The Drifter (Peter Ash #1) by Nick Petrie
My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
I think this one would be good for fans of Jack Reacher, but who love a slightly more tortured hero. Peter came home from the war with severe PTSD. He cannot stand being inside for longer periods of time because it activates his anxiety. As a result, he's become what the title implies. Peter has gotten really good at subsisting off the land and living outdoors. However, when his commander and friend dies, he has to go home and see that his widow and children are cared for. He finds a case with $500,000 in case and a bunch of explosives under the porch he is fixing for her, and ends up taking on some nasty bad guys who want their explosives back.
I liked this book. What started out as a simple premise builds into something more complex. But there is still a simplicity about the story. It goes back to Peter's relationship with his deceased friend and the loyalty he has to him. Also the bond that forms between his widow and children and Peter. And there's a huge dog that spends a good portion of the book badly in need of a bath. The book has some really good humorous moments, excellent action, some very effective emotionally moments, all within a tightly plotted book. The ending is not unpredictable, which is another thing I liked about this book. The author has a heart for veterans, and that comes out in an organic, non-preachy way. It's surprisingly non-sentimental, with some casual and shocking moments of brutality, despite the themes of friendship and family, trauma and loss. If you find yourself rooting for tough characters who protect the vulnerable against really nasty foes, you'll probably like this book. I loved how although he's gone, Jimmy, Peter's friend, is such an important character, and his legacy is so prominent to this story. Dinah, Jimmy's widow, is a cool customer. She's smart, calm, ladylike, and surprisingly badass. Again, the character work in this book is so good.
I thought the narrator did a great job of bringing the characters to life. It was an engrossing listen. I'll keep reading this series.
I liked this book. What started out as a simple premise builds into something more complex. But there is still a simplicity about the story. It goes back to Peter's relationship with his deceased friend and the loyalty he has to him. Also the bond that forms between his widow and children and Peter. And there's a huge dog that spends a good portion of the book badly in need of a bath. The book has some really good humorous moments, excellent action, some very effective emotionally moments, all within a tightly plotted book. The ending is not unpredictable, which is another thing I liked about this book. The author has a heart for veterans, and that comes out in an organic, non-preachy way. It's surprisingly non-sentimental, with some casual and shocking moments of brutality, despite the themes of friendship and family, trauma and loss. If you find yourself rooting for tough characters who protect the vulnerable against really nasty foes, you'll probably like this book. I loved how although he's gone, Jimmy, Peter's friend, is such an important character, and his legacy is so prominent to this story. Dinah, Jimmy's widow, is a cool customer. She's smart, calm, ladylike, and surprisingly badass. Again, the character work in this book is so good.
I thought the narrator did a great job of bringing the characters to life. It was an engrossing listen. I'll keep reading this series.
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