Book Review: The Pit Road War

Reviewed by Joelene Pynnonen

A fast-paced, twisty military thriller

The night Grace Burgess realized that her husband Owen was going to kill her, she fled. After years of enduring countless beatings, she hadn’t had the forethought to prepare. The only plan she had was to run. When her husband’s stolen car runs out of gas on a deserted rural road, she thinks her luck can’t possibly get worse. She couldn’t be more wrong.

Managing to break out of prison seems a feat in itself to Jeff Kingston, but his battle isn’t over. Before he’s caught, he needs to find out who killed one of his customers and clear his name.

When both Grace and Jeff find themselves stranded on the same, lonely stretch of road, they come to the awful realization that their problems are only just starting. The place that they’ve wound up is the location of a top-secret facility that is being used by armed skinheads with a plan that, if executed, will change the entire country. And, if Grace and Jeff don’t work together, this plan may be the end of them.

Pit Road War is a fast-paced small-town military thriller that throws in a dose of action, a dash of mystery, and a sprinkling of romance for good measure. This is a fun, speedy read that focuses on the characters and their dynamic relationships. 

The novel is told in multiple perspectives, giving readers the impression that they can see the entirety of the action rather than specific parts. The multiple perspectives are a really clever technique in a book like this. On the surface, it may look like we have access to everything, but a lot can be hidden by jumping to a new perspective. This becomes clear as the ending begins to come together and everyone’s secrets start tumbling out.

Pit Road War walks the fine line between being character and plot focused. The characters are engaging and watching them grow into their best selves is incredibly rewarding, but the events that they are going through and the events from their pasts play a major part in holding the whole thing together. 

There are a couple of hiccups in this otherwise excellent book. Coincidents happen a little too regularly. The multiple perspectives can sometimes overlap. As the ending starts closing in, the pace of Pit Road War stumbles. A culmination that should have been crisp and taut draws out to the point that it loses some of its tension. Overall, each of these aspects are minor, but there are enough of them to weaken the story.

Pit Road War is a fun adventure that will have you rooting for the main characters. It’s one of those books that feels like a puzzle with all of the pieces slotting together at the end until the entire picture is revealed. 

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