Broken

Written by Don Winslow

Narrated by Ray Porter

‘You can’t ask for more emotionally moving entertainment’ Stephen King A riveting collection of original fiction from the revered #1 international bestselling author of The Cartel trilogy and The Force

No matter how you come into this world, you come out broken…

In six intense, haunting short novels, Don Winslow returns to the themes that are the hallmarks of his acclaimed body of work – crime, corruption, vengeance, justice, loss, betrayal, guilt, and redemption – to explore the savagery and nobility that drive and define the human condition.

In Broken, Winslow creates a world of high-level thieves and low-life crooks, obsessed cops and jaded private detectives, dope dealers and government agents, bounty hunters and fugitives. Diverse and richly drawn, these characters – some familiar, others new – are lost souls driving without headlights on the dark highway of modern America. Set in New Orleans and Hawaii, Southern California and south Texas, each story in this collection is distinctively Winslow, shaped by his trademark blend of insight, humanity, humor, drama, and consummate literary craftsmanship.

A powerful, gripping collection of tales that will become classics of crime fiction, Broken is Don Winslow at his nerve-shattering, heartbreaking best.

“A master of thrills shows his range, and his bite . . . [Winslow is] a writer from whom others can learn the ropes.” New York Times

Praise for Don Winslow

‘A huge, immersive, violent, compassionate read’ Ian Rankin

‘He’s a master’ Michael Connelly

‘One of the great literary achievements of the century so far’ Daily Telegraph

‘Such crime writing deserves nothing less than a Pulitzer Prize’ Evening Standard

‘A new crime classic … a stirring, stupendous novel’ Sunday Times

‘He is a pleasure to read’ The Times

‘Brutal and brilliant, this is crime’s Game of Thrones’ Sun

‘A furious, impassioned novel’ Washington Post

‘Devastating and timely … a hybrid The Godfather and War and Peace’ New York Times

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: Apr 16, 2020
• ISBN: 9780008377458

Don Winslow

Don Winslow is the author of twenty-five acclaimed, award-winning international bestsellers, including seven New York Times bestsellers (Savages, The Kings of Cool, The Cartel, The Force, The Border, City on Fire and City of Dreams). Savages was made into a feature film by three-time Oscar-winning writer-director Oliver Stone from a screenplay by Shane Salerno, Winslow and Stone. Winslow's epic Cartel trilogy has been adapted for TV and will appear as a weekly series on FX. Additional Winslow books are currently in development at Paramount (The Winter of Frankie Machine), Netflix (Boone Daniels), Warner Brothers (Satori), Sony (City on Fire, City of Dreams, City in Ruins) and Working Title (“Crime 101”) and he has recently written a series of acclaimed and award winning short stories for Audible narrated by four-time Oscar nominee Ed Harris. A former investigator, anti-terrorist trainer and trial consultant, Winslow has announced that City in Ruins will be his final novel.

Reviews for Broken

[datrappert · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Each of these stories is compelling in its own way, but there is also something much too self-conscious and preachy about Winslow's writing here. Nor are the stories at all believable. They are also predictable. The first, about a rogue New Orleans cop is very exciting in an ultra-violent Don Pendleton manner. "Crime 101" about a jewel thief and the police detective who is after him is probably the best story in the book, and I really loved the ending. The final story about a Border Patrol agent who risks everything to return a Salvadorian girl to her mother is the most direct of all. I agree 100% with Winslow's political sensibilities, but his writing lacks any kind of subtlety, and this story is the best--or worst--example. Elsewhere in these stories we are treated to superhuman surfers, the played-out stereotype of the invincible Navy Seal, and so on. While I certainly enjoyed listening to these stories in the well-read audiobook, by the end I was pretty exhausted, and it doesn't make me want to read any of Winslow's novels. But I hope they are better than this.

