barriers that would not keep him out in the first place.
Ray's son runs afoul of a violent, local Native American drug kingpin and after the encounter, asks his father for help. In Ray's attempt to do something to protect his son and his own way of life, his actions result in life-threatening repercussions.
While it may seem Joy is spinning a bleak story, that is only partly true. Yes, the story is bleak, but while bleak, the story is still uplifting. Joy's writing is filled with such lyrical and poetic wording, where such words paint a vivid picture in the mind's eye of the reader. The story also encompasses how one is able to hold onto memorable and meaningful times, even though if it is thought a person's existence only lasts as long as the last person alive remembers that person.
"When These Mountains Burn" clearly shows Joy's consistent talent and an ongoing progression of the quality in his novels. It is easy to predict "When These Mountains Burn" will be landing on many Top Ten lists later in the year when published.
This novel could not be more highly recommended and to simply describe it as "Southern noir" or "grit lit" does the writing a disservice.
"When These Mountains Burn" was provided through Netgalley for the return of an honest review.
I strongly recall watching my paternal grandmother prepare meals with her well-worn wooden rolling pin. It was so enjoyable to watch her prepare wonderful food items out of basic agreements with her strong, gnarled hands and an object she had used for years and years.
One day, I told her I wished to have one just like hers. Not too much later, my grandmother gave me her rolling pin as a gift. It is one of my most cherished items and one I continue to use this day.
Memories of my grandmother, the existence of her rolling pin, and the thought of decades of meal preparation with such a tool, is what it is like to read words strung together by David Joy. Opening one of his books and reading the words contained therein is like examining a long owned knife, with a much-used blade, now worn narrow from its former width due to sharpening, honing and usage over the years.
Joy's writing is like looking at heirloom items and wondering just how many rich tales items such as those could tell if only they could speak.
David Joy's When These Mountains Burn is about life - past, present, future - and the destruction of life due to the invasive nature of drugs and what is left behind in their wake. The novel is also about the loss of culture and heritage and how the holes left behind by that loss are filled with many things of less value and meaning.
Set in the mountains of Western North Carolina, the novel mainly follows Ray Mathias. Mathias is a widower, living alone with his loyal dog, and with a life encumbered by his transient, drug-addicted son. For some time, Ray no longer locks the doors to his home, knowing one way or another, his son will return to steal what little of value he has left to sell and feed his drug habit. His thinking is why impede his son's entry when that would only mean damage done to barriers that would not keep him out in the first place.
Ray's son runs afoul of a violent, local Native American drug kingpin and after the encounter, asks his father for help. In Ray's attempt to do something to protect his son and his own way of life, his actions result in life-threatening repercussions.
While it may seem Joy is spinning a bleak story, that is only partly true. Yes, the story is bleak, but while bleak, the story is still uplifting. Joy's writing is filled with such lyrical and poetic wording, where such words paint a vivid picture in the mind's eye of the reader. The story also encompasses how one is able to hold onto memorable and meaningful times, even though if it is thought a person's existence only lasts as long as the last person alive remembers that person.
"When These Mountains Burn" clearly shows Joy's consistent talent and an ongoing progression of the quality in his novels. It is easy to predict "When These Mountains Burn" will be landing on many Top Ten lists later in the year when published.
This novel could not be more highly recommended and to simply describe it as "Southern noir" or "grit lit" does the writing a disservice.
"When These Mountains Burn" was provided through Netgalley for the return of an honest review.
July 29, 2021
3.5 🚬 🚬 🚬 🚬
I agree with my friend Jen, this was a slow burn of a story and initially the pages moved at a southern drawl. Or maybe I was moody. That seems to be my lot as of late. But I must admit I was not in the state of in-Joy-ment expected compared to his The Line That Held Us.
My rating improved as it reached the denoument and oh how I loved that final chapter. Which is why I rounded up. Plus I have to give extra stardust for the comments aimed at the "old orange-haired peckerhead."
My heart was breaking as he described the loss of southern mountain culture, where and how it all started to go wrong.
"It wasn't just a matter of economics. It wasn't the drugs. It was an abandonment of values. It was trading hard work for convenience. It was marking the nearest Starbucks as a place more important than the front porch."
"Now everyone was sitting around watching the last of it flicker like a sunset with eyes blind and minds dumb to the fact that when the night finally came there would come no light again. The very nature of things demanded that there would come a moment in history when hopefulness would equate to naïveté, when the situation would have become too dire for saving. Raymond knew this, and it was that final thought that had left his heart in ruins."
Thoughts about this one will stay with me for a while.
I agree with my friend Jen, this was a slow burn of a story and initially the pages moved at a southern drawl. Or maybe I was moody. That seems to be my lot as of late. But I must admit I was not in the state of in-Joy-ment expected compared to his The Line That Held Us.
My rating improved as it reached the denoument and oh how I loved that final chapter. Which is why I rounded up. Plus I have to give extra stardust for the comments aimed at the "old orange-haired peckerhead."
My heart was breaking as he described the loss of southern mountain culture, where and how it all started to go wrong.
"It wasn't just a matter of economics. It wasn't the drugs. It was an abandonment of values. It was trading hard work for convenience. It was marking the nearest Starbucks as a place more important than the front porch."
"Now everyone was sitting around watching the last of it flicker like a sunset with eyes blind and minds dumb to the fact that when the night finally came there would come no light again. The very nature of things demanded that there would come a moment in history when hopefulness would equate to naïveté, when the situation would have become too dire for saving. Raymond knew this, and it was that final thought that had left his heart in ruins."
Thoughts about this one will stay with me for a while.
October 31, 2022
La mejor novela negra que he leído este año.
August 19, 2020
Now available! It’s 100% worth your time to get your hands on a copy.
I’m nearly 30. I’ve been steadily reading for most of my life. The fact that there are still new and astounding books out there, books like this one, fills my heart with fiery joy.
Thanks to Edelweiss and G. P. Putnam’s Sons for the drc.
I’m nearly 30. I’ve been steadily reading for most of my life. The fact that there are still new and astounding books out there, books like this one, fills my heart with fiery joy.
Thanks to Edelweiss and G. P. Putnam’s Sons for the drc.
August 19, 2020
David Joy writes some of the best Grit Lit published in the U.S. of A, and if you haven’t read him yet, it’s time to get started. This soaring, wrenching tale of addiction, community dysfunction, and miserable unrelenting poverty delivers some hard truths about the distribution of wealth in this country, and about the uneven way that justice plays out. Lucky me, I read it free and early; my thanks go to Net Galley and Putnam Penguin for the review copy. It’s for sale today.
Ray Mathis is a big man with a big burden. His wife, Doris, has been dead for three years, but his grief hasn’t ebbed. A stoic man, he goes in and out of every day carrying out necessary tasks, but he feels as if his arm is missing, all the time. His companionship comes solely from his old hunting beagle, Tommy Two-Ton. His only child is Ricky, and although Ricky is in his forties, Ray still thinks of him as “the boy.” When the boy comes home, Ray is suffused with a sense of dread. Ricky is a hardcore addict, and all those stories you were told in junior high health class are true: a junkie has no loyalties and no shame great enough to override his need for the substance he’s come to crave. When he sees that Ricky is home for a visit, Ray’s first instinct is to check his few valuables that haven’t been stolen and pawned yet to see if they’ve vanished.
Is this all too familiar to some of you? Because it hit close to home for me.
Not long after he arrives, Ricky is gone again, and that’s not unusual; but later he gets a phone call from someone he doesn’t know. The caller says that Ricky has failed to meet a payment and will die if Ray doesn’t pay up. Because Ricky has no shame, he has told them exactly how much is in his father’s savings account. And though he understands that it’s only going to postpone the inevitable, Ray pays up, but he tells the men that collect that he will be back for them if they ever sell to his son again. And when Ricky is back on opiates before he has even recovered from the savage beating administered by the dealer’s goons, Ray tells him, “I’ve thrown you ropes till my arms is give out, and I ain’t got no more to throw.”
Meanwhile, our second protagonist, Denny Rattler, a Cherokee burglar, is arrested and offered treatment for his own addiction, but he declines. It turns out that the very purest heroin is sold on the Cherokee Reservation, and so jurisdictional issues complicate law enforcement. Still worse, there are dirty cops right on the other side of the state line. Denny finds himself in the middle of it all.
