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The Good Killer
In the newest thriller from best-selling author Harry Dolan, Sean Tennant stops a deadly mass shooter. And that act of courage may get him killed.
Sean Tennant and Molly Winter are living quietly and cautiously in Houston when a troubled, obsessive stranger shatters the safety they have carefully constructed for themselves. Sean is at a shopping mall when Henry Alan Keen, scorned by a woman he's been dating, pulls out a gun at the store where she works and begins shooting everyone in sight. A former soldier, Sean rushes toward Keen and ends the slaughter with two well-placed shots--becoming a hero with his face plastered across the news.
But Sean's newfound notoriety exposes him to the wrath of two men he thought he had left safely in his past. One of them blames Sean for his brother's death. The other wants to recover a treasure that Sean and Molly stole from him. Both men are deadly and relentless enemies, and Sean and Molly will need to draw on all their strength and devotion to each other if they hope to elude them. Thus begins a cross-country chase that leads from Texas to Montana, from Tennessee to New York to Michigan, as the hunters and their prey grow ever closer and, in a heart-stopping moment, converge.
A wickedly clever and exhilarating thriller, The Good Killer offers a sophisticated, breathtaking look at the extremes people will reach for love, greed, and survival.
Sean Tennant and Molly Winter are living quietly and cautiously in Houston when a troubled, obsessive stranger shatters the safety they have carefully constructed for themselves. Sean is at a shopping mall when Henry Alan Keen, scorned by a woman he's been dating, pulls out a gun at the store where she works and begins shooting everyone in sight. A former soldier, Sean rushes toward Keen and ends the slaughter with two well-placed shots--becoming a hero with his face plastered across the news.
But Sean's newfound notoriety exposes him to the wrath of two men he thought he had left safely in his past. One of them blames Sean for his brother's death. The other wants to recover a treasure that Sean and Molly stole from him. Both men are deadly and relentless enemies, and Sean and Molly will need to draw on all their strength and devotion to each other if they hope to elude them. Thus begins a cross-country chase that leads from Texas to Montana, from Tennessee to New York to Michigan, as the hunters and their prey grow ever closer and, in a heart-stopping moment, converge.
A wickedly clever and exhilarating thriller, The Good Killer offers a sophisticated, breathtaking look at the extremes people will reach for love, greed, and survival.
339 pages, Hardcover
First published February 4, 2020
227 people are currently reading
2982 people want to read
About the author
Harry Dolan
14 books443 followersHARRY DOLAN is the author of the mystery/suspense novels BAD THINGS HAPPEN, VERY BAD MEN, THE LAST DEAD GIRL, THE MAN IN THE CROOKED HAT, and THE GOOD KILLER. His new novel DON'T TURN AROUND is out now from Grove Atlantic. He graduated from Colgate University, where he majored in philosophy and studied fiction-writing with the novelist Frederick Busch. A native of Rome, New York, he now lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 223 reviews
December 4, 2019
Entertaining!
The Good Killer is a psychological thriller about a man in hiding, who in the blink of an eye, becomes a nationally revered hero. Now exposed to the world, he must take cover and run to keep enemies at bay as there is a price on his life.
Aptly titled, there is a constant push and pull between good and bad. "The Good Killer," Sean, appears to be a good person who happens to be a killer. However, he is keeping dark secrets that might reveal that he is not such a good person. Several other characters also may or may not be good or bad, but also are potential killers. I was constantly questioning all the characters’ motives. However, as a whole, the novel is more about the plot than the characters themselves.
The biggest issue I had with this book is that there are too many narrators. There are 5 main narrators, with a couple of others thrown in. For this reason, I felt like I only got a glimpse of each character vs.reading about fully developed, multidimensional characters. In the end, I didn’t feel like I really knew any of the characters, nor did I really care about what happened to them.
The Good Killer is an interesting read, but it more like watching an action-packed movie versus reading a tautly written and cleverly plotted thriller. While I didn’t love it, I found the premise fascinating, and I was thoroughly entertained by all of the action.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
The Good Killer is a psychological thriller about a man in hiding, who in the blink of an eye, becomes a nationally revered hero. Now exposed to the world, he must take cover and run to keep enemies at bay as there is a price on his life.
