Ravens

Unexpected Twists in Lottery Thriller

George Dawes Green works every angle in this deceptively simple thriller about a family who's enormous lottery win attracts the attention of two unstable, dangerous dudes.
George captures the characters in that deft, short hand fashion that's the hallmark of the master suspense writer. The story makes some unexpected turns along the way. The resolution does seem to come all of a sudden. But this sort of story can only end one way and George has the sense not to hang around after the ending. Which I like. There's nothing left to tell.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Interested Premise, But Rushed Ending

Interesting premise, but the book was rushed towards the end. Also, the author takes some big leaps to move the plot along concerning the family and their interactions with their captors. The book could have had another 50 pages of plot and character development and I would have given it 5 stars. Still a good read and I liked the writing style from each character's perspective.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

In a nutshell

This is the second book I have read by George Dawes Green and boy, am I glad I was introduced to his works. In Ravens two grifters on their way to Florida, when stopping at a convince store, find out that a local family has just won 380 million dollars in the state Jackpot. Shaw, one of the grifters, decides that he and his friend are going to get in on the money. They find the family and place pressures on them to obtain 1/2 of their winnings. The way they maintain their hold upon the family is through constant terror.

I loved this book. Green did a wonderful job with describing the setting of Brunswick, NC making it seem down home, yet dirty and oppressive at the same time. He used many different techniques to relate the character's emotions and inner demons with the things around them. And all the while, he built the tension of the novel so high and tight I thought I would burst! Once the climax was at its max I found my heart racing and my mind reeling. Green is a master at building suspense and terror.

I listened to the audio version of this book and I am sure I don't have to tell you how much I love Hachette's Audio books. This one did have a flaw in my eyes. The female voice, I found to be harsh and raspy. I am not sure if they had her speak that way for effect or not but I found it really off putting. The male voice on the other hand way GREAT, so many different characters to portray and yet each one had their own voice.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Ravens Didn't Fly for Me

This book was just an okay read for me. While the idea behind the story was interesting and I enjoyed the author's writing style, I still had a hard time getting through this one. I guess the biggest thing was that I didn't find any of these characters likeable and, therefore, couldn't feel much sympathy for any of them, even the family being terrorized by Romeo and Shaw. The one character I did want to see succeed was the sheriff, but by the time he got involved and started investigating what was going on, I didn't care whether the Boatwright family got out of this mess or not. This was just one of those books I wish I hadn't picked up.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Great read!!

Although the language was more vulgar than necessary, the book was interesting and explored the minds of the characters in a realistic way. I would recommend it.

A Different Kind Of Suspense

Patsy Boatwright spends every Wednesday night the same way...curled up on the couch with a drink waiting for the winning Jackpot numbers. Even though week after week she is disappointed, she knows without a doubt that sooner or later, her numbers will win. And she was right, one night she falls on her knees screaming "Grace Of God, Grace Of God, Grace Of God" over and over. She had won three hundred and eighteen million dollars.

Romeo and Shaw are on their way from Ohio to Florida when they stop at a convenience store to check their tire pressure. One of them overhears a clerk on her cell phone talking about the store selling the state Jackpot winning ticket. Together they hold the Boatwrights hostage, telling them they'll murder some family members if they don't cooperate. This is another book that I feel must have a short review for fear of posting spoilers. The author has done a good job of letting us get to know these characters. They are all so different it kept me interested and entertained. George Dawes Green has added many facets to this book, and some were hilarious, the power Shaw has over everyone. I love this book because it's full of a different kind of suspense than most books. You're not trying to figure out who the bad guys are, you already know that. The suspense is waiting to see how it all ends. I hope to see more from this author.

A successful mix of suspense and humor.

Shaw and Romeo were passing through town. They stopped at a truck stop to check their tires. Shaw overheard the clerk discussing the lottery. Seems a local had won the jackpot of over 300 million dollars. A plan began to form in his mind.

The men held the Boatwrights hostage. If they did not cooperate they would murder their relatives.

My summary is short because I do not want to spoil this book for other readers. Green successfully combines humor and suspense to create an unforgettable thriller. The characters come to life on the pages of this book. I was amazed as Shaw became almost a folk hero among not only the people of the town but his captives. He was obviously a sociopath yet he convinced people he was their savior. Each character had a distinct voice. I found myself rooting for the sheriff. I wanted him to be successful in capturing the villains and with Miss Nell. Miss Nell was a delightful character. She was feisty and interesting. Tara was the most intelligent one in her family. The Boatwrights were a stereo type peek into the life of a southern lower class down on their luck family. They were an exaggeration of a way of life. Patsy was a heavy drink lottery playing wife/mother. Mitch was a husband/father; he seemed to lack confidence in himself. Romeo was the villain with redeeming qualities.

The ending of this book was surprising. I wanted more. I wanted to know what happened to the family.

Raven is well done. My husband and I listened to this book while on vacation. More than once we sat in the car a bit longer than necessary so hear what would happen next. Raven not only held our attention, it captures listeners. The readers are excellent. Do not miss this audio book!

Psychological suspense with a great ending!

This one was a page turner. I was so hooked right from the word go with this one.

The story was narrated by a few different characters. It jumped back and forth, but it didn't seem choppy. The story just goes on, but from a different perspective. It wasn't like it would switch to a new character and rehash what the last character just told us.

The writing was good. There was only one thing that bothered me, when a character is talking the author would use Said Shaw instead of Shaw Said. But that was really the only thing I didn't like.

I liked the beginning, it gave us enough info about the characters to pull me into the story, without giving so much detail that it became mundane. It follows the Boatwright family and then friends Shaw and Romeo. The Boatwrights win the lottery and that's when Shaw and Romeo really enter the picture.

The suspense in this novel doesn't come from not knowing what's going on. Quite the opposite, we know what's going on right from the word go. The suspense comes from hoping that someone will slip and everyone else will know what is going on. I would say it's more psychological that physical suspense.

The ending threw me for a loop. And while the last passage confused me a little it still was a great ending.

Overall good writing and a great story.

What can money buy....

The Boatwright family live in tiny Brunswick, Georgia. Mom Patsy, has a ritual on Wednesday nights - get soused and pray that her lottery tickets are winners. Against all odds, this time they are. The Boatwright family - father Mitch - a devout elder at the Faith Renewal Church, daughter Tara - who wants something more than life in Brunswick and little brother Jase - his mother's favourite. Tara is her grandmother Nell's favourite. Brunswick is struggling financially and so are the Boatwrights. But they won't be now - they've won $318 million dollars. They're trying to keep the win under wraps.

But you know how small towns are. When two low level grifters - Shaw and Romeo stop in to the local convenience store on their way through to Florida, they get wind of the win and who the lucky family is. Shaw decides that their ship has come in and that they will share the Boatwright's good fortune.

"Could he really do this? He had to He had to live He couldn't not-live any longer. He knew that if there were any resistance, it would have to be crushed mercilessly. If they challenged him, he'd have to kill their loved ones while they watched. An how would he withstand their looks of horror By tapping into a vein of steadfastness and wisdom. By knowing what he needed. What he needed was beauty. A life of pure beauty , nothing less. He'd pay any price for it.

Shaw visits the Boatwright family and promises that his friend Romeo will kill their family and friends if they don't go along with his plan. He only wants half of their good fortune.

When the money is received and Shaw promises publicly to give it all away, the public inexplicably falls in love with him, almost hypnotized. He begins to refer to the public as his flock. The entire situation becomes surreal. And still Romeo is out there, circling the town. As Shaw says " Always the light is guarded by darkness."

Ravens went in a completely different direction than I had first though it would. Initially I thought it would be tension filled hostage situation with the family plotting to escape etc. Instead, it's more relationship and character driven. Shaw's glib and golden tongue produces amazing, seemingly reasonable explanations for everything. He is revelling in his new found status. Romeo on the other hand is such a tragic figure. He is alone, 'on patrol' the entire time Shaw is posturing. Romeo has good in him and isn't really cut out for this caper. He craves human contact and ends up with odd relationships with the denizens of the town.

I was so sucked into this story - I kept turning page after page. Would the family rebel, would Shaw get away with it, what would Romeo do, out there in the dark.

Green has created an unexpected, engrossing tale that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Excellent Read -- a true psychological thriller

Was given a copy from a friend and actually called to thank them after I finished the first chapter. What a great book!

great book

This is one book I couldn't put down once I got started reading. This novel is a page turner from start to finish with many twist and turns. I really enjoyed reading this novel and look to read more from this author.

This is a strong exhilarating small town Georgia thriller

In Brunswick, Georgia dirt poor whites Mitch and Patsy Boatwright win the $318 million Max-a-Million jackpot. Shaw McBride and Romeo Zderko are passing through town on their way to Ohio when they hear the news that a local yokel couple won the jackpot. The traveling pair decides to stay in town a few days to share in the winnings though they are strangers.

Shaw concocts the scheme of bluffing the duo into believing that he and Romeo are vicious lethal thugs instead of mentally tired programmers. He informs the Boatwright's that they will hand over half or die along with their loved ones like their twentyish daughter college student Tara. Shocked and frightened Mitch and Patsy agree once they collect their money starting with introducing his lottery partner Shaw at a press conference.

This excellent regional psychological thriller works because of the strong cast who embellishes the story line with local flavoring and brings out the worst in the two wannabe con artists. Intriguingly the Boatwright family may be the victims fearful of the mentally bullying Shaw and the overwhelmingly physical threat from the ironically named Romeo, yet they also fall victims to the Stockholm syndrome as they begin to cherish their avarice banes who hold them hostage for the loot. Fans will enjoy this tense psychological thriller as George Dawes Green shows the human caring side to his major characters as much as their depraved needs. This is a strong exhilarating small town Georgia thriller.

Harriet Klausner

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