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Psych Test: a crime novel
A failed police recruit's dream becomes a nightmare when he falls under the sway of a manipulative criminal. To survive, he must outwit a psychopath and confront the dark truth about himself.
A DREAM DENIED.
Troy Trenton has wanted to be a cop since he was a kid. When he unexpectedly fails the psychological exam, he's not only devastated but has no idea why. On the advice of his mentor, Lieutenant Winch, Troy takes an overnight job at gritty Dock 14—a short detour he hopes, not a dead end.
A DANGEROUS INFLUENCE.
Nobody at Dock 14 knows that smooth-talking forklift driver Ernie Ripper is in witness protection. When his enemies resurface, the U.S. Marshals prepare to relocate him. But Ripper smells opportunity and isn't ready to disappear. Danger fuels him. So does the idea of toying with someone new—someone like Troy.
A MIND GAME.
As Troy is lured deeper into Ripper's criminal world, the lines between mentorship and menace blur. If Troy wants a chance at the life he dreamed of, he'll need to outwit a psychopath—and confront the truth about himself he's spent years avoiding.
Psych Test is a tense psychological crime thriller set against the gritty shipping docks and freezing warehouses of Duluth, Minnesota. Atmospheric with tones of noir, Psych Test dissects the thin ethical line that separates cops and criminals, peels back the layers of personal identity shaped by childhood experiences and trauma, and examines the bonds of true friendship. For readers who enjoy Dennis Lehane's grainy moral realism and Patricia Highsmith's taut psychological suspense.
A DREAM DENIED.
Troy Trenton has wanted to be a cop since he was a kid. When he unexpectedly fails the psychological exam, he's not only devastated but has no idea why. On the advice of his mentor, Lieutenant Winch, Troy takes an overnight job at gritty Dock 14—a short detour he hopes, not a dead end.
A DANGEROUS INFLUENCE.
Nobody at Dock 14 knows that smooth-talking forklift driver Ernie Ripper is in witness protection. When his enemies resurface, the U.S. Marshals prepare to relocate him. But Ripper smells opportunity and isn't ready to disappear. Danger fuels him. So does the idea of toying with someone new—someone like Troy.
A MIND GAME.
As Troy is lured deeper into Ripper's criminal world, the lines between mentorship and menace blur. If Troy wants a chance at the life he dreamed of, he'll need to outwit a psychopath—and confront the truth about himself he's spent years avoiding.
Psych Test is a tense psychological crime thriller set against the gritty shipping docks and freezing warehouses of Duluth, Minnesota. Atmospheric with tones of noir, Psych Test dissects the thin ethical line that separates cops and criminals, peels back the layers of personal identity shaped by childhood experiences and trauma, and examines the bonds of true friendship. For readers who enjoy Dennis Lehane's grainy moral realism and Patricia Highsmith's taut psychological suspense.
278 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 16, 2026
About the author
Jennifer Soosar
4 books92 followersJennifer Soosar is from Toronto, Canada. Her first novel, Parent Teacher Association, was published in 2017 by Black Opal Books. Her short fiction has appeared in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
Psych Test is a Great Lakes storm of crime, corruption and class made all the more compelling by its innocent hero, Troy Trenton. Surrounded by a web of menace and evil, desperate to save his dreams, and in a race for his life, we are right there with him, unable to avert our eyes, guts twisting with dread. Like Lee Child’s Reacher novels, Psych Test is impossible to put down.
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June 15, 2026ARC REVIEW
This was a tense psychological thriller that pulled me in right from the start. Troy's journey from aspiring police officer to becoming entangled in a dangerous criminal world made for a compelling story, especially as he struggled with the disappointment of failing the police psych exam and searched for a new path forward.
The standout character was definitely Ernie Ripper. Charismatic, manipulative, and completely unpredictable, he created an unsettling atmosphere every time he appeared on the page. Watching Troy slowly fall under his influence was both fascinating and frustrating, and the psychological cat-and-mouse game between them kept me invested.
The story does a great job exploring themes of identity, ambition, and how easily vulnerable people can be drawn into situations they never intended to be part of. The tension builds steadily, and I found myself eager to see how everything would unfold.
That said, some sections felt a bit drawn out, particularly in the middle where the pacing slowed and certain scenes seemed to linger longer than necessary. While these moments added background and character development, they occasionally interrupted the momentum of the main plot.
Overall, this was an engaging thriller with strong character dynamics, plenty of suspense, and a villain you won't forget anytime soon. If you enjoy psychological manipulation, morally complex characters, and stories that blur the line between mentor and menace, this one is worth picking up.
📚 A gripping read with a few pacing issues, but an entertaining and thought-provoking thriller overall.
This was a tense psychological thriller that pulled me in right from the start. Troy's journey from aspiring police officer to becoming entangled in a dangerous criminal world made for a compelling story, especially as he struggled with the disappointment of failing the police psych exam and searched for a new path forward.
The standout character was definitely Ernie Ripper. Charismatic, manipulative, and completely unpredictable, he created an unsettling atmosphere every time he appeared on the page. Watching Troy slowly fall under his influence was both fascinating and frustrating, and the psychological cat-and-mouse game between them kept me invested.
The story does a great job exploring themes of identity, ambition, and how easily vulnerable people can be drawn into situations they never intended to be part of. The tension builds steadily, and I found myself eager to see how everything would unfold.
That said, some sections felt a bit drawn out, particularly in the middle where the pacing slowed and certain scenes seemed to linger longer than necessary. While these moments added background and character development, they occasionally interrupted the momentum of the main plot.
Overall, this was an engaging thriller with strong character dynamics, plenty of suspense, and a villain you won't forget anytime soon. If you enjoy psychological manipulation, morally complex characters, and stories that blur the line between mentor and menace, this one is worth picking up.
📚 A gripping read with a few pacing issues, but an entertaining and thought-provoking thriller overall.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Set against the cold industrial backdrop of Duluth’s shipping docks, the story blends psychological suspense, organized crime, and damaged characters into something darkly compelling.
Ernie Ripper is one of the most unsettling antagonists I’ve read in a while—charismatic, volatile, and genuinely disturbing without ever feeling cartoonish.
At the same time, Troy Trenton’s storyline provides a fascinating contrast: a young man desperate to become a police officer, only to have a psychological evaluation derail everything he thought his future would be. The tension between identity, morality, and hidden impulses gives the novel much more depth than a standard crime thriller.
The writing is sharp and cinematic, especially in the dockyard scenes. Soosar has a talent for creating atmosphere through small details—the industrial machinery, cold lake air, fluorescent warehouse lighting—all of it makes the setting feel vivid and alive.
The novel explores the psychology of both criminals and law enforcement recruits without turning preachy or overly procedural. The psych evaluation scenes were especially tense and uncomfortable in the best possible way.
Ernie Ripper is one of the most unsettling antagonists I’ve read in a while—charismatic, volatile, and genuinely disturbing without ever feeling cartoonish.
At the same time, Troy Trenton’s storyline provides a fascinating contrast: a young man desperate to become a police officer, only to have a psychological evaluation derail everything he thought his future would be. The tension between identity, morality, and hidden impulses gives the novel much more depth than a standard crime thriller.
The writing is sharp and cinematic, especially in the dockyard scenes. Soosar has a talent for creating atmosphere through small details—the industrial machinery, cold lake air, fluorescent warehouse lighting—all of it makes the setting feel vivid and alive.
The novel explores the psychology of both criminals and law enforcement recruits without turning preachy or overly procedural. The psych evaluation scenes were especially tense and uncomfortable in the best possible way.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
All Troy ever wanted was to become a Duluth, Minnesota police officer. His mentor (and former savior) Lt. Winch had been helping him along for years. Troy was as good as hired, until he failed the psych test. Told to try again in a year, he is crushed. Lt. got Troy a job as a night security guard on the docks of lake Superior.
Troy meets Ernie, a fork lift operator who also happens to be in the witness protection program and a man hunted by the cartel, which has now shown up in Duluth.
Big time drugs and lots of money. A recipe for disaster.
This book takes off in several different directions and it is a dark comedy of errors, for everyone. The book held my interest to see who was going to come out of this okay and it wasn't who I thought it would be. No one seems to be who you think they are or are maybe much worse than you thought the could be. This was an entertaining read.
I would like to thank Jennifer Soosar and NetGalley for this advanced read.
Troy meets Ernie, a fork lift operator who also happens to be in the witness protection program and a man hunted by the cartel, which has now shown up in Duluth.
Big time drugs and lots of money. A recipe for disaster.
This book takes off in several different directions and it is a dark comedy of errors, for everyone. The book held my interest to see who was going to come out of this okay and it wasn't who I thought it would be. No one seems to be who you think they are or are maybe much worse than you thought the could be. This was an entertaining read.
I would like to thank Jennifer Soosar and NetGalley for this advanced read.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Psych Test grabbed me from the opening pages and never let go. What starts as one young man's disappointment after failing a police psychological exam quickly turns into a dangerous game of influence, deception, and survival. The relationship between Troy and the unsettling Ernie Ripper is fascinating to watch unfold, with every conversation carrying the feeling that something could go terribly wrong at any moment. Set against the cold docks and warehouses of Duluth, the story blends crime, suspense, and psychological drama into a page-turner that constantly keeps readers guessing where loyalties lie and who can really be trusted. If you enjoy thrillers that focus as much on the battle inside a person's mind as the dangers around them, Psych Test is a book that will keep you turning the pages until the very end.
July 14, 2026
It was the cover of the book that caught my eye. A lone dark figure stands at the waterfront staring out over the gloom. In the distance a hulking tanker is approaching the harbor.
Crime doesn't pay so it's said. Or does it? And also, what becomes of a man when he fails to pass the employment psych test?
Reminiscent of Parent Teacher Association's weird little kid character and Beach Body's seductive tourist, author Jennifer Soosar offers once more a cast of troubled characters in her latest crime novel Psych Test.
Crime genre is not one of my personal favorites, yet I found the story imposed a kind of hypnotic fascination that kept me reading until the end.
Crime doesn't pay so it's said. Or does it? And also, what becomes of a man when he fails to pass the employment psych test?
Reminiscent of Parent Teacher Association's weird little kid character and Beach Body's seductive tourist, author Jennifer Soosar offers once more a cast of troubled characters in her latest crime novel Psych Test.
Crime genre is not one of my personal favorites, yet I found the story imposed a kind of hypnotic fascination that kept me reading until the end.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A smart and unsettling psychological crime thriller, Psych Test follows a young man whose dream of becoming a police officer is shattered by a failed psychological evaluation. What follows is a dangerous journey into the orbit of Ernie Ripper, a charismatic manipulator with secrets of his own. As Troy struggles to reclaim his future, he finds himself drawn into a world where trust is a liability and every choice carries consequences. Filled with sharp twists, moral uncertainty, and memorable characters, Psych Test keeps readers guessing until the very end.
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July 15, 2026A wild ride through the underbelly of Duluth with fascinating characters and locations.
The city of Duluth never seemed interesting until now, being a hub for many legal and illegal activities such as iron ore, grain shipments and Mexican Cartel drug imports.
The characters are all weird and somewhat likeable, and the author flushes them out with precision.
A really good read and highly recommended,
The city of Duluth never seemed interesting until now, being a hub for many legal and illegal activities such as iron ore, grain shipments and Mexican Cartel drug imports.
The characters are all weird and somewhat likeable, and the author flushes them out with precision.
A really good read and highly recommended,
June 20, 2026
Goodreads, you don't dissapoint in these Thriller Authors. This Author has captured crime and those who fight it in such a thin line of good and evil. As you get deeper and deeper into the story you realize that a missed opportunity can land you in a more dangerous opportunity and the questions and personal dissisions that can derail a whole life.
Review of advance copy received from Author
The story starts a little slower to develop the characters, but action ensues with every twist. Does Troy have the grit to be a cop after his failed Pysch test for Deluth PD? Was Ripper a good guy or bad guy? All I know is Troy's mentor really surprised me.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews