Hooked: A Thriller About Love and Other Addictions

Nat Idle #1

by Matt Richtel

Nat Idle, a San Francisco writer with a medical degree, narrowly survives an explosion in an Internet café after a stranger hands him a note warning him to exit immediately.The handwriting on the note belongs to his deceased girlfriend, a Silicon Valley venture capitalist whom he has obsessively been mourning. So begins HOOKED, a pop thriller for the Internet Age, written with the force of an adrenaline rush and the pace of an intimate email dispatch you can't stop reading. Each chapter of this novel will keep readers hooked as Nat Idle searches for the love of his life in the midst of manipulation and conspiracy.

Genres: Fiction, Mystery, Thriller, Audiobook, Science Fiction, Adult, Crime

Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

Matt Richtel is a best-selling author and Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter for The New York Times based in San Francisco.
He co-created and formerly wrote the syndicated comic Rudy Park under the pen name Theron Heir. Since 2012, the strip is now written by its longtime illustrator Darrin Bell.

Reviews

[Jeffrey Schoenberger · Rating 3 out of 5]

Better than talking to myself for 8 hours in car. How much better? If I'd had a sock puppet, the two would be dead even.

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

set in silicon valley? a mystery about reporting, technical geekery and love? sign me up!

these things must be the only reasons i kept reading. glimmers of humor helped too, but frankly, this story never got off the ground. it muddled its way to an unsatisfactory ending, so much that i flipped the last page around a couple of times. really? that's the end? sheesh.

[Chuckell]

"As we drove to the station, I found my thoughts turn distant--to another time when confusion and anger had visited in its purest form."

"Work and life took on a rhythm, and an honesty."

"Her father was fascinated by capitalist seduction."

"I felt a blush of admonition drench my skin."

"The heavy grog of hangover encircled my brain."

Turn to any page and you'll be assaulted by painfully overwrought prose as the dim, dull narrator slogs around Northern California trying to solve a most unmysterious mystery. Avoid this book.

[Murray Stokely · Rating 3 out of 5]

Matt came to Google last week and read from this book and explained some of his experience in writing his first novel. He produced a gripping thriller thoroughly set in the San Francisco Bay Area with obligatory trips to Palo Alto, Lake Tahoe, and Vegas that will be familiar to any to any bay area denizens.

The story is engaging and gripping in the way that a Michael Chrichton book is. The similarity also includes the way in which one has to suspend disbelief at a few plot points with thoroughly unrealistic claims of what can be done quickly and easily with a computer. That said, the main plot element was unique and thought provoking. A successful first novel.

The short bite-sized chapters make this already fast paced book appear to go by even faster.

[Jessica · Rating 2 out of 5]

A very intriguing premise, but the flat characters keep this one from fulfilling the promise of the idea. The events seem so divorced from the characters that it's almost as if they're happening to another set of characters not featured in the book. Combined with a ridiculously implausible ending, and it just never comes together.

[Katy · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was a strange book. While I like noir type of plots, this one was weird. I wonder why I bothered to finish it.

[Corey · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think this book sucked. I honestly could have written a better book. How did this get published? I award this book zero stars.

[Micah Alexander · Rating 1 out of 5]

I finished it because I’m not a quitter, and no other reason. Godawful.

[Smez · Rating 2 out of 5]

The plot is strange and different...that's why I kept reading. The main dilemma is a bit silly, though it stems from interesting observations about technology. The book had enough unexpected moments to be an ok mystery, but I wouldn't call it a thriller. Also, I could have done without the sappy love parts in the book, but I suppose it is relevant to the whole story in a way.
This is one of those authors who likes to use a mix of verbs/adj in a humorous and clever way, mostly when describing things. I can't remember if it was overdone in this case, but it must've been bearable since I finished the book.

[Kerrfunk · Rating 2 out of 5]

One. It was hard to distinguish between secondary characters ANNIE and ANDY on this audio book. I mighta changed Andy to Andrew or Drew just to help.

Two. The story was okay not great. A couple twists, and some predictable action.

Three. At times the story was clunky. Could be because it was abridged?

Four. There were some parts I found just didn't work. Without giving anything away, there were some physical traumas that just didn't work, and even some of Annie's story... just didn't fit.

[Judy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a disappointing book. It started off interestingly enough, and I wondered why I hadn't heard more of this author. I did enjoy that is was based in San Francisco area. But the writing is wordy and rambled on about the protagonist's love. Then it became a bit weird focusing on how technology is ruling people's lives and can even be made to control people. I did finish the audio book, but don't think I'll try any of Richtel's other books.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't usually read novels like this, kind of a movie mystery type of story. It was interesting enough and I was able to finish it in a reasonable amount of time. The story is not too convoluted, easy to follow, keeps you guessing and has a good amount of mystery and plot to it. Takes an interesting spin on addiction to technology.

[Charleen · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was a disappointment. It had an intriguing premise (and title to go with it), a really strong start, and the potential to be a great, entertaining read. But after those first few chapters, it just starts to unravel, and by the end I had completely lost interest. A quick read, but an unsatisfying one.

[Sarah Emily · Rating 1 out of 5]

I picked up the audio book at a used bookstore and listened to it when I went running. It was barely compelling enough to keep me from stopping it completely (not having another audio book on my iPhone may have also had something to do with it) and was unbelievably cheesy. Definitely know why it was on sale!

[Sharondee · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had enjoyed the author's nonfiction work, A Deadly Wandering, so I thought I'd give his fiction a try. Sadly, I found it disappointing. So much so that I forgot to note here that I'd finished listening to it and I'm guessing at the date. I don't even remember why I didn't like it. Oh well ...

[Katie Stricker · Rating 2 out of 5]

this one was pretty boring, slightly confusing, and a bit inconsistent. after a few chapters you see that this is an inexperienced thriller writer, and stop expecting great plot twists. i wouldn't recommend it.

[Isis · Rating 2 out of 5]

Listened to the audiobook on a long, boring drive, which might have made it seem more interesting than it really was. Holey plot, some inexplicable behavior, a completely nonsensical ending - but okay, it was fun.

[Kmcclanathan · Rating 1 out of 5]

One word: eh.

Concept had the ability to be awesome. It fell so flat that I am thrilled I didn't pay full price for this book. Ity was stilted...boring...lacked direction and was all around bad. I do not recommend.

[Susan · Rating 1 out of 5]

Too poorly written to read. The review sounded great but was entirely undeserved.

[Cat · Rating 1 out of 5]

tech mystery that takes place in san francisco. a little flat.

[Andrea · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not predictable at all, and the overall concept was intriguing, if a bit disconcerting, but the writing style was a little too choppy and disjointed for my tastes.

[Ian · Rating 2 out of 5]

One of the best first chapters I have read. I can see how that chapter got it published. The problem is it goes down hill, steeply, after that.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I totally didn't see where this book was going in the end. I like that.

[Maura · Rating 2 out of 5]

i enjoyed this mindless thriller, but it wasn't very well written. even though i was interested in the story it was never a page-turner.

[Grant · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the story and the author's characters. I could feel the angst of the lead character, but it never got syrupy or maudlin. Give it a try!

[Pat · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was really awful. The plot line was insipid. I cannot believe it actually got published.

[James Piper]

Rather pedestrian for a thriller. Few thrills. Short on suspense. No big reveals or twists.

[Fern Chasida · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book started out promising but just got lost along away. It became very convoluted and unrealistic.

[Aric · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heir apparent to Michael Crichton and REALLY makes me want to unplug for a while.

[Carol Nolte · Rating 2 out of 5]

Boo, hiss. Torture by acupunture? Please.