Parallel Lines: When A Heist Becomes How To Get Away With Murder Hardcover – 18 January 2023

Is there a point where we can empathise with someone who has a gun to our head?I was incredibly intrigued by the idea behind the plot for Parallel Lines. The idea of hostages coming to the robber's aid blew my mind and I was eager to get involved and see what Steven Savile had instore for me. I am in that stage of reading where I am need of a challenge, fiction that makes me think and consider key issues in modern life. Parallel Lines achieves this perfectly and my opinions/ideals were challenged a lot. I usually hate book plots that rely on so many elements being in the right place at the right time. I agreed with myself, for the sake of plot design, that the events in the book could realistically happen all at once. (which was hard as I usually overly analytical)After deciding that it is plausible, I was able to have an enjoyable time with Parallel Lines and analyse all the more interesting aspects of this bank heist novel. Savile is smart writer, crafting an array of drastically different characters and giving them depth in such a short period of time. The narrative is shared across everyone present at the time of the robbery, so the reader gets full immersion in the experience of the trauma and emotional distress involved with being held at gun point by an unhinged, twitchy and nervous criminal is in need of an obscene amount of money.The main focus of the novel is on Adam and his need of money to secure his son's future after he dies, but there are so many sub-plots snaking themselves around the main story that Parallel Lines has plenty to offer the reader. The atmosphere is tense for about 90% of this novel in several ways. I really enjoyed the way that the plot naturally evolved over time and didn't get overly complicated or unbelievable. I was constantly wondering how a man can achieve empathy and understanding within a group of hostages that he has a gun pointed at... and I was both surprised and satisfied with the tactics that Savile chose to include.Parallel Lines is very lacking in any tension relieving humour, the narrative is pretty on-the-edge-of-your-seat at all times. Each of the characters have their own reasons for helping or fighting Adam and the overall sense of unity (though a brittle one) was achieved without out cliche moments or eye-rolling absurdities, which is always appreciated. It was frustrating at first to enjoy a main plot that relied on several major events all occurring together. I spent time going over the probabilities in my head (which is totally Adam's fault as he is a risk analyser) but after much deliberation I decided that it could happen.Other than the slightly far-fetched moments, I don't have much else negative to say about Parallel Lines. I was invested in the story as I wanted Adam to get his money while managing to get out of the bank in one piece. The development and pace is nicely even and the stubborn, emotionally unstable hostages kept events interesting. I don't want to spoil to much and all my favourite parts of the novel are towards the end so I can just reassure you that events take a turn for the very interesting. Themes like unity, instability, violence, organised crime and death constantly change the tone of the narrative so it stay interesting.I have given Parallel Lines 4.5/5 stars as it was an intriguing puzzle of thrills, emotional instability and escape planning. Each individual characters kept changing the outcome of the plot and I found my self on edge waiting for the conclusion of this high stakes scenario.

A great twist on the standard bank robbery plot, I found it hard to put down. Not a who-doneit, but a how-doneit. How are the hostages in a bank robbery going to help the robber get away with it, and why? Highly recommended.

A great read with intricate life details that collide to form quite literally an explosive ending that you won't soon guess. Can Adam pull it off to save his son? But, is it even about him anymore? Look deep into the lives of six individuals and face the choices they have to live with and feel the gravity of each life while together, in it for all the money, they get wrapped up into a mess that'll take more than one mind, inside or outside the bank, to figure out.

A great fun adventure with characters you are really rooting for. I was unable to put this down as I was continually wanting to find out if this could possibly end happily for any of them.

A tour de force of craft, character, and plotting this heist thriller is a must read. Cannot put it down. Complex, compelling characterization meets twisty, mutil-layered plotting and an unusual layout for the win.