From the creator of the TV show Bones comes a smart and funny debut thriller. “Everything a great thriller should be—always smart, often funny, and relentlessly exciting. I loved every page.”—Scott Turow Michael Skellig is a limo driver waiting for his client in the alley behind an upscale hotel. He’s spent the past twenty-eight hours ferrying around Bismarck Avila, a celebrity skateboard … around Bismarck Avila, a celebrity skateboard mogul who isn’t going home any time soon. Suddenly the wind begins to speak to Skellig in the guttural accent of the Chechen torturer he shot through the eye in Yemen a decade ago: Troubletroubletrouble. Skellig has heard these warnings before—he’s an Army Special Forces sergeant whose limo company is staffed by a ragtag band of wounded veterans, including his Afghan interpreter—and he knows to listen carefully.
Skellig runs inside just in time to save Avila from two gunmen but too late for one of Avila’s bodyguards—and wakes up hours later in the hospital, the only person of interest in custody for the murder. Complicating matters further is the appearance of Detective Delilah Groopman of the LAPD, gorgeous and brash, for whom Skellig has always held a candle. As for Avila? He’s willing to help clear Skellig’s name under one peculiar condition: that Skellig become Avila’s personal chauffeur. A cushy gig for any driver, except for the fact that someone is clearly trying to kill Avila, and Skellig is literally the only person sitting between Avila and a bullet to the head.
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It is so hard to be unique in crime fiction and Hart Hanson has done it big time with The Driver. It’s got all the ingredients: high risks, strong momentum, unseen turns and a set of gripping characters. You can’t ask for more!
The Driver is a beautifully written action thriller. The characters are vivid and original and the main character has a great dark, sense of humor. I was hooked from the first page to the last.
When Michael Skellig hires on to chauffeur Bismarck Avila, the idol of the skateboarding world, around on a drinking and sex club binge, he had no idea what he was getting himself and his employees into. First, the voices in his head start talking, then there is an assassination attempt. The next thing you know, his people are being tortured by a mad hatter detective over the location of barrels none of them know anything about. After that, the real craziness starts.
Start reading Hart Hanson’s frenetic novel “The Driver, ” and you will instantly find yourself immersed in a world of wildly imagined characters, thoughtful dialog, sweet romances, and nonstop action. To say much more than that would be gilding the lily.
I recommend “The Driver” to those who like their heroes unstable and their violence white hot.
The author’s sensitive treatment of disabled veterans is a facet to be admired.
Penguin Random House and http://www.firsttoread.com provided an advance galley for this review.
I’ve read this book at least 5 times, always great, every time. Wish there we’re more like this.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story and the characters. Lots of action and good character development. Looked to see if this was the start of a series, but sadly no. More please. These guys would make for a great series because of their unique backrounds.
Hilarious. Want more from this guy!
One of my all- time favorites.
Unlike what I usually read but very entertaining. Give yourself a treat and read this novel.
Excellent read, enjoyed the book
A great new addition to the crime anti-hero genre. Very entertaining and original plot.
Too many unrealistic characters. Story jumped from situation to situation leaving one wondering what was going on. Could have been several different short stories but , for me, didn’t work as one long novel. Choose this one only if your shelf is empty.
Was a wonderful character study
Fun fast thriller, with enough twists and turns to induce whiplash injuries.
OK, I finished The Driver and immediately looked for a sequel. Alas, not to be (yet, anyway). This is a top notch thriller with complex, nuanced characters, smart and funny dialog, and an action-driven plot. No gory violence (I’ve had it with that) but one torture scene, within my tolerances.
Takes off great from the start and was laugh out loud funny thoroughly enjoyed this book
It’s different, but in a mostly good way.
Good story and characters (vets with PTSD) but too much graphic violence for me
Did not like it
Absolutely loved this book. I don’t usually pay money, for a book, outside of my Kindle Unlimited Service, but in this case, I’m very happy I made the exception. I would DEFINITELY recommend it.
The author must have spent a great deal of time with veterans and listened carefully to both what they did and did not say out loud. This book was a real surprise to me as it brought back a lot of memories from when I was on active duty and listened to friends from a SF unit talk about things that happened during their time in Nam. I would encourage him to write more novels.