The Lonely Mile (Thriller) [NOOK Book]

Best 2.99 you will ever spend

I have been trying to get to this novel for a number of weeks, ever since I downloaded it the end of July. My anticipation increased as more of my friends read the book and raved about it. When I finally got a chance to read it, I was not disappointed. This novel by Allan Leverone gripped me from the first page and held my interest all the way to the end. Serial kidnapper Martin Krall is the type of character that can really make a thriller. A total psychopath that is at times cruel and twisted, and at other times creepily pathetic. Throw in the other wonderful characters that populate this story and you become invested in their lives quite quickly. Who would't feel empathy for a man who, in trying to do what he thinks is right, ends up bringing hell into his family life. Or his daughter who, through no action of her own, is faced with every young woman's nightmare. The characters are compelling and vibrant. The story line, like all good thrillers, runs a mile a minute with twists and turns. From the beginning you have the feeling that something just isn't quite right, and as the story progresses, you get glimpses of things that only make those feelings stronger, until you get to the stunning conclusion of the book. What you end up with in the end is a real page turner with wonderfully drawn out characters and a story line that will keep you guessing. I guarantee that you will be on the edge of your chair through out this one, and you won't be able to put it down. It will be the best 2.99 you will ever spend on a book.

thrill ride from the beginning pages

Allan Leverone is a new to me author whose gripping plot and intriguing characters easily pulled me and wouldn't let go making this one of those books I couldn't put down until I knew for sure how things would work out. Martin Krall has been hunting along a five hundred mile stretch of I 90 for over three years. He has always been successful and feels like he is invincible. He is a cocky sort of guy who believes he can take what he wants when he wants and no one is going to stop him. You see he hunts young girls, and has abducted a dozen over the past three years and is on the hunt again. His plans go awry though when Bill Ferguson, a hardware store owner who happens to be in the rest area that Martin has decided to abduct his next victim from stops him. While Bill saves the girl from being abducted Martin gets away, and Martin decides he wants Bill's daughter Carli! This book flows very smoothly with descriptions that pull you into the scenes making me feel as if I was right there.Even though it is a work of fiction, I felt like this could be a crime that is happening right now because it seemed so plausible. The main character Bill is your average guy, with a daughter of his own, who stepped up to do what he thought was right, even though he never realized how it would impact his life. The author was able to keep the plot moving with several twists and turns even though we knew exactly who and what Martin Krall was.While Martin was labeled the I-90 killer, he didn't actually kill them, instead he had a scheme worked out where once he kept them for seven days he sold them to someone who would take them overseas never to be seen or heard from again. It was interesting to get inside his head so to speak, and to learn of his background where he was bullied. The ending was a real shocker as it reveals who Martin was selling the victims to. A fast paced thrill ride from beginning to end.Allan Leverone has certainly gained a new fan here and I for one will certainly be looking for more of his work! On a scale of one to five I would easily give this book a six because it's just that good!

Shockingly brilliant, this is one book that kidnapped my interest and held it hostage until the very last page!

A dark, sinister scene captivates from the first few words. A woman is kidnapped, the perpetrator's actions paint him to be a delusional psychopath, one moment abusing her in some form or another, the next whispering sweet nothings to her. Her confusion and distress is abundantly clear, and contagious. It doesn't take long for the sinister stranger to explain some things, which sparked my interest further. As the author delves in to the mind of the now named kidnapper, Martin Krall, I was drawn in deeper. We may deny it, but the human psyche is drawn to the macabre, as we try to understand and know all that we can. Being in the mind of Krall is an interesting experience, since most books choose to be in the mind of the victim, inspiring sympathy and pity, appealing to the better side of humanity. This new approach is darkly fresh, and a welcome change.

Krall soon goes on the prowl for another victim, and it's then that we meet Bill, a hardware store owner transporting money in between his two stores. His involvement is soon to be discovered.

With each new character introduced, the plot thickens, kindling a desire to find out more about each new player, be it a victim, a villain, or a possible hero. Emotions are stacked on a teetering pile as the new victim is spotted, and the conflict boils over to brilliant showdown.

Leverone pokes fun at typical movie lines allocated to officers and other characters, which provides a comical relief that takes the edge off, and builds the hero's personality to a relatable, everyday-man. In fact, all the characters are fairly normal making this a highly believable and appealing read.

This is a gripping story from start to finish as the plot thickens and horrific events occur, each drawing me in more than the last, until the final killer twist. Shockingly brilliant, this is one book that kidnapped my interest and held it hostage until the very last page!

Great Writing and Unpredictable

Not having read that many crime thriller novels recently, I was excited to read The Lonely Mile in anticipation of the new season of CSI. While my standards are not that high in this genre, I was floored by the great writing of this story and almost felt guilty that I had such low expectations. There were parts that I didn't really understand, until it hit me like a ton of bricks in the conclusion of the story. My biggest complaint in many of the suspense/thriller novels is that they seem predictable, or have another agenda, and the Lonely Mile had neither, just a strong plot, with characters so well written that the I got goose bumps at times thinking how creepy they were, as if I had passed them on the street then crossed it because I was so uncomfortable. There is nothing that seems cliché in this story, and while the subjects of kidnapping and possibly murdering young girls isn't light reading, the quality of the writing makes the reader press on, and make sure that things come out as they should. At $2.99 on Amazon Kindle, this book is a steal for anyone that is a fan of a good crime thriller.

Reviewed by Gabi for Book Sake.

A fast paced thriller

I picked up this book twice, both times, thinking I would just read a little. I read half the book each time. The book started out fast paced, engaged the reader and kept that pace throughout the novel. It is the kind of book that you just have to see how it turns out.

I loved the alternating characters, I especially think he did a nice job with the serial killer.

Overall, a great, quick-paced thriller.

Suspensful Thriller!

This is the second book I've read by Allan and I wasn't sure he could top Final Vector but he did it with this one. A man thwarts a kidnapping attempt at a rest stop and the guy gets away. Only later this same guy gets his revenge on the man that stopped him from getting his latest victim. Very well written, hard to put down read. I liked the way the story has its unexpected twists and turns and how the ending leave you happy and horrified at the same time. Hoping to see a sequel of this book.

No text was provided for this review.