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Breakout
In this heart-pounding thriller, a correctional officer and an ex-cop are fleeing a hurricane—but their only hope of survival is a maximum-security prison where they face new untold dangers.
Hurricane a superstorm made up of two Category 5 hurricanes coming together to wreak unprecedented havoc along the eastern seaboard.
When the superstorm hits, the correctional officers at Ravenhill flee, opening all the cell doors and leaving the inmates to fend for themselves as the floodwaters rise. But Jack Constantine, an ex-cop serving ten years for killing one of his wife's murderers, isn't going to just lay down and die. Not when his wife's two remaining killers are among the prisoners relocated to the Glasshouse to ride out the storm.
Meanwhile, Kiera Sawyer, a Correctional Officer on her first day at work is the only officer left behind when the others flee. Sawyer rescues Jack and offers to team up. If they can make it to the Glasshouse they might just survive the hurricane. But that involves making their way through the prison, fighting off eight hundred blood-crazed inmates as the building fills with water and the wall crumble all around them.
Hurricane a superstorm made up of two Category 5 hurricanes coming together to wreak unprecedented havoc along the eastern seaboard.
When the superstorm hits, the correctional officers at Ravenhill flee, opening all the cell doors and leaving the inmates to fend for themselves as the floodwaters rise. But Jack Constantine, an ex-cop serving ten years for killing one of his wife's murderers, isn't going to just lay down and die. Not when his wife's two remaining killers are among the prisoners relocated to the Glasshouse to ride out the storm.
Meanwhile, Kiera Sawyer, a Correctional Officer on her first day at work is the only officer left behind when the others flee. Sawyer rescues Jack and offers to team up. If they can make it to the Glasshouse they might just survive the hurricane. But that involves making their way through the prison, fighting off eight hundred blood-crazed inmates as the building fills with water and the wall crumble all around them.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published March 4, 2021
23 people are currently reading
2167 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews
October 1, 2022
3.5 stars
This was a fast paced novel that kept my attention it was action packed , quite gory & gruesome to the point where I had to look away.
Former cop Jack Constantine is in a maximum security prison for murdering the person who killed his pregnant wife, there has been a tornado running riot in Florida for two days, Jack finds out that one of the men responsible for Amy’s murder is in another wing of the prison & Jack wants revenge no matter what.
The storm is getting worse by the minute & the officers are getting out to save their lives… but two officers leaves the cells open prisoners all 800 of them are running riot all over the prison, there was so much gore in this novel that I turned my head away,but there were plot holes in the beginning that didn’t explain about Amy’s murder I found it confusing & hard to follow.
The POV was told by Jack throughout, it was absorbing but think it lacked something I can’t put my finger on was just okay for me.
This was a fast paced novel that kept my attention it was action packed , quite gory & gruesome to the point where I had to look away.
Former cop Jack Constantine is in a maximum security prison for murdering the person who killed his pregnant wife, there has been a tornado running riot in Florida for two days, Jack finds out that one of the men responsible for Amy’s murder is in another wing of the prison & Jack wants revenge no matter what.
The storm is getting worse by the minute & the officers are getting out to save their lives… but two officers leaves the cells open prisoners all 800 of them are running riot all over the prison, there was so much gore in this novel that I turned my head away,but there were plot holes in the beginning that didn’t explain about Amy’s murder I found it confusing & hard to follow.
The POV was told by Jack throughout, it was absorbing but think it lacked something I can’t put my finger on was just okay for me.
February 15, 2021
A no ‘messing around’ straight to it 300 ( and 4 ) pages of fast, furious and nerve jangling adventure
Basically 800 inmates suddenly find themselves free when a hurricane hits their prison, and with freedom brings anarchy, revenge and a lust for blood, each other’s
In the midst of this we have ex cop Jack who is an inmate ( we find out why immediately ) who decides, with the help of a rookie officer, he wants to get out alive, only problem is 799 others have no intention of them doing so
Hurricane or nothing to lose murderers and rapists, who will get them first and will they survive both or either
Really well told, minimal long winded. ( 😁) hurricane/weather info ( just enough so you get to ‘feel’ the ferocity of it), and a book I visualised every page as it was happening, intense, scary and real time fight for survival
9/10
5 Stars
Basically 800 inmates suddenly find themselves free when a hurricane hits their prison, and with freedom brings anarchy, revenge and a lust for blood, each other’s
In the midst of this we have ex cop Jack who is an inmate ( we find out why immediately ) who decides, with the help of a rookie officer, he wants to get out alive, only problem is 799 others have no intention of them doing so
Hurricane or nothing to lose murderers and rapists, who will get them first and will they survive both or either
Really well told, minimal long winded. ( 😁) hurricane/weather info ( just enough so you get to ‘feel’ the ferocity of it), and a book I visualised every page as it was happening, intense, scary and real time fight for survival
9/10
5 Stars
May 3, 2021
4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2021/04/29/...
I recently found out Paul Herron is the pseudonym of Paul Crilley, a television, comics, and games writer who has also written a couple fantasy novels I’ve enjoyed. Breakout is his debut thriller. My verdict? It’s like your classic high-octane action movie meets Arkham Asylum—as over-the-top and popcorny as expected, but still shockingly good! You’ve got your tortured antihero ex-cop with nothing to lose. A rookie prison guard whose first day on the job goes horribly wrong. A perfect storm created by two Category 5 hurricanes coming together, barreling down on the Floridian coast. And right in its path sits the infamous Ravenhill Correctional Facility, home to the worst criminals in the country.
One of these inmates is former police detective Jack Constantine, currently serving ten years for brutally gunning down one of the men who killed his wife and unborn child. As the story begins, the warden has ordered all the prisoners to fix up a dilapidated but sturdier part of the old penitentiary to make it more suitable for them to ride out the storm. When Jack hears that his wife’s two remaining killers will be among those who will be relocated to this section of the prison, he can’t believe his luck. He’s never regretted his crime; he’s only sorry that he never got to finish the job. But soon, it seems he may get his chance to do so after all.
Meanwhile, Kiera Sawyer is trying not to freak out as she reports in for her first day at Ravenhill. She knows she probably shouldn’t have come. A monster of a storm is blowing in, and there’s been talk of mandatory evacuations for this part of the state. No one would blame her if she had simply decided not to show up. But Sawyer knows she can’t risk anything jeopardizing this job. She desperately needs it, for the sake of herself and her younger brother. In the end though, keeping the job becomes the least of her worries. The superstorm hits, and it’s worse than anyone could have imagined. Out of time, the warden decides to evacuate his people. As for the prisoners, it is too late for them. As a final act of mercy, one of the officers unlocks the doors to all the cells, giving their occupants at least a chance to survive the rising flood. Once the inmates realize that there’s no one left to guard them though, bitter rivalries are reawakened and old scores are settled, turning the prison into a bloodbath in the middle of the raging storm.
In all the chaos, no one notices that someone had gotten lost and left behind. Someone so new on the job, she’s not even on any of the staff rosters yet, let alone the evacuation list. Sawyer, left to fend for herself in all this madness, knows her only chance of survival is Jack Constantine, a man who doesn’t really belong in here with the rest of the habitual criminals and psychopaths. The only question is, can he move past his own demons to save them both?
I won’t even bother explaining why Break Out would make a good movie, as it already reads like an off-the-shelf screenplay. Here, the author’s experience as a television and script writer was clearly on display. Reading this book felt a lot like watching old school Bruce Willis in Die Hard or Nicolas Cage in The Rock. In other words, it was fucking awesome. If you’re looking for something intellectual, original, and deep, this is not the book for you. If you want stories that are realistic and plausible, again, this is not the kind of book for you. But if, on the other hand, a furiously entertaining, non-stop action thriller that checks off all the genre boxes is to your liking, then this will do for you nicely.
Nothing too complicated to it, really. No elegant grand plan, beyond setting all the violence and chaos in a maximum-security prison in the middle of a colossal hurricane, and that’s because all the ingredients for mayhem are already there. Remove the law and order, and what do you get? Killers, robbers, kidnappers, abusers who now have the run of the place but nowhere to go. Alliances are swiftly formed in a battle for dominance between warring gangs, but even those who survive this initial slaughter must then contend with the raging storm, which threatens to drown them all in an endless torrent of rain and seawater. In this arena of death, only the most ruthless and insane survive…or those who try to play it clever, like Constantine and Sawyer. The two of them make a great team, along with Constantine’s cellmate Felix.
Bottom line, I had such a wild and crazy time with this. Not the kind of novel I would recommend to everyone across the board, obviously, but if your tastes happen to run towards books that read like an action movie in prose form, then Break Out might just surprise you, like it did me. It’s the epitome of a popcorn read—undemanding and fun, and just in time for beach read weather. Paul Crilley/Paul Herron, please write more thrillers.
I recently found out Paul Herron is the pseudonym of Paul Crilley, a television, comics, and games writer who has also written a couple fantasy novels I’ve enjoyed. Breakout is his debut thriller. My verdict? It’s like your classic high-octane action movie meets Arkham Asylum—as over-the-top and popcorny as expected, but still shockingly good! You’ve got your tortured antihero ex-cop with nothing to lose. A rookie prison guard whose first day on the job goes horribly wrong. A perfect storm created by two Category 5 hurricanes coming together, barreling down on the Floridian coast. And right in its path sits the infamous Ravenhill Correctional Facility, home to the worst criminals in the country.
One of these inmates is former police detective Jack Constantine, currently serving ten years for brutally gunning down one of the men who killed his wife and unborn child. As the story begins, the warden has ordered all the prisoners to fix up a dilapidated but sturdier part of the old penitentiary to make it more suitable for them to ride out the storm. When Jack hears that his wife’s two remaining killers will be among those who will be relocated to this section of the prison, he can’t believe his luck. He’s never regretted his crime; he’s only sorry that he never got to finish the job. But soon, it seems he may get his chance to do so after all.
Meanwhile, Kiera Sawyer is trying not to freak out as she reports in for her first day at Ravenhill. She knows she probably shouldn’t have come. A monster of a storm is blowing in, and there’s been talk of mandatory evacuations for this part of the state. No one would blame her if she had simply decided not to show up. But Sawyer knows she can’t risk anything jeopardizing this job. She desperately needs it, for the sake of herself and her younger brother. In the end though, keeping the job becomes the least of her worries. The superstorm hits, and it’s worse than anyone could have imagined. Out of time, the warden decides to evacuate his people. As for the prisoners, it is too late for them. As a final act of mercy, one of the officers unlocks the doors to all the cells, giving their occupants at least a chance to survive the rising flood. Once the inmates realize that there’s no one left to guard them though, bitter rivalries are reawakened and old scores are settled, turning the prison into a bloodbath in the middle of the raging storm.
