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The Double
For fans of beautifully written, psychologically probing crime
"A completely engrossing read! I found Ann's writing compelling, elegant and convincing, and the story pulled me in and totally transported me." —Katherine Webb, best-selling author of The Legacy and The Disappearance Following a violent outburst at an awards ceremony, Vidor Kiraly, a prize-winning neuroscientist and Cambridge don, is sent to an isolated psychiatric clinic in the Swiss Alps. When the clinic’s director, Anton Gessen, tries in vain to unearth the missing pieces of Vidor’s life, he suspects his reluctant patient is not who he appears to be. After one of the patients at the clinic goes missing, Gessen has reason to doubt Vidor’s self-proclaimed innocence. But what is he hiding, and who might be next?
"A completely engrossing read! I found Ann's writing compelling, elegant and convincing, and the story pulled me in and totally transported me." —Katherine Webb, best-selling author of The Legacy and The Disappearance Following a violent outburst at an awards ceremony, Vidor Kiraly, a prize-winning neuroscientist and Cambridge don, is sent to an isolated psychiatric clinic in the Swiss Alps. When the clinic’s director, Anton Gessen, tries in vain to unearth the missing pieces of Vidor’s life, he suspects his reluctant patient is not who he appears to be. After one of the patients at the clinic goes missing, Gessen has reason to doubt Vidor’s self-proclaimed innocence. But what is he hiding, and who might be next?
- GenresMystery
288 pages, Paperback
First published February 16, 2021
2 people are currently reading
66 people want to read
About the author
Ann Gosslin
3 books10 followersAnn Gosslin spent her early years in the US, before heeding the call of distant shores. Inspired by a lifelong interest in psychology, she explores in her fiction the dark (and often hidden) side of human nature.
The Shadow Bird is Ann's debut novel. Her second novel, The Double, will be published by Legend Press in 2021.
The Shadow Bird is Ann's debut novel. Her second novel, The Double, will be published by Legend Press in 2021.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
March 11, 2021
I thoroughly enjoyed this one! A slow atmospherical and suspenseful psychological thriller that had me hooked from the start. The writing was phenomenal. The story takes you across several countries and time periods. I thought the clinic setting was both desolate and beautiful. And who doesn't love Paris? The plot isn't actioned filled, more akin to slowly peeling the layers from an onion. A little more about these characters and what is happening revealed as the book unfolds. My only minor complaint, the ending. I just wanted a bit more closure.
**ARC Via NetGalley**
**ARC Via NetGalley**
March 4, 2021
This is one of those books that had so much good going for it, but also one thing that spoiled my full enjoyment of it.
Reading this book, we were taken away to places around the world that I don't often find myself reading about, so I loved all the descriptions of the Swiss mountains and all the stormy weather. It was the perfect setting for this slow-burning mystery novel.
I really enjoyed the plot for this book - who was Vidor Kiraly really, and why did he have such an out of character violent outburst? As the story progresses, Kiraly's story slowly becomes undone as his psychiatrist, Gessen, makes it his mission to solve the mystery.
I really liked this idea for the story, my only trouble was that I didn't find myself caring enough about Kiraly or Gessen to ever get fully invested in where the story was going. I'm definitely a plot-driven kind of reader, but when the characters don't work for me, it can ultimately leave me feeling disappointed by a book.
What I will say, however, is that the writing in this one is really good, and Gosslin is clearly very clued up on the topics she covers in this book, so it all felt very well informed and believable. This is definitely a slow-paced novel, but I think that works well for certain mystery stories, though I would say I felt the ending went on a bit longer than was needed!
Overall, this wasn't a bad book by any stretch of the imagination, in fact, there was more good about it than there was disappointing. It's just a shame for me that I couldn't connect with the characters enough to fully immerse myself in the story.
Reading this book, we were taken away to places around the world that I don't often find myself reading about, so I loved all the descriptions of the Swiss mountains and all the stormy weather. It was the perfect setting for this slow-burning mystery novel.
I really enjoyed the plot for this book - who was Vidor Kiraly really, and why did he have such an out of character violent outburst? As the story progresses, Kiraly's story slowly becomes undone as his psychiatrist, Gessen, makes it his mission to solve the mystery.
I really liked this idea for the story, my only trouble was that I didn't find myself caring enough about Kiraly or Gessen to ever get fully invested in where the story was going. I'm definitely a plot-driven kind of reader, but when the characters don't work for me, it can ultimately leave me feeling disappointed by a book.
What I will say, however, is that the writing in this one is really good, and Gosslin is clearly very clued up on the topics she covers in this book, so it all felt very well informed and believable. This is definitely a slow-paced novel, but I think that works well for certain mystery stories, though I would say I felt the ending went on a bit longer than was needed!
Overall, this wasn't a bad book by any stretch of the imagination, in fact, there was more good about it than there was disappointing. It's just a shame for me that I couldn't connect with the characters enough to fully immerse myself in the story.
