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Normal #1
Normal
"The truth is I hurt people. It's what I do. It's all I do. It's all I've ever done."
He lives in your community, in a nice house with a well-tended garden. He shops in your grocery store, bumping shoulders with you and apologizing with a smile. He drives beside you on the highway, politely waving you into the lane ahead of him.
What you don't know is that he has an elaborate cage built into a secret basement under his garage. And the food that he's carefully shopping for is to feed a young woman he's holding there against her will—one in a string of many, unaware of the fate that awaits her.
This is how it's been for a long time. It's normal…and it works. Perfectly.
Then he meets the checkout girl from the 24-hour grocery. And now the plan, the hunts, the room…the others—he doesn't need any of them anymore. He only needs her. But just as he decides to go straight, the police start to close in. He might be able to cover his tracks, except for one small problem—he still has someone trapped in his garage.
Discovering his humanity couldn't have come at a worse time.
Praise for NORMAL:"A black comedy . . . Cameron has written a painfully funny story that's littered with corpses, both intentional and unintentional, and proves that sometimes spotting the craziest person on the block isn't quite as easy as it seems" — Kirkus Reviews
"Blackly humorous" — Publishers Weekly
301 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 31, 2015
173 people are currently reading
6903 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 813 reviews
November 10, 2023
I have been looking at some books I read years back to reintroduce them as hot books to read, here is one of those!
This is one exceptional novel. If you don't read this then you are so not in the cool gang. If you read crime novels a lot like me, or even if you don't, start now, with this one. Honestly, go do it. I freaking loved this book for a million reasons, it messed with my head, blending slight humour through a book about a serial killer is not an easy task, but it was pulled off with finesse. Bravo to Graeme Cameron.
I loved being in the head of this serial killer.
I’m not NORMAL.
He is the man who lives on your street. The one you see in the supermarket and nod hello to.
He’s also a serial killer. Killing is what he’s good at.
He’s the most compelling antihero since Patricia Highsmith’s Ripley.
And you’ll want him to get away with MURDER.
Stuff telling you the plot!, it won't work, it gives away too much. Instead I will try to share how this book is like to read, why it is so good, in my humble words. I could just write READ THIS BOOK.
Firstly, I loved the fact that the book is written with us stuck in said serial killer and kidnapper's head. Awesome. Because he is so darn flawed and messed up at times it's just hilarious. Other times it's so dark and nasty. But you never know what you are going to get.
So he kills, you kind of get that right? But then one day everything changes and the floor is shifting under him. From then on this gets really bloody good. I was like jumping up in down and yelling at the characters that I am not even going to mention because again, major spoilers but let me say this loudly.
Erica! Erica! Freak me out, what a brilliantly written character, didn't know where she would take me but loved the ride. Oh yes indeed!
He's the anti-hero, many will end up being on his side, weird huh? That's why you have to read it. The plot is fresh, tight and I could not stop reading from page one. I literally stopped my life to finish it. It was just so fascinating. If you like to people watch, especially damaged people, you will love this like I did.
And the grand finale, the last third of the book. Aaaaaaaaaaaargh!!!
It was bloody fantastic, just remembering it I am getting all hyped up, so much action, turns of events that will stun your mind. And finally my favourite line in the whole book, and you will get it when you read it;
"It's not what it looks like."
Beg, borrow, buy - just get it, I think a minority won't get what this book is about, but I think it will be a very small minority and judging on early reviews I am right (often am). A memorable read that I am happy to rave on about. 5 easy well earned stars.
Thanks so much to the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks so much for reading my review! If you’d like to connect you can follow me or please send me a friend request. 🐱I love to read other reviews and talk about books we are reading.
If you are an Author and you’d like me to consider reading and reviewing your book please just message me.
You can also find me on Twitter @bookishcats (I follow back) and on Amazon U.K. where I am a Top 500 Reviewer as Booklover Catlady.
This is one exceptional novel. If you don't read this then you are so not in the cool gang. If you read crime novels a lot like me, or even if you don't, start now, with this one. Honestly, go do it. I freaking loved this book for a million reasons, it messed with my head, blending slight humour through a book about a serial killer is not an easy task, but it was pulled off with finesse. Bravo to Graeme Cameron.
I loved being in the head of this serial killer.
I’m not NORMAL.
He is the man who lives on your street. The one you see in the supermarket and nod hello to.
He’s also a serial killer. Killing is what he’s good at.
He’s the most compelling antihero since Patricia Highsmith’s Ripley.
And you’ll want him to get away with MURDER.
Stuff telling you the plot!, it won't work, it gives away too much. Instead I will try to share how this book is like to read, why it is so good, in my humble words. I could just write READ THIS BOOK.
Firstly, I loved the fact that the book is written with us stuck in said serial killer and kidnapper's head. Awesome. Because he is so darn flawed and messed up at times it's just hilarious. Other times it's so dark and nasty. But you never know what you are going to get.
So he kills, you kind of get that right? But then one day everything changes and the floor is shifting under him. From then on this gets really bloody good. I was like jumping up in down and yelling at the characters that I am not even going to mention because again, major spoilers but let me say this loudly.
Erica! Erica! Freak me out, what a brilliantly written character, didn't know where she would take me but loved the ride. Oh yes indeed!
He's the anti-hero, many will end up being on his side, weird huh? That's why you have to read it. The plot is fresh, tight and I could not stop reading from page one. I literally stopped my life to finish it. It was just so fascinating. If you like to people watch, especially damaged people, you will love this like I did.
And the grand finale, the last third of the book. Aaaaaaaaaaaargh!!!
It was bloody fantastic, just remembering it I am getting all hyped up, so much action, turns of events that will stun your mind. And finally my favourite line in the whole book, and you will get it when you read it;
"It's not what it looks like."
Beg, borrow, buy - just get it, I think a minority won't get what this book is about, but I think it will be a very small minority and judging on early reviews I am right (often am). A memorable read that I am happy to rave on about. 5 easy well earned stars.
Thanks so much to the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks so much for reading my review! If you’d like to connect you can follow me or please send me a friend request. 🐱I love to read other reviews and talk about books we are reading.
If you are an Author and you’d like me to consider reading and reviewing your book please just message me.
You can also find me on Twitter @bookishcats (I follow back) and on Amazon U.K. where I am a Top 500 Reviewer as Booklover Catlady.
September 16, 2015
Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
“I was born and not made. A product of nature, and nurture be damned.”
In case you didn’t already know, here’s a pie chart that explains how normal I am . . .
Now that we have that covered, let’s get down to bidness. I should title this week’s reviews “books I requested from NetGalley and was denied but was soooooo stoked about them I immediately got them from the library upon their release only to be extremely disappointed.” Someone cross-stitch that on a pillow for me.
Oh Normal, you had so much potential. A book about a serial killer written from the killer’s perspective??? That’s nearly a guaranteed win when it comes to a Kelly and Mitchell buddy read . . .
YOU SHOULD BE!
Normal should have been a book that tore down allllllll the boundaries of things that are okay to write about. I should be writing a warning to all of you about all the triggers contained within its pages and saying things like “I completely understand anyone not feeling comfortable about reading this,” but I can’t because Normal was so . . . well, NORMAL. Yes, the MC was a serial killer, but he was the most one-dimensional serial killer in the history of serial killers. Since I’m a freak (see the graph above if you’ve already forgotten) I kinda love getting into these character’s brains and sometimes evenfall in love with them feel a bit sorry for them. That’s kind of hard to do when you barely delve deeper than surface level and when you do you find out things like ROGER MOORE was always the dude’s favorite Bond. WTF? There’s only one Bond and everyone knows it . . .
Add in to the mix having the serial killer’s murders all be of the fade-to-black style excluding the one kidnap victim/Stockholm Syndrome sufferer/fucking looney tune he kept locked in a cage that I desperately kept hoping for something like this to happen to . . .
and there just wasn’t much enjoyment to be had by either Mitchell or myself. Normal is a book for people who want to say they read something super edgy without actually reading something edgy at all. My recommendation? Skip this one and read You instead. Now there’s a weirdo I can rave about.
Thank you NetGalley for declining my request. Maybe one day I’ll realize you know me better than I know myself.
“I was born and not made. A product of nature, and nurture be damned.”
In case you didn’t already know, here’s a pie chart that explains how normal I am . . .