In all the chaos, no one notices that someone had gotten lost and left behind. Someone so new on the job, she’s not even on any of the staff rosters yet, let alone the evacuation list. Sawyer, left to fend for herself in all this madness, knows her only chance of survival is Jack Constantine, a man who doesn’t really belong in here with the rest of the habitual criminals and psychopaths. The only question is, can he move past his own demons to save them both?
I won’t even bother explaining why Break Out would make a good movie, as it already reads like an off-the-shelf screenplay. Here, the author’s experience as a television and script writer was clearly on display. Reading this book felt a lot like watching old school Bruce Willis in Die Hard or Nicolas Cage in The Rock. In other words, it was fucking awesome. If you’re looking for something intellectual, original, and deep, this is not the book for you. If you want stories that are realistic and plausible, again, this is not the kind of book for you. But if, on the other hand, a furiously entertaining, non-stop action thriller that checks off all the genre boxes is to your liking, then this will do for you nicely.
Nothing too complicated to it, really. No elegant grand plan, beyond setting all the violence and chaos in a maximum-security prison in the middle of a colossal hurricane, and that’s because all the ingredients for mayhem are already there. Remove the law and order, and what do you get? Killers, robbers, kidnappers, abusers who now have the run of the place but nowhere to go. Alliances are swiftly formed in a battle for dominance between warring gangs, but even those who survive this initial slaughter must then contend with the raging storm, which threatens to drown them all in an endless torrent of rain and seawater. In this arena of death, only the most ruthless and insane survive…or those who try to play it clever, like Constantine and Sawyer. The two of them make a great team, along with Constantine’s cellmate Felix.
Bottom line, I had such a wild and crazy time with this. Not the kind of novel I would recommend to everyone across the board, obviously, but if your tastes happen to run towards books that read like an action movie in prose form, then Break Out might just surprise you, like it did me. It’s the epitome of a popcorn read—undemanding and fun, and just in time for beach read weather. Paul Crilley/Paul Herron, please write more thrillers.
April 23, 2021
I won this book in a goodreads drawing.
A cop is in prison after killing of the creeps who killed his pregnant wife. Cops don't really do well in prison, but he keeps his head down.
Two hurricanes have joined and are heading right for the prison. All the guards have fled, after opening the cell doors, but not the prison gates. The cop, and a female prison guard on her first day, stranded by the other guards, try to escape the prison, and certain death. Meanwhile, the other two guys involved in killing the cop's wife are in the prison, and need killing. There also people looking to kill the cop.
Entertaining and fast moving, but you can tell the author is best known for writing video games.
A cop is in prison after killing of the creeps who killed his pregnant wife. Cops don't really do well in prison, but he keeps his head down.
Two hurricanes have joined and are heading right for the prison. All the guards have fled, after opening the cell doors, but not the prison gates. The cop, and a female prison guard on her first day, stranded by the other guards, try to escape the prison, and certain death. Meanwhile, the other two guys involved in killing the cop's wife are in the prison, and need killing. There also people looking to kill the cop.
Entertaining and fast moving, but you can tell the author is best known for writing video games.
April 28, 2021
I'm definitely all about the fast paced books. I tend to get bored easily, then my mind wanders, & I don't remember anything I read from one reading break to the next. Give me all the unputdownable books! (Actually, I do read some slowburns, too, but definitely prefer the fast-paced books, & preferably less than 350 pgs.)
'Breakout' is a novel that has the makings of an action-packed feature film! You can practically picture Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson or Jason Statham as characters in it as you're reading it!
'Breakout' is fast & furiously paced, claustrophobically atmospheric, & an adrenaline pumping thrill ride of a novel that begs to be adapted to the big screen. Think 'Con Air' meets 'The Rock' (another Nicholas Cage movie, not the actor mentioned above) meets 'Titanic' (minus the ship & violinists). I give my mom, who prefers mysteries & thrillers, books all the time & she'll be getting this one, too. I just hope her 73 yr old can handle it!
'Breakout' is a novel that has the makings of an action-packed feature film! You can practically picture Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson or Jason Statham as characters in it as you're reading it!
'Breakout' is fast & furiously paced, claustrophobically atmospheric, & an adrenaline pumping thrill ride of a novel that begs to be adapted to the big screen. Think 'Con Air' meets 'The Rock' (another Nicholas Cage movie, not the actor mentioned above) meets 'Titanic' (minus the ship & violinists). I give my mom, who prefers mysteries & thrillers, books all the time & she'll be getting this one, too. I just hope her 73 yr old can handle it!
April 18, 2021
Breakout is a fast paced prison thriller. It is gripping, action packed, and pretty gruesome at times. This book takes the reader on an intense and terrifying journey while the prisoners fight for survival. It’s the perfect storm (pun intended) between prison dangers and natural disasters. I love a good natural disaster story! I enjoyed Paul Herron’s writing style, really bringing life to the characters and their surroundings. The book was really creepy for me, because I can’t imagine surviving in a free-for-all prison during a Hurricane. If you enjoy really intense thrillers, you should check out Breakout! It is on sale now.
Thank you Grand Central Publishing for my copy in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you Grand Central Publishing for my copy in exchange for an honest review.
September 21, 2021
This book was INCREDIBLE!! Best book I've read this year by a landslide. Criminey, this book is full of action! I love everything about the premise. You have two hurricanes colliding into a super storm, about to cause mini-tsunamis and flood all of Florida, and the guards realize the prison is not going to make it. They abandon the prison, but first open all the cells to give the prisoners a fighting chance of surviving.
Of course, this leads to absolute fucking pandemonium and I LOVED it. This is a prison full of incredibly violent men. As one of the guards tells a brand new guard "If Hannibal Lector were real, he'd be in here." Well that new guard is a 5'6 115 pound woman who gets forgotten and left behind her first day on the job, the da of the superstorm. A massive storm rages outside, threatening to tear apart the prison, all while she is a small woman with no CO experience trapped with 800 rapists, murderers, gang members, and pedophiles.
Every time you think this book can't get any more chaotic, something new happens. Just escalating chaos until the ending, which is AMAZING.
I loved Jack's character arc. I loved the twist at the end with Sawyer's connection to Jack (definitely didn't see it coming, but the clues WERE there all along, just very subtle).
Felix made this freaking book for me. He's hilarious. He's just erratic enough to make him a wild card, but he still has a lot of kindness in him.
Oh, and best scene, hands down, the main characters are running from a group of Crips, they all round a corner and find a group of men with crosses drawn on their face and a dude in a stolen Chaplain's clothes. The Crips see them and immediately turn and run in the opposite direction XD
This had me going "Oh shit, these guys must be bad news if the Crips immediately turn and run." And they were. They turned out to be a gang led by a cannibal serial killer escaped from the high security unit who in the few hours since the guards abandoned the prison, performed very creative and graphic acts of violence across the prison.
The book is a wild ride of violence, action, and chaos, both nature and man made.
I binged this book in two days. It might be the best thriller I ever read.
Of course, this leads to absolute fucking pandemonium and I LOVED it. This is a prison full of incredibly violent men. As one of the guards tells a brand new guard "If Hannibal Lector were real, he'd be in here." Well that new guard is a 5'6 115 pound woman who gets forgotten and left behind her first day on the job, the da of the superstorm. A massive storm rages outside, threatening to tear apart the prison, all while she is a small woman with no CO experience trapped with 800 rapists, murderers, gang members, and pedophiles.
Every time you think this book can't get any more chaotic, something new happens. Just escalating chaos until the ending, which is AMAZING.
I loved Jack's character arc. I loved the twist at the end with Sawyer's connection to Jack (definitely didn't see it coming, but the clues WERE there all along, just very subtle).
Felix made this freaking book for me. He's hilarious. He's just erratic enough to make him a wild card, but he still has a lot of kindness in him.
Oh, and best scene, hands down, the main characters are running from a group of Crips, they all round a corner and find a group of men with crosses drawn on their face and a dude in a stolen Chaplain's clothes. The Crips see them and immediately turn and run in the opposite direction XD
This had me going "Oh shit, these guys must be bad news if the Crips immediately turn and run." And they were. They turned out to be a gang led by a cannibal serial killer escaped from the high security unit who in the few hours since the guards abandoned the prison, performed very creative and graphic acts of violence across the prison.
The book is a wild ride of violence, action, and chaos, both nature and man made.
I binged this book in two days. It might be the best thriller I ever read.
April 18, 2021
4.5 stars. I made the mistake of starting this thriller before bedtime. I was several hundred pages in, deep into the wee hours of the morning, before my sleeping pill overwhelmed the adrenaline flooding my system.
Don't get me wrong, there's nothing fancy or high falutin going on here. It's just a thriller with actual thrills. The story will be familiar to anyone who's seen the Nicholas Cage vehicle Con Air. Substitute a force five hurricane for the airplane. Substitute an ex-cop convict for Cage's former special forces con. Oh, but the sole female corrections officer, the good guy cellmate, and the rampaging criminals are the same. There's nothing new under the sun.
But, damn, I had a good time going along on this wild ride! It was all plot and violence, and it was propulsive! I'll be honest, the ending wasn't my favorite part. Not bad, just not fantastic. It's okay. It was the journey and not the destination. I'm a satisfied traveller.
Don't get me wrong, there's nothing fancy or high falutin going on here. It's just a thriller with actual thrills. The story will be familiar to anyone who's seen the Nicholas Cage vehicle Con Air. Substitute a force five hurricane for the airplane. Substitute an ex-cop convict for Cage's former special forces con. Oh, but the sole female corrections officer, the good guy cellmate, and the rampaging criminals are the same. There's nothing new under the sun.
But, damn, I had a good time going along on this wild ride! It was all plot and violence, and it was propulsive! I'll be honest, the ending wasn't my favorite part. Not bad, just not fantastic. It's okay. It was the journey and not the destination. I'm a satisfied traveller.
June 7, 2021
This book has violence, cruelty, blood, murder, and other horrors. But it also has suspense, excitement, adventure, natural disasters, and an ending that will not disappoint. I was able to overlook things that didn’t quite make sense in the context of the story. I couldn’t put it down.
