The Current: A Novel

The author, Tim Johnston, has written a novel somewhere between a mystery, thriller and human nature. This is #uch an exquisitely written novel that I became entranced with the characters. I often wonder how authors find their stories, and how do the characters evole into such a rewarding storyline. I don’t have an answer, but I know we have such a book, here. Caroline and Audrey did not have an auspicious start. Assigned as roommates in college, it took a few months for each of them to realize they wanted out. A year later, new roommates, they found themselves in the same class, and as luck would have it, became good friends. Such good friends that Audrey asked Caroline for a loan for a bus ticket to go home to see her dying father. And, as good friends do in some cases, Caroline drove Audrey the 700 miles to her home. Except they did not make it to Audrey’s dad’s home. An assault at a gas station, a quick get away, a slide on the sleet filled highway, and a tap by another car that resulted in a death. Ten years before this death, another young woman, Holly, died under questionable circumstances. No one was ever charged, but the similarities bring out the investigator, and the people we meet all have their secrets, their own stories to tell. The young man, his mother, Holly’s father, the survivor, the townspeople, all are integrated into this story. It is not for us to judge we are told, Ha Ha. In the realm of human emotions, we are all involved. The writing is layered, one upon another. Not a typical mystery, but it kept me involved. I am at a place where I can usually figure out the guilty person, this novel, not so much. A little surprising, twists and turns, but The Current keeps running, a very apt title for this book. Recommended. prisrob 01-25-19

On a cold night, young Holly Burke was found in the Black Root River in Minnesota. Sheriff Tom Sutter is in charge of the investigation. But Danny Young, his main suspect, is released without being charged. This inability to charge and convict Danny has not sat well with Holly's father, Gordon Burke. Fast-forward several years, and Tom's daughter Audrey and her friend Caroline are on their to Minnesota to be with Tom, who is dying of cancer. The same thing happens to these girls, as their car is nudged from behind into the same river. Audrey survives, Caroline doesn't. Now, it's up to Audrey to figure out the truth of what happened. Along the way, old names will resurface as possible suspects, along with some totally surprising possibilities. Audrey has made it her mission to solve these crimes. Will she succeed, or will she end up like Holly and Caroline? I enjoyed this book very much. The story is full of twists and turns, and the character development is excellent. I look forward to reading more from Tim Johnston. Highly recommended.

I bought The Current based on a glowing review in the local paper. I'm not a huge reader, so this was a big deal for me. The book is not what I had hoped for. It took 200 pages for the real story to kick in. The first 200 were a mish mash of confusing--and largely pointless--introductions and needless back stories. It was hard to keep track of who was who. Compounding matters, the chapters are only 2 to 5 or so pages long. It flips back and forth and jumps all around. Sometimes it's hard to follow what is happening, where, and when it's taking place. Past? Present? At one point a character seems to be having conversations with his dead wife, with no clarity or explanation. Once the plot actually kicked in, the book was tough to put down, even with implausible, if not impossible, happenings, like a main character falling in the river, being exposed to water during a Minnesota winter, then going downstream UNDER the ice for a 1/4 mile then having the strength to swim against the current of a dam spillway and pull herself to shore, then walk around, soaked, in the winter, and live to tell the tale. Impossible. Then the end ended up being confusing and disappointing. What actually happened? Was the whole thing just an accident? And why was there no resolution or explanation to one of the key characters just vanishing? Lots of potential here, just too much going on and unanswered questions. Disappointed.