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A Smudge Of Gray: A Novel (2012)

by Jonathan Sturak(Favorite Author)

3.42 of 5 Votes: 2

ISBN

0982589441 (ISBN13: 9780982589441)

languge

English

genre

Paranormal Fantasy

publisher

Pendan Publishing

review 1: I received this book as a Goodreads giveaway. This book was really incredible, I loved the mystery and secretive nature of the writing, as well as the myriad of literary elements which I felt enhanced the story. The book draws you in as you read it, and causes you to want to explore the mystery revealed throughout the novel. I'd assume for most of the cleverer readers that the gist of the mystery could be solved about midway through the book, though it does not diminish the revelation that the book builds up to in the end. One last, nearly unimportant note about this book is the texture of the cover. I know it's an odd thing to take note of, but the texture used on the cover of this book is very pleasing to the touch.
review 2: Jonathan Sturak’s A Smudge... more of Gray does more than deliver page-turning suspense and a stunning revelation in its final pages. Imagine traits of Patrick Bateman in Ellis’ American Psycho merged with the psyche of Tyler Durden in Palahniuk’s Fight Club and then combine them with plot twists reminiscent in the better screenplays by M. Night Shyamalan, and you have an idea of how Sturak’s storytelling will play out. The influence of these writers and their works are evident in Sturak’s novel, and the result is a highly satisfying thriller. Sturak expertly balances an intriguing criminal storyline with the intricacies of family conflicts. This is not your run of the mill thriller; he takes time to humanize his characters and their lives, which makes the events all the more chilling and plausible. Trevor Malloy, a successful consultant turned hired assassin (who seamlessly slides between targeting his victims and spending time with his family), faces off against his archrival, Brian Boise, a workaholic detective (who allows his unrelenting career and the demons of his past to lodge a stake between himself and his family). Sturak uses crisp, taut, and polished language to ensure that the narration doesn’t use words as mere devices to speed the plot forward. Each chapter feels like a well-illustrated canvas that pieces together the lives of the two main characters, Boise and Malloy, as they head towards a collision course of shocking proportions. As the story builds and unfolds with steady, suspenseful pacing, the twists are clever and intensify to a mind-bending conclusion that recasts the narrative in a different light. The descriptions in this novel are also satisfying as Sturak takes care to produce a distinct mood of eeriness and gloom in relation to the mysteriousness of the story. This thriller succeeds on a number of levels; it is recommended both for readers seeking a fast-paced crime novel and for those interested in well-developed character studies. less

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