The Drifter

A Peter Ash Novel

By: Nick Petrie

Narrated by: Stephen Mendel

Thriller Award winner, Best First Novel, 2017.

An explosive thriller debut introducing Peter Ash, a veteran who finds that the demons of war aren't easily left behind....

Peter Ash came home from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan with only one souvenir: what he calls his "white static", the buzzing claustrophobia due to post-traumatic stress that has driven him to spend a year roaming in nature, sleeping under the stars. But when a friend from the marines commits suicide, Ash returns to civilization to help the man's widow with some home repairs. Under her dilapidated porch, he finds more than he bargained for: the largest, ugliest, meanest dog he's ever encountered...and a Samsonite suitcase stuffed with cash and explosives. As Ash begins to investigate this unexpected discovery, he finds himself at the center of a plot that is far larger than he could have imagined...and it may lead straight back to the world he thought he'd left for good.

Suspenseful and thrilling, and featuring a compelling new hero, The Drifter is an exciting debut from a fresh voice in crime fiction.

©2016 Nicholas Petrie (P)2016 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“A powerful, empathetic, and entertaining tale about the plight many combat veterans face when they come home from Iraq and Afghanistan. Top-notch storytelling.” (Kirkus Reviews [starred review])

“[Ash’s] sharply intelligent, witty voice strikes the right tone for an honest exploration of the challenges returning veterans face, and while this wandering veteran will remind some of Jack Reacher, Peter’s struggle to overcome PTSD sets him apart. An absorbing thriller debut with heart.” (Booklist)

"Petrie’s expertly paced plot sets a colorful array of characters on a collision course. Readers will look forward to seeing more of the resourceful Ash.” (Publishers Weekly)

Everything is forgiven.

described and developed; their actions for most part are expected, logical, and intuitive. I found interesting that the races of the people are not easily disclosed (the reader has to figure out, sometimes many pages into the original character introduction), but that does not hurt the reading process and makes the reading even more entertaining. The plot is possible and many scenes are even educational (construction scenes).

The only problem I found in the book is the inconsistent loyalty for the characters for each other, unjustifiable forgiveness to pretty nasty characters, and undeserving trust between them -- this strikes me as unrealistic. But 4 stars; nevertheless.

Performance/sound was excellent for the most part. But it felt in some cases that some characters such as Luis and Dana sounded inconsistent in the different paragraphs in the book, but it could be my error also as the producer might have wanted to demonstrate different part of the day or the character mood...

It's an OK story.

Though I was ready to give up a few times due to the constant mentioning of his "white static" I pushed through and was able to finish, which is saying a lot. It's a predictable story but i was able to stick it out. The narrator had issues with the characters voices making them sound almost robotic at times.

great read.

Did not expect to be so pleasantly surprised. No Tom Cruise here. a great read.

New to this genre and I liked this book!

What did you like best about this story?

The story was paced well, good suspense, interesting characters. I also liked the PG 13 level of violence and adult relationships-not too gory or graphic, at least for me.

What do you think the narrator could have done better?

The main character was in his early thirties if I remember correctly and the narrator sounded much older and old-fashioned than that. If the author continues Peter's story in future books, I highly recommend getting a narrator that better reflects Peter's age.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I liked Mingus

Good book, but a couple of nits to pick

I enjoyed the story, and the writing and narration were good. Two things though: first, I wish the author, when having one of his characters handle a firearm, would not use the word “clip” when he is obviously referring to a magazine. And second, while I recognize that it is fashionable in popular culture to bash gun shows, it is inaccurate (at least in my experience) to characterize a gun show as some sort of black market in firearms and explosives(!); those who do so are typically trying to advance an agenda.

Other than these two minor quibbles, I liked the book a lot.

Great book by a new author!

I can't say enough good things about this book. Loved the characters, loved the story, excellent writing with nothing extraneous. Well done, Nick Petrie!

I'm going right online and getting the next book.

Take it for what it is

To me, what makes a great mystery is the journey and the characters. Most mysteries are figured out way before the end of the book unless it's a very well-crafted mystery; most are not, including this one. The most enjoyable part of the story was getting to know the characters and how they interacted. There was dry humor, sarcasm, and seriousness, all of which kept things interesting. The mystery (if you want to call it that) was very thin and, at times, felt secondary to the characters. I may try another in the series to see if the mystery focus has improved. All and all, it was a nice version of a 1 hour TV show, on the USA network but much longer.

Great writer

Enjoyed the writing style of this author. The story ending was a little trite, but the ride getting there was good. I will try another of his books. Hopefully the plot will be more unique!

Reader can’t do voices

Good book. I’m a die hard Reacher fan. This one kept my attention. The narrator does a great job except when reading dialogue. It’s unreal how he can go from eloquent narration and then immediately change into a stiff, brusque voice whenever ANYONE is speaking. Doesn’t matter the character or the sex. Anytime someone is speaking it sounds like my five year old reading without punctuation, inflection or warmth. Annoying through the entire book.

This is no Reacher

I love the characters but I prefer the excitement and action of Reacher and Orphan X types. This is a great story and I enjoyed listening. But it was much slower and less active than I thought it would be from the reviews. The message is awesome and I’m 100% in favor. Not sure I’ll listen to another one if this is a series.