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Matt Davis Mysteries #1
As the Twig Is Bent: A Matt Davis Mystery
Someone is killing women in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan - but, who? The only a signature heart carved into each victim's breast (inside, the initials "J.C." and those of the deceased); copies of the New Testament (with underlined passages referring to infidelity); and fingerprints of a juvenile arrested in the 1960s.
On the case is Matt Davis, a plodding but effective NYPD homicide detective who is addicted to fly fishing - and chocolate. Helping him is his one-quarter Mohawk Indian partner, Chris Freitag, to whom he owes a long-standing debt of gratitude. Complicating things is Rita Valdez, a female cop looking for "true love" and not too particular about where she finds it.
As the Twig is Bent is an explosive thriller that rips the lid off the sordid underbelly of Internet chat rooms, and propels the listener on a no-holds-barred journey toward its bone-chilling conclusion. Contains graphic sexual material that is inappropriate for some listeners.
On the case is Matt Davis, a plodding but effective NYPD homicide detective who is addicted to fly fishing - and chocolate. Helping him is his one-quarter Mohawk Indian partner, Chris Freitag, to whom he owes a long-standing debt of gratitude. Complicating things is Rita Valdez, a female cop looking for "true love" and not too particular about where she finds it.
As the Twig is Bent is an explosive thriller that rips the lid off the sordid underbelly of Internet chat rooms, and propels the listener on a no-holds-barred journey toward its bone-chilling conclusion. Contains graphic sexual material that is inappropriate for some listeners.
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First published December 30, 2008
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
June 9, 2009
06-09-09:
Before May 26, 2009 I had never heard of author Joe Perrone, Jr. or of his novel, AS THE TWIG IS BENT. On that morning, I checked the AMAZON customer review listings for my novel, and Perrone had posted a supportive review. I secured his E-mail address and sent him an E-mail thanking him. One E-mail led to another, and I decided to order AS THE TWIG IS BENT. I just finished reading it.
I’ve read countless murder/crime mysteries. AS THE TWIG IS BENT is a desperately intense who-done-it chocked full of fast-paced, nerve-racking suspense. I read the first half of the book the day I received it, and with regret, had to read the second half the following day. It’s a book you can read in one day if you have a day you can devote to reading. That’s the way I recommend reading it because it is a tough book to put down.
Since this is a debut novel, I feel it is imperative that I compliment Perrone on his seemingly effortless ability to thread continuity from the first page to the last. That isn’t always accomplished in a first novel. I’m always impressed when it’s done. The cast of characters are well developed, credible, engaging, imperfect, flawed---much like real people. If you’ve ever been friends (or relatives) with cops---you will feel that you have perhaps met some of these characters.
Another striking achievement of Perrone’s, even after he reveals who the killer is, even after I knew what was probably going to happen, I was still riveted by the rapidly unfolding conclusion. The final succession of clues zings like hot fired bullets.
I’m frustrated with Perrone for one thing. Some violent passages are so graphic and sexually explicit that this novel becomes unacceptable for contemporary/mainstream readers. I feel a responsibility to forewarn potential readers.
Bottom-line: If you can handle the graphic and explicit passages, you will probably believe this is a terrifically written debut novel. If the passages are too much for you---skip over them. This story is a great read without the graphic passages being read in their full measure. If I had been Perrone’s friend before he published AS THE TWIG IS BENT, I would have urged him to tone down some scenes in order to make this brilliantly written novel mainstream, so it could be available to a wider audience.
Before May 26, 2009 I had never heard of author Joe Perrone, Jr. or of his novel, AS THE TWIG IS BENT. On that morning, I checked the AMAZON customer review listings for my novel, and Perrone had posted a supportive review. I secured his E-mail address and sent him an E-mail thanking him. One E-mail led to another, and I decided to order AS THE TWIG IS BENT. I just finished reading it.
I’ve read countless murder/crime mysteries. AS THE TWIG IS BENT is a desperately intense who-done-it chocked full of fast-paced, nerve-racking suspense. I read the first half of the book the day I received it, and with regret, had to read the second half the following day. It’s a book you can read in one day if you have a day you can devote to reading. That’s the way I recommend reading it because it is a tough book to put down.
Since this is a debut novel, I feel it is imperative that I compliment Perrone on his seemingly effortless ability to thread continuity from the first page to the last. That isn’t always accomplished in a first novel. I’m always impressed when it’s done. The cast of characters are well developed, credible, engaging, imperfect, flawed---much like real people. If you’ve ever been friends (or relatives) with cops---you will feel that you have perhaps met some of these characters.
