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In a world gone mad, who can you trust?
Fresh from a high-profile case in the Paris fashion world, elite forensic psychologist and criminal profiler Dr Alexander Gregory receives a call from the FBI. The wife of a notorious criminal has been admitted to a private psychiatric hospital and can no longer testify in his upcoming trial. Without her, their case will collapse but, amidst reports that the staff are as unpredictable as their patients, who can the police trust?
In desperation, they turn to an outsider and now Gregory must find the courage to step inside the fortified walls of Buchanan Hospital to uncover the truth. The question is, will he ever be the same again?
Murder and mystery are peppered with dark humour in this fast-paced thriller set amidst the spectacular Catskill Forest.
Fresh from a high-profile case in the Paris fashion world, elite forensic psychologist and criminal profiler Dr Alexander Gregory receives a call from the FBI. The wife of a notorious criminal has been admitted to a private psychiatric hospital and can no longer testify in his upcoming trial. Without her, their case will collapse but, amidst reports that the staff are as unpredictable as their patients, who can the police trust?
In desperation, they turn to an outsider and now Gregory must find the courage to step inside the fortified walls of Buchanan Hospital to uncover the truth. The question is, will he ever be the same again?
Murder and mystery are peppered with dark humour in this fast-paced thriller set amidst the spectacular Catskill Forest.
291 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 10, 2020
3140 people are currently reading
1567 people want to read
About the author
L.J. Ross
58 books3,260 followersLJ Ross is an internationally bestselling author, whose books have sold over 7 million copies worldwide.
Her debut, Holy Island, was released in 2015 and became an instant, international bestseller. Since then, a further eighteen of her novels have gone on to take the coveted #1 spot, some even before general release and whilst only available to ‘pre-order’. The Bookseller magazine has reported on Louise having topped the ‘Most Read’ and ‘Most Sold’ fiction charts, and she has garnered an army of loyal fans who love her atmospheric and addictive storytelling.
Her eleventh novel, The Infirmary, is a prequel story to the DCI Ryan series and is available as a major Audible Originals audio-drama starring Tom Bateman, Kevin Whately, Bertie Carvel, Hermione Norris and Alun Armstrong.
The first novel in her Alexander Gregory Thrillers series, Impostor, was shortlisted in the British Book Awards 2020: Crime & Thriller Book of the Year. The audiobook of Impostor, narrated by Hugh Dancy, was also selected as a finalist in the New York Festivals Radio Awards, Best Fiction Audiobook of the Year Category.
In May 2021, Louise was shortlisted for the prestigious Crime Writers’ Association ‘Dagger in the Library’ award, which recognises an author’s entire body of work having been consistently enjoyed by library borrowers around the United Kingdom, and an author’s longstanding support of libraries.
Louise was born in Northumberland, England. She studied undergraduate and postgraduate Law at King’s College, University of London and then abroad in Paris and Florence. She spent much of her working life in London, where she was a lawyer for a number of years until taking the decision to change career and pursue her dream to write. Now, she writes full time and lives with her husband and son in Northumberland and Edinburgh. She enjoys reading all manner of books, painting, travelling and spending time with family and friends.
To find out more about the many philanthropic ventures Louise has founded and sponsored through her publishing imprint, Dark Skies Publishing, please visit ‘Philanthropy’.
If you would like to connect with LJ Ross, she would be very happy to hear from you:
https://www.facebook.com/LJRossAuthor
https://twitter.com/ljross_author
www.lovesuspense.com
lj_ross@outlook.com
Her debut, Holy Island, was released in 2015 and became an instant, international bestseller. Since then, a further eighteen of her novels have gone on to take the coveted #1 spot, some even before general release and whilst only available to ‘pre-order’. The Bookseller magazine has reported on Louise having topped the ‘Most Read’ and ‘Most Sold’ fiction charts, and she has garnered an army of loyal fans who love her atmospheric and addictive storytelling.
Her eleventh novel, The Infirmary, is a prequel story to the DCI Ryan series and is available as a major Audible Originals audio-drama starring Tom Bateman, Kevin Whately, Bertie Carvel, Hermione Norris and Alun Armstrong.
The first novel in her Alexander Gregory Thrillers series, Impostor, was shortlisted in the British Book Awards 2020: Crime & Thriller Book of the Year. The audiobook of Impostor, narrated by Hugh Dancy, was also selected as a finalist in the New York Festivals Radio Awards, Best Fiction Audiobook of the Year Category.
In May 2021, Louise was shortlisted for the prestigious Crime Writers’ Association ‘Dagger in the Library’ award, which recognises an author’s entire body of work having been consistently enjoyed by library borrowers around the United Kingdom, and an author’s longstanding support of libraries.
Louise was born in Northumberland, England. She studied undergraduate and postgraduate Law at King’s College, University of London and then abroad in Paris and Florence. She spent much of her working life in London, where she was a lawyer for a number of years until taking the decision to change career and pursue her dream to write. Now, she writes full time and lives with her husband and son in Northumberland and Edinburgh. She enjoys reading all manner of books, painting, travelling and spending time with family and friends.
To find out more about the many philanthropic ventures Louise has founded and sponsored through her publishing imprint, Dark Skies Publishing, please visit ‘Philanthropy’.
If you would like to connect with LJ Ross, she would be very happy to hear from you:
https://www.facebook.com/LJRossAuthor
https://twitter.com/ljross_author
www.lovesuspense.com
lj_ross@outlook.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 377 reviews
December 30, 2025
**Read 3.5 STARS!**
This psychological crime novel is the 3rd part of the "Alexander Gregory" thriller series.
At the beginning of the book you'll find two appropriate phrases, one from Richard P. Bentall's "Madness Explained", and one from George Orwell's "1984".
Storytelling is as ever wonderful, the psychological aspects very well observed and executed, while most characters, not all, come splendidly to life in this story.
