The Bottom Line:

Follow You Down makes for a mediocre read, with just enough (highly predictable but entertaining enough) thrills to keep you turning the pages while unfortunately not making a mark of any sort.

My review:

Thanks to NetGalley and Amberjack Publishing for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

There are quite a few reviews for Michael Bradley's Follow You Down that greatly contradict each other. Some people absolutely hate Neil Brewster and are glad to see the horrifying things that happen to him. Others feel bad for what he goes through.

To be honest, though, the book (to me) didn't seem compelling enough to actually warrant any kind of strong feeling. Yes, you do feel a slight twang of sadness for the victim of Neil's bullying and a bit of dislike towards Neil. But those feelings don't really run very deep. The emotion you feel throughout is more along the lines of, "Okay, this is a bad, mean dude who's facing a few bad things." And that's it. It's more just acceptance of these linear events, than an inclination to feel strongly about them or the characters they involve.

And that's the way the entire book goes.

One positive thing about the book is that it is written quite well. The narrative is good, flow is good, and quality of writing is really good. There are also some scenes that are actually thrilling enough to send a chill up your spine.

But these positives aren't completely flawless. While the writing was great for the most part, the dialog was poor altogether too often. It seems too scripted, breaking the flow that the rest of the book has the potential to create. As for the thrilling scenes, yes they are good, but they are also too predictable.

The story itself is nothing unique. Maybe the basic concept isn't the most common. But the way it unfolds is too done and done. I wouldn't say the end was surprising or unpredictable. I mean if you've read enough thrillers, you would have seen that end coming a mile away. Plus, there is a point in the book where a very random, sudden shift occurs. I think it is meant to be a 'you-didn't-see-that-coming-kind-of-shock'. But it's just abrupt and confusing, and (when you do wrap your head around it after a few sentences) highly predictable.

All in all, Follow You Down is a book that was just okay. It isn't something I'd actively pick up or recommend. It's just one of those books that, had it not been written, wouldn't have really affected anyone too much. It doesn't really make you associate with any of the characters and you tend to just not care. I'd recommend passing up this book for any other thriller. I won't really bother reading anything else from Michael Bradley unless it came very highly rated/recommended.

This book was sure a page turner. It has a lot of mystery, suspense and some supernatural activity...The storyline was unique and (as always) kept me guessing.

My thanks to Netgalley and Amberjack Publishing for this advanced readers copy.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

A New York attorney. An invitation. A small reunion. Four friends. A high school fling. A suicide. One camp.

Neil Brewster is a sadistic, selfish, and narcissistic attorney that was invited by his old high school buddies to have a reunion in a camp where they worked during their summers as teenagers. Although having doubts, he decided to go only to find that there is something much bigger in store for him other than a reunion. Feelings from the past might be surfacing again as he sees a girl from his long history of girls. Neil finds out that a co-counselor that he, along with his friends, had been harassing, tormenting, and bullying had taken his own life. After hearing this news, he had started to see and hear things only he can. But then, there’s always the bigger picture. Maybe it’s the grief and guilt. Who can tell?

I would definitely describe this as “a reunion that terribly gone wrong.” It is has a dark and mysterious story that would really confuse and trick you. It is full of secrets and twists where you least expect them to be. A psychological thriller that would leave you thinking about what would happen next. I couldn’t figure out the whole thing without reading it. Even the ending would leave you speechless. It’s still got me thinking about what really happened.

It just goes to show that people would go to any height to get what they want. They could trick you, manipulate you, control you, steer you into the direction they want you to. It just all-around confuses you. This book certainly lives up to the saying “revenge is a dish best served cold.” Who knew friendship could turn into "fiendship."

While reading it, I felt like I was reading a pocket book but on my phone. A very interesting book that keeps you guessing. In all, I think this book is great if you’re finding a dark and mysterious psychological thriller that wouldn’t really haunt you up at night but makes you think about certain things.

This is a pretty good thriller/mystery with a touch of the supernatural added.
A successful defence attorney for a large firm in Manhattan, Engaged to a founding attorney’s daughter and set to become the next partner in the prestigious firm, Neil Brewster has it all.
Then an unexpected invitation to a childhood summer camp reunion turns his life upside-down!
He is haunted by a kid he went to school with that committed suicide. A kid that he had bullied.
He sets out to find answers and comes across much more than he ever thought!
The story is told in present time, and in snippets the past, and the two storylines come together in a way you’ll not expect or soon forget!

For lovers of a phenomenally intense novel which will have you on the edge of your seat, check this book out now!

This was an enjoyable thriller with a supernatural edge which I read in a short time - not realistic enough for me though and all of the characters, not least, Neil - the main protagonist were dreadful people -and by the end I couldn't care less what happened to any of them!

I liked this book. I know some found the characters unlikable and I agree--the main character Neil is a real piece of work. The most important thing you should know is this is a revenge story--it is up to you to decide if the vendetta is worth the final result. I would definitely recommend to 18 year old and up. The story was suspenseful and unique, I would read other books from this author.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for a chance to read and review.

Thank you Netgalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

I read so many negative reviews when I started reading, and still, I liked the premise and kept going. Generally, I prefer the lower star reviews (I just think they're less best friends and family, and more honesty) just like I prefer the villains for the same reasons. It's only human nature to have as many bad sides as the good ones. And those goody-goody are simply either in control or denial.

So naturally I was hoping this book would sound like a better revelation of so many man-pigs out there. But instead it actually read as more superficially made that way. I mean to say that the negative sides in most characters felt exaggerated to make the point.

I'm not sure if I believe this is a good novel that just wasn't for me. Liz Nugent and Peter Swanson, for example, write fantastic bad guys while making them incredibly humane. And those two are my favorite writers. I guess I went in with similar expectations that just weren't met.

I enjoyed the mystery and the suspense in this book. I can't wait to read more books from this author. .

Thank you to Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review, "Follow You Down
by Michael Bradley" This book kept me on the edge of my seat! I lost track of time and was completely invested in the story. A highly recommended mystery/thriller

This book was a bit difficult for me to get into at first. It's an overall okay read.

Neil isn’t likable guy. He’s an arrogant lawyer who was a bully growing up. He agrees to join his friends for a reunion at the camp where they were counselors as teenagers. Neil comes to regret this decision because being at the camp forces him to remember his bullying ways.

Although the perspectives told throughout the book meant that you knew what was going to happen, it still leaves you glued wanting to know how it will end.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was just an okay read. It's kind of hard to wrap your mind around what they arranged to get revenge. Especially after so much time had passed. I really didn't care for the ending at all. Two wrongs don't make a right.

Follow You Down – Michael Bradley

I was fortunate to receive this novel as an Advance Reader Copy, in exchange for an objective review.

Neil Brewster is a successful defense attorney for a large firm in Manhattan. Known for his cut throat work ethic and his desire to succeed, Neil does what it takes to be the best and never looks back. Engaged to a founding attorney’s daughter, he is poised to become the next partner in the prestigious firm.

Out of the blue, he receives an invitation from his boyhood friends to meet and renew their friendship at the summer camp they attended in their late teens. Neil has no desire to renew old friendships, and no plans to accept the invitation, but a call from one of the guys convinces him to do just that.

Upon arriving at Camp Tenskwatawa, Neil reunites with his old camp buddies. He also catches a glimpse of the camp owners’ daughter, Sammy, whom he had a quick fling with in his last days of camp. Seeing her is a pleasant surprise and as the guys put him at ease, he realizes that it was a great idea to return after all. They spent the first night around a campfire, beer in hand, reminiscing about their camp escapades, and their torment of Stinky Bateman, a fellow counselor. Then, things start to happen…

The story is told in present time, and in snippets the past, and the two storylines culminate in a way you’ll not expect or soon forget! A great read from Michael Bradley, and one I highly recommend!

Neil is a high flying lawyer, by virtue of his forthcoming marriage he is destined to be made a senior partner in her father’s office. Does he love her? Not for a minute – he is too impressed with himself. The tone is set from the outset and is illustrated by his treatment of his junior colleagues.

Against his better judgement, Neil is persuaded to attend a reunion of Los Cinco Amigos at the now defunct Summer Camp where he spent three summer seasons as a counsellor in the mid-1990s. What follows is a fairly predictable story which re-visits the summer of 1995 and events that now have repercussions for Neil. Although Neil has little or no redeeming factors, his other ‘Amigos’ have nothing to commend them either. All-in-all, a bit one-dimensional. I certainly didn’t find this thrilling, or particularly mysterious.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing an ARC via my Kindle in return for an honest review.

the novel opens with a description of neil and how he is narcissistic as well as how he views his past friendships and his view of people in general.After a phone call with his friend,he agrees to go to their small gathering where things have been planned for him to atone the sins of what he has done in the past.this story is an addictive read and keeps you hooked as you find out what neil has done,how he is made to pay for it and his fate.i could barely put it down

I read this a while back and started to write the review based on the notes that I had taken. After putting together my first draft, I re-read the book's blurb to make sure that I wasn't inadvertently giving anything away. I'm so glad I did, because a lot of what I had written was spoilery.

I didn't include any spoilers outright, but the language I used and many keywords gave away critical points of the story. When I removed every offending piece, I was left with a minor reiteration of the blurb. Aarghh! Back to the drawing board.

Neil Brewster is an arrogant, successful New York defense attorney and he's a jerk (what are the odds?) He's invited to spend a weekend camping with childhood friends and after much convincing, he agrees.

It doesn't take long for Neil to regret his decision.

The story is told in the present with flashbacks to when the friends were all camp counselors. The writing is solid but a good portion of the story didn't surprise me. Even though it was predictable, that didn't stop me from questioning the ending. From my notes after having finished the book:

'Don't know how to feel about this. I was all in on the way the story was playing out then it became too much.. then I wasn't sure. The story had my stomach in knots.'

I recommend this especially if you've ever been to a sleep-away camp.

I want to thank Netgalley and the publishers for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review... Thanks!

Incredible read. I started reading in the afternoon and didn't stop until I was done. I was guessing til the end.

Michael Bradley really knew how to write a triller, this book gives you those " what happens at camp, dies at camp". In this book we are introduced to the main character, Neil Brewster, he is a very successful businessman or should i say big shot lawyer that happens to be a very bad guy. He thinks he's very superior to others, the people he works with, his what seems to be " set up" fiance. We go into the story thinking how maybe this man has changed into this cold hearted man but when he is invited by some old friends to a camp were he spent summers during his youth, the truth about his past comes to light. this group of four men have planned to meet up one last time before the camp is torn apart, the only problem is that Neil hasn't spoken to any of these guys for eighteen years. This starts to make you wonder, why now? why is this trip so important? is it really for memory sakes? As the story continues, we find out that this narcissist man was a very bad bully, the type that make you question a mans sanity. He bullied a boy, named " Stinky". As the story continues we get to see the darkest secrets come to life. Will this be a trip to remember or die for? you must read!

Very unusual novel with twists and turns at every step. Definitely a must read.