Down River

A Novel

By: John Hart

Narrated by: Scott Sowers

Length: 12 hrs and 18 mins

Publisher's summary

The New York Times bestselling and Edgar Award-winning novel with from an author whose "prose is like Raymond Chandler's, angular and hard" (Entertainment Weekly).

Adam Chase has spent the last five years in New York City trying to erase his worst memories and the scorn and abandonment of his family. Then a phone call from his best friend awakens in him a torrent of emotion and pain. Having left North Carolina and its red soil for good, he never thought returning would be easy—but being remembered as a murderer doesn't help much. Adam is beaten, accosted, and hostilely confronted by his family, including Grace, the young woman whose abandonment torments him still.

Then people start turning up dead.

Within this small Southern town, John Hart explores the lengths to which people will go for money, family, and pure greed—and whether or not forgiveness is ever attainable.

©2007 John Hart (P)2007 Audio Renaissance, a division of Holtzbrinck Publishers LLC

Critic reviews

“Southern writer John Hart's work has a lyrical quality that Scott Sowers narrates with a growling weariness...The combination of Hart and Sowers provides the perfect marriage of prose and voice. Together they enable the book to transcend genre fiction and become something exceptional.” —AudioFile, Earphones Award Winner

“Scott Sowers delivers a solid performance reading Hart's powerful second novel…Hart writes with an intimate sense of melancholy and loss that Sowers resonates perfectly. Using a low-key, Southern accent to good advantage, Sowers draws the listener into the story from the very beginning with his simple, earnest delivery, and holds them tight.” —Publishers Weekly

“There hasn't been a thriller as showily literate since Scott Turow came along.” —The New York Times

great book

I thought it was excellent I binge listen to it pretty much straight through

Can't get enough of John Hart!

I love all kinds of books, but this guy is the writer of all writers! Every book of his keeps you on the edge of your seat. My only complaint is that he doesn't write faster!

This is an Author worth seeking out!

There are a few author that I purchase because I am confident that they won't disappoint me. "The Color of Law" was awesome.... and now "Down River" I am anxiously awaiting Hart's next release.

Story good, dialogue stilted and unrealistic

What did you love best about Down River?

I liked the story and the performance. The stilted dialogue really took me out of the environment. Obviously, John Hart is well received. Maybe I'm in the minority, but in my view, the guy just cannot write naturalistic dialogue.

What was most disappointing about John Hart’s story?

Characters making decisions and taking actions that are unbelievable and without logic or motive. This technique seems to be in play just to keep the reader in suspense. It didn't work for me.

What three words best describe Scott Sowers’s voice?

Engaging, clean, emotional... even when spouting stilted dialogue.

Author Weaves a Good Story

John Hart's books are filled with thoroughly fleshed out characters and the stories weave circuitous paths that always circle back. His writing style is pleasant to read though a little heavy handed with the similes. Down River is my third of his books and I'm looking forward to the next.

Couldn't Put Down

Amazing ride with whipsaw turns. Great narrator. Long book but I didn't want it to end.

Best Audiobook Ever

I listen to a lot of audiobooks, and this is probably the best one I've ever listened to.

DOWN RIVER is a very compelling crime drama, with great writing, dialogue and character depth. A tightly paced thriller, but one that thoroughly explores tragic family and personal relationships. Like a Southern soap opera, but don't let that scare you. Superb narration by Scott Sowers, he does a great job with all the character voices.

Try this one, you won't regret it. I loved it, and thought it well worth the money.

Down River-2008 Edgar Award Winner

"Down River", the 2008 Edgar Award Winner, is almost flawless. There are no requisite stumbles in the forest to give the killer/stalker/bad-guy time to catch up. I found the entire book, from beginning to end, thoughtful and enlightening. The conversational dialogue felt a bit awkward at first, because it was on-topic and off-topic and then on topic again, but I slowly began to realize that that is actually the way in which we script our speech in everyday conversations.

The story is compelling and keeps you guessing, but though a story may be excellent, for audiobooks, the narration is equally important. It was quite difficult to become accustomed to the deep southern accents, which were LESS "sweet tea and junipers" AND MORE "I am lost deep in the south and I really don't want to stop and ask Jed, the filling station attendant, for directions" AND (as I pass Jed and watch him through my rearview mirror) "Oh, no, Jed, the filling station attendant, is still watching me. Ok, Ok, deep breaths, he is just curious." AND "I just saw Jed wipe his hands on an oil-soaked rag and now, ok, (crossing myself) ok, he's, ok, he's turning, he is turning and he is, yes, Jed is walking, walking...walking back inside! We are outta here!" But I digress.

Listening to the dialect was difficult only because I have only been exposed to audiobooks in which the main narration, if not all of the characters, sounds like what I hear everyday in TV land, which means that the voices are sans any discernible accent except "American". Though the voices of the characters never became easy on my ears, the characters, themselves, were so endearing and expressed such palatable emotions and I became so immersed in the mysteries that I was actually unable to stop listening. Great Job!!

An extremely good book

One of the best books I've read/listened to this year. The characters are very real and the thoughtful plot is completely engrossing. A complete success from any point of view. I listened in any spare moment I had because I wanted to know what was happening. This book book won the Edgar award for a reason, because it was the best mystery of the year. I would say the best mystery of many years. Listen to this book if you love a great mystery with real character exhibiting real emotions. I cannot recommend this book more highly. Mike

Like Iles and DeMille

John Hart uses Salisbury NC like Greg Iles uses Natchez MS and Nelson Demille uses Long Island. He (Hart) is a modern day Faulkner in his understanding of the Southern family foibles and eccentricities. This is my second John Hart novel and I certainly will listen to the next two.

The narrator fits the setting to my ear.

Each Hart novel, although each set in the same small Southern town involves completely different sets of characters. I am somewhat familiar with Salisbury and find the circumstances quite believable.