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Backstory
Hunting one killer—he finds another—in the mirror
In the aftermath of his wife’s apparent suicide, Jackson Robert Hunter wakes up outside a bar with a badly battered head and no memory. Revelations convince Jackson that his wife’s death wasn’t a suicide, but a murder, and he sets out to find the killer.
While hunting the villain and struggling with his amnesia, Jackson discovers that his own backstory is a dark one, littered with broken hearts and dead bodies: a wife he betrayed; a lover he abandoned; a squad of crooked cops he double-crossed; and a city that lives in fear of his name.
Jackson’s odyssey takes him from a small town in Kansas to Philadelphia, then back cross-country to Las Vegas. Along the way he encounters a sister he didn’t know he had, a niece he failed to save, and a mentor ready to lead Jackson down the darkest of paths.
Finally, at the end of his journey, Jackson discovers that it’s not another man he’s been running to, or from, but his own damning deeds, and the paradoxical redemption they might bring.
A Unique Blend: Perfect for fans of the Bourne Identity as well as fans of Gone Girl
In the aftermath of his wife’s apparent suicide, Jackson Robert Hunter wakes up outside a bar with a badly battered head and no memory. Revelations convince Jackson that his wife’s death wasn’t a suicide, but a murder, and he sets out to find the killer.
While hunting the villain and struggling with his amnesia, Jackson discovers that his own backstory is a dark one, littered with broken hearts and dead bodies: a wife he betrayed; a lover he abandoned; a squad of crooked cops he double-crossed; and a city that lives in fear of his name.
Jackson’s odyssey takes him from a small town in Kansas to Philadelphia, then back cross-country to Las Vegas. Along the way he encounters a sister he didn’t know he had, a niece he failed to save, and a mentor ready to lead Jackson down the darkest of paths.
Finally, at the end of his journey, Jackson discovers that it’s not another man he’s been running to, or from, but his own damning deeds, and the paradoxical redemption they might bring.
A Unique Blend: Perfect for fans of the Bourne Identity as well as fans of Gone Girl
321 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 7, 2022
40 people are currently reading
1442 people want to read
About the author
William L. Myers Jr.
8 books538 followersWilliam L. Myers, Jr. is the No. 6 best-selling author on Amazon Kindle in 2017 for his debut novel, A Criminal Defense. That was the first in what has become the Philadelphia Legal Series. The third book in that series, A Killers Alibi debuted earlier this year.
A Killer’s Alibi has had rave early reviews including New York Times Bestselling author, Bill Lasher—
“William Myers’ riveting new novel is not just a crackerjack legal thriller, it is a wrenching portrayal of a whole range of farther-daughter relations, showing how they can damage, how they can nourish, how they go dangerously off track. A story not to be missed.”
Born in 1958 into a blue-collar family, Mr. Myers inherited a work-ethic that propelled him through college and into the Ivy League at The University of Pennsylvania School of Law. From there, Mr. Myers started his legal career in a Philadelphia-based mega defense firm. After ten years defending corporate America, he realized his heart wasn’t in it. So, with his career on the fast track to success--he gave it all up and started his own firm. It was time to start fighting for the common guy.
That was twenty-five years ago and since then, he has focused on representing railroad employees and other honest, hard-working people who have been injured by others. He has represented thousands of clients in his tenure and has become a highly-regarded litigation attorney up and down the Eastern Seaboard.
A Killer’s Alibi has had rave early reviews including New York Times Bestselling author, Bill Lasher—
“William Myers’ riveting new novel is not just a crackerjack legal thriller, it is a wrenching portrayal of a whole range of farther-daughter relations, showing how they can damage, how they can nourish, how they go dangerously off track. A story not to be missed.”
Born in 1958 into a blue-collar family, Mr. Myers inherited a work-ethic that propelled him through college and into the Ivy League at The University of Pennsylvania School of Law. From there, Mr. Myers started his legal career in a Philadelphia-based mega defense firm. After ten years defending corporate America, he realized his heart wasn’t in it. So, with his career on the fast track to success--he gave it all up and started his own firm. It was time to start fighting for the common guy.
That was twenty-five years ago and since then, he has focused on representing railroad employees and other honest, hard-working people who have been injured by others. He has represented thousands of clients in his tenure and has become a highly-regarded litigation attorney up and down the Eastern Seaboard.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
May 10, 2022
First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, William L. Myers Jr., and Oceanview Publishing for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.
Happy to read another book by William L. Myers Jr., I turned to this standalone, which packs just as much punch as his Philadelphia legal thrillers. Myers shows that he is versatile in his writing and grips the reader from the opening pages with this story that has a number of twists to keep things on point. Fans of his series will see some of the same spark in this piece, which will surely solidify their admiration for William L. Myers Jr.
It is all a blur to Jackson Robert Hunter, but when he opens his eyes outside a bar, all he has to show for it is a sore head and no memory. He’s soon told that his wife has committed suicide, but Hunter has an inkling that it was staged as part of a murder plot, with the killer still out there. He’s determined to find out who was behind this and ensure justice is served.
As he begins to investigate, Hunter realises that his amnesia has been cover something even more problematic, namely his own sordid past. His marital history is anything but pristine, with betrayal towards his wife and a lover he left hanging on at least one occasion. Broken hearts are only part of the issue, as there are a number of dirty cops who turned the other way, ready to exact their own revenge on him. Could his wife’s murder be the cost of it all?
From a small community in Kansas, Hunter finds himself in various parts of the US, discovering family secrets he did not know existed. His hopes of tracking down the killer is mired in his own dark past and those who remember all too well what he did to them. His chase intensifies as he realises that he is also trying to piece together his own life, which is anything but reputable. Myers offers another winner that is sure to keep the reader flipping pages well into the night.
There is something about Myers’ writing that pulls me in every time. His direct approach and wonderful storytelling makes for a great reading experience, no matter the topic at hand. A clear cut narrative offers the reader something wonderful to use as a guide and provides ample time to get excited about the experience until the final page turn, when all comes crashing together. Whether this is a deviation from his Philadelphia series or the start of something new, I am eager to see what else Myers has to offer in the coming years.
Jackson Robert Hunter is a wonderful character whose life is full of gaps, primarily related to the amnesia he suffered when his wife died. He progresses throughout the book, offering both personal backstory and some development in the hunt for his wife’s killer, providing the reader something of a larger picture. Hunter’s struggles are real, though he does not know them all, leaving him to meander through a darkness he cannot easily navigate. Myers effectively creates and dismantles his protagonist throughout the story, leaving the reader to judge what sort of man they have before them.
I have always enjoyed William L. Myers Jr. for his writing and the spin he places on his stories. While I am used to something highly legal in nature, this was a great move away from it, offering the reader a different flavouring. A strong narrative is complemented by great characters and a stirring plot. The chapters are succinct enough for the reader to want to push through, though also offer the chance to take a momentary rest. Myers spins a tale like few others I have known and makes the reading experience enjoyable. I am eager to see what he has next on his publication radar, hoping it will be just as enticing.
Kudos, Mr. Myers, for another great piece. You shine like few in the genre.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
Happy to read another book by William L. Myers Jr., I turned to this standalone, which packs just as much punch as his Philadelphia legal thrillers. Myers shows that he is versatile in his writing and grips the reader from the opening pages with this story that has a number of twists to keep things on point. Fans of his series will see some of the same spark in this piece, which will surely solidify their admiration for William L. Myers Jr.
It is all a blur to Jackson Robert Hunter, but when he opens his eyes outside a bar, all he has to show for it is a sore head and no memory. He’s soon told that his wife has committed suicide, but Hunter has an inkling that it was staged as part of a murder plot, with the killer still out there. He’s determined to find out who was behind this and ensure justice is served.
As he begins to investigate, Hunter realises that his amnesia has been cover something even more problematic, namely his own sordid past. His marital history is anything but pristine, with betrayal towards his wife and a lover he left hanging on at least one occasion. Broken hearts are only part of the issue, as there are a number of dirty cops who turned the other way, ready to exact their own revenge on him. Could his wife’s murder be the cost of it all?
From a small community in Kansas, Hunter finds himself in various parts of the US, discovering family secrets he did not know existed. His hopes of tracking down the killer is mired in his own dark past and those who remember all too well what he did to them. His chase intensifies as he realises that he is also trying to piece together his own life, which is anything but reputable. Myers offers another winner that is sure to keep the reader flipping pages well into the night.
There is something about Myers’ writing that pulls me in every time. His direct approach and wonderful storytelling makes for a great reading experience, no matter the topic at hand. A clear cut narrative offers the reader something wonderful to use as a guide and provides ample time to get excited about the experience until the final page turn, when all comes crashing together. Whether this is a deviation from his Philadelphia series or the start of something new, I am eager to see what else Myers has to offer in the coming years.
Jackson Robert Hunter is a wonderful character whose life is full of gaps, primarily related to the amnesia he suffered when his wife died. He progresses throughout the book, offering both personal backstory and some development in the hunt for his wife’s killer, providing the reader something of a larger picture. Hunter’s struggles are real, though he does not know them all, leaving him to meander through a darkness he cannot easily navigate. Myers effectively creates and dismantles his protagonist throughout the story, leaving the reader to judge what sort of man they have before them.
I have always enjoyed William L. Myers Jr. for his writing and the spin he places on his stories. While I am used to something highly legal in nature, this was a great move away from it, offering the reader a different flavouring. A strong narrative is complemented by great characters and a stirring plot. The chapters are succinct enough for the reader to want to push through, though also offer the chance to take a momentary rest. Myers spins a tale like few others I have known and makes the reading experience enjoyable. I am eager to see what he has next on his publication radar, hoping it will be just as enticing.
Kudos, Mr. Myers, for another great piece. You shine like few in the genre.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
May 4, 2022
3.5 rounded up
Myers normally writes legal thrillers so this was not what I was expecting but it was, nevertheless, a pleasant surprise. The title is apt!
Bob - J. Robert Hunter is grieving the loss of his wife a couple of weeks ago. Helen was depressive but on the morning of her death she was happy and told Bob she had a surprise for him when he got home. Some surprise, she’d killed herself with an overdose of tablets. He gets mugged, his head bashed against the wall leaving his brother-in-law’s bar one night and when he comes to he has no memory. He doesn’t know who he is. Luckily he still has his wallet and his driver’s license tells him his name and address.
Once home little snippets of memory come to him but he still feels a void. He also learns that Helen was pregnant when she died. That makes no sense. They’d been trying for a baby for seven years and she would have been overjoyed. That was probably what the surprise was supposed to be so Bob assumes someone must have killed her as Helen would have been overjoyed. He carries on a bit longer, goes to work, fakes it when he can’t remember people but as more things come back to him he realises that he was supposed to be dead. He had run from his previous life in Philly 10 years ago. He remembers he has stolen $1.2 million from his boss, a corrupt Philadelphia police officer, faked his death and run away. But he can’t remember why he stole the money. In any case it was swiftly stolen from him the minute he got his hands on it.
Now convinced his former boss Donny Franco had Helen killed he heads to Philly to seek the truth. It’s quite the journey and along the way he learns more and more about himself and realises he was not a very nice person. Can he find redemption and right some of the wrongs of the past? But he also feels, more strongly every day, that someone is pulling his strings!
The Bob character, who turns out to actually be Jackson, is someone many of us could relate to. He is complex and has his faults and weaknesses but he is not all bad. This was an immersive, character driven story with surprises at every turn as Bob/Jackson remembers more and more about his past. He learns his backstory. Many thanks to Netgalley and Oceanview Publishing for the much appreciated arc which I reviewed voluntarily and honestly.
Myers normally writes legal thrillers so this was not what I was expecting but it was, nevertheless, a pleasant surprise. The title is apt!
Bob - J. Robert Hunter is grieving the loss of his wife a couple of weeks ago. Helen was depressive but on the morning of her death she was happy and told Bob she had a surprise for him when he got home. Some surprise, she’d killed herself with an overdose of tablets. He gets mugged, his head bashed against the wall leaving his brother-in-law’s bar one night and when he comes to he has no memory. He doesn’t know who he is. Luckily he still has his wallet and his driver’s license tells him his name and address.
Once home little snippets of memory come to him but he still feels a void. He also learns that Helen was pregnant when she died. That makes no sense. They’d been trying for a baby for seven years and she would have been overjoyed. That was probably what the surprise was supposed to be so Bob assumes someone must have killed her as Helen would have been overjoyed. He carries on a bit longer, goes to work, fakes it when he can’t remember people but as more things come back to him he realises that he was supposed to be dead. He had run from his previous life in Philly 10 years ago. He remembers he has stolen $1.2 million from his boss, a corrupt Philadelphia police officer, faked his death and run away. But he can’t remember why he stole the money. In any case it was swiftly stolen from him the minute he got his hands on it.
Now convinced his former boss Donny Franco had Helen killed he heads to Philly to seek the truth. It’s quite the journey and along the way he learns more and more about himself and realises he was not a very nice person. Can he find redemption and right some of the wrongs of the past? But he also feels, more strongly every day, that someone is pulling his strings!
The Bob character, who turns out to actually be Jackson, is someone many of us could relate to. He is complex and has his faults and weaknesses but he is not all bad. This was an immersive, character driven story with surprises at every turn as Bob/Jackson remembers more and more about his past. He learns his backstory. Many thanks to Netgalley and Oceanview Publishing for the much appreciated arc which I reviewed voluntarily and honestly.
June 6, 2022
As the writer of legal thrillers and the Philadelphia Legal series, William L Myers Jr has now published Backstory, his first standalone novel. A man wakes up outside a bar with a head injury and no memory. So begins an intriguing saga as Jackson Hunter has to navigate his way in a world where people know him but he is clueless, apart from the impression his wife’s recent suicide was actually murder. Jackson’s discoveries take him from Kansas to Philadelphia and even Las Vegas, as he tries to find the killer. A dark gritty tale of a man with a violent disreputable past, who may even be a killer too. In battling amnesia and dealing with flashbacks of damning deeds, betrayal, and an irredeemable treacherous past, this unfolding gem of a tale with plenty of action and twists, makes a four star rating. With thanks to Oceanview Publishing and the author, for an uncorrected advanced reader copy for review purposes. As always, the opinions herein are totally my own and freely given.
August 1, 2023
Some time in the weeks following his wife’s apparent suicide, Jackson Robert Hunter (known as Bob when we meet him in Kansas and Jackson or J.R. in his past in Philadelphia) wakes up outside a bar badly beaten and with no memory of who he is or what has happened to him. As his memory returns in fits and starts he discovers that his backstory is a dark one and he suspects his wife's death wasn't a suicide at all.
I'm long overdue in reading and reviewing this book but it's a pretty good story and well written. The protagonist's journey takes us from a small town in Kansas to Philadelphia and Las Vegas as he attempts to put the pieces of his past together and to find his wife's killer. Although I enjoyed the book I felt the flashes of memory Bob/Jackson experienced were too frequent to be believable but it was a clever way to tell the story and the ending was quite dramatic. Sorta like Memento gone rogue. There's some violence and death as well as sex scenes but nothing really offensive. I gather from other reviews that Mr. Myers usually writes legal thrillers and I'm interested in checking out some of his past catalogue.
My thanks to Oceanview Publishing via Netgalley for the opportunity to read this novel. All opinons expressed are my own.
I'm long overdue in reading and reviewing this book but it's a pretty good story and well written. The protagonist's journey takes us from a small town in Kansas to Philadelphia and Las Vegas as he attempts to put the pieces of his past together and to find his wife's killer. Although I enjoyed the book I felt the flashes of memory Bob/Jackson experienced were too frequent to be believable but it was a clever way to tell the story and the ending was quite dramatic. Sorta like Memento gone rogue. There's some violence and death as well as sex scenes but nothing really offensive. I gather from other reviews that Mr. Myers usually writes legal thrillers and I'm interested in checking out some of his past catalogue.
My thanks to Oceanview Publishing via Netgalley for the opportunity to read this novel. All opinons expressed are my own.
June 12, 2022
Regaining consciousness after someone repeatedly bashed his head against a brick wall, a man finds himself in a bar. The patrons call him Bob, but he has total amnesia. When he asks for a drink, the bartender owner named Juke says, “I don’t think so.” Bob had come from Back East a decade ago and has been sober since. He learns that his wife, Helen, had committed suicide two weeks before, and Juke is his brother-in-law. Like a Gregorian chant, an almost-audible mantra resonates in Bob’s head: “Get out. Run. Break free.”
Later, Bob sees a suspicious car, and someone has broken into his home. Did someone murder Helen and stage the scene as a suicide? Snippets of memories begin to haunt him, something about his real name being Jackson Robert (“JR”) Hunter from Philadelphia. Was he really a dirty cop? Memories of a young girl named Penny calm him, but he can’t recall anything about her. He can no longer function in small-town Kansas.
JR’s odyssey takes him to Philadelphia, where he hopes to find answers to questions he doesn’t know how to ask. He learns that he had lived on both sides of the blue line: good-guy cop and in cahoots with a drug-dealing mobster. He comes across people who remember and like him --- as the good cop. Others despise the bad cop persona. Were the conflicting personalities tearing him apart, prompting him to flee Philly?
BACKSTORY may be compared somewhat to Erin Kelly’s stupendous WATCH HER FALL. Contemporary psychiatry may consider the main characters in these novels as having dissociative identity disorder. Kelly’s protagonist realigns her disorder and succeeds. William L. Myers, Jr. (known for his Philadelphia Legal series) leaves readers in suspense regarding the outcome of JR Hunter, perhaps setting the stage for a new series.
Reminiscent of classic art and literature, this novel engages elements of George Grey Barnard’s 1894 sculpture, originally titled Je sens deux hommes en moi (I sense two men in myself), and Oscar Wilde’s The Ballad of Reading Gaol: “Yet each man kills the thing he loves.” Poetic license may have the meaning of “kill” as destroy. The sculpture and ballad seem to have inspired portions of this intriguing book. BACKSTORY is a cutting-edge psychological thriller that leaves readers pondering whether or not they like JR Hunter.
Reviewed by L. Dean Murphy
Later, Bob sees a suspicious car, and someone has broken into his home. Did someone murder Helen and stage the scene as a suicide? Snippets of memories begin to haunt him, something about his real name being Jackson Robert (“JR”) Hunter from Philadelphia. Was he really a dirty cop? Memories of a young girl named Penny calm him, but he can’t recall anything about her. He can no longer function in small-town Kansas.
JR’s odyssey takes him to Philadelphia, where he hopes to find answers to questions he doesn’t know how to ask. He learns that he had lived on both sides of the blue line: good-guy cop and in cahoots with a drug-dealing mobster. He comes across people who remember and like him --- as the good cop. Others despise the bad cop persona. Were the conflicting personalities tearing him apart, prompting him to flee Philly?
BACKSTORY may be compared somewhat to Erin Kelly’s stupendous WATCH HER FALL. Contemporary psychiatry may consider the main characters in these novels as having dissociative identity disorder. Kelly’s protagonist realigns her disorder and succeeds. William L. Myers, Jr. (known for his Philadelphia Legal series) leaves readers in suspense regarding the outcome of JR Hunter, perhaps setting the stage for a new series.
Reminiscent of classic art and literature, this novel engages elements of George Grey Barnard’s 1894 sculpture, originally titled Je sens deux hommes en moi (I sense two men in myself), and Oscar Wilde’s The Ballad of Reading Gaol: “Yet each man kills the thing he loves.” Poetic license may have the meaning of “kill” as destroy. The sculpture and ballad seem to have inspired portions of this intriguing book. BACKSTORY is a cutting-edge psychological thriller that leaves readers pondering whether or not they like JR Hunter.
Reviewed by L. Dean Murphy
December 21, 2021
After the suicide of his wife, Jackson finds himself confused and beaten up outside of a bar without a clue in the world as to what happened. His memory is completely blank.
As Jackson moves forward after his wife's death he starts to uncover clues that lead him to believe that she did not kill herself but was in fact murdered. Jackson needs to know the truth and will find his wife's murderer hell or high water.
As Jackson proceeds forward in hopes of catching his wife's killer he also is fighting an internal struggle, he betrayed his wife, he messed with the wrong people and now his world is starting to come undone .
As we follow Jackson across country, twists and turns are at every corner. Is Jackson the hunter or the huntee? Or is the person he should fear the most, himself?
This was a wild ride and I feel honored to read and review this novel prior to its June 7, 2022 release date. Backstory, is a book you do not want to miss! 5 stars!
As Jackson moves forward after his wife's death he starts to uncover clues that lead him to believe that she did not kill herself but was in fact murdered. Jackson needs to know the truth and will find his wife's murderer hell or high water.
As Jackson proceeds forward in hopes of catching his wife's killer he also is fighting an internal struggle, he betrayed his wife, he messed with the wrong people and now his world is starting to come undone .
As we follow Jackson across country, twists and turns are at every corner. Is Jackson the hunter or the huntee? Or is the person he should fear the most, himself?
This was a wild ride and I feel honored to read and review this novel prior to its June 7, 2022 release date. Backstory, is a book you do not want to miss! 5 stars!
November 1, 2021
Thanks Netgalley for this ARC, however, the copy I had was so messed up--missing words, half of sentences, and letters--I was unable to read it let alone finish it.
November 17, 2022
This book was definitely just meh for me & I usually enjoy Myers' books. This is the first one I've read that isn't a legal drama & it fell short. This book required me to suspend disbelief one too many times. I found myself going "oh, come on" at so many points in the book that I didn't enjoy it.
November 30, 2021
The advance PDF copy I received had missing letters, words and format issues but, I muddled through. These issues will surely be ironed out before publication.
This is an author I'm familiar with, but this story took a new path in psychological suspense. It is the dark tale of a man who has suffered head trauma resulting in large memory gaps. The journey he takes to discover who he is now and who he has been is related back and forth with flashbacks interspersed during the present timeline.
Jackson is a complicated man with a past to unravel. He has several aliases, identities and a persona to blend with each one. He's quite the womanizer, but he was a loving husband.
There is death, theft, murder, and other criminal activity in his troubled past. There is violence and torture.
He has a twin brother, a dominating and unsavory father, X-wife, niece, an illicit half-sister and a wife who took her own life. Could it get any more dramatic and complicated? Yes it will. Is he evil or is he a good person who lost his way? You'll have to pay attention as you race to the explosive conclusion.
Thanks to Netgalley, William L. Myers, Jr. and Oceanview Publishing for the advance digital copy of "Backstory". These are my thoughts and opinions given voluntarily.
This is an author I'm familiar with, but this story took a new path in psychological suspense. It is the dark tale of a man who has suffered head trauma resulting in large memory gaps. The journey he takes to discover who he is now and who he has been is related back and forth with flashbacks interspersed during the present timeline.
Jackson is a complicated man with a past to unravel. He has several aliases, identities and a persona to blend with each one. He's quite the womanizer, but he was a loving husband.
There is death, theft, murder, and other criminal activity in his troubled past. There is violence and torture.
He has a twin brother, a dominating and unsavory father, X-wife, niece, an illicit half-sister and a wife who took her own life. Could it get any more dramatic and complicated? Yes it will. Is he evil or is he a good person who lost his way? You'll have to pay attention as you race to the explosive conclusion.
Thanks to Netgalley, William L. Myers, Jr. and Oceanview Publishing for the advance digital copy of "Backstory". These are my thoughts and opinions given voluntarily.
June 4, 2022
Backstory, by William L. Myers, Jr., is a dark psychological suspense novel. Jackson Robert Hunter has just suffered severe head trauma and now has generalized dissociative amnesia. He is told his wife Helen is dead, but he can’t remember his past, recent or distant.
The entire book follows his efforts to figure out who he is and what has happened to his wife. The story unfolds in present day, with informative flashbacks to his life in the past from his youth, through college, and finally to his present life in Kansas.
I really liked how this story unspooled, with his recollections popping up unexpectedly, filling the blanks in his life memory. Ancillary characters, in past and present, added color and more fullness to the tale.
While not necessarily a sympathetic protagonist, Hunter is complicated and multilayered, so his quest to relentlessly reconstruct his past and reactivate his memories kept me engaged and immersed in this man’s journey.
I recommend this to readers who like their thrillers with a healthy dose of dark domestic drama, damaged families, and flawed individuals seeking redemption from their past misdeeds.
Thank you to Oceanview Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC. This is my unbiased review.
The entire book follows his efforts to figure out who he is and what has happened to his wife. The story unfolds in present day, with informative flashbacks to his life in the past from his youth, through college, and finally to his present life in Kansas.
I really liked how this story unspooled, with his recollections popping up unexpectedly, filling the blanks in his life memory. Ancillary characters, in past and present, added color and more fullness to the tale.
While not necessarily a sympathetic protagonist, Hunter is complicated and multilayered, so his quest to relentlessly reconstruct his past and reactivate his memories kept me engaged and immersed in this man’s journey.
I recommend this to readers who like their thrillers with a healthy dose of dark domestic drama, damaged families, and flawed individuals seeking redemption from their past misdeeds.
Thank you to Oceanview Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC. This is my unbiased review.
May 19, 2022
Backstory
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Thriller
Format: Kindle eBook
Date Published: 6/7/22
Author: William Myers Jr.
Publisher: Oceanview Publishing
Pages: 320
Goodreads Rating: 3.58
Thank you to NetGalley and Oceanview Publishing for providing a digital copy of the book for me to read in exchange for my honest opinion.
Synopsis: In the aftermath of his wife’s apparent suicide, Jackson Robert Hunter wakes up outside a bar with a badly battered head and no memory. Revelations convince Jackson that his wife’s death wasn’t a suicide, but a murder, and he sets out to find the killer. While hunting the villain and struggling with his amnesia, Jackson discovers that his own backstory is a dark one: a wife he betrayed; a lover he abandoned; a squad of crooked cops he double-crossed; and a city that lives in fear of his name.
My Thoughts: Usually Myers is known for his legal thrillers and this was a bit different, it shows that the author can be versatile between sub-categories of thrillers. The first part was a bit of a slow burn and that was primarily due to the author building our MCs backstory. The story is narrated from the voice of Bob, from is POV. The author does a good job of developing the characters, you could feel Bob’s emotions and connect well with him, and there are various layers to the character. Overall, this was a good read and I would recommend to people who likes police corruption, spy type books.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Thriller
Format: Kindle eBook
Date Published: 6/7/22
Author: William Myers Jr.
Publisher: Oceanview Publishing
Pages: 320
Goodreads Rating: 3.58
Thank you to NetGalley and Oceanview Publishing for providing a digital copy of the book for me to read in exchange for my honest opinion.
Synopsis: In the aftermath of his wife’s apparent suicide, Jackson Robert Hunter wakes up outside a bar with a badly battered head and no memory. Revelations convince Jackson that his wife’s death wasn’t a suicide, but a murder, and he sets out to find the killer. While hunting the villain and struggling with his amnesia, Jackson discovers that his own backstory is a dark one: a wife he betrayed; a lover he abandoned; a squad of crooked cops he double-crossed; and a city that lives in fear of his name.
My Thoughts: Usually Myers is known for his legal thrillers and this was a bit different, it shows that the author can be versatile between sub-categories of thrillers. The first part was a bit of a slow burn and that was primarily due to the author building our MCs backstory. The story is narrated from the voice of Bob, from is POV. The author does a good job of developing the characters, you could feel Bob’s emotions and connect well with him, and there are various layers to the character. Overall, this was a good read and I would recommend to people who likes police corruption, spy type books.
November 17, 2021
The Backstory is this claimed psychological thriller that revolves around a man named Jackson Robert Hunter who one evening wakes up outside a bar with a wound bleeding out of his head, almost as if someone bashed his head, making all his memories washed out of his head. On interacting with some people around him who had come to aid him, he discovers that he is popularly known as Bob and his wife had just recently taken her own life. Having no memory of his own, he feels helpless not knowing who could have attacked him and it is this question that makes him question everything around him…even his wife’s suicide and whether it was really even suicide or did someone make it look like it was suicide.
Sounds riveting, right? It did to me too but unfortunately this book was not for me, and here’s why.
Let me put this right out of the gate, it’s more of a mystery than a thriller (a mystery answering who’s the criminal while a thriller spans the journey of something that is going to happen) at least in my opinion which is not a problem. Neither was it in the story.
The story mostly talks about a man with no memory trying to look for the killer of his wife while going through this overarching trope of the main character who wants to save the day until he realises that he’s the villain of the story all along (not a spoiler, it’s there in the blurb). Again, this is not the problem either. In fact, I love this trope as I know so many other people do too. The problem, however, was with the execution of the novel in general.
For instance, the slow pacing. The book starts painfully slow with nothing much happening, which was also the reason why I picked up another book as I read this one. I get that the author was probably trying to establish the familiarity of the main character’s life with his non-exposition-exposition. That’s okay but it becomes a problem when the reader doesn’t feel that powerful urge to go back to reading the book right after their they take their eyes away from the story. And I certainly didn’t feel that urge when life got busier for me. I guess, it takes like good 30% of the book at the beginning for the story to actually hit the reader…and even then, some things slowed me down.
Some several unnecessary details and characters had little or almost nothing to do with the actual plot of the book. There is this phrase in the writer’s world that goes that a writer must kill their darlings wherein the “darlings” are the unnecessary characters and plot points that do nothing to advance the story but are just there for the sake of being there. The author in this book evidently didn’t kill his darlings as he should have. The lack of these details could have improved the pacing greatly, in my opinion.
Another thing about this book that troubled me greatly was the characters of this book and especially the main character. The problem with them wasn’t the fact that they were all highly unlikeable but was actually in the fact that they were all also highly one dimensional, at least that’s what I felt.
Like the main character, for instance, is this thug, tough-looking guy who you wouldn’t want to mess around with and he always beats his opponent because he’s just soooo tough. And like okay, but give me some layers! Tell me what is his weak point. Tell me what’s that thing that scares the shit out of him and why is he so cynical, so tough and dark? Give me the backstory, full pun-intended.
There were a few scenes where you obviously get to see the past and what happened but none of it really solved the puzzle for me about why the main character became the way he became. In this book mostly the bad guy is the bad guy and the good guy is the good guy. There is no grey area in either of their characteristics which made the characters look unrealistic and unrelatable.
Because of this, I didn’t care at all about any of the characters. Except maybe Kimmie and Penny. That’s it.
Also, I felt that there were a few troubles with the prose writing as well. Not that the language was not easy to understand. It was the fact that with each time the main character got reminded of the memory, there was no transition between what was actually happening in the present and what he was remembering from memory, because both of those instances were written in the present tense and that sometimes confused me, so I had to keep going several lines up again and again to figure out if what the scene just narrated was the memory that the main character is just remembering or is it actually happening to him right now.
Lastly, the thing that I didn’t like at all about this book is that there were many plot points and characters that were not given enough closure. Like they were just introduced midway in the novel but then they just disappeared from the narrative without giving any value to the advancement of the story.
In addition, there are frequent mentions of sexual intercourse, depression, suicide and drugs, so please give a thorough look at the content guide if you are considering reading this book.
So anyway, I liked the concept of the story about how people are most of the times blind to their own mistakes and flaws and when they realise their mistakes, it is too late. But it was the execution of this concept that this novel failed for me.
Overall, I guess, I would give this book a 3 out of 5 stars because I liked the concept but again it didn’t reach its potential. I would still recommend this book nevertheless to anyone who likes plot-driven stories, unlike me, you can definitely give this one a try and let me know your thoughts about this book.
Thank you so much for reading! This book gets published on 7th June 2022 and I would like to thank Netgalley and Oceanview publication for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book in return of an honest opinion.
Have a good day!💜
Sounds riveting, right? It did to me too but unfortunately this book was not for me, and here’s why.
Let me put this right out of the gate, it’s more of a mystery than a thriller (a mystery answering who’s the criminal while a thriller spans the journey of something that is going to happen) at least in my opinion which is not a problem. Neither was it in the story.
The story mostly talks about a man with no memory trying to look for the killer of his wife while going through this overarching trope of the main character who wants to save the day until he realises that he’s the villain of the story all along (not a spoiler, it’s there in the blurb). Again, this is not the problem either. In fact, I love this trope as I know so many other people do too. The problem, however, was with the execution of the novel in general.
For instance, the slow pacing. The book starts painfully slow with nothing much happening, which was also the reason why I picked up another book as I read this one. I get that the author was probably trying to establish the familiarity of the main character’s life with his non-exposition-exposition. That’s okay but it becomes a problem when the reader doesn’t feel that powerful urge to go back to reading the book right after their they take their eyes away from the story. And I certainly didn’t feel that urge when life got busier for me. I guess, it takes like good 30% of the book at the beginning for the story to actually hit the reader…and even then, some things slowed me down.
Some several unnecessary details and characters had little or almost nothing to do with the actual plot of the book. There is this phrase in the writer’s world that goes that a writer must kill their darlings wherein the “darlings” are the unnecessary characters and plot points that do nothing to advance the story but are just there for the sake of being there. The author in this book evidently didn’t kill his darlings as he should have. The lack of these details could have improved the pacing greatly, in my opinion.
Another thing about this book that troubled me greatly was the characters of this book and especially the main character. The problem with them wasn’t the fact that they were all highly unlikeable but was actually in the fact that they were all also highly one dimensional, at least that’s what I felt.
Like the main character, for instance, is this thug, tough-looking guy who you wouldn’t want to mess around with and he always beats his opponent because he’s just soooo tough. And like okay, but give me some layers! Tell me what is his weak point. Tell me what’s that thing that scares the shit out of him and why is he so cynical, so tough and dark? Give me the backstory, full pun-intended.
There were a few scenes where you obviously get to see the past and what happened but none of it really solved the puzzle for me about why the main character became the way he became. In this book mostly the bad guy is the bad guy and the good guy is the good guy. There is no grey area in either of their characteristics which made the characters look unrealistic and unrelatable.
Because of this, I didn’t care at all about any of the characters. Except maybe Kimmie and Penny. That’s it.
Also, I felt that there were a few troubles with the prose writing as well. Not that the language was not easy to understand. It was the fact that with each time the main character got reminded of the memory, there was no transition between what was actually happening in the present and what he was remembering from memory, because both of those instances were written in the present tense and that sometimes confused me, so I had to keep going several lines up again and again to figure out if what the scene just narrated was the memory that the main character is just remembering or is it actually happening to him right now.
Lastly, the thing that I didn’t like at all about this book is that there were many plot points and characters that were not given enough closure. Like they were just introduced midway in the novel but then they just disappeared from the narrative without giving any value to the advancement of the story.
In addition, there are frequent mentions of sexual intercourse, depression, suicide and drugs, so please give a thorough look at the content guide if you are considering reading this book.
So anyway, I liked the concept of the story about how people are most of the times blind to their own mistakes and flaws and when they realise their mistakes, it is too late. But it was the execution of this concept that this novel failed for me.
Overall, I guess, I would give this book a 3 out of 5 stars because I liked the concept but again it didn’t reach its potential. I would still recommend this book nevertheless to anyone who likes plot-driven stories, unlike me, you can definitely give this one a try and let me know your thoughts about this book.
Thank you so much for reading! This book gets published on 7th June 2022 and I would like to thank Netgalley and Oceanview publication for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book in return of an honest opinion.
Have a good day!💜
November 17, 2021
Hunting one killer—he finds another—in the mirror
– Backstory by William L Myers
Hey everyone! How have you been?
If you’ve been following my Instagram stories (follow me on @stainedstoriesbrokenspines), you’ll know that I was recently binge-watching the newly released Only Murders In The Building series starring Selena Gomez which got my blood rushing and reminded me how much I love mystery thrillers. It was also that time when I got my hands on this ARC copy of Backstory that was made available on Netgalley.
The Backstory is this claimed psychological thriller that revolves around a man named Jackson Robert Hunter who one evening wakes up outside a bar with a wound bleeding out of his head, almost as if someone bashed his head, making all his memories washed out of his head. On interacting with some people around him who had come to aid him, he discovers that he is popularly known as Bob and his wife had just recently taken her own life. Having no memory of his own, he feels helpless not knowing who could have attacked him and it is this question that makes him question everything around him…even his wife’s suicide and whether it was really even suicide or did someone make it look like it was suicide.
Sounds riveting, right? It did to me too but unfortunately this book was not for me, and here’s why.
Let me put this right out of the gate, it’s more of a mystery than a thriller (a mystery answering who’s the criminal while a thriller spans the journey of something that is going to happen) at least in my opinion which is not a problem. Neither was it in the story.
The story mostly talks about a man with no memory trying to look for the killer of his wife while going through this overarching trope of the main character who wants to save the day until he realises that he’s the villain of the story all along (not a spoiler, it’s there in the blurb). Again, this is not the problem either. In fact, I love this trope as I know so many other people do too. The problem, however, was with the execution of the novel in general.
For instance, the slow pacing. The book starts painfully slow with nothing much happening, which was also the reason why I picked up another book as I read this one. I get that the author was probably trying to establish the familiarity of the main character’s life with his non-exposition-exposition. That’s okay but it becomes a problem when the reader doesn’t feel that powerful urge to go back to reading the book right after their they take their eyes away from the story. And I certainly didn’t feel that urge when life got busier for me. I guess, it takes like good 30% of the book at the beginning for the story to actually hit the reader…and even then, some things slowed me down.
Some several unnecessary details and characters had little or almost nothing to do with the actual plot of the book. There is this phrase in the writer’s world that goes that a writer must kill their darlings wherein the “darlings” are the unnecessary characters and plot points that do nothing to advance the story but are just there for the sake of being there. The author in this book evidently didn’t kill his darlings as he should have. The lack of these details could have improved the pacing greatly, in my opinion.
Another thing about this book that troubled me greatly was the characters of this book and especially the main character. The problem with them wasn’t the fact that they were all highly unlikeable but was actually in the fact that they were all also highly one dimensional, at least that’s what I felt.
Like the main character, for instance, is this thug, tough-looking guy who you wouldn’t want to mess around with and he always beats his opponent because he’s just soooo tough. And like okay, but give me some layers! Tell me what is his weak point. Tell me what’s that thing that scares the shit out of him and why is he so cynical, so tough and dark? Give me the backstory, full pun-intended.
There were a few scenes where you obviously get to see the past and what happened but none of it really solved the puzzle for me about why the main character became the way he became. In this book mostly the bad guy is the bad guy and the good guy is the good guy. There is no grey area in either of their characteristics which made the characters look unrealistic and unrelatable.
Because of this, I didn’t care at all about any of the characters. Except maybe Kimmie and Penny. That’s it.
Also, I felt that there were a few troubles with the prose writing as well. Not that the language was not easy to understand. It was the fact that with each time the main character got reminded of the memory, there was no transition between what was actually happening in the present and what he was remembering from memory, because both of those instances were written in the present tense and that sometimes confused me, so I had to keep going several lines up again and again to figure out if what the scene just narrated was the memory that the main character is just remembering or is it actually happening to him right now.
Lastly, the thing that I didn’t like at all about this book is that there were many plot points and characters that were not given enough closure. Like they were just introduced midway in the in the novel but then they just disappeared from the narrative without giving any value to the advancement of the story.
In addition, there are frequent mentions of sexual intercourse and drugs, so please give a thorough look at the content guide if you are considering reading this book.
So anyway, I liked the concept of the story about how people are most of the times blind to their own mistakes and flaws and when they realise their mistakes, it is too late. But it was the execution of this concept that this novel failed for me.
Overall, I guess, I would give this book a 3 out of 5 stars because I liked the concept but again it didn’t reach its potential. I would still recommend this book nevertheless to anyone who likes plot-driven stories, unlike me, you can definitely give this one a try and let me know your thoughts about this book.
Thank you so much for reading! This book gets published on 7th June 2022 and I would like to thank Netgalley and Oceanview publication for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book in return of an honest opinion.
Have a good day! 💜
– Backstory by William L Myers
Hey everyone! How have you been?
If you’ve been following my Instagram stories (follow me on @stainedstoriesbrokenspines), you’ll know that I was recently binge-watching the newly released Only Murders In The Building series starring Selena Gomez which got my blood rushing and reminded me how much I love mystery thrillers. It was also that time when I got my hands on this ARC copy of Backstory that was made available on Netgalley.
The Backstory is this claimed psychological thriller that revolves around a man named Jackson Robert Hunter who one evening wakes up outside a bar with a wound bleeding out of his head, almost as if someone bashed his head, making all his memories washed out of his head. On interacting with some people around him who had come to aid him, he discovers that he is popularly known as Bob and his wife had just recently taken her own life. Having no memory of his own, he feels helpless not knowing who could have attacked him and it is this question that makes him question everything around him…even his wife’s suicide and whether it was really even suicide or did someone make it look like it was suicide.
Sounds riveting, right? It did to me too but unfortunately this book was not for me, and here’s why.
Let me put this right out of the gate, it’s more of a mystery than a thriller (a mystery answering who’s the criminal while a thriller spans the journey of something that is going to happen) at least in my opinion which is not a problem. Neither was it in the story.
The story mostly talks about a man with no memory trying to look for the killer of his wife while going through this overarching trope of the main character who wants to save the day until he realises that he’s the villain of the story all along (not a spoiler, it’s there in the blurb). Again, this is not the problem either. In fact, I love this trope as I know so many other people do too. The problem, however, was with the execution of the novel in general.
For instance, the slow pacing. The book starts painfully slow with nothing much happening, which was also the reason why I picked up another book as I read this one. I get that the author was probably trying to establish the familiarity of the main character’s life with his non-exposition-exposition. That’s okay but it becomes a problem when the reader doesn’t feel that powerful urge to go back to reading the book right after their they take their eyes away from the story. And I certainly didn’t feel that urge when life got busier for me. I guess, it takes like good 30% of the book at the beginning for the story to actually hit the reader…and even then, some things slowed me down.
Some several unnecessary details and characters had little or almost nothing to do with the actual plot of the book. There is this phrase in the writer’s world that goes that a writer must kill their darlings wherein the “darlings” are the unnecessary characters and plot points that do nothing to advance the story but are just there for the sake of being there. The author in this book evidently didn’t kill his darlings as he should have. The lack of these details could have improved the pacing greatly, in my opinion.
Another thing about this book that troubled me greatly was the characters of this book and especially the main character. The problem with them wasn’t the fact that they were all highly unlikeable but was actually in the fact that they were all also highly one dimensional, at least that’s what I felt.
Like the main character, for instance, is this thug, tough-looking guy who you wouldn’t want to mess around with and he always beats his opponent because he’s just soooo tough. And like okay, but give me some layers! Tell me what is his weak point. Tell me what’s that thing that scares the shit out of him and why is he so cynical, so tough and dark? Give me the backstory, full pun-intended.
There were a few scenes where you obviously get to see the past and what happened but none of it really solved the puzzle for me about why the main character became the way he became. In this book mostly the bad guy is the bad guy and the good guy is the good guy. There is no grey area in either of their characteristics which made the characters look unrealistic and unrelatable.
Because of this, I didn’t care at all about any of the characters. Except maybe Kimmie and Penny. That’s it.
Also, I felt that there were a few troubles with the prose writing as well. Not that the language was not easy to understand. It was the fact that with each time the main character got reminded of the memory, there was no transition between what was actually happening in the present and what he was remembering from memory, because both of those instances were written in the present tense and that sometimes confused me, so I had to keep going several lines up again and again to figure out if what the scene just narrated was the memory that the main character is just remembering or is it actually happening to him right now.
Lastly, the thing that I didn’t like at all about this book is that there were many plot points and characters that were not given enough closure. Like they were just introduced midway in the in the novel but then they just disappeared from the narrative without giving any value to the advancement of the story.
In addition, there are frequent mentions of sexual intercourse and drugs, so please give a thorough look at the content guide if you are considering reading this book.
So anyway, I liked the concept of the story about how people are most of the times blind to their own mistakes and flaws and when they realise their mistakes, it is too late. But it was the execution of this concept that this novel failed for me.
Overall, I guess, I would give this book a 3 out of 5 stars because I liked the concept but again it didn’t reach its potential. I would still recommend this book nevertheless to anyone who likes plot-driven stories, unlike me, you can definitely give this one a try and let me know your thoughts about this book.
Thank you so much for reading! This book gets published on 7th June 2022 and I would like to thank Netgalley and Oceanview publication for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book in return of an honest opinion.
Have a good day! 💜
May 5, 2023
Jackson is recovering from a blow to the head but is having difficulty with his memory. His wife has died but the details are unclear until he determines that she was murdered. Through a series of flashbacks, Jackson is faced with secrets from his past. I enjoyed reading about Jackson piecing his life back together after his short term memory loss, but I felt that the flashbacks got a little jumbled up jumping from character to character. Overall an entertaining read!
April 28, 2022
The premise was good, a man with amnesia trying to find out why his wife committed suicide but it veered into unbelievable directions and didn't have the depth I was hoping for
August 2, 2022
Here I am again with another incredibly late review! Bless the publishers who still send me early releases 🤪
Thank you to William and Oceanview Publishing for an advance copy of Backstory.
Jackson is having a really rough go of things. His wife committed suicide recently and he’s just woken up outside of a bar with absolutely no recollection of how he got there, what happened, and just the revelation that his wife may not have taken her own life. He sets off to try and figure out what exactly happened to her while also trying to figure out what happened to him, leading him to discover that his own past is a lot darker than he imagined.
The amnesia trope is one that comes and goes in thrillers, and sometimes I like it and sometimes I could totally do without. In this case, I think William did a fantastic job. Instead of trying to remember the immediate past, we’re taken all the way back through Jackson’s life and it is one wild ride. Trying to figure out what happened to both himself and his wife at the same time leads to crazy revelations while flowing seamlessly and creating an exciting story that made me want to keep reading.
Jackson was perfectly flawed. The past that he can’t remember is far from squeaky clean, but we get to see a nice internal struggle as he comes to terms with who he was and who he wants to be going forward.
I also really enjoy when off-page characters are what drives a book, and at its heart Backstory is centered around Jackson’s wife dying and his desire to know what happened to her despite the audience ever meeting her.
Thank you to William and Oceanview Publishing for an advance copy of Backstory.
Jackson is having a really rough go of things. His wife committed suicide recently and he’s just woken up outside of a bar with absolutely no recollection of how he got there, what happened, and just the revelation that his wife may not have taken her own life. He sets off to try and figure out what exactly happened to her while also trying to figure out what happened to him, leading him to discover that his own past is a lot darker than he imagined.
The amnesia trope is one that comes and goes in thrillers, and sometimes I like it and sometimes I could totally do without. In this case, I think William did a fantastic job. Instead of trying to remember the immediate past, we’re taken all the way back through Jackson’s life and it is one wild ride. Trying to figure out what happened to both himself and his wife at the same time leads to crazy revelations while flowing seamlessly and creating an exciting story that made me want to keep reading.
Jackson was perfectly flawed. The past that he can’t remember is far from squeaky clean, but we get to see a nice internal struggle as he comes to terms with who he was and who he wants to be going forward.
I also really enjoy when off-page characters are what drives a book, and at its heart Backstory is centered around Jackson’s wife dying and his desire to know what happened to her despite the audience ever meeting her.
December 30, 2021
Thanks to NetGalley I was able to read this ARC.
I wanted to absolutely love this book, the blurb about it had me absolutely hooked, however, it just wasn't meant to be. The story moves painfully slow, not really giving the reader much for the first 1/3 of the book. After that, it did get exponentially better, but that really isn't saying a whole lot. I constantly felt like something was missing, that the really good parts were rushed through and others were drug out. Excellent concept but not stellar on the execution.
I wanted to absolutely love this book, the blurb about it had me absolutely hooked, however, it just wasn't meant to be. The story moves painfully slow, not really giving the reader much for the first 1/3 of the book. After that, it did get exponentially better, but that really isn't saying a whole lot. I constantly felt like something was missing, that the really good parts were rushed through and others were drug out. Excellent concept but not stellar on the execution.
May 10, 2022
He itches to know the answers, but what he'd love even more is to know why he doesn't know. Why his memory is a jigsaw puzzle with most of the pieces missing
Jackson Robert Hunter, fondly going by the alias Bob in Kournfield. Loved by his peers at the factory, revered by the residents of the society he knows and connects with, and a wife who unites with his love, emotions, and passion to complement. All seems to go well till the day he is faced with the gruesome shock of his wife's suicide that gets into him deep within like a thunderbolt. Through the course of the events, he gets taken over by a bout of amnesia that arises due to an attack outside his brother-in-law Juke's bar. What follows suit is a cat and mouse chase as the past he so badly wants to get away from tries to arise from the graves he buried it in years ago. The life he left behind in Philadelphia. What happens next and if his secrets were better left unsaid forms the crux of the story.
First off, this is the first time I got the chance to explore William L Myers' work and needless to say, his excellent ability to let the readers see through the conflicting emotions of the protagonist is what had me bowled. As I moved in pace with the story, I could see myself reason, feel, and understand Jackson's ideas, conflicts, emotions, passion, and desires. Plus, the relationship that William has drawn with the people that Jackson trusts and has formed a bond with, starting with his wife to the people he estranged himself from was really beautiful. At times, I couldn't help but feel mad at the indifference of a few characters at Jackson's attitude. As much as they had their reasons to do so, William's method of handling the reasons why someone needs to see the other side of the story was really amazing.
Apart from this, the development of every character in the story deserves a separate mention. I particularly liked the justifiable developments of Helen through her journey with depression. I really liked the way he handled that sensitive topic by explaining it in a way everyone would understand, including people who haven't experienced what depression would feel like. Additionally, the relationship between Jackson and his niece Penelope enjoys a separate fanbase. I really liked the way her character progressed and the perspectives that she shared toward Jackson's character.
Plus, working on the psychological concept of how the monsters are within us, the wars working out between the agathokakological sides of ours, and how we spend every day battling those monsters within, staying the enemy of ourselves, I'd recommend Backstory as an excellent treat for people who loved Christopher Nolan's Memento and The Bourne Identity .
From making me fall in love with the plot, keeping me on my toes for every progress of the page, had me hooked from the start till the end in anticipation to keeping me rooting for the characters and their backstories (particularly Jackson's the most intriguing of the lot, maybe I have a thing for shady characters, I don't know xD), it got me bawling my eyes out ugly when all the pieces of the puzzle began falling into place,
Thanks to Netgalley for this ARC. This is a voluntary, honest review left behind in exchange for the ARC received.
#NetGalley #Backstory #PsychologicalThriller
Jackson Robert Hunter, fondly going by the alias Bob in Kournfield. Loved by his peers at the factory, revered by the residents of the society he knows and connects with, and a wife who unites with his love, emotions, and passion to complement. All seems to go well till the day he is faced with the gruesome shock of his wife's suicide that gets into him deep within like a thunderbolt. Through the course of the events, he gets taken over by a bout of amnesia that arises due to an attack outside his brother-in-law Juke's bar. What follows suit is a cat and mouse chase as the past he so badly wants to get away from tries to arise from the graves he buried it in years ago. The life he left behind in Philadelphia. What happens next and if his secrets were better left unsaid forms the crux of the story.
First off, this is the first time I got the chance to explore William L Myers' work and needless to say, his excellent ability to let the readers see through the conflicting emotions of the protagonist is what had me bowled. As I moved in pace with the story, I could see myself reason, feel, and understand Jackson's ideas, conflicts, emotions, passion, and desires. Plus, the relationship that William has drawn with the people that Jackson trusts and has formed a bond with, starting with his wife to the people he estranged himself from was really beautiful. At times, I couldn't help but feel mad at the indifference of a few characters at Jackson's attitude. As much as they had their reasons to do so, William's method of handling the reasons why someone needs to see the other side of the story was really amazing.
Apart from this, the development of every character in the story deserves a separate mention. I particularly liked the justifiable developments of Helen through her journey with depression. I really liked the way he handled that sensitive topic by explaining it in a way everyone would understand, including people who haven't experienced what depression would feel like. Additionally, the relationship between Jackson and his niece Penelope enjoys a separate fanbase. I really liked the way her character progressed and the perspectives that she shared toward Jackson's character.
Plus, working on the psychological concept of how the monsters are within us, the wars working out between the agathokakological sides of ours, and how we spend every day battling those monsters within, staying the enemy of ourselves, I'd recommend Backstory as an excellent treat for people who loved Christopher Nolan's Memento and The Bourne Identity .
From making me fall in love with the plot, keeping me on my toes for every progress of the page, had me hooked from the start till the end in anticipation to keeping me rooting for the characters and their backstories (particularly Jackson's the most intriguing of the lot, maybe I have a thing for shady characters, I don't know xD), it got me bawling my eyes out ugly when all the pieces of the puzzle began falling into place,
Thanks to Netgalley for this ARC. This is a voluntary, honest review left behind in exchange for the ARC received.
#NetGalley #Backstory #PsychologicalThriller
January 14, 2024
"Backstory" by William L. Myers, Jr. is a riveting and intricately woven thriller that plunges readers into a world of mystery, betrayal, and self-discovery. With its compelling narrative and multifaceted characters, the novel earns a well-deserved four-star rating for its gripping storytelling and the exploration of the complexities within the protagonist's past.
The story unfolds in the aftermath of Jackson Robert Hunter's wife's apparent suicide, a tragedy that leaves him with a battered head and no memory of the events leading up to that fateful night. As Jackson pieces together the puzzle of his wife's death, he is drawn into a web of dark secrets and a backstory filled with broken relationships and deadly betrayals.
The author skillfully blends elements of mystery and psychological suspense, keeping readers on the edge of their seats as Jackson embarks on a quest to uncover the truth. The journey takes him from a small town in Kansas to Philadelphia and Las Vegas, unraveling a narrative that is as much about the protagonist's own past as it is about solving a murder mystery.
William L. Myers, Jr. excels in creating a complex and flawed protagonist in Jackson Hunter. The layers of Jackson's backstory, intertwined with broken hearts, abandoned lovers, and a trail of betrayal, add depth to his character. The exploration of his relationships and the revelation of his own dark deeds contribute to the novel's richness.
The plot is meticulously crafted, with twists and turns that keep the reader guessing until the very end. The author's ability to maintain suspense and gradually unveil the layers of the story showcases a mastery of the thriller genre. The pacing is well-balanced, allowing for the gradual unfolding of the mystery while maintaining a sense of urgency.
The supporting characters, including Jackson's newfound sister, niece, and mentor, add further complexity to the narrative. Each character brings their own set of secrets and motivations, enriching the overall tapestry of the story.
While the novel successfully captivates with its plot and character dynamics, there may be moments when the complexity of the backstory could be challenging for some readers to follow. Additionally, the resolution, while satisfying, may leave certain questions unanswered.
In conclusion, "Backstory" is a gripping and immersive thriller that seamlessly combines mystery, suspense, and self-discovery. William L. Myers, Jr.'s storytelling prowess shines through, creating a narrative that engages readers from start to finish. This book is recommended for those who enjoy intricately plotted mysteries with compelling characters and a blend of psychological suspense.
The story unfolds in the aftermath of Jackson Robert Hunter's wife's apparent suicide, a tragedy that leaves him with a battered head and no memory of the events leading up to that fateful night. As Jackson pieces together the puzzle of his wife's death, he is drawn into a web of dark secrets and a backstory filled with broken relationships and deadly betrayals.
The author skillfully blends elements of mystery and psychological suspense, keeping readers on the edge of their seats as Jackson embarks on a quest to uncover the truth. The journey takes him from a small town in Kansas to Philadelphia and Las Vegas, unraveling a narrative that is as much about the protagonist's own past as it is about solving a murder mystery.
William L. Myers, Jr. excels in creating a complex and flawed protagonist in Jackson Hunter. The layers of Jackson's backstory, intertwined with broken hearts, abandoned lovers, and a trail of betrayal, add depth to his character. The exploration of his relationships and the revelation of his own dark deeds contribute to the novel's richness.
The plot is meticulously crafted, with twists and turns that keep the reader guessing until the very end. The author's ability to maintain suspense and gradually unveil the layers of the story showcases a mastery of the thriller genre. The pacing is well-balanced, allowing for the gradual unfolding of the mystery while maintaining a sense of urgency.
The supporting characters, including Jackson's newfound sister, niece, and mentor, add further complexity to the narrative. Each character brings their own set of secrets and motivations, enriching the overall tapestry of the story.
While the novel successfully captivates with its plot and character dynamics, there may be moments when the complexity of the backstory could be challenging for some readers to follow. Additionally, the resolution, while satisfying, may leave certain questions unanswered.
In conclusion, "Backstory" is a gripping and immersive thriller that seamlessly combines mystery, suspense, and self-discovery. William L. Myers, Jr.'s storytelling prowess shines through, creating a narrative that engages readers from start to finish. This book is recommended for those who enjoy intricately plotted mysteries with compelling characters and a blend of psychological suspense.
July 4, 2022
Jackson Robert Hunter wakes up in a pub after a head injury without his memory. He remembers flashes, and people know him. His wife apparently committed suicide, but other memories indicate she was likely murdered. In trying to avenge her murder, he discovers a lot about who he used to be, and not all of it is savory.
Backstory is billed as a thriller in the vein of The Bourne Identity and Gone Girl. Bob's clues, in the beginning, are subtle: flashes of violence, a gun under the bed, people that he used to know. What he finds are clues that lead him across the country, from Kansas to Philadelphia, back through Kansas on the way to Las Vegas. Bob had also gone by Jackson, and he traces his history as a college student, then back to Philadelphia as a police officer, then off to Kansas where he reinvented himself as a Goodyear employee. Flashes of memory kick off other avenues for him to explore, and he finds that he has demons of all kinds in his past, all of which he had been running from.
I love how Bob never blames Helen for the depression that she suffers through, sits with her at her low points, and tries to understand her point of view. She's never vilified for it by her family or friends, and Bob never thinks less of her for having a mental illness. The only thing vilified is the hidden well of violence that had found multiple avenues throughout Jackson's life, which led to his poor choices that upset the good he had in life. Later on, we see how much he fears falling back into that well, but he also realizes that it's not the violence itself that's the thing to be afraid of, but misdirected and aimless violence. If it's channeled into righteous fury, into the need to do better, that could be something used to make the world a better place.
Reading this book has been a fascinating experience. It moves quickly, grabbing you by the throat and refusing to let go. While Jackson certainly isn't a good guy, he's not the evilest one in the book and he has an awareness that keeps him from repeating his mistakes. Most of the time. His backstory is full of mistakes, after all, but he reaches the end of this book having learned from them, finally changing and trying to do the right thing.
Backstory is billed as a thriller in the vein of The Bourne Identity and Gone Girl. Bob's clues, in the beginning, are subtle: flashes of violence, a gun under the bed, people that he used to know. What he finds are clues that lead him across the country, from Kansas to Philadelphia, back through Kansas on the way to Las Vegas. Bob had also gone by Jackson, and he traces his history as a college student, then back to Philadelphia as a police officer, then off to Kansas where he reinvented himself as a Goodyear employee. Flashes of memory kick off other avenues for him to explore, and he finds that he has demons of all kinds in his past, all of which he had been running from.
I love how Bob never blames Helen for the depression that she suffers through, sits with her at her low points, and tries to understand her point of view. She's never vilified for it by her family or friends, and Bob never thinks less of her for having a mental illness. The only thing vilified is the hidden well of violence that had found multiple avenues throughout Jackson's life, which led to his poor choices that upset the good he had in life. Later on, we see how much he fears falling back into that well, but he also realizes that it's not the violence itself that's the thing to be afraid of, but misdirected and aimless violence. If it's channeled into righteous fury, into the need to do better, that could be something used to make the world a better place.
Reading this book has been a fascinating experience. It moves quickly, grabbing you by the throat and refusing to let go. While Jackson certainly isn't a good guy, he's not the evilest one in the book and he has an awareness that keeps him from repeating his mistakes. Most of the time. His backstory is full of mistakes, after all, but he reaches the end of this book having learned from them, finally changing and trying to do the right thing.
June 28, 2022
Is a tale of psychological terror that begins when a man is attacked in an alley, where his head is repeatedly slammed face first into a brick wall, leaving him bloody, disoriented and without memory of who he is . . . or where. When he comes to, he stumbles into the bar he’s behind, and learns he’s a regular there, he’s called Bob—a name he doesn’t recognize—and that the town they’re in is called Kournfield, somewhere in Kansas.
For some reason, Bob thinks something, or someone, is telling him to leave, to run away, and get out of there. And for some other, unknown reason, it’s important for him to conceal his amnesia . . . but he gradually learns that his beloved wife Helen, has recently committed suicide with an overdose of pills. He fakes his way back to his job as a supervisor at the local Goodyear Tire plant and tries to pick up the pieces of his shattered existence. But it’s just not working. As his memory comes back in fits and starts, his paranoia grows by leaps and bounds. He believes someone is chasing him and that that someone murdered his wife and broke into his apartment. Flashes of memory come back, like lightning in far away storm clouds, and he realizes that his search must take him to Philadelphia, where hints of dirty cops, stolen bribe money, and criminals itching for revenge haunt his mind. As the suspense builds, his delusions begin to lessen and the picture of who—and what—he really is becomes slightly clearer as he learns more about his secret, and dirty past. Is he a good guy? Or a bad guy and a bully with a badge? You can only find the answer by reading this eerie and suspenseful, well-plotted yarn to it’s stunning conclusion. It will not only keep you on the edge of your seat . . . you’ll never guess the ending!!
October 14, 2022
A person with convenient amnesia. It’s a story told many times in different ways and unfortunately this didn’t land for me. Telling a story with a narrator/protagonist that has amnesia must be difficult. And I found the author needed to have the people who surround the protagonist explain themselves and who they are even when they aren’t aware of the protagonist’s amnesia. While it works to move the story forward, as a reader I rolled my eyes a few times when it was clear Person A was dropping unrealistic amounts of information about themselves to the protagonist in a “casual conversation”.
Some of the interactions with the protagonist made me laugh, others had me jilted by how ridiculous they were. Not to mention the reader is on a seesaw, navigating through past and present storylines. The memories fly in and the reader is confronted with almost meaningless plot devices that don’t have closure.
For example, there’s a whole subject about self driving cars bringing dead people to their locations, and an airplane which seems to have crashed itself. Does this speculation on the reach of technology have any payoff? No. We have a stranger truck driver who asks if the protagonist is running to or from something, only to disappear without a trace.
The book is a wild ride, and there is some deep foreshadowing. The author seems to know where he wanted to end up when he wrote the beginning. Instead of a short story, we are lead on a quite literally crazy ride into a psyche of a man who lived one too many lives. The story includes the mafia, femme fatale, shootouts, corrupt cops, depression, drugs, affairs, and faking a death.
I didn’t hate the story but I just did not enjoy the ride.
Some of the interactions with the protagonist made me laugh, others had me jilted by how ridiculous they were. Not to mention the reader is on a seesaw, navigating through past and present storylines. The memories fly in and the reader is confronted with almost meaningless plot devices that don’t have closure.
For example, there’s a whole subject about self driving cars bringing dead people to their locations, and an airplane which seems to have crashed itself. Does this speculation on the reach of technology have any payoff? No. We have a stranger truck driver who asks if the protagonist is running to or from something, only to disappear without a trace.
The book is a wild ride, and there is some deep foreshadowing. The author seems to know where he wanted to end up when he wrote the beginning. Instead of a short story, we are lead on a quite literally crazy ride into a psyche of a man who lived one too many lives. The story includes the mafia, femme fatale, shootouts, corrupt cops, depression, drugs, affairs, and faking a death.
I didn’t hate the story but I just did not enjoy the ride.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 1, 2023
Backstory by William L. Myers, Jr. is a recommended contemporary noir mystery.
Bob, Jackson Robert Hunter, had his head smashed against a brick wall by some unknown person and can't quite remember who he is. He's in a bar where people know him, so he knows his name is Bob. He gradually pieces together clues and memories. He lives in Kansas. His Wife, Helen has recently died by suicide. He can't remember what his job is or who his co-workers are. He does slowly recover memories of Helen and begins to believe that his wife was murdered. This memory and other clues eventually lead him to Philadelphia and his secret past.
This is a compelling narrative and readers will be sympathetic to Bob's search for answers. He is a complicated character with a complicated past. Readers will sympathize with Bob at the start of the novel, but Meyers will quickly show that he is a more perplexing and troublesome character than he appears to be at the start. The novel quickly turns from a noir to a thriller as Bob looks into his past to try and solve who killed Helen.
As a reviewer it was admittedly a struggle at times to read Backstory because it was slow paced at the beginning and the advanced reading copy was missing complete words and/or letters so I had to piece together clues from the text that was there to figure out what was what. This won't be in the final published edition, but it does inhibit an ease of reading comprehension for an advanced reviewer. The plot does pick up the pace and quickly becomes engrossing in the final chapters in the novel.
Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Oceanview Publishing via Edelweiss.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2023/0...
Bob, Jackson Robert Hunter, had his head smashed against a brick wall by some unknown person and can't quite remember who he is. He's in a bar where people know him, so he knows his name is Bob. He gradually pieces together clues and memories. He lives in Kansas. His Wife, Helen has recently died by suicide. He can't remember what his job is or who his co-workers are. He does slowly recover memories of Helen and begins to believe that his wife was murdered. This memory and other clues eventually lead him to Philadelphia and his secret past.
This is a compelling narrative and readers will be sympathetic to Bob's search for answers. He is a complicated character with a complicated past. Readers will sympathize with Bob at the start of the novel, but Meyers will quickly show that he is a more perplexing and troublesome character than he appears to be at the start. The novel quickly turns from a noir to a thriller as Bob looks into his past to try and solve who killed Helen.
As a reviewer it was admittedly a struggle at times to read Backstory because it was slow paced at the beginning and the advanced reading copy was missing complete words and/or letters so I had to piece together clues from the text that was there to figure out what was what. This won't be in the final published edition, but it does inhibit an ease of reading comprehension for an advanced reviewer. The plot does pick up the pace and quickly becomes engrossing in the final chapters in the novel.
Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Oceanview Publishing via Edelweiss.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2023/0...
October 20, 2023
Title: "Backstory" by William L. Myers, Jr. - A Riveting Legal Thriller
Rating: ★★★★☆
I was fortunate to have the opportunity to read an advanced reader copy of "Backstory" by William L. Myers, Jr., and it did not disappoint. In this legal thriller, Myers expertly weaves a gripping narrative filled with suspense, courtroom drama, and unexpected twists.
The novel centers around the compelling character of Attorney Nick Mannino, who finds himself drawn into a high-stakes legal battle when a wrongful death case resurfaces from his past. Myers' writing is sharp and immersive, making it easy to get lost in the intricacies of the legal world. The courtroom scenes are well-crafted, providing an authentic and intense atmosphere that keeps the reader engaged.
What truly sets "Backstory" apart is its character development. Nick Mannino is a complex and relatable protagonist, and his emotional journey adds depth to the narrative. As the layers of the backstory are peeled back, secrets and long-buried truths come to light, keeping the reader guessing until the final pages. While the pacing is slightly uneven in parts, the book remains a page-turner, delivering a compelling legal thriller that will satisfy fans of the genre.
I extend my sincere appreciation to both NetGalley and the publisher for granting me the opportunity to explore this advanced reader copy. "Backstory" is a four-star novel that combines legal intricacies with an emotionally charged storyline, offering a thrilling and thought-provoking read. William L. Myers, Jr. has once again proven his skill in crafting captivating legal dramas.
Rating: ★★★★☆
I was fortunate to have the opportunity to read an advanced reader copy of "Backstory" by William L. Myers, Jr., and it did not disappoint. In this legal thriller, Myers expertly weaves a gripping narrative filled with suspense, courtroom drama, and unexpected twists.
The novel centers around the compelling character of Attorney Nick Mannino, who finds himself drawn into a high-stakes legal battle when a wrongful death case resurfaces from his past. Myers' writing is sharp and immersive, making it easy to get lost in the intricacies of the legal world. The courtroom scenes are well-crafted, providing an authentic and intense atmosphere that keeps the reader engaged.
What truly sets "Backstory" apart is its character development. Nick Mannino is a complex and relatable protagonist, and his emotional journey adds depth to the narrative. As the layers of the backstory are peeled back, secrets and long-buried truths come to light, keeping the reader guessing until the final pages. While the pacing is slightly uneven in parts, the book remains a page-turner, delivering a compelling legal thriller that will satisfy fans of the genre.
I extend my sincere appreciation to both NetGalley and the publisher for granting me the opportunity to explore this advanced reader copy. "Backstory" is a four-star novel that combines legal intricacies with an emotionally charged storyline, offering a thrilling and thought-provoking read. William L. Myers, Jr. has once again proven his skill in crafting captivating legal dramas.
February 25, 2022
This is the book review for Backstory written by William Meyers. This was a book that was so addictive that I just couldn't put It down. It's all about one man's ordeal to find out the secret of his past so he goes on a journey. Basically he is on the road the entire book and searching and searching for answers and we are searching with him.
This book was very difficult to put down. I just couldn't stop reading it. It was engrossing, thrilling and kept me guessing at each and every turn of the book, every page of the book, every chapter- what's going to happen.
I have difficulty remembering the protagonist's name because he goes by so many aliases but the other characters are memorable. The protagonist keeps searching for his identity throughout the book. His life is just mystery to him and he is desperately trying to unravel it.
I liked where the story was going in the beginning but somewhere in the middle there was mob, Mafia,gangs and corrupt police involved that it was really difficult to understand.
At this point I may have to include some content warnings about some explicit scenes and also some amount of implied incest that took place in the book.
From the middle of the book onwards it is all about trying to find lost relatives and lost siblings and kind of didn't wind up very well for me personally but overall it's a great story with very good writing and totally captivating.
This book was very difficult to put down. I just couldn't stop reading it. It was engrossing, thrilling and kept me guessing at each and every turn of the book, every page of the book, every chapter- what's going to happen.
I have difficulty remembering the protagonist's name because he goes by so many aliases but the other characters are memorable. The protagonist keeps searching for his identity throughout the book. His life is just mystery to him and he is desperately trying to unravel it.
I liked where the story was going in the beginning but somewhere in the middle there was mob, Mafia,gangs and corrupt police involved that it was really difficult to understand.
At this point I may have to include some content warnings about some explicit scenes and also some amount of implied incest that took place in the book.
From the middle of the book onwards it is all about trying to find lost relatives and lost siblings and kind of didn't wind up very well for me personally but overall it's a great story with very good writing and totally captivating.
May 16, 2022
This story is told in third person from a single point of view. I was intrigued by the summary of this story about a man who wakes up with amnesia and tries to piece together the events of his life that led up to his wife’s death. Shortly after beginning the book, I was left aghast at the decisions by the main character, Bob, and the characters around him including a responding police officer from not calling an ambulance after Bob had his head bashed against the brick wall in the alley behind the bar to his brother-in-law letting him drive himself home and “sleep off” a head injury.
This was followed with Bob conveniently remembering key points in his life upon just “thinking” about them such as the password to his computer and the location of his lockbox. I had a hard time suspending disbelief during a lot of this book. Bob often goes through a series of events that starts with trying to engage a memory, having a flashback from the far past that connects to his present and what may or may not be going on around him. At times the storytelling reminded me of the movie Memento and the ambiance would be clear then it would give way in an almost hallucinatory style. I enjoyed the concept and the overall story arc, but the narrative bogged it down in a manner that wasn’t quite successful.
Thank you to Netgalley and Oceanview Publishing for the free copy provided for an honest review.
This was followed with Bob conveniently remembering key points in his life upon just “thinking” about them such as the password to his computer and the location of his lockbox. I had a hard time suspending disbelief during a lot of this book. Bob often goes through a series of events that starts with trying to engage a memory, having a flashback from the far past that connects to his present and what may or may not be going on around him. At times the storytelling reminded me of the movie Memento and the ambiance would be clear then it would give way in an almost hallucinatory style. I enjoyed the concept and the overall story arc, but the narrative bogged it down in a manner that wasn’t quite successful.
Thank you to Netgalley and Oceanview Publishing for the free copy provided for an honest review.
July 19, 2022
Backstory is a dark thriller, full of surprises, that makes for a very enjoyable summer read.
Bob wakes up with a huge bruise and bump on his head, and no memory. He only knows his name because he is with people who know who he is. He slowly realizes that his wife has just died from suicide, and he works at the Goodyear factory. But he also knows how to box and kickbox, and looks like he's had quite a few fights in his life. His late wife's brother tells him he's been clean and sober for 10 years, but he has memories of drinking that don't seem to back that up. There's a gray car that is following him, and memories that are telling him to run away, to go back East, to where he grew up.
This is a book that works best if you learn along with Bob about his life, so I'll stop the plot summary there! Suffice it to say, Bob has led a very interesting life, and it comes back to him in drips and drabs as the book progresses. The story is very dark, with a good amount of violence toward both good guys and bad guys. But even when you aren't sure which side Bob falls on, you want him to recover his memory and figure out what is going on.
Pick up this book to read on a bright summer day - it needs a little light to keep you from falling into the depths of Bob's shady world.
Bob wakes up with a huge bruise and bump on his head, and no memory. He only knows his name because he is with people who know who he is. He slowly realizes that his wife has just died from suicide, and he works at the Goodyear factory. But he also knows how to box and kickbox, and looks like he's had quite a few fights in his life. His late wife's brother tells him he's been clean and sober for 10 years, but he has memories of drinking that don't seem to back that up. There's a gray car that is following him, and memories that are telling him to run away, to go back East, to where he grew up.
This is a book that works best if you learn along with Bob about his life, so I'll stop the plot summary there! Suffice it to say, Bob has led a very interesting life, and it comes back to him in drips and drabs as the book progresses. The story is very dark, with a good amount of violence toward both good guys and bad guys. But even when you aren't sure which side Bob falls on, you want him to recover his memory and figure out what is going on.
Pick up this book to read on a bright summer day - it needs a little light to keep you from falling into the depths of Bob's shady world.
May 30, 2022
This was a good story, though the galley I received, like others have mentioned, was missing words/sentences and was a bit trying to read though I did finish it. Jackson (or Bob at points) has lost his memory after having his head bashed against the wall of his brother-in-law's bar, his drivers' license tells him his name and address. Over the course of the book he regains his memory in bits and pieces, sometimes when he meets someone and other times something will trigger a memory. He becomes convinced that his wife, who had passed recently from suicide, was killed and decides he's going to track down the person that did it. He thinks an old acquaintance from the Philadelphia police department where he worked until he stole 1.2 million from this person and left town, faking his death. There is a lot that goes on, each memory leads him to another part of himself and he realizes that he was not a nice person. The story unfolds in memory flashbacks and his journey to discover what happened to his wife. With the exception of the missing words, this was a good story and I would recommend. Thanks to #Netgalley and #Oceanview Publishing for the ARC.
August 31, 2022
Bob wakes up in a bar having been violently attacked in the alley outside. He can't recall what happened or even who he is but the people in the bar all know him well. He has to look in his wallet to find out his name. Memories begin to return slowly as people converse with him. He's shocked when they talk about the death of his wife recently and that it was suicide. But he gradually suspects that she was murdered and he begins to track down her killer.
I like the writer's style as he slowly reveals the story as Bob remembers things. One memory after another, some mundane and some shocking. It was a book I found hard to put down as the story accelerated. There are some areas where it's difficult to tell what's real or imagined as it flicks about the timeline.
Verdict - On the whole, it's a good read. For anyone who is a Jack Reacher fan then this is for you.
My thanks to #NetGalley for this free ARC in exchange for my honest review
I like the writer's style as he slowly reveals the story as Bob remembers things. One memory after another, some mundane and some shocking. It was a book I found hard to put down as the story accelerated. There are some areas where it's difficult to tell what's real or imagined as it flicks about the timeline.
Verdict - On the whole, it's a good read. For anyone who is a Jack Reacher fan then this is for you.
My thanks to #NetGalley for this free ARC in exchange for my honest review
June 1, 2022
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC for an honest review.
I found this to be a very interesting read. However, the ARC copy was difficult to read due to typos and errors throughout the story. Not faulting the author at all, as despite these errors the story itself was still interesting.
The story moves between the 'present' time and flashbacks as we delve deeper into the mystery that haunts Jackson (or Bob at certain points in the story) who has lost his memory after having his head bashed against the wall of his brother-in-law's bar.
Throughout the book, he slowly regains his memory in dribs and drabs and becomes convinced that his wife's apparent suicide has been murdered. But along with Jackson, as readers, we learn that not everything presented is what it seems and that there is something darker at play.
I found this to be a very interesting read. However, the ARC copy was difficult to read due to typos and errors throughout the story. Not faulting the author at all, as despite these errors the story itself was still interesting.
The story moves between the 'present' time and flashbacks as we delve deeper into the mystery that haunts Jackson (or Bob at certain points in the story) who has lost his memory after having his head bashed against the wall of his brother-in-law's bar.
Throughout the book, he slowly regains his memory in dribs and drabs and becomes convinced that his wife's apparent suicide has been murdered. But along with Jackson, as readers, we learn that not everything presented is what it seems and that there is something darker at play.
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