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Dr. Barrett Conyors #1
The Prodigy: A Novel of Suspense
James "Jimmy" Martin IV should never have been released from the mental institution. But thanks to incredible wealth and a devoted twin sister, that's just what happens. Once a gifted cellist who wowed audiences at Carnegie Hall, Jimmy is now confined to his Gramercy Park mansion. Surrounded by memories of his sadistic parents, the dangerous sociopath is now free to act on every dark impulse – even if it means kidnapping the beautiful Dr. Barret Conyors.
When Dr. Conyors realizes she's the target of Jimmy's twisted love, it's too late. The forensic psychiatrist finds herself at the mercy of a cunning madman, his ruthless sister, and their wicked plan to produce an heir.
This gripping psychological thriller takes you inside the mind of the criminally insane, as well as the compelling world of forensic psychiatry.
When Dr. Conyors realizes she's the target of Jimmy's twisted love, it's too late. The forensic psychiatrist finds herself at the mercy of a cunning madman, his ruthless sister, and their wicked plan to produce an heir.
This gripping psychological thriller takes you inside the mind of the criminally insane, as well as the compelling world of forensic psychiatry.
395 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2008
61 people want to read
About the author
Charles Atkins
26 books49 followersCharles Atkins
Welcome to my author page. I'm a board-certified psychiatrist, author, and professional speaker.
I write both fiction and nonfiction, including the Barrett Conyors forensic thriller series, the Lil and Ada cozies and urban fantasy with LGBTQ+ protagonists under the pen name, Caleb James. I've written plain-speak books on Alzheimer's and Bipolar Disorder, and textbooks on co-occurring mental health and substance use problems, and opioid use disorders.
In addition to books I've written hundreds of articles, columns, and shorts stories for professional and popular magazines, newspapers, and journals. I've been a regular contributor to the American Medical Association's American Medical News, a consultant to the Reader's Digest Medical Breakthrough series, and my work has appeared in publications ranging from The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) to Writer's Digest Magazine. I've been twice featured in the New York Times, as well as many other publications. In 2019 I wrote a special edition for PARADE on the science of sleep.
I live in Connecticut where I split my time between clinical work, writing and family.
Welcome to my author page. I'm a board-certified psychiatrist, author, and professional speaker.
I write both fiction and nonfiction, including the Barrett Conyors forensic thriller series, the Lil and Ada cozies and urban fantasy with LGBTQ+ protagonists under the pen name, Caleb James. I've written plain-speak books on Alzheimer's and Bipolar Disorder, and textbooks on co-occurring mental health and substance use problems, and opioid use disorders.
In addition to books I've written hundreds of articles, columns, and shorts stories for professional and popular magazines, newspapers, and journals. I've been a regular contributor to the American Medical Association's American Medical News, a consultant to the Reader's Digest Medical Breakthrough series, and my work has appeared in publications ranging from The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) to Writer's Digest Magazine. I've been twice featured in the New York Times, as well as many other publications. In 2019 I wrote a special edition for PARADE on the science of sleep.
I live in Connecticut where I split my time between clinical work, writing and family.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
January 16, 2023
3,5 / 5
Ce n’est pas du tout le genre de livre que j’ai l’habitude de lire, mais ça change des romances mdrr
Je n’ai malheureusement pas trop aimé le livre, je l’ai trouvé « mal écrit », ça se voit que c’est un psychiatre qui l’a écrit. On est un peu dans le même délire que le film Split, en beaucoup moins bien. C’est dommage, parce que le début est super captivant, on se demande ce qu’il va se passer etc, mais ça devient vite long et ennuyant. J’ai vu le plot twist de la fin arriver à 1282km/h…
Malgré ça la première moitié du livre était quand même bien, donc bon ça rattrape un peu
Ce n’est pas du tout le genre de livre que j’ai l’habitude de lire, mais ça change des romances mdrr
Je n’ai malheureusement pas trop aimé le livre, je l’ai trouvé « mal écrit », ça se voit que c’est un psychiatre qui l’a écrit. On est un peu dans le même délire que le film Split, en beaucoup moins bien. C’est dommage, parce que le début est super captivant, on se demande ce qu’il va se passer etc, mais ça devient vite long et ennuyant. J’ai vu le plot twist de la fin arriver à 1282km/h…
Malgré ça la première moitié du livre était quand même bien, donc bon ça rattrape un peu
March 1, 2025
I didn't love it, but it kept my interest enough to keep turning the pages. Thought it was well written and the story kept my interest, but there were a few things that were farfetched enough to keep me from really getting fully pulled in. Hated the way it ended, but seems like the author is planning to continue the story. I'd read that, just to see where things go.