The book starts with a prologue sketching the suffocating relationship between New Jersey maffia gangster boss, Paolo Romano, and his cruel treatment towards his wife, Lorena, and youngest son, Luca.
In the main story Dr Alexander Gregory is persuaded by the FBI agents Hawke and Johnson to infiltrate Buchanan Hospital, a place for the mentally ill, to find Lorena Romano, and while doing so Alexander Gregory will get more and more compromised due the red herrings used by FBI agent Hawke and the disappearance of his friend Bill Douglas will complicate things further, until at the hastily fabricated end Alexander Gregory will discover the truth about FBI agents Hawke and Johnson, and the true deadly mission and rescue attempt by one of the Romano family in an effort to save his mum, and get rid of another.
What is to follow is a quick read, but not the best for Impostor and Hysteria were in my view much better and both did have much more depth, because this story has too many flaws to make this story really believable, although the psychological stuff are really fascinating to follow.
Still highly recommended, if only for the psychological input within this crime story, and so another really good addition to this very well developing series, and that's why I like to call this latest episode: "A Quick Engaging Maffia Read"!
This psychological crime novel is the 3rd part of the "Alexander Gregory" thriller series.
At the beginning of the book you'll find two appropriate phrases, one from Richard P. Bentall's "Madness Explained", and one from George Orwell's "1984".
Storytelling is as ever wonderful, the psychological aspects very well observed and executed, while most characters, not all, come splendidly to life in this story.
The book starts with a prologue sketching the suffocating relationship between New Jersey maffia gangster boss, Paolo Romano, and his cruel treatment towards his wife, Lorena, and youngest son, Luca.
In the main story Dr Alexander Gregory is persuaded by the FBI agents Hawke and Johnson to infiltrate Buchanan Hospital, a place for the mentally ill, to find Lorena Romano, and while doing so Alexander Gregory will get more and more compromised due the red herrings used by FBI agent Hawke and the disappearance of his friend Bill Douglas will complicate things further, until at the hastily fabricated end Alexander Gregory will discover the truth about FBI agents Hawke and Johnson, and the true deadly mission and rescue attempt by one of the Romano family in an effort to save his mum, and get rid of another.
What is to follow is a quick read, but not the best for Impostor and Hysteria were in my view much better and both did have much more depth, because this story has too many flaws to make this story really believable, although the psychological stuff are really fascinating to follow.
Still highly recommended, if only for the psychological input within this crime story, and so another really good addition to this very well developing series, and that's why I like to call this latest episode: "A Quick Engaging Maffia Read"!
March 4, 2021
Excellent as always. Best book so far.
Full review to follow shortly.
Full review to follow shortly.
August 19, 2020
I was really looking forward to this book. I was really pleased when I received it as one of the new audio books Netgalley is offering (thanks, and thanks to WF Howes, publishers). Richard Armitage is the narrator and his voice is lovely. But I’m afraid, in the end, I thought Bedlam was a bit...meh…
I just glanced at other people’s reviews and I noticed one person said that Ross churns out so many books that her writing is affected. I tend to agree the book felt really rushed and there certainly were some parts which could have had some additional editing applied.
Alexander Gregory, our forensic psychiatrist hero, goes undercover for the FBI at an expensive private psychiatric hospital to make contact with one of the patients -- a mafia boss’s wife who the FBI is hoping will testify against her husband. Unfortunately the plot had just far too many holes.
For starters, Gregory is a psychiatrist and yet they send him in as a patient. Er… Why not just send him in as a consulting doctor? He would have been able to talk to the mafia wife just as easy, if not easier, if he was treating her. Instead, they use his own tragic backstory. I haven’t read the first two books in the series (I don’t think you have to, it’s pretty standalone with only the briefest mentions of past romances and cases) but I still felt like this newly revealed backstory for the main character was out of left field. (I mean, I could be wrong but it’s definitely written like Gregory has kept it all a secret up to now.)
The backstory might have been okay if it didn’t shimmy into the ridiculous more than once. The mafia works out Gregory's real identity in 5 minutes flat, so there seems little point to it from early on. And even if they hadn't on their own, Gregory confesses to the resident doc at the hospital he’s working for the FBI on about the second night there. Not so super secret then... Luckily, she just thinks he's delusional and she needs to up her therapy game.
Yes, obviously, even though Gregory was a voluntary admission, I expected some type of misunderstanding to pop up and was waiting for some tense moments with our hero wrapped in a straight jacket. This does happen but it’s all too brief. I think this should have been 80% of the book - it’s all what we signed up for - but instead, there’s a lot of weird ‘padding’ to raise the wordcount. For example, we learn all about Gregory’s sad back story via his inner thoughts during an early chapter and then, a couple of chapters later, we get to learn all about it again when he tells the sad back story to Bill with almost the exact same wording.
Another prime example of a filler was the scenes where the FBI approach Gregory. It should have been a couple paragraphs at the most, a recap of some sort or other, but no, we get a blow by blow for several chapters and it’s excruciatingly boring.
I also have an issue with Ross’s head hopping. We get Gregory’s point of view for most of the time and then -- bang, they'll be a random thought from one of the other characters. It was most distracting. Only thing more distracting (and not in a good way) was the romance between Gregory and his (conveniently) female doctor, Naomi Palmer.
To be honest, up until Dr Naomi’s inclusion, I’d assumed Gregory was gay and partners with Bill (who must be one of the main characters of the first two books of the series). He certainly had more chemistry with Bill (although Ross is quick to point out once or twice or a hundred times it’s almost a father/son relationship).
For the most, the narration was good. I wasn’t always on board with Armitage's choice of accents though. I also noticed he mixed them up occasionally. His tone, also, was not always what I thought it should have been -- too humorous, not humorous enough, etc etc.
I really can’t think of too many positives. 2 out of 5
I just glanced at other people’s reviews and I noticed one person said that Ross churns out so many books that her writing is affected. I tend to agree the book felt really rushed and there certainly were some parts which could have had some additional editing applied.
