“Surrender the Dead is tense and atmospheric and so gripping that it will follow you into your dreams. A haunting tale, gorgeously told.” — Tess Gerritsen, New York Times bestselling author of Choose MeFrom the award-winning author of The Absence of Mercy comes a chilling psychological thriller about a family and community divided by tragedy, and the dark secrets that will set their town aflame.… award-winning author of The Absence of Mercy comes a chilling psychological thriller about a family and community divided by tragedy, and the dark secrets that will set their town aflame.
When Erin Reece left Wolf Point fifteen years ago after graduating high school, she’d planned to never set foot in her childhood hometown again. But an urgent phone call from her father’s doctor leaves Erin with no choice but to return to a place filled with painful memories and wounds that never closed. Two decades ago, people in Wolf Point started disappearing without a trace—including Erin’s mother—and no explanation was ever found.
It’s been years since the last disappearance, but the town is still steeped in suspicion and haunted by the ghosts of the missing. No one is thrilled to see Erin back, including her former best friend, Robbie, who has changed from a spirited, fearless boy to a reclusive shut-in.
Then a body is discovered, buried in a makeshift grave for years . . . on the Reece family’s land. The police reopen their investigation, and the evidence against Erin’s father is damning. After such a long time without answers, the community wants justice. It’s up to Erin to clear her father’s name, but the path to the truth will force her to unearth long-buried secrets and confront a terrible evil. Because in Wolf Point, everyone knows more than they are letting on . . .
“John Burley has an eye for detail, a feel for story, and a deep sympathy for his characters.” — Lou Berney, award-winning author of November Road
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Surrender the Dead by John Burley can be added to the towering stack of contemporary thrillers that feature an unreliable female narrator who is dragged back to her childhood home. Erin Reese, Burley’s protagonist, returns to Wolf Point after learning her father has been hospitalized. Like those other damaged women in such novels, she had sworn she would never return. For Erin, the town is where her mother and others disappeared under suspicious circumstances. To her dismay, her father’s farm has recently become a crime scene since a body has been found on the property. The bereaved families of those victims from 20 years ago rise up to demand answers and obtain closure. Having borne the losses so long, they are quick to accuse Erin’s father who has a criminal record. While in town, Erin reconnects with Robbie, a childhood friend. She enlists his help to investigate and clear her father’s name. Just when his health begins to improve, another body is found on his land-thereby solidifying the case against him. Erin needs to rely on blocked memories from her past which are revealed slowly to the reader. Surrender the Dead is not particularly innovative, but its twisty ending will appeal to fans of the genre. There is a large selection of novels with similar plotlines available, and this one might be found in the lower part of the list.
Told in alternating time periods – present day and roughly twenty years prior during which several residents of the town mysteriously disappeared, one of whom was Erin’s mother. Erin returns home because her father is ill. While he’s in the hospital, a body is found buried on his property. Erin doesn’t believe he is responsible and hopes it’s not her mother.
The book started out fine, but then it got a bit slower. This is a true slow-burn mystery. Towards the end, it was a bit more interesting again but the very end involved some crazy action with one character suffering such severe injuries, I was surprised she could walk.
A woman returns to her hometown after fifteen years to see her ailing father. There are many dark secrets in Wolf Point. The story jumps back and forth between present day and some two decades prior when mysterious disappearances occurred with alarming frequency. Throw in a few discovered bodies, the many interwoven relationships of a small town and it’s a recipe for a genuine thriller.
Thanks to the publisher William Morrow and the author for providing the complimentary trade paperback via Goodreads giveaway.
This book was AMAZING! Hands down the best book I’ve read in quite a while!
I thought this was an amazing and powerful thriller. It starts with an intriguing and spot-on description of school aged children and how they think and act. We get to then watch how one thing can impact an ever widening circle of people.
Erin Reese, now a veterinarian, grew up in a small town, Wolf Point, on a farm. Her father was sent to prison for an accident that took a child’s life. Her mother disappeared one day when Erin was young, as did many others. When she reached college age, she couldn’t wait to leave town, get away from the horrors she left there, and never return. But then she gets a call that her father is seriously ill and in the hospital. She returns to spend time with him and help him recover. While there, she attempts to reconnect with her best friend from childhood, Robbie Tabaha. The things that happened in his youth also haunt him. While back at home, Erin will find herself facing more terror, and that will bring her and Robbie back together
There was one small thing that bothered me. Erin faces some difficulties that cause her to suffer several serious physical injuries. Unfortunately, after first making much of these injuries, all but one or two are quickly forgotten. Given that the author is an MD, I’d think that he should know better than to dismiss these injuries so quickly. I did read an advanced reader copy of this book, so it is possible that this problem was addressed and fixed before publication. In any case, it was not overly important to the story.
This is a powerful and interesting mystery/thriller. The writing is excellent, the characters well and completely drawn, and the plot will keep you turning pages. It will also keep you guessing to the very end.
I enjoyed this book. It was the second book by John Burley that I’ve read by this author, but I hope to read more by him in the future. I highly recommend this book.
I received an advanced reader copy of the book from the publisher through Netgalley. I thank them for their generosity, but it had not effect on this review. All opinions in this review reflect my true and honest reactions to reading this book.
Dark and twisted. This book will haunt you long after you’ve finished.
A town haunted by its past. The ghosts of the past are everywhere. Right from the beginning, I was pulled into the story. It has a dark haunting vibe to it. The pacing is a little slow in some places but not enough to deter me from the story. As the story progresses, you can feel something building and you just know it’s going to shake you to your core. With the many twists and turns the author threw in there, I was both surprised and delighted at the ending. The author did not disappoint!
This is a new to me author. I really enjoyed his writing and storytelling style. Great suspense! I can’t wait to see more from this author. If you love suspense and those thrilling books, this one is for YOU! Grab your copy today! I give this 5 stars.
This takes place in Wolf Point, Montana, where a group of elementary friends plans on meeting to go sledding after school. Angela Finley has a task to complete before she can meet Erin Reece and her other friends. Angela doesn’t make it to the sledding hill, she seems to have just vanished.
It doesn’t stop there, along with children, some adults come up missing. The towns people are scared and keeping a close eye on their children.
Erin Reece’s mother, Helen, drives her daughter and friend, Robbie Tabaha, to the movies. She would return to pick them up, except she never showed.
Years later, after leaving Wolf Point, Erin has come home after a call about her father being in the hospital. The news is much more worrisome, when Erin is asked to go to the station to hear that skeletal remains have been found on her father’s farm.
The citizens of Wolf Point, haven’t forgotten the past and want revenge. They’ve already judged, and convicted Erin’s father, but the truth has been buried a long time and the past is about to return with new targets.
I thought I had figured out the villain, but as the story continued to unfold there was a shocking twist that I never saw coming. A lot of people had a lot of secrets. Enjoyable read!
I requested and received an ARC from NetGalley via William Morrow and Custom House and I have voluntarily reviewed this book.