The Goodbye Man

This second book in the series finds Colter, a professional reward seeker, in Pierce County, Washington, tracking two men accused of carrying out hate crimes in the Gig Harbor area. Finding them is easy enough; however, when cornered, one of them, Adam, suddenly jumps off a cliff to his death while smiling. Colter blames himself for the young man's suicide until he discovers that Adam was dealing with the sudden death of his mother and had recently sought help from a nearby retreat called the Osiris Foundation. Still feeling responsible for Adam's death, Colter investigates the retreat and discovers it sounds suspiciously like a cult. The leader is a charismatic man named Eli with a secretive past and many bodyguards suspected of using show more lethal means to keep the Foundation's business secret. Colter, not one to let things go when faced with a mystery, decides to infiltrate the compound, joining as a member to find out more.

Soon, Colter, now known as Carter Skye, is attending meetings filled with chanting and clapping, following a set of strict rules meant to control, and is assigned a Journeyman named Samuel to explore "The Minuses and the Pluses" in his life. The "Program" is expensive and teaches a deadly doctrine called "Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow." The more abuse Colter/Carter witnesses inside the compound, the more he's determined to find evidence of Eli's crimes and bring him and his cult down, even at the risk of being severely beaten or killed.

The back story of Colter's search for his father, Ashton Shaw's papers, after his untimely murder, gathers steam. Known for distrusting government, politicians, and big business, Ashton left a map and information that might lead to the downfall of a large, corrupt organization that is manipulating real estate values by using drugs. The plot flows as the author delivers another well-written, action-packed thriller that pulls the reader in and doesn't let go. show less

Check out my review of this book on Mystery and Suspense Magazine, a web daily dedicated to books that thrill, at
https://www.mysteryandsuspense.com/review-the-goodbye-man/

The Goodbye Man is the second novel in the series featuring Colter Shaw - a professional reward seeker who tracks down missing persons, escapees from law, and anyone else who needs tracking down, for money, though he doesn’t seem to need it much. Brought up by a survivalist father, he is extremely resourceful and is well versed in the arts of survival in the toughest of conditions. This book starts with Shaw picking up the job of finding a couple of young men alleged of defacing a church and shooting at its employees. He tracks down his quarry within few hours and, show more when the job is almost over, witnesses an incident that makes him suspicious about an organization seemingly helping people overcome the psychological effects of bereavement, terminal illness and other life problems. He then takes up the unpaid job of investigating the organization and enters its campus under a false identity, and unearths some chilling facts about the organization which turns out to be an extremely dangerous cult. Apart from these professional and public-interest projects, Shaw also has a personal mission, of finding out the truth about his father’s death, which stays unfinished by the end of this book, waiting for another.

Jeffery Deaver is one of the best in the thriller game and The Goodbye Man is another testimony to his skill – intact after all these years. He has created, after Lincoln Rhyme, another unusual and intriguing character in Colter Shaw, and it is tremendous fun seeing him in action. I also found the character of Victoria quite interesting and would like to see more of her in the future novels. Deaver has succeeded in delivering yet another page-turner with crisp plotting, entertaining twists and a brisk narrative.

The only thing I didn’t like about this novel is the ending that holds a hook for the next one in the series – it’s unfair, in my opinion. Other than that, The Goodbye Man is a top-notch read for Deaver’s fans as well as thriller aficionados in general. Reading its predecessor, The Never Game, before getting to this one will make the experience better, I feel. I jumped into this directly and felt a bit disoriented with respect to Shaw’s backstory initially. I would rate this unputdownable thriller 4.5 stars out of 5.

My heartfelt thanks to the author, the publisher (HarperCollins), and netgalley.com for the ARC in exchange for my unbiased review. show less

The only bad thing I can really say about it is that it’s slow to pick up speed and it goes from very interesting dialog and action to parts that you just want to skip over and get on to more Colter. Anyone that is a die hard Jeffery Deaver fan and/or enjoyed the first book in this new series… [The Never Game]…will really, really like seeing Colter Shaw in action again. I like what Jeffery Deaver has done to make Colton Shaw a likeable character that plays his part perfectly even if I’m not sure I like what Colter does for a living. One thing that makes this series a bit different and a little harder to get into than his other series is that the evidence is neatly and concisely presented to the reader at the start. You have to show more watch or you might miss it altogether but it’s there. Some, I’m sure… will say that the spine-tingling plots and twists are missing from this series…they’re not… but they are better disguised…making the reader pay more attention to the details. I do have to admit that it can be a bit tiring. I personally will try another adventure with Colter Shaw. show less

The Goodbye Man is the second book in the Colter Shaw series by Jeffery Deaver and was first published in 2020 and is an excellent addition to Deaver’s new series. Deaver’s writing just draws the reader in and holds them spell bound until the end, taking in every twist and turn and the surprises that arise.

Colter Shaw is an unusual protagonist, in that he is a restless professional reward seeker traveling around America. Driving his ever faithful 30' Winnebago across the highways and byways of America, it is his home from home and his mobile office. To help him he has a team of people who are in the background, finding the jobs and providing any necessary intelligence and assistance he may require. At the same time that he is show more seeking these rewards he is also investigating the reasons for his father’s death, which is surrounded in mystery and many dead people.

Shaw is in Washington State heading for what looks like an easy payday of $50,000 in Gig Harbour even if there is another hunter looking for the money. He is looking for 27-year-old Adam Harper and 20-year-old Erick Young, accused of being Neo-Nazis committing a string of deplorable hate crimes, turning them in while protecting them from gun happy cops and hunters. Finding them is the easy part, keeping them alive will be the tougher job.

Adam jumps off a cliff, committing suicide with a smile on his face Shaw cannot understand what has happened. Erick explains that they were on there way to the Osiris Foundation which offers help for those struggling with bereavement, terminal and serious illnesses, depression, anxiety and loneliness through an initial 3-week training course in The Process, shrouded in secrecy. Shaw is intrigued as to what this Osiris Foundation really is.

Shaw starts to poke around in the digital world to find out what or who is behind the Osiris Foundation. When his tech expert tells him there is virtually no digital footprint and only one recent article, Shaw is suspicious. When he tries to contact the journalist, he finds that they are now dead. To Shaw this is starting to stink, but he is yet to learn more about the Foundation. There is only one way for him to find out about this cult is to go under cover and investigate it. He needs to understand what drove Adam.

This is a fantastic thriller with many twists and turns and some surprises as he digs into what is happening at this shadowy ‘foundation’. Shaw is constantly looking for answers while assessing the percentages. A great read, a fantastic thriller. show less

Deaver has done it again. In the second book of this series, tracker Colter Shaw finds himself immersed in the world of a cult in order to save those who find themselves under the spell of a charismatic leader. It was a fascinating look at how these organizations work combined with a great story line. I started reading it one morning and did not put it down until I finished. I can't wait for the third book!

Deaver balances suspense and plausibility perfectly... This is a perfect jumping on point for readers new to one of today's top contemporary thriller writers.

I Don't Know Why You Say Hello, I Say Goodbye
Review of the G.P Putnam's Sons eBook edition (May 12, 2020) released simultaneously with the hardcover and audiobook.

I define a cult as a group that presents a potential physical or mental danger to the members or those outside. “I borrow my test from a book by Margaret Singer and Janja Lalich, Cults in Our Midst. For them, a cult, one, controls the environment of the followers; two, has a system of rewards and punishments; three, creates a sense of powerlessness among the followers; four, uses fear for control; five, promotes dependency on the leader or cult; and, six, has a mission to reform followers’ behaviors.

I'm reading the Colter Shaw series after being introduced to the character show more in the recent Tracker TV series. This second novel continues straight on from The Never Game (2019) with reward seeker Shaw headed to Tacoma in Washington State following the lead provided at the end of the 1st novel.

The case involves two young men on the run after a supposed racial assault and cross burning at a Baptist Church. As Shaw's investigation continues the accusation appears to have been a case of mistaken identity. Things go wrong in the apprehension though and one man dies as a result by apparent suicide. Shaw feels guilt about the event and is determined to uncover the reasons why. He ends up infiltrating a secretive cult called the Osiris* Foundation as a result.

The grift and scam behind the cult is gradually revealed, but Shaw is trapped in the cult's compound with limited resources. Perhaps some allies will be found among the converts to uncover the cult leader's plans and to help save the others. Although it is not actually discussed in the book, the reason for the book's title soon becomes apparent.

This novel also continues the multi-story arc of Shaw seeking to understand his father's death and the secrets behind it which will apparently carry on in The Final Twist (Colter Shaw #3) (2021).

Footnote
* Osiris being the Egyptian god of fertility, death, afterlife and resurrection is the reason for the name of the cult.

Trivia and Links

He removed a notebook from his computer bag, as well as a Delta Titanio Galassia fountain pen, black with three orange rings toward the nib. Writing with the instrument was neither pretense nor luxury. Colter Shaw took voluminous notes during the course of his reward jobs; the pen meant less wear and tear on his writing hand. It also was simply a small pleasure to use.

Like Reacher's toothbrush, Colter Shaw's deluxe fountain pen seems to be mentioned in every story, so I just had to look up some further information about it. There is a review of the Delta Titanio Galassia pen posted at Gourmet Pens.

Watch the extended trailer for the Colter Shaw Tracker TV series on YouTube here. The series has been renewed for a Season 2 after the shortened 13-episode Season 1. It is actually filmed in British Columbia, Canada although it is an American TV series on the CBS network. show less