The Ridge

Jul 27, 2011 Almeta rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: mysterious, grsauthorization

It was satisfying to witness the authorities interpreting the physical evidence correctly, and not, as was expected, being mislead. In other words, SMART cops, for a change.
(view spoiler)

Although I had an inkling of what had to be the only solution to the dilemma. I didn't want it to be true.

Lions and Tigers and (view spoiler)...more

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May 16, 2012 Mike (the Paladin) rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This one was close a few times. My rating for this swung from 2 to 4 stars at different times. The book opens and there is a section that I found so annoying that I was thinking "if it goes on this way I'm putting it down". The protagonist of the book Kevin Kimble, has an obsession with Jacqueline Mathis, a prison inmate who shot him (before the book begins). Whenever the character refers to her, thinks about her, talks to her, etc. he waxes almost poetic spouting superlitives about her.

It gets...more This one was close a few times. My rating for this swung from 2 to 4 stars at different times. The book opens and there is a section that I found so annoying that I was thinking "if it goes on this way I'm putting it down". The protagonist of the book Kevin Kimble, has an obsession with Jacqueline Mathis, a prison inmate who shot him (before the book begins). Whenever the character refers to her, thinks about her, talks to her, etc. he waxes almost poetic spouting superlitives about her.

It gets wearing whenever she comes up, or it did for me anyway.

On his way to visit Jacqueline, as he does monthly (or I get the feeling, at least monthly) Kimble gets a cryptic call from Wyatt French an odd alcoholic who lives in a landlocked lighthouse atop The Ridge of the title. Wyatt at one time had what seemed to be a promising future, owning all the land around Blade Ridge where he plans a housing development. But now he lives a liquor soaked existence in the strange lighthouse he has built on the last of his property. He tells Kimble to "keep the light on".

The next day Wyatt is found dead in his lighthouse by Roy Darmus, the other person he has called. Darmus goes to the lighthouse, climbs the locked gate to get in, goes up the lighthouse stairs and is surprised by the gruesome sight that greets him at the top of said stairs, Wyatt's bloody body, with a self inflicted bullet wound in his head. In his surprise Darmus falls into the light...breaking the bulb and PUTTING THE LIGHT OUT...dum,dum,dum.

The book tends in my opinion to swing from thoughtful and interesting to yawningly cliched. The lighthouse overlooks the property of another of our main characters, Audrey Clark who has decided that The Ridge" would be a perfect place for her rescue facility of big cats. In spite of the fact that the cats, "don't like the place" and make sure to sound off about it...Audrey thinks it's, just dandy. The cats and their plight serve as both plot point and counterpoint throughout the book.

The book is what I suppose could be called a genre "breaker" or "bender" as it has elements of suspense, crime drama and of course paranormal thriller/horror novel. This is a point in its favor and (I'm told) it's something the author (Michael Koryta) is becoming known for. I (as mentioned) found myself (after we got past Kimble's obsessive love thoughts) interested in the book. I liked the plot and the way he tied together the plot lines. Unfortunately some of this was old hat and you'll have the "been there before" feeling if you've read many "haunting stories". The good news is that while it's not really new the source of the haunting or the way its said to have started isn't itself an over used one. On the other hand, I must say that, were I a betting man, I'd bet many of you will see the the plot point/twist (and I doubt you'll find it a surprising twist) with Kimble and Jacqueline coming the proverbial mile away.

All in all while I was more than ready for this book to be over I still liked much of it. Had it stretched out much longer I might had skimmed the end and moved on, but it didn't quite drive me to that.

All in all I don't hate it, but neither do I plan to search out anything else by the writer. Maybe later but why waste my time on something else that might at best be a lukewarm read when I have so many other books waiting?

As noted, a lukewarm 3 stars. Not great, not awful, can't really recommend it but realize many will like it immensely. (less)

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Aug 28, 2012 Gloria Feit rated it 4 of 5 stars

Mixing mystery with the supernatural, Michael Koryta has developed works that are eerie and fascinating, and “The Ridge” is no less than captivating. The plot is somewhat complicated, and it takes a while to follow the thread. And, of course, it requires suspension of disbelief. But it does hold the reader from start to finish.

The story involves a particular area in Kentucky where over a century or more, a series of accidents and deaths occur. In the midst of a forest, a drunkard has built a lig...more

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May 22, 2011 Naomi rated it 5 of 5 stars

Another winner by Michael Koryta..I can't believe this author is just becoming known to me as this is the third book of his I have read and absolutely love, each distinctly different...this one flows like a fine wine it is so good. It has sucked me in from the first page with its' mystery and characters. Even though this book is over 400 pages, I will read it in one day it is so good. I am now starting to go back and read others by this author that I miss and he will be an author that I follow h...more

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Aug 25, 2012 Clark Hallman rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: horror-supernatural

The Ridge by Michael Koryta is a very creative and enjoyable novel. It takes place in a rural area of the forested hills of Eastern Kentucky near a small town. Wyatt French, a long-time eccentric resident of the area, built a lighthouse on the ridge that runs through his property. The powerful light shines its beacon over the forested valley and the small river that flows through it. It also illuminates a big cat sanctuary that is adjacent to French’s property and provides a home to numerous lio...more The Ridge by Michael Koryta is a very creative and enjoyable novel. It takes place in a rural area of the forested hills of Eastern Kentucky near a small town. Wyatt French, a long-time eccentric resident of the area, built a lighthouse on the ridge that runs through his property. The powerful light shines its beacon over the forested valley and the small river that flows through it. It also illuminates a big cat sanctuary that is adjacent to French’s property and provides a home to numerous lions, tigers, mountain lions and other wild cats that have been rescued from unsuitable situations. Seemingly, the lighthouse beam upsets the cats in the sanctuary at night. However in reality, it is something far more sinister than the lighthouse that disturbs the cats at night. Deputy Sheriff Kevin Kimble and his staff become involved when Wyatt French, the lighthouse owner, commits suicide. However, their investigation expands when one of the mountain lions escapes from the sanctuary and a sanctuary staff member is apparently killed by one of the cats. The investigation gets more complicated when it is determined that the death was not caused by the cat. The man was shot. The situation continues to escalate when one of the sheriff’s deputies is murdered at the sanctuary. Eventually, the investigation reveals that many deaths and murders have taken place in the area near the sanctuary and lighthouse over many years. This book is an amazingly good thriller. The plot is complex, the characters are interesting, and the action is gory and suspenseful. In addition, the book is an amazingly good, and eerie, ghost story, which includes a creepy setting and a unique and compelling story that keeps the reader speeding through the pages. These ghosts are malevolent and (of course) Chief Deputy Kimble and his companions risk their lives and their immortal souls while pursuing their investigation. Koryta does a nice job of linking the lighthouse, the cat sanctuary, and the ghosts together in this supernatural mystery. I enjoyed The Ridge very much and I look forward to reading more of Koryta’s work.
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Aug 07, 2012 Lighthearted rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: mystery, supernatural-fiction, suspense, thriller

Why would someone build a lighthouse in the middle of the woods? A curious landmark for years, given its location in an isolated stretch of eastern Kentucky, the strange, pulsing light in the abandoned mining country hasn’t warranted much attention until recently. The creation of a large-cat sanctuary nearby changes things, however. Wyatt French, builder of the lighthouse, is not happy that the sanctuary will bring visitors to his neck of the woods; Audrey Clark, owner of the sanctuary, is not h...more

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Jul 05, 2012 Jeff rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: crime-mystery

Unlike others who did not like this book, I have no problem with the mixing of detective and supernatural elements in a story. Koryta is a gifted writer and the story here is told well. But, I live in eastern Kentucky where this book is set and that was one of the reasons I tried to read it. Eastern Kentucky is in the heart of that region now called "Appalachia," and has a unique culture and mindset - a cross of genteel southern, Bible-belt religion, and mountain pioneer thinking. This is the ho...more

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Feb 19, 2012 Sue rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction-horror

What a surprise. I didn't expect that this would be a ghost story when I first started listening to it. I chose to read (listen to) the book because something I read told me it was a story about Applachia. Putting a few things together, though - Applachia, ridge, mountains, memories - all these things might have given me an inkling that the story might have some other-worldliness about it.

As ghost stories go, it was a good one. It's true that some places in those hills seem spooky or haunted or...more

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Jan 14, 2012 Kelley rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book was on someone’s best of list for 2011 and sounded intriguing, so I thought I would try it. I’m very glad I did. Koryta writes the way I wish I could. He creates an atmosphere without overwriting it. I don’t feel the need to skim pages of descriptions that don’t really tell me anything. Koryta chooses his words wisely and I didn’t want to miss anything by skimming.

In an old mining town in the hills of Kentucky, a lighthouse, of all things, stands on a hilltop called The Ridge, lighting...more This book was on someone’s best of list for 2011 and sounded intriguing, so I thought I would try it. I’m very glad I did. Koryta writes the way I wish I could. He creates an atmosphere without overwriting it. I don’t feel the need to skim pages of descriptions that don’t really tell me anything. Koryta chooses his words wisely and I didn’t want to miss anything by skimming.

In an old mining town in the hills of Kentucky, a lighthouse, of all things, stands on a hilltop called The Ridge, lighting the woods surrounding it. It’s caretaker, Wyatt French, the town drunk defies everyone’s objections to keep the lighthouse going.

Kentucky, Deputy Sheriff Kevin Kimble has quietly been visiting Jacqueline, the woman who shot him in the back, in prison. There’s a draw to her that he can’t ignore and a mystery about that evening years ago that he wants resolved. A strange call from Wyatt French intrudes into his daily life and changes everything for not only him, but also for Roy Darmus, writer for the now-closed local paper and Audrey Clark, who is moving her big-cat sanctuary to the area. When French is found a the top of the lighthouse, dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, a terrifying local history is uncovered, revealing secrets that can answer all their questions.

Koryta had me hooked from the first page. He definitely knows how to tell a story. His ability to create an atmosphere and build suspense carried me all the way through the book. The characters are fully developed and I cared about what happened to all of them. The supernatural aspects of the story are chilling and for lack of a better word, plausible. I mean, like so many stories like this, you have to be able to suspend your common sense and believe the weird things you are reading are possible. It becomes the only plausible reason for what has happened.

Koryta also uses multiple narrators skillfully. Although Kimble seems to be the main POV, other chapters are narrated by Darmus, Clark, and Wes Harrington. The characters are well developed, and I felt like I understood and cared about all of them. Even French, who’s body is found early on, is revealed throughout the story, as Kimble finds out what is hiding on The Ridge.
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Jul 08, 2011 Deborah rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: american-life, award-winning-author, favorite-male-authors, men-would-enjoy, paperback-i-own, paranormal, reviewer-book

Earlier last year, I reviewed Koryta's "Cypress House." (Please see it on my blog in 2010) It was my first introduction to his writing. I became an immediate addict...Michael Koryta is a master storyteller. He is the type of author who could have us mesmerized for hours while we waited out a hurricane! And, we'd never even know we were in the midst of one except that it would be a fitting setting for his story. I could read his books in tandem and be entertained all week without boredom.

Koryta's...more Earlier last year, I reviewed Koryta's "Cypress House." (Please see it on my blog in 2010) It was my first introduction to his writing. I became an immediate addict...Michael Koryta is a master storyteller. He is the type of author who could have us mesmerized for hours while we waited out a hurricane! And, we'd never even know we were in the midst of one except that it would be a fitting setting for his story. I could read his books in tandem and be entertained all week without boredom.

Koryta's genius, it seems to me, is that he draws us in right away by making the circumstances quite ordinary and believable. The first chapter leaves us with a handful of questions; some of them not so obvious until we muse upon them. So much fun to do that. And, from that moment on, we are hooked. We are driven by an urge to know...

His characters are so real, I feel as if I know them. They are easily visualized. They are easily understood from a psychological perspective. However, this doesn't mean all is immediately as it seems, ever, in a Koryta novel. My attention is driven by his type of characterization with the "brick hasn't yet fallen" suspense. What I'm trying to convey is that you think you can "see" the characters, but he always leaves you with that mote of doubt that irritates your seeker's eye.

I wasn't expecting the supernatural context of this novel. I frankly refrained from reading the overleaf because I didn't want to spoil a minute of the actual read for myself. That's how good Mr. Koryta is! So, I didn't expect this ghostly intrigue and it was a surprising addition for me. From his typical writing genre as I knew it from "Cypress House" it was an unusual twist. Reminiscent of the Gothic novel, it worked perfectly with a modern day police suspense/mystery in the end.

"The Ridge" is a book I couldn't stop reading until the end. I dreamt of it...I read it when I was eating, and I read it during commercials between the Casey Anthony murder trial. This gives you some idea of the intensity of the writing skills of this author. I'm obsessive about the Anthony Trial...and "The Ridge" tore me away at times!

I can do no more than strongly urge you to get to know Michael Koryta as an author with his mind and fingers on the pulse of new suspense/thriller writing. If there is an evolution of writers with vision in this genre, Michael Koryta is leading the curve. His work reminds me why I read suspense and thrillers.

Without going into the storyline of this book, which you can easily find on the regular book blurb for "The Ridge," I want to also say that it's a story that just left me with wide eyes and the feeling that it might really happen. I'm not one to chase after ghosts and demons, but this book made me think twice... You might want to leave the light on when you put it down at night...just sayin'

5 stars

Deborah/TheBookishDame(less)

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Jun 26, 2011 Jen rated it 5 of 5 stars

I've been a fan of Michael Koryta's almost as long as I've been reading crime fiction. When Koryta branched out to try his hand with the supernatural, I followed despite the fact that it wasn't my cup of tea. His work in this area intrigued me and captivated me, due in large part to the qualities that make him such a fabulous crime writer as well. He tells a superb story with fascinating, well-developed characters. However, when asked what my favorite work of his was, I always went back to his s...more I've been a fan of Michael Koryta's almost as long as I've been reading crime fiction. When Koryta branched out to try his hand with the supernatural, I followed despite the fact that it wasn't my cup of tea. His work in this area intrigued me and captivated me, due in large part to the qualities that make him such a fabulous crime writer as well. He tells a superb story with fascinating, well-developed characters. However, when asked what my favorite work of his was, I always went back to his second crime novel, SORROW'S ANTHEM, followed closely by ENVY THE NIGHT. Until now.

THE RIDGE is the work of an exceptionally talented story teller coming into his own. The richness of the characters, the depth of the symbolism, the strength of the atmosphere all combine to suck the reader into Koryta's world. You fall down his rabbit hole and land in a world you logically know doesn't exist, but the reality of what you experience convinces you otherwise.

Whether writing in first person, or as in THE RIDGE from third person, Koryta allows his reader to intimately understand the mind of his protagonist, which in turn helps a bond form between reader and character. Now the reader is invested. Kevin Kimble is no different. What makes THE RIDGE different is Koryta's inclusion of the big cats and their roles as characters. Each cat is distinct with its own personality. Symbolically, those cats begin to have parallels to their human counterparts.

The lighthouse, featured prominently on the novel's cover, is also an important symbol. Koryta plays tug-of-war with good and evil - light and dark, leaving both sides covered in the mud of ambiguity.

With these elements of depth, the plot can't help but be multi-layered. Surfacely, Koryta had constructed an entertaining plot with well-timed twists and exciting action. Below that is a look into the human condition. The phrase "bound by balance" is repeated throughout the novel, and Roy Darmus, a reporter, tells Kimble, "You must be able to believe in a great evil." These underlying symbols and themes lodged themselves in my brain and still tumble around, demanding me to pay attention.

There are so many incredible strengths to this novel, but the one I believe holds them all together, like a tendon in the body, is Koryta's beautiful demand of the language. So often I will stop and simply marvel at the construct of a sentence, at how a simple compilation of words can create such a powerful effect:

"She took her seat again, and he pulled up a plastic chair that screeched coming across the floor and sat beside her. Not all the way at the opposite end of the table, but not too close either. Purgatory distance."

I was caught off guard the first time I read this passage, having to re-read it several times. But it wasn't until I came back to the passage after finishing the book that I could appreciate all the nuances and meaning packed into it. Koryta is an author who demands re-reading to completely appreciate everything nestled into his work.

Koryta has built upon his strengths in THE RIDGE, making this his most powerful novel to date. Now when people ask me what my favorite book of Koryta's is, I'm going to have to answer THE RIDGE(less)

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Jun 25, 2011 Patricia Weenolsen rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Ridge by Michael Koryta, Little Brown & Co, 2011.

A sheriff in love with the woman who shot him years ago — he visits her in prison once a month; a brave widow terrified of the very lions, tigers, leopards and cougars for whom she provides sanctuary in memory of her dead husband — are her assistants there to help her or to rouse the animals for a kill? The forbidding Kentucky wilderness is itself a character in The Ridge, with a lighthouse built by a crazy man on a rocky promontory where...more

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Jun 12, 2011 Patricia rated it 5 of 5 stars

Chief Deputy Kevin Kimble is making an early morning drive when he receives a very strange and disturbing phone call. The call is from Wyatt French one of the stranger residents of Kimble’s county. Wyatt lives on a hilltop known as Blade Ridge. Wyatt is famous for his heavy drinking and his residence. Wyatt lives in a lighthouse that lights up the hills surrounding his home. Wyatt’s call is to ask just one question of Kimble and that is if Kimble would rather have a homicide to investigate or a...more Chief Deputy Kevin Kimble is making an early morning drive when he receives a very strange and disturbing phone call. The call is from Wyatt French one of the stranger residents of Kimble’s county. Wyatt lives on a hilltop known as Blade Ridge. Wyatt is famous for his heavy drinking and his residence. Wyatt lives in a lighthouse that lights up the hills surrounding his home. Wyatt’s call is to ask just one question of Kimble and that is if Kimble would rather have a homicide to investigate or a suicide. Kimble finally responds with the answer of suicide.

