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Never Far Away
Once a wife, mother, and witness to a gruesome crime, Nina Morgan has been in hiding for a decade as Leah Trenton. She left behind her Midwestern roots to move to the northernmost tip of Maine. She also left behind a family. Living a fairly isolated life along the banks of the Allagash River, she is determined to focus on the present, on her reclaimed future, but the demons of her past are relentlessly chipping away at Leah's protected hideaway.
Then, in the wake of their father's untimely death, Leah's children call and she rushes to them in the guise of 'Aunt Leah'. They embark on a cross country journey but before they reach their destination, danger finds them and it is Leah who must come out of her seclusion to search for and protect her children.
Told with the deft plotting and enthralling storytelling of a genre master, these two captivating chase narratives will converge along the rugged Allagash River, in the wilds of Maine, where the wills, morals, and ingenuity of a broken family will be tested against all odds.
Then, in the wake of their father's untimely death, Leah's children call and she rushes to them in the guise of 'Aunt Leah'. They embark on a cross country journey but before they reach their destination, danger finds them and it is Leah who must come out of her seclusion to search for and protect her children.
Told with the deft plotting and enthralling storytelling of a genre master, these two captivating chase narratives will converge along the rugged Allagash River, in the wilds of Maine, where the wills, morals, and ingenuity of a broken family will be tested against all odds.
378 pages, Hardcover
First published February 9, 2021
320 people are currently reading
5118 people want to read
About the author
Michael Koryta
51 books2,522 followersMichael Koryta (pronounced Ko-ree-ta) is the New York Times-bestselling author of 14 suspense novels. His work has been praised by Stephen King, Michael Connelly, Lee Child, Dean Koontz, James Patterson, Dennis Lehane, Daniel Woodrell, Ron Rash, and Scott Smith among many others, and has been translated into more than 20 languages. His books have won or been nominated for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, Edgar® Award, Shamus Award, Barry Award, Quill Award, International Thriller Writers Award, and the Golden Dagger. They've been selected as "best books of the year" by publications as diverse as the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Amazon.com, O the Oprah Magazine, Entertainment Weekly, People, Reader's Digest, iBooks, and Kirkus Reviews.
His recent thriller Those Who Wish Me Dead was named the summer's best thriller by both Amazon and Entertainment Weekly, and was selected as one of the year's best books by more than 10 publications. The audio version was named one of the best audio books of the year, as well, the second time that Robert Petkoff's narration of Michael's work has earned such an honor. The novel is currently being adapted as a major motion picture by 20th Century Fox.
Michael's previous work ranges from a trio of supernatural novels--So Cold the River, The Cypress House, and The Ridge, which were all named New York Times notable books of the year and earned starred reviews from Publishers Weekly--to stand-alone crime novels such as The Prophet (A New York Times bestseller) and Envy the Night (selected as a Reader's Digest condensed book), to a series of award-winning novels featuring private investigator Lincoln Perry--Tonight I Said Goodbye, Sorrow's Anthem, A Welcome Grave, and The Silent Hour.
Various film and television adaptations of the books are underway, with The Prophet, So Cold the River, The Cypress House, and Those Who Wish Me Dead all optioned as feature films, and the Lincoln Perry series and The Ridge being developed for television. Michael has written for the screen in both feature film and television. Oscar and Emmy winners are attached to every project.
Before turning to writing full-time, Michael worked as a private investigator and as a newspaper reporter, and taught at the Indiana University School of Journalism. He began working for a private investigator as an intern while in high school, turned it into his day job in the early stages of his writing career, and still maintains an interest in the firm. As a journalist, he won numerous awards from the Society of Professional Journalists.
Michael's first novel, the Edgar-nominated Tonight I Said Goodbye was accepted for publication when he was 20 years old. He wrote his first two published novels before graduating from college, and was published in nearly 10 languages before he fulfilled the "writing requirement" classes required for his diploma.
Michael was raised in Bloomington, Indiana, where he graduated from Bloomington North High School in 2001, and later graduated from Indiana University with a bachelor's degree in criminal justice. In 2008 he was honored as a "distinguished young alumni" by Indiana University, and in 2010 he was named "distinguished alumni' by the criminal justice department.
Michael's passions outside of writing and reading involve a variety of outdoor pursuits - hiking, camping, boating, and fishing are all likely to occupy his free time when he's not working on a new book. Some of his favorite spots in the world are the Beartooth Mountains, the setting of Those Who Wish Me Dead and a place to which he returns at least twice a year; the flowages of the Northwoods in Wisconsin, where he began fishing with his father as a child and still returns each fall; St. Petersburg, FL, and the Maine coast.
His recent thriller Those Who Wish Me Dead was named the summer's best thriller by both Amazon and Entertainment Weekly, and was selected as one of the year's best books by more than 10 publications. The audio version was named one of the best audio books of the year, as well, the second time that Robert Petkoff's narration of Michael's work has earned such an honor. The novel is currently being adapted as a major motion picture by 20th Century Fox.
Michael's previous work ranges from a trio of supernatural novels--So Cold the River, The Cypress House, and The Ridge, which were all named New York Times notable books of the year and earned starred reviews from Publishers Weekly--to stand-alone crime novels such as The Prophet (A New York Times bestseller) and Envy the Night (selected as a Reader's Digest condensed book), to a series of award-winning novels featuring private investigator Lincoln Perry--Tonight I Said Goodbye, Sorrow's Anthem, A Welcome Grave, and The Silent Hour.
Various film and television adaptations of the books are underway, with The Prophet, So Cold the River, The Cypress House, and Those Who Wish Me Dead all optioned as feature films, and the Lincoln Perry series and The Ridge being developed for television. Michael has written for the screen in both feature film and television. Oscar and Emmy winners are attached to every project.
Before turning to writing full-time, Michael worked as a private investigator and as a newspaper reporter, and taught at the Indiana University School of Journalism. He began working for a private investigator as an intern while in high school, turned it into his day job in the early stages of his writing career, and still maintains an interest in the firm. As a journalist, he won numerous awards from the Society of Professional Journalists.
Michael's first novel, the Edgar-nominated Tonight I Said Goodbye was accepted for publication when he was 20 years old. He wrote his first two published novels before graduating from college, and was published in nearly 10 languages before he fulfilled the "writing requirement" classes required for his diploma.
Michael was raised in Bloomington, Indiana, where he graduated from Bloomington North High School in 2001, and later graduated from Indiana University with a bachelor's degree in criminal justice. In 2008 he was honored as a "distinguished young alumni" by Indiana University, and in 2010 he was named "distinguished alumni' by the criminal justice department.
Michael's passions outside of writing and reading involve a variety of outdoor pursuits - hiking, camping, boating, and fishing are all likely to occupy his free time when he's not working on a new book. Some of his favorite spots in the world are the Beartooth Mountains, the setting of Those Who Wish Me Dead and a place to which he returns at least twice a year; the flowages of the Northwoods in Wisconsin, where he began fishing with his father as a child and still returns each fall; St. Petersburg, FL, and the Maine coast.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 412 reviews
December 21, 2020
I’ve only read two other books by Michael Korytka, but I enjoyed them both. He writes character driven thrillers and this one is no exception. Nina Morgan was a wife, a mother and a witness to a violent crime. She was forced to change her identity and go into hiding - alone. Ten years later, her husband dies in a freak accident and she returns as his “sister in law” to take custody of her children. But the man behind the crime is still looking for her.
Korytka paints realistic characters, not just Nina, now Leah. But her kids, the assassin who has mixed motives, even young Matt. He’s not an eloquent writer, but he’s an exacting one. “As he looked back at Hailey right now, emotional intelligence met a healthy dose of hormones and produced genius.”
The book moves along at a fairly fast clip, switching out between the various characters’ storylines. There is a sense of tension that underlines almost every page of the book. I loved the sense of place that Korytka provides - the isolation of the Maine wilderness. Finally, kudos to Korytka who has written a story that was super easy to envision.
My thanks to netgalley and Little, Brown for an advance copy of this book.
Korytka paints realistic characters, not just Nina, now Leah. But her kids, the assassin who has mixed motives, even young Matt. He’s not an eloquent writer, but he’s an exacting one. “As he looked back at Hailey right now, emotional intelligence met a healthy dose of hormones and produced genius.”
The book moves along at a fairly fast clip, switching out between the various characters’ storylines. There is a sense of tension that underlines almost every page of the book. I loved the sense of place that Korytka provides - the isolation of the Maine wilderness. Finally, kudos to Korytka who has written a story that was super easy to envision.
My thanks to netgalley and Little, Brown for an advance copy of this book.
April 1, 2021
"Do not attempt to hide things which cannot be hidden." (Aesop)
Leah Trenton, formerly known as Nina Morgan, knows that hidden secrets, often as not, rise to the surface eventually. She vividly remembers the night that she took extra precautions to fake her death in Florida. Ten years have passed and an outstretched hand now beckons for payback.
Leah was employed by an unscrupulous individual who headed the Lowery Group, an international network of people who worked in the shadows of questionable activities. As a licensed pilot, Leah flew groups to their destinations. No questions asked and no answers expected. But one afternoon, Leah witnessed a despicable act. Immediately, she knew that her days were numbered. Death was the only way out of this. A death contrived by Leah and not at the hands of the Lowery Group.
But the price she paid was great. She left her husband, Doug, and two young children, Hailey and Nick, behind believing that she died those ten years ago. Now living in Piscataquis County, Maine, Leah lived and worked as a guide in the North Woods. Not a soul knew of her backstory....until now.
A freak accident takes the life of Doug after all these years. Hailey has been instructed by Doug to call a certain memorized secret number. The woman who answers is said to be her "aunt". Needless to say, it's her mother Leah. Hailey and Nick know nothing.
Leah brings the children back to Maine with her. It's evident that they are not going willingly. But someone has had their finger on the pulse of this family and knows now that Leah/Nina is still alive. And the wild pursuit for Leah is now beginning with two men hired to take her out.
I've added piles of Michael Koryta's books to my TBR. After Never Far Away, I'll be bringing those books out front and center. Koryta knows how to tell a story with straightforward action lined with some devious characters. There's almost a heightened rhythm to the escalating tension from the first chapter onward. He's covered all the bases. You know that something bad is going to happen at any moment. Good stuff for a Netflix movie and good stuff to grab your attention during the times that we wish to escape for a few moments from the realities of this life.
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Little, Brown and Company and to Michael Koryta for the opportunity.
Leah Trenton, formerly known as Nina Morgan, knows that hidden secrets, often as not, rise to the surface eventually. She vividly remembers the night that she took extra precautions to fake her death in Florida. Ten years have passed and an outstretched hand now beckons for payback.
Leah was employed by an unscrupulous individual who headed the Lowery Group, an international network of people who worked in the shadows of questionable activities. As a licensed pilot, Leah flew groups to their destinations. No questions asked and no answers expected. But one afternoon, Leah witnessed a despicable act. Immediately, she knew that her days were numbered. Death was the only way out of this. A death contrived by Leah and not at the hands of the Lowery Group.
But the price she paid was great. She left her husband, Doug, and two young children, Hailey and Nick, behind believing that she died those ten years ago. Now living in Piscataquis County, Maine, Leah lived and worked as a guide in the North Woods. Not a soul knew of her backstory....until now.
A freak accident takes the life of Doug after all these years. Hailey has been instructed by Doug to call a certain memorized secret number. The woman who answers is said to be her "aunt". Needless to say, it's her mother Leah. Hailey and Nick know nothing.
Leah brings the children back to Maine with her. It's evident that they are not going willingly. But someone has had their finger on the pulse of this family and knows now that Leah/Nina is still alive. And the wild pursuit for Leah is now beginning with two men hired to take her out.
I've added piles of Michael Koryta's books to my TBR. After Never Far Away, I'll be bringing those books out front and center. Koryta knows how to tell a story with straightforward action lined with some devious characters. There's almost a heightened rhythm to the escalating tension from the first chapter onward. He's covered all the bases. You know that something bad is going to happen at any moment. Good stuff for a Netflix movie and good stuff to grab your attention during the times that we wish to escape for a few moments from the realities of this life.
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Little, Brown and Company and to Michael Koryta for the opportunity.
April 9, 2021
Michael Koryta is a powerful and masterful writer with bone-deep understanding of his characters, and a gift for perfectly- paced suspense. With its transporting sense of place, and elegantly layered but utterly breathless story, NEVER FAR AWAY is the raw, emotional, and riveting work of a craftsman at the top of his game. By far one of the best books I’ve read this year.
March 28, 2021
NEVER FAR AWAY is a "thriller" that just NEVER made me gasp. Unlike Koryta's earlier "thrilling thrillers", NEVER FAR AWAY fell flat and, unfortunately, it was NEVER a problem to put this "NEVER" book down.
