Black Heart on the Appalachian Trail

Reviews
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“Deeply provocative” and “an engaging novel with a deeply sympathetic protagonist, relatable characters and the corrosive seduction of a deeply damaged psyche nearing the end of a life-changing hike.” — Curled Up With a Good Book

“This is vicious backwoods noir in the tradition of Daniel Woodrell and Cormac McCarthy, and experienced hiker Forrester (Miracles, Inc., 2010) is damned good at his job. . . . for fans of snakebite prose, this is your book.”– Kirkus Reviews

“A raw, evocative story . . . His creative use of flashbacks and literary flourishes elevate this dark novel to deliver a wallop in both prose and premise.” — Publishers Weekly

“. . . a convincing, potent and beautifully rendered novel of adventure and mayhem.” –Daniel Woodrell, author of The Bayou Trilogy and The Outlaw Album

“. . . echoes of Flannery O’Connor, Faulkner, cousin Raymond Carver . . . At times this book makes Cormac McCarthy’s The Road look like hallucinogenic cotton candy. I couldn’t put it down.” — A.M. Homes, author of forthcoming novel, May We Be Forgiven

About Black Heart on the Appalachian Trail

In the vast wilderness of the Appalachian Trail, three hikers are searching for answers. Taz Chavis, just released from prison, sees the 2,160 mile trek as his path to salvation, and a way to distance himself from a toxic relationship. Simone Decker, a young scientist with a dark secret, is desperate to quell her demons. Richard Nelson, a Blackfoot Indian, seeks one last adventure before he surrenders to the family business back home. As they battle hunger and thirst, loneliness, and the dangerous elements, their paths begin to intersect and surviving the thru-hike may be the least of their worries. Hikers are dying along the trail, their broken bodies splayed on rocks below. Are these falls accidental, the result of carelessness on the rugged terrain, or is something more sinister at work?

A multi-layered tale of suspense that brilliantly reveals a kaleidoscope of human foibles, Black Heart on the Appalachian Trail is a singular work of storytelling that confirms T. J. Forrester’s status as a first-rate literary talent.