Kimble’s early drive is a strange one. He makes a monthly visit to prison to visit Jacqueline Mathis. Mathis is serving time for the murder of her husband. Jacqueline also severely injured Kimble although she claims not to remember that she shot him. Kimble thinks that his visits are not common knowledge but his telephone conversation with French reveals that French is well aware of these trips.

Audrey Clark is the owner of a big-cat sanctuary and is in the process of moving the animals to her new location on Blade Ridge. The cats are restless and seem to be dissatisfied with the new sanctuary.

Kimble’s return home after his prison visit finds him faced with the discovery of Wyatt French's body. French’s death appears to be a suicide but Kimble keeps going over the statements made by French in his phone call and the strange items revealed in the search of French’s lighthouse home.

Between the investigation of French’s death and the trouble stirring at the cat sanctuary it seems that Blade Ridge is a dangerous place to be. Roy Darmus is a newspaper reporter whose newspaper has just closed down but Roy also becomes interested in French’s death and Blade Ridge. Kimble and Darmus work together to uncover the mystery that surrounds the Ridge.

Digging into the past finally reveals the history of Blade Ridge and the very real dangers that lurk there – dangers that Wyatt French attempted to fight.

I enjoyed this author’s The Cypress House and So Cold the River. This one is even better than the first two. The three books are all stand-alones.

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Jun 04, 2011 William Bentrim rated it 5 of 5 stars

The Ridge by Michael Koryta

Once again, Michael Koryta takes ordinary folks and puts them in extraordinary situations fraught with danger and mystery. A lighthouse in the woods and an exotic cat rescue center draw focus on the deep woods surrounding a remote mining community with an unusual number of deaths.

Michael Koryta has the ability to bring to the printed word characters that you might know. His characterizations are detailed and clear. He paints scenarios that are vivid and emotionally ev...more

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May 15, 2011 Mary Gramlich rated it 5 of 5 stars

THE RIDGE written by Michael Koryta
06/11 - Little, Brown & Company - Hardcover, 368 pages

Can you control the madness when good and evil reside in the same body?

Deputy Kevin Kimble is a good cop that keeps things going in the right direction for the fine folks of Sawyer County in eastern Kentucky. His path collides with everyone but during the latest event on Blade Ridge, nothing is as it appears and every direction he takes leads him to another mystery.

The crime scene he is called to at fir...more THE RIDGE written by Michael Koryta
06/11 - Little, Brown & Company - Hardcover, 368 pages

Can you control the madness when good and evil reside in the same body?

Deputy Kevin Kimble is a good cop that keeps things going in the right direction for the fine folks of Sawyer County in eastern Kentucky. His path collides with everyone but during the latest event on Blade Ridge, nothing is as it appears and every direction he takes leads him to another mystery.

The crime scene he is called to at first appears to be the suicide of a lonely man living in a lighthouse with the occasional drunken trip to town. For Kevin it looks too much like a murder especially since the man called that morning to talk about his upcoming death saying it would not be at his own hand and he expected proper justice. The more Kevin investigates the less anything makes sense in a reasonable investigative manner so it is now time to make other decisions and call in some out of the norm help.

Kevin talks the recently unemployed newspaper owner Roy Darmus into following up on research to help figure out what the maps, names and lettering of the word NO meant to the crazy man in the lighthouse. Roy can research years of newspaper data and hit every source possible to figure out who all these faces belonged to and how they ended up dead.

Kevin is also dealing with the large cat facility that just opened and making sure the caretaker, Audrey knows what she is doing. The residents do not like the animals there and the animals really dislike the area once the sun goes down and the darkness contains them. Audrey fought to be there with her husband who died on Blade Ridge making this dream a reality but she is afraid of the dark as well and the nightmares that haunt her seem to come directly from this area.

For Kevin it seems all possible answers lead back to the woman locked up in prison for shooting him. She holds the secret to what made her take a gun, kill her husband, and then turn it on the man trying to save her without being able to remember any of it. Kevin has spent every month of her incarceration visiting her and trying to forget that what he feels for her is not victim guilt but male attraction to a beautiful woman.

This book is as phenomenal as every other book written by Michael Koryta, but really takes the scary, creepy factor up a notch. This story draws you in and you refuse to believe this is not a recounting of fact instead of fiction. You will not be able to put it down so keep reading but do not turn off the lights.(less)

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Oct 11, 2011 Jason rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: e-books, read-2011

5 Stars

This is my second Koryta novel that I have read, Cypress House was my first (I loved that one too). After finishing this novel I feel it is safe to say that Koryta is a masterful storyteller. He breathes life into his words, his settings, and his story. He creates characters that are three dimensional. They are real. They are not carbon copies or cookie cutter cutouts. Most importantly he creates a cast of characters that are memorable.

I am not going to give any spoilers away with this r...more

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Jul 06, 2011 Stefanie rated it 4 of 5 stars

It seems to be a pattern that I'll take a day off sick to stay home and rest and then will be completely unable to sleep, so I end up spending the whole day in bed reading. I did that today and read this book pretty much in its entirety.

This is the second Michael Koryta book I've read, after Mom suggested I try his "So Cold the River." He's based in Indiana and writes about places that I have visited with my family, so I really like the local appeal. "The Ridge" is based in part on a real-life...more

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Apr 15, 2013 Ethan rated it 4 of 5 stars

Kentucky is a state known for many things, but waterfront property is definitely not one of them. It is easy to imagine then the kind of reaction local townspeople had when Wyatt French built a lighthouse on the hilltop of Blade Ridge. While it was definitely an odd architectural choice for the area, people mostly ignored it at regarded its builder as an eccentric drunk.

Years later, local sheriff Kevin Kimble is shocked to learn of French's suicide. He had received a cryptic phone call from Fre...more Kentucky is a state known for many things, but waterfront property is definitely not one of them. It is easy to imagine then the kind of reaction local townspeople had when Wyatt French built a lighthouse on the hilltop of Blade Ridge. While it was definitely an odd architectural choice for the area, people mostly ignored it at regarded its builder as an eccentric drunk.

Years later, local sheriff Kevin Kimble is shocked to learn of French's suicide. He had received a cryptic phone call from French in the hours preceding his death. Upon investigating the lighthouse, Kimble uncovers various documents that chronicle the history of Blade Ridge and more interestingly, the unfortunate events that seem to plague the area. Even stranger is the connection the night Kimble was shot by an abuse victim, years ago. All this evidence seems to point at a larger force of malice, leading Kimble to believe that French may not have been as mad as he seemed.

Roy Darmus is at a crossroads in his life. The local newspaper, to which he has devoted his entire professional life to, has been sold and closed. A storyteller without an audience, he is hungry for the next big scoop to hit the town. When he receives a call from local madman Wyatt French, he is both annoyed and intrigued. A comment about his parents, who died in a car crash at Blade Ridge when he was a small child, lingers in his mind long after he dismisses the call as another useless tip. Hours later, he is at the scene of French's apparent suicide. Craving a new story to tell, he begins to investigate a string of strange occurrences at the ridge.

Audrey Clark is dealing with a transition as well. She is in the process of relocating her large-cat sanctuary, a project began with her late husband, from a location within the city to a larger preserve located at Blade Ridge. Initially she was disturbed by the ravings of her soon to be neighbor Wyatt French, but soon shifted her focus from the strange lighthouse to the relocation process. But strange things are occurring. The cats seem to be fearful of their new home, pacing the cages, growling, and even attempting to escape. When French's suicide brings even more focus to the area, she is determined to successfully house the cats at the new location and fulfill her husband's legacy.

Michael Koryta weaves these different characters into a brilliant tapestry of paranormal suspense. I really appreciated the way all three of the main characters were searching for a new start in their personal lives. The paranormal elements, comparable to Stephen King or Dean Koontz, never overshadow the story. Koryta knows how to wind up a story, providing many moments of true fear. Balancing the supernatural elements with strong human characters and emotions, Koryta has written a fantastic novel. (less)

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Oct 20, 2011 Dany rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. 3.5 rating during most of the read but the last half brought it to a 4. I was slower to connect to the story through the characters during the first half of the book. I have a better insight into the big cat preservation world and appreciate how well Koryta developed their story into the novel but maybe I wasn't enthralled with the cat world like other readers may. However the death scene of the tiger Kino and Wesley was a powerful one and helped me understand how cats might think when they atta...more

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Dec 18, 2011 Bonnie rated it 2 of 5 stars

I picked up The Ridge because one of my friends described it as "quite possibly the best book I've ever read". I didn't have the same reaction by a longshot. Now, to start with, the book's subject matter is far from my cup of tea. Horror, supernatural, creepy, other worldly, scary, thriller. Not something I'd normally read. That said, if the book had been superbly written I think I would've enjoyed it regardless. I often find myself saying I don't like this or that genre and then a great book wi...more

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Apr 10, 2013 Richard Wright rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013

I went into this novel blind after it was recommended by a friend, and for a long time wasn't sure what genre I was reading. That's a good thing - the novel is slow in revealing its hand, and I got the full benefit of the unraveling mystery.

The rural setting is very well used here, because this is a novel about isolation first and foremost. We have the widow trying to keep her husband's dream of running a big cat shelter alive, the recently unemployed journalist who can't bear to face his life...more

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Jul 27, 2011 Jane rated it 3 of 5 stars

This was the first Michael Koryta book that I picked up and it certainly won’t be the last. Within the first couple pages, Koryta caught my attention with a mysterious phone call that asked a very interesting question, “Which would you rather have: a homicide or a suicide?” That caught my attention to say the least. Koryta throws in a number of characters into this story and while it isn’t difficult to remember them all, there was a need for more background and development on a selected few. For...more

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Jan 09, 2012 Lindsay rated it 3 of 5 stars

Should be 3.5. I wish I could do half-points!

This is my first novel by Michael Koryta, but it will not be my last. I'm glad I have "Cypress House" waiting, because I really enjoyed "The Ridge, and I'm eager to read more.

I loved the setting of this novel- tucked away in the Kentucky hills. I loved the melding of supernatural elements and mystery, and I loved the way Koryta paced his book. I never felt like it was dragging, and he managed to throw in at least one really good twist.

If I have a com...more

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Sep 09, 2011 Miles rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviews

On an isolated ridge in the Kentucky woods stands a homemade lighthouse, hundreds of miles from any substantial body of water. Local reporter Roy Darmus has always found it an amusing oddity- until he is selected as the recipient of a suicide note from its builder. Roy enters the bizarre structure to find the walls covered in maps bearing the names of the dead - including his own parents, who were killed in a car accident when he was a boy. Roy soon has a storytelling assignment more daunting th...more On an isolated ridge in the Kentucky woods stands a homemade lighthouse, hundreds of miles from any substantial body of water. Local reporter Roy Darmus has always found it an amusing oddity- until he is selected as the recipient of a suicide note from its builder. Roy enters the bizarre structure to find the walls covered in maps bearing the names of the dead - including his own parents, who were killed in a car accident when he was a boy. Roy soon has a storytelling assignment more daunting than anything he's seen before: convincing people that an age-old legend has in fact come to life.

With haunting atmosphere and tension-coiled plot, THE RIDGE is a terrifying journey into the heart of darkness.

I’ve always had a fascination with lighthouses – end of statement! Don’t ask me why or how because I honestly couldn’t tell you but the sad fact is, despite this fascination, I’ve never been in one! The closest I came to fulfilling my goal was on holiday a few years ago in Australia while visiting friends in Byron Bay. Unfortunately for me my timing was off and the lighthouse was closed. The magnificent lighthouse, built in 1901 is on Cape Byron Bay and stands proudly as the most Easterly light in Australia. Living in a windswept lighthouse, witnessing wave upon wave voraciously lashing against the unforgiving rocks somehow appeals to me! Whether it’s the romantic in me or a desire to live a solitary life I have no clue! Michael Koryta’s new supernatural thriller The Ridge revolves around a lighthouse built in a vast woodland by a solitary drunk who has seen better days.

The Ridge is the third book I’ve read by Michael Koryta in the last twelve months and I have to say he’s fast becoming my favourite author and if there’s one author I can’t wait to release another title it would unquestionably be Michael. Following on from the highly successful So Cold the River and The Cypress House - both standalone novels - Koryta returns with a beguiling standalone narrative and yet another novel with a deep understanding and affinity with the power of darkness, history and evil. I do worry about Koryta’s mental state sometimes but he seems grounded enough to me!

Of the three books I’ve read So Cold the River still remains my favourite – I urge you all to add this to your to be read list - but isn’t that always the way? The first book you read by an author, the first version of a song sung by an artist or the first film by an actor; they always stick in your mind more than any remake or follow up. The Ridge is another intelligently crafted novel and has a taut narrative that will remain with you for years to come. Written by an outstanding wordsmith the novel sucks you in from the opening scenes and appears to have an invisible hold that only falters once the all encapsulating dénouement is upon us.

Full review on my blog:- http://www.milorambles.com/2011/09/03...(less)

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Jun 22, 2011 Kathy Jund rated it 5 of 5 stars

Michael Koryta's latest hard cover The Ridge is an absolute must-read! By far, it's his best work ever!
A spine tingling story of suspense wrapped in a hard-coated shell of the paranormal. But be sure to keep the lights on, especially reading late at night! Difficult to put down once you start.
An endangered cat preserve with lions, tigers, leopards and a mysterious visitor..right next door to a lighthouse in the middle of the secluded hills of Kentucky. Strange activity, accidents at night, some...more

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Nov 25, 2011 Donna rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: suspense, horror

I enjoyed reading The Ridge, and I would give it 3 1/2 stars for being a suspenseful horror story without all the gore many authors of this genre often rely upon for shock value. The characters were well developed and I cared about what happened to them. There is a nice little twist three fourths of the way through the book that I never saw coming, even though, looking back, I saw all the clues were there. The obsession that Kimble has for Jacqueline reminded me of Archie's obsession with Gretch...more

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Oct 22, 2011 Tonile {My Cup and Chaucer} rated it 4 of 5 stars

Anyone who knows me well knows that I love a good scary story. Ghosts and spooky things that go bump in the night have always appealed to me, and rather than try to shut that odd side of me out, I have found that embracing it makes me infinitely happier. So it was a happy discovery when I found Michael Koryta had released a new book, The Ridge. I read The Cypress House earlier in the year and while I did like the chilling tale of the man who could see death before it arrived, I enjoyed The Ridge...more Anyone who knows me well knows that I love a good scary story. Ghosts and spooky things that go bump in the night have always appealed to me, and rather than try to shut that odd side of me out, I have found that embracing it makes me infinitely happier. So it was a happy discovery when I found Michael Koryta had released a new book, The Ridge. I read The Cypress House earlier in the year and while I did like the chilling tale of the man who could see death before it arrived, I enjoyed The Ridge far more. Koryta is brilliant at taking the ordinary and making it scary, and I really admire him for that.

In the opening pages, deputy sheriff Kevin Kimble, a man in love with a woman who shot him, receives an ominous phone call from the town drunk and lighthouse keeper Wyatt French. Uneasy after their conversation, Kimble continues his day, unknowing that French also contacts local journalist Roy Darmus. The two men are drawn together when French is found dead in his lighthouse, surrounded by technical light equipment, maps of the Ridge, and photos of people with the word ‘NO’ scrawled over them. In the days that follow, Kimble and Darmus will discover a terrifying past surrounding the Ridge, and be forced to make decisions that could change their lives forever.

At the same time, Audrey Clark is moving her wildcat sanctuary to the land adjacent to the lighthouse. With sixty-seven cats in total, including a rare black panther named Ira, the move should be a relatively easy undertaking. Nothing could have prepared Clark and her staff for the feline response to their new home, and Ira’s fabulous escape is just the start of the problems that arise when the sun sets and darkness descends upon the Ridge.

To say that I loved this novel almost feels like an understatement. The rich back-story to support the modern mystery, the tormented characters who try their best to get through the day, and the presence of unimaginable evil all form this magnificent story that makes the reader question what they would do if, when they were about to run out of time, they were offered more time, but at a price. When your life is on the line, will you admit defeat? Or do you snatch life from the jaws of death, but in doing so condemn another to take your place? The Ridge is a fantastic story that ticks the boxes as both a creepy ghost tale and taught psychological thriller. An absolute must read for 2011.(less)

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Jun 22, 2011 iubookgirl rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed

There are so many many seemingly disparate elements in The Ridge that it could easily turn into a disjointed train wreck of a novel. Michael Koryta is much better than that though. He manages to weave together exotic cats, a mysterious lighthouse, and the failure of a small town newspaper into a compelling ghost story with ease.

Deputy sheriff Kevin Kimble and newspaper man Roy Darmus are both contacted by Wyatt French, the town drunk and keeper of a lighthouse in the middle of the woods. French...more

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Apr 26, 2011 Kelly Hager rated it 5 of 5 stars

I don't want to say too much about the plot because most of the fun is in learning what's happening. But it's set in Kentucky and there's a lighthouse...even though it only lights up the woods. And there's a sanctuary for lions, tigers and cougars. And there's a suicide. And things get really strange.

Oh, holy crap, this book. It's very, very creepy and unsettling. I don't think "unsettling" is even strong enough for it. But even more than that, it's also incredibly well-written.

I've read (count...more

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Jun 29, 2011 D. Alexander Ward rated it 4 of 5 stars

It's true that a key component to writing a successful story or book is to grab the reader in the first paragraph, maybe even the first few pages. Well, in past novels Koryta has proven his ability to do just that and "The Ridge" is no exception.
Just reading the rather ludicrous and creepy description of the book got my juices flowing. A crazy town drunkard. A lighthouse in the Kentucky hills built to keep "something" away. An animal preserve filled with deadly lions and tigers. I was smitten....more

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