Advance Praise for
PIKE ISLAND
"The perfect follow-up to Wirt's thrilling JUST STAY AWAY, PIKE ISLAND delivers a breakneck read from the first chapter all the way to Wirt's delivery of the best twist I've read this year. I loved this book!"
Elle Marr
Amazon Charts bestselling author of THE ALONE TIME and YOUR DARK SECRETS
"PIKE ISLAND is everything you want in a thriller. A compelling plot, great characters, and a storyline that sweeps you along. I devoured it in a single sitting. Absolutely loved it."
Cate Quinn
Author of THE CLINIC
"With shades of House of Cards and I Know What You Did Last Summer, Tony Wirt's PIKE ISLAND elegantly dances between past and present, gradually cracking open to reveal the "real" story behind a picture-perfect politician on a meteoric rise and the boyhood secrets he's worked hard to bury. Wirt's immersive writing, clever twists, and layered examinations of loyalty, greed, and ambition's darkest corners will make you want to read this pulse-pounding, utterly satisfying thriller in one sitting."
Kathleen Willett
Author of ANYTHING FOR A FRIEND and
MOTHER OF ALL SECRETS
JUST STAY AWAY
"Nobody believes Craig when he insists nine-year-old Levi is the source of the mayhem in his life - which is regrettable, as Levi might be a troublemaker worse than Baby Teeth's Hannah. Just Stay Away is a tense page-turner that literally had me reading with my shoulders hunched."
Zoje Stage
Bestselling Author of
BABY TEETH and MOTHERED
“Cancel your plans and find a good chair because once you start Just Stay Away you won't be able to stop. A psychological game of cat-and-mouse evolves between a writer and his daughter’s creepy new friend in this superbly plotted, fantastically immersive domestic thriller. From the characters to the writing to the pitch perfect ending, Wirt delivers on every level."
Mindy Mejia
Bestselling Author of Everything You Want Me to Be
and To Catch a Storm
"A relentlessly creepy and dangerously addictive read, Just Stay Away will have you checking your locks and jumping at shadows once you've finished. Using the unique perspective of a stay-at-home dad, Tony Wirt expertly crafts an atmosphere of ever-increasing isolation, claustrophobia and gaslighting to ramp up from a sinister simmer to a full-blown nightmare. In doing so, Wirt explores gender roles, masculinity and boyhood in the profound ways you find in the best of the genre. An absolute must-read... if you dare."
"Just Stay Away is an absorbing thriller that masterfully depicts the unraveling of a family’s sense of safety. It also features one of the creepiest and most unexpected villains I’ve encountered in a long time. Wirt’s latest is a must-read for fans of slow burn psychological suspense!”
Jess Lourey
Edgar Nominated Author of UNSPEAKABLE THINGS and
THE QUARRY GIRLS
"In Just Stay Away, Tony Wirt flawlessly weaves tension into everyday domestic life. Craig finds himself in a suspenseful game of cat and mouse with a neighborhood child that will leave you wondering what would you do to protect those you love."
Elle Grawl
Author of ONE OF THOSE FACES
and WHAT STILL BURNS
Brianna Labuskes
Wall St. Journal
Best-Selling Author of
A FAMILIAR SIGHT
A NECESSARY ACT
"Superb ... a refreshing new twist on serial killer fiction. A brilliant literary debut."
Buttonholed Book Reviews
"A brilliant debut novel! Highly recommended!"
Edgy Paperbacks
"This story will keep you on the edge of your seat at every turn of events and doesn't give away the scary mystery easily."
The Shelf Love
"I literally could not put this book down. Great characters, genuine belly aching tension, and an ending that both surprises and satisfies."
"This book is filled with creepy and suspenseful moments that are sure to get anyone's heart pumping. Just leave the lights on."
Rochester Magazine
"Brilliant and creepy! The essence of evil jumped off the pages of this story."
Amy's Bookshelf Reviews
Top 10 Book of 2017
"The writing was good and flowy. The characters were great. Hook, line, sinker - I was into the whole book"
Cover to Cover
Underground Book Reviews
2017 Reader's Choice
Novel of the Year