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It's Only Death
Six years ago James blew town after killing his cop-father in a bank job gone bad. When his sister informs him that their mother’s health is fading fast, he returns home, wanting to make peace with her before she passes.
But James quickly finds there is little peace left for him at his childhood home.
His father’s old partner has been biding his time, waiting for a chance at retribution, and finally discovers James is back. But he’s only one of the many shady characters James must face if he is to survive the next few days.
Not only must James survive his return, he must also face the devastation he left behind, the shattered pieces of what remained of his life before he was forced to run.
Now his days on the run are over.
Upon the edge of reckoning, James’s past comes full circle to the final showdown with his personal demons and the devils that are closing in.
It's Only Death is an explosive, gritty tale of urban crime and one man’s descent into the nightmares in the darkest recesses of our society.
But James quickly finds there is little peace left for him at his childhood home.
His father’s old partner has been biding his time, waiting for a chance at retribution, and finally discovers James is back. But he’s only one of the many shady characters James must face if he is to survive the next few days.
Not only must James survive his return, he must also face the devastation he left behind, the shattered pieces of what remained of his life before he was forced to run.
Now his days on the run are over.
Upon the edge of reckoning, James’s past comes full circle to the final showdown with his personal demons and the devils that are closing in.
It's Only Death is an explosive, gritty tale of urban crime and one man’s descent into the nightmares in the darkest recesses of our society.
202 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2015
2 people are currently reading
62 people want to read
About the author
Lee Thompson
26 books186 followers“Lee Thompson knows his horror-noir. He fuses both genres together in the turmoil of terror, tragedy, blood, guilt, and lost chances at redemption.”–Tom Piccirilli, author of THE LAST KIND WORDS
Lee Thompson is the bestselling author of the Suspense novels A BEAUTIFUL MADNESS (August 2014), IT’S ONLY DEATH (January 2015), and WITH FURY IN HAND (May 2015). The dominating threads weaved throughout his work are love, loss, and learning how to live again. A firm believer in the enduring power of the human spirit, Lee believes that stories, no matter their format, set us on the path of transformation. He is represented by the extraordinary Chip MacGregor of MacGregor Literary. Visit Lee’s website to discover more: www.leethompsonfiction.com
Some of my favorite authors: Clive Barker, Donald Westlake, Peter Straub, Stephen King, Greg Gifune, Lee Thomas, William Faulkner, Robert Dunbar, John Gardner, Michael Connelly, Dennis Lehane, John Connolly, Jack Cady, Tom Piccirilli, Brian Hodge, Douglas Clegg, Jack Ketchum, Lee Child, James Lee Burke, and Cormac McCarthy.
"10 out of 10 Stars... GOSSAMER: A TALE OF LOVE AND TRAGEDY will blow you away my friends. It is that good." -- Peter Schwotzer/Famous Monsters of Filmland.
"WHEN WE JOIN JESUS IN HELL is as crazy as its tormented protagonist. Hard as nails.” – Jack Ketchum
"The voice of the deputy feels authentic: brooding, soulful, haunted. In fact, there’s a heartfelt quality to the whole grim book. Even some of the most grisly moments manage to be poetic and full of emotion, and the author’s literary influences echo loudly. At times, the mood evokes Piccirilli or Braunbeck or Gifune combined with Sherwood Anderson."-- Robert Dunbar, author of WILLY, THE PINES, and THE SHORE
“Thompson’s voice is his own — strong, hypnotic, and unsettling. Nursery Rhymes 4 Dead Children is a bleak fucking book, and therein lies its danger. So beautifully-constructed is Thompson’s prose, that the reader is often caught off-guard, mesmerized by a turn of phrase or a descriptive passage, until the book grabs you by the balls and rips them right off, breaking your heart and your psyche in the process.” — Brian Keene, author of GHOUL, DARK HOLLOW and THE RISING.
"I’ve said it many times and believe it more everyday, Lee Thompson is not only the next big name at Delirium Books but in the genre." – Shane Ryan Staley at Darkfuse Publications.
"The Dampness of Mourning is a riveting Thriller..." Midwest Book Review.
"Lee Thompson’s prose is electric!" — Bob Freeman, author of DESCENDANT.
"Like a dark Twilight Zone meets Alfred Hitchcock Mystery." -- Lee Thompson, author of NURSERY RHYMES 4 DEAD CHILDREN.
http://leethompsonfiction.com
Lee Thompson is the bestselling author of the Suspense novels A BEAUTIFUL MADNESS (August 2014), IT’S ONLY DEATH (January 2015), and WITH FURY IN HAND (May 2015). The dominating threads weaved throughout his work are love, loss, and learning how to live again. A firm believer in the enduring power of the human spirit, Lee believes that stories, no matter their format, set us on the path of transformation. He is represented by the extraordinary Chip MacGregor of MacGregor Literary. Visit Lee’s website to discover more: www.leethompsonfiction.com
Some of my favorite authors: Clive Barker, Donald Westlake, Peter Straub, Stephen King, Greg Gifune, Lee Thomas, William Faulkner, Robert Dunbar, John Gardner, Michael Connelly, Dennis Lehane, John Connolly, Jack Cady, Tom Piccirilli, Brian Hodge, Douglas Clegg, Jack Ketchum, Lee Child, James Lee Burke, and Cormac McCarthy.
"10 out of 10 Stars... GOSSAMER: A TALE OF LOVE AND TRAGEDY will blow you away my friends. It is that good." -- Peter Schwotzer/Famous Monsters of Filmland.
"WHEN WE JOIN JESUS IN HELL is as crazy as its tormented protagonist. Hard as nails.” – Jack Ketchum
"The voice of the deputy feels authentic: brooding, soulful, haunted. In fact, there’s a heartfelt quality to the whole grim book. Even some of the most grisly moments manage to be poetic and full of emotion, and the author’s literary influences echo loudly. At times, the mood evokes Piccirilli or Braunbeck or Gifune combined with Sherwood Anderson."-- Robert Dunbar, author of WILLY, THE PINES, and THE SHORE
“Thompson’s voice is his own — strong, hypnotic, and unsettling. Nursery Rhymes 4 Dead Children is a bleak fucking book, and therein lies its danger. So beautifully-constructed is Thompson’s prose, that the reader is often caught off-guard, mesmerized by a turn of phrase or a descriptive passage, until the book grabs you by the balls and rips them right off, breaking your heart and your psyche in the process.” — Brian Keene, author of GHOUL, DARK HOLLOW and THE RISING.
"I’ve said it many times and believe it more everyday, Lee Thompson is not only the next big name at Delirium Books but in the genre." – Shane Ryan Staley at Darkfuse Publications.
"The Dampness of Mourning is a riveting Thriller..." Midwest Book Review.
"Lee Thompson’s prose is electric!" — Bob Freeman, author of DESCENDANT.
"Like a dark Twilight Zone meets Alfred Hitchcock Mystery." -- Lee Thompson, author of NURSERY RHYMES 4 DEAD CHILDREN.
http://leethompsonfiction.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
January 27, 2015
Some people are just born victims, other people love to play the role to get what they can out of those who weep for the needy and the helpless. Others are victims of their own carnal and selfish nature, but I'm not any of them. I could hear the radio playing something hip-hop, Eminem maybe. My blood was drying quickly, matting my hair in a clump against my scalp. I whispered into the darkness, "Hell, I probably had this coming."
James is one of those people that just seem to find trouble. He comes back into town after hiding for years after he killed his father in a bank shootout. His mom is dying and he wants to hold her hand at the end.
He finds his little sister has grown up and is stripping at a local bar, she is also involved with a local motorcycle gang.
He takes things into his own hands once his sense of justice for her is violated.
I never really like when I cheer for a cray-cray character, but sometimes it happens. James's character is real, in your face and doomed from the start of his life.
This is not a sweet little book and as the main character keeps saying..It's only death..and it's nothing to be afraid of.
I received an arc copy of this book in exchange for an honest review from Netgalley/DarkFuse.
November 17, 2014
When he was a teenager, Elmore James Jackson killed his father, a cop, in an attempted bank robbery and has been on the lam ever since. When his sister contacts him, saying their mother is dying of pancreatic cancer, James heads home to find a number of people want him dead...
I got this from the fine folks at DarkFuse via Netgalley.
This is one of those books that's hard to quantify. Is it a noir tale at redemption? Is it about family and loss? Does it emphasize that we all make our own choice and life is a circle? Or is it about a bunch of fuck-knuckles doing each other dirty?
Yes. I'd say it's all those things.
When James rolls into town, it sure seems like he's going to be rolling out in a pine box. Killing his father six years earlier threw his family life off the rails. His once angelic sister is a stripper. His father's old partner is gunning for him. His sister's douche bag boyfriend and his biker pals have it out for him. His only ally is the guy whose been pining over his sister since they were kids and even that's not on solid ground.
It's hard to root for a screw-up sociopath but Lee Thompson does a great job making me feel sympathy for James. When almost every character in the book is a gaping asshole, James is the least assholish, I guess. It would have been easy for Thompson to use the tale's setup to do the Jack Reacher-style tough guy rolls into town and becomes a gun-toting super hero on all the bad guys but it doesn't go down like that. It's Only Death is more or less a bleak tale about facing the music and getting what's coming to you.
That's not to say there isn't bloodshed. I'm pretty sure everyone is dead or dying by the end apart from one or two characters. There is gunplay, brutal fisticuffs, knives, and even an alligator. It wasn't a long book but I was pretty worn out by the end of it.
It's Only Death is a bleak dysfunctional noir tale that only someone with the last name Thompson could write. Four out of Five Stars.
I got this from the fine folks at DarkFuse via Netgalley.
This is one of those books that's hard to quantify. Is it a noir tale at redemption? Is it about family and loss? Does it emphasize that we all make our own choice and life is a circle? Or is it about a bunch of fuck-knuckles doing each other dirty?
Yes. I'd say it's all those things.
When James rolls into town, it sure seems like he's going to be rolling out in a pine box. Killing his father six years earlier threw his family life off the rails. His once angelic sister is a stripper. His father's old partner is gunning for him. His sister's douche bag boyfriend and his biker pals have it out for him. His only ally is the guy whose been pining over his sister since they were kids and even that's not on solid ground.
It's hard to root for a screw-up sociopath but Lee Thompson does a great job making me feel sympathy for James. When almost every character in the book is a gaping asshole, James is the least assholish, I guess. It would have been easy for Thompson to use the tale's setup to do the Jack Reacher-style tough guy rolls into town and becomes a gun-toting super hero on all the bad guys but it doesn't go down like that. It's Only Death is more or less a bleak tale about facing the music and getting what's coming to you.
That's not to say there isn't bloodshed. I'm pretty sure everyone is dead or dying by the end apart from one or two characters. There is gunplay, brutal fisticuffs, knives, and even an alligator. It wasn't a long book but I was pretty worn out by the end of it.
It's Only Death is a bleak dysfunctional noir tale that only someone with the last name Thompson could write. Four out of Five Stars.
December 23, 2015
Gotta say I'm quite enjoying Lee Thompson's digression into crime fiction, the general scope of feeling is still dark and gritty, the characters broken, surviving but only just.
It's Only Death is told through the eyes of Elmore James Jackson Jr who comes back home after 10 years of self-enforced exile when his Mother is at deaths door. James sister Harley reaches out and he risks plenty to pay a last visit but it was never going to be that easy, not with the anguish and regret that follows him round chipping at his soul.
You see ten years ago James decided to rob a bank in his home town, not the wisest decision anyone ever made and the police officer that attempted to stop him paid for it big time with his life. James without any hesitation shot and killed his father, and then ran, left everything behind except the demons burrowing deep in his conscience.
Now he's back and his fragile mind is not the only thing looking to fuck him over, no there's a list of people on both sides of the law looking to introduce him permanently to a shallow grave. There's a lot to catch up on truth be told and a hell of a lot, desperate to catch up with him, the majority of it precarious at best.
He strives to put things right, to make amends but too much water's gone under the bridge, it's an impossible task and his sister's been ripped off over his mother's medical bills. On top of that he's pissed the wrong people off and it’s all coming down on his head. Does he run again, abandon his family again or does he fight, it's well worth finding out what James Jr decides.
Lee Thompson excels at portraying a flawed character that is difficult to get a handle on, so much conflict and torment torture James Jackson he at times seems destined for a collision in his own mind but he needs to do right by his sister, finally after all these years and that's that.
“It’s only death,” I said. “Nothing to be afraid of.”
I received It's Only Death from Darkfuse & Netgalley in exchange for an honest review and that’s what you’ve got.
Also posted at http://paulnelson.booklikes.com/post/...
It's Only Death is told through the eyes of Elmore James Jackson Jr who comes back home after 10 years of self-enforced exile when his Mother is at deaths door. James sister Harley reaches out and he risks plenty to pay a last visit but it was never going to be that easy, not with the anguish and regret that follows him round chipping at his soul.
You see ten years ago James decided to rob a bank in his home town, not the wisest decision anyone ever made and the police officer that attempted to stop him paid for it big time with his life. James without any hesitation shot and killed his father, and then ran, left everything behind except the demons burrowing deep in his conscience.
Now he's back and his fragile mind is not the only thing looking to fuck him over, no there's a list of people on both sides of the law looking to introduce him permanently to a shallow grave. There's a lot to catch up on truth be told and a hell of a lot, desperate to catch up with him, the majority of it precarious at best.
He strives to put things right, to make amends but too much water's gone under the bridge, it's an impossible task and his sister's been ripped off over his mother's medical bills. On top of that he's pissed the wrong people off and it’s all coming down on his head. Does he run again, abandon his family again or does he fight, it's well worth finding out what James Jr decides.
Lee Thompson excels at portraying a flawed character that is difficult to get a handle on, so much conflict and torment torture James Jackson he at times seems destined for a collision in his own mind but he needs to do right by his sister, finally after all these years and that's that.
“It’s only death,” I said. “Nothing to be afraid of.”
I received It's Only Death from Darkfuse & Netgalley in exchange for an honest review and that’s what you’ve got.
Also posted at http://paulnelson.booklikes.com/post/...
February 11, 2015
I lost count of how many bodies were left in the wake of our sociopath 'hero'. It's all action, with no time to pause for breath, as James Jackson returns to his home town to see his dying mother. Years ago he skipped town after a robbery went bad and he shot and killed the attending cop - his father!
His father's ex-partner, who escaped injury at the scene of the robbery, is out to exact revenge. Jackson's sister is a disturbed and abstruse figure. Jackson makes enemies and wreaks havoc wherever he treads.
It's a short, intense read. Not for the faint hearted. It's also well written and Thompson somehow manages to elicit sympathy for a lead character so mean, so violent that you wonder why you don't hate the guy.
For me there are some jarring notes in this tale (the lack of cops chasing his tail at every turn and an ex-girlfriend who seems way too tolerant of his behaviour) but it didn't spoil my enjoyment. I liked it a lot.
His father's ex-partner, who escaped injury at the scene of the robbery, is out to exact revenge. Jackson's sister is a disturbed and abstruse figure. Jackson makes enemies and wreaks havoc wherever he treads.
It's a short, intense read. Not for the faint hearted. It's also well written and Thompson somehow manages to elicit sympathy for a lead character so mean, so violent that you wonder why you don't hate the guy.
For me there are some jarring notes in this tale (the lack of cops chasing his tail at every turn and an ex-girlfriend who seems way too tolerant of his behaviour) but it didn't spoil my enjoyment. I liked it a lot.
January 12, 2016
"They clubbed me and tossed me into the trunk of a new pink Cadillac shortly after midnight. I knew the car and couldn't figure out at first why it had to be her car. But the last three days, since I blew back into Miami, had been building up to this. I'd had old enemies who were just waiting for my mother to die so they could kill me, and I had made new enemies while trying to forge a bond with my sister that I had irrevocably broken when I killed our father ten years ago."I know that it's preferred that reviewers not quote from an Advanced Copy of a book but I couldn't resist showing potential readers how skilled a writer Lee Thompson can be! He packs more story in this book's first paragraph than most authors have in the first half of their work! Here, he not only sets up time and setting, but also introduces the important characters, their relationships , and provides key details in an intriguing way that serves as an awesome taste of things to come! And he does all of this with impressive economy!
Elmore James Jackson has been on the lam for a decade, after killing his father in a spur-of-the-moment bank robbery, shattering his family. He finally rolls back into his small Florida hometown after he's contacted by his younger sister and finds out that his mother is dying of cancer. Naturally, he has a plethora of enemies that would love to snuff him out as soon as possible. But he hopes that before that happens he can make peace with his Mom and reconnect with his estranged sister.
It's Only Death is a gripping story, well-written in James's engrossing POV. It's a smooth read, and at times, I lost track of time as the story sucked me in and moved at a great pace. Thompson creates an interesting character in James, a man difficult to empathize with at first, but the author succeeds in making me engaged in his decisions and obstacles, and his desire to reconnect to the loved ones he hurt before it's too late. But probably even more interesting, when you learn more about James's relationship with his parents and what might have caused his violence, you realize that there's a strong possibility that James might truly be a sociopath. I wish Thompson delved into this a bit more, as I think that's the most fascinating part of the story. It's Only Death is a solid piece of crime writing and I can't wait to jump into more of Thompson's work.
*I received this Advanced Copy from publisher DarkFuse through NetGalley for an honest review*
March 13, 2015
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
James is guilty of killing his father, a cop, during a bank job that went horribly wrong. After a 6 year absence he returns to his home town to visit his dying mother and to try and reconnect with his younger sister. He gets more than he bargained for as there are plenty of people he's ticked off, his dad's partner for one and his sister's boyfriend and his bikey thugs.
Sick of being on the run, James tries to face up to his past as well as stay ahead of those that wish to put in a shallow grave.
This is a hard book to like in a lot of ways, mostly due to the nature of the main character, James. His objectivity when describing the day he killed his father certainly doesn't create much sympathy for him and yet the author still manages to make him somewhat engaging to the reader as he tries to make up a small amount for the hurt he's caused his family. He still shows an amazing lack of empathy for most of the people he comes across and is conflicted regarding his own safety, he doesn't want to go to prison for his crime and would rather die, repeatedly using the phrase "it's only death", as though it's no big deal but he doesn't want to die at the hands of those who want to see him pay for his crimes. My biggest hurdle with him was that he never gave the justification for the crime, although he paints his father as a difficult and aggressive man I couldn't really understand his motivation for pulling the trigger or to be honest, why he was pulling a bank job in the first place.
Even with these issues I still think the author did a great job in creating a story that was nicely paced, engaging and had a great noir feel to it. The writing was smooth and I found this an easy and quick read.
You don't have to like the characters in a book to enjoy the read and this was certainly the case here, it goes to the strength of the writing that I still enjoyed it as much as I did.
Recommended.
James is guilty of killing his father, a cop, during a bank job that went horribly wrong. After a 6 year absence he returns to his home town to visit his dying mother and to try and reconnect with his younger sister. He gets more than he bargained for as there are plenty of people he's ticked off, his dad's partner for one and his sister's boyfriend and his bikey thugs.
Sick of being on the run, James tries to face up to his past as well as stay ahead of those that wish to put in a shallow grave.
This is a hard book to like in a lot of ways, mostly due to the nature of the main character, James. His objectivity when describing the day he killed his father certainly doesn't create much sympathy for him and yet the author still manages to make him somewhat engaging to the reader as he tries to make up a small amount for the hurt he's caused his family. He still shows an amazing lack of empathy for most of the people he comes across and is conflicted regarding his own safety, he doesn't want to go to prison for his crime and would rather die, repeatedly using the phrase "it's only death", as though it's no big deal but he doesn't want to die at the hands of those who want to see him pay for his crimes. My biggest hurdle with him was that he never gave the justification for the crime, although he paints his father as a difficult and aggressive man I couldn't really understand his motivation for pulling the trigger or to be honest, why he was pulling a bank job in the first place.
Even with these issues I still think the author did a great job in creating a story that was nicely paced, engaging and had a great noir feel to it. The writing was smooth and I found this an easy and quick read.
You don't have to like the characters in a book to enjoy the read and this was certainly the case here, it goes to the strength of the writing that I still enjoyed it as much as I did.
Recommended.
November 14, 2014
I received an ARC e-book copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. I also was a pre-reader and read an earlier draft of the novel prior to publication.
It’s Only Death is noir of the darkest sort. Disfunctional doesn’t even begin to describe the family in this story. Broken. Devastated. Those are more accurate adjectives. Everyone in this story is broken in some way.
Dylan says every man needs redemption and that all men will fall---surely we all fall, but can all men be redeemed; can all men be released from their sins? Are some things so wrong that there can be no forgiveness? Are there some debts that can never be paid?
That is what It’s Only Death is all about. Wrap those questions in a dark and violent story which twists and turns on itself like a snake trying cross a hot tarmac and that is what you have.
Dark. Relentless and compelling. And surprising at times. Well done.
It’s Only Death is noir of the darkest sort. Disfunctional doesn’t even begin to describe the family in this story. Broken. Devastated. Those are more accurate adjectives. Everyone in this story is broken in some way.
Dylan says every man needs redemption and that all men will fall---surely we all fall, but can all men be redeemed; can all men be released from their sins? Are some things so wrong that there can be no forgiveness? Are there some debts that can never be paid?
That is what It’s Only Death is all about. Wrap those questions in a dark and violent story which twists and turns on itself like a snake trying cross a hot tarmac and that is what you have.
Dark. Relentless and compelling. And surprising at times. Well done.
January 18, 2015
You can't go home again.
No crime goes unpunished.
Every act has consequences....which have one Hell of a half life.
Redemption is just a word.
Revenge is a living thing that must be fed.
And it doesn't care who gets eaten.
Lee's latest foray into neo-noir is a bloody, brutal journey, a homecoming of the Jonah son, bringing with him a storm formed of the razor shards created in his past...and by his own hand when he shattered everything he knew in one moment of unthinking violence.
Expected publication: January 20th 2015 by DarkFuse.
This was an eARC from Netgalley.
No crime goes unpunished.
Every act has consequences....which have one Hell of a half life.
Redemption is just a word.
Revenge is a living thing that must be fed.
And it doesn't care who gets eaten.
Lee's latest foray into neo-noir is a bloody, brutal journey, a homecoming of the Jonah son, bringing with him a storm formed of the razor shards created in his past...and by his own hand when he shattered everything he knew in one moment of unthinking violence.
Expected publication: January 20th 2015 by DarkFuse.
This was an eARC from Netgalley.
January 11, 2015
I am a big fan of Lee Thompson and have enjoyed everything that I have read from him so far. It’s Only Death is a crime/thriller that follows James on a trip back home to see his dying mother. Now he has to return to a town that he left years prior to face the family and acquaintances he destroyed on the way out. It is not going to be a happy homecoming. It will be a homecoming made of revenge and death.
*As a member of the DarkFuse / NetGalley Readers Group, I received an advanced copy of this e-book in exchange for an honest review.
*As a member of the DarkFuse / NetGalley Readers Group, I received an advanced copy of this e-book in exchange for an honest review.
January 22, 2015
Review copy
Lee Thompson writes Dark Fantasy and Noir fiction under his own name, Coming-of-Age Suspense as Thomas Morgan, and Supernatural Thrillers as Julian Vaughn. If I had to categorize It's Only Death, I'd call it Hard-core Crime Drama. Horror without the monsters.
It's the fourth of July, and the opening line is a killer. "They clubbed me and tossed me into the trunk of a new pink Cadillac shortly after midnight."
From there, the author brings us back a couple of days to see exactly how Elmore James Jackson came to be in this dire situation.
Elmore, or I guess I should say James, since that's the name he prefers to go by, has come home to see his mother one more time, before she dies. After ten years gone, no one is happy to see him, not even his mother. It most likely has something to do with the last thing he did before he took off. No spoiler, but it's bad, very bad, and more than a few people would rather see him dead than see him at all.
I've never met a character with more of a death wish. Others even ask James numerous times if he has a death wish...even James thinks he does.
It's Only Death is filled with characters I felt strongly about. Characters I either liked or disliked. Very little middle ground, but they were all strongly written.
The latest from Darkfuse, It's Only Death, is available now, in the Kindle format, through Amazon.com. If you subscribe to Kindle Unlimited you can read this one at no additional charge or if you have Amazon Prime you could make it this month's selection from the Kindle Owners Lending Library.
Recommended.
Lee Thompson writes Dark Fantasy and Noir fiction under his own name, Coming-of-Age Suspense as Thomas Morgan, and Supernatural Thrillers as Julian Vaughn. If I had to categorize It's Only Death, I'd call it Hard-core Crime Drama. Horror without the monsters.
It's the fourth of July, and the opening line is a killer. "They clubbed me and tossed me into the trunk of a new pink Cadillac shortly after midnight."
From there, the author brings us back a couple of days to see exactly how Elmore James Jackson came to be in this dire situation.
Elmore, or I guess I should say James, since that's the name he prefers to go by, has come home to see his mother one more time, before she dies. After ten years gone, no one is happy to see him, not even his mother. It most likely has something to do with the last thing he did before he took off. No spoiler, but it's bad, very bad, and more than a few people would rather see him dead than see him at all.
I've never met a character with more of a death wish. Others even ask James numerous times if he has a death wish...even James thinks he does.
It's Only Death is filled with characters I felt strongly about. Characters I either liked or disliked. Very little middle ground, but they were all strongly written.
The latest from Darkfuse, It's Only Death, is available now, in the Kindle format, through Amazon.com. If you subscribe to Kindle Unlimited you can read this one at no additional charge or if you have Amazon Prime you could make it this month's selection from the Kindle Owners Lending Library.
Recommended.
December 1, 2014
Lee Thompson has a way with words that flows so smoothly as you read one of his books. His latest book, It's Only Death, carries on in that tradition.
The story starts out with James, the narrator and a character in the story, being clubbed on the head and thrown into the trunk of a car. After he talks about his surroundings in the trunk, the book backs up a few days and James tells the events leading up to that.
For the most part, I enjoyed being in James' head as the story unfolded. The dialogue sometimes stretched on a little too long between characters with no breaks for action but that's a minor complaint.
Even though some of the characters were hard to like due to their actions, past or present, I still found myself liking them and connecting with some of them.
The storyline itself flowed very well due to Thompson's flowing prose. The characters were fairly unpredictable in their actions and they kept me interested to see what happened next.
Thompson has written some very fine fiction and I'm thoroughly enjoying his ventures into crime fiction. If you haven't read it yet, give It's Only Death a try and be sure to try A Beautiful Madness as well. They're both excellent reads. Recommended!
The story starts out with James, the narrator and a character in the story, being clubbed on the head and thrown into the trunk of a car. After he talks about his surroundings in the trunk, the book backs up a few days and James tells the events leading up to that.
For the most part, I enjoyed being in James' head as the story unfolded. The dialogue sometimes stretched on a little too long between characters with no breaks for action but that's a minor complaint.
Even though some of the characters were hard to like due to their actions, past or present, I still found myself liking them and connecting with some of them.
The storyline itself flowed very well due to Thompson's flowing prose. The characters were fairly unpredictable in their actions and they kept me interested to see what happened next.
Thompson has written some very fine fiction and I'm thoroughly enjoying his ventures into crime fiction. If you haven't read it yet, give It's Only Death a try and be sure to try A Beautiful Madness as well. They're both excellent reads. Recommended!
November 24, 2014
As much as I enjoy crime based films, I've never enjoyed crime fiction as much. So picking up It's Only Death was a departure from the norm for me. But a great many people raved about Lee Thompson's previous work, A Beautiful Madness, so this one jumped out at me from the Netgalley page. And while it's safe to say, It's Only Death hasn't changed my view of crime fiction all on its own, I did find it to be an interesting snapshot of one criminal's return to his home town to face his personal demons.
Told from that criminal's first person POV, Thompson creates a complicated character who is genuinely hard to get behind, such is his lack of morality and sense of guilt at having murdered his father during a botched armed robbery many years before. James is very difficult to get a handle on. Why did he rob the bank in the first place? And why did he never bother to call the girl he supposedly loved or the sister he left behind to reassure them he was okay? These are just two examples of questions I kept asking myself. The simplest answer would seem to be because he's a sociopath, but there are moments when his empathy for others is clearly apparent, so that's too simple of an answer. I'd like to say Thompson makes James' motivations clear by the end of the book, but that is not the case. He also makes way too many assumptions and incorrect deductions, many of which propel the narrative forward.
So I found James to be frustrating. But what I liked was Thompson's writing style. His word-smithing sucked me in and pulled me right along, so I was only too happy to see what questionable move James was next going to make. Of course it all ends in bullets, blood and death, and (best of all) it does become genuinely uncertain who - if anyone - is going to walk away by the end of the book.
Overall, I liked It's Only Death and would recommend it to those who prefer a darker edge to their crime fiction. I'll be back to sample more of Thompson's back catalogue in future.
3.5 Pieces Packed for It's Only Death. (3 here; 4 on Amazon).
This review is based on an eARC from Darkfuse Publishing made available through Netgalley.
Told from that criminal's first person POV, Thompson creates a complicated character who is genuinely hard to get behind, such is his lack of morality and sense of guilt at having murdered his father during a botched armed robbery many years before. James is very difficult to get a handle on. Why did he rob the bank in the first place? And why did he never bother to call the girl he supposedly loved or the sister he left behind to reassure them he was okay? These are just two examples of questions I kept asking myself. The simplest answer would seem to be because he's a sociopath, but there are moments when his empathy for others is clearly apparent, so that's too simple of an answer. I'd like to say Thompson makes James' motivations clear by the end of the book, but that is not the case. He also makes way too many assumptions and incorrect deductions, many of which propel the narrative forward.
So I found James to be frustrating. But what I liked was Thompson's writing style. His word-smithing sucked me in and pulled me right along, so I was only too happy to see what questionable move James was next going to make. Of course it all ends in bullets, blood and death, and (best of all) it does become genuinely uncertain who - if anyone - is going to walk away by the end of the book.
Overall, I liked It's Only Death and would recommend it to those who prefer a darker edge to their crime fiction. I'll be back to sample more of Thompson's back catalogue in future.
3.5 Pieces Packed for It's Only Death. (3 here; 4 on Amazon).
This review is based on an eARC from Darkfuse Publishing made available through Netgalley.
November 30, 2014
This was the sixth book by Lee I have read and have to say that this is my favorite one so far. You might call it a crime/mystery/thriller. When I was reading this, it sort of reminded me of type of stories and the characters that made me a big fan of Tom Picc's work. That hardcore gritty main character that stood out and a great story line. Not that I'm comparing works. Just like someone reading a horror novel and saying it was Laymon like. That style and feeling you get when reading a story. As you can tell I really like this story and it's been a while since I read a story like this. It's about a man named James who's mother is dying and he is coming back to town to see her before she passes. It's been six years since he shot his father during a bank robbery and had to leave town. With his sister not wanting to talk or see him and his dad's ex-partner wanting to put a bullet in his head. He finds out that his twenty one year old sister Harley is a stripper and is hanging out with a biker named Lincoln. She strips at this club owned by a man they call Fat Lou. Once people find out that James is back in town all hell breaks loose. This was a very well written and engaging story. This was the kind of book I wish I could of sat down and read it from cover to cover in one day. But I didn't have the time to. I gave Its Only Death 4 1/2 stars.
I received an e-arc of this book from DarkFuse/NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received an e-arc of this book from DarkFuse/NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
January 13, 2015
I received an advance copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Also this book is published by DarkFuse and you generally cannot go wrong with anything they put out to the masses.
This is my first outing into the world of Lee Thompson. I’d heard great things so was eager to read this.
James Jackson has returned to his home town after getting word from his sister that their mother is dying and he needs to come see her before she goes. This wouldn’t be easy for someone that’s been away for 10 years. It’s doubly difficult for James. He ran from town in the first place after killing his own cop father during a bank robbery. He knows that there are people just biding their time to get him back for what he did. He needs to deal with these demons and indeed the demons in his own mind after the devastation he left behind all those years ago.
This book is dark. Very dark. It follows James throughout his return, seeing everything through his eyes and thoughts. It’s almost like a battle for his own redemption but at the same time he doesn’t want it. He is quite open to the fact of dying. He knows it’s a big possibility and he doesn’t fear it. This doesn’t necessarily bode well for him as some decisions he makes just seem to get him deeper and deeper into a huge big hole.
I enjoyed this. Lee Thompson’s writing is very effective. Normally you are supposed to follow and support the main characters in books but it’s difficult to cheer James on in this one. You can connect with him ok but I suspect the way the book is written that Mr Thompson didn’t set out to make you like James. It certainly adds to the story. You get a mixture of good characters in this and because of the way it is written you don’t know whether you should like them or not. Twists and turns sometimes prove you right and sometimes prove you wrong. One character in particular seemed totally vile to me but when you sit back and think about why he is the way he is then it seems totally justified. It does get you thinking as to where your loyalties should lie.
I don’t think I would go so far as to call this noir but it isn’t far off it for me. It’s a good, gritty crime novel that examines the demons in our minds and how they affect you throughout your life whether you are on the receiving end of the troubles or the one that caused them.
4 stars.
This is my first outing into the world of Lee Thompson. I’d heard great things so was eager to read this.
James Jackson has returned to his home town after getting word from his sister that their mother is dying and he needs to come see her before she goes. This wouldn’t be easy for someone that’s been away for 10 years. It’s doubly difficult for James. He ran from town in the first place after killing his own cop father during a bank robbery. He knows that there are people just biding their time to get him back for what he did. He needs to deal with these demons and indeed the demons in his own mind after the devastation he left behind all those years ago.
This book is dark. Very dark. It follows James throughout his return, seeing everything through his eyes and thoughts. It’s almost like a battle for his own redemption but at the same time he doesn’t want it. He is quite open to the fact of dying. He knows it’s a big possibility and he doesn’t fear it. This doesn’t necessarily bode well for him as some decisions he makes just seem to get him deeper and deeper into a huge big hole.
I enjoyed this. Lee Thompson’s writing is very effective. Normally you are supposed to follow and support the main characters in books but it’s difficult to cheer James on in this one. You can connect with him ok but I suspect the way the book is written that Mr Thompson didn’t set out to make you like James. It certainly adds to the story. You get a mixture of good characters in this and because of the way it is written you don’t know whether you should like them or not. Twists and turns sometimes prove you right and sometimes prove you wrong. One character in particular seemed totally vile to me but when you sit back and think about why he is the way he is then it seems totally justified. It does get you thinking as to where your loyalties should lie.
I don’t think I would go so far as to call this noir but it isn’t far off it for me. It’s a good, gritty crime novel that examines the demons in our minds and how they affect you throughout your life whether you are on the receiving end of the troubles or the one that caused them.
4 stars.
December 18, 2014
3.5 stars.
It's Only Death is the second novel I've read by Lee Thompson and the better of the two, in my opinion. Elmore "James" Jackson shot and killed his father (who tried to stop him) during a bank robbery 10 years ago. Amazingly, he was able to simply leave town to avoid prosecution and has been living in the Florida Keys. At least until he gets an e-mail from his sister, requesting that he come home to see their dying mother. Not the wisest choice, but this seems to be a common theme with James, who is maybe not the brightest crayon in the box. His homecoming was less than heartwarming. His sister's a stripper, his father's former partner (amongst others) wants to kill him and obviously his mother is dying. They say that you can never go home again and in James' case, he shouldn't have. What follows is a continuation of the chaos that James started in motion so long ago. Whether he can stop it or whether it will consume him, according to James - "It's only death."
It's Only Death is the second novel I've read by Lee Thompson and the better of the two, in my opinion. Elmore "James" Jackson shot and killed his father (who tried to stop him) during a bank robbery 10 years ago. Amazingly, he was able to simply leave town to avoid prosecution and has been living in the Florida Keys. At least until he gets an e-mail from his sister, requesting that he come home to see their dying mother. Not the wisest choice, but this seems to be a common theme with James, who is maybe not the brightest crayon in the box. His homecoming was less than heartwarming. His sister's a stripper, his father's former partner (amongst others) wants to kill him and obviously his mother is dying. They say that you can never go home again and in James' case, he shouldn't have. What follows is a continuation of the chaos that James started in motion so long ago. Whether he can stop it or whether it will consume him, according to James - "It's only death."
August 7, 2015
I already knew Lee Thompson could write horror and dark fantasy, so when this noir novella came out at the start of the year I had a fair hunch that he'd rock that genre too.
James returns home at the behest of his estranged sister, because their mother is dying. Cancer. He hasn't seen either of them since he fled town years ago following a botched bank robbery during which he shot and killed a cop. His own father. To say James has enemies back home would be an understatement.
With a story like this, I imagine Lee could have had fun plotting it out meticulously and coming up with a insanely wild ride, but here it feels like he let the characters lead the dance. The emotional horsepower driving this story along is powerful, even at points when it feels like JAmes is charging headlong into certain death in contradiction to his stated goals. It's when he makes it out of those early scrapes that I'm left scratching my head, but I'm reassured as the escalations carry heavy costs and James' warpath has a vicious wake.
Melodramatic at points, sure, but when it comes to noir you need that sometimes. And have you seen the news coming out of Florida lately? That place has more melodrama than swampland.
I have Lee's A Beautiful Madness on my to-be-read pile, another crime/thriller novel, which after having read this I will be eager to dive into to see if he captures Texas there the way he captured Florida here.
James returns home at the behest of his estranged sister, because their mother is dying. Cancer. He hasn't seen either of them since he fled town years ago following a botched bank robbery during which he shot and killed a cop. His own father. To say James has enemies back home would be an understatement.
With a story like this, I imagine Lee could have had fun plotting it out meticulously and coming up with a insanely wild ride, but here it feels like he let the characters lead the dance. The emotional horsepower driving this story along is powerful, even at points when it feels like JAmes is charging headlong into certain death in contradiction to his stated goals. It's when he makes it out of those early scrapes that I'm left scratching my head, but I'm reassured as the escalations carry heavy costs and James' warpath has a vicious wake.
Melodramatic at points, sure, but when it comes to noir you need that sometimes. And have you seen the news coming out of Florida lately? That place has more melodrama than swampland.
I have Lee's A Beautiful Madness on my to-be-read pile, another crime/thriller novel, which after having read this I will be eager to dive into to see if he captures Texas there the way he captured Florida here.
February 26, 2015
This is the story of Elmore, also known as James. When he was younger, he held up a bank and shot and killed his policeman father. He has been on the run for ten years when he gets an email from his sister saying his mother is dying from cancer. Despite the bad feeling towards him, he knows he needs to see his mum before she dies, and decides return to see her one last time. On arriving in town, he realises that he has MANY enemies, not least of which is his dad's ex-partner and best friend, Don, who is out for his blood. Can Elmore get everything sorted, and see his mother before Don catches up with him?
This was a slow burner, but once it got going I really enjoyed it. It was dark and gritty and utterly absorbing. The characters resonated with me and I felt for Elmore's plight. A couple of things didn't make sense, like how would his sister know where he was to email him if he was on the run, and if he was on the run would he come back anyway?? Once I had put those niggles aside however, the story unfolded nicely and I was taken in. A great story with a satisfying ending, but don't expect happy ever afters with this one!
This was a slow burner, but once it got going I really enjoyed it. It was dark and gritty and utterly absorbing. The characters resonated with me and I felt for Elmore's plight. A couple of things didn't make sense, like how would his sister know where he was to email him if he was on the run, and if he was on the run would he come back anyway?? Once I had put those niggles aside however, the story unfolded nicely and I was taken in. A great story with a satisfying ending, but don't expect happy ever afters with this one!
August 12, 2015
Totally kick-ass crime-noir that I couldn't put down until I finished it.
January 18, 2016
Lee Thompson has done it again. Words flow freely from his brain through his fingers to his keyboard with ease. Apparantly he uses stream of consciousness writing technique and who can argue with that? People buy his stuff, they must like it. I think of it as mindless, but that's just me.
In IT'S ONLY DEATH, Thompson lets his fingers doing the thinking and forgoes research or even logic, as has in previous books once again. In DEATH we have a character driving a "brand new Cadillac" that has a quarter size rusty hole. No reason was given for the need of the rusty hole, I guess he liked the way the words looked on paper. Research would have told him that it takes a while for rust to form. His main character left town. Years later his sister emailed him to come home. Apparantly, she had emailed him twice while he was gone, but he never answered. The way it was worded was strange. She knew where he was without his telling her.
I think most people that have a cop for a father aren't so stupid as to stay in town to commit a crime. This doofus was. And he wasn't surprised or upset to have dad show up at the scene of his crime. That alone could have provided have provided some material to write about no matter how much you hated dear ol' dad. But, doofus killed him, ran, and then waltzes back to town to visit his mum who wants nothing to do with him. Keep in mind that there is no statute of limitations on murder. And everyone in town knows him - and knows he's back.
I would recommend that people make their decision to read this book based on experience with this authors recent work. If he does it for you, awesome. Go for it.
I received this cliche ridden nickle-novella from the publisher in exchange for my review.
In IT'S ONLY DEATH, Thompson lets his fingers doing the thinking and forgoes research or even logic, as has in previous books once again. In DEATH we have a character driving a "brand new Cadillac" that has a quarter size rusty hole. No reason was given for the need of the rusty hole, I guess he liked the way the words looked on paper. Research would have told him that it takes a while for rust to form. His main character left town. Years later his sister emailed him to come home. Apparantly, she had emailed him twice while he was gone, but he never answered. The way it was worded was strange. She knew where he was without his telling her.
I think most people that have a cop for a father aren't so stupid as to stay in town to commit a crime. This doofus was. And he wasn't surprised or upset to have dad show up at the scene of his crime. That alone could have provided have provided some material to write about no matter how much you hated dear ol' dad. But, doofus killed him, ran, and then waltzes back to town to visit his mum who wants nothing to do with him. Keep in mind that there is no statute of limitations on murder. And everyone in town knows him - and knows he's back.
I would recommend that people make their decision to read this book based on experience with this authors recent work. If he does it for you, awesome. Go for it.
I received this cliche ridden nickle-novella from the publisher in exchange for my review.
June 20, 2015
A great noir tale
The central is absolutely amoral. The violence piles up. I realised halfway through that I sort of understood this sad monster. It was a story that was not going to end pretty and all the questions would never find an answer. This is a dark tale that will leave a lasting impression.
The central is absolutely amoral. The violence piles up. I realised halfway through that I sort of understood this sad monster. It was a story that was not going to end pretty and all the questions would never find an answer. This is a dark tale that will leave a lasting impression.
Want to read
October 13, 2015This is copy 28 of 100 signed numbered copies signed by Lee Thompson.
January 21, 2015
Book Review originally published here: http://www.iheartreading.net/reviews/...
In It’s Only Death, James killed his father during a bank robbery, and fled town after. His sister informed him of their mother’s failing health, and now he has returned home, trying to make peace with her before she passes away. However, home is anything unlike the childhood home he remembers. Some people are out to take revenge on James, like his dad’s old partner. Others, like his mom and sister, are broken, having no idea how they can ever forgive him for what he’s done.
The story is gripping and intriguing, and told from the POV of James. The character becomes so raw, flawed and realistic over the course of the book, I half-expected him to show up on my doorstep. While James certainly isn’t easy to empathize with, I did get a sense of understanding by the end of the book.
While this book showed little horror, it did show heartbreak, and it touched upon some difficult themes. It’s a crime book, focusing on one character’s journey, and it succeeds in what it tried to do – to give the readers a better feel of James, his background story, and who he is. The writing style was nothing short of brilliant, and makes up for the story that sometimes feels a little flat. It’s understandable everyone hates James, but the amount of violence going on in this book sometimes seemed over the top. So the book gets a lot of points for writing and character development, but not so much for plot. I did enjoy it though, and if you’re a crime fan, I’m sure you’ll enjoy it too.
In It’s Only Death, James killed his father during a bank robbery, and fled town after. His sister informed him of their mother’s failing health, and now he has returned home, trying to make peace with her before she passes away. However, home is anything unlike the childhood home he remembers. Some people are out to take revenge on James, like his dad’s old partner. Others, like his mom and sister, are broken, having no idea how they can ever forgive him for what he’s done.
The story is gripping and intriguing, and told from the POV of James. The character becomes so raw, flawed and realistic over the course of the book, I half-expected him to show up on my doorstep. While James certainly isn’t easy to empathize with, I did get a sense of understanding by the end of the book.
While this book showed little horror, it did show heartbreak, and it touched upon some difficult themes. It’s a crime book, focusing on one character’s journey, and it succeeds in what it tried to do – to give the readers a better feel of James, his background story, and who he is. The writing style was nothing short of brilliant, and makes up for the story that sometimes feels a little flat. It’s understandable everyone hates James, but the amount of violence going on in this book sometimes seemed over the top. So the book gets a lot of points for writing and character development, but not so much for plot. I did enjoy it though, and if you’re a crime fan, I’m sure you’ll enjoy it too.
November 30, 2014
It's Only Death is another excellent helping of dark crime fiction that Lee Thompson is so adept at writing. This fast paced short novel is full of seething hatred, resentment, regret, and bloody revenge.
The strength of the story is in the characters. James, the first person narrator, should be unlikable. While killing his father seems like it may have been an accident there are strong hints that it was intentional and he doesn't feel guilt about the act itself. Other elements suggest that he may be an outright sociopath. Somehow Lee Thompson makes James sympathetic and a character worthy of rooting for. The supporting cast is just as compelling.
Mr. Thompson's use of near poetic philosophical language is undercut by moments of crude humor in case things get too pretentious. I enjoyed the blend of the two and it helped illustrate James's conflicted mindset.
For dark crime/noir fiction you can't do better than this. 5 stars!
The strength of the story is in the characters. James, the first person narrator, should be unlikable. While killing his father seems like it may have been an accident there are strong hints that it was intentional and he doesn't feel guilt about the act itself. Other elements suggest that he may be an outright sociopath. Somehow Lee Thompson makes James sympathetic and a character worthy of rooting for. The supporting cast is just as compelling.
Mr. Thompson's use of near poetic philosophical language is undercut by moments of crude humor in case things get too pretentious. I enjoyed the blend of the two and it helped illustrate James's conflicted mindset.
For dark crime/noir fiction you can't do better than this. 5 stars!
February 21, 2015
Lee Thompson's first foray into the more traditional crime thriller genre was...not that good honestly. This book is a big step in the right direction, but Thompson continues to struggle in some areas, and there's a tendency for the elements that make his horror stories so effective to get in the way when he's not writing horror.
The plot is straightforward enough. Elmore "James" Jackson's mother is dying, and he has returned to the hometown he fled several years ago, after killing his police office father, to say his goodbyes. He left a number of enemies when he ran, not the least of which is his dad's partner, and James is hellbent on making as many enemies now that he's back.
And in that plot summary is, perhaps, the biggest problem with the book, the one that killed my suspension of disbelief. If you kill a cop in America, you will be caught, especially when you're identified at the scene of the crime. There's just no way James was able to stay on the lam for any length of time; the police just DO NOT mess around when it comes to cop-killers. Add to this the fact that everyone seems to know he's back in town, but at no point do the SWAT Teams get sent out, and it's just too unbelievable to bear.
If you can move past that, though, there's a lot to like in this book. The plot is interesting and the characters are, for the most part, pretty believable (if a bit cliche). In classic Thompson fashion, nothing good ever happens to anyone, so expect a very dark story.
There are a few structural issues with the book, and, as I mentioned earlier, I think a lot of them are holdovers from Thompson's horror. There's this pervasiveness dream-like quality to the whole thing that, for me at least, doesn't work for a crime thriller. The way most everyone reacted the James also seemed a bit odd; sure, he killed a cop when he was a teenager, but as far as everyone knows, that's all he's done, and it was ten years ago. While that may explain why James runs around like he rules the roost, it's not sufficient reason for most everyone else to see him the way he sees himself.
On the whole I enjoyed It's Only Death, though it isn't without problems. Thankfully, the story moves along at a quick pace, so it's easy enough to move past the initial issues and enjoy the ride. Thompson shows some real promise with this one, so it'll be interesting to see how his next crime thriller plays out.
The plot is straightforward enough. Elmore "James" Jackson's mother is dying, and he has returned to the hometown he fled several years ago, after killing his police office father, to say his goodbyes. He left a number of enemies when he ran, not the least of which is his dad's partner, and James is hellbent on making as many enemies now that he's back.
And in that plot summary is, perhaps, the biggest problem with the book, the one that killed my suspension of disbelief. If you kill a cop in America, you will be caught, especially when you're identified at the scene of the crime. There's just no way James was able to stay on the lam for any length of time; the police just DO NOT mess around when it comes to cop-killers. Add to this the fact that everyone seems to know he's back in town, but at no point do the SWAT Teams get sent out, and it's just too unbelievable to bear.
If you can move past that, though, there's a lot to like in this book. The plot is interesting and the characters are, for the most part, pretty believable (if a bit cliche). In classic Thompson fashion, nothing good ever happens to anyone, so expect a very dark story.
There are a few structural issues with the book, and, as I mentioned earlier, I think a lot of them are holdovers from Thompson's horror. There's this pervasiveness dream-like quality to the whole thing that, for me at least, doesn't work for a crime thriller. The way most everyone reacted the James also seemed a bit odd; sure, he killed a cop when he was a teenager, but as far as everyone knows, that's all he's done, and it was ten years ago. While that may explain why James runs around like he rules the roost, it's not sufficient reason for most everyone else to see him the way he sees himself.
On the whole I enjoyed It's Only Death, though it isn't without problems. Thankfully, the story moves along at a quick pace, so it's easy enough to move past the initial issues and enjoy the ride. Thompson shows some real promise with this one, so it'll be interesting to see how his next crime thriller plays out.
January 2, 2015
Wow, this is not a happy book. There are no happy characters, and very few are even remotely likable. It's the story of a man who killed his cop father while robbing a bank, and then ran away in hiding for 10+ years. The story starts when he returns, and things have definitely changed.
The characters were well-written, because while I didn't like most of them and wouldn't make the choices they were making, I could feel how trapped they felt, and how hopeless their situation was. The story definitely moved at a fast pace, and the ending fit as well as any ending could.
It's hard to say I enjoyed reading this, but I definitely appreciated the story, and I do feel it was well-written and entertaining. Not recommended for people who want some glimmer of hope in their fiction, but if that's not a requirement for you, give it a try.
The characters were well-written, because while I didn't like most of them and wouldn't make the choices they were making, I could feel how trapped they felt, and how hopeless their situation was. The story definitely moved at a fast pace, and the ending fit as well as any ending could.
It's hard to say I enjoyed reading this, but I definitely appreciated the story, and I do feel it was well-written and entertaining. Not recommended for people who want some glimmer of hope in their fiction, but if that's not a requirement for you, give it a try.
July 5, 2015
Death inside life.The last novel by Lee Thompson is a intense,insightful and bloody journey.It tells what happened when the main character returned to his place of origin.He ran away because of a tragedy and his returning won't be sweet,no.He'll confront what he left behind...persons,situations,feelings and emotions and release himself of the cage he was inside since he left behind his village and beloved persons.Another good and interesting novel by Thompson narrated with his very personal voice.
December 22, 2014
Dark and depressing and still a good book
December 28, 2014
Excellent on the edge of your seat crime thriller. Highly recommended!
December 27, 2014
Another dark crime masterpiece
For a full review, please go to http://www.examiner.com/review/it-s-o... and follow me on Twitter @josenher
For a full review, please go to http://www.examiner.com/review/it-s-o... and follow me on Twitter @josenher
January 28, 2015
Dark gritty noir for the masses
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