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Max Crawford, Dream Psychic #1
The Monster Underneath
Reality can be the difference between a dream and a nightmare…
Max Crawford isn’t a typical prison therapist. He uses his unusual psychic ability to walk with convicts through their dreams, reliving their unspeakable crimes alongside them to show them the error of their ways.
Max always has to be on his toes to keep himself grounded, but the FBI agent waiting for him in his private office immediately puts him on edge. The bureau wants Max to go way outside his comfort zone to enter the dreams of suspected serial killer William Knox.
To get a confession and secure the future of his prison program, Max must gain Knox’s trust by any means necessary—and survive the minefield of secrets waiting inside a murderer’s mind. Secrets that could turn Max’s reality into a living nightmare.
***
"THE MONSTER UNDERNEATH is an intense and clever debut in which reality is more terrifying than the nightmares and twisted dreamscapes of a madman. Author Matthew Franks is a name to remember, his stories you won't soon forget." —Rena Mason, Bram Stoker Award-Winning Author of THE EVOLUTIONIST and EAST END GIRLS
"THE MONSTER UNDERNEATH is a real nail-biter - one of those ever-spiraling stories that you just can't put down until you reach the surprising end!" —John Everson, Bram Stoker Award-Winning Author of COVENANT and THE FAMILY TREE
"An assured, gripping, totally engaging debut, Matthew Franks will have you burning through the pages of this taut supernatural thriller at breakneck speed. If Christopher Nolan and Stephen King ever teamed up to write a novel, this would be it. Highly recommended!" —Ronald Malfi, author of LITTLE GIRLS
"Matthew Franks' debut novel takes you through the darkest, twisted alleys of a killer's mind and then drags you several steps further, beyond the status of observer and into the disturbing realm of accomplice. A harrowing tale of murder and delusion and moral ambiguity." —Hank Schwaeble, Bram Stoker Award-Winning Author of DAMNABLE, DIABOLICAL, and the dark thriller collection AMERICAN NOCTURNE
"THE MONSTER UNDERNEATH is quite thought provoking and at times terrifying. To say it was a page turner is an understatement. This is an outstanding debut novel." —Castle Macabre Book Reviews
Max Crawford isn’t a typical prison therapist. He uses his unusual psychic ability to walk with convicts through their dreams, reliving their unspeakable crimes alongside them to show them the error of their ways.
Max always has to be on his toes to keep himself grounded, but the FBI agent waiting for him in his private office immediately puts him on edge. The bureau wants Max to go way outside his comfort zone to enter the dreams of suspected serial killer William Knox.
To get a confession and secure the future of his prison program, Max must gain Knox’s trust by any means necessary—and survive the minefield of secrets waiting inside a murderer’s mind. Secrets that could turn Max’s reality into a living nightmare.
***
"THE MONSTER UNDERNEATH is an intense and clever debut in which reality is more terrifying than the nightmares and twisted dreamscapes of a madman. Author Matthew Franks is a name to remember, his stories you won't soon forget." —Rena Mason, Bram Stoker Award-Winning Author of THE EVOLUTIONIST and EAST END GIRLS
"THE MONSTER UNDERNEATH is a real nail-biter - one of those ever-spiraling stories that you just can't put down until you reach the surprising end!" —John Everson, Bram Stoker Award-Winning Author of COVENANT and THE FAMILY TREE
"An assured, gripping, totally engaging debut, Matthew Franks will have you burning through the pages of this taut supernatural thriller at breakneck speed. If Christopher Nolan and Stephen King ever teamed up to write a novel, this would be it. Highly recommended!" —Ronald Malfi, author of LITTLE GIRLS
"Matthew Franks' debut novel takes you through the darkest, twisted alleys of a killer's mind and then drags you several steps further, beyond the status of observer and into the disturbing realm of accomplice. A harrowing tale of murder and delusion and moral ambiguity." —Hank Schwaeble, Bram Stoker Award-Winning Author of DAMNABLE, DIABOLICAL, and the dark thriller collection AMERICAN NOCTURNE
"THE MONSTER UNDERNEATH is quite thought provoking and at times terrifying. To say it was a page turner is an understatement. This is an outstanding debut novel." —Castle Macabre Book Reviews
245 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 5, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
April 5, 2016
Edited to add that this book is currently only .99 for your Kindle!
The Monster Underneath features an excellent premise: the ability for a doctor to enter into the dreams of his patients in an effort to help heal them. In this case the doctor is a prison therapist and his patients are convicts in the prison system. Max Crawford believes his work is important-he is able to lead felons on a path to remorse and to a deeper understanding of the motivations behind their crimes-all with their consent, of course.
