Redemption

Author: Jack Jordan
Genre: Crime Thriller
400 pages
Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK, 2024

Synopsis
Aaron Alexander has just been released from jail after serving eleven years for causing the death of Joshua Moore in a hit-and-run. Now a free man, all he wants to do is stay on the straight and narrow and leave his troubled past behind him.

But for Joshua’s mother Evelyn, eleven years in jail isn’t nearly enough. Consumed by grief and rage, she has been waiting for Aaron’s release, counting down the days until she can exact the revenge he deserves. And now that time has come.

However, as Evelyn and her husband Tobias embark on a road trip to track Aaron down, they soon find themselves caught on two different sides of a gripping game of cat-and-mouse. Because Tobias knows what Evelyn is planning, and he will do anything to save her from herself. Even if it means protecting the man who killed their son.

Locked in a collision course set in motion eleven years ago, Aaron, Evelyn and Tobias are about to find out whether the road they have chosen leads to retribution . . . or redemption.

My review
Redemption by Jack Jordan is an emotional rollercoaster of a crime thriller, packed with nonstop action from start to finish. It’s a moving story that begins with loss, grief, and retribution but gradually shifts into one of resilience and redemption. I’ll admit, I had mixed feelings about it at first, but it’s the kind of book that grabbed hold of me and didn’t let go.

The plot of Redemption is simple. It tells the heartbreaking story of Evelyn and Tobias Moore. Eleven years ago, their only child, Joshua, was killed in a hit-and-run on his first school outing. He was just nine years old, left to die alone on a deserted road. Since that tragic day, Evelyn and Tobias have been drifting further and further apart. Their overwhelming grief has shattered their marriage, leaving them barely holding on. Evelyn is consumed by anger and hatred toward the man who killed their son, while Tobias is desperately trying to save their marriage and protect his wife from being destroyed by her own pain.

How would any of us react to a loss so devastating it feels impossible to move past? A loss that cuts so deeply it consumes everything? How far would we be willing to go to seek revenge?

The story unfolds from three perspectives, creating a tense, action-packed cat-and-mouse narrative that dives deep into grief, revenge, death, and acceptance. There’s Evelyn, a grieving mother who’s spent 11 years consumed by the need for revenge; Tobias, a father still mourning his son while trying desperately to save his wife from self-destruction; and Aaron, the man who killed their son in a hit-and-run accident. Jordan does an incredible job crafting these fully-developed characters—they’re broken, relatable, and surprisingly likable in their own ways. This fast-paced story is packed with action, violence, and heartache, and I couldn’t help but feel for all of them.

Redemption is a well-written, edge-of-your-seat story that’s both gripping and emotionally charged. Jordan’s writing is powerful, keeping the tension high and the pace relentless. This taut thriller pulled me in from the very first page and didn’t let go. The short chapters made it incredibly addictive, and I found myself saying “just one more chapter” until I finished the book in less than 24 hours. It’s the kind of story that kept my heart racing while also delivering an emotional punch that lingered long after I finished reading.

My recommendation: definitely worth the read!