The Preservationist: A Novel

(Paperback)

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Description

To Sam Blount, meeting Julia is the best thing that has ever happened to him. Unsuccessful in his previous relationships, he is feeling troubled about his approaching fortieth birthday, "a great beast of a birthday," as he sees it, but being with Julia makes him feel young and hopeful. Julia Stilwell, a freshman trying to come to terms with a recent tragedy that has stripped her of her greatest talent, is flattered by Sam's attention. But their relationship is tested by a shy young man with a secret, Marcus Broley, who is also infatuated with Julia. Told in alternating points of view, The Preservationist is the riveting tale of Julia and Sam's relationship, which begins to unravel as the threat of violence approaches.

Reviews

"The Preservationist is laced with foreboding from the first page. Its plot cooks and simmers until it eventually boils over. Justin Kramon knows that crimes of the heart cut the deepest, and he proves himself one of our most versatile and insightful young writers working today" -- Jason Pinter, bestselling author of the Henry Parker series "The Preservationist effectively mixes literary thriller and realistic horror, as characters' secrets are revealed with increasing creepiness, and the story moves...to unbearable foreboding as the three suspiciously circle one another, landing the reader in a happily torturous state of anxiety." -- Booklist " I couldn't help but race through The Preservationist, the story was that urgent and perfectly paced. Each of the characters, from the kindest to the creepiest, is rich, haunted, and compellingly alive. " -- Marisa de los Santos, New York Times bestselling author of Love Walked In "What distinguishes this book is Kramon's willingness to put predator and prey on almost equal footing: The predator is inhumane but not inhuman. A respectable thriller. Don't be surprised if the movie appears at a multiplex near you." -- Kirkus Reviews "Kramon has given readers one of the truly suspenseful books of the year. Each chapter peels back the layers of evil and becomes progressively more chilling as each secret is revealed. Crime fans won't want to miss this one." -- Mystery Scene Magazine "Dark, unsettling and perceptive, The Preservationist is a vivid exploration of different conceptions of love - both true and truly twisted." -- Bookreporter "A masterfully told and thoroughly modern literary thriller." -- David Gutowski, largeheartedboy.com

Author Bio

Justin Kramon, author of Finny, is a graduate of the Iowa Writers' Workshop and has published stories in Glimmer Train, Story Quarterly, Boulevard, Fence, TriQuarterly, and Alaska Quarterly review. He has received honors from the Michener-Copernicus Society of America, Best American Short Stories, the Hawthornden international Writers' Fellowship, and the Bogliasco Foundation. He lives in Philadelphia.