Editorial Content for Forsaken Country
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To say that Max Rupert has fallen off the beaten track into a self-imposed sort of isolation would be an understatement. The tragic death of his wife has led the former Minneapolis homicide detective to leave everything behind, grow his hair out like a true mountain man, and move into a no-frills cabin deep in the woods.
However, Max cannot escape from everyone. Ex-local sheriff Lyle Voight finds him and makes a desperate plea. His daughter, Sandy, and his six-year-old grandson, Pip, are nowhere to be found, and he believes they were taken from their home against their will. Even though evidence may lead many to think that they had left of their own accord, Lyle is convinced that Sandy’s ex-husband, Reed, is behind their disappearance.
"FORSAKEN COUNTRY is Allen Eskens at his most raw and brutal as he produces some of the best cat-and-mouse games I have read in a while."
As hard as he tries, Lyle is unable to persuade Max to return to his old detection ways and is turned down. Meanwhile, we learn that Lyle’s suspicions are indeed correct. Not only is Reed the guilty party, he has teamed up with an extremely dangerous individual named Spud, who broke into Sandy’s house. Even though he claims he was only there to rob her, Spud ends up taking her life with a garrote. Pip returns to Reed, while Sandy’s house and vehicle are made to look like they took off in a hurry to get away from her current live-in boyfriend.
Max eventually softens and begins his own subtle investigation into the last known whereabouts of Sandy and Pip. He does let Lyle know that he will need the assistance of someone who still has a badge, so he reaches out to his former partner from Minneapolis, Detective Niki Vang. When they reunite, some of their old magic is at play, even though Niki must take the lead as Max is still a deeply broken man who easily can fall prey to his own demons and lose focus.
Max literally cleans up his act as he gets a much-needed haircut and beard trim. He and Nikki feel that perhaps Reed and Spud have pulled a Strangers on a Train move, whereby each murdered a person from each other’s life in some sort of deadly pact. This is partially confirmed by the news of a murder in Spud’s family, which makes Max and Niki fear the worst outcome for Sandy.
Max refuses to give up his search for Pip, at the very least, even though Lyle will not accept that his daughter is dead. The two men will find out quickly that there are few animals more dangerous than a desperate father, and Reed will take Pip as far away as he can once he realizes that Lyle is after him. The chase’s suspense level is through the roof, especially since we already are aware of Sandy’s fate, which Lyle is not privy to yet.
FORSAKEN COUNTRY is Allen Eskens at his most raw and brutal as he produces some of the best cat-and-mouse games I have read in a while. There is redemption to be had, but the price may be too high for his characters to pay. This is a novel that you will not easily forget.
Teaser
Max Rupert has left his position as a Minneapolis homicide detective to live in solitude. Mourning the tragic death of his wife, he's also racked by guilt --- he alone knows what happened to her killer. But then the former local sheriff, Lyle Voight, arrives with a desperate plea: Lyle’s daughter, Sandy, and his six-year-old grandson, Pip, have disappeared. Lyle is certain that Sandy's ex-husband, Reed, is behind it, but the new sheriff is refusing to investigate. When Max reluctantly looks into their disappearance, he too becomes convinced something has gone very wrong. But the closer Max and Lyle get to finding proof, the more slippery Reed becomes, until he makes a break for the beautiful but formidable Boundary Waters wilderness with vulnerable Pip in tow.
Promo
Max Rupert has left his position as a Minneapolis homicide detective to live in solitude. Mourning the tragic death of his wife, he's also racked by guilt --- he alone knows what happened to her killer. But then the former local sheriff, Lyle Voight, arrives with a desperate plea: Lyle’s daughter, Sandy, and his six-year-old grandson, Pip, have disappeared. Lyle is certain that Sandy's ex-husband, Reed, is behind it, but the new sheriff is refusing to investigate. When Max reluctantly looks into their disappearance, he too becomes convinced something has gone very wrong. But the closer Max and Lyle get to finding proof, the more slippery Reed becomes, until he makes a break for the beautiful but formidable Boundary Waters wilderness with vulnerable Pip in tow.
About the Book
Three fathers collide far beyond the reach or safety of the law in this breathtaking thriller from the beloved author of THE STOLEN HOURS and THE LIFE WE BURY, and "one of our best crime writers at the top of his game" (William Kent Krueger, New York Times bestselling author).
Max Rupert has left his position as a Minneapolis homicide detective to live in solitude. Mourning the tragic death of his wife, he's also racked by guilt --- he alone knows what happened to her killer. But then the former local sheriff, Lyle Voight, arrives with a desperate plea: Lyle’s daughter, Sandy, and his six-year-old grandson, Pip, have disappeared. Lyle’s certain Sandy's ex-husband, Reed, is behind it, but the new sheriff is refusing to investigate.
When Max reluctantly looks into their disappearance, he too becomes convinced something has gone very wrong. But the closer Max and Lyle get to finding proof, the more slippery Reed becomes, until he makes a break for the beautiful but formidable Boundary Waters wilderness with vulnerable Pip in tow.
Racing after the most dangerous kind of criminal --- a desperate father --- and with the ghosts of their own pasts never far behind, Max and Lyle go on the hunt within a treacherous landscape, determined to bring an evil man to justice and to bring a terrified child home alive.
Audiobook available, read by Brian Troxell
