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A Beautiful Madness
A Texas Senator and his wife go missing… On the same day, their son is slaughtered by an enigmatic killer on the lawn of ex-Governor Edward Wood’s residence. Sammy, Wood’s drug dealing son, suspects his father of the crime. After all, his old man snapped once before and crippled his wife with a lead pipe. But there’s something more to these events…something deeper and festering just beneath the surface…
In direct opposition to Homicide Detective Jim Thompson, Sammy begins an investigation of his own, searching for the truth in a labyrinth of lies, deception, depravity and violence that drags him deeper into darkness and mayhem with each step. And in doing so, brings them all into the sights of an elusive and horrifying killer who may not be what he seems.
A brutal killer on a rampage of carnage…a hardened detective on the brink…an antihero from the shadows…a terrifying mystery that could destroy them all…
In direct opposition to Homicide Detective Jim Thompson, Sammy begins an investigation of his own, searching for the truth in a labyrinth of lies, deception, depravity and violence that drags him deeper into darkness and mayhem with each step. And in doing so, brings them all into the sights of an elusive and horrifying killer who may not be what he seems.
A brutal killer on a rampage of carnage…a hardened detective on the brink…an antihero from the shadows…a terrifying mystery that could destroy them all…
281 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2014
1 person is currently reading
679 people want to read
About the author
Lee Thompson
26 books186 followers“Lee Thompson knows his horror-noir. He fuses both genres together in the turmoil of terror, tragedy, blood, guilt, and lost chances at redemption.”–Tom Piccirilli, author of THE LAST KIND WORDS
Lee Thompson is the bestselling author of the Suspense novels A BEAUTIFUL MADNESS (August 2014), IT’S ONLY DEATH (January 2015), and WITH FURY IN HAND (May 2015). The dominating threads weaved throughout his work are love, loss, and learning how to live again. A firm believer in the enduring power of the human spirit, Lee believes that stories, no matter their format, set us on the path of transformation. He is represented by the extraordinary Chip MacGregor of MacGregor Literary. Visit Lee’s website to discover more: www.leethompsonfiction.com
Some of my favorite authors: Clive Barker, Donald Westlake, Peter Straub, Stephen King, Greg Gifune, Lee Thomas, William Faulkner, Robert Dunbar, John Gardner, Michael Connelly, Dennis Lehane, John Connolly, Jack Cady, Tom Piccirilli, Brian Hodge, Douglas Clegg, Jack Ketchum, Lee Child, James Lee Burke, and Cormac McCarthy.
"10 out of 10 Stars... GOSSAMER: A TALE OF LOVE AND TRAGEDY will blow you away my friends. It is that good." -- Peter Schwotzer/Famous Monsters of Filmland.
"WHEN WE JOIN JESUS IN HELL is as crazy as its tormented protagonist. Hard as nails.” – Jack Ketchum
"The voice of the deputy feels authentic: brooding, soulful, haunted. In fact, there’s a heartfelt quality to the whole grim book. Even some of the most grisly moments manage to be poetic and full of emotion, and the author’s literary influences echo loudly. At times, the mood evokes Piccirilli or Braunbeck or Gifune combined with Sherwood Anderson."-- Robert Dunbar, author of WILLY, THE PINES, and THE SHORE
“Thompson’s voice is his own — strong, hypnotic, and unsettling. Nursery Rhymes 4 Dead Children is a bleak fucking book, and therein lies its danger. So beautifully-constructed is Thompson’s prose, that the reader is often caught off-guard, mesmerized by a turn of phrase or a descriptive passage, until the book grabs you by the balls and rips them right off, breaking your heart and your psyche in the process.” — Brian Keene, author of GHOUL, DARK HOLLOW and THE RISING.
"I’ve said it many times and believe it more everyday, Lee Thompson is not only the next big name at Delirium Books but in the genre." – Shane Ryan Staley at Darkfuse Publications.
"The Dampness of Mourning is a riveting Thriller..." Midwest Book Review.
"Lee Thompson’s prose is electric!" — Bob Freeman, author of DESCENDANT.
"Like a dark Twilight Zone meets Alfred Hitchcock Mystery." -- Lee Thompson, author of NURSERY RHYMES 4 DEAD CHILDREN.
http://leethompsonfiction.com
Lee Thompson is the bestselling author of the Suspense novels A BEAUTIFUL MADNESS (August 2014), IT’S ONLY DEATH (January 2015), and WITH FURY IN HAND (May 2015). The dominating threads weaved throughout his work are love, loss, and learning how to live again. A firm believer in the enduring power of the human spirit, Lee believes that stories, no matter their format, set us on the path of transformation. He is represented by the extraordinary Chip MacGregor of MacGregor Literary. Visit Lee’s website to discover more: www.leethompsonfiction.com
Some of my favorite authors: Clive Barker, Donald Westlake, Peter Straub, Stephen King, Greg Gifune, Lee Thomas, William Faulkner, Robert Dunbar, John Gardner, Michael Connelly, Dennis Lehane, John Connolly, Jack Cady, Tom Piccirilli, Brian Hodge, Douglas Clegg, Jack Ketchum, Lee Child, James Lee Burke, and Cormac McCarthy.
"10 out of 10 Stars... GOSSAMER: A TALE OF LOVE AND TRAGEDY will blow you away my friends. It is that good." -- Peter Schwotzer/Famous Monsters of Filmland.
"WHEN WE JOIN JESUS IN HELL is as crazy as its tormented protagonist. Hard as nails.” – Jack Ketchum
"The voice of the deputy feels authentic: brooding, soulful, haunted. In fact, there’s a heartfelt quality to the whole grim book. Even some of the most grisly moments manage to be poetic and full of emotion, and the author’s literary influences echo loudly. At times, the mood evokes Piccirilli or Braunbeck or Gifune combined with Sherwood Anderson."-- Robert Dunbar, author of WILLY, THE PINES, and THE SHORE
“Thompson’s voice is his own — strong, hypnotic, and unsettling. Nursery Rhymes 4 Dead Children is a bleak fucking book, and therein lies its danger. So beautifully-constructed is Thompson’s prose, that the reader is often caught off-guard, mesmerized by a turn of phrase or a descriptive passage, until the book grabs you by the balls and rips them right off, breaking your heart and your psyche in the process.” — Brian Keene, author of GHOUL, DARK HOLLOW and THE RISING.
"I’ve said it many times and believe it more everyday, Lee Thompson is not only the next big name at Delirium Books but in the genre." – Shane Ryan Staley at Darkfuse Publications.
"The Dampness of Mourning is a riveting Thriller..." Midwest Book Review.
"Lee Thompson’s prose is electric!" — Bob Freeman, author of DESCENDANT.
"Like a dark Twilight Zone meets Alfred Hitchcock Mystery." -- Lee Thompson, author of NURSERY RHYMES 4 DEAD CHILDREN.
http://leethompsonfiction.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
November 14, 2014
When a mystery man dumps a mutilated and near-dead senator's son on the lawn of a former governor, the former governor's life, and that of his children, spins out of control. Who is the mystery man and why did he leave the dying man on the governor's lawn? And is it connected to the governor's sons? That's what detective Jim Thompson means to find out...
I got this from DarkFuse via Netgalley.
When I saw the detective's name was Jim Thompson, my first thought was "Yeah, they're all fucked."
A Beautiful Madness is told from the point of view of Sammy, the ex-governor's oldest son, who happens to be a drug dealer. His sister, Delilah, is a manipulating gold digger. It seems that Andy is the only one of the Wood children who is worth a shit.
Sammy tries to keep his drug operation running while trying to catch The Wolverine, the mystery man who dumped the senator's boy on his father's lawn. Complicating things are his sister Delilah having a past relationship with the boy and Detective Jim Thompson trying to solve case himself.
