Four Years from Home

Why no paperback version on B&N

I couldn't find the paperback here on B&N but Amazon has it! I was able to use their "Inside the Book" feature to read a few pages and it looks great. So I bought it there. Hope this helps the rest of you who like me don't care for ebooks.

7 out of 7 people found this review helpful.

Highly recommend - very entertaining, often poignant, and hard to put down

I particularly enjoyed the rich textures in the development of the character of Tom Ryan and the interesting vision of the world as seen through his often clouded eyes.

7 out of 7 people found this review helpful.

Warning! Possible Spoiler!

I absolutely enjoy books that explore moral issues and lay bare the connecting threads of the judgments we make without thinking. They make me think about my own life and the decisions I make and the people I judge, often too harshly. This novel is about a young man who is apparently unlikable and thoroughly unredeemable. He is a bully, a brat, a conniving, sneaky, scheming child who has never quite grown up. But as he uncovers the hidden layers of his brother's past, his brother who is the "saint" in the family, we find that this bully has tried to be someone more than we expected, more than we judged him at first to be. Things are rarely what they appear to be, sacrifice is noble, and the mind a fragile companion. Four Years from Home presents these themes in a darkly humorous fashion as it leads us down the path of tragedy. The book is not perfect, but it is well written and spellbinding. I applaud the effort and recommend it to any adult who enjoys thinking.

6 out of 6 people found this review helpful.

Good mystery, fun read

It's about a bully who gets bullied into doing something by his family and as the story goes on, it gets really interesting and hard to put down. Liked the humor and sadness mixed up together.

6 out of 6 people found this review helpful.

Dark humorous mystery

This story starts out dark and mysterious and only gets darker and even more mysterious. Some really funny sarcastic and pointed humor along the way and some really heart-breaking poignant moments. The ending is awesome.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Poignant, Funny, Mesmerizing

You could call this book a humorous look at the familial bonds between a self-described bully and his siblings. You could call it a wrenching tale of loss and discovery. You could call it a story of twists and turns that both entrances and shocks.

You'd be right on all counts.

The author seems purposed to not only share the story of bully/brother Tom Ryan, but to put us in Tom's head as his world is turned upside down, and as his grasp of it is peeled away bit by bit. We don't just follow Tom's journey--we inhabit it as he seeks out answers to his brother Harry's death while away at college. What we get from this masterfully told tale is always touching, frequently worthy of chuckles born of our own memories of childhood, and also impossible to anticipate. I did not see coming what transpired.

Highly, highly recommended. You will be hooked from the first paragraph of this tale that should be treasured.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Larry Enright's masterpiece

Larry Enright's masterpiece 'Four Years from home' takes the reader on a wild ride of gut-wrenching emotions. Humorous in parts, dramatic and thought-provoking, its central driving force is a dark mystery that unfolds at about chapter 6 and continues onward to its stunning conclusion. Thoroughly entertaining and highly recommended.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Recommend, a very good read

I started searching for these books on my Nook and was able to read "A King in a Court of Fools" and "Buffalo Nickle Christmas" But had to go and purchase the other two because they were not available on Nook. My daughter first read all of these on her Kindle. I put these out on Facebook for my friends, especially those with a Pittsburgh connection. I read this one after "A King in a Court of Fools" but either order, gets you to the full story which continues to "A Cape May Diamond"

Four Years From Home is the first book I've read by Larry Enrigh

Four Years From Home is the first book I've read by Larry Enright.
I was taken in from the very beginning by the character of Tom. I liked his sarcasm and biting wit, but I also liked to hate him when he lied and cheated and manipulated to get what he wanted. I believe that Enright did a good job with character development and that is why Tom is so unlikeable at times. Harry, on the other hand, Tom's youngest sibling, was a very likeable character from the beginning. He seemed to have a good sense of self. He let the things Tom did just roll off his back. When Harry went off to college and wasn't heard from for four years that seemed quite out of character for him. I knew something had to be going on besides studying at college, but the ending certainly surprised me.
When you read this story, be ready for a bumpy ride...sibling rivalry, jealousy, biting sarcasm, humor, pain, and the ultimate show of brotherly love!

a bit convoluted, but a good read

The jumping between times and the flashbacks between the main character make it a bit difficult to read and stay on track. but a good read, worth the time

Well wtitten

I enjoyed each page of this book--could even see myself rereading it! Could there be anyone really like Tom in real life? Tom's intelligence and creativity makes him interesting and charming--his lack of empathy makes him unlikeable.

Gotta love Tom Ryan

Great story of a bad boy that nobody likes for all the wrong reasons. Enjoyed this one very much.

Highly Recommend

I got this after reading some of the reviews and it was worth it, every penny of it. This is high quality story-telling and I recommend it to anyone looking for something out of the ordinary in mystery fiction. It is a mystery, but it's a lot more.

Brilliant and enjoyable - ***possible spoiler***

This story takes you wandering through the thoughts of a man suffering from some serious mental issues. You can tell from the beginning that he is disturbed in some way. It's only after his long journey through sad discovery that you find out what is causing it and what it's true nature is. Very enjoyable book. I highly recommend it.

A man in his own mind

This is the story of a man living in the hell of his own mind. His various problems which can't really be talked about without giving up the plot drive him from one insane episode to the next. And the ending justifies the means. Well done, an interesting and difficult read, but well done.

Rich wonderful narration

I loved this story for it rich, wonderful narration and the "aha" moment at the end that makes it all make sense.

Thought provoking and challenging

I found this book to be challenging insofar at the protagonist is thoroughly unlikeable, but I have read other similar works that make empathy impossible. That said, this thought-provoking work carries the reader forward through the initial revulsion and into a mystery that is resolved admirably. Great first novel. Hats off!

Just finished it - WOW

I really loved this book. It's a story, not just a mystery. I just can't say enough how much I liked it. Fantastic!

Twists and Turns

Great story that takes a little time to develop but I don't mind that in a well written book. The underlying themes were well-integrated. A good read.

Good Book

I like a book with some substance and this one has it. I enjoyed taking my time with it and following all the little side stories and wanderings. Kudos.