Reviews
The Long and Faraway Gone is that rare literary gem -- a dark, quintessentially cool noir novel that is both deeply poignant, and very funny . . . as hip, hilarious, and entertaining as it is wrenching, beautiful, and ultimately redemptive., Multi-faceted, layered, intense, alive-if you read only one crime novel this year, this should be the one., Multi-faceted, layered, intense, alive - if you read only one crime novel this year, this should be the one., "Like Carl Hiaasen, Berney delights in the cartoonish. Like Elmore Leonard, he can drive a plot. What sets him apart is how well he evokes love, making the romance at the heart of this cinematic book as compelling as the mystery." on GUTSHOT STRAIGHT, Focused, very insightfully, on love, loss, and memory . . . fully realized creations that readers won't soon forget. A genuinely memorable novel of ideas., Berney takes you places you're not sure you want to go and brings you out again with a sure hand. It's a satisfyingly complete deep-dive into a complicated history, with not only suspense but a compelling resolution., Multi-faceted, layered, intense, alive—if you read only one crime novel this year, this should be the one., So much to love here . . . easy to read yet difficult to forget. . . Berney is a mighty fine wordsmith whose name should be mentioned more often than it is during discussions of new bright lights in the literary world., Will raise a lump in the throat . . . the leads' struggles are portrayed with painful complexity, and Berney, fittingly, avoids easy answers., "The two key players in Lou Berney's superb regional mystery suffer from separate but equally crushing cases of survivor guilt . . . Berney tells both their stories with supreme sensitivity, exploring the 'landscape of memory' that keeps shifting beneath our feet." -- Marilyn Stasio, New York Times Book Review " The Long and Faraway Gone is that rare literary gem -- a dark, quintessentially cool noir novel that is both deeply poignant, and very funny . . . as hip, hilarious, and entertaining as it is wrenching, beautiful, and ultimately redemptive." -- Huffington Post "Berney's novel is most truly a thoughtful exploration of memory and what it means to be a survivor. Elegiac and wistful, it is a lyrical mystery . . . with a deep, wounded heart. Read it." -- Kirkus Reviews (starred review) "Focused, very insightfully, on love, loss, and memory . . . fully realized creations that readers won't soon forget. A genuinely memorable novel of ideas." -- Booklist (starred review) "Will raise a lump in the throat . . . the leads' struggles are portrayed with painful complexity, and Berney, fittingly, avoids easy answers." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review) "A tour de force built around two tragedies ripped from the headlines of this newspaper . . . should top the bestseller lists in our local bookstores, but is deserving of national acclaim." -- Oklahoma City Oklahoman "This is crime fiction at its absolute best . . . deeply insightful and beautifully written . . . squarely in the ranks of powerhouses such as Lippman and Lehane." -- Crimespree Magazine "So much to love here . . . easy to read yet difficult to forget. . . Berney is a mighty fine wordsmith whose name should be mentioned more often than it is during discussions of new bright lights in the literary world." -- Bookreporter.com "Multi-faceted, layered, intense, alive--if you read only one crime novel this year, this should be the one." -- Sara J. Henry, Anthony Award-winning author of A Cold and Lonely Place "With sharp wit and prose that brings the 80s to life in all its stone-washed glory, Lou Berney tells a complex story of characters struggling to make sense of life . . . Affecting, funny, and unfailingly honest, The Long and Faraway Gone is an extraordinary book." -- M.P. Cooley, author of Ice Shear "Berney takes you places you're not sure you want to go and brings you out again with a sure hand. It's a satisfyingly complete deep-dive into a complicated history, with not only suspense but a compelling resolution." -- Carrie La Seur, author of The Home Place, With sharp wit and prose that brings the 80s to life in all its stone-washed glory, Lou Berney tells a complex story of characters struggling to make sense of life . . . Affecting, funny, and unfailingly honest, The Long and Faraway Gone is an extraordinary book., This is crime fiction at its absolute best . . . deeply insightful and beautifully written . . . squarely in the ranks of powerhouses such as Lippman and Lehane., Berney's novel is most truly a thoughtful exploration of memory and what it means to be a survivor. Elegiac and wistful, it is a lyrical mystery . . . with a deep, wounded heart. Read it., The two key players in Lou Berney's superb regional mystery suffer from separate but equally crushing cases of survivor guilt . . . Berney tells both their stories with supreme sensitivity, exploring the 'landscape of memory' that keeps shifting beneath our feet., A tour de force built around two tragedies ripped from the headlines of this newspaper . . . should top the bestseller lists in our local bookstores, but is deserving of national acclaim., "Berney takes his rightful place as heir to Elmore Leonard with this witty and nimble comedic thriller . . . the exotic locales are vibrant, the supporting cast larger than life, and the plot hums along without a wasted page." on WHIPLASH RIVER, "Berney's characters . . . are brilliantly drawn . . . the dialogue is crisp and often funny, or laced with irony. Gutshot Straight made Booklist's 2010 Best Crime Novels list. Whiplash River should be a contender for this year's list." on WHIPLASH RIVER