Alexander Gregory, our forensic psychiatrist hero, goes undercover for the FBI at an expensive private psychiatric hospital to make contact with one of the patients -- a mafia boss’s wife who the FBI is hoping will testify against her husband. Unfortunately the plot had just far too many holes.
For starters, Gregory is a psychiatrist and yet they send him in as a patient. Er… Why not just send him in as a consulting doctor? He would have been able to talk to the mafia wife just as easy, if not easier, if he was treating her. Instead, they use his own tragic backstory. I haven’t read the first two books in the series (I don’t think you have to, it’s pretty standalone with only the briefest mentions of past romances and cases) but I still felt like this newly revealed backstory for the main character was out of left field. (I mean, I could be wrong but it’s definitely written like Gregory has kept it all a secret up to now.)
The backstory might have been okay if it didn’t shimmy into the ridiculous more than once. The mafia works out Gregory's real identity in 5 minutes flat, so there seems little point to it from early on. And even if they hadn't on their own, Gregory confesses to the resident doc at the hospital he’s working for the FBI on about the second night there. Not so super secret then... Luckily, she just thinks he's delusional and she needs to up her therapy game.
Yes, obviously, even though Gregory was a voluntary admission, I expected some type of misunderstanding to pop up and was waiting for some tense moments with our hero wrapped in a straight jacket. This does happen but it’s all too brief. I think this should have been 80% of the book - it’s all what we signed up for - but instead, there’s a lot of weird ‘padding’ to raise the wordcount. For example, we learn all about Gregory’s sad back story via his inner thoughts during an early chapter and then, a couple of chapters later, we get to learn all about it again when he tells the sad back story to Bill with almost the exact same wording.
Another prime example of a filler was the scenes where the FBI approach Gregory. It should have been a couple paragraphs at the most, a recap of some sort or other, but no, we get a blow by blow for several chapters and it’s excruciatingly boring.
I also have an issue with Ross’s head hopping. We get Gregory’s point of view for most of the time and then -- bang, they'll be a random thought from one of the other characters. It was most distracting. Only thing more distracting (and not in a good way) was the romance between Gregory and his (conveniently) female doctor, Naomi Palmer.
To be honest, up until Dr Naomi’s inclusion, I’d assumed Gregory was gay and partners with Bill (who must be one of the main characters of the first two books of the series). He certainly had more chemistry with Bill (although Ross is quick to point out once or twice or a hundred times it’s almost a father/son relationship).
For the most, the narration was good. I wasn’t always on board with Armitage's choice of accents though. I also noticed he mixed them up occasionally. His tone, also, was not always what I thought it should have been -- too humorous, not humorous enough, etc etc.
I really can’t think of too many positives. 2 out of 5
August 18, 2020
Dr Alexander Gregory, a forensic psychologist and criminal profiler, has been invited to attend a conference at the FBI base at Quantico, Virginia. He sets off for a trip he expects to last a couple of weeks (there’s some holiday time built in) with his friend and colleague Professor Bill Douglas. Once there it quickly becomes apparent that the FBI has other plans for the ‘holiday time’. In essence, Gregory is persuaded to check himself in to a psychiatric hospital with the aim of identifying and, if possible, befriending the wife of a mafia boss who was set to spill the beans on the criminal activity of her husband and his cohorts. But she’s gone missing and it is believed that she has now been checked in to this hospital.
It becomes apparent that Dr Gregory has long been concealing a past that includes not only a former name but also a violent family background. His secret past is, however, known to the FBI and they see this as a way of using his real long-term issues concerning events in his life to play the part of a man with a mental breakdown. Once persuaded, and to protect his true identity, it is using his former name that he agrees to play along with the plan. Douglas is to remain outside the confines of the hospital as an external contact for Gregory.
The set up is actually very well laid out and quickly had me hooked. The initial meetings between Gregory and the attractive in-house psychologist are also fun, as the ‘patient’ tries to conceal the fact that he really has no current symptoms and also hide his knowledge of the techniques being adopted by his inquisitor. But soon he is starting to genuinely start to suffer some of the very symptoms he’s been trying to ape. What’s going on here, is his past truly coming back to take a grip over him?
Unfortunately, after a good start some issues started to creep in.
When all is said and done this is still an entertaining yarn, as long as you don’t take any of it too seriously. It’s flawed, seriously flawed, but in a slapstick kind of way it still works. It’s not, however, a book that would draw me back to read others in the series (this is book 3) as for me, despite the good bits, it’s just too clumsily stitched together with way too many flaws.
I listened to an audio version of this book, read by English actor Richard Armitage. He does a excellent job here, despite what felt like a dodgy Scottish accent employed for a minor player in the story.
My thanks to W.F. Howes Ltd and NetGalley for supplying a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
It becomes apparent that Dr Gregory has long been concealing a past that includes not only a former name but also a violent family background. His secret past is, however, known to the FBI and they see this as a way of using his real long-term issues concerning events in his life to play the part of a man with a mental breakdown. Once persuaded, and to protect his true identity, it is using his former name that he agrees to play along with the plan. Douglas is to remain outside the confines of the hospital as an external contact for Gregory.
The set up is actually very well laid out and quickly had me hooked. The initial meetings between Gregory and the attractive in-house psychologist are also fun, as the ‘patient’ tries to conceal the fact that he really has no current symptoms and also hide his knowledge of the techniques being adopted by his inquisitor. But soon he is starting to genuinely start to suffer some of the very symptoms he’s been trying to ape. What’s going on here, is his past truly coming back to take a grip over him?
Unfortunately, after a good start some issues started to creep in.
When all is said and done this is still an entertaining yarn, as long as you don’t take any of it too seriously. It’s flawed, seriously flawed, but in a slapstick kind of way it still works. It’s not, however, a book that would draw me back to read others in the series (this is book 3) as for me, despite the good bits, it’s just too clumsily stitched together with way too many flaws.
I listened to an audio version of this book, read by English actor Richard Armitage. He does a excellent job here, despite what felt like a dodgy Scottish accent employed for a minor player in the story.
My thanks to W.F. Howes Ltd and NetGalley for supplying a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
April 20, 2024
The best Dr. Gregory so far...
I was grinding my teeth and pulling my hair.
I was grinding my teeth and pulling my hair.
December 30, 2025
4.25 stars
February 22, 2025
I’m really enjoying this author and the intelligence of the author that shines through through her words. This particular story needs you to suspend your beliefs.lol but it’s the way she writes about her main character that makes me care so much about him and him making progress on himself.
The author’s note at the end made me love her and her characters more While I scoffed at part of the storyline, she had fun writing it. That fun definitely came through which is why I laughed at how it turned out (the mafia plot) and forgot all I knew about the subject.
Enjoying stories is the best part of reading. I’ve devoured the first four books of this series in less than a week. Hugh Dancy narrates the first two books and Richard Armitage the rest. Two of my favorite narrators 😁😄
I don’t have any credits left on Audible and Libby doesn’t carry this brilliant author from the UK. I’ll be reading the next three books because I love enjoying characters and their development through the years.
It’s what I miss most about newer releases the most.
The author’s note at the end made me love her and her characters more While I scoffed at part of the storyline, she had fun writing it. That fun definitely came through which is why I laughed at how it turned out (the mafia plot) and forgot all I knew about the subject.
Enjoying stories is the best part of reading. I’ve devoured the first four books of this series in less than a week. Hugh Dancy narrates the first two books and Richard Armitage the rest. Two of my favorite narrators 😁😄
I don’t have any credits left on Audible and Libby doesn’t carry this brilliant author from the UK. I’ll be reading the next three books because I love enjoying characters and their development through the years.
It’s what I miss most about newer releases the most.
July 6, 2020
Dr. Alexander Gregory is a quiet, almost timid character...but that doesn't in anyway diminish him. If anything it makes him more interesting. If readers are familiar with the DCI Ryan series also by this author...you will remember meeting Dr. Gregory as a minor character in that series. This one brings him out to the forefront with dark and twisting plots that are beautifully written. I hope this series goes on for many more books. I recommend this series as well as the Ryan series to anyone that just enjoys a good mystery.
July 21, 2020
Dr. Alexander Gregory has been asked to go undercover by the FBI at a mental health facility in the Catskills, Bedlam. He is tasked with with finding out if a mob bosses wife has been committed to Bedlam. Dr. Gregory wasn't counting on an overly eager head doctor who misdiagnosis him. Looks like he's going to be a permanent resident.
July 19, 2020
I recieved this on Audible. I have been really struggling to concentrate on my reading lately and was offered the chance of this one.
So pleased I started to listen to it.
The story was good, very easy to follow, which sometimes doesn't happen in an audible book.
It was exciting in parts, even holding my breath in the climax!
Brilliantly narrated by Richard Armitage, he is an absolute pleasure to listen to and does the accents perfectly.
I didn't want to it to stop.
So pleased I started to listen to it.
The story was good, very easy to follow, which sometimes doesn't happen in an audible book.
It was exciting in parts, even holding my breath in the climax!
Brilliantly narrated by Richard Armitage, he is an absolute pleasure to listen to and does the accents perfectly.
I didn't want to it to stop.
November 28, 2025
L. J. Ross remains an author I recently discovered, but whose writing has me highly intrigued. After tackling a tough case in Paris, forensic psychologist and elite criminal profiler, Dr. Alexander Gregory, is off to Quantico, Virginia to lecture at the FBI. While there, he is pulled aside and told that the wife of a powerful criminal has been sent to a private psychiatric hospital, where she is being treated and can no longer testify against her husband. With the key witness locked away, it will be up to Dr, Gregory to find her and alert the FBI to have her extricated. Dr. Gregory will have to enter the facility as a patient, try earning the respect of others, and track down the woman. Buchanan Hospital is in New York’s Catskills Forest area, creating an isolated community and one in which Dr. Gregory will have to play a role. If this were not enough, Dr. Alexander Gregory harbours a major secret of his own that could cost him everything. L.J. Ross delivers a stunning exploration throughout this mystery that is sure to impress the attentive reader.
I have been highly impressed with the first three novels in the series. L.J. Ross keeps up a high-calibre story once again, ensuring that I will keep reading. She takes readers on a great adventure to solve a case, while tossing Dr. Alexander Gregory into the middle of a situation that forces him to rethink who he is and how he wants to live. With the narrative clipping along, things take many a turn, as momentum shifts turn things on their head. Tossing in the secret storyline of Dr. Alexander Gregory’s past and the reader is sure to devour this book in the same way I did. The stories flow so well that I am sure the next piece will be just as impactful and I cannot wait to see what awaits Dr. Gregory!
I finally got the backstory I was hoping for to determine the true Dr. Alexander Gregory! L.J. Ross offers up some juicy pieces to fill in many gaps, forcing the protagonist to face truths he had long buried, This adds to the larger character development Ross does and provides readers with something intense on which to focus. Other characters complement the protagonist, as well as flavouring the larger story and keeps the reader in tune with all that is going on. I am eager to see more backstory and development for Dr. Gregory, as well as those around him. Ross knows how to ensure the reader connects with everyone and makes it as easy task to want more!
Surprises fill the pages of this story, none more than that of Dr. Gregory’s past. The plot is peppered with great twists that ensure a wonderful reading experience where there is little time to ponder. Plot points turn on a dime and leave the reader trying to keep it all straight, while being highly entertained. L.J. Ross has made this series easy to digest and provides an addictive nature to the story, such that there is no time to relax. I am eager to see where things are headed and what Ross has in store next, as I reach for the next book in the collection.
Kudos, Madam Ross, for pulling back the curtain and revealing much.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
I have been highly impressed with the first three novels in the series. L.J. Ross keeps up a high-calibre story once again, ensuring that I will keep reading. She takes readers on a great adventure to solve a case, while tossing Dr. Alexander Gregory into the middle of a situation that forces him to rethink who he is and how he wants to live. With the narrative clipping along, things take many a turn, as momentum shifts turn things on their head. Tossing in the secret storyline of Dr. Alexander Gregory’s past and the reader is sure to devour this book in the same way I did. The stories flow so well that I am sure the next piece will be just as impactful and I cannot wait to see what awaits Dr. Gregory!
I finally got the backstory I was hoping for to determine the true Dr. Alexander Gregory! L.J. Ross offers up some juicy pieces to fill in many gaps, forcing the protagonist to face truths he had long buried, This adds to the larger character development Ross does and provides readers with something intense on which to focus. Other characters complement the protagonist, as well as flavouring the larger story and keeps the reader in tune with all that is going on. I am eager to see more backstory and development for Dr. Gregory, as well as those around him. Ross knows how to ensure the reader connects with everyone and makes it as easy task to want more!
Surprises fill the pages of this story, none more than that of Dr. Gregory’s past. The plot is peppered with great twists that ensure a wonderful reading experience where there is little time to ponder. Plot points turn on a dime and leave the reader trying to keep it all straight, while being highly entertained. L.J. Ross has made this series easy to digest and provides an addictive nature to the story, such that there is no time to relax. I am eager to see where things are headed and what Ross has in store next, as I reach for the next book in the collection.
Kudos, Madam Ross, for pulling back the curtain and revealing much.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
September 22, 2020
Cel mai slab volum din cele trei aparute pana acum in seria Alexander Gregory, caci are o intriga slaba, se imprastie pe mai multe piste, fara a exploata la final nimic serios. Cartea este prea scurta, actiunea nu are loc sa se dezvolte.
October 7, 2020
I really enjoy the Dr Alexander Gregory thrillers. Slightly different to an ordinary crime story. This one involves the Mafia!
July 18, 2020
Bedlam
(The Alexander Gregory Thriller Book 3)
LJ Ross
(Review written on 18th July 2020)
I have thoroughly enjoyed catching up with Dr Alexander Gregory again but oh, my word this is a tense read!
In Bedlam we find Gregory working with the FBI. He is to check in to a highly secure psychiatric hospital, as a voluntary patient, as part of an undercover operation to protect the wife of a notorious criminal. What could possibly go wrong!? I knew as soon as he agreed that this was going to be a dangerous mission, but the reality of the situation once he was there was really quite frightening, especially considering he does a really good job of convincing the staff that he truly needs to be there. I could almost feel Gregory’s fear and frustration. I felt penned in myself whilst reading some of the scenes and I was almost panicking at times.
Psychology has always fascinated me so it’s no wonder that Dr Alexander Gregory fascinates me too. His personal experiences as well as his professional ones make him an excellent character. He’s extremely likeable and charismatic without being at all conceited. He has his flaws too which make him very real and believable. He is easily one of my favourite fictional characters.
This book is full of fascinating, and often complex, characters. Some have committed horrible crimes in their past, but you can’t help but like them still. Others are just genuinely nice people who I instantly warmed to. Professor Bill Douglas is one such character.
Bedlam is a cracking addition to this series, in my opinion. It is full of tension and suspense, I loved it!
I can’t wait for book 4!
https://chataboutbooks.blog/2020/07/1...
(The Alexander Gregory Thriller Book 3)
LJ Ross
(Review written on 18th July 2020)
I have thoroughly enjoyed catching up with Dr Alexander Gregory again but oh, my word this is a tense read!
In Bedlam we find Gregory working with the FBI. He is to check in to a highly secure psychiatric hospital, as a voluntary patient, as part of an undercover operation to protect the wife of a notorious criminal. What could possibly go wrong!? I knew as soon as he agreed that this was going to be a dangerous mission, but the reality of the situation once he was there was really quite frightening, especially considering he does a really good job of convincing the staff that he truly needs to be there. I could almost feel Gregory’s fear and frustration. I felt penned in myself whilst reading some of the scenes and I was almost panicking at times.
Psychology has always fascinated me so it’s no wonder that Dr Alexander Gregory fascinates me too. His personal experiences as well as his professional ones make him an excellent character. He’s extremely likeable and charismatic without being at all conceited. He has his flaws too which make him very real and believable. He is easily one of my favourite fictional characters.
This book is full of fascinating, and often complex, characters. Some have committed horrible crimes in their past, but you can’t help but like them still. Others are just genuinely nice people who I instantly warmed to. Professor Bill Douglas is one such character.
Bedlam is a cracking addition to this series, in my opinion. It is full of tension and suspense, I loved it!
I can’t wait for book 4!
https://chataboutbooks.blog/2020/07/1...
November 23, 2020
Alexander Gregory is a man who certainly gets around. Having been in Paris, he now finds himself in Quantico, agreeing to help out the FBI on what is a very dangerous mission. In fact I thought he was crazy to be taking on such a case that involves the mafia. You just know that things aren’t going to go smoothly.
I loved the setting of the story in a psychiatric hospital. It gives it an added air of suspense as I was intrigued about a few of the patients and wanted to know more about them and their history. Gregory finds himself being in deep trouble when things don’t quite go to plan and boy did it have me on tenterhooks as to how this particular case was all going to end.
Seeing the roles change with Gregory playing the patient and having a professional sit and trying to get into his head, I was well and truly gripped. It was intriguing to see if he could fool those around him whilst you can see he is battling with his own demons and in a way, wanting that help.
Bedlam is a great title for this book. I love Gregory’s character and his background as it makes for such riveting reading. From picking this book up I didn’t want to put it back down as the author had me hooked on this thrilling storyline. This is quite a different crime series but a brilliant one at that. Can’t wait to see what awaits us in the next book.
I loved the setting of the story in a psychiatric hospital. It gives it an added air of suspense as I was intrigued about a few of the patients and wanted to know more about them and their history. Gregory finds himself being in deep trouble when things don’t quite go to plan and boy did it have me on tenterhooks as to how this particular case was all going to end.
Seeing the roles change with Gregory playing the patient and having a professional sit and trying to get into his head, I was well and truly gripped. It was intriguing to see if he could fool those around him whilst you can see he is battling with his own demons and in a way, wanting that help.
Bedlam is a great title for this book. I love Gregory’s character and his background as it makes for such riveting reading. From picking this book up I didn’t want to put it back down as the author had me hooked on this thrilling storyline. This is quite a different crime series but a brilliant one at that. Can’t wait to see what awaits us in the next book.
April 27, 2025
Ross. Dr Alexander Gregory attended an FBI conference with his friend, Professor Bill Douglas, at Quantico, where two FBI Agents asked Dr Gregory to go undercover at a local private psychiatric hospital to find their witness. Dr Alexander Gregory did say yes. However, it brought up unpleasant memories from his past that could impact his future. The readers of Bedlam will continue to follow Dr Alexander Gregory to see what happens.
I enjoy reading other books by L. J. Ross, so I decided to read Bedlam, the first book in the Alexander Gregory Thriller series. I am pleased that I did Bedlam. It was a fantastic book, and I engaged with the characters and the story from the first page. Reading Bedlam allowed me to think about how important it is for people who have a mental illness to have an aesthetic environment to heal.
I love L. J. Ross's portrayal of her characters and their interactions throughout this book. Bedlam is well-written and researched by L. J. Ross. I like L. J. Ross's description of the settings of Bedlam, which allowed me to imagine being part of the book's plot.
I recommend this book.
I enjoy reading other books by L. J. Ross, so I decided to read Bedlam, the first book in the Alexander Gregory Thriller series. I am pleased that I did Bedlam. It was a fantastic book, and I engaged with the characters and the story from the first page. Reading Bedlam allowed me to think about how important it is for people who have a mental illness to have an aesthetic environment to heal.
I love L. J. Ross's portrayal of her characters and their interactions throughout this book. Bedlam is well-written and researched by L. J. Ross. I like L. J. Ross's description of the settings of Bedlam, which allowed me to imagine being part of the book's plot.
I recommend this book.
July 16, 2020
I’m a huge LJ Ross fan, because of the wonderful DCI Ryan series. When Ms Ross brought out Imposter which introduced Dr Alexander Gregory as a psychologist/criminal profiler I wasn’t sure what to expect. However, I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was followed up by Hysteria, then this book, Bedlam.
What I enjoy about this series is the fact that the settings are completely different from each other, specifically the Republic of Ireland, then France, then this one set in the USA. The books are easily read as standalones because of this and also the fact that there are only a couple of recurring characters. I really warm to Bill, Gregory’s friend and mentor.
Dr Gregory is an interesting character, with a difficult past, and this third book explores his past in greater depth.
I listened to this book via Audible and the narration from Richard Armitage is superb. I would thoroughly recommend Bedlam.
What I enjoy about this series is the fact that the settings are completely different from each other, specifically the Republic of Ireland, then France, then this one set in the USA. The books are easily read as standalones because of this and also the fact that there are only a couple of recurring characters. I really warm to Bill, Gregory’s friend and mentor.
Dr Gregory is an interesting character, with a difficult past, and this third book explores his past in greater depth.
I listened to this book via Audible and the narration from Richard Armitage is superb. I would thoroughly recommend Bedlam.
July 15, 2020
This is the third book in a series, I had not read the first two but it didn’t spoil my enjoyment of this episode. Whilst visiting the FBI at Quantico, Dr Alexander Gregory and Professor Bill Douglas are asked to assist on a case involving the Mafia which requires Dr Gregory enter Buchanan Psychiatric Hospital posing as a patient. From that point on my head was in a spin, the story was horribly realistic and quickly descended into a situation which is one of my personal nightmares! I was so absorbed in the story I had to listen in one sitting, feeling a sense of disquiet the whole time. Superb writing and excellent narration.
June 28, 2020
I am a huge fan of L J Ross's DCI Ryan series, so I was intrigued when she started writing about profiler Alexander Gregory. I thought the first in the series was ok, really did not like the second but thought I would give the series a final chance with the third.
There is no denying that L J Ross is a fantastic writer, but I have decided that this series just isn't for me. There are far too many dream sequences which I always find tedious and the main character just isn't very relatable. I understand that she's written a character who 'has his walls up' but those walls are so high that the reader can't really get to know him. I also find the plots a bit far-fetched.
There were aspects of this book I did enjoy. I thought that the other characters in the hospital were very well described and I did find myself caring about them. If anything I would have liked the main character to have had more fun interactions with them rather than the constant introspection.
This was probably the best book in the series so far but I just don't think I can continue with a series where I have no feelings towards the main character. I do quite like his friend Bill Douglas so maybe the series should be about him instead!
There is no denying that L J Ross is a fantastic writer, but I have decided that this series just isn't for me. There are far too many dream sequences which I always find tedious and the main character just isn't very relatable. I understand that she's written a character who 'has his walls up' but those walls are so high that the reader can't really get to know him. I also find the plots a bit far-fetched.
There were aspects of this book I did enjoy. I thought that the other characters in the hospital were very well described and I did find myself caring about them. If anything I would have liked the main character to have had more fun interactions with them rather than the constant introspection.
This was probably the best book in the series so far but I just don't think I can continue with a series where I have no feelings towards the main character. I do quite like his friend Bill Douglas so maybe the series should be about him instead!
August 25, 2020
I just don't warm to psychiatrist Alex Gregory and I certainly wouldn't want him to treat me, he has more problems than his patients. This time he works for the FBI in this story, definitely not a patch on Ryan.
December 18, 2023
This series gets better with each book! I love the way the main character’s mind works and how he solves each crime. The writing is so clever and so very readable.
July 13, 2020
I must admit I had a hard time liking this book as I started it. I had to put it down and read something else before coming back to it. I love LJ Ross’s previous books so I knew this would be worth it. And, yes, it was - sort of.
The characters were well depicted. The people at the hospital came across as very real and I enjoyed them. Even the strange ones. I didn’t care for the Mafia story. Every scene seemed to me to be straight from the Sopranos. Frankly, the book struck me as a screenplay. Not that that’s necessarily a bad thing. I hope Ross does get her books optioned.
But being a Ross book, the locations were well described. This books takes place mostly in the Catskills of New York. One of the things I enjoy about these books - and the Ryan books - is the European locations so this lost points for being in the US. It was done well but not my particular cup of tea.
Don’t get me wrong, this was good. Ross books are always good. I hope Gregory finds some happiness.
Did I mention Richard Armitage narrated this? Excellent job.
The characters were well depicted. The people at the hospital came across as very real and I enjoyed them. Even the strange ones. I didn’t care for the Mafia story. Every scene seemed to me to be straight from the Sopranos. Frankly, the book struck me as a screenplay. Not that that’s necessarily a bad thing. I hope Ross does get her books optioned.
But being a Ross book, the locations were well described. This books takes place mostly in the Catskills of New York. One of the things I enjoy about these books - and the Ryan books - is the European locations so this lost points for being in the US. It was done well but not my particular cup of tea.
Don’t get me wrong, this was good. Ross books are always good. I hope Gregory finds some happiness.
Did I mention Richard Armitage narrated this? Excellent job.
February 14, 2021
The plot twists were quite predictable and I didn't necessary believe the motivations of the characters. Also, I found it a bit confusing for two of the main male characters to be called 'Gregory' and 'Douglas' when they were their surnames. Just call them by their first names or give them surnames that aren't also first names. Also, the writing of the women seemed pretty poor. The protagonist's attitude towards women just seemed a bit sleazy and I thought there was a lot more potential for the female characters to have more to them and they were all just a bit... Pathetic.
June 10, 2020
These books are easy enjoyable reads however my main criticism is that they are just too short and therefore lack the depth needed to make them memorable. I’m also really bored by the nightmare scenes - I generally end up skipping past them as they soon become repetitive.
I wish the author would take longer in them and fully develop each plot rather than churning them out as quick as possible.
I wish the author would take longer in them and fully develop each plot rather than churning them out as quick as possible.
June 16, 2020
Have enjoyed both the Ryan & Gregory series by LJ Ross to date but found this one by far the poorest so far. There were so many implausible situations with in it; so many unbelievable events that it read more like a first badly written attempt by a new author needing much guidance than one written by someone with so many successes.
October 20, 2020
I do not like this series very much. I do not feel that I get into the characters enough although this was very much supposed to be a personal story. There were too many twists and turns at the end . The idea of a psychologist and criminal profiler is not as appealing as a straightforward crime solver. The switches of settings also do not help. More DCI Ryan novels please.
June 2, 2025
This was a really good one. Dare I say my favorite LJ Ross? Maybe. The mystery kept me guessing, and I wanted more.
August 30, 2020
This is the third book in the new Dr Alexander Gregory series from the best selling author of the Holy Island stories. It was the first one I have read and worked fine on its own, although I am eager now to go back to the start and read the first two books. In this story, Gregory, a forensic psychologist and criminal profiler and his friend and colleague Professor Bill Douglas travel to Quantico, Virginia, to attend a conference at the FBI base there that they have been invited to. Whilst there, they are approached by two agents who tell them that their star witness at the trial of a notorious Mafia gang boss has been made to disappear. Lorena, the wife of Paolo Romano, is believed to have been admitted to a private psychiatric hospital and they need Gregory to get himself in there and find her. It’s their only option as Paolo has eyes everywhere and they don't even trust their own colleagues in the FBI let alone the hospital staff. Eventually Gregory agrees, since his profession will give him the added advantage of knowing how to present as a patient (of course he is halfway there himself, due to certain events that have taken place recently only known to the reader) whilst hopefully being able to tell if Lorena is there for genuine health reasons or by force. Gregory reveals details of his secret past to Douglas that includes a change of name and a violent family background. The FBI already knew this and they see this as him being the perfect choice to play the part of a man having a mental breakdown. He and Douglas head off to the spectacular Catskill Forest and the luxurious Buchanan Hospital. To protect his true identity he using his former name, Michael Alexander Jones. Douglas is to remain outside the confines of the hospital as an external contact for Gregory along with one of the agents also checking in by telephone. Once there he meets an assortment of rather wonderful characters and his professional self can’t help analysing each one. His female psychotherapist is attractive, leading to some fun interactions as he tries to play his part and hide the fact he knows exactly what methods she is using to treat him. Strangely, after a while he starts to believe he is actually suffering from those very symptoms he is trying to ape, and wonders if his past is catching up with him. Meanwhile on the outside things are hotting up between the Mafia families who are making plans of their own. There’s lot of tension and suspense in this story, and also lovely little bits of dark humour, such as his conversations with some of the other patients and his later failed attempts to convince his doctor that he is actually sane, something very credible as you could imagine dozens of other mental patients trying to do the very same thing. Overall a highly enjoyable story that drew me in and kept the pages turning throughout the twists and turns to a bit of a surprise ending. I also had the pleasure of listening to the audio book version of this, read by the wonderful Richard Armitage who is one of the best narrators in the business and who brought the whole book to life superbly. I do hope he will be the choice for future stories. 5*
May 30, 2021
I have loved and enjoyed all books penned by LJ Ross. In my opinion, her DCI Ryan series is in a class of its own, however the Dr Alexander Gregory series is nothing less than brilliant. I've been meaning to read the latest book 'Bedlam' and catch up with this series for ages, and finally I've managed to do so.
In this book, Gregory is with Bill Douglas at Quantico in the US to attend some FBI conference on criminal profiling. Little does he know upon arrival that he'll end up in a famous psychiatric hospital as an undercover agent for the FBI to help them in an Italian-American mafia-related investigation. Gregory in this book is on the other side of the doctor-patient table and ends up having his until-now scrupulously hidden internal struggles and demons and his mind scrutinised by the doctors at the hospital. Will this be the case that will change him for ever? Will he be the same Alexander Gregory when (and if) he comes out of the high-security institution again? How will he be able to conduct his investigation and at the same time pretend to have lost his marbles before he truly loses them? Will his past, having been exposed, finally catch-up with him and finish him off once and for all?
Well, I really enjoyed seeing Gregory in this setting. Not only the beautiful surroundings described in exquisite vivid detail by the author, but the fact that he's on the opposite side of the table made for some interesting reading, to see how he will be able to find the answers he's looking for and at the same time pretend to be another completely different man. I loved meeting the other residents of the hospital too and found them very interesting. I wanted to know more about them and their lives.
The book may not be as fast-paced as many of the DCI Ryan books, however it is no less intriguing. I spent a number of delightful hours at Buchanan Hospital following Gregory in his endeavour to seek answers in the mysterious hospital. The final part was unexpected, breath-taking and heart-pounding and at one point I really feared that things will not end up well for Gregory this time.
This was another fabulous addition to the series and I hope the author will delight us with even more adventures involving Dr Alexander Gregory soon.
In this book, Gregory is with Bill Douglas at Quantico in the US to attend some FBI conference on criminal profiling. Little does he know upon arrival that he'll end up in a famous psychiatric hospital as an undercover agent for the FBI to help them in an Italian-American mafia-related investigation. Gregory in this book is on the other side of the doctor-patient table and ends up having his until-now scrupulously hidden internal struggles and demons and his mind scrutinised by the doctors at the hospital. Will this be the case that will change him for ever? Will he be the same Alexander Gregory when (and if) he comes out of the high-security institution again? How will he be able to conduct his investigation and at the same time pretend to have lost his marbles before he truly loses them? Will his past, having been exposed, finally catch-up with him and finish him off once and for all?
Well, I really enjoyed seeing Gregory in this setting. Not only the beautiful surroundings described in exquisite vivid detail by the author, but the fact that he's on the opposite side of the table made for some interesting reading, to see how he will be able to find the answers he's looking for and at the same time pretend to be another completely different man. I loved meeting the other residents of the hospital too and found them very interesting. I wanted to know more about them and their lives.
The book may not be as fast-paced as many of the DCI Ryan books, however it is no less intriguing. I spent a number of delightful hours at Buchanan Hospital following Gregory in his endeavour to seek answers in the mysterious hospital. The final part was unexpected, breath-taking and heart-pounding and at one point I really feared that things will not end up well for Gregory this time.
This was another fabulous addition to the series and I hope the author will delight us with even more adventures involving Dr Alexander Gregory soon.
July 15, 2020
4.5*
Dr Alexander Gregory and his friend and mentor, Professor Bill Douglas are visiting Quantico, Virginia. They have been invited to deliver a presentation on criminal profiling at one of the regular international conferences held there. They were met by Special Agent Hawk and Agent Johnson, who later asked for their assistance with a highly classified case involving the Romano crime family.
The FBI agents’ request would entail Gregory going undercover as a patient at the Buchanan Psychiatric Hospital and ascertaining whether a key witness is still in the hospital and, more to the point, alive. The witness in question is inextricably linked to the mafia family so this wasn’t going to be any easy task. Admitted as ‘Michael’, Gregory was able to make use of his own experience and expertise as a psychologist to play the role of a patient and, as expected, things don’t go according to plan and it’s not always obvious who can be trusted.
Gregory plays his part and blends in among the residents of the Buchanan Hospital while on the lookout for one in particular. They are a diverse and colourful group, who added much to the story, with varied and complicated issues. Gregory finds, considering his background, it’s not such a great hardship to take on this new persona.
Bedlam is a well crafted mystery, the pace steady as it builds up to a tense finale. There’s a much deeper insight into Gregory’s complex character which makes him more relatable…the events that made him the reserved and contained man he is today and how he’s learning to recognise and deal with his his own physiological issues, even if it could mean the end of his career. Bill Douglas is Gregory’s only real friend up to now, but perhaps after his recent experiences he will be able to let more people in. Performed wonderfully by Richard Armitage.
Initially the Alexander Gregory stories were billed as a trilogy but perhaps Bedlam has possibilities for a continuation…
Dr Alexander Gregory and his friend and mentor, Professor Bill Douglas are visiting Quantico, Virginia. They have been invited to deliver a presentation on criminal profiling at one of the regular international conferences held there. They were met by Special Agent Hawk and Agent Johnson, who later asked for their assistance with a highly classified case involving the Romano crime family.
The FBI agents’ request would entail Gregory going undercover as a patient at the Buchanan Psychiatric Hospital and ascertaining whether a key witness is still in the hospital and, more to the point, alive. The witness in question is inextricably linked to the mafia family so this wasn’t going to be any easy task. Admitted as ‘Michael’, Gregory was able to make use of his own experience and expertise as a psychologist to play the role of a patient and, as expected, things don’t go according to plan and it’s not always obvious who can be trusted.
Gregory plays his part and blends in among the residents of the Buchanan Hospital while on the lookout for one in particular. They are a diverse and colourful group, who added much to the story, with varied and complicated issues. Gregory finds, considering his background, it’s not such a great hardship to take on this new persona.
Bedlam is a well crafted mystery, the pace steady as it builds up to a tense finale. There’s a much deeper insight into Gregory’s complex character which makes him more relatable…the events that made him the reserved and contained man he is today and how he’s learning to recognise and deal with his his own physiological issues, even if it could mean the end of his career. Bill Douglas is Gregory’s only real friend up to now, but perhaps after his recent experiences he will be able to let more people in. Performed wonderfully by Richard Armitage.
Initially the Alexander Gregory stories were billed as a trilogy but perhaps Bedlam has possibilities for a continuation…
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