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Paul Backalenick

Goodreads Author

Born

in Boston, The United States

Website

https://www.paulbackalenick.com

Genre

Mystery, Suspense, Psychology

Influences

Ken Follett, Ed McBane, Elmore Leonard, Stephen King

Member Since

January 2019

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I am the author three novels, currently working on a fourth.

My current project is set in 19th century Ukraine. It is a fictionalized tale of my father’s ancestors. In 1893, his father immigrated to the United States at age eight with my great-grandmother. But this is the story of what it was like back there, in Ukraine, before they left. The book will explore the historical realities of that time and place. It is a tale of a Jewish family in a land that no longer wanted them.

My three earlier books are all tales of psychological suspense. They include families and individuals in peril, usually as a result of the choices they have made. Together, these three novels comprise my “Twisted Roads Series.” We all travel many roads through life. So I am the author three novels, currently working on a fourth.

My current project is set in 19th century Ukraine. It is a fictionalized tale of my father’s ancestors. In 1893, his father immigrated to the United States at age eight with my great-grandmother. But this is the story of what it was like back there, in Ukraine, before they left. The book will explore the historical realities of that time and place. It is a tale of a Jewish family in a land that no longer wanted them.

My three earlier books are all tales of psychological suspense. They include families and individuals in peril, usually as a result of the choices they have made. Together, these three novels comprise my “Twisted Roads Series.” We all travel many roads through life. Some roads lead us straight to worthy destinations. Others roads bring us pain and guilt. We don't always know which road we are on ahead of time, or even as we travel down it. When some of my characters discover they are on dangerous roads, knowing doesn’t necessarily change their direction. Are they hell-bent on self-destruction or blinded by greed or lust? Some characters choose crime even with its attendant risks. Others struggle with addictions or follow a path someone else has laid out for them. Throughout this series, bad choices abound, moral decisions arise, and consequences result.

The real question is why do people make bad decisions? What twisted logic leads any of us to choose a bad road or stay on one once we recognize it is wrong? Is it out of convenience, familiarity, hope, or misguided loyalty? Certainly psychological factors such as family dynamics come into play and I explore these connections.

The last in the series is EMPTY LUCK. In this story, a greedy man and his naive younger brother contend with a dangerous Mafia captain, from whom the older brother secretly stole money. The book raises questions of moral ambiguity. For example, is it ever right to steal from someone who shows no regard for your life, who is willing to have you die to benefit his own selfish interests? Is falling for a prostitute a sin for a Catholic boy? And does addiction excuse harming those who love you?

My earlier novel, CARRIE'S SECRET, was praised by Kirkus Reviews as a “riveting, addictive story,” in which a teenage psychiatric patient bears a terrible secret. Her fear of revealing it may destroy her family and send the wrong man to prison for life. It is at times a dark tale, but ultimately it is an uplifting story of human strength and survival.

The first novel in the series, DEVELOPMENT, follows a dysfunctional suburban family as the father tries to pull off a risky real estate deal and the mother over-manages her young daughter’s modeling career.

Regarding my background, I majored in Psychology at Brown University and then worked in psychiatric facilities, information technology strategy consulting, and lastly, Internet entrepreneurship. I have been writing novels since 2013.

Born and raised in New England, I live now in New York City with my wife, artist Karen Loew. ...more

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Combine Editions
Paul Backalenick’s books

Average rating: 4.45 · 31 ratings · 23 reviews · 4 distinct works • Similar authors

	Carrie's Secret 4.13 avg rating — 16 ratings — published 2020 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Development 4.88 avg rating — 8 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Empty Luck 4.67 avg rating — 6 ratings — published 2023 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Crescendo: A Community of Writers by Paul Backalenick (Goodreads Author) (Contributor), Katherine Payne (Editor) it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 1 rating — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

* Note: these are all the books on Goodreads for this author. To add more, click here.

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Paul Backalenick's Blog

It All Starts With Place

I have found that my best writing starts with first identifying the location. Once I know where my characters will be, then I can create their story. And the more familiar the location is, the more quickly I can get going. Crafting a story is much easier and faster if I already know the place well. On the other hand, If the location is not one I know well, then I must first learn about it. I have

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Paul Backalenick rated a book really liked it Vodka Express: A Dmitri Petrov Crime Novel by Ralph Griffith	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
There is something compelling about these stories. I had several books I was reading or wanting to read, but I started Vodka Express and found myself continually returning to finish it. I just wanted to keep following this odd couple of Russian polic ...more
Dec 29, 2025 12:00PM · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Vodka Express by Ralph Griffith. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Vodka Express by Ralph Griffith <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Paul Backalenick is currently reading Vodka Express: A Dmitri Petrov Crime Novel by Ralph Griffith	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Dec 04, 2025 04:32AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Vodka Express by Ralph Griffith. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Vodka Express by Ralph Griffith <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Paul Backalenick rated a book it was ok Camelback Falls by Jon Talton	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
I appreciate a good police procedural, but this one was all over the map. On the one hand, there is a criminal mystery here to solve. It takes a while to emerge so I was not really clear for some time what the objective was, but once I got there, fin ...more
Dec 03, 2025 07:45AM · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Camelback Falls by Jon Talton. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Camelback Falls by Jon Talton <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Paul Backalenick rated a book really liked it Raylan (Raylan Givens, #3) by Elmore Leonard	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Raylan Givens is a crafty US Marshall and ex-coal miner who has been reassigned to his old coal country territory. There he encounters a series of criminals who challenge his wit and integrity. The book reads like a fascinating and clever writing exp ...more
Oct 19, 2025 10:13AM · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Raylan by Elmore Leonard. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Raylan by Elmore Leonard <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Paul Backalenick entered a giveaway The Proving Ground (The Lincoln Lawyer, #8) by Michael Connelly (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Oct 06, 2025 06:42AM · like · see giveaway · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Proving Ground by Michael Connelly. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Proving Ground by Michael Connelly <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Paul Backalenick finished reading Rum Punch (Ordell Robbie & Louis Gara #2) by Elmore Leonard	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Oct 06, 2025 06:41AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Rum Punch by Elmore Leonard. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Rum Punch by Elmore Leonard <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Paul Backalenick rated a book it was amazing Desert Star (Renée Ballard, #5; Harry Bosch, #24; Harry Bosch Universe, #37) by Michael Connelly (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Let’s get one fact out of the way immediately. I am a fervent Michael Connelly fan. I have read at least twenty of his novels, leaning heavily toward the Harry Bosch stories. I admire Connelly's writing style and find all his work absorbing. But this ...more
Sep 26, 2025 02:24PM · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Desert Star by Michael Connelly. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Desert Star by Michael Connelly <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Paul Backalenick is on page 245 of 304 of Rum Punch Rum Punch (Ordell Robbie & Louis Gara #2) by Elmore Leonard progress:	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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Let me begin with a caveat. I am not very familiar with Elmore Leonard’s work. Pagan Babies was the first of his books that I read start-to-finish. I had long ago heard about Leonard’s unique facility with dialog, his unusual, sometimes ungrammatical ...more
Aug 11, 2025 06:01AM · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Pagan Babies by Elmore Leonard. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Pagan Babies by Elmore Leonard <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">