Reviews
It isn't as if Hart's career needed jump-starting. His first three stand-alone thrillers have been greeted by an ever-growing crescendo of praise, including two Edgar Awards. Definitely not the kind of writer who needs a breakthrough book. And, yet, Iron House lifts Hart to an altogether new level of excellence.... The present-time plot--disaffected Mob hit man on the run, trying to carve a new life without endangering those he loves|9781250007018|, "If you crave thrillers that are vividly beautiful, graphic, will make you bleed, try John Hart." - Patricia Cornwell " Iron House lifts Hart to an altogether new level of excellence.... Like the great Peter Hoeg in Borderliners (1994), Hart uses the familiar story of mistreatment in an orphanage as a way into the inner lives of his characters, and the blind fear, abject confusion, and yearning for love he finds there are both heartbreaking and curiously hopeful, in an almost postapocalyptic way. An unforgettable novel from a master of popular fiction." - Booklist, starred review "Rich, impressive... Hart deftly interweaves a complex family history story with Stevan's intense, bloody quest for vengeance.... [The book's] powerful themes and its beautiful prose will delight Hart's fans - and should earn him many new ones." - Publishers Weekly, starred review, This rich, impressive contemporary thriller from two-time Edgar-winner Hart (The Last Child) focuses on two brothers, Michael and Julian, both raised and abused at the Iron House of the title, an orphanage in the mountains of North Carolina.... Hart deftly interweaves a complex family history story with Stevan's intense, bloody quest for vengeance.... [The book's] powerful themes and its beautiful prose will delight Hart's fans--and should earn him many new ones., There are few books published that can legitimately be called a 'must-read,' but this is one of them., A beautifully constructed story of personal redemption, family secrets, and murder--a small-town epic...., It isn't as if Hart's career needed jump-starting. His first three stand-alone thrillers have been greeted by an ever-growing crescendo of praise, including two Edgar Awards. Definitely not the kind of writer who needs a breakthrough book. And, yet, Iron House lifts Hart to an altogether new level of excellence.... The present-time plot--disaffected Mob hit man on the run, trying to carve a new life without endangering those he loves--makes a superb thriller on its own (steadily building tension, magnificently choreographed fight scenes, including a High Noon-like finale), but it's what Hart does with the backstory that gives the novel its beyond-genre depth. Like the great Peter Hoeg in Borderliners (1994), Hart uses the familiar story of mistreatment in an orphanage as a way into the inner lives of his characters, and the blind fear, abject confusion, and yearning for love he finds there are both heartbreaking and curiously hopeful, in an almost postapocalyptic way. An unforgettable novel from a master of popular fiction., It isn't as if Hart's career needed jump-starting. His first three stand-alone thrillers have been greeted by an ever-growing crescendo of praise, including two Edgar Awards. Definitely not the kind of writer who needs a breakthrough book. And, yet, Iron House lifts Hart to an altogether new level of excellence…. The present-time plot--disaffected Mob hit man on the run, trying to carve a new life without endangering those he loves|9781250007018|, Advance Praise for IRON HOUSE: "If you crave thrillers that are vividly beautiful, graphic, will make you bleed, try John Hart." - Patricia Cornwell "Lean, hard and absolutely riveting, Iron House is a tour de force. With his best book yet, John Hart has clearly joined the top rank of thriller writers." - Vince Flynn "It isn't as if Hart's career needed jump-starting. His first three stand-alone thrillers have been greeted by an ever-growing crescendo of praise, including two Edgar Awards. Definitely not the kind of writer who needs a breakthrough book. And, yet, Iron House lifts Hart to an altogether new level of excellence…. The present-time plot-disaffected Mob hit man on the run, trying to carve a new life without endangering those he loves-makes a superb thriller on its own (steadily building tension, magnificently choreographed fight scenes, including a High Noonlike finale), but it's what Hart does with the backstory that gives the novel its beyond-genre depth. Like the great Peter Hoeg in Borderliners (1994), Hart uses the familiar story of mistreatment in an orphanage as a way into the inner lives of his characters, and the blind fear, abject confusion, and yearning for love he finds there are both heartbreaking and curiously hopeful, in an almost postapocalyptic way. An unforgettable novel from a master of popular fiction." Booklist , starred review "This rich, impressive contemporary thriller from two-time Edgar-winner Hart (The Last Child) focuses on two brothers, Michael and Julian, both raised and abused at the Iron House of the title, an orphanage in the mountains of North Carolina.... Hart deftly interweaves a complex family history story with Stevan's intense, bloody quest for vengeance.... [The book's] powerful themes and its beautiful prose will delight Hart's fans--and should earn him many new ones." -- Publishers Weekly , starred review Overwhelming Praise for the National Bestselling Work of John Hart: THE LAST CHILD "A magnificent creation...Huck Finn channeled through Lord of the Flies ." - THE WASHINGTON POST "A rare accomplishment-a compelling, fast-paced thriller written with a masterful, literary touch." - Jeffery Deaver "If you haven't read John Hart...you ought to." - NEW YORK DAILY NEWS "This generation's Pat Conroy." - THE PROVIDENCE JOURNAL DOWN RIVER "Settles the question of whether thrillers and mysteries can also be literature." - PUBLISHERS WEEKLY (starred review) "There are few books published that can legitimately be called a 'must-read,' but this is one of them." - CHICAGO SUN-TIMES "A beautifully constructed story of personal redemption, family secrets, and murder-a small-town epic...." - BOOKLIST KING OF LIES "Grisham-style intrigue and Turow-style brooding." - THE NEW YORK TIMES "A top-notch debut, Hart's prose is like Raymond Chandler's, angular and hard." - ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY (Grade A) "[An] ambitious debut thriller...a gripping performance." - PEOPLE, "If you crave thrillers that are vividly beautiful, graphic, will make you bleed, try John Hart." -- Patricia Cornwell "Lean, hard and absolutely riveting, Iron House is a tour de force. With his best book yet, John Hart has clearly joined the top rank of thriller writers." -- Vince Flynn "It isn't as if Hart's career needed jump-starting. His first three stand-alone thrillers have been greeted by an ever-growing crescendo of praise, including two Edgar Awards. Definitely not the kind of writer who needs a breakthrough book. And, yet, Iron House lifts Hart to an altogether new level of excellence.... The present-time plot--disaffected Mob hit man on the run, trying to carve a new life without endangering those he loves--makes a superb thriller on its own (steadily building tension, magnificently choreographed fight scenes, including a High Noon-like finale), but it's what Hart does with the backstory that gives the novel its beyond-genre depth. Like the great Peter Hoeg in Borderliners (1994), Hart uses the familiar story of mistreatment in an orphanage as a way into the inner lives of his characters, and the blind fear, abject confusion, and yearning for love he finds there are both heartbreaking and curiously hopeful, in an almost postapocalyptic way. An unforgettable novel from a master of popular fiction." -- Booklist, starred review "This rich, impressive contemporary thriller from two-time Edgar-winner Hart (The Last Child) focuses on two brothers, Michael and Julian, both raised and abused at the Iron House of the title, an orphanage in the mountains of North Carolina.... Hart deftly interweaves a complex family history story with Stevan's intense, bloody quest for vengeance.... [The book's] powerful themes and its beautiful prose will delight Hart's fans--and should earn him many new ones." -- Publishers Weekly, starred review "A magnificent creation...Huck Finn channeled through Lord of the Flies ." -- THE WASHINGTON POST on The Last Child "A rare accomplishment--a compelling, fast-paced thriller written with a masterful, literary touch." --Jeffery Deaver on The Last Child "If you haven't read John Hart...you ought to." -- NEW YORK DAILY NEWS on The Last Child "This generation's Pat Conroy." -- THE PROVIDENCE JOURNAL on The Last Child "Settles the question of whether thrillers and mysteries can also be literature." -- PUBLISHERS WEEKLY (starred review) on Down River "There are few books published that can legitimately be called a 'must-read,' but this is one of them." -- CHICAGO SUN-TIMES on Down River "A beautifully constructed story of personal redemption, family secrets, and murder--a small-town epic...." -- BOOKLIST on Down River "Grisham-style intrigue and Turow-style brooding." -- THE NEW YORK TIMES on King of Lies "A top-notch debut, Hart's prose is like Raymond Chandler's, angular and hard." -- ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY (Grade A) on King of Lies "[An] ambitious debut thriller...a gripping performance." -- PEOPLE on King of Lies, Lean, hard and absolutely riveting, Iron House is a tour de force. With his best book yet, John Hart has clearly joined the top rank of thriller writers., Praise for IRON HOUSE: Winner of the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance's Award for Best Fiction "If you crave thrillers that are vividly beautiful, graphic, will make you bleed, try John Hart." - Patricia Cornwell "Lean, hard and absolutely riveting, Iron House is a tour de force. With his best book yet, John Hart has clearly joined the top rank of thriller writers." - Vince Flynn "It isn't as if Hart's career needed jump-starting. His first three stand-alone thrillers have been greeted by an ever-growing crescendo of praise, including two Edgar Awards. Definitely not the kind of writer who needs a breakthrough book. And, yet, Iron House lifts Hart to an altogether new level of excellence…. The present-time plot-disaffected Mob hit man on the run, trying to carve a new life without endangering those he loves-makes a superb thriller on its own (steadily building tension, magnificently choreographed fight scenes, including a High Noonlike finale), but it's what Hart does with the backstory that gives the novel its beyond-genre depth. Like the great Peter Hoeg in Borderliners (1994), Hart uses the familiar story of mistreatment in an orphanage as a way into the inner lives of his characters, and the blind fear, abject confusion, and yearning for love he finds there are both heartbreaking and curiously hopeful, in an almost postapocalyptic way. An unforgettable novel from a master of popular fiction." Booklist , starred review "This rich, impressive contemporary thriller from two-time Edgar-winner Hart (The Last Child) focuses on two brothers, Michael and Julian, both raised and abused at the Iron House of the title, an orphanage in the mountains of North Carolina.... Hart deftly interweaves a complex family history story with Stevan's intense, bloody quest for vengeance.... [The book's] powerful themes and its beautiful prose will delight Hart's fans--and should earn him many new ones." -- Publishers Weekly , starred review Overwhelming Praise for the National Bestselling Work of John Hart: THE LAST CHILD "A magnificent creation...Huck Finn channeled through Lord of the Flies ." - THE WASHINGTON POST "A rare accomplishment-a compelling, fast-paced thriller written with a masterful, literary touch." - Jeffery Deaver "If you haven't read John Hart...you ought to." - NEW YORK DAILY NEWS "This generation's Pat Conroy." - THE PROVIDENCE JOURNAL DOWN RIVER "Settles the question of whether thrillers and mysteries can also be literature." - PUBLISHERS WEEKLY (starred review) "There are few books published that can legitimately be called a 'must-read,' but this is one of them." - CHICAGO SUN-TIMES "A beautifully constructed story of personal redemption, family secrets, and murder-a small-town epic...." - BOOKLIST KING OF LIES "Grisham-style intrigue and Turow-style brooding." - THE NEW YORK TIMES "A top-notch debut, Hart's prose is like Raymond Chandler's, angular and hard." - ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY (Grade A) "[An] ambitious debut thriller...a gripping performance." - PEOPLE