Jaxon With An X

by D.K. Wall

A lone teenager. A shocking secret.

During a raging snowstorm, a deputy rescues a teenager stumbling along the side of a highway. Battered and starving, the boy reveals only his name-Jaxon with an X.

Ten years earlier, six-year-old Jaxon Lathan disappeared from a small North Carolina mountain town. The sheriff thought he had solved the crime, but the boy's return leads to a house of secrets, a mass grave, and the horror of missed opportunities. As the victims are identified one-by-one, the story of what really happened comes to light.

While the police piece together the crimes, Jaxon's family struggles to rebuild their relationship with their long-lost son, now a barely recognizable shadow recovering in a hospital bed. His return rekindles the guilt each of them carries about the day he disappeared.

Jaxon craves the warmth and love of the family he barely remembers. But why does he deserve to be happy when his best friend from those dark years will never return?

Jaxon with an X is an emotionally charged standalone literary fiction novel. If you like rural settings, broken families learning to heal, and stories of personal endurance, you'll love D.K. Wall's absorbing tale.

Can Jaxon with an X find his way out of the cold?

Genres: Thriller, Fiction

326 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 21, 2020

About the author

Many years ago, D.K. Wall regaled a group of co-workers with a colorful story. One lady wiped tears of laughter from her eyes. "I wish I had been there."

"But you were."

"Yes, but you remember it better than I do."

That's the art of story telling. Begin with a nugget of truth. Highlight the interesting. Surround with imagery. Weave fact and fiction to create an engaging tale. Remember it better.

D.K. has lived his entire life in the Carolinas—the highest elevations of the Great Smoky Mountains, the industrial towns of Gastonia and Hickory, the financial center of Charlotte, and the coastal salt marsh of Murrells Inlet. He’s watched the textile and furniture industries wither and the banking and service industries explode, changing the face of the region.

Married and living in Asheville, surrounded by his family of rescued Siberian Huskies known as The Thundering Herd, D.K. takes the characters and tales of his lifetime of experience and remembers them better for your entertainment.

Reviews

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book captivated me from start to finish. It is a mystery that is both heart wrenching and heart warming. The characters are one's I will not forget, and the chapters that are narrated by Jaxon are a beautiful and chilling glimpse into the heart and soul of an abused child. Parts of the book are disturbing, but not overly graphic. The mystery of Jaxon is slowly revealed, with a twist at the end I did not anticipate. The ending was both wonderful and tragic at the same time. I thoroughly enjoyed the book! I did receive a complimentary copy from the author, and I am glad I did. It is a book I will long remember.

[PinkAmy loves books, cats and naps · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m a sucker for abduction kids coming home novels, so my rating might be higher than others will write.

JAXON WITH AN X is told from two different perspectives, that of Jaxon and his family and another from the police/FBI investigation.

DK Wall’s choice to structure his book in this manner allowed for maximum suspense adding tension. I continued listening to the audiobook until I couldn’t stay awake.

Jaxon and his entire family were sympathetic, even his recently sober father made me root for him. I was frustrated with the local sheriff, who continued to suspect the father long after he should have realized he was looking in the wrong direction. He owed Matt an apology, which never came.

I found myself tearing up several times during the book. I know I’ll reread JAXON WITH AN X multiple times.

[Rosalind Bauld · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome writing. Best book I read in a long time. Kept you guessing with plot twists all the way through. Highly recommend.

[DEBORAH DISTAULO · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very enjoyable

[Jeanette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Child Abduction..

What an awful subject to write about, but what a compassionate way of doing it. Truthfully, this is something we read about in news & online everyday. Astonished when it's someone you knew, even more heartbroken when you find it is true. The life of a young boy or girl is more precious than the sum of a twisted pedophile.
Thank you for writing this book. The characters are believable and play their selves well. You know a small town, your neighbors are your first defense. Kudos for including them...much recommended...😊

[Shirley Mytnowych · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book started off great! I could barely put it down. At around the halfway point, the bad guy is identified and been taken care of. It was downhill for me from there. I pretty much figured out what was going to happen and how it would end. The relationship between the boys did not work for me. It was over the top and a bit sappy. Not very realistic IMHO. The second half was just too slow moving and drawn out. 3 stars for how much I loved the first half balance it out.

[Cheryl Lawlor · Rating 5 out of 5]

sad, but couldn't put it down! Great read!

[Monica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a great read. I would consider this book a hidden gem. It's not your usual mystery thriller book focusing more on the crime as it happens. The story follows the healing process of a family and a boy, who can't remember another life other than captivity. Until you hit the speed bump of a twist that jostles you and demands you to keep reading until it's finished.

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good.

A suspenseful, page turner with a twist that was surprising but not shocking.
I loved these characters - even though they sometimes seemed too good ...or too bad, as the case may be.

[Norman Lorraine · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐️An intriguing read. A hard to put down book which is very dark at times. I’ve had it on my tbr for a while now…glad I read it. Worth the read!

[Squid · Rating 5 out of 5]

borrowed it as a joke cause the title was so dumb, turned out to be amazing, almost cried even.

[Kelly S. Pawaskar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

excellent read

I thoroughly enjoyed this read. Twists and turns and heart wrenching. One of the better books I’ve read this year.

[Sasha Skog · Rating 2 out of 5]

Clearly I’m the outlier here but I had to DNF this book. The dialogue was absolutely terrible, the writing felt amateur. I just couldn’t do it despite the interesting subject matter.

[Tee M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This powerful and daunting book will stay with me for a long time. It is the story of a parent's worst nightmare, child abduction. Jaxon is abducted at age 6 and kept in captivity. I tearfully read the gut wrenching scenes narrated by Jaxon that described the conditions of his captivity and marveled at his quiet strength and determination. Eventually Jaxon escapes (10 years later) and is reunited with his family. There is a twist at the end that ripped apart what was left of my heart.

The characters are all very well-developed and complete with their individual flaws that make them human and believable. The mystery is well-paced and held my attention from beginning to end.

This story beautifully illustrates how bonds of friendship and love are often created out of desperation.

Trigger warnings: Descriptions of violent physical abuse, abuse of neglect, alcohol use disorder

[Jodi Pomerleau · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started reading this when I went to bed...big mistake as at 1 am I was still reading and figured I had better try to sleep! Today is snowing and who wants to go outside? So i spent the day reading. It's a compelling story that maybe is not so realistic, but because you get invested in the characters, you can forgive that fact. Jaxon, a boy who had been kidnapped as a six year old, has miraculously been found. The story takes us back to his time imprisoned in a cold dank cellar with a number of other abducted boys. Finally there is only Jaxon, and he makes his escape, is reunited with his family, and has to learn to navigate a world he knows nothing about. The twist I saw coming, there were enough hints to figure it out, but it still was a great story.

[Kathryn R · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to give this book a 4 or even a 5 as for the most part I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Except for one major flaw. If I missed how this was explained then I will happily change my rating.

How does a child who was abducted at age 6 and spends the next 10 years with only children his own age and younger understand adult conversation? I get that he studied a dictionary but that would only give him a vocabulary. I simply do not believe that anyone in that situation could always understand exactly what was being asked of him yet alone respond with correct grammar.

I realize this book is purely fiction, but it should still be believable.

Again, maybe I missed something as I am not seeing any other reviews with a similar opinion as mine.

[Terry · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars for this emotional heartbreaker!

This is not the normal type of book that I read, but I heard so much about it I had to read it. I couldn't put it down! My heart broke for Jaxon at the suffering he had endured for 10 years. And the twist at the end, I never saw coming ... and it broke my heart even further.

Jaxon went missing when he was 6 and 10 years later he is found walking down a road in the middle of winter with no coat, hat, mitts or even shoes. When the Sheriff and the FBI investigate where he has been the last 10 years, they will uncover a horrendous crime that will shock the people of this small mountain town.

[Wendy Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

How do you rate a book that has a story that is about a teenage boy who is abducted when is is 6 and appears on a snowy road 10 yrs later looking like a 12 yr. Old because of malnutrition, abuse, a shadow of a human. Disturbing, hard to read, you wondering why you continue to read. No more than a 3.
Then you do continue reading an extremely well written book that weaves a mystery that throws curves and surprises rights to the end and it “kind of” has a happily every after for a 16 yr old boy. Must be worth a 5. D.K. Wall is an excellent writer. I’m going to give it a 4.5. Read it and let me know what you think…..

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a book!

This book had me captivated, I couldn’t devour it quick enough. There’s a couple of major twists that I definitely never saw coming. Highly recommend Jaxon With an X to everyone who enjoys psychological thrillers.
Jaxson disappeared when he was six at the beginning of this book. We are then taken to a cabin and told hear stories about ‘before’ from some boys, as well as what is going on currently.
You will feel so many feelings while reading this book and at a few places you aren’t sure exactly which one is most prominent at that moment. Don’t just think about reading this book, get it and read it now!!

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting book that handled really tough subjects without going into graphic details. The premise is the escape of a young man from an abusive, kidnapped situation and the family he returns to, along with the law enforcement that was involved. I thought it was well written and the characters were very real and relatable. The final solution has an interesting twist that makes the book hard to put down.

I appreciated the relatively clean language. Trigger warnings: this book is all about child kidnapping, abuse, molestation and murder. There was no graphic language related to these events, which was great.

[JAN R FREEMAN · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book so much. Certainly an easy read, which I love. Read in about 6 hours.

Cried many times.

*******Spoilers

There were too many things Jaxon couldn’t remember from his childhood AND he kept thinking he didn’t belong there.

I figured it out, so wasn’t too surprised.

However!!!! I have read books - example:

The actual killer was barely mentioned in the book until the very end....character development was nil.

So, do I want to figure out an ending 80% into the book or do I want a few clues??? I think I want clues!!

[Charles · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could not stop reading this book

What is there to say but wow what an amazing book. I was very torn by the triggers and let out a huge gasp at one of the twists. I laughed, I cried , I got very angry and I thought several times there is no way I can finish this book. I reluctantly continued on and by the last chapter there were so many happy tears in my eyes and a big smile on my face. The author knew exactly how to mess with my emotions and make me stop and think. Please do not think twice about reading this book. This book and author deserves more than 5 stars ⭐️.

[K · Rating 2 out of 5]

Let me start by saying this is definitely not my kind of book and I only finished it because I'm doing an A-Z book challenge and this was the closest I could get to an "X" title.
I was not a fan of this story at all. It was cheesy and oh so predictable! I knew the "shocking ending" pretty much in the first few chapters. And the other "surprise," yep I knew that one right away as well. Maybe I read too many books and watch too many crime shows but if I know the surprise from the get go I consider that poor writing.

[Kris Bradbury · Rating 5 out of 5]

Riviting

I love to read, but I am a picky reader. A story absolutely must keep me interested and involved and Jaxon with an X did exactly that for me. The story telling is extremely well thought out and although I would of liked to of seen the character's of the sheriff and kidnapper expanded on and seen the point of view of the kidnapper added it was still an excellent read! Now, I need to read the other "small town/big lives" books Mr. Wall has written.

[Val Shaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

Needs to be a movie

I loved this book and I hope someone grabs it up to turn it into a movie! Anyone who loves a good mystery with wonderful engaging characters will adore this book. I put way to much sleep and other things aside to finish it quickly. The twist had me gasping in surprise and that's a very rare thing for me.

[MaryMargaret Norton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a good, sad story. In some ways it was a pretty traditional kidnapping, serial killer book. In other ways it really sad. It makes you think about the bonds of family, and how families should and do interact. This story makes you think about compassion. The importance of doing the right thing. But it is sad.

[Donna J. Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

buy it

There are three books in this series. I was ho him about book one because I hated the ending. But I love small town, mountain town, rural locations in a novel so I purchased book 2. I loved it story line was gripping and moving. Good people and horrible. An ending I can live with.

[Dee Florent · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Read!!

Jaxon with an X was a really great story. I happened to see it advertised on Facebook. A free sample was offered and I was hooked so I downloaded it onto my Kindle.

It kept me intrigued and guessing throughout most of the book. D.K. Wall is very descriptive with the writing and I really enjoyed the book. It's definitely worth reading.

[Jovdb · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very emotional book. The descriptions of their time in the cellar were very disturbing and gripping.

I read this book very quickly because I wanted to know how it ended. All the characters felt real, flawed and very human. I loved nurse Sheila, such a compassionate individual.

I didn’t give it 5 stars because I guessed the twist very early on.