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The Three-Day Affair
A gripping debut novel about three longtime friends who make one mistake, forcing a chain of decisions that will haunt them forever.
Will, Jeffrey, and Nolan have been friends since their undergrad days at Princeton. Now, nine years after graduation, Will is a failed musician still reeling from the death of a bandmate. Jeffrey got lucky and then rich from the dot-com boom, and Nolan is a state senator with national aspirations. Their friendships have bent without breaking for years, until one shocking event changes everything.
One night on a drive, they make a routine stop at a convenience store. Moments after entering the store, a manic Jeffrey emerges, dragging a young woman with him. He shoves her into Will's car and shouts a single word: "Drive!" Shaken and confused, Will obeys.
Suddenly these three men find themselves completely out of their element, holding a frightened young girl hostage without the slightest idea of what to do next. They're already guilty of kidnapping and robbery; it's only a matter of time before they find out what else they might be guilty of. For these three friends, three days will decide their fate--between freedom and prison, innocence and guilt . . . and life and death.
The Three-Day Affair marks the emergence of an electrifying new voice in crime fiction.
Will, Jeffrey, and Nolan have been friends since their undergrad days at Princeton. Now, nine years after graduation, Will is a failed musician still reeling from the death of a bandmate. Jeffrey got lucky and then rich from the dot-com boom, and Nolan is a state senator with national aspirations. Their friendships have bent without breaking for years, until one shocking event changes everything.
One night on a drive, they make a routine stop at a convenience store. Moments after entering the store, a manic Jeffrey emerges, dragging a young woman with him. He shoves her into Will's car and shouts a single word: "Drive!" Shaken and confused, Will obeys.
Suddenly these three men find themselves completely out of their element, holding a frightened young girl hostage without the slightest idea of what to do next. They're already guilty of kidnapping and robbery; it's only a matter of time before they find out what else they might be guilty of. For these three friends, three days will decide their fate--between freedom and prison, innocence and guilt . . . and life and death.
The Three-Day Affair marks the emergence of an electrifying new voice in crime fiction.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published September 4, 2012
96 people are currently reading
824 people want to read
About the author
Michael Kardos
17 books186 followersMichael Kardos is a two-time Pushcart Prize winner and the author of the novels FUN CITY HEIST, BLUFF, BEFORE HE FINDS HER, and THE THREE-DAY AFFAIR, the story collection ONE LAST GOOD TIME, and THE ART AND CRAFT OF FICTION: A WRITER'S GUIDE.
Michael grew up on the Jersey Shore, received a degree in music from Princeton University, and played the drums professionally for a number of years before focusing on fiction writing. For 15 years he co-directed the creative writing program at Mississippi State University, where he was awarded the John Grisham Master Teacher award, the university's highest teaching honor. He currently lives with his family in Delaware. www.michaelkardos.com
Michael grew up on the Jersey Shore, received a degree in music from Princeton University, and played the drums professionally for a number of years before focusing on fiction writing. For 15 years he co-directed the creative writing program at Mississippi State University, where he was awarded the John Grisham Master Teacher award, the university's highest teaching honor. He currently lives with his family in Delaware. www.michaelkardos.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 227 reviews
January 9, 2016
Wow! This was a great book. Not sure why it didn't receive better reviews. A very fast read, with many twists and turns that wouldn't let me put the book down. Every time I thought it was winding down it would take me in a direction I never saw coming. I would totally recommend this book!
December 29, 2012
Three friends get together for a weekend reunion. One is an aspiring politician, one is a Silicon Valley wonder boy, and the third is a rock drummer-turned recording studio techie. One of them goes into a quick shop only to return with what was in the till plus the young woman clerk. He panics the other two into driving away with the money and the girl (why would they agree?), and the three spend the weekend trying to figure out how to get out of the jam their uncontrolled friend has put them in. What will happen to the girl? Will they kill her for $108? Will they be able to cool her out? Will they be caught and ruined? SPOILER ALERT: What if the impetuous act wasn't impetuous? What if there is a deeper game at play?
Kardos writes well and almost makes the three friends believable, but two of them act like idiots and one acts like a mentally unstable criminal. A real tragedy results together with some other collateral damage, but, suffice it to say, friendships suffer. On a realistic note, most males have self-destructive friends who share their self-destructiveness. Most wives see through the supposed demands of friendship to see the dysfunction within the friends. Many males resist their wives' insights and suffer accordingly.
The writing is worth four stars, the basic plotting is worth four stars, and the psychological acuity of two of the friends rates two stars.
Kardos writes well and almost makes the three friends believable, but two of them act like idiots and one acts like a mentally unstable criminal. A real tragedy results together with some other collateral damage, but, suffice it to say, friendships suffer. On a realistic note, most males have self-destructive friends who share their self-destructiveness. Most wives see through the supposed demands of friendship to see the dysfunction within the friends. Many males resist their wives' insights and suffer accordingly.
The writing is worth four stars, the basic plotting is worth four stars, and the psychological acuity of two of the friends rates two stars.
March 23, 2013
Normally "The Three-Day Affair" probably isn't a book I would be drawn to, but I picked it up because, a) I had read positive things and was interesting in reading the debut of an author from here in Mississippi, where I currently live, and, b) my wife wanted a book that we could both read together, and this seemed like something that would be up her alley.
In the end, I enjoyed the book. It didn't blow me away, but I was pleased that it satisfied me as a more literary-inclined reader while also being a page turner.
The action begins almost immediately, as old college friends come together for a yearly get-together, and things go suddenly wrong. The group finds itself in the midst of an unexpected crime, and they continue to dig their hole deeper.
The book was a quick read that kept me turning the pages. Oftentimes I find books that are described as "page turners" leave me wanting more when it comes to prose. I would never say that Michael Kardos wows with his writing, but his work is very on point. If you're looking for brilliant turns of phrase, look elsewhere, but I also never found myself underwhelmed either. His writing suited the story and didn't feel dumbed down or overly wanting.
While this is a "thriller," it's not necessarily action packed. The inciting action happens quickly, and what occurs between then and the critical moments and revelations near the end of the book is largely about developing and revealing the relationships between the characters, both past and present. I think this is what kept me drawn into the book, as I appreciate character exploration. We don't necessarily see Will, the first-person narrator, develop or change from start to finish, but there is introspection there and we learn a good deal of his history with his friends.
There were moments here and there that I found a little unbelievable, but Kardos had earned enough of my trust as a reader to mostly overlook them and read on. I found myself often connecting with the characters, for better or for worse, and feeling that I might act the same way in such a situation. Either way, it helped me to buy into their decisions and actions, at the very least.
Overall, "The Three-Day Affair" was a solid effort and an enjoyable read. It's a story that explores the meaning of friendships and how they hold up both under pressure and over time. There's also an interesting look at the line between fact and fiction and how it can fool us.
I'd give it three stars and recommend it to many readers. By no means will it be a classic, but it was a satisfying, quick escape, and I'll likely keep an eye on what Kardos does in the future.
In the end, I enjoyed the book. It didn't blow me away, but I was pleased that it satisfied me as a more literary-inclined reader while also being a page turner.
The action begins almost immediately, as old college friends come together for a yearly get-together, and things go suddenly wrong. The group finds itself in the midst of an unexpected crime, and they continue to dig their hole deeper.
The book was a quick read that kept me turning the pages. Oftentimes I find books that are described as "page turners" leave me wanting more when it comes to prose. I would never say that Michael Kardos wows with his writing, but his work is very on point. If you're looking for brilliant turns of phrase, look elsewhere, but I also never found myself underwhelmed either. His writing suited the story and didn't feel dumbed down or overly wanting.
While this is a "thriller," it's not necessarily action packed. The inciting action happens quickly, and what occurs between then and the critical moments and revelations near the end of the book is largely about developing and revealing the relationships between the characters, both past and present. I think this is what kept me drawn into the book, as I appreciate character exploration. We don't necessarily see Will, the first-person narrator, develop or change from start to finish, but there is introspection there and we learn a good deal of his history with his friends.
There were moments here and there that I found a little unbelievable, but Kardos had earned enough of my trust as a reader to mostly overlook them and read on. I found myself often connecting with the characters, for better or for worse, and feeling that I might act the same way in such a situation. Either way, it helped me to buy into their decisions and actions, at the very least.
Overall, "The Three-Day Affair" was a solid effort and an enjoyable read. It's a story that explores the meaning of friendships and how they hold up both under pressure and over time. There's also an interesting look at the line between fact and fiction and how it can fool us.
I'd give it three stars and recommend it to many readers. By no means will it be a classic, but it was a satisfying, quick escape, and I'll likely keep an eye on what Kardos does in the future.
April 18, 2015
I was so impressed by Kardos' latest Before He Finds Her, that picking up its predecessor was an easy choice. It's always interesting to see how the author fares from book to book, in this case in reverse. The progress is obvious, Three Day Affair is very good, Before He Finds Her is amazing. This one is more straight forward of a story than Before He Finds Her, less of a mystery and drama comparatively (though both aspects are still present), more of a thriller. Kardos seems to be very adept at crafting tales of seemingly perfect, perfectly normal lives and then slowly revealing the ugliness underneath, the hidden secrets that echo and haunt. At first glance, at the heart of the story is an ultimate SNAFU...a crime of spontaneity and stupidity mixed with a severely inappropriate response compounded by paralyzing fears results in a much too prolonged three day affair of the permanently life altering kind. An average author would have left it at that, creating a fast paced entertaining but ultimately unmemorable sort of a read. Kardos did layers, an onion worth of them. And in the end the story ended up being a credible drama as well as an genuinely exciting thriller with a terrific ending twist to boot. Quick read too, about 3 hours, one sitting easy. As far as literary stand alone mystery thrillers go, Kardos is certainly an author to watch. Recommended.
September 11, 2013
Blahhhhhh!! Totally did not like.. Kept reading to see if it would get better and the end kinda made me want to throw the book...
May 31, 2022
When I first read THE THREE-DAY AFFAIR in 2012, I didn't like it. Correction: I decided I didn't like it. The difference is that I probably did like it but was hung up on my belief that the major plot hook in it wasn't plausible, and therefore the way the characters behaved in reaction to it amounted to unpersuasive stage management. Therefore, the entire novel was a failure.
That verdict has never sat all the way well with me, and I finally, in 2022, read THE THREE-DAY AFFAIR with fresh eyes. What I came away with was this: I'm not any more sure that the central plot conceit — that three smart young men could lose their minds over one of them committing a sudden criminal act that may or may not have been staged, involving a teen girl who may or may not have been part of the staging — fully passed the smell test. What I also found was that the question didn't bother me so much.
Instead, I found myself focusing on the other qualities of THE THREE-DAY AFFAIR: its characterizations of college friendships that may have lived past their sell-by date when exposed to the cold light of adulthood; the constant dark throb of its inch-away-from-disaster tone; the sleek and streamlined quality of its prose. (I felt a strong curiosity about her, and a desire for her to like me, and I wondered if this was true of all kidnappers" is a typically pleasurable example, and "Within the week, Nolan had begun a brand-new liaison, and I could clearly hear the honesty and respect coming from the other side of our shared wall" is another.)
And I enjoyed it on those levels. I closed the last page and thought: Huh. That was all right. Michael Kardos is ... pretty good.
And that's about it. So, to the extent that THE THREE-DAY AFFAIR reflects my growth as a reader, and hopefully as a writer, the second trip through it was worthwhile. On its own merits, it's a pleasantly disposable thriller with a enjoyable nasty bite. But not especially the kind of story that gives you a lot to think about, that reveals fresh depths upon repeated readings. Which is fine. Ten years ago I probably wouldn't have thought so.
That verdict has never sat all the way well with me, and I finally, in 2022, read THE THREE-DAY AFFAIR with fresh eyes. What I came away with was this: I'm not any more sure that the central plot conceit — that three smart young men could lose their minds over one of them committing a sudden criminal act that may or may not have been staged, involving a teen girl who may or may not have been part of the staging — fully passed the smell test. What I also found was that the question didn't bother me so much.
Instead, I found myself focusing on the other qualities of THE THREE-DAY AFFAIR: its characterizations of college friendships that may have lived past their sell-by date when exposed to the cold light of adulthood; the constant dark throb of its inch-away-from-disaster tone; the sleek and streamlined quality of its prose. (I felt a strong curiosity about her, and a desire for her to like me, and I wondered if this was true of all kidnappers" is a typically pleasurable example, and "Within the week, Nolan had begun a brand-new liaison, and I could clearly hear the honesty and respect coming from the other side of our shared wall" is another.)
And I enjoyed it on those levels. I closed the last page and thought: Huh. That was all right. Michael Kardos is ... pretty good.
And that's about it. So, to the extent that THE THREE-DAY AFFAIR reflects my growth as a reader, and hopefully as a writer, the second trip through it was worthwhile. On its own merits, it's a pleasantly disposable thriller with a enjoyable nasty bite. But not especially the kind of story that gives you a lot to think about, that reveals fresh depths upon repeated readings. Which is fine. Ten years ago I probably wouldn't have thought so.
October 5, 2021
What an interesting premise! A thoroughly interesting read. Along the way we learn the history of the three protagonists which lay the groundwork for the current scenes. Some twists I hadn’t seen coming made me want to know more. I’m not familiar with Michael Kardos, but will look for more of his books.
March 20, 2025
This has been on my TBR forever and I just decided to give it a try. It was a solid mystery and I just kept reading.
September 24, 2012
The Three Day Affair is the debut novel of author Michael Kardos. It's also the first novel bearing the imprint of the newly re-launched Mysterious Press.
We meet Will - the narrator of the tale in the first chapter. And the hook is set deep with the last paragraph of that first chapter...
"Three years had passed since our move to Newfield, and we felt ready for this child in our lives, By then, violent crime was about the furthest thing from my mind, until the night when I helped one of my best friends kidnap a young woman."
Four college friends reconnect every year for a weekend to play some golf and catch up. This year they're meeting in Will's town. They stop at a convenience store for Jeffrey to run in and grab a few things. Well, he does grab something - but it's the teenage clerk. When he thrusts her into the car and yells 'Drive' - Will does. He believes the girl has been hurt and is heading for the hospital. But she's not - Jeffrey has just....taken her. And now they're all involved.
And as they argue over what to do, the clock keeps ticking.....until it's too late to just open the door and tell her to get out.
Over the next three days, we are privy to long held resentments, simmering tensions, outright violence and desperation as they frantically try to figure out a way to extricate themselves from an unbelievable situation.
Kardos paints intimate pictures of the players, flashing back and forth in alternate chapters from their college days to the present. We get to know them well - or do we really? Do they really know each other as well as they think?
The pacing is quite quick in The Three Day Affair. It isn't a long book - it had the feel of an extended short story for me. But in a good way. I was just waiting for a twist - I knew there had to be one. And, yes there was - and it was a good one - or two!
A very clever debut. I'd pick up another by this author.
We meet Will - the narrator of the tale in the first chapter. And the hook is set deep with the last paragraph of that first chapter...
"Three years had passed since our move to Newfield, and we felt ready for this child in our lives, By then, violent crime was about the furthest thing from my mind, until the night when I helped one of my best friends kidnap a young woman."
Four college friends reconnect every year for a weekend to play some golf and catch up. This year they're meeting in Will's town. They stop at a convenience store for Jeffrey to run in and grab a few things. Well, he does grab something - but it's the teenage clerk. When he thrusts her into the car and yells 'Drive' - Will does. He believes the girl has been hurt and is heading for the hospital. But she's not - Jeffrey has just....taken her. And now they're all involved.
And as they argue over what to do, the clock keeps ticking.....until it's too late to just open the door and tell her to get out.
Over the next three days, we are privy to long held resentments, simmering tensions, outright violence and desperation as they frantically try to figure out a way to extricate themselves from an unbelievable situation.
Kardos paints intimate pictures of the players, flashing back and forth in alternate chapters from their college days to the present. We get to know them well - or do we really? Do they really know each other as well as they think?
The pacing is quite quick in The Three Day Affair. It isn't a long book - it had the feel of an extended short story for me. But in a good way. I was just waiting for a twist - I knew there had to be one. And, yes there was - and it was a good one - or two!
A very clever debut. I'd pick up another by this author.
January 29, 2013
This book is brilliant.
If you're looking for an Action/Thriller - I wouldn't recommend it. It seems from reading the cover page that that's what it is (what sets the plot in motion is a roberry turned into kidnapping) - but that is only the 'excuse" for having the characters both to wonder back in time and explore their relationship AND to put their current relationship to the test.
I found myself having a little virtual "interaction" with the author here reading the book -I saw a certain twist coming, kept wondering if I would end up being right and kept on reading, patted my self on the shoulder for being rigth at the end - only to discvoer that he had another twist up his sleeve I did NOT see coming. I almost found my self giving him a gracious-loser smile and whispering "touche".
some readers have said the character's reaction are unbelievable - I have to say - I believed them, espcially thanks to the way the writer portrais their history and intercations. I also didn't mind the flashback at all - I though they had significance and were not too dragged out.
I also agree with the reader who stated he would love meeting these characters again and find out what happened to them later.
And - This could easily be turned to a great theatre play.
I recommend this wholeheartedly.
If you're looking for an Action/Thriller - I wouldn't recommend it. It seems from reading the cover page that that's what it is (what sets the plot in motion is a roberry turned into kidnapping) - but that is only the 'excuse" for having the characters both to wonder back in time and explore their relationship AND to put their current relationship to the test.
I found myself having a little virtual "interaction" with the author here reading the book -I saw a certain twist coming, kept wondering if I would end up being right and kept on reading, patted my self on the shoulder for being rigth at the end - only to discvoer that he had another twist up his sleeve I did NOT see coming. I almost found my self giving him a gracious-loser smile and whispering "touche".
some readers have said the character's reaction are unbelievable - I have to say - I believed them, espcially thanks to the way the writer portrais their history and intercations. I also didn't mind the flashback at all - I though they had significance and were not too dragged out.
I also agree with the reader who stated he would love meeting these characters again and find out what happened to them later.
And - This could easily be turned to a great theatre play.
I recommend this wholeheartedly.
September 21, 2013
This is one of those books that really stayed with me after I had finished it. The Three Day Affair explores the difference between being a criminal versus being involved unexpectedly in a criminal act. Three 30-something friends from college get together for an annual guys' golf weekend and find themselves in some rather unexpected hot water.
After a brief stop at a local gas station-convenience store, one of the friends, Jeff, comes out of the store with a teenaged girl, dives into the car and yells "Drive!" So, Will drives. With each passing minute, these men find themselves deeper and deeper in trouble because they hold the girl hostage until they can figure out what they should do to keep from being arrested and ruining their lives. Will and Jeff are married with babies on the way and Nolan is running for Congress. The story and writing are very average, but the characters and their actions are very plausible.
I would liken it to Gone Girl in that it makes you think about how you would react in situation where you are involved in a criminal act, but don't think of yourself as a criminal.
After a brief stop at a local gas station-convenience store, one of the friends, Jeff, comes out of the store with a teenaged girl, dives into the car and yells "Drive!" So, Will drives. With each passing minute, these men find themselves deeper and deeper in trouble because they hold the girl hostage until they can figure out what they should do to keep from being arrested and ruining their lives. Will and Jeff are married with babies on the way and Nolan is running for Congress. The story and writing are very average, but the characters and their actions are very plausible.
I would liken it to Gone Girl in that it makes you think about how you would react in situation where you are involved in a criminal act, but don't think of yourself as a criminal.
February 21, 2015
A first-rate page-turner and first-rate suspense novel. The comments below originally appeared on my blog, Book Club Librarian.
http://www.bookclublibrarian.com/
A weekend getaway goes horribly awry for four college buddies who have been reuniting annually for a weekend of golf since their graduation from Princeton University. As their weekend in suburban New Jersey begins, the unexpected and drastic actions of one brings life-altering consequences for all.
As the story unfolds, readers come to realize that nothing is quite as it seems, as the men's past grudges, secrets, rivalries, and betrayals are revealed in a series of plot twists. Once thick as thieves, they must come to terms with their past behavior as each hurtles toward an uncertain future. The Three-Day Affair explores the nature of friendship, the consequences of youthful missteps, and the lengths to which some are willing to go for personal gain and to settle past grievances.
http://www.bookclublibrarian.com/
A weekend getaway goes horribly awry for four college buddies who have been reuniting annually for a weekend of golf since their graduation from Princeton University. As their weekend in suburban New Jersey begins, the unexpected and drastic actions of one brings life-altering consequences for all.
As the story unfolds, readers come to realize that nothing is quite as it seems, as the men's past grudges, secrets, rivalries, and betrayals are revealed in a series of plot twists. Once thick as thieves, they must come to terms with their past behavior as each hurtles toward an uncertain future. The Three-Day Affair explores the nature of friendship, the consequences of youthful missteps, and the lengths to which some are willing to go for personal gain and to settle past grievances.
September 20, 2012
The Three-Day Affair by Michael Kardos
Four college buddies get together for a weekend of golf, dining, getting drunk and sharing embarrassing old stories after nine years of friendship, growing up and growing older, starting families and finding or trying to find success. They’ve been going their separate ways until one event brings them together while separating them even further in ways they never imagined.
This is a very quick read, suspenseful yet never quite takes you to where you might think or expect it to go which I liked since it wasn’t predictable. I also enjoyed how the book made me think about decisions which may change the course of our lives and also how people may have to live with the secrets of those decisions.
Four college buddies get together for a weekend of golf, dining, getting drunk and sharing embarrassing old stories after nine years of friendship, growing up and growing older, starting families and finding or trying to find success. They’ve been going their separate ways until one event brings them together while separating them even further in ways they never imagined.
This is a very quick read, suspenseful yet never quite takes you to where you might think or expect it to go which I liked since it wasn’t predictable. I also enjoyed how the book made me think about decisions which may change the course of our lives and also how people may have to live with the secrets of those decisions.
November 28, 2012
There's so much I don't want to say about this book, since it would give away not just the ending but the surprise at every page turn. You don't keep waiting for the other shoe to drop. You keep wondering, how many shoes can there possibly be? This book puts Imelda Marcos to shame, yet each new revelation is surprising and rewarding in its own way. More than a thriller, yet thrilling, Kardos examines human nature in a tale that is both chilling and hilarious.
March 1, 2015
This was an underwhelming listen for me. I could just never buy into the basic premise and I really did not think the characters actions seemed realistic at all. I did enjoy some of the flashback scenes to the friends college days though. Listened to the audio read by Ray Chase who, while I won't say was part of the problem, definitely did not elevate the material.
March 7, 2018
This book was ok for me. I think it could have been a lot better for me had there not been so much bouncing back and forth from college to now. It took me some time to get into the book but it was definitely a good story with a twist in the end I didn't expect.
February 4, 2022
3.5, but I rounded up because the twist at the end took me by surprise. Well-written and thought-provoking.
August 20, 2022
A good mystery! Wouldn’t say much suspense or thriller vibes but over all I enjoyed it.
May 26, 2012
The Three-Day Affair by Michael Kardos. Published by Grove/Atlantic and The Mysterious Press.
Imagine a group of best friends planning a yearly get-together to play golf, hang-out, no wives, no kids. Just old friends from college, each going their own way after graduation but finding their way back to each other once a year to reconnect.
Evan is a successful lawyer. Will a struggling music producer. Jeffrey is a dot.com millionaire and Nolan is an up and coming state Senator. Things are looking up for all four: Will and Jeffrey are married and expecting their first children, Evan is on the verge of a huge promotion and Nolan is working his way from state Senator to Washington D.C. Good, stable men with degrees from an Ivy League school, making their dent in the world.
Now imagine stopping at a convenience store to grab a quick snack. Jeffrey goes inside while two wait in the car. A few minutes later, he comes out pulling a girl by the arm and pushing her into the car. They've all just unwittingly become involved in a kidnapping and robbery. Suddenly that dent has become a crater and no-one knows why. Not even the Jeffrey who seemingly has no reason to rob a convenience store, let alone kidnap someone.
As this suspenseful story unfolds, secrets revealed, past betrayals come to surface and lives are irrevocably changed. This much-anticipated, fun, casual "guys weekend" has turned into a nightmare than none of them could have ever imagined.
Or, could they? Jeffrey seems confused, dazed and completely unclear on what made him commit such a horrible crime. As each hour passes, the group knows they are digging themselves deeper and deeper into a hole they may never climb out of. They see their futures crumbling in front of their eyes and feel helpless to stop it.
As the story winds its way through fond memories of their Princeton days to the casual drifting apart that comes with growing up to horror at what their friend has done, both to them and to the girl he kidnapped, the reader slowly realizes that nothing is as it seems. Does the girl escape and turn them into the police? Do they kill her to hide the crime? Or does something happen that is so unexpected that takes the story from a good crime/thriller to one that will leave you shocked and strangely satisfied at the end?
I really enjoy thrillers and this one didn't disappoint. The characters were all believable, the plot solid and the ending definitely unexpected. I'm always delighted to find new authors (or new-to-me) to read and Michael Kardos is definitely being added to my list.
Imagine a group of best friends planning a yearly get-together to play golf, hang-out, no wives, no kids. Just old friends from college, each going their own way after graduation but finding their way back to each other once a year to reconnect.
Evan is a successful lawyer. Will a struggling music producer. Jeffrey is a dot.com millionaire and Nolan is an up and coming state Senator. Things are looking up for all four: Will and Jeffrey are married and expecting their first children, Evan is on the verge of a huge promotion and Nolan is working his way from state Senator to Washington D.C. Good, stable men with degrees from an Ivy League school, making their dent in the world.
Now imagine stopping at a convenience store to grab a quick snack. Jeffrey goes inside while two wait in the car. A few minutes later, he comes out pulling a girl by the arm and pushing her into the car. They've all just unwittingly become involved in a kidnapping and robbery. Suddenly that dent has become a crater and no-one knows why. Not even the Jeffrey who seemingly has no reason to rob a convenience store, let alone kidnap someone.
As this suspenseful story unfolds, secrets revealed, past betrayals come to surface and lives are irrevocably changed. This much-anticipated, fun, casual "guys weekend" has turned into a nightmare than none of them could have ever imagined.
Or, could they? Jeffrey seems confused, dazed and completely unclear on what made him commit such a horrible crime. As each hour passes, the group knows they are digging themselves deeper and deeper into a hole they may never climb out of. They see their futures crumbling in front of their eyes and feel helpless to stop it.
As the story winds its way through fond memories of their Princeton days to the casual drifting apart that comes with growing up to horror at what their friend has done, both to them and to the girl he kidnapped, the reader slowly realizes that nothing is as it seems. Does the girl escape and turn them into the police? Do they kill her to hide the crime? Or does something happen that is so unexpected that takes the story from a good crime/thriller to one that will leave you shocked and strangely satisfied at the end?
I really enjoy thrillers and this one didn't disappoint. The characters were all believable, the plot solid and the ending definitely unexpected. I'm always delighted to find new authors (or new-to-me) to read and Michael Kardos is definitely being added to my list.
November 25, 2014
Will, Nolan and Jeffrey have been friends since their undergraduate days at Princeton. Along with a fourth friend, Evan, they have been meeting once a year for a "guys' weekend". This year, instead of going somewhere exotic, they meet in Will's hometown in rural New Jersey. Things start a bit roughly when Evan bales at the last minute, citing work overload, but the other three men carry on that first evening, going to dinner and having a few drinks. On the way back to Will's house, they stop at a mini mart and Jeffrey inexplicably kidnaps the teenage clerk from behind the counter. The men panic and instead of acting rationally, they take the girl to a hiding place and hold her for three days while they try to figure a way out of their dilemma. They know no one will believe the kidnapping was an accident, and that they had no intentions of hurting her.
It gets even weirder when their victim begins to turn things around and comes up with a scheme: pay her a large amount of money and she'll forget the whole thing. The sum of money keeps escalating until it reaches a level that will bankrupt all three men.
As the novel progresses, events get much darker and the men are forced to make some life-changing decisions that will scar them forever. Then, in the last two chapters, there are stunning revelations that turn the whole plot on its head.
I couldn't put this book down. It's short, less than 250 pages, but I would have devoured it even with another 150 pages. It was deeply suspenseful at times, while the flashbacks to Princeton were also poignant. While I wasn't completely surprised by the financial revelations in the penultimate chapter, I sure didn't see that last chapter coming. Well done.
It gets even weirder when their victim begins to turn things around and comes up with a scheme: pay her a large amount of money and she'll forget the whole thing. The sum of money keeps escalating until it reaches a level that will bankrupt all three men.
As the novel progresses, events get much darker and the men are forced to make some life-changing decisions that will scar them forever. Then, in the last two chapters, there are stunning revelations that turn the whole plot on its head.
I couldn't put this book down. It's short, less than 250 pages, but I would have devoured it even with another 150 pages. It was deeply suspenseful at times, while the flashbacks to Princeton were also poignant. While I wasn't completely surprised by the financial revelations in the penultimate chapter, I sure didn't see that last chapter coming. Well done.
April 12, 2013
This book was pretty good, but not great. Kardos is an economical writer in that many small, seemingly unimportant details surface later in the book. But something about the writing was just "blah," when it was supposed to be suspenseful and gripping. The kidnapping (which takes place at the beginning of the book and drives the plot) was just...boring. I actually stopped reading in the middle of it and went to bed! And I just didn't really buy that these three guys from Princeton would let the kidnapping drag out and let things get worse and worse. It seemed to me that all they had to do was let the girl go and decide on a story to tell the cops--if she even went to them. It would be their word against hers, and she hadn't been hurt or sexually assaulted. They could have just said they met this young, pretty girl and invited her to hang out because they were trying to relive their younger days, but then realized she was mentally unstable and sent her on her way.
There were a couple of unexpected twists at the end of the book that upped the stakes and made me like it more. The first twist, however, just didn't make sense. It wasn't necessary. The second twist was great, but I would have preferred the book to end right after that last secret was revealed, without the final flashback.
There were a couple of unexpected twists at the end of the book that upped the stakes and made me like it more. The first twist, however, just didn't make sense. It wasn't necessary. The second twist was great, but I would have preferred the book to end right after that last secret was revealed, without the final flashback.
June 30, 2016
This book was a huge disappointment. I'm not sure why I even read the whole thing. I think it is because I was listening to it in my car and didn't have any other audiobooks downloaded at the time. The narrator didn't help at all - he was whiny an annoying. The main event in the book - an "accidental kidnapping" of a teenage girl by three 30 year old Princeton alums having their annual reunion was absolutely absurd. This event set in motion a series of idiotic decisions that anyone of average intelligence would never make (and they were all Princeton grads!) and ended in an implausable conclusion after 3 days. In real life the situation would have been rectified in 5 minutes. I kept reading hoping that something exciting would happen. There were some twists and turns, but most were predictable. I can't unrecommend this enough.
December 27, 2014
This book had good reviews and a very interesting premise. And yes, it was a page-turner in that I really wanted to know what happened next and see how things ultimately worked out. However, for every step forward plot-wise, it took two steps backwards with long flashbacks to everyone's college days, which I could not have cared less about. I ended up skimming whole chapters at a time just to get back to the story proper.
The plot itself was clever and the ending a fairly satisfying surprise. But even though this isn't a long book, it could have really been slimmed down considerably to keep the story moving forward.
The plot itself was clever and the ending a fairly satisfying surprise. But even though this isn't a long book, it could have really been slimmed down considerably to keep the story moving forward.
June 14, 2013
First of all, the story started off interesting enough, and kept me reading so I could find out what was going to happen next. This did not last long. It was soon apparent to me what was going on between all of the characters, and what would end up happening. What a disappointment! The characters had NO character, they were Princeton graduates without morals, intelligence, or logic. Will, the main character was a complete moron from the beginning, it was like he was blind to who his friends really were, especially Nolan, and he had no conscience, moving on with his life without any problems. Winner? No, loser. The three of them deserve each other.
December 21, 2012
THe plot and the characters didn't go together (the would be senator seems to know nothing about law and order and for a bunch of Princeton boys, they sure aren't that bright) and often the narrator would just reminisce leaving the plot behind. Not well executed at all. Seems the author just wanted the reader to get to the last chapter so we could see how cleverly the book was titled. Sadly, by that point, it's a groaner not an a-ha.
May 2, 2013
I just didn't believe any of this and there wasn't one character I liked or cared about..the story depends on believing that Will, once he realizes that Jeffrey doesn't want him to drive to the hospital, doesn't turn around and go back to the store. I could not believe that Will kept driving..and it continued to break down when three smart guys didn't think that going back ASAP was the best thing...and if the reader couldn't follow that logic then the story is just...ludicrous.
August 27, 2018
Uninspired writing with uninspired characters with an uninspired plot and uninspired execution. Identified the "twist" very early which made it even more painful to read knowing where this was going. Then the 20 pages of the "second revel" was even more boring and wasteful..
4 and 5 star reviews on this book?? So you people are saying this is one of the best books you have ever read... You have my sympathies.
4 and 5 star reviews on this book?? So you people are saying this is one of the best books you have ever read... You have my sympathies.
September 22, 2014
Good solid suspense with a good twist that I thought I saw coming but really didn't...
July 8, 2012
I thought I knew where this thriller was going and so I was less than intrigued. I'm glad I stayed with it though as Kardos completely surprised me. Great read.
February 5, 2016
Not fast-paced but more of a slow reveal. Some great twists.
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