Erik StoreyBesprekingen

Story of a man who seeks refuge from the rest of the world in order to make peace with his past only to end up in a conflict with drug cartel that abducted his sister.

Clyde Barr is rather melancholic person that tries to redeem himself from his past. He tries to live outside the society, wandering through the wilderness and living his own life in peace. But he has an Achilles heel of sorts - he is prompted to action whenever he sees injustice and oppression, he moves in to help whomever is in distress and this just gets him into deeper problems and conflicts. He goes through everything without a second thought on his well-being, he sees it as a purgatory that he has to walk through to achieve redemption. Literary his word is his bond and when he promises something he will not stray until promise is fulfilled.

This is a fast read, with lots of interesting characters, relationships and lots of action.

Highly recommended to all thriller and action fans.

another thriller ... based on plot error for the sake of action and drama. Did not finish.

I devoured this book! It’s full of action and suspense as Clyde Barr embarks on his next, unexpected, adventure. A Promise to Kill is the second book in the Clyde Barr series by Erik Storey. Clyde Barr sets off into the mountains intending to decompress from his most recent life threatening experience where he battled drug manufacturers and runners. He crosses paths with an older man, a Ute Indian, who is quite ill and need of immediate medical attention. This encounter introduces Clyde to the man’s daughter and grandson. The family operates a ranch that Clyde volunteers to work on while the patriarch is in the hospital.

In the meantime, Clyde encounters a nasty motorcycle gang...

I have photos and additional information that I'm unable to include here. It can all be found on my blog, in the link below.
A Book And A Dog

Such a cool title. In, Nothing Short of Dying, author Erik Storey introduced me to Clyde Barr; a man with a dark and rugged background. His solitary lifestyle has consisted of being a hunter and adventurer in some pretty challenging locations on the globe. Barr returns to his hometown in Colorado following an unjust incarceration. He intends to return to the wilderness for some peace as two of his older sisters are unwilling to welcome him back into their lives. Surprisingly, Barr gets a desperate phone call from his youngest of three older sisters.

Nothing Short of Dying is a suspenseful story, involving drug kingpins, outlaws, and a sociopath. When Barr promises his sister he will rescue her, he means he will do so in a manner of nothing short of dying. He is up against a major kingpin and his security. He enlists the help of outlaws he befriended years ago by calling in significant favors that put his friends’ lives at risk. Barr reaches out to a former inmate he served time with in hopes he will uphold their previous code.

While there is a lot of edge to this story, there is also tenderness buried deep underneath the surface. A lot of old wounds that have not healed, but show promise for the future. Barr also has a knack for helping people. He pretty much can’t say no...

I have photos and additional information that I'm unable to include here. It can all be found on my blog, in the link below.
A Book And A Dog

After reading a pretty in depth non fiction book I needed some lite escapism and this book worked.
There are some wholes in the story, and the lead character sure seems to be able to survive anything, but the story was good and the action pretty much non stop. A good beach/pool book.

A professional effort hitting every beat and plot point merits four stars in my opinion. For a novel to attain five then there must be something special, even if there are flaws. The author writes actions scenes on a par with Lee Child and there are no flaws. The book represents the genre well.

This is a novel very much like a Jack Reacher story.
Clyde Barr is just out of jail. He is looking for sister who has problems with drugs and local scumbags.
He meets a girl called Allie he falls in love with her she gets killed by the baddies.
He meets an old friend who is very dodgy who helps him.
Lots of shooting blood and guts.
Easy to read, nothing special book.½

After reading a pretty in depth non fiction book I needed some lite escapism and this book worked.
There are some wholes in the story, and the lead character sure seems to be able to survive anything, but the story was good and the action pretty much non stop. A good beach/pool book.½

A Promise to Kill is the second Clyde Barr novel by Erik Storey and is turning into one of the best new thriller series of the last few years. Clyde Barr is a low-tech loner whose skills have been honed in hotspots around the world, from Africa to South America to Mexican prisons. He finds himself drifting across the mountains and remote areas of the Western United States when he stumbles across an old man, Bud Nicholas, who has had a heart attack in a remote area of the Ute reservation in Utah. Driving into town and seeking help, he encounters a bar full of Reapers; an outlaw biker gang that is menacing the town and not looking to help anyone.

Clyde eventually manages to get the old man help, befriending his grandson and daughter Lawana-a local doctor-in the process. Clyde offers to help out out on Bud’s ranch until he’s back on his feet. He can’t help but wonder what the Reapers are doing hanging around such a remote area. The native Utes have little faith that authorities will help them with their Reaper problem so are doing their best to wait it out. Clyde tries to respect their wishes, but when the Reapers go too far, he takes action. In the process, Clyde discovers the real reason the Reapers are hanging around. The gang represents a danger to the entire town, and perhaps far beyond.

A Promise to Kill has the feel of an old-fashioned western brought into the 21st century. Clyde Barr is the drifter passing through, gets caught up in the troubles of the locals and stands with them against the bad guys. The remote setting on the Ute reservation lends to the sense of isolation and danger. The native Utes history with local and federal law enforcement lends credibility to the ethos that they have no one to count on but themselves. The plot that the Reapers have hatched raises the stakes even further making Clyde’s success truly a matter of life and death.

Clyde Barr is a great character whose development in this second novel raises him even higher in the pantheon of great action characters. The surrounding cast is what elevates this book and makes it one of the best thrillers of the year. Lawana is strong-willed and accomplished, her teenage son is earnest and endearing, and the members of the small town of Wakara are varied and believable. The Reapers are truly menacing. They are three-dimensional characters who act mostly intelligently, which makes them a worthy foil for Barr.

Storey paints a vivid picture of the modern American West, fills it with both great and menacing characters and adds a plot that moves like a lit fuse heading toward dynamite. Get in on the ground floor of this great series. Highly recommended.

I was assured by Erik Storey that narrator Pete Simonelli absolutely nailed it with this book and he was right. Simonelli captures the quiet confidence of Clyde Barr and the absolute menace of members of the Reapers. His pacing is perfect and his reverence for the description of the setting absolutely gives you a sense of place. Storey’s words and Simonelli’s voice are a perfect pairing and I hope to see them together again for the next book-and you should too. This is a great book to experience on audio.

I was fortunate to be provided a copy of this audiobook by the publisher.

Erik Storey returns following his debut hit, Nothing Short of Dying (2016)—where the talented new author introduced readers and new fans to the unlikely hero, Clyde Barr.

In this highly anticipated follow-up, A PROMISE TO KILL, Barr returns, better than ever!

An action-packed, intense, adventure where life is anything but simple for Barr. Trouble seems to find Barr no matter how many times life attempts to pull him down. He comes up swinging.

Storey has created an edgy tough main character with strong morals and honor . . . and a heart of gold.

Men and women readers alike will be drawn to the setting and this strong and intriguing character. I actually like him better than Lee Child’s Jack Reacher.

As we pick up from the last book (can be read as a standalone); however, would recommend reading the first book to get the proper intro into this complex character. However, we do learn a bit more about Clyde in this installment.

Traveling across Utah, with a new mare and a reluctant mule named Bob, Barr spots an old man’s truck in the ditch. He of course stops to assist. His heart. His cell is dead. He needs to get him to a hospital.

He hops into the truck and takes him to the hospital. An old Ute from the nearby Uintah and Ouray Indian Reservation. They connect. Heart problems. Myocardial infarction. He would be dead without Clyde Barr.

Lawana and her son. The three of them – grandfather, daughter, Lawana and grandson, fifteen-year-old- Taylor all lived at the family ranch. They needed Barr’s help. He offered.

He had worked on a lot of ranches and he, of course, did not tell them all the work and places he had been. Clyde likes this woman and family.

Barr settles into a routine on the ranch. . . until the Reapers. An outlaw bikers club. All white.

These men were full of menace. The Reapers called him a "bumpkin" and told him to go play with the Indians. He was threatened and warned. Thousands of lives were at risk.

Taylor’s dad had died in Afghanistan, as an army captain. He was going to help run the ranch while his mom ran the local clinic. He died trying to save his men. Soon Taylor had confidence in him. He looked up to Barr. However, Barr had some proving to do to earn his mother’s trust.

He wants to protect the reservation and fight for those he cares about.

Barr soon learns that the family name was a corruption of the name of their great war chief ancestor, Nicaagat. He’d let his warriors in one of the last actions against the US government, right before his people were forced out of the mountains of Colorado and into the alkali desert of Utah.