One of the nastiest villains in literature is Walter Freeman, who goes by “Watty.” “I ain’t calling you that,” Ray tells him. “That’s the stupidest fucking name I ever heard.” Ray confronts Watty after his son’s death to deliver some “backwoods justice,” but Watty is entirely unmoved. He doesn’t even remember Ricky. He leaves the individual users to the minions beneath him. He tells the bereaved father, “Your son is small potatoes. They’re all small potatoes. It’s too much of a headache, dealing with junkies.”
It’s forest fire season in the Appalachian Mountains, and as the conflict between Ray and Watty, between Watty and local law enforcement, and among the addicts, law enforcement and Watty build, a conflagration begins on the reservation, encompassing the “Outlet Mall,” where drugs are sold. The entire ordeal rises to a fever pitch that left me sitting forward, as if the outcome was just beyond my physical reach. At one point I was sure everyone would die, and I told myself I’d be okay as long as nothing happened to Tommy Two-Ton.
What Joy does with the conclusion is tremendously satisfying. When I reviewed his last book, I felt as if he had wimped out on the ending, but this time it’s rock solid. It isn’t predictable, yet there are no new people or facts introduced at the last minute to prevent us from foreseeing the outcome, either.
In fact, this may be his best book yet.
I’ll offer a final word about genre. This book is billed as Crime Fiction, and that’s not how I see it. I consider this novel to be gritty Southern Fiction at its finest. The fact that it happens to involve crime as an integral part of the story is almost beside the point. But call it what you will, this book is one of the year’s best, and you should get it and read it.
Ray Mathis is a big man with a big burden. His wife, Doris, has been dead for three years, but his grief hasn’t ebbed. A stoic man, he goes in and out of every day carrying out necessary tasks, but he feels as if his arm is missing, all the time. His companionship comes solely from his old hunting beagle, Tommy Two-Ton. His only child is Ricky, and although Ricky is in his forties, Ray still thinks of him as “the boy.” When the boy comes home, Ray is suffused with a sense of dread. Ricky is a hardcore addict, and all those stories you were told in junior high health class are true: a junkie has no loyalties and no shame great enough to override his need for the substance he’s come to crave. When he sees that Ricky is home for a visit, Ray’s first instinct is to check his few valuables that haven’t been stolen and pawned yet to see if they’ve vanished.
Is this all too familiar to some of you? Because it hit close to home for me.
Not long after he arrives, Ricky is gone again, and that’s not unusual; but later he gets a phone call from someone he doesn’t know. The caller says that Ricky has failed to meet a payment and will die if Ray doesn’t pay up. Because Ricky has no shame, he has told them exactly how much is in his father’s savings account. And though he understands that it’s only going to postpone the inevitable, Ray pays up, but he tells the men that collect that he will be back for them if they ever sell to his son again. And when Ricky is back on opiates before he has even recovered from the savage beating administered by the dealer’s goons, Ray tells him, “I’ve thrown you ropes till my arms is give out, and I ain’t got no more to throw.”
Meanwhile, our second protagonist, Denny Rattler, a Cherokee burglar, is arrested and offered treatment for his own addiction, but he declines. It turns out that the very purest heroin is sold on the Cherokee Reservation, and so jurisdictional issues complicate law enforcement. Still worse, there are dirty cops right on the other side of the state line. Denny finds himself in the middle of it all.
One of the nastiest villains in literature is Walter Freeman, who goes by “Watty.” “I ain’t calling you that,” Ray tells him. “That’s the stupidest fucking name I ever heard.” Ray confronts Watty after his son’s death to deliver some “backwoods justice,” but Watty is entirely unmoved. He doesn’t even remember Ricky. He leaves the individual users to the minions beneath him. He tells the bereaved father, “Your son is small potatoes. They’re all small potatoes. It’s too much of a headache, dealing with junkies.”
It’s forest fire season in the Appalachian Mountains, and as the conflict between Ray and Watty, between Watty and local law enforcement, and among the addicts, law enforcement and Watty build, a conflagration begins on the reservation, encompassing the “Outlet Mall,” where drugs are sold. The entire ordeal rises to a fever pitch that left me sitting forward, as if the outcome was just beyond my physical reach. At one point I was sure everyone would die, and I told myself I’d be okay as long as nothing happened to Tommy Two-Ton.
What Joy does with the conclusion is tremendously satisfying. When I reviewed his last book, I felt as if he had wimped out on the ending, but this time it’s rock solid. It isn’t predictable, yet there are no new people or facts introduced at the last minute to prevent us from foreseeing the outcome, either.
In fact, this may be his best book yet.
I’ll offer a final word about genre. This book is billed as Crime Fiction, and that’s not how I see it. I consider this novel to be gritty Southern Fiction at its finest. The fact that it happens to involve crime as an integral part of the story is almost beside the point. But call it what you will, this book is one of the year’s best, and you should get it and read it.
September 19, 2021
Raw with despair, violence, and love, When These Mountains Burn transcends genre, becoming something far greater than a crime fiction story about drug kingpins and backcountry revenge. It is a drama about the collapse of small-town America, where neighbors were once threaded together by generations of shared history and a sense of self-preservation, and what justice really means in a society corrupted by corporate greed.
Raymond Mathis, a widower retired from decades in the forest service, lives alone in the North Carolina hills with his arthritic old beagle bitch. Ricky, his opiate-addicted 40-year-old son, slithers in occasionally while Raymond is away to steal whatever he thinks might pay for his next hit. Raymond has bailed Ricky out many times over the years, waiting for inevitable visit from the sheriff to let him know the worst has finally come. When Ricky's life is threatened by a local drug goon, Raymond steps in again, risking his own life and financial ruin. He tries to help one last time, and it's the last time he sees his son alive. Despite a close and tender relationship with a local sheriff's deputy, who insists everything is being done to take down the local drug network, Raymond has had enough. He plots his vengeance and once unleashed, it rips through the region with explosive consequences, like the wildfire burning in the surrounding mountains — the backdrop against which this novel is set.
Running parallel to Raymond's story are those of Denny Rattler of the Cherokee Nation, a two-bit thief and heroin addict just trying to stay ahead of being dopesick — the dreaded state of withdrawal, undercover FBI agent Rodriguez who is becoming a shadow of exhaustion and fear, and DEA agent Holland, removed from the daily violence but determined to carry out his far-reaching investigation. Tracking these characters' collision course makes for a propulsive plot and compulsive reading. Joy's masterful, lyrical writing fleshes out the complexities of his nuanced, sympathetic characters and portrays in graphic and upsetting detail the horror of addiction. The violence and wretched desperation threaten to overwhelm the greater story at times and drain the narrative of any real hope, but then again, isn't this exactly what pharmaceutical companies wanted, in their deliberate campaign to hook millions on their poison? David Joy shows how they've succeeded, and how one man tries to fight back.
Raymond Mathis, a widower retired from decades in the forest service, lives alone in the North Carolina hills with his arthritic old beagle bitch. Ricky, his opiate-addicted 40-year-old son, slithers in occasionally while Raymond is away to steal whatever he thinks might pay for his next hit. Raymond has bailed Ricky out many times over the years, waiting for inevitable visit from the sheriff to let him know the worst has finally come. When Ricky's life is threatened by a local drug goon, Raymond steps in again, risking his own life and financial ruin. He tries to help one last time, and it's the last time he sees his son alive. Despite a close and tender relationship with a local sheriff's deputy, who insists everything is being done to take down the local drug network, Raymond has had enough. He plots his vengeance and once unleashed, it rips through the region with explosive consequences, like the wildfire burning in the surrounding mountains — the backdrop against which this novel is set.
Running parallel to Raymond's story are those of Denny Rattler of the Cherokee Nation, a two-bit thief and heroin addict just trying to stay ahead of being dopesick — the dreaded state of withdrawal, undercover FBI agent Rodriguez who is becoming a shadow of exhaustion and fear, and DEA agent Holland, removed from the daily violence but determined to carry out his far-reaching investigation. Tracking these characters' collision course makes for a propulsive plot and compulsive reading. Joy's masterful, lyrical writing fleshes out the complexities of his nuanced, sympathetic characters and portrays in graphic and upsetting detail the horror of addiction. The violence and wretched desperation threaten to overwhelm the greater story at times and drain the narrative of any real hope, but then again, isn't this exactly what pharmaceutical companies wanted, in their deliberate campaign to hook millions on their poison? David Joy shows how they've succeeded, and how one man tries to fight back.
August 30, 2021
3.5 rounded up
David Joy has returned with his 4th novel highlighting the Appalachian culture of the North Carolina mountains that has become almost non-existent. One that used to focus on family and helping your neighbors, now it’s a culture that is no longer focused on these values once held important. Due to the devastation of the drug culture, heroin and meth are the norm and have drastically altered the makeup of the communities here.
In When These Mountains Burn Joy has wrought together a southern noir story with some thrills and crime thrown into the mix as well as addicts, DEA agents and a place called the Outlet Mall where you can get just about any type of nefarious substance on the reservation. Set in the background is the burning of the forest in the western North Carolina mountains which happened in 2016. The cast of characters include Raymond Mathis, a widower and father of a 41 year old son, Ricky, who is a junkie. He lives alone with his dog, Tommy Two-Ton, and is retired from the Forest Service. He is at his wits end with his son’s problems and tired of bailing him out. Now Ricky owes his drug dealer $10,000 and Raymond gets tangled up in the aftermath of his son’s poor decisions. Taking the law into his own hands, he finds himself trying to do what he thinks is best to clean up the community when the law doesn’t seem to want to do its job.
Denny Rattler, a Cherokee man, became an addict after a workplace accident gave him a taste for the painkillers and now he can’t get by without a fix to get him through. He burgles houses and makes trades with his dealer in order to get what he wants. Denny has a desire to end this lifestyle and he’s looking for a way out without trying too hard.
DEA Agent Holland has been working an interstate drug case and his undercover agent Rodriquez works the case and provides a link to a local dealer. All four of these men’s lives will intersect in the end in ways they may not exactly expect.
This is a familiar story, sadly becoming too common in the reservations and Appalachian regions of the country. Joy sheds light on the changes in small town rural communities and the emotional toll on the addicts and their families brought about by the realities of drug addiction.
David Joy has returned with his 4th novel highlighting the Appalachian culture of the North Carolina mountains that has become almost non-existent. One that used to focus on family and helping your neighbors, now it’s a culture that is no longer focused on these values once held important. Due to the devastation of the drug culture, heroin and meth are the norm and have drastically altered the makeup of the communities here.
In When These Mountains Burn Joy has wrought together a southern noir story with some thrills and crime thrown into the mix as well as addicts, DEA agents and a place called the Outlet Mall where you can get just about any type of nefarious substance on the reservation. Set in the background is the burning of the forest in the western North Carolina mountains which happened in 2016. The cast of characters include Raymond Mathis, a widower and father of a 41 year old son, Ricky, who is a junkie. He lives alone with his dog, Tommy Two-Ton, and is retired from the Forest Service. He is at his wits end with his son’s problems and tired of bailing him out. Now Ricky owes his drug dealer $10,000 and Raymond gets tangled up in the aftermath of his son’s poor decisions. Taking the law into his own hands, he finds himself trying to do what he thinks is best to clean up the community when the law doesn’t seem to want to do its job.
Denny Rattler, a Cherokee man, became an addict after a workplace accident gave him a taste for the painkillers and now he can’t get by without a fix to get him through. He burgles houses and makes trades with his dealer in order to get what he wants. Denny has a desire to end this lifestyle and he’s looking for a way out without trying too hard.
DEA Agent Holland has been working an interstate drug case and his undercover agent Rodriquez works the case and provides a link to a local dealer. All four of these men’s lives will intersect in the end in ways they may not exactly expect.
This is a familiar story, sadly becoming too common in the reservations and Appalachian regions of the country. Joy sheds light on the changes in small town rural communities and the emotional toll on the addicts and their families brought about by the realities of drug addiction.
November 3, 2020
The book started off well but failed to hold my attention. The story felt uneven, off pace and with an unsatisfying ending.
August 27, 2020
3.75 stars Thanks to Edelweiss and G.P. Putnam's Sons for allowing me to read this ARC. Book published August 18th 2020.
I enjoy books by David Joy due to their grit and salt of the earth presentation. The blatant in-your-face, no-holds-barred story telling. Stories told clear and precise. Joy tells stories that other authors placate and tell through assumptions and overtures and by hinting at what is really happening. Even the main characters in one of Joy's novels are not usually brought to light by other authors - a section of the population that seems too forbidden to write about. Joy takes on the challenge and always comes out a winner.
I will admit that I have liked the rest of the books I have read by Joy more than I did this one. It was not due to the writing or the topic - both of those were standard Joy - but it took me longer to get into this book than normal. I was unclear exactly what this book was about for a considerable amount of time and I think that hesitation broke down some of the enjoyment I find in reading Joy's books.
As in the biggest of cities, the same drug problems exist way back in the foothills. Whether you come from wealth or poverty the drug epidemic is alive and thriving. This book gives us the knowledge of, the reactions to, and the consequences of three men involved with this epidemic. One is a man on drugs, one is the father of a man on drugs and one is the law, trying to quell the distribution of these drugs. All three face legal and illegal actions stemming from their interaction with each other.
As I said, gritty and in your face, makes this a book not to miss.
I enjoy books by David Joy due to their grit and salt of the earth presentation. The blatant in-your-face, no-holds-barred story telling. Stories told clear and precise. Joy tells stories that other authors placate and tell through assumptions and overtures and by hinting at what is really happening. Even the main characters in one of Joy's novels are not usually brought to light by other authors - a section of the population that seems too forbidden to write about. Joy takes on the challenge and always comes out a winner.
I will admit that I have liked the rest of the books I have read by Joy more than I did this one. It was not due to the writing or the topic - both of those were standard Joy - but it took me longer to get into this book than normal. I was unclear exactly what this book was about for a considerable amount of time and I think that hesitation broke down some of the enjoyment I find in reading Joy's books.
As in the biggest of cities, the same drug problems exist way back in the foothills. Whether you come from wealth or poverty the drug epidemic is alive and thriving. This book gives us the knowledge of, the reactions to, and the consequences of three men involved with this epidemic. One is a man on drugs, one is the father of a man on drugs and one is the law, trying to quell the distribution of these drugs. All three face legal and illegal actions stemming from their interaction with each other.
As I said, gritty and in your face, makes this a book not to miss.
March 10, 2021
Poverty, despair and illegal drugs flow freely through the Appalachia Mountains of Western North Carolina. People are losing their livelihood, families and lives. Neither the poor nor wealthy are immune to the devastation and havoc as loved ones succumb to the alluring high of their addictions. Retired Fire Forester Raymond Mathis knows first-hand how destructive the drugs can be as he's all but given up on saving his son Ricky from the disastrous effects. And yet, when a drug dealer calls Ray threatening Ricky's life for payment of a debt, Ray finds himself answering his son’s plea for help one more time. He gathers the last of his meager savings and pays the drug dealer off - even knowing he can't save Ricky from himself. But this time, a flame is ignited inside Ray. He's known enough grief and pain to last a lifetime. The police are spinning their wheels - even after Ray informed them the illegal drugs were being routed through the sovereign nation of Cherokee. Pushed to the brink, Ray goes rogue seeking vengeance for himself, his son and all the families whose lives have been destroyed by ruthless drug runners. Ray believes for every action, there's a consequence, and he won't stop until vengeance is his . . . even if he has to burn the mountain down.
Police corruption, dysfunctional families and drug empires seize the day in When These Mountains Burn. Utilizing multiple points of view, the author renders his story via Ray who’s fighting to save his addicted son Rick, a local addict called Denny who depends on petty theft to feed his habit and a dog-tired DEA agent who's deep undercover without a lifeline. Through alternating chapters, readers get inside each character’s head experiencing the anguish driving each one while learning just how low they'll go to feed their need . . . be it drugs, alcohol, redemption, forgiveness or vengeance. The sense of despair and desperation portrayed is overwhelming and heartbreaking as they each fight to survive the only way they know how. Author David Joy brilliantly draws readers in to fight alongside these characters as they claw their way through dark tunnels, blind alleys and forest fires. The setting is authentic and highly atmospheric, lending a malicious undertone that resonates throughout - driving the pace at suicide speed like a car with no brakes barreling down a dark, twisted mountain road at night. As a reader, all I could do was hold on and burn though the pages until reaching the end where Joy expertly brings them all together in one explosive scene that will leave you reeling. One thing's crystal clear - a day of reckoning is coming to the mountains . . . who will be left standing?
Raw, gritty, and emotionally charged, When These Mountains Burn is high action suspense at its best - guaranteed to entertain and thrill fans of Noir, Suspense and Thrillers. Readers Beware: Joy’s writing is highly addictive! I’m hopelessly hooked and looking forward to reading more of his work.
*Review first posted in Mystery and Suspense Magazine
**Reviewed at Cross My Heart Reviews
Police corruption, dysfunctional families and drug empires seize the day in When These Mountains Burn. Utilizing multiple points of view, the author renders his story via Ray who’s fighting to save his addicted son Rick, a local addict called Denny who depends on petty theft to feed his habit and a dog-tired DEA agent who's deep undercover without a lifeline. Through alternating chapters, readers get inside each character’s head experiencing the anguish driving each one while learning just how low they'll go to feed their need . . . be it drugs, alcohol, redemption, forgiveness or vengeance. The sense of despair and desperation portrayed is overwhelming and heartbreaking as they each fight to survive the only way they know how. Author David Joy brilliantly draws readers in to fight alongside these characters as they claw their way through dark tunnels, blind alleys and forest fires. The setting is authentic and highly atmospheric, lending a malicious undertone that resonates throughout - driving the pace at suicide speed like a car with no brakes barreling down a dark, twisted mountain road at night. As a reader, all I could do was hold on and burn though the pages until reaching the end where Joy expertly brings them all together in one explosive scene that will leave you reeling. One thing's crystal clear - a day of reckoning is coming to the mountains . . . who will be left standing?
Raw, gritty, and emotionally charged, When These Mountains Burn is high action suspense at its best - guaranteed to entertain and thrill fans of Noir, Suspense and Thrillers. Readers Beware: Joy’s writing is highly addictive! I’m hopelessly hooked and looking forward to reading more of his work.
*Review first posted in Mystery and Suspense Magazine
**Reviewed at Cross My Heart Reviews
December 6, 2020
This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life in Books.
I loved this book! Last year, I read David Joy's previous novel, The Line That Held Us, and was blown away and knew that I needed to read more of this amazing author's work. Well, I finally had the chance to sit down and read his newest book and found it to be equally impressive. This was one of those books that I did not want to put down once I picked it up and felt moved by the story.
This book deals with the difficult topic of drug abuse. I found the descriptions to be incredibly vivid and sometimes eye-opening. Several different perspectives come together to tell this tale of desperation. From an addict, we see the uncontrollable need for the next high and how the entire focus on his life has become centered on doing whatever necessary to get the drugs he needs. From the parent of an addict, we see how much they want to help and their frustration with how little they are able to actually do. We get to see law enforcement take steps to cut off the supply and how slowly the system move.
This book is set in the mountains of North Carolina and I really felt those mountains come to life in this story. The characters were very well-developed and the descriptions were incredibly vivid. The writing was beautiful despite the rather harsh reality of the story. I was really drawn into the story and wondered how things would eventually work out for these characters that I had grown to care about.
I would highly recommend this book to others. I found this to be a beautifully written tale of desperation and the need to take steps towards change. I am now considering myself to be a card-carrying member of the David Joy fan club (is there such a thing?) and will definitely be planning to read more of his work in the future.
I received a digital review copy of this book from G.P. Putnam's Sons via Edelweiss.
I loved this book! Last year, I read David Joy's previous novel, The Line That Held Us, and was blown away and knew that I needed to read more of this amazing author's work. Well, I finally had the chance to sit down and read his newest book and found it to be equally impressive. This was one of those books that I did not want to put down once I picked it up and felt moved by the story.
This book deals with the difficult topic of drug abuse. I found the descriptions to be incredibly vivid and sometimes eye-opening. Several different perspectives come together to tell this tale of desperation. From an addict, we see the uncontrollable need for the next high and how the entire focus on his life has become centered on doing whatever necessary to get the drugs he needs. From the parent of an addict, we see how much they want to help and their frustration with how little they are able to actually do. We get to see law enforcement take steps to cut off the supply and how slowly the system move.
This book is set in the mountains of North Carolina and I really felt those mountains come to life in this story. The characters were very well-developed and the descriptions were incredibly vivid. The writing was beautiful despite the rather harsh reality of the story. I was really drawn into the story and wondered how things would eventually work out for these characters that I had grown to care about.
I would highly recommend this book to others. I found this to be a beautifully written tale of desperation and the need to take steps towards change. I am now considering myself to be a card-carrying member of the David Joy fan club (is there such a thing?) and will definitely be planning to read more of his work in the future.
I received a digital review copy of this book from G.P. Putnam's Sons via Edelweiss.
November 29, 2020
4.25 burning stars
This author has a way of writing a story that draws you in to the setting and the characters. This time, the action happens in a small mountain community grappling with an opiate (and other drugs) problem. In one story, we have Raymond, a retired fire fighter who is tired of dealing with his addict son. Family ties run deep though, and Raymond bails him out again, depleting his savings.
There’s also the story of the undercover DEA agents who are trying to bust up this drug ring. It’s complicated by a nearby Cherokee reservation and jurisdiction. As with most drug rings, they are trying to get to the top of the crime ring.
Another character is Denny, an addict who steals to keep his habit going. Denny got hooked on drugs after a workplace accident. I thought the author made this a gritty reality of life story and my heart hurts for all these families and communities torn apart by drugs. When is it ok to turn to vigilante justice when the police don’t seem to be able to do anything?
These storylines merge together in an unexpected way and I was so anxious at the end of the book to see how it would turn out for Ray, Denny, and the drug bust. The whole book is set with a backdrop of nearby forest fires and destruction seemed an appropriate setting for this story. I have to quote fellow book friend Debra here – “No one writes pain quite like David Joy.”
I previously read “Where all the Light Tends to Go” by this author and I do love how he tells a story. I see he has three others that I haven’t read – time to move those up the list!
Thank you to Edelweiss and GP Putnam for the copy of this one to read and review.
This author has a way of writing a story that draws you in to the setting and the characters. This time, the action happens in a small mountain community grappling with an opiate (and other drugs) problem. In one story, we have Raymond, a retired fire fighter who is tired of dealing with his addict son. Family ties run deep though, and Raymond bails him out again, depleting his savings.
There’s also the story of the undercover DEA agents who are trying to bust up this drug ring. It’s complicated by a nearby Cherokee reservation and jurisdiction. As with most drug rings, they are trying to get to the top of the crime ring.
Another character is Denny, an addict who steals to keep his habit going. Denny got hooked on drugs after a workplace accident. I thought the author made this a gritty reality of life story and my heart hurts for all these families and communities torn apart by drugs. When is it ok to turn to vigilante justice when the police don’t seem to be able to do anything?
These storylines merge together in an unexpected way and I was so anxious at the end of the book to see how it would turn out for Ray, Denny, and the drug bust. The whole book is set with a backdrop of nearby forest fires and destruction seemed an appropriate setting for this story. I have to quote fellow book friend Debra here – “No one writes pain quite like David Joy.”
I previously read “Where all the Light Tends to Go” by this author and I do love how he tells a story. I see he has three others that I haven’t read – time to move those up the list!
Thank you to Edelweiss and GP Putnam for the copy of this one to read and review.
September 17, 2020
A small but mighty novel about drug addiction and the havoc it wreaks on the people and communities in its grasp. David Joy has painted a vivid portrait of characters I won't soon forget.
June 5, 2023
I found WHEN THESE MOUNTAINS BURN by David Joy on the Libby app. Check for your local library on the app and read great books for free!📚
I've become a bit of a cover shopper lately and I was drawn in by this cover. The graphics and title together got me pretty good. It turned out to be sort of a contemporary western, which is a genre I have a lot of interest in, but not much reading experience. I had trouble following the story of this one, it was just a touch convoluted. But I deeply appreciated how the protagonist sees and conceives his son, who struggles terribly with addiction. Everyone in the book is ready to stigmatize an addict, but not the lead character. His capacity for empathy is sort of profound, given his environment.
Unfortunately, I never got a sense for the story, and wasn't compelled enough to backtrack, so the ending was completely lost on me.
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟 / 5 stars
Recommend? Maybe?
Finished: June 2 2023
Format: Audiobook, Libby
I've become a bit of a cover shopper lately and I was drawn in by this cover. The graphics and title together got me pretty good. It turned out to be sort of a contemporary western, which is a genre I have a lot of interest in, but not much reading experience. I had trouble following the story of this one, it was just a touch convoluted. But I deeply appreciated how the protagonist sees and conceives his son, who struggles terribly with addiction. Everyone in the book is ready to stigmatize an addict, but not the lead character. His capacity for empathy is sort of profound, given his environment.
Unfortunately, I never got a sense for the story, and wasn't compelled enough to backtrack, so the ending was completely lost on me.
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟 / 5 stars
Recommend? Maybe?
Finished: June 2 2023
Format: Audiobook, Libby
Displaying 1 - 30 of 611 reviews