Cover Image: Good Behavior

Good Behavior

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"Good Behavior" by Blake Crouch is a collection of three novellas that revolve around the character of Letty Dobesh, a con artist and thief who is trying to get her life back on track. The book is a fast-paced thriller with a strong character at its center.

The first novella, "The Pain of Others," finds Letty working as a maid in a hotel where she discovers a wealthy guest who is engaged in a gruesome hobby. Letty must use all her skills to outwit the man and escape with her life. The second novella, "Sunset Key," takes place on a tropical island where Letty is trying to start over after leaving jail. However, her past catches up with her when she is approached by a dangerous man who offers her a job she cannot refuse. In the final novella, "Grab," Letty is hired by a man to steal a package from a high-security prison, but the job turns out to be much more dangerous than she anticipated.

Blake Crouch's writing is crisp and engaging, and he manages to keep the tension high throughout the book. Letty is a compelling character, and the reader can't help but root for her even though she is a criminal. Her inner struggles and motivations are well-developed, and the reader can understand why she makes the choices she does.
One of the strongest aspects of the book is its focus on the psychological toll that a life of crime takes on Letty. She is haunted by her past and struggles to find a way out of the cycle of violence and deception that has defined her life. Crouch handles this theme with sensitivity and insight, and it adds depth to the book beyond its fast-paced action scenes.

Overall, "Good Behavior" is an entertaining and thought-provoking read. The book's focus on a complex and flawed character makes it stand out in the crowded field of thrillers. If you enjoy page-turning suspense with a strong character at its center, this book is definitely worth a read.

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Not usually into short stories but as usual Crouch hooks me. Great collection that kept me gripped. Maybe short stories are not so bad after all.

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I'm glad that this is broken up into short stories - I'm sensitive to depictions of drug use and I think a full on book would have been too overwhelming. This is action packed and character driven and very fast paced. I definitely want to watch the show and possibly read more of Blake Crouch's work.

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What a fascinating book. I was impressed by the storyline and the characters were all well written and complex. Where there are complex storylines combined with intriguing characters the reader experience is magnified tremendously. To have a book that is well written as well as entertaining is a delight. Reading is about escaping your world and entering another one. The word building was phenomenal in this book. Here I forgot about my own life and was immersed in the world created by the author. I would recommend this book.

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Normally short stories are not for me, but Letty's are quick, impulsive and full of action. I'm still not a convert on short stories, but Blake Crouches characters and writing style did appeal to me.

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Made up of three novellas, about Letty Dobesh, She's a con woman with a good side. Letty is a complex character. She's very smart and and sneaky bit still likeable. The stories are fast paced and action packed. Each story gets better as they progress.

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Personally preferred this group of short stories over the show. The main character has more substance on the page and her motivations are clearer.

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Thoroughly enjoyable reading. The main character's flaws kept me guessing at whether she'd prevail in the end and how she'd do it.

I haven't seen the show on which the book is based, but I enjoyed reading the author's notes on the adaptation process.

I recommend this book!

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Better than the television show. Characters are more rounded, plot is more complicated. Unfortunately, I need to wait for volume 2. Please tell me there's a Volume 2.

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When it comes to binge-worthy television, a show has to have a few key elements: an addicting plot line, sexy and intriguing characters, and an element of danger, thrill, or surprise. It seems like this November, one new show seems ready to hit all the marks, which is just one of the reasons you should watch Good Behavior , TNT's new fall series based off Blake Crouch's interlinked novellas by the same name.


Over the last few years, there's been a new and exciting trend developing in the television industry: books-turned-TV series. Though it's not a new concept by any means — think Anne of Green Gables and Agatha Christie's Poirot and Miss Marple — TV series based off of books have become some of the most popular and most-watched shows on television. From HBO's Game of Thrones, whose sixth season garnered over 10 million viewers, to Showtime's Outlander, which one the Critic's Choice award for "Most Bingeworthy Show" this year, to Freeform's (formerly ABC Family) Pretty Little Liars , which just wrapped it's seventh and final season, TV series based on books have become staples on network's rosters, and obsessions for viewers everywhere. With another fall television season underway filled with book-inspired programming, including Good Behavior, which premiers in two parts on Tuesday, Nov. 15 at 9/8c, it doesn't seem like a trend that's going anywhere any time soon.

Based on novellas filled to the brim with mystery, action, intrigue, and plenty of sex appeal, here are four reasons you should make room in your TV so you can try Good Behavior, because with any luck, the show will be just as thrilling as Crouch's original stories.


TV Promos on YouTube

1. It's main character is an intriguing woman.

The star and focus of Blake Crouch's Good Behavior novellas, Letty Dobesh is unlike any protagonist you've ever met before. A professional thief fresh out of prison, Letty is, for lack of a better word, a complicated character: she's an ex-con and meth addict whose trying, in her own way, to be better, if not for herself, then for her son. But things are never that simple, and neither is Letty, who seems to be at constant odds with her light and dark sides. One minute, she's breaking into hotel rooms, and the next, she's listening to positive affirmations in her car.


Letty is a flawed woman who looks danger in the eye and runs towards it instead of away from it, which sometime gets her into deeper trouble. Other times, she redeems a piece of her character she (and readers/viewers) didn't expect her to get back. An anti-hero you can't help but cheer on, Letty — who is played by Downton Abbey 's Michelle Dockery — is an intriguing character you'll want to keep watching.

2. It's an energizing thrill ride.
If the TNT show is anything like the novellas, you can expect plenty of action-packed, energizing thrills, including high-stakes burglary, hit men, faked identities, and plenty of dangerous seduction. From the main character Letty's own criminal tendencies (or, should I say, career) to the cat-and-mouse game she find herself caught up in when she decides to stop a hit man from killing a stranger, there's action and suspense at nearly every turn.

3. There's plenty of sex and romance.


If you like your TV shows with a side of sexy, you're in luck with Good Behavior. Filled with beautiful, drool-worthy characters and plenty of hot-and-heavy scenes, Crouch's novellas and the new series alike aren't shy about turning up the heat. The love affair between Letty and Javier, the hit man she decides to try and stop, is hot, dangerous, and lip-bitingly good.

But sex isn't the only thing the series has to offer — there's a some romance there, too, albeit dark and dangerous. Would you want your TV love affairs to be any other way?

4. It's a good balance of dark and light.
Like the main character herself, the Good Behavior novellas and, hopefully, the series, will balance out the dark and twisty elements with the fun and exciting ones. Though the story is filled with tragedy and pain, from Letty's addiction to Javier's profession, there are moments of pure fun and excitement too, usually in the form of a caper or a romantic interaction. A good balance of heavy and light, good and bad, Good Behavior is one thing from beginning to end: fun.


TV Promo 360 on YouTube
Good Behavior premieres Tuesday Nov. 15 on TNT. The Blake Crouch novellas upon which the show is based are available for sale on Amazon.

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It is a collection of three stories masquerading as a novel. It is an okay read if you live in a world were criminal addicts have a "good side".

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I enjoyed reading this book. I liked Letty's character, she has a grittiness as well as softness to her. Her intentions are good but she seems to fail and gets frustrated. I had not read anything by this author before but I will be sure to seek out new books by them.

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I received a copy of this from Net Galley.

I normally don't like short stories but these were different, and they all added up to one big story. The evolution of Letty, sort of. She is trying to be good but she will always be a thief. Each story just gets better and better.

I honestly had never heard of the TV show until I saw the book. The author has explanations of how they use parts of each story in the book and now that I am done reading I am going to watch the show.

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This is a very different type of story than what I have previously read by Blake Crouch. The book is a set of three novellas all following along with one character by the name of Letty. Letty is a thief, a really good one at that and is also a drug addict. She faces her demons every day and drugs and work are the only two things that help her through the demons. These were not intense stories that I am used to from Crouch, but they kept my interest throughout and I wanted to keep reading just to see how Letty gets through the next challenge. The third novella was probably the more intense one for me, but I really enjoyed all three stories and would love to see more stories following along on Letty's adventures! A huge thank you to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for the review copy!!

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This is a group of stories and Letty. The first has Letty is just released from prison and fighting her addictions. She tries to return to her former life (CRIME!) but a murder makes her second guess that life.

This group of stories was okay for me. Not excellent, not horrible. It left me wanting for more thus my rating.

Some parts seemed unrealistic (she's an addict, but the life she attempts to lead seems like a poor choice and the way she does things don't seem realistic).

Seemed a bit disjointed and I think maybe had it been one story instead of jumping from one to another I may have been more invested.

Thanks to Netgalley & Thomas & Mercer for my ARC of this book!

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Very sorry, but this isn't the book for me. Because I didn't finish it, I will not be assigning a rating or review out of fairness. Thank you so much for approving me, and I look forward to working with you again in the future.

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This book had an interesting format. It’s actually 3 short stories/novellas about the central character, Letty Dobesh, and came out in conjunction with the TV series Good Behavior. It includes commentary between the stories from the author about how the character came about, and subsequently how it evolved into the TV series. He makes it easy to read the commentary or skip over it (and absolves the reader of feeling “required” to read that commentary, although I found it interesting).
I enjoyed the writing (as expected, I always enjoy Blake Crouch’s writing) and with all her flaws, I liked the character of Letty. I’d love to see her get her own novel, but I suspect I’ll have to content myself with her TV series instead. Overall I enjoyed reading this one very much, and look forward to watching the further adventures of Letty on the small screen.

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Good Behavior is simultaneously the definitive collection of Letty Dobesh stories by Blake Crouch and no longer the definitive story of Letty herself.

These stories were originally published as three separate novellas over the course of a few years. As of 2016, they are also the basis for a TNT series starring Michelle Dockery in her first post-Downton role in an ongoing series. This volume collects the stories along with author commentary.

However, unlike other book adaptations, I think I might recommend watching the show before reading Good Behavior. These stories read a hell of a lot like the rough draft of the show, and might best be appreciated with that in mind.

Crouch’s commentaries reinforce this impression. He discusses how he and the show’s co-creator adapted and cannibalized each story for the show, and it’s obvious that he thinks the adaptation is an improvement.

He points out more than once how the stories as written didn’t match the tone of the show or how tweaking events and characters for the adaptation opened things up in new and exciting ways.

As I listened to the audiobook, I oftentimes found myself thinking “Letty wouldn’t do that” or “this isn’t a Letty story”. Michelle Dockery’s portrayal is so compelling that I couldn’t picture the character any other way.

That said, I did enjoy reading Good Behavior. That’s especially surprising after I gave up on Crouch’s Wayward Pines trilogy after two books. I just couldn’t work up the energy to care about the finale, and I barely enjoyed the second book.

It helps that Letty is a much more interesting and likable protagonist than the main character in Wayward Pines, who spends most of his time hitting his head and blacking out. Also, it felt like Crouch had a better handle on style and language in these stories. He pulls off a few clever turns of phrase here and there that add a nice noir flavor.

Ultimately, I do recommend picking up Good Behavior, but only as supplemental material for the show and not a true standalone work. In fact, this collection is entertaining enough that I’m willing to give Crouch another chance, especially since he had a hand in writing the show.

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Good Behavior by Blake Crouch, is a collection of three novellas that tie into the popular television series of the same name. Crouch, off the success of his Wayward Pines novels that inspired the popular television series is quickly becoming one of the more prolific novels to television writers of our generation.

In The Pain of Others, Letty Dobesh is fresh out of prison and trying to work her day job as a waitress but it isn't enough to take care of her meth habit. A habit she needs to find a way to beat if she is ever going to get her son back. Soon she is back at her old game to make ends meet; burglarizing hotel suites at the final luxury hotels in town. Only this last job is too much. She overhears a man hiring a killer to murder his wife. Now Letty has a decision. Does she just go ahead with her job and ignore what she heard or does she find a way to warn the wife. Letty's decision changes events in ways she could never have dreamed and sends her down a path of larceny and blood with a killer she can't get rid of.

In Sunset Key, Letty is hired to spend the night with a very rich, but convicted criminal in hopes of stealing a priceless painting. What Letty doesn't know, until it is far too late, is that nothing is ever what it seems to be. Now Letty is in a fight for her life, stranded on an island, all alone.

In Grab, Letty is determined to leave her criminal life behind and somehow make it back to her son when she is offered one last chance, one last score. Can she and a band of mercenaries rob a Las Vegas casino? But first, to do so, they need to con a legendary con man. But who is conning who and who is stealing from who in this brilliant tale of cross and double-cross.

These three novellas by Crouch make up the entirety of the Letty Dobesh tales before she made it to television. If you have never seen the television show, you should, it really is good and like always; the book is better. Crouch has created a flawed hero in Letty that you can relate to and root for. She will make more bad decisions than good but in the end, she tries to do the right thing as she battles her demons and her addictions.

Crouch is becoming a very good crime story writer. His early work was incredibly violent, almost to the point of overwhelming the story itself. But with these latest offerings you can see his growth and his plotting. His characters are larger than life but still rooted in the alternate reality he creates for them.

Letty Dobesh is a terrific character and here is hoping that Crouch decides to write a full novel of Letty and her misadventures.

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I'd seen the name Blake Crouch before but had never felt motivated to actually read his work. That was until a familiar face on the cover caught my attention: Lady Mary from Downton Abbey wearing a low-cut dress and a bit of a bad-ass attitude. I hit the "request" button on NetGalley and was soon on my way. But then I talked a couple of friends into reading it with me so I put it off until it was released and the audio book was available. I do love audio books.

Here's the blurb from Amazon if you care to read it:

[Removed for NetGalley feedback]

There's a lot to like about Good Behavior. Letty is a flawed, but likable, character. She's a crystal meth addict who struggles daily to stay on the wagon. She has a son but lost custody of him the last time she went to prison. And she's a very good thief. Letty is filled with self-doubt and low self-esteem but still manages to land on her feet - barely.

I wished I had been able to spend more time with her and hope more of her stories are published because I enjoyed all three of the novellas included in this book. Each one showed off a bit more of Letty's quick thinking and determination and I may even have a little crush on her. At least I wanted to hug her a lot.

I did have some problems with the book, particularly the last story. Throughout the book, only non-white characters were identified by their race or color and these were the only ones who consistently spoke in some sort of culturally stereotypical way. The Black man in the final story used words like "homie" and other slang phrases that no other character used. Everyone else, regardless of education level or class, spoke in standard English. I found this unfortunate and wished someone along the editorial chain had pointed it out to the author. This is a classic example of white privilege that maintains the concept that white is normal and everything else is "other." The third story was my favorite as far as plot and situations but I was regularly annoyed and offended by the representation of Isaiah.

Do I still recommend the book? Absolutely. I listened to the whole thing in one sitting and was a bit sad to have it end. Letty Dobesh is a great character. The author interjects after each story about how it fits - or doesn't - with the television show on TNT. While I didn't enjoy having him break in like that, I suppose it will help me not be ticked that the show doesn't match the book since now I'll know why.

Thanks to Thomas & Mercer (which has become one of my favorite publishing houses) and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review Good Behavior.

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