Run #2
By: Matthew Becker
Narator: Derek Austin
Aethon Audio
ISBN: 978-1964505121
Publisher: Aethon Thrills | Aethon Books
Publication Date: 01/14/2025
Format: Other
My Rating: 5 Stars + (ARC)
JAN #AuthorElevatorSeries Feature
Veronica Walsh’s meticulously created ‘normal’ life was torn apart by the public revelations about her past.
She is trying to put the pieces back together when a desperate Mikaela Alonso comes to her asking for help. She claims her husband Tony did not commit suicide–that maybe he isn’t even dead.
Dealing with domestic strife caused by her resurfaced childhood and happy with a distraction, Veronica jumps right in.
When they uncover a connection between Tony and a recently murdered senator, Veronica realizes there is much more at play than she originally believed.
As Detective Emilia Brown investigates the Senator’s death with her new partner, Veronica and Mikaela dig into Tony’s past to try to uncover exactly what happened at a house that locals call World’s Edge, and who wants to unearth every last one of its secrets.
The thrilling follow up to RUN, From the mind of debut author Matthew Becker. Find the truth behind a string of murders in a novel perfect for fans of David Baldacci, Alex Finlay, and Isabella Maldonado.
About the Author
Matthew Becker is a mathematician, and formerly worked as part of the national Covid-19 response. He has a doctorate in applied mathematics from the University of Maryland, College Park, and is published in the Bulletin of Mathematical Biology.
Matthew currently lives with his wife, a U.S. diplomat, and their two children in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. An avid thriller reader, he loves stories with dense, twisted plots and emotional gravitas. WEBSITE
Exceptional Authors. Standout Books. Elevator Talk.
Behind the Book & the Author
INTRIGUING QUESTIONS. INQUIRING READERS WANT TO KNOW.
With Author Matthew Becker,
Don't Look Down
Happy New Year!
Welcome to the first January 2025 #AuthorElevatorSeries. Joining up for the second time is bestselling author Matthew Becker—Applied mathematician turned novelist, with his thrilling follow-up to his smashing debut, RUN (Finalist for BestThrillers of the Year), with DON'T LOOK DOWN. (Out Jan 14, 2025) This book is a rollercoaster of suspense and excitement.
If you thought RUN was dazzling, just wait until you read DON'T LOOK DOWN, #2 in the Run series. A twisty, first-class pulse-racing crime thriller that will keep you turning pages late into the night and anxiously awaiting #3. An author to watch.
Welcome, Matthew!
Behind the Book
Q. Give us your best ELEVATOR PITCH for your sophomore novel, DON’T LOOK DOWN.
MB: The no spoilers from RUN version: A United States Senator has been murdered and a Georgetown alum is missing, and both cases might lead back to a secretive cliffside mansion.
Q. SERIES: Do tell, when you expect Run #3. We are dying here with the jaw-dropping cliffhanger and cannot wait for more!
MB: The finale should be out soon—late Spring most likely. I think readers will enjoy how the story ends and expect a few more twists and turns before we arrive at our destination!
Q. MATHEMATICS: Share with us how you use your expertise and background within the storylines and characters. Do you see a bit of yourself in your characters?
MB: My first ever writing thought was that I wanted to write a math history book. That has been shelved for the time being, but I like sprinkling in a bit of what I know into my novels. Not to get onto a soapbox, but the way we learn math keeps so much of what is fascinating about it hidden away behind lock and key, a mythical experience we can only hope to get a glimpse of after we complete calculus, analysis, algebra, etc. Edward Frenkel put it perfectly in his book LOVE & MATH: What if you had to take an art class in which you were taught only how to paint a fence, but were never shown the paintings of van Gogh or Picasso? I want to write the best thriller I can, but if there is the opportunity to add in something that’ll pique the interest mathematically, I won’t hesitate.
Q. FAVORITE THING: What is your favorite thing about the novel/series?
MB: My favorite thing about the (eventual!) trilogy is that it eschews the path traditional sequels take. While I enjoy a single protagonist who we get to follow through several books, I am glad I got the chance to write these books the way I hoped for. Multiple POVs per book, each with their own stories that feed into the single overarching story I’m telling.
Q. CHARACTER: If you could be one of your characters for a day which characters would it be?
MB: Part of why I love thrillers is because I am so risk-averse in real life. I want action and adventure, mystery and intrigue, but only on the page. So, the character I’d like to be the most is Veronica Walsh’s father, the high school teacher who is loyal to his family but doesn’t actually get in the middle of any of the action!
Matthew, how fascinating! We cannot wait for #3! Readers, continue below for more up close and personal with the author!
Behind the Author
YOUR FAVORITE GO TO DRINK OR FOOD WHEN THE WORLD GOES A LITTLE CRAZY?
My wife got me the Velvetiser for Christmas, and I am obsessed with the hot chocolate I have every morning and night with it.
THE FIRST BOOK YOU REMEMBER READING THAT MADE YOU WANT TO BECOME AN AUTHOR—THE ONE YOU CANNOT STOP THINKING OF.
Slightly tangential answer since I only decided I wanted to become an author in my late 20s. I still remember the first Robert Parker book (Chance) I picked up as a pre-teen that turned me into a mystery/thriller fanatic. Spenser was the first of many iconic characters that have shaped my life as a reader.
IF YOU WERE GRANTED 3 MONTHS OF UNINTERRUPTED WRITING TIME—WHERE WOULD IT BE?
1. A Busy Urban City
2. A Quiet Scenic Mountain Cabin surrounded by nature
3. A Coastal Seaside Cottage
4. An Exotic Tropical Island
5. A Countryside Farmhouse surrounded by animals and organic gardens.
6. A charming, quaint historic Bed and Breakfast Inn
7. A Scenic Hunting Lodge
8. A Nostalgic Lake House
9. A Writer's Retreat
10. Other
A writer’s retreat because I know myself and I get distracted far too quickly. If I were in a beautiful location I’d be enjoying the scenery far too much. A writer’s retreat would have other people around to keep me honest!
INTROVERT OR EXTROVERT?
Extrovert, without a doubt. My wife likes to joke that I’m very useful at her diplomatic events and functions because I will talk to anyone at any time.
YOUR MOST PRODUCTIVE TIME OF THE DAY?
Late at night, when everyone (especially the kids!) is asleep.
WHAT IS SOMETHING YOU CANNOT LIVE WITHOUT? (Excluding computer, tablet, phone)
Liverpool FC
IF YOU WERE TO WRITE A BOOK ABOUT YOURSELF, WHAT WOULD BE THE TITLE?
No working title yet, but a memoir of being a diplomat’s spouse and all the experiences we have had (and will have!) is an idea I think about daily.
THE LAST BOOK YOU RAVED ABOUT?
I spend a lot of time raving about books. I’m a reader at heart and writing really gets in the way! A couple obvious ones are All The Colors Of The Dark and The God Of The Woods. Nightwatching by Tracy Sierra was a great read too, and all six of Patrick Lee’s novels (both sets of 3!) are books I have re-read several times. I’m a huge Matthew Reilly fan too: Jack West Jr. and his crew are the perfect blend of action and historical intrigue. I have been—and plan to continue being—hugely evangelical about Stacy Willingham and all three of her books so far.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO CHILDREN?
Most of us are just children masquerading as functioning adults so don’t take advice as gospel!
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE REMEMBERED FOR?
There’s a quotation about Bill Shankly, the iconic Liverpool Football Club manager from the late 50s to mid 70s. It’s inscribed on the statue of him outside the stadium: “He made the people happy.”
I love the power and simplicity of it. If I could be remembered for making people happy, I’d feel that was a life well lived.
WHERE DO YOU ESCAPE?
Colonial Williamsburg and my alma mater, the College of William & Mary.
FAVORITE SPORT?
Soccer, but in the last half-decade professional cycling has gotten much closer than any other sport ever has.
WHAT AREA WOULD YOU LIKE ONE OF FUTURE BOOKS TO BE SET?
I’m going to have to start writing books with some country-hopping in them because I have been to too many amazing places not to include them eventually!
NAME SOMETHING YOU FEAR?
Falling. Readers of Don’t Look Down who know me well will see right through the scene where fear of heights is discussed.
IF YOUR FOOD IS BAD AT A RESTAURANT, DO YOU SAY SOMETHING?
Absolutely not.
AN AUTHOR (s) WHO HAS INSPIRED YOU?
Sarah Pekkanen
AN ITEM ON YOUR BUCKET LIST?
I have an identical twin brother who is also a mathematician and loves thrillers. I have been trying to convince him to co-write a thriller with me!
A SMELL YOU LOVE?
Cumin
THE FUNNIEST THING A BOOK REVIEWER HAS SAID ABOUT YOUR BOOK? (OR CRAZY WEIRD)
A review of RUN was titled “Don’t let the rating stop you from reading this” as if it were really bad and then was just… 4 stars.
WHAT DO YOU LOVE TO COOK OR A FAVORITE RECIPE?
It’s not an all-time favorite yet, but we’ve been making a ground turkey enchilada skillet once a week for a while now and it’s incredible.
THANK YOU, Matthew, for spending time with us today! We will be looking for the intriguing memoir one day in the future.
Praise
"Brimming with strong personalities, Don't Look Down is a surprising and propulsive murder mystery, as well as a worthy follow-up to Run."
—BestThrillers
"There's a new sheriff in town in the world of D.C. thrillers and his name is Matthew Becker. He's a writer to watch."
—Alex Finlay, bestselling author of If Something Happens to Me
Click here to RSVP to Matthew's Launch Party
My Review
Applied mathematician turned novelist Matthew Becker, whose expertise shines through in his writing, wowed us with his smashing debut, RUN (Finalist for BestThrillers of the Year), and the kick-off to this exciting new series, RUN.
If you thought RUN was dazzling, wait until you read his thrilling follow-up, DON'T LOOK DOWN, #2 in the Run series.
"DON'T LOOK DOWN is a tour de force! This first-class, heart-pounding, unputdownable crime thriller series grabs you from page one to the unexpected jaw-dropping cliffhanger. Becker checks ALL the boxes with clever plot twists, highly relatable characters, political intrigue, and plenty of high-stakes action and suspense—leaving readers eagerly awaiting #3!"
Becker is an author to watch. DON'T LOOK DOWN will make my Top Books of 2025 List. Yes, it is that good!
About...
No secret stays buried forever...
An apparent suicide that a grieving wife cannot process. A United States Senator was murdered and dumped in the woods. And a cliffside mansion holding a decade-old secret.
How will all this affect Ben and Veronica Walsh's life?
From Chapter 1, you will be hooked when a man is running through the trees of Theodore Roosevelt Island, on the Potomac River across from Washington, DC, lit by the moonlight and the distant glow of the Kennedy Center.
He had persevered and survived more than this. How could he have been so naive that this source would provide him dirt on his enemies? He was terrified of death. He only wanted to go home to his wife. But he soon found himself looking at his assailant covered by a balaclava. Someone is out to make him pay. And now it will be too late. Has his past come back to haunt him?
A US Senator is MURDERED.
From here, we pick up from the last book after Veronica's dark secrets of the past, which she has tried to run from, that rise to the surface. After being shot and spending time in the hospital, she must rethink what she wants to do with her life.
Due to these dark secrets, Ben and Veronica Walsh's marriage and their family relationships are strained. She recently lost her position as a mathematics professor at Georgetown University.
Ben does not understand that his wife has spent her entire life running from her childhood. He is uncomfortable with her past as Alessandra/Alex with a crime lord father. He is having a difficult time with this.
Ben wants to protect his family and his children, Nico and Maria, from getting caught in the crossfire. Can their family be saved? Where do they go from here?
Veronica has decided to start her own private investigation business to complicate things. After all, they do not spend their days in grave danger (or so she thinks). She, too, wants to keep her family safe. She is a survivor.
She thought Ben would be happy to have her spend more time with the kids and a home office, UNTIL...
Mikaela (32-year-old) widow has lost her husband, Antonio Alonso (Tony), and turns to Veronica for help. Filled with guilt, she does not believe her husband committed suicide or caused his own death.
Why was his car left on the bridge? Did he jump, or was he murdered? Who was on the bridge with him?
Why had the Congresswoman and Senator Billingsley met two days ago?
While Detective Emilia Brown investigates the Senator's death with her new partner, Veronica, and Mikaela are caught up in a dangerous, sinister web of deceit as they try to uncover how everything is connected and what happens at the mysterious World's Edge.
Everyone is in danger the closer they come to the truth. How are Georgetown alums, Tony's death, and the Senator connected?
What went down at the World's Edge?
My thoughts...
INTENSE. GRIPPING. COMPULSIVELY READABLE!
Becker's real-life expertise shines in DON'T LOOK DOWN. Beautifully written, from page one to the cliffhanger jaw-dropping ending (dying for #3 after the Epilogue), he never misses a beat in this high-octane battle of high-stakes action and suspense.
DON'T LOOK DOWN is a thrilling rollercoaster ride with cover-ups, corruption, revenge, a web of deceit, demons from the past, and dark secrets. Yet, it is also balanced with the strong love and bonds of family, and some twisty symmetries and mathematics, providing a range of emotions for the reader.
Told from multiple POVs and timelines, the second installment is even better than the first, with another action-packed, unputdownable adventure that will pierce your heart!
Veronica is an unstoppable force, an all-or-nothing gal. Ben is a likable father, spouse, career man, smart, and all or nothing. When you have two strong personalities, there will be fireworks.
Mix in the past converging with the present in this complex multi-layered who and whydunit, psychologically rich, murder, a serial killer with revenge and obsession plan, a tragedy, seven students from the past, and a mysterious mansion with decades-old dark, evil, and sinister secrets—you have a blockbuster hit!
I enjoy Becker's intelligent lyrical writing with lovely metaphors. I cannot wait for more, as I am dying with this cliffhanger. This series is perfect for the big screen (or TV series) and ideal for book clubs.
A tour de force twisty first-class pulse-racing crime thriller that will keep you turning pages late into the night and awaiting #3 following the intense jaw-dropping twist.
While this novel can be read as a standalone, I highly recommend reading the first book in the series (Run #1) to get a complete background and learn more about the characters. Why miss out on all the suspense?
Recs...
DON'T LOOK DOWN is for fans of this new talented author and those who enjoy David Baldacci, Isabelle Montaldo, Alex Finlay, and Greg Hurwitz.
Interview...
Stay tuned for my #AuthorElevatorSeries QA (an elevator ride with the author) where we go behind the scenes of the author and the pages of this exciting new series.
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: Jan 14, 2025
My Rating: 5 Stars +
Top Books of 2025
Special thanks to the author and the publisher for an advanced reading copy for my honest opinion.
