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3.34 AVERAGE
3.34 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
tense
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is an odd book. It's a crime thriller that takes heavy ques from the espionage genre, following a bereft mans quest for revenge. What sets this apart from any number of other John Wick clones is the tone: Dead Anyways is so clinical, upper middle class neo-liberal, and relentlessly rational that it loops back around to become psychological horror; the monstrosity of well to do White people thinking through the rational next step with which they should conduct their pursuits. The details afforded the main characters murders are equal to those afforded his woodworking projects. The tone and plotting of Dead Anyways elevate it to a very interesting read, although I feel let down by the ending.
I was glad to see that this is the first book in a new series by Chris Knopf. Knopf has written a wonderful story with a regular guy protagonist who finds his world turned upside down in an instant. Using brains instead of brawn he sets out with only one goal in mind...revenge. This is a well written story with plenty of twists and turns which will keep you speed reading to the end. A terrific cast of characters keeps you involved until the very end. Knopf has written a story with intriquing characters, plenty of suspense and an ending that will leave you wanting more.
Here’s the thing with this novel: I liked the details of Connecticut [generally a blandish state] and Fairfield County in particular (I lived there for eight years as a child) more than I liked the main character. Knopf proves quite good in writing about place, usually Long Island. In Dead Anyway he’s introducing readers to a new character and another series. At the beginning of the novel, Arthur Cathcart returns home to find a gun pointed at his wife Florencia. The gunman shoots them both in the head. Florencia, who works for an insurance company dies on site. When Arthur regains consciousness, he insists that his physician sister Evelyn declare him dead so he can track Florencia’s killer. And we’re off. Arthur works as a geeky numbers researcher and handily hacks into computer and security systems.
It’s a page-turner due to the horrific crime committed to Arthur and his wife. Also as a reader you want to know why someone would do this. Throughout Arthur’s ordeal to uncover why someone targeted his wife, Knopf includes magnificent, detailed descriptions of Connecticut [“So it was no charade for me to walk into a small shop in Westport that stank of wool, silk and leather, and completely give myself over to the predacious attentions of a tiny white-haired man named Preston Nestor.”] are magnificent and fascinating post-coma, post-gunshot information [“I welcomed the lush euphoria of semi-consciousness, where I could note the staggering destruction that had been done to me without feeling its effects.”]
Unfortunately Knopf doesn’t provide enough about Arthur to wholly feel concern for him. His well-being really didn’t matter to me in the end. Following him on the run and in disguise as various characters tends to be a fun thing but in the end I remained rather neutral about the real guy. If he’s going to be the center of an entire thriller series than the author needs to bolster that central character and make him much more layered and compelling. Right now he’s flat.
It’s a page-turner due to the horrific crime committed to Arthur and his wife. Also as a reader you want to know why someone would do this. Throughout Arthur’s ordeal to uncover why someone targeted his wife, Knopf includes magnificent, detailed descriptions of Connecticut [“So it was no charade for me to walk into a small shop in Westport that stank of wool, silk and leather, and completely give myself over to the predacious attentions of a tiny white-haired man named Preston Nestor.”] are magnificent and fascinating post-coma, post-gunshot information [“I welcomed the lush euphoria of semi-consciousness, where I could note the staggering destruction that had been done to me without feeling its effects.”]
Unfortunately Knopf doesn’t provide enough about Arthur to wholly feel concern for him. His well-being really didn’t matter to me in the end. Following him on the run and in disguise as various characters tends to be a fun thing but in the end I remained rather neutral about the real guy. If he’s going to be the center of an entire thriller series than the author needs to bolster that central character and make him much more layered and compelling. Right now he’s flat.
From Goodreads:
Imagine this: You have a nice life. You love your beautiful, successful wife. You're an easygoing guy working out of your comfortable Connecticut home. The world is an interesting, pleasant place.
Then in seconds it's all gone. You're still alive, but the world thinks you're dead. And now you have to decide. Make it official, or go after the evil that took it all away from you.
Arthur Cathcart, market researcher and occasional finder of missing persons, decides to live on a fight, by doing what he knows best - figuring things out, without revealing his status as a living breathing human being. Much easier said than done in a post- 9/11 world, where everything about yourself and all the tools you need to live a modern life are an open book. How do you become a different person, how do you finance an elaborate scheme without revealing yourself? How do you force a reckoning with the worst people on earth, as a dead man?
My Thoughts:
I liked this book quite well, it was quick to get rolling and dive into the action. I enjoyed the characters well enough, the ones you got to know anyway. I also like that you start to like people you probably shouldn't, that is always fun for me. I will probably continue with the series at some point, but don't feel the need to rush right in.
Imagine this: You have a nice life. You love your beautiful, successful wife. You're an easygoing guy working out of your comfortable Connecticut home. The world is an interesting, pleasant place.
Then in seconds it's all gone. You're still alive, but the world thinks you're dead. And now you have to decide. Make it official, or go after the evil that took it all away from you.
Arthur Cathcart, market researcher and occasional finder of missing persons, decides to live on a fight, by doing what he knows best - figuring things out, without revealing his status as a living breathing human being. Much easier said than done in a post- 9/11 world, where everything about yourself and all the tools you need to live a modern life are an open book. How do you become a different person, how do you finance an elaborate scheme without revealing yourself? How do you force a reckoning with the worst people on earth, as a dead man?
My Thoughts:
I liked this book quite well, it was quick to get rolling and dive into the action. I enjoyed the characters well enough, the ones you got to know anyway. I also like that you start to like people you probably shouldn't, that is always fun for me. I will probably continue with the series at some point, but don't feel the need to rush right in.
Okay, so totally unbelievable, but completely enjoyable read...I put everything aside today to finish. Of course, when I got to the end-a "cliff hanger" that leads me to believe there will be a 2nd book. The characters were enjoyable and it was a quick read.
"Imagine this: You have a nice life. You love your beautiful, successful wife. You're an easygoing guy working out of your comfortable Connecticut home. The world is an interesting, pleasant place. Then, in seconds, it's all gone. You're still alive, but the world thinks you're dead. And now you have to decide. Make it official, or go after the evil that took it all away from you. Arthur Cathcart, market researcher and occasional finder of missing persons, decides to live on and fight, by doing what he knows best - figuring things out, without revealing his status as a living, breathing human being. Much easier said than done in the post-9/11 world, where everything about yourself and all the tools you need to live a modern life are an open book. How do you become a different person, how do you finance an elaborate scheme without revealing yourself? How do you force a reckoning with the worst people on earth - as a dead man?"
"Imagine this: You have a nice life. You love your beautiful, successful wife. You're an easygoing guy working out of your comfortable Connecticut home. The world is an interesting, pleasant place. Then, in seconds, it's all gone. You're still alive, but the world thinks you're dead. And now you have to decide. Make it official, or go after the evil that took it all away from you. Arthur Cathcart, market researcher and occasional finder of missing persons, decides to live on and fight, by doing what he knows best - figuring things out, without revealing his status as a living, breathing human being. Much easier said than done in the post-9/11 world, where everything about yourself and all the tools you need to live a modern life are an open book. How do you become a different person, how do you finance an elaborate scheme without revealing yourself? How do you force a reckoning with the worst people on earth - as a dead man?"
I like Chris Knopf's other series (Sam Acquillo) a lot, so had high hopes for this book. Unfortunately, I didn't love it -- just too unbelievable in a way that I found distracting.
I am so glad this is part of a series. Exciting new protagonist with interesting skills.
Arthur Cathcart's mostly uneventful life is changed forever when he returns from a walk to the post office one day to find his wife home early from work. Sitting across from her in their living room is a man with a gun. He asks only that Arthur's wife fill in five blanks on a piece of paper that only she is allowed to view. When she hesitates, the intruder shoots Arthur in the thigh as motivation to do as he wishes. She fills in the blanks and both Cathcarts are shot in the head and left for dead. Arthur, however, miraculously survives his wounds but decides to keep that information secret and stay "dead" in order to try and track down his wife's killer and bring him to justice.
Dead Anyway keeps a good pace and has some great twists. It appears that this is perhaps the first in a series as all of the mysteries are not wrapped up in this book. I would recommend the book to anyone who enjoys suspense/mystery/thrillers.
[I received this book as an advance reader's edition.]
Dead Anyway keeps a good pace and has some great twists. It appears that this is perhaps the first in a series as all of the mysteries are not wrapped up in this book. I would recommend the book to anyone who enjoys suspense/mystery/thrillers.
[I received this book as an advance reader's edition.]
funny
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Audible free, think I've read other books by this guy and this is pretty good especially the part about him " disappearing", I.e dying, and then seeking revenge. So I enjoyed that. Would read more of his books but I think they are no longer free