THE INSTANT BESTSELLER “We the unwilling, led by the unqualified to kill the unfortunate, die for the ungrateful.” –Unknown Soldier Set in the South at the height of the Vietnam War, The Unwilling combines crime, suspense and searing glimpses into the human mind and soul in New York Times bestselling author John Hart’s singular style. Gibby’s older brothers have already been to war. One died … Hart’s singular style.
Gibby’s older brothers have already been to war. One died there. The other came back misunderstood and hard, a decorated killer now freshly released from a three-year stint in prison.
Jason won’t speak of the war or of his time behind bars, but he wants a relationship with the younger brother he hasn’t known for years. Determined to make that connection, he coaxes Gibby into a day at the lake: long hours of sunshine and whisky and older women.
But the day turns ugly when the four encounter a prison transfer bus on a stretch of empty road. Beautiful but drunk, one of the women taunts the prisoners, leading to a riot on the bus. The woman finds it funny in the moment, but is savagely murdered soon after.
Given his violent history, suspicion turns first to Jason; but when the second woman is kidnapped, the police suspect Gibby, too. Determined to prove Jason innocent, Gibby must avoid the cops and dive deep into his brother’s hidden life, a dark world of heroin, guns and outlaw motorcycle gangs.
What he discovers there is a truth more disturbing than he could have imagined: not just the identity of the killer and the reasons for Tyra’s murder, but the forces that shaped his brother in Vietnam, the reason he was framed, and why the most dangerous man alive wants him back in prison.
This is crime fiction at its most raw, an exploration of family and the past, of prison and war and the indelible marks they leave.
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I am a long time John Hart fan and his new book will continue to add to his legacy as a fantastic writer in his genre. The Unwilling is a thriller but it is so much more. It’s about love and family, brothers and friendship, war and grief.
The Unwilling takes place in North Carolina during the Vietnam war and centers around the French family. The father is a police detective who is trying to keep his family together, the mother lives her days in grief as she over-protects her third son. The three sons are Roberts who was killed in Vietnam, Jason who was dishonorably discharged after three tours in Vietnam has just gotten out of prison, and Gibby, a high school senior who desperately misses his brothers. When Jason returns from prison, he wants to re-connect with his younger brother. He doesn’t want to see his parents because his mother made no secret of the fact that she wished he had died instead of her favorite son, Robert. When Jason and Gibby spend a day together, Jason brings along two females. One of them, does something stupid in a drunken moment and it changes everything. When she is found murdered a few days later, Jason is the major suspect and Gibby is also suspected when the second woman becomes missing. Gibby is determined to prove that his brother is innocent so he goes into the underground of drugs and violence to try to meet people who can give him information on his brother. What he finds out helps him better understand his brother but it also puts his life in great danger from the person who wants to put his brother back in jail.
This novel is a real page turner and doesn’t get resolved until almost the end. The characters are well written and strong as they each try to help out other family members. It’s a dark and gritty book that will take the reader on a roller coaster ride of emotions and full of characters that won’t soon be forgotten. I predict that this book will be a MUST READ book for summer, 2020.
Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.
John Hart is an author that can take some of the most difficult situations and twist them until you are left heartbroken and aching. I have so many thoughts as I have closed the last page and set the book aside. The book is set during the Vietnam War and I would have to stop myself and remember that this was a different time period. Family relationships is a major focus in this book. And how those relationships can be twisted and the characters misunderstood or judged is disheartening.
There are some twists and you learn some of Jason’s background story and how he has been misrepresented. He is NOT who you think he is. His life has been destroyed and he is having to make decisions based on what others assume to be true.
The younger brother, Gibby, is a teenager who is confronted with a family that is falling apart, wants to have a relationship with his older brother, Jason, endures his mother’s over-the-top protectiveness, interacts with a father who is struggling to deal with the changing family dynamic, and discovering his sexuality and developing relationships with females.
There are two serial killers. And their extreme evil is disturbing. The ugliness of their lives and deeds was appalling. And how it affected the lives of the other characters was disturbing.
Even with all of the negative aspects of the story, there are some positive things to take away. Family and friendship are precious and should be protected and treasured. The fragility of our lives and the time we have together should be cherished.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
I loved everything about this book. From page one, I was drawn into the story and the characters. I thought the story took of pretty quickly, the chapters were short enough to read “just one more” before I had to do adult things. The characters were well rounded and developed, the flaws were realistic, the personalities addictive.
I don’t want to write a summary of the book because I don’t want to give away any more than what the blurb already does. But this book hits all the elements of a good thriller: drugs, war, prison, weapons, murder, cops, and a shocking twist!
Do yourself a favor and read this book immediately! You won’t be disappointed.
John Hart’s “The Unwilling” Combines Crime, Suspense and Searing Glimpses into the Human Mind and Soul. Enjoyed interviewing the author on Charlotte Readers Podcast for our 200th episode.
4.5*
Not a book about the Vietnam war and the battles fought in it but about the boys who became men when they returned and the ones who feared the draft that would send them into the War. Gibby doesn’t fear the draft like his best friend does. He had a brother die in the war and another who volunteered to serve. But when his brother finally returned home after a dishonorable discharge his parents don’t want him around his brother. He had been doing drugs and got himself put into prison. They don’t trust Jason and believe he will only cause harm to the only good son they have left. This electrifying novel tells a story of what happens when Gibby does see his brother and what happens if his parents were right.
I absolutely loved this book. I finished it within two days and was hooked on to every word. I like that this story had the background of the Vietnam war. It provided a backstory that drove a lot of the tension within the story, but it’s mainly about the person Jason has become after and the people he has got himself entangled with because of the path he had chosen.
There is so much in this book that gives it the thriller genre. A lot of it is pretty dark but that’s what kept this book so entertaining. It’s truly like no other book I have read before. Through the book, you are gaining more and more insight into Jason’s life and the people who are after him. If this book was simply about Jason it would not have been as good of a book, but it was also about some pretty bad people and the inner workings of a dangerous criminal and how he uses the corrupt cops inside the prisons he’s in to do his dirty work. This criminal does all he can to ruin the life of Jason and to get exactly what he wants, get Jason back into prison. He frames Jason with murder and frames Gibby as well. There are many different agendas that different gangs have. Gibby gets himself tied into a lot of messes as he tried to discover the truth about his brother’s past. All I can say is I was never bored.
I listened to the audio version of this book and I liked and disliked the reading. The reader’s voice was smooth and got me engaged in the story. The book was narrated by one man, but he did well changing his voice to the characters who were talking. One thing that got me confused a few times is the number of times the perspective changes. The book is written in the first person from Gibby’s point of view but most of the other characters have third person limited sections in the book. I liked this from a story point of view because it always was changing the story up. This helped me not to get bored of just one person’s problems or perspective. It was always going from person to person at the best times so you can read about all the thrilling moments. I did really like all the perspectives, but with the audio version, it was hard to tell when this shift was made. So, all of a sudden it would be on one person and then switch to another. There was no indication this shift was made so the only way to realize it was when you were suddenly hearing different names or a different situation than you were just reading about. I’m sure there was some type of marker in the physical book to mark this change, but it was hard to indicate in the audio. This wasn’t a big challenge for me because I was able to pick it up soon after because there was some indication in the words but if I wasn’t paying attention, I might get lost.
I’m surprised at how much I enjoyed this book. It’s not one specific thing but just the overall enjoyment of the book. It’s nothing overly special I just think it was really well written and developed. All the characters had their own personality and you got attached to all of the different plot points. And I really like how it ended. All I can say is that it came full circle. I would recommend if you can handle some gruesome details, but it was a unique read.
I enjoyed this one in audio. So many family dynamics were interwoven in this story beginning with the Vietnam war where one twin (the good twin) loses his life and so the other twin (the bad one) enlists and then comes home a decorated hero but an addict and criminal and that is all anyone sees. He is soon sentenced to prison where he spends hard time and when he is released all he wants to do is spend one day with his remaining brother, Gibby, before he graduates from high school and goes on with his life. This is met with resistance from his cop father and neurotic mother (she is a piece of work). When they set off on their day of adventure with two young ladies Jason knows this starts the ball rolling for the rest of the story. One instance leads to another and…crazy how life is. This was a well told story and the narrator was perfection! The only drawback was the character of X, a serial killer billionaire who ran the prison and his world still from the bowels of the underground of the prison. It bordered on comic book meets action movie story. Still, I would recommend this one.
LOVE this author
Author John Hart has long been a favorite of mine. I’ve read most of his books and have enjoyed them all. I especially appreciate that he writes mostly standalone books – beginning, middle, killer endings with no cliffhangers. He’s not the most prolific of authors and I guess that makes the anticipation sweeter when I hear of a new book coming out.
This story takes place in Charlotte, North Carolina in 1972. It centers on the French family that has sacrificed much to the Vietnam War and has had to pay a heavy price. One son, Robert, was killed in the war. The second one, Jason, came back dangerous and damaged. And the youngest, Gibby, just had to sign up for the draft. Their father is a city cop in Charlotte.
After a young woman is found horrifically murdered in town, events start spiralling out of control – with the different members of the French family, their friends, and especially those who hate Jason. There is rampant treachery at the local prison which figures strongly into the story.
I highly recommend this John Hart novel – and all his others too.
I received this Advanced Reading Copy from St. Martin’s Press through Edelweiss and Net Galley in the hopes that I would read it and leave an unbiased review.
I have never read a book that has given such insight into the effect of the Vietnam War on the families of the military. I really could not put this down. Most of the characters were likeable or annoying but they all brought out some time of emotion. Highly recommend>
Most families were struggling the devastating effects of the Vietnam war. Unfortunately, some families carried a heavier burden than others. William “Bill” French is a former Marine working as a detective, married to Gabrielle and the father of three boys. His oldest son, Robert, had died in Vietnam while serving as a Marine. His death torn the seam which held the family together until Jason, Robert’s twin brother, enlists in the Marines. During his third tour of duty, Jason is dishonorably discharged and returned home angry and disgraced. He turned to alcohol, drugs and a life of crime until he was sent to prison.
When Jason is released from prison he carries on his careless lifestyle. Although his mother had written him off years ago, his father remained concerned but being in law enforcement didn’t help his efforts to communicate with his son. Gibson “Gibby” who is now 18 years old and barely remembers Robert wants desperately to see Jason. Gibby has been sheltered by the cruelties of the world since his parents could bear to “lose” another child to the war.
Jason takes Gibby out one day for a drive to relax and have fun. He is surprised to find that Jason has invited two older girls to come along. Sara and Tyra spend the adventurous day with the brothers who drink and act reckless that day. The day empowered Gibby in more ways than he could imagine especially when Tyra is found dead and Jason is arrested for her murder. Gibby finds the strength and courage, often misguided, to help exonerate his brother. The immaturity of his youth puts Gibby in many dangerous situations which ultimately implicates him in a bigger criminal investigation. Detective French tries to help both his sons without jeopardizing his career since he was officially removed from the case.
The story is compelling and dark at times exposing the depravity that lurks within some people. In particular, X, who is a wealthy inmate on death row with influential people in his pocket ensuring his control over his final days. A man this wealthy and deplorable has just as many minions at his disposal.
Although not specified by the author in a letter which arrived with my book, I was struck by the conflicting ideas of killing. Initially, the story begins with death as a result of military combat and war. This is an act of defense for one’s country and can be viewed as patriotic and justified. Then, the story delves deeper into the minds of killers who intentionally and deliberately act to torture and kill innocent people. In the end, the author successfully accomplishes his goal of speaking “to the unchanging nature of humanity, the good and bad of us all.” The difficult decisions and paths with which we are confronted force us to handle life with love, hope, anger, fear, courage, and determination.
The Unwilling by John Hart
Multilayered magnificent look at a fractured family dealing with multiple issues. This book took me back to memories of high school when we sent cookies and letters to soldiers in Vietnam, letters I received thanking me, news clips, and the remembered dread of “what if someone I know is drafted?” It is not just the memories evoked that drew me…no…but those were as real to me as the characters described in this book.
What I liked:
* Jason: a complex man, war veteran, brother, son, and over time I grew to admire, root for, and wish him future success – would love to have a crystal ball to see how he was a decade later.
* Gibby: graduating from high school, interested in Beck, conflicted about his future, beginning to assert himself – on the brink of becoming a man to be reckoned with.
* Robert: the twin that was lost to war and a big part of the story though never seen in the flesh.
* Chance: a good friend of Gibby’s through good times and bad. I wouldn’t mind seeing him in a story of his own a few years down the road.
* Becky: smart, attractive, empathetic, strong and a perfect first love for Gibby
* The darker side of the story and the impact of X on so many
* Watching the growth of various characters as the story progressed. It wasn’t just the younger generation that grew and changed.
* The conflict within Detective William French and how he grappled with it.
* Ken Burklow: French’s homicide detective partner, Korean war veteran, good friend to both French and his sons.
* The way some of the bad guys were outsmarted.
* The revelations that Gibby and his father made related to Jason.
* The closeness I felt between the brothers.
* The high dive aspect of the book that ties in well with the cover – loved how the decisions were made to or not to dive.
* The real feel of the story…or at least most of it.
* The excellent writing, plotting and overall story.
* All of it really except…
What I didn’t like:
* Knowing that there are sadists, sadistic mercenaries, and psychopaths that exist in this world just like the ones in this book
* Gabrielle: wife of detective French and mother to Robert, Jason, and Gibby. I had moments I wanted to smack her, sit her down and give her a talking to, or…something worse.
* A few of the homicide detectives…
Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more by this author? Definitely
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC – This is my honest review.
5 Stars
Frightful, atmospheric, and spine-chilling!
The Unwilling is an engrossing, gritty novel that transports you to Charleston, South Carolina, during 1972 when the Vietnam War is still being waged and Detective Bill French, unfortunately, finds himself mixed up in a complex investigation involving a heinous killer with a penchant for sadism, and a young murder victim that seems to have known both his teenage son, Gibby and his delinquent, adult son, Jason a little too well.
The prose is meticulous and crisp. The characters are raw, scarred, and maudlin. And the plot, including all the subplots, unravel and intertwine effortlessly into an ominous tale filled with mixed emotions, manipulation, deceit, corruption, grief, violence, and murder.
I have to admit that I have been a huge fan of John Hart since 2006 when he published his debut novel, The King of Lies. And even though I didn’t love The Unwilling as much as some of his older ones, it is still an intricate, sinister, well-written whodunit filled with an abundance of deeply flawed characters that I thoroughly enjoyed.
John Hart is an author that I buy his books the day they are released. As a matter of fact I preordered a signed copy of this book before I even started listening to it. He is that good! And this book is his absolute best.
Jason has just been released from prison. He has returned to his hometown just to see his little brother, Gibby. He has a complex relationship with his family. Heck, Jason is a very complex character. He is a Vietnam vet with a high kill rate and huge secrets.
Gibby is a high school senior. His mother has sheltered him from many activities and especially from Jason. When Jason shows back up in his life it opens a whole new world. Then, Tyra, Jason’s girlfriend, is murdered. Gibby is determined to prove that Jason is innocent.
There are so many intricacies in this story. The characters are amazing and believe it or not…Jason was my favorite. He broke my heart with his damaged self. But then he has such strength and intensity. I could not help but be pulled into his orbit.
Wow! Just Wow! I cannot say enough about this story. Captivating, thrilling, mysterious and mesmerizing are just a few words to describe this tale…I could go on and on! And the narrator, Kevin Stillwell is fantastic. He hit just the right level of intensity at the right time! Need a book you cannot put down or an audiobook you do not want to stop listening to…THIS IS IT! You will not be disappointed!
I received this audiobook from the publisher for a honest review.
A family forever altered by the devastating consequences of war.
I found John Hart’s newest crime fiction, “The Unwilling” to be extremely dark, emotional and intense. The author’s realistic view of the effects of the Vietnam war on the family was unsettling, raw and heartbreaking. The conversational writing style and complex plot immediately pulled me in and held my attention. The author’s description of the painful loss of a beloved family member, how it forever altered the dynamics of the family and the resulting consequences to their future left me feeling their pain and devastation. This story, it’s characters and everything they had lost stayed with me long after reading this story. This was definitely a very intriguing, multilayered thriller.
This story takes place in 1972 and begins with William French, a detective with the Charlotte Police Department, being informed that his son Jason has returned to town after recently being released from prison. Jason did three tours in Vietnam and came home a broken and scarred man who then turned to violence and drugs which ultimately led to prison. William’s oldest son Robert died in Vietnam. His wife, Gabrielle, was destroyed when her oldest and “favorite son” died, wishing it would have been Jason instead. She shuns Jason and believes that he is a danger to their youngest son Gibby. Her only concern is to keep Gibby safe.
Gibby is a senior in high school and is about to graduate. Since Robert’s death he has been sheltered by his overprotective mother and hasn’t been allowed to date, go camping, hunting or participate in sports. He’s angry and resents being kept away from his brother Jason. He welcomes Jason’s attention and wants to spend time with him. This sets the stage for this coming of age story where Gibby learns that the world is not as it seems as he is quickly pulled into the criminal world of danger, corruption and revenge.
When William first confronts Jason he is informed that Gibby has agreed to hangout with his older brother. Jason is angry, distant and resentful of what his parents have done to his little brother Gibby. He’s determined to spend time with Gibby and do “brotherly things” despite his parents’ determination to keep them apart. William feels that he no longer knows his son Jason. He’s a father who loves his son despite how he has changed, what he had to become or what he has done. He wishes he could tell Jason how he really feels but seeing how angry Jason is he chooses to walk away, fearful that he will lose all three of his sons. Will Jason lure Gibby into trouble? Can William save his sons from danger? Will he be able to save what’s left of his family?
The Unwilling is a powerful novel that deals with the devastating effects of the Vietnam war on family. It centers around William French’s dysfunctional family, their loss and struggle to move forward. I enjoyed the multiple points of views, the exceptionally well developed characters, the intricate storyline and unique themes. This is a very dark story with many violent and graphic scenes. Personally, I found some of these scenes intense, unnecessarily brutal and stressful. However, I enjoyed learning more about Jason, his role in the war and why his nemesis, a serial killer on death row, wants him back in prison to exact his revenge. This was my first book by John Hart and I found his newest crime fiction thriller to be truly exceptional with a well written story line and riveting suspense. I look forward to reading many more of his books in the future.
5 stars
It is the middle of the night and I just finished The Unwilling. How do I describe this book as it has so many different paths to follow? The effects of the Viet Nam war on a family, a serial killer, prison life….. The oldest of twins, Robert is killed in Viet Nam, the family loses Jason who fought in the war and came back damaged spending time in prison. The youngest son, Gibby is finishing high school and is trying to figure out life. Then there are the parents. Dad is a cop trying to keep it all together and his wife is mentally damaged by the death of one son and blames her second son for everything.
If this is not enough, there is a serial killer “X” who is on death row and constantly reminded me of Hannibal Lector from Silence of the Lambs. Hart, a master storyteller, has produced a masterpiece. This is my first time reading one of his books, and it will definitely not be the last time. My thanks to St. Martin’s Press and Bookishfirst for the ARC of this book. The opinions of this review are my own.
I put off reading The Unwilling because I knew this would be a gut-wrenching and hard-hitting read, and I was right. Once I started the first chapter I was immediately captivated by the book’s many intense emotions. The story centers around the French family, a good southern family of the 1960s, shattered by the Vietnam war, losing one son in battle and another to the war’s dark side. Hart has created the most fascinating characters, and I can’t get them out of my mind.
The father, Bill French, a police officer in the town, has carried his family’s burden for a long time, loves both of his surviving sons, and tries to keep the peace with his wife while juggling his job duties.
I wanted to reach through the book and slap upside her head. Yes, she deserved her grief for losing one twin son in the war, but she made it clear he was her favorite, and she wished his twin, Jason, had died instead. What mother does that? She smothers her youngest son and stifles his life to keep him protected. She was a character I felt should have been fleshed out better to understand her.
Jason, the surviving twin, returned from nearly three tours of service in the war a heroin addict, with deep secrets and a profound hurt he refuses to show his family. He ended up in prison for drugs, and his mother washed her hands of him without even trying to understand his pain.
Gibby, the youngest son, has been the good boy, going along with what his mother needs all his high school years, but with his brother’s return from prison, he needs to break free and make his own decisions. This is Gibby’s story, and it is fascinating to listen to what is in his head.
Chance, Gibby’s best friend, presents himself as always being happy-go-lucky but is suffering from fear and a lack of self-confidence. It’s so amazing to watch him come into himself as well.
There is also Becky, the girl Gibby has fantasized about for years, who lives on the poor side of town, but she is a powerhouse and helps Gibby when he decides to prove his brother’s innocence in a recent murder.
And these are just the good guys. There are plenty of bad guys to make this story a nail-biting thriller. This is a story of family, the good and the bad, and it was so compelling I could not put it down. I gave it four stars. I thank NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read it for my honest opinion. This was my first John Hart novel, but it won’t be my last!
What a book!! This author knocked this one out of the park. Out of this world. He made a big impression on me for sure. This was my first John Hart book and I will be reading more…
This book is set in the mid to late sixties. During the Vietnam war. Reading this gave me a whole new respect for what soldiers go through who actually have to go into combat. Some are not the same when they come home. Some are beyond our way of thinking. Some have seen things that no young man or woman should see. During the Vietnam way this was more true than ever I do believe. This book only touches on that war slightly. In a very profound way though. It’s about a boy who lost one brother there and is losing another after he came back to the states. A family torn apart by a war.
This book is so well written. It will make you take a few deep breathes and head shakes. It’s just a story that will certainly make you stop and take a look at things. Life for instance. How much do we take that for granted. This story is about a boy. An eighteen year old boy but still a young boy. His name is Gibby French. He’s almost eighteen and will have to sign up for the draft once his birthday arrives. He’s still in high school. His best friend is Chance and his girl is Becky. He has his whole life ahead of him. But before that there is a lifetime of things going on.
Gibby’s brother Jason has been to Vietnam, spent time in prison and is now out. He want’s to know his little brother but his mother forbids it. Let me say that I honestly did not like the mother, Gabrielle. I think it’s ok to want to protect a son from another son when it’s the right situation but… To say it should have been him, when you lose one son is just unacceptable. No mother should have that much favoritism toward one over the other. Jason is troubled. He is trouble in many ways. He’s set up, framed, for a brutal murder the likes of which no officer in this Charlotte, NC town has ever seen. But did he do it? Nothing is kept from you in this book. You will know who is guilty and who is not. It’s not a book where you try to figure out the who did what to whom. It’s a story of what happens between people. Both in and out of prison. Both in and out of Vietnam. Between family members. Between a mother and son. A father and his wife. Between two brothers.
This book hits deeply. Right in the heart. It’s a heartbreaker and an edge of your seat story. It will keep you turning pages and wanting more. It’s like reading the most horrific thing but you just can’t stop. There is a lot of detail in this book and you will cringe many times. You will want to slap a few people along the way. You will wonder what makes a person do such horrible things to another. Why would anyone be so cruel. What could have possibly happened in a person life to make them seem to not have a soul. All your questions and thoughts are answered.
This story pretty much left me feeling better yet with a heavy heart also. I didn’t feel sorry for Reece or X. They were very messed up people. Deserve anything that may come their way. I did root for Jason though. I really loved him. He is quite a big brother and deserves more than people will possibly ever know. People in the town that is. Maybe someday!!
My favorite paragraph from this book is: He felt a hundred different fears: the fear of war and mutilation, of falling now, just now, or of diving wrong, and breaking. He feared his friend might not forgive him, that the wound would fester and that the cracks ran all the way through. Most of all, he feared whatever life waited at the bottom of the trail, the future if he walked instead of dove, the man he might become. That was the devil inside, a demon with a face as familiar-soft as Chance’s own. Maybe it was fate that brought him to this place, or fate that people called it the Devil’s Ledge.
Thank you to #NetGalley, #JohnHart, #StMartin’sPress for this ARC. This is my own thoughts about this book.
5/5 stars and I highly recommend this one. It’s intense and a bit scary in places. So worth reading.
There’s a reason that any book by John Hart is guaranteed to be one of the best reads available and he proves it again with his latest offering The Unwilling.
**Warning – this book contains scenes of brutal violence and torture. If you are sensitive to that, do not read this book **
Set in North Carolina during the Vietnam war, this book tackles so much (family relations, coming of age, friendship, mystery, crime, drug addiction, psychopaths, and the war) that you wonder how they could all work together, but they do and in an unforgettable way.
The French family is at the core of the story. They have suffered greatly as a result of the war which has created deep rifts that time may never heal. William, a homicide cop, and his wife Gabrielle are parents to three sons, twins Robert and Jason, and Gibson (Gibby), a high school senior. The family lost both of the older boys to the war; Robert was killed in battle, and Jason returned from Vietnam distant and forever changed. Gabrielle is determined not to lose her youngest son too and is obsessed with protecting him. As the story begins, Jason has just been released from three years in prison following his time in Vietnam and has returned to his hometown.
Gibby is enjoying a senior skip day at the local quarry with his best friend Chance and many of his classmates. Jason seeks him out there and offers a “bro’ day” during which they can catch up and get to know each other better. Though Gibby knows that his parents don’t want him to have anything to do with Jason because of his struggles with drug addiction and his violent nature, Gibby is determined to get to know the only brother he has left. He soon finds that his parents had good reason to caution him; Jason is into some heavy stuff, and danger walks with him everywhere he goes, endangering those around him as well.
A horrific murder stuns even the most seasoned detectives and Jason is quickly named the prime suspect. William finds himself risking his job to save his sons; Gibby, determined to prove Jason innocent, encounters situations he never could have imagined. Amidst the chaos of crime and violence, Hart also manages to give readers a beautiful coming of age story. This book truly has it all.
Hart’s natural writing style, intricate plot lines, multi-dimensional characters, and realistic dialog make the story come alive in a very vivid way. He also skillfully captures the essence of relationships and the wide variety of complex emotions they entail.
Suspenseful from the start, you won’t be able to turn away from this captivating read!
My thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for allowing me to read an advance copy of this novel which is scheduled to be published on 2/2/2021. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
4.5 stars that I will gladly round up to 5.
The Unwilling is a story full of action, family drama, loyalty , murder and corruption.
The French Family is at the center of story during the height of the Vietnam war.
One brother is dead, one is back from the war but not in a good place and one has already registered for the draft
When Jason comes back and meets up with Gibby, they decide to spend the day together.
Things go horribly wrong and from here on in The Unwilling is non stop action, brutal at times . Its a dark and compelling story that captured my attention and kept the midnight light burning.
John Hart is a great storyteller and The Unwilling is no exception.
Thanks to NetGalley and St Martin’s press for the privilege for reading and reviewing The Unwilling.
Thanks to Goodreads and the first-reads giveaways for an advanced copy of this book. The following review contains my honest thoughts regarding The Unwilling.
John Hart is a phenomenal story teller! The Unwilling showcases just how great his talent is. For many, the 70s conjures images of peace, love, and bell bottoms, but it was also a time of war, uncertainty, and economic hardships. The battle in Vietnam shook many families to the core and changed the lives of young men in unimaginable ways. To that point, The Unwilling uses the My Lai massacre as a springboard and transforms the horrible incident into a remarkably powerful fictional story.
The French family has endured so much. Oldest brother Robert was killed in Vietnam. His twin, Jason, returned from the war profoundly changed. He’s using drugs, has violent tendencies, and has done a stint in prison. Youngest brother Gibby, 18 and in high school, is pondering the draft and enlistment. When Jason returns to his family home, everyone’s lives change. His mother worries Jason’s too far gone to be saved. Gibby is her only concern now. Their father, French, struggles to separate his roles as a father, spouse, and cop. When a young woman that Jason and Gibby spend the day with ends up brutally murdered, all eyes focus on Jason. Gibby knows his brother couldn’t be capable of such a heinous crime and sets out to vindicate him. Could Jason really be the cold blooded killer that many believe he is though?
I could not put this book down! The story is action packed and keeps you on the edge of your seat. The characterization is so good. As a reader, you know that Jason is damaged. He’s a killer. He uses drugs. He’s involved in a life of crime. Yet, there is a part of you that is pulling for him. You want him to turn his life around. You want him to feel loved. You want the relationship between him and Gibby to work. Still, you recognize that Jason might not be good for Gibby.
It’s so easy to empathize with all the characters in this book. You can understand Jason’s anger. You can rationalize the indifference his mother feels towards him. You can relate to the protective nature of his father but understand his need to be a cop simultaneously. Finally, you can imagine the struggle Gibby faces as he tries to protect his brother against not only the accusing public, but his own family. It takes a great writer to get you to feel so much for characters and Hart nails this down perfectly!
With that said, this book contains a great deal of violence. While many of the scenes are not overly detailed, there is still enough detail to put some frightening images in your head. In addition, animal lovers beware. There are two characters in this book that are serial killers and they are written as such. I didn’t consider that violence to be gratuitous in the least bit however. The scenes were necessary to the plot and development of the story.
This was a great book and I highly recommend it. For any one who has concerns about it being filled with backstory related to the war (as I was), don’t fret. The war is not an integral part of the book. It’s more the story of one family’s struggles as a result of an incident that occurred during the war.
Read this book. It’s worth it!
This book exceeded my expectations. Gibby, a high school senior, gets a chance to reconnect with his brother who has been in prison. Both have their demons to get rid of, but Jason is also dealing with the trauma of serving three tours in the Vietnam war. What starts as a fun day, turns into a nightmare.
I really liked the way Jason’s time in prison comes into play. The prisoner on death row who is running the prison. I hope this isn’t true, but I feel like this probably happens in real life. The story was fast paced and I was never bored. I liked all the twists and turns, and how Gibby was determined to prove his brother’s innocence in the murder of Tyra. Gibby is willing to go all the way to help his brother and that is a good quality.
I recommend this book to people who like crime dramas.
I received a free ARC from BookishFirst and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.