Get this book free when you sign up for a 30day trial. Unlike most books that fall into the category of page turner, this one also falls in the category of writing so good you cant even believe it. Descent by tim johnston discussion questions these are the discussion questions that our group used when talking about this book. The rocky mountains have cast their spell over the courtlands, a young family from the plains taking a last summer. Tim johnston has written a book that makes gone girl seem gimmicky. Descent by tim johnston i dont read a lot of thrillers. Descent is a twisty thrillerplus tim johnstons suspenseful novel follows a family that begins to come apart after their teenage daughter is abducted during a mountain vacation. With descent tim johnston climbed the big mountain to reach the new york times bestselling list. After descent, tim johnston wrote an icy midwestern thriller. A new york times, usa today, and indie national bestseller, descent has been published internationally and optioned for film. It switches back and forth from one incident to another and it is difficult to identify the books intended focus. Descent is the story of a family undone by the disappearance of a daughter who went out for a morning run and didnt come back. The carpenter is best known for descent and irish girl.
Johnston dazzled with his breakout thriller, descent. Descent is a perfectly crafted literary thriller that races to its heartpounding conclusion. Tim johnstons second novel, the current, is even better than his first, which is saying something. Descent by tim johnston published by algonquin books publication date january 6th 2015 genres. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read descent. Tim johnston is the author of the novels the current and descent, the story collection irish girl, and the ya novel never so green. Part literary novel, part thriller, part psychological drama, descent is a novel in a unique category unto itself. This was recommended in last weeks comments as a great book for chris pavone fans. At first, they all remain in colorado to search for caitlin, but in time the mother. The rocky mountains have cast their spell over the courtlands, a young family from the plains taking a last summer vacation before their daughter begins college. Past and present merge in the current, tim johnstons atmospheric, exquisitely suspenseful novel of two murders separated by ten years. Descent by tim johnston those looking for a legitimate page turner need to look no further than descent, a novel with a ripped from the headlines feel. Descent is a psychological family study for the first half then picks up speed to become a true movie thriller by the end. Tim johnstons new novel, the current, is an exceptional tale of suspicion and secretsand a strong followup to his excellent 2015 book, descent.
You want to set this one down so you can take a breath, and keep readingall at the same time. The courtland family goes to the colorado rockies for a vacation. I can count at least five story lines that were not closed. It sets up the tragedy nicely, perfectly framing a friendship and how easily and abruptly we can lose someone. From the life before her name was caitlin, she was eighteen, and her own heart would sometimes wake herflying away in that dreamrace where finish lines grew farther away not nearer, where knees turned to taffy, or feet to stones. When i interviewed tim johnston about descent, his first novel, in early 2015, he was struggling to reconcile his sense of himself as a writer with. A new york times, usa today, and indie national bestseller, descent. Tim johnston is the author of the debut adult novel descent, the story collection irish girl, and the young adult novel never so green. Tim johnstons descent epitomizes much of what makes literary. Johnston tracks the dissolution of a family following the disappearance of the teenage daughter during a colorado vacation. Grant and angela courtlands marriage might not be rock solid, but its working when they take their two children, 18yearold collegebound track star caitlin and shy 15yearold sean, on vacation in the colorado rockies. Tim johnston has degrees from the university of iowa and the university of massachusetts, amherst. Our next is also known as a master of short stories for which he won. I loved the the adrenaline rush, but when i reached my thirties, something changed.
Published in 2009, the stories in irish girl won an o. Tim johnston born iowa city is the author of the story collection irish girl and the novels never so green and descent. If it sounds like a mystery, it is, but not in the traditional whodunit mode, says kirkus. Johnston has a superhuman gift for watching and listening to the world and rendering, on the page, its beauty and savagery with such detail and power that the story feels almost more like memory than. His mother loved poetry but the author was more interested in drawing. In johnstons sorrowful and suspenseful first adult novel, a family is forced to face its worst nightmare when one of its members goes missing. Johnston masterfully describes people, their grief, their guilt, and loneliness. Signin to download and listen to this audiobook today. He brings out both the brutal and loving sides of human nature. Descent by tim johnston is a highly recommended thrillerfamily drama. Written by tim johnston, audiobook narrated by xe sands, r. The book, a mystery wrapped in a study of the effects of grief on a small town, doesnt start out with a bang, but more of a murmur. Descent by tim johnston discussion questions book journey.
His third book was received positively by the readers and critics. The girls vanishing is the beginning of the familys harrowing journey down increasingly divergent and solitary paths, until all that continues to bind them to each other are the questions they can never bring themselves to ask. People magazine says the current soars above the constraints of a traditional thriller. Tim johnston is a bestselling american author that writes thrillers and short stories. I found the beginning to be a bit slow and had to adjust to the chapters alternating between various characters. Tim johnston strikes a remarkable balance here, showcasing his literary prowess while simultaneously catapulting readers into pulsepounding territory with his suspenseful plotting. In my eyes, descent raises the barwhether good or badmaking the domestic and missing person storylines dominating the suspense space now seem bland or even shoddy in comparison. Now, instead of that excitement, what i experience is a much more dreadful feeling. He graduated from the university of iowa, and the university of massachusetts amherst. Reviewers seem eager to categorize the novel even as they admit it. Henry prize, the new letters award for writers, and the gival press short story award, while the collection itself won the 2009 katherine anne porter prize.
He teaches in the creative writing program at the university of memphis. Feel free to use these for your group discussion as well. Stream and download audiobooks to your computer, tablet or mobile phone. Tim johnstons latest novel has an unusual take on the parentsworstnightmare scenario of child abduction. I really enjoyed tim johnstons first novel, descent, so i couldnt wait to dive into the current.
Johnstons masterful novel is worth lingering overit soars above the constraints of a traditional thriller and pulls you deep into the secrets of a griefstricken town. Entertainment weekly the 50 most anticipated books of 2019tim johnston has given us the gold standard of lush narrative descriptioncaptivating, mesmerizing, stunning. You want to set this one down so you can take a breath and keep reading all at the same time. The premise of descent, a new novel by tim johnston, is a familiar one. Tim johnstons storytelling captured the hearts of 22 out of 23 of bookbrowses readers, who gave it 4 or 5stars and made their hearts pound fast too. Tim johnston reads an excerpt from his novel descent, published in january by algonquin books. He doesnt focus so much on the abductee, caitlin courtland, but instead on. Henry prize, the new letters award for writers, and the gival press short story award, while the collection itself won the 2009 katherine anne porter prize in short fiction. Dennis lehane, author johnston creates people you can believe in, with all their conflicts and confusions and sorrowsmaybe thriller is the wrong name for what hes created. At first, they all remain in colorado to search for caitlin, but in time.