January 15, 2021
I was almost reluctant going into this book, because some of the reviews have mentioned abysmally slow pacing. Took a chance and guess what…the rumors of slow pacing have been greatly exaggerated. I mean this isn’t a fast paced book, by any means, but then again it doesn’t need to be. This appears to be very much the case of mismanaged expectations and possibly mismarketing. Because it looks like a thriller, doesn’t it? Like yet another one of those female authored thrillers that are so popular right now. But the thing is, this is first and foremost very much a work of psychological fiction. And yes, there are some crime elements and some mysteries to unravel, but not quite as it would be with a thriller, different speed, different pace, different style.
The very basic description of this novel would read something like two clever men battle wills and wits, battle each other and the dualities of their own nature. One of them, Kiraly, is a genius scientist who, just as he was given a prestigious award, one that comes with a million dollars, goes mad and attacks a stranger in the audience. The other is Gessen, a mindshrink extraordinaire with much to prove, who operates a fancy asylum and is desperate to put in back on the map, get ore funds and recognition for his work…and what would bring more publicity that the famous case that has made all the papers and the puzzle that is the suddenly violent scientist.
Then again, that violence might have been a one off. The scientist appears to be perfectly calm now, if not especially forthcoming with any personal information that might help his case. So Gessen sets off to uncover the mystery that is Kiraly, a task that involves international traveling and no small amount of detective work, though the facts he uncovers don’t quite match up and Kiraly appears more and more to be a puzzle wrapped in an enigma sort of a man. And maybe not someone to get snowed in with in a remote Swiss mountain location.
So yeah, technically a mystery novel, but the mysteries are mostly of the psychological make up of one’s mind, a drive to reinvent, fit in, become something, someone who belongs in the world. A desperate reach for something greater. A desperate attempt to avoid paying the high cost of the sins of the fathers.
The two main characters parallel each other in many ways, especially the sins of the father thing. Their dynamic is the most interesting and compelling thing about the novel, it is the glue and the soul of it. And it makes for a pretty interesting read, especially for fans of dark psychological fiction. Just don’t go in expecting a machine gun paced thriller. This one is more of an old fashioned duel. Not perfect by any means, but it maintained my interest throughout and entertained sufficiently. Thanks Netgalley.
The very basic description of this novel would read something like two clever men battle wills and wits, battle each other and the dualities of their own nature. One of them, Kiraly, is a genius scientist who, just as he was given a prestigious award, one that comes with a million dollars, goes mad and attacks a stranger in the audience. The other is Gessen, a mindshrink extraordinaire with much to prove, who operates a fancy asylum and is desperate to put in back on the map, get ore funds and recognition for his work…and what would bring more publicity that the famous case that has made all the papers and the puzzle that is the suddenly violent scientist.
Then again, that violence might have been a one off. The scientist appears to be perfectly calm now, if not especially forthcoming with any personal information that might help his case. So Gessen sets off to uncover the mystery that is Kiraly, a task that involves international traveling and no small amount of detective work, though the facts he uncovers don’t quite match up and Kiraly appears more and more to be a puzzle wrapped in an enigma sort of a man. And maybe not someone to get snowed in with in a remote Swiss mountain location.
So yeah, technically a mystery novel, but the mysteries are mostly of the psychological make up of one’s mind, a drive to reinvent, fit in, become something, someone who belongs in the world. A desperate reach for something greater. A desperate attempt to avoid paying the high cost of the sins of the fathers.
The two main characters parallel each other in many ways, especially the sins of the father thing. Their dynamic is the most interesting and compelling thing about the novel, it is the glue and the soul of it. And it makes for a pretty interesting read, especially for fans of dark psychological fiction. Just don’t go in expecting a machine gun paced thriller. This one is more of an old fashioned duel. Not perfect by any means, but it maintained my interest throughout and entertained sufficiently. Thanks Netgalley.
March 3, 2022
I have to agree with what some other reviewers have said, about The Double by Ann Gosslin, the pacing was too slow for me and the story really didn't hold my attention like I hoped that it would. Although the last part of this story gets slightly better and a little more interesting, there were no big revelations that surprised me.
Thanks to Legend Press and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book.
Thanks to Legend Press and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book.
January 10, 2021
Rating: 1.2/5
This book was nothing like I had been expecting. From the blurb I had anticipated a psychological thriller, but that turned out to be only 50% accurate ... There is plenty of psychology, but it is devoid of anything vaguely thrilling.
"The Double" is set in an isolated psychiatric clinic in the Swiss Alps. Following a violent outburst at an awards ceremony, Vidor Kiraly - a prize-winning neuroscientist and Cambridge University professor - finds himself an unwilling patient at the establishment. He is treated by Dr Anton Gessen, who employs some unorthodox methods to try to unearth the source of Vidor's troubles. But, along the way, he begins to doubt whether his high profile patient really is the person he claims to be.
Unfortunately, the pace of the story is painfully slow. I had hoped that it would develop into a slow burner, but it never sparked into life. Ann Gosslin clearly has a keen interest in psychology. She writes elegantly and with commendable knowledge of the subject. However, it takes more than a passion for a particular topic to turn it into a compelling piece of fiction. Unless someone is equally ardent about psychology