The Monster Within

by Jeremy Laszlo

* * * This book is for mature audiences only due to graphic violence, sex, and gore. The protagonist is not your typical perfect example of human morality. He struggles with his own demons. The Monster Within is superbly dark and twisted, and certainly not for all audiences.* * *With more than three decades on the force, Detective King grows nearer to retirement every day. Thinking to coast out what time remains, he finds himself wrapped up in a brutal case unlike anything he’s ever seen before. Thinking he’s stumbled upon yet another serial murderer, he closes in as the bodies pile up but against his best efforts the killer remains a step ahead.As the killer grows more bold, and makes his murdering spree personal, James struggles to ignore his own darker urges. Crime scene after elaborate crime scene he chases the clues only to uncover something he never could have imagined.

Genres: Mystery, Thriller

183 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 12, 2014

About the author

First and foremost I am a father and a husband. I work full time as a civilian employed by the US army, and have also been known as a welder, electrician, carpenter, roofer, writer, painter, CNC machinist, and amongst many other things a romantic. I also belong to the eternal fraternal brotherhood of the United States Marine Corps, having served 8 years that showed me a much broader perspective of the world at large serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, The war on Terrorism, and the humanitarian effort in Liberia.

I currently live in southern Louisiana with my wife and children, though I grew up in Michigan, graduating high school in Mason MI. I also spent time living in North Carolina, Florida, and California during my time in the United States Marine Corps. I have always dreamed of publishing my work, and seeing it on a bookshelf in a store, however with the huge shift to digital media I finally realized that the dream was in my own hands. I tell my children that they can live their dreams, and I believe in leading by example.

I enjoy writing across several different genres from poetry, to children's stories, to full epic fantasies. Creating new characters for my readers to connect with, new worlds for them to immerse themselves in, and new ideas to wrap their minds around is an amazing if not humbling experience. I hope that all my readers can take something away from each of my books, and enjoy reading them just as much as I have enjoyed putting them in print.

Semper Fidelis

Reviews

[Mary Lou Dyer · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was not a book I enjoyed and I won't be finishing the series. Be sure to read the warning in this one before starting. Lots of trigger topics. I don't have any triggers, it just wasn't for me. Others may like it!

[Joe · Rating 1 out of 5]

Didn't realize this was a series and a way to buy the rest of the books

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting beginning...

It was a gripping story... lots of characters, lots to get invested in, but you have to commit to the series...

[Su Tipple]

Two things annoyed me about this book, and for both reasons I don't recommend it. First, the point of view jumps around from chapter to chapter, and it never explains WHOSE POV it is. You're just left to guess for yourself, and for much of the book you just don't have enough information to be able to do that. I read the first few chapters, which were from the same POV, and then started the next chapter and hey, wait a minute—what's going on? I'm not overly fond of books that change POV a lot, but it's not so bad if you at least know that's what is happening. Second, the author is climbing on the "Everything Must Be A Series" bandwagon (why can no one write a fiction story that is only, and will only ever be, one book long?)—but for a whodunnit, this is ridiculous. This is first and foremost a murder mystery, and there's no reason it has to be more than one book long. If he had cut out some of the gratuitous sex and just got on with the story, he could have ended it in one book. I've never come across a simple murder mystery that ran more than a single book in length. It feels like the book is actually fairly close to revealing the murderer when it comes to an abrupt end, and you're led on to purchase the next book. Well, fat chance! Laszlo is doing the same thing the movie industry has decided is the latest way to grab more money out of customers' pockets, by splitting up the story into multiple parts and charging separately for each part. No thanks.

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Detective King is one month away from retirement and his boss has taken him off the rotation schedule so he can coast until he leaves. However, one of the few remaining good cops calls King to a supposed suicide and fills him in on multiple deaths that are being classified as suicides but are probably the work of a serial killer. As the alleged suicides continue to mount up, King knows he should take it easy and not cause waves, but he uses all his skills to find out why someone wants to kill these seemingly unrelated people.

This book is for mature audiences only as it's full of graphic sex, violence and language. I had a lot of mixed feelings about the book. I don't mind lead characters being flawed but King surely takes it a little far with his lust for teenaged girls.

Different people alternate with King in narrating the chapters. Many of these different people become victims so I thought this was an interesting tilt to the book. I had to rate the book down due to the abrupt ending. I've read other books where the ending obviously segued into an opening for a continuation of the series but this ending was like the finale of a TV show until the next season. However, this did make me wish I had the next book in front of me so I could read the ending.

[Sandra Simmons · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pretty disappointed since this is just a blurb of a story. Not a full story line at all.

[Martina]

a waste of time.