Those Who Wish Me Dead by Michael Koryta

I’ll say up front that I have become a huge fan of author Michael Koryta and narrator Robert Petkoff. Put these two together and you get a chilling, suspenseful tale that will have the hair on the back of your neck standing up.

A perfect example of their collaboration is the audio format of Koryta’s latest thriller, THOSE WHO WISH ME DEAD, with Petkoff during the narration.

Petkoff gives each character – teenager, adult, male and female – their own unique voice. His cadence, especially portraying the killers, is captivating. He does a superb job highlighting the emotions of the victims, killers and all those involved in this mesmerizing story. 

Koryta has created a well-developed story of innocence lost while trying to do the right thing.

The main focus of the story is young Jace Wilson, a teenager who witnesses a murder and is being pursued by the killers to stop his testimony against them. The story is also about Ethan Serbin, who teaches wilderness survival training, and his wife, Allison. Thrown into the mix is Hannah Faber, a firefighter just returning to the field after a tragic forest fire claimed the life of her crew including her boyfriend. The last pieces of the puzzle are the killers, brothers Patrick and Jonathan, who have a unique way of communicating that is both fascinating and chilling. They’re known as the Blackwell Brothers.

The brothers will stop at nothing to get what they want – the boy. They seem unstoppable even when Jace is placed in a wilderness camp for troubled boys under a false name and off the grid.

As the brothers get closer to finding Jace, the more death and destruction they leave in their wake. As they close in, others are just as determined that they won’t win, no matter the cost.

Koryta has fashioned two of the worst killers I’ve ever read about. While their acts are horrible, it’s their manner and charm that makes these two so calculating and frightening. But at the same time, there is a point where Koryta shows a different side of the killers so profound that you catch yourself feeling sorry for them, taking in some of the emotions they feel. For a fleeting moment you see them in a different light.

THOSE WHO WISH ME DEAD is an adrenaline-fueled rush that will leave you breathless at times. It’s a roller coaster ride of emotions as all the paths come together for a dramatic conclusion. Near the end, the author included a series of events that took me completely by surprise adding more depth to his characters and enhancing an already captivating story.

The mountains of Montana make for an eerie setting in this gripping thriller. As the killers close in, so does a devastating fire as time and options run out.

Those Who Wish Me Dead by Michael Koryta, Performed by Robert Petkoff, Hachette Audio, @2014, ASIN: B00JEI5T4G, Unabridged, Digital Download, Listening Time: 10 Hours and 30 Minutes 

FTC Full Disclosure – A copy of this audio book was sent to me by the publisher in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review. The thoughts are completely my own and given honestly and freely.

Thanks so much for stopping by today. Do you enjoy thrillers that throw you a curve at the end with an unexpected twist? Do you enjoy books where the author makes you have empathy for the killer?

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