Wanted for Questioning

by Tom Mitchell

The novel is set in Boston and Provincetown in 1973. Neil McGuire, a prison counselor, is haunted by the death of his younger brother in the Vietnam War. His mother hasn’t spoken to him in a year, since the funeral, and his relationship with his longtime girlfriend is on the rocks. When an inmate he has been seeing in counseling is murdered, he withholds information from a state police detective to cover up an error of judgment. Neil’s deceit triggers a chain of events endangering him and a woman he meets, a German divorcee with a troubled past.

Nook

First published June 12, 2011

Reviews

[Sharon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book. Unfortunately, at the end of the day, I really did not care for it.

Main character Neil is a prison counselor with issues at home. He has a girlfriend he doesn't really care about anymore (Terry), a woman he's interested in (Inga), a mom who doesn't speak to him much since his brother died in Vietnam ...

And, he's basically being stalked by criminals because one of his clients tells an entire cellblock that Neil knows all about a big ol' drug ring ... right before the client is killed.

There's the plot in a nutshell. My problems with this book were many: first, I couldn't find much to care about with any of the characters. They seemed to be kind of two-dimensional (e.g., Andrea, the stereotypical "angry African-American lesbian"). I felt no chemistry between Neil and Inga whatsoever. We see lots of sexy-times, but it all feels very clinical.

And the ending? Completely dissatisfying as Mitchell leaves us all hanging and wondering what the hell happens next. Since no subsequent books have been written, the world may never know.

[Penelope · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. Complex interesting characters and involving plot set in a prison. A prison psychologist gets embroiled, through no fault of his own, in a much larger crime than the one he is counselling a prisoner for. He makes some mistakes in dealing with a consultation and this snow balls into a real problem.

The author has a great natural style of writing, insightful and easy to follow. Some might wish for a more black and white ending, but I loved the grey area the book ends with, much like real life. I would definitely read another book by this author. This would make an excellent movie, a true "psychological thriller".