Aptly titled, there is a constant push and pull between good and bad. "The Good Killer," Sean, appears to be a good person who happens to be a killer. However, he is keeping dark secrets that might reveal that he is not such a good person. Several other characters also may or may not be good or bad, but also are potential killers. I was constantly questioning all the characters’ motives. However, as a whole, the novel is more about the plot than the characters themselves.
The biggest issue I had with this book is that there are too many narrators. There are 5 main narrators, with a couple of others thrown in. For this reason, I felt like I only got a glimpse of each character vs.reading about fully developed, multidimensional characters. In the end, I didn’t feel like I really knew any of the characters, nor did I really care about what happened to them.
The Good Killer is an interesting read, but it more like watching an action-packed movie versus reading a tautly written and cleverly plotted thriller. While I didn’t love it, I found the premise fascinating, and I was thoroughly entertained by all of the action.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
February 24, 2020
This is a good book. Dolan is my go-to author one that when his book comes out I'm first in line to get it. Loved, Bad Things Happen, Very Bad Men, The Last Dead Girl, these books have a mystery construction and are more cerebral reads with a broader depth in character development and focus on prose. With The Good Killer, Dolan shifts to a thriller construction. Pure and simple this is a chase plot with nothing really different or unique from other chase plots. What sets this book a part is the superior writing craft especially the way he layers in backstory without confusing the reader. There is also one sensational flashback. I am big on the "Fictive," dream in the books I prefer. This book has multiple points of view with multiple POV shifts on the page. This moves the story along at a rapid rate but the reader from falling deep into the Fictive dream. This book is well worth the read.
David Putnam author of The Bruno Johnson series.
David Putnam author of The Bruno Johnson series.
September 16, 2022
5 +++++ stars audio
3.75 wtf kind of ending was that stars book.
3.75 wtf kind of ending was that stars book.
April 6, 2020
Exceptional cat & mouse thriller structured by strong, well conceived characters with interesting backstories and powered by tight, concise prose. Like most of my esteemed GR friends, I'm on a lifetime quest to discover talented authors I'm unfamiliar with. Harry Dolan is clearly one of those authors.
January 24, 2022
Solid pursuit novel; entertains and maintains focus without necessarily doing anything particularly new. Good for an audiobook option.
February 4, 2020
“The Good Killer” opens with a chilling narrative. Grammar and sentence construction with a present tense narrative, brief details, and clipped conversations create a mysterious, tense, and chaotic atmosphere. Characters meet at the mall, the encounters appear unorganized and frantic, and then, the shooting. There is a killer on the run, a good guy with a gun.
An unusual narrative takes shape. There is danger on every front from the hunter, the hunted, and the pursuer of both. Jumbles of people from low-level hoodlums to law enforcement personnel are all after the same individuals: Molly and Sean. There are however, many people do not want them caught.
Dolan creates complex and genuine characters with abundant backstories, and none are exactly who they appear to be at first glance. Each narrative is labeled with name of principal character to help readers identify the point of view of the episode. Molly is flying to Montana for a retreat on a ranch with yoga, meditation, and riding horses, and Sean is driving her to the airport. Then there is Cole; Sean talks to Cole, takes his advice, looks to him for direction, but Cole died years ago. Cole is the past that haunts Sean’s present.
There are also the cylinder seals, pieces of ancient stone, artifacts that if Sean had a clear legal title, might sell at auction for millions of dollars. They are just stone, but they are worth so much, so full of history, have so much impact. Sean wonders what might have happened if not for those stones.
“The Good Killer” proceeds in a careful, systematic way with a slow accumulation of facts, and then unexpectedly takes readers somewhere else. I received a review copy of “The Good Killer” from Harry Dolan and Ingram Publishing Services. The characters are flawed but compelling and likeable. It is a strange case with twists and surprises at every turn. It has trauma, drama, and death but a satisfying end.
