ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Down River is John Harts second novel and the only one that I have read.

John Hart is the Edgar-Award winning author of two international bestsellers, THE KING OF LIES and DOWN RIVER. His books have been translated into twenty-six languages and published in over thirty countries.

John has also worked as a banker, stockbroker and apprentice helicopter mechanic. A husband and father of two, John lives in his native North Carolina, where he writes full-time.

His third novel, THE LAST CHILD, will be released in May of 2009.

Down River has been named 'best suspense of the month' by the  Book-of-the-Month Club, and selected as a Featured Alternate of the  Literary Guild, the Mystery Guild, and the Double Day Book Club.

THE STORY

Adam Chase was arrested for murder due to his stepmother's sworn testimony against him. He was acquitted, but nearly everyone, including his father, still thinks he did it, and Adam's deep bitterness has kept him away from home ever since. Now, at the request of a childhood friend, he's back in Salisbury, where all the old demons still reside and new troubles await.Within hours of arriving, Adam is beaten up, accosted and has to face the hostility of those closest to him, including Grace. Nothing has changed. And then people start turning up dead. For a man only just acquitted of murder, Adam's homecoming does not go well. And he has a dark streak, a history of violence. No one trusts him. And as the past threatens to overshadow the present, Adam becomes the prime suspect for the new murders.

MY SUMMARY

I would never have picked up a thriller to be honest, Im 100% a chick-lit girl but a friend lent me this and told me to trust her and go with it.
I have to say that I could not put it down and had read it in a few days. The twists and turns are totally believable although you really dont see them coming and theres no way anybody would guess the outcome of this book. I think that throughout the book Id decided I knew the outcome on at least three seperate occassions but was wrong every time!
I can imagine it being made into quite a blockbuster.
As well as the twists in this novel we also get quite an insight into Adams family life and how there really is a thin line between love and hate.
I must own up to occassionaly 'skimming' through the odd page that I found difficult to follow but this was also slightly due to my impatience of getting to the end.
Im going to read a chick-lit again next but I will keep an eye open for Harts two other novels and I may just give them a go.

BOOK DETAILS

Format: Paperback 384 pages

Date of publication: 16/06/2008

Publisher: John Murray Publishers Ltd

ISBN: 9781848540958

List Price £7.99