The problems begin when Max is asked to help the police, without the consent of the suspect, not a convict. Being that Mr. Knox is almost certainly a serial killer of young women, and Max has a very young daughter of his own, he overcomes his misgivings and agrees to help the FBI wrangle enough information to put Knox away for life. Will he be able to discover enough to lead the FBI to a confession, or better yet, get him convicted? You'll have to read this book to find out.
I loved this premise; though a bit unrealistic, I think the author pulled it off. I had only two problems with the story-the first was that the beginning was slightly info-dumpy-by which I mean, a LOT of information was thrown at the reader all at once in the very beginning. I think this tale might have benefited from a slower way of bringing out all the necessary background. The second problem I had was with the ending. It was all so quickly wrapped up, bang-bang-bang, so to speak. To me, it was also a bit predictable-I like to be punched in the face with an ending-so this is a purely personal observation.
Despite those two issues, I enjoyed the dream-walk that was The Monster Underneath and I'm looking forward to what Matthew Franks has in store for us horror lovers in the future.
Recommended to fans of psychological horror!
**Thanks to the publisher for the free e-ARC and thanks to Matthew Franks for sending me the lovely paper copy. Neither of these influenced, this, my honest review.*
The Monster Underneath features an excellent premise: the ability for a doctor to enter into the dreams of his patients in an effort to help heal them. In this case the doctor is a prison therapist and his patients are convicts in the prison system. Max Crawford believes his work is important-he is able to lead felons on a path to remorse and to a deeper understanding of the motivations behind their crimes-all with their consent, of course.
The problems begin when Max is asked to help the police, without the consent of the suspect, not a convict. Being that Mr. Knox is almost certainly a serial killer of young women, and Max has a very young daughter of his own, he overcomes his misgivings and agrees to help the FBI wrangle enough information to put Knox away for life. Will he be able to discover enough to lead the FBI to a confession, or better yet, get him convicted? You'll have to read this book to find out.
I loved this premise; though a bit unrealistic, I think the author pulled it off. I had only two problems with the story-the first was that the beginning was slightly info-dumpy-by which I mean, a LOT of information was thrown at the reader all at once in the very beginning. I think this tale might have benefited from a slower way of bringing out all the necessary background. The second problem I had was with the ending. It was all so quickly wrapped up, bang-bang-bang, so to speak. To me, it was also a bit predictable-I like to be punched in the face with an ending-so this is a purely personal observation.
Despite those two issues, I enjoyed the dream-walk that was The Monster Underneath and I'm looking forward to what Matthew Franks has in store for us horror lovers in the future.
Recommended to fans of psychological horror!
**Thanks to the publisher for the free e-ARC and thanks to Matthew Franks for sending me the lovely paper copy. Neither of these influenced, this, my honest review.*
May 22, 2016
The Monster Underneath is the maiden voyage for Matthew Franks and I have to say that I am really impressed. He has a masters degree in counseling and he uses that knowledge as the foundation of The Monsters Underneath.
Max Crawford is an unusual psychologist for the Texas prison system. He has a special psychic ability where he can enter inmate's dreams and relive their crimes with them to get them to feel remorse for what they have done. The FBI approach Max to use his special abilities on suspected killer, William Knox. Knox is being held on flimsy charges and is being accused of killing three young women. Without enough evidence to hold Knox and no chance of securing a confession, they turn to Crawford to enter into Knox's dreams while they still have him in prison to try and find enough evidence to force a confession.
Franks characters are the strength of his storytelling. Crawford and Knox are fully fleshed out and wonderfully three-dimensional. I enjoyed being a part of Crawford crawling inside Knox's head and he had me rooting for him to bust the bastard. Up to the 85% mark in this story, I was completely invested in it. Then the ending took an odd U-turn and simply felt like it was a weak attempt to leave it open-ended for the possibility of a sequel. That was disappointing. Outside of that, The Monsters Underneath is an extremely solid entry by Franks and his storytelling will have you hooked. I'm looking forward to seeing where his career takes him.
4 1/2 Serial Killers out of 5
This ARC was provided in exchange for an honest review.
You can also follow my reviews at the following links:
https://kenmckinley.wordpress.com
http://intothemacabre.booklikes.com
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/5...
Max Crawford is an unusual psychologist for the Texas prison system. He has a special psychic ability where he can enter inmate's dreams and relive their crimes with them to get them to feel remorse for what they have done. The FBI approach Max to use his special abilities on suspected killer, William Knox. Knox is being held on flimsy charges and is being accused of killing three young women. Without enough evidence to hold Knox and no chance of securing a confession, they turn to Crawford to enter into Knox's dreams while they still have him in prison to try and find enough evidence to force a confession.
