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Mannheim Rex
After the sudden death of his wife, famous horror writer Gavin Corlie retreats from New York City to a secluded house on Lake Caldasac. But his new life in the country is far from idyllic; when a thirteen-year-old wheelchair-bound boy named Finn Horn nearly drowns in the lake, Gavin discovers a startling secret: people in this peaceful lakeside community keep vanishing. Is the corrupt, Benzedrine-fueled town sheriff to blame? Or is Finn’s account of a lake-dwelling monster more than a near-death hallucination? Racing against time and Mother Nature, Gavin and Finn embark on a quest to catch a nightmare that seems to have evolved with a single frightful purpose: to feed on human prey.
An homage to the blockbuster Jaws and the classic American novel Moby-Dick, Mannheim Rex is a deep dark thriller that switches seamlessly between heart-warming friendship and heart-stopping action.
An homage to the blockbuster Jaws and the classic American novel Moby-Dick, Mannheim Rex is a deep dark thriller that switches seamlessly between heart-warming friendship and heart-stopping action.
505 pages, Paperback
First published November 20, 2012
71 people are currently reading
369 people want to read
About the author
Robert Pobi
15 books367 followersROBERT POBI has fished for great whites off Montauk, chased coyotes with a dune buggy in the Mojave, and spelunked caves in the former Yugoslavia. He is a renowned expert in English period furniture and makes a mean coq au vin. He spends most of his time in Montreal, Canada.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews
February 21, 2013
You may also read my review here: http://www.mybookishways.com/2013/02/...
After the death of his wife, Chelsea, horror novelist Gavin Corlie is near suicide when he decides to move from his New York apartment to New Mannheim, 5 hours upstate. The house is gorgeous, with three chimneys and a window that looks out over Lake Caldasac. It’s also perfect for a man that is trying to escape his past, and the ghost of his dead wife. The fact that the house hasn’t been lived in for over 60 years doesn’t even put a hiccup in his plans. After all, money isn’t an object, and soon after he moves in, he finds a local handyman to get the house back up to snuff. Hopefully, Gavin will settle into his new, quiet life in the small town of New Mannheim and get some writing done, and maybe even some healing. Little does he know.
Finn Horn is 13 and confined to a wheelchair after cancer that he didn’t know he had eroded his spine until it finally collapsed when he was 10 years old. He hasn’t let his illness stop him, though. The one thing he loves to do the most is fish, and even has his own boat with a rig made especially for him that allows him to not only board the boat by himself, but also pilot the boat and fish the waters of the deep, dark Lake Caldasac (aka Dead-End Lake.) One day, while out on the water, he hears a voice call to him from the direction of the old German place, which, of course, is the house that Gavin Corlie has just purchased. Spooked, Finn turns tail and Gavin feels bad that he scared the kid, when all he wanted to do was let him know that he didn’t mind him fishing in his bay. As Finn makes his way back across the lake, Finn encounters the huge presence that occupies Lake Caldasac, and it has really big teeth.
When Gavin hears the news that Finn was nearly killed in some sort of accident, he feels partially responsible, and when he visits Finn in order to make amends, a very unusual friendship is born. Finn eventually recruits Gavin to help him find the creature that attacked his boat. Finn knows he may not have long to live, and is determined to make his mark and go out famous, and nabbing the creature that has been the cause of more than few deaths in the lake’s history is how he plans to do it.
Unfortunately, there is more than one monster in New Mannheim. When Sheriff Xavier Pope visits Gavin to question him about Finn’s “accident”, Gavin immediately gets a bad feeling about the cop, and the visit doesn’t end on a positive note. Gavin has no idea how bad it actually is.
Mannheim Rex is my first book by Robert Pobi, and it most definitely is not my last. While it is the story of a rather nasty lake monster that’s been eating tourists and the townsfolk of New Mannheim for years, what it’s really about is the friendship between Gavin and Finn. Finn is a pure delight, a little ball of strength, fearlessness, chutzpah, and smart mouth, and he teaches Gavin how to open his heart again. Speaking of opening his heart, when Finn’s doctor, Laurel, comes into his life, they begin a sweet romance that was very human, and very touching.
What isn’t very touching, or sweet, is the lovely Sheriff Xavier Pope. This guy gives Hannibal Lector a run for his money. Pope is everything you don’t want a cop to be: psychopathic, sociopathic, homicidal, and last, but certainly not least, a rapist! Oh wait, I forgot drug addict. The man pops bennies like skittles and he has a cockroach orchestra singing and dancing in his head almost constantly, cheering him on. You do not want to get on this man’s bad side. Not that he has a good side, but still, you definitely want to stay way below his radar. Unfortunately, Gavin catches his attention pretty quickly, and Pope really doesn’t need much of a reason to kill someone, ‘cause to him, it’s just all in a day’s fun. Pope adds a really interesting, and creepy, subplot to an already compelling story and serves to complicate matters very nicely. Also, you may find yourself laughing at some of his inner monologue, in spite of yourself. It’s black humor at its darkest, and lots of fun. You’ll cringe, for sure. Mannheim Rex reminds me very much, in the best way, of early Dean Koontz (in his Watchers, Strangers days), and Moby Dick references are inescapable. This is one big fish story you’ll never forget!
