Yeah, right, I'll never go on another island holiday. No problem. In fact I'll just stay inside and hide while I read books. Quit scaring me, Tony Wirt!

Thank you Netgalley, the publisher and the author for providing me with an e-ARC of Pike Island in exchange for an honest review.

I will say I never really read a political thriller before so I was curious how this would go. Overall I thought it was a fun read, but I just wanted a bit more from the characters themselves. The main twist was easy to guess, but there’s a bit of a final twist at the end that I didn’t see coming.

Be sure to check out Pike Island when it releases this November!

Interesting political thriller. The flash backs to a past time were interesting. Overall entertaining book with good characters

Taking place right after high school graduation graduation, 4 life-long best friends find themselves in over their heads after seeking some harmless summer fun.
This was a fast paced, quick book. It was a bit predictable, and there were a few loose ends that would have been nice to see tied up but overall a great read.

Fun little thriller with political intrigue and flashbacks. The characters were very interesting and the author did a great job describing them. You can feel connected to the characters and like what is happening to them is real. The past events throughout the book were fun and helped add to the plot. While I felt like the plot twist was predictable, I still enjoyed reading it and can recommend it to those who enjoy thrillers.

I really enjoyed reading this. Overall it was very intriguing, but could have used a little more mystery in my mind. I loved how it was written, split between two time periods and was very easy to know which time period I was reading. Would absolutely recommend!

Just when you think you’ve got it figured out, the rug gets yanked. Prepare to have your jaw on the floor by the time the final twist explodes in the last chapter.

Das Buch fängt etwas langsam an, aber als ich erst einmal drin war, konnte ich es nicht mehr aus der Hand legen. Ich mochte das Hin und Her zwischen den Zeitebenen. Ich hätte mir ein wenig mehr Charakterentwicklung und Einblicke gewünscht, aber das musste ich nicht haben, um die Geschichte zu genießen. Ich mochte die Wendungen auf dem Weg dorthin.

Pike Island by Tony Wirt

Pub Date: November 1st 2024
Rating:4⭐️

Thank you to @wirter, Thomas& Mercer, and Netgalley for my gifted copy for honest review

While this has politics in it it’s not the vast majority and I loved that! You have of course a congressman who has secrets and you know those never stay secret! The story alternates between the assistant Krista and the boys in the past! You never really know those around you and what they are capable of! I loved the old abandoned house left on island that holds more secrets as time goes on! The twist at the end, I didn’t see that coming!

This book was slow for me to get into but I really enjoyed the pacing, the depth of the characters and how the author wove the story together!

A exciting thriller with a political bent, Tony Wirt had me saying “one more chapter” well after it was time to go to sleep! The multiple viewpoints kept me guessing on who was telling the truth. And the ending! Great read for fans of fast-paced thrillers!

There are so many fiction books out there that are gritty or and mysteries and this book just fell flat for me. Nothing to elevate my interest in continuing to read this book.

Writing style felt very stiff.

I have to confess that I don't usually dive into political thrillers, but after seeing this one all over bookstagram, I couldn't resist. I got my hands on an advanced copy, and let me tell you, it did not disappoint. The multiple points of view and unexpected plot twists had me hooked from start to finish. And that ending - I was absolutely floored because I didn’t see it coming. This fast-paced thriller has left me hungry for more from this author.

Pike Island by Tony Wirt was a Mystery/Thriller that takes you back and forth from the present to the past as we try and figure out what happened on Pike Island all those years ago. Andrew Harrison Leonard is on his way to being president with the help of his chief of staff, Krista Walsh. But when a post card arrives with "Greetings from Cedar Lake", Harry looks scared and isn't telling Krista what it is all about. Therefore, she starts do so some digging, because you can only be prepared for it if you know what is coming, and she wants to be prepared for anything.

The story takes us back to the summer "Andy" and his 3 friends graduated high school and spent a week at Jake's grandparents cottage. What happens there will shape the lives of these men forever,

This was a great story with so many unexpected twists and turns I didn't know where to go. I will definitely be looking for more by this author in the future!

Thank you to Net Galley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC in exchange for my unbiased review. All opinions are my own.

This book was so fast paced and juicy - it’s one of those books that can easily turn into a one-sitting read. It follows Krista, who works for D.C. political darling Harry. The characters were so interesting and I quickly liked them both. It’s easy to imagine a young politician like Harry charming voters with his viral speeches and passion, and a workaholic chief of staff like Krista being the brains driving the whole operation. When Krista learns that a mysterious postcard has been sent to Harry that alludes to his past, she decides to do her due diligence and travels to his hometown. All politicians have skeletons in their closet… and Harry is no exception.

The pacing of the book was great, and the dual timelines worked well. I love a book that stays juicy right up until the last page, and this ending was so delicious! I do wish we got a little more of Krista’s back story and more perspective from Harry to help us understand him better. Overall, a fun, well-written thriller that leaves you thinking: what defines us? Our best actions… or our worst deeds?

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for providing an advance copy for review.

Rating: 3.5 stars!

The book features a dual timeline between Andrew Harrison at present day trying to advance his career and "Andy" in his past and the crimes that unfold. The "dual POV" was super engaging and the short chapters had me eating this book up.

The ending fell a little short for me.. And it felt like the book could have been a couple more chapters to really make the thriller aspect pop.

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really liked this one… at first. I was gripped right from the start. But like so many books these days, the author felt the need to grand stand on a particular political issue that in no way actually furthered the plot or the story line. I understand the main character is a politician, but one flimsy paragraph to check the box of “ally” is essential an insult. It added absolutely no context or meaning to the rest of the story. After that, it was really hard for me to stay engrossed in the story. I did finish it and felt overall the ending was very weak and predictable. Don’t recommend this one.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance copy of this book. I randomly saw the description for this when browsing NetGalley and was excited to read it. Unfortunately, this was a big miss for me. I found the mystery at the core of the story unsatisfying and not substantial enough to carry the plot. The cynical tropes about politics felt overplayed and the ending really strained belief.

Andrew Harrison Leonard, a rising political star on the verge of a major career opportunity, receives a mysterious postcard addressed to his long-forgotten nickname, Andy. As his chief of staff, Krista Walsh, digs into his past, she uncovers a dark secret from his teenage years and must decide how much she is willing to sacrifice to protect his future. This fast-paced thriller explores the consequences of ambition and the lengths people will go to in order to keep their secrets hidden.
This was a DNF for me, couldn't really get into the story.

DNF this book, just was not for me. I will not be sharing this book as I did not like it and want others to share that loved it