Franks characters are the strength of his storytelling. Crawford and Knox are fully fleshed out and wonderfully three-dimensional. I enjoyed being a part of Crawford crawling inside Knox's head and he had me rooting for him to bust the bastard. Up to the 85% mark in this story, I was completely invested in it. Then the ending took an odd U-turn and simply felt like it was a weak attempt to leave it open-ended for the possibility of a sequel. That was disappointing. Outside of that, The Monsters Underneath is an extremely solid entry by Franks and his storytelling will have you hooked. I'm looking forward to seeing where his career takes him.
4 1/2 Serial Killers out of 5
This ARC was provided in exchange for an honest review.
You can also follow my reviews at the following links:
https://kenmckinley.wordpress.com
http://intothemacabre.booklikes.com
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/5...
April 4, 2016
THE MONSTER UNDERNEATH is pure psychological horror and I couldn't resist trying it out. Could the author pull it off?
The story is built around a counselor who works within the prison system. He has the ability to both read minds and enter people's dreams. He uses his abilities to help rehabilitate inmates. I'm good with that. But, the dreamers take the dreams so seriously...as if they were real events, not dreams of real events. So, I enjoyed the story but had to make the slight deduction that even a darn good ending couldn't quite make up for.
So, for the most part the story worked. For full enjoyment, suspension of belief is required.
Samhain gave me a copy for review.
The story is built around a counselor who works within the prison system. He has the ability to both read minds and enter people's dreams. He uses his abilities to help rehabilitate inmates. I'm good with that. But, the dreamers take the dreams so seriously...as if they were real events, not dreams of real events. So, I enjoyed the story but had to make the slight deduction that even a darn good ending couldn't quite make up for.
So, for the most part the story worked. For full enjoyment, suspension of belief is required.
Samhain gave me a copy for review.
May 5, 2016
The Monster Underneath, the first novel release from Matthew Franks, is an enjoyable psychological thriller with some solid horror and paranormal undertones.
Max Crawford is a likable enough character as a psychic therapist working to bring a higher level of understanding and redemption to hard-core convicts through unconvential methods.
William Knox, the possible serial killer, is the most fun in this read. He plays the cat & mouse game all too well, to the point that just maybe he could be innocent. He is an enjoyable character to read especially as his methods unfurl.
The bulk of this book takes place in the realm of dreams, constantly shifting and pulling off a dreamlike feeling well. I would have like a little more of a "real world" drama unfolding. Versus the pseudo drama-after-the-fact where thing have already happened, we're just trying to put the pieces together. I also would have liked a little more horror thrown in, but that's just me, I have a bloodlust. All in all these are small gripes and don't take anything away from the reading experience.
Throw in a solid, although not overly surprising, ending and you have an equally solid and entertaining read. Cheers to Mr. Franks on his first novel release, I am fully on board for what he delivers next.
Zakk is a big dumb animal!
Ex Libris The Eyes of Madness
https://zdubbzattmom.wordpress.com
Max Crawford is a likable enough character as a psychic therapist working to bring a higher level of understanding and redemption to hard-core convicts through unconvential methods.
William Knox, the possible serial killer, is the most fun in this read. He plays the cat & mouse game all too well, to the point that just maybe he could be innocent. He is an enjoyable character to read especially as his methods unfurl.
The bulk of this book takes place in the realm of dreams, constantly shifting and pulling off a dreamlike feeling well. I would have like a little more of a "real world" drama unfolding. Versus the pseudo drama-after-the-fact where thing have already happened, we're just trying to put the pieces together. I also would have liked a little more horror thrown in, but that's just me, I have a bloodlust. All in all these are small gripes and don't take anything away from the reading experience.
Throw in a solid, although not overly surprising, ending and you have an equally solid and entertaining read. Cheers to Mr. Franks on his first novel release, I am fully on board for what he delivers next.
Zakk is a big dumb animal!
Ex Libris The Eyes of Madness
https://zdubbzattmom.wordpress.com
May 8, 2016
What if someone could enter someone's mind in their dream state and get them to realize their wrongdoing? That's exactly what Max Crawford can do in The Monster Underneath. He works with prison inmates by psychically entering their dream states as a means of rehabilitation. By seeing the error of their ways and feeling remorse for their crimes, the inmates are able to move on with reentering society no longer criminals. Max has quite a record of success in his methods.
When he is approached by an FBI agent to use his methods on a suspected serial killer, Max has his doubts, but soon is committed to bringing the man to justice. Unfortunately, there are some who just don't feel remorse, or that what they're doing is wrong.
The Monster Underneath is quite thought provoking and at times terrifying. To say it was a page turner is an understatement. The author has explored the ethical question of "How much should we really know about a person? It raises the question, "If you had the ability to enter someone's thoughts/dreams (perhaps a friend or family member), would you do it? Perhaps it's better to not know. Also, there's the realization...some people really are monsters.
This is an outstanding debut novel. I look forward to his future works.
(I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review)
When he is approached by an FBI agent to use his methods on a suspected serial killer, Max has his doubts, but soon is committed to bringing the man to justice. Unfortunately, there are some who just don't feel remorse, or that what they're doing is wrong.
The Monster Underneath is quite thought provoking and at times terrifying. To say it was a page turner is an understatement. The author has explored the ethical question of "How much should we really know about a person? It raises the question, "If you had the ability to enter someone's thoughts/dreams (perhaps a friend or family member), would you do it? Perhaps it's better to not know. Also, there's the realization...some people really are monsters.
This is an outstanding debut novel. I look forward to his future works.
(I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review)
April 1, 2016
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This is in no way reflected in my opinion of this novel.
The Monster Underneath is a fast paced psychological horror story with a twist. I liked Max, who tries to help even though it leads him into some very dark places. I thought that Linden, the FBI agent Max is trying to help, was an ass, although I couldn't fault his motives. I really hoped that Max would tell him to get bent nearly every time they spoke. The story itself is engaging and I finished it in one sitting. Horrifying and disturbingly realistic while still having supernatural elements. I loved the way the hero at the end wasn't who I expected it to be. Matthew Franks has created an intense world peopled with interesting characters with his debut novel. I can't wait to see what he does next! A solid 4 star read.
The Monster Underneath is a fast paced psychological horror story with a twist. I liked Max, who tries to help even though it leads him into some very dark places. I thought that Linden, the FBI agent Max is trying to help, was an ass, although I couldn't fault his motives. I really hoped that Max would tell him to get bent nearly every time they spoke. The story itself is engaging and I finished it in one sitting. Horrifying and disturbingly realistic while still having supernatural elements. I loved the way the hero at the end wasn't who I expected it to be. Matthew Franks has created an intense world peopled with interesting characters with his debut novel. I can't wait to see what he does next! A solid 4 star read.
January 26, 2016
Mr. Franks has written an involving, psychological thriller about a psychic who is called upon to enter the dreams of a suspected serial killer and try to drag a confession out of him. Killer premise! The writing’s very good, very psychologically sound. But it’s the dream sequences that stand out; evocative, imaginative and downright creepy in places. And he’s conceived a likable hero, one I hope Franks brings back in a sequel. I can’t wait to see what Franks writes next. Well done and recommended!
November 14, 2017
In the Hannibal Lecter series, investigator Will Graham exerts his psychoanalytic expertise and his emotional empathy to ‘get inside’ the heads of murderers and monsters. In an entirely matter of fact way, author Matthew Franks takes that premise one step further and gives his protagonist, Max Crawford, the ability to read people’s thoughts in the right circumstances, and to walk in their dreams.
Normally, Max uses his unusual talent during an unconventional form of consenting therapy with criminal clients. This time, the FBI want him to enter the mind of a suspected serial killer and seek out the evidence so they can secure a conviction.
This is an engaging and innovative concept, delivered with just enough psychological terminology to make it seem scientifically solid. While it doesn’t seem entirely likely that an undercover ‘specialist’ might really be able to sneak around jail corridors and spend hours dozing outside the cell of an arraigned suspect awaiting trial, the dream sequences in which Max does his investigative stuff keep the plot bowling along.
Max only has limited time inside his dreaming subject’s mind and, as he’s only a passenger in the proceedings, this gives the story a tantalising urgency. It’s a whole new angle on the traditional investigation, in which the clues are pieced together from interviews and evidence. This time, the investigator must nudge the subject’s subconscious into revealing the truth. But do these dreams really represent reality?
If anything, the dream episodes are a little too orderly. I’m also not sure that anyone dreams so much and so swiftly after falling asleep as shown here; a little more on the science of sleep and the different states of arousal / rest would’ve added credibility.
I also wasn’t sure that the dramatic personal twist subplot was truly necessary – there was plenty of action in the final chapters, and one last revelation could’ve been left as a hint, maybe to be explored in future.
That aside, Matthew Franks writes easily accessible English which doesn’t get between the reader and the story. He’s pulled an intriguing idea out of the air and woven it into an unusual and involving criminal investigation.
7/10
There's a longer version of this review, and many other crime/thrillers at http://www.murdermayhemandmore.net
Normally, Max uses his unusual talent during an unconventional form of consenting therapy with criminal clients. This time, the FBI want him to enter the mind of a suspected serial killer and seek out the evidence so they can secure a conviction.
