Rise the Dark by Michael Koryta

◊ RISE THE DARK by Michael Koryta

◊ Series: A Mark Novak Novel, Book #2

◊ Narrator: Robert Petkoff

◊ Audible Audio Edition

◊ Listening Length: 12 hours and 1 minutes

◊ Program Type: Audiobook

◊ Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense

◊ Version: Unabridged

◊ Publisher: Hachette Audio

◊ Audible.com Release Date: August 16, 2016

◊ Language: English

◊ ASIN: BO1G92LOPW

SYNOPSIS:

Mark Novak's greatest mystery may be his own....

Rise the dark. These were the last words written in Lauren Novak's notebook before she was murdered in a strange Florida village. They've never meant anything to the police or to her husband, investigator Markus Novak. Now the man he believes killed her is out of prison and draws Markus to the place he's avoided for so long: the lonely road where his wife was shot to death beneath the cypress trees and Spanish moss in a town called Cassadaga.

In Red Lodge, Montana, a senseless act of vandalism shuts the lights off in the town where Sabrina Baldwin is still trying to adjust to a new home and mourning the loss of her brother, who was a high-voltage linesman just like her husband, Jay. As the spring's final snowstorm calls Jay deeper into the mountains, chasing the destruction on the electrical grid, Sabrina is abducted by Garland Webb, the man Markus Novak believes killed his wife. Drawing them all together is a messianic villain who understands that you can never outpace your past. You can only rise against the future.

This the kind of book that will make you hesitate to take a shower when you’re home alone.

Author Michael Koryta has that uncanny ability to weave a story that seeps into your bones and takes over your thoughts even when you walk away from the book.

Narrator Robert Petkoff brings the eeriness home with his mannerisms. Petkoff delivers the lines perfectly for the suspense factor. His varying vocals gives each character their own unique sound, enhancing this thriller.

Koryta brings protagonist Mark Novak back from his previous story, LAST WORDS. Koryta provides just enough background that new listeners/readers aren’t left in the dark about Mark’s earlier troubles while also enticing them to learn more. The characters are well developed with multi-layers. The secondary characters are just as complex adding depth to the story.

The setting moves around smoothly. Koryta’s vivid descriptions and eye for details puts the listener/reader alongside the characters. Their emotions and reactions can be felt through the rich dialogue.

Koryta blends suspense and mystery with sadistic killers, homegrown terrorism and panic for a well thought out page-turner that is plausible. He blends in just a hint of romance, a dash of family togetherness, and a glint of humor to keep the story from being too dark giving it a good balance.

RISE THE DARK is an action-packed tale that will keep you guessing. While Koryta gives an ending to the story, he also hints at more to come for Mark. Adrenaline-fueled, this thriller is the stuff news headlines are made of.

Rise the Dark by Michael Koryta, Mark Novak series (Book #2), Narrated by Robert Petkoff, Hachette Audio, @2016, ASIN: BO1G92LOPW, Unabridged, Digital Download, Run Time: 12 Hours and 1 Minutes (*This story is also available in print and eBook.)

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. Are you a fan of thrillers? Have you read Koryta’s earlier book, LAST WORDS? Do you enjoy thrillers that could tie in with recent events in the news?

Last Words by Michael Koryta

You practically have to keep a score card when following one of author Michael Koryta’s thrillers.

Koryta has a way of moving back and forward between possible killers so fast you’re never quite sure who to suspect. His latest release, LAST WORDS, is a prime example of his masterful talents.

Narrator Robert Petkoff does an excellent job giving voice to the various characters. His pitch and mannerisms give depth to the characters. Petkoff captures the emotions of the story beautifully with his cadence and vocals.

Florida-based death-row defense lawyer Markus Novak’s life derailed when his wife was murdered while the two of them were working on a case. Still searching for her killer two years later, Novak has put his life and career on the line one too many ties. His boss sends him to Indiana to review a cold case just to get him out of town.

The 10-year-old cold case involves a teenage girl who disappeared inside a cave system beneath a rural farm. Days later the girl’s lifeless body was brought out of the cave by Ridley Barnes. All these years later Barnes, who called to have the case reopened, continues to claim he has no memory of what happened inside the cave. Living under a cloud of suspicion, Barnes wants answers even if it costs him his life.

Novak soon finds the town turning against him when he claims to have spoken to the dead girl’s mother, who he learns is also dead. Novak is later kidnapped and left in the cave to die, but Barnes rescues him. The town doesn’t believe his kidnap story and Novak begins to fear for his own life, but can’t leave until he knows the truth about the girl’s death.

Just when you’re sure you know who the killer is, Koryta throws you a curve and a new suspected killer is introduced with even more motive. Koryta switches back and forth from the suspects always leaving you wondering who the real killer is. The twists will have you second guessing yourself as you try to solve the mystery along with the protagonist.

The characters are complex and well-developed. Through detailed descriptions listeners/readers will feel they are in the cave as the search for the truth unfolds. Moving at a steady pace, this thriller is laced with suspense and adrenaline-fueled moments. The heart-pounding action will keep you on the edge of your seat.

LAST WORDS is a blend of past and present mysteries that carries listeners/readers on a roller coaster ride of emotions as they try to discover which devious mind belongs to the killer.

Last Words by Michael Koryta, Narrated by Robert Petkoff, Hachette Audio, @2015, ASIN: BOOY1JUUK, Unabridged, Run Time: 14 Hours and 44 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 for stopping by today. Are you familiar with Koryta’s work? If so, do you have a favorite book he’s written? Do you like books where you’re constantly changing your mind about who the killer is?

*This post contains affiliate links.

Raging Heat

An intriguing murder mystery written by a fictional character from a television show, what could be more fascinating?

Narrator Robert Petkoff does a wonderful job giving voices to the numerous characters in author Richard Castle’s RAGING HEAT. Petkoff’s mannerisms enhances the story and adds depth to the characters. He brings out the highs and lows of each character’s reactions.

When a man mysteriously crashes through the roof the planetarium, NYPD Homicide Detective Nikki Heat has her hands full. When a large sum of cash and a note leading to the commissioner of the Port Authority are found in the dead man’s room, things get really sticky.

Meanwhile, emotions between Nikki and her boyfriend, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Jameson Rook, seem to be on a roller coaster ride. Nikki is happy to have him back after his extended assignment, but he seems to be working against her on this case.

As Nikki gets closer to getting answers, the closer she comes to being the killer’s next victim. This killer is determined that no one stands in the way of him reaching his ultimate goal. Solving this case could cost Nikki her relationship with Rook or even her life. And if she didn’t have enough working against her, Hurricane Sandy is making its way to New York in time to add to her growing problems.

This is a fast-pace action adventure from the start to the finish. The New York setting pulls you in and the characters hold you spellbound. A delightful play off of the television show, Castle, RAGING HEAT will keep mystery lovers entertained throughout the story.

Readers/listeners don’t have to be fans of the Castle show to enjoy this tantalizing tale involving mercenaries, human trafficking, greed, murder, suspense, and blind ambition.

Raging Heat by Richard Castle, Nikki Heat Book #5, Narrated by Robert Petkoff, Hachette Audio, @2014, ISBN: 978-1478932529, Unabridged, 9 Discs, Run Time: 11 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.

I do so appreciate you stopping by today. Are you a fan of the TV show Castle? Have you read or listened to any of the Nikki Heat books? What do you think about a fictional character writing a fictional story?

*This post contains affiliate links.

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?

*This post contains affiliate links.