Reviews
"Fast-paced and exciting, Mark takes you on a thrilling ride. From the Oklahoma oil fields, to the Appalachian Trail in northern Georgia, the author's smooth writing style and attention to detail will keep you captivated until the last page is turned. A fantastic book by a debut author!"
John William Quinn, Author of Someone Like Me
"Blood On His Hands" is a contemplative tale of murder by unintended consequences in Oklahoma. And yet, do the stars really align without some ordination? A pre-birthday fight, a birthday slight, and a birthday night lead to adultery and death, a killer on the run and a PI literally on his trail, the Appalachian Trail. Hunter and hunted... two of God's wounded souls, man against man, Man against Nature; what will prevail? I recommend you read "Blood On His Hands" to find out! You will be missing a very good story, if you don't." Robert J. Sadler, Author of Jamaica Moon
"...The movement of the storyline, written so vividly, straddles the lines between dark thriller and in-your-face horror, as Sadler's descriptions spill out with shocking intensity...Not for the faint of heart, "Blood on his Hands" can make your stomach roll as well as a roller coaster while Sadler zigzags you on a frenzied chase across the country." Shannan Raab, Suspense Magazine
"Blood on His Hands is not your average romance novel. In fact, even though it contains love and heated passion, this book is not a romance novel at all...Descriptions are grand in this work. You will not find the boring, long-winded, twisted passages you find in 18th century novels or hard-to-follow poetry. Sadler is direct, brief and right to the point. And he does sway a bit poetically... 'Tumbleweeds danced, twirled and weaved in the wind, like straw ballerinas finally sacrificing themselves on the barbed wire.' Gorgeous. In addition to plenty of blood, guts and sacrifice, Sadler uses another beautiful writing technique. He gets the reader to honestly like every single character..." Ryn Gargalinski, Tucsoncitizen.com
"What are a husband's choices when he comes face to face with his wife's infidelity? The answer lies in Mark P Sadler's debut novel, BLOOD ON HIS HANDS, and it's far more complicated and satisfying than the reader would imagine. Both a tale of bitter choices and sweet surrender, Blood on His Hands is a fine examination of the human spirit and soul... Though there is no mystery as to who's the killer, the answer we ultimately seek is who will actually pay for the crime... I found the ending to be extremely satisfying and fresh. Remorse and reconciliation comes in many forms and Sadler has done a first-rate job at portraying this to his readers. BLOOD ON HIS HANDS is a very good read from a talented new author." Robin Cain, Author of When Dreams Bleed
"...Mark Sadler's debut novel, Blood on His Hands, is a solid and earnestly written thriller, not so much a murder mystery (since we learn early on whodunit) as a study of the psychosexual dynamics of a homicidal but oddly sympathetic loner on the lam. The book's unexpected ending provides a new twist on the concept of the bad guy getting his just desserts, and its closing chapter provides a haunting allegory of dubious religious redemption..." T.S. Minton, Interfusion Publishing
"With a well-paced storyline and powerful characters, Blood On His Hands is a welcome first effort from a promising new literary talent."
Renee Washburn, Apex Reviews
"...As I read Mark Sadler's Blood on His Hands, I was reminded of A Simple Plan by Scott Smith and how a sequence of smaller choices suddenly gets completely out of control and the resulting consequences destroy so many lives. Sadler does a great job putting us inside Michael Renton's head and the remorse and questions one would ask themselves if found in a similar situation... The eventual climax and resolution of the novel is very satisfying and expertly written in the vein of classic passages penned by best selling authors Lincoln and Child. Those who enjoy an engaging and face paced thriller along with the majesty of one of natures most beautiful hiking settings will surely enjoy Blood on His Hands." Todd Fonseca, author of The Time Cavern (2009 IE national book awards FINALIST)
"...Blood on His Hands is a solid, engaging read for thriller fans...I started reading the book in the morning and finished it in the evening the same day. It obviously wasn’t boring in the least...Another really nice and really unexpected thing for a thriller, was Michael’s internal dialogue and struggle with what he’s done...The author skillfully managed to insert humor into Michael’s life on the Appalachian Trail and I was smirking quite a few times...I think that if you’re a fan of mystery/thriller books that are a fun and quick read, you should definitely give Blood on His Hands a try."
Liliana Swistek, Reading Extravaganza - A Book Reviewers Blog
"...the Appalachian Trail in Georgia experience in particular is portrayed skillfully and realistically." Dave Miller, author of AWOL on the Appalachian Trail
"Great first novel; great storyline, a fine plot and characters with an astonishing climax." Chris Bower, author of Gardening Leave
"Sadler tells his story from multiple perspectives, which is written in third person. This approach is dizzying at times however; where the book lacks refinement or sophistication, Sadler redeems himself with his ability to vividly describe each scene with laser-sharp precision. His characters are believable and well developed, and the details are spot on. Being a native Georgian, I was particularly impressed by the great care he took in describing the sleepy little town of Helen and the Appalachian Trail. Another formidable aspect of the book is its cadence. The story moves extremely well, with one scene building upon the next..."
Pamela Simmons, Entrepreneur, Virtual Professional and Internet Marketer. www.pamelasimmons.com
"Once I took a few minutes to start reading it - I could not put it down." Gloria White, Greater Oro Valley Arts Council
"Sadler tells his story of a not-so-great marriage, a working man, a wife looking for a less than humdrum life, and a private investigator off in pursuit... Each character has some decency and each is compromised, but nothing evil. There’s enough moral ambiguity to go around that neither does anyone come off as a hero. Sadler has put enough real fabric in his characters to make them all too believable...He uses uses details effectively to put the reader in the scene, and to feel with each character as the points of view shift back and forth." Joe Gold, author of The Lamp Post
"You did some great first hand research of all the different locations and I felt like I was right there along with Ian and Mike wherever they were! I loved the way you took us on a voyage across the U.S...The ending was great! It was really unexpected! I love a twist in the end." Frances, www.WhereDoYouRead.com
"...I congratulate Mark Sadler, and am happy to say that his prose is clear, crisp, and consistently good. While I was reading it I became aware of not only how accurate his details were but also the accuracy of his prose. He is precise, which I think is one hallmark of a good writer. He is also a careful writer and has done his research. I trusted him when he took me places, places I’ve been and places I want to go.... I didn’t want to put the book down or for it to end.... It held my interest and was suspenseful. And like Mark’s protagonist, who isn’t your typical protagonist, I’ve always wanted to hike the Appalachian Trail."
Randy Ford, playwright
Blood on his Hands is a continuously enigmatic tale. Where it is flawed by its brevity, the novel should be commended for its intrepidness...a book you can read relatively quickly, and acquiring a sense of gratification through escape." Patrick Griffin, Editor in Chief, Aztec Press
"...a good storyteller." Laura Hendrie, author of Remember Me
"the story I thought was quite remarkable...a very good mystery." Mary Ann Atrip, author of Surrey Square - 2007 IPPY Winner
John William Quinn, Author of Someone Like Me
"Blood On His Hands" is a contemplative tale of murder by unintended consequences in Oklahoma. And yet, do the stars really align without some ordination? A pre-birthday fight, a birthday slight, and a birthday night lead to adultery and death, a killer on the run and a PI literally on his trail, the Appalachian Trail. Hunter and hunted... two of God's wounded souls, man against man, Man against Nature; what will prevail? I recommend you read "Blood On His Hands" to find out! You will be missing a very good story, if you don't." Robert J. Sadler, Author of Jamaica Moon
"...The movement of the storyline, written so vividly, straddles the lines between dark thriller and in-your-face horror, as Sadler's descriptions spill out with shocking intensity...Not for the faint of heart, "Blood on his Hands" can make your stomach roll as well as a roller coaster while Sadler zigzags you on a frenzied chase across the country." Shannan Raab, Suspense Magazine
"Blood on His Hands is not your average romance novel. In fact, even though it contains love and heated passion, this book is not a romance novel at all...Descriptions are grand in this work. You will not find the boring, long-winded, twisted passages you find in 18th century novels or hard-to-follow poetry. Sadler is direct, brief and right to the point. And he does sway a bit poetically... 'Tumbleweeds danced, twirled and weaved in the wind, like straw ballerinas finally sacrificing themselves on the barbed wire.' Gorgeous. In addition to plenty of blood, guts and sacrifice, Sadler uses another beautiful writing technique. He gets the reader to honestly like every single character..." Ryn Gargalinski, Tucsoncitizen.com
"What are a husband's choices when he comes face to face with his wife's infidelity? The answer lies in Mark P Sadler's debut novel, BLOOD ON HIS HANDS, and it's far more complicated and satisfying than the reader would imagine. Both a tale of bitter choices and sweet surrender, Blood on His Hands is a fine examination of the human spirit and soul... Though there is no mystery as to who's the killer, the answer we ultimately seek is who will actually pay for the crime... I found the ending to be extremely satisfying and fresh. Remorse and reconciliation comes in many forms and Sadler has done a first-rate job at portraying this to his readers. BLOOD ON HIS HANDS is a very good read from a talented new author." Robin Cain, Author of When Dreams Bleed
"...Mark Sadler's debut novel, Blood on His Hands, is a solid and earnestly written thriller, not so much a murder mystery (since we learn early on whodunit) as a study of the psychosexual dynamics of a homicidal but oddly sympathetic loner on the lam. The book's unexpected ending provides a new twist on the concept of the bad guy getting his just desserts, and its closing chapter provides a haunting allegory of dubious religious redemption..." T.S. Minton, Interfusion Publishing
"With a well-paced storyline and powerful characters, Blood On His Hands is a welcome first effort from a promising new literary talent."
Renee Washburn, Apex Reviews
"...As I read Mark Sadler's Blood on His Hands, I was reminded of A Simple Plan by Scott Smith and how a sequence of smaller choices suddenly gets completely out of control and the resulting consequences destroy so many lives. Sadler does a great job putting us inside Michael Renton's head and the remorse and questions one would ask themselves if found in a similar situation... The eventual climax and resolution of the novel is very satisfying and expertly written in the vein of classic passages penned by best selling authors Lincoln and Child. Those who enjoy an engaging and face paced thriller along with the majesty of one of natures most beautiful hiking settings will surely enjoy Blood on His Hands." Todd Fonseca, author of The Time Cavern (2009 IE national book awards FINALIST)
"...Blood on His Hands is a solid, engaging read for thriller fans...I started reading the book in the morning and finished it in the evening the same day. It obviously wasn’t boring in the least...Another really nice and really unexpected thing for a thriller, was Michael’s internal dialogue and struggle with what he’s done...The author skillfully managed to insert humor into Michael’s life on the Appalachian Trail and I was smirking quite a few times...I think that if you’re a fan of mystery/thriller books that are a fun and quick read, you should definitely give Blood on His Hands a try."
Liliana Swistek, Reading Extravaganza - A Book Reviewers Blog
"...the Appalachian Trail in Georgia experience in particular is portrayed skillfully and realistically." Dave Miller, author of AWOL on the Appalachian Trail
"Great first novel; great storyline, a fine plot and characters with an astonishing climax." Chris Bower, author of Gardening Leave
"Sadler tells his story from multiple perspectives, which is written in third person. This approach is dizzying at times however; where the book lacks refinement or sophistication, Sadler redeems himself with his ability to vividly describe each scene with laser-sharp precision. His characters are believable and well developed, and the details are spot on. Being a native Georgian, I was particularly impressed by the great care he took in describing the sleepy little town of Helen and the Appalachian Trail. Another formidable aspect of the book is its cadence. The story moves extremely well, with one scene building upon the next..."
Pamela Simmons, Entrepreneur, Virtual Professional and Internet Marketer. www.pamelasimmons.com
"Once I took a few minutes to start reading it - I could not put it down." Gloria White, Greater Oro Valley Arts Council
"Sadler tells his story of a not-so-great marriage, a working man, a wife looking for a less than humdrum life, and a private investigator off in pursuit... Each character has some decency and each is compromised, but nothing evil. There’s enough moral ambiguity to go around that neither does anyone come off as a hero. Sadler has put enough real fabric in his characters to make them all too believable...He uses uses details effectively to put the reader in the scene, and to feel with each character as the points of view shift back and forth." Joe Gold, author of The Lamp Post
"You did some great first hand research of all the different locations and I felt like I was right there along with Ian and Mike wherever they were! I loved the way you took us on a voyage across the U.S...The ending was great! It was really unexpected! I love a twist in the end." Frances, www.WhereDoYouRead.com
"...I congratulate Mark Sadler, and am happy to say that his prose is clear, crisp, and consistently good. While I was reading it I became aware of not only how accurate his details were but also the accuracy of his prose. He is precise, which I think is one hallmark of a good writer. He is also a careful writer and has done his research. I trusted him when he took me places, places I’ve been and places I want to go.... I didn’t want to put the book down or for it to end.... It held my interest and was suspenseful. And like Mark’s protagonist, who isn’t your typical protagonist, I’ve always wanted to hike the Appalachian Trail."
Randy Ford, playwright
Blood on his Hands is a continuously enigmatic tale. Where it is flawed by its brevity, the novel should be commended for its intrepidness...a book you can read relatively quickly, and acquiring a sense of gratification through escape." Patrick Griffin, Editor in Chief, Aztec Press
"...a good storyteller." Laura Hendrie, author of Remember Me
"the story I thought was quite remarkable...a very good mystery." Mary Ann Atrip, author of Surrey Square - 2007 IPPY Winner
