Received this as a galley from net galley and luckily was just finishing another book, so could get on and read this straight away. Loved the first Colter Shaw book so was really looking forward to this, he is a great character, someone you would like to know. He does the right thing even if it costs him money. This story is complex and moves about well with plenty of twists and turns. Plenty of bad guys in it, can't wait to see where the next story takes us.

First catch up with Jeffrey Deaver for some time and my first encounter with his new character Colter Shaw. A slow burner but as the reader continues throughout the novel the story gradually unfolds into a great read. Not quite up to Lincoln Rhyme but never the less well worth the read.

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. I have liked everything this author has written and this was no exception. It had me hooked from the beginning, great storyline, great characters and a great ending.

Once again another fine novel featuring Colter Shaw. I have to say whilst reading this book I was constantly reminded of the TV series The Following. I found the subject matter of murder/suicides difficult reading at times but it was done very sensitively and the storyline is strong enough to allow this to be addressed. I look forward to the next outing with Colter Shaw.

The Goodbye Man is the second instalment of the Colter Shaw series by Jeffrey Deaver. I haven’t read the first book, The Never Game, but this didn’t affect my understanding or enjoyment of the story and it worked really well as a standalone thriller. Colter Shaw is a really interesting character who works as a reward hunter, a type of private investigator, earning money from the rewards offered in missing persons cases. Having learned an unusual array of survival skills from his father, throughout an investigation he gives a percentage to every decision he makes based on the various risk factors. This gives him a quirkiness that sets him apart from other detectives/investigators in similar types of novels.

The story begins with what seems like a straightforward missing person case - Colter has agreed to try and find Erick Young who disappeared after participating in a vicious hate crime. But after finding him, he finds himself in the middle of another mystery. Erick had been making his way to the Osiris Foundation, a retreat offering help for people struggling with depression, anxiety or illness. The bizarre behaviour he has witnessed and some further research into the group leader, Eli, lead Colter to join the group undercover as Carter Skye, but this decision puts both his and the other members lives at risk as the true motives of the Foundation become clear.

I have been a fan of Jeffrey Deaver for a long time and even though I read The Bone Collector and The Coffin Dancer as a teenager, they still stand out to me as some of the best crime thrillers I have ever read. With that in mind I knew even before I started reading, that this book would be a great choice for me. The Goodbye Man was addictive from the start and was full of twists and turns but it had a very different style and setting. I haven’t read any other thrillers based on cults or cult-like organisations but I thought it was a really interesting subject and obviously very well researched in this case. I also loved the secondary storyline which was woven into the narrative. As Colter Shaw is looking into the death of his father, Ashton Shaw, he is lead to an unfinished investigation that his father was working on at the time of his death. There was just enough information to really get my interest in this case and I could have easily carried straight on to read the next book – let’s hope it’s not too long before I can find out what happens!

I have warmed to this series; I enjoyed the very first Colter Shaw outing and the new angle, the author brings, to an investigatory protagonist.
Shaw is a ‘professional reward seeker’. As in this case we see he is a good guy.
This lends itself to short stories; this is the second full length novel so it requires a more expansive plot.
Happily I can report Deaver has done the business here. While being faithful to the main character’s approach to cases , here, we have a remarkable diversion into the world of cults.
Meanwhile, the ongoing links to his missing brother and the killing of their father remain a central impetus to Shaw’s motivation.
The whole adventure where Shaw goes undercover to find if a local cult with whom the missing boys were linked is corrupt and dodgy is well written. The tension is ramped up throughout his time in the religious communities compound. He is cut off, under suspicion and feels he’s being watched.
I found the research undertaken especially in the fictional leader’s hold over his followers realistic and quite frightening.
While there are lighter moments; Shaw finds he’s in a life and death situation. The integrity of the story held true and some of the minor characters were well observed and added to the atmosphere of control and group psyche.
With this novel, the author has established this series for me. I will look out for future instalments as this is a must read set of books. I want to follow Colter Shaw’s journey. I enjoy the literary devices Deaver used to advance the story and throw readers off the unfolding events. This is a great skill and one reader’s like me feel pleased to encounter. I am always wrong footed and surprised, shocked and delighted in equal measure.
Shaw is a character I believe in and want to spend time following his exploits and search for truth.

This is the second book in Deaver's Colter Shaw series. I read the first one a while ago and really enjoyed it, so I was keen to read this one too.

Colter is still searching for his brother and his father's secrets. This part of the storyline is continued from the first book. He is also still travelling around the country earning reward money and helping people. He accepts a job finding a missing teenaged boy. He is wanted by the Police for vandalising a church and a shooting, after which he ran off with a second teenager. The boy, Erick's parents believe him to be innocent and place the blame on the boy he ran off with, Adam. It's up to Colter to track them down and discover the truth of what happened.

Deaver is renowned as a talented writer, and this series of books is a favourite of mine. Colter is a unique protagonist because he is so much more thoughtful than your usual action hero. He doesn't like to shoot people or kill them, and does his best to avoid injury to anyone. I like the way the author always goes through Colter's thought process in a given situation, how he weighs up his options before deciding on the best way forward. He is a complex character, and his past and family history are a vital part of his story and the story in both books.

This is a great book. The plot is well thought out and executed, and there is action and excitement even though the general pace of the book is quite steady. Everything about Colter Shaw is unrushed. I look forward to reading the next instalment in his story.

Colter Shaw is a reward seeker in search of two fugitives, whilst trying to come into terms with his father’s death and brother’s disappearance.

When he finally apprehends the fugitives, one kills himself in front of him. Shocked by this, Colter Shaw discovers he had links to a sinister organisation, The Osiris Foundation.

Undercover, Colter Shaw joins the organisation. Will he get out unharmed?

The Goodbye Man is a follow up of The Never Game, but fear not, this novel is a standalone gem which doesn’t require you to be familiar with the previous novel.

The main character, Colter Shaw, is a breath of fresh air. He is a different kind of hero, and you will be wanting to know more about him.

The story is told from Shaw’s perspective in the third person, so we get a chance to read his mind whilst the events of the novel happen.

The story is addictive, intense and full of twists and turns and the plots pulls you in from the beginning. What a masterpiece of the genre.

Having throroughly enjoyed The Goodbye Man without being familiar with Colter Shaw’s universe, I am definitely going to read The Never Game and look forward to the next installment -in fact, I can’t wait!

Disclosure: I would like to thank HarperCollins UK HarperFiction for an ARC of The Goodbye Man. This is my honest review.

https://jemimareads.wordpress.com/

I really enjoyed the first book in Jeffery Deaver's Colter Shaw series,The Nowhere Man. Shaw is an enigmatic figure with an interesting backstory who finds people for the reward money. The introductory book was pacy ,original and everything we've come to expect from Jeffery Deaver. Sadly The Goodbye Man doesn't come close to that standard. It starts off well with Shaw tracing a couple of young men who have been accused of a hate crime. During his search he witnesses a suicide and the arrival of members of a nearby cult,The Foundation, at the scene. Disturbed by what he sees Shaw decides to go undercover at the cult's headquarters. The scenes where the cult leader is giving speeches seem to go on forever and I found myself skimming pages on my Kindle. In a place where people are supposedly under total surveillance Shaw blunders around kicking in doors and roaming around at will. There's no tension, when Shaw is in peril seemingly within a paragraph he's got out of it and behaves in such a way that he might as well have a neon sign over his head saying, "I'm Undercover" Despite some extremely obvious suspicious behaviour he becomes very quickly trusted by the cult's leadership. It's very much "by the numbers" and a massive disappointment after such a great introduction to Colter Shaw in the the first book. I found myself reading thinking, "Did Deaver really write this?" Parts of it are laughable and descriptions of fights etc very contrived and laboured. I actually struggled to finish this,and I never thought I'd say that about a Jeffery Deaver book. The most disappointing thing about the book is that it follows such a strong start to the series, a book I really enjoyed.

Thanks to Jeffery Deaver, HarperCollins UK and Netgalley for the ARC in return for an honest review.

Jeffery Deavers new offering is The Goodbye Man, the secon book in the Colter Shaw series. I now have to pause a little and just say, Jeffery Deaver is an all time favourite author of mine. I adore his Lincoln Rhyme series, in fact anything he writes I love.
I have not read the first book in this series yet but I thoroughly enjoyed this book as a standalone. As always right from the first page we are thrown into the action and it never lets up.
Colter Shaw is an investigator who spends his time hunting fugitives. This time he is in Washington in pursuit of two men who have committed hate crimes. He does locate them, but the encounter ends in a disturbing suicide. Everything starts to become more complicated and he finds himself undercover investigating a mysterious organisation. This leads to uncovering more secrets and lies than Shaw ever thought he would. On the domestic front he has a family mystery that he needs to work out as well, one that could change everything for him.
I love reading Jeffery Deaver, his books are always like a high speed train! You need to recover when you have read the last page and this book is no different! Action packed with a superb plot and all the twists and turns that are expected from Jeffery Deaver books! Definitely one to read! A massive thank you to NetGalley Anne Cater of Random Things Tours and Harper Collins for making it possible for me to be a part of this Blog Tour.

The Goodbye Man is the latest gripping and exhilarating thriller by bestselling author Jeffery Deaver. In this twisty danger-filled story, the second in the Colter Shaw series, by bestselling master of suspense Jeffery Deaver, reward-seeker Colter infiltrates a sinister cult after learning that the only way to get somebody out...is to go in. In the wilderness of Washington State, expert tracker Colter Shaw has located two young men accused of a terrible hate crime. But when his pursuit takes a shocking and tragic turn, Shaw becomes desperate to discover what went so horribly wrong and if he is to blame. Shaw’s search for answers leads him to a shadowy organization that bills itself as a grief support group. But is it truly a community that consoles the bereaved? Or a dangerous cult with a growing body count? Undercover, Shaw joins the mysterious group, risking everything despite the fact that no reward is on offer. He soon finds that some people will stop at nothing to keep their secrets hidden...and to make sure that he or those close to him say “goodbye” forever.

This is a compulsive and addictive read just as we've come to expect from Deaver with all the action and reveals you could ever ask for; in fact, there's never a dull moment as Colter tries to bring down the nefarious organisation seemingly up to no good. Told from Colter's perspective we are taken on a journey into the cult he is investigating and Deaver discusses the indoctrination and modus operandi at the very heart of most cult-like organisations. There is a creeping sense of unease for the entirety of the story and the oppressive atmosphere can be felt as it leaps off the pages. Colter Shaw is a superb creation and a fascinating protagonist who I can relate to in the sense that he can be rather cynical and sceptical about everything he is told. The denouement sets up for the next book perfectly and has you yearning for it already. I just hope it isn't too long of a wait. A fast-paced, entertaining and impossible to put down thriller, this is a must-read page-turner. Highly recommended. Many thanks to HarperCollins for an ARC.

Lincoln Rhyme, Location Scout, Kathryn Dance--all of Jeffery Deaver's principal characters are fascinating, and Colter Shaw is no exception. We first met him in The Never Game and The Goodbye Man is equally impressive. Shaw is a reward seeker who specialises in finding missing persons, and in the course of his current case he uncovers a link to a dubious cult, which he must infiltrate to protect innocent dupes. A very enjoyable read.

As always a great read from Jeffery Deaver, fast paced, love it. Buy this book!

Thank you Mr Deaver & Netgalley for giving me advanced copy to read

What really drew me to this series, apart from the fact that I love pretty much all things Deaver, was that the main character was something a little different... Colter Shaw is a reward seeker. Obviously, as a series book, to get the best from him it's always a good idea to read book one first. This series also has a short prequel - book 0.5 and an inbetweenie, book 1.5 which are also worth catching up with... Colter Shaw is a bit unique and complex so it really is best to get to know him properly.
So, Shaw gets himself embroiled in a rather interesting predicament when he picks up the pursuit of two young men, wanted for hate crimes. He catches up to them but, after looking closer into the men, things go a bit south and he finds himself in the wilderness investigating a self-help group. Though important to him to get to the truth of this, there's also the matter of seeking what his father hid many years ago. He really is a busy boy... But he's well up for a fight, in more ways than one...
I loved the introduction (book 0.5) so much when I got my hands on it, mostly for the reason already mentioned. I read a lot of police procedurals and psychological thrillers, books with amateur detectives and private investigators but this whole reward seeker thing is a real breath of fresh air that, for me, put a welcomed new spin on the crime fiction genre as a whole. Couple that with the fact that Colter Shaw is one heck of a character, back all this up with the brilliant plotting and writing of this author and, in this book (series), I get rewarded with the whole real deal package of everything I want (and need) in a book. Especially relevant and indeed welcome in the days we find ourselves in at the moment.
It's action packed in places and cerebral in others, mixing and matching these along the way. It's evident that there has been a lot of research going on by the author and I also learned quite a lot about certain things myself along the way - another bonus.
The series story arc also progresses well in this book. Shaw's father and what happened to him, his missing brother, all move along a significant step and I am really looking forward to seeing the direction thing take here in the next book.
All in all, an exciting addition to a series that, even though only on book 2 (plus the shorts) has already well established itself in my eyes. Really can't wait for the next one (2.5 or 3 I'm not fussed). My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

I would like to thank Netgalley and HarperCollins UK, HarrperFiction for an advance copy of The Goodbye Man, the second novel to feature reward seeker, Colter Shaw.

Tracking fugitives in the wilds of Washington State one of them commits suicide in front of Colter. When he discovers that the dead man had links to a secretive community in the area he decides to go undercover and get some answers. What he finds is dark and dangerous.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Goodbye Man which is an atmospheric thriller with a few good twists and turns. Well, perhaps not twists that fundamentally alter the trajectory of the plot which was always going to be the takedown of a sinister organisation, but, more, surprise actions and revelations. It certainly keeps the reader on their toes. The twists come more from the subplot which is the ongoing saga of his father’s hidden secrets. That ends not so much in a cliffhanger as a hook into the next novel.

The novel is told from Colter Shaws perspective, cleverly in the third person so that while the reader can concentrate exclusively on his narrative it allows the concealment of his thoughts and speculation and leads to extra surprises further down the road. I admit to being taken in by all of them. Job well done Mr Deaver. This is an action thriller so there are plenty of action scenes and fights But the majority of the novel takes place within the camp of what is, as becomes increasingly obvious, a cult. There is a pervasive sense of oppression and suppressed violence in these scenes and it seems like a realistic depiction of how these places operate. I liked the contrast between the propaganda and Colter’s calm analysis and found it fascinating.

Colter Shaw is a fictional hero, not to be taken too seriously as realistic. The son of a paranoid survivalist he has skills none of us would dream of, not just physical survival skills but long sightedness and an innate suspicion of everything he’s told. Fortunately he’s a good guy on the side of law and order and the hard done to. I would have nothing in common with him in real life but in fiction he’s great to spend time with.

The Goodbye Man is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

Wow wow wow. Jeffery Deaver just keeps on delivering incredible books with twists i could never predict. I love Colter Shaw; he is such a thrilling, dynamic and intriguing character. I so enjoy being inside his mind and reading his thoughts as the story progresses. What begins as a hunt for two young men takes Shaw on a journey to the Washington mountains where he finds himself embroiled in a world where danger surrounds him and you can't trust anyone. I devoured this book in one night and i'm already thinking about the next in the series.

This is the second full length novel by Jeffery Deaver in his Colter Shaw series, an unusual protagonist, a professional reward seeker, a restless man travelling across the US in his 30' Winnebago. Colt grew up in a remote part of California with his family, gaining exceptional skills as a survivalist from his academic father, Ashton, whose suspicious death at Echo Ridge he still is in the process of looking into. He takes a break from this mission to go to Gig Harbor, Pierce County, in Washington State for a $50 000 reward being offered for 27 year old Adam Harper and 20 year old Erick Young, accused of being Neo-Nazis committing a string of deplorable hate crimes, Erick's parents have offered an additional $900 for their son. When Colter finally locates the young men, he tries to protect them from trigger happy law enforcement officers, but watches in horror when Adam jumps off a cliff, committing suicide with a smile on his face.

The wanted men had been making their way to the Osiris Foundation which offers help for those struggling with bereavement, terminal/serious illness, depression, anxiety and loneliness through an initial 3 week training course in The Process, shrouded in secrecy. The more Colt finds out about the cult that shuns all and any publicity, the more worried he becomes, leading him to go undercover as Carter Skye at the Foundation, run by the charismatic leader, David Ellis, aka Master Eli, preying on the vulnerable and gullible, through a highly isolated environment, imposing a highly controlling and rigid structure enforced by a brutal punishing regime for any infractions to the uniformity and conformity demanded. The more Colt learns of Master Eli on his most challenging of assignments, the reality underlying the system of advancing in the cult becomes all too clear, there are murders and even worse planned. Colt and others find themselves in grave and deadly dangers.

Deaver writes a great, fast paced addition to the series, with the fascinating and charismatic Colt Shaw, his need for freedom, a man of conscience and compassion, with an unusual skill set, making decisions on the basis of the likely percentages, drawing on his father's survivalist rules, and utilising the help of Mack and his friendship with ex-FBI special agent, Tom Pepper. Colt makes progress on the secrets his father was keeping and what lies behind his demise. I imagine that the series will continue with Colt taking on particular assignments as a reward seeker as the series progresses, but with a definite end in sight when Colt comes to the end of the mission he has set himself with regard to his father, and the mystery regarding the disappearance of Russell, his brother is solved. An absorbing, entertaining and thrilling series! Many thanks to HarperCollins for an ARC.

Disclaimer: I love Jeffery Deaver's writing, his plots, and his characters. I'd happily sell my mother for advance copies of his work...
Having got that out of my system, it's time to admit that I haven't yet read the first book in this series (excuse me while I cry briefly). I don't think it made any difference to my enjoyment of the book as Mr Deaver is one of those writers who manage to make each book in a series independent of the rest - and that's a real skill. The plot in "The Goodbye Man" is deliciously twisted, but actually fairly simple once it's all laid out in front of you. Oh my, the characters... there is one in particular... please tell you me you see a certain unnamed world leader in that character!! This is a must read for any Jeffery Deaver fan, or a great introduction to his work. Brilliant!

My thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an advance copy to review. This review is entirely my own, unbiased, opinion.

A great adventure story, I loved the main character Colter Shaw his job as a Professional reward Seeker is very unusual but could give great ideas for future books. The cult element is realistic and well researched. I had not read the first book in the series but it didn't detract from the story.
Highly recommended.

#TheGoodbyeMan #NetGalley
Taut and original. A masterpiece of the year.
Shaw goes undercover to expose the Foundation’s real purpose. Before long he meets the charismatic leader Master Eli, a man who commands terrifying loyalty from his followers.
Something truly dark is going on beneath the surface of the idyllic community. And as Shaw peels back the layers of truth, he begins to see there is only one way to escape the Foundation ... and the price for that freedom might well be your very life.
I loved its characters and plot.
Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK Harper Fiction for giving me an advance copy.