I have some big news about The Confessor!
Kirkus Reviews has given my book its “GET IT” recommendation.
Those are two words I am very happy to see next to a novel with my name on it.
If you spend much time around books, you know that name. And if you don’t, let me explain why this particular review means so much to me.
First, take a look at this:
“In a genre that seldom surprises, Christopher cannily upends readers’ expectations.”
That is a sentence I will be proud to put on this book for a very long time!
That praise accompanies the recommendation on the book’s public review page. For me, this is a milestone worth sharing with everyone who has helped get this story into readers’ hands.
For an author introducing a new detective and a new series to the world, that means a lot.
Why I Take Kirkus Seriously
This is an institution with a history stretching back to 1933.
Virginia Kirkus built her service to give booksellers an assessment beyond a publisher’s sales pitch. As Kirkus explains in its history, that work grew into a resource for librarians, booksellers and others deciding which books deserved their attention and a place on their shelves.
For more than nine decades, its reviews have helped people look beyond jacket copy and decide what they actually want to read or stock on their shelves.
Today, Kirkus says it reviews roughly 10,000 books a year. Its coverage includes major publishing houses, small presses and independent authors.
That is a lot of books and a lot of thrillers. A lot of opportunities to recognize a familiar plot coming down the road.
So a critic singling out the way this story handles expectations matters to me.
Kirkus describes its Indie reviewers as experienced writers, journalists, librarians, academics and other professionals, matched to books by their expertise and reading interests. An editor assigns the book to a reviewer who reads it in full before writing the assessment.
I submitted The Confessor through the paid Kirkus Indie program. The fee pays for an independent assessment; it does not guarantee praise.
Kirkus explicitly says the result can be positive, negative or somewhere in between. Its stated standard is an honest evaluation of the content and reading experience, regardless of an author’s cover design or marketing plan.
The reviewer gets to make that call, and that is why I value the praise they chose to give this story.
There is also a separate, selective process for magazine coverage: Kirkus says its editors choose about 40 Indie reviews per issue. Receiving a review and being selected for a magazine feature are different things.
What I’m celebrating here is the published review of my book, the recommendation on its page, and the praise quoted above.
That is plenty worth celebrating!
The Part That Really Hit Home
I wanted to write a thriller that would make you question your own reactions.
You meet a man who believes he is delivering justice. He finds people who have done terrible things, makes them confess, and convinces himself that what comes next is deserved.
Then Detective Logan Hollister has to stop him.
But what happens when a killer’s certainty becomes more important to him than the truth?
That question sits at the heart of this story.
Here is another short excerpt:
“Along the way, readers’ allegiances will surely be challenged…”
— Kirkus Reviews
Yes. That is exactly the experience I hoped to give you.
I want you turning pages because you need to know what happens next. I also want you catching yourself making a judgment, then wondering whether you made it too quickly.
I’ll let you discover where that takes Logan. No spoilers from me.
GET THE BOOK NOW and meet him for yourself.
A Few More Reviews I’m Proud To Share
Kirkus joins a growing collection of professional reviews. Here are a few of my favorite excerpts.
Erin Britton, Independent Book Review:
“a level of psychological complexity that lifts it above many contemporary serial killer thrillers.”
— Erin Britton, Independent Book Review
That comes from Independent Book Review, which explores the moral questions underneath the investigation. That deeper layer is a big part of why I wanted to tell this story.
K T Bowes, Readers’ Favorite:
“Noah Christopher is a master of the psychological thriller genre.”
Alma Boucher, Readers’ Favorite:
“I could not turn the pages fast enough.”
Both were five-star reviews through the Readers’ Favorite paid editorial review program.
One speaks to the psychological side of the book. The other speaks to the experience I want you to have when you pick it up.
Anthony Avina:
“Compelling, intriguing, and thought-provoking, Author Noah Christopher’s “The Confessor” is a must-read crime thriller novel.”
Anthony Avina gave the book 10/10. He received a complimentary review copy and states that the opinions are his own.
I’m grateful for every reviewer who takes the time to read the book carefully. And I’m grateful to every one of you who has bought it, recommended it to a friend, or left an honest reader review.
You are helping introduce Logan Hollister to the world.
Come Meet Logan Hollister
If you have been meaning to read The Confessor, I would love for you to give it a try.
A meticulous killer is leaving written confessions across Los Angeles. A detective follows the evidence into a case that gets far more personal than he expected.
You can choose Kindle, paperback or hardcover on the book page below.
Already know which edition you want? BUY NOW.
Enjoy!
Noah
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This is a Guest Post from our friends over at WLTReport. View the original article here.