February 17, 2022
I read this when I was 15 don't recommend. If you are an adult and like thrillers and suspense this is the book for you. Enjoy!
May 16, 2025
Nothing new here...just another stupid woman.
September 17, 2008
This sort of modern fiction is not usually the type of book I read (alright I read plenty of it so maybe I should clarify that it's not the type of book I love) so I'm not sure what possessed me to pull this off the new material table at the library. It was probably the allure of music combined with a psychopath and at least in the psychology department, the author delivered. As a expert in psychology, his expertise and insights bled into the story so I enjoyed the profiling and analysis.
But the characters annoyed me as modern-day fiction always does. I found them shallow and could have done without the pervasive use of the f word. I skimmed through the book before I committed to the read and told myself if I saw one I would not check it out because it was probably filled with them. It must have been a lucky skim. There were a few times in the first half of the book when I considered closing the novel and returning it unfinished. The shallow characters just weren't pulling me in the way I like in a novel. Surprising that the child abuse and other misdeeds by the mentally disturbed didn't bother me as much but the language, but it was the crude and violent use of the term that disturbed me. The abuse is disturbing, but maybe since most of it came later in the story when I was finally interested it didn't bother me as much.
I'm not being fair. I can't hold it against the author that I find little to sympathize with in this genre. I found the main character well written, particularly as a female protagonist written from a male author. And the villain was complex and creepy too. However when he would flip from monster to victim, I had trouble shifting with the main character's sympathy, which is probably a side effect of the intensity of bitterness I felt to his manipulation. The conflict is intense and page-turning at a few chapters.
But here it is less than 24 hours after closing the book and I can't even remember the main character's name. And had I read this book pre-goodreads, it would soon be lost in the dozen or so other books floating around my head with snippets of character and plot without enough definition to remember a title or theme. It just wasn't strong enough to leave a lasting impression, but I'm at a loss to describe exactly what could make it stick. I can't exactly call it a light read with the heavy material, but certainly not anything I expected to gain something from. But for this modern mystery genre it certainly was better than many I have read but it wasn't anything I loved. But if you do like this genre, put this one on your list.
To give a brief synopsis: it's about a profile psychiatrist who works for a state mental facility evaluating patients who avoided trial or imprisonment by reason of insanity. I learned a lot about psychological evaluation from the novel that I found enlightening. This main character (what was her name?!) gets a millionaire patient (Jim I do remember his name) who used his fortune to bribe his way into house arrest where he could practice his cello, his one passion and extreme talent in life. As psychiatrist X evaluates the patient she discovers that not only is he much sicker than he's been given credit for, part of that mental distortion is an obsession with her. She has to figure out a way to get him reincarcerated despite his bribing money and manipulation before he hurts anyone (most in danger is herself and anyone she knows).
But the characters annoyed me as modern-day fiction always does. I found them shallow and could have done without the pervasive use of the f word. I skimmed through the book before I committed to the read and told myself if I saw one I would not check it out because it was probably filled with them. It must have been a lucky skim. There were a few times in the first half of the book when I considered closing the novel and returning it unfinished. The shallow characters just weren't pulling me in the way I like in a novel. Surprising that the child abuse and other misdeeds by the mentally disturbed didn't bother me as much but the language, but it was the crude and violent use of the term that disturbed me. The abuse is disturbing, but maybe since most of it came later in the story when I was finally interested it didn't bother me as much.
I'm not being fair. I can't hold it against the author that I find little to sympathize with in this genre. I found the main character well written, particularly as a female protagonist written from a male author. And the villain was complex and creepy too. However when he would flip from monster to victim, I had trouble shifting with the main character's sympathy, which is probably a side effect of the intensity of bitterness I felt to his manipulation. The conflict is intense and page-turning at a few chapters.
But here it is less than 24 hours after closing the book and I can't even remember the main character's name. And had I read this book pre-goodreads, it would soon be lost in the dozen or so other books floating around my head with snippets of character and plot without enough definition to remember a title or theme. It just wasn't strong enough to leave a lasting impression, but I'm at a loss to describe exactly what could make it stick. I can't exactly call it a light read with the heavy material, but certainly not anything I expected to gain something from. But for this modern mystery genre it certainly was better than many I have read but it wasn't anything I loved. But if you do like this genre, put this one on your list.
To give a brief synopsis: it's about a profile psychiatrist who works for a state mental facility evaluating patients who avoided trial or imprisonment by reason of insanity. I learned a lot about psychological evaluation from the novel that I found enlightening. This main character (what was her name?!) gets a millionaire patient (Jim I do remember his name) who used his fortune to bribe his way into house arrest where he could practice his cello, his one passion and extreme talent in life. As psychiatrist X evaluates the patient she discovers that not only is he much sicker than he's been given credit for, part of that mental distortion is an obsession with her. She has to figure out a way to get him reincarcerated despite his bribing money and manipulation before he hurts anyone (most in danger is herself and anyone she knows).
July 13, 2008
James Martin IV was a former child prodigy and talented cellist. He is a resident of an institution for the criminally insane. James was convicted of stalking a female musician and murdering her. Now from the power of money he is released. James is requesting that Dr. Barrett Conyers treat him as her patient. James is not the typical patient Dr. Conyers would take on but there is just something about James that draws her to him. James may be considered a sociopath but there is more than meets the eye with this cellist. James is gearing up for his final duet with... Dr Barrett Conyers.
The Prodigy is one of those books that once you start it you can't stop reading it till the end. I enjoyed the twists The Prodigy brought. It has suspense, drama and intrigue. James had a very unique personality about him. He may be a sociopath but he is nothing like you have ever meet before. If you are ready to dive into the depths of a thriller that will leave you begging for more than check out The Prodigy by Charles Atkins. You will not regret it other than maybe asking yourself why didn't I know about this book sooner. Well don't worry as you still have time to read The Prodigy before Charles Atkins next book Ashes, Ashes comes out. I know I can't wait to see what else Charles Atkins comes up with in Ashes, Ashes.
The Prodigy is one of those books that once you start it you can't stop reading it till the end. I enjoyed the twists The Prodigy brought. It has suspense, drama and intrigue. James had a very unique personality about him. He may be a sociopath but he is nothing like you have ever meet before. If you are ready to dive into the depths of a thriller that will leave you begging for more than check out The Prodigy by Charles Atkins. You will not regret it other than maybe asking yourself why didn't I know about this book sooner. Well don't worry as you still have time to read The Prodigy before Charles Atkins next book Ashes, Ashes comes out. I know I can't wait to see what else Charles Atkins comes up with in Ashes, Ashes.
June 28, 2016
Pas parfait et par moment une intrigue peu originale, mais ce livre demeure tout demême un premier roman assez réussi. La fin est une réussite complète, puisqu'elle nous tient en haleine et nous donne le goût de sauter à pieds joints dans la suite des aventures du personnages principales. Pour le reste, intrigue, personnage, rythme, tout est bien, sans erreur majeure, mais on sent parfois des glissements vers des paterns et des schémas classiques et un peu faciles, des détials ici et là qui son pardonnable pour un premier roman, mais qui j'espère seront rehaussés, tout comme le style d'écriture, dans un prochain livre. Sinon, un des points forts, le côté psychiatrique bien mis en place et crédible, sans aucun doute dû au bagage professionnel de l'auteur dans ce domaine. Bref, un bon roman, sans éclat mais divertissant, et un auteur prometteur sur lequel je garderai un oeil!
July 15, 2012
This is a book filled with many surprises. The reader follows a complex story of a determined forensic psychiatrist and a mentally ill psychopath. There is a story within a story as the reader turns each page.
The novel takes the reader into the mind of both the psychiatirst and the "patient" and is rich with dialogue and intigue. Chilling.
The novel takes the reader into the mind of both the psychiatirst and the "patient" and is rich with dialogue and intigue. Chilling.
March 27, 2014
I met this author because my boyfriend worked with him, so that's the only reason I even knew it existed. But I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to read and how quickly it grabbed my attention. I truly enjoyed this book, so much that halfway through I was already searching for the second one in the series.
June 19, 2012
Well,
It was a book who brought me to.. another world. I was afraid, but I got in the story very fast. I ate that book. This book is a real Novel of Suspense, without any doubt.
I love it, so I gave it a four.
It was a book who brought me to.. another world. I was afraid, but I got in the story very fast. I ate that book. This book is a real Novel of Suspense, without any doubt.
I love it, so I gave it a four.
December 10, 2013
While it was a little bit predictable, this book was very well written. It was suspenseful, exciting, and I couldn't put it down, even though I had already worked out what was happening. Highly recommended =)
March 16, 2008
Good Book, Crappy ending, but it hints to a sequel, I may still be interested to see who's baby it is.
March 24, 2009
Titillated the psych major in me. Suspenseful, although a bit predictable and the end. Good page-turner nonetheless.
May 18, 2010
This book left me with a total cliffhanger....was so mad at the author...but then I found the next installment at the library. So he is forgiven as long as the cliffhanger item is revealed.
August 31, 2010
It took a while to get into but it really picked up pace and was very good.
September 18, 2012
Could not put this book down!!
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews