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Two brothers with a shared tragic past, caused by a two-second decision that haunts them both. One decides to avenge it. The other, to forgive. Both will pay for their choices – more than they could ever imagine.
When he was a teenager, Adam Austin made a decision that led to the death of his little sister. His brother Kent learned to forgive her murderer but he never forgave Adam.
Twenty years later, Kent is the coach of the successful high school football team in Chambers, Ohio and Adam is the town’s bail bondsman – someone people turn to when they need help. When the girlfriend of one of Kent’s star players asks Adam to track down her father who has just been released from prison, Adam agrees. Days later, she is murdered at the address he gave her.
Overwhelmed by guilt in this horrifying echo of the past – Adam is determined to atone for his mistakes.
But this is a game outside of the brothers’ control. And every decision they make is matter of life and death . . .
THE PROPHET is the story of family, of guilt and redemption. Epic in its page-turning power, building suspense all the way to its viscerally compelling climax.
When he was a teenager, Adam Austin made a decision that led to the death of his little sister. His brother Kent learned to forgive her murderer but he never forgave Adam.
Twenty years later, Kent is the coach of the successful high school football team in Chambers, Ohio and Adam is the town’s bail bondsman – someone people turn to when they need help. When the girlfriend of one of Kent’s star players asks Adam to track down her father who has just been released from prison, Adam agrees. Days later, she is murdered at the address he gave her.
Overwhelmed by guilt in this horrifying echo of the past – Adam is determined to atone for his mistakes.
But this is a game outside of the brothers’ control. And every decision they make is matter of life and death . . .
THE PROPHET is the story of family, of guilt and redemption. Epic in its page-turning power, building suspense all the way to its viscerally compelling climax.
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Reviews
THE PROPHET is a relentless, heart-in-your-throat thriller about ordinary people caught in the middle of an extraordinary nightmare. It's about the sins of the past haunting the hopes of the present and the need to find redemption from the jury of your own conscience. It's also . . . irrefutable proof that [Koryta] has enough game to one day be considered a master of the genre.
Friday Night Lights meets In Cold Blood in this powerful tale . . . This book succeeds on any number of levels. It's a brilliantly paced thriller that keeps its villains at a tantalizing distance, a compelling family portrait, a study in morality that goes beyond the usual black-and-white judgments, and an entertaining spin on classic football fiction. A flawless performance.
Koryta triumphantly returns to crime fiction with this multilayered exploration of guilt and redemption . . . [he] has a gift for melding a suspenseful, twisty plot with a probing, unflinching look at his protagonists' weaknesses
Edgar-nominated mystery wunderkind Koryta (he turns 30 this year) has earned kudos from veteran thriller writers Stephen King and Dean Koontz. He proves plenty worthy of praise in this vivid portrayal of a small Midwestern town and the evils that befall it . . . With its crisp writing and steady suspense, this is a must-read for his fans both old and new.'
I've been an admirer of the hardworking Michael Koryta for many years. I loved SO COLD THE RIVER'S creepy gothic tone; I was enthralled by the eerie world of THE CYPRESS HOUSE. Koryta is a fantastic writer, and a remarkable storyteller. But his latest book, THE PROPHET, finds him at an entirely new level; I suspect it may be the novel that brings him the sort of widespread acclaim he's deserved all along. A gridiron metaphor would seem appropriate, given the crucial role football plays in The Prophet. It's as if Koryta has been wowing us with a brilliant running game for eight novels. We'd be more than happy to see him keep driving the ball up the middle, but here, suddenly, he's gone to the air: THE PROPHET is like a long, heart-stopping pass down the sidelines in the final seconds of a decisive game. It's made me want to leap to my feet and cheer him on.
Michael Koryta is one of the most exciting new voices in crime fiction.
Koryta is one of the best of the best
[Koryta] possesses an unusual gift - the ability to write a sure-fire bestseller.
On my must-read list.
Michael Koryta is one of our new dynamos in the world of books . . . [he's] becoming a wonder we'll appreciate for a long time.
Michael Koryta is a name that is growing in stature with each new novel he releases.
'...an intricate and satisfying thriller with a very human heart to its evil'
'Michael Koryta is one of the most exciting new voices in crime fiction'
'[Koryta] possesses an unusual gift - the ability to write a sure-fire bestseller'
'Koryta's story positively breathes a sense of dread. you want to turn your head away, but, of course, you can't. It's too good.'