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A Mark Angelotti Novel #1
Dante's Wood
A troubled psychiatrist turns investigator when a young patient confesses to murder.
Psychiatrist Mark Angelotti knows that genes don't lie. Or do they?
Back at work after a devastating illness, Mark believes he has put his past behind him when he is asked to examine Charlie Dickerson, a mentally handicapped teenager whose wealthy mother insists he is a victim of sexual abuse. Mark diagnoses a different reason for Charlie's ills, but his prescription turns deadly when a teacher is murdered and Charlie confesses to the police.
Volunteering to testify on Charlie's behalf, Mark's worst fears are realized when paternity tests show the victim was pregnant with Charlie's child. Now it's up to Mark to prove Charlie's innocence in a case where nothing is as first meets the eye.
Not even genes—Mark's or Charlie's—can be trusted to shine a light on the truth.
Psychiatrist Mark Angelotti knows that genes don't lie. Or do they?
Back at work after a devastating illness, Mark believes he has put his past behind him when he is asked to examine Charlie Dickerson, a mentally handicapped teenager whose wealthy mother insists he is a victim of sexual abuse. Mark diagnoses a different reason for Charlie's ills, but his prescription turns deadly when a teacher is murdered and Charlie confesses to the police.
Volunteering to testify on Charlie's behalf, Mark's worst fears are realized when paternity tests show the victim was pregnant with Charlie's child. Now it's up to Mark to prove Charlie's innocence in a case where nothing is as first meets the eye.
Not even genes—Mark's or Charlie's—can be trusted to shine a light on the truth.
319 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2013
About the author
Lynne Raimondo
4 books29 followersBefore turning to writing, Lynne Raimondo was a trial lawyer at a major Chicago law firm, the general counsel of Arthur Andersen LLP and the general counsel of the Illinois Department of Revenue. She lives with her family in Evanston, Illinois, where she is at work on the next Mark Angelotti novel. Visit her website at http://www.lynneraimondo.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews
July 9, 2013
Dante's Wood is a wonderful read. Mark Angelotti is a very rich, complex character. His failings, and their consequences, have truly scarred him deeply. His unflinching honesty with himself (and the reader) about his sins is what opens the door for redemption in our eyes. His burden must be a heavy one to bear. And his blindness is painted so brilliantly: the details, the inconveniences, his growing resignation to his lot. The Dante angle is so nicely done, without beating us over the head with the irony of Mark's punishment. Yes, the irony is there in this highly intelligent and entertaining book, but it appears at the right moments, without a heavy hand. And as in the Comedy, there are paths to "salvation."
Very much looking forward to Lynne Raimondo's next book.
Very much looking forward to Lynne Raimondo's next book.
May 23, 2016
PROTAGONIST: Mark Angelotti, psychiatrist
SERIES: Debut
RATING: 4.25
Psychiatrist Mark Angelotti is back at work after a long leave of absence taken because of a devastating illness that resulted in the loss of his sight. He’s done a remarkable job of adjusting to his new situation, and a large part of DANTE’S WOOD describes the emotions and challenges he faces as he learns to live life as a blind man.
One of his first consultations upon his return is with a mentally handicapped teen, Charlie Dickerson, whose parents fear that he may have been a victim of sexual abuse at the hands of an art teacher at his school. Mark concludes that there was no abuse but soon finds out that his diagnosis may have been off base when the teacher is found killed and pregnant with Charlie’s child. Charlie is discovered at the scene, covered with her blood, and is charged with murder. Although not a forensic psychiatrist, Mark agrees to testify as an expert witness at Charlie’s trial. That doesn’t go well at all, and Mark ends up investigating the situation in order to make amends to Charlie and his family. It’s fascinating to see how Mark does this despite the fact that he is visually handicapped.
You’d never guess that DANTE’S WOOD is Raimondo’s first novel. The character of Mark Angelotti is quite intriguing. At times arrogant and angry, he can also be vulnerable and empathetic. The whole issue of his sight is dealt with in an illuminating way. Many of the stereotypes we have of blind people are destroyed—the portrait that Raimondo paints feels absolutely real and honest. The only real issue that I had with the book was the resolution. In an effort to pull off a twist, the author stretched the plot a bit too far.
DANTE’S WOOD was very well written, and I found it an engrossing read. I enjoyed learning about a world with which I am totally unfamiliar and hope that Raimondo will bring ust there again in the near future.
SERIES: Debut
RATING: 4.25
Psychiatrist Mark Angelotti is back at work after a long leave of absence taken because of a devastating illness that resulted in the loss of his sight. He’s done a remarkable job of adjusting to his new situation, and a large part of DANTE’S WOOD describes the emotions and challenges he faces as he learns to live life as a blind man.
One of his first consultations upon his return is with a mentally handicapped teen, Charlie Dickerson, whose parents fear that he may have been a victim of sexual abuse at the hands of an art teacher at his school. Mark concludes that there was no abuse but soon finds out that his diagnosis may have been off base when the teacher is found killed and pregnant with Charlie’s child. Charlie is discovered at the scene, covered with her blood, and is charged with murder. Although not a forensic psychiatrist, Mark agrees to testify as an expert witness at Charlie’s trial. That doesn’t go well at all, and Mark ends up investigating the situation in order to make amends to Charlie and his family. It’s fascinating to see how Mark does this despite the fact that he is visually handicapped.
You’d never guess that DANTE’S WOOD is Raimondo’s first novel. The character of Mark Angelotti is quite intriguing. At times arrogant and angry, he can also be vulnerable and empathetic. The whole issue of his sight is dealt with in an illuminating way. Many of the stereotypes we have of blind people are destroyed—the portrait that Raimondo paints feels absolutely real and honest. The only real issue that I had with the book was the resolution. In an effort to pull off a twist, the author stretched the plot a bit too far.
DANTE’S WOOD was very well written, and I found it an engrossing read. I enjoyed learning about a world with which I am totally unfamiliar and hope that Raimondo will bring ust there again in the near future.
April 16, 2013
Dante’s Wood is probably one of the best novels I’ve read in a long time. What stands out the most for me is Mark Angelotti, the protagonist and narrator; his voice is strong, consistent and realistic, a balance that can sometimes be difficult to manage.
I found Mark to be just the right level of snarky, but he also makes it clear how much he cares about certain people, especially Charlie. Mark’s not a perfect person – and he definitely doesn’t view himself that way – but the way he looks back on his mistakes makes him almost endearing. He’s the type of character I wouldn’t hesitate to read about again in future books.
And finally, I loved the twist at the end. Although I felt that something was off about the character involved, I definitely didn’t expect what came to light. But in hindsight, it makes sense, and it gives me a reason to read the book again another time in order to look for the clues Raimondo drops.
I found Mark to be just the right level of snarky, but he also makes it clear how much he cares about certain people, especially Charlie. Mark’s not a perfect person – and he definitely doesn’t view himself that way – but the way he looks back on his mistakes makes him almost endearing. He’s the type of character I wouldn’t hesitate to read about again in future books.
And finally, I loved the twist at the end. Although I felt that something was off about the character involved, I definitely didn’t expect what came to light. But in hindsight, it makes sense, and it gives me a reason to read the book again another time in order to look for the clues Raimondo drops.
August 16, 2015
Psychiatrist Mark Angelotti suffers from a genetic defect that, in early middle age, has turned him blind. He has learned how to cope with this very well -- far better than he's learned how to cope with (tada) the demons of his own past. When the astronomically rich parents of intellectually disadvantaged 18-year-old Charlie Dickerson ask his advice on their son's habit of waking up in the middle of the night weeping, Mark very quickly cuts to the chase and solves their problem.
Six months later, however, one of Charlie's caregivers is found murdered; Charlie himself, covered in her blood, is discovered by the body. The cops coax a confession out of Charlie with little difficulty and, even though it's patently obvious this confession isn't worth the tape it was taped on, a powerfullycorrupt ambitious DA decides to press charges anyway, and a judge fearful of her imminent reelection lets him do so. Sprung upon Charlie's defense counsel in court is that the dead woman was pregnant with Charlie's child.
Off to jail Charlie goes, pending trial, bail denied. The Dickersons blame Mark, who poo-pooed their earlier concerns that this very caregiver might have been sexually exploiting their son. Even aside from that, Mark feels guilt over Charlie's predicament and, in order to expiate both this and his even greater guilt over the death, years ago, of his infant son, he sets out to find who is the real killer.
It's a long and tangled course he must follow, and a couple of times there are attempts on his life, but at last he identifies the murderer. En route, for the first time in years he finds himself falling in love -- with Alice Howe, head of Charlie's care center and also blind. Her insights help him in his quest, while their affair grounds him against the the professional and physical perils in which he finds himself.
In a handful of places I was brought to a brief halt by something or other in the plot that seemed a tad implausible, but the book's so compulsively readable that this scarcely mattered -- I was reading at such breakneck speed and was so rapt in Mark and his triumphs and predicaments that it'd have taken far more than those trivial potholes to run me off course. As far as the puzzle part of the plot is concerned, at times I found myself a bit ahead of Mark in my deductions; at times he convincingly beat me to it. This sense of the ratiocinative element offering a fair and equal challenge added considerably, so far as I was concerned, to the tale's grippingness.
With a few noteworthy exceptions, I tend to steer clear of modern series novels, but I'm mightily tempted to lay hands on the next of Raimondo's Angelotti books. This one's really a tremendous outing.
Six months later, however, one of Charlie's caregivers is found murdered; Charlie himself, covered in her blood, is discovered by the body. The cops coax a confession out of Charlie with little difficulty and, even though it's patently obvious this confession isn't worth the tape it was taped on, a powerfully
Off to jail Charlie goes, pending trial, bail denied. The Dickersons blame Mark, who poo-pooed their earlier concerns that this very caregiver might have been sexually exploiting their son. Even aside from that, Mark feels guilt over Charlie's predicament and, in order to expiate both this and his even greater guilt over the death, years ago, of his infant son, he sets out to find who is the real killer.
It's a long and tangled course he must follow, and a couple of times there are attempts on his life, but at last he identifies the murderer. En route, for the first time in years he finds himself falling in love -- with Alice Howe, head of Charlie's care center and also blind. Her insights help him in his quest, while their affair grounds him against the the professional and physical perils in which he finds himself.
In a handful of places I was brought to a brief halt by something or other in the plot that seemed a tad implausible, but the book's so compulsively readable that this scarcely mattered -- I was reading at such breakneck speed and was so rapt in Mark and his triumphs and predicaments that it'd have taken far more than those trivial potholes to run me off course. As far as the puzzle part of the plot is concerned, at times I found myself a bit ahead of Mark in my deductions; at times he convincingly beat me to it. This sense of the ratiocinative element offering a fair and equal challenge added considerably, so far as I was concerned, to the tale's grippingness.
With a few noteworthy exceptions, I tend to steer clear of modern series novels, but I'm mightily tempted to lay hands on the next of Raimondo's Angelotti books. This one's really a tremendous outing.
January 22, 2013
Dante’s Wood captured me. I couldn’t put it down until I got to the last 40-pages. That was a stall tactic on my part to keep it from ending. After a few hours, curiosity got the better of me and I finished the novel to find that I had pinned the murder on the wrong suspect. Through the course of the story, I changed my mind a few times as the evidence was presented and twists occurred. At one point I reverted back to a suspect I had dismissed as innocent. I stuck with that suspect to the end, only to find I should have paid more attention to the clues!
I tend to prefer the first person narrator form of storytelling as it allows the reader to delve deeply into the thoughts and feelings of the main character. As a psychologist, Mark Angelotti not only allowed us to explore his thoughts and feelings, but also gave us insight as to why he felt the way he did. While fictional, his character caused me to ponder my own responses and reactions to those around me who are handicapped, ill, or living a life style that differs greatly from my own. It forced me to consider their perceptions of my actions or in-action. The interaction between Mark and Mike, a street vendor who stopped selling his newspaper to Mark due to his blindness was fascinating. I loved how they came to realize their perceptions of each other were wrong.
If you’re looking for an entertaining, thought-provoking, well written mystery novel consider reading Dante’s Wood: A Mark Angelotti Novel. I believe it will cause you to join me in anticipation of Lynne Raimondo’s next novel.
I tend to prefer the first person narrator form of storytelling as it allows the reader to delve deeply into the thoughts and feelings of the main character. As a psychologist, Mark Angelotti not only allowed us to explore his thoughts and feelings, but also gave us insight as to why he felt the way he did. While fictional, his character caused me to ponder my own responses and reactions to those around me who are handicapped, ill, or living a life style that differs greatly from my own. It forced me to consider their perceptions of my actions or in-action. The interaction between Mark and Mike, a street vendor who stopped selling his newspaper to Mark due to his blindness was fascinating. I loved how they came to realize their perceptions of each other were wrong.
If you’re looking for an entertaining, thought-provoking, well written mystery novel consider reading Dante’s Wood: A Mark Angelotti Novel. I believe it will cause you to join me in anticipation of Lynne Raimondo’s next novel.
November 3, 2014
In the nineteen thirties and forties, Baynard Kendrick wrote mysteries about blind private eye Capt. Duncan Maclain, two of which were made into films starring Edward Arnold. In 1971-72 ABC aired Longstreet, starring James Franciscus as an insurance investigator who lost his vision in an explosion. There have been a few more recent vision-impaired TV detectives. But because of obvious strictures, it's exceedingly difficult to write a story about a vision-impaired sleuth. In her novel Dante's Wood, Lynne Raimondo more than meets the challenge.
After a patient is accused of murder, Psychiatrist Mark Angelotti launches an investigation into the victim's death. Angelotti is certain that his patient has been railroaded by overzealous police and an ambitious prosecutor. Unlike other works about visually impaired sleuths, Angelotti doesn't rely on a sidekick or a service dog, but rather on his own powers of sensory observation and reasoning. Raimondo portrays Angelotti's abilities and limitations in a completely plausible way, crafting a unique protagonist in the mystery/thriller genre.
But there's much more to Dante's Wood than a riveting story. The novel is a character study of a deeply flawed man finally coming to terms with his physical and emotional demons. In its portrayal of Angelotti, Raimondo's writing is reminiscent of the best literary fiction.
I highly recommend Dante's Wood.
After a patient is accused of murder, Psychiatrist Mark Angelotti launches an investigation into the victim's death. Angelotti is certain that his patient has been railroaded by overzealous police and an ambitious prosecutor. Unlike other works about visually impaired sleuths, Angelotti doesn't rely on a sidekick or a service dog, but rather on his own powers of sensory observation and reasoning. Raimondo portrays Angelotti's abilities and limitations in a completely plausible way, crafting a unique protagonist in the mystery/thriller genre.
But there's much more to Dante's Wood than a riveting story. The novel is a character study of a deeply flawed man finally coming to terms with his physical and emotional demons. In its portrayal of Angelotti, Raimondo's writing is reminiscent of the best literary fiction.
I highly recommend Dante's Wood.
May 1, 2013
Unfortunately...I'm sorry to say that Dante's Wood and I just could not see eye-to-eye (no pun intended).
It's not that Lynne Raimondo is a bad writer - in fact, that is actually far from the case. The words were perfectly descriptive, creative and they sufficiently transported you to the world of our novel.
The story-line wasn't too bad either: a blind man searching for purpose and redemption; a mentally handicapped boy being accused of murder...I mean, it has all the markings of a great classic mystery.
The problem for me? There was just NO mystery....at all. From beginning to end, the book became easily predictable and therefore...kind of boring. The characters were typecast, the murder not unusual, the mystery so superficial. I felt like I had no emotion toward any one character. Heck, they could have all been the killer and I would not have minded. Sadly...that's just how deep the story went for me.
Read it for yourself, and tell me if you agree or disagree.
1 out of 5 stars
It's not that Lynne Raimondo is a bad writer - in fact, that is actually far from the case. The words were perfectly descriptive, creative and they sufficiently transported you to the world of our novel.
The story-line wasn't too bad either: a blind man searching for purpose and redemption; a mentally handicapped boy being accused of murder...I mean, it has all the markings of a great classic mystery.
The problem for me? There was just NO mystery....at all. From beginning to end, the book became easily predictable and therefore...kind of boring. The characters were typecast, the murder not unusual, the mystery so superficial. I felt like I had no emotion toward any one character. Heck, they could have all been the killer and I would not have minded. Sadly...that's just how deep the story went for me.
Read it for yourself, and tell me if you agree or disagree.
1 out of 5 stars
November 4, 2018
It is said that for blind people the rest of the senses are much more pointed, but is this the case with acquired blindness stemming from a genetic disease?
Dante's Forest is a great thriller, no doubt. I had fun reading it in my free time, and I took a project to finish it soon enough to get more books. The storyline is excellent, and the writing is great, the main character and the other minor characters arouse interest, suspicions - sympathy or anger and, overall, it has a great atmosphere.
The plot revolves around Mark D. Angelotti, a stinging psychiatrist whose behavior is controversial.
On his first day in the shelter where he works, Mark meets Charlie, a boy with retardation; For diagnosis and evaluation. Charley accused of murdering his nanny, and Mark is embarking on a blind spy campaign to remove the guilt from Cearley.
It is a thrilling book with a hero who copes with his handicap with his past and with his surroundings.
Fascinating.
Dante's Forest is a great thriller, no doubt. I had fun reading it in my free time, and I took a project to finish it soon enough to get more books. The storyline is excellent, and the writing is great, the main character and the other minor characters arouse interest, suspicions - sympathy or anger and, overall, it has a great atmosphere.
The plot revolves around Mark D. Angelotti, a stinging psychiatrist whose behavior is controversial.
On his first day in the shelter where he works, Mark meets Charlie, a boy with retardation; For diagnosis and evaluation. Charley accused of murdering his nanny, and Mark is embarking on a blind spy campaign to remove the guilt from Cearley.
It is a thrilling book with a hero who copes with his handicap with his past and with his surroundings.
Fascinating.
February 25, 2026
My husband was right. I enjoyed this.
I listened to the book and let me tell you, I missed all the context clues. I was along for the ride. Gasped at all the reveals. I thoroughly enjoyed this.
I listened to the book and let me tell you, I missed all the context clues. I was along for the ride. Gasped at all the reveals. I thoroughly enjoyed this.
July 24, 2013
At 46 D. Mark Angelotti lost his vision due to an unsuspected genetic condition that struck him almost totally blind within a few months. After a year adjusting to his situation his boss Sep Brennan implied strongly that ADA notwithstanding, it was time for him to come back to work - after all, a psychiatrist doesn't need to see his patients to treat them. On his first day back Nate Dickerson, a powerful surgeon, and his wife Judith come to him for help with their 18 year old son, Charlie. The boy has a rare genetic condition that renders him intellectually stunted and incapable of ever living independently. Charlie, a handsome, shy, good-natured kid has been having nightmares, and his mother is convinced that the art teacher at the training facility he attends every day has been sexually molesting him.
After interviewing Charlie, Mark determines that he has no issues other than those of any young sexually mature man. Judith had withdrawn her son from sex education class ("I didn't want him getting any ideas") so the boy has no idea what is happening to him during his nighttime erections. When he explains to the parents that ignorance is more likely to make Charlie a victim than to protect him, Nate chuckles and says he will take care of it. Six months later Charlie is arrested for murdering his art teacher. When it is found that she was pregnant with Charlie's baby, Mark's career as well as Charlie's freedom are in jeopardy.
The legal system's handling of the mentally disabled Charlie in this story is horrific; they let him waive his Miranda rights (which he doesn't understand) and coax a 'confession' with neither parents nor a lawyer present, then incarcerate him in the general population of people awaiting trial - with sadly predictable results. The legal complications of allowing Mark to testify for the defense open him up to questioning by the prosecutor, which seems to hurt Charlie's case more than it helps.
I changed my mind several times over the course of this book, but the ending still surprised me. It will be worth rereading to look for any clues the author may have dropped as well as to reenter Mark's fascinating and sometimes frightening world. Dante's Wood is an astonishingly well plotted and written first novel with unusual legal and medical elements, and I hope the author intends to make a series of her blind wise-cracking psychiatrist.
After interviewing Charlie, Mark determines that he has no issues other than those of any young sexually mature man. Judith had withdrawn her son from sex education class ("I didn't want him getting any ideas") so the boy has no idea what is happening to him during his nighttime erections. When he explains to the parents that ignorance is more likely to make Charlie a victim than to protect him, Nate chuckles and says he will take care of it. Six months later Charlie is arrested for murdering his art teacher. When it is found that she was pregnant with Charlie's baby, Mark's career as well as Charlie's freedom are in jeopardy.
The legal system's handling of the mentally disabled Charlie in this story is horrific; they let him waive his Miranda rights (which he doesn't understand) and coax a 'confession' with neither parents nor a lawyer present, then incarcerate him in the general population of people awaiting trial - with sadly predictable results. The legal complications of allowing Mark to testify for the defense open him up to questioning by the prosecutor, which seems to hurt Charlie's case more than it helps.
I changed my mind several times over the course of this book, but the ending still surprised me. It will be worth rereading to look for any clues the author may have dropped as well as to reenter Mark's fascinating and sometimes frightening world. Dante's Wood is an astonishingly well plotted and written first novel with unusual legal and medical elements, and I hope the author intends to make a series of her blind wise-cracking psychiatrist.
October 10, 2015
This is a very interesting exploration of the human condition couched in a murder mystery. Lynne Raimondo's first novel focuses on D. Mark Angelotti, who has (in his mid 40s) suffered the onset of congenital blindness.
Mark's first name is Dante and Raimondo ties this together with a quote from Dante's Inferno, Canto I: " Midway in the journey of our life I came to myself in a dark wood, for the straight way was lost..." That Dante finds himself (without understanding) in a dark place and tries to climb to the light. In those efforts he is confronted with fierce animals who threaten and drive him back. He has to find another way. Part of how he succeeds is with a grim honesty about himself and his past.
Angelotti is smart and somewhat egocentric psychiatrist who has alienated many of those around him and now finds himself blind and at a loss as to how to pull his life together. By chance, he is asked to see a couple who are trying to figure our what is disturbing their late-teenage son who has diminished capabilities and attends a special school. Angelotti meets with the husband and wife, and then with the child. He makes some recommendations and then tries to get on with his life.
Months later he is called by the parents to help the son who has been accused of murdering a teacher at his school. Angelotti agrees, out of a sense of responsibility and prior involvement to help. It is not an easy case and things do not go well. This leads to Angelotti further doubting his own capabilities. It is only as he interacts with people in trying to help the child that he begins to pull his life back together.
Raimondo handles these encounters well and presents a lots of interesting information about impairment as Angelotti meets many of the teachers at the school and goes through some of his own rehabilitation.
Reading this book gave me a lot of information about blindness that I am grateful for. This includes both how the blind prefer to be treated and what the world is like from their perspective. There is also some well done court procedure and a generous sprinkling of Chicago scenes to round it out. I thought I had figured out this book before I was half way through. But, Raimondo offers some nice surprises that kept my interest and made me glad I followed the book through to the end.
Mark's first name is Dante and Raimondo ties this together with a quote from Dante's Inferno, Canto I: " Midway in the journey of our life I came to myself in a dark wood, for the straight way was lost..." That Dante finds himself (without understanding) in a dark place and tries to climb to the light. In those efforts he is confronted with fierce animals who threaten and drive him back. He has to find another way. Part of how he succeeds is with a grim honesty about himself and his past.
Angelotti is smart and somewhat egocentric psychiatrist who has alienated many of those around him and now finds himself blind and at a loss as to how to pull his life together. By chance, he is asked to see a couple who are trying to figure our what is disturbing their late-teenage son who has diminished capabilities and attends a special school. Angelotti meets with the husband and wife, and then with the child. He makes some recommendations and then tries to get on with his life.
Months later he is called by the parents to help the son who has been accused of murdering a teacher at his school. Angelotti agrees, out of a sense of responsibility and prior involvement to help. It is not an easy case and things do not go well. This leads to Angelotti further doubting his own capabilities. It is only as he interacts with people in trying to help the child that he begins to pull his life back together.
Raimondo handles these encounters well and presents a lots of interesting information about impairment as Angelotti meets many of the teachers at the school and goes through some of his own rehabilitation.
Reading this book gave me a lot of information about blindness that I am grateful for. This includes both how the blind prefer to be treated and what the world is like from their perspective. There is also some well done court procedure and a generous sprinkling of Chicago scenes to round it out. I thought I had figured out this book before I was half way through. But, Raimondo offers some nice surprises that kept my interest and made me glad I followed the book through to the end.
May 20, 2015
This book was recommended to me by a fellow reader, and the premise of an almost blind person investigating a murder was too good to let go.
Psychologist Mark Angelotti gets involved as a witness in a case of murder slapped against 17-year-old intellectually challenged Charlie Dickerson. Angelotti is sure that Charlie could not have killed the woman, but when DNA test of the dead woman's unborn baby showed the father to be Charlie, he gets confused and takes it upon himself to investigate the possibilities that the police had not even bothered to look at. Meanwhile, he deals with his degenerative blindness - Leber's Hereditary Optic Neuropathy - caused by a genetic mutation, and tries to come to terms with his own relationship with his divorced wife and child.
The story was moderately paced, gaining speed in the second half of the book. I am always drawn to first person narratives, and a crime thriller with a first person narrative is always more fun to read, because we are prejudiced by the narrator's preferences, and the writer has more scope to play with the ideas he can put into our heads. From the time the DNA test showed Charlie to be the father of the dead woman's foetus, I thought I knew who the killer would be, but the ending took me by complete surprise.
Psychologist Mark Angelotti gets involved as a witness in a case of murder slapped against 17-year-old intellectually challenged Charlie Dickerson. Angelotti is sure that Charlie could not have killed the woman, but when DNA test of the dead woman's unborn baby showed the father to be Charlie, he gets confused and takes it upon himself to investigate the possibilities that the police had not even bothered to look at. Meanwhile, he deals with his degenerative blindness - Leber's Hereditary Optic Neuropathy - caused by a genetic mutation, and tries to come to terms with his own relationship with his divorced wife and child.
The story was moderately paced, gaining speed in the second half of the book. I am always drawn to first person narratives, and a crime thriller with a first person narrative is always more fun to read, because we are prejudiced by the narrator's preferences, and the writer has more scope to play with the ideas he can put into our heads. From the time the DNA test showed Charlie to be the father of the dead woman's foetus, I thought I knew who the killer would be, but the ending took me by complete surprise.
November 21, 2016
I was pleasantly surprised by this one! After reading reviews for it (mostly good), I wasn't sure what to expect but the more I read it, the more I was sucked in and couldn't put it down. Mark Angelotti is a blind psychiatrist and is drawn into an intriguing murder mystery. I admired his wit and sense of humor, and even though he has secrets himself he doesn't sit around feeling sorry for himself too much. He's smart, considerate, and partly because of his physical handicap definitely not your typical protagonist. The author did a great job of getting inside the head of this male character, and I so badly wanted to know how things would be tied up and the mystery be solved. The identity of Shannon's murderer was definitely a surprise. I will be on the lookout for the rest of this series!
May 6, 2013
I literally read this book from cover to cover in one day. I loved being inside of Mark Angelotti's head. Grumpy, unforgiving, unforgiven, Angelotti grabbed me and took me on a tour of what being sight-less might be like.
I'm working on a project right now for a museum designing media for the visually-impaired so Raimondo's research for the book was right in line with what I've been thinking through.
I especially liked the character of Regina Best, the arch-advocate of a barrier-free society. Her strident tones shook me up in a way I needed shaking.
I'm working on a project right now for a museum designing media for the visually-impaired so Raimondo's research for the book was right in line with what I've been thinking through.
I especially liked the character of Regina Best, the arch-advocate of a barrier-free society. Her strident tones shook me up in a way I needed shaking.
April 24, 2013
3.5 Always like reading novels that are set where I live or have lived. In this case Chicago, so many of the places I was very familiar wit. This is an exceptionally well written book, the character Mark Angelotti, a psychiatrist who is blind, a very interesting man, flawed with a history. Good story, good plot, good location, of course I am prejudiced, and an interesting first book in a new series.
June 24, 2014
I'm not always a fan of first person novels but the inside of Mark's tortured mind is so very interesting. This novel is more than a mystery whodunit. It's about a man seeking redemption and people doing the best they can. Though the mystery is compelling, the thing to keep you turning the pages is the hope that Mark Angelotti finds peace. I highly recommend this book.
February 11, 2013
Pretty good. You think it is obvious & why is the author taking so long to point it out, then it changes. The narrative & characterization are very well done. I am already looking forward to future "Dante".
August 27, 2013
A very nice debut novel with an interesting protagonist. Mark Angelotti reminds a little bit of Gregory House.
July 13, 2014
Could not put it down, read it in 2 days.
July 24, 2018
פסיכיאטר עיוור מנסה לגלות האם מטופל צעיר שלו הסובל מפיגור רצח את המורה שלו.
לכאורה אמור להיות מותחן, אך הסיפור מזדחל לאיטו וכל כך לא מעניין שדילגתי על עמודים ובקושי הצלחתי לסיים אותו.
חבל על המאמץ.
לכאורה אמור להיות מותחן, אך הסיפור מזדחל לאיטו וכל כך לא מעניין שדילגתי על עמודים ובקושי הצלחתי לסיים אותו.
חבל על המאמץ.
December 17, 2017
I enjoyed reading this book for a variety of reasons. The protagonist is empathetic, and his rare medical disorder is interesting, as are his attempts to cope with his recent blindness. In addition to Angelotti's disorder, there's also a genetic disorder that affects a couple of the characters and is possibly a motivation for murder. The court room testimony scene is very well done, and the Chicago setting is refreshing.
Mark Angelotti, the protagonist, is a clinical psychiatrist who, due to a series of circumstances, is required to testify on behalf of Charlie, an 18-year-old young man with an IQ of between 40 and 50. Charlie is accused of murdering his art therapist. Because he believes Charlie innocent, Mark pursues the investigation into the murder, even though he is blind and even though he has been warned off by the detective in charge and by Charlie's parents.
I'm happy to be introduced to this series and look forward to reading the second book soon.
Mark Angelotti, the protagonist, is a clinical psychiatrist who, due to a series of circumstances, is required to testify on behalf of Charlie, an 18-year-old young man with an IQ of between 40 and 50. Charlie is accused of murdering his art therapist. Because he believes Charlie innocent, Mark pursues the investigation into the murder, even though he is blind and even though he has been warned off by the detective in charge and by Charlie's parents.
I'm happy to be introduced to this series and look forward to reading the second book soon.
October 10, 2017
A very strong debut. Psychiatrist Mark Angelotti is deeply flawed, but fascinating, and his reasons for investigating when a young, mentally disabled former patient is accused of murder are compelling. To avoid spoilers, I won't say why he comes up with creative investigative methods, but they are credible -- and they work! And I love the final rescue (again, no spoilers!).
October 14, 2017
Perhaps I should just read more mysteries. This one was also full of well-drawn characters. Some of the science-based twists were pretty predictable, but the actual who-dun-it was someone I didn't see coming.
May 5, 2017
Excellent! It deals with serious issues so be prepared to think.
October 21, 2017
This book grabbed from the beginning. I look forward to the next one in the series.
June 15, 2019
Where to begin. The story was slightly better than average. I personally didn’t find the main character very likeable. He was sarcastic about every other sentence that came out of his mouth. To have a character appear in more than one book you really need to like the character. Obviously, this writer hasn’t figured that out. Some people may like sarcasm but I found annoying in large doses and not very humorous. It just gets old and tiring. The bitterness of the disabled people was pretty off putting. You’d think every normal person was the enemy. How can a normal person know what you go through when they have never walked in your shoes. Then there was the killer switching four times, seriously. That’s about two, too many.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 2, 2021
This was very well done. I don't always make note of the author, but was surprised to see it is a female writing a male protagonist.
Losing my sight has always been a fear of mine, so I was empathetic to Mark "Dante" Angelotti's plight.
I was amused by his reflections of guilt about Jack and his acceptance of his genetic defect as if they were related.
This is insightful about society's treatment of all other-abled people and the mystery was well done with several twists and turns. I did not solve it.
It is peopled with characters with secrets. I do love a smart aleck protagonist when the chips are down and the sh*t has hit the fan.
I look forward to more by this author.
I borrowed a copy from the public library.
Losing my sight has always been a fear of mine, so I was empathetic to Mark "Dante" Angelotti's plight.
I was amused by his reflections of guilt about Jack and his acceptance of his genetic defect as if they were related.
This is insightful about society's treatment of all other-abled people and the mystery was well done with several twists and turns. I did not solve it.
It is peopled with characters with secrets. I do love a smart aleck protagonist when the chips are down and the sh*t has hit the fan.
I look forward to more by this author.
I borrowed a copy from the public library.
November 6, 2018
Who would have thought a psychiatrist who loses his sight could become a viable candidate for amateur sleuth? The author successfully pulls off the premise in this first book of her series. I enjoyed it enough to purchase the next installment. Some of the details about how technology has enabled blind people to use the internet was amazing! There were plenty of red herrings and just when I thought I had successfully identified the killer, the author fooled me at the last minute. I am chagrined to say this happens more than once and I usually go back to try and find my mistake. The relevant clues were there. I just missed them. Drat! Foiled again! Looking forward to the next book.
March 16, 2017
4.5
A very good book, I enjoyed it a lot.
The pros were that it had an awesome story (with just a few cliches), a very lovable main character, and a plot that isn't too predictable.
The cons were, that it was a bit too long and that it took a while till the story became interesting (for me it was in episode 9).
Recommended, and recommended much more for patient people.
A very good book, I enjoyed it a lot.
The pros were that it had an awesome story (with just a few cliches), a very lovable main character, and a plot that isn't too predictable.
The cons were, that it was a bit too long and that it took a while till the story became interesting (for me it was in episode 9).
Recommended, and recommended much more for patient people.
November 1, 2017
The main character in this book was a little difficult to like, but the mystery was good. I can't imaging what he was going thru, slowly becoming blind, but he seemed to have a chip on his shoulder that weakened his character. I will read the next in the series to see if he has softened a bit. I look forward to hearing what my book club members thought of it.
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