Chaos Theory: A Novel - Hardcover

Krist, Gary

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0375500804 ISBN 13: 9780375500800

Publisher: Random House, 1999

Synopsis

"Krist reminds us of how much fun reading can be."
--The New York Times

Chaos Theory is a shrewd, literate, and compulsively readable thriller set against the background of Washington, D.C., in the mid-1990s--a city on the brink of economic, social, and moral collapse.

Jason Rourke, who is white, and Dennis Monroe, who is black, are good kids and good friends. One night, on a dare, they drive to a blighted part of Washington to buy a little marijuana. But it isn't their night, and the deal goes terribly wrong. Before it's over, a shot is fired, and the two just barely get away, leaving a small-time drug dealer lying wounded in the street.

Their troubles are only beginning. The next morning, Jason and Dennis learn that the incident with the drug dealer was far worse than it seemed. Finding themselves suspects in a bizarre homicide, the two are forced to flee, leaving their families terrified and confused. And what started out as a relatively innocent moment of adolescent mischief soon turns into a nightmarish, life-threatening ordeal, one that eventually draws these sheltered teenagers into a citywide scheme of murders and cover-ups that may involve some of Washington's most prominent--and most trusted--public officials.

Gary Krist's first thriller, Bad Chemistry, was praised for its sharp intelligence and its deft and deep characterizations. Here he broadens his canvas, creating a drama that explores the thoughts and feelings of two families who suddenly find their lives spiraling out of control. The result is a sophisticated novel of suspense, one that takes us deep into the decay and corruption of a city tottering on the edge of chaos.

About this title

Review

We all had those terrible nights in high school. We borrowed dad's car, and instead of rushing home to meet curfew, decided to indulge in a little mischief: party-hopping, drag-racing on a deserted road, or drinking beer during an impromptu "sleepover." But what if the little violation of parental trust turned into something much worse? What if somebody died during that joy ride? What if the events of that one night changed your life forever?

In Gary Krist's Chaos Theory, two college-bound high school students watch an evening on the town turn into the nightmare of a lifetime. Jason Rourke and Dennis Monroe are smart and respectable boys from a suburban Washington D.C. neighborhood. Jason is white and Dennis is black, and their occasional discomfort over racial identity sometimes leads them to a bit of posing. One Sunday night, Dennis, pretending an urban sophistication, convinces Jason that they should head to the seedy side of D.C. to score some marijuana. Their black Audi is an easy target for the dealer, who attempts to reach into the car and grab the boys. They flee the scene, dragging the man behind the car for a moment before his arm snaps, shots are fired, and he falls into the road. The boys return home, their hearts pounding, feeling fortunate to have escaped injury. But the next morning's paper reports that the man they escaped is now dead. And their failed petty crime inadvertently involves them in a mess of city politics when the dealer turns out to be a police officer in disguise.

Krist carefully unfolds the subsequent investigation as the two boys realize that they can't escape punishment. Gradually, the novel evolves into a briskly paced thriller as the deeper implications of the officer's death--and his connections to an insidious political conspiracy--put Jason and Dennis in fatal jeopardy. Throughout, Krist never abandons the careful control of his prose and his characters; one can't help but see oneself in Jason and Dennis's plight. And Krist's observations about D.C.--its corrupt politics, its tragic separation between haves and have-nots, and its pervasive racial tensions--simmer behind every page. --Patrick O'Kelley

From the Back Cover

Advance praise for Chaos Theory:

"Extraordinary. . . . a sleek and thoughtful thriller. . . . A white-knuckle story. . . . Krist shows his flair for portraying characters under extreme emotional pressure."
--Publishers Weekly

"Doubling the stakes of John Grisham's The Client, Krist plunges a pair of young heroes into peril that starts with a bang and ends with a bang-bang-bang. . . . A page-turner with new dangers and set-pieces every two minutes."
--Kirkus Reviews

Praise for Bad Chemistry:

"Bad Chemistry is fresh, fast-moving, compelling. An impressive debut."
--Jonathan Kellerman

"World-class. . . . If you start Bad Chemistry, you're going to finish it. Then you'll hope Krist has another one coming. Bad Chemistry is my nominee for the Best First Mystery of the Year award."
--Tony Hillerman

"What makes Bad Chemistry more than another well-constructed genre novel are those dark shadows beneath the surface. . . . This first novel is as much a meditation on the power of secrets as it is a detective story."
--The New York Times Book Review

About this edition

• Publisher: Random House
• Publication date: 1999
• ISBN 10: 0375500804
• ISBN 13: 9780375500800
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 368