theguywhoreads

There are times when I read a crime novel, I always felt the protagonist have to be a hard case hero with a death wish. You Were Never Really Here pulls up that darkness I never thought that is so good, that I am looking forward to the upcoming movie adaptation to be released next year. When it comes to such genre, I always wonder how good can it get. This book, really hits the spot.

Joe is a man with an abused past. He is an ex-marine and an ex-FBI agent and now he is a man for hire for doing dirty clean up jobs secretly for important people. When a senator hires him to retrieve his captive daughter in a brothel, Joe is on a quest with his only weapon of choice - a hammer. Little did he know after rescuing the senator's daughter, he is about to be paid a price in a conspiracy that is unexpected.

I have never heard of Jonathan Ames but it was that movie trailer starring Joaquin Phoenix caught my attention to read this book. Its dark, gritty and straight to your face in 96 pages. Yes, only 96 pages and already its a compelling crime novel I never expect to enjoy. Its not predictable, its straight forward and its brutal. Not many stories about a protagonist that enjoys darkness without light in many books but this hits it right. I can say I love the attitude this book has and how amazing this book turn out to be. If you can handle a dark thriller and if you really love hammer as a weapon, read this.