Small Town Sins

Reviews

“A deeply evocative thriller that lives at the intersection of bad decisions and bad luck, Small Town Sins is an extraordinary debut, which will have you riveted from page one.”
—Laura Dave, author of The Last Thing He Told Me

“Jaworowski is a brilliant storyteller…and a merciless one. His three main characters draw bad card after bad card. It would be a daunting world to visit if it weren’t so redeemed by the startling generosity and warmth of Jaworowski’s writing: he pulls your heartstrings till they snap. And he’s written a gripping, poignant book.”
—Scott Smith, author of A Simple Plan

“Imagine my delight at this wonderful little book, this riotous cross-section of John Irving and Jim Thompson. These characters breathe the same air other people breathe, they work jobs like real people do. An addictive read from its first page, Small Town Sins pays the reader’s attention back with love. A crime book that kept surprising me with its warmth and vigor page after page—it’s a delight, well-told and deeply felt.”
—John Darnielle, author of Devil House

“Original, bittersweet, twisting, and triumphant. Small Town Sins takes a thrilling and deeply emotive look at cause and effect, at the decisions we make and the lessons we disregard. I adored it.”
—Chris Whitaker, author of We Begin at the End

“A tour de force of lives on the edge. A page-turner that I couldn’t put down. When you think left, it hits you right; when you think it’s safe, the ice starts to crack. A seriously good noir thriller.”
—Willy Vlautin, author of Lean on Pete

“Small Town Sins is a compelling portrait of a community, told through the eyes of three desperate people whose lives go off the rails. Jaworowski has given the reader both a page-turning noir thriller and a rich, character-driven tragedy of hard lives and bad choices. A fierce and propulsive book!”
—Dan Chaon, author of Sleepwalk

“Sitting comfortably at the pinnacle of psychological thriller writing, Small Town Sins is smart, compelling and, by turns, harrowing and heartfelt. Under the author’s deft touch, the plots of the novel speed relentlessly from first page to last, through a Rust-Belt America so perfectly realized that we feel we’re there in person. And what an unforgettable trio of protagonists! Given Jaworowski’s masterful stylistic voice, you will hardly believe this is a debut novel. Bravo!”
—Jeffery Deaver, author of The Bone Collector and Hunting Time

“Small Town Sins is full of surprises and moves like a bullet train. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. Fans of A Simple Plan and other rural noirs are sure to savor this dark and twisted thriller. I’m excited to read whatever Ken Jaworowski writes next.”
—Jason Rekulak, author of Hidden Pictures

“A stunning novel. Think Peter Dexter blended with James Sallis. It is that good and beautifully written. The sort of novel where you want to underline whole passages. I’m going to be pressing this book on those I care about. It restored my joy in the mystery genre.”
—Ken Bruen, author of The Guards

“A compulsively readable first novel that offers a very quirky look at downtrodden suburban life. Sad, seedy, horrific, humorous, and hopeful, this book is a tremendous debut.”
—Fabian Nicieza, co-creator of Deadpool and author of The Self-Made Widow