[tomdonaghey · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Broken (2020) by Don Winslow. To be honest, I have never read anything by this author. I understand he usually writes novels and this is a detour from that. Six novellas are offered here with cops and criminals, bail bondsmen, and even a couple of real animals. The action in the title piece comes at a rather unfortunate time . Reality in the form of breaking news may make you wonder if cops seeking bloody revenge for the murder of one of their own is a good message to send. Yes, I know the villains herein are just that and deserve what they get, but the action goes over the top. And when the top cop turns a blind eye to the proceedings it sends a very bad message.Then we take a cruise on Highway 101, the Pacific Coast Highway where a too cute for his own good high-end thief unknowing faces off with a tired police detective who thinks outside the box.Funny/serious things happen at the San diego zoo when a gun falls into the wrong hands.And there are three more stories. The writing in each is sharp, harsh when needed, lyrical at times, and above all good to pretty darn great. I can understand why Mr. Winslow has a score of books out there and many rabid fans. I think I can feel myself starting to foam up a little.

[lewilliams-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Six novella's, each told with the title theme of broken. The plots were tight and with great believable characters.

[stahl2ricco · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

“The world breaks everyone and afterward many are strong in the broken places.” - Ernest Hemingway, “A Farewell to Arms”Oh boy! A new book from Don Winslow! “Laissez les bon temps rouler.”! Eva, talking to her son Jimmy - “You kill all the men who killed my Danny.” “I will.” “And you make it hurt,” She says.That’s my kind of mom! And my kind of writing! The whole book is like that - all 6 stories! The first story, “Broken” is a great story of vengeance in the Big Easy! “Crime 101” is a jewelry thief’s rules to live by, on the road he loves - Highway 101!In the third story, “No one knows how the chimp got a revolver.”! “...a heartbroken, horny chimp with a gun and anger issues.” Lol! I loved the character Lieutenant Lou Lubesnick! Great dialogue!“Sunset” revisits Winslow’s “Dawn Patrol” world, and Neal Carey’s world, which rocked!And “Paradise” revisits the gang from “Savages”, giving us “... the intermediate adventures of Ben, Chon, and O”! And Bobby Z too! AND Frankie Machine!!! It’s a goddamn Winslow buffet! Dee-licious!The last story, “The Last Ride” is a sobering look at the children-in-cages nightmare on the US/Mexico border.“This is going to sound stupid, but I went to Iraq because I loved America,” Twyla says. “ Now I feel I don’t even know this country anymore. We’re not who I thought we were. Something’s broken in us.”Amen.

[grigoro_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Six great stories. Some funny, some heartbreaking, some brutal, all smart. Loved this collection. Best opening line of third story THE SAN DIEGO ZOO: "No one knows how the chimp got the revolver".

[kerryd1971 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Every book I read takes me to another world, so six short novels by one of my favourite authors was something to look forward to in these strange and dark times. And I was not disappointed. I deliberately read only one story each day, so that I could treasure each ride.Thank you Don Winslow for every book of yours that I have read. I have loved them all.I think it is time for me to revisit Boone Daniels, Frankie Machine and Ben, Chon and O in their previous adventures.

[charrlygirl · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Don Winslow is beyond brilliant as far as crime writing is concerned!BROKEN: SIX SHORT NOVELS, as the title suggests is 6 novellas, all of them excellent. The only one that didn't quite fill the bill for me was the Hawaiian one, but that's most likely because I haven't read the original book in which these characters were featured, (SAVAGES). Not yet, anyway. I'm not going to go blow by blow with each story, but I have to give the final tale, THE LAST RIDE, a special mention because my heart is still recovering from its impact. Here, Mr. Winslow's politics are more involved than usual. In my case that was perfectly fine, because they're in line with my own. Politics aside though, I think most people can agree that children should not be kept in cages. Cal, a border patrol officer in Texas, doesn't think it's right either and he does something about it. THE LAST RIDE had a western feel to it and I'll say it again, it broke my freaking heart. I think my husband heard it break from across the room because he was asking me if I was okay. I still have a backlog of Winslow books to catch up on, and those are something I very much look forward to during these uncertain times.My highest recommendation!*I bought this audio book with my hard earned cash. My opinion is my own.*

[thomaspluck · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

6 great short novels... they are technically novellas or long short stories but they read like the fast little pulp novels of old, and every Winslow fan will have something to enjoy.