A Beautiful Madness is full of twists and turns. There is a fair amount of blood, violence, and death. The characters were surprisingly three dimensional. The Wolverine was far from the one-dimensional scene chewing villain he easily could have been and even had a touch of sadness and pity in his backstory. Sammy is a drug dealing shit but still craves his father's approval and the love of his siblings. Delilah has a slight kind streak despite being a shitbag.
Once The Wolverine's story unravelled, the book become scientifically impossible to put aside. I loved the way everything ended for Thompson, Sammy, Delilah, even the Wolverine.
Darkfuse continues to be one of my favorite publishers and I'll be on the lookout for more Lee Thompson. Four out of five stars.
I got this from DarkFuse via Netgalley.
When I saw the detective's name was Jim Thompson, my first thought was "Yeah, they're all fucked."
A Beautiful Madness is told from the point of view of Sammy, the ex-governor's oldest son, who happens to be a drug dealer. His sister, Delilah, is a manipulating gold digger. It seems that Andy is the only one of the Wood children who is worth a shit.
Sammy tries to keep his drug operation running while trying to catch The Wolverine, the mystery man who dumped the senator's boy on his father's lawn. Complicating things are his sister Delilah having a past relationship with the boy and Detective Jim Thompson trying to solve case himself.
A Beautiful Madness is full of twists and turns. There is a fair amount of blood, violence, and death. The characters were surprisingly three dimensional. The Wolverine was far from the one-dimensional scene chewing villain he easily could have been and even had a touch of sadness and pity in his backstory. Sammy is a drug dealing shit but still craves his father's approval and the love of his siblings. Delilah has a slight kind streak despite being a shitbag.
Once The Wolverine's story unravelled, the book become scientifically impossible to put aside. I loved the way everything ended for Thompson, Sammy, Delilah, even the Wolverine.
Darkfuse continues to be one of my favorite publishers and I'll be on the lookout for more Lee Thompson. Four out of five stars.
August 21, 2014
The story starts out with a senator's son collapsing on a former governor's lawn. The killer looks on as the man takes his dying breath. Then we learn the former governor has a pretty interesting history. He had taken a lead pipe to his beloved wife and stepped out of the limelight.
The story is told by one of his children, Sammy. A drug dealer that I could not help but like. His daughter Dee now? I didn't like her spoiled ass all the way through the book.
The book was good and it kept me interested. I marked it as a three star because the point of view was completely told from Sammy's viewpoint. It did derail the story at times for me because I think even as first person some of the other characters in the story should have had their voices heard too. It got convoluted to only be what Sammy knew. How did he know everything-even when he wasn't on the scene?
It's one of the few books that I've felt sorrier for the "bad guy" than some of the characters that were the supposed good guys.
I do recommend the book.
I received an ARC copy of this book from Netgalley/Dark Fuse in exchange for an honest review.
The story is told by one of his children, Sammy. A drug dealer that I could not help but like. His daughter Dee now? I didn't like her spoiled ass all the way through the book.
The book was good and it kept me interested. I marked it as a three star because the point of view was completely told from Sammy's viewpoint. It did derail the story at times for me because I think even as first person some of the other characters in the story should have had their voices heard too. It got convoluted to only be what Sammy knew. How did he know everything-even when he wasn't on the scene?
It's one of the few books that I've felt sorrier for the "bad guy" than some of the characters that were the supposed good guys.
I do recommend the book.
I received an ARC copy of this book from Netgalley/Dark Fuse in exchange for an honest review.
November 27, 2014
Thanks, Lee Thompson, for giving me the most difficult book in the world to review. Everything I liked about the book was also the things I didn't like about the book. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times... I know.
Without trying to be wishy-washy, let me explain:
1. The book is written in first person omniscient, meaning its from the point of view of one character who knows everything. It takes a lot of balls/lady balls to write a novel in this point of view successfully, and Thompson pulls it off. I wouldn't dare try it for anything more than a short story. Thus, my balls are tiny.
Except... if the character is omniscient how does that work? Our drug-dealing, cynical MC Sammy (sounds like a DJ when I put it that way) seems to know everything that's going everywhere, even where he's not. But and a BIG F-ING SPOILER ALERT HERE
Anyway, Mr. Thompson walks a fine line here and pulls it off fairly well. There are a few other incidences of willful ignorance on the part of the "omniscient narrator", some more blatant but less important. Still, any writer knows that Mr. Thompson has managed a difficult feat. He is certainly a writer's writer.
As for the readers, they may not like this non-customary POV, or they may appreciate a refreshing change. I am sure reactions will be divided.
2. Style and pacing, word choice, description - Mr. Thompson nails all these. His form is fantastic.
3. Lack of Likable characters - I am in the minority view that you do not need a hero to make a good book. I respect any author that puts out a story populated by purposely unlikable characters.
Except... these characters were human and well-crafted, but I did not feel myself caring about any of them and kinda hoping every single one of them would die except for the last one to die. I guess Thompson's detective could be considered a hero, but I wasn't cheering for him either. This could be a problem with my psyche.
Actually, I liked Levi. Seriously. Great, understated character, and a hero by my accounts.
4. Plot - the plot was constructed well and it kept me reading, particularly the last sixty pages. But it has a slow beginning and not enough thrills for my taste (though the thrills it does have are top notch).
But a few things irked me SPOILER ALERT AMIGOS
5. Depth - where Thompson sacrifices plot for character development, he succeeds mostly with respect to his villain. This character is exceptional, not so much as a villain (though he succeeds here, too), but as a fully developed character who's a blast to ride along with.
So those are the goods and the bads. This guy writes so well that I will definitely read more by him, but I think I will check out his horror next.
3.5 Stars, rounded to 4
Without trying to be wishy-washy, let me explain:
1. The book is written in first person omniscient, meaning its from the point of view of one character who knows everything. It takes a lot of balls/lady balls to write a novel in this point of view successfully, and Thompson pulls it off. I wouldn't dare try it for anything more than a short story. Thus, my balls are tiny.
Except... if the character is omniscient how does that work? Our drug-dealing, cynical MC Sammy (sounds like a DJ when I put it that way) seems to know everything that's going everywhere, even where he's not. But and a BIG F-ING SPOILER ALERT HERE
Anyway, Mr. Thompson walks a fine line here and pulls it off fairly well. There are a few other incidences of willful ignorance on the part of the "omniscient narrator", some more blatant but less important. Still, any writer knows that Mr. Thompson has managed a difficult feat. He is certainly a writer's writer.
As for the readers, they may not like this non-customary POV, or they may appreciate a refreshing change. I am sure reactions will be divided.
2. Style and pacing, word choice, description - Mr. Thompson nails all these. His form is fantastic.
3. Lack of Likable characters - I am in the minority view that you do not need a hero to make a good book. I respect any author that puts out a story populated by purposely unlikable characters.
Except... these characters were human and well-crafted, but I did not feel myself caring about any of them and kinda hoping every single one of them would die except for the last one to die. I guess Thompson's detective could be considered a hero, but I wasn't cheering for him either. This could be a problem with my psyche.
Actually, I liked Levi. Seriously. Great, understated character, and a hero by my accounts.
4. Plot - the plot was constructed well and it kept me reading, particularly the last sixty pages. But it has a slow beginning and not enough thrills for my taste (though the thrills it does have are top notch).
But a few things irked me SPOILER ALERT AMIGOS
5. Depth - where Thompson sacrifices plot for character development, he succeeds mostly with respect to his villain. This character is exceptional, not so much as a villain (though he succeeds here, too), but as a fully developed character who's a blast to ride along with.
So those are the goods and the bads. This guy writes so well that I will definitely read more by him, but I think I will check out his horror next.
3.5 Stars, rounded to 4
December 10, 2014
I am a big Lee Thompson fan. The dude knows how to write some powerfully emotional dark fiction and now he has turned his skills to crime fiction! Nice!
Extremely well drawn characters that grew throughout the duration of the story and kept me engaged until the very end. It actually started a bit choppy for me, but I have read enough Thompson to know that it must have been me - trying to read a bit here and there over a holiday weekend. When I was able to hunker down and get some quality reading time, it really came together and started to take off.
The Wood family has had some serious issues in the past and they are about to find themselves knee deep in it again. This time it starts with a murder on the family home lawn. The family history starts to reveal its ugly head and the dynamic gets tense as more bodies start to turn up and everyone is searching for answers.
Lee Thompson’s strength is in his emotion and the breath of life that he injects into his characters from the most amiable, to the most despicable - You get to know them and their flaws, feel their joy and pain. A solid 4 Star read. Highly Recommended.
Extremely well drawn characters that grew throughout the duration of the story and kept me engaged until the very end. It actually started a bit choppy for me, but I have read enough Thompson to know that it must have been me - trying to read a bit here and there over a holiday weekend. When I was able to hunker down and get some quality reading time, it really came together and started to take off.
The Wood family has had some serious issues in the past and they are about to find themselves knee deep in it again. This time it starts with a murder on the family home lawn. The family history starts to reveal its ugly head and the dynamic gets tense as more bodies start to turn up and everyone is searching for answers.
Lee Thompson’s strength is in his emotion and the breath of life that he injects into his characters from the most amiable, to the most despicable - You get to know them and their flaws, feel their joy and pain. A solid 4 Star read. Highly Recommended.
July 5, 2014
A Beautiful Madness sees one of my favourite authors Lee Thompson delve into crime fiction in a riveting, character driven mystery and easily up there with his best to date.
The story centres on the Woods family, Eddie is the disgraced former Governor of Texas and the Father, while sitting with a beer one night on the porch, a neighbour’s 17 year old son and friend of his daughter, badly beaten stumbles on to his yard with his killer behind him. Eddie’s lawn will be the last place he sees, never to rise, as his killer disappears into the rain soaked night leaving the boy dead.
Enter detective Jim Thompson, a good guy with a good heart and a case that rapidly builds the pressure. Who is the killer? And what’s the connection to Eddie Woods and his three children.
The obvious answer is Sammy Woods, drug dealing son and the protagonist and narrator of the story. Told in first person through Sammy’s eyes, it took me a while to get used to this as Sammy describes events and the feelings of characters even when he’s not present. I can’t recollect reading a story where this method is used, usually a first person narrative is weaved with other characters described in third person, that’s not to say it didn’t work, it just took a few pages to wrap my head round it. That’s just me though.
Sammy’s got a lot going on, the Faulkner brothers are rumoured to be moving in on his business, his brother Andy’s trying to fix him up with a girl from work and his sister Dee has disappeared off the radar, just at the wrong time. On top of that his Father witnesses a murder, a message? He needs to find out exactly what’s going on.
The killer is known as The Wolverine and is a complex individual with a history that pulls on the emotions. Wanting only one thing and possessing the capacity, single mindedness and sheer tenacity to do anything to get it back. Once the Wolverine’s story is laid bare, in a twist that changes the whole perspective of the story, well let’s just say it’s impossible to put the book down from there.
A Beautiful Madness is an intuitive and subjective character focused story, the people portrayed are real, they all have flaws, you have intense feelings for them all, whether it be disdain, empathy or compassion. When an author can make you care about characters that appear only fleetingly and are just as quickly gone, then you’re fully invested in the story and I certainly was in this.
For example Eddie Woods was a shadow of his former self clinging onto the last vestiges of life, one day he snapped and beat his wife with a metal pipe, that one action changed his and his family’s life forever and I desperately wanted to know all about it. A small part of the story but I found it compelling along with everything else that was going on.
There is a fair degree of violence and it’s a necessary tool of the story as each twist and turn builds the tension to a frantic pace. I particularly liked the ending, not everyone makes it but it was satisfying and hopefully we don’t have to wait to long for Lee’s next release.
I do like my quotes, so I’ll end on one here’s a favourite of mine when the young boy dies on the lawn.
‘Some people think that’s the beauty of violence, that it leaves a person so shaken, so essentially battered, that the act committed strips the victim of their masks and leaves only the core, stark naked, defenceless and pure.’
Highly Recommended.
http://paulnelson.booklikes.com/post/...
The story centres on the Woods family, Eddie is the disgraced former Governor of Texas and the Father, while sitting with a beer one night on the porch, a neighbour’s 17 year old son and friend of his daughter, badly beaten stumbles on to his yard with his killer behind him. Eddie’s lawn will be the last place he sees, never to rise, as his killer disappears into the rain soaked night leaving the boy dead.
Enter detective Jim Thompson, a good guy with a good heart and a case that rapidly builds the pressure. Who is the killer? And what’s the connection to Eddie Woods and his three children.
The obvious answer is Sammy Woods, drug dealing son and the protagonist and narrator of the story. Told in first person through Sammy’s eyes, it took me a while to get used to this as Sammy describes events and the feelings of characters even when he’s not present. I can’t recollect reading a story where this method is used, usually a first person narrative is weaved with other characters described in third person, that’s not to say it didn’t work, it just took a few pages to wrap my head round it. That’s just me though.
Sammy’s got a lot going on, the Faulkner brothers are rumoured to be moving in on his business, his brother Andy’s trying to fix him up with a girl from work and his sister Dee has disappeared off the radar, just at the wrong time. On top of that his Father witnesses a murder, a message? He needs to find out exactly what’s going on.
The killer is known as The Wolverine and is a complex individual with a history that pulls on the emotions. Wanting only one thing and possessing the capacity, single mindedness and sheer tenacity to do anything to get it back. Once the Wolverine’s story is laid bare, in a twist that changes the whole perspective of the story, well let’s just say it’s impossible to put the book down from there.
A Beautiful Madness is an intuitive and subjective character focused story, the people portrayed are real, they all have flaws, you have intense feelings for them all, whether it be disdain, empathy or compassion. When an author can make you care about characters that appear only fleetingly and are just as quickly gone, then you’re fully invested in the story and I certainly was in this.
For example Eddie Woods was a shadow of his former self clinging onto the last vestiges of life, one day he snapped and beat his wife with a metal pipe, that one action changed his and his family’s life forever and I desperately wanted to know all about it. A small part of the story but I found it compelling along with everything else that was going on.
There is a fair degree of violence and it’s a necessary tool of the story as each twist and turn builds the tension to a frantic pace. I particularly liked the ending, not everyone makes it but it was satisfying and hopefully we don’t have to wait to long for Lee’s next release.
I do like my quotes, so I’ll end on one here’s a favourite of mine when the young boy dies on the lawn.
‘Some people think that’s the beauty of violence, that it leaves a person so shaken, so essentially battered, that the act committed strips the victim of their masks and leaves only the core, stark naked, defenceless and pure.’
Highly Recommended.
http://paulnelson.booklikes.com/post/...
July 15, 2014
3.5 stars.
This was a pretty compelling thriller novel. The characters were pleasantly complex and the background stories injected throughout made the entire book stand out. There were multiple layers upon the main storyline that all interconnected at some point, adding to the drama.
There were only a couple of things that I felt detracted from my overall enjoyment. The first was that the entire story was told through one son, Sammy's, point of view. While this has never been my favorite style to begin with, it bothered me more so when he was detailing events that went on with the other characters--even though he wasn't present for them. A personal taste, but it just took some of the "reality" of the story away for me. Also, while I felt that parts of the general conclusion were accomplished well, there were others I just didn't like--without giving away anything to spoil the book for others, I want to emphasize that this is just my personal taste.
If not for the issue with the omniscient POV of a single character, I would have given this one 4 stars.
This was a pretty compelling thriller novel. The characters were pleasantly complex and the background stories injected throughout made the entire book stand out. There were multiple layers upon the main storyline that all interconnected at some point, adding to the drama.
There were only a couple of things that I felt detracted from my overall enjoyment. The first was that the entire story was told through one son, Sammy's, point of view. While this has never been my favorite style to begin with, it bothered me more so when he was detailing events that went on with the other characters--even though he wasn't present for them. A personal taste, but it just took some of the "reality" of the story away for me. Also, while I felt that parts of the general conclusion were accomplished well, there were others I just didn't like--without giving away anything to spoil the book for others, I want to emphasize that this is just my personal taste.
If not for the issue with the omniscient POV of a single character, I would have given this one 4 stars.
October 29, 2014
Edward Wood is a disgraced former governor who broke up his family with one horrifying act of violence. Edward witnesses the death of a teenage boy in his yard and sees the killer leaving the scene. His eldest son, Sammy, believes that his father may be responsible but he soon changes his mind when more bodies begin to pile up.
This story is told completely from Sammy's pov, first person narration might not work for everyone but I thought it suited this story well. There's a lot going on in this read and some of the details in it are redundant, such as the missing governor and his wife. Small quibbles aside it was engrossing and a particular strong point were the characters. Not many of the characters are particularly nice people, Sammy is a drug dealer, his father a wife beater and his sister is someone who systematically uses every person she comes into contact with. Thompson's considerable writing skills flesh these characters out, they are shown as complex people who are capable of doing both heinous acts and kind deeds.
A twist just after the halfway mark shifts the read up a gear, the killer is superbly written and makes a surprisingly sympathetic character. There were so many things to like with this book but I couldn't help feeling disappointed with the almost happy ending where too much is tied up with a bow. Something grittier would have been more appropriate.
A great entry into the thriller genre for Thompson. Recommended.
July 19, 2014
This was an eARC from Netgalley.
Lee Thompson tosses his hat into the thriller ring, bringing all the strengths that make him one of the most compelling horror authors around, producing a powerful work of dark fiction, blending the gritty edge of noir with his trademark ability to form an empathic connection between his characters and the reader. The good, the bad, and the mad, Lee brings them all to life with emotional depth and humanity.
Highly recommended.
Lee Thompson tosses his hat into the thriller ring, bringing all the strengths that make him one of the most compelling horror authors around, producing a powerful work of dark fiction, blending the gritty edge of noir with his trademark ability to form an empathic connection between his characters and the reader. The good, the bad, and the mad, Lee brings them all to life with emotional depth and humanity.
Highly recommended.
October 24, 2014
The strength of this novel lies in its characters. Believable and realistically drawn, with flaws and strengths in equal measure, and empathetic. Although not personally a fan of crime/noir stories, I try never to let my own preferences impact how I rate a book. This is a strong novel with a good twist. It has a gritty quality. It has a strange first-person omniscient POV, which takes a little getting used to, but I'd definitely recommended it to fans of this genre.
February 7, 2014
Coming out from Darkfuse in August 2014. You'll want to read it.
August 2, 2014
4 of 5 Stars
Lee Thompson writes Dark Fantasy and Noir fiction under his own name, Coming-of-Age Suspense as Thomas Morgan, and Spernatural Thrillers as Julian Vaughn. The dominating threads weaved throughout his work are love, loss, and learning how to live again. All three of those threads are present in his new Crime Noir novel, A Beautiful Madness.
Although, I wasn't entirely comfortable with the author's first-person narrative, by the end of the story I have to admit it was an enjoyable experience.
Thompson's characters are complex. There are no clear-cut good guys and bad guys, everyone is drawn in several shades of gray.
I wanted to give a brief synopsis of the story without giving to much away. Not an easy task. It'll be safer to just copy the book description.
"A Texas Senator and his wife go missing...On the same day, their son is slaughtered by an enigmatic killer on the lawn of ex-Governor Edward Wood' s residence. Sammy, Wood' s drug-dealing son, suspects his father of the crime. After all, his old man snapped once before and crippled his wife with a lead pipe. But there's something more to these events...something deeper and festering beneath the surface..."
Thompson is a an adept story-teller revealing key puzzle pieces slowly throughout his story until it all falls into place at the end.
A Beautiful Madness will be released on August 5th, 2014 through Amazon.com from Darkfuse Press. It will be available in both print and electronic formats. If you're an Amazon Prime member you can read it for FREE through the Kindle Owner's Lending Library and you can also get it for FREE with Kindle-Unlimited.
Recommended.
Lee Thompson writes Dark Fantasy and Noir fiction under his own name, Coming-of-Age Suspense as Thomas Morgan, and Spernatural Thrillers as Julian Vaughn. The dominating threads weaved throughout his work are love, loss, and learning how to live again. All three of those threads are present in his new Crime Noir novel, A Beautiful Madness.
Although, I wasn't entirely comfortable with the author's first-person narrative, by the end of the story I have to admit it was an enjoyable experience.
Thompson's characters are complex. There are no clear-cut good guys and bad guys, everyone is drawn in several shades of gray.
I wanted to give a brief synopsis of the story without giving to much away. Not an easy task. It'll be safer to just copy the book description.
"A Texas Senator and his wife go missing...On the same day, their son is slaughtered by an enigmatic killer on the lawn of ex-Governor Edward Wood' s residence. Sammy, Wood' s drug-dealing son, suspects his father of the crime. After all, his old man snapped once before and crippled his wife with a lead pipe. But there's something more to these events...something deeper and festering beneath the surface..."
Thompson is a an adept story-teller revealing key puzzle pieces slowly throughout his story until it all falls into place at the end.
A Beautiful Madness will be released on August 5th, 2014 through Amazon.com from Darkfuse Press. It will be available in both print and electronic formats. If you're an Amazon Prime member you can read it for FREE through the Kindle Owner's Lending Library and you can also get it for FREE with Kindle-Unlimited.
Recommended.
September 1, 2014
In Lee Thompson's latest work, he moves away from his comfort zone and tries his hand in the crime/thriller genre. While I had some trepidation about this one due to him trying something new, I was pleasantly surprised to see that it worked for me. The storyline is narrated by the main character, Sammy. While first person omniscient rarely works well in stories, it worked quite nicely here and I had no issues with it at all. The story flowed nicely, aided by Thompson's skill as an author in such a complex plot. Just when I was getting comfortable with the story, Thompson threw in a twist that shocked me and kept me riveted to the story until the very end. If you've never read Thompson before or even if you have, give this one a try; I'm certainly glad that I did! Highly recommended!
September 4, 2014
This novel is remarkable to me. Lee Thompson sets a course early on and he will lead and mislead those who expect a standard thriller novel. Why? Because Lee Thompson shows himself to be a tremendously humane author who writes about his characters with great empathy for their suffering. I felt the profound tragedy of their lives and it reached me. This is unusual in this type of novels. A beautiful tribute to the downtrodden in this world and those who have grown up with heavily dysfunctional families. A thriller, yes! But, beauty is in humanity, its frailty and its failings.
August 13, 2014
I have enjoyed reading Lee's books over the years first being (As I Embrace My Jagged Edges) and will continue to read his work in the future. The main character in the story is Sammy the son of ex governor Edward Wood who lives in Wargrove Estates. The story starts with a teenage boy(Shawn Garrett) covered in blood and badly beaten falls into the yard of the ex governor. Nearby is a short person in a black rain slicker named Wolverine watching. Also that same day the Texas senator and his wife go missing, the parents of the boy who lays dead in the yard. In steps Homicide Detective Jim Thompson to investigate the murder. Here is where the story gets going. The story was a murder mystery/thriller. I'm not a big fan of a story told thru one person's point of view, but it worked for this story. I enjoyed the characters and the good flow to the story. It was very well written and I highly recommended it. I gave A Beautiful Madness 4 stars.
I received an e-arc of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received an e-arc of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
August 7, 2014
I received this book through my Darkfuse Book Club membership, which I have thoroughly enjoyed. I am also one of Mr. Thompson’s pre-readers.
First off, you have an experiment with a unique narrative voice that some have called “first person omniscient.” Whether that truly is the case or whether our narrator pieced it all together from what others told him or, mostly likely, he made up some of it up from what he knew, it works in this novel. Thompson clearly wanted to tell the novel entirely in Sammy Wood’s voice.
This is Thompson first published noir novel and he shows his roots right away even in choosing to name the tough detective Jim Thompson—one of the noir greats. The Faulkner brothers are not southern writers here—they are cocaine cowboys, and mean as hell. Thompson draws from a lot of sources and drops literary references along the way, but his style is his own and it concentrates on characters. You spend the book inside Sammy Wood’s head.
Story wise you have a young man murdered on the lawn of the former governor of Texas. That young man was the son of a prominent Senator. You later realize that if he was murdered on the lawn then something that happens later can’t be true. But then again Sammy said his dad might be lying, and we learn that he certainly has reason to lie. There are few certains in this book. Even when you finish.
Sammy is a drug dealer. His sister is a manipulator. His brother Andy is the only nice one in the bunch. But his dad, the former governor, is the real nasty one as we come to know. They are all drawn together by a shadowy killer from Eastern Europe called the Wolverine, whose story is as heartbreaking as that of the Wood family. The Wolverine wants something and will kill anyone who gets in the way. A very strong character driven (as with all of Thompson’s work) crime novel that doesn’t waste any time getting going or pull any punches along the way.
First off, you have an experiment with a unique narrative voice that some have called “first person omniscient.” Whether that truly is the case or whether our narrator pieced it all together from what others told him or, mostly likely, he made up some of it up from what he knew, it works in this novel. Thompson clearly wanted to tell the novel entirely in Sammy Wood’s voice.
This is Thompson first published noir novel and he shows his roots right away even in choosing to name the tough detective Jim Thompson—one of the noir greats. The Faulkner brothers are not southern writers here—they are cocaine cowboys, and mean as hell. Thompson draws from a lot of sources and drops literary references along the way, but his style is his own and it concentrates on characters. You spend the book inside Sammy Wood’s head.
Story wise you have a young man murdered on the lawn of the former governor of Texas. That young man was the son of a prominent Senator. You later realize that if he was murdered on the lawn then something that happens later can’t be true. But then again Sammy said his dad might be lying, and we learn that he certainly has reason to lie. There are few certains in this book. Even when you finish.
Sammy is a drug dealer. His sister is a manipulator. His brother Andy is the only nice one in the bunch. But his dad, the former governor, is the real nasty one as we come to know. They are all drawn together by a shadowy killer from Eastern Europe called the Wolverine, whose story is as heartbreaking as that of the Wood family. The Wolverine wants something and will kill anyone who gets in the way. A very strong character driven (as with all of Thompson’s work) crime novel that doesn’t waste any time getting going or pull any punches along the way.
August 9, 2014
A Beautiful Madness by Lee Thomas
Opened sometime prior to August 4, closed August 8, 2014
Dark Fuse novel
I read on Lee's web site, I think, that his books have an underlying theme of love including family love. What would you do for the love of family. This book certainly deals with family love, hate and how to take advantage when terrible things happen to your family.
A well written story. The characters were believable and each certainly had their own priorities in life. I liked the way the author told the background on so many of the characters. This did not disrupt the flow of the story and helped with the heart felt feelings I developed for most of the characters.
Once I got into this book, I realized there was not a strong “bad guy” or strong “good guy”. These were just people trying to live their lives the way they could at the time.
I give this book 3.5 stars, but rounded up to 4
Opened sometime prior to August 4, closed August 8, 2014
Dark Fuse novel
I read on Lee's web site, I think, that his books have an underlying theme of love including family love. What would you do for the love of family. This book certainly deals with family love, hate and how to take advantage when terrible things happen to your family.
A well written story. The characters were believable and each certainly had their own priorities in life. I liked the way the author told the background on so many of the characters. This did not disrupt the flow of the story and helped with the heart felt feelings I developed for most of the characters.
Once I got into this book, I realized there was not a strong “bad guy” or strong “good guy”. These were just people trying to live their lives the way they could at the time.
I give this book 3.5 stars, but rounded up to 4
August 29, 2014
This story is filled with a lot of real people, meaning there are no clear lines of "good guys" and "bad guys", which is often the case in real life. They do things that are decent at times, and other times do things that are completely reprehensible, but in most cases, we eventually come to realize there are reasons for their feelings and actions, with most of the characters having had a LOT of hardship in their past. Most seem really unlikable early in the story, but as you read on you at least come to understand them and empathize with them, even if you never truly grow to like them.
This story is told in first person omniscient, which seems to have bothered a number of the reviewers, but which wasn't an issue for me once I got back into it, since it is not a common.narrative style. It also is told almost stream-of-consciousness in places, with long, rambling sentences and a colloquial style, at times reminding me of Joe Lansdale's work, which I think fit with the personality of the central character. There were times when it came across rough, but overall the author pulled it off well.
I won't say much about the story because it's hard to know where to draw the line before treading into spoiler territory, but at the heart of it, it is a revenge story, but it is also a story about loyalty and family, and reminds us frequently that no matter how much you love or hate them, family is family.
Recommended for fans of noir crime, especially those looking to try something a little different than a cookie-cutter crime thriller. I rounded up to 4 stars from somewhere just above 3.5.
This story is told in first person omniscient, which seems to have bothered a number of the reviewers, but which wasn't an issue for me once I got back into it, since it is not a common.narrative style. It also is told almost stream-of-consciousness in places, with long, rambling sentences and a colloquial style, at times reminding me of Joe Lansdale's work, which I think fit with the personality of the central character. There were times when it came across rough, but overall the author pulled it off well.
I won't say much about the story because it's hard to know where to draw the line before treading into spoiler territory, but at the heart of it, it is a revenge story, but it is also a story about loyalty and family, and reminds us frequently that no matter how much you love or hate them, family is family.
Recommended for fans of noir crime, especially those looking to try something a little different than a cookie-cutter crime thriller. I rounded up to 4 stars from somewhere just above 3.5.
June 10, 2015
A Beautiful Madness by Lee Thompson is a crime/noir novel that is a bit of a departure for the author. His previous books (at least those that I have read) tended to fall into the horror/dark fantasy camp and I have enjoyed them tremendously. I appreciate dark mysteries as well, so I was looking forward to my read of A Beautiful Madness. I was not disappointed – this is a gritty piece of work for two reasons. One is the smoothness of the writing. The narrative is crisp and plot lines are addictive. The other is the character development. Most of the characters came fully alive on the page, especially the three siblings. Creating complex characters in a plot driven work is quite a skill, and Mr. Thompson does a fine job.
I did have a few problems with the work. One is the first person omniscient point of view that has been mentioned in other reviews. I felt it detracted the flow at times. This wasn’t fatal by any means, but on a couple of occasions I found myself wondering how this character would know what was going on. The second is the occurrence of a huge plot inconsistency. Without going into details, the demise of a character is described differently in two different sections of the book. This error should have been caught by the editor. Despite this, I could not put the book down. An enjoyable and gripping read.
I did have a few problems with the work. One is the first person omniscient point of view that has been mentioned in other reviews. I felt it detracted the flow at times. This wasn’t fatal by any means, but on a couple of occasions I found myself wondering how this character would know what was going on. The second is the occurrence of a huge plot inconsistency. Without going into details, the demise of a character is described differently in two different sections of the book. This error should have been caught by the editor. Despite this, I could not put the book down. An enjoyable and gripping read.
September 1, 2014
My first Lee Thompson and I thoroughly enjoyed this crime noir thriller. Lee really knocked this one out of the park. Written in short, quick chapters and full of interesting characters that are both good and evil this book pulls you along a plot line that begs you to just sit and read a little bit more. Mr. Thompson has another crime noir scheduled for later this year and I can't wait to visit more of his creations. Highly recommended.
Want to read
February 11, 2015This is copy 88 of 100 signed and numbered copies.
July 10, 2014
Procured via: NetGalley
Book Title and Author: “A Beautiful Madness” Lee Thompson
Rating: 3 Stars Worthy of a library check out
Release Date: August 5, 2014
Genre: Mystery & Thriller, Dark Noir
Audience: Fans of previous Thompson novels will enjoy “A Beautiful Madness”
Series: Standalone
Summary: From the book jacket: “A Texas Senator and his wife go missing…On the same day, their son is slaughtered by an enigmatic killer on the lawn of ex-Governor Edward Wood's residence. Sammy, Wood's drug dealing son, suspects his father of the crime. After all, his old man snapped once before and crippled his wife with a lead pipe. But there's something more to these events…something deeper and festering just beneath the surface…
In direct opposition to Homicide Detective Jim Thompson, Sammy begins an investigation of his own, searching for the truth in a labyrinth of lies, deception, depravity and violence that drags him deeper into darkness and mayhem with each step. And in doing so, brings them all into the sights of an elusive and horrifying killer who may not be what he seems.
A brutal killer on a rampage of carnage…a hardened detective on the brink…an antihero from the shadows…a terrifying mystery that could destroy them all…
A Beautiful Madness, the harrowing new novel of dark crime and suspense from Lee Thompson.”
Review and Opinion: There is a lot going on in this book. A lot. This is a bit darker than book I usually enjoy, and that’s saying a lot considering I keep Dennis Lehane, Karin Slaughter, and Linda Castillo on my book shelves. “A Beautiful Madness” captured me from the beginning and kept me engrossed throughout the entire novel. I finished it in a day. Here’s what kept me from giving it 4 or 5 stars:
I needed a flow chart to keep track of all the characters. Too many characters were only mentioned once, and then never returned to. I understand that happens in investigative novels, but I became confused more than once while reading this book. The main characters such as Sammy, Detective Thompson, and Delilah were well developed, although hard to like. There were some sympathetic points to all of the characters, but considering what’s going on in the book it’s hard to understand what the author wants readers to feel about them.
While reading the book, I could tell that Thompson’s writing was influenced by a number of authors, which can be a good thing. Unfortunately, in the case of this book it felt like he was channeling different authors on a page by page basis. One page, I think he’s writing as Stephen King, the next page he’s doing his William Faulkner impression. For a book that measures less than 300 pages, he’s paying homage to too many authors. If I could reach out to the author and tell him anything, it would be “Those you follow are great authors, but write like Lee Thompson. Your written word is powerful enough on its own without using theirs as a crutch.”
What kept it from getting two stars is the fact that it was a good story. His plot was tight and he didn’t fart around with a lot of side story bullshit that can occasionally bog books of his genre down. He stayed true to the story all the way to its conclusion, which makes me want to read his other books in print.
Book Title and Author: “A Beautiful Madness” Lee Thompson
Rating: 3 Stars Worthy of a library check out
Release Date: August 5, 2014
Genre: Mystery & Thriller, Dark Noir
Audience: Fans of previous Thompson novels will enjoy “A Beautiful Madness”
Series: Standalone
Summary: From the book jacket: “A Texas Senator and his wife go missing…On the same day, their son is slaughtered by an enigmatic killer on the lawn of ex-Governor Edward Wood's residence. Sammy, Wood's drug dealing son, suspects his father of the crime. After all, his old man snapped once before and crippled his wife with a lead pipe. But there's something more to these events…something deeper and festering just beneath the surface…
In direct opposition to Homicide Detective Jim Thompson, Sammy begins an investigation of his own, searching for the truth in a labyrinth of lies, deception, depravity and violence that drags him deeper into darkness and mayhem with each step. And in doing so, brings them all into the sights of an elusive and horrifying killer who may not be what he seems.
A brutal killer on a rampage of carnage…a hardened detective on the brink…an antihero from the shadows…a terrifying mystery that could destroy them all…
A Beautiful Madness, the harrowing new novel of dark crime and suspense from Lee Thompson.”
Review and Opinion: There is a lot going on in this book. A lot. This is a bit darker than book I usually enjoy, and that’s saying a lot considering I keep Dennis Lehane, Karin Slaughter, and Linda Castillo on my book shelves. “A Beautiful Madness” captured me from the beginning and kept me engrossed throughout the entire novel. I finished it in a day. Here’s what kept me from giving it 4 or 5 stars:
I needed a flow chart to keep track of all the characters. Too many characters were only mentioned once, and then never returned to. I understand that happens in investigative novels, but I became confused more than once while reading this book. The main characters such as Sammy, Detective Thompson, and Delilah were well developed, although hard to like. There were some sympathetic points to all of the characters, but considering what’s going on in the book it’s hard to understand what the author wants readers to feel about them.
While reading the book, I could tell that Thompson’s writing was influenced by a number of authors, which can be a good thing. Unfortunately, in the case of this book it felt like he was channeling different authors on a page by page basis. One page, I think he’s writing as Stephen King, the next page he’s doing his William Faulkner impression. For a book that measures less than 300 pages, he’s paying homage to too many authors. If I could reach out to the author and tell him anything, it would be “Those you follow are great authors, but write like Lee Thompson. Your written word is powerful enough on its own without using theirs as a crutch.”
What kept it from getting two stars is the fact that it was a good story. His plot was tight and he didn’t fart around with a lot of side story bullshit that can occasionally bog books of his genre down. He stayed true to the story all the way to its conclusion, which makes me want to read his other books in print.
December 18, 2014
Essentially all of my exposure to the works of Lee Thompson have been the novellas he's put out with Delirium and DarkFuse, all of which have had a kind of nightmarish feeling to them (that is, reading them feels like reading about a particularly nasty dream). His latest novel is not like that - it's a fairly straightforward thriller - so it took some getting used to.
A Beautiful Madness tells the story of the Woods family, formerly members of the Texas elite but, after the horrific actions of Edward Woods, the father, they are outcasts and criminals for the most part. The story opens with Edward Woods, a former Texas governor, sitting on his porch, drinking beer - apparently his usual routine. That's interrupted when a young man with horrific wounds stumbles into his yard and dies. Eddie sees who he thinks is the killer walking away into the fog.
Sammy Woods, Edward's oldest son, learns of these events and thinks someone might be after his father, finally acting on an old grudge. However, as he begins to dig deeper into the mystery, tragedy after tragedy strikes him, his family, and his friends. The truth of the matter, once it's discovered, is absolutely nothing like what Sammy expected.
At it's heart, this is a good story, but Thompson runs into some problems putting it together. First, it really seems like a large chunk of the story was written either in the third person, or in first person with multiple narrators, and then Thompson went back and made it all first person from Sammy's perspective. That wouldn't be such an issue if Sammy wasn't constantly relaying events he would literally have no way of knowing about as the people involved are dead by the time he would have found out what happened. I have nothing against first person omniscient narration, but that's not really what's going on in this book.
There are also a few plot holes. The most glaring, in my mind, is whether or not the senator's son is dead in the opening chapter. The narration there makes it pretty clear he is not, having him utter a name and then bleed out. However, towards the end of the novel, we are shown the last encounter between this boy and his killer and it is definitely stated that the boy is dead after the killer's initial attack. Which is it?
Then, of course, there's the fact that one major plotline is left unresolved. That's not necessarily a problem if this was planned to be the first part in a series, but there's no indication this is anything other than a standalone title because, aside from this single plotline, everything else is wrapped up neatly. It almost reads like Thompson got to the end and, realizing he still had a dangling thread out there, just said "eh, good enough."
The most frustrating thing about this book is that there's a lot of potential that just goes to waste. All the parts to make a great book are there, but there's also a lot of stuff there that should be smoothed over or pruned out because it detracts from the quality of the final product. I know Thompson's capable of writing extremely good fiction, as evidenced by a lot of his earlier work.
A Beautiful Madness tells the story of the Woods family, formerly members of the Texas elite but, after the horrific actions of Edward Woods, the father, they are outcasts and criminals for the most part. The story opens with Edward Woods, a former Texas governor, sitting on his porch, drinking beer - apparently his usual routine. That's interrupted when a young man with horrific wounds stumbles into his yard and dies. Eddie sees who he thinks is the killer walking away into the fog.
Sammy Woods, Edward's oldest son, learns of these events and thinks someone might be after his father, finally acting on an old grudge. However, as he begins to dig deeper into the mystery, tragedy after tragedy strikes him, his family, and his friends. The truth of the matter, once it's discovered, is absolutely nothing like what Sammy expected.
At it's heart, this is a good story, but Thompson runs into some problems putting it together. First, it really seems like a large chunk of the story was written either in the third person, or in first person with multiple narrators, and then Thompson went back and made it all first person from Sammy's perspective. That wouldn't be such an issue if Sammy wasn't constantly relaying events he would literally have no way of knowing about as the people involved are dead by the time he would have found out what happened. I have nothing against first person omniscient narration, but that's not really what's going on in this book.
There are also a few plot holes. The most glaring, in my mind, is whether or not the senator's son is dead in the opening chapter. The narration there makes it pretty clear he is not, having him utter a name and then bleed out. However, towards the end of the novel, we are shown the last encounter between this boy and his killer and it is definitely stated that the boy is dead after the killer's initial attack. Which is it?
Then, of course, there's the fact that one major plotline is left unresolved. That's not necessarily a problem if this was planned to be the first part in a series, but there's no indication this is anything other than a standalone title because, aside from this single plotline, everything else is wrapped up neatly. It almost reads like Thompson got to the end and, realizing he still had a dangling thread out there, just said "eh, good enough."
The most frustrating thing about this book is that there's a lot of potential that just goes to waste. All the parts to make a great book are there, but there's also a lot of stuff there that should be smoothed over or pruned out because it detracts from the quality of the final product. I know Thompson's capable of writing extremely good fiction, as evidenced by a lot of his earlier work.
July 21, 2014
Violence and wasted lives, privilege, power games and the pressures they bring, sets the dark backdrop for A Beautiful Madness by Lee Thompson. Unlikely and questionable heroes, unsolved mysteries, senseless murders and an old ring all mesh together in a twisted collage of dark mystery, murder and intrigue in this riveting character-driven drama.
When a bloody and battered Senator’s son takes his dying breaths on the lawn of a disgraced former Texas governor, it is further discovered that the teen’s parents have both gone missing and the number one suspect is the former governor’s drug-dealing son. This won’t be the only murder to scar this family’s heart. Do the local police believe Sammy is guilty or are they inclined to believe he may be connected through his backstreet dealings and turf wars. Where is Sammy’s younger sister, who ran off to find freedom from the life she grew up in? A drug user who has always lived a privileged life,this young lady may set off a chain of events that started out as an act of rare kindness to a young Russian girl alone in the U.S.
As subplot after subplot, each filled with the potential to be a tale all on its own begins to roll by in a frenzied pace, Lee Thompson manages to keep this tale dark, cohesive and brings his characters to life in all of their questionable glory, in full detail. He doesn’t ask the reader to like his characters as he boldly fills them in, but I found myself looking beyond the outer shell into each character‘s soul, finding at least one redemptive quality in each. People will die, but did they deserve it? Will the killer be found or will he/she just walk away, into the sunset?
Lee Thompson had me captivated by his style and his tale.
I received this ARC edition from DarkFuse in exchange for my honest review.
Publication Date: August 5, 2014
Publisher: DarkFuse
ISBN: 9781940544298
Genre: Adult Suspense/Mystery/Thriller
Print Length: 282 pages
Available from: Amazon
When a bloody and battered Senator’s son takes his dying breaths on the lawn of a disgraced former Texas governor, it is further discovered that the teen’s parents have both gone missing and the number one suspect is the former governor’s drug-dealing son. This won’t be the only murder to scar this family’s heart. Do the local police believe Sammy is guilty or are they inclined to believe he may be connected through his backstreet dealings and turf wars. Where is Sammy’s younger sister, who ran off to find freedom from the life she grew up in? A drug user who has always lived a privileged life,this young lady may set off a chain of events that started out as an act of rare kindness to a young Russian girl alone in the U.S.
As subplot after subplot, each filled with the potential to be a tale all on its own begins to roll by in a frenzied pace, Lee Thompson manages to keep this tale dark, cohesive and brings his characters to life in all of their questionable glory, in full detail. He doesn’t ask the reader to like his characters as he boldly fills them in, but I found myself looking beyond the outer shell into each character‘s soul, finding at least one redemptive quality in each. People will die, but did they deserve it? Will the killer be found or will he/she just walk away, into the sunset?
Lee Thompson had me captivated by his style and his tale.
I received this ARC edition from DarkFuse in exchange for my honest review.
Publication Date: August 5, 2014
Publisher: DarkFuse
ISBN: 9781940544298
Genre: Adult Suspense/Mystery/Thriller
Print Length: 282 pages
Available from: Amazon
February 13, 2016
(I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.)
A Texas Senator and his wife go missing…On the same day, their son is slaughtered by an enigmatic killer on the lawn of ex-Governor Edward Wood's residence. Sammy, Wood's drug dealing son, suspects his father of the crime. After all, his old man snapped once before and crippled his wife with a lead pipe. But there's something more to these events…something deeper and festering just beneath the surface…
In direct opposition to Homicide Detective Jim Thompson, Sammy begins an investigation of his own, searching for the truth in a labyrinth of lies, deception, depravity and violence that drags him deeper into darkness and mayhem with each step. And in doing so, brings them all into the sights of an elusive and horrifying killer who may not be what he seems.
A brutal killer on a rampage of carnage…a hardened detective on the brink…an antihero from the shadows…a terrifying mystery that could destroy them all…
It isn't very often that I come across a dark thriller that not only has three-dimensional characters with back stories, but also has a plot that makes absolute sense and isn't just a bunch of blood and gore with very little substance...
The beauty of this book is the twists and turns we are forced to take during the unravelling of this story. The first-person narrative is done pretty well and the pacing - especially towards the back-end of the book - was splendid.
The only reason this didn't get the full 5-star treatment was that I thought this story could have used multiple POV's instead of just Sammy's. Although I didn't particularly like the character of Delilah (though she was well-written), I thought her insight may have added to the story.
If you do like you thriller novels to have a dark edge, then this could very well be the book for you.
Paul
ARH
A Texas Senator and his wife go missing…On the same day, their son is slaughtered by an enigmatic killer on the lawn of ex-Governor Edward Wood's residence. Sammy, Wood's drug dealing son, suspects his father of the crime. After all, his old man snapped once before and crippled his wife with a lead pipe. But there's something more to these events…something deeper and festering just beneath the surface…
In direct opposition to Homicide Detective Jim Thompson, Sammy begins an investigation of his own, searching for the truth in a labyrinth of lies, deception, depravity and violence that drags him deeper into darkness and mayhem with each step. And in doing so, brings them all into the sights of an elusive and horrifying killer who may not be what he seems.
A brutal killer on a rampage of carnage…a hardened detective on the brink…an antihero from the shadows…a terrifying mystery that could destroy them all…
It isn't very often that I come across a dark thriller that not only has three-dimensional characters with back stories, but also has a plot that makes absolute sense and isn't just a bunch of blood and gore with very little substance...
The beauty of this book is the twists and turns we are forced to take during the unravelling of this story. The first-person narrative is done pretty well and the pacing - especially towards the back-end of the book - was splendid.
The only reason this didn't get the full 5-star treatment was that I thought this story could have used multiple POV's instead of just Sammy's. Although I didn't particularly like the character of Delilah (though she was well-written), I thought her insight may have added to the story.
If you do like you thriller novels to have a dark edge, then this could very well be the book for you.
Paul
ARH
April 19, 2015
This psychological noir thriller kept me nose in book - or iPad as it were - and the three times I was forced to stop reading I didn't want to stop. So a strong pull-through on multiple story lines right from the start with the murder and the investigation and the family drama. The back story(s) and character development is teased out so that I found myself becoming more invested the deeper into the book I got. Ultimately, a sad and tragic story line hidden within a crime-noir shell, and Thompson makes it all work because he explores the characters and doesn't just rely on the plot to carry you to the end. Even the murderer and the drug-dealer narrator become sympathetic characters because we get to know them from the inside out.
Although I really enjoyed this book and the writing I have to dock it a star because of the impossible narration. The first-person narrator goes omniscient on us throughout the book and starts describing what the other characters are doing and thinking and feeling. For the most part those sections read like third-person and are riveting and then, to use a Gardiner phrase, Thompson interrupts the dream by inserting something that reminds us that this is a first-person narrator being omniscient. The writer/editor in me got annoyed every time that happened because it popped me out of the story and as a reader I just wanted to stay in the story. I was expecting some kind of twist that would explain the narrator's omniscience but there wasn't one.
The detective being named Jim Thompson is pretty funny and a nice tip of the hat.
Although I really enjoyed this book and the writing I have to dock it a star because of the impossible narration. The first-person narrator goes omniscient on us throughout the book and starts describing what the other characters are doing and thinking and feeling. For the most part those sections read like third-person and are riveting and then, to use a Gardiner phrase, Thompson interrupts the dream by inserting something that reminds us that this is a first-person narrator being omniscient. The writer/editor in me got annoyed every time that happened because it popped me out of the story and as a reader I just wanted to stay in the story. I was expecting some kind of twist that would explain the narrator's omniscience but there wasn't one.
The detective being named Jim Thompson is pretty funny and a nice tip of the hat.
August 6, 2014
Book Review originally published here: http://www.iheartreading.net/reviews/...
When I read the blurb for A Beautiful Madness, I wasn’t sure I was going to like it. It didn’t scream horror at me. Until I started reading, that is. Lee Thompson creates characters that speak to a reader’s imagination, characters who sound realistic, who have real life issues and troubles.
The book starts out with boy getting slaughtered on the lawn of ex-governor Edward Wood’s home. On the same day, the boy’s parents – a Texas Senator and his wife – go missing. Sammy, the son of the Edward Wood, suspects his father. Edward is no gentle man – the last time he flipped out, he crippled his wife with a lead pipe.
Sammy starts an investigation of his own, but his family is wrapped in a web of lies, deceit and depravity. There’s a depraved killer out thee, and both Sammy and hardened homicide detective Jim Thompson, trie to find him before he hurts anyone else. But the secrets that are unearthed could destroy them all.
The author offers complex characters that come in different shades of grey – no one is truly black and white. The writing is solid, and it’s obvious from the characterization, plot and writing, that the author has a background in noir fiction.
A solid read. I wasn’t that scared, but it did give me some chills.
When I read the blurb for A Beautiful Madness, I wasn’t sure I was going to like it. It didn’t scream horror at me. Until I started reading, that is. Lee Thompson creates characters that speak to a reader’s imagination, characters who sound realistic, who have real life issues and troubles.
The book starts out with boy getting slaughtered on the lawn of ex-governor Edward Wood’s home. On the same day, the boy’s parents – a Texas Senator and his wife – go missing. Sammy, the son of the Edward Wood, suspects his father. Edward is no gentle man – the last time he flipped out, he crippled his wife with a lead pipe.
Sammy starts an investigation of his own, but his family is wrapped in a web of lies, deceit and depravity. There’s a depraved killer out thee, and both Sammy and hardened homicide detective Jim Thompson, trie to find him before he hurts anyone else. But the secrets that are unearthed could destroy them all.
The author offers complex characters that come in different shades of grey – no one is truly black and white. The writing is solid, and it’s obvious from the characterization, plot and writing, that the author has a background in noir fiction.
A solid read. I wasn’t that scared, but it did give me some chills.
Read
August 3, 2014Ok, this is a problem with NetGalley! My problem... Firstly this is Darkfuse, secondly I'm auto approved for Darkfuse. Excuse? Probably...
I started reading this very exciting synopsis and I just thought that I HAD to read this. It sounds exciting! And really the cover is pretty cool too. And as I said above, Darkfuse! I love them!
What I didn't realize until I was about 20% in was that this is a thriller. THRILLER. My most hated genre. I mean other than military and politics. I just cannot deal with thrillers. Some are ok but at best it's only going to get a three out of me which doesn't have anything to do with this wonderful author or the book, it's a me thing.
So! Instead of writing a full review I'm going to tell you that this is really intriguing. I was explaining it to my hubby and he was really excited as I am sure a lot of people will be that enjoy thrillers.
This DID start out promising. And there is a lot of intrigue here. For a thriller enthusiast this will be right up their alley.
Not rating for obvious reasons! But thank you to Darkfuse and to the author for allowing me to (try) read for an honest review!
I started reading this very exciting synopsis and I just thought that I HAD to read this. It sounds exciting! And really the cover is pretty cool too. And as I said above, Darkfuse! I love them!
What I didn't realize until I was about 20% in was that this is a thriller. THRILLER. My most hated genre. I mean other than military and politics. I just cannot deal with thrillers. Some are ok but at best it's only going to get a three out of me which doesn't have anything to do with this wonderful author or the book, it's a me thing.
So! Instead of writing a full review I'm going to tell you that this is really intriguing. I was explaining it to my hubby and he was really excited as I am sure a lot of people will be that enjoy thrillers.
This DID start out promising. And there is a lot of intrigue here. For a thriller enthusiast this will be right up their alley.
Not rating for obvious reasons! But thank you to Darkfuse and to the author for allowing me to (try) read for an honest review!
August 10, 2014
This is the story of a family racked with tragedy. Eddie Woods is an ex-governor who has fallen into disgrace after bashing his wife's head in with an iron pipe after having a breakdown. Now a Senators son has been murdered on Eddie's lawn and he is suspected of being involved. It is up to his drug dealing son to oppose the police and get to the bottom of things himself, and how his druggie sister fits in to the jigsaw.
I sat down to read this and I read a quarter of it and thought 'OK I will read some more tomorrow.' I did and ended up reading the rest of the book last night. I was caught up in the lives of the Woods, and all their flaws and I had to get to the bottom of how and why. There were many threads to the story and it was totally narrated by the son, Sammy. this was an interesting approach as he narrated bits that he couldn't have been present for! There was quite a twist about half way through that knocked me sideways and changed how I viewed the book after that. This was a fantastic mystery that had me gripped.
I sat down to read this and I read a quarter of it and thought 'OK I will read some more tomorrow.' I did and ended up reading the rest of the book last night. I was caught up in the lives of the Woods, and all their flaws and I had to get to the bottom of how and why. There were many threads to the story and it was totally narrated by the son, Sammy. this was an interesting approach as he narrated bits that he couldn't have been present for! There was quite a twist about half way through that knocked me sideways and changed how I viewed the book after that. This was a fantastic mystery that had me gripped.
August 18, 2014
“A Beautiful madness” is a compelling crime thriller novel by DarkFuse. It is a multi-layered tale with inter connecting stories –that all come together brilliantly. It is exceptionally written with vivid details and edgy dialogue.
Lee Thompson creates a gritty noir mystery with three dimensional characters that will keep you hooked until the end. The interjection of horror with a crime thriller, makes “A Beautiful madness” an unforgettable novel and a must read.
Lee Thompson creates a gritty noir mystery with three dimensional characters that will keep you hooked until the end. The interjection of horror with a crime thriller, makes “A Beautiful madness” an unforgettable novel and a must read.
July 10, 2014
This is sure to be one of the best novels of the year
For a full review, please go to http://www.examiner.com/review/a-beau... and follow me on Twitter @josenher
For a full review, please go to http://www.examiner.com/review/a-beau... and follow me on Twitter @josenher
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