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A review by kellyhager
The Prophet by Michael Koryta
5.0
Adam and Kent are brothers, but couldn't be more different. They haven't been close in years, probably ever since their sister Marie was murdered. Kent is a high school football coach and Adam is a bail bondsman and occasional private detective.
One of Kent's players' girlfriends goes to Adam to help find her father. He tracks him down and gives her the address. When the girl is later found murdered, Adam vows to find him and kill him. In his mind, it's all wrapped up with his sister's death...to the point that he calls the suspect "Gideon" while he works to find out who it is. (Gideon is the first name of the man who murdered Marie.)
This is a hard book to classify. It's obviously got some mystery aspects, but it's more of a thriller, I think. Even more than that, though, it's a story of brothers, people who should be close but aren't. And it's about what you do for family, even if you aren't close. Possibly, in this case, especially if you aren't close.
I've loved Michael Koryta's novels since I read So Cold The River. Every new novel I've read has replaced the one before it as my favorite of his. This one is my new favorite.
And while I've said this literally every time, I cannot imagine how his next book will improve upon this one. (If it gets better, it may actually kill me somehow.)
This book reminded me a lot of early Dennis Lehane novels. It's gritty and unsettling and practically dripping with unease. You know? It's like, I would read this book and I would literally get goosebumps.
I hope you've already been reading Michael Koryta. If not, this is definitely the best time to start. This is an incredible, incredible book, one that I won't soon forget.
Highly recommended.
One of Kent's players' girlfriends goes to Adam to help find her father. He tracks him down and gives her the address. When the girl is later found murdered, Adam vows to find him and kill him. In his mind, it's all wrapped up with his sister's death...to the point that he calls the suspect "Gideon" while he works to find out who it is. (Gideon is the first name of the man who murdered Marie.)
This is a hard book to classify. It's obviously got some mystery aspects, but it's more of a thriller, I think. Even more than that, though, it's a story of brothers, people who should be close but aren't. And it's about what you do for family, even if you aren't close. Possibly, in this case, especially if you aren't close.
I've loved Michael Koryta's novels since I read So Cold The River. Every new novel I've read has replaced the one before it as my favorite of his. This one is my new favorite.
And while I've said this literally every time, I cannot imagine how his next book will improve upon this one. (If it gets better, it may actually kill me somehow.)
This book reminded me a lot of early Dennis Lehane novels. It's gritty and unsettling and practically dripping with unease. You know? It's like, I would read this book and I would literally get goosebumps.
I hope you've already been reading Michael Koryta. If not, this is definitely the best time to start. This is an incredible, incredible book, one that I won't soon forget.
Highly recommended.