I inhaled this collection. Letty is gritty and her life is a mess and she’s a bad bitch and I want MORE. I watched the show to the end and felt defeated when it ended. Then I remembered I had this sitting in my backlist and I’m so glad I did. This topped the show. Blake Crouch is incredible.

"Good Behavior" by Blake Crouch is a collection of three novellas that revolve around the character of Letty Dobesh, a con artist and thief who is trying to get her life back on track. The book is a fast-paced thriller with a strong character at its center.

The first novella, "The Pain of Others," finds Letty working as a maid in a hotel where she discovers a wealthy guest who is engaged in a gruesome hobby. Letty must use all her skills to outwit the man and escape with her life. The second novella, "Sunset Key," takes place on a tropical island where Letty is trying to start over after leaving jail. However, her past catches up with her when she is approached by a dangerous man who offers her a job she cannot refuse. In the final novella, "Grab," Letty is hired by a man to steal a package from a high-security prison, but the job turns out to be much more dangerous than she anticipated.

Blake Crouch's writing is crisp and engaging, and he manages to keep the tension high throughout the book. Letty is a compelling character, and the reader can't help but root for her even though she is a criminal. Her inner struggles and motivations are well-developed, and the reader can understand why she makes the choices she does.
One of the strongest aspects of the book is its focus on the psychological toll that a life of crime takes on Letty. She is haunted by her past and struggles to find a way out of the cycle of violence and deception that has defined her life. Crouch handles this theme with sensitivity and insight, and it adds depth to the book beyond its fast-paced action scenes.

Overall, "Good Behavior" is an entertaining and thought-provoking read. The book's focus on a complex and flawed character makes it stand out in the crowded field of thrillers. If you enjoy page-turning suspense with a strong character at its center, this book is definitely worth a read.

Not usually into short stories but as usual Crouch hooks me. Great collection that kept me gripped. Maybe short stories are not so bad after all.

I'm glad that this is broken up into short stories - I'm sensitive to depictions of drug use and I think a full on book would have been too overwhelming. This is action packed and character driven and very fast paced. I definitely want to watch the show and possibly read more of Blake Crouch's work.

What a fascinating book. I was impressed by the storyline and the characters were all well written and complex. Where there are complex storylines combined with intriguing characters the reader experience is magnified tremendously. To have a book that is well written as well as entertaining is a delight. Reading is about escaping your world and entering another one. The word building was phenomenal in this book. Here I forgot about my own life and was immersed in the world created by the author. I would recommend this book.

Normally short stories are not for me, but Letty's are quick, impulsive and full of action. I'm still not a convert on short stories, but Blake Crouches characters and writing style did appeal to me.

Made up of three novellas, about Letty Dobesh, She's a con woman with a good side. Letty is a complex character. She's very smart and and sneaky bit still likeable. The stories are fast paced and action packed. Each story gets better as they progress.

Personally preferred this group of short stories over the show. The main character has more substance on the page and her motivations are clearer.

Thoroughly enjoyable reading. The main character's flaws kept me guessing at whether she'd prevail in the end and how she'd do it.

I haven't seen the show on which the book is based, but I enjoyed reading the author's notes on the adaptation process.

I recommend this book!

Better than the television show. Characters are more rounded, plot is more complicated. Unfortunately, I need to wait for volume 2. Please tell me there's a Volume 2.

When it comes to binge-worthy television, a show has to have a few key elements: an addicting plot line, sexy and intriguing characters, and an element of danger, thrill, or surprise. It seems like this November, one new show seems ready to hit all the marks, which is just one of the reasons you should watch Good Behavior , TNT's new fall series based off Blake Crouch's interlinked novellas by the same name.


Over the last few years, there's been a new and exciting trend developing in the television industry: books-turned-TV series. Though it's not a new concept by any means — think Anne of Green Gables and Agatha Christie's Poirot and Miss Marple — TV series based off of books have become some of the most popular and most-watched shows on television. From HBO's Game of Thrones, whose sixth season garnered over 10 million viewers, to Showtime's Outlander, which one the Critic's Choice award for "Most Bingeworthy Show" this year, to Freeform's (formerly ABC Family) Pretty Little Liars , which just wrapped it's seventh and final season, TV series based on books have become staples on network's rosters, and obsessions for viewers everywhere. With another fall television season underway filled with book-inspired programming, including Good Behavior, which premiers in two parts on Tuesday, Nov. 15 at 9/8c, it doesn't seem like a trend that's going anywhere any time soon.

Based on novellas filled to the brim with mystery, action, intrigue, and plenty of sex appeal, here are four reasons you should make room in your TV so you can try Good Behavior, because with any luck, the show will be just as thrilling as Crouch's original stories.


TV Promos on YouTube

1. It's main character is an intriguing woman.

The star and focus of Blake Crouch's Good Behavior novellas, Letty Dobesh is unlike any protagonist you've ever met before. A professional thief fresh out of prison, Letty is, for lack of a better word, a complicated character: she's an ex-con and meth addict whose trying, in her own way, to be better, if not for herself, then for her son. But things are never that simple, and neither is Letty, who seems to be at constant odds with her light and dark sides. One minute, she's breaking into hotel rooms, and the next, she's listening to positive affirmations in her car.


Letty is a flawed woman who looks danger in the eye and runs towards it instead of away from it, which sometime gets her into deeper trouble. Other times, she redeems a piece of her character she (and readers/viewers) didn't expect her to get back. An anti-hero you can't help but cheer on, Letty — who is played by Downton Abbey 's Michelle Dockery — is an intriguing character you'll want to keep watching.

2. It's an energizing thrill ride.
If the TNT show is anything like the novellas, you can expect plenty of action-packed, energizing thrills, including high-stakes burglary, hit men, faked identities, and plenty of dangerous seduction. From the main character Letty's own criminal tendencies (or, should I say, career) to the cat-and-mouse game she find herself caught up in when she decides to stop a hit man from killing a stranger, there's action and suspense at nearly every turn.

3. There's plenty of sex and romance.


If you like your TV shows with a side of sexy, you're in luck with Good Behavior. Filled with beautiful, drool-worthy characters and plenty of hot-and-heavy scenes, Crouch's novellas and the new series alike aren't shy about turning up the heat. The love affair between Letty and Javier, the hit man she decides to try and stop, is hot, dangerous, and lip-bitingly good.

But sex isn't the only thing the series has to offer — there's a some romance there, too, albeit dark and dangerous. Would you want your TV love affairs to be any other way?

4. It's a good balance of dark and light.
Like the main character herself, the Good Behavior novellas and, hopefully, the series, will balance out the dark and twisty elements with the fun and exciting ones. Though the story is filled with tragedy and pain, from Letty's addiction to Javier's profession, there are moments of pure fun and excitement too, usually in the form of a caper or a romantic interaction. A good balance of heavy and light, good and bad, Good Behavior is one thing from beginning to end: fun.


TV Promo 360 on YouTube
Good Behavior premieres Tuesday Nov. 15 on TNT. The Blake Crouch novellas upon which the show is based are available for sale on Amazon.

It is a collection of three stories masquerading as a novel. It is an okay read if you live in a world were criminal addicts have a "good side".

This is a very different type of story than what I have previously read by Blake Crouch. The book is a set of three novellas all following along with one character by the name of Letty. Letty is a thief, a really good one at that and is also a drug addict. She faces her demons every day and drugs and work are the only two things that help her through the demons. These were not intense stories that I am used to from Crouch, but they kept my interest throughout and I wanted to keep reading just to see how Letty gets through the next challenge. The third novella was probably the more intense one for me, but I really enjoyed all three stories and would love to see more stories following along on Letty's adventures! A huge thank you to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for the review copy!!

This is a group of stories and Letty. The first has Letty is just released from prison and fighting her addictions. She tries to return to her former life (CRIME!) but a murder makes her second guess that life.

This group of stories was okay for me. Not excellent, not horrible. It left me wanting for more thus my rating.

Some parts seemed unrealistic (she's an addict, but the life she attempts to lead seems like a poor choice and the way she does things don't seem realistic).

Seemed a bit disjointed and I think maybe had it been one story instead of jumping from one to another I may have been more invested.

Thanks to Netgalley & Thomas & Mercer for my ARC of this book!

This book had an interesting format. It’s actually 3 short stories/novellas about the central character, Letty Dobesh, and came out in conjunction with the TV series Good Behavior. It includes commentary between the stories from the author about how the character came about, and subsequently how it evolved into the TV series. He makes it easy to read the commentary or skip over it (and absolves the reader of feeling “required” to read that commentary, although I found it interesting).
I enjoyed the writing (as expected, I always enjoy Blake Crouch’s writing) and with all her flaws, I liked the character of Letty. I’d love to see her get her own novel, but I suspect I’ll have to content myself with her TV series instead. Overall I enjoyed reading this one very much, and look forward to watching the further adventures of Letty on the small screen.

Good Behavior is simultaneously the definitive collection of Letty Dobesh stories by Blake Crouch and no longer the definitive story of Letty herself.

These stories were originally published as three separate novellas over the course of a few years. As of 2016, they are also the basis for a TNT series starring Michelle Dockery in her first post-Downton role in an ongoing series. This volume collects the stories along with author commentary.

However, unlike other book adaptations, I think I might recommend watching the show before reading Good Behavior. These stories read a hell of a lot like the rough draft of the show, and might best be appreciated with that in mind.

Crouch’s commentaries reinforce this impression. He discusses how he and the show’s co-creator adapted and cannibalized each story for the show, and it’s obvious that he thinks the adaptation is an improvement.

He points out more than once how the stories as written didn’t match the tone of the show or how tweaking events and characters for the adaptation opened things up in new and exciting ways.

As I listened to the audiobook, I oftentimes found myself thinking “Letty wouldn’t do that” or “this isn’t a Letty story”. Michelle Dockery’s portrayal is so compelling that I couldn’t picture the character any other way.

That said, I did enjoy reading Good Behavior. That’s especially surprising after I gave up on Crouch’s Wayward Pines trilogy after two books. I just couldn’t work up the energy to care about the finale, and I barely enjoyed the second book.

It helps that Letty is a much more interesting and likable protagonist than the main character in Wayward Pines, who spends most of his time hitting his head and blacking out. Also, it felt like Crouch had a better handle on style and language in these stories. He pulls off a few clever turns of phrase here and there that add a nice noir flavor.

Ultimately, I do recommend picking up Good Behavior, but only as supplemental material for the show and not a true standalone work. In fact, this collection is entertaining enough that I’m willing to give Crouch another chance, especially since he had a hand in writing the show.

Good Behavior by Blake Crouch, is a collection of three novellas that tie into the popular television series of the same name. Crouch, off the success of his Wayward Pines novels that inspired the popular television series is quickly becoming one of the more prolific novels to television writers of our generation.

In The Pain of Others, Letty Dobesh is fresh out of prison and trying to work her day job as a waitress but it isn't enough to take care of her meth habit. A habit she needs to find a way to beat if she is ever going to get her son back. Soon she is back at her old game to make ends meet; burglarizing hotel suites at the final luxury hotels in town. Only this last job is too much. She overhears a man hiring a killer to murder his wife. Now Letty has a decision. Does she just go ahead with her job and ignore what she heard or does she find a way to warn the wife. Letty's decision changes events in ways she could never have dreamed and sends her down a path of larceny and blood with a killer she can't get rid of.

In Sunset Key, Letty is hired to spend the night with a very rich, but convicted criminal in hopes of stealing a priceless painting. What Letty doesn't know, until it is far too late, is that nothing is ever what it seems to be. Now Letty is in a fight for her life, stranded on an island, all alone.

In Grab, Letty is determined to leave her criminal life behind and somehow make it back to her son when she is offered one last chance, one last score. Can she and a band of mercenaries rob a Las Vegas casino? But first, to do so, they need to con a legendary con man. But who is conning who and who is stealing from who in this brilliant tale of cross and double-cross.

These three novellas by Crouch make up the entirety of the Letty Dobesh tales before she made it to television. If you have never seen the television show, you should, it really is good and like always; the book is better. Crouch has created a flawed hero in Letty that you can relate to and root for. She will make more bad decisions than good but in the end, she tries to do the right thing as she battles her demons and her addictions.

Crouch is becoming a very good crime story writer. His early work was incredibly violent, almost to the point of overwhelming the story itself. But with these latest offerings you can see his growth and his plotting. His characters are larger than life but still rooted in the alternate reality he creates for them.

Letty Dobesh is a terrific character and here is hoping that Crouch decides to write a full novel of Letty and her misadventures.

I was watching the "Good Behavior" tv show before I started this book. While there are some similarities with Lettie's character, there are far more differences- the tv show is a very different creature.

The book is divided into three novellas/novellettes. The first one is an introduction to Lettie, and partly parallels the pilot episode. Lettie is robbing hotel rooms but must hide in a closet when a guest returns early. She overhears something that awakens her slumbering morality, and she gets involved in a murder plot.

Blake Crouch is really good at writing quick, addictive stories. He pulls you along and you have to find out what happens next. When you look back later, you can see that the scaffolding was shaky, but you've still had a good hour or two of entertainment.

That said, the next two stories in the book aren't especially original. One is essentially Lettie dropped into "The Most Dangerous Game" story and the other one is Lettie guest-starring in "Ocean's Eleven." Fun, and Lettie is a great character to follow because of she's pretty much up for anything, doesn't worry about laws or rules much, and is fast on her feet. Crouch knows how to write commercial fiction and market it too, and I'm guessing his successes will continue. I wouldn't say what he writes is especially deep; he's going for thrillers instead of introspective novels, and as long as you don't want any more than that you'll have a great time.

<i>Good Behavior: The Letty Dobesh Chronicles</i> by Blake Crouch is a collection of his three interlinked novellas (The Pain of Others, Sunset Key, and Grab), which follow the (mis)adventures of Letty Dobesh, a thief and drug junkie fresh out of the prison and who finds herself back on the market, stealing for hire. Because the book has been adapted for television, after the first story is over, we are offered a commentary from Blake Crouch on the idea behind the story-line, and what he envisions for Letty as the star of the new TV show. It is like watching behind the scenes of the show after you’ve finished an episode. A bit unusual in the book setting, but nonetheless interesting. I enjoyed the commentaries by Blake, but also found it to somewhat break the reading rhythm. The stories are well written, in a fast paced rhythm that are expected of a crime/mystery style novel. Letty Dobesh is pretty personable, and we often feel bad for her, as her bad choices are really dictated by her desire to change and do good – hence the clever title <i>Good Behavior</i>.

By now you’ve guessed, I enjoyed this book. Although I understand these were novellas put together as a book, I still would have liked them to be rewritten to actually make one novel, and not a novel in three parts. The reason is that when all was said and done, there was no real ending, no real epilogue/conclusion for the reader to fall on. We can just assume that Letty’s <i>Good Behavior</i> was only temporary and that her desire to reunite with her son and be a good mom, is not as strong as being a world-class thief. I did enjoy however the cliffhangers that were presented to us in each story-lines, leaving me completely shocked and mesmerized in the end. To find what will happen next to Letty, I, the reader, am only left with one solution: to watch the TV adaptation. Well done, Blake, well done. However, can we next time have an actual novel with a beginning and an end to satisfy the readers, please? That was my only grievance for this book, and that is why I gave it a 4 star.

That being said, if you love crime/mystery novels, and don’t mind them telling three different stories that build on each other til the end, and love interesting female characters, well, this book is for you. It can be devoured in a couple of hours over a cup or glass of your favorite beverage (Letty would approve).

Thank you to NetGalley, and Thomas & Mercer for an ARC of <i>Good Behavior: The Letty Dobesh Chronicles</i> by Blake Crouch, in exchange for an honest review.

I have already been crooning about my die-hard love for Blake Crouch - His latest, Dark Matter - a twisted dark pretzel of a delightful science-fiction thriller was the icing on a noteworthy career full of glorious books. I first came across him before Wayward Pines became a TV Series.

And now this - Good Behavior hit the small screens across America on TNT a month back and is raking up the TRP's, purportedly one of the best shows after Southland. I picked up the collection of three novellas after I came across this news but hey, it's a rule now! Anything Blake Crouch, sign me up for the ride baby! This man sure knows how to write a thriller, get your blood pressure roaring and ratcheting up the tension to levels often sharp enough to cut diamonds.

So this one features Letty Dobesh, a thief, a meth-addict and a functioning alcoholic - fresh out of prison and looking to redeem herself. She has a young son, being taken care of by her own mother and probably wants to come clean, for his sake. But she has this one weakness that she cannot really ignore - the impossible high that comes from being on a 'job' that beats everything else. And being great at what she does, she is often sought after by the who's who in that part of the society, regularly hitting her up for one job or the other. The novellas follow three such 'jobs' and the complications that arise.



It's not necessarily in chronological order, the events in the three novellas - but nevertheless, as an introduction to the character of Letty, it does a bang-up job. The first book, is perhaps the grimmest of the three. We find Letty having set herself up in this nice posh hotel, hooked up with the bell-hops and waiters to slip her the master card keys of rooms where she waltzes in and gets out with the goodies in the rooms. Easy pickings. However, this one job - she gets stuck in the room as the occupant walks in and has to scramble into the closet to avoid being caught. The conversation that she overhears however, changes the course of her life. A plot to assassinate this guy's wife - and even Letty, hardened by life-experiences as she is, cannot in good conscience overhear what she does and forget about it. Cold murder is not something that she can condone and sleep easy. Against her own set of rules, she decides to intervene and try to save the said victim's life. What happens next, is a chilling grisly plot of depraved humanity and makes for a grim, tense read.

The second story finds Letty hooked up with one of her favorite 'handlers', Javier - a cold man who sets her up for jobs. This one's an odd request though - a tech CEO who's been convicted by the courts for fraud, living an exiled life on a remote island requests one last night with a beautiful girl. Javier sees the opportunity as an attempt to rob the man of his most valuable painting and Letty seems like the perfect person to execute this one. However, Letty's worst nightmares come true as the plans go topsy-turvy. Deceit, nerve-wracking tension and some edge-of-the-seat action-drama. Brilliant stuff!

The third story, personally for me was the weakest of the lot - and involves an elaborately planned heist of a Las Vegas hotel. and here's where we meet Christian, the third important person in Letty's life, her psychologist. Enough said about this, the plot rolls out like a B-Movie narrative and involves speed-chases, rappelling down skyscrapers and blazing guns.

I loved Letty's character - and if this was to whet our appetite before the show rolls out, then I am hooked. She's smart, sassy, ballsy to the core and still comes across as an endearing character, the underdog down on her luck, vulnerable girl trying her best not to give into her own demons and take life by its cojones. Crouch's writing is, as usual, spot-on. Razor-edged tense thrillers that make the pages fly and keeps you awake long past your sleep-hours. A book you must try, if you like action-thrillers seeped in mind-games and twisted psychological drama that will fuck with your mind. Recommended.