An unusual narrative takes shape. There is danger on every front from the hunter, the hunted, and the pursuer of both. Jumbles of people from low-level hoodlums to law enforcement personnel are all after the same individuals: Molly and Sean. There are however, many people do not want them caught.
Dolan creates complex and genuine characters with abundant backstories, and none are exactly who they appear to be at first glance. Each narrative is labeled with name of principal character to help readers identify the point of view of the episode. Molly is flying to Montana for a retreat on a ranch with yoga, meditation, and riding horses, and Sean is driving her to the airport. Then there is Cole; Sean talks to Cole, takes his advice, looks to him for direction, but Cole died years ago. Cole is the past that haunts Sean’s present.
There are also the cylinder seals, pieces of ancient stone, artifacts that if Sean had a clear legal title, might sell at auction for millions of dollars. They are just stone, but they are worth so much, so full of history, have so much impact. Sean wonders what might have happened if not for those stones.
“The Good Killer” proceeds in a careful, systematic way with a slow accumulation of facts, and then unexpectedly takes readers somewhere else. I received a review copy of “The Good Killer” from Harry Dolan and Ingram Publishing Services. The characters are flawed but compelling and likeable. It is a strange case with twists and surprises at every turn. It has trauma, drama, and death but a satisfying end.
August 31, 2020
Not so thrilling. Pretty good reader. This was a good idea, but I lost interest.
February 14, 2020
The Good Killer by Harry Dolan
Character driven story with each new segment introduced by the name of someone new or a returning player. I found this book a bit like watching a movie and could see it adapted for and easily produced for the big screen.
My thoughts:
* Complex plot
* Well written
* Action-packed
* What is right and what is wrong - truly
* Shades of gray
* Choices are not always clear-cut
* Love trumps all – usually
* Twisted people do twisted things
* Redemption may be possible
* Revenge doesn’t pay
* Great book
What I liked:
* That it made me think
* It is pertinent and timely
* The good guys are flawed
* The bad guys are not all bad
* I liked getting into the minds of the characters
* Cole’s part in the story
* I could visualize what was happening
* The story was credible and realistic
* All of it really except…
What I didn’t like:
* That people are willing to do anything to get what they want
* The reminder that bad things happen to good people
* Wondering what will happen to Rose – will her story be told by this author?
Did I like this book? I did
Would I read more books by this author? Definitely
Thank you to NetGalley and Grove Atlantic-Mysterious Press – This is my honest review.
5 Stars
Character driven story with each new segment introduced by the name of someone new or a returning player. I found this book a bit like watching a movie and could see it adapted for and easily produced for the big screen.
My thoughts:
* Complex plot
* Well written
* Action-packed
* What is right and what is wrong - truly
* Shades of gray
* Choices are not always clear-cut
* Love trumps all – usually
* Twisted people do twisted things
* Redemption may be possible
* Revenge doesn’t pay
* Great book
What I liked:
* That it made me think
* It is pertinent and timely
* The good guys are flawed
* The bad guys are not all bad
* I liked getting into the minds of the characters
* Cole’s part in the story
* I could visualize what was happening
* The story was credible and realistic
* All of it really except…
What I didn’t like:
* That people are willing to do anything to get what they want
* The reminder that bad things happen to good people
* Wondering what will happen to Rose – will her story be told by this author?
Did I like this book? I did
Would I read more books by this author? Definitely
Thank you to NetGalley and Grove Atlantic-Mysterious Press – This is my honest review.
5 Stars
September 17, 2022
Audio - 5 stars
Story - 4 stars
Story - 4 stars
January 28, 2021
Fantastic read. Enjoyed it from beginning to end. 4.5 bumped to 5 for the superior writing.
December 8, 2019
This is the second book I have read from this author. The second time around is a winner. Instantly. I was drawn to Sean and Molly and this storyline. You could say that I was sucked into the story. Which by the way, this book should come with a warning..."Don't start it before bed unless you don't plan on sleeping."