After the death of his wife, Chelsea, horror novelist Gavin Corlie is near suicide when he decides to move from his New York apartment to New Mannheim, 5 hours upstate. The house is gorgeous, with three chimneys and a window that looks out over Lake Caldasac. It’s also perfect for a man that is trying to escape his past, and the ghost of his dead wife. The fact that the house hasn’t been lived in for over 60 years doesn’t even put a hiccup in his plans. After all, money isn’t an object, and soon after he moves in, he finds a local handyman to get the house back up to snuff. Hopefully, Gavin will settle into his new, quiet life in the small town of New Mannheim and get some writing done, and maybe even some healing. Little does he know.
Finn Horn is 13 and confined to a wheelchair after cancer that he didn’t know he had eroded his spine until it finally collapsed when he was 10 years old. He hasn’t let his illness stop him, though. The one thing he loves to do the most is fish, and even has his own boat with a rig made especially for him that allows him to not only board the boat by himself, but also pilot the boat and fish the waters of the deep, dark Lake Caldasac (aka Dead-End Lake.) One day, while out on the water, he hears a voice call to him from the direction of the old German place, which, of course, is the house that Gavin Corlie has just purchased. Spooked, Finn turns tail and Gavin feels bad that he scared the kid, when all he wanted to do was let him know that he didn’t mind him fishing in his bay. As Finn makes his way back across the lake, Finn encounters the huge presence that occupies Lake Caldasac, and it has really big teeth.
When Gavin hears the news that Finn was nearly killed in some sort of accident, he feels partially responsible, and when he visits Finn in order to make amends, a very unusual friendship is born. Finn eventually recruits Gavin to help him find the creature that attacked his boat. Finn knows he may not have long to live, and is determined to make his mark and go out famous, and nabbing the creature that has been the cause of more than few deaths in the lake’s history is how he plans to do it.
Unfortunately, there is more than one monster in New Mannheim. When Sheriff Xavier Pope visits Gavin to question him about Finn’s “accident”, Gavin immediately gets a bad feeling about the cop, and the visit doesn’t end on a positive note. Gavin has no idea how bad it actually is.
Mannheim Rex is my first book by Robert Pobi, and it most definitely is not my last. While it is the story of a rather nasty lake monster that’s been eating tourists and the townsfolk of New Mannheim for years, what it’s really about is the friendship between Gavin and Finn. Finn is a pure delight, a little ball of strength, fearlessness, chutzpah, and smart mouth, and he teaches Gavin how to open his heart again. Speaking of opening his heart, when Finn’s doctor, Laurel, comes into his life, they begin a sweet romance that was very human, and very touching.
What isn’t very touching, or sweet, is the lovely Sheriff Xavier Pope. This guy gives Hannibal Lector a run for his money. Pope is everything you don’t want a cop to be: psychopathic, sociopathic, homicidal, and last, but certainly not least, a rapist! Oh wait, I forgot drug addict. The man pops bennies like skittles and he has a cockroach orchestra singing and dancing in his head almost constantly, cheering him on. You do not want to get on this man’s bad side. Not that he has a good side, but still, you definitely want to stay way below his radar. Unfortunately, Gavin catches his attention pretty quickly, and Pope really doesn’t need much of a reason to kill someone, ‘cause to him, it’s just all in a day’s fun. Pope adds a really interesting, and creepy, subplot to an already compelling story and serves to complicate matters very nicely. Also, you may find yourself laughing at some of his inner monologue, in spite of yourself. It’s black humor at its darkest, and lots of fun. You’ll cringe, for sure. Mannheim Rex reminds me very much, in the best way, of early Dean Koontz (in his Watchers, Strangers days), and Moby Dick references are inescapable. This is one big fish story you’ll never forget!
January 23, 2024
A gothic Jaws! Who knew it could be done? This book at 500 pages does not disappoint, starts slow but like in any Pobi book it doesn’t take long before the reader will start devouring pages until the wee hours of the morning to know what is going to finally happen.
This is a beautiful yet twisted tale, this story is about not only animal monsters amongst us but also human monsters of the worst kind. The main character is given a Hitler’s portrait and in the back (the writer that gives it to Corlie) writes something to the effect of beware: monsters comes in the most unusual shapes. I am paraphrasing but this reference is the heart of the story.
This novel is about finding love and friendship in the most unlikely places. The author really pushed the envelope on this story written in 2012 and it turned out to be one helluva good book.
Pobi from I have read so far likes to write about the different physical obstacles than a single man encounters and how he overcomes them. He puts his main character in “City of Windows” in a body that has been mutilated, left for dead, how that person broken physically but not mentally is put through test after test and succeed because of the people he has by his side and the strength of his character. In this book, young Finn fares an unresponsive and ill body but his spirit is stronger, he has friends behind him, also he has a purpose in life… I have a feeling that he is going to live forever but you have to read the story.
This is a beautiful yet twisted tale, this story is about not only animal monsters amongst us but also human monsters of the worst kind. The main character is given a Hitler’s portrait and in the back (the writer that gives it to Corlie) writes something to the effect of beware: monsters comes in the most unusual shapes. I am paraphrasing but this reference is the heart of the story.
This novel is about finding love and friendship in the most unlikely places. The author really pushed the envelope on this story written in 2012 and it turned out to be one helluva good book.
Pobi from I have read so far likes to write about the different physical obstacles than a single man encounters and how he overcomes them. He puts his main character in “City of Windows” in a body that has been mutilated, left for dead, how that person broken physically but not mentally is put through test after test and succeed because of the people he has by his side and the strength of his character. In this book, young Finn fares an unresponsive and ill body but his spirit is stronger, he has friends behind him, also he has a purpose in life… I have a feeling that he is going to live forever but you have to read the story.
