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Matt Wells #3
Maps of Hell
I fell into the deepest of holes. I am no one.
I awake in a windowless room—naked, filthy, bruised, robbed of my every memory. I feel inexplicably drowned in a sea of hatred and rage. I…don't know who I am. But I know I must escape.
This is Matt Wells, hero of The Death List and The Soul Collector , as you've never seen him.
Crime writer Matt Wells could never have conjured a plot this twisted—a secretive militia running sick brainwashing experiments in the Maine wilderness, himself a subject. He knows they've been subconsciously feeding him instructions…but for what?
Taunted by maddening snatches of a life he can't trust as his own, Matt's piecing it together: three gruesome killings he's blamed for…and a woman…someone from his past he should remember.
I awake in a windowless room—naked, filthy, bruised, robbed of my every memory. I feel inexplicably drowned in a sea of hatred and rage. I…don't know who I am. But I know I must escape.
This is Matt Wells, hero of The Death List and The Soul Collector , as you've never seen him.
Crime writer Matt Wells could never have conjured a plot this twisted—a secretive militia running sick brainwashing experiments in the Maine wilderness, himself a subject. He knows they've been subconsciously feeding him instructions…but for what?
Taunted by maddening snatches of a life he can't trust as his own, Matt's piecing it together: three gruesome killings he's blamed for…and a woman…someone from his past he should remember.
416 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published April 20, 2010
5 people are currently reading
302 people want to read
About the author
Paul Johnston
90 books88 followersPaul Johnston was born in Edinburgh, studied Greek at Oxford, and now divides his time between the UK and a small Greek island. His highly-acclaimed Quintilian Dalrymple series won the John Creasey Memorial Dagger for best first crime novel.
Series:
* Quint Dalrymple
* Alex Mavros
* Matt Wells
Series:
* Quint Dalrymple
* Alex Mavros
* Matt Wells
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
October 11, 2011
I did not realize that this book was the third in a series and had not read the previous two. While Matt Wells, the main character, spends a large portion of the story trying to figure out who he is, I was just as confused as he was. This made for an engaging, if not somewhat strange, read.
The stuff I enjoyed: This book is nonstop action and suspense and kept me on edge most of the way. The characters are intriguing and made me want to keep reading to find out what happens to them. The plot unfolds slowly, keeping me as much in the dark as the main character.
The stuff I didn't enjoy: The extent and reach of the conspiracy theory aspect stretched believability a little far for me. While the pace was quick, the plot stretched out and took its time. Then, at the very end, everything sort of spiraled and happened at once, with the ending summed up in an epilogue. Some parts of the writing irritated me to the point that I'd stop reading. For instance, every single character says, "I reckon...", never "I think...", "I assume...", "I believe..." etc. I grew up and spent most of my life in New England and I'm quite familiar with the areas this book took place in. Never once did I hear someone from that area say 'reckon'. It's one of those regional words that does not belong in every character's vocabulary. This is a small matter and wouldn't likely bother most readers but I have a pet peeve for dialogue that is appropriate for each character.
The stuff I enjoyed: This book is nonstop action and suspense and kept me on edge most of the way. The characters are intriguing and made me want to keep reading to find out what happens to them. The plot unfolds slowly, keeping me as much in the dark as the main character.
The stuff I didn't enjoy: The extent and reach of the conspiracy theory aspect stretched believability a little far for me. While the pace was quick, the plot stretched out and took its time. Then, at the very end, everything sort of spiraled and happened at once, with the ending summed up in an epilogue. Some parts of the writing irritated me to the point that I'd stop reading. For instance, every single character says, "I reckon...", never "I think...", "I assume...", "I believe..." etc. I grew up and spent most of my life in New England and I'm quite familiar with the areas this book took place in. Never once did I hear someone from that area say 'reckon'. It's one of those regional words that does not belong in every character's vocabulary. This is a small matter and wouldn't likely bother most readers but I have a pet peeve for dialogue that is appropriate for each character.
September 22, 2010
In Maps of Hell, British crime writer Matt Wells initially has a bigger problem on his hands than nailing his enemies… he has to figure out who he is first.
The book opens with Matt regaining consciousness in a tiny cell, naked, beaten and unable to recall who he is or how he got there. He’s taken from his cell repeatedly for bizarre, Clockwork Orange-esque sessions aimed at conditioning his mind… but to what end? Matt doesn’t want to stick around long enough to find out.
Taking advantage of a lapse in one of the sessions he makes a daring escape, during which he realizes that he – and many others – are being held and experimented on by a fringe militia group at a compound deep in the forests of Maine. His memory slowly returns while he’s on the run trying desperately to stay one step ahead of his militia pursuers. And they aren’t the only ones looking for him.
A series of gruesome murders have been occurring in Washington, D.C., with Matt’s fingerprints turning up at one of the crime scenes. If that wasn’t bad enough, he’s also wanted for questioning in the disappearance of his girlfriend, British DCI Karen Oaten, who was in D.C. to meet with the Department of Justice.
Now, in addition to trying to stay one step ahead of the militia members tracking him, Matt also has to decide whether to go to the authorities and trust them to believe his story, or try on his own to solve the puzzle of his abduction, his girlfriend’s disappearance, and why he’s being framed for murder.
Maps of Hell is a truly frantic and engaging read. It is decidedly unnerving to be thrust into a world where the narrator, normally the reader’s guide, himself doesn’t know precisely what’s going on. And author Paul Johnston has captured Matt’s fear and confusion in a way that’s so vivid it’s almost palpable:
"When I came round, I didn’t have a clue where I was. My head was ringing with strange sounds and I saw a blur of colors and shapes. Gradually my vision cleared, but my ears were still filled with discordant voices. There was a foul stench in my nostrils. I tried to move, but my arms and legs were confined. I looked down and saw that I had been tied to a wheelchair. I was wearing paper clothes again. I felt a twinge of alarm and glanced around. What I saw wasn’t reassuring."
Having read the previous two books in the Matt Wells series is not required in order to enjoy Maps of Hell. In fact, not having done so could arguably enhance the experience as the reader would truly be discovering everything for the first time right along with Matt as he struggles to understand who he is and what’s happening to him.
Author Paul Johnston consistently produces books that manage to take a familiar premise and completely turn it on its ear, and nowhere is that more apparent than in Maps of Hell. If you’ve not read anything by Johnston before, grab a copy of Maps of Hell and begin your journey into the mind of one of the most creative – and criminally under the radar – thriller writers working today.
The book opens with Matt regaining consciousness in a tiny cell, naked, beaten and unable to recall who he is or how he got there. He’s taken from his cell repeatedly for bizarre, Clockwork Orange-esque sessions aimed at conditioning his mind… but to what end? Matt doesn’t want to stick around long enough to find out.
Taking advantage of a lapse in one of the sessions he makes a daring escape, during which he realizes that he – and many others – are being held and experimented on by a fringe militia group at a compound deep in the forests of Maine. His memory slowly returns while he’s on the run trying desperately to stay one step ahead of his militia pursuers. And they aren’t the only ones looking for him.
A series of gruesome murders have been occurring in Washington, D.C., with Matt’s fingerprints turning up at one of the crime scenes. If that wasn’t bad enough, he’s also wanted for questioning in the disappearance of his girlfriend, British DCI Karen Oaten, who was in D.C. to meet with the Department of Justice.
Now, in addition to trying to stay one step ahead of the militia members tracking him, Matt also has to decide whether to go to the authorities and trust them to believe his story, or try on his own to solve the puzzle of his abduction, his girlfriend’s disappearance, and why he’s being framed for murder.
Maps of Hell is a truly frantic and engaging read. It is decidedly unnerving to be thrust into a world where the narrator, normally the reader’s guide, himself doesn’t know precisely what’s going on. And author Paul Johnston has captured Matt’s fear and confusion in a way that’s so vivid it’s almost palpable:
"When I came round, I didn’t have a clue where I was. My head was ringing with strange sounds and I saw a blur of colors and shapes. Gradually my vision cleared, but my ears were still filled with discordant voices. There was a foul stench in my nostrils. I tried to move, but my arms and legs were confined. I looked down and saw that I had been tied to a wheelchair. I was wearing paper clothes again. I felt a twinge of alarm and glanced around. What I saw wasn’t reassuring."
