The plot: Only in his 40s, Nick Anthony is a retired professor of medieval history, a former marine, and a widower. Since his wife's death, he's retreated to an isolated cabin in the North Carolina mountains. And he just wants to be left alone. Then a sixteen-year-old girl turns up on his front porch, and he learns that she's his niece, Annalise; her parents are dead; and the men that murdered them are now after her. It's up to Nick not only to keep her safe, but to figure out the truth behind his brother's death. Good thing there's more to Nick Anthony than meets the eye.
My thoughts: This character-driven novel is both riveting and immersive. I was immediately drawn to Nick Anthony, both for his love for and grief over his wife, Ellie, and for his stumbling but well-meaning and honest attempts to be a good uncle to Annalise. I liked their hesitant relationship with all its ups and downs, and I loved the unexpected secret from Nick's past and the way he goes after the bad guys. There's good action and suspense in this mystery. It reads very fast and it's so well-written! ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Happy Reading!
Nick sounds like a great character. I'll have to see if my library has this one. Great review! :)
ReplyDeleteNick is a great character. And I loved seeing him try and figure out how to get along with Annaliese and take care of her.
DeleteSounds like a good read! Christopher Swann is an unknown author to me. Nice review.
ReplyDeleteThis is the first book by Christopher Swann that I've read, but it won't be my last.
DeleteOoh I need to get this! I remember seeing it a couple years ago and even started reading it at Amazon.
ReplyDeleteIt's a fast and fun read. I really liked it.
DeleteNice review! Sounds like a great book!
ReplyDeleteI really liked the characters, and I liked that it read fast and was a fairly clean read, too.
DeleteColor me intrigued!
ReplyDeleteIt's a fun thriller. What made me want to read it was the whole niece turning up out of nowhere on his doorstep. I liked that premise. :D
DeleteHi Lark, great description of this novel and I always enjoy books where people who have had a rough time in life retreat to a cabin to sort things out. And Nick sounds very interesting, including his background in the marines and as a medieval history professor.
ReplyDeleteI loved Nick's history with all the different layers.
DeleteA very Happy Easter to you.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Mary! I wish the same for you. :D
DeleteI always enjoy a miss of suspense/mystery but with a focus on the characters. Sounds like this had a great balance.
ReplyDeleteI'm a very character-oriented kind of reader. If I don't love the characters, I'd rather not read the book.
DeleteOh this looks like a good mistery book
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed it. Thanks for commenting. :D
DeleteSounds like a good suspense novel.
ReplyDeleteI liked that there were things about the plot I couldn't predict, and of course, the characters were great.
DeleteI love it when books have great characters you want to read about and root for. Definitely going to add this one to my TBR, especially since you said the plot wasn't always predictable.
ReplyDeleteThere were things in this one that I wasn't expecting; and one of the twists was very fun imo. :D Thanks for commenting!
DeleteOooh this sounds like my kind of story! Love that it's character driven even with the action/thriller aspect. Wonderful review, Lark! :)
ReplyDeleteBoth Nick and Annalise make this a book worth reading.
DeleteThis sounds intriguing and not to many thriller style books have much character growth so that makes this extra appealing.
ReplyDeleteNick is a very likable and interesting character.
DeleteIt's a good thing this guy is a former marine!
ReplyDeleteSo true! He needs all his skills in this one.
DeleteI really enjoy thrillers but do want good characters to root for and this one sounds like it has them!
ReplyDeleteThis is a pretty fast read. I would have happily enjoyed having more to read in it, because I did really like the characters.
DeleteChristopher Swann is a great storyteller and I've enjoyed the books I read by him thus far. I'm curious what his next book will be.
ReplyDeleteI'm curious to read his other books now, too.
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