MYSTERY/THRILLER
Bloody, spirited adventure of former lovers and internet assassins.
Great for fans of: Matthew F. Jones’s A Single Shot, Ryan Steck’s Fields of Fire.
Sledge vs. the Labyrinth
Nick Horvath | SISU Press
329p, e-book, $9.99, ASIN B0C733ML68
Horvath’s gritty, engaging debut is jampacked with action and, as the title suggests, spirited bludgeonings, beatdowns, and more.
When his ex-lover, Kiira, becomes the target of a dark-web-based group of assassins, Einarr
“Sledge” Laukkanen searches for answers, beating one criminal senseless after another.
He discovers a menacing group called The
Labyrinth that seeks out people willing to disperse beatings, kidnappings, and worse, in exchange for huge cash sums deposited directly into their banking accounts. As the answers continue to be vague, and Sledge opts to protect Kiira, time starts to run out, forcing Kiira and Sledge to hunt for safety at every turn.
Horvath has a gift for writing intense, bloody action scenes without going too over the top. Readers will be instantly hooked into Sledge’s point of view as he bashes heads in and takes out even the most formidable opponents. Danger lurks around every corner, and Sledge never wavers against his enemies, going as far as to leave them tied to trees in the dead of winter with their bare feet in buckets of water. His methods are brutal but effective, making him hard to root for but keeping the story’s knife-edge tension intact as readers wait to see what Sledge has in store for his next adversary. Kiira makes an excellent foil to Sledge, uncovering enough information about his past to make her question his actions in keeping her safe as the tension between them grows.
Horvath writes to Sledge with a matter-of-fact tone, enticing readers to yearn for more information about him while simultaneously scrutinizing his motives. His character is a significant strength, albeit a double-edged sword, and while he struggles in this story, he somehow always concocts ways to continue tormenting his foes. Horvath’s world is intense, and the story’s undercurrents convoluted, but thriller fans who enjoy piecing together intricate character motivations will be entertained.
Cover: A | Design & typography: A | Illustrations: – Editing: A | Marketing copy: A