Having read the previous two books in the Matt Wells series is not required in order to enjoy Maps of Hell. In fact, not having done so could arguably enhance the experience as the reader would truly be discovering everything for the first time right along with Matt as he struggles to understand who he is and what’s happening to him.
Author Paul Johnston consistently produces books that manage to take a familiar premise and completely turn it on its ear, and nowhere is that more apparent than in Maps of Hell. If you’ve not read anything by Johnston before, grab a copy of Maps of Hell and begin your journey into the mind of one of the most creative – and criminally under the radar – thriller writers working today.
October 26, 2022
I had not read books by this author before but after this tory I will be looking for more of his books. The story was q bit out there but I did get into it and enjoyed the ride. I can imagine that this idea was possible after what the huge group of people that stormed the U S Capitol after the election of 2021 and the false narrative that was believed and bought into by so many people after President Trump played out his little scenario about the stolen election. If so many people could believe the false message he and his cronies were spreading across the air-ways that he was the winner of the election then this just might be possible. I would highly recommend this book to everyone what enjoys non stop action and being kept in suspense until the end of the story, this is the book for them.
October 5, 2020
Not my type of book at all, but I knew Paul, his brother Alan and their parents as a child. This was book I got a while ago and in the middle of a series, but unbelievably relevant today, and I got so involved in it! Compulsive reading, should be a film, but it would cost a fortune, but Netflix? The series should be on there!
August 1, 2023
This was an excellent read. First time author for me and 3rd in a series but it didn't matter. Could well have been a stand alone.
Feels like Orwell's 1984 at the beginning but once it changes gear it's a rollercoaster of a ride. You just want to turn the pages to find out more as good guys turn into bad guys a vice versa.
Will certainly keep an eye on this guy.
Feels like Orwell's 1984 at the beginning but once it changes gear it's a rollercoaster of a ride. You just want to turn the pages to find out more as good guys turn into bad guys a vice versa.
Will certainly keep an eye on this guy.
July 1, 2017
This was the first Paul Johnston book I have read, it is fine as a stand alone book but I wish I had read the earlier ones first. There were references to what had happened before and I would like to read them but I don't know if I want to back now I have read this one.
September 1, 2019
Twisty mystery! Good use of misdirection.
March 10, 2020
Good book. Had a really strong start. I knew that doctor was part of this some how! I was really surprised that Dana was part of it, I thought it was gonna be her partner. Nazis are just nuts.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 21, 2020
Absolutely ridiculous but quite entertaining.
July 21, 2020
I was reading this book few months ago but couldn't continue after 12th chapter this story has given me curiosity
February 17, 2025
It took me around 2.5 years to finish this book, but that should in no way reflect the story itself. A very gripping story with plenty of twists. Just wish I'd had more time to read it quicker.
January 18, 2011
If there was one thing I had learned in the U.S., it was the benefit of nailing your enemies before they nailed you. – Matt Wells
In Maps of Hell, British crime writer Matt Wells initially has a bigger problem on his hands than nailing his enemies… he has to figure out who he is first.
The book opens with Matt regaining consciousness in a tiny cell, naked, beaten and unable to recall who he is or how he got there. He’s taken from his cell repeatedly for bizarre, Clockwork Orange-esque sessions aimed at conditioning his mind… but to what end? Matt doesn’t want to stick around long enough to find out.
Taking advantage of a lapse in one of the sessions he makes a daring escape, during which he realizes that he – and many others – are being held and experimented on by a fringe militia group at a compound deep in the forests of Maine. His memory slowly returns while he’s on the run trying desperately to stay one step ahead of his militia pursuers. And they aren’t the only ones looking for him.
A series of gruesome murders have been occurring in Washington, D.C., with Matt’s fingerprints turning up at one of the crime scenes. If that wasn’t bad enough, he’s also wanted for questioning in the disappearance of his girlfriend, British DCI Karen Oaten, who was in D.C. to meet with the Department of Justice.
Now, in addition to trying to stay one step ahead of the militia members tracking him, Matt also has to decide whether to go to the authorities and trust them to believe his story, or try on his own to solve the puzzle of his abduction, his girlfriend’s disappearance, and why he’s being framed for murder.
Maps of Hell is a truly frantic and engaging read. It is decidedly unnerving to be thrust into a world where the narrator, normally the reader’s guide, himself doesn’t know precisely what’s going on. And author Paul Johnston has captured Matt’s fear and confusion in a way that’s so vivid it’s almost palpable:
"When I came round, I didn’t have a clue where I was. My head was ringing with strange sounds and I saw a blur of colors and shapes. Gradually my vision cleared, but my ears were still filled with discordant voices. There was a foul stench in my nostrils. I tried to move, but my arms and legs were confined. I looked down and saw that I had been tied to a wheelchair. I was wearing paper clothes again. I felt a twinge of alarm and glanced around. What I saw wasn’t reassuring."
Having read the previous two books in the Matt Wells series is not required in order to enjoy Maps of Hell. In fact, not having done so could arguably enhance the experience as the reader would truly be discovering everything for the first time right along with Matt as he struggles to understand who he is and what’s happening to him.
Author Paul Johnston consistently produces books that manage to take a familiar premise and completely turn it on its ear, and nowhere is that more apparent than in Maps of Hell. If you’ve not read anything by Johnston before, grab a copy of Maps of Hell and begin your journey into the mind of one of the most creative – and criminally under the radar – thriller writers working today.
In Maps of Hell, British crime writer Matt Wells initially has a bigger problem on his hands than nailing his enemies… he has to figure out who he is first.
The book opens with Matt regaining consciousness in a tiny cell, naked, beaten and unable to recall who he is or how he got there. He’s taken from his cell repeatedly for bizarre, Clockwork Orange-esque sessions aimed at conditioning his mind… but to what end? Matt doesn’t want to stick around long enough to find out.
Taking advantage of a lapse in one of the sessions he makes a daring escape, during which he realizes that he – and many others – are being held and experimented on by a fringe militia group at a compound deep in the forests of Maine. His memory slowly returns while he’s on the run trying desperately to stay one step ahead of his militia pursuers. And they aren’t the only ones looking for him.
A series of gruesome murders have been occurring in Washington, D.C., with Matt’s fingerprints turning up at one of the crime scenes. If that wasn’t bad enough, he’s also wanted for questioning in the disappearance of his girlfriend, British DCI Karen Oaten, who was in D.C. to meet with the Department of Justice.
Now, in addition to trying to stay one step ahead of the militia members tracking him, Matt also has to decide whether to go to the authorities and trust them to believe his story, or try on his own to solve the puzzle of his abduction, his girlfriend’s disappearance, and why he’s being framed for murder.
Maps of Hell is a truly frantic and engaging read. It is decidedly unnerving to be thrust into a world where the narrator, normally the reader’s guide, himself doesn’t know precisely what’s going on. And author Paul Johnston has captured Matt’s fear and confusion in a way that’s so vivid it’s almost palpable:
"When I came round, I didn’t have a clue where I was. My head was ringing with strange sounds and I saw a blur of colors and shapes. Gradually my vision cleared, but my ears were still filled with discordant voices. There was a foul stench in my nostrils. I tried to move, but my arms and legs were confined. I looked down and saw that I had been tied to a wheelchair. I was wearing paper clothes again. I felt a twinge of alarm and glanced around. What I saw wasn’t reassuring."
Having read the previous two books in the Matt Wells series is not required in order to enjoy Maps of Hell. In fact, not having done so could arguably enhance the experience as the reader would truly be discovering everything for the first time right along with Matt as he struggles to understand who he is and what’s happening to him.
Author Paul Johnston consistently produces books that manage to take a familiar premise and completely turn it on its ear, and nowhere is that more apparent than in Maps of Hell. If you’ve not read anything by Johnston before, grab a copy of Maps of Hell and begin your journey into the mind of one of the most creative – and criminally under the radar – thriller writers working today.
May 5, 2017
This book is like nothing I have ever read before. Not only because it's a genre I have never really explored but because of the context. There was a lot of the occult, Nazi stuff. Sometimes it made me uncomfortable, but it was all kind of interesting.
I absolutely loved Matt. He was determined, loyal, funny, BRITISH! I love that he was too strong to fall for the brainwashing. I definitely need to read the other books about Matt, though, because I felt lost sometimes when they talked about him and his experiences. I was totally heartbroken when Matt reacted to the trigger words from the brainwashing, especially the second time, but I'm glad that he and Karen are being cared for and, hopefully, unbrainwashed.
I wanted to slap Karen when they it was from his POV, even though I know it was the brainwashing at work.
Stupid Mary! She tried to turn Matt in!
Poor Joe was murdered.
I absolutely loved Clem and Versace.
I totally knew Dana was the NANR contact in the FBI!
However, I was surprised to find that the medical examiner was the occult killer...
Poor Richard Bonhoff :(
I absolutely loved Matt. He was determined, loyal, funny, BRITISH! I love that he was too strong to fall for the brainwashing. I definitely need to read the other books about Matt, though, because I felt lost sometimes when they talked about him and his experiences. I was totally heartbroken when Matt reacted to the trigger words from the brainwashing, especially the second time, but I'm glad that he and Karen are being cared for and, hopefully, unbrainwashed.
I wanted to slap Karen when they it was from his POV, even though I know it was the brainwashing at work.
Stupid Mary! She tried to turn Matt in!
Poor Joe was murdered.
I absolutely loved Clem and Versace.
I totally knew Dana was the NANR contact in the FBI!
However, I was surprised to find that the medical examiner was the occult killer...
Poor Richard Bonhoff :(
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 3, 2016
i bought this as part of a 3 for £5 deal, i think this is the runt of the litter.
i liked the title (which has such a throwaway slim link to the story - even though it is a major plot point it seems a waste) and i liked the cover - simple, direct and just a little scary.
taking bits from the bourne movie franchise, chucking in some manchurian candidate style goings on the book opens with promise and goes downhill from there.
i hadn't realised that this is the third book in the series - enough detail is thrown at you to let you know what had happened in the previous two books and to let you know that really they have little bearing on what is going on in this one.
matt has to work out who he is.
by the time he has done so - crime reporter, who played some rugby and did some training with his sas mate - he has become a cunning killing machine capable of taking out multiple trained opponents. it is also the point you wonder why you are caring.
by the end of the book he has foiled the plans of the evil genius leader pretty much without breaking a sweat.
while not original there is a decent idea waiting to be turned into an entertaining story.
just not in this book.
i liked the title (which has such a throwaway slim link to the story - even though it is a major plot point it seems a waste) and i liked the cover - simple, direct and just a little scary.
taking bits from the bourne movie franchise, chucking in some manchurian candidate style goings on the book opens with promise and goes downhill from there.
i hadn't realised that this is the third book in the series - enough detail is thrown at you to let you know what had happened in the previous two books and to let you know that really they have little bearing on what is going on in this one.
matt has to work out who he is.
by the time he has done so - crime reporter, who played some rugby and did some training with his sas mate - he has become a cunning killing machine capable of taking out multiple trained opponents. it is also the point you wonder why you are caring.
by the end of the book he has foiled the plans of the evil genius leader pretty much without breaking a sweat.
while not original there is a decent idea waiting to be turned into an entertaining story.
just not in this book.
August 30, 2016
This was the final straw for me with this author and his hero. Having bought this with two others - Soul Collector and the Devil one - in an offer I felt obliged to persist to the end although I knew as soon as I started the first that I was going to regret the time given. Why, when the books are covered in reviews from reputable papers and other writers I enjoy like Val McDermid and Ian Rankin? Well, the dialogue is clunky and very much based on the 'tell not show' model which leads to a lot of unlikely conversation so that we can be sure of the characters' thoughts. The prose is mediocre...if I had a penny for every paragraph that opened: so-and-so was doing this in front of/beside/instead of....I would be a rich woman. Characterisation was stereotypical and sketchy. Plots, all of them, patently ridiculous, but this last one took the biscuit. I like a thriller, I don't mind a trashy read, I can cope with the gore, but don't make me sigh because it reads like a fantasy theme set by a secondary school English teacher to try to engage their not overly literate pupils.