Another striking achievement of Perrone’s, even after he reveals who the killer is, even after I knew what was probably going to happen, I was still riveted by the rapidly unfolding conclusion. The final succession of clues zings like hot fired bullets.
I’m frustrated with Perrone for one thing. Some violent passages are so graphic and sexually explicit that this novel becomes unacceptable for contemporary/mainstream readers. I feel a responsibility to forewarn potential readers.
Bottom-line: If you can handle the graphic and explicit passages, you will probably believe this is a terrifically written debut novel. If the passages are too much for you---skip over them. This story is a great read without the graphic passages being read in their full measure. If I had been Perrone’s friend before he published AS THE TWIG IS BENT, I would have urged him to tone down some scenes in order to make this brilliantly written novel mainstream, so it could be available to a wider audience.
May 16, 2011
For as long as I can remember, I have loved reading mysteries. The idea of discerning clues as I read the story and trying to come up with the answer before the detective does has always given mysteries a little extra spice for me. I'll admit I read more cozies, having cut my teeth on Agatha Christie, than police procedurals, but I enjoy a good story with a lot of plot twists.
As The Twig is Bent opens with George Spiros, an aging manufacturer of wrought-iron furniture, on the way home after a successful business trip, anxious to see his wife, Melina. Scenes of George on his way home to his beloved wife, while on a flight threatened by a storm, are interspersed with scenes of Melina being brutally raped and killed. Melina Spiros is not the first in the string of deaths, but her death and the commonalities of another determine the murderer is a serial killer, who must be stopped. A heart carved on the breast of the victims with four initials, the initials of the victim and JC, and a bible at the scene with a specific passage underlined are the only clues Detective Lieutenant Matt Davis and his team have to unravel the mystery surrounding these brutal murders.
When the case lands in the lap of Matt Davis, he is not pleased. In the twilight of his career, trying to keep his current marriage from going south due to the pressures of the job, a serial killer with religious overtones is the last thing he wants to face. The primary team consists of Davis, his partner of seven years, Chris Freitag, and the recent transfer to the station, Rita Valdez. Rita has a history of inappropriate relations with colleagues, and is trying to live down her past as a homewrecker as well as prove she is a good cop. Rita's biggest problem is that she is lonely. The investigation takes the team into the realm of the local church because of the bible connection and their attempt to determine whether the JC stands for Jesus Christ, giving the murders a religious twist or whether they are the initials of the perpetrator.
Joe Perrone, Jr. takes the reader on a ride through the cyber world where the killer is active in online chat rooms, searching for his next victim; something Melina Spiros found out to her detriment.
The man she had arranged to meet this evening was someone she had met several weeks ago in an Internet chat room, called “Manhattan Singles.” He had intrigued her from the start, and when he had invited her to meet him for a drink, she had been pleasantly surprised, accepting immediately. Privacy was important, so they had agreed upon a small tavern, just out of the neighborhood, where no one would know either of them, especially her. Inviting him back to her apartment had been a risk, but she never intended to do anything more than talk, so she had taken it.
Perrone switches back and forth throughout the book from Davis's point of view to that of the killer, bringing out the murderer's background and what shaped him to be the twisted wretch he has become. While appreciating the background information and the glimpses into the psyche of the murderer, I feel these sections were, at times, a little heavy-handed, telling me the how's and why's instead of showing me. The best of Perrone's writing shines through in his depiction of the relationship between Davis and his wife, Valerie. In particular, their trip on a rare day off to go fly fishing. Perrone's own love of fly fishing imbues his descriptions and I felt like I was standing next to Matt and Valerie as they cast their lines.
As The Twig is Bent is not for the squeamish. There are sections containing brutal details of grisly murders, and glimpses into the mind of the insane. Although I would like to see Perrone go back and polish this novel a little more, removing the passivity, the base story is a good one and is satisfying for murder mystery fans.
Review of other book(s) by Joe Perrone, Jr. - Review 10 - Escaping Innocence
Originially reviewed for the LL Book Review
December 9, 2009
If you like suspense, grab a copy of As the Twig is Bent, pull up a seat, and prepare to be on the edge of it from page one of Joe Perrone Jr.'s unrelenting thrill-ride! Skipping the foreplay, Perrone wastes no time introducing the reader to the merciless serial killer who's terrorizing the neighborhood of Chelsea, and preying on unsuspecting victims from Internet chat rooms. Firmly holding us captive with the intense opening scene, the author then weaves innumerable twists and turns into the plot, as homicide detective, Matt Davis, races to stop the killer. The writing is bold, the descriptions are vivid, and the plot is seamless right through to the explosive ending. One would never guess As the Twig is Bent is a first in the genre for Perrone, as he has clearly already mastered all the dynamic qualities and elements of a best-selling work of commercial fiction--and a bonus: I've learned that the author will be sending Detective Matt Davis on yet another adventure in his upcoming novel Opening Day! Five stars, and can't wait for more!
September 1, 2011
A police mystery with likeable characters, a working marriage, some decent detective work and some scary crimes, Joe Perrone Jr’s As the Twig is Bent is a fine beginning to a new series. The reader is invited deeply into killer’s and victims’ heads (and beds) as a gruesome crime spree rocks New York’s tenth precinct. Detective Matt Davis juggles job and home life, sometimes losing track of the one or the other. His friend goes out with too many women. The woman newly added to his team has gone out with too many men. And husbands are returning from trips to find their wives brutally raped and murdered.
Bent twigs grow into crooked trees, and there are many lives haunted by their pasts in this book, each seeking new chances to flower in the future. Grounded in the intricate details of everyday life, from making dinner to fly-fishing and golf, from using the internet to plugging in the wires, the novel builds a clear picture of many disparate characters who wander in and out the pages. Murders are described with the same close care and attention, and the murderer becomes very real, very wounded even as he becomes more clearly irredeemable. The church gets involved when there are suggestions of religious overtones and ritual. Newspapers find their own way to share the facts. And the politics of criminal investigation play their part.
The author has a nice sense of timing, bringing the story to a fast scary climax, while genuine research with the NYPD fuels the details of slow investigation. The crimes are haunting, the criminal very real, and the reader is nicely led to see the danger as tension builds, making this a fun thriller filled with believable people and plausible danger set in a very real world.
Disclosure: The author sent me a free ecopy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Bent twigs grow into crooked trees, and there are many lives haunted by their pasts in this book, each seeking new chances to flower in the future. Grounded in the intricate details of everyday life, from making dinner to fly-fishing and golf, from using the internet to plugging in the wires, the novel builds a clear picture of many disparate characters who wander in and out the pages. Murders are described with the same close care and attention, and the murderer becomes very real, very wounded even as he becomes more clearly irredeemable. The church gets involved when there are suggestions of religious overtones and ritual. Newspapers find their own way to share the facts. And the politics of criminal investigation play their part.
The author has a nice sense of timing, bringing the story to a fast scary climax, while genuine research with the NYPD fuels the details of slow investigation. The crimes are haunting, the criminal very real, and the reader is nicely led to see the danger as tension builds, making this a fun thriller filled with believable people and plausible danger set in a very real world.
Disclosure: The author sent me a free ecopy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
February 23, 2012
Having read books two and three in theseries first, I must say that this one really knocked my socks off. This was such a realistic portrait into the investigation of a serial killer that I was both shocked and repulsed while I was eagerly turning the pages to find out what would happen next. In this first Matt Davis mystery, you are introduced to Matt, a NYC detective. He's well-respected and admired, and he's just one step above burnout. He has a great partner, a decent boss, and last but not least a difficult case to solve. A serial killer is on the loose, charming women through chat rooms and then killing them. As always, Mr. Perrone does a fantastic job in developing his mysteries, giving you just enough clues while weaving a fascinating backstory behind it. Furthermore, he does a spectacular job in developing the mystery. How will the perp be caught with so little to go on for proof? As far as the setting goes, it’s a faster-paced novel, which suits the NYC backdrop, and the cast of characters seem more intense, perhaps a result of their residence in the big city. Well done, in my opinion, a well-crafted transition. This book is slightly more graphic than books two and three, but it suits the crimes and was not gratuitous. If you are looking for an intense, well-written and thought out thriller go no further. This is an excellent tale for mystery lovers.
September 23, 2015
The publication date for this book is listed as 2008. I thought it must have been much earlier than that as the computer mentioned by name is a Gateway. Everyone used AOL dial-up. These companies are still in business, but you don’t hear about them very often. The police must not have been used to people having computers, because they never thought to look at any belonging to the victims. Police Lieutenant Matt Davis must be one of the densest cops alive. The killer was obvious very early but it took over 300 pages for the police ever figure it out.
December 2, 2010
This was an easy thriller read. However, the language in the cyber world was a little rough - I blushed several times reading it on the my crj200. It seems if you are going to read something risque, you might want a bigger plane. It was a bookclub pick so I didn't realize it would be vulgar. I thought the flow was nice and really liked Matt, the main character. This book is not appropriate for children or adults who don't appreciate graphic details of both sex and violence.
November 21, 2010
This is one of my favorites. The writing is smooth and flowing, the characters interesting. It had me hating to put it down. Great author that we will be hearing a lot of good things about.
May 2, 2020
As the Twig is Bent is the first in the Matt Davis Mystery Series and is a good start to the series.
I enjoyed reading this book and liked the characters. The storyline is interesting and kept my interest from start to finish. It does have graphic material. I enjoyed the dual point of view from Matt Davis and the killer.
I read and reviewed this book with no obligation.
I enjoyed reading this book and liked the characters. The storyline is interesting and kept my interest from start to finish. It does have graphic material. I enjoyed the dual point of view from Matt Davis and the killer.
I read and reviewed this book with no obligation.
May 6, 2020
This is the 1st book I've read written by Joe Perrone Jr; he has done a great job at writing a good book; I will definitely be reading more of his books.
The story line caught my attention at the very beginning and kept me interested throughout the entire book.
I loved the characters.
I received a free copy of this book via booksprout and I’m voluntarily leaving a review.
The story line caught my attention at the very beginning and kept me interested throughout the entire book.
I loved the characters.
I received a free copy of this book via booksprout and I’m voluntarily leaving a review.
September 29, 2018
This book is somewhat dated with dial up internet and old computers and internet browsing was the last thing the police looked at. It works as a basic crime novel but there are much more complex and detailed murder mysteries out there now.
January 1, 2021
I bought this kindle book 10 years ago and never read it. I finally did and I'm glad I did. The topic is pretty dark and has some pretty bad language but I think it was believable. I enjoyed the thrill as the ending came. I would definitely read more books in this series.
December 11, 2012
I love mysteries, particularly those that have clues leading up to the culprit, rather than the culprit just appearing out of nowhere. Joe Perrone's book is the former, with clues dotted throughout as to 'whodunnit' but as well as the who, the author delves into the why of the killer, which adds quite a bit of depth. Unfortunately I did guess 'whodunnit' quite a bit before the end. We could have had a few more red herrings in the narrative to make it that bit more difficult to guess.
The opening scenes contrast vividly, with a husband coming back from a business trip and worried by the storm as the plane is buffeted about along with the very explicit rape, torture and murder of his wife, as he remains unawares. The author doesn't shy away from describing things in graphic detail, some were a little bit too detailed for my taste, but then we are dealing with a serial killer here and not the local church fete. Things are bound to get ugly, and they do.
All the women have been murdered by someone they met in internet chat rooms and invited them back to their apartment while their husbands were away on business or were soldiers on tours of duty. I'm not sure how realistic it is, would women really invite strangers to their home? It certainly brings home some of the dangers inherent in today's society, for you don't really know who you're talking to in the chat rooms, you can only go by what they say.
I like the author's style of simple language, but the pace of the book could have been a lot better. Just as the crimes are becoming more frequent, we spend quite a bit of time on the detective's day off as he goes fly-fishing with his wife. Now, I get that the character enjoys fishing and all of that, but I was in the middle of reading a murder-mystery and we suddenly get bogged down with details of what's the best bait, the best place on the river and all the attendant things to do with fishing. It doesn't help that I have a phobia about fish and I did not want to read anything about fishing, especially not nearly a whole chapter. It was a scene that I felt didn't need to be there, but maybe that's just me.
It was an interesting read, but some scenes could have been culled a bit more - especially the aforementioned fishing scene and do we really need chapter on verse on how Rita Valdez gets ready for a night out? There were pages of things that had got nothing to do with the investigation, such as golf (although one part of those scenes do connect to the killer), but the investigation is what I wanted to read about - how they figured out who murdered all those women, not about the personal lives of the detectives. A sentence or paragraph here and there would have been fine, but not whole scenes of their private lives.
It's good, but could have been so much better with a firmer hand on the editing.
Review copy supplied by author.
The opening scenes contrast vividly, with a husband coming back from a business trip and worried by the storm as the plane is buffeted about along with the very explicit rape, torture and murder of his wife, as he remains unawares. The author doesn't shy away from describing things in graphic detail, some were a little bit too detailed for my taste, but then we are dealing with a serial killer here and not the local church fete. Things are bound to get ugly, and they do.
All the women have been murdered by someone they met in internet chat rooms and invited them back to their apartment while their husbands were away on business or were soldiers on tours of duty. I'm not sure how realistic it is, would women really invite strangers to their home? It certainly brings home some of the dangers inherent in today's society, for you don't really know who you're talking to in the chat rooms, you can only go by what they say.
I like the author's style of simple language, but the pace of the book could have been a lot better. Just as the crimes are becoming more frequent, we spend quite a bit of time on the detective's day off as he goes fly-fishing with his wife. Now, I get that the character enjoys fishing and all of that, but I was in the middle of reading a murder-mystery and we suddenly get bogged down with details of what's the best bait, the best place on the river and all the attendant things to do with fishing. It doesn't help that I have a phobia about fish and I did not want to read anything about fishing, especially not nearly a whole chapter. It was a scene that I felt didn't need to be there, but maybe that's just me.
It was an interesting read, but some scenes could have been culled a bit more - especially the aforementioned fishing scene and do we really need chapter on verse on how Rita Valdez gets ready for a night out? There were pages of things that had got nothing to do with the investigation, such as golf (although one part of those scenes do connect to the killer), but the investigation is what I wanted to read about - how they figured out who murdered all those women, not about the personal lives of the detectives. A sentence or paragraph here and there would have been fine, but not whole scenes of their private lives.
It's good, but could have been so much better with a firmer hand on the editing.
Review copy supplied by author.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 21, 2012
As the twig is bent is very like a written copy of the television show, Law & Order: SVU. Even though the suspense of who-done-it was not very well played, I did find the plot interesting but not necessarily compelling. I wasn't gripped by any cliff-hangers and pretty much knew who the suspect was going to be right from the beginning. That being said, the story still held my attention until the end. Intrigued by how they were going to figure out who the perp was, I continued to read. However, the investigation fo the case was delineated rather haphazardly. There seemed to be more fly fishing, golfing, and beer driking and eating than actual police work. In fact, the few lines of interrogative questioning were nervously scripted and the answers to the crimes really just fell into the detective's laps. Go figure. Still, I was lured on to the end. But that's pretty much where it fell apart for me. I felt like Perrone threw a wet blanket on top of a blazing fire and walked away. There was no shocking conclusion and the final victim to the crime that was central to the plot was more or less cold-shouldered. I would have liked to see more concern given to the relief of the surviving sacrifice and just a little less to the recurring dreams of the hero.
Overall however, I am not disappointed at having read the book. It was entertaining even if not enthalling. Had the loose ends been tidied a little neater it would have left me a lot more satisfied.
Overall however, I am not disappointed at having read the book. It was entertaining even if not enthalling. Had the loose ends been tidied a little neater it would have left me a lot more satisfied.
February 20, 2014
I LIKED THE STORY LINE BUT IT WAS A LITTLE REPETATIVE IN SPOTS. MATT & HIS CREW ARE GOOD AT WHAT THEY DO BUT IT SEEMS TO TAKE FOREVER FOR THEM TO SEE THE OBVIOUS CLUES. I WAS THINKING THE ANSWERS ARE RIGHT THERE, WHY CAN'T ANY OF YOU SEE THEM. THE ROMANCE IS VERY MILD AND NOT VERY DESCRIPTIVE. THE BOOK WASN'T A BAD READ, EXCEPT THE REPEATING OF CERTAIN THINGS DID GET ON MY NERVES. ;>
May 10, 2014
Note to murder-mystery/crime writers: if you don't publish quickly, anything involving technology is dated. The "graphic sex and violence" is so tame, I know I've seen worse on a rerun of Law and Order. The big lesson in this novel is how dangerous Internet chat rooms can be. Wait until this author learns about MySpace!
December 21, 2012
An entertaining read. I was hooked from the start. The dialogue was realistic, as was the plot, even if some of the characters were a little off, but as a mystery/thriller, it kept me going all the way through, and had me second-guessing my own conclusions now and then.
December 28, 2014
Absolutely, positively fantastic.
This was one of the best books I've ever read. Once I started I couldn't put it down. It was both scary and disturbing to so graphically realize what goes on in internet chat rooms. This is a definite ten star read.
This was one of the best books I've ever read. Once I started I couldn't put it down. It was both scary and disturbing to so graphically realize what goes on in internet chat rooms. This is a definite ten star read.
May 29, 2011
First one by this author for me. It was ok
December 31, 2011
If you have to self-publish, you should take that as a hint.
December 29, 2011
A little predictable....
July 6, 2012
Interesting plot but light reading for a crime novel.
June 7, 2013
I read this book a while ago. I do remember being captivated though. Interesting mix of characters and a story line that kept me reading. I would read another book by this author.
August 12, 2016
Awesome
Loved the book, dragged a little in the beginning with lots of dips and turns but the last 100 pages kept me up half the night.
Loved the book, dragged a little in the beginning with lots of dips and turns but the last 100 pages kept me up half the night.
August 12, 2016
Awesome! Enjoyed it especially the last 100 pages, kept me up half the night!
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews