How It Happened – Michael Koryta
LJ Roberts a friend on Goodreads always opens her reviews with the first sentence of the book being reviewed. I thought of her, when I started Michael Koryta’s latest book.
First Sentence: I’d never seen him before the day we killed him.
The Story
That statement comes from the confession of. Kimberly Crepeaux to the double murder of Jackie Pelletier and Ian Kelly in the Maine town of Port Hope. Kimberly gave her confession to FBI special agent Rob Barrett. Barrett had been assigned the case because of his interview skills. Additionally, he has past connections to Post Hope. Barrett spent his summers with his grandfather in the town and his former girlfriend reporter Liz Smith lives nearby.
In her confession Kimberly told Barrett how the murders happened. According to Kimberly, the murders happened on a night when she was cruising with Cass Odom and Mathias Burke. The trio is drunk and high when they kill Jackie accidentally. They then murdered Ian, the only witness to the crime.
Because Burke was hard-working owner of a lawn and house care service and Kimberly a druggie, no one in town except Barrett, believed Kimberly’s story. All Barrett needs to close the case are the bodies.
At this point I don’t want to give away more of the plot but two questions arise. First, Will finding the bodies confirm Kimberly’s story? Secondly, Will not finding the bodies destroy Barrett’s career? All BECAUSE he still believes her story?
Bottom Line:
I have read many of Koryta’s books both his stand alone novels like The Program and Those Who Wish Me Dead. along with several of his Lincoln Perry series books. And they are all good reads.
However, I think I like this one the most. I just loved the way the story flowed. When I first started the book which begins with Kimberly’s confession, I thought where does he go from here. Well, from there he spun a wonderful tale. A tale that proved you may think you have it all figured out,but in reality you don’t know jack!!
The bottom line Is that Michael Koryta’s books keep getting better and better. And in my opinion How It Happened may be his best work yet! Additionally, I think he may have created in Rob Barrett and Liz Smith characters that we may see again. At least I hope so. Actually, I hope we will see Lincoln Perry and Mark Novak (Rise the Dark and Last words) again!
Here’s what author Nelson DeMille writes about How It Happened.…
“Michael Koryta is one hell of a writer, and HOW IT HAPPENED is one hell of a murder mystery. It’s a tribute to Koryta’s craftsmanship and skill that the reader…can’t put the book down until the last layer of the onion is peeled away to reveal the truth at the core of this gripping tale…. A remarkable achievement that rises high above the genre.”
Links for the Further Exploration of the Books of Michael Koryta
Author’s Website
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