Bad Brains: A Psychological Thriller

by Joe Prosit

Ashton is an electrician. Julie waits tables. Both are broke and trapped in their dead-end jobs, rundown apartment, and bitterly cold hometown of Fridley, Minnesota. There’s nothing they could want more than to escape to someplace warm and sunny. So, when they find an ad in a magazine offering them one thousand dollars each and an all-expenses paid trip to a “tropical destination” for participating in a research study, they both jump at the opportunity. It sounds like the run-of-the-mill timeshare scam, but when Ashton and Julie wake up in a pair of luxurious over-the-water bungalows on an idyllic island, they quickly realize there was more to the deal than they first expected. The only problem? They’re separated, expected to answer to names other than their own, and married to two people they’ve never met before. As they search for each other and explore this exquisite island and its alluring inhabitants, they hear rumors of brains going bad and frauds being executed. They have to play the roles they’ve been given, especially after the corpse of a beautiful woman washes up on shore. Can they reconnect and solve the mysteries of this perilous paradise, or will they lose themselves to their strange new identities?

257 pages, Hardcover

Published August 9, 2023

About the author

Joe Prosit writes sci-fi, horror, and psychological fiction. His novels are "They Come From Below," "Look What You Made Me Do," "Bad Brains," "99 Town," "7 Androids," "Zero City," and coming soon "The Reality Reaction Team." He has been published in various magazines and podcasts, most notably, in 365Tomorrow, The NoSleep Podcast, Metaphorosis Magazine, and Kaidankai Podcast. He lives with his wife, kids, and dog in the Brainerd Lakes Area in northern Minnesota.

Reviews

[Lynn Nielsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Has a lot of promise

I tried this because I live in the same town as the author and like psychological thrillers. The author is spot on that February in Minnesota is like living in hell. Bad Brains is a very easy and quick read. It does have slight echoes of a popular movie that came out in 2017. Guessing that movie was inspiration or maybe just a coincidence. The storyline moved pretty quick but some "scenes" did get a bit long. Few loose threads and not the typical twist at the end that most psychological thrillers have. Perhaps would be classified better as horror or just thriller. That said, I would still recommend for a readable, entertaining, different book. I'll try more from the author.

[Duane Frank · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading a book this exciting with the main characters coming from a midwestern American background. The authors knowledge of the Midwest shines through not only his descriptions of the weather but also of the culture. The authors insight and comments on various topics are notable. There is an underlying humor that midwestern Americans will catch while being recognized really by anyone as the author’s personal opinion concurrently. The plot flows well and moves along at a perfect pace. What I thought to be foreshadowing of the end did not come to be, so I enjoyed the unpredictability of it. It kept me guessing! Bravo!! This is the third book I’ve read by this author and will certainly not be my last read. Many different twists and turns made for a fun book!

[Brittany Sheller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Never a dull moment!

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I hope this rating boosts visibility for the author, who I met at a small, local comic event.

The science aspects required a suspension of disbelief, but this is a novel, not a scientific journal. I thought that the motivations of the characters made sense, and that there was enough setup to explain some specialized skills. One of the major revelations of the story was pretty obvious early in the novel, but the main characters weren’t overly bright.

The pace is quick, and I enjoyed following the flawed protagonists through their adventures.

Looking forward to another book from this author that is currently on my bookshelf.

[Cami Eslick · Rating 3 out of 5]

The plot was amazing!!! I had such a hard time putting this book down.

You will be on the edge of your seat!!!

The writing not polished, which is the reason I did not give 4 stars. As the book progressed I saw improvement so I'm chalking that up to being a new author and am excited to see what the next book holds.

[Sue Peterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

All the action, thrilling plot developments, and luxuries of your favorite sci-fi vacation are contained within this highly enjoyable story. Some of the lines in here I predict will become cult-classics.

[Leslie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Weird, weird, weird! A few small twist but nothing that’s like oh my! It was a nice quick read though.