This is an engaging and innovative concept, delivered with just enough psychological terminology to make it seem scientifically solid. While it doesn’t seem entirely likely that an undercover ‘specialist’ might really be able to sneak around jail corridors and spend hours dozing outside the cell of an arraigned suspect awaiting trial, the dream sequences in which Max does his investigative stuff keep the plot bowling along.
Max only has limited time inside his dreaming subject’s mind and, as he’s only a passenger in the proceedings, this gives the story a tantalising urgency. It’s a whole new angle on the traditional investigation, in which the clues are pieced together from interviews and evidence. This time, the investigator must nudge the subject’s subconscious into revealing the truth. But do these dreams really represent reality?
If anything, the dream episodes are a little too orderly. I’m also not sure that anyone dreams so much and so swiftly after falling asleep as shown here; a little more on the science of sleep and the different states of arousal / rest would’ve added credibility.
I also wasn’t sure that the dramatic personal twist subplot was truly necessary – there was plenty of action in the final chapters, and one last revelation could’ve been left as a hint, maybe to be explored in future.
That aside, Matthew Franks writes easily accessible English which doesn’t get between the reader and the story. He’s pulled an intriguing idea out of the air and woven it into an unusual and involving criminal investigation.
7/10
There's a longer version of this review, and many other crime/thrillers at http://www.murdermayhemandmore.net
April 25, 2016
I received a copy of this book through Netgalley from the publisher for a honest review!
So we start of this book with Max who is a prison therapist but also so much more..
He goes into the minds of killers in their dreams and tries to help them understand what they have done is wrong. Now I really can not even imagine sitting there and reliving all of the horrible murders in such detail that these killers inflicted on their victims sometimes over and over like Max does. The way this author wrote Max's character you can definitely see how strong he is.
Well FBI agent Lindon asks him for help getting a confession from a serial killer who has already murdered three woman and another victim got away. It was so different the way this author takes you into the mind of a serial killer. How you can see them as a nice father who works hard for his family and is friends with all his neighbors/colleagues but in all reality, deep down inside is a killer who knows how to play you and sees nothing wrong with what he has done.
I thought the way this author pulled you in was perfect and the way you see into the mind what a murder thinks/feels was very good! Now the ending I am unsure of how I feel about what happened.. I really do not want to give away any spoilers on what happens so I will just say I am on the fence with how I feel about what happens.
So we start of this book with Max who is a prison therapist but also so much more..
He goes into the minds of killers in their dreams and tries to help them understand what they have done is wrong. Now I really can not even imagine sitting there and reliving all of the horrible murders in such detail that these killers inflicted on their victims sometimes over and over like Max does. The way this author wrote Max's character you can definitely see how strong he is.
Well FBI agent Lindon asks him for help getting a confession from a serial killer who has already murdered three woman and another victim got away. It was so different the way this author takes you into the mind of a serial killer. How you can see them as a nice father who works hard for his family and is friends with all his neighbors/colleagues but in all reality, deep down inside is a killer who knows how to play you and sees nothing wrong with what he has done.
I thought the way this author pulled you in was perfect and the way you see into the mind what a murder thinks/feels was very good! Now the ending I am unsure of how I feel about what happened.. I really do not want to give away any spoilers on what happens so I will just say I am on the fence with how I feel about what happens.
March 13, 2016
I love it when I find a new horror author - especially when their writing is as intelligent, creative and well-crafted as this. I loved The Monster Underneath. This is psychological horror rather than slash/gore and, as I found myself becoming more and more absorbed into Max Crawford's world of psychic investigation, I truly couldn't decide if his subject, Billy Knox, was innocent or guilty.
The story was perfectly paced. When Max entered Knox's dreams, I saw what he saw, felt what he felt and experienced the confusion between reality and the subconscious. This is 5 star reading - and not just for horror fans either. This will appeal to lovers of suspense, psychological and crime thrillers.
The story was perfectly paced. When Max entered Knox's dreams, I saw what he saw, felt what he felt and experienced the confusion between reality and the subconscious. This is 5 star reading - and not just for horror fans either. This will appeal to lovers of suspense, psychological and crime thrillers.
April 3, 2016
THE MONSTER UNDERNEATH by Matthew Franks
Not-so-ordinary therapist Max Crawford enjoys his quiet life with his wife and daughter. At Texas-Huntsville Penitentiary, he does dream therapy with inmates, literally entering their dreams to alter their psyches. Life is stable, until an importunate FBI Special Agent insists he travel to Arkansas to enter the mind of a conscieless accused killer, a university professor. Max and his family will find their lives upended and endangered.
Not-so-ordinary therapist Max Crawford enjoys his quiet life with his wife and daughter. At Texas-Huntsville Penitentiary, he does dream therapy with inmates, literally entering their dreams to alter their psyches. Life is stable, until an importunate FBI Special Agent insists he travel to Arkansas to enter the mind of a conscieless accused killer, a university professor. Max and his family will find their lives upended and endangered.