The memories surface. His rough childhood, the wars he had fought in the third world, and his time behind bars because of a mix-up between the Mexican government and the cartels, and the people he loved and lost along the way. One who was especially important.

He thought he had left all the chaos behind when he came back to the States more than a year ago. But apparently, he was mistaken.

Whatever tranquility he had felt when he first entered town had entirely disappeared. This was the kind of thing Barr had tried to avoid since coming back, after being released from prison. However, his strong sense of protecting the underdog had a way of bringing him to the center of trouble.

Will Clyde ever go back to normal or will he be broken? Will the boy, the grandfather and the daughter want to him to stay around? Would he ever belong? He wasn’t Ute. He was an outsider.

Barr liked to live on the edge. He missed it. He loved it here. Like a wild animal. The most beautiful, smartest, and the toughest woman he had ever met. He liked this family. Was it time for him to move on?

. . . Does Lawana deserve more than he can offer? Does Barr need to be out there in the wilderness?

. . . “Somewhere along the way, the empty spaces became part of who I am. It’s where I’m at my best.”

WOW, a powerful story. Well written with in-depth research, Storey knows the great outdoors and the wilderness, reflective throughout the novel. His style strongly reminds me of [author:Charles Martin|67487] (another favorite author), [book:The Mountain Between Us|7173336] and [book:Water from My Heart|23197553]. Martin (not a crime writer); however, both talented authors possess their own unique individual style; however, they both write stories about the rugged great outdoors and strong tough characters (men) who connect with equally strong dynamic women and children.

There is always a memorable story which creates a nice balance. A fated encounter, strong bonds, connection, a tug and pull, heartstrings, choices, and consequences.

Also for fans of John Hart (another favorite), C.J. Box, Lee Child, Ace Atkins, David Joy, William Kent Krueger, and Craig Johnson.

Highly recommend this gripping and suspenseful series and this gifted newfound master storyteller. Can’t wait to see what’s next for Clyde.

A special thank you to Scribner, NetGalley and the author for an early reading copy. I also purchased the audiobook, narrated by Pete Simonelli for an entertaining performance. Move A PROMISE TO KILL to the top of your list. Movie-worthy!

JDCMustReadBooks

Interview with the Author

This is the second novel by Erik Storey involving the Nomadic character Clyde Barr. Barr has roamed westward and finds himself coming across a fallen ill, elderly Ute Native. the new adventure starts as Barr tries to do the right thing and get the elderly man to medical help. Trouble soon starts when Barr encounters the Reapers, a violent motorcycle gang that has seemed to take over the area for a yet unknown reason.

To find the help the man needs, Barr postpones a confrontation with the Reapers and moves along, soon to meet the family of the Ute native. Barr then agrees to help the family while the man recuperates and slowly erodes their skepticism over Barr's good nature.

Barr further gains the attention of the Reapers after interceding when a Native youth becomes one of their victims. This then starts Barr's journey toward confrontation while trying to find out why a motorcycle gang would settle down in a barren land of few resources and even less law and order.

Storey has created a good series for summer reading peppered with interesting characters and story lines.

Erik Storey's Nothing Short of Dying is a good summer read.

Clyde Barr is a drifting man who receives a cryptic call for help from his sister Jen. His sister is being held at an unknown location by a vicious thug planning some sort of unknown heist. Clyde is compelled to help his sister, fueled by a promise once made to her when the two were younger.

Storey parses out the backstory of Barr and his sister in sprinkles throughout the book and brings in a wide variety of supporting characters - some nasty and others even nastier, while keeping the story flowing and interesting.

Clyde receives help from interesting characters along the way; one of whom is especially troubling.

This is an enjoyable book from a first time author, with apparent plans to base more novels with the Clyde Barr character.

Excellent first novel set in Colorado. Barr is an all around tough guy, mercenary, hunter, helper of the poor.
He has just gotten out of a Mexican prison when he finds that his sister has been kidnapped.. Very good read.

Clyde Barr wants a break from civilization and he finds it deep in the Yukon. Then one night he receives a desperate call from his sister Jen. She begs him to come rescue her. After a pause, he promises he will. Once back home in Colorado, Clyde starts digging up old contacts that can give him a lead on his sister. A variety of obstacles get in his way including drug dealers, gangs, the FBI, and a questionable comrade from his time in a Mexican prison.

This was an excellent action thriller. Clyde Barr is a many-layered man. He’s spent 16 years away from the States, hunting, killing, and sometimes protecting in South America and Africa. Now he just wants to be away from it all, but that can’t be until he upholds his promise to Jen, a promise he wouldn’t have given lightly. As the story unfolds, we learn more about this fascinating character. He and Jen, the youngest of 4 children, share experiences and a secret from their teen years. Jen knows that if he gives his word then nothing short of dying will keep him from fulfilling it.

Being of the Southwest myself, I really liked that the setting was Colorado. The author did a great job in capturing the empty expanse of some areas of the state, the spread-out cities, and the Hispanic influence in culture, food, and language. Clyde has been away from modern tech for some time and his remarks on changes, such as the legal pot stores, added touchstones for those familiar with the state.

The ladies make up a good chunk of the side characters and they are written like real people. They don’t fall into the typical action flick stereotypes of love interest and/or damsel in distress. Yes, sometimes someone needs a hand up and Jen especially needs someone to rescue her, yet even Jen is doing what she can from her position to aid herself. Allie Martin, bar tender and drifter, has a solid back story and I like that she has skills that Clyde doesn’t, like she’s familiar with modern mechanics.

Jen has gotten caught up in Lance Alvis’s business, which is currently heroin production and distribution. There’s big money in the business and Alvis isn’t a reckless idiot. He has layers of people between him and the street distribution. This makes it tough for Clyde to track him down. Also, it provides plenty of opportunity for brawling. Clyde has some fighting skills and most of his bouts are swiftly put to an end, leaving the drug pushers on the floor.

Now I don’t want to make Clyde sound like a macho man. He’s capable, even deadly when he has to be, and masculine – no doubt about those three points. Yet he doesn’t toot his own horn or show off for the ladies. There are even a few times where he slips or makes a mistake and he’s the first to chuckle at himself or castigate himself, depending on the situation.

Zeke was probably the most interesting minor character. He spent some time with Clyde in a tough situation and they were comrades of sort. However, Zeke lacks morals and Clyde sees him as dangerous because of this. Yet Zeke is good with horses. Another interesting character was Chapo, who is muscle for a local gang. He joins forces with Clyde briefly as they hunt down a lead on Alvis. Chapo has his own code and Clyde focuses on that instead of the right or wrong of the gang life.

All around, it’s a very interesting action tale with plenty of layers to peel back as the story moves forward. I was never bored with it or rolling my eyes. I also appreciated the accuracy in description and use when it came to firearms. I very much look forward to what else Storey comes up with in his writing career.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.

The Narration: Jeremy Bobb did a very good job with Clyde Barr’s voice. It was practical and a little rough, just like the man himself. His female voices were believable. He also did a Hispanic accent here and there.

Clyde Barr is the latest action hero to arrive in Erik Storey’s debut novel, Nothing Short of Dying. Cut out of the same cloth as characters like Jack Reacher, Dewey Andreas and Pike Logan, the character Barr most reminds me of is The Executioner: Mack Bolan. Bolan was a one-man wrecking crew. A decorated Vietnam war vet who returns home to bury most of his family. When he discovers the mob is to blame, he becomes vengeance personified as he goes about dismantling them.

Clyde Barr shares a lot of those traits. Ex-military, soldier of fortune and recent graduate of a Mexican prison. All he wants is to disappear into the mountains and live off the land. A desperate phone call from his youngest sister, whom he shared a childhood that was beyond brutal, pulls him back towards civilization and “nothing short of dying” will prevent him from keeping his promise to come for her.

Storey does a good job of developing a character with a lot of rough edges and a believable amount of competency paired with a slightly excessive ability to absorb punishment. The action scenes are crisp, exciting and fast-paced. Barr is willing, if sometimes reluctant, to use people around him to assist in rescuing his sister. Most notable among these are Allie, the bartender he tries to help and ends up putting in harm’s way and Zeke, his former cellmate who is as amoral and ruthless as they come.

Storey doesn’t sugarcoat the consequences and none of Barr’s plans comes off without a hitch. The book lacks some of the polish of stories from other thriller writers, particularly when it comes to dialogue, but it is a very strong debut. Storey convincingly paints the rugged Colorado landscape along with plenty of action and a strong, flawed protagonist who looks like he has more adventures in front of him. I suspect subsequent entries in this series will get even better and I’m looking forward to them. Recommended read.

I listened to the audio version of this book narrated by Jeremy Bobb. Bobb does a good job with the narration capturing the excitement of the action along with the rough edges of the characters, particularly Barr and Zeke. The narration nicely complements the story.

I was fortunate to receive an advance copy of this book for review.

NOTHING SHORT OF DYING is the debut release from author Erik Storey, which arrived with considerable fanfare. It's flagged as something that will have Lee Child's Reacher watching over his shoulder which clearly flags this is action packed, with a lone hero up against it from all sides central character.

Clyde Barr is a mountain man, hunter and a mercenary. After many years fighting conflicts in Africa amongst other places, and a torrid stint in a Mexican jail he's heading back to his native Colorado, out into the mountains, going bush as we'd say in Australia, looking for a low key sort of life. Which all goes to hell in a hand-basket when he gets a frantic call from one of his sisters, and heads out to save the day. At this point you start to find out that Barr's personal life is anything but uncomplicated, his family is fractured, his younger sister has been a bit of a trial and just about everybody is flat out nasty or at the very least disinterested. Unless you count Allie the barmaid with a sort of heart of gold and taste for adventure, who joins him on quest, serving as companion, love interest and recently arrived conscience or reason to get his act together.

NOTHING SHORT OF DYING is really quite the roller-coaster ride, and in that I'm not just referring to the action packed, race to find and free the sister. There are many highs and lows in dealing with Barr to navigate as well. The action here is bloody and violent, there's a feeling of the wild west about the pace, and the free-wheeling bash, crash and killing spree. Whilst it's obvious that those who have taken Jen are definitely the black hat wearers, Barr's not so easy to pigeon-hole. There are times when he feels like part of the problem - with a tendency to wipe out anybody who even looks like they are going to get in his way, and times he's haunted by memories of things that have gone wrong in the past, people who he's failed to save, bodies he's left in his wake. And of course, there's a budding romance with Allie - who is carting around more than a few issues of her own.

There were points where I absolutely loved NOTHING SHORT OF DYING, and points where I'd cheerfully have flung it across a room. Whilst there are aspects of Barr's characterisation that rang true, that has to balanced up against the constant concept of anything can be solved if you shoot it, hit it hard enough, or drive around it fast enough. All of which has been done - to death - before, although undoubtedly that doesn't sound particularly fair as the same could be said of lots of thrillers. It's all going to come down to a question of connection with Barr and even with Allie. If, as a reader he's somebody you instantly feel you can barrack for, or even just understand a bit, then the quibbles will disappear. If he's somebody you're struggling with, then the lack of subtlety, and the constant bang bang, shoot 'em up, loner out to save the day, getting it wrong, getting it right and the extreme violence is going to be less successful.

NOTHING SHORT OF DYING is definitely one for readers to make their own minds up about.

https://www.austcrimefiction.org/review/review-nothing-short-dying-erik-storey

A special thank you to Scribner and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

With this exceptional entry, Erik Storey, a natural born storyteller, solidifies his place at the upper end of the literary crime thriller "rural noir" fiction genre, NOTHING SHORT OF DYING —Tenacious Clyde Barr edgy, dirt-under-your fingernails, kind of raw, is a character you want on your side; rugged, a tough-as-nails hero we can count on.

The gritty novel begins with a phone call in the Utah wilderness about a week after Clyde Barr had been released from prison. He had hoped for a storybook homecoming; however, in reality, this was not a dream life. He likes the wilderness and living off the grid, with no technology or frills.

Jen, his sister called with a desperate SOS- she needed for him to come and get her. Throughout their childhood they had been through nights of their mom and dad fighting, mom’s boyfriends, drunks, loss of control, fighting, and abuse. Mostly hiding out to ride out the storm. The two of them against the world. They have secrets.

Jen explained in a whispered voice, for Clyde to hurry, he was going to kill her. She was to help, and then he would kill her. She reminded him he owed her. Before she could tell him where she was, Barr heard a male voice and the line went dead.

He was her flesh and blood. She had a knack for finding the wrong people, times, and places. He had left her to fend for herself, because he had been selfish. Now he owed her. This was his chance to make up for his mistakes; however, he needed a track to follow, a direction. Barr knows that nothing short of dying will stop him from saving her.

After their dad left, and their mom died, he did something stupid which almost got him killed. Jen did something worse that saved his life. If anyone ever found out what they had done, they would be serving life sentences. Jen kept quiet and he was free. They had been to hell and back. He would do whatever she asked.

Clyde begins his journey for his sister. She was in trouble again and most likely mixed up with somebody very dangerous. From Colorado, outdoorsman, Clyde Barr returns to the states after serving as a gun for hire in Africa and South American. After leaving Juarez prison, Clyde is camping and receives the phone call. He has no clue where she could be. He has had no contact with his family in years.

On his journey, he meets Allie Martin, a bartender. They both are equally stubborn. Soon a relationship develops as they travel deeper into the remote Colorado’s high country. From drug-ring politics, meth houses, and violence. However, despite the challenges, nothing will stop Barr from reaching his sister, and his strong loyalty to family and blood.

What he was dealing with, he had underestimated. In a matter of days, he was dealing with drug dealer gangs, feds, and a girl who started to mean something. So much, for the quiet life. Shortly thereafter, an intense race against time.

Storey, introduces strong female characters, in addition to Barr, for women readers; Allie and Jen, which proves riveting heroes in their own right. Jen is no poor victim. A gal who can handle herself. With a rich cast of characters, an action-packed tale of grit, emotion, desperation, and the resilience of family. From good to evil, the author explores both extremes.

New fans will anxiously be awaiting the next installment of pulp-action hero, Clyde Barr. Stark and gripping, with a strong sense of place in rural rich areas, and bold nuanced characterization reminiscent, of Ace Atkins, Lee Child (Jack Reacher), Craig Johnson, and CJ Box.

As the author mentions in an interview, “The book isn’t a cup of tea at all; it’s whiskey on the rocks.”

Indeed, it is like sipping and savoring the spirit. So grab a glass, pour yourself some whiskey, kick back in your leather man (or woman) chair, and do some taste testing and follow Clyde Bar on his adventure. Feel like kickin’ it old school? Have your whiskey in a tin cup in the great outdoors, a perfect side-kick for Nothing Short of Dying.

I am always fascinated with the inspiration behind books and authors. Thoroughly enjoyed the Interview with Erik Storey.

“I wanted to show off this side of the state,” he continues. “It’s not as visited as Denver. Western Colorado, Utah, Nevada, Idaho — they’re kind of forgotten. People will fly into the cities, but because the population density is so small, they overlook the rest of the region. To a lot of people, the West is kind of an obscure concept. I want to promote this area with my books.

As Clyde’s quest takes him from small town to small town throughout Colorado — Riverside, Clifton, Palisade, De Beque, Rifle, Meeker, Mack, Leadville, Steamboat Springs — he unearths both the grandeur and grit of life in the high country and on the Western Slope.

What does define Clyde’s character, besides his tenacity and honor, is a deep distrust of cell phones, apps, computers and every other innovation that distracts from the simplicity of humanity’s bond with the land.

In addition to the advanced reading copy, also purchased the audio version, narrated by Jeremy Bobb (sexy, edgy, gritty), a perfect match for Storey’s smashing debut, for a full throttle performance ride.

Worthy of the hype, Nothing Short of Dying, equal parts rural country noir and contemporary Western, with a tough hero to stand up and cheer for, and not to be messed with. A rugged guy, the kind you would want to be alone in the wilderness with, for more than one reason.

Storey is an author to follow with many epic-adventures to follow. Sounds like we will visit Clyde next, as he wanders onto a Native American reservation, which mysteriously seems to have been taken over by an outlaw biker gang – while on the TV there’s report of terrorist activity in the area.

Can’t wait. Movie worthy. Awesome cover. Bring it on!

JDCMustReadBooks

Action? Check. Adventure? Check. Storey brings it in spades with his detailed descriptions and dangerous scenarios throughout this labyrinth of danger and suspense.
The characters are original, unique, and at times horrendous, which provides an interesting layer to the story. Even though you find yourself appalled at some of their behaviors, you become invested in their plight and ultimately find yourself cheering them on.
Highly recommend for the adventure lover in all of us, this one will be hard to put down!

*I received an arc from NetGalley for an honest review