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Crystal Reign
Former Navy Lieutenant Commander and MMA instructor David Johnson has it all: an amazing wife, three beautiful kids and a great job. He’s the man who can handle anything, and anyone – until his wife Chrissie is introduced to methamphetamine at a friend’s New Year's Eve party. Slowly but surely, everything David has worked for and believed in is dramatically eroded as Chrissie’s addiction takes hold.
Then Chrissie disappears without a trace. In his effort to find her, David gets drawn into the dark world of meth. As the months pass, he becomes more and more afraid that she has been killed, and that the police will suspect him for her murder.
The story of one man's fight to save his family from the drug that is engulfing and destroying New Zealand society.
Then Chrissie disappears without a trace. In his effort to find her, David gets drawn into the dark world of meth. As the months pass, he becomes more and more afraid that she has been killed, and that the police will suspect him for her murder.
The story of one man's fight to save his family from the drug that is engulfing and destroying New Zealand society.
- GenresFiction
285 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 1, 2018
12 people are currently reading
30 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
January 16, 2026
4.5
A heart breaking look into the effects of methamphetamine on close family members, and what it means to love and lose someone to addiction and the impact is has on individuals. Definitely sore for the soul.
A heart breaking look into the effects of methamphetamine on close family members, and what it means to love and lose someone to addiction and the impact is has on individuals. Definitely sore for the soul.
March 4, 2018
Crystal Reign follows David Johnson, a former Navy Lieutenant Commander and martial arts instructor whose world is turned upside down after his wife Chrissie is introduced to methamphetamine.
David is not aware of the extent of Chrissie’s addiction and by the time he does realise the seriousness of it, it is to late. Chrissie’s addiction costs them nearly everything – friends, their business, and the family home.
The novel is also part crime mystery exploring the fallout after Chrissie goes missing and suspicion falls on David.
Although I know very little about methamphetamine addiction I felt that it was a very honest portrayal of addiction from the point of view of a middle-class New Zealand family. The novel also explores David’s problems with alcohol as he struggles with his wife’s disappearance. The novel is written in third person, favouring David’s point-of-view.
I appreciated its strong use of New Zealand current events and Auckland locations to ground the story in a real time and place.
A word of warning as expected with a novel on such a dark topic, it features very graphic violence and coarse language.
Full disclosure: I attended film school with the author Kelly Lyndon and co-produced two of her narrative short films, Blue Mermaid (2010) and Liquortine Dream (2011). I purchased a copy of the book through Kelly’s crowd funding campaign. This self-published novel is distributed by David Bateman.
David is not aware of the extent of Chrissie’s addiction and by the time he does realise the seriousness of it, it is to late. Chrissie’s addiction costs them nearly everything – friends, their business, and the family home.
The novel is also part crime mystery exploring the fallout after Chrissie goes missing and suspicion falls on David.
Although I know very little about methamphetamine addiction I felt that it was a very honest portrayal of addiction from the point of view of a middle-class New Zealand family. The novel also explores David’s problems with alcohol as he struggles with his wife’s disappearance. The novel is written in third person, favouring David’s point-of-view.
I appreciated its strong use of New Zealand current events and Auckland locations to ground the story in a real time and place.
A word of warning as expected with a novel on such a dark topic, it features very graphic violence and coarse language.
Full disclosure: I attended film school with the author Kelly Lyndon and co-produced two of her narrative short films, Blue Mermaid (2010) and Liquortine Dream (2011). I purchased a copy of the book through Kelly’s crowd funding campaign. This self-published novel is distributed by David Bateman.
May 22, 2019
A necessary book on an important topic - what it is like to be the family of a meth addict. The author has done wonderful research, and she shows the descent of the addict. The lies mean that the family is not aware of the extent of the problem until it is too late.
The book is written as a mixture of current day and flashback. This helps to tell how they got to such a place.
I wondered whether the author had employed a copy editor - there were a few places where it could have been better. But the writing is easy, and the story is riveting. I couldn't put it down.
The book is written as a mixture of current day and flashback. This helps to tell how they got to such a place.
I wondered whether the author had employed a copy editor - there were a few places where it could have been better. But the writing is easy, and the story is riveting. I couldn't put it down.
July 19, 2021
Exceptionally gripping and sobering book. Well researched and well written. Can’t wait for more from this author. This book was a finalist at the 2019 book awards and you can see why. Totally recommended to all.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews