Redemption Road

A Novel

By: John Hart

Narrated by: Scott Shepherd

Length: 15 hrs and 17 mins

Publisher's summary

The first and only author to win back-to-back Edgars for Best Novel. Every book a New York Times bestseller. After five years, John Hart is back.

Since his debut bestseller, The King of Lies, reviewers across the country have heaped praise on John Hart, comparing his writing to that of Pat Conroy, Cormac McCarthy and Scott Turow. Each novel has taken Hart higher on the New York Times Bestseller list as his masterful writing and assured evocation of place have won readers around the world and earned history's only consecutive Edgar Awards for Best Novel with Down River and The Last Child. Now, Hart delivers his most powerful story yet.
Imagine:

A boy with a gun waits for the man who killed his mother.

A troubled detective confronts her past in the aftermath of a brutal shooting.

After thirteen years in prison, a good cop walks free as deep in the forest, on the altar of an abandoned church, a body cools in pale linen…

This is a town on the brink.

This is Redemption Road.

Brimming with tension, secrets, and betrayal, Redemption Road proves again that John Hart is a master of the literary thriller.

©2016 John Hart (P)2016 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

"This is a dark book, made all the darker by Shepherd's stagy interpretation."--AudioFile Magazine

“The depth of emotion in Hart’s words is palpable, and listeners will feel every nuanced sentiment that the characters are experiencing.”--Library Journal

Stunning, Gripping, Remarkable

In the beginning few chapters I found the narration lacking and I could not understand where the story was going. Yet without realuzing it, I was gripped by both the narration and completely emersed in the novel.

Having read and listened to John Hart's previous works, I never dreamed he was capable of a novel of this magnitude. Redemption Road puts him in rare company. Thomas Harris and Joe Nesbo come to mind.

Its a complicated tale with several layers of mystery and intrigue. The characters are as intriguing as their secrets.

Scott Shepherd does a wonderful job narrating. 5 stars gatuntees I will be listening to this many times over the years.

The bad news just keeps on coming

Would you try another book from John Hart and/or Scott Shepherd?

I have read/listened to several book by John Hart. This one was depressing. A never ending series of pain, suffering, and assaults. The narrator's delivery made the book even more depressing. He used the same voice for every character and his tone just kept you down.
It was relentless.

Would you be willing to try another book from John Hart? Why or why not?

I will read other books by John Hart. Redemption Road is overall a good book. Just not hopeful or uplifting in anyway.

How could the performance have been better?

First I'd suggest using different "voices" for different characters. At times it was hard to tell which character was talking. Second, more variance in tonal delivery. Even if the story is a big downer - a varing tonality would make it more engaging. I had to work at staying through the story. I almost quit several times. But I wanted to know where the story ended.

Could you see Redemption Road being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

No

Captivating

Liked the narrator. Complex characters. Started and finished in 1 day. Will look for more of author's book.

Highly recommend!

JLRShebe

So good! Had to post my first review.
Well done all around. Kept me guessing and, as an avid listener, that doesn't happen often.
Great characters, great twists. Narration was excellent. Two thumbs up!

Intense

What made the experience of listening to Redemption Road the most enjoyable?

Exceptional narration, meshing of so many damaged characters. Hart at his best.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

From one dire circumstance to another . Sheoherd's narration complimented the intensity,

Have you listened to any of Scott Shepherd’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No but I plan to search Shepjerd's recordings.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

I don't believe the intense emotion or or characters internal thoughts would translate well film.

Any additional comments?

Damn good listen.

Great read! Great narration!

The story is fascinatingly woven and the narration brings it to life. Well done.

Another terrific book by John Hart

interesting how the author wove seemingly unrelated events into a story that keeps you rapt to the end. I couldn't stop listening!!!

Wonderfully Narrated

A great story that is suspenseful the whole time. The narrator gave a superb performance. I would recommend whole heartedly.

Outstanding!

I didn’t want to stop listening. This book is one of the best I’ve heard in recent years.

Immersive story and excellent narration

Any additional comments?

This is my first John Hart book and I am very impressed. The woven storylines are fantastic and I didn't want to put it down. (I worked on 3 toilets and painted in the house so I could continue listening!!!) At first I was a bit iffy on the narration, but he grew on me as the book went on. I will say that it was not too difficult to figure out the "who done it" part. Most of the time it would be a negative if I can figure out the ending too quickly, but in this case the characters are so deep and well developed that I didn't care. I just wanted to enjoy listening to the story unfold at it's own pace.

The author does a great job of giving the right amount of detail. It seems very "visual" which is excellent for an audio book. You get to engage your own imagination and just immerse in the story. Can't wait to read the next one. This author is now one of my top 10 favorites, and I am very glad I found it.