June 28, 2016
Outstanding
I'd recommend this book. A fast paced read. Left me thinking. Nice twist at the end plus a little question to make me wonder. Well done.
I'd recommend this book. A fast paced read. Left me thinking. Nice twist at the end plus a little question to make me wonder. Well done.
June 25, 2016
Review copy provided in exchange for an honest review
I remember reading some early praise for The Monster Underneath from Ronald Malfi, Rena Mason and John Everson and thinking that this was a book that I just had to read.
Max Crawford has offered therapy to inmates for over 6 years at the Texas State Penitentiary in Huntsville through a secretive government program. He has unique abilities to read minds and enter the dreams of the inmates and he utilizes these gifts in order to help rehabilitate violent offenders. His goal is to talk his patients through their crimes in the hopes that they will feel remorse for what they have done and begin to rehabilitate so they may reenter society. His identity is largely kept a secret in order to protect him and his family should some of the more violent inmates ever be released. He hardly ever meets them face to face and solely interacts with them through their dreams. The reason he gets their consent first is it makes his therapy more effective.
Max has been content using his abilities in secret at the tiny jail in Huntsville, but one day his life is changed when FBI agent Charles Linden shows up and asks for Max's help. Linden is well aware of Max's gifts and wants him to help get a confession from one of the country's most notorious serial killers, William Knox. At first glance, he seems relatively harmless. He is a husband and father who is well-respected within his community and is a well-regarded English professor at the University of Texas in Austin. Despite his squeaky clean public image, he is the prime suspect in a series of murders of young women that stretched from Dallas to Arkansas. Other than the fact that his victims were all women, there was no clear motives for his crimes. The FBI has been unable to break Knox no matter what tactic they try, which is what convinced Linden to reach out to Max in a last-ditch attempt to get a confession. Max normally has the consent from inmates to enter their dreams, but Linden wants this to be a more covert operation. While this makes Max uncomfortable, he has no choice but to agree to Linden's plan if he hopes to help get justice for the victims' families. Max enters Knox's mind with the goal of gaining his trust by any means necessary and once he is inside Knox's mind, he is in a race against time to uncover the truth about the murders.
I liked the concept behind The Monster Underneath and while I have read a few books with a similar premise, this one stood out to me. Most of the stories I have read that were fairly similar involved detectives who used these abilities to either prevent attacks or to catch a killer that is still on the loose. Max's abilities and his background as a therapist intrigued me because he strictly worked with criminals who are already in jail. Also, while he is able to enter prisoner's minds at will, he tends to only works with inmates who have granted him permission to enter their dreams. This is interesting because when Max meets with his patients, he already has knowledge of their crimes and how they were committed. A lot of his work when he enters their dreams is figuring out why they made certain choices and trying to help them feel remorse in an attempt to rehabilitate them should they ever be released from prison.
This is interesting because when Max meets Knox, he has the same abilities and knowledge to draw on, but he is plunged into a situation that is vastly different from what he is used to. He is attempting to gain Knox's trust without prior consent and he is using his abilities to figure out the details of a crime through a person's dreams for the first time. Max's previous work and knowledge allows him to identify things easier, but his case with Knox is tricky because he needs to sift through what is fiction conjured up by Knox's mind and what may be real memories of his crimes.
I loved the way Franks handled the dream world and the sort of rules that govern them. While there aren't too many similarities I couldn't help but think of Russell James' Dreamwalker while reading some of these scenes. I also enjoyed the way Franks describes Max's abilities. Mind reading comes like second nature to him and he really has to work on keeping other people's thoughts from merging with his own. However, the ability to enter dreams was something he had to work at. I like that it wasn't something easy, but rather an ability he had to develop. A great example is the very descriptive scene of how Max first discovers his ability to enter dreams, which he ironically discovered while trying to read the thoughts of one of his patients at a sleep clinic he worked at during college. Franks puts a lot of detail and thought behind the description of Max's powers and the protocols that Max establishes as a result of his experiences with his abilities. I don't want to spoil too much of this because it is one of the many things that make The Monster Underneath an entertaining and unique read.
I also loved the interactions between Max and Knox. Their relationship is the major sense of tension throughout the novel and although Max is trying to keep Knox locked up, they develop a toxic and bizarre pseudo-friendship. As Max gets deeper and more involved in Knox's dream reality, the lines that separate the real world from Knox's dream world begin to blur a little bit. The case is extremely stressful for Max and for the first time in his career, he starts to doubt himself.
The only issues I had with the novel were a few instances where the transitions between chapters took me out of the story. I also had a few issues with the ending, but it didn't really impact my enjoyment of the novel too much. Overall, The Monster Underneath is a gripping psychological thriller that I couldn't put down! The novel works well as a standalone story, but while I was reading, I couldn't help but think of more books containing Max and having him possibly team up with Agent Linden again. While Linden can come off as abrasive at times, I do think it would be cool to see them work together more closely on a case from start to finish. So, I was excited to read in Wag The Fox's great interview with Matthew Franks that there is indeed a follow-up currently in the works!
I remember reading some early praise for The Monster Underneath from Ronald Malfi, Rena Mason and John Everson and thinking that this was a book that I just had to read.
Max Crawford has offered therapy to inmates for over 6 years at the Texas State Penitentiary in Huntsville through a secretive government program. He has unique abilities to read minds and enter the dreams of the inmates and he utilizes these gifts in order to help rehabilitate violent offenders. His goal is to talk his patients through their crimes in the hopes that they will feel remorse for what they have done and begin to rehabilitate so they may reenter society. His identity is largely kept a secret in order to protect him and his family should some of the more violent inmates ever be released. He hardly ever meets them face to face and solely interacts with them through their dreams. The reason he gets their consent first is it makes his therapy more effective.
Max has been content using his abilities in secret at the tiny jail in Huntsville, but one day his life is changed when FBI agent Charles Linden shows up and asks for Max's help. Linden is well aware of Max's gifts and wants him to help get a confession from one of the country's most notorious serial killers, William Knox. At first glance, he seems relatively harmless. He is a husband and father who is well-respected within his community and is a well-regarded English professor at the University of Texas in Austin. Despite his squeaky clean public image, he is the prime suspect in a series of murders of young women that stretched from Dallas to Arkansas. Other than the fact that his victims were all women, there was no clear motives for his crimes. The FBI has been unable to break Knox no matter what tactic they try, which is what convinced Linden to reach out to Max in a last-ditch attempt to get a confession. Max normally has the consent from inmates to enter their dreams, but Linden wants this to be a more covert operation. While this makes Max uncomfortable, he has no choice but to agree to Linden's plan if he hopes to help get justice for the victims' families. Max enters Knox's mind with the goal of gaining his trust by any means necessary and once he is inside Knox's mind, he is in a race against time to uncover the truth about the murders.
I liked the concept behind The Monster Underneath and while I have read a few books with a similar premise, this one stood out to me. Most of the stories I have read that were fairly similar involved detectives who used these abilities to either prevent attacks or to catch a killer that is still on the loose. Max's abilities and his background as a therapist intrigued me because he strictly worked with criminals who are already in jail. Also, while he is able to enter prisoner's minds at will, he tends to only works with inmates who have granted him permission to enter their dreams. This is interesting because when Max meets with his patients, he already has knowledge of their crimes and how they were committed. A lot of his work when he enters their dreams is figuring out why they made certain choices and trying to help them feel remorse in an attempt to rehabilitate them should they ever be released from prison.
This is interesting because when Max meets Knox, he has the same abilities and knowledge to draw on, but he is plunged into a situation that is vastly different from what he is used to. He is attempting to gain Knox's trust without prior consent and he is using his abilities to figure out the details of a crime through a person's dreams for the first time. Max's previous work and knowledge allows him to identify things easier, but his case with Knox is tricky because he needs to sift through what is fiction conjured up by Knox's mind and what may be real memories of his crimes.
I loved the way Franks handled the dream world and the sort of rules that govern them. While there aren't too many similarities I couldn't help but think of Russell James' Dreamwalker while reading some of these scenes. I also enjoyed the way Franks describes Max's abilities. Mind reading comes like second nature to him and he really has to work on keeping other people's thoughts from merging with his own. However, the ability to enter dreams was something he had to work at. I like that it wasn't something easy, but rather an ability he had to develop. A great example is the very descriptive scene of how Max first discovers his ability to enter dreams, which he ironically discovered while trying to read the thoughts of one of his patients at a sleep clinic he worked at during college. Franks puts a lot of detail and thought behind the description of Max's powers and the protocols that Max establishes as a result of his experiences with his abilities. I don't want to spoil too much of this because it is one of the many things that make The Monster Underneath an entertaining and unique read.
I also loved the interactions between Max and Knox. Their relationship is the major sense of tension throughout the novel and although Max is trying to keep Knox locked up, they develop a toxic and bizarre pseudo-friendship. As Max gets deeper and more involved in Knox's dream reality, the lines that separate the real world from Knox's dream world begin to blur a little bit. The case is extremely stressful for Max and for the first time in his career, he starts to doubt himself.
The only issues I had with the novel were a few instances where the transitions between chapters took me out of the story. I also had a few issues with the ending, but it didn't really impact my enjoyment of the novel too much. Overall, The Monster Underneath is a gripping psychological thriller that I couldn't put down! The novel works well as a standalone story, but while I was reading, I couldn't help but think of more books containing Max and having him possibly team up with Agent Linden again. While Linden can come off as abrasive at times, I do think it would be cool to see them work together more closely on a case from start to finish. So, I was excited to read in Wag The Fox's great interview with Matthew Franks that there is indeed a follow-up currently in the works!
October 13, 2018
Whether this was a debut novel or not, this work was impressive. Both imaginative and unpredictable, Franks's work does not fall victim to many of the tropes of the genre. It will leave you guessing to the end.
December 12, 2016
I really enjoyed this book. Good writing, easy to follow and I didn't want to put it down. Nice twist at the end.
January 1, 2019
I really liked this book. It had a completely different way of finding out why a killer does what they do. I liked the twisty ending to it as well.
March 10, 2017
Une lecture correcte, sans plus. Concept intriguant qui aurait profité d'une écriture plus dynamique et d'une finale moins expéditive. Le roman donne l'impression d'avoir été rédigé rapidement. Détails qui disgressent trop de la réalité, qui font décrocher : par exemple, les rêves sont tous plutôt linéaires et peu symboliques, et le personnage principal opère avec très peu de supervision de la part de ses supérieurs. Surprise que ce livre soit en nomination pour un prix Bram Stoker.
July 2, 2016
Max has an interesting job, he is a prison therapist. On any day that is never going to be a boring job, but to make it even more interesting Max is able to journey into peoples dreams. The FBI ask for him to consult on a murder case to try and get the murderer to confess. This time he has to work without the murderers knowledge or consent.
This was such an interesting premise, just reading the blurb made all these horror movies flash through my mind and I thought I could be in for a few sleepless nights. Alas this was not the case. Although the book was good it wasn't as detailed or as in depth as I had hoped. Everything seemed a little glossed over and rushed. I think this book could have been so much more. The potential was there but I feel the word count wasn't. It felt in someones that the author had a limit to stick to so took out all the emotion and tension.
This was such an interesting premise, just reading the blurb made all these horror movies flash through my mind and I thought I could be in for a few sleepless nights. Alas this was not the case. Although the book was good it wasn't as detailed or as in depth as I had hoped. Everything seemed a little glossed over and rushed. I think this book could have been so much more. The potential was there but I feel the word count wasn't. It felt in someones that the author had a limit to stick to so took out all the emotion and tension.
June 27, 2016
I was first drawn to "The Monster Underneath" because of the dust jacket overview. Going into the mind of a psycho killer is scary enough; going into their dreams & becoming a part of the fantasy that drives them?!?! ... What an awesome story line!
I don't dream so I was a bit sceptical at the level of detail in the first dream, but author Matthew Franks skillfully writes about both worlds, ties them together seamlessly and opens your mind to believe in his vision of dreams. In addition to a great concept, we're introduced to Max; a character who, despite the horrors he sees in the minds of society's worst, is still able to see the good & is wiling to fight for that good.
This truly is a great debut & I really hope that Franks will continue telling us Max's story.
I don't dream so I was a bit sceptical at the level of detail in the first dream, but author Matthew Franks skillfully writes about both worlds, ties them together seamlessly and opens your mind to believe in his vision of dreams. In addition to a great concept, we're introduced to Max; a character who, despite the horrors he sees in the minds of society's worst, is still able to see the good & is wiling to fight for that good.
This truly is a great debut & I really hope that Franks will continue telling us Max's story.
September 6, 2019
This is a serial-murder mystery, but with a decided twist. The police are certain they have their man, but they have only circumstantial evidence and they want a confession. They hire therapist, Max Crawford, who has the ability to get into a sleeping person's dreams. It seems that criminals often relive their crimes in dreams, but with symbolism and sometimes changing details. Max Crawford is able to join them.
In spite of this being a first novel by Matthew Franks, I found it engagingly written and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Looking forward to reading another by this author.
In spite of this being a first novel by Matthew Franks, I found it engagingly written and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Looking forward to reading another by this author.
July 29, 2016
I think this book is just silly. The premise is great but the dreams are so tidy and linear for the most part...i don't ever eat in dreams and this guy is having meals regularly. The characters aren't bad but the ending is so anticlimactic and short , it really seems to have nothing to do with the book itself. I only read it because I was too far in to quit.
July 1, 2016
Interesting, although is not as horrific as I thought it will be, I would have liked to know more about Knox's awful past or who was the monster in his dream.
But still it was a great read.
But still it was a great read.
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