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Pyres
In PYRES, 15 year old Lucia Moberg lifts a CD out of a store in a shopping mall—and when she and her dad get into their car, there is a tap at the window. The next second her father's brains are on the dashboard. So begins the story of the ruin of her mother, whose home life is shrouded in darkness, a mysterious and menacing motorcycle gang, the real-to-life female cop out to crack the case, who is facing her own family's collapse, and the struggle for Lucia to piece together some semblance of a normal teenage life. The writing is hard and crisp, and wholly multi-dimensional, while the story moves along at a nail-biting pace with twists, turns, literary allusions, and the engaging plight of several fascinating, memorable, and fully rounded characters.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published October 16, 2007
4 people are currently reading
194 people want to read
About the author
Derek Nikitas
14 books30 followersDerek Nikitas is the Edgar-award nominated author of the crime/mystery novels *Pyres* and *The Long Division* (a Washington Post Best Book of 2009 selection).
He has also written a science fiction adventure novel for Young Adults called *Extra Life* and has co-written several "Bookshots" books with bestselling novelist James Patterson, including *Diary of a Succubus* and *You've Been Warned--Again.*
He lives in Rhode Island.
He has also written a science fiction adventure novel for Young Adults called *Extra Life* and has co-written several "Bookshots" books with bestselling novelist James Patterson, including *Diary of a Succubus* and *You've Been Warned--Again.*
He lives in Rhode Island.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
January 20, 2010
Shortlisted for the Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best First Novel by an American Author, Pyres is an extraordinary coming of age novel. Lucia Moberg is in the car when her college professor father is gunned down in the parking lot of the local mall. She is almost 16, born on St. Lucia Day, and her Swedish father has made sure she knows all about her Swedish ancestry and folklore. Life at home is not going well; her mother is growing ever more distant; her crush on the boy next door is not producing any noticeable results and school is just boring. Dressing like a Goth seems to be the answer. But after her father’s death, her mother goes off the deep end and tries to commit suicide. She almost succeeds on the second attempt, but ends up with the mind of five-year old, forgetting the last fifteen years of her life, including Lucia’s entire existence. And when Lucia finds $5,000 under the dryer in the basement, her life completely unravels. Where did the money come from? Why is it here? Then, Lucia interrupts a home invasion and is kidnapped. It becomes apparent her entire life is not what is appears to be on the surface. This is a psychologically challenging book, similar to Ruth Rendell.
August 31, 2013
I'm of Scandinavian descent: my great grandmother was Swedish and my great grandfather was Norwegian and they met in the US, in Minnesota of course. And so I liked all the Scandinavian folklore in this mystery. I don't often read mysteries, but liked the true grit of it all. There are some really nasty parts to it--things that happen in movies that are so much more vivid when you slowly read through the scenes. Overall, I thought it could have been about 200 pages shorter and still be really great.
February 3, 2008
this book has blurbs on the back calling it a "coming of age" novel, which it IS NOT. the main character is 16 and some really horrific things happen, but it's a psychological thriller and mystery book, which happens to have a 16-year-old main character. not a bad read. but not a coming of age story, at all.
August 31, 2009
This was an ok book - Not the best I've read this year, and not the worst - Just average. On the cover, there is a statement that this is a coming-of-age story, which it is definitely NOT. However, the storyline was intriguing enough to keep me reading.
January 14, 2012
A very impressive debut novel. The action was tense, the characters (especially the females) were well drawn and memorable, and the small sprinkling of Swedish folklore throughout the plot was well integrated and never overdone. A worthy Edgar nominee for best novel of 2008.
February 11, 2016
Histoire cruelle et malsaine que celle de Lou Moberg. Après avoir terminé ce roman, un grand vide s’est emparé de moi. Que devais-je penser? Devais-je aimer ou détester? Il ne semble pas pouvoir y avoir de juste milieu. Derek Nikitas a fait de son lecteur un témoin, invisible, mais un témoin. La narration commence par « il était une fois » mais que le prochain lecteur n’y prenne garde, il ne s’agit pas d’un conte ordinaire. Cruel, sanguinaire et froid. Page après page, l’univers est de plus en malsain. Jamais le soleil ne perce l’atmosphère. Pourtant, c’est avide qu’on continue de s’enfoncer. Ce livre ne se lâche pas. On ne le repose pas véritablement avant de l’avoir terminé. Et après… après c’est un néant.
On m’avait vendu ce roman comme une belle histoire. L’histoire n’est pas belle. Il n’y a rien de beau, il n’y a pas une vie, un espoir auquel on aimerait se rattacher. Ce roman est noir.
Le style de l’auteur est bon, parfois hésitant, mais le rythme et la verve sont là. Les personnages sont tous bien définis et sans qu’on s’en rende compte, c’est comme si on les avait toujours connus. Leur caractère et leurs émotions, qu’elles soient dites ou cachées, sont ressentis. S’y attache-t-on? Probablement pas. Je ne me suis moi-même pas attachée à Lou, trop jeune, propulsée trop vite dans un monde dans lequel je ne voulais pas rentrer. C’est toute la cruauté de la société.
La violence est champ lexical du roman. Je ne suis pas familière avec les polars, thriller et autres de ce genre, mais j’ai trouvé des scènes brutales et sans intérêt. J’ai éprouvé de la répulsion. Une répulsion à peine soutenable de plus en plus omniprésente puisque l’auteur nous présente presque ces crimes comme impunis. Et c’est sur cette fin, cette sentence qui ne tombe pas, que je suis restée.
En fin de compte, j’ai passé un bon moment de lecture. C’est une bonne découverte littéraire. J’ai apprécié le style de l’auteur et cet univers visuel dans lequel il nous projète sans mise en garde préalable. L’intrigue est ficelée et bonne. Alors, oui je suis indécise. Je suis indécise parce que des scènes de violences sexuelles souillent le récit. Il y a quelque chose de sale, une odeur nauséabonde qui émane des pages. Une gamine qui traine ses pieds au sol, en pleine adolescence, bousillée pour toujours. Personne ne peut rien pour elle. J’ai l’impression d’être devenue amorale. J’ai fermé ce roman en y laissant une partie de moi. Elle est restée entre les pages, volée et assassinée par Nikitas
On m’avait vendu ce roman comme une belle histoire. L’histoire n’est pas belle. Il n’y a rien de beau, il n’y a pas une vie, un espoir auquel on aimerait se rattacher. Ce roman est noir.
Le style de l’auteur est bon, parfois hésitant, mais le rythme et la verve sont là. Les personnages sont tous bien définis et sans qu’on s’en rende compte, c’est comme si on les avait toujours connus. Leur caractère et leurs émotions, qu’elles soient dites ou cachées, sont ressentis. S’y attache-t-on? Probablement pas. Je ne me suis moi-même pas attachée à Lou, trop jeune, propulsée trop vite dans un monde dans lequel je ne voulais pas rentrer. C’est toute la cruauté de la société.
La violence est champ lexical du roman. Je ne suis pas familière avec les polars, thriller et autres de ce genre, mais j’ai trouvé des scènes brutales et sans intérêt. J’ai éprouvé de la répulsion. Une répulsion à peine soutenable de plus en plus omniprésente puisque l’auteur nous présente presque ces crimes comme impunis. Et c’est sur cette fin, cette sentence qui ne tombe pas, que je suis restée.
En fin de compte, j’ai passé un bon moment de lecture. C’est une bonne découverte littéraire. J’ai apprécié le style de l’auteur et cet univers visuel dans lequel il nous projète sans mise en garde préalable. L’intrigue est ficelée et bonne. Alors, oui je suis indécise. Je suis indécise parce que des scènes de violences sexuelles souillent le récit. Il y a quelque chose de sale, une odeur nauséabonde qui émane des pages. Une gamine qui traine ses pieds au sol, en pleine adolescence, bousillée pour toujours. Personne ne peut rien pour elle. J’ai l’impression d’être devenue amorale. J’ai fermé ce roman en y laissant une partie de moi. Elle est restée entre les pages, volée et assassinée par Nikitas
March 19, 2008
Derek is a PhD candidate in creative writing at GSU, and he's published his first novel already, and he's been nominated for a freaking Edgar award. I interviewed him for WRAS, and learned all kinds of interesting things about mystery writing from him, especially because I'm not much of a mystery reader.
His book is a really entertaining mystery/thriller. It centers on a 16-year-old girl who witnesses her father get murdered, and then her whole life falls apart. Her mother tries to kill herself, she gets kidnapped, her boyfriend betrays her, etc. It's told from three womens' perspectives, and Derek doesn't do a terrible job at getting inside their heads. He's not a magician, the trick isn't flawless, but it's pretty good. Side note: I always think it's funny when a character ends up with traits that don't make a lot of sense, because the writer is of a different gender or race, or just different altogether. Prime example: Harry Potter. That young boy just really needs to talk with his friends. A lot. Every time something important happens, he rushes around to find them and tell them. I'm not convinced that a traumatized, orphaned, mistreated young boys would be so open and communicative. You can tell a woman wrote him; he's what she'd want her boy to be like. End Side note.
Anyway, Pyres isn't high literature, but it's not just exciting junk either. Derek weaves an atmosphere of the spooky otherworld into a New York small town, he blends Swedish mythology into a young girl's harrowing story. And, best of all, by the time you get to the end, you don't feel cheated by a tacked-on, saccharine-sweet, happily-ever-after epilogue. Nikitas is the kind of writer who knows what he's put his characters through and takes accountability for it.
Pyres is a fun, engaging mystery; it's got some twists, some pops, it'll keep you up at night. And I know this sounds too good to be true, but you don't have to be mindless to enjoy it, either.
His book is a really entertaining mystery/thriller. It centers on a 16-year-old girl who witnesses her father get murdered, and then her whole life falls apart. Her mother tries to kill herself, she gets kidnapped, her boyfriend betrays her, etc. It's told from three womens' perspectives, and Derek doesn't do a terrible job at getting inside their heads. He's not a magician, the trick isn't flawless, but it's pretty good. Side note: I always think it's funny when a character ends up with traits that don't make a lot of sense, because the writer is of a different gender or race, or just different altogether. Prime example: Harry Potter. That young boy just really needs to talk with his friends. A lot. Every time something important happens, he rushes around to find them and tell them. I'm not convinced that a traumatized, orphaned, mistreated young boys would be so open and communicative. You can tell a woman wrote him; he's what she'd want her boy to be like. End Side note.
Anyway, Pyres isn't high literature, but it's not just exciting junk either. Derek weaves an atmosphere of the spooky otherworld into a New York small town, he blends Swedish mythology into a young girl's harrowing story. And, best of all, by the time you get to the end, you don't feel cheated by a tacked-on, saccharine-sweet, happily-ever-after epilogue. Nikitas is the kind of writer who knows what he's put his characters through and takes accountability for it.
Pyres is a fun, engaging mystery; it's got some twists, some pops, it'll keep you up at night. And I know this sounds too good to be true, but you don't have to be mindless to enjoy it, either.
January 26, 2011
This was extremely difficult to finish, not because of poor writing, but because the brutality and violence was so unrelenting. But it was also difficult to put down. This reader found himself having to step away from time to time and then eagerly returning to it to find out where it would go next. The central character is a fifteen year-old girl, Luc (short for Lucia, and pronounced as Luke) who sees her father murdered and her mother attempt suicide and winds up the unwilling captive of some really depraved individuals. It is told from the point of view of three of the characters: Luc herself; Greta, the lead investigator assigned to the initial murder investigation; and Tanya, the pregnant girlfriend of the thug who set this whole series of events in motion. Gradually, we learn the back-stories of these characters, and the people they are associated with in a natural manner that never detracts from the momentum of the main narrative. The characters are well drawn and the interactions are believable. The tension is nearly, but not quite, unbearable. A masterful first novel that is everything a crime thriller should be. The author has set the bar pretty high for himself and definitely bears watching.
February 15, 2013
Sometimes you find a new novel and it's like discovering a new flavor of ice cream that you truly enjoy. You just want to go on and on and hope it doesn't end.
Such is the case with "Pyres" by Derek Nikitas.
The story centers on "Luc" Lucia, just turning 16 when she persuades her father to take her to the mall. Tragedy strikes and her father is killed at the mall in an attempted robbery.
Tanya is the pregnant girlfriend of Mason, a gang wannabe who seeks to impress his meth selling friends by killing Luc's father.
Greta Hurd is the detective assigned to the case. When Luc's mother attempts suicide due to her grief, Greta wants to solve the case and in a big sisterly fashion, make life somewhat easier for Luc's mother.
Nikitas is a short story writer who streamlines the scenes with such intensity and purity that the reader is capitvated.
The novel was nominated for an Edgar Award for Best First Novel by an American Author.
Such is the case with "Pyres" by Derek Nikitas.
The story centers on "Luc" Lucia, just turning 16 when she persuades her father to take her to the mall. Tragedy strikes and her father is killed at the mall in an attempted robbery.
Tanya is the pregnant girlfriend of Mason, a gang wannabe who seeks to impress his meth selling friends by killing Luc's father.
Greta Hurd is the detective assigned to the case. When Luc's mother attempts suicide due to her grief, Greta wants to solve the case and in a big sisterly fashion, make life somewhat easier for Luc's mother.
Nikitas is a short story writer who streamlines the scenes with such intensity and purity that the reader is capitvated.
The novel was nominated for an Edgar Award for Best First Novel by an American Author.
January 19, 2009
I discovered this through Library Journal magazine and thought I was getting a novel--but I was getting a crime thriller hoping to be placed in the literary category. The main character is a "rebellious", sad young woman who's father--a professor fond of Norse myths--is murdered. This sends her mother off the deep end, and the bad boy next door suddenly takes an interest.
Meanwhile, the perpetrator of the crime tries to get in better with the gang while dealing with his pregnant girlfriend. Point of view shifts until the brutal climax and conclusion.
I liked this when it was internal to the main character and the girlfriend. I liked it a hell of a lot less at the end where, like many suspense thrillers, things get out of what reality could provide. Nikitas should have gone for the novel over the thriller.
Meanwhile, the perpetrator of the crime tries to get in better with the gang while dealing with his pregnant girlfriend. Point of view shifts until the brutal climax and conclusion.
I liked this when it was internal to the main character and the girlfriend. I liked it a hell of a lot less at the end where, like many suspense thrillers, things get out of what reality could provide. Nikitas should have gone for the novel over the thriller.
December 12, 2009
This is a page turner, showing us realistic characters, particularly the teenager who is with her father when he is murdered, but that is only the beginning of the weirdness of Luc's family. She learns more about her mother from other family members as she realizes that her mother has left reality behind after the murder of her husband. Had the book had left off the horrors of the cutthroat biker gangs, I would have found it more credible. Certainly Luc is believable and we ache for her coming of age into a bleak and nearly loveless world. Nikitas' redemption feels like an epilog.
May 13, 2011
I feel like I'm awarding too many high scores for books lately, but I've just been on a good streak I guess. This book loses a star for being a little bit more gruesome than I would have liked and because Nikitas killed the character I was rooting for the most. Lame.
But otherwise, I loved Nikitas's style, I though the plot was completely engrossing, and that the book found the right balance between catharsis and whatever the opposite of catharsis is. (Is there a word for that? I can't remember)
But otherwise, I loved Nikitas's style, I though the plot was completely engrossing, and that the book found the right balance between catharsis and whatever the opposite of catharsis is. (Is there a word for that? I can't remember)
December 16, 2011
Who would have thought that the point of view of teenagers would be so intriguing? The book is basically about a teenage girl and the horrors she is exposed to, after an extremely toxic incident in her life. The would- be bad guys in the novel, are the lamest and most incompetent criminals I have ever encountered in the written word. One horrendous act of stupidity leads to another...ad infinitum. This may sound like a dumb premise to a mystery-thriller novel, but the author is such a genius...IT WORKS. And splendidly. Bravo, Derek Nikitas...you are truly brilliant.
December 29, 2011
It's been a long time since I've gobbled up a book as quickly as Pyres. An excellent mix of mystery, Swedish mythology, and redemption through fire. I literally could not put it down, and cried at the last redemptive story twist on the final page. Be warned, this book is not for the faint-of-heart. Out and out carnage and mayhem rule this book, right from the initial act of violence; the seemingly random murder of a professor, and the impossible web of deceit, murder, and hell his death unwinds.
February 19, 2009
This book held my attention to the very end. It is a mix of mystery, suspense and even has hints of fantasy. Three women share the third-person view of this story, and I found it wonderful how each held it's own. Usually when there are several storylines, one grabs my attention and the others are read simply to make sure I miss nothing. With this, I was equally ready to read each section. A great read for those who love mystery.
August 9, 2009
This was a pretty good book with very interesting characters & the story line was very good. A 15 year old girl is out with her father when he gets killed & that starts her whole crazy story which involves her mother, her hoodlum neighbor, a motorcycle thug & his pregnant girlfriend and a homicide investigator. I thought this was well written.
January 28, 2012
A stunning first novel. The female characters, 15 year old Luc, her discontented mother Blair, the police detective Greta Hurd and the trailer trash biker girl/mother-to-be are all vividly drawn. The plot has twists and turns that keep the reader guessing - and engaged. The dystopian world of Rochester bikers is a little too well done - it's extremely creepy.
April 21, 2012
This book was simply amazing, ESPECIALLY for a debut novel! But it was incredible for any book, and I don't have any critique for it. I've never read a murder mystery in my life and apparently I've really been missing out. It was rather sad at times, but intense and real and so well-written. I recommend this book to anyone and everyone.
May 1, 2016
Lucia Moberg's father is killed while Lucia is in the back seat. This is the beginning of a series of incredibly terrible things that happen to Lucia. It is a terribly violent novel that eventually goes over the top. Derek Nikitas must be a fan of movies like Die Hard because in his novels have similarity in that some of the bad guys and of course the movie or book's hear just won't die.
October 18, 2008
Disturbing but compelling book. Well developed characters with various intersecting plotlines. While there are teen characters, fairly graphic sex scenes and violence make this appropriate for older teens.
November 25, 2009
A murder mystery unravels as a young girl finds out that life is really ugly underneath it all. A classic example of situations that appear so normal on the surface, are really quite the horrible mess in reality. Good characterization and descriptions.
October 26, 2007
An exciting, gripping, and violent novel that starts fast and never lets up.
December 20, 2007
Very vivid imagery. Not for the feint hearted. A young girl is witness to her father's shooting - everyone is involved. Great psychological thriller. Well written, wanted to finish in one sitting.
Want to read
March 13, 200803/12/08 rec via bookmooch
September 11, 2008
Gritty characters with few redeeming qualities. Pretty brutal.
February 5, 2009
for noir crime fans
February 29, 2016
Might have been five stars if not for the irritating Swedish-mythology bit.
September 21, 2011
like reading a well-written version of a horrible kidnapping story
lots of to-different-degrees unappealing characters caught up in a bad situation
lots of to-different-degrees unappealing characters caught up in a bad situation
July 15, 2012
Lots of telling, not a whole lot of showing. Basically it's entertaining if you like crime stories and getting inside the heads of multiple characters.
February 21, 2013
honored to have met this author, was a professor at brockport college when i was student.
this book is truly unique and rewarding read.
this book is truly unique and rewarding read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews