Long Gone

Long Gone is written by Thomas A. Bryant and is published through Smashwords. The novel is approximately 108,000 words and 300 kindle pages in length.

Thomas Bryant received his education at Cal Baptist University in Riverside, CA. While studying political science, he began a love affair with books and discovered a passion for writing. Coming from humble beginnings with economic demands, he took an internship in the service industry as a heavy-duty diesel mechanic, which left him little time for books or writing. He sought challenges, including baseball, football and wrestling as a young man and loved speed on the water in a flat bottom race boat called BORN to be WILD. Two weeks before he entered Arizona Bail Enforcement Academy to become a licensed Bounty Hunter, he was involved in a near fatal automobile accident. Disabled and facing his toughest challenge, he returned to his first love of writing and found a whole new world in print and writing crime fiction/suspense novels. He lives in the Ozarks of Missouri.

It is late, so late it’s almost early and Karl and Sammy are nowhere near fore filling their order on time. All out of luck they are racking their brains trying to find the Silver Anniversary Edition 1978 L88 Corvette. Remembering the location of one they head off to boost the car.

Sammy Page aka Cowboy was brought up in this life, having never had a regular day job he knows nothing else. When his wife Marla decides she wants a baby its time decide what is more important family or the job. A decision that is not easily made. Deciding he’d rather die than loose Marla he sets his final job in motion, unfortunately for Sammy this job is about to ruin his life. Accused of murder, theft and absconding from the law the noose is tightening around his neck and with a past like his there seems no way out. With friends on both sides of the law will Sammy come out of this innocent or guilty? Will the truth be revealed? Or is he being set up? Friend or foe Sammy is about to face the toughest and most challenging moment in his life.

A story about friendship and betrayal, how childhood friends can become enemies in adulthood. This is a story about growing up and accepting responsibility for actions taken and accepting consequences. When I first began reading this story I enjoyed it but after the first quarter I couldn’t wait to be on the final pages. There are events and moments within the story which are intriguing and interesting to read however for the majority I felt this book was not for me. I found at times I was getting confused between past-tense and pre-tense and was being bombarded with past experiences to explain present situations. Whilst I am a fan of the movie Gone In 60 Seconds, I felt that this book was trying at times to portray itself as a movie in the wrappings of a book. However for the last quarter of the book I found myself again hooked, I think if Mr Bryant had suggested such an intriguing court case in the first half of the story I would have been more glued to the pages. I think this book would be suitable for any guy reading it aged over 18 years but I am not convinced it would appeal enough to females. I give Long Gone by Thomas A. Bryant 4 out of 5 stars

By RN Hadley