Marooned (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9781717840769)

Protection can be an expensive business. The cost of crossing a man as dangerous as Isaac gives them much more than they bargained for.

From a promising new independent author comes a gritty, visceral literary debut set within the recesses of the Deep South.

Two separate stories on a collision course guide readers through a multitude of settings, ranging from seedy motels to pulse-throbbing nightclubs. Colorful characters highlight a double-headed narrative, culminating in an explosive finale that will leave the reader speechless.

In the first tale, we find Isaac, an enigmatic enforcer with a penchant for hard drinking, chain smoking, and sudden bursts of violence where it's deemed appropriate. Dividing his time between helping out his only friend, Felix, in an auto-body shop and moonlighting as a savant of the streets, Isaac is considered the go-to guy for Charleston's criminal underground network when they want something done right the first time. When tasked with the seemingly simple assignment of watching over a Dominican druglord's rebellious daughter for a weekend, things suddenly go wrong - the girl is unexpectedly abducted, Isaac's life is put in peril, and his entire existence is upended. It's then that he's forced to do what he's good at - raise hell and get even.

In the second story, a young boy is pulled across the American Southeastern wasteland by his abusive, alcoholic father. Violence and degradation are his existence, hope of a better life seems futile. Is there a light at the end of his existential tunnel?

These two sordid tales told in parallel eventually converge into one, leaving the reader with an atmospheric thriller which is impossible to put down. Recalling the narrative weavings of classic noir by the likes of Raymond Chandler and the moody violence of Cormac McCarthy, Marooned is a beautifully dark commentary on childhood trauma, loyalty, revenge, and ultimately, redemption.

★★★★★ 'I enjoyed the read from beginning to end.'

★★★★★ 'Absolutely amazing book! A must read!'

★★★★★ 'Great read! Fast pace with strong plot and character development. Talent for writing shows in this first novel. Can't wait for the next one!'

★★★★★ 'Marooned is an excellent novel leaving the reader wanting more. The author, Jake Craven, develops the central characters in this book to the point where you never wants the story to end.'

★★★★★ 'I couldn't put it down! This is one badass novel! For those of you who love action flicks like John Wick, Death Wish or The Guest; this will be right up your alley. Jake Craven does an excellent job painting a thrilling, neo-noir character driven story with heart.'

★★★★★ 'Marooned pays homage to the neo-noir genre, with language that is nostalgic in a setting that is fresh.'

★★★★★ 'Exceptionally well-written, with great character development and plenty of exciting twists. With this being Jake Craven's debut novel, I'm highly anticipating what he has in the works for the next one. Bravo!'

★★★★★ 'I read Marooned within two days, I couldn't put it down!'

★★★★★ 'Jake Craven spins a tale that captivates you from the very beginning. I found myself getting lost in the characters, the descriptions of local, the fast moving plot, in just about every detail of Marooned.'

★★★★★ 'Great fast paced debut novel! The characters were well developed, the writing succinct and the plot held my attention to the point that I finished it in one afternoon.'