By: Sam Garonzik
Narrator: Victor Warren
ISBN: 9781538743362
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Publication Date: 05/21/2024
Format: Hardcover
My Rating: 4 Stars (ARC)
An all-consuming, suspenseful story of a stay-at-home father with something to prove. You'll never look at a man pushing a stroller the same way again.
Peter Greene spends his days taking care of his toddler, Luke; staying on the right side of The Moms in his local beach town; and hanging out with his surf buddy, Frank. Isolated from his former life in finance, and frustrated by his current “out of work” existence, he worries that if he sits around the house for much longer, his workaholic wife might start to lose patience with him. He has few escapes aside from surfing and the love he has for his son.
But when the body of wealthy Wall Street investor Robert Townsend washes up on shore one morning, nothing about the incident makes sense to Pete, and he’s completely bewildered when the death is ruled an accidental drowning. But when he takes his concerns to the police, they ignore him—so he decides to investigate on his own. Sustained only by the unquestioning devotion of his three-year-old sidekick, Pete starts looking into Townsend’s eccentric relatives and employer, the ruthless and secretive private equity firm GDR. But has Pete deluded himself with this misguided quest for redemption? Or has he uncovered something sinister enough to risk his life, and even his family?
A Rough Way to Go is a raw, irreverent story that plumbs the depths of masculinity, unemployment, fatherhood, marriage, and modern capitalism—and the struggle to live a purpose driven life.
My Review
Sam Garonzik's intriguing debut, A ROUGH WAY TO GO explores a former financial analyst husband, now a stay-at-home father and surfer whose life turns upside down when he begins investigating a mysterious drowning when dark secrets are unraveled, which may change the trajectory of his life and family.
About...
Peter (Pete) Greene, his wife Lauren, and their three-year-old son Luke moved to a sleepy beach town outside New York. Peter feels at a loss taking care of his loveable toddler and enjoys his time with his fellow surfer buddy Frank and others, who take turns caring for the children when the others surf. There is no hope of a job here.
Then, one day, the body of a man, Robert Townsend, who had worked for a Manhattan private equity group, GDR, is found washed ashore in a wet suit on the beach where Peter and Frank surfed.
Peter is intrigued by this mysterious death. How could this have occurred? He becomes obsessed with solving this mystery and even goes to the police with his son in hand to mention he had seen him on the beach. He cannot stop thinking about the guy they say was an accidental drowning, but could it be murder? He thinks there is a lot more to this story than meets the eye. HE IS NOT WRONG.
For some reason, no one else is as bothered by this guy's mysterious drowning (or was it murder), and he even attended the funeral.
Lauren and Peter have a distant, cold relationship. Their marriage is deteriorating. Something is missing in his life. She is the breadwinner, and Pete feels his wife only sees him as a babysitter. He does not feel like he is contributing and is resentful, even though he is a great father, loves his son, and wants the best for him.
However, the further he digs into the mystery, the more he puts his family in danger. He has no clue about the web of deceit and lies he is about to unravel or how far others, even those closest to him, may go to keep this secret buried. Knowing what happened could affect himself, his son, and his family.
Has he uncovered something sinister enough to risk his life and even his family?
My thoughts...
A ROUGH WAY TO GO is a darkly comic tale from a man's point of view blended with gripping domestic suspense, sleuthing, and psychological crime thriller. You have no idea where the author is taking you, the reader; however, by the time you reach the ending, your head is spinning at the jaw-dropping conclusion. It is a wild ride.
While I thought Peter's character was well-developed, all the other conversations, dialogue, and characters seemed robotic and flat. I would have liked to have seen more character development. Lauren is a horrible dull character, and she and Pete's relationship is strange and distant. I did enjoy the storyline, and when you reach the ending, you will almost root for Peter's thoughts and the outcome as he weighs his choices in this dilemma.
The novel is moody and a little unsettling, dark, sad, insightful, melancholy, yet at times darkly comic with a Gone Girl vibe. Written from a male perspective, which is a nice change from the norm of a stay-at-home mom (role reversal), it gives you mixed emotions about a man who turns out to be an unlikely hero. You are turning the pages to see how it will turn out, and then BAM—you are blindsided when the ball is dropped.
You are anxious to see how Peter will react to this information and what he will do. Then it kind of leaves the reader to decide. You will think more kindly of the dad once the last page is turned and his reaction. I could almost see a sequel (may be fun) with revenge and payback.
Recs...
Fans of Teddy Wayne, Lou Berney, Dan Chaon, and Ken Jaworowski may want to give this one a try. It is for readers who enjoy satires and contemporary topics such as masculinity, unemployment, fatherhood, life struggles, money, marriage, and more.
I look forward to reading more from this author. However, there is barely anything about the author online or a photo - mysterious?
Thanks to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for an advanced reading copy for review purposes.
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 3.5 Stars (rounded to 4)
Pub Date: May 21, 2024
Praise
"Darkly comic . . . Ambitious."
―Kirkus
"Peter’s voice is well-developed . . . surfaces some interesting ideas about contemporary fatherhood."
―Publishers Weekly
"Crime fiction has a great new voice in Sam Garonzik . . . Smart, clever, and has something to say about the world today."
―Michael Connelly, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Resurrection Walk
"With a stay-at-home dad as the unlikely hero of the tale, Sam Garonzik puts an engaging twist on the domestic thriller. His debut, A Rough Way To Go, is a compelling read from a fresh new voice."
―Nancy Allen, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Payback
"Does for the mystery novel what Mick Herron's Slow Horses did for the spy thriller. Darkly comic and whip smart."
―Alexandra Andrews, author of Who Is Maud Dixon?
“Who hasn't wanted to drop out of their stressful life to start over in a laid-back beach town? For Peter, it turns out to be more of a mixed bag, and a dead body washing up on the shore doesn't make things any easier. A wry, pitch-black comedy crackling with tension, A Rough Way To Go doesn't pull punches and holds nothing back. Sam Garonzik's observations are so on point that you'll feel seen in the best (worst?) possible way . . . Will alternately make you gasp, laugh, and nod in agreement.”
―Nina Laurin, author of Girl Last Seen
"Fleabag meets Gone Girl. A darkly funny, sometimes terrifying noir. I couldn't put it down."
―Jennifer Belle, bestselling author of Going Down
"Sam Garonzik's A Rough Way to Go is a twisty and delicious ride that plunges the reader into the life of Peter Greene, whose new stay-at-home-dad status has him feeling aimless and unfulfilled. When he stumbles across a dead body and begins investigating the mysterious death, it may help him fill a void, but it also puts his life—and everyone he loves—in danger. If you think you have the twists figured out, think again. You won’t want to miss this unputdownable novel that is sure to keep you guessing until the very last page, and you won’t believe it’s a debut."
―Seraphina Nova Glass, Edgar Award-nominated author of The Vacancy in Room 10
"With a sharp voice, unique perspective, and clever mystery at its core, A Rough Way To Go is a fresh take on the domestic suspense genre. I loved it!"
―Robyn Harding, bestselling author of The Drowning Woman
"In A Rough Way To Go, Sam Garonzik focuses on the most frightening antagonist in contemporary American crime: money. Add to the mix an overwhelmed new dad looking to be a hero (like all new dads), and you've got a winning, nerve-jangling debut."
―Andrew Pyper, author of The Demonologist and The Residence
About the Author
Sam Garonzik graduated from Duke University and worked in finance before he started writing. He lives in New York with his wife and two children. A Rough Way to Go is his first novel. READ MORE
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