The Two Deaths of Daniel Hayes by Marcus Sakey
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I had never heard of this author until yesterday(I need to get out more...) when I noticed the slick, cool cover on the book and was intrigued by the title and the story-line blip on the inside flap. I decided to take a chance on Marcus Sakey's book and today 60 or so pages in I couldn't be more thrilled. Like I said, just because I had never read anything by this author doesn't mean he isn't well known.

The opening of the book is a stellar translation through the character's senses, in third POV, (which reads like 1st POV and almost caused my writer brain to melt) wherein we feel his confusion and literal pain, into vivid images of a desolate, near freezing beach.....somewhere.

With no idea who he is or why he finds himself laying naked, near death, as icy waves wash over him, the discovery of an expensive sports car nearby is where his fight for life and remembrance will begin. As far fetched, on the surface, as this type scenario might sound Sakey pulls it off using both barrels. Skilled narration and description. Daniel Hayes, if that's who he really is, according to the paperwork in the BMW - is a little off the reservation. No wallet, only car type paperwork and a gun in the glove box, he slowly brings himself back to life, having crawled into the vehicle and turning on the heat.

From there the pace goes into hyper drive.

Bits and pieces float to the surface of "Daniel's" mind and soon he finds himself running from the police in a little Maine beach town. He decides to head back to LA not having any idea if he really is Daniel Hayes and why, if he is, he ended up on a beach in Maine dying of hypothermia.

I'm maybe 60 or so pages into this book and look forward to making time later today to read more of it. Sakey's literal, sometimes gritty and always direct "voice" is a refreshing blend of realism and good old fashioned thriller intrigue. His sentence word choices will impress you even if you're not a writer. If you ARE a writer, then keep a notepad handy you're in for a lesson.

If nothing else(and there's plenty...) Sakey's energy, with a polished grit all his own, is infused deeply in this story, and, no doubt all his work. He has a substantial back-list which I will proceed to work my way through but for now I'm going to enjoy a writer after my own heart.

More on my thoughts as I read through this cool book.


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