Who is victim and who is antagonist in this story? ... This reviewer prides herself on weeding out the 'villain of the piece' long before the author’s disclosure. Not this time. In Bleak Harbor, Bryan Gruley truly has an ace up his sleeve, for the person behind Danny’s abduction is, a surprise that will shock some while others will applaud its brilliance. It’s a truly exceptional suspense story with a unique protagonist who isn’t to be underestimated.
Gruley does many things well in this novel, and the first one is atmosphere. Readers can sense Bleak Harbor and know its history. They can see the water and festivalgoers, but most importantly, they can sense the tension ... The author maintains a perfect balance between passages of extreme emotional grit and violence and passages filled with bleak poetry that celebrate the space in which the story takes places. In that regard, this is one of those rare crime novels that, besides belonging to more than one genre, flirts with literary fiction without ever becoming pretentious ... Gruley is a talented storyteller at the top of his game, and this might just be his best effort so far. Taut, smart, entertaining, and packed with a variety of types of tension, Bleak Harbor is one of those books that make readers keep flipping pages until everything has been said and done.
Bryan Gruley is a terrific writer, and his wordplay and scenic descriptions make up for a few minor missteps here. While not his fastest-paced thriller to date, early portions of Bleak Harbor read as if the characters are slightly underdeveloped. In reality, that may have more to do with Gruley disguising their pasts and current situations to hide their true motives, allowing for some misdirection and suspense later on. The other issue is that not every reader will buy the story’s twist, which is jarring but also walks the line of implausible. Still, there’s a lot to like here, and as a Michigan native born and raised, Gruley definitely nails the setting and brings Bleak Harbor right to life on the page. With nonstop twists and suspense throughout, Bleak Harbor is another solid offering from Bryan Gruley, who knows how to surprise readers and keep them on the edge of their seats.
The tension mounts to a startling conclusion featuring an unconventional, intricate plot by a mastermind aware of the flawed individuals involved with the Peters family ... another grim tale of dysfunctional people. Recommended for fans of domestic suspense.
You’ll find your resolve wavering like seaweed in an ebb tide as the narrative unfolds. Every now and then there’s a eureka moment and the pieces appear to slot neatly in place—but don’t be feeling too smug about things, because in Gruley we have an author who surely has a Masters degree in the art of misdirection ... this is not your common or garden hostage story ... [Gruley's] writing skills shine through in a book that has more twists and turns than an unravelling piece of rope. It’s tricksy, taut and tantalizingly good. Could be a late contender for my book of the year.
...intricately plotted ... Gruley gradually reveals connections between characters and their secrets as he builds suspense in this impressively constructed plot about attaining justice for those once wronged.
A deep dive into the deepest secrets of a one-family town and its leading family that sometimes gets murky, even exhausting, but is never less than enthralling. And you’ll finish it with a wonderful sense that you’ve finally come up for air.
Gruley’s characters are less developed than those in his other novels, and the major plot twist will strike some readers as implausible. Fans will hope for a return to form next time.
