The Long Shot

The Long Shot follows David, a 12-year-old boy struggling to cope with his parents' divorce and his father's absence. When his father cancels their planned summer trip, David takes matters into his own hands and embarks on a risky cross-country journey to find him. David's solo trek from Boston to San Francisco tests his resourcefulness and determination as he navigates unfamiliar territories and encounters various strangers along the way. His mother and a police detective race to locate him before he encounters serious danger. The narrative shifts between David's perspective and the adults searching for him, building tension as their paths draw closer together. Through David's eyes, readers experience both the practical challenges of his journey and his emotional processing of family upheaval. This coming-of-age story explores themes of abandonment, trust, and the lengths people go to preserve family bonds. The novel balances adventure elements with a deeper examination of how children interpret and respond to family trauma.

Reader reviews describe this 1981 thriller as a competent but unremarkable suspense novel. Readers highlighted the fast pacing, believable political backdrop, and Monette's ability to build tension throughout the hostage crisis plot. Multiple reviewers noted the strong character development of protagonist Peter and the authentic relationship dynamics. Critics pointed to predictable plot elements, dated Cold War references, and excessive detail in certain scenes that slowed the narrative momentum. Several reviewers mentioned that the ending felt rushed compared to the careful setup. Ratings: Goodreads: 3.7/5 (127 ratings) Amazon: 3.8/5 (32 ratings) "The action sequences deliver, but the middle section drags" - Goodreads reviewer "Strong concept weighed down by unnecessary subplots" - Amazon review "Character work elevates standard thriller elements" - LibraryThing review

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📚 Author Paul Monette wrote this 1981 thriller while struggling to make ends meet as a screenwriter in Los Angeles, years before he became known for his groundbreaking AIDS memoirs. 🎯 The novel's plot was inspired by the real-life 1975 assassination of King Faisal of Saudi Arabia by his own nephew. 🏆 Though less well-known than his later works, The Long Shot helped establish Monette's reputation as a skilled writer of suspense fiction before he transitioned to more personal, autobiographical works. 🌍 The book's international intrigue spans multiple locations including Lebanon, Greece, and Italy, reflecting Monette's own extensive travels through Europe in the 1970s. 📖 This was Monette's third published novel, following Taking Care of Mrs. Carroll (1978) and The Gold Diggers (1979), but his first attempt at political thriller writing.