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Bryan Gruley

Author of Starvation Lake

6+ Works 788 Members 51 Reviews 1 Favorited

About the Author

Image credit: Bryan Gruley

Series

Works by Bryan Gruley

Associated Works

Inherit the Dead (2013) — Contributor — 290 copies

Tagged

Common Knowledge

Birthdate
1957-11-09
Gender
male
Birthplace
Detriot, Michigan, USA
Education
University of Notre Dame
Short biography
Bryan learned to play hockey on backyard rinks in his native Detroit. He spent weekends at his family cottage in northern Michigan, and had his first newspaper job in nearby Bellaire. Today, he’s the Chicago Bureau Chief of The Wall Street Journal.
He lives in Chicago with his wife, Pam. They have three grown children, Joel, Kaitlin and Danielle.

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Reviews

Bleak Harbor was a bit difficult for me to read due to its non-linear narrative that keeps moving back and forth in time, and the multitude of characters - each with its own backstory and secrets. However, I felt rewarded for my persistence when the numerous pieces fell into place as the story progressed. The lead characters are intriguing and the location feels part of the cast too. The tension is kept simmering by the author throughout as the reader keeps on guessing at the identity of the super-smart kidnapper. On the negative side, I was not convinced about the motivations of the kidnapper and also the technology part
Bleak Harbor is a nice thriller with an intricate plot and interesting characters that demands the full attention of the reader.
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aravind_aar | 4 other reviews | Nov 21, 2021 |
Thought this one was pretty good. Love the area, the way the author made the weather and the location so important to the story.
 
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wbcthree | 28 other reviews | Sep 14, 2020 |
Purgatory Bay by Bryan Gruley is the second instalment in the Bleak Harbor series but I had no problem reading this as a standalone, having not yet read the first book. Teenager Jubilee Rathman’s promising life as she knows it changes forever overnight when her family is brutally murdered by order of the Detroit mob. Twelve years later, she sets in motion a well-prepared plan for revenge against the people she believes are responsible for the loss of her family. The book alternates between the time of the murders and the present when Jubilee’s plan begins to be deployed with ruthlessness and anger against those she believes to be her enemies. Who are these people? How did they cause Jubilee’s huge loss? Are they responsible for her tragedy? The plot of this mystery is original and the action never lets up. Who doesn’t love a good old-fashioned revenge yarn. Thank you to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.… (more)
 
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carole888fort | 1 other review | Feb 8, 2020 |
Purgatory Bay by Bryan Gruley continues what began in Bleak Harbor. While not a straight sequel to the prior book, it features the local area and some of the same characters. There are also numerous references, some far more detailed than others, to the prior book and those events. For that reason, those who have read the prior book will get far more out of this read than those who have not.

Jubilee Rathman lives a life of wealth and splendid isolation in her home on Purgatory Bay near Black Harbor. It has been twelve years since the night her family was wiped out by murders. She knew who was responsible as did law enforcement, but when the wealthy and connected are involved, the fight to hold those accountable is often impossible. Long ago she gave up on the legal system and those within it that had so utterly failed her. Those that believe she moved on and managed to put the past behind her would be sadly mistaken.

Instead, she is financing her own very personal quest for justice. She sees it as holding those involved, no matter how far removed, as accountable for their roles in her personal tragedy. Others would see her plan, if they knew of it before things commenced, as nothing more than a revenge list and that many of her targets would be misplaced targets of her rage.

One of the not so obvious targets is a local resident, Ophelia. A renowned artist and a contributor by way of various sculptures around the area, she lost her sight during her teen years. Removing her from the home and making her vanish is a key part of Jubilee Rathman’s plan. She must vanish so that former reporter Michaela “Mikey” Deming can experience just a small beginning taste of what Jubilee Rathman has in store for her and many other folks.

Purgatory Bay by Bryan Gruley is very much like the preceding book, Bleak Harbor, in that it is another very complicated read filled with multiple storylines, family tragedies, and acts of violence, betrayal, and vengeance. All of the characters involved in the read are flawed and very realistic. While the overall tone is dark for much of the book, there are the occasional flashes of subtle humor which tend to lighten the mood at various times throughout the book. Several of the characters in the read, evolve, and work out their own ways to redemption by way of the violence that is unleashed across the area.

An intense and powerful read, Purgatory Bay by Bryan Gruley is one of those book that most likely will be nominated for a slew of awards and collect at least a couple. Simply put, it is very much worth your time.

My reading copy came by way of the author with no expectation of a review.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2020
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kevinrtipple | 1 other review | Jan 14, 2020 |

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Works
6
Also by
1
Members
788
Popularity
#32,300
Rating
½ 3.5
Reviews
51
ISBNs
37
Languages
1
Favorited
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