Down River - a strong whodunit (Down River - John Hart)

Member Name: sonic0209

Product:	Down River - John Hart
Date:	25/01/09 (123 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good pace, keeps you guessing, strong ending

Disadvantages: Lack of description, characters a bit superficial

Down River is the second novel from John Hart. Based in North Carolina, both Hart's novels are thrillers and met with a positive response from critics and enjoyed sales accordingly (the cover of my copy describes him as 'international best seller'). I reached the end of my previous book over Christmas whilst staying at Mum and Dad's and borrowed a copy of the book off my Dad. It was an opportunistic choice as I knew nothing of the author or the book, but it had a Richard & Judy's Summer Read sticker on the front, so (once I'd put my snobbery to one side) I guessed it was probably a safe bet.

The novel tells the story of Adam Chase who returns to his home town 5 years after having been acquitted for murder. He's spent the intervening time in New York trying to forget the trauma of this experience: the betrayal of his family (his step mother was a witness against him in the trial, his father stood by her) and the judgement of the people in town. His best friend manages to track him down and calls him, asking for his return. Adam tells his friend 'no', but the call stays with him and the wall he's built between himself and home starts to crumble. In the end, he decides to return. As soon as he arrives he's beaten up, then a young woman is attacked and not long after that a dead body turns up. Adam is under police scrutiny once more.

The book addresses his relationship with his family, each of whom have a different take on what happened to him, and in particular with his father, who he feels betrayed him. It also has a love interest, his partner when he left is a police officer and she is bitter and has been hardened by his absence. Whilst Adam's interaction with these people, their reaction to his return and to the turn of events, are all covered by the book, this is not its strength. There are no nuances and emotions are not left unsaid, but are explained through the narration. I didn't find this aspect of the book particularly effective, I simply didn't care enough about the characters.

Adam is a troubled man from a troubled childhood, his mother's suicide when he was a young boy has put a strain on his relationship with his father and has made him an angry and violent young man. His moral code is essentially good, but his short fuse and his disregard for authority mean he gets himself into situations that most other people wouldn't. No wonder he's an obvious target for the police, but more importantly this makes him a useful dramatic tool in unravelling the plot.

The writing style is efficient. That is, you get what is necessary to steer you through the twists and turns of the plot. Whilst it is set in Rowan County in North Carolina, it doesn't make very much of the setting and I didn't get a real sense of place. The opening paragraph references the river evocatively: "Everything that shaped me happened near that river. I lost my mother in sight of I, fell in love on its banks. I could smell it on the day my father drove me out. It was part of my soul and I thought I'd lost it forever." And yet, it does not really maintain this importance in the book - the imagery is not that strong.

The novel is, however, a pretty effective 'whodunit'. The pace is relentless, the twists and turns intriguing, the outcome harsh.

I suspect what I see as shortcomings are simply due to the fact that this is not my usual kind of book. If you like a strong plot that keeps you guessing, then you will thoroughly enjoy this book. I tend to like books with less plot and more imagery, nuance, character and emotion (ok, call me girly, I don't care!). I enjoyed the fact that the plot meandered in and out of his friends and family, his relationships with them and their relationships with each other.

If you like thrillers, then this is a good read: fast, furious, and with a strong conclusion. I can see that this is, indeed, a very good summer holiday book - beyond trying to get to the bottom of the mystery, there is little to think about. I guess this just isn't my kind of book - I'd rather have had more character, more interesting prose and something to make me think.

Summary: A great summer read - recommended if you like thrillers