Once, I started reading, I could not stop reading. There are a handful of characters in this story but they are all major players within the story. I was on the edge of my seat as Sean and Molly tried to keep one step ahead of the people after Sean. The ending put a smile on my face. You can say that I was pleased with the ending. The next book can not come quick enough. Make sure that The Good Killer by Harry Dolan is in your shopping cart.
Once, I started reading, I could not stop reading. There are a handful of characters in this story but they are all major players within the story. I was on the edge of my seat as Sean and Molly tried to keep one step ahead of the people after Sean. The ending put a smile on my face. You can say that I was pleased with the ending. The next book can not come quick enough. Make sure that The Good Killer by Harry Dolan is in your shopping cart.
Read
July 9, 2020Harry Dolan is an author who is new to me. (I tend to prefer psychological thrillers as opposed to more male-dominated ones like this one.) But I thought this was a good, well-executed thriller. There were a lot of moving pieces and multiple POVs (one of which was so brief I'm not sure if it was even warranted) and as a result, not as much character development as I would have liked (pretty much Jack Reacher level) but it was still a gripping read, a story about how past crimes and mistakes can always come back to haunt you.
The premise is that a man foils a random shooter in a mall, propelling him into the spotlight. Unfortunately, he's been hiding for years after a notorious crime. Now he has people after him. He and his girlfriend Molly have been preparing for this. Can they survive?
Definitely recommended for Jack Reacher fans.
Read more of my reviews on JenRyland.com! Let's be friends on Bookstagram!
Thanks to the publisher for providing an advance copy for review!
The premise is that a man foils a random shooter in a mall, propelling him into the spotlight. Unfortunately, he's been hiding for years after a notorious crime. Now he has people after him. He and his girlfriend Molly have been preparing for this. Can they survive?
Definitely recommended for Jack Reacher fans.
Read more of my reviews on JenRyland.com! Let's be friends on Bookstagram!
Thanks to the publisher for providing an advance copy for review!
February 10, 2020
It is only February, but there have been some excellent books published so far this year. Chief among them is THE GOOD KILLER by Harry Dolan. You should file him at the top of your reading list under “Should be a household name.” I say that based not only on the strength of this new novel, which is perfect in every way, but also on the previous four that Dolan has written.
THE GOOD KILLER primarily concerns Sean Tennant and Molly Winter, who are living quietly and cautiously in Houston for reasons that are not immediately known. It is obvious, though, that they are hiding in plain sight with their heads down while Sean works as a self-employed woodworker and Molly writes and self-publishes e-books under a pseudonym. Sean is also haunted by Cole, the ghost of an old friend who pops into and out of his life like an irritating little brother. Everything changes while Molly is in Montana for a week at a dude ranch for women, which features such activities as horseback riding and yoga. Sean makes the fateful decision to go to a Houston mall to buy new boots. He has just made his purchase when an active shooter incident takes place. He steps in, quickly and effectively taking down the doer.
Sean leaves the scene at once, but not before his moment of heroism is captured on numerous cell phones. The footage makes its way to the national news channels and is seen by two individuals in Detroit. One is Adam Khadduri, an art dealer with a lucrative but illegal aspect to his business. Sean stole two things from him: Molly and a valuable art treasure. The second person is Jimmy Harper, a low-level criminal whose brother, Cole, was killed while he was breaking into Adam’s house with Sean. Jimmy blames Sean for Cole’s death, and not entirely without reason. Sean leaves Houston to retrieve Molly, who at first is blissfully unaware of what is going on. That is about to change, as Adam and Jimmy begin to take steps to respectively retrieve property and effectuate long-simmering revenge.
Houston police detective Rafael Garza is also in the mix, tasked with investigating the mall shooting. He doesn’t intend to arrest Sean; he just wants to interview him to clear up what happened. Sean is a loose end to Garza, but he’s a loose end who won’t hold still. It’s quite a chase across multiple states involving several parties who are at occasional cross-purposes. Meanwhile, Sean has a number of unexpected allies who manifest themselves over the course of the book. However, not even they can prevent the explosive and violent conclusion, from which no one walks away intact or unaffected.
Once you start reading THE GOOD KILLER, there is no good place to stop, other than the end. Comparisons of Dolan’s novels to the work of Elmore Leonard are inevitable and not entirely inaccurate, but ultimately are unfair to both authors. Pick up the book, give yourself a few hours to read it, and then carve out a block of time to check out Dolan’s impressive backlist on its own terms. You’ll see what I mean.
Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub
THE GOOD KILLER primarily concerns Sean Tennant and Molly Winter, who are living quietly and cautiously in Houston for reasons that are not immediately known. It is obvious, though, that they are hiding in plain sight with their heads down while Sean works as a self-employed woodworker and Molly writes and self-publishes e-books under a pseudonym. Sean is also haunted by Cole, the ghost of an old friend who pops into and out of his life like an irritating little brother. Everything changes while Molly is in Montana for a week at a dude ranch for women, which features such activities as horseback riding and yoga. Sean makes the fateful decision to go to a Houston mall to buy new boots. He has just made his purchase when an active shooter incident takes place. He steps in, quickly and effectively taking down the doer.
Sean leaves the scene at once, but not before his moment of heroism is captured on numerous cell phones. The footage makes its way to the national news channels and is seen by two individuals in Detroit. One is Adam Khadduri, an art dealer with a lucrative but illegal aspect to his business. Sean stole two things from him: Molly and a valuable art treasure. The second person is Jimmy Harper, a low-level criminal whose brother, Cole, was killed while he was breaking into Adam’s house with Sean. Jimmy blames Sean for Cole’s death, and not entirely without reason. Sean leaves Houston to retrieve Molly, who at first is blissfully unaware of what is going on. That is about to change, as Adam and Jimmy begin to take steps to respectively retrieve property and effectuate long-simmering revenge.
Houston police detective Rafael Garza is also in the mix, tasked with investigating the mall shooting. He doesn’t intend to arrest Sean; he just wants to interview him to clear up what happened. Sean is a loose end to Garza, but he’s a loose end who won’t hold still. It’s quite a chase across multiple states involving several parties who are at occasional cross-purposes. Meanwhile, Sean has a number of unexpected allies who manifest themselves over the course of the book. However, not even they can prevent the explosive and violent conclusion, from which no one walks away intact or unaffected.
Once you start reading THE GOOD KILLER, there is no good place to stop, other than the end. Comparisons of Dolan’s novels to the work of Elmore Leonard are inevitable and not entirely inaccurate, but ultimately are unfair to both authors. Pick up the book, give yourself a few hours to read it, and then carve out a block of time to check out Dolan’s impressive backlist on its own terms. You’ll see what I mean.
Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub
October 30, 2019
another great book from one of my favorite authors. this time we get fast paced thriller told from many points of view. the pages turn fast and there is plenty of action and a few surprises in this chase adventure. the main character has some flaws and I didn't get as attached as I have to some of Dolan's other main character's so not quite 5 stars but a definite 4+. thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read an advance copy.
May 26, 2020
4.5 stars. Loved it! I can't wait for Harry Dolan to come out with a new book and this one didn't disappoint. Edge of your seat game of cat and mouse. So many players and so many ways this story could've ended. Things go sideways and I had no idea how this story would wrap up until it was over. I love a story that grabs you and you can't put down. Two thumbs up. The only downer is the wait for this authors next book.
January 4, 2021
This page turner starts out with an interesting premise, but some of the characters seemed a little flat and some of their actions didn’t make a lot of sense to me. If you enjoy thrillers with chase plots, this might be right up your alley; I thought it was pretty good but not memorable.
September 8, 2020
I liked the idea - a couple, creating new lives under new names to escape a past we don't immediately know about. The execution of it, though, left me feeling a bit meh.
Sean and Molly are living in Houston under new names, years after ripping off an art dealer in a heist in which Sean's friend Cole, was killed. The art dealer wants revenge and the stolen materials back, and the dead man's father (who seems to be some kind of low level gangster) just wants revenge.
One day, when Sean is at a mall - which the author tells us is the largest in Texas, or something or other - when an obsessed man grabs a woman from the store in which she works and starts shooting other shoppers. Sean walks up to him and calmly executes him with one shot each to the chest and head. After helping a couple of the injured people, he leaves. Security footage, though, gets out into the world, and now the people who want their pound of flesh know where he is.
While they make their way to Houston, Sean bugs out, heading to Montana to pick up Molly, who has gone there on a retreat. Along the way, we get some Legend of Billy Jean type narrative, with an auto repair shop owner and a local Sheriff recognizing Sean from the mall video, but not doing anything about him and allowing him to go on his way.
Jimmy,the dead man's father, and his sidekick make it to Montana before Sean, and try to kidnap Molly in order to force Sean's hand. But they miss, and Molly hops into Sean's car, as he has arrived just in the nick of time. Afterward, Jimmy tells his sidekick all about what happened to Cole, so the readers....I mean, so his sidekick will know why he wants to find and kill Sean.
It goes on like this for awhile, but not before we collect a lot of other characters along the way. Events converge on a single location and there is the requisite people dying at the end and another transformation.
The narrative was not particularly compelling and was also supremely annoying. First, it seems everyone and their brother got some narrative time, sometimes in the middle of someone else's narrative (something that was done for no good reason I could see; the second character's piece could just as easily been said after the one it broke into). Second, the writing style was full of short, declarative sentences. Lots of them. In both dialogue and narrative. Sentence fragments, too. Many of them. Third, we got a lot of step by steps of what the characters were doing. Like this:
"His hiking boots are in the trunk. He puts them on and locks the car. He sets out for one of the hiking trails, but after only a few paces he turns back.
There's a Glock nine millimeter in the glove compartment with a shoulder rig to hold it. He sits in the passenger seat and straps it on. He reaches into the backseat for his gray windbreaker. He puts it on to cover the gun."
This sort of thing is all over the place.
Finally, it's in present tense, of which I'm not really a fan.
It's serviceable, and a fast enough read. I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it, either.
Three stars out of five.
Thanks to Grove Atlantic/Mysterious Press and NetGalley for the review copy.
Sean and Molly are living in Houston under new names, years after ripping off an art dealer in a heist in which Sean's friend Cole, was killed. The art dealer wants revenge and the stolen materials back, and the dead man's father (who seems to be some kind of low level gangster) just wants revenge.
One day, when Sean is at a mall - which the author tells us is the largest in Texas, or something or other - when an obsessed man grabs a woman from the store in which she works and starts shooting other shoppers. Sean walks up to him and calmly executes him with one shot each to the chest and head. After helping a couple of the injured people, he leaves. Security footage, though, gets out into the world, and now the people who want their pound of flesh know where he is.
While they make their way to Houston, Sean bugs out, heading to Montana to pick up Molly, who has gone there on a retreat. Along the way, we get some Legend of Billy Jean type narrative, with an auto repair shop owner and a local Sheriff recognizing Sean from the mall video, but not doing anything about him and allowing him to go on his way.
Jimmy,the dead man's father, and his sidekick make it to Montana before Sean, and try to kidnap Molly in order to force Sean's hand. But they miss, and Molly hops into Sean's car, as he has arrived just in the nick of time. Afterward, Jimmy tells his sidekick all about what happened to Cole, so the readers....I mean, so his sidekick will know why he wants to find and kill Sean.
It goes on like this for awhile, but not before we collect a lot of other characters along the way. Events converge on a single location and there is the requisite people dying at the end and another transformation.
The narrative was not particularly compelling and was also supremely annoying. First, it seems everyone and their brother got some narrative time, sometimes in the middle of someone else's narrative (something that was done for no good reason I could see; the second character's piece could just as easily been said after the one it broke into). Second, the writing style was full of short, declarative sentences. Lots of them. In both dialogue and narrative. Sentence fragments, too. Many of them. Third, we got a lot of step by steps of what the characters were doing. Like this:
"His hiking boots are in the trunk. He puts them on and locks the car. He sets out for one of the hiking trails, but after only a few paces he turns back.
There's a Glock nine millimeter in the glove compartment with a shoulder rig to hold it. He sits in the passenger seat and straps it on. He reaches into the backseat for his gray windbreaker. He puts it on to cover the gun."
This sort of thing is all over the place.
Finally, it's in present tense, of which I'm not really a fan.
It's serviceable, and a fast enough read. I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it, either.
Three stars out of five.
Thanks to Grove Atlantic/Mysterious Press and NetGalley for the review copy.
May 29, 2020
Some years ago, I read Dolan’s first novel, “Bad Things Happen”. I thought it was brilliant. When I ran across it again while packing up books, I wondered what he had been up to, and so purchased a copy of his sophomore outing, “Very Bad Men”. It was very disappointing. Skip past two more titles, and I see that this year he has released “The Good Killer”. I decide to give it a try.
That’s not without trepidation. One of my favorite films of recent years is “A History of Violence”. It is the story of a man taking a heroic action that is captured by the media, and exposes him to people with a lethal grudge to an identity left behind. That is the motive plot of “The Good Killer”, and the suspension of disbelief in the face of what appeared to be plot-plagiarism was the major problem I had with this book.
That difficulty was short-lived. The story really takes off in its own directions, and the writing, once again, is superb. One of the book jacket blurbers compares Dolan to Elmore Leonard, and I can understand why. The characters are vivid, the action is relentless, and it all pays off in a satisfying way. Dolan is back on my A-List.
That’s not without trepidation. One of my favorite films of recent years is “A History of Violence”. It is the story of a man taking a heroic action that is captured by the media, and exposes him to people with a lethal grudge to an identity left behind. That is the motive plot of “The Good Killer”, and the suspension of disbelief in the face of what appeared to be plot-plagiarism was the major problem I had with this book.
That difficulty was short-lived. The story really takes off in its own directions, and the writing, once again, is superb. One of the book jacket blurbers compares Dolan to Elmore Leonard, and I can understand why. The characters are vivid, the action is relentless, and it all pays off in a satisfying way. Dolan is back on my A-List.
dnf
February 6, 2020DNF at 55%. I thought the premise of this book was really interesting. Sean and Molly have been living quietly and staying under the radar. Until one day when Sean ends up at the mall and is able to stop a mass shooter. That act of bravery ends up getting his face on national news and suddenly they have to run.
At first I was intrigued - I wanted to learn who they were hiding from and why and see what was going to happen. However it ended up quickly getting very convoluted with multiple people chasing them and bouncing around between a lot of different perspectives and eventually I lost interest.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance reading copy.
At first I was intrigued - I wanted to learn who they were hiding from and why and see what was going to happen. However it ended up quickly getting very convoluted with multiple people chasing them and bouncing around between a lot of different perspectives and eventually I lost interest.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance reading copy.
February 26, 2020
This is a book that did not need to be written. The story is unoriginal, there is no character development, and the dialogue is perfunctory. The story involves four elements: Sean and Molly, who have changed their identity after robbing an art dealer, the cop and FBI agent pursuing them, and two groups of bad guys who are also chasing Sean and Molly. The book is essentially one long chase scene. By an incredible set of coincidences, all four elements converge at the end of the book, the bad guys eliminated, and Molly and Sean live happily ever after. The writing style is okay, but their is very little suspense and the characters are rather flat or uninteresting. I cannot recommend this.
April 13, 2020
A psychological thriller following a man in hiding who is suddenly a national hero. But it’s not always good to be in the lime light. His enemies from a past left behind now know who and where he is and they’re coming for him.
This book had me hooked from the first chapter in true Harry Dolan style.
This was a fast paced read, an action packed page turner. The writing style and story line kept me interested and invested.
Certainly not my favorite of his books but a good read none the less.
Thank you to #NetGalley and #MysteriousPress for providing me with an advanced copy of this book to read and review.
January 8, 2021
A guy, hiding out from mistakes in his past, kills a mall shooter and gets his picture/video on news outlets everywhere. This sets off a chain of events causing him and his girlfriend, hiding out with him, to run for their lives. This time with police, FBI, and two sets of bad guys looking for them, they finally bring conclusion to the past events that caused them to hide.
Harry Dolan is not a prolific writer, but I look forward to his new books when they come out. This one does not disappoint. I enjoy books that can use real world situations to drive the plot, but don't preach about the politics of the situation. Dolan does an excellent job of this. I felt like I could enjoy the book without having to read a political rant. The story moved well and kept me entertained. I will definitely pick up the next Harry Dolan book that comes out.
Harry Dolan is not a prolific writer, but I look forward to his new books when they come out. This one does not disappoint. I enjoy books that can use real world situations to drive the plot, but don't preach about the politics of the situation. Dolan does an excellent job of this. I felt like I could enjoy the book without having to read a political rant. The story moved well and kept me entertained. I will definitely pick up the next Harry Dolan book that comes out.
March 5, 2022
Fastpaced thriller with taut suspense from start to finish - the pages practically turn themselves in this one. Also an excellent example of how to write a protagonist who is compelling enough to keep me interested in his fate despite not finding him likable.
February 17, 2021
Really good book. I enjoyed it immensely.
November 17, 2022
Fun, fast passed, with an exciting ending! I really appreciated that the characters were complex and the 'good guys' weren't 100% good
March 31, 2023
A new author for me! It was a bit of a plodder of a book never really got going to be honest. Wasn't a bad read just wasn't one that kept me gripped.
March 10, 2024
Loved it. It was a struggle to put it down each night and go to bed. He has a gift for crafting stories and characters.
July 2, 2020
Solid summer thriller.
December 30, 2019
When Sean stops a mass shooting at a mall in Texas, that act of heroism may have just cost him his life.
Sean and Molly have been living their lives as discreetly and cautiously for the past 6 years. After Sean, a former soldier, takes out an active shooter, in Houston’s largest shopping mall, he flees the scene. Everyone wants to know about the hero who saved them, but Sean doesn’t want the exposure. Unfortunately, the two men him and Molly have been hiding from catch wind of the story, and now they’re on a mission. One believes Sean is responsible for his brother’s death, and will stop at nothing until he gets his revenge. The other, wants to recover something Molly and Sean stole from him years ago. Both men are dangerous and determined to get what they want. Thus starts the cross country hunt.
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Thank you Netgalley and Mysterious Press for the advanced copy for my review!
Publish date: February 14, 2020
I really enjoyed this book! I finished a majority of it in one sitting and the rest the next morning. This story keeps you hooked from the beginning. I found myself shaking my head at some of the people they come across, or smiling about another thing. It will definitely take you on a whirlwind of a journey! Everything tied up together nicely and I was pleased with the ending. I’m from Michigan, so when I kept coming across “Downriver” cities that I’m from, I got excited. I figured the author had to be from here to know all these little cities, and turns out he moved here from NYC, so that was really awesome! Overall - loved it, highly recommend!
Sean and Molly have been living their lives as discreetly and cautiously for the past 6 years. After Sean, a former soldier, takes out an active shooter, in Houston’s largest shopping mall, he flees the scene. Everyone wants to know about the hero who saved them, but Sean doesn’t want the exposure. Unfortunately, the two men him and Molly have been hiding from catch wind of the story, and now they’re on a mission. One believes Sean is responsible for his brother’s death, and will stop at nothing until he gets his revenge. The other, wants to recover something Molly and Sean stole from him years ago. Both men are dangerous and determined to get what they want. Thus starts the cross country hunt.
.
.
Thank you Netgalley and Mysterious Press for the advanced copy for my review!
Publish date: February 14, 2020
I really enjoyed this book! I finished a majority of it in one sitting and the rest the next morning. This story keeps you hooked from the beginning. I found myself shaking my head at some of the people they come across, or smiling about another thing. It will definitely take you on a whirlwind of a journey! Everything tied up together nicely and I was pleased with the ending. I’m from Michigan, so when I kept coming across “Downriver” cities that I’m from, I got excited. I figured the author had to be from here to know all these little cities, and turns out he moved here from NYC, so that was really awesome! Overall - loved it, highly recommend!
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