Deception Cove

by Owen Laukkanen

Overview

A rescue dog, an ex-Marine, and an ex-convict are caught in the crosshairs of a ruthless gang in remote Washington state in this "first-rate thriller" (Associated Press) for "fans of CJ Box and Michael Koryta" (Booklist).
 
After fifteen years behind bars, Mason Burke owns one set of clothes, a wallet, and a photo of Lucy, the service dog he trained while in prison. Seeking a fresh start, he sets a course for Washington state, where the dog lives with Jess Winslow—widow, former US Marine, and PTSD survivor.

With one knock on Jess’s door, Mason lands in the midst of a standoff: Deputy Kirby Harwood has seized Lucy and threatens to destroy her unless Jess turns over the contraband that her late husband stole from under the deputy’s nose.

The last thing Mason wants is to be dragged back into the criminal world. The last thing Jess wants is to trust a stranger. But neither of them can leave a friend, the only good thing in either of their lives, in danger. To rescue Lucy, they’ll have to conquer their fears, forge an uneasy alliance, and fight back—before all three of them become collateral damage in someone else’s private war.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780316448680
Publisher:	Little, Brown and Company
Publication date:	07/21/2020
Series:	Winslow and Burke Series , #1
Pages:	384
Sales rank:	668,934
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.20(h) x 1.20(d)

About the Author

Owen Laukkanen's Stevens and Windermere novels have been nominated for the Anthony, Barry, Edgar, and Thriller Awards. A graduate of the University of British Columbia's Creative Writing program, Laukkanen spent three years in the world of professional poker reporting before turning to fiction. He currently lives in Vancouver with his dog, Lucy.

What People are Saying About This

Author of The Warehouse - Rob Hart

“Everything you could want in a thriller—rich setting, breakneck pacing, thrilling action, a ton of heart, and a great dog. This is a cancel-your-plans-so-you-can-stay-in-to-read book.”

Editorial Reviews

"Tender . . . Deeply sympathetic"—New York Times Book Review

"SUPERB... A FIRST-RATE THRILLER with plenty of action that Laukkanen masterfully controls while also delving deep into the personas of Jess and Mason."—Associated Press

"LAUKKANEN HAS NEVER BEEN BETTER. A crackerjack plot enhances the moving portrayals of the leads' inner lives."—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"Laukkanen is a damn fine storyteller."— Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"A promising beginning to a new series . . . Fans of C.J. Box and Michael Koryta will enjoy the authenticity of this gut-wrenching story."—Booklist

"I could write pages singing the praises of Deception Cove's vivid characters and ruthless pace—but here's the short version: Owen Laukkanen sure as hell knows how to tell a story. Read this one, you won't regret it."—Nick Petrie, national bestselling author of The Drifter

"Owen Laukkanen is a powerhouse writer, and Deception Cove cements that fact. Sharp, compelling, and loaded with a thriving setting and a conflicted, relatable protagonist — this is a harrowing story of redemption that feels intimate and cinematic at the same time. A must-read."—Alex Segura, author of Blackout

"In Deception Cove, Owen Laukkanen gives you everything you could want in a thriller — rich setting, breakneck pacing, thrilling action, a ton of heart, and a great dog. This is a cancel-your-plans-so-you-can-stay-in-to-read book."—Rob Hart, author of The Warehouse

From the Publisher

…a tender if melancholy mystery…

The New York Times Book Review - Marilyn Stasio

★ 03/25/2019

Deception Cove, Wash., “a rainy-day kind of place” that’s the atmospheric setting of this superior standalone from Thriller Award finalist Laukkanen (Gale Force), is home to Jess Winslow, a Marine veteran whose service in Afghanistan left her with PTSD. Jess’s husband, Ty, drowned while drunk, and her only companion is Lucy, a therapy dog. Jess receives an unsettling late-night visit from a power-hungry local deputy, Kirby Harwood, who insists that Jess must know the location of a package belonging to him that Ty possessed. Harwood is unwilling to accept Jess’s protestations of ignorance, and his menacing posture prompts Lucy to attack him. When ex-convict Mason Burke, who just finished a prison sentence for homicide in Michigan, hears that Lucy has been designated for destruction after this incident, he’s sure that the dog he took pride in training behind bars wouldn’t have turned violent without good cause. Mason treks out to Deception Cove to save Lucy, a mission that inevitably puts him at odds with Harwood. A crackerjack plot enhances the moving portrayals of the leads’ inner lives. Laukkanen has never been better. Agent: Stacia Decker, Donald Maass Literary. (May)

Publishers Weekly

Narrators Courtney Patterson and Kevin Stillwell portray Mason Burke and Jess Winslow, two men whose lives cross because of a dog. Burke’s first priority upon release from prison is to track down the service dog, Lucy, he trained as part of a prisoner program. Lucy is now residing with Jess, a newly widowed ex-marine with PTSD who finds himself in the midst of murder and corruption involving a violent gang. The narrators’ delivery styles complement each other, with Patterson bringing out the inner toughness of Jess and Stillwell highlighting the bewilderment of Mason, whose prison experience has not prepared him for the situation he now faces. A thrilling adventure ensues. K.J.P. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine

AUGUST 2019 - AudioFile

Narrators Courtney Patterson and Kevin Stillwell portray Mason Burke and Jess Winslow, two men whose lives cross because of a dog. Burke’s first priority upon release from prison is to track down the service dog, Lucy, he trained as part of a prisoner program. Lucy is now residing with Jess, a newly widowed ex-marine with PTSD who finds himself in the midst of murder and corruption involving a violent gang. The narrators’ delivery styles complement each other, with Patterson bringing out the inner toughness of Jess and Stillwell highlighting the bewilderment of Mason, whose prison experience has not prepared him for the situation he now faces. A thrilling adventure ensues. K.J.P. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine

AUGUST 2019 - AudioFile

★ 2019-03-03

The latest by the author of the Stevens and Windermere series and the maritime thriller Gale Force (2018).

When Mason Burke is released from a Michigan prison after serving 15 years for murder, he has no skills and no money. Near the end of his sentence, he worked with a rescue pit bull mix named Lucy in an experimental program. They weren't supposed to bond, but you know how men and dogs are. Upon his release, Burke knows he can never have Lucy back, but he simply wants to know she's doing well. From a photo he correctly guesses that she's been sent to tiny Deception Cove, Washington, so he borrows money and follows her there. Lucy has been a companion for widowed ex-Marine Jess Winslow, whose psyche remains badly shaken by combat in Afghanistan: "She couldn't survive without Lucy." But when a corrupt deputy sheriff gives Jess trouble, Lucy bites him in the butt. Authorities take umbrage—and Lucy—and plan to destroy her. Jess' dead husband, Ty, had something the crooked cops want, and they hold Lucy hostage until Jess coughs up information she doesn't have. When Mason and Jess meet, they are two troubled people connected only by a homely, comforting dog. Jess' nightmares make her scream, and Lucy's slobbery tongue on her face calms her down. For his part, Mason's time in prison was well spent with reading and reflection on his screw-ups. Once they meet, the story escalates quickly. Springing Lucy from death row is job No. 1, after which all three are in deep trouble. Jess and Mason carry equal weight in this story as they learn to trust and rely on each other. Her marksmanship skills come in handy, while "the most decent man she'd ever met in her life" has much to learn. But decency is his strong suit, and it serves him well. And Lucy shows them both a fierce loyalty. If the novel ever becomes a movie, she'll be a strong candidate for best supporting dog.

Laukkanen's thrillers go beyond bloodshed and giving bad guys their due. His protagonists show a level of humanity that makes his stories a real pleasure.

Kirkus Reviews