You Were Never Really Here - Softcover

Ames is an adept purveyor of the very noir, particularly scenes of violence. He achieves more in less than 100 pages than most crime novels three times the length do The Times, Crime Books of the Year 2016 A striking and powerful noir debut that can be consumed in a single sitting... Ames reveals himself here as a stylish thriller writer Daily Mail Fast-moving, agreeably violent and perfectly pared-down novella Spectator Lurid and minimal, You Were Never Really Here stays focused for its short, ghoulish run Financial Times Short and snappy Sunday Star Ice-cold modern noir... Really dark. But also fun! Mr. Hyde Contains no glamour... just bursts of dark poetry... and a brutal pragmatism befitting the character Crime Scene magazine At less than 100 pages, the read-in-one-sitting tale of traumatised Joe, ex-Marine for hire who still lives with his mother, is as compelling as the violence is sickening. Short, taut and in only the darkest shades of noir Sunday Times Crime Club A fast paced thriller Jewish News Jonathan Ames' superbly pared-down, striking and powerful noir debut novella, is short, less than 100 pages, brutal and redemptive and packed with corruption, revenge and the very darkest of man's inner demons... After this brilliant and stunningly noir piece of writing, the future direction of his work now seems clear Crime Review Ames takes a dark route... has many of his usual traits - apart from humour Jewish Telegraph Jonathan Ames' short electric shock of a source novel Variety The most deceptive lightweight boxer - punching with the heft of someone of much larger caliber Bookbag The violence throughout is swift and uncompromising, making this a real read-in-one-sitting thriller Raven Crime Reads (blog) Gripping, violent, fast and full of action... Superb Bibliophile Book Club (blog) Punchy prose and a lead character that could carry a series Ebookwyrm (blog) Evident cinematic potential... a quick and easy read Bibliodaze (blog) This fast moving 92 page crime mystery novella is action packed and highly readable. It will appeal to those who, like me, enjoy hard-boiled thrillers in the style of Chandler Promoting Crime Fiction (blog) A good choice for lovers of Michael Connelly, Lee Child or Vince Flynn who are interested in character-driven thrillers Chicago Tribune A dark thriller full of attitude and heart. ... Ames is at his best here, creating a complex and sympathetic character and a detail-rich, believable story that is hard to forget San Francisco Chronicle Slick, speedy, and as bluntly traumatic as the hammer its protagonist wields A History of my Life in 100 Objects (blog) Taut and compelling noir that packs quite a punch JacquiWine's Journal (blog) The best of its kind that I have read since Point Blank malkintowersbookblog.com (blog)

A hammer was Joe's favourite weapon. He was his father's son, after all Soon to become a film starring Joaqin Phoenix Joe has witnessed things that cannot be erased. A former FBI agent and Marine, his abusive childhood has left him damaged beyond repair. So he hides away, earning a living rescuing girls who have been kidnapped into the sex trade. Now he's been hired to save the daughter of a New York senator, held captive at a Manhattan brothel. But he's stumbled into a dangerous web of conspiracy and he s about to pay the price. Brutal and redemptive in equal measure, You Were Never Really Here is a toxic shot of a thriller, laced with corruption, revenge and the darkest of inner demons. 'A good choice for lovers of Michael Connelly, Lee Child or Vince Flynn who are interested in character-driven thrillers' Chicago Tribune 'A dark thriller full of attitude and heart. ... Ames is at his best here, creating a complex and sympathetic character and a detail-rich, believable story that is hard to forget'San Francisco Chronicle Jonathan Ames is the author of nine books including Wake Up, Sir! (published by Pushkin Press) The Extra Man, I Love You More Than You Know and the graphic novel The Alcoholic. He also created the hit HBO comedy Bored to Death, starring Ted Danson, Zach Galifianakis and Jason Schwartzman, as well as Blunt Talk, starring Patrick Stewart. He lives in New York.