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moorestew's review against another edition
3.0
A fun and fast read. Surprising that it won the Edgar with obvious holes in the plot. It captured the language well.
courtneyann's review
4.0
4.5*
This John Hart book had a slower start than a few of his other books that I have read. It took me a little while to get into it because of that. There were a few mysteries that I was able to predict but I didn't see that ending coming. I'm a John Hart junkie and will read everything he has written.
This John Hart book had a slower start than a few of his other books that I have read. It took me a little while to get into it because of that. There were a few mysteries that I was able to predict but I didn't see that ending coming. I'm a John Hart junkie and will read everything he has written.
bookbitch's review
Hart’s sophomore effort surpasses his debut, the multi-award nominated King of Lies. A small North Carolina town is torn apart when a power company wants to buy up all the farmland on the river; some cling to their bucolic way of life, while others only see dollar signs. Adam Chase’s family has owned the largest parcel in the area for centuries, and his father has no desire to sell. But tempers are flaring and soon a young woman is severely beaten, a body is found on the Chase farm, and Adam is the chief suspect. Newly arrived after five years away, Adam is the town pariah. His stepmother accused him of murdering a family friend, and while the court acquitted him, his family and friends did not. But time has softened some of them it seems, while others have just been storing up their anger and are ready to unleash it. Down River is reminiscent of [b:Raymond Chandler|2052|The Big Sleep|Raymond Chandler|http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41AGA624Z5L._SL75_.jpg|1222673], hard boiled and rich with evocative metaphors. Complex relationships blur the lines between friend and foe, heightening the suspense in this intricate, haunting story of a family in crisis, and the writing is simply superb. 10/07 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch Copyright © 2006 Cahners Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. Reprinted with permission.
gardenjess's review
5.0
Great read. Started off a bit slow, but it really grabbed me further in. Mystery set in N.C. by a N.C. author. I'll give it a thumbs up, ya'll.
teastastestubsandtales's review
5.0
I literally could not put this down; the story line was so intricate. The characters were riveting and I could not wait to see what was around the next bend, to figure out the next surprise, the next twist. A dark story, with elements of hope and possibilities!
bookpubgal's review
5.0
Though penned more than ten years ago, Down River stands the test of time well. It’s the kind of story that could take place today. A small county is torn in two over the power company’s plan to construct a new nuclear facility to support a growing state. A young man who was driven away by angry neighbors for a crime he did not commit returns after five long years to a less than enthusiastic reception—"Killer" gouged into the paint on his car, a violent beating, and a trip to the emergency room all within 24-hours of his arrival. There are strained reunions with family and a former lover, and heated encounters with a sheriff’s department still bitter over losing one of the biggest murder charges ever brought against a suspect in the county. If it weren’t for the occasional appearance of a flip phone or a phone book in lieu of smartphones and search engines, a reader would have no idea this was taking place in a different decade...
Read my full review on Criminal Element: bit.ly/DownRiverReviewCE
Read my full review on Criminal Element: bit.ly/DownRiverReviewCE
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