Off The Well-Lit Path
by M. S. Holm
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Pub Date Dec 16 2019 | Archive Date Dec 14 2019
Sentry Books / Great West Publishing | Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Titles
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Description
In this neo-western novel, M.S. Holm returns to northern Mexico to tell the story of modern-day highwaymen and the travelers they target.
In this neo-western novel, M.S. Holm returns to northern Mexico to tell the story of modern-day highwaymen and the travelers they target.
A Note From the Publisher
E-book (ISBN: 9780997455373)
Advance Praise
“Holm beautifully combines two typically incongruent fictional genres: a gripping, action-packed novel and an emotionally astute drama. His writing is poetically austere at times, invoking the hard-boiled prose of Cormac McCarthy. And the surfeit of action the book delivers unfolds in captivating language, the violence terrifyingly real, the danger ubiquitous."
— Kirkus Review
"Danger, fear, and violence come shockingly to life in this searing tale of modern Mexico. From deserted desert highways to crowded city streets, mayhem is ever present as marauding gangs ply their contemptible trade. Police are either too corrupt or too powerless to stop the rampant bedlam as citizens and tourists alike become prey for criminals immersed in a culture of brutality. The environment Holm depicts asks no quarter and gives none. It is a realistically frightening world guaranteed to stay with you long after the last page has been turned.”
— Joe Kilgore, US Review of Books (Recommended)
"Bare bones but rhythmic in its flow … OFF THE WELL-LIT PATH is a thriller that’s focused on vengeance and the dark side of humanity … Captivating and ultimately satisfying.”
— John M. Murray, ForeWord Reviews (Five-Star Review)
“OFF THE WELL-LIT PATH is a spare, violent literary thriller that delivers an intense and utterly absorbing reading experience … Holm has delivered a bruising but outstanding thriller about how far a father will go for love.”
— Blue Ink Review (Starred Review)
Available Editions
| EDITION | Paperback |
| ISBN | 9780997455380 |
| PRICE | $14.00 (USD) |
Links
Featured Reviews
Melissa B, Educator
Rating
4.5/5 I rounded up on the star chart.
At no point in my life did I think I would enjoy a book about human trafficking, the Mexican gangs and the act of revenge, but here I am raving about this book.
Holm took me on a wild adventure through the eyes of two very different men:
Rugg - a father who will risk everything to save his daughter who was abducted right in front of him. Left for dead after the abduction Rugg's dedication to saving his daughter is both admirable and insane.
Speedy - a young man who works for the Mexican Gang who took part in abducting Rugg's young daughter.
With alternative points of view the reader will be taken on a roller coaster ride full of emotions praying for the safety of Rose (Rugg's daughter) and rooting for the safety of Speedy even though they are at opposite ends of the story.
My only hold back from giving this book a 5/5 was the fact that I had to spend some time with Google Translate when it came to some of the dialogue. The good news is that I learned some Spanish curse words.
Thank you Holm for taking me on a trip Off the Well-Lit Path I don't think I'll be visiting Mexico for a long time.
Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in return for a unbiased review!
Kaye W, Reviewer
Welcome to the literary (and geographic) territory of Cormac McCarthy's No Country for Old Men, or anything by Don Winslow. I know, I know -- comparing M.S. Holm to these two writers is high praise, indeed, but it's entirely warranted.
Or, for anyone who loved Elmore Leonard for his gritty noir and beautifully-written prose, here is someone who's carrying on the tradition. The suspense is keen, the cultural insights are brilliant, the language is deceptively simple.
Holm has created memorable characters in Bob Rugg, the American tourist who is attacked by a team of Mexican highway carjacker-murderers south of Nogales (he is left for dead and is daughter is abducted), and Rayo, the youngest member of the gang of bandidos (for whom the brutality of the attack on Bob and his daughter is an everyday occurrence.)
The story alternates between the viewpoints of Bob and Rayo. Holm builds in the reader a heartbreaking empathy for both these characters.
This was a near-perfect book. Thanks to NetGalley for an advance readers copy.
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