Now that we have that covered, let’s get down to bidness. I should title this week’s reviews “books I requested from NetGalley and was denied but was soooooo stoked about them I immediately got them from the library upon their release only to be extremely disappointed.” Someone cross-stitch that on a pillow for me.
Oh Normal, you had so much potential. A book about a serial killer written from the killer’s perspective??? That’s nearly a guaranteed win when it comes to a Kelly and Mitchell buddy read . . .
YOU SHOULD BE!
Normal should have been a book that tore down allllllll the boundaries of things that are okay to write about. I should be writing a warning to all of you about all the triggers contained within its pages and saying things like “I completely understand anyone not feeling comfortable about reading this,” but I can’t because Normal was so . . . well, NORMAL. Yes, the MC was a serial killer, but he was the most one-dimensional serial killer in the history of serial killers. Since I’m a freak (see the graph above if you’ve already forgotten) I kinda love getting into these character’s brains and sometimes even
Add in to the mix having the serial killer’s murders all be of the fade-to-black style excluding the one kidnap victim/Stockholm Syndrome sufferer/fucking looney tune he kept locked in a cage that I desperately kept hoping for something like this to happen to . . .
and there just wasn’t much enjoyment to be had by either Mitchell or myself. Normal is a book for people who want to say they read something super edgy without actually reading something edgy at all. My recommendation? Skip this one and read You instead. Now there’s a weirdo I can rave about.
Thank you NetGalley for declining my request. Maybe one day I’ll realize you know me better than I know myself.
April 5, 2015
A book written from the POV of a serial killer....woo hoo,I'm on board.
As soon as "Normal" was delivered to my kindle,I hunkered down on the sofa and dug in.
After a few disappointing hours,my take on the book was as follows, a man with a van, a home in a remote location, mad knife skills and cage in a secret basement. YAWN. Nothing original,fresh or mind blowing.
The serial killer,who remains nameless throughout the book, is basically your run of the mill " Mommy's-little-basement-dwelling-red pill-guy".
There were far too many scenes that lack believability, bordering on the absurd.
I found the writing to be mired down and lacking clarity. Overall,the book lacked depth,a clear point of view and characterization.
Suffice it to say, I would not recommend this book to anyone and if I could, I would ask for a refund.
As soon as "Normal" was delivered to my kindle,I hunkered down on the sofa and dug in.
After a few disappointing hours,my take on the book was as follows, a man with a van, a home in a remote location, mad knife skills and cage in a secret basement. YAWN. Nothing original,fresh or mind blowing.
The serial killer,who remains nameless throughout the book, is basically your run of the mill " Mommy's-little-basement-dwelling-red pill-guy".
There were far too many scenes that lack believability, bordering on the absurd.
I found the writing to be mired down and lacking clarity. Overall,the book lacked depth,a clear point of view and characterization.
Suffice it to say, I would not recommend this book to anyone and if I could, I would ask for a refund.
October 24, 2017
Normal by Graeme Cameron is anything but normal it started with a bang & just kept going until about the middle then slowed a bit, this was not for the faint of heart it is very dark & gruesome what this serial killer put his victims through was abhorrent it chilled me to my core I couldn't imagine myself being kept in a cage like an animal.
DID I LIKE THIS?
Yes
BUT
Would you believe I actually liked the protagonist?
I wont go on any further as I don't want to give any spoilers away.
WARNING DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVE A WEAK STOMACH!!
DID I LIKE THIS?
Yes
BUT
Would you believe I actually liked the protagonist?
I wont go on any further as I don't want to give any spoilers away.
WARNING DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVE A WEAK STOMACH!!
December 5, 2015
I'm a big fan of leaving some things to the imagination, but I do not want to have to do all the work. I can fill in the blanks with the best of 'em, but there needs to be a point of reference with which to begin. This was like a cryptogram without a key. It was all over the place, with no clue as to the whys and the wherefores. Bumping it up to two stars for the dark humor which kept me reading.
June 11, 2015
A book about a serial killer in the eyes of the serial killer... I know what you're thinking: the morbidness! The fascinating concept! The potential to show us what it is like on the other side of the fence! The opportunity to give us such a gritty, different, and complex story!
... which boggles the mind: how the hell did this one manage to bore me the frack out?!
Here's the thing, ladies and gents: when we're reading a perspective from the other person when it comes to controversial issues, I expect it to be... well, deep, because they shove us an extremely unlikeable person who does extremely unlikeable (read: detestable) things so they can humanize them to a certain extent in order to make us "see" where they are coming from (but not forgive... fuck no) and to see what factors contribute to such social ills. Case-in-point: Tease by Amanda Maciel, which is all about slut-shaming and bullying in the eyes of the bully, shedding light on the elements and societal structures that need to be improved on. These things add to the depth, to the complexity, to the value of discernment and discussion aside from the "edge" these kind of books usually give.
Unfortunately, that was what Normal lacked. It lacked substance. It lacked the internal conflict that would make the hero a "tortured" one (as the summary implies). I mean, I get the nature vs nurture thing it has going on and how people can *~*~*~CHAAAANGE~*~*~* but the whole thing was just ridiculous. We see a serial killer targeting predominantly women and we never really see why he does what he does. The backstory we got was so minimal it didn't even put a dent on his character development (or devolution). Plus, the emotions just weren't there... the writing was choppy, flat, and was mostly just describing the environment rather than actually talking to the reader about the serial killer himself and who/what he is and if there are more complex issues than those that are skin deep.
What a waste of opportunity, honestly. There were so many stuff here that didn't seem irrelevant, a lot of repetitive ones even, and I seriously don't need a 10 page description about how the dude "redecorated" a place to frame someone else for murder. If this had more emotion, if the serial killer was more fleshed-out, it could have been enjoyable and maybe even a page-turner. Alas, all I got from it was a yawn and a headache. Not the best combination.
... which boggles the mind: how the hell did this one manage to bore me the frack out?!
Here's the thing, ladies and gents: when we're reading a perspective from the other person when it comes to controversial issues, I expect it to be... well, deep, because they shove us an extremely unlikeable person who does extremely unlikeable (read: detestable) things so they can humanize them to a certain extent in order to make us "see" where they are coming from (but not forgive... fuck no) and to see what factors contribute to such social ills. Case-in-point: Tease by Amanda Maciel, which is all about slut-shaming and bullying in the eyes of the bully, shedding light on the elements and societal structures that need to be improved on. These things add to the depth, to the complexity, to the value of discernment and discussion aside from the "edge" these kind of books usually give.
Unfortunately, that was what Normal lacked. It lacked substance. It lacked the internal conflict that would make the hero a "tortured" one (as the summary implies). I mean, I get the nature vs nurture thing it has going on and how people can *~*~*~CHAAAANGE~*~*~* but the whole thing was just ridiculous. We see a serial killer targeting predominantly women and we never really see why he does what he does. The backstory we got was so minimal it didn't even put a dent on his character development (or devolution). Plus, the emotions just weren't there... the writing was choppy, flat, and was mostly just describing the environment rather than actually talking to the reader about the serial killer himself and who/what he is and if there are more complex issues than those that are skin deep.
What a waste of opportunity, honestly. There were so many stuff here that didn't seem irrelevant, a lot of repetitive ones even, and I seriously don't need a 10 page description about how the dude "redecorated" a place to frame someone else for murder. If this had more emotion, if the serial killer was more fleshed-out, it could have been enjoyable and maybe even a page-turner. Alas, all I got from it was a yawn and a headache. Not the best combination.
March 30, 2015
Firstly, and most importantly, everyone should read this book right now!
Even if it’s not normally your genre of choice, you must read this book, so that you have experienced it too. This is definitely one of my favourite books of the year so far. It’s bloody marvellous!
It’s going to be so hard to review this book, as I really don’t want to give much away at all. I’m not even really sure how to describe it. It’s a psychological suspense crime thriller with dark humour and a little extra ‘totally messed up’ squeezed in there too.
You will spend the pages of this story in the mind of a serial killer, and what’s worse, you’ll probably really enjoy it. I feel like I know the killer so well, yet I have no idea what his name is. Not knowing his name feels so strange. How can I feel I know someone so intimately, yet not know his name.
There is only one serial killer I have ever really liked, and that’s Dexter Morgan, and he’s not even a really bad serial killer, as he focuses on bad people he believes deserve to die. This killer however, is not quite so ethical in his selection of victims, and you’ll get to know all about that once you start reading this.
This book gripped me from the start to the finish, with about the last 25% of the story being impossible to put down.
Buy this book, and live the life of a serial killer through the pages of this story. Expect to be left questioning your own moral views and sanity!
I have two questions to ask future readers:
1. Did you want him to get away with murder?
2. How does that make you feel, ‘normal’ or unhinged?
I would like to thank the publisher, Harlequin (UK) Limited for allowing me a copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I can’t wait to read more by Graeme Cameron.
Even if it’s not normally your genre of choice, you must read this book, so that you have experienced it too. This is definitely one of my favourite books of the year so far. It’s bloody marvellous!
It’s going to be so hard to review this book, as I really don’t want to give much away at all. I’m not even really sure how to describe it. It’s a psychological suspense crime thriller with dark humour and a little extra ‘totally messed up’ squeezed in there too.
You will spend the pages of this story in the mind of a serial killer, and what’s worse, you’ll probably really enjoy it. I feel like I know the killer so well, yet I have no idea what his name is. Not knowing his name feels so strange. How can I feel I know someone so intimately, yet not know his name.
There is only one serial killer I have ever really liked, and that’s Dexter Morgan, and he’s not even a really bad serial killer, as he focuses on bad people he believes deserve to die. This killer however, is not quite so ethical in his selection of victims, and you’ll get to know all about that once you start reading this.
This book gripped me from the start to the finish, with about the last 25% of the story being impossible to put down.
Buy this book, and live the life of a serial killer through the pages of this story. Expect to be left questioning your own moral views and sanity!
I have two questions to ask future readers:
1. Did you want him to get away with murder?
2. How does that make you feel, ‘normal’ or unhinged?
I would like to thank the publisher, Harlequin (UK) Limited for allowing me a copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I can’t wait to read more by Graeme Cameron.
April 2, 2015
4.5 stars!
This book surprised me with how much I liked it. Not because I was expecting the writing to be bad, or even because I didn't think the storyline would be interesting, but rather because, this story is told through the mind of a sociopath. The voice, is one of a killer and as weird and messed up as it sounds, it was a fascinating read and hard to put down.
This jumped right into the gore, right into the heart of the storyline.
There is nothing quite like the dark twisted mind of someone deeply disturbed. To see the inner workings of a mad man. To constantly be torn between horrified and unable to look away. Like a train wreck where you can't help but look, wondering who possibly could have survived it and wondering how many died.
Not your typical read and definitely not for the faint of heart.
Is the author a master, or someone just as mad as the narrator? Honestly, I still am not sure.
What makes this read the most frightening of all if how normal the person on the outside seems when on the inside he is in every sense of the word, a monster.
Like the monsters that have come before him, those in fiction and real life, he wears the face of someone seemingly innocent. Seemingly sane, average, and harmless.
Gah this book! It was crazy and messed up and completely enthralling. I am so glad I took a chance on it and read it because it truly was a unique, bizarre, sick, and yet fun ride.
This book surprised me with how much I liked it. Not because I was expecting the writing to be bad, or even because I didn't think the storyline would be interesting, but rather because, this story is told through the mind of a sociopath. The voice, is one of a killer and as weird and messed up as it sounds, it was a fascinating read and hard to put down.
This jumped right into the gore, right into the heart of the storyline.
There is nothing quite like the dark twisted mind of someone deeply disturbed. To see the inner workings of a mad man. To constantly be torn between horrified and unable to look away. Like a train wreck where you can't help but look, wondering who possibly could have survived it and wondering how many died.
Not your typical read and definitely not for the faint of heart.
Is the author a master, or someone just as mad as the narrator? Honestly, I still am not sure.
What makes this read the most frightening of all if how normal the person on the outside seems when on the inside he is in every sense of the word, a monster.
Like the monsters that have come before him, those in fiction and real life, he wears the face of someone seemingly innocent. Seemingly sane, average, and harmless.
Gah this book! It was crazy and messed up and completely enthralling. I am so glad I took a chance on it and read it because it truly was a unique, bizarre, sick, and yet fun ride.
February 2, 2015
Right. So where to start. First of all for me, this was one of those books that grips you so utterly that you practically live in it. In fact I probably have lived in it for the last couple of days even whilst doing the usual life type things like picking up the kids from school…hang on, wait, where are my kids? I’ll be back….
Seriously though, this was a marvel of a twisted tale, so addictive that a warning sticker on the front of the book would not go amiss, most horrifically fascinating and with at least two characters I will never ever forget. And I don’t even know the name of one of them.
Told from the point of view of the killer, a man who has few if any boundaries and yet is strangely in tune with his own lack of normality, you never know his name, hardly find out anything about his background and have no clue what he looks like. Yet you will get to know him well and quite possibly hope that he gets away with murder.
When I started this story I was wondering how he had managed to evade capture for so long, wanting the police to nab him and giving due consideration to how they might do that. By halfway through I was totally committed to every evil act he was involved with and by the time I was heading towards the end I was sitting on the edge of the seat PRAYING that he would get away with all of it. Yes I’m aware that this is wrong on SO many levels but Graeme Cameron has created an anti-hero so beautifully drawn and cleverly constructed that I simply could not help myself.
You can’t even really justify it by his choice of victims – I mean we all love Dexter because he may be a serial killer but the people he kills are hardly worth the effort it takes to feel sorry for them. Mr Cameron’s serial killer is almost the anti-Dexter, his victims are innocents for the most part, certainly not deserving of their fate. And yet…somehow through sheer force of a personality that creeps up on you, you gloss over all that and become complicit in his life.
Then we have Erica. Who I’m not really going to talk about beyond saying that I adored her with a fiery passion that only comes once in a while, you’ll have to meet her for yourself. Added to that there are a plethora of other people crossing the path of our unnamed unknoweable everyman, all seen through his eyes they take on a life all of their own. I had a soft spot for one or two of them, would not have been sorry to see at least one served up to our killer’s appetites, but every one adds to the whole and makes it a simple yet brilliant twist on an often done genre.
I am aware that this will probably divide opinion and not everyone will react the same way – certainly if this was on television you would more than likely see the odd “glorifying violence” attitude towards it that happened with “The Fall”. Whilst both The Fall and Dexter are useful tools to try and explain whether or not you may like this book, do not think for one moment that “Normal” is anything at all like them. It is entirely its own thing, unique and terribly intelligent whilst also being a stonking good read. For me this has immediately gone onto my list of favourite books ever, simply because of my ongoing reactions and emotions to the events within the pages. And that ending. Boy oh boy! Loved it. Start to finish.
Eminently readable, more delicious than chocolate, elegantly imagined and utterly utterly captivating – I dare you to read this and hold the moral high ground.
Highly Recommended!
Seriously though, this was a marvel of a twisted tale, so addictive that a warning sticker on the front of the book would not go amiss, most horrifically fascinating and with at least two characters I will never ever forget. And I don’t even know the name of one of them.
Told from the point of view of the killer, a man who has few if any boundaries and yet is strangely in tune with his own lack of normality, you never know his name, hardly find out anything about his background and have no clue what he looks like. Yet you will get to know him well and quite possibly hope that he gets away with murder.
When I started this story I was wondering how he had managed to evade capture for so long, wanting the police to nab him and giving due consideration to how they might do that. By halfway through I was totally committed to every evil act he was involved with and by the time I was heading towards the end I was sitting on the edge of the seat PRAYING that he would get away with all of it. Yes I’m aware that this is wrong on SO many levels but Graeme Cameron has created an anti-hero so beautifully drawn and cleverly constructed that I simply could not help myself.
You can’t even really justify it by his choice of victims – I mean we all love Dexter because he may be a serial killer but the people he kills are hardly worth the effort it takes to feel sorry for them. Mr Cameron’s serial killer is almost the anti-Dexter, his victims are innocents for the most part, certainly not deserving of their fate. And yet…somehow through sheer force of a personality that creeps up on you, you gloss over all that and become complicit in his life.
Then we have Erica. Who I’m not really going to talk about beyond saying that I adored her with a fiery passion that only comes once in a while, you’ll have to meet her for yourself. Added to that there are a plethora of other people crossing the path of our unnamed unknoweable everyman, all seen through his eyes they take on a life all of their own. I had a soft spot for one or two of them, would not have been sorry to see at least one served up to our killer’s appetites, but every one adds to the whole and makes it a simple yet brilliant twist on an often done genre.
I am aware that this will probably divide opinion and not everyone will react the same way – certainly if this was on television you would more than likely see the odd “glorifying violence” attitude towards it that happened with “The Fall”. Whilst both The Fall and Dexter are useful tools to try and explain whether or not you may like this book, do not think for one moment that “Normal” is anything at all like them. It is entirely its own thing, unique and terribly intelligent whilst also being a stonking good read. For me this has immediately gone onto my list of favourite books ever, simply because of my ongoing reactions and emotions to the events within the pages. And that ending. Boy oh boy! Loved it. Start to finish.
Eminently readable, more delicious than chocolate, elegantly imagined and utterly utterly captivating – I dare you to read this and hold the moral high ground.
Highly Recommended!
February 17, 2015
Book – Normal
Author – Graeme Cameron
Publication Date – March 31, 2015
Genre – Psychological Thriller
Type – Stand Alone
Cliffhanger – Kind of…it’s up to you
Rating – 4 to 4.5 out of 5 Stars
Complimentary Copy generously provided by Harlequin via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
My Thoughts - Story
I first have to have a short rant about how the nameless anti-hero (or hero in my book) gets the short end of the stick. I always seem to fall in love with the underdog and get frustrated when they lose. OK – so I’m done with that (this is the reason for a ½ star being deducted)
I do have bow before this author and explain how clever this story was in which you take a serial killer and start to relate and root for him to win in the end. I found myself actually feeling bad and hating everyone else in the story because of hindering our hero to find his true love.
My heart broke for him… I cried – I cursed – I imagined horrible things happening to the bad guys (cops) – I laughed (yes there are such funny spots) – and most important – I related and lived!
Re-Cap
Our nameless serial killer is a mastermind when it comes to acquiring girls and keeping them captive in his basement. He is a genius when it comes to hiding his kills except – except for when it comes to that little beauty in the grocery store. She captures his heart and no more does his mind want to torture and kill. But what can he do now with a prisoner in his basement and the cops breathing down his neck?
Reason for Reading – Net Galley
Story – 5 out of 5 Stars
Steam – 3.5 out of 5 Stars
Angst – 4.5 out of 5 Stars
Writing – 3.5 out of 5 Stars
Content Flow – 4 out of 5 Stars
Told In – One POV
Heroine/Personality – N/A
Hero/Personality – Nameless Serial Killer – I want him to be my husband ♥
HEA (Spoiler) – This can’t be spoiled because the ending is left open
Would Read More from Author? Yes
Recommend To – readers who love to feel while reading dark thrillers
Author – Graeme Cameron
Publication Date – March 31, 2015
Genre – Psychological Thriller
Type – Stand Alone
Cliffhanger – Kind of…it’s up to you
Rating – 4 to 4.5 out of 5 Stars
Complimentary Copy generously provided by Harlequin via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
My Thoughts - Story
I first have to have a short rant about how the nameless anti-hero (or hero in my book) gets the short end of the stick. I always seem to fall in love with the underdog and get frustrated when they lose. OK – so I’m done with that (this is the reason for a ½ star being deducted)
I do have bow before this author and explain how clever this story was in which you take a serial killer and start to relate and root for him to win in the end. I found myself actually feeling bad and hating everyone else in the story because of hindering our hero to find his true love.
My heart broke for him… I cried – I cursed – I imagined horrible things happening to the bad guys (cops) – I laughed (yes there are such funny spots) – and most important – I related and lived!
Re-Cap
Our nameless serial killer is a mastermind when it comes to acquiring girls and keeping them captive in his basement. He is a genius when it comes to hiding his kills except – except for when it comes to that little beauty in the grocery store. She captures his heart and no more does his mind want to torture and kill. But what can he do now with a prisoner in his basement and the cops breathing down his neck?
Reason for Reading – Net Galley
Story – 5 out of 5 Stars
Steam – 3.5 out of 5 Stars
Angst – 4.5 out of 5 Stars
Writing – 3.5 out of 5 Stars
Content Flow – 4 out of 5 Stars
Told In – One POV
Heroine/Personality – N/A
Hero/Personality – Nameless Serial Killer – I want him to be my husband ♥
HEA (Spoiler) – This can’t be spoiled because the ending is left open
Would Read More from Author? Yes
Recommend To – readers who love to feel while reading dark thrillers
February 10, 2015
GO OUT AND READ THIS NOW!
Okay, done that? Good. Now you'll know just how bloody amazing this book is. Seriously, it is already on my list of top five books of the year and it will take a hell of a lot to shift it off.
It's a novel, unlike many novels you read in the crime genre. It's told in first person narrative from the point of view of a serial killer. Come to think of it, I don't think we even get to know his name!
And don't be fooled by how much I love this book, this guy really is a bad guy. He kills people, dismembers them and we get to know all about it. About all the bad stuff he does and all the bad stuff he thinks about. But it's also in the thinking, that we get to see a little bit more of him and Cameron really drags us in and keeps us there. I did not want to put this book down. You're in this killer world and you want to stay there.
We get to see him interact with people - other than the ones he's killing - and we get to see a strange interaction with a victim of his. It has amusing moments. One point, quite near the end, I was laughing out loud and nearly hysterically. The guy had got himself into such a predicament.
It is such a bizarre read, that he kills and yet he is a somewhat sympathetic character, and it is this fact alone, that Cameron can make this work, that makes this a standout novel.
If you only read one crime book this year, I'd tell you to read this one. It's so far from the 'normal' crime read, it's utterly brilliant.
With thanks to the publisher and author for my copy of the book.
Okay, done that? Good. Now you'll know just how bloody amazing this book is. Seriously, it is already on my list of top five books of the year and it will take a hell of a lot to shift it off.
It's a novel, unlike many novels you read in the crime genre. It's told in first person narrative from the point of view of a serial killer. Come to think of it, I don't think we even get to know his name!
And don't be fooled by how much I love this book, this guy really is a bad guy. He kills people, dismembers them and we get to know all about it. About all the bad stuff he does and all the bad stuff he thinks about. But it's also in the thinking, that we get to see a little bit more of him and Cameron really drags us in and keeps us there. I did not want to put this book down. You're in this killer world and you want to stay there.
We get to see him interact with people - other than the ones he's killing - and we get to see a strange interaction with a victim of his. It has amusing moments. One point, quite near the end, I was laughing out loud and nearly hysterically. The guy had got himself into such a predicament.
It is such a bizarre read, that he kills and yet he is a somewhat sympathetic character, and it is this fact alone, that Cameron can make this work, that makes this a standout novel.
If you only read one crime book this year, I'd tell you to read this one. It's so far from the 'normal' crime read, it's utterly brilliant.
With thanks to the publisher and author for my copy of the book.
February 24, 2015
OMG. I have "NEEDED" to read this book from the second I saw it on Netgalley and went to incredible lengths including stalking and begging to finally receiving a copy from the publishers last week. This did not disappoint.. it was deliciously dark and sick and twisted and funny and wonderful and disgusting and just perfect in everyway... except the ending....! Noooooooo... I want more..... I need more... don't leave me like that.
I will be following Graeme very carefully (be afraid Mr Cameron) and reading everything he ever writes in the future. Absolutely fabulous and a well deserved 5 stars from me.
I will be following Graeme very carefully (be afraid Mr Cameron) and reading everything he ever writes in the future. Absolutely fabulous and a well deserved 5 stars from me.
June 13, 2023
Original. Not your usual serial killer book. Kept me on the edge of my seat and laughed a lot also. Really liked Erika as a character.
Looking forward to reading the sequel.
Four stars.
Looking forward to reading the sequel.
Four stars.
March 11, 2015
A debut from the pen of Graeme Cameron which I know has a lot of buzz around it at the moment.
The book is about a serial killer who goes around, well, killing; young females predominantly. It's written in the first narrative from the killer's perspective throughout. The point being we get to see his personality, where he's coming from and how's he's feeling as he approaches his kills. The opposite of anything akin to 'normal'. During such one kill he's stumbled upon by the victim's friend so is forced to kidnap her and keep her in a steel cage in a basement near his house. We've now moved from murder to kidnapping. What we as a reader don't really get to find out is why the killer is the way he is. Yes, there is a bit of backstory but not much. We never learn his name, which is fine, but we don't get to know much else either. He apparently has acquired many hunting skills which hints at sinisterism, but again nothing is really fleshed out and I concede that this was probably deliberate by the author. He has good social skills yet he doesn't appear to hold down a job but seems to be fairly affluent?? He appears to be able to murder at free will and yet no one anywhere sees anything?!! Then, when he is suspected the police who come along to investigate and question just come across as short of a fair few brain cells; their actions are seriously questionable and just lost plausibility for me. Nothing they did, said, felt realistic.
