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Pray for the Innocent
Can former best-selling novelist Mathias King—now a rumpled, grizzled English professor—save America from a terrorist of his own making?In the shadow of the Pentagon, a secret DoD brain research experiment goes terribly wrong, and an ex-Special Ops soldier escapes, believing he is Viktor Dragunov, the Russian operative from the 80’s thriller novel, Attack on America. To capture him, the Feds turn to the person uniquely qualified to predict his next moves, the man who created the fictional character, best-selling author Mathias King.Now a reclusive English professor, King is reluctant to get involved, having sworn off the culture of violence after a deranged fan murdered his wife. But when innocent people start dying, King is thrust back into that dark world. With help from his enthusiastic graduate assistant Emily Phan, King must outsmart his own creation—while outmaneuvering the cover-up-loving Feds—before Dragunov succeeds in his hell-bent mission.To destroy America.
410 pages, Paperback
Published March 10, 2018
16 people are currently reading
38 people want to read
About the author
Alan Orloff
58 books148 followersBefore Alan stepped off the corporate merry-go-round, he had an eclectic (some might say disjointed) career. As an engineer, he worked on nuclear submarines, supervised assembly workers in factories, facilitated technology transfer from the Star Wars program, and learned to stack washing machines three high in a warehouse with a forklift. He even started his own recycling and waste reduction newsletter business. Now he writes fiction.
His debut mystery, DIAMONDS FOR THE DEAD, was a finalist for the Best First Novel Agatha Award. He writes the Last Laff Mystery Series: KILLER ROUTINE (#1) and DEADLY CAMPAIGN (#2), and has three e-book originals, THE TASTE (horror/thriller), FIRST TIME KILLER (thriller), and RIDE-ALONG (suspense).
He wrote the thrillers RUNNING FROM THE PAST and PRAY FOR THE INNOCENT (winner of the ITW Thriller Award for Best E-Book Original).
His novel, I KNOW WHERE YOU SLEEP was a Shamus Award finalist for Best First P.I. Novel.
His YA thriller, I PLAY ONE ON TV (Down & Out Books), won the Agatha Award and Anthony Award for Best YA Novel.
His novel, LATE CHECKOUT, is an Anthony Award Finalist for Best Paperback Original.
His short fiction has appeared in numerous publications, including JEWISH NOIR, Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, CHESAPEAKE CRIMES: STORM WARNING, Mystery Weekly, NOIR AT THE SALAD BAR, Black Cat Mystery Magazine, five consecutive issues of the BEST NEW ENGLAND CRIME STORIES, THE NIGHT OF THE FLOOD, MICKEY FINN, and MYSTERY MOST GEOGRAPHICAL.
His story, “Rule Number One” (SNOWBOUND, Level Best Books), was selected for the 2018 edition of THE BEST AMERICAN MYSTERY STORIES anthology, edited by Louise Penny.
His story, "Dying in Dokesville," won a Derringer Award, and his story "Rent Due," won an ITW Thriller Award.
Alan recently moved to South Florida. He loves cake and arugula, but not together.
For more info, please visit his website: www.alanorloff.com
Alan is sorry he wrote this bio in the third person.
His debut mystery, DIAMONDS FOR THE DEAD, was a finalist for the Best First Novel Agatha Award. He writes the Last Laff Mystery Series: KILLER ROUTINE (#1) and DEADLY CAMPAIGN (#2), and has three e-book originals, THE TASTE (horror/thriller), FIRST TIME KILLER (thriller), and RIDE-ALONG (suspense).
He wrote the thrillers RUNNING FROM THE PAST and PRAY FOR THE INNOCENT (winner of the ITW Thriller Award for Best E-Book Original).
His novel, I KNOW WHERE YOU SLEEP was a Shamus Award finalist for Best First P.I. Novel.
His YA thriller, I PLAY ONE ON TV (Down & Out Books), won the Agatha Award and Anthony Award for Best YA Novel.
His novel, LATE CHECKOUT, is an Anthony Award Finalist for Best Paperback Original.
His short fiction has appeared in numerous publications, including JEWISH NOIR, Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, CHESAPEAKE CRIMES: STORM WARNING, Mystery Weekly, NOIR AT THE SALAD BAR, Black Cat Mystery Magazine, five consecutive issues of the BEST NEW ENGLAND CRIME STORIES, THE NIGHT OF THE FLOOD, MICKEY FINN, and MYSTERY MOST GEOGRAPHICAL.
His story, “Rule Number One” (SNOWBOUND, Level Best Books), was selected for the 2018 edition of THE BEST AMERICAN MYSTERY STORIES anthology, edited by Louise Penny.
His story, "Dying in Dokesville," won a Derringer Award, and his story "Rent Due," won an ITW Thriller Award.
Alan recently moved to South Florida. He loves cake and arugula, but not together.
For more info, please visit his website: www.alanorloff.com
Alan is sorry he wrote this bio in the third person.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
July 15, 2020
The main character, Mathias King, was a hugely successful thriller author who now has misgivings about his writing career. It wasn't literature, after all. He's teaching lit at George Mason when he's approached by a nefarious government employee for help to find a madman who is copycatting his works. On the superficial level, it's a twisty fast-paced thriller. Beneath that is a thoughtful contemplation on the role and responsibilities of fiction writers.
May 12, 2018
A story within a story and only the mild-mannered professor can save the day! Professor Mathias King created the characters in the book Attack on America for them to only come into real play when American secret agent Cole Tanner thinks he is the Soviet Union agent Viktor Dragunov. King must become his book's protagonist Nick Nolan. Lots of action, twists, and turns. Some spots are slow, but the action picks up quickly. 3.5/5 stars
Thank you, Net Galley, for the read in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you, Net Galley, for the read in exchange for an honest review.
August 29, 2022
This book won ITW Thriller Award in 2019 for Best E-book Original, and it definitely deserved it. The plot was completely unique and well developed. Most of the characters were well developed. I listened to the audiobook and at times I had trouble remembering all the government men or following the story but I did not listen to it in one sitting. Mathias King, now a professor of English, wrote thrillers 30 years ago. By chance, a secret government program studying information transfer used his first book, and the transfer was interrupted. The subject escaped thinking he was the villain of that book, a Russian operative intent on destroying America. The book was full of action and some rather gruesome murders. It was enjoyable for me to read about the Cold War terrorism I grew up with instead of today’s Middle Eastern variety
March 3, 2018
Not going to lie I went into this with a pinch of salt. I didn’t think the blurb was very plausible. Or that it was going come across as a bit cheesy. Oh, boy was I so wrong. So very very wrong. The Author made it as plausible as humanly possible when writing a fictional piece of work. It was very intelligently done.
I did get a little bored, it did feel like it just kept going on and on. It felt fast paced in places and then in the middle, it just felt like very slow, even when the action was happening. That was most likely just me and not the book.
Overall I just liked how it played out, how it went from one thing to another. Keeping you on your toes.
(Disclaimer: I received a copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.)
I did get a little bored, it did feel like it just kept going on and on. It felt fast paced in places and then in the middle, it just felt like very slow, even when the action was happening. That was most likely just me and not the book.
Overall I just liked how it played out, how it went from one thing to another. Keeping you on your toes.
(Disclaimer: I received a copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.)
December 11, 2018
From the pages of the novel to the pages of the news. That's exactly what happens in Alan Orloff's thriller, "Pray for the Innocent." Military hero Cole Tanner, through modern science, takes on the persona of Viktor Dragunov, a Russian mole sworn to destroy America. Dragunov, however, is not a real person, but actually a literary figure created by best-selling author Matthias King. When things go awry, King is called from the cloistered halls of academia, to help the military deal with their problem. The action continues from start to finish in this thoroughly enjoyable novel as plots and sub-plots abound. I received an advanced digital copy through #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
July 28, 2021
PRAY FOR THE INNOCENT by Alan S. Orloff
When violence in fiction becomes real, is the author to blame? Wherever the blame lies, is he the only one able to fix things?
It felt ironic and Escher-like to be reading a violent book about an author regretting having written violent books. Dizzying, but well-written. The descriptions are carefully done, and the daughter and research assistant add a touch of light, but that body count . . . whew! . . with the implication of so many more. The tense pursuit through the treasures of D.C. made for scary times, and a sobering look at research and human/governmental priorities.
When violence in fiction becomes real, is the author to blame? Wherever the blame lies, is he the only one able to fix things?
It felt ironic and Escher-like to be reading a violent book about an author regretting having written violent books. Dizzying, but well-written. The descriptions are carefully done, and the daughter and research assistant add a touch of light, but that body count . . . whew! . . with the implication of so many more. The tense pursuit through the treasures of D.C. made for scary times, and a sobering look at research and human/governmental priorities.
January 20, 2020
Nonstop action. At times it became too fantastic to be believed. Also, I only liked, Cole Tanner/Viktor Dragunov the antihero who thought he was a Russian spy. It was odd but interesting with the twists and turns...a former pulp crime novelist now English professor with his trusty side kick heorine, his grad student...🤓🙄 chasing a man whose science fiction beginning (think Frankenstein) is the antihero...it ends just as you expect...all the bad guys conquered...a bit anticlimactic but the ride about 2/3 thru is excellent
March 10, 2018
What a great setup! A mind experiment goes horribly awry and secret agent Cole Tanner awakens thinking himself Viktor Dragunov, Soviet super agent, with a mission to kill tens of thousands. Dragunov can only be stopped if Mathias King, a mild-mannered English professor, can recast himself as his own fictional creation, Nick Nolan, the American James Bond. Filled with action and betrayal, Pray for the Innocent is one great read!
July 15, 2018
Grim, Riveting, Tragic-Perfect Summer Read
Alan Orloff has crafted a tight,suspenseful novel merging academia with big, bad government. A touch of Frankenstein with innovative artificial intelligence/machine learning elements. Clear your schedule before you start reading - it will be difficult to tear yourself away.
Alan Orloff has crafted a tight,suspenseful novel merging academia with big, bad government. A touch of Frankenstein with innovative artificial intelligence/machine learning elements. Clear your schedule before you start reading - it will be difficult to tear yourself away.
September 24, 2019
The best of Orloff's novels! Mystery, for sure. Sci-fi? Kinda. Advanced medical/technical procedures to install a new memory in a recently "deceased" person who escapes from the lab.
It's a story within a story, as the subject's new memory is created from a fictional novel featuring Dragunov, a dangerous killer seeking to destroy America. The novelist, Mathias King,who has long since stopped writing violent novels, is held in a secret location to assist in locating the now-dangerous subject. The story, even more complex than this summary suggests, is an artful back-and-forth between the fictional writer, Professor King, and his creator, the real-life novelist, Alan Orloff.
Exceptionally well written!
It's a story within a story, as the subject's new memory is created from a fictional novel featuring Dragunov, a dangerous killer seeking to destroy America. The novelist, Mathias King,who has long since stopped writing violent novels, is held in a secret location to assist in locating the now-dangerous subject. The story, even more complex than this summary suggests, is an artful back-and-forth between the fictional writer, Professor King, and his creator, the real-life novelist, Alan Orloff.
Exceptionally well written!
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews