Back in 2006, I was working at Quail Ridge Books, an amazing indie bookstore in Raleigh, NC. I was asked to read an ARC in order to give an introduction for an author who was coming to speak at our store. That book was King of Lies by John Hart, and I was so impressed by that novel and couldn’t believe it was his first. Since then, I’ve read every book John Hart has written, and I can honestly say that he gets better with every book. The Unwilling is filled with unforgettable characters, and the tension doesn’t let up until the very last word, I listened to this one on audio, and I blew through it in just two days because I had to know what happened. The narrator is fantastic, though my only critique is the way he mispronounced Gabrielle’s name for the first few chapters, but he pronounces it correctly after that. Don’t skip the afterword by the author, because I found it so interesting to learn where the idea for this book originated. I highly recommend The Unwilling.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I wish to thank NetGalley and Saint Martin’s Press for this raw, powerful, and exquisitely written thriller. This is my 7th book by award-winning novelist John Hart who has been one of my favourite authors. I have listened to the audio version but prefer reading on my Kindle. He creates multi-dimensional, often flawed characters, and places them in dire circumstances. He portrays his characters in a manner that gives penetrating glimpses into their minds, hearts, and souls. The reader is kept in suspense and thoroughly engaged in watching them grow in character and hoping they show some heroism and finally redemption. The villains are brutal, deranged, but fascinating. Warning! This leads to some graphic scenes of murder and mayhem. I was on the edge of my seat awaiting their fate. This is certain to be at the top of my favourite books for 2020.

"WE THE UNWILLING, LED BY THE UNQUALIFIED TO KILL THE UNFORTUNATE, DIE FOR THE UNGRATEFUL." -UNKNOWN SOLDIER

The multi-layered story takes place in the South during the turmoil of the Viet Nam War. It is a mystery, an intense thriller, a study of fractured family dynamics, a coming of age story, the horrors of war and its aftermath, and a disturbing look at prison life. John Hart is a masterful storyteller.

Detective French and his wife had three sons. The twins, Robert and Jason, were the oldest and Gibby was younger. Robert died in Viet Nam. He had been his mother's favourite, and Jason overheard his shattered mother saying she wished it had been Jason who was killed instead of Robert. Jason immediately enlisted and spent three years on active duty in Viet Nam where he was honoured for heroism and was a decorated soldier- until he wasn't. He was sent home with a dishonourable discharge. Hardened and bitter, he became involved with heroin and gun-running bikers. He was incarcerated for almost three years in the notorious Lanseworth Prison for hardened criminals.

Gibby has finished High School and will soon be attending University. After Robert's death, he was overprotected by his mother and missed some life experiences. He was not permitted to date girls or participate in sports. His policeman father became distant and morose. Jason, newly released from prison and living with criminals wants a connection with his younger brother, Gibby. Jason coaxes his young brother to spend a day with him unknown to his parents. It will be a day at the lake with whiskey and a pleasant sunny drive. Jason picks up two older women he knows and brings them along. Tyra becomes very drunk, wild and provocative. They encounter a prison transfer bus. Tyra becomes loud and sexually taunts the prisoners. Her actions cause a riot on the bus. Sara, her roommate is quieter and a follower and more subdued. Gibby takes a liking to Sara. Not long afterwards, Tyra is savagely murdered and mutilated. Jason is suspected of the murder and sent back to prison.

His mother is certain her son is guilty, and the father has only a few doubts. Gibby is determined to prove Jason's innocence, helped by his best friend Chance and his new sweetheart from High School. Their actions are unknown to Gibby's family and to the police force. This leads them into the dangerous world of biker gangs, drug dealers, and gun runners. There is even a greater menace from murderous psychopaths with connections inside the prison. They are under the control and payment of a diabolical, crafty billionaire who is in prison awaiting execution. This man has power over other prisoners and staff and has deadly connections on the outside. Now Sara has gone missing, and Gibby is suspected of abducting and killing her. He and Chance must avoid not only the criminals but also the police.

The action and dread escalate to a pulse-pounding conclusion. Detective French and also Gibby discover what happened to Jason in Viet Nam. What they learn is highly disturbing and based on a real-life, historic military coverup. We learn what happened to Tyra and Sara and why, and the fate of Jason in prison. A closing scene takes place outside the prison where a crowd has gathered to cheer or protest the execution of the evil billionaire inmate on the day he is to die in the gas chamber.
There is much excitement and twists in store for the readers.
Highly recommended to anyone who enjoys a grim, dark story with well-developed, flawed characters. Contains violence.

Raw and perfectly written, this is a story of family, courage, choices and life in a time when the country was in turmoil. A story of crime, corruption and cover ups. It’s the story of sacrifice, love, hope and a generation fearing a draft. Tough, yet tender, Hart is at his best with a story that will stick with you long after the last word is read.

I anxiously anticipated this book having read all of John Hart’s previous work. He was adept at creating moods, describing the emotions and internal narratives carried by his characters, and creating personal connections with them for us; all the things that make me enjoy his writing. If I had to criticize at all, I’d say I found the police work loose, but all the better, I suppose, to enable his characters to move about more freely! This was not a police procedural so no points off for that. All in all, this was a good read with his “signature” extraordinarily evil bad guys— another frighteningly fun John Hart story!
Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC!

This is the third book I have read by this author and I have to think, he just keeps on getting better and better. This is another one of those stories that when I completed the last page, I thought I am ever so happy I had the opportunity to read this tale. The winds of war blew heavily through this family, taking away harshly much of what they held dear, and left them swept with anguish, loss and the desire to return to normalcy knowing that they never could.

It's always hard to read about war, but sometimes reading about its aftermath is even harder. The people left behind, the families devastated, and the lives that have been damaged and changed can never be forgotten or even understood by those not touched by the conflict. War's aftermath produces hardship, loss, and pain in all touched by its malevolent hand. It's a walk through hell for many and in this new book of John Hart's, The Unwilling, we learn of the tragedy experienced by the French family.

A son, Robert, has been killed in Vietnam. Another son, Jason, a three time tour of duty soldier, has been ravaged by the war. He returns a drug addict, a man haunted by many ghosts, a son given up on by his mother, a brother who is beloved by his young brother Gibby.

There is a father, devastated by the loss of his eldest son, compelled to alienate his next son because of his job in law enforcement, and endeavoring to keep his youngest son away from his brother.

Then there is Gibby, the youngest son, so desirous of a connection to his brother, willing to do whatever to establish a link, to find a brother that he doesn't want to be lost to him.

Then one stupid event changes everything and starts in motion a dangerous and deadly journey that will end tragically for some, reveal secrets from others, and take the reader on a exploration of family, of ties that bind, of courage and the will to survive.

This gritty pragmatic book will sink its tentacles into you as you descend deeper into the harsh reality that faced this family and so many others who returned from war, broken, in need, and facing a world that seemed to banish them. Mr Hart has probed deeply into family, its role, its place in the life of children who are left unknowing and bereft in the face of loss. Perhaps this book is a difficult one to read, to assimilate in times such as this, but it is a testament to the ties that bind, the roles we play and the relationships we build with parents and our siblings. Truly this is a book worth reading.

Thank you to John Hart for such a powerful message, St Martin's Press, and NetGalley for a copy of this fabulous book.

I’ve read all of John Hart’s books and would say I’m a big fan of his work. This book has so much to offer: the Vietnam War and its ripple effects on the South, family drama, drugs, violence, good cops and bad cops... I particularly enjoyed the relationship between Detective French and his sons as well as the references to local landmarks (I live in Charlotte, NC). A compulsively readable thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat at times.

Thank you to John Hart and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC.

Thriller that goes much deeper - an exploration family history and the human consequences of war. Blew me away.

The Unwilling surprised me in that it is not only a really good thriller, but also a riveting piece of fiction analyzing the consequences of the Vietnam War. I usually reach for thrillers for the mere pleasure of a suspenseful read, but I loved that this book managed to surprise me with such food for thought in its underlying issues.

The novel begins by a very accurate quote from an Unknown Soldier: "We the Unwilling, led by the Unqualified to kill the Unfortunate, die for the Ungrateful." It sums up what happens in this book and poignantly sets the bone chilling mood which prevails.

In short, my most accurate description is that this novel is a thriller, a family drama and a coming of age novel about a young man's participation of war and the consequences of it. Truly brilliant and one of a kind.

*Thank you to the Publisher for a free advance copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

The French family has been torn apart by War. One son (Robert) went to Vietnam and lost his life. Another son (Jason) enlisted and had his life destroyed. He came home a decorated killer, an addict and at odds with his family. Gibby is the youngest son, dubbed the good one, the one his Mother wants to protect. But all Gibby wants is to get to know the only brother he has left. Together Jason and Gibby make plans but we all know that best-laid plans can go awry.

When a young woman is murdered, Jason is arrested and Gibby is one of the few who believe in his brother's innocence. Determined to conduct his own investigation and clear his brother, Gibby soon learns that he is in over his head and danger is out there watching, lurking, planning....

Family, love, loss, grief, anger, anguish, pain, violence, addiction, friendship. loyalty - you name it, it's all here written in John Hart's beautiful writing. He proves time and time again that he is a master storyteller. The book started a little slow but once all the characters were introduced, I was hooked and unwilling to stop reading. Hart has woven a tale with many layers that focuses on the elements that I named above. This is crime fiction, which is also part coming of age, part family drama, part tale of redemption, part murder mystery, and part romance. This book was thought-provoking, emotionally stirring and riveting. This book had tension, suspense, and raw emotion. This book is gritty and raw with heartbreakingly tender scenes as well. There is a depth of emotion lying within the family and the individual members. He lays bare their pain and heartache. He also knows how to create characters readers want to root for, even if they have done bad things. He creates multidimensional characters and realistically describes their conflicted feelings, their thoughts and their love for each other.

I highly recommend this book (and his other books as well).

I received a copy of this book from St. Martin's Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book is an experience! I "saw" everything through the eyes of Gibby, the youngest brother in a family so deeply affected by the Vietnam War that there is nothing left to call family. His brothers left for war with all of the illusions of the young. One died there. The other came back emotionally scarred so badly that he scares his own mother. As history has shown, this is not unusual for families touched by military conflicts. With John Hart's excellent writing skills, this is a deeply moving, exclamation shouting, journey through some very dark events in the French family's lives.

Brothers, bonded by birth, torn apart by circumstance. When you are 18, not quite a man, definitely not a child no matter what his mother says, how do you interact with a brother you no longer know? How much HAS he changed? Gibby decides to trust his brother Jason so leaves a party with his friends to go on a road trip with him. Jason gained a reputation for violence, and a prison record, as part of his Vietnam experience. On this day, in a town where he has always felt safe, Gibby will be drawn into a murder investigation that places his friends and him in danger. This day's events will forever change the way he looks at the world around him.

Book Review: The Unwilling by John Hart
(Published by St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio, February 2, 2021)

5.0 Stars! Plus a new favorite author alert!

Deep South, USA. Ex-Marine Jason French's homecoming is uneventful - and unwelcomed. Back from Vietnam, he'd been dishonorably discharged under mysterious circumstances. (Twenty-nine confirmed kills in his first year.) That's how much he gave to his country. And now, here he is, out of a two-year lock up for violence and drugs. Unwanted at home, he lives in a desolate, dingy room - rented by a motorcycle gang.

-----

William and Gabrielle French have the perfect life for an improbable couple. College dropout turned cop marries Vanderbilt grad.

"...Gabrielle was out of his league on the day they'd met..."

Three sons and thirty years later, she was still a gift - his whole life. Along with the boys - the twins Robert and Jason, and the baby, Gibson, now eighteen.

Then comes the family's Aeschylus moment, that tragic life changing event - when Robert gets killed in Vietnam. Jason follows his twin brother's footsteps to Nam and subsequently suffers his own misfortunes. The parents are determined to shelter their youngest.

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But Gibby isn't about to be denied the companionship of his only surviving elder brother. And the feeling is mutual. They arrange for a joy ride in Gibby's Mustang with two women, braless and tanned. On the road, they come across a bus with chicken-wired windows, a prison bus, from Lanesworth, Jason's old haunts. XRQ-741. Someone takes the tag number of Gibby's car.

After the road trip, Tara, one of the women, gets slaughtered. And the entire world of the French family meets the personification of evil itself, hell in its darkest recesses.

But, the Unwilling, undaunted, empowers himself, discovers the world he's been sheltered from and the guts he'd thought only his two elder brothers possessed, finds redemption for his parents, for his brother, for himself - and comes of age.

-----

John Hart's written several books, some translated to Japanese. Definitely an author to anticipate and for further reading.

An enthralling read. Recommended!

Review based on an ARC from St. Martin's Press, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley.

The Unwilling by John Hart

My feelings about the book are all over the place. There is the heartbreak of the French family, the father, a murder cop, the oldest (good) twin dead after being shot in Vietnam, the other twin (bad) still alive after surviving Vietnam and prison, and the eighteen year old son, Gibby, fighting the bubble wrapped life that his mother insists for him, after his brother's death. But we find that nothing is so black and white and that the living twin, Jason, is so much more than his bad reputation...he's been done wrong in so many ways and if only his family knew more, his mother might have not demand he was no longer alive to her. 

Jason wants to spend one more day with Gibby before his little brother graduates and Jason moves on with his life full of bad things. But something very bad happens and it's blamed on Jason, dragging Gibby into the horrific mess. Jacob and Gibby's father is caught in all of it, being a murder cop, but also having to make decisions that mean choosing between the good son and the bad son. The thing is, Gibby's parents had always thought he was like Richard, the good twin, but now Gibby's father can see just how much he's resembling, Jason, the bad twin. Gibby is growing up and becoming his own man, choosing his own way of dealing with the impossible choices of life. 

All the family things pulled at my heart. There is Gibby's poor best friend, Chance, a favorite character of mine and Gibby's new girlfriend, a classmate he's always had a crush on. There are good cops and bad cops (who are willing to destroy the lives of their co-workers in their effort to move up). There are women who make very bad choices but still don't deserve to die and gangs that will probably be killing each other and those that cross them, from here to eternity. 

This book also has at least two serial killers. It is the character of X, living in a suite of cells below death row, running the world with his connections and billions of dollars, that is so over the top and so overpowered that it throws parts of the story into comic book super supervillain territory. So this story left the realm of real life for me and became something else. I cared so much for the characters of the family and their friends but not so much at all for the ugly underworld that had taken over Jason's life. 

Trigger warnings galore for almost everything!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC.

A family shredded by the Vietnam war. A father and mother left grieving the loss of their eldest son, unable to forgive their second son, and vowing to protect their youngest son. Three brothers - the good one, the bad one, and the dead one. Robert, whose brothers idolized him, died serving in Vietnam, Jason, following in the steps of his brother, served three tours and returned home a broken, angry, drug addicted shell of a man, and Gibby, a high school senior on the cusp of manhood, struggling to live up to his parents high expectations while stretching his boundaries and discovering first love. Jason has served his time - both in the war and prison - and now wants to recover the bond with his younger brother Gibby against the wishes of his parents who fear Jason will lead Gibby down the wrong road. The French family is irrevocably broken - split apart by an unpopular war, devastating loss, and paralyzing fear and guilt. And when Gibby goes against their wishes and sneaks away for a day with Jason and two women, events are put into play that will raze their lives once again. Murder, accusations, a day of reckoning. But who will pay?

This is my first book by John Hart. It will not be the last. What I discovered is a clean, sharp, precise author who doesn't waste words and yet delivers emotionally charged characters and vivid scenes that stimulate all five senses while fully engaging mind, heart, and soul. Plot lines are intricately woven and challenging, unfolding at a brisk pace and ominous tone. I was quickly drawn into this dark tale of love and hate and anguish and hopelessness. The Unwilling is a raw, gritty crime thriller - a story of a family ravaged by war, reckless words, blame, guilt, and fear. It's a story of redemption, proving oneself, and coming of age. It's about hearts forever scarred. The Unwilling is a taunt, tense masterpiece - one I won't soon forget. I highly recommend it to everyone.

A wise tale about relationships among men--father and sons, brothers, friends--and the violence that underlies many of those relationships and becomes one of the ways in which men speak to each other. The thriller plot moves along at a good pace, but (cliche as it is to say) The Unwilling is much more than a thriller, or a Vietnam novel, or a cop story.

I have read many of John Hart’s books and often recommend them to others as well written, hard to put down literary thrillers. His book Unwilling does not disappoint in this regard. His books often have stories of siblings protecting each other from imperfect and harsh upbringings. Unwilling follows the French family as their lives are turned upside down by a pattern of events which are not so coincidental.

Set during challenging and divisive times of the 1960s and early 70’s in Charlotte, NC, Vietnam veteran Jason French returns home to reconnect with his younger brother Gibby, Having lost their oldest brother to the war is a wound that cannot be healed and we see how each family member deals with this loss. Jason finds it hard to express his feelings of anger and loss. Forgiveness seems unreachable in the family.
The pain of this loss is compounded by Jason’s past drug use, time in prison and dishonorable discharge from the Marines. Having a father who is a detective in the police department and mother who treats him like a pariah does not help matters.

An unexpected development occurs when Jason and Gibby are blamed and set-up for local brutal murders. Jason feels he is bad news and attempts to distance himself from Gibby, wanting to protect his little brother as he realizes these crimes may stem from a twisted and psychotic man he knew in prison. Gibby enlists his high school pals, Becky and Chance, to find proof of innocence not realizing just how dangerous things can become. Their detective father is put in a difficult position to reign in Jason, his wayward but still loved son, and protect Gibby the son he wants to keep innocent and sweet as he seemed before Jason’s visit.

Good and evil, redemption and reflection of past mistakes, bonds of brothers and strong friendships, fatherly love, and the humble heroism of hard choices are all themes in this fast paced thriller. The setting rang true for me as I grew up in this area. Food Town is now Food Lion (I loved this detail), everyone did not have air conditioning, cell phones did not exist, and there was an air of friction with war, civil rights, and things seeming out of control. Timeless are: bonds of brothers prevail, people may not be as they seem, and evil must be defeated.

There are gruesome and violent details in certain sections of this book. This may not appeal to some readers but this is not uncommon in some novels and nonfiction showing good and evil in humans. .This will not stop me from reading John Hart’s books as I am proud to have him as one of our many wonderful native North Carolina writers. Recommended.

A sincere thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.

John Hart is one of the best storytellers of today. His writing is brilliant! I'm a fan of all of his work, so it wasn't hard to impress me with this book. In The Unwilling, John tells a dark story about the bonds of brotherhood. If you like John Grisham or Greg Iles, you'll want to read this book. This is also a good book for anyone who hasn't read John Hart yet.

Promises kept. Honor among thieves. A true psychopath, or two. A dysfunctional family. A dishonorable veteran. A cop gone rogue. Prisoners and two youth. This is the backbone of The Unwillingly, a taut tale that will keep you on the edge and make you hold tight to your family. Filled with chilling, disturbing, unfathomable events in the lives of what should be ordinary people, this book will grab hold of you and not let go. John Hart’s twisted story will satisfy any need you may have to venture into the world of stone cold torture and killing for the sake of killing. This is not an easy read, but if you are into this genre, it will leave you more than satisfied. Thank you to NetGalley for the advance read copy.

John Hart has written another riveting novel. He’s a wonderful storyteller . Would love to read another novel about these brothers.

I have read and loved all of John Hart's books
saw new book was coming, I was excited. I have told library to order and I am spreading word.

There was war and then there was WAR, which is what Jason fought
He is released from prison, only to have trouble follow him out

Situations/people not always as they look

Deeper in this book -
I read in 1 sitting 1 day.

The French family has already lost one son to the Viet Nam war and will do anything to protect their youngest son Gibby from his older brother who has returned from that war damaged and troubled. Twists and turns in this plot make it a page-turner.

The Unwilling by John Hart Reviewed May 23, 2020
I have read only a few John Hart novels. There is no doubt that he is a great writer ~ his descriptions leave nothing to the imagination, I totally can visualize what his is writing. Only problem is some descriptions are too clear. Some are so disturbing ~ horrific cruel torture, savage rape, and gruesome murders.

Early this spring, I read [book: Redemption Road] actually the audio and at the end of the audio there is a great interview with Hart by his editor. John Hart was a defense attorney so very familiar with criminal law. He likes to write about complex characters with a dark and wounded past. He also likes to include and write about scarred children. He believes what happens when we are young, either good or bad, shapes who we become as adults ~ if something damaging, how we dealt with those situations that may have been damaging. So I wasn’t surprised that the story is told from the POV of Gibby, who is a teenager.
In that interview, he was asked if the violence scenes stick with him (I found this was a great question as that was my problem with me giving this story a high rating) Hart said the bad things don’t stay with him, he states it is fiction. However, he jokes that when his wife reads his stories she questions if he really might have a problem!
So tonight I will try NOT to thinks about the horrific and remember it is fiction.

This story takes place in the 70s during the time of the Vietnam War. I can remember the war being so negative so wasn’t looking forward to being transported back into that time period.
The characters are very well drawn; I already mentioned that John Hart’s strong descriptions are very clear! This is definitely a family in turmoil. Can't help but like Gibby and yes Jason and felt terrible for their parents.
.No question this novel kept me turning pages.

Want to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this early release granted to me in exchange for an honest professional review. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for June 23, 2020