It was a struggle to get through this book. I had to take multiple breaks with other books so it didn't throw me into a slump. I know this book is about a political figure, but the rants were overdone. I'm looking right at you Chapter 21.

I expected more from this book, overall it was just ok for me. It got a little heavy handed in the political aspect a few times for me. I am also a character reader and the characters in this just felt like empty shells pushing the plot of the book along. I didn’t care about them or connect with them like I would have liked to so for me that brought my enjoyment down.

Hard to put down as it was a quick and engaging political thriller. The ending was great and I would recommend this to anyone interested in a fun thriller.

Pike Island by Tony Wirt is a compelling and atmospheric novel that explores the intersection of family, loss, and nature. Set against the backdrop of the Mississippi River, the story follows a young boy, David, as he grapples with personal tragedy and the complexities of his relationships. Wirt’s evocative prose and strong sense of place create a vivid, haunting narrative. The novel’s meditative pace allows readers to reflect on themes of survival, redemption, and the haunting power of memory. While the plot unfolds quietly, it is the emotional depth and rich character development that make Pike Island an engaging and memorable read.

ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

I’m a little backlogged with some of my ARCs but working diligently to get caught up. I’m not usually a fan of books with any sort of political influence or agenda, but the story of the young teenagers at the abandoned house from the past kept me hooked! I liked how the author navigated from present to past while fully revealing what happened on Pike Island so many years before. I would recommend to anyone who likes mystery and thrillers with a touch of politics!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for sending me a digital copy of this book! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

WOW. This was a wild ride. I wasn’t too sure about it at first. There were two different POVs and two different timelines fighting for the limelight. While the story was getting set up, it was a bit slow and the switching of POVs and timelines didn’t help. But something about it made me want to keep reading. And boy am I glad I did!

One timeline follows Krista in modern day as a chief of staff for Congressman Harry Leonard. Their seemingly straightforward plan to the White House seemed iron proof until one day when a post card arrived and shook Krista and Harry’s world up.

The second timeline follows Jake in the late 80’s (I’m guessing?) and his friends Ryan Keltner, Seth, and Andy Leonard. Recent graduates from high school before taking off for college the boys set out to spend the weekend on a nearby like. But when Jake tells the boys about an abandoned house in a far part of the lake, there’s no stopping the boys curiosity. But what the boys find is something way more than any of them could have predicted.

I couldn’t put this book down. I immediately picked it up as soon as my daughter went down for a nap. The twists throughout the book had me gasping. The twist ending?? Oh my gosh. I would totally read a sequel if the author ever wrote one.

One of the main issues I had with the book was it was a bit political. I normally try to stay away from political books and at first it wasn’t super political but the rant in chapter 21 was really unnecessary. The storyline could have done without it. I honestly didn’t see the merit in it which was why I rate this a 4.5 out of 5 stars rounded down. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and would be willing to read more from this author.

Krista’s boss Andy is a Congressman, they are on the fast track to the White House. Krista starts receiving post cards on behalf of Andy. Vague and threatening to unravel all they have done to get to their current position. Krista takes it upon herself to find out what happened in Andy’s past and will it impact their future.

Well Krista, my dear, you were unexpected. She was an unlikely character to uncover Andy’s past. She really went full arm chair detective to uncover what happened. This novel was good! It bounced between past and present, was in two different POVs and kept me guessing up to that last chapter. It was predictable, you know who did what almost immediately but there was a scene at the end that twisted up the last part.

I enjoyed this book far more than Just Stay Away! Would recommend for a quick Kindle Unlimited read!

Suspenseful, eerie, and high stakes! I enjoyed this book as it kept me guessing, and the pressure surrounding the scandal really added to the suspense I felt as we tried to understand what happened that summer. There were parts I wanted the narrative to speed up, but only because I wanted to understand what had happened sooner.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was good, not great -- but there's a lot more to that 'good' than that. I read Tony Wirt's other major release, Just Stay Away, earlier in the year and I thought it was a pretty good, albeit junior approach. I thought the beginning was good but the end kind of fell off. I approached this one with similar apprehension, but am happy to report it's better. His prose continues to be strong, however, the biggest flaw I feel with his writing is that the plots always seem to fall apart by the end. He's got the skills to be a writer, but he's still trying to find his footing at being a storyteller. But, like Harlan Coben once said, you just keep at it -- book after book - until you get it right. And this book definitely feels better than its predecessor. You can feel him getting more comfortable as the story progresses, and I think in one or two more books, he'll have the juice. So, while I may not be the biggest fan of this thriller, I feel like it's a necessary step in Tony Wirt's evolution as a writer. I'll keep reading him until he gets it right. His breakout feels right around the corner.

Published by Thomas & Mercer on November 1, 2024

Pike Island follows a familiar structure that leads to a surprising conclusion. Two storylines, one set in the past and the other in the present, progress until they converge. As events unfold, the reader suspects that a political career in the present might be derailed by the politician’s actions in the past.

The story in the past involves four high school buddies who spend a week at a cabin on Cedar Lake in Minnesota. Jake’s grandfather owns the cabin. Andy had a talent for schmoozing adults and getting what he wanted. Of course, Andy will grow up to be a politician. Ryan and Seth are mostly along for the ride.

The kids goad each other into investigating an abandoned house on Pike Island in an isolated part of the lake. They are scolded by a DNR agent, but that’s the least of their worries. The house contains something of value and one of the kids will lure the others into trouble by allowing greed to overcome his moral sense (assuming he has one).

Andy’s full name is Harrison Andrew Harrison Leonard. As an adult, he goes by Harry. He’s serving his first term in Congress and hopes to get a career boost from a viral video in which he denounces the Supreme Court. His chief of staff, Krista Walsh, is more idealistic than Harry. She wants to get things done, while Harry just wants to climb the ladder of power.

Krista is the central protagonist in the storyline that is set in the present. She’s trying to manage Harry’s career in ways that will maximize his ability to help the less fortunate. Harry is more than willing to pay the political game, setting aside idealist goals in exchange for the possibility of running as vice president. Krista would prefer that he set Washington aside, run for governor, and seek the presidency as an outsider who might get something done.

Krista notices that Harry seems upset when he receives mysterious and vaguely threatening postcards from Cedar Lake. Krista decides to dig into his past so can try to protect him from political fallout if disclosures of sinister behavior might be on the horizon. She sets out to interview the men who went to Cedar Lake with Andy/Harry — or at least those who are still alive — and turns up facts suggesting that Harry might not be the affable progressive that she has always imagined him to be.

Tony Wirt builds an engaging mystery for Krista to unravel. Something bad happened on Pike Island, but what role did Harry play in those events? Who is sending the notes that threaten to expose Harry? (A reader might wonder why the note-sender doesn’t simply reveal what he knows to the press or police, but if he did that, there wouldn’t be story.) Misdirection keeps the reader guessing about the identity of the note sender but, more importantly, about the events that gave rise to the note.

Wirt creates a convincing atmosphere (more so in Minnesota than in D.C.). His prose is crisp. Characters have all the personality they need, which isn’t much. Readers who like to invest in characters and value those who are likable may be disappointed with the way a protagnist behaves at the story's end.

This isn’t an action novel, but the story moves quickly. Wirt builds suspense as the characters move toward a final confrontation. I credit him for crafting a surprise ending that is actually surprising. I’m not sure I buy it — it requires a key character to act completely out of character — but it’s rare that I mutter “wow, I didn’t see that coming” at the end of a novel.

RECOMMENDED

This was a quick and easy thriller. The political part of it wasn’t really for me but it had some dark twists that I really enjoyed. A little bit predictable but kept my interest throughout the book

This cover was awesome and made me want to request the book.

This was captivating with a great gripping plot. This story made you want to read more and the character build was great.

I will definitely read more from this author. Great writing and great read.

Thanks NetGalley for letting me read and review.

Thanks Netgalley, author and Thomas Mercer Publications for the ARC.

Andrew Harrison “Harry” Leonard is a rising political star, with his sights set on the presidency. By his side is Krista, his loyal and determined right-hand woman, who’s been instrumental in his career. But when a cryptic postcard arrives, rattling Harry and hinting at a secret past, Krista begins to question what she truly knows about him.

Determined to protect his reputation at all costs, Krista digs into Harry’s history. What she discovers, however, is a buried truth she wishes had stayed hidden.
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Told in dual timelines, the story alternates between the present day—where Krista pieces together the mystery behind the postcards—and the past, following teenage Jake and his friends during a fateful summer in rural Minnesota. As Krista closes in on the truth, the connection between Harry’s rise to power and an incident from Jake’s youth becomes alarmingly clear.

If you’re a seasoned thriller reader, you might see the twists coming (I had my detective cap on and guessed much of it!), but that doesn’t take away from the book’s appeal as a fast-paced, popcorn thriller. At just under 260 pages or so, it’s a quick, breezy read—perfect for year-end goals or when you’re in the mood for something light and entertaining.

It's a 3/5 🌟 read for me.

Recommended for: Fans of A.R. Torre and Freida McFadden who enjoy short, suspenseful reads.

Pike Island was a captivating read! The book boasts an original, gripping plot and, at long last, a fiercely unapologetic female protagonist who refuses to be boxed into doing "the right thing." I've been yearning for a story like this for years because I have to be honest, I'm a bit tired of reading about women always doing the right thing and, because of that, having to give up on their dreams, and Tony Wirt has delivered beyond my wildest expectations. Every twist and turn kept me enthralled, and his storytelling has officially earned a spot on my must-read list. It's an all-together great book; count me as a fan for life!

Didn't really care for this one. The characters were really poorly developed and flat. There were a lot of unnecessary random details that were never expanded upon and therefore made little sense. The amount of politics in this novel didn't really jive for me.

The book also felt really forced. It seemed like the author was trying to check off contentious political issues, cramming them all into one novel.

Pike Island by Tony Wirt is a total ride! The blend of mystery, history, and suspense had me hooked from the start. The setting is eerie and atmospheric, and the way Wirt weaves in the island’s secrets kept me turning pages. The characters are compelling, and the slow build-up to the big reveals? So worth it.

The pacing was a little slow in the beginning, but once it picked up, I was all in. If you’re into atmospheric thrillers with a strong sense of place and tension that keeps building, this one’s definitely worth the read.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Thank you netgalley and thomas & mercer for a arc copy in exchange for a honest review.

Ok real quick i have to say this review is late as this was released back in September? but I'm just now getting to it, now onto the review. I found the plot to be promising, when i first read the synopsis i thought that it could be a really interesting plot which it was, it definitely kept me entertained and intrigued however there was a lot i didn't like or vibe with. I found the writing to be very quick and easy to read however it was a mix between medium and fast paced which i didn't like i wish it had stuck to one consistent pacing. I didn't really connect to any of the characters i was really only interested in 1 specific character and let's just say things didn't go well for him, i did enjoy the then and now Timeline, i do think it added to the story and plot. The ending really made me mad because what was that ending?? Like it just made the entire book seem absolutely pointless and it just really annoyed me and made me mad.

Andrew Harrison “Harry” Leonard is destined for politics. Getting his start on the city council, he quickly rose to become the youngest representative in Congress. Now the up-and-comer from Minnesota is on the brink of something big. If all goes well, he’ll be in perfect position to aim for the presidency. Then a postcard arrives, blank except for the name on the Andy Leonard. Harry hasn’t used that name since high school. When he dodges questions about it, his chief of staff, Krista, wonders what he’s trying to hide.

I really liked the mystery behind this book. It’s told in dual timelines, one in the present with Krista trying to figure out Harry’s secret before the press does, and one in the past when Harry was a teenager at the lake pictured on the postcard.

Harry is super charming and likable and one of those seemingly refreshing politicians who actually wants to make a change. But is that really who he is? The suspense builds and builds as Krista finds out more about what happened, albeit from an unreliable source that I can’t spoil. I thought I had the ending all figured out, but I definitely didn’t, and I always appreciate being surprised. I think this was a decent story and it kept my interest with good pacing and flawed characters.

Another fun thriller from Tony Wirt! I enjoyed this political take on the thriller genre. If you loved Scandal, this book is definitely for you. Our main character definitely gives Olivia Pope vibes.

☆ARC REVIEW☆
Publication date: Available today


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I struggled big time trying to get through this one due to the amount of politics this story surrounded. It just wasn't for me.

Thank you NetGalley, Tony Wirt, and Thomas & Mercer for a copy in exchange for an honest review.