Maybe it's me and I'm not seeing what a lot of others are. It does appear to be a good idea but I think it veers into black comedy territory, which very rarely works for me. It's not my favourite thing if I'm honest and something I usually steer clear of. And I know I'm being picky because I'm no grammar fiend usually but there were some Americanisms thrown in. For example we had curb instead of kerb and flavor instead of flavour - I couldn't really understand why, it just struck me as a bit odd because they were the only two I picked up on. What I mean is either throw in quite a few or none at all. Is it me?!!
I think this is one of those books that you really have to see for yourself how it works for you. It's definitely a discussion piece that will probably polarise opinions and in that sense it's worked! For me this is 3.5 star rating book, it's an enjoyable read well enough but perhaps leave believability at the door and enjoy it for what it is, the black comedy it's intended to be I'm guessing. I'll be interested to see what the author comes up with next time.
Thanks go to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC. Appreciated.
The book is about a serial killer who goes around, well, killing; young females predominantly. It's written in the first narrative from the killer's perspective throughout. The point being we get to see his personality, where he's coming from and how's he's feeling as he approaches his kills. The opposite of anything akin to 'normal'. During such one kill he's stumbled upon by the victim's friend so is forced to kidnap her and keep her in a steel cage in a basement near his house. We've now moved from murder to kidnapping. What we as a reader don't really get to find out is why the killer is the way he is. Yes, there is a bit of backstory but not much. We never learn his name, which is fine, but we don't get to know much else either. He apparently has acquired many hunting skills which hints at sinisterism, but again nothing is really fleshed out and I concede that this was probably deliberate by the author. He has good social skills yet he doesn't appear to hold down a job but seems to be fairly affluent?? He appears to be able to murder at free will and yet no one anywhere sees anything?!! Then, when he is suspected the police who come along to investigate and question just come across as short of a fair few brain cells; their actions are seriously questionable and just lost plausibility for me. Nothing they did, said, felt realistic.
Maybe it's me and I'm not seeing what a lot of others are. It does appear to be a good idea but I think it veers into black comedy territory, which very rarely works for me. It's not my favourite thing if I'm honest and something I usually steer clear of. And I know I'm being picky because I'm no grammar fiend usually but there were some Americanisms thrown in. For example we had curb instead of kerb and flavor instead of flavour - I couldn't really understand why, it just struck me as a bit odd because they were the only two I picked up on. What I mean is either throw in quite a few or none at all. Is it me?!!
I think this is one of those books that you really have to see for yourself how it works for you. It's definitely a discussion piece that will probably polarise opinions and in that sense it's worked! For me this is 3.5 star rating book, it's an enjoyable read well enough but perhaps leave believability at the door and enjoy it for what it is, the black comedy it's intended to be I'm guessing. I'll be interested to see what the author comes up with next time.
Thanks go to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC. Appreciated.
March 9, 2015
This book by Graeme Cameron is named NORMAL.
This may be named NORMAL but its anything like NORMAL and its certainly ME that isn't NORMAL!!! Because I got to like a serial killer, OMG how did that happen!!! I was left feeling like I was really not NORMAL and felt unbalanced reading this!
Its an outstanding debut novel. You turn the pages knowing that he's going to kill someone again when they least expect it, it can be graphic and terrible imagined in your minds eye and you end up reading it behind your hand those passages! BUT, you carry on, its like some hypnosis that I turned the pages of this fantastic read that made me feel I was reading some horrific crime in the newspaper. If it were in the newspaper I would have possibly leaped over the gruesome bits, but this author has a way of writing that it just literally 'creeps' up on you like HE crept up on them!
I read this in one sitting as it was compulsive reading non the less.
The only bit I have that didn't seem to tally in my brain was with the Police investigations, all that coverage and CCTV around. Who was he and why didn't they see it was him.
The 'falling in love with the check out girl' was really portrayed very well. But the entire story for that lacked 'something' but I just don't know what. But still a clever ploy.
His captures of the 2 women, one of them Erica was fascinating, and Erica was a fiesty woman.
I did love the way the author allowed us to travel around the home of the perpetrator, the hidden things behind the walls the cage way down in the grounds of the house. This is where he first held Erica.
Its worth a read, I know some like it, some don't like it, but its one of those stories that I would say is like Marmite, you love it or you hate it, or you love to hate it.
I would like to thank Harlequin via Net Galley for my copy to read and review
April 16, 2015
In Normal, we follow the day to day life of a man who is seemingly ordinary to outsiders, yet following the story through his own eyes, we see how far from normal he really is. This man, you see, is a serial killer, and a good one at that.
"The truth is I hurt people. It's what I do. It's all I do. It's all I've ever done. I'm not... normal."
This is one very different book, one thing is for sure, love it or hat it, you will not read a book like this. I LOVED the idea of being able to get inside the killer’s head and hearing the story from his perspective, our nameless serial killer.
One of the hardest books to explain the story, one of the hardest books to fully understand the story, but I could not stop reading, I was intrigued to where the story was going next.
Plausible, no not really, but this is a work of fiction, that does keep you guessing and also shocked at all the twists and turns, and also many strong characters.
This is a marmite book, although I hate marmite, I have to admit I enjoyed the book.
This book will split reviews, that's for sure, but read it and make your own mind up.
"The truth is I hurt people. It's what I do. It's all I do. It's all I've ever done. I'm not... normal."
This is one very different book, one thing is for sure, love it or hat it, you will not read a book like this. I LOVED the idea of being able to get inside the killer’s head and hearing the story from his perspective, our nameless serial killer.
One of the hardest books to explain the story, one of the hardest books to fully understand the story, but I could not stop reading, I was intrigued to where the story was going next.
Plausible, no not really, but this is a work of fiction, that does keep you guessing and also shocked at all the twists and turns, and also many strong characters.
This is a marmite book, although I hate marmite, I have to admit I enjoyed the book.
This book will split reviews, that's for sure, but read it and make your own mind up.
May 17, 2015
I honestly could not decide between two and three stars. However, since I was somewhat entertained and I did finish the book rather quickly I went with three.
I feel a bit deflated after finishing the book. I think I may have bought way into the hype and was so excited for the book that it kinda just left me feeling flat.
It had a very intriguing story plot, and I was positive I was going to be thoroughly engrossed from the start. I just didn't enjoy this book as much as originally thought I would. That being said I did still enjoy many parts. Other times I just felt like things were way over the top and quite unbelievable.
Now I admit I'm not an spelling or grammar teacher. In fact there will regrettably be a few errors in grammar and punctuation in my reviews. I can only say that I always give my honest review.
Maybe I missed out on some of the best parts as I felt confused sometimes. I would re-read a few parts and still sometimes feel like something was going over my head. Then something would happen that had me laughing in a very dark way.
Basically, I've got mixed feelings regarding Normal. I'm glad I read it and glad I finished it but just have a bit of lasting confusion going on. Though maybe that's positive as I will certainly be thinking about it for a few days.
I feel a bit deflated after finishing the book. I think I may have bought way into the hype and was so excited for the book that it kinda just left me feeling flat.
It had a very intriguing story plot, and I was positive I was going to be thoroughly engrossed from the start. I just didn't enjoy this book as much as originally thought I would. That being said I did still enjoy many parts. Other times I just felt like things were way over the top and quite unbelievable.
Now I admit I'm not an spelling or grammar teacher. In fact there will regrettably be a few errors in grammar and punctuation in my reviews. I can only say that I always give my honest review.
Maybe I missed out on some of the best parts as I felt confused sometimes. I would re-read a few parts and still sometimes feel like something was going over my head. Then something would happen that had me laughing in a very dark way.
Basically, I've got mixed feelings regarding Normal. I'm glad I read it and glad I finished it but just have a bit of lasting confusion going on. Though maybe that's positive as I will certainly be thinking about it for a few days.
