Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.

Start by marking “Waves Break (on Unknown Shores)” as Want to Read:

Other editions

Enlarge cover

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Open Preview

Waves Break (on Unknown Shores)

Barry W. Litherland (Goodreads Author)

4.22 · Rating details · 27 ratings · 20 reviews

Past events cast shadows you can't outrun. Wayne and Phil knew that better than anyone, after Stevie died, way back when they were children. A pebble dropped in a pool. Ripples spreading outwards. Who knew where they would end?

...more

Get A Copy

Kindle Edition, 269 pages

Published August 16th 2019 by Bleaknorth Publishing

More Details... Edit Details

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Reader Q&A

To ask other readers questions about Waves Break, please sign up.

Be the first to ask a question about Waves Break

Lists with This Book

This book is not yet featured on Listopia. Add this book to your favorite list »

Community Reviews

Showing 1-35

Average rating 4.22 ·

Rating details

· 27 ratings · 20 reviews

More filters

Sort order

Start your review of Waves Break (on Unknown Shores)

Apr 20, 2020 Emily Weatherburn rated it really liked it

Shelves: books-i-edited, self-published, thrillers

You can find my original review of this book on my blog.

Whenever I read a thriller, I want it to feel real. I want the plot to sound plausible, and I want the characters to be believable—and, well, if there’s one thing I can say about Barry Litherland’s Waves Break (on Unkown Shores), it’s that it feels very real.

The story is as much about the past as it is about the present; it focusses on journalist Phil Tyler, who has a very unlikely friendship with a man called Wayne. The two have been close You can find my original review of this book on my blog.

Whenever I read a thriller, I want it to feel real. I want the plot to sound plausible, and I want the characters to be believable—and, well, if there’s one thing I can say about Barry Litherland’s Waves Break (on Unkown Shores), it’s that it feels very real.

The story is as much about the past as it is about the present; it focusses on journalist Phil Tyler, who has a very unlikely friendship with a man called Wayne. The two have been close friends ever since a traumatic event from their childhood tied them together. Now, Phil feels strangely responsible for Wayne, and he does his best to stand by him, even when Wayne is accused of committing an outrageous crime. Phil doesn’t want to believe that Wayne could be capable of something like that—but how can he be sure? The novel flips between Phil and Wayne’s adult relationship and the connection they had as children, and, as the truth about the present is revealed, the past is also thrown under a spotlight.

The thing I liked most about Waves Break was Phil himself. I’ve always thought that one of the best ways to keep a reader engaged is to tell a story through the eyes of an interesting narrator, and this is exactly what this novel excels at. Phil’s distinct, quirky narrations turn an ordinary story into something much more successful. This means that while the plot of Waves Break can seem predictable at times, it is made interesting through Phil’s narration. He has a dry, sarcastic sense of humour that is subtly hilarious. More than anything else, though, his is a voice of a real character. He is genuine and dismally honest to the point that he succeeds in grounding Litherland’s novel in an impressive level of realism. The story is exciting, but it would mean very little without Phil’s calculated assumptions and dry sense of humour.

I also enjoyed the emotional side of Waves Break. The journey into Phil’s past continually impacts everything that takes place in the present; it makes it matter, because, honestly, one story would hold very little power without the other. As a result, I would have to argue that if you’re looking for a simple crime thriller, where the emphasis is on courtroom dramas or complex crime networks, this isn’t the book for you. On the other hand, if you’re looking for a story that takes you inside the protagonist’s mind, recounting what is, in reality, a very personal, climactic journey, then you should certainly consider picking up a copy of Waves Break. ...more

flag 5 likes · Like · see review

Sep 14, 2019 Amy Buckle / Amy's Bookshelf rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed-on-amys-bookshelf

Waves Break (on Unknown Shores) is a bildungsroman novel which flips between the past and present to show how the protagonist, Phil, has managed to end up with a friend like Wayne. Tied together by a childhood trauma, ever since then, Wayne has been like an unwanted shadow following Phil. Now adults, Phil feels an obligation to keep Wayne on his feet and the two of them are determined to keep the past behind them. However, that becomes difficult when Wayne is accused of a burglary he says he was Waves Break (on Unknown Shores) is a bildungsroman novel which flips between the past and present to show how the protagonist, Phil, has managed to end up with a friend like Wayne. Tied together by a childhood trauma, ever since then, Wayne has been like an unwanted shadow following Phil. Now adults, Phil feels an obligation to keep Wayne on his feet and the two of them are determined to keep the past behind them. However, that becomes difficult when Wayne is accused of a burglary he says he wasn’t involved with, and suddenly people from their past are coming up out of the woodworks, and an event they’d rather forget, is positioning itself right in their line of sight, unable to allow them to hide from it any longer.

What I liked about this novel was how real it felt. From the character developments and their backstories, to the plausible way they behaved, I genuinely feel like this could’ve been the lives of real people. I think that’s really important in a book like this too because the plot doesn’t really deal with anything extraordinary, so there really needs to be an element of plausibility, or the reader is just not going to feel engaged. I think the “villains” of the novel, such as Tyrone, were so human that it made them scarier because it wasn’t hard to believe that it could be someone living next door to you. Again, reiterating the novel’s plausibility.

Although I feel like this was intentional, it was kind of frustrating how long it took to find out what happened to Stevie. As it’s mentioned right at the beginning of the novel, I presume Litherland was using it to keep the reader turning the page, but I think he dragged it out a little too long, to the point where I didn’t care much about the plot in the present and just wanted to know what happened the past – but maybe that’s just because I’m impatient!

One thing I don’t think the author did particularly well was the dialogue of the children; in general the dialogue was very believable and I think it helped make the characters feel more real, but, there wasn’t really a differentiation between the dialogue of the adults and the dialogue of the kids. As it’s retrospective, I understand the stream-of-consciousness from Phil being more eloquent as he’s remembering being a child when he’s an adult, but the actual interactions between the children just felt way too mature for me in terms of the language they were using.

Harking back to the title, it felt like one of Litherland’s intentions with the book was to show how events which happen to you can have a ripple effect on the rest of your life, and while I liked this, I would have liked to see him go even further with it. While I did like the language in the book, I felt a lot of it only flirted with this metaphor and could have ran deeper.

All in all I enjoyed Waves Break (on Unknown Shores), and I think Litherland did a fantastic job of creating realistic and plausible characters and interesting plot arcs. I would have liked to see a bit more depth in the writing, but on the other hand, the simplicity of it did make it easy to understand, and sometimes that’s undervalued in books. I would definitely read something from Litherland again, and I would recommend this to anyone who wants a book which could be pulled straight from the pages of real life. ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Aug 30, 2019 Greg McLaughlin rated it it was amazing

I've read several novels by Barry Litherland and he always brings something new, fresh and exhilarating to each of his works.

Wave Break (on Unknown Shores) was the first of his novels that I discovered and I am so pleased that I found this amazingly gifted writer. He possesses that rare combination of exceptional mood, tone and description, combined with memorable characters that are real, flawed, authentic and endearing and a spot-on sense of plot that keeps the reader engaged, engrossed and a ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Jan 15, 2020 Rochelle rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2020

I would like to thank https://lovebooksgroup.com/ and the publisher for an ARC copy of this book

This is the first book that I have read by this author, and I am sure that it won’t be my last.

Phil and Wayne share a bond of friendship that was forged through the loss of a mutual childhood friend. Twenty years have passed, and Wayne’s troubled brother Tyrone returns, stirring up memories from the past and exposing them to danger. In this fast-paced thriller, Litherland combines well-fleshed out cha ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Aug 24, 2019 John Liebert added it

I have read all his books to date, because I study his style and structure. I admire him, because he is such a great craftsman and master of suspense and mystery. I think he self publishes, but he certainly could earn profits for any house. He is that good a writer.

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Aug 23, 2019 Jonnathan Strawthorne rated it it was amazing

I enjoyed the story. Well developed throughout. Great ending as well. Loved it! The twists and turns kept me engaged and turning the pages.

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Aug 11, 2020 AvidBibliophile rated it it was amazing

You’re Defined by the Company You Keep

➡️ People are a Product of Their Experiences
“...reputations can be tarnished by the flimsiest of unfortunate associations.” In this book, readers will encounter detention centers, cigarette burns, implied acts of animal cruelty, burglaries, theft allegations, and unwilling corroborators (when friends suddenly find themselves ‘guilty by association’). Volatile confrontations and mischievous smiles, suspects, alibis, and incriminating evidence abound.

Language ...more

flag Like · see review

Jul 04, 2020 Lavinia rated it it was ok

No es que sea una mala novela, pero a mi no me ha gustado. Es muy simple para mi gusto, y muy predecible.

flag Like · see review

Apr 30, 2020 Marian The Book Eater rated it liked it

Had some comedy moments but I found the story a little flat. I’m sure others will like it, but it didn’t draw me in.

flag Like · see review

Aug 27, 2020 Ana TM rated it liked it

You can read my full review on OnlineBookClub: https://forums.onlinebookclub.org/vie... ...more

flag Like · see review

Apr 27, 2020 Ana-Maria rated it really liked it

View my full review here:
https://forums.onlinebookclub.org/vie... ...more

flag Like · see review

Nov 19, 2019 Mani rated it really liked it

Shelves: books-read-in-2019, 4-star-reads

Waves Break (On unknown Shores) was my first book by Barry Litherland, but will definitely not be the last.

The book is really well written. The writing style felt very simple and uncomplicated, which I thought was spot on for the plot. The plot it self was fast paced, and it had me gripped from start to finish. As the plot progresses a few surprise twists happen, which I really wasn’t expecting.

The author has done a brilliant job in creating such realistic and interesting characters. I really ...more

flag Like · see review

Aug 23, 2019 Brittanny Davis rated it it was amazing

I wanted to use the following remark for my review: This reminded me greatly of Stephen King's "It" - the boys going to and from childhood and adulthood days, linked by trauma. (My favorite book by King, no less). Litherland delivered those innocent childhood remembrances expertly. His characters were dynamic - young and adult - drawn to order. There is a good deal of sarcasm and wit that the reader can appreciate in Phil, a part of his character. And the use of description and metaphors are del ...more

flag Like · see review

Aug 22, 2019 Dominic rated it it was amazing

The first of three Litherland books I've had the pleasure to experience. I remember quite lucidly the process of reading it, how the story got its meat hooks in me right away, and the giddiness I felt at knowing I'd discovered a proficient, polished author on a beta-reading site for amateurs. This book has every shot of going mainstream and making Litherland a household name, at least among literate crime junkies who love a well-crafted story. Reliable sources have also whispered to me that a fu ...more

flag Like · see review

Aug 22, 2019 R.B. Shifman rated it it was amazing

So great it's criminal!

If you told me Barry Litherland was publishing more crime/thriller books, I would pay for each and every one of them--maybe twice. That's how good this mystery/crime drama is. It's all FANTASTIC! --the character development, the crisp and descriptive writing, the way he weaves elements from characters' pasts with what's happening in the present, the pace of the story, the way the mystery unravels and reveals, the incisive laugh-out-loud humor--ALL of it. I loved this book! ...more

flag Like · see review

Aug 19, 2019 H.R. Kemp rated it it was amazing

What a great read, I was hooked from the start and couldn't put it down. This is an expertly crafted thriller. It's fast paced, builds tension and suspense and delivers a few surprises. The author seamlessly interweaves the threads of a past mystery into the fabric of the contemporary plot. It keeps you guessing.
It's well written, has great characters and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I highly recommend it. ...more

flag Like · see review

Sep 11, 2019 Nicky Elliott rated it it was amazing

Amazing read, hooked from beginning to end. Particularly love this
authors skill at creating a complete image in the readers head of each
character he introduces and how they relate to each other. Great
storyline which not only keeps you guessing about the present crime
but also arouses intrigue with hints of something sinister from the
past of the main characters, effortlessly intertwining the two. A must
read for thriller lovers.

flag Like · see review

Aug 23, 2019 Eamon rated it really liked it

A V good read. To be honest, I only intended reading the first few chapters, but quickly got hooked and thoroughly enjoyed the read. I loved the simple uncomplicated writing style. The inclusion of humour (well I found parts of it funny!) is not an easy thing to do but in my humble opinion, the author does it very well.

I wish him well.

Eamon

flag Like · see review

Aug 25, 2019 Nathan Love rated it it was amazing

An absolutely fantastic read! Only meant to read the first chapter, but found myself hooked and couldn't put it down! Good pace throughout, very believable characters, an all round, jolly good book! First of a series maybe? ...more

flag Like · see review