An FBI investigator must uncover the secrets of his hometown to solve a double murder in this twisty “page turner” that’s “perfect summer reading” (Stephen King). “And that is how it happened. Can we stop now?” Kimberly Crepeaux is no good, a notorious jailhouse snitch, teen mother, and heroin addict whose petty crimes are well-known to the rural Maine community where she lives. So when she … crimes are well-known to the rural Maine community where she lives. So when she confesses to her role in the brutal murders of Jackie Pelletier and Ian Kelly, the daughter of a well-known local family and her sweetheart, the locals have little reason to believe her story.
Not Rob Barrett, the FBI investigator and interrogator specializing in telling a true confession from a falsehood. He’s been circling Kimberly and her conspirators for months, waiting for the right avenue to the truth, and has finally found it. He knows, as strongly as he’s known anything, that Kimberly’s story-a grisly, harrowing story of a hit and run fueled by dope and cheap beer that becomes a brutal stabbing in cold blood-is how it happened. But one thing remains elusive: where are Jackie and Ian’s bodies?
After Barrett stakes his name and reputation on the truth of Kimberly’s confession, only to have the bodies turn up 200 miles from where she said they’d be, shot in the back and covered in a different suspect’s DNA, the case is quickly closed and Barrett forcibly reassigned. But for Howard Pelletier, the tragedy of his daughter’s murder cannot be so tidily swept away. And for Barrett, whose career may already be over, the chance to help a grieving father may be the only one he has left.
HOW IT HAPPENED is a frightening, tension-filled ride into the dark heart of rural American from a writer Stephen King has called “a master” and the New York Times has deemed “impossible to resist.”
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This gripping and absorbing story about a protagonist coming to terms with his conflicted past, a lost love, and a crime that seems determined not to be solved could only be penned by Michael Koryta, whose sense of place and insight into the human experience are unsurpassed.
Michael Koryta is one hell of a writer, and How it Happened is one hell of a murder mystery. It’s a tribute to Koryta’s craftsmanship and skill that the reader can’t put the book down until the last layer of the onion is peeled away to reveal the truth at the core of this gripping tale… A remarkable achievement that rises high above the genre.
Fourand a half stars, A very good read
really enjoyed this book – twists galore and a real journey for the reader…..am downloading more of his work…..
This is a good, action-packed story with twists and turns. You’ll be wondering the entire time if Barrett can convince and prove who he believes his lying and who committed the murders. You’ll be guessing, with twists and turns, through the story!
Excellent
Loved the way this started from the first page. Good characters and keeps you guessing until the end.
I’ve never met a Michael Koryta book I didn’t like. Always and entertaining read.
Michael Koryta’s writing in this book is excellent…I am a HUGE fan of his books, having read all of them. The storyline is a little different than his other books, however. It’s too bad that I have to wait awhile for the next one!
Liked the characters and they were pretty realistic. The story was twisted and I never knew where it was headed next…always a twist, but made for a good read. A very enjoyable read for me, but may not be for those that have a problem with violence.
great characters and plot – lots of twist. Loved how the bokk started and grabbed your attention right away.
Excellent writer
This is first of Michael Koryta’s books for me. Now I want to read more!
I finished it but found it dragged far to long to the ending
I just finished this wonderful book by Michael Koryta. It was fabulous! The characters were believable and some of them were truly haunting. I am familiar with the Camden, Maine area so it was especially nice for me to “see” the downtown harbor area where Liz kept her sailboat. I highly recommend this book, as well as this author, to anyone who is looking for a good, enticing read.
Good character development and nice plot
As a reader I can’t get enough of Koryta. As a writer, I’m absolutely taken with his writing.
This was another great story from Indiana author, Michael Koryta. How It Happened explores the deaths of two young people in Maine. Complicating the work to solve the crime is the reliability of a key witness. Can what she is saying be believed, some of it, or none of it? The reader feels sympathy and empathy for the survivors who want to know where their loved ones are and the truth of how it happened and who is responsible. As the reader, one can only imagine the distress that untruthfulness brings to an already horrible situation. One also sees how the choices we make impact our own lives and the lives of others.
Without a doubt, Michael Koryta is one of my favorite authors. His writing is exceptional and his stories never fail to be spellbinding. In How It Happened, a young drug addict named Kimberly is the sole surviving witness to the murder of a young couple in love. Unfortunately, Kimberly’s story seems to have holes in it and she’s certainly not the most reliable witness (especially since her testimony may be part of a deal to reduce charges for other trouble she’s in). Rob Barrett, an FBI investigator believes Kimberly is telling the truth though but without the support of others in the law enforcement community and any hard evidence, his hands are tied and proving what he believes to be true is beyond challenging. What really happened to that young couple meeting at sunrise in the local cemetery to celebrate their love? Were their murders an accident? Intentional? Part of a larger crime? Most importantly, does Rob Barrett have what it takes to solve the case, even if he risks losing everything, including his own life?
This is definitely a page turner. At no time, was I convinced that I had solved the mystery or understood the motivation behind the deaths of the young couple. Twists and turns were lurking around every corner and nothing was as it seemed. The excellent plot, combined with characters who were so well developed that I felt as if I had known them my entire life, led to a captivating read that is sure not to be missed.
Highly recommended!