February 9, 2012
Where to start! This book was terrible! I read this on the train to a work conference in Manchester and picked so many faults and cliches from it that it was untrue.
There are so many typing errors in the book that it is almost impossible to see past them. The editors must have been asleep on the job when they read through it. Johnston's characters are mostly 2D and unlikeable and the main character seems to have a derogatory view of women (something that was so glaringly obvious that it was difficult to miss). The protagonist outlines everything he does before he does it, and his flashbacks and such are very unbelievable.
No suspense, not much action, characters that grated on me and a whole bunch of typos - it's a shame because the cover and blurb looked so good. I actually gave my copy away (which I never do to my books).
Recommendation: If you want to see how NOT to write a book - read it.
There are so many typing errors in the book that it is almost impossible to see past them. The editors must have been asleep on the job when they read through it. Johnston's characters are mostly 2D and unlikeable and the main character seems to have a derogatory view of women (something that was so glaringly obvious that it was difficult to miss). The protagonist outlines everything he does before he does it, and his flashbacks and such are very unbelievable.
No suspense, not much action, characters that grated on me and a whole bunch of typos - it's a shame because the cover and blurb looked so good. I actually gave my copy away (which I never do to my books).
Recommendation: If you want to see how NOT to write a book - read it.
December 9, 2011
Actually, I was not aware that this was the third book in a series. So, as Matt Wells was confused about who he was, I was right there with him. With this con, it was still a great read. If you've ever seen a movie, and pretty much just know whats going to happen next, then this read will blow you away. Like when Matt stumbles upon a small town by riding in the back of a log truck without being spotted for several hours, who would have guessed? The thought put into the book is very, very good. Johnston has impressed me with this, so now I will move on towards the two books BEFORE this one, HA! As I said . . . anything can happen when you read Maps Of Hell, even if that means skipping the first two books.
September 6, 2012
This is my favorite book by far. It starts out so weird, yet appealing. I couldn't stop seeing the images that the book embedded into my mind. I personally found it very thrilling, and unpredictable. You can never really guess what a character will do. This book is not what it seems initially be, but that is how it stays interesting. The way the author lets you see through each characters' eyes let me see how each character thinks in his/her own way. The storyline is pretty original, and intricate. You'll be thinking ahead as you read, just to see if your prediction was correct. Every step of the way you'll be suprised by what happens. This book is a short read, and even if you don't like it. You'd find yourself appreciating what the book had to offer.
February 4, 2013
I was a bit confused with how things were going. I actually thought that I must have skipped another sequel but as the story unfolds it gets better. However, there was something lacking in the story. The elements of blood thirst, suspense and mystery I found in The Death List and The Soul Collector was lacking in Maps of Hell.
May 14, 2011
Great start, and pretty enjoyable, but overall I lost interest the further I progressed. I liked the first person narrative, liked the premise, but there were annoying parts that didn't quite gel for me. It is a 3.5 stars book, but ggodreads does not allow half stars.
August 19, 2012
Started with the third book in this series. Average read. Those who follow the series will understand more of the intricate details. This did not make this a bad read for someone starting in the middle of te series.
December 13, 2012
Good fast paced read even though a bit hard to believe.
September 6, 2010
A very cleverly written book. Lots of action, tension and excitement and at times a bit gruesome. Although slightly far-fetched it was a thoroughly good read!
June 22, 2011
Just loved this one, a man against all the agencies and the bad men.
February 3, 2014
The story was a little confusing to me at first but then things started falling in place. A lot of action and suspense throughout the chapters. An enjoyable reading adventure.
May 21, 2014
Found it hard to get in to - a little ott, maybe? - but ended up enjoying it enough to order the next one in the series.
June 2, 2016
I am loving the Matt Wells series and am especially excited that Maps of Hell has taken a complete left turn to the previous two books.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews