[.ca] Into the Web (ISBN 0553580922)

Into the Web:
After 3 sub-par novels, (Peril, Moon over Manhattan, Taken) Thomas Cook is back to doing what he does best. Very complex mysteries with a romantic angle to them. I have been reading mystery novels for over 40 years and when Thomas Cook brings his "A game" there is no one better. As ususal Mr. Cook ties up all the loose ends and finishes with a surpirse ending.`He never cheats on the ending and he makes the trip to Kingdom County worth the ride.

great psychological suspense thriller:
When Roy Slater left Kingdom County to go to college, he vowed he would never return. Nobody, not his father or the woman he loves, wanted him. Guilt makes him return to care for his father who has only a few months left to live. Lila, his only love, lives in the poorest section of the country but he doesn't expect to see her because she wrote him a note saying she wouldn't marry him. To temporarily get away from his father, Roy visits Sheriff Lonnie Porterfield, who is called out to look at a dead body; Roy tags along. The dead man is a tenant on Lila's land so Roy ends up seeing her and realizes he still has feelings for her even though he won't act on them. Roy's brother Archie confesses to killing his girlfriend's father and mother two decades ago and hangs himself in the cell three days later. Roy and his father believe the old sheriff Wallace Porterfield, a crooked, violent thug, knows more about the case than he lets on and they both start investigating. What Roy finds out puts him in a killing rage, and only a miracle can prevent blood from being shed. Master storyteller Thomas H. Cook is a literary giant in the psychological suspense genre and always writes a story that enthralls the audience. INTO THE WEB is more than just a story of reworking an old crime in the hopes of getting new information; it is a story of a father and son who finally reconcile after many years of misunderstandings. The protagonist is a bit passive but he had to be written that way for the story to work. Harriet Klausner

Wonderful - A Winner!:
Let me start off by stating that Thomas H. Cook is my favorite author. I've read all his books and loved each and every one. They are haunting, lyrical and intelligently written. "Into the Web" is no exception...It's a spellbinding psychological mystery with many unexpected twists and turns. Basically it tells the story of Roy Slater who left his home in Kingdom County after a double murder that rocked the community and his family. Now after 20 years, returning to care for his dying father, he uncovers startling truths about the homicides, his family and the townpeople. Thomas Cook has a magical way of weaving a story that builds interest from the very first page to a shocking and satisfying conclusion. Along with his other books, "Into the Web" is a winner!

One of the finest suspense writers working today:
Roy Slater, an English Professor teaching in a small California college, comes to Kingdom County, West Virginia to care for his dying father. He hasn't been back in twenty five years. The reason he left is not immediately apparent but it has something to do with the death of his brother and some local murders. He also left behind the love of his life, Lila who remains unmarried. Why did he leave? What ended his relationship with Lila? How and why did his brother die? What about these murders? Slowly and inexorably bits and pieces of these puzzles are revealed as the reader is strung along on a suspense high wire. Tom Cook is back in what is probably his best book since the astounding BREAKHEART HILL and the Edgar Award winning THE CHATHAM SCHOOL AFFAIR. Once again he uses the technique of having the narrator hold the answers and only slowly letting the reader in on the secret. However, INTO THE WEB goes further than that. Roy Slater only knows some of the answers. He must find out others on his own. Therefore the novel evolves into an amateur detective novel about two thirds of the way through. Surprises await at every twist and turn. Nobody in the genre creates more tension in this manner. Characters are, as usual skillfully created and depiction of locale quite vivid. Thomas H. Cook is one of the finest writers of suspense fiction currently working. I urge you to read him today and INTO THE WEB would be an excellent place to start.