February 20, 2021
would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this brilliant book
i love a good disaster movie or book and this one held me captive...no pun intended....
two hurricanes come together and boy is it a storm and a half...evacuation is ordered...building will crumble, nobody who is in the path of this storm will live...
a prison with over 800 prisoners is in the path of the storm...the wardens have all left but before going one bright prison warden opened up their cells...what happens next brings anarchy to the forefront, its a blood bath
one prison warden doesnt make it out...its her first day on the job
its going to be bad...very bad, how many will survive...
on the edge of my seat and read it in a day...can see it being made into a movie...will be keeping an eye out for more of this authors works
i love a good disaster movie or book and this one held me captive...no pun intended....
two hurricanes come together and boy is it a storm and a half...evacuation is ordered...building will crumble, nobody who is in the path of this storm will live...
a prison with over 800 prisoners is in the path of the storm...the wardens have all left but before going one bright prison warden opened up their cells...what happens next brings anarchy to the forefront, its a blood bath
one prison warden doesnt make it out...its her first day on the job
its going to be bad...very bad, how many will survive...
on the edge of my seat and read it in a day...can see it being made into a movie...will be keeping an eye out for more of this authors works
August 8, 2024
Pretty good read but the ending felt like the character would say “he’s right behind me isn’t he” if he was in a sitcom but good overall
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 21, 2021
Wow, I felt like I was holding my breath the entirety of the time it took me to finish Breakout! It's a punch in the face from the get-go. For those who like action/adventure reading, this is one of the best experiences I've had in the Disaster Fiction genre this year. Heart racing, exciting, and terrifyingly good.
~Tanja
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~Tanja
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June 3, 2021
Wow. This book was crazy and amazing!
Imagine - You are a police officer whose wife was murdered and you tried to get revenge on the murderers, which landed you in prison. Now there's the hurricane of all hurricanes headed toward the prison.
Or Imagine - It's your first day on the job as a guard at a maximum security prison. The guards have decided to evacuate and let the national guard manage the inmates. Except they leave without you, the national guard isn't coming, and some soft-hearted guard opened the prison cells to give the prisoners a chance.
These two characters team up to try to make it through the halls and rooms of this blood bath to get to the only exit door they have a key for. Gang wars, riots, and the hurricane all threaten to take them out as they try to survive and escape. Now, what are they going to do when they get to the exit with a hurricane raging outside? You'll have to read it to find out!
I thought this was such an exciting, riveting story! I loved the almost non-stop action, and the crazy things that happen! It's a great story for readers that enjoy thrillers filled with action and escape!
I was provided a gifted copy of this book for free. I am leaving my review voluntarily.
Imagine - You are a police officer whose wife was murdered and you tried to get revenge on the murderers, which landed you in prison. Now there's the hurricane of all hurricanes headed toward the prison.
Or Imagine - It's your first day on the job as a guard at a maximum security prison. The guards have decided to evacuate and let the national guard manage the inmates. Except they leave without you, the national guard isn't coming, and some soft-hearted guard opened the prison cells to give the prisoners a chance.
These two characters team up to try to make it through the halls and rooms of this blood bath to get to the only exit door they have a key for. Gang wars, riots, and the hurricane all threaten to take them out as they try to survive and escape. Now, what are they going to do when they get to the exit with a hurricane raging outside? You'll have to read it to find out!
I thought this was such an exciting, riveting story! I loved the almost non-stop action, and the crazy things that happen! It's a great story for readers that enjoy thrillers filled with action and escape!
I was provided a gifted copy of this book for free. I am leaving my review voluntarily.
April 6, 2021
Jack Constantine is an ex-cop serving 10 years for killing one of his wife's murderers. Kira Sawyer is a correctional officer on her first day at work, left behind when the other guards flee, freeing all the prisoners behind them. Together Constantine and Sawyer are trapped in Florida's Ravenhill Correctional Institution as two category five hurricanes are bearing down on the facility. This is the setting for Paul Herron's Breakout.
With the prisoners set free inside the facility, Sawyer frees Constantine from the infirmary. If they can make it to the older part of the prison, the Glasshouse, they just might survive. All that's in their way is rising floodwaters, crumbling walls, and 800 inmates.
Paul Herron writes with a cinematic flair. The sounds of the storm, the rain lashing the walls, and the rising water create great tension. The specter of needing to cross the entire length of a prison filled with blood-crazed prisoners with an unexpected taste of freedom and the opportunity to settle old scores makes for a great setting.
Herron does a great job with characterization giving the reader characters to root for as well as ones to be terrified of. Jack Constantine is a sympathetic, though not perfect, character. The murder of his wife gives him understandable motivation even if he has to operate outside the law to seek justice. He's made enemies inside of prison, some of whom have very understandable motives for hating him.
Breakout is a ticking time bomb of a story. A hurricane threatening to erase the prison from the map keeps the plot kicking forward. Likable characters navigating a prison crumbling from the outside in and making their way through the prison, each group of prisoners they encounter more terrifying than the last. This book has the feel of Escape From New York with great fight scenes, palpable danger on every page, and characters who have you holding your breath as they try to stay one step ahead of disaster. This book will have action fans clamoring for more. Highly recommended.
I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher.
With the prisoners set free inside the facility, Sawyer frees Constantine from the infirmary. If they can make it to the older part of the prison, the Glasshouse, they just might survive. All that's in their way is rising floodwaters, crumbling walls, and 800 inmates.
Paul Herron writes with a cinematic flair. The sounds of the storm, the rain lashing the walls, and the rising water create great tension. The specter of needing to cross the entire length of a prison filled with blood-crazed prisoners with an unexpected taste of freedom and the opportunity to settle old scores makes for a great setting.
Herron does a great job with characterization giving the reader characters to root for as well as ones to be terrified of. Jack Constantine is a sympathetic, though not perfect, character. The murder of his wife gives him understandable motivation even if he has to operate outside the law to seek justice. He's made enemies inside of prison, some of whom have very understandable motives for hating him.
Breakout is a ticking time bomb of a story. A hurricane threatening to erase the prison from the map keeps the plot kicking forward. Likable characters navigating a prison crumbling from the outside in and making their way through the prison, each group of prisoners they encounter more terrifying than the last. This book has the feel of Escape From New York with great fight scenes, palpable danger on every page, and characters who have you holding your breath as they try to stay one step ahead of disaster. This book will have action fans clamoring for more. Highly recommended.
I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher.
March 17, 2021
Breakout by Paul Herron is a highly recommended volatile and violent debut thriller.
Former police officer Jack Constantine is serving time at Ravenhill Correctional Facility located outside Miami, Florida, for killing one of the men who murdered his wife. A hurricane is approaching and work groups are sent from the prison to the Glasshouse, the former prison which is currently closed. The groups are ordered to clean up the building in preparation of sending prisoners over there due to flooding in the prison. While there Jack sees someone he doesn't want to see, Malcolm Kincaid, a man he sent to prison in an unethical manner. Later he sees the other two men who killed his wife. Before he can process all of this, everything changes. The single large hurricane is suddenly turning into the unthinkable. Two Category 5 hurricanes are coming together to form one monster superstorm. If that isn't enough, all the corrections officers flee for their own safety, leaving all the inmates to fend for themselves... and one of them opens up all the prison doors.
Jack teams up with Kiera Sawyer, a Correctional Officer who was there for her first day and was left behind. The plan is for the two to make their way to the Glasshouse where they might have a chance to survive, but to get there they have to fight their way through eight hundred inmates out to settle scores and the hurricane which is flooding and beginning to destroy the building.
This is a heart-stopping thriller that you will read at a gallop because the action is non-stop. The opening pages cover the murder of Jack's wife and things just get more intense after that. Between the inmates loose and running amok, and the violent weather there is no escaping from the violence, foreboding atmosphere, and numerous perils that threaten Jack and Sawyer. The tension is there right from the start and only increases to an almost impossible level of nail-biting suspense. This is one of those novels where the character development doesn't matter, although Herron does a good job providing some, because the actual plot is so intense. Breakout begs to be made into an action movie.
Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Grand Central Publishing in exchange for my honest opinion.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2021/0...
Former police officer Jack Constantine is serving time at Ravenhill Correctional Facility located outside Miami, Florida, for killing one of the men who murdered his wife. A hurricane is approaching and work groups are sent from the prison to the Glasshouse, the former prison which is currently closed. The groups are ordered to clean up the building in preparation of sending prisoners over there due to flooding in the prison. While there Jack sees someone he doesn't want to see, Malcolm Kincaid, a man he sent to prison in an unethical manner. Later he sees the other two men who killed his wife. Before he can process all of this, everything changes. The single large hurricane is suddenly turning into the unthinkable. Two Category 5 hurricanes are coming together to form one monster superstorm. If that isn't enough, all the corrections officers flee for their own safety, leaving all the inmates to fend for themselves... and one of them opens up all the prison doors.
Jack teams up with Kiera Sawyer, a Correctional Officer who was there for her first day and was left behind. The plan is for the two to make their way to the Glasshouse where they might have a chance to survive, but to get there they have to fight their way through eight hundred inmates out to settle scores and the hurricane which is flooding and beginning to destroy the building.
This is a heart-stopping thriller that you will read at a gallop because the action is non-stop. The opening pages cover the murder of Jack's wife and things just get more intense after that. Between the inmates loose and running amok, and the violent weather there is no escaping from the violence, foreboding atmosphere, and numerous perils that threaten Jack and Sawyer. The tension is there right from the start and only increases to an almost impossible level of nail-biting suspense. This is one of those novels where the character development doesn't matter, although Herron does a good job providing some, because the actual plot is so intense. Breakout begs to be made into an action movie.
Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Grand Central Publishing in exchange for my honest opinion.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2021/0...
March 1, 2021
When an apocalyptic storm sweeps across America the guards in a notorious ‘supermax’ prison flee, but not before unlocking all doors in the prison. As a result, the inmates are left to defend for themselves as the storm unleashes its fury and the floodwaters rise. Included among their number is Jack Constantine a former police officer and unrepentant killer of one of the men who slaughtered his wife and unborn child, and Kiera Sawyer a young female Correctional Officer, left behind on her first day of work. Together the pair try to fight their way to safety.
This is a foot to the metal thriller, that moves at a brisk pace from the first gunshot to the final bloodbath. The story and the characters seem straight forward, but Herron adds some quirks to keep it interesting. The tension builds well and there some horrific scenes of violence when the prisoners are first released and allowed to settle old scores.
There is a strong cinematic feel to this one and I think it will make a great action movie.
See the full review at https://murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/t...
This is a foot to the metal thriller, that moves at a brisk pace from the first gunshot to the final bloodbath. The story and the characters seem straight forward, but Herron adds some quirks to keep it interesting. The tension builds well and there some horrific scenes of violence when the prisoners are first released and allowed to settle old scores.
There is a strong cinematic feel to this one and I think it will make a great action movie.
See the full review at https://murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/t...
April 18, 2021
Fast-paced and filled with heart-pounding action “Breakout” which I received through Goodreads Giveaways opens as maximum security prison Ravenhill Correctional Institute in Miami Florida prepares for a superstorm made up of two Category 5 hurricanes. Hoping to find safety in “the Glasshouse”, an abandoned prison with storm tunnels underneath that can handle the flooding overflow, ex-cop Jack Constantine serving a ten year sentence for killing one of his wife’s murderers, his black cell mate Felix and new Correctional Officer Keira Sawyer begin a hair-raising trek that has them facing blood-crazed inmates, rising waters and the building shattering around them.
Set in a darkly barbaric and bloody environment, intensity and suspense quickly build as Constantine, Felix and Sawyer face eight hundred crazed prisoners, a mad Preacher and a powerful vengeful criminal as the flooding prison threatens to fall down around them. Well-developed, emotional tension grips the reader when Sheriff Montoya and his prison staff leave the prisoners behind in their attempt to escape the deadly storm; the bloodbath that ensures with a guard’s unlocking of the cell doors; and with memories of Constantine’s tragic loss and his hunger for vengeance. With twists and turns that keep you on the edge of your seat, the plot flows seamlessly to a shocking ending.
Breathing life into the story are intriguing and compelling characters like former solder and ex-cop Jack Constantine who’s tough, tense and vengeful; his impulsive, talkative cellmate Felix; and the stubborn, sensible and empathetic Correctional Officer Keira Sawyer. But it’s the ruthlessness of the gangs of convicts; the cocky bravado of the hard-hearted Malcolm Kincaid; and the craziness of the psychotic Preacher that adds a cold and grisly chill to the plot.
I enjoyed "Breakout” a unique and highly addictive thriller that you can’t put down until finished. For anyone looking for an intoxicating, adrenaline-charged adventure this is a novel that shouldn’t be missed.
Set in a darkly barbaric and bloody environment, intensity and suspense quickly build as Constantine, Felix and Sawyer face eight hundred crazed prisoners, a mad Preacher and a powerful vengeful criminal as the flooding prison threatens to fall down around them. Well-developed, emotional tension grips the reader when Sheriff Montoya and his prison staff leave the prisoners behind in their attempt to escape the deadly storm; the bloodbath that ensures with a guard’s unlocking of the cell doors; and with memories of Constantine’s tragic loss and his hunger for vengeance. With twists and turns that keep you on the edge of your seat, the plot flows seamlessly to a shocking ending.
Breathing life into the story are intriguing and compelling characters like former solder and ex-cop Jack Constantine who’s tough, tense and vengeful; his impulsive, talkative cellmate Felix; and the stubborn, sensible and empathetic Correctional Officer Keira Sawyer. But it’s the ruthlessness of the gangs of convicts; the cocky bravado of the hard-hearted Malcolm Kincaid; and the craziness of the psychotic Preacher that adds a cold and grisly chill to the plot.
I enjoyed "Breakout” a unique and highly addictive thriller that you can’t put down until finished. For anyone looking for an intoxicating, adrenaline-charged adventure this is a novel that shouldn’t be missed.
March 18, 2021
Hurricane Anna, an unprecedented superstorm, is on it's way to wreak havoc on the eastern seaboard and Ravenhill Correctional Facility is directly in it's path. Ex-cop Jack Constantine is in prison serving ten years for killing one of his wife's murderers. The other two? They're inmates at the same prison. When the Correctional officers flee they unlock all of the doors inside the prison, unleashing hundreds of inmates. It also just happens to be Kiera Sawyer's first day as a CO and she finds herself left behind. After rescuing Jack, they decide to team up to get to the Glasshouse which is likely to be the only survivable building in the entire facility. It's also the place where his wife's other two murderers are housed. As the prison floods around them and is quickly decimated piece by piece, Jack and Kiera need to fight their way through a bunch of violent and vicious inmates to make their way to the Glasshouse. Kiera just wants to survive. Jack? He wants revenge.
Breakout is gripping, action-packed, and intense. At times, even gruesome. I absolutely love books in a prison setting, and books about natural disasters. The combination made for a thrilling read. The fast-paced plot made me want to speed through this book, and the characters held everything together.
The dynamic between Kiera and Jack was enjoyable and well done. Each character could have stood on their own, but made a good team. I couldn't imagine having to fight my way inmates for a chance to survive. But what they faced, particularly some of the incidents with the more vicious inmates, were stomach churning. Kiera was a fierce female character and I loved how much of a fighter she was. Felix was also a highlight for me. I love when a side character can capture my attention like that.
If you enjoy thrillers, I recommend giving Breakout a read!
Thank you to Grand Central Publishing for an eARC to review.
Breakout is gripping, action-packed, and intense. At times, even gruesome. I absolutely love books in a prison setting, and books about natural disasters. The combination made for a thrilling read. The fast-paced plot made me want to speed through this book, and the characters held everything together.
The dynamic between Kiera and Jack was enjoyable and well done. Each character could have stood on their own, but made a good team. I couldn't imagine having to fight my way inmates for a chance to survive. But what they faced, particularly some of the incidents with the more vicious inmates, were stomach churning. Kiera was a fierce female character and I loved how much of a fighter she was. Felix was also a highlight for me. I love when a side character can capture my attention like that.
If you enjoy thrillers, I recommend giving Breakout a read!
Thank you to Grand Central Publishing for an eARC to review.
June 19, 2021
I love a fast paced crime thriller that leaves you escaping reality and absorbed into the pages!
July 26, 2021
Prepare yourself for one of the most exhilarating and action-packed novels of 2021 with the ultra-exciting thriller novel, Breakout by Paul Herron.
Breakout is an intriguing and fantastic novel that caught my eyes earlier this year. This fun book was written by Paul Herron, the pseudonym for established author and screenwriter Paul Crilley. Crilley, whose body of work includes his Delphic Division, The Invisible Order and The Chronicles of Abraxis Wren novels, appears to have taken this opportunity to dive into the thriller genre in a big way with Breakout. While I have not read any of Herron/Crilley’s books before, I found myself really drawn to this latest novel due to its outrageous and fun-sounding plot.
As you can imagine, the idea of a supermax prison with all the inmates loose and a destructive superstorm on the way was something that sounded pretty damn awesome and it was one of the main reasons that I wanted to read Breakout. There were so many cool things that could happen with such a narrative and Herron made sure to produce an epic and fast-paced narrative that is guaranteed to keep your attention through every electrifying scene.
The best way to describe Breakout is that it is very similar to the most insane action movie script you have ever seen. Herron has essentially written nearly 300 pages of wall-to-wall excitement and movement, as the protagonists are thrust into an unthinkable situation with very little chance of survival. The author does an incredible job setting up the initial threads of this great story, with compelling and detailed introductions of the troubled central character, Jack Constantine, the prison, the storm, and the other personalities contained within the prison. The author also makes good use of some flashback sequences at the start that not only tell Jack’s story but also set up some major plot points, such as two characters the protagonist really wants to kill and a major antagonist. All of this set up ensures that when the mayhem begins, it can go on at a continuous pace, with Jack, the trapped rookie prison guard, Keira Sawyer, and other associates running into problem after problem without any additional background information. These obstacles include rival prison gangs, flooding, insane winds, collapsing buildings, impromptu fight clubs, a deranged cult leader, and a vengeful gangster. These inclusions ensure that the reader can barely take a breath without something cool happening, and it is extremely easy to read this novel in one sitting. All this leads up to big conclusion as the protagonist has to make some big decisions, as well as deal with the consequences of a few good twists that Herron added. I deeply enjoyed this entire narrative, and action lovers everywhere are going to have an absolute blast getting through this fun book.
Breakout contains an intriguing array of characters, although I must admit that I was not taken by central protagonist, Jack Constantine. Constantine is a bit of an ass at the best of times, as he is very arrogant and selfish. I honestly had a hard time feeling any sympathy for the character at times, mainly because he brings all his problems on himself. However, the deficits of this lead character are more than made up for in some of the supporting characters and antagonists featured throughout the book. The most prominent of those is Keira Sawyer, a first-day prison guard who finds herself trapped in the prison and needs to work with Constantine to survive and escape. I felt that the author did a great job with Keria, a strong and passionate character with a hidden backstory. While Herron could have written Keria as a damsel in distress, he instead showed her to be a tough and resourceful figure, capable of holding her own and gaining the respect of the inmates. I also really have to highlight Constantine’s friend and cellmate, Felix, the fantastic teller of tales. Felix is an intensely funny character with a very unique outlook on life and the prison system. This character is insanely likeable, and together with Constantine and Keria, Felix helps to form an excellent central trio of protagonists who you cannot help but cheer for as the action commences.
I was also quite impressed by the antagonists of this story. Herron ensures that the protagonists have to face off with a huge raft of different criminals and gangsters as they attempt to make their escape, and it was really cool to see the range of personalities that emerged. The main antagonist is Malcolm Kincaid, a dangerous and sadistic Miami crime figure who was able to get away with terrible acts of violence for years until Constantine framed him for murder. Kincaid is rightfully pissed and spends much of the novel trying to brutally kill Constantine and his friends, while also causing general mayhem around the prison, including initiating an involuntary Russian roulette tournament. Kincaid was an excellent main antagonist, and I loved some of the twists that were revealed around him. The other villain I really liked was Preacher, a demented serial killer with a major religious bent who convinces some of the prison's more insane members to join him in a fun little murder cult. Preacher was a pretty intense baddie, and I loved the inclusion of a murderous cultist and his friends to an already fun story. The final antagonist I want to talk about is the superstorm itself. The storm, Hurricane Anna, is an absolute beast that wrecks the entirety of Florida, as well as several other states. Herron does an amazing job bringing this crazy storm to life throughout the book, and you get to experience a number of powerful scenes where characters encounter Anna in all its windy glory. The entire storm was an insane and fantastic addition to the plot, and it was so cool to see the character attempt to escape its pure destructive power.
Overall, I felt that Breakout was an extremely fun and exciting novel that was an absolute treat to read. Due to all the incredible action, crazy villains and major set pieces, this is an outstanding thriller that readers will have a fantastic time getting through, especially as the action never ends. It honestly would not surprise me if this was turned into a major blockbuster film in the next few years (perhaps with Dwayne Johnson), and it is one that I know I would deeply enjoy. Highly recommended to anyone who wants to increase their heart rate, Breakout is an incredibly awesome read!
For other exciting reviews and content, check out my blog at:
https://unseenlibrary.com/
Breakout is an intriguing and fantastic novel that caught my eyes earlier this year. This fun book was written by Paul Herron, the pseudonym for established author and screenwriter Paul Crilley. Crilley, whose body of work includes his Delphic Division, The Invisible Order and The Chronicles of Abraxis Wren novels, appears to have taken this opportunity to dive into the thriller genre in a big way with Breakout. While I have not read any of Herron/Crilley’s books before, I found myself really drawn to this latest novel due to its outrageous and fun-sounding plot.
As you can imagine, the idea of a supermax prison with all the inmates loose and a destructive superstorm on the way was something that sounded pretty damn awesome and it was one of the main reasons that I wanted to read Breakout. There were so many cool things that could happen with such a narrative and Herron made sure to produce an epic and fast-paced narrative that is guaranteed to keep your attention through every electrifying scene.
The best way to describe Breakout is that it is very similar to the most insane action movie script you have ever seen. Herron has essentially written nearly 300 pages of wall-to-wall excitement and movement, as the protagonists are thrust into an unthinkable situation with very little chance of survival. The author does an incredible job setting up the initial threads of this great story, with compelling and detailed introductions of the troubled central character, Jack Constantine, the prison, the storm, and the other personalities contained within the prison. The author also makes good use of some flashback sequences at the start that not only tell Jack’s story but also set up some major plot points, such as two characters the protagonist really wants to kill and a major antagonist. All of this set up ensures that when the mayhem begins, it can go on at a continuous pace, with Jack, the trapped rookie prison guard, Keira Sawyer, and other associates running into problem after problem without any additional background information. These obstacles include rival prison gangs, flooding, insane winds, collapsing buildings, impromptu fight clubs, a deranged cult leader, and a vengeful gangster. These inclusions ensure that the reader can barely take a breath without something cool happening, and it is extremely easy to read this novel in one sitting. All this leads up to big conclusion as the protagonist has to make some big decisions, as well as deal with the consequences of a few good twists that Herron added. I deeply enjoyed this entire narrative, and action lovers everywhere are going to have an absolute blast getting through this fun book.
Breakout contains an intriguing array of characters, although I must admit that I was not taken by central protagonist, Jack Constantine. Constantine is a bit of an ass at the best of times, as he is very arrogant and selfish. I honestly had a hard time feeling any sympathy for the character at times, mainly because he brings all his problems on himself. However, the deficits of this lead character are more than made up for in some of the supporting characters and antagonists featured throughout the book. The most prominent of those is Keira Sawyer, a first-day prison guard who finds herself trapped in the prison and needs to work with Constantine to survive and escape. I felt that the author did a great job with Keria, a strong and passionate character with a hidden backstory. While Herron could have written Keria as a damsel in distress, he instead showed her to be a tough and resourceful figure, capable of holding her own and gaining the respect of the inmates. I also really have to highlight Constantine’s friend and cellmate, Felix, the fantastic teller of tales. Felix is an intensely funny character with a very unique outlook on life and the prison system. This character is insanely likeable, and together with Constantine and Keria, Felix helps to form an excellent central trio of protagonists who you cannot help but cheer for as the action commences.
I was also quite impressed by the antagonists of this story. Herron ensures that the protagonists have to face off with a huge raft of different criminals and gangsters as they attempt to make their escape, and it was really cool to see the range of personalities that emerged. The main antagonist is Malcolm Kincaid, a dangerous and sadistic Miami crime figure who was able to get away with terrible acts of violence for years until Constantine framed him for murder. Kincaid is rightfully pissed and spends much of the novel trying to brutally kill Constantine and his friends, while also causing general mayhem around the prison, including initiating an involuntary Russian roulette tournament. Kincaid was an excellent main antagonist, and I loved some of the twists that were revealed around him. The other villain I really liked was Preacher, a demented serial killer with a major religious bent who convinces some of the prison's more insane members to join him in a fun little murder cult. Preacher was a pretty intense baddie, and I loved the inclusion of a murderous cultist and his friends to an already fun story. The final antagonist I want to talk about is the superstorm itself. The storm, Hurricane Anna, is an absolute beast that wrecks the entirety of Florida, as well as several other states. Herron does an amazing job bringing this crazy storm to life throughout the book, and you get to experience a number of powerful scenes where characters encounter Anna in all its windy glory. The entire storm was an insane and fantastic addition to the plot, and it was so cool to see the character attempt to escape its pure destructive power.
Overall, I felt that Breakout was an extremely fun and exciting novel that was an absolute treat to read. Due to all the incredible action, crazy villains and major set pieces, this is an outstanding thriller that readers will have a fantastic time getting through, especially as the action never ends. It honestly would not surprise me if this was turned into a major blockbuster film in the next few years (perhaps with Dwayne Johnson), and it is one that I know I would deeply enjoy. Highly recommended to anyone who wants to increase their heart rate, Breakout is an incredibly awesome read!
For other exciting reviews and content, check out my blog at:
https://unseenlibrary.com/
September 15, 2022
Eine Menge rasante und brutale Action, dafür kaum vorhandener Thrill!
Am 20. Juni 2022 ist ,,Am Limit", Paul Herrons Thriller-Debüt mit 464 Seiten im Blanvalet-Verlag erschienen. In dieser Geschichte geht es auf jeden Fall rasant, brutal und actiongeladen zur Sache, mir hat für einen Thriller jedoch eindeutig der Thrill gefehlt. Außerdem war mir die Spannung nicht ausreichend, weshalb ich nach dem Beenden des Buches leicht enttäuscht war. Es war insgesamt eine interessante und atmosphärisch dichte Handlung, von der ich mir etwas mehr erhofft habe.
Direkt zu Anfang bekam ich im Epilog durch einen Zeitsprung aus der Vergangenheit drei Jahre zuvor einen kurzen Einblick von Jack Constantine, der als Polizist das Trauma seines Lebens erhielt, indem er nach einem Einbruch in seinem Haus seine schwangere Lebensgefährtin brutal erschlagen auffindet. Von anfänglicher Trauer, die sich in unendlich tiefe Rache und Wut entwickelt, beschließt er, die Täter auf eigene Faust zu finden, um Vergeltung ausüben zu können. Constantines Leben besteht nur noch aus dem Plan, den Mord an seiner Frau zu rächen. Kurz vor seinem Ziel gelingt es ihm jedoch nur, einen der drei Täter zu erschießen, da er von seinen Kollegen gestoppt wird. Seitdem sitzt er deshalb in einem harten Hochsicherheitsgefängnis in Florida mit extrem brutalen Insassen ein, wo seine beiden Zielpersonen ebenfalls einsitzen. Da genug Zeit zum Nachdenken vorhanden ist, geht der Racheplan natürlich weiter und Constantine will seinen angefangenen Plan um jeden Preis vollenden und die restlichen beiden Täter töten. Ein starker Hurrikan bietet die perfekte Gelegenheit, doch er sorgt gleichzeitig für rasante Turbulenzen, weshalb Constantine einige Hürden auf sich nehmen muss, um an sein Ziel zu gelangen. Denn um Vergeltung ausüben zu können, muss er lebendig sein, was in den hier beschriebenen Situationen eine starke Herausforderung für den Ex-Polizisten darstellt.
Nicht nur seine beiden verhassten Zielpersonen sitzen mit ihm im Gefängnis ein, auch ein weiteres und bekanntes Gesicht kommt ihm während des Monstersturms ständig in die Quere, welches sich dank Constantines Einsatz aus seiner Zeit als Polizist mit ihm die gleiche Adresse teilt. So ist er plötzlich nicht mehr nur Jäger, sondern gleichzeitig wird er zum Gejagten und kämpft in vielen schrägen Situationen um sein Leben. Dabei trifft er auf der Krankenstation die zurück gelassene Justizvollzugsbeamtin Keira Sawyer, sodass sie sich anschließend gemeinsam von Trakt zu Trakt durchkämpfen und versuchen, sich an den Verbrechern übelster Sorten vorbeizuschmuggeln. Da der Wasserpegel im Gebäude von Stunde zu Stunde gefährlich steigt und die Gefangenen immer brutaler werden, steigt die Zahl der Leichen rasant an. Da in dem Gefängnis nur Verbrecher der übelsten Sorte einsitzen, eskalieren die Situationen nach dem Öffnen ihrer Zellen umso krasser, als sie merken, dass sie plötzlich frei, auf sich allein gestellt und wegen des Hurrikans trotzdem weiterhin gefangen sind. Denn dem Knast zu entkommen, während draußen das extreme Unwetter wütet und droht, das Gebäude zu zerstören, wird zur Lebensgefahr. Deshalb steigern sich die Aggressionen der Männer ins unermessliche, sodass es zu unzähligen Blutbäder kommt.
Die brutalen, verstörenden und oftmals auch blutigen Szenen sind reichlich vorhanden und wurden teilweise sehr detailliert beschrieben, sodass während des Lesens unheimlich klare Bilder entstanden sind. Besonders dann, als die Gefangenen Zugriff auf Waffen bekamen. Denn ein paar besonders kranke Psychopathen, wie zum Beispiel der selbsternannte Priester, sind zum Ende hin immer extremer durchgedreht. Das waren Momente, die mir Gänsehaut beschert und ordentlich für Spannung gesorgt haben. Vorher wurde die Handlung oft von zähen Abläufen unterbrochen, weshalb für mich kein konstanter Spannungsbogen zustande kam. Viele Dialoge, die sich inhaltlich oft wiederholt haben, konnte ich irgendwann auch nicht mehr lesen. Besonders flucht hier jeder ständig auf die gleiche Weise und gefühlt jeder dritte Satz beginnt mit »Jesus«. Ich konnte das irgendwann nicht mehr lesen, weshalb es mich ab der Mitte ziemlich genervt hat.
Zwischendurch bekam ich, besonders zu Anfang, weitere kurze Einblicke aus der Vergangenheit und Handlungen von Constantine als Polizist, sodass dem Autor am Ende doch noch zwei Wendungen gelungen sind, mit denen ich nicht gerechnet habe. Insgesamt gibt es 25 Kapitel mit engen Zeitangaben am Tag des Monstersturms plus Epilog und Prolog, die durch Einteilungen angenehm zu lesen sind. Auch die regelmäßig eingestreuten Warnlageberichte, also die Entwicklungen der Wetter- und Warnlagen, haben den Ernst der Lage noch deutlicher rüberkommen lassen. Von der Atmosphäre her haben mich einige Situationen etwas an das Schicksal der Titanic erinnert.
Insgesamt ist der Inhalt gut und schlüssig aufgebaut, aus den Twists hätte etwas mehr Power heraus geholt werden können. Die Protagonisten, besonders Jack Constantine sind gut ausgearbeitet und durch den Perspektivenwechsel mit Keira Sawyer konnte ich mich immer besser in deren Gedanken, Gefühle und Handlungen hineinversetzen. Erzählerisch hat mir die actionreiche Geschichte gut gefallen, was ich wie erwähnt von der Spannung nicht behaupten kann. Der Schreibstil ist schön flüssig, locker, lebendig und angenehm zu lesen, die Atmosphäre wurde hier hervorragend rübergebracht. Was der Hurrikan mit den Menschen anstellt, kam sehr gut bei mir an und das extreme Ausmaß der Zerstörungen hat für Authentizität gesorgt. Aber auch wie die brutalen Knackis gegen Ende plötzlich zusammenhalten, bzw. der Rest, der noch übrig geblieben ist, hat mir verdeutlicht, was der Horrorsturm mit ihnen und dem heruntergekommenem Gefängnis angerichtet hat. Ich war bis zum Schluss gespannt, wer von den übrig gebliebenen Insassen überhaupt noch überleben wird. Diese Momente fand ich ebenfalls sehr gelungen. Ein Hochsicherheitsgefängnis hat sich zu einem verheerenden Blutbad entwickelt und oft kam es mir vor, ich wäre mittendrin dabei gewesen. Die Seiten haben definitiv eine Menge Elan, doch das hektische und brutale Geschehen allein hat nicht ausgereicht, um mich vollkommen zu überzeugen. Die Insassen waren schon echt heftig, von so vielen Psychopathen auf einem Haufen liest man auch nicht oft. Von mir gibt es deshalb drei Sterne.
Am 20. Juni 2022 ist ,,Am Limit", Paul Herrons Thriller-Debüt mit 464 Seiten im Blanvalet-Verlag erschienen. In dieser Geschichte geht es auf jeden Fall rasant, brutal und actiongeladen zur Sache, mir hat für einen Thriller jedoch eindeutig der Thrill gefehlt. Außerdem war mir die Spannung nicht ausreichend, weshalb ich nach dem Beenden des Buches leicht enttäuscht war. Es war insgesamt eine interessante und atmosphärisch dichte Handlung, von der ich mir etwas mehr erhofft habe.
Direkt zu Anfang bekam ich im Epilog durch einen Zeitsprung aus der Vergangenheit drei Jahre zuvor einen kurzen Einblick von Jack Constantine, der als Polizist das Trauma seines Lebens erhielt, indem er nach einem Einbruch in seinem Haus seine schwangere Lebensgefährtin brutal erschlagen auffindet. Von anfänglicher Trauer, die sich in unendlich tiefe Rache und Wut entwickelt, beschließt er, die Täter auf eigene Faust zu finden, um Vergeltung ausüben zu können. Constantines Leben besteht nur noch aus dem Plan, den Mord an seiner Frau zu rächen. Kurz vor seinem Ziel gelingt es ihm jedoch nur, einen der drei Täter zu erschießen, da er von seinen Kollegen gestoppt wird. Seitdem sitzt er deshalb in einem harten Hochsicherheitsgefängnis in Florida mit extrem brutalen Insassen ein, wo seine beiden Zielpersonen ebenfalls einsitzen. Da genug Zeit zum Nachdenken vorhanden ist, geht der Racheplan natürlich weiter und Constantine will seinen angefangenen Plan um jeden Preis vollenden und die restlichen beiden Täter töten. Ein starker Hurrikan bietet die perfekte Gelegenheit, doch er sorgt gleichzeitig für rasante Turbulenzen, weshalb Constantine einige Hürden auf sich nehmen muss, um an sein Ziel zu gelangen. Denn um Vergeltung ausüben zu können, muss er lebendig sein, was in den hier beschriebenen Situationen eine starke Herausforderung für den Ex-Polizisten darstellt.
Nicht nur seine beiden verhassten Zielpersonen sitzen mit ihm im Gefängnis ein, auch ein weiteres und bekanntes Gesicht kommt ihm während des Monstersturms ständig in die Quere, welches sich dank Constantines Einsatz aus seiner Zeit als Polizist mit ihm die gleiche Adresse teilt. So ist er plötzlich nicht mehr nur Jäger, sondern gleichzeitig wird er zum Gejagten und kämpft in vielen schrägen Situationen um sein Leben. Dabei trifft er auf der Krankenstation die zurück gelassene Justizvollzugsbeamtin Keira Sawyer, sodass sie sich anschließend gemeinsam von Trakt zu Trakt durchkämpfen und versuchen, sich an den Verbrechern übelster Sorten vorbeizuschmuggeln. Da der Wasserpegel im Gebäude von Stunde zu Stunde gefährlich steigt und die Gefangenen immer brutaler werden, steigt die Zahl der Leichen rasant an. Da in dem Gefängnis nur Verbrecher der übelsten Sorte einsitzen, eskalieren die Situationen nach dem Öffnen ihrer Zellen umso krasser, als sie merken, dass sie plötzlich frei, auf sich allein gestellt und wegen des Hurrikans trotzdem weiterhin gefangen sind. Denn dem Knast zu entkommen, während draußen das extreme Unwetter wütet und droht, das Gebäude zu zerstören, wird zur Lebensgefahr. Deshalb steigern sich die Aggressionen der Männer ins unermessliche, sodass es zu unzähligen Blutbäder kommt.
Die brutalen, verstörenden und oftmals auch blutigen Szenen sind reichlich vorhanden und wurden teilweise sehr detailliert beschrieben, sodass während des Lesens unheimlich klare Bilder entstanden sind. Besonders dann, als die Gefangenen Zugriff auf Waffen bekamen. Denn ein paar besonders kranke Psychopathen, wie zum Beispiel der selbsternannte Priester, sind zum Ende hin immer extremer durchgedreht. Das waren Momente, die mir Gänsehaut beschert und ordentlich für Spannung gesorgt haben. Vorher wurde die Handlung oft von zähen Abläufen unterbrochen, weshalb für mich kein konstanter Spannungsbogen zustande kam. Viele Dialoge, die sich inhaltlich oft wiederholt haben, konnte ich irgendwann auch nicht mehr lesen. Besonders flucht hier jeder ständig auf die gleiche Weise und gefühlt jeder dritte Satz beginnt mit »Jesus«. Ich konnte das irgendwann nicht mehr lesen, weshalb es mich ab der Mitte ziemlich genervt hat.
Zwischendurch bekam ich, besonders zu Anfang, weitere kurze Einblicke aus der Vergangenheit und Handlungen von Constantine als Polizist, sodass dem Autor am Ende doch noch zwei Wendungen gelungen sind, mit denen ich nicht gerechnet habe. Insgesamt gibt es 25 Kapitel mit engen Zeitangaben am Tag des Monstersturms plus Epilog und Prolog, die durch Einteilungen angenehm zu lesen sind. Auch die regelmäßig eingestreuten Warnlageberichte, also die Entwicklungen der Wetter- und Warnlagen, haben den Ernst der Lage noch deutlicher rüberkommen lassen. Von der Atmosphäre her haben mich einige Situationen etwas an das Schicksal der Titanic erinnert.
Insgesamt ist der Inhalt gut und schlüssig aufgebaut, aus den Twists hätte etwas mehr Power heraus geholt werden können. Die Protagonisten, besonders Jack Constantine sind gut ausgearbeitet und durch den Perspektivenwechsel mit Keira Sawyer konnte ich mich immer besser in deren Gedanken, Gefühle und Handlungen hineinversetzen. Erzählerisch hat mir die actionreiche Geschichte gut gefallen, was ich wie erwähnt von der Spannung nicht behaupten kann. Der Schreibstil ist schön flüssig, locker, lebendig und angenehm zu lesen, die Atmosphäre wurde hier hervorragend rübergebracht. Was der Hurrikan mit den Menschen anstellt, kam sehr gut bei mir an und das extreme Ausmaß der Zerstörungen hat für Authentizität gesorgt. Aber auch wie die brutalen Knackis gegen Ende plötzlich zusammenhalten, bzw. der Rest, der noch übrig geblieben ist, hat mir verdeutlicht, was der Horrorsturm mit ihnen und dem heruntergekommenem Gefängnis angerichtet hat. Ich war bis zum Schluss gespannt, wer von den übrig gebliebenen Insassen überhaupt noch überleben wird. Diese Momente fand ich ebenfalls sehr gelungen. Ein Hochsicherheitsgefängnis hat sich zu einem verheerenden Blutbad entwickelt und oft kam es mir vor, ich wäre mittendrin dabei gewesen. Die Seiten haben definitiv eine Menge Elan, doch das hektische und brutale Geschehen allein hat nicht ausgereicht, um mich vollkommen zu überzeugen. Die Insassen waren schon echt heftig, von so vielen Psychopathen auf einem Haufen liest man auch nicht oft. Von mir gibt es deshalb drei Sterne.
August 22, 2021
I won a hardback copy of this book on Goodreads. The description was intriguing, so I was excited to win it. The book is well written and edited. There were two problems. The first was a problem of authenticity. In my opinion, the characters were worn out stereotypical tropes. They were similar to a Greek tragedy: funny but sad. Most people I have interacted with in the law enforcement community (There have been a lot.) are neither as dumb nor as arrogant as the characters in this book. This brings me to the second point, which is toxic masculinity. I feel that it discredits the profession and the story itself.
There were so many ways this book could have been more realistic. Hurricanes are a genuine problem for coastlines dealing with rising seas, and they are certainly action-packed thrillers in and of themselves. The people affected by them, both CO's and inmates, are placed in real danger. After reading several chapters, I could not continue to read what I considered a belittling unrealistic dialogue.
There were so many ways this book could have been more realistic. Hurricanes are a genuine problem for coastlines dealing with rising seas, and they are certainly action-packed thrillers in and of themselves. The people affected by them, both CO's and inmates, are placed in real danger. After reading several chapters, I could not continue to read what I considered a belittling unrealistic dialogue.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 9, 2025
3.5 ⭐️ this book was good, but not amazing. I predicted the plot twist fairly early on so there wasn’t much suspense for me. The story was interesting, fast paced and easy to read. If you like the show ‘prison break’ then you’ll like this book!
September 7, 2025
I had a really good time reading this one. Something is always happening and it never felt like a chore to read. The atmosphere really worked for me. The ending felt a little rushed but i overall liked this book
April 23, 2021
Not recommended.
Review posted at Tzer Island book blog:
https://www.tzerisland.com/bookblog/2...
Review posted at Tzer Island book blog:
https://www.tzerisland.com/bookblog/2...
February 4, 2023
Did not finished
December 17, 2021
Author and screenwriter Paul Crilley has previously written fantasy and science fiction novels, as well as screenplays, which no doubt accounts for two key features of Breakout, his first thriller, penned under the pseudonym Paul Herron. The book's premise has a somewhat supernatural or science fiction aspect. There are only two reported occurrences of the Fujiwhata effect, in September 1933 and June 1959. And the tale unfolds very much like a fast-paced action film with a distinctly cinematic quality.
Jacks' story is related via his first-person narrative. He describes the night he was awakened by a noise. His pregnant wife, Amy, was not in bed and Jack soon discovered her body on the living room floor. He also explains the way he planned to avenge her death by identifying her killers and ambushing them. He only managed to kill only one of the three men. Now he's serving a ten-year sentence in the same prison, Ravenhill, where the other two, Marcus Tully and Luther Wright, are incarcerated. Jack survives prison by breaking the time down into manageable blocks. "That's the only way to survive," he explains. "You push on until you can't anymore. . . . You either push on or you check out." Especially when you have nothing to look forward to. Jack doesn't get visitors because his parents are dead, and he has no siblings or children. He doesn't care because, he says, "My life was over before I even got caught." He spends his days working in the maintenance shed with an elderly inmate named Henry, who knows how to fix everything, and going to the yard for lunch to feel the sun on his face. All of his days follow the same routine. He doesn't see himself as a murderer, even though he took a man's life, because "killing someone who killed your wife -- that's not murder. That's revenge. Justice."
Now Jack faces the biggest challenge of his life: staying alive when two hurricanes bear down on Ravenhill, a sprawling compound that has no chance of withstanding their power. Jack is resigned to dying on this night, recognizing that if he doesn't drown in the rising floodwater or perish when part of the building collapses on him, he will die at the hands of another inmate. Because the inmate population in every prison constitutes a society unto itself, with leaders, cliques, outcasts, and a code of conduct. And three types of inmates are prime targets, preyed on by other prisoners: child molesters, child killers, . . . and former cops.
Jack quickly comes face to face with Malcolm Kinkaid. The day Kinkaid, who was "the top of the criminal food chain in Miami," was acquitted, despite solid evidence linking him to a horrific crime, Jack crossed the line. Kinkaid was well-connected, with city officials "in his pocket." So Jack outlines the meticulous way he called in favors and framed Kincaid, rationalizing his actions as "getting justice, saving future lives." Now, four years later, it's Kincaid who wants revenge. And, naturally, he is still the boss in prison. Five obedient fellow inmates are ready to do his bidding.
Keira Sawyer reported for her first day of work, despite having to traverse flooding roads. As she passed lines of cars headed in the opposite direction -- safety -- she knew it was a mistake, but tells Martinez, the officer who shows her around the prison, that she didn't think she "had a choice. I mean, no one told me not to come in." She's slight -- five feet, six inches tall, weighing one hundred fifteen pounds -- and Martinez sarcastically predicts, "They're going to eat you alive." Sawyer is undeterred as Martinez walks her around the two square mile facility. There's an administrative hub, as well as seven cell blocks. Four house general population inmates in separate buildings connected by sally ports. Ravenhill also has a Transitional Care Unit, Mental Health Unit, and Administrative Control Unit (administrative segregation) in which the most violent criminals are housed. They remain in their cells twenty-three hours per day, and are allowed out only for one hour of exercise. They have no physical contact with staff. The information Sawyer gets during the tour about the layout of the prison soon proves invaluable.
With the hurricane bearing down on Ravenhill, Sawyer, Jack, and his cellmate, Felix, decide that their best chance of surviving is to make their way to the Glasshouse, the adjacent former military prison that hasn't housed inmates in thirty years. After all, it was going to be used to temporarily house evacuated inmates, so it must be safer than Ravenhill and able to withstand the hurricane. It's located on the highest ground in the area, shielded on one side by the bank of a hill. But they can't go outside to get there -- they will be ripped apart by the force of the wind and rain. And to get to it, they have to pass through all seven inmate housing units where all of the cell doors and sally ports were left unlocked when the staff (except Sawyer) fled, leaving the inmates on their own. Now chaos has broken out inside the prison. They can hear screaming and yelling as rival gangs and mentally ill inmates engage in warfare, using anything they can find as weapons while water continues pouring into Ravenhill. The sound of the hurricane is deafening, and the walls and floor shudder ominously.
The story unfolds at an all-out, unrelenting pace as the hours tick by and the trio encounter one dangerous situation after another in their quest to navigate the monstrous prison to the exit so that they can cross the grounds to Glasshouse in about five hours when the eye of the hurricane is forecast to pass over Ravenhill. They encounter violent gangs, most raced on face or ideology, including the one led by a deranged inmate called "Preacher" who has set up a mock courtroom in which he is passing judgment on his fellow inmates. And imposing lethal consequences when he decrees them unworthy of redemption. There are gladiator wars, and Kincaid and his henchmen are forcing inmates to play Russian roulette. He insists that Sawyer and Felix join the game. During the night, the inmates breach the armory, which only increases the tension and death toll, and Jack and his companions face the prospect of their imminent deaths numerous times.
Herron effectively portrays the brutal scene inside the prison, as inmates who cannot simply escape take out their pent-up anger and aggression on their fellow prisoners. The depictions are realistic and gory, with Herron sparing no detail in order to set the scene and make it believable. The prison is itself a vital character, crumbling piece by piece as the hurricane lashes it throughout the night while Jake, Sawyer, and Felix wade through flooded corridors in their quest to get to safety. Of course, Jack has an agenda. Once he knows that Tully and Wright are there, he is determined that they will not be alive in the morning, and his goal spurs him on.
Jack is a compelling, empathetic character. He was a police officer, then served his country honorably in the Middle East and returned to his law enforcement career. He was happily married to Amy and excited, if understandably nervous, about becoming a father. Amy and his unborn daughter were his whole world, and they were taken from him suddenly and savagely. He no longer cares about himself or his life. All he wants is for justice to be meted out to Amy's killers . . . and he wants to be the person to render it. But Jack has crossed the line into illegal and immoral behavior on at least two prior occasions, and continues to justify his behavior as being for the great good. Herron injects surprising plot twists and complications that elucidate the presumptions upon which Jack has based his course of action, forcing him to re-evaluate his decisions.
Sawyer is equally complex and fascinating. She appears naive and gullible, but is actually smart, tough, and rational, able to reason effectively with out-of-control inmates and keep Jack focused on what matters most as they fight to stay alive. Neither Jack nor Felix suspects that there is actually more than one reason she was so intent on reporting for duty, despite the hurricane. Nor will readers until Herron reveals the truth at an expertly-timed junction in the narrative.
Because Breakout is Herron's first thriller, and he so convincingly sets the scene and effectively compels the story forward, the lapses into somewhat stilted, repetitive dialogue can be overlooked. (It is highly unlikely that so many characters actually use the word "reckon" every time they ponder something aloud.)
Breakout is a highly entertaining, inventive, suspenseful adventure that will keep readers furiously turning the pages to see if Herron's characters make it out of Ravenhill. It is an impressive debut that will leave readers clamoring for more heart-pounding tales from the talented Herron, including, perhaps, a sequel.
Thanks to NetGalley for an Advance Reader's Copy of the book and Grand Central Publishing for a physical copy of the finished version.
Jacks' story is related via his first-person narrative. He describes the night he was awakened by a noise. His pregnant wife, Amy, was not in bed and Jack soon discovered her body on the living room floor. He also explains the way he planned to avenge her death by identifying her killers and ambushing them. He only managed to kill only one of the three men. Now he's serving a ten-year sentence in the same prison, Ravenhill, where the other two, Marcus Tully and Luther Wright, are incarcerated. Jack survives prison by breaking the time down into manageable blocks. "That's the only way to survive," he explains. "You push on until you can't anymore. . . . You either push on or you check out." Especially when you have nothing to look forward to. Jack doesn't get visitors because his parents are dead, and he has no siblings or children. He doesn't care because, he says, "My life was over before I even got caught." He spends his days working in the maintenance shed with an elderly inmate named Henry, who knows how to fix everything, and going to the yard for lunch to feel the sun on his face. All of his days follow the same routine. He doesn't see himself as a murderer, even though he took a man's life, because "killing someone who killed your wife -- that's not murder. That's revenge. Justice."
Now Jack faces the biggest challenge of his life: staying alive when two hurricanes bear down on Ravenhill, a sprawling compound that has no chance of withstanding their power. Jack is resigned to dying on this night, recognizing that if he doesn't drown in the rising floodwater or perish when part of the building collapses on him, he will die at the hands of another inmate. Because the inmate population in every prison constitutes a society unto itself, with leaders, cliques, outcasts, and a code of conduct. And three types of inmates are prime targets, preyed on by other prisoners: child molesters, child killers, . . . and former cops.
Jack quickly comes face to face with Malcolm Kinkaid. The day Kinkaid, who was "the top of the criminal food chain in Miami," was acquitted, despite solid evidence linking him to a horrific crime, Jack crossed the line. Kinkaid was well-connected, with city officials "in his pocket." So Jack outlines the meticulous way he called in favors and framed Kincaid, rationalizing his actions as "getting justice, saving future lives." Now, four years later, it's Kincaid who wants revenge. And, naturally, he is still the boss in prison. Five obedient fellow inmates are ready to do his bidding.
Keira Sawyer reported for her first day of work, despite having to traverse flooding roads. As she passed lines of cars headed in the opposite direction -- safety -- she knew it was a mistake, but tells Martinez, the officer who shows her around the prison, that she didn't think she "had a choice. I mean, no one told me not to come in." She's slight -- five feet, six inches tall, weighing one hundred fifteen pounds -- and Martinez sarcastically predicts, "They're going to eat you alive." Sawyer is undeterred as Martinez walks her around the two square mile facility. There's an administrative hub, as well as seven cell blocks. Four house general population inmates in separate buildings connected by sally ports. Ravenhill also has a Transitional Care Unit, Mental Health Unit, and Administrative Control Unit (administrative segregation) in which the most violent criminals are housed. They remain in their cells twenty-three hours per day, and are allowed out only for one hour of exercise. They have no physical contact with staff. The information Sawyer gets during the tour about the layout of the prison soon proves invaluable.
With the hurricane bearing down on Ravenhill, Sawyer, Jack, and his cellmate, Felix, decide that their best chance of surviving is to make their way to the Glasshouse, the adjacent former military prison that hasn't housed inmates in thirty years. After all, it was going to be used to temporarily house evacuated inmates, so it must be safer than Ravenhill and able to withstand the hurricane. It's located on the highest ground in the area, shielded on one side by the bank of a hill. But they can't go outside to get there -- they will be ripped apart by the force of the wind and rain. And to get to it, they have to pass through all seven inmate housing units where all of the cell doors and sally ports were left unlocked when the staff (except Sawyer) fled, leaving the inmates on their own. Now chaos has broken out inside the prison. They can hear screaming and yelling as rival gangs and mentally ill inmates engage in warfare, using anything they can find as weapons while water continues pouring into Ravenhill. The sound of the hurricane is deafening, and the walls and floor shudder ominously.
The story unfolds at an all-out, unrelenting pace as the hours tick by and the trio encounter one dangerous situation after another in their quest to navigate the monstrous prison to the exit so that they can cross the grounds to Glasshouse in about five hours when the eye of the hurricane is forecast to pass over Ravenhill. They encounter violent gangs, most raced on face or ideology, including the one led by a deranged inmate called "Preacher" who has set up a mock courtroom in which he is passing judgment on his fellow inmates. And imposing lethal consequences when he decrees them unworthy of redemption. There are gladiator wars, and Kincaid and his henchmen are forcing inmates to play Russian roulette. He insists that Sawyer and Felix join the game. During the night, the inmates breach the armory, which only increases the tension and death toll, and Jack and his companions face the prospect of their imminent deaths numerous times.
Herron effectively portrays the brutal scene inside the prison, as inmates who cannot simply escape take out their pent-up anger and aggression on their fellow prisoners. The depictions are realistic and gory, with Herron sparing no detail in order to set the scene and make it believable. The prison is itself a vital character, crumbling piece by piece as the hurricane lashes it throughout the night while Jake, Sawyer, and Felix wade through flooded corridors in their quest to get to safety. Of course, Jack has an agenda. Once he knows that Tully and Wright are there, he is determined that they will not be alive in the morning, and his goal spurs him on.
Jack is a compelling, empathetic character. He was a police officer, then served his country honorably in the Middle East and returned to his law enforcement career. He was happily married to Amy and excited, if understandably nervous, about becoming a father. Amy and his unborn daughter were his whole world, and they were taken from him suddenly and savagely. He no longer cares about himself or his life. All he wants is for justice to be meted out to Amy's killers . . . and he wants to be the person to render it. But Jack has crossed the line into illegal and immoral behavior on at least two prior occasions, and continues to justify his behavior as being for the great good. Herron injects surprising plot twists and complications that elucidate the presumptions upon which Jack has based his course of action, forcing him to re-evaluate his decisions.
Sawyer is equally complex and fascinating. She appears naive and gullible, but is actually smart, tough, and rational, able to reason effectively with out-of-control inmates and keep Jack focused on what matters most as they fight to stay alive. Neither Jack nor Felix suspects that there is actually more than one reason she was so intent on reporting for duty, despite the hurricane. Nor will readers until Herron reveals the truth at an expertly-timed junction in the narrative.
Because Breakout is Herron's first thriller, and he so convincingly sets the scene and effectively compels the story forward, the lapses into somewhat stilted, repetitive dialogue can be overlooked. (It is highly unlikely that so many characters actually use the word "reckon" every time they ponder something aloud.)
Breakout is a highly entertaining, inventive, suspenseful adventure that will keep readers furiously turning the pages to see if Herron's characters make it out of Ravenhill. It is an impressive debut that will leave readers clamoring for more heart-pounding tales from the talented Herron, including, perhaps, a sequel.
Thanks to NetGalley for an Advance Reader's Copy of the book and Grand Central Publishing for a physical copy of the finished version.
April 21, 2021
BREAKOUT is a thrilling debut novel from Paul Herron. Most of his past works have been geared to television, earning him a nomination for an International Emmy Award.
If one were going to make a checklist for items necessary for a great suspenseful novel, then you could check off all the boxes here. The book has a little bit of everything. Jack Constantine is a former police officer who was sent to prison for ten years, for murdering one of the men responsible for the death of his wife and daughter.
Jack heads to Ravenhill Correctional Institute in Florida. There he also meets people from his past including Malcolm Kincaid, a man he sent there due to some unethical practices. As well, the other two men responsible for the death of his wife and daughter are there, and Jack vows to get to them somehow.
One of the things Jack is doing at the prison along with fellow cellmate Felix, is help clean up the Glasshouse, which is a former military prison. In the midst of all this, a major category 5 hurricane is baring down on the area, and the prison is in the bulls-eye of the storm. The correctional officers in charge abandon the prison, but not before unlocking the doors.
One officer who came along, Kiera Sawyer, on her first day of work, is forgotten and left with hundreds of inmates. It turns into a survival of the fittest as waters rage, and start flooding areas of the prison. Jack, Felix and Keira, form their own team while around them, blood feuds in the prison result in an escalating body count. There is tension at every turn, as convicts fight for survival and Jack still has revenge on his mind if he can live long enough.
Jack and Keira work well together, as you enjoy their give and take. She is more the voice of reason to his bullheadedness. There are maniacal factions such as Preacher, a crazed pseudo-religious zealot, and others who do not take too kindly to a former cop behind bars. The ending has a few shocks and surprises, as the storm hits the facility with powerful force, and nothing is certain survival wise.
BREAKOUT is a breakout book from Herron, one that definitely hits the reader with the force of a hurricane.
If one were going to make a checklist for items necessary for a great suspenseful novel, then you could check off all the boxes here. The book has a little bit of everything. Jack Constantine is a former police officer who was sent to prison for ten years, for murdering one of the men responsible for the death of his wife and daughter.
Jack heads to Ravenhill Correctional Institute in Florida. There he also meets people from his past including Malcolm Kincaid, a man he sent there due to some unethical practices. As well, the other two men responsible for the death of his wife and daughter are there, and Jack vows to get to them somehow.
One of the things Jack is doing at the prison along with fellow cellmate Felix, is help clean up the Glasshouse, which is a former military prison. In the midst of all this, a major category 5 hurricane is baring down on the area, and the prison is in the bulls-eye of the storm. The correctional officers in charge abandon the prison, but not before unlocking the doors.
One officer who came along, Kiera Sawyer, on her first day of work, is forgotten and left with hundreds of inmates. It turns into a survival of the fittest as waters rage, and start flooding areas of the prison. Jack, Felix and Keira, form their own team while around them, blood feuds in the prison result in an escalating body count. There is tension at every turn, as convicts fight for survival and Jack still has revenge on his mind if he can live long enough.
Jack and Keira work well together, as you enjoy their give and take. She is more the voice of reason to his bullheadedness. There are maniacal factions such as Preacher, a crazed pseudo-religious zealot, and others who do not take too kindly to a former cop behind bars. The ending has a few shocks and surprises, as the storm hits the facility with powerful force, and nothing is certain survival wise.
BREAKOUT is a breakout book from Herron, one that definitely hits the reader with the force of a hurricane.
April 26, 2021
3.5 Breakout is Paul Herron's debut thriller.
Jack Constantine is an ex-cop, currently serving time at Ravenhill Prison for murder. Its Kiera Sawyer's first day on the job as a guard at the prison. And it's also the day a massive hurricane hits the coast - with Ravenhill right in it's path. What to do? Well the warden makes a decision - gather the employees and leave - and hope the National Guard shows up to evacuate the 800 prisoners. He leaves the cells locked, but an underling opens the doors - and now each and every prisoner is free, including Jack. And one lone guard who missed the bus.
What a great premise eh? I immediately thought of Bruce Willis and his Die Hard movies. Breakout reads like a movie - and that's no surprise as Herron has worked on over twenty seven television shows.
Jack is a complicated lead character - part criminal, part cop. The reader isn't ever quite sure which path he'll take. And Sawyer is too darn innocent -she want to save everyone. She did surprise me though. But things are down to save yourself. The prison isn't going to stand up to the hurricane. Their only option is get over to an adjacent old lock up that has tunnels to hide out in 'til the storm passes. But first they're going to have to get past every killer, every gang and the downright crazy on the way there. Oh and a few of the guys that Jack put away.
Herron has come up with some terrifying obstacles for Jack, his cellmate Felix and Kiara. His descriptions of time and place were really good. I could easily picture the prison and where they were and where they were trying to go. The storm's increasing power is mentioned at the beginning of every chapter, ramping up the tension. The action is pretty much non stop, keeping the reader on the edge of their seat. Gentle readers, this is definitely not the book for you. Visceral violence abounds. But seriously, this one screams movie.
Jack Constantine is an ex-cop, currently serving time at Ravenhill Prison for murder. Its Kiera Sawyer's first day on the job as a guard at the prison. And it's also the day a massive hurricane hits the coast - with Ravenhill right in it's path. What to do? Well the warden makes a decision - gather the employees and leave - and hope the National Guard shows up to evacuate the 800 prisoners. He leaves the cells locked, but an underling opens the doors - and now each and every prisoner is free, including Jack. And one lone guard who missed the bus.
What a great premise eh? I immediately thought of Bruce Willis and his Die Hard movies. Breakout reads like a movie - and that's no surprise as Herron has worked on over twenty seven television shows.
Jack is a complicated lead character - part criminal, part cop. The reader isn't ever quite sure which path he'll take. And Sawyer is too darn innocent -she want to save everyone. She did surprise me though. But things are down to save yourself. The prison isn't going to stand up to the hurricane. Their only option is get over to an adjacent old lock up that has tunnels to hide out in 'til the storm passes. But first they're going to have to get past every killer, every gang and the downright crazy on the way there. Oh and a few of the guys that Jack put away.
Herron has come up with some terrifying obstacles for Jack, his cellmate Felix and Kiara. His descriptions of time and place were really good. I could easily picture the prison and where they were and where they were trying to go. The storm's increasing power is mentioned at the beginning of every chapter, ramping up the tension. The action is pretty much non stop, keeping the reader on the edge of their seat. Gentle readers, this is definitely not the book for you. Visceral violence abounds. But seriously, this one screams movie.
May 12, 2021
I received a free copy through Goodreads.
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Picture 1 new corrections officer who is a female, 300+ dangerous criminals in a jail, 1 determine ex-cop/criminal and 2 hurricanes. The story was pretty fast paced, and where everything could go wrong, pretty much goes wrong.
Sawyer is new to the prison (she really did show up to her first day of work with the pending arrival of a hurricane), so when the prison officers are evacuated, she accidently gets left behind. She holds the master key to the entire prison, can she make it to safety while trying to get past hundreds of dangerous criminals?
Jack has made it his mission to kill those responsible for his wife and unborn child's life. The hurricane might bring this chance to him. However, he must get himself and Sawyer to the other side of the prison in order to do so. Along the way, he has to kill and fight everyone.
In the end, it comes to survival and everyone working together. Can they survive the mega hurricane? Is there honour amongst criminals? What more could go wrong?
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Picture 1 new corrections officer who is a female, 300+ dangerous criminals in a jail, 1 determine ex-cop/criminal and 2 hurricanes. The story was pretty fast paced, and where everything could go wrong, pretty much goes wrong.
Sawyer is new to the prison (she really did show up to her first day of work with the pending arrival of a hurricane), so when the prison officers are evacuated, she accidently gets left behind. She holds the master key to the entire prison, can she make it to safety while trying to get past hundreds of dangerous criminals?
Jack has made it his mission to kill those responsible for his wife and unborn child's life. The hurricane might bring this chance to him. However, he must get himself and Sawyer to the other side of the prison in order to do so. Along the way, he has to kill and fight everyone.
In the end, it comes to survival and everyone working together. Can they survive the mega hurricane? Is there honour amongst criminals? What more could go wrong?
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