Forgotten

Colter Shaw #2.5

by Jeffery Deaver

A new Colter Shaw story from the bestselling and award-winning master of suspense.Colter Shaw makes his living traveling the country and locating missing persons, sometimes collecting reward money, sometimes not. Many of his cases are those that the police are unable or unwilling to solve, but the job that brings him to a small-town in Ohio has already been solved. A teenage boy has been arrested and convicted for murder, but his parents are convinced that he didn’t commit the crime—and offer a reward to anyone who can prove it. Colter’s investigation into the murder, the shooting of a local drug dealer, brings him deep into a small-town conspiracy, with plenty of members who will go to any lengths to keep Shaw from learning the truth.

Genres: Mystery, Short Stories, Thriller, Fiction, Crime, Mystery Thriller

53 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 4, 2021

About the author

#1 international bestselling author of over thirty novels and three collections of short stories. His books are sold in 150 countries and translated into 25 languages. His first novel featuring Lincoln Rhyme, The Bone Collector, was made into a major motion picture starring Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie. He's received or been shortlisted for a number of awards around the world.

Reviews

[Paromjit · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a short story in Jeffery Deaver's Colter Shaw series, the winnebago travelling, reward hunter who works his cases by working out the probabilities of what might happened with the many factors, people and theories and assigning a likelihood percentage that helps to guide how he handles and moves forward in his inquiries. Here, Shaw makes his way to Hanson Valley, Ohio, where parents, Arnie and Jewel Sterling are offering a small reward of $2600 for anyone who can prove the innocence of their son, Jude, incarcerated in prison. Jude, known to have a volatile temper, has been convicted of the murder of 29 year old drug dealer, Daryl Williams, shooting him at a quarry, after 4 students had taken Jude's 14 year old disabled brother, Frank, in the hope of using him to buy drugs at a discount. Shaw's investigation turns dangerous when the real killer goes after him. This an entertaining and engaging short crime story that has me looking forward to the next full length novel in the Colter Shaw series.

[☘Misericordia☘ ⚡ϟ⚡⛈⚡☁ ❇️❤❣ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maybe a tweensy tad too short but otherwise enjoyable read. Looking forward to the rest of the series.

[Alan (on December semi-hiatus) Teder · Rating 4 out of 5]

They Call Him the Seeker
Review of the G.P. Putnam's Sons eBook (March 9, 2021) released simultaneously with the Penguin Audio audiobook.

Forgotten is a short story issued prior to the third full-length Colter Shaw novel The Final Twist (May 11, 2021) which was published 2 months later. It jumps out of the timeline of continuity as novel 2 ended in Washington State with Shaw headed back out again on his personal quest to investigate his father's death with the trail leading to San Francisco. The short story takes place in Ohio.

This case is not a standard missing person investigation. A young man with ADD and mental health issues has already been found, tried and convicted of a drug related murder. The parents do not believe he is guilty and insist that the circumstantial evidence was instead a frame-up. In order to earn the offered reward Colter Shaw has to find the real culprit behind the crime.

The pattern is now clear that the Colter Shaw short stories are along the lines of the "case of the week" of the Tracker TV episodes. The novels are extended epics more like a TV miniseries or movie, with the initial reward quest turning into an investigation of a much bigger conspiracy. I am continuing to enjoy both formats characterized by Deaver's talent for atmospheric settings and twist endings.

Trivia and Link
Watch the extended trailer for the Colter Shaw Tracker TV series on YouTube here. The series has been renewed for a Season 2 after the shortened 13-episode Season 1. It is actually filmed in British Columbia, Canada although it is an American TV series on the CBS network.

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little tasty morsel to reawaken your passion for Deaver’s wonderfully penned hero, Colter Shaw ahead of his latest novel due out shortly, “The Final Twist”.

This serves to publicise his latest book, showing what readers are missing and fans are reminded why we love this series so much.

Here, Shaw takes on a difficult case. Parents are asking for help to show their son is innocent despite being convicted in a trial demonstrating his guilt. This is what the investigator does for work. Almost regardless of the amount of the reward he will work with people he trusts and has empathy for. An extra pressure is that in prison Jude is threatened by revenge seeking friends of the drug dealer who he “killed”.

I just love the nuance in Colter’s life and experience. His connections in law enforcement and gaps in social history and etiquette. An unique character who quite simply puts himself in danger and generally kicks ass. The author writes in a laid back manner, almost lazily but with you hanging on every word. Not so much because every word is vital in solving the mystery but because it makes a pleasant tuneful melody of words painting pictures.

My appetite has been refreshed, like enjoying a passion fruit sorbet and I am now off to find and read ‘The Final Twist’.

[Daniel Shindler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jeffrey Deaver has crafted another clever short story as a prelude to his upcoming release of a full length Colter Shaw novel. Colter Shaw is a modern day bounty hunter and problem solver for people in distress. Raised in a remote compound by a paranoid and reclusive father, Shaw has developed an idiosyncratic set of operational procedures and moral guideposts. He has an uncanny observational genius augmented by extraordinary organizational skill.He has codified these skills into a set of percentages that help him assess a situation and decide how to proceed.

In this story, Shaw travels to Ohio’s Rust Belt to assist the Sterling family. Their son Jude is imprisoned, convicted of murdering a drug dealer during a drug buy gone awry.Jude suffers from ADD and is seen standing over the corpse with a gun in his hand. He has anger issues and there is no one in the town who believes in his innocence. Shaw applies his acumen and methodology to attempt to exonerate the young man.

I have noted in a previous review that Deaver concisely uses a few words to describe setting, place and mood. This talent is on display in this story as well. Evoking the demographic devastation in the Rust Belt, Deaver notes that Shaw approached forty people, which was about a half percent of the whole county.Deaver immediately provides a setting and mood and draws us into a short but well crafted work. Colter Shaw is an interesting character.I am glad I have made his acquaintance.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short glimpse into a job Colter worked in Ohio - interesting to see his investigative process repeated a couple times at this point in the series.

[Brandon Davies · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have enjoyed other Colter Shaw novels. This one was a short story so I anticipated minimal twists in the plot, but honestly it read like a portly written TV episode. And to top it off, its Ohio setting was generic at best. Clearly Deaver did zero research on the Akron Canton area when penning this story. Absolutely nobody calls the Akron Canton area “Akton” and his general overuse of “just outside of Canton” made it feel as though he had no idea what the surrounding suburban areas there are like. This sort of lazy writing is actually making me question how often I am unaware of this when the story takes place somewhere I am unfamiliar with.

[XOX · Rating 5 out of 5]

Colter Shaw is investigating a shooting of a drug dealer by a teenager. a reward is given by the young man parents to find evidence that he is innocent.

Not easy as there isn’t much to go on.

The young man Jude has a temper and is very protective of his younger brother Frank.

In the day of the shooting, he held the gun that he found and stolen money from the dead dealer.

Nice and quick read for a rainy afternoon.

[Darcy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was very short, but Colter managed to do a lot in it. I liked he helps the little guy and with this one that was sure the case. The best for me was Colter talking things out with the local cop and laying out how he figured things out.

[Michael Benjamin · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was flabbergasted how short this book was.
Some authors coast on their names, get juniors in and add their names.
This goes one step further. The author writes enough to justify calling it a book and sells.
This was like going into a restaurant and getting a slice of bread.
To add to all this, same plot, same ideas and predictable.

[Kieran McAndrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Colter Shaw must uncover evidence which proves a boy convicted of murder is innocent.

Deaver's short stories are great, with plenty of plot and fantastic pacing.

[Terry Graap · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review of the short story, Forgotten

Very good short story. I've read all the Colder Shaw books. They are very well written. I will consider another series by Weaver.

[Linda McCune · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short story.

[Sat BIr Kaur Khalsa · Rating 5 out of 5]

easy read

Nice short story. Nothing unexpected but still fun to read. Love stories when the truth comes out for us to enjoy.

[Cybercrone · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a good read, though a short one, as quite a few of the pages are a teaser for another book.

I like the Colter Shaw character fairly well, and the stories are usually well done.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The biggest challenge in reviewing a short story, for me at least, is making the review succinct, effective and ensuring that I do the book justice. And I really do want to do justice to this extra outing with Colter Shaw as I love the series and want others to read it. If you are looking for a taster of what Shaw is all about - what drives him and how he works his reward cases - then this is a brilliant way to dip into his world without making a full length novel sized commitment.

This time around Shaw accepts a reward assignment from a family who are trying to prove that their son is actually innocent of the murder he has been convicted of. Now, there are never any guarantees when it comes to this kind of investigation, after all a parent will always think the best of their child. But if you know anything about Colter Shaw, you know he already has an inkling that he may make a difference, even if he never makes any guarantees of that nature.

This is short and sweet, almost too short as I really wanted to read more, but packed with plenty of Shaw's intelligent reasoning, relaxed but effective questioning and a clear trail of twisting and turning from some of the key players in this story. You get that edginess, that sense that trouble is lurking around the corner for shaw, especially as the victim in this particular murder has some very dangerous associates, but it is never clear where that threat is coming from. Jeffery Deaver does a great job of sucking us in and keeping the pages turning as we quickly uncover the truth of the matter. It is packed with emotion, action and the intelligent thinking and reasoning that drew me to the character of Shaw in the first place and, at 58 pages, a very quick read. I loved it and it's proved a great filler whilst waiting for the next full length novel, The Final Twist.

[Timothy Grubbs · Rating 3 out of 5]

An atypical job for Colter Shaw…

Forgotten by Jeffery Deaver is another short story in the Colter Shaw series.

Taking a trip to Hanson Valley, Ohio during a sojourn in Florida, Shaw isn’t there to find someone…he’s there to find something.

Shaw has been offered the chance to find evidence that a young man didn’t kill a drug dealer…

Normally Shaw is trying to find someone or using his wilderness skills to navigate…but the entire story is more along the lines of PI work.

I didn’t quite dig this one since it didn’t play to Shaw’s strengths but he did maintain his usual way of dealing with people…

[Julie Ditton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Deaver has crafted an entertaining short story. Colter Shaw has accepted a reward to find proof of a young man’s innocence in a supposedly open and shut case. The police and defense lawyers are not portrayed as incompetent so much as overwhelmed by too many cases and not inclined to look past the obvious. The fact that the person in jail was set up is obvious to the reader and the story is not much of a mystery. This is not so much a “Who Done It?” as a “How Does He Solve It?”

[Joe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not great, but decently interesting

Unlike some novellas this story doesn’t really add much to the existing canon. However it does provide a good way to pass some time while also building the reader’s familiarity with Colter Shaw. The story is consistent with the way readers will expect him to act & his analysis of situations.

Also this may pay off in the next few books in the series so having this backstory could prove useful! 😊

[Sandra Rossouw · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mr Deaver can never disappoint me, all his books that I have read I enjoyed to no end ! I adore his new character Colter Shaw and hope we are going to see and read a lot more of him.
Lately I have read a lot of his short stories and once again loved each and every one. There are 2 or 3 that is not available on Kindle I don't understand why and I hope they will eventually become available.

[linda graham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another Great Short Story

This is my 3rd Colter Shaw short story I’ve read by Jeffrey Deaver and I have to say I have loved them all. Though short, the characters are fully developed and the plot twists and turns in surprising endings. Recommend any and all. Quick reads for times when that’s all you want!

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shaw takes a case in Ohio involving the murder of a drug dealer. The murderer is a railroaded teenager with a temper. His parents believe he is in danger in prison. It was a slam dunk and nobody cared to listen. They just assumed and were lazy. Shaw quickly assesses the kid is innocent and proceeds to find the perp. The ending was too much in terms of just in time to the rescue.

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book

This was a well written book. Although the author must have been in the richer area of Canton. Downtown Canton is a mess of rundown buildings anymore. The only thing they have going for them is the Professional Football Hall of Fame, and it only gets super busy once a year.

[Nicky · Rating 3 out of 5]

it was ok but I just wanted more of everything. A full novel around the same story would have been excellent. I love the Coulter Shaw stories, love how he uses his survival skills to track the clues. Love all the other characters that crop up. There's lots more mileage in his story without it getting old.

[Michael Bellamy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable short story , not as many twists and turns as usual with Jeffery Deaver ,but never=the=less gripping . Cannot help but wonder how Colter Shaw earns enough money to fund his life style and staff ? Also how come the Police fail to unearth the real killer ?

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hmm

I usually not excited when one of my favorite authors writes a new series with a new character-I guess I feel like I’m betraying the former hero! However I’m intrigued by Colter Shaw...

[Corny · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the Colter Shaw character but this is a poorly developed story with not much to it. It was not at all clear how Shaw solved this one, nor did it make much sense. I prefer the full length novels to these.

[Marney · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good story, well told. Representative of the Colter Shaw books I have read so far. Some of the detail at the end was confusing, probably because there was not time in the short story format to explain things more fully. I'm enjoying the series and plan to continue reading it.

[Gina Gallo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was busy which is the only reason why it took so long to read this book. I have been cleaning my whole house and having an existential crisis. It’s been rough. But if I was forgotten, I would want Shaw looking out for me!

[Vickie Woodard · Rating 5 out of 5]

ANOTHER SHORT STORY

But a good one.
Shaw is part Sherlock Holmes, part tick ( I mean he really sticks to his objective, and maybe draws a bit of blood, too)
The only thing disappointing about this story is the length.