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If you’re a fan of action and suspense (like I am), you’re constantly on the lookout for that next thrilling fix—a story that grabs you from the first page and immediately has you running alongside the characters. You love finding the kind of book that you’ll carry with you at all times—sneaking a page at a time, if need be—until you reach the end. If you share in my love of absorbing adventures, then Gregg Hurwitz’s You’re Next should be your next pick.
When Mike Wingate was four years old, his father dropped him off at a playground and disappeared forever. Mike then spent the rest of his childhood in a foster home, alternately hating his father and waiting for his return.
Despite his rough childhood, Mike managed to fight his way to the top. Now a husband, father, and successful real estate developer, he’s about to be recognized for developing a ground-breaking green community—but then everything goes wrong.
When Mike discovers a problem with his houses, the governor’s aide convinces him to keep it quiet—to help the governor’s re-election campaign. But the publicity attracts unwanted attention from someone who seems determined to destroy the life that Mike has worked so hard to build—and Mike is forced to call a friend from his past to help him keep his family safe.
You’re Next is a hold-your-breath thriller, mixing gripping suspense with a heaping side order of mystery. Mike spends most of the book on the run, trying to elude a pair of ruthless killers who are after him for some unknown reason. Someone wants Mike taken care of—and part of the story’s tension comes from not knowing why. Readers know before Mike does that the threat has nothing to do with his not-entirely-green houses—instead, it has something to do with his mysterious past—but Hurwitz keeps readers guessing about the real motive through much of the story.
But You’re Next isn’t just another story about a man on the run. He may have made some mistakes along the way, but Mike is a good, honest, hard-working man. He’s a loyal friend, a committed husband, and a devoted father. And although he still carries some of the bitterness and anger from his childhood, his experiences have made him the man he is: the kind of man who would sacrifice himself for a friend and who would do absolutely anything to protect his wife and child. He’s a sympathetic character from the start, and his determination to look after his wife and child above all else gives the story more depth—not to mention a heightened sense of urgency.
Even without a strong protagonist, You’re Next probably would have been a high-speed thriller. Hurwitz keeps the action moving at a pace that makes it a great pick for some summer vacation reading. But the solid character development makes it a riveting must-read.