April 26, 2015
Gavin Corlie is a famous horror writer, who loses his wife in a traffic accident and spends his days in a drunken stupor considering suicide. Eventually realising he has to change his life, he buys a house in New Mannheim, on the banks of Lake Caldasac, where he retreats to the country to lick his wounds. Once there, he meets Finn Horn, a young handicapped boy who enjoys fishing on the lake and the lovely Dr Laurel. Their lives intersect and together, Gavin and Finn, begin to hunt the creature which nearly killed Finn out on the lake. For there is a reason that nobody fishes on Lake Caldasac and why it has more than the usual number of boating accidents and unexplained deaths and that is the monster that lurks in the water.
This novel reminded me of a 1970's disaster movie - but in the nicest way. On one level it is a basic story about Gavin and Finn, both damaged in some way, and their hunt for the creature that will continue to kill unless it is caught. Yet, it also has great characters and a heartwarming message about friendship and acceptance, as well as the second monster of the storyline - the psychotic Sheriff Pope, who haunts the pages of the novel with a malevolence and violence which makes him almost as scary as the creature in the water. I think this book could easily become a pretty average tv movie, which personally I would avoid - I can say with certainty that the novel is much better than anything a scriptwriter could make of it. I really enjoyed this, it was the first book I have tried by this author, but I am sure it will not be the last I read by him.
This novel reminded me of a 1970's disaster movie - but in the nicest way. On one level it is a basic story about Gavin and Finn, both damaged in some way, and their hunt for the creature that will continue to kill unless it is caught. Yet, it also has great characters and a heartwarming message about friendship and acceptance, as well as the second monster of the storyline - the psychotic Sheriff Pope, who haunts the pages of the novel with a malevolence and violence which makes him almost as scary as the creature in the water. I think this book could easily become a pretty average tv movie, which personally I would avoid - I can say with certainty that the novel is much better than anything a scriptwriter could make of it. I really enjoyed this, it was the first book I have tried by this author, but I am sure it will not be the last I read by him.
July 18, 2016
Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
I was nervous going into this one because my defining personality trait is "jumpy" and I was, well, scared. But this one wasn't nearly as scary as I anticipated and I am glad it had a good monster scary and also a good people scary aspect to it.
I thought the writing was alright, it wasn't the best and it wasn't the worst, but I think it kept the book moving along pretty well. Considering this book is VERY long, I am glad that the writing allowed the pace to move along (fairly) quickly. I found myself a little bored at the start because we knew the lake monster was there but it was made to seem as though it wasn't? Or at least no one really believed it so it made me feel awkward for the first 100 or so pages.
However, after these 100 I read the rest of the book in like 2.5 hours. Which considering the size is a pretty good feat. I thought the pace was really well done and I didn't feel like there was any part of this novel that I wanted to be cut out or last longer. I liked that there were a lot of the necessary, predictable tropes and then a lot of little surprises along the way. I think the author did a good job of writing a story that people could figure out the basic plot but some of these tropes were subverted to keep you on your toes.
I really liked all the characters, but I thought the romantic relationship between Laurel and Gavin was very quick. I feel like we had seen Gavin falling to pieces over his dead wife and then it was like a flip of a switch and he was with Laurel. And while I am okay with people moving forward in their lives, I thought it was too quick for how we had seen Gavin up to this point. I thought there could have been more time spent with Gavin and Laurel to see him start to open up more before they got together. However, I did like their relationship and it was nice to see Gavin happy. On top of this, I thought Sheriff Pope was way over the top. While he was a great "land monster" in relation to the lake monster, I thought it was just too much.
I did really like this one. For being a monster of a book, I thought it was really well paced; I thought the story used the tropes of the genre but also subverted some of them, and; I really liked the characters. If you're looking for a good lake monster story, this is the one for you!
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I was nervous going into this one because my defining personality trait is "jumpy" and I was, well, scared. But this one wasn't nearly as scary as I anticipated and I am glad it had a good monster scary and also a good people scary aspect to it.
I thought the writing was alright, it wasn't the best and it wasn't the worst, but I think it kept the book moving along pretty well. Considering this book is VERY long, I am glad that the writing allowed the pace to move along (fairly) quickly. I found myself a little bored at the start because we knew the lake monster was there but it was made to seem as though it wasn't? Or at least no one really believed it so it made me feel awkward for the first 100 or so pages.
However, after these 100 I read the rest of the book in like 2.5 hours. Which considering the size is a pretty good feat. I thought the pace was really well done and I didn't feel like there was any part of this novel that I wanted to be cut out or last longer. I liked that there were a lot of the necessary, predictable tropes and then a lot of little surprises along the way. I think the author did a good job of writing a story that people could figure out the basic plot but some of these tropes were subverted to keep you on your toes.
I really liked all the characters, but I thought the romantic relationship between Laurel and Gavin was very quick. I feel like we had seen Gavin falling to pieces over his dead wife and then it was like a flip of a switch and he was with Laurel. And while I am okay with people moving forward in their lives, I thought it was too quick for how we had seen Gavin up to this point. I thought there could have been more time spent with Gavin and Laurel to see him start to open up more before they got together. However, I did like their relationship and it was nice to see Gavin happy. On top of this, I thought Sheriff Pope was way over the top. While he was a great "land monster" in relation to the lake monster, I thought it was just too much.
I did really like this one. For being a monster of a book, I thought it was really well paced; I thought the story used the tropes of the genre but also subverted some of them, and; I really liked the characters. If you're looking for a good lake monster story, this is the one for you!