NEVER FAR AWAY is about a happily married pilot who agreed to testify against her boss about a brutal murder that she witnessed ten years ago. To protect the safety of her husband and two children, the pilot faked her own death, entered a witness protection program, and relocated to a secluded home in the Maine wilderness; leaving behind her husband and two small children.
Ten years later, the pilot's husband is killed in an automobile accident and she receives a call from her daughter, who is under the mistaken impression that the pilot is her aunt.
FAST FORWARD: Word gets out that the pilot has returned and the chase is on. Perhaps the reason why this "NEVER" book NEVER resonated with me was that I found it difficult to believe why a person would go to such extremes (and expense) to hire two hitmen to kill a woman (the pilot) who posed no threat -- all over an incident that happened ten years ago. The pilot had no plans to do any more testifying and no desire to harm anyone. Instead, the pilot wanted to lead a quiet and anonymous life with her children.
Also, I found that many of the book's escape scenes lacked credibility. The pilot was a civilian with a pilot's license and not a trained FBI agent with the expert skills required to outfox and/or avoid two experienced hitmen.
I listened to the book's audio version that was read by Robert Petkoff, one of my favorite narrators. It was Petkoff's outstanding narration (and not the author's text) that helped me move forward and not abandon this book.
NEVER FAR AWAY is about a happily married pilot who agreed to testify against her boss about a brutal murder that she witnessed ten years ago. To protect the safety of her husband and two children, the pilot faked her own death, entered a witness protection program, and relocated to a secluded home in the Maine wilderness; leaving behind her husband and two small children.
Ten years later, the pilot's husband is killed in an automobile accident and she receives a call from her daughter, who is under the mistaken impression that the pilot is her aunt.
FAST FORWARD: Word gets out that the pilot has returned and the chase is on. Perhaps the reason why this "NEVER" book NEVER resonated with me was that I found it difficult to believe why a person would go to such extremes (and expense) to hire two hitmen to kill a woman (the pilot) who posed no threat -- all over an incident that happened ten years ago. The pilot had no plans to do any more testifying and no desire to harm anyone. Instead, the pilot wanted to lead a quiet and anonymous life with her children.
Also, I found that many of the book's escape scenes lacked credibility. The pilot was a civilian with a pilot's license and not a trained FBI agent with the expert skills required to outfox and/or avoid two experienced hitmen.
I listened to the book's audio version that was read by Robert Petkoff, one of my favorite narrators. It was Petkoff's outstanding narration (and not the author's text) that helped me move forward and not abandon this book.
April 15, 2021
An excellent read!
Fast paced & action packed author Michael Koryta delivers a hold your breath thriller.
Nina aka Leah comes out of hiding to protect her children who believe she died many years earlier. However by doing so, they are all in danger now and running for their lives.
Great characters and an engaging plot!
This is my 1st novel by Michael Koryta and I plan to read his others.
Highly Recommended!
Fast paced & action packed author Michael Koryta delivers a hold your breath thriller.
Nina aka Leah comes out of hiding to protect her children who believe she died many years earlier. However by doing so, they are all in danger now and running for their lives.
Great characters and an engaging plot!
This is my 1st novel by Michael Koryta and I plan to read his others.
Highly Recommended!
Read
May 13, 2022No rating. This is just too twisted and violent for me. The beginning is gore and more without any base introduction on top of it. Sick.
He writes well and also crosses too many sensibility lines continually. Some I can take with at least partial context continuity. Some I enjoy for character depth.
This one just makes me turned off repulsed.
He writes well and also crosses too many sensibility lines continually. Some I can take with at least partial context continuity. Some I enjoy for character depth.
This one just makes me turned off repulsed.
March 18, 2021
NEVER FAR AWAY has it all. A heroine you'll root for, a woman who has been through the fire and battle-hardened, ready to face a battery of villains you will love to hate. A battle of good vs. evil. And, because this is Michael Koryta, you'll be plunged into a new world, complete: the remote and sprawling Allagash Wilderness and all the dangers that come with it. You'll learn how to shoot rapids, fly a floatplane, and survive in a wilderness that would just as soon see you dead. NEVER FAR AWAY is a perfect thriller, and one tense and chilling ride.
February 23, 2021
BIG TIME FUN!
Never Far Away, by Michael Koryta, was big-time fun. Here’s an indication of how much fun it was. I have started every morning since Nov 9, 2016, with a cup of coffee and the NYT. Every day. No matter where I was. This morning, I sat up in bed, reached for the Kindle on my bedside table, and immediately dived back into the mayhem Koryta creates in the woods of Maine. Didn’t even get a coffee first!
So what makes Never Far Away so compelling? First, it is beautifully written – great characters and descriptive passages that never distract the reader with intrusive showiness. If you are discerning – you’ll note the fine writing, but the flow of the book is so good you may not even notice some of the lovely narrative on first read. Kudos to Koryta on plot development also. His plot makes sense – complex and believable and -thank you thank you! – not so byzantine that I’d need to map it to keep track of people and events, betrayal and counter-betrayal. Indeed – the plot unfolds well and the flow of the book is superb, with momentum that grows steadily and doesn’t abate until it should – when the book ends.
Koryta has created compelling characters. Kudos to him for Nina, a well-drawn and believably strong female protagonist. His kids are also well-developed, as is the dog Tessa. As anyone who reads my book (Emergence) will know – I have a pretty sharp eye for the veracity with which dogs are presented. Finally - his villainous anti-heroes Bleak and Dax are so compelling that one can’t help but suspect that they will re-appear some time in the future.
Kudos to Michael Koryta, for giving me the kind of high-adrenalin ride I haven’t had since I binge-read the first fifteen Jack Reacher novels by Lee Child (who has endorsed the book).
Never Far Away, by Michael Koryta, was big-time fun. Here’s an indication of how much fun it was. I have started every morning since Nov 9, 2016, with a cup of coffee and the NYT. Every day. No matter where I was. This morning, I sat up in bed, reached for the Kindle on my bedside table, and immediately dived back into the mayhem Koryta creates in the woods of Maine. Didn’t even get a coffee first!
So what makes Never Far Away so compelling? First, it is beautifully written – great characters and descriptive passages that never distract the reader with intrusive showiness. If you are discerning – you’ll note the fine writing, but the flow of the book is so good you may not even notice some of the lovely narrative on first read. Kudos to Koryta on plot development also. His plot makes sense – complex and believable and -thank you thank you! – not so byzantine that I’d need to map it to keep track of people and events, betrayal and counter-betrayal. Indeed – the plot unfolds well and the flow of the book is superb, with momentum that grows steadily and doesn’t abate until it should – when the book ends.
Koryta has created compelling characters. Kudos to him for Nina, a well-drawn and believably strong female protagonist. His kids are also well-developed, as is the dog Tessa. As anyone who reads my book (Emergence) will know – I have a pretty sharp eye for the veracity with which dogs are presented. Finally - his villainous anti-heroes Bleak and Dax are so compelling that one can’t help but suspect that they will re-appear some time in the future.
Kudos to Michael Koryta, for giving me the kind of high-adrenalin ride I haven’t had since I binge-read the first fifteen Jack Reacher novels by Lee Child (who has endorsed the book).
January 15, 2021
Following a brutal murder, former pilot Leah Trenton agreed to testify against her boss. With her life in danger, Leah Trenton would fake her own death and enter into witness protection. In doing so, she had to leave behind a husband and two small children as she relocated to a secluded home deep in the wilderness of Maine. Now, ten years later, her husband dies unexpectedly leaving her children without a parent. Leah must re-emerge to care for her children. The problem? They think she’s dead, too. Oh, and her former boss is looking for revenge.
I received an advanced copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Never Far Away is the latest thriller from author Michael Koryta and the third book of his I’ve had the chance to read. His 2012 novel, The Prophet, is as close to a small-town crime-fiction masterpiece as you can get but his last novel, If She Wakes, happened to be one of the least enjoyable reads I picked up in 2019 – so naturally, for Never Far Away, I had my expectations firmly in the middle.
So, how was it? It was alright. Koryta does a good job in slowly bringing the action from a light simmer to a boil throughout the book. The wilderness of Maine had me pretty homesick for Nova Scotia at times given their proximity, so it was nice to be back on the east coast – if even only in my mind. My biggest takeaway is that I don’t really feel like this one is going to stick with me for very long as it felt very much like a movie-of-the-week thriller you might catch on television on a Sunday afternoon. It’s good popcorn entertainment, but lacks real substance. But hey, sometimes those reads are good! Like a great beach read or airport thriller.
If I’m being honest, I wasn’t aware that there are connections between some of Koryta’s novels. A character in Never Far Away appeared in If She Wakes and a pair of criminals at the novel’s beginning appear in another one of Koryta’s novels. Dax Blackwood, the aforementioned character from If She Wakes, came across great in Never Far Away and added a lot to what could have been a pretty paint-by-numbers thriller.
I’m still waiting for Koryta to knock my socks off like he did in The Prophet, so I’ll keep reading and keep comfort in knowing he has the talent to do so. I suppose it’s just a matter of time. And really, he has eleven other novels I could always go back and check out.
I received an advanced copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Never Far Away is the latest thriller from author Michael Koryta and the third book of his I’ve had the chance to read. His 2012 novel, The Prophet, is as close to a small-town crime-fiction masterpiece as you can get but his last novel, If She Wakes, happened to be one of the least enjoyable reads I picked up in 2019 – so naturally, for Never Far Away, I had my expectations firmly in the middle.
So, how was it? It was alright. Koryta does a good job in slowly bringing the action from a light simmer to a boil throughout the book. The wilderness of Maine had me pretty homesick for Nova Scotia at times given their proximity, so it was nice to be back on the east coast – if even only in my mind. My biggest takeaway is that I don’t really feel like this one is going to stick with me for very long as it felt very much like a movie-of-the-week thriller you might catch on television on a Sunday afternoon. It’s good popcorn entertainment, but lacks real substance. But hey, sometimes those reads are good! Like a great beach read or airport thriller.
If I’m being honest, I wasn’t aware that there are connections between some of Koryta’s novels. A character in Never Far Away appeared in If She Wakes and a pair of criminals at the novel’s beginning appear in another one of Koryta’s novels. Dax Blackwood, the aforementioned character from If She Wakes, came across great in Never Far Away and added a lot to what could have been a pretty paint-by-numbers thriller.
I’m still waiting for Koryta to knock my socks off like he did in The Prophet, so I’ll keep reading and keep comfort in knowing he has the talent to do so. I suppose it’s just a matter of time. And really, he has eleven other novels I could always go back and check out.
February 22, 2021
I am a huge Koryta fan, but I found this book difficult to finish. I only finished it because it was written by Michael Koryta.
I didn't like/couldn't relate to any of the characters.
Violence.
Several narrative viewpoints.
A sullen teenage girl.
Several of Koryta's books have a strong spiritual/supernatural element to the story. This one had violence. I hope his next book is better.
I didn't like/couldn't relate to any of the characters.
Violence.
Several narrative viewpoints.
A sullen teenage girl.
Several of Koryta's books have a strong spiritual/supernatural element to the story. This one had violence. I hope his next book is better.
June 6, 2021
Смъртта не е решение, ако трябва да спасиш децата си: https://knigolandia.info/book-review/...
Както и ще видите от задната корица, Нина оцелява след кървавата си среща с наемните убийци. Но ѝ се налага да заживее далеч от съпруга и децата си, за да ги предпази от гнева на този, който е поръчал убийството ѝ. Тя променя името си на Лия и заживява сред горите като планински водач. И когато години по-късно бившият ѝ мъж загива в катастрофа, тя прави импулсивна грешка – отива да вземе децата си с надеждата простъпката ѝ да е забравена и да може да заживее нов живот с тях. Но не би. Двамина брутални убийци са извадени от затвора, където точно Нина/Лия ги е вкарала, и са пуснати по петите ѝ – и бруталността им изненада дори мен.
Издателство Обсидиан
https://knigolandia.info/book-review/...
Както и ще видите от задната корица, Нина оцелява след кървавата си среща с наемните убийци. Но ѝ се налага да заживее далеч от съпруга и децата си, за да ги предпази от гнева на този, който е поръчал убийството ѝ. Тя променя името си на Лия и заживява сред горите като планински водач. И когато години по-късно бившият ѝ мъж загива в катастрофа, тя прави импулсивна грешка – отива да вземе децата си с надеждата простъпката ѝ да е забравена и да може да заживее нов живот с тях. Но не би. Двамина брутални убийци са извадени от затвора, където точно Нина/Лия ги е вкарала, и са пуснати по петите ѝ – и бруталността им изненада дори мен.
Издателство Обсидиан
https://knigolandia.info/book-review/...
December 28, 2020
Never Far Away is simply a really solid suspense thriller.
I loved Nina – both the person she was and the person she became – and my heart just wept for the kids (especially the angry one).
While I wasn’t quite in love with the reason behind everything, nor was I 100% believing in our villains, I found this to be a fast-paced, adrenalin-filled read and I have to admit that I just didn’t want to stop reading until the end.
Definitely a good read!
*ARC Provided via Net Galley
I loved Nina – both the person she was and the person she became – and my heart just wept for the kids (especially the angry one).
While I wasn’t quite in love with the reason behind everything, nor was I 100% believing in our villains, I found this to be a fast-paced, adrenalin-filled read and I have to admit that I just didn’t want to stop reading until the end.
Definitely a good read!
*ARC Provided via Net Galley
June 17, 2023
'Never Far Away' was an entertaining read that kept surprising me but sometimes in a way that left me a little frustrated at the path chosen.
The thing I enjoyed most about the book was that the two main characters were slightly off-centre. They were believable but unpredictable. The only thing they had in common was that they were both dangerous.
Firstly, there's Nina Morgan, now known as Leah Trenton. She's not the normal surprisingly-competent-mom-in-peril that thriller writers love. She is competent: a qualified Maine Guide at home in the wilderness, a licensed pilot and a good shot, but she's mainly a woman so deeply enmeshed in lies that she no longer knows how to tell the truth. She's been living a lie for a decade since she faked her own death and abandoned her infant children. When circumstances forced her to re-enter their lives, she continued to lie to her children, introducing herself as their dead mother's sister and then whisking them off to a new life. Her lies put the children and her partner, who's only known her as Leah Trenton, in danger but she still can't bring herself to tell the truth. The impact of this fundamental dishonesty drove a lot of the action of the book and created an ambiguous moral tone that I enjoyed.
Then there's Dax Blackwell, the ultra-competent, cool-in-a-crisis hitman. At first, I thought he'd be the contract-killer-with-a-moral-code who would risk everything to save the mom-in-peril and her adorable, brave and innocent children. After all, there are a few versions of that character in top selling Thriller series. I was delighted to find that Blackwell was more complicated than that. He does have a professional code for doing business, one that he learnt at his father's knee, but it doesn't involve rescuing people or putting himself at risk for no reward. He's someone who tries hard to be a rational man who takes decisions without being swayed by emotions. I liked that, although his actions almost always seemed rational to Blackman, they often came as a surprise to me. It took me a long time to work out that Blackman really wasn't on anybody's side but his own. This meant that I could never be sure who he would help and who he would hurt but I knew that, whenever he was involved, someone would die.
These two wildcards interact with well-drawn versions of people you'd hope to meet in any good thriller: an evil billionaire and his two hard-hearted assassins, a bright, brave but distrustful and unhappy teenage daughter determined to protect her cute but useless little brother, a boy-next-door-with-a-crush who is in danger of being collateral damage, Nina/Leah's almost-too-nice-to-be-true young partner and his loyal dog.
I had fun with this novel but, in the end, I found Blackman's unpredictability a little unsatisfying. I believed in the outcomes but I wasn't swept along by them.
To me, it felt as if the novel moved quite slowly at the start but that might be because I started with the audiobook version of 'Never Far Away' and ended up returning it by the end of Chapter 5 because the narrator, Robert Petkoff, kept emoting all over Michael Koryta's prose, seemingly trying to squeeze some melodrama out of a story that didn't need it.
Once moved to the ebook version, I was more comfortable and could appreciate the hard-edged dispassion with which the violence and death that peppers the book were described.
The final big confrontation scene of the book had me on the edge of my seat. I had no idea how it was going to go and who, if anybody, would survive. Even so, when the cards were shown and the survivors were known, I found the ending a little abrupt. I think Michael Koryta wanted to end on an adrenalin high rather than get bogged down in a here's-what-happened-to-eveyone-aftwards chapter. Maybe he was right but it surprised me.
The thing I enjoyed most about the book was that the two main characters were slightly off-centre. They were believable but unpredictable. The only thing they had in common was that they were both dangerous.
Firstly, there's Nina Morgan, now known as Leah Trenton. She's not the normal surprisingly-competent-mom-in-peril that thriller writers love. She is competent: a qualified Maine Guide at home in the wilderness, a licensed pilot and a good shot, but she's mainly a woman so deeply enmeshed in lies that she no longer knows how to tell the truth. She's been living a lie for a decade since she faked her own death and abandoned her infant children. When circumstances forced her to re-enter their lives, she continued to lie to her children, introducing herself as their dead mother's sister and then whisking them off to a new life. Her lies put the children and her partner, who's only known her as Leah Trenton, in danger but she still can't bring herself to tell the truth. The impact of this fundamental dishonesty drove a lot of the action of the book and created an ambiguous moral tone that I enjoyed.
Then there's Dax Blackwell, the ultra-competent, cool-in-a-crisis hitman. At first, I thought he'd be the contract-killer-with-a-moral-code who would risk everything to save the mom-in-peril and her adorable, brave and innocent children. After all, there are a few versions of that character in top selling Thriller series. I was delighted to find that Blackwell was more complicated than that. He does have a professional code for doing business, one that he learnt at his father's knee, but it doesn't involve rescuing people or putting himself at risk for no reward. He's someone who tries hard to be a rational man who takes decisions without being swayed by emotions. I liked that, although his actions almost always seemed rational to Blackman, they often came as a surprise to me. It took me a long time to work out that Blackman really wasn't on anybody's side but his own. This meant that I could never be sure who he would help and who he would hurt but I knew that, whenever he was involved, someone would die.
These two wildcards interact with well-drawn versions of people you'd hope to meet in any good thriller: an evil billionaire and his two hard-hearted assassins, a bright, brave but distrustful and unhappy teenage daughter determined to protect her cute but useless little brother, a boy-next-door-with-a-crush who is in danger of being collateral damage, Nina/Leah's almost-too-nice-to-be-true young partner and his loyal dog.
I had fun with this novel but, in the end, I found Blackman's unpredictability a little unsatisfying. I believed in the outcomes but I wasn't swept along by them.
To me, it felt as if the novel moved quite slowly at the start but that might be because I started with the audiobook version of 'Never Far Away' and ended up returning it by the end of Chapter 5 because the narrator, Robert Petkoff, kept emoting all over Michael Koryta's prose, seemingly trying to squeeze some melodrama out of a story that didn't need it.
Once moved to the ebook version, I was more comfortable and could appreciate the hard-edged dispassion with which the violence and death that peppers the book were described.
The final big confrontation scene of the book had me on the edge of my seat. I had no idea how it was going to go and who, if anybody, would survive. Even so, when the cards were shown and the survivors were known, I found the ending a little abrupt. I think Michael Koryta wanted to end on an adrenalin high rather than get bogged down in a here's-what-happened-to-eveyone-aftwards chapter. Maybe he was right but it surprised me.
April 26, 2022
I thought this offering dragged a little in the middle. It was still a good read with a satisfying conclusion. I thought The Prophet was a much better read but I will still read more from this author.
July 25, 2021
Too much time spent in the wilds of Maine reaching the conclusion. Not bad but nothing to write home about.
October 25, 2024
Nothing beats a good assassin and nobody does assassins better than Koryta. Leah Trenton has a price on her head. If she’s going to live long enough to see her children grow up, she’s going to need help.
Dax Blackwell, a killer with more than a touch of class, may just be Leah’s saviour....or is he? Koryta is a renowned wordsmith and Never far away will transport you to that hinterland of what ifs. The backdrop of Maine and the Canadian wilderness is so well imagined; it takes you to a different place. I don’t think you can ask much more of that from a book.
Dax Blackwell, a killer with more than a touch of class, may just be Leah’s saviour....or is he? Koryta is a renowned wordsmith and Never far away will transport you to that hinterland of what ifs. The backdrop of Maine and the Canadian wilderness is so well imagined; it takes you to a different place. I don’t think you can ask much more of that from a book.
December 22, 2023
По-скоро слабо представяне на Корита. Има далеч по-силни книги. Обемът на тази е твърде малък за историята, която авторът иска да ни разкаже. Усеща се, че на места е рязано, вероятно от редакционни и издателски съображения...в резултат на което имаме сюжет и герои тип екшън филм от 90те.
September 3, 2023
Good pacing and twisted bad guys made for a suspenseful read. I would have liked to see a little more character development, especially with the kids, as it made it difficult to form a connection to them. But Leah was one tough cookie who it was apparent would go to any lengths to protect her children.
Not as good as others I've read from this author, but definitely an entertaining book.
Not as good as others I've read from this author, but definitely an entertaining book.
January 11, 2025
Another excellent book from Koryta.
March 29, 2021
The setting in the north woods of Maine was the best thing about the book. Once you get into the convoluted plot, the two dimensional characters and the number of times the suspension of disbelief is called for, it goes downhill, though the action continues at a pretty brisk pace .
From Kirkus
Having faked her death and fled her family a decade ago to protect them from killers, Nina Morgan—renamed Leah Trenton—is newly targeted by two assassins in the Maine North Woods.
The assassins have been dispatched by the Blackwater-like outfit for whom Nina was employed as a pilot and against whom she testified after witnessing a grisly murder. In her absence, before he died in a car accident, her husband instructed their daughter, Hailey, 13, and son, Nick, 11, to contact their "Aunt Leah" if something happened to him. Having never been visited by her, they're understandably upset when she suddenly appears at their home in Louisville and moves them to a Wi-Fi–less cabin in Maine. Soon enough, the killers track her down, leaving victims in their wake. Also arriving on the scene is sardonic young sociopath Dax Blackwell, part of a family of hit men featured in Koryta's novels. Asked by a family friend to protect Nina, Dax seizes the opportunity to even a score with the wealthy head of the black ops firm. He also likes the idea of making the suffering mom's life more miserable. All leads to a cleverly staged triangular encounter on and along the Allagash River. As always, Koryta uses outdoor settings masterfully. The usually persuasive author is less successful in overcoming some head-scratching plot contrivances and oddities. But the book is loaded with nail-biting suspense and parent-child emotion. And though there's more of Dax's corrosive wit than the story can bear ("You never stop talking, do you?" one character asks him), the book hits the ground running and never slows down.
Not one of Koryta's best but still a freshly imagined thriller.
From Kirkus
Having faked her death and fled her family a decade ago to protect them from killers, Nina Morgan—renamed Leah Trenton—is newly targeted by two assassins in the Maine North Woods.
The assassins have been dispatched by the Blackwater-like outfit for whom Nina was employed as a pilot and against whom she testified after witnessing a grisly murder. In her absence, before he died in a car accident, her husband instructed their daughter, Hailey, 13, and son, Nick, 11, to contact their "Aunt Leah" if something happened to him. Having never been visited by her, they're understandably upset when she suddenly appears at their home in Louisville and moves them to a Wi-Fi–less cabin in Maine. Soon enough, the killers track her down, leaving victims in their wake. Also arriving on the scene is sardonic young sociopath Dax Blackwell, part of a family of hit men featured in Koryta's novels. Asked by a family friend to protect Nina, Dax seizes the opportunity to even a score with the wealthy head of the black ops firm. He also likes the idea of making the suffering mom's life more miserable. All leads to a cleverly staged triangular encounter on and along the Allagash River. As always, Koryta uses outdoor settings masterfully. The usually persuasive author is less successful in overcoming some head-scratching plot contrivances and oddities. But the book is loaded with nail-biting suspense and parent-child emotion. And though there's more of Dax's corrosive wit than the story can bear ("You never stop talking, do you?" one character asks him), the book hits the ground running and never slows down.
Not one of Koryta's best but still a freshly imagined thriller.
March 7, 2021
Koryta is easily one of my favorite authors. I honestly can't recall anything I've read by him where I've been disappointed.
In Never Far Away, Leah Trenton has been forced to start a new life in order to protect the ones she loves. She's managed to keep everyone safe from harm for a decade and squeaked out a fresh start for herself as well. When an unfortunate accident happens however, Leah fears the man she has been hiding from will come for her once again.
This book is a page turner! It kept me on the edge of my seat and I had a pit in my stomach for so much of it. The plot moves swiftly and the characters are really well developed. And DAX IS BACK!!! (If you're not aware of Dax, read If She Wakes for a great introduction!) It's probably wrong to be excited about Dax being present. He's a cold-blooded killer and yet one of the most intriguing characters on a page. With Dax, you never know what his intentions are but he's clear to explain them plainly. As a reader, he makes you on edge all the time! Does Dax have a conscience? Is he like his father and uncle before him? What motivates him to do what he does? So many layers to Dax.
Anyway, this is a great read and so well done. Looking forward to the next book from this great author (and I suspect that Dax may be lingering on those pages as well...or at least I hope he is!).
In Never Far Away, Leah Trenton has been forced to start a new life in order to protect the ones she loves. She's managed to keep everyone safe from harm for a decade and squeaked out a fresh start for herself as well. When an unfortunate accident happens however, Leah fears the man she has been hiding from will come for her once again.
This book is a page turner! It kept me on the edge of my seat and I had a pit in my stomach for so much of it. The plot moves swiftly and the characters are really well developed. And DAX IS BACK!!! (If you're not aware of Dax, read If She Wakes for a great introduction!) It's probably wrong to be excited about Dax being present. He's a cold-blooded killer and yet one of the most intriguing characters on a page. With Dax, you never know what his intentions are but he's clear to explain them plainly. As a reader, he makes you on edge all the time! Does Dax have a conscience? Is he like his father and uncle before him? What motivates him to do what he does? So many layers to Dax.
Anyway, this is a great read and so well done. Looking forward to the next book from this great author (and I suspect that Dax may be lingering on those pages as well...or at least I hope he is!).
March 16, 2021
4.5 stars.
The first chapter was only 8 pages but the scene was terrifying.
In the next few chapters, readers see Leah Trenton in Maine as she flies an airplane with her boyfriend. They have a guide business and own several cabins. Several states away, we see a happy home life of Doug and his two children Hailey (13) and Nick (11). Going to get donuts, Doug crashes his vehicle and dies. Leah receives a call on her satellite phone from Hailey who has always been taught by her father to call this number if anything happened to him. Hailey and and Nick have been told their mother died 10 years ago. They don't know Leah is really their mother and she had to escape and hide after testifying against a powerful man who has a very long memory. Now that she's out in the open, he's coming for Leah.
For me, this was a gripping story. In both of the books by this author that I have read, the assassins have been strangely likeable. Dax can't be called honorable but he has his own personal code. My mind was circling the entire book trying to figure out what Dax was ultimately going to do. Even at the very end, I didn't expect part of what he did. I like to be surprised.
The first chapter was only 8 pages but the scene was terrifying.
In the next few chapters, readers see Leah Trenton in Maine as she flies an airplane with her boyfriend. They have a guide business and own several cabins. Several states away, we see a happy home life of Doug and his two children Hailey (13) and Nick (11). Going to get donuts, Doug crashes his vehicle and dies. Leah receives a call on her satellite phone from Hailey who has always been taught by her father to call this number if anything happened to him. Hailey and and Nick have been told their mother died 10 years ago. They don't know Leah is really their mother and she had to escape and hide after testifying against a powerful man who has a very long memory. Now that she's out in the open, he's coming for Leah.
For me, this was a gripping story. In both of the books by this author that I have read, the assassins have been strangely likeable. Dax can't be called honorable but he has his own personal code. My mind was circling the entire book trying to figure out what Dax was ultimately going to do. Even at the very end, I didn't expect part of what he did. I like to be surprised.
March 9, 2021
Some really strange characters
This book is a little odd but very much enjoyable. I even loved the strange characters, that you never knew for sure if they were bad or good. Definitely read!
This book is a little odd but very much enjoyable. I even loved the strange characters, that you never knew for sure if they were bad or good. Definitely read!
June 1, 2024
Well done. Interesting characters.
March 17, 2021
Interesting premise in this one. The mother (or aunt) at first we are not sure, must distance herself from her two children to keep them safe.
September 11, 2023
This was a pretty amazing book that I read in a single day. A few chilling moments. A few moments when I did not know what would happen next. Full of the unexpected.
In one sense, it felt a little preposterous, but I am not a fan of characters living a new life with a new identity. That was especially true here because ten years had lapsed between when Leah (Nina) had witnessed something she shouldn't have and went on the run for years while her husband raised their kids and supported her decision. Then, he died, and out of the blue, she was thrust back into the picture. But this premise carried the book.
Koryta certainly knows how to create creepy characters. The kids were great and spot on. The two hit men looking for Leah and killing witnesses in their wake were freaky. The most bizarre character was Dax. I really couldn't stand him with his glib approach to everything. He came across as being on Leah's side yet from afar. However, he spoke in riddles and made statements that no one understood.
The wilds of Maine really enhanced the whole atmosphere. Out of cellphone range and living off the land.
The book is intelligently written and suspenseful. The very last paragraph summed up a lot of it when all was said and done.
A decent reading experience.
In one sense, it felt a little preposterous, but I am not a fan of characters living a new life with a new identity. That was especially true here because ten years had lapsed between when Leah (Nina) had witnessed something she shouldn't have and went on the run for years while her husband raised their kids and supported her decision. Then, he died, and out of the blue, she was thrust back into the picture. But this premise carried the book.
Koryta certainly knows how to create creepy characters. The kids were great and spot on. The two hit men looking for Leah and killing witnesses in their wake were freaky. The most bizarre character was Dax. I really couldn't stand him with his glib approach to everything. He came across as being on Leah's side yet from afar. However, he spoke in riddles and made statements that no one understood.
The wilds of Maine really enhanced the whole atmosphere. Out of cellphone range and living off the land.
The book is intelligently written and suspenseful. The very last paragraph summed up a lot of it when all was said and done.
A decent reading experience.
March 20, 2021
(3 1/2). Michael Koryta has been on my must read list for several years, and this effort does nothing to diminish that standing. He is a well crafted storyteller, and this one is a doozy. With a beautiful setting near the Maine wilderness, we are busy escaping the past and two terrific bad guys, all the while being assisted by an even more delicious but very questionable good guy (sort of). Put in some very strange family dynamics and a couple of outstanding twists and turns and you have the whole package neatly wrapped up. Yes, there is a tiny to moderate bit of sappiness which is why I could not take it to 4 stars, but this is an extremely solid read. Good stuff.
February 14, 2021
I love Koryta but this book left me disappointed and wanting more. I didn't really feel a connection to any of the characters, the dialogue felt sloppy at times and the actions of some characters we've seen before didn't seem on brand to me. If you've never read any of his work, do not start with this one; pick one of his other novels and give him the opportunity to woo you.
November 30, 2021
Koryta is a reliable thriller writer, and this is a solid outing. The female lead is a little too naive, considering her history, and the daughter is too bratty to be likeable, but despite that I read to the end.
February 22, 2021
When I pick up a new book, I typically like to take in the cover, check out the blurbs, and read the plot summary on the inside flap. For some reason, I chose not to do any of that with Michael Koryta’s latest novel, NEVER FAR AWAY, and it ended up being the right call. The story kicks off with an episode from the past that will not make total sense for a while until the present-day narrative starts filling in the puzzle pieces. This made the anticipation for the secrets that were to be revealed that much more satisfying as they worked their way into the plot.
NEVER FAR AWAY begins with a section titled “The End.” It is not the end of the story, but the end of the life that once belonged to Nina Jackson. She and two unnamed men spend time setting up her vehicle to make it look like she has been murdered and bled out in the driver’s seat. No body is left behind. Nina ceased to exist at that moment in Florida a decade ago. She moved far away to Maine, where she became Leah Trenton, a wilderness guide. This was all done so that a very bad man would not harm her husband or her two kids. However, Koryta and his readers understand that you cannot run away from your past forever; eventually it catches up with you.
Leah’s husband, Doug, had instructed his children to dial a certain phone number in the event that anything bad ever happened to him. When he is killed in a one-car accident, Hailey and Nick call Aunt Leah, a woman they have never met. Leah hears about their father’s death and assures them that everything will be okay and she will come for them. She tells her boyfriend, Ed, that she needs to pick up her niece and nephew who have now been “orphaned” and bring them back home to Maine.
The children are reluctant to leave Kentucky but have no say in the matter. They are under the impression that Leah is their mother’s sister, still believing that their mother was killed 10 years earlier. The bad man who wanted Leah dead is the head of the Lowery Group, and I will leave that backstory for readers to discover themselves. Let’s just say that he might not be convinced of her demise and will send two of his most brutal hitmen, Pollard and Bleak, to confirm his suspicions.
Meanwhile, Leah reaches out to the only person she can think of who might be able to help her: Doc Lambkin, who had been involved in the ruse surrounding her faked death. He then calls upon Dax Blackwell, a young man who we never really know is good or bad, to protect her. Pollard and Bleak break out of prison and begin leaving a bloody path behind them as they travel from Kentucky to Maine in search of Leah and her children. They have no intentions of letting any of them survive their eventual meeting.
Leah decides to pick a place to hunker down with Ed and the kids. Either they wait out the search by the bad men or prepare to take a final stand against them. This is to take place at a location 200 miles from her home in the middle of the Allagash Wilderness in a spot only reachable by seaplane. Of course, Hailey had shared this trip with her only friend at her new school, a local boy named Matt. When Matt breaks into Leah’s house after they have left --- on a mission for Hailey that involves searching through her mysterious aunt’s belongings for answers --- he is met there by Pollard and Bleak, who immediately take him hostage and use him as leverage in the inevitable showdown with Leah. Fearing for his life, Matt spills the beans, and he and the hitmen are soon on their way to the Allagash Mountains.
Dax Blackwell, by far my favorite character here, uses “incentive” to force another local tour guide to fly him to the same area so he can complete his assignment. Koryta saves the best dialogue for Dax, and his scenes with the seaplane pilot and later with Hailey and Nick are worth the price of admission. We now have tension surrounding the triangular meeting of Leah with her children, Pollard and Bleak, and Dax.
A less effective author may have written himself into a corner at this point and wrapped up the book with an unbelievable plot twist or ending. That is not the case with Michael Koryta, who is a superb plotter. NEVER FAR AWAY has a satisfying conclusion that allows Leah to live up to her promise that mothers are never far away.
Reviewed by Ray Palen
NEVER FAR AWAY begins with a section titled “The End.” It is not the end of the story, but the end of the life that once belonged to Nina Jackson. She and two unnamed men spend time setting up her vehicle to make it look like she has been murdered and bled out in the driver’s seat. No body is left behind. Nina ceased to exist at that moment in Florida a decade ago. She moved far away to Maine, where she became Leah Trenton, a wilderness guide. This was all done so that a very bad man would not harm her husband or her two kids. However, Koryta and his readers understand that you cannot run away from your past forever; eventually it catches up with you.
Leah’s husband, Doug, had instructed his children to dial a certain phone number in the event that anything bad ever happened to him. When he is killed in a one-car accident, Hailey and Nick call Aunt Leah, a woman they have never met. Leah hears about their father’s death and assures them that everything will be okay and she will come for them. She tells her boyfriend, Ed, that she needs to pick up her niece and nephew who have now been “orphaned” and bring them back home to Maine.
The children are reluctant to leave Kentucky but have no say in the matter. They are under the impression that Leah is their mother’s sister, still believing that their mother was killed 10 years earlier. The bad man who wanted Leah dead is the head of the Lowery Group, and I will leave that backstory for readers to discover themselves. Let’s just say that he might not be convinced of her demise and will send two of his most brutal hitmen, Pollard and Bleak, to confirm his suspicions.
Meanwhile, Leah reaches out to the only person she can think of who might be able to help her: Doc Lambkin, who had been involved in the ruse surrounding her faked death. He then calls upon Dax Blackwell, a young man who we never really know is good or bad, to protect her. Pollard and Bleak break out of prison and begin leaving a bloody path behind them as they travel from Kentucky to Maine in search of Leah and her children. They have no intentions of letting any of them survive their eventual meeting.
Leah decides to pick a place to hunker down with Ed and the kids. Either they wait out the search by the bad men or prepare to take a final stand against them. This is to take place at a location 200 miles from her home in the middle of the Allagash Wilderness in a spot only reachable by seaplane. Of course, Hailey had shared this trip with her only friend at her new school, a local boy named Matt. When Matt breaks into Leah’s house after they have left --- on a mission for Hailey that involves searching through her mysterious aunt’s belongings for answers --- he is met there by Pollard and Bleak, who immediately take him hostage and use him as leverage in the inevitable showdown with Leah. Fearing for his life, Matt spills the beans, and he and the hitmen are soon on their way to the Allagash Mountains.
Dax Blackwell, by far my favorite character here, uses “incentive” to force another local tour guide to fly him to the same area so he can complete his assignment. Koryta saves the best dialogue for Dax, and his scenes with the seaplane pilot and later with Hailey and Nick are worth the price of admission. We now have tension surrounding the triangular meeting of Leah with her children, Pollard and Bleak, and Dax.
A less effective author may have written himself into a corner at this point and wrapped up the book with an unbelievable plot twist or ending. That is not the case with Michael Koryta, who is a superb plotter. NEVER FAR AWAY has a satisfying conclusion that allows Leah to live up to her promise that mothers are never far away.
Reviewed by Ray Palen
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