The Runaway

by Jo Barney

This title was previously available on NetGalley and is now archived.

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Pub Date 1 Feb 2016 | Archive Date 4 Oct 2017

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General Fiction (Adult) | Mystery & Thrillers

Description

Ellie is older, gruff and independent. She doesn't expect much from life; it’s broken enough promises to her. The only ugliness in the world Ellie can truly clean up is the graffiti marring mailboxes in her neighborhood, and she centers her days around this as one of the few acts that gives her a little peace. When a fifteen-year-old Goth girl appears offering to help, Ellie is surprised—and suspicious. Sarah has been shunted from house to house in the foster care system. Now she’s run away from a forest camp managed by a tyrannical, enigmatic man.... But escape is not that easy, and soon Sarah finds her life in danger. Can Sarah and Ellie put aside their differences to keep truly horrific danger at bay?

Advance Praise

BySidney Woodon March 27, 2016 Format: Kindle Edition|Verified Purchase This story held me riveted from the first page. The characters were vivid and real, and the story so gripping that I couldn't put it down. A fast paced read with plenty of twists and turns. Excellent! ByPamela Scotton May 8, 2016 Format: Kindle Edition The Runaway is a brilliant book. I cannot compliment it enough. The book has multiple narrators and the chapter alternate between the viewpoints of each one. I really enjoyed this and thought it worked really well. The chapter title states the character and year(s) so there’s no chance in getting confused. This structure helps to create a vivid picture of the past and present of each character and how the little narrative threads join together. The events connecting all of the characters are gradually revealed, compelling you to read on to see where the next dot connects. I thought all of the characters were well-written, almost painfully real, especially Sarah, Ellie and Jeff. The book ends up being a bit darker than I expected. I love it when authors surprise me. I had a lump in my throat and tears in my eyes several times. I also really loved the cover as well. It drew me. 5.0 out of 5 starsAuthor looks at gritty side of life ByLinda Thompson, Bookwormon May 28, 2016 Format: Kindle Edition After reading the first few pages, I wasn’t sure what I was getting myself into; so many different, yet important, characters to keep track of. And then there was the story itself about a down and out old woman and a troubled young girl. Once I figured out who was who, and how they all fit together, I couldn’t put this book down. Jo Barney is a masterful story teller, but like no other I’ve ever read. She creates scenes of the rough, raw and gritty side of life and weaves them into other scenes so touching they bring tears to your eyes. This is truly a masterful piece of fiction that I’m going to recommend to everyone I know. I’m looking forward to reading more of Barney’s works.