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February 8, 2018
This is everything I want in a book !!!!! Thrilling, suspense, wonderful characters that the reader can embrace - wonderful setting in a small rural town - and a lake with something mysterious and huge that lives in it. Very light romance, which works perfectly in this book.
This author wrote the perfect book that I didn't want to stop reading - I wish the book could go on and on. I will definitely be looking for more by author Robert Pobi!
This author wrote the perfect book that I didn't want to stop reading - I wish the book could go on and on. I will definitely be looking for more by author Robert Pobi!
February 4, 2020
Had meer van dit boek verwacht.
April 7, 2013
You want to know the best thing about lake monsters?
Robert Pobi’s second novel, Mannheim Rex, falls firmly within the territory of a literary genre I coined. I call it “trashy underwater fiction,” (TUF) and have ever since I was the editor of a magazine for scuba divers. There are many subgenres of TUF: killer marine life, mermaids, talking dolphins, undersea city, etc. Mannheim Rex is of the “lake monster” subgenre. And I ask you, how can you go wrong? There’s a lake, and you have a monster. It almost writes itself.
Well, let’s give credit where credit is due. I think Mr. Pobi had a hand in this. After the requisite mysterious fishing death, the novel opens in the New York apartment of a hugely successful horror novelist. If you stretch your imagination, you can probably think of a real-world counterpart. Not yet forty, Gavin Corlie has realized the kind of success most men only dream about—but that can’t bring his wife back. Unable to move past his grief, he knows something has to change. Almost on a whim, he buys a house upstate on Lake Caldasac.
There, Corlie begins to find some measure of peace, and begins to make friends—first with Finn, a handicapped thirteen-year-old boy, and then with the local doctor treating him. But Finn also introduces Gavin to the mysterious goings on at the lake. The two of them join together on a quest to uncover the truth and to hunt a lake monster.
Now, this is all pretty familiar territory to aficionados of TUF, but Pobi’s having fun with the genre tropes. He’ll win no literary awards, but I’ve seen writing that’s far worse. The plot was fairly predictable—especially the identity of the mystery monster—but some scenes (like a certain basement sequence) elevated the material briefly. The characters were a mixed bag. Corlie was enjoyable enough, but Finn drove me nuts! I wanted to punch that little handicapped kid! He was so annoying. Also, in addition to the threat in the lake, the novel features a second antagonist. This character was COMPLETELY over-the-top. It was actually a little hard to believe what I was reading at times. The novel’s pace was okay, a somewhat surprising fact given the book’s inflated 540-page length.
Mannheim Rex isn’t literature, but if you’re reading this review, I don’t think that’s what you’re looking for. You want to know the best thing about lake monsters? They can turn out to be almost anything. I’d not encountered this culprit before, and despite some predictability, Mannheim Rex is a welcome addition to my trashy underwater fiction shelves.
Robert Pobi’s second novel, Mannheim Rex, falls firmly within the territory of a literary genre I coined. I call it “trashy underwater fiction,” (TUF) and have ever since I was the editor of a magazine for scuba divers. There are many subgenres of TUF: killer marine life, mermaids, talking dolphins, undersea city, etc. Mannheim Rex is of the “lake monster” subgenre. And I ask you, how can you go wrong? There’s a lake, and you have a monster. It almost writes itself.
Well, let’s give credit where credit is due. I think Mr. Pobi had a hand in this. After the requisite mysterious fishing death, the novel opens in the New York apartment of a hugely successful horror novelist. If you stretch your imagination, you can probably think of a real-world counterpart. Not yet forty, Gavin Corlie has realized the kind of success most men only dream about—but that can’t bring his wife back. Unable to move past his grief, he knows something has to change. Almost on a whim, he buys a house upstate on Lake Caldasac.
There, Corlie begins to find some measure of peace, and begins to make friends—first with Finn, a handicapped thirteen-year-old boy, and then with the local doctor treating him. But Finn also introduces Gavin to the mysterious goings on at the lake. The two of them join together on a quest to uncover the truth and to hunt a lake monster.
Now, this is all pretty familiar territory to aficionados of TUF, but Pobi’s having fun with the genre tropes. He’ll win no literary awards, but I’ve seen writing that’s far worse. The plot was fairly predictable—especially the identity of the mystery monster—but some scenes (like a certain basement sequence) elevated the material briefly. The characters were a mixed bag. Corlie was enjoyable enough, but Finn drove me nuts! I wanted to punch that little handicapped kid! He was so annoying. Also, in addition to the threat in the lake, the novel features a second antagonist. This character was COMPLETELY over-the-top. It was actually a little hard to believe what I was reading at times. The novel’s pace was okay, a somewhat surprising fact given the book’s inflated 540-page length.
Mannheim Rex isn’t literature, but if you’re reading this review, I don’t think that’s what you’re looking for. You want to know the best thing about lake monsters? They can turn out to be almost anything. I’d not encountered this culprit before, and despite some predictability, Mannheim Rex is a welcome addition to my trashy underwater fiction shelves.
November 3, 2014
Horror author Gavin Corlie is spiraling out of control. The recent death of his wife has left him reeling and ending it all is frequently on his mind. He decides his only option is a complete change of scenery -- getting away from the places and spaces he once shared with her. He finds the perfect fixer-upper in New Mannheim, on the banks of Lake Caldasac. The picturesque setting and the quaint town should be a destination for fishermen and tourists, but New Mannheim is hiding a secret. The town has seen a shocking number of disappearances and strange accidents. Most people avoid the lake as a whole and take their fishing elsewhere. When a local boy, Finn Horn, barely survives an accident on the lake while fleeing from Gavin, the author feels a sense of responsibility. After all, the boy was welcome to fish in Gavin's little bay, but the shock of the new arrival was enough to scare him away. After meeting Finn and hearing his story, though, Gavin becomes interested in the lake's strange history and the rumors of a monstrous killing machine that lives in its depths.
This past week has been a bit of a slow one reading wise. Interesting how that happens: my pace waxes and wanes with no predictable pattern at all. It can't even be chalked up to tv watching considering a lot of my shows have been on that weird mid season hiatus of late. Robert Pobi's latest seems to have been my pick me up.
I'm a fan of a fun creature feature horror read, so I'd been looking forward to my chance to dive into this one for a while. It hit the spot for sure. It's a bit schlocky, a bit gory, and lots of fun! Admittedly I have a bit of a phobia about underwater creepies, so this is also the perfect sort of skin crawling read for a person like me.
Aside from the creature itself, Gavin and Finn really made the story for me, though. Gavin and his authorly insights are fun on their own but as an author who's also a widow in mourning -- one who does take his time telling his own story -- he's appealing on a lot of levels. Finn, the handicapped thirteen-year-old who becomes Gavin's best friend and partner in crime, is sarcastic and witty as well as completely quirky.
There's plenty of violence and death to go along with the creepy creature and the cool characters -- and there's an entertaining story besides, so you pretty much can't go wrong with this one if you're looking for a fun addition to your TBR. I tell you what, though, I wouldn't move to Lake Caldasac!
This past week has been a bit of a slow one reading wise. Interesting how that happens: my pace waxes and wanes with no predictable pattern at all. It can't even be chalked up to tv watching considering a lot of my shows have been on that weird mid season hiatus of late. Robert Pobi's latest seems to have been my pick me up.
I'm a fan of a fun creature feature horror read, so I'd been looking forward to my chance to dive into this one for a while. It hit the spot for sure. It's a bit schlocky, a bit gory, and lots of fun! Admittedly I have a bit of a phobia about underwater creepies, so this is also the perfect sort of skin crawling read for a person like me.
Aside from the creature itself, Gavin and Finn really made the story for me, though. Gavin and his authorly insights are fun on their own but as an author who's also a widow in mourning -- one who does take his time telling his own story -- he's appealing on a lot of levels. Finn, the handicapped thirteen-year-old who becomes Gavin's best friend and partner in crime, is sarcastic and witty as well as completely quirky.
There's plenty of violence and death to go along with the creepy creature and the cool characters -- and there's an entertaining story besides, so you pretty much can't go wrong with this one if you're looking for a fun addition to your TBR. I tell you what, though, I wouldn't move to Lake Caldasac!
November 14, 2012
Who doesn’t love a good fish story? Pobi’s novel blends the joys of fishing with an homage to Jaws. Set in Lake Caldesac, or Lake Dead-End, an upstate New York fictitious lake, Pobi’s book opens with a gruesome scene reminiscent of Benchley’s classic. His descriptive prose and realistic (but familiar) characters lend the book a cinematic quality, making it a very readable and fun experience. And though famous horror writer Gavin Corlie feels a bit cliched at times, his counterpart, the quite tenacious and handicapable Finn, is completely new and very likable. And Pobi’s novel has double the monsters - the mysterious aquatic one and the truly loathsome and vile Sheriff Xavier Pope. Pope only becomes worse as the story continues. He is definitely one of the most hatable villains that I have encountered in a long time!
The rather unlikely friendship between Gavin and Finn blossoms throughout the book, giving this fish story a lot more heart and humour than you would expect after that opening scene. Other minor characters add a lot, too - I particularly liked the Liverpuddlian, Duffy, who sort of took on the role of Quint. I would have liked Pobi to further explore the past owner of Gavin’s haunted house on the lake. And the New Mannheim/Mannheim connection goes inexplicably unmentioned! But, the biggest downfall of the book is that for a pretty much straight-up adventure novel, the 500+ page count is a bit too high. The book drags a bit at times with some redundancies, and a tighter focus would have been appreciated. On the other hand, I love the juxtaposition of the two monsters, as well as the surprisingly extensive character development. The story is never actually dull, though some transitions between chapters do not run smoothly at all. These choppy sections can be a bit confusing, which is the biggest pace-killer in the book. Ultimately, it’s a fun and fresh fish story!
The rather unlikely friendship between Gavin and Finn blossoms throughout the book, giving this fish story a lot more heart and humour than you would expect after that opening scene. Other minor characters add a lot, too - I particularly liked the Liverpuddlian, Duffy, who sort of took on the role of Quint. I would have liked Pobi to further explore the past owner of Gavin’s haunted house on the lake. And the New Mannheim/Mannheim connection goes inexplicably unmentioned! But, the biggest downfall of the book is that for a pretty much straight-up adventure novel, the 500+ page count is a bit too high. The book drags a bit at times with some redundancies, and a tighter focus would have been appreciated. On the other hand, I love the juxtaposition of the two monsters, as well as the surprisingly extensive character development. The story is never actually dull, though some transitions between chapters do not run smoothly at all. These choppy sections can be a bit confusing, which is the biggest pace-killer in the book. Ultimately, it’s a fun and fresh fish story!
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January 11, 2013A monster fish. A depressed writer. A boy with a dream of becoming famous. A sheriff with some serious sociopath issues. These all combine to make for an excellent thriller by Robert Pobi. Don’t expect this to be some cheap Jaws knock-off. This goes so much, uh, deeper.
Gavin Whitaker Corlie, horror novelist, is a widower who can’t seem to get over his wife’s death. Contemplating suicide, he decides to move out of the crazy city. Buying a house in upstate New York on the shore of Lake Caldasac, he settles in to get his life together. Within a few days he encounters Finn Horn, a teenage fishing enthusiast who is slowly dying of cancer. All is not serene in the community lost in time. There have been strange disappearances on the lake and the local sheriff is not a big fan of rich city slickers. With more people missing and dying, danger lurking from local law enforcement, and winter approaching, Corlie and Finn make plans to capture the monster in the lake.
Pobi is a magician with words. His vivid descriptions took me lakeside and alongside with Corlie and Finn as they trolled on the water. This is a novel to display in any collection. Pobi is an author other authors need to read to learn how to write. The only disappointment about the book is that it had to end…or does it? Don’t think it’s over because the last chapter will shock your senses.
Reviewed by Stephen L. Brayton, author of “Beta” for Suspense Magazine
Gavin Whitaker Corlie, horror novelist, is a widower who can’t seem to get over his wife’s death. Contemplating suicide, he decides to move out of the crazy city. Buying a house in upstate New York on the shore of Lake Caldasac, he settles in to get his life together. Within a few days he encounters Finn Horn, a teenage fishing enthusiast who is slowly dying of cancer. All is not serene in the community lost in time. There have been strange disappearances on the lake and the local sheriff is not a big fan of rich city slickers. With more people missing and dying, danger lurking from local law enforcement, and winter approaching, Corlie and Finn make plans to capture the monster in the lake.
Pobi is a magician with words. His vivid descriptions took me lakeside and alongside with Corlie and Finn as they trolled on the water. This is a novel to display in any collection. Pobi is an author other authors need to read to learn how to write. The only disappointment about the book is that it had to end…or does it? Don’t think it’s over because the last chapter will shock your senses.
Reviewed by Stephen L. Brayton, author of “Beta” for Suspense Magazine
July 21, 2013
(3.7) Trying to avoid comparisons w/King when the novel is populated by quirky freaks and the main character is a famous horror writer is tough, but Mannheim's a compulsively good read that stands on its own and does the King genre proud. The endings a bit anti-climatic and there are a few spots where Pobi looks ready to jump the shark(almost literally) but he pulls back from that precipice and made me suspend disbelief. I will read another of his books and that's always the final arbiter.
June 22, 2016
I received an ARC from Goodreads and am glad I did!
This is a story about an unusual friendship of loss between a man who lost his wife and a 13-year-old boy in a wheelchair. I thoroughly enjoyed this fast-paced story. It kept me engrossed for the most part. It did get a little long at times, but this is one of the more interesting and well-written stories I've read in a while.
Highly recommend the read!
This is a story about an unusual friendship of loss between a man who lost his wife and a 13-year-old boy in a wheelchair. I thoroughly enjoyed this fast-paced story. It kept me engrossed for the most part. It did get a little long at times, but this is one of the more interesting and well-written stories I've read in a while.
Highly recommend the read!
February 14, 2014
Manheim Rex. Think Hemmingway and King sharing a drink (and maybe a bottle of pills) Like Pobi's other work--the outstanding BLOODMAN--there are scares and creepiness aplenty, but there's also a heart and warmth that you might not expect to find (and which by the way only cranks the scare-o-meter up higher!) Ther perfect summer read...
January 8, 2013
Wow! This was the best suspense/thriller I've read in a long time. I could NOT put this book down, read it in one weekend.
Pobi's writing reminds me of the early Stephen King novels. He combined rich characters and a frightening monster. I loved the relationships between the characters. Well done.
A highly recommended read!
Pobi's writing reminds me of the early Stephen King novels. He combined rich characters and a frightening monster. I loved the relationships between the characters. Well done.
A highly recommended read!
September 10, 2016
3.5 stars. Pretty good.
Mannheim Rex reads like a monster movie, a contemporary combination of Moby Dick and Jaws, and it’s full of action and suspense that monster movie fans will enjoy watching on the screen.
Full review on my blog: https://literarytreats.wordpress.com/...
Mannheim Rex reads like a monster movie, a contemporary combination of Moby Dick and Jaws, and it’s full of action and suspense that monster movie fans will enjoy watching on the screen.
Full review on my blog: https://literarytreats.wordpress.com/...
November 2, 2012
Excellent book. Great characters. Like reading a creature feature movie.
March 19, 2016
Review forthcoming
June 6, 2017
All my reviews can be found on ivereadthis.com
I was lucky enough to spend my childhood summers next to a lake; I swam in it, lay beside it, snorkeled around it, boated over top of it, and even constructed my own little wading pool on the shores of it. But when I would dive down deep to get a better look at something, I always got a little creeped out as I stared into the murky water where the shore dropped off. I definitely read too many books back then so my imagination always ran wild with the possibilities of what could be staring back at me. Robert Pobi’s book Mannheim Rex explores just that-the story of a medieval, horrifically large creature that is terrorizing a small town lake and its inhabitants.
Many have classified this as a horror or suspense novel, and it definitely has elements of both. We begin by meeting Gavin Corlie, an incredibly successful horror writer whose wife has just died. To escape his painful memories he moves to a small town called New Mannheim where he befriends a terminally ill boy named Finn who is obsessed with fishing. Corlie also falls in love with Finn’s doctor Laurel, and when you are rich, people fall in love with you quite easily too, according to this somewhat unbelievable aspect to the story. So while these new relationships are blooming, people are still dying mysteriously in this town, but their crooked, drug-addled pedophile murderer of a Sheriff is covering it up, simply because he’s lazy and doesn’t want to have to deal with the bodies that have huge chunks bitten out of them.
What did I like about this book? I really enjoyed the premise and the pacing, and the personal story lines around Corlie served to break up the encounters with the giant fish-thing, adding to the suspense but giving the reader a comedic break on a regular basis. Finn is a really fun character; although he’s dying he’s got a whip-smart sense of humour and his presence elevates all the other people around him plus he adds much-needed depth to the plot. I also really enjoy reading fictional stories about the publishing world, being a writer, etc. I think this is because I used to work in publishing, so I GET IT. Those of you who work in publishing will know what I mean.
There were a few things I didn’t like about this book. I mentioned that some of the human to human interactions were unbelievable (mind you, this is a horror novel, so I can easily let this slide), but I really didn’t appreciate the overall portrayal of women. There were very few, and the ones who were included fell into two categories; potential sexual partners or ‘balls and chains’. Sigh, I realize that this can be somewhat common in this genre, and it shouldn’t deter you from reading this book but I’ll never tire of pointing out the lack of strong female characters in any story that I read because I always think it is worth noting.
Other than my above complaint, I really enjoyed Mannheim Rex. I’ll leave you with an eloquent quote from the first page that accurately depicts the rest of the writing in the book, just as a teaser:
“he had fished this lake long enough to know that when it came to weather, shit went mother-in-law ugly real fast out here” (p. 1).
You’re welcome (and apologies to my mother-in-law).
I was lucky enough to spend my childhood summers next to a lake; I swam in it, lay beside it, snorkeled around it, boated over top of it, and even constructed my own little wading pool on the shores of it. But when I would dive down deep to get a better look at something, I always got a little creeped out as I stared into the murky water where the shore dropped off. I definitely read too many books back then so my imagination always ran wild with the possibilities of what could be staring back at me. Robert Pobi’s book Mannheim Rex explores just that-the story of a medieval, horrifically large creature that is terrorizing a small town lake and its inhabitants.
Many have classified this as a horror or suspense novel, and it definitely has elements of both. We begin by meeting Gavin Corlie, an incredibly successful horror writer whose wife has just died. To escape his painful memories he moves to a small town called New Mannheim where he befriends a terminally ill boy named Finn who is obsessed with fishing. Corlie also falls in love with Finn’s doctor Laurel, and when you are rich, people fall in love with you quite easily too, according to this somewhat unbelievable aspect to the story. So while these new relationships are blooming, people are still dying mysteriously in this town, but their crooked, drug-addled pedophile murderer of a Sheriff is covering it up, simply because he’s lazy and doesn’t want to have to deal with the bodies that have huge chunks bitten out of them.
What did I like about this book? I really enjoyed the premise and the pacing, and the personal story lines around Corlie served to break up the encounters with the giant fish-thing, adding to the suspense but giving the reader a comedic break on a regular basis. Finn is a really fun character; although he’s dying he’s got a whip-smart sense of humour and his presence elevates all the other people around him plus he adds much-needed depth to the plot. I also really enjoy reading fictional stories about the publishing world, being a writer, etc. I think this is because I used to work in publishing, so I GET IT. Those of you who work in publishing will know what I mean.
There were a few things I didn’t like about this book. I mentioned that some of the human to human interactions were unbelievable (mind you, this is a horror novel, so I can easily let this slide), but I really didn’t appreciate the overall portrayal of women. There were very few, and the ones who were included fell into two categories; potential sexual partners or ‘balls and chains’. Sigh, I realize that this can be somewhat common in this genre, and it shouldn’t deter you from reading this book but I’ll never tire of pointing out the lack of strong female characters in any story that I read because I always think it is worth noting.
Other than my above complaint, I really enjoyed Mannheim Rex. I’ll leave you with an eloquent quote from the first page that accurately depicts the rest of the writing in the book, just as a teaser:
“he had fished this lake long enough to know that when it came to weather, shit went mother-in-law ugly real fast out here” (p. 1).
You’re welcome (and apologies to my mother-in-law).
March 27, 2022
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Reminiscent of Stephen King's writing, it is a great horror story. But, it is so much more than that.
Gavin Corlie is a renowned horror writer on the brink of suicide after his wife's untimely death. At the suggestion of his assistant, Gavin purchases a possibly haunted house in New Mannheim and situated on the shores of Lake Cadusac. He soon finds himself becoming friends with a young boy, Finn Horn, who is in a wheelchair and suffering from cancer.
Finn tells Gavin that there is a monster in the lake and gets Gavin to help him try to capture this leviathan, hoping to gain fame from the effort. The friendship between Finn and Gavin is heartwarming as they learn from each other. Gavin sees the possibility of another book and quickly gets excited about life for the first time since his wife's death.
But, there is more than one kind of monster lurking in the area. And, as with most human monsters, this monster is much more terrifying than the one in the lake. The story is well developed, the characters likeable and the tension moves the book at a fast pace.
The narrator does a great job. with perfect pacing and great voices for the different characters. His performance added a lot to an already great read.
Gavin Corlie is a renowned horror writer on the brink of suicide after his wife's untimely death. At the suggestion of his assistant, Gavin purchases a possibly haunted house in New Mannheim and situated on the shores of Lake Cadusac. He soon finds himself becoming friends with a young boy, Finn Horn, who is in a wheelchair and suffering from cancer.
Finn tells Gavin that there is a monster in the lake and gets Gavin to help him try to capture this leviathan, hoping to gain fame from the effort. The friendship between Finn and Gavin is heartwarming as they learn from each other. Gavin sees the possibility of another book and quickly gets excited about life for the first time since his wife's death.
But, there is more than one kind of monster lurking in the area. And, as with most human monsters, this monster is much more terrifying than the one in the lake. The story is well developed, the characters likeable and the tension moves the book at a fast pace.
The narrator does a great job. with perfect pacing and great voices for the different characters. His performance added a lot to an already great read.
October 17, 2021
With this book, I believe I have read all of Robert Pobi' books. I like his writing very much, but this book may be the book I liked least. I am sure this might be a favorite of his because he loves to fish and the main character, Gavin Corlie, a semi-retired author, takes up looking for a sea monster with a very ill 13 year old boy, Finn Horn.
All Pobi' books are violent, but this one seemed more disturbing to me, maybe because the Finn's mother is killed along with numerous others not by a sea monster, but by a local police officer who is indeed a much more awful monster than the one that Finn and Gavin are looking for in the lake.
A beautiful relationship develops between author and young boy.
All Pobi' books are violent, but this one seemed more disturbing to me, maybe because the Finn's mother is killed along with numerous others not by a sea monster, but by a local police officer who is indeed a much more awful monster than the one that Finn and Gavin are looking for in the lake.
A beautiful relationship develops between author and young boy.
January 28, 2020
This book may not be the great american novel, but it's a totally engrossing fish tale. I absolutely enjoyed this novel and the extent of that is what I base my ratings. The characters and other story elements meshed well. When Dave Duffy was introduced, I thought it might be a distraction and be a detriment to the story. The main three characters to that point were carrying the story well. However, the author created a smooth and interesting transition into the story for Duffy. This might have been more of a 4.5 story, but I'll give Pobi credit for accomplishing everything I think he was going for.
October 29, 2019
Turns out that monsters come in all shapes and sizes. Mannheim Rex features a monster AND a serial killer. Two for the price of one. I’ll take the monster, please. This is the second book I’ve read by Robert Pobi. I was disconcerted by his anti-conservative politics and latent atheism in City of Windows. This book’s flagrant atheism, coarse language, and off-the-cuff deviant sexuality makes it the last book written by Mr. Pobi that I will bother to read. Exciting at times but trashy.
January 30, 2021
Not as good as Pobi’s more recent novels for me. I didn’t warm to any of the characters. Descriptions of people and places were long and irrelevant and didn’t add to the story at all .. found myself skipping pages because of this .. when descriptive language sets scenes it’s well worth it but this just at times seemed to be the author proving how many adjectives he could throw in to a sentance ..
September 12, 2022
Wow! Quite a read!
Which is worse…a monstrous man-eating creature or a monstrous human who preys on the weak? Pobi examines both types of monsters in his novel Mannheim Rex. At the center of the mystery is Gavin Corlie, horror writer, and young fisherman Finn Horn. Both characters confront both kinds of evil…the man-eater and the human monster. The book is a page turner, but be prepared for some truly gory descriptions. Overall, a solid 4 stars.
Which is worse…a monstrous man-eating creature or a monstrous human who preys on the weak? Pobi examines both types of monsters in his novel Mannheim Rex. At the center of the mystery is Gavin Corlie, horror writer, and young fisherman Finn Horn. Both characters confront both kinds of evil…the man-eater and the human monster. The book is a page turner, but be prepared for some truly gory descriptions. Overall, a solid 4 stars.
July 12, 2018
3.9/5 stars. It has been a long time since I disliked a character as much as I disliked Sheriff Pope. While I didn’t get the constant references to the cockroaches and their actions in Pope’s head and found them distracting, I still liked the book. The writing was entertaining, and I was engaged from the start.
July 22, 2021
This is my 4th book by this author and I love his more recent Lucas Page series.
This book started off great and I did like the monster scenes but I finally had to skim through to the end.
My issue is the way women are described in exhaustive terms by their physical attributes. I grew tired of all the toned arms and abs and breasts and great asses.
This book started off great and I did like the monster scenes but I finally had to skim through to the end.
My issue is the way women are described in exhaustive terms by their physical attributes. I grew tired of all the toned arms and abs and breasts and great asses.
December 29, 2020
Good read that will hook you and reel you in
I didn't know what to make of this book after the 1st chapter. Now that I just finished, is a great story. I was expecting some twist and turns, it gave me, in my opinion, a good surprised. You get a little of all, romance, action, horror with good character development. Hopefully you will enjoy as much as I did.
I didn't know what to make of this book after the 1st chapter. Now that I just finished, is a great story. I was expecting some twist and turns, it gave me, in my opinion, a good surprised. You get a little of all, romance, action, horror with good character development. Hopefully you will enjoy as much as I did.
August 18, 2021
A good read
Thoroughly enjoyed Mannheim Rex, although the "fluff" got old. As in all of RP's novels the characters are engaging and entertaining while also intelligent. I recommend any Robert Pobi novel.
Thoroughly enjoyed Mannheim Rex, although the "fluff" got old. As in all of RP's novels the characters are engaging and entertaining while also intelligent. I recommend any Robert Pobi novel.
December 21, 2021
Not really a horror/monster fan, but the relationship between Gav and Finn was nice. Did not care for Sheriff Pope, but would have liked to seen more Duffy. As in Bloodman, it had one chapter too many to give me a good ending.
September 22, 2017
A fun read! Great interjections of humour had me laughing out loud. Some wonderfully vile characters as well.
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