"Dazzling…an intricate, haunting novel sure to resonate with fans of Dennis Lehane, Peter Heller, and James Lee Burke. Don’t miss this one."
Michael Koryta, NYT bestselling author of An Honest Man
"Distant Sons is the kind of novel that inspires writers like me to want to step up our game…I highly recommend picking up this book."
Allen Eskens, bestselling author of The Life We Bury and Forsaken Country
"Tim Johnston has once again raised the bar for the literary thriller."
Ivy Pochoda, author of These Women and Sing Her Down
"A heartbreaking story about family…and violence…a riveting novel that...locates the hope hidden inside devastating loss. A beautiful book."
Janelle Brown, bestselling author of Pretty Things
"The twists and turns, combined with the wonderful writing...made the pages of this crime novel fly."
Mary, Skylark Bookstore
"This book kept me up at night. Eerie, unsettling, and addictive."
Ash Davidson, bestselling author of Damnation Spring
"Distant Sons presents Tim Johnston as an heir apparent to Cormac McCarthy."
Mark Wish, author of Necessary Deeds
"Johnston writes with such care, understanding, even love for the flawed humans in his story..."
Kirkus Reviews, Starred
"...just finished DISTANT SONS...wow. I'm literally speechless...I already feel lost knowing it's over...Third book in and he keeps getting better and better with each one."
Drew McCoy, Goodreads
"Johnston writes with care for what words mean and how they hit. An exceptional novel."
Library Journal
Books By Tim
Tim Johnston is the author of
THE HEARTLAND TRILOGY–the novels Descent, The Current and Distant Sons–as well as the story collection Irish Girl, and the Young Adult novel Never So Green. A New York Times, USA Today, and Indie national bestseller, Descent has been published internationally and optioned for film. Also optioned for film, The Current won the Midland Authors 2020 Adult Fiction Award, and Distant Sons was the 2025 All Iowa Reads selection in Adult Fiction. The stories of Irish Girl won an O. Henry Prize and other awards, while the collection itself won the 2009 Katherine Anne Porter Prize in Short Fiction. Tim’s stories have appeared in New England Review, New Letters, The Iowa Review, The Missouri Review, Double Take, Best Life Magazine, and Narrative Magazine, among others. After earning degrees from the University of Iowa and the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Tim made a living for twenty-five years as a carpenter. He is the recipient of the 2015 Iowa Author Award and currently lives in Iowa City, Iowa.