OVERVIEW
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
This is the twentieth or so book by Steve Berry I have read. I have read nearly all of the published books in the Cotton Malone series (thrillers with a historical bent) I immensely enjoy. But this is one of the few stand-alone books by Steve I have read that is unrelated to the Cotton Malone franchise.
This was a perfect book for the long weekend! It was a fresh new book from Steve, and I really enjoyed the difference in the storytelling.
OVERALL REVIEW: 4.5 stars
Writing: 4.0 stars
Steve writes so very well. This book was quite different without the historical aspect with most of his books, but I enjoyed it.
My only issue is that I found the descriptions of the mill, the paper process, and the operations uninteresting.
Character development: 4.5 stars
The main characters were Brent (a lawyer returning to his hometown), Hank (the electricians' union head), the fictional Southern Republic Pulp and Paper mill, and the three greedy shareholders/owners, Bozin, Lee, and Hughes.
The secondary characters are Brent and Hank's friends and family, the various mill workers, and the townspeople.
The tertiary character is greed, and the incredible lengths that some will go to protect and increase their wealth.
Storyline: 4.5 stars
This is a contemporary thriller and was quite mind-boggling. But nothing that corporations do anymore shocks or surprises me.
Brent and Hank unwittingly stumble into some horrible and criminal activities by the three owners/shareholders of the mill. By finding out this information, they put themselves and their families in danger. It then gets off and running, and the suspense doesn't stop until the end.
As Steve indicated in his Writer's Note, this book was inspired by his law practice in a town similar to the fictional Concord.
The location was primarily the fictional Concord, Georgia.
Memorable/Informative: 5.0 stars
I had no idea that these paper mills existed in the South. With access to water, trees, and a relatively inexpensive labor force, they thrived in the 19th and 20th centuries. Now, with the advent of the digital age, paper isn't used nearly as frequently, which has helped cause the demise of these mills.
Book cover: 4.0 stars
Okay, but meh.
Book title: 4.5 stars
Short and sweet!
STRONG recommend
NetGalley eARC/ebook
The List by Steve Berry
384 pages
Grand Central Publishing
FUTURE release date: 7/22/2025
INFORMATIONAL LINKS
TRIGGER WARNINGS:
Murder, gun violence, pregnancy, physical abuse, sexual situations, mild cursing, infidelity, terminal illnesses, gore, and blood
Happy reading,
Dorothea 💜
No comments:
Post a Comment