May 30, 2015
The success of the Dexter novels and TV show has obviously started a bit of a trend. I’m thinking of Dan Wells’ novel I Am Not a Serial Killer, a story of a young man struggling with his urges, and now Normal, which features a killer as the main character, with limited success at making him a sympathetic character.
If you are squeamish, stay far away from this novel. Its first pages include a dismemberment and the whole thing includes multiple murders. The twist is that our main character (who never is given a name that I can recall) finally discovers a woman who makes him wish he was normal. Fortunately or unfortunately, the police are closing in and he still has a “guest” in his underground bunker. The tension of the book derives from his juggling of various half-finished crimes, police investigations, and a couple of new “relationships.”
It is an entertaining, quick read if you don’t take it too seriously. In my opinion, women (even those who have been severely abused) simply would not act that way that Erica does and that Rachel (the potential love interest) would never be as unaware and half-accepting as she is portrayed (the vast majority of women aren’t so desperate for a relationship that they are willing to overlook a habit of kidnapping & murder in their potential partners). Nor would a predator of the main character’s caliber be as easily manipulated by one of his prisoners.
If you are willing to overlook these deviations from true human behaviour and you have a strong stomach, you may find this novel worthy of a few hours of your time.
If you are squeamish, stay far away from this novel. Its first pages include a dismemberment and the whole thing includes multiple murders. The twist is that our main character (who never is given a name that I can recall) finally discovers a woman who makes him wish he was normal. Fortunately or unfortunately, the police are closing in and he still has a “guest” in his underground bunker. The tension of the book derives from his juggling of various half-finished crimes, police investigations, and a couple of new “relationships.”
It is an entertaining, quick read if you don’t take it too seriously. In my opinion, women (even those who have been severely abused) simply would not act that way that Erica does and that Rachel (the potential love interest) would never be as unaware and half-accepting as she is portrayed (the vast majority of women aren’t so desperate for a relationship that they are willing to overlook a habit of kidnapping & murder in their potential partners). Nor would a predator of the main character’s caliber be as easily manipulated by one of his prisoners.
If you are willing to overlook these deviations from true human behaviour and you have a strong stomach, you may find this novel worthy of a few hours of your time.
August 5, 2018
A very creepy story that you will not forget in a hurry. I can see this been adapted into a film. Further more Normal is Graeme Cameron's first novel. He is a new author to keep a look out for. I am quite certain it wont be long before Graeme Cameron becomes one of the top best selling authors.
This haunting tale is where a man living on your street, in a nice house with a tidy garden. He shops in the local supermarket just like us all. What freaks you out is the stairs leading down to his basement are accessed via a cupboard with a false inner wall to the garage. There are locks will drill-resistant castings and seventeen-bolt backup. This twisted man who shops in the local supermarket shops for food to feed a young woman he is holding in a cage.
This haunting tale is where a man living on your street, in a nice house with a tidy garden. He shops in the local supermarket just like us all. What freaks you out is the stairs leading down to his basement are accessed via a cupboard with a false inner wall to the garage. There are locks will drill-resistant castings and seventeen-bolt backup. This twisted man who shops in the local supermarket shops for food to feed a young woman he is holding in a cage.
April 6, 2015
How quickly could you spot a serial killer? Male? Female? Young? Old? In fact, most of us know that anyone of us could be a killer. There are obviously recurring themes when you research the lives of these killers; dreadful childhoods, lack of love and support, lack of feelings etc etc... but very few people think of these things when they bump into a stranger on the street or park beside them at the supermarket. Who is standing in line alongside you at the library? How often have you seen the same person at the bus stop beside your local coffee shop? Can you continue to believe that there is inherent goodness within us all, or should you start to doubt everyone you encounter? There are no answers to these questions, by the way, but this is a book that will make you think about who you can trust and how much should you believe to be true.
The killer in Graeme Cameron's debut novel is very different to the ones we are used to reading about. There is no swagger, no preferred 'type', no bigger plan. He is just a confused man with a soft centre, who happens to trap women and sometimes murders them. A man with an average appearance, a likability about him and an urge to hunt and kill. He seems confused. He wants to be the nice guy, genuinely has a good heart and, as far as serial killers go, treats his hostages fairly decently. There is a gentleness about him which confuses not only his victims, but the reader too. One minute you are shocked at his secret cellar and the mere idea of his entrapment of these women. The next you are willing him on as he answers questions from the police who have their suspicions about him. He knows himself that he is not 'normal' and even drops hints to people he encounters. The writing is both shocking and comical at the same time, The character is tragic yet warm, devious yet innocent and full of equal measures of darkness and warmth. A very clever narrative which has echos of truth about it (The case of Natasha Kampusch comes to mind straight away, while further into the novel there are similarities to the hunting style of serial killer Robert Hanson), the novel is one that grabs you by the scruff of the neck and won't let go. You know he is a despicable man who derserves to be caught, but the almost child-like innocence he portrays at the same time makes you doubt it. Like 'Dexter', the TV show serial killer, you are almost praying he won't be caught. There is no doubt that the twisted mind of this man is not someone who should be allowed to roam the streets, among the 'normal', but there is more than one person who wants him around...
I almost inhaled this book in one sitting. It is clever, sassy, different and inspiring. A brave new voice in the world of thrillers. A voice that demands to be heard, and remembered. Bravo Graeme Cameron. Who wants 'Normal', in fiction, all the time??? A massive thumbs up from Bleach House Library!
The killer in Graeme Cameron's debut novel is very different to the ones we are used to reading about. There is no swagger, no preferred 'type', no bigger plan. He is just a confused man with a soft centre, who happens to trap women and sometimes murders them. A man with an average appearance, a likability about him and an urge to hunt and kill. He seems confused. He wants to be the nice guy, genuinely has a good heart and, as far as serial killers go, treats his hostages fairly decently. There is a gentleness about him which confuses not only his victims, but the reader too. One minute you are shocked at his secret cellar and the mere idea of his entrapment of these women. The next you are willing him on as he answers questions from the police who have their suspicions about him. He knows himself that he is not 'normal' and even drops hints to people he encounters. The writing is both shocking and comical at the same time, The character is tragic yet warm, devious yet innocent and full of equal measures of darkness and warmth. A very clever narrative which has echos of truth about it (The case of Natasha Kampusch comes to mind straight away, while further into the novel there are similarities to the hunting style of serial killer Robert Hanson), the novel is one that grabs you by the scruff of the neck and won't let go. You know he is a despicable man who derserves to be caught, but the almost child-like innocence he portrays at the same time makes you doubt it. Like 'Dexter', the TV show serial killer, you are almost praying he won't be caught. There is no doubt that the twisted mind of this man is not someone who should be allowed to roam the streets, among the 'normal', but there is more than one person who wants him around...
I almost inhaled this book in one sitting. It is clever, sassy, different and inspiring. A brave new voice in the world of thrillers. A voice that demands to be heard, and remembered. Bravo Graeme Cameron. Who wants 'Normal', in fiction, all the time??? A massive thumbs up from Bleach House Library!
April 3, 2015
Normal by Graeme Cameron is told in the first person, by an unnamed man who lives in a lovely English farmhouse with a separate garage, drives a white Transit van, and enjoys cooking.
The novel opens as our mystery man is cleaning up after the murder and dismemberment of his latest victim, and is interrupted by an unsuspecting young woman whom he abducts. With Erica safely caged in his purpose built, underground games room our protagonist goes grocery shopping.
"I know exactly when it all started to go wrong for me. It was April 5 at 19:23:17, and it started with a pair of eyes."
It is there that he meets Rachel and his life begins to unravel.
Cameron has created a rather startling antihero, a serial killer who falls in love with a checkout girl. For years he has happily stalked, kidnapped, murdered and even eaten young women, but meeting Rachel throws him off his game.
"I stared down at my feeble prey lying cock-eagled on the floor, and I felt all of the craving, all of the desperate, clawing need simply evaporate. Abruptly, everything in my head was Rachael, everything in my gust was regret and everything at my feet was a ridiculous, unfathomable error of judgement."
The question is what to do with his most recent captive, who turns out to be quite an unusual young woman, and the police detectives who are persistently curious about his house guest. The killer is clever and resourceful but slowly he begins to lose control of his carefully constructed, 'normal' life, and shockingly elicits some sympathy for his predicament.
The best surprise is in the black humour, which is often sly and offbeat. Ordinary scenes are injected with a dark twist that provoke a startled snicker.
"In Fruit & Veg I selected a peach. Small, rosy and perfectly rounded, she set my mouth watering the moment she caught my eye. Her burly, bruised companion, however, swiftly killed my appetite."
Disturbing and whimsical in equal measure, Normal has its flaws, but overall is an entertaining, provocative and sharply written novel.
March 31, 2015
A special thank you to Harlequin Mira and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
NORMAL by Graeme Cameron is told in the first person, an unnamed killer, whose favorite pastime is trolling the neighborhood and abducting women and killing them.
From the mysterious front cover, the summary, and the first 3% of the book, I was ready to settle in for a chilling psychological thriller. The positives stop here.
From this point on, it declines quickly, and if I had not requested it through NetGalley, I would have thrown this one aside before the 10% mark. I literally put it down numerous times, and was not going to invest the time to finish, as I have too many other great books, sitting on my shelf.
However, I continued to read, thinking it would get better and unfortunately it never happened. For me it was not even twisted humor. It did not hold my interest and overall, a non-engaging read. The only character with any sort of intelligent dialogue was Annie.
First, who wants to read a book which refers to “I” the entire book, with no background? I think the author may have been going for dark humor, which again was unable to pull off, in my opinion.
By reading the author’s notes at the end, he is inviting readers to "fill in the blanks with a monster who may be normal, individual to you. Every man-because that‘s who this killer is". If you are going to do this, make him interesting enough to keep reading.
NORMAL by Graeme Cameron is told in the first person, an unnamed killer, whose favorite pastime is trolling the neighborhood and abducting women and killing them.
From the mysterious front cover, the summary, and the first 3% of the book, I was ready to settle in for a chilling psychological thriller. The positives stop here.
From this point on, it declines quickly, and if I had not requested it through NetGalley, I would have thrown this one aside before the 10% mark. I literally put it down numerous times, and was not going to invest the time to finish, as I have too many other great books, sitting on my shelf.
However, I continued to read, thinking it would get better and unfortunately it never happened. For me it was not even twisted humor. It did not hold my interest and overall, a non-engaging read. The only character with any sort of intelligent dialogue was Annie.
First, who wants to read a book which refers to “I” the entire book, with no background? I think the author may have been going for dark humor, which again was unable to pull off, in my opinion.
By reading the author’s notes at the end, he is inviting readers to "fill in the blanks with a monster who may be normal, individual to you. Every man-because that‘s who this killer is". If you are going to do this, make him interesting enough to keep reading.
April 13, 2015
Wow, Just Wow!
I think I may need some therapy after that one. Or just put me in the ward..
Mr. Cameron, bravo for making me want this serial killer to get an HEA.
I think I may need some therapy after that one. Or just put me in the ward..
Mr. Cameron, bravo for making me want this serial killer to get an HEA.
April 18, 2018
This was a little reminiscent of “You” by Caroline Kepnes. I did love how creepy the nameless narrator was. He’s pretty much a lovable serial killer. His morals are all screwed up and he doesn’t know whether to love or hate. His mind is a mess of red and is tangled up beyond belief. He must be charming as he keeps enthralling women.
April 12, 2015
Normal - Graeme Cameron
Beauty, Books and Babble
★★★★✩
In Normal, we follow the day to day life of a man who is seemingly ordinary to outsiders, yet following the story through his own eyes, we see how far from normal he really is. This man, you see, is a serial killer, and a good one at that.
"The truth is I hurt people. It's what I do. It's all I do. It's all I've ever done. I'm not... normal."
I'm going to tread lightly around explaining the outline of this book, as I really dont want to spoil anything for all of you potential readers because you're seriously in for a treat if you read this. Throughout the full book, we read events from the point of view of a nameless, ageless, faceless man who has acquired the skills to lure girls into a false sense of security before locking them in his basement and playing games with them. He's also a mastermind when it comes to keeping both his captives and his true personality concealed.
Everything changes when this nameless man comes across a girl in the supermarket, and suddenly nothing matters any more but her. He likes this girl, and wants her as partner rather than a victim. Suddenly, killing no longer matters to him. There's just one thing standing between them: a girl called Erica, who is currently locked up in a cage in his basement...
"I know exactly when it all started to go wrong for me. It was April 5 at 19:23:17, and it started with a pair of eyes."
I like the fact that our serial killer is kept hidden from us as a reader. The fact that we don't know whether he is old or young, whether he's handsome or not, whether he dresses smart or keeps it casual, simply reinforces the fact that this man could be anyone who is seemlingly normal to you, making him even more disconcerting.
From the start of the book, the reader is thrown into the crazy world of this serial killer, and there is gore straight from the start, so naturally, I was hooked. Cameron did a magnificent job of creating a character I should have loathed, and moulding him into someone I actually loved, empathised with, and became fully invested in, despite being alongside him as he kills and dismembers people. You will fall into this killers bizarre world and never want to leave.
The way Cameron injects humour throughout a book which should quite morbid is done brilliantly, and he allows the reader to really step into a realistic serial killers mind. (Is there something you need to tell us Graeme...?). He has also done a fabulous job creating the superb character that is Erica. She's intriguing, fiesty, and definitely unusual, but I shan't divulge any more about her... You'll just have to grab yourself a copy of this book ASAP!
This book had a firm hold of me through each and every chapter, and blew me away towards the end. It was action packed, fast paced, unpredictable, and surprisingly moving. I recommend you find yourself a copy of this book and settle down with this man who is in tune with abnormality, and you will love him for it. I dare you to read it and not enjoy being inside this serial killers messed up mind... This is one guy you really will want to get away with murder.
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
April 17, 2015
I picked up Normal because I was absolutely fascinated by the idea of reading a love story (notice I didn’t call Normal a romance novel) written in the POV of a serial killer, because I have been fascinated with serial killers for years. What makes them tick, how they do it, why they kill people, what turns them into humans that kill and mutilate other humans – these are only a few questions that have plagued me since I first heard the term “serial killer.” So it was not a complete surprise that I absolutely loved reading Normal.
However, there comes a point in a reader’s life-long love of fiction where contemporary fiction needs to be semi-believable to sway the reader. If contemporary fiction wasn’t in some shape or form realistic it wouldn’t be contemporary fiction, instead it would be fantasy. I freely admit that I loved this novel, but it wasn’t in any way believable (to me) that a sociopathic serial killer whom has killed people for as long as This Guy has, could change his stripes in the short amount of time as it takes Him to spot a beautiful girl in a grocery store a couple of times and instantly realize what he does sickens him. He has murdered since he was a kid – how the hell is he only just figuring out what he does is horrible? Plus, he was entirely inconsistent with whom he killed and how he went about it. I realize that not all serial killers stick to a strict MO but there is usually consistency when it comes to victimology, and He is anything but consistent. I also question how he hasn’t been caught yet because some of his clean up procedures were incorrect! I was correcting this dude’s serial killing ... This probably says something bad about me, and not the author ...
Not only was the MO inconsistent, there were too many unanswered questions for my taste. This probably wouldn’t irritate readers who aren't as nosy, but it bothered me. I don’t consider this a fault of the author, however, because Cameron wanted Normal this way. He wanted to create a character that could be anybody, so he tried to answer as few questions as possible that could describe the killer as a man. At the end of the book, I could probably describe his house better than I could describe the man. No name, no description of the man, no idea what he does to afford a custom-built cage under his garage. The unknown didn’t seem to bug Tika as much as it did me, but I know Blessie had a couple of questions she wants to be answered, herself.
Regardless of how irked I was by the idea that a serial killer of This Guy’s caliber could fall in love, I enjoyed reading Normal. I probably wouldn’t re-read it while house-sitting in a strange house, but I could see myself reading more from this author. Especially if he decides to write a follow-up book or at least a spin-off because I hated that dang cliffhanger!
However, there comes a point in a reader’s life-long love of fiction where contemporary fiction needs to be semi-believable to sway the reader. If contemporary fiction wasn’t in some shape or form realistic it wouldn’t be contemporary fiction, instead it would be fantasy. I freely admit that I loved this novel, but it wasn’t in any way believable (to me) that a sociopathic serial killer whom has killed people for as long as This Guy has, could change his stripes in the short amount of time as it takes Him to spot a beautiful girl in a grocery store a couple of times and instantly realize what he does sickens him. He has murdered since he was a kid – how the hell is he only just figuring out what he does is horrible? Plus, he was entirely inconsistent with whom he killed and how he went about it. I realize that not all serial killers stick to a strict MO but there is usually consistency when it comes to victimology, and He is anything but consistent. I also question how he hasn’t been caught yet because some of his clean up procedures were incorrect! I was correcting this dude’s serial killing ... This probably says something bad about me, and not the author ...
Not only was the MO inconsistent, there were too many unanswered questions for my taste. This probably wouldn’t irritate readers who aren't as nosy, but it bothered me. I don’t consider this a fault of the author, however, because Cameron wanted Normal this way. He wanted to create a character that could be anybody, so he tried to answer as few questions as possible that could describe the killer as a man. At the end of the book, I could probably describe his house better than I could describe the man. No name, no description of the man, no idea what he does to afford a custom-built cage under his garage. The unknown didn’t seem to bug Tika as much as it did me, but I know Blessie had a couple of questions she wants to be answered, herself.
Regardless of how irked I was by the idea that a serial killer of This Guy’s caliber could fall in love, I enjoyed reading Normal. I probably wouldn’t re-read it while house-sitting in a strange house, but I could see myself reading more from this author. Especially if he decides to write a follow-up book or at least a spin-off because I hated that dang cliffhanger!
Buddy read with Blessie @ Mischievous Reads and Tika @ fANGIRL Confessions!
You made it to the end! If you enjoyed my review, please consider giving it a thumbs up on Amazon *HERE* Thank you for all that you do! ❤
This review was originally posted on One Curvy Blogger
October 14, 2016
"I’ve got problems."
Wow . . . just wow! I’m so glad that I stumbled across this book. From the very first page, it was dark and mesmerizing with a touch of comedic genius.
The entire story is told from the serial killer's POV and it makes for a truly great story. The author never gives a description of what the killer looks like or even his name. It’s left entirely up to the reader to conjure up the identity of this guy. A guy that preys on unsuspecting women and could be out walking among us right now. In my head, he was cute, but not someone that would draw much attention to himself. A guy with kind eyes that might make me feel like he was someone I could trust.
He chose his victims based on his moods and often unforeseen circumstances, which was a little reckless. But things always seemed to work out in his favor. Even when the cops started nosing around. You couldn’t help but to laugh at his luck and the situations he found himself in.
"The truth is I hurt people. It’s what I do. It’s all I do. It’s all I’ve ever done. I’m not normal."
What made this story exceptional, was that the author was able to take a character that I should have loathed and despised, and turned him into someone that I had sympathy for. Someone that I almost liked. I wanted to believe so bad that the girl he couldn’t stop thinking about would change everything for him. That feeling love for the first time might actually wash away all the horrible things he had done. As if.
The ending was shocking and might have left a teeny, tiny bit to be desired, but I LOVED it. Every single word. One of the best books I’ve read so far this year.
5/5 Fangs
Mrs Leif's Two Fangs About It
Wow . . . just wow! I’m so glad that I stumbled across this book. From the very first page, it was dark and mesmerizing with a touch of comedic genius.
The entire story is told from the serial killer's POV and it makes for a truly great story. The author never gives a description of what the killer looks like or even his name. It’s left entirely up to the reader to conjure up the identity of this guy. A guy that preys on unsuspecting women and could be out walking among us right now. In my head, he was cute, but not someone that would draw much attention to himself. A guy with kind eyes that might make me feel like he was someone I could trust.
He chose his victims based on his moods and often unforeseen circumstances, which was a little reckless. But things always seemed to work out in his favor. Even when the cops started nosing around. You couldn’t help but to laugh at his luck and the situations he found himself in.
"The truth is I hurt people. It’s what I do. It’s all I do. It’s all I’ve ever done. I’m not normal."
What made this story exceptional, was that the author was able to take a character that I should have loathed and despised, and turned him into someone that I had sympathy for. Someone that I almost liked. I wanted to believe so bad that the girl he couldn’t stop thinking about would change everything for him. That feeling love for the first time might actually wash away all the horrible things he had done. As if.
The ending was shocking and might have left a teeny, tiny bit to be desired, but I LOVED it. Every single word. One of the best books I’ve read so far this year.
5/5 Fangs
Mrs Leif's Two Fangs About It
March 2, 2016
I have no idea what I just read.
The plot, and believe me I'm being kind in calling it that, was so fragmented I found myself cursing at every other page, desperately trying to understand...
"What the hell is going on?"
"Shit. What is happening right now?"
Oh come on, just write ONE legible paragraph, damn it!"
And on, and on...I don't know how to accurately describe the struggle of writing this review when I can't condense all the hate into a few paragraphs.
There may be an interesting story here, but god knows I couldn't find it.
Would NOT recommend for fans of thrillers. Or fans of mysteries. Or fans of books of any kind, to be honest.
My advice? Don't bother. Or if you do decide to bother and really like this one, please let me know why...My head hurts from trying to figure this one out.
The plot, and believe me I'm being kind in calling it that, was so fragmented I found myself cursing at every other page, desperately trying to understand...
"What the hell is going on?"
"Shit. What is happening right now?"
Oh come on, just write ONE legible paragraph, damn it!"
And on, and on...I don't know how to accurately describe the struggle of writing this review when I can't condense all the hate into a few paragraphs.
There may be an interesting story here, but god knows I couldn't find it.
Would NOT recommend for fans of thrillers. Or fans of mysteries. Or fans of books of any kind, to be honest.
My advice? Don't bother. Or if you do decide to bother and really like this one, please let me know why...My head hurts from trying to figure this one out.
February 7, 2015
The good thing about this book is that it has an original storyline. It's unnamed narrator is a serial killer who sometimes kills his victims outright, and at other times kidnaps them and keeps them in a cage in his basement before he murders them. The twist is that, throughout the book, he gradually becomes more 'normal'. He doesn't feel inclined to kill his latest victim, Erica, as she's quite tough and stands up to him; he saves another women, Annie, from being raped and becomes her friend; and he falls in love and starts a relationship with another women, Rachel.
The problem I had with the novel is that it's very unrealistic. The plot is silly, and the characters behave in ways no real people would. None of them seemed at all real to me, there was no depth to them, particularly the female characters. Even the killer wasn't fleshed out enough - why did he kill? Why mainly women (there was no mention of a sexual motive)? Why did he sometimes kill outright and other times kidnap? There was some background about his childhood, but that didn't really go anywhere. If he was a psychopath, he wouldn't have been able to gain empathy as he does, so that can't be it. Also, where did he get all his money from? He has no job and doesn't work, there's no mention of an inheritance or lottery win, and yet has a nice house, car, van and loads of cash to spend.
I also found it to be very overwritten - lots of adjectives and adverbs made the prose purple and hard to get through. I wanted the author to calm down a bit and just write simply. So, all in all, a nice idea, but ultimately it just didn't work for me.
The problem I had with the novel is that it's very unrealistic. The plot is silly, and the characters behave in ways no real people would. None of them seemed at all real to me, there was no depth to them, particularly the female characters. Even the killer wasn't fleshed out enough - why did he kill? Why mainly women (there was no mention of a sexual motive)? Why did he sometimes kill outright and other times kidnap? There was some background about his childhood, but that didn't really go anywhere. If he was a psychopath, he wouldn't have been able to gain empathy as he does, so that can't be it. Also, where did he get all his money from? He has no job and doesn't work, there's no mention of an inheritance or lottery win, and yet has a nice house, car, van and loads of cash to spend.
I also found it to be very overwritten - lots of adjectives and adverbs made the prose purple and hard to get through. I wanted the author to calm down a bit and just write simply. So, all in all, a nice idea, but ultimately it just didn't work for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 24, 2015
GoodReads stars ask us to rate an understood question. My answer here is 2 star - "it was ok". I expected to like this debut far more than I did. Though serial killers aren't often expected to portray humanity I can see how the author went for that here. He fell short for me. I didn't quite buy the whole premise. Improbability and bad men who do good take a skilled author to make the plot work for me. There was something lacking here.
Many of my GoodReads friends really liked this book, giving it 4 stars. Read these to help you decide if this is the book for you.
I think the author, Graeme Cameron has potential and will keep him in mind.
Many of my GoodReads friends really liked this book, giving it 4 stars. Read these to help you decide if this is the book for you.
I think the author, Graeme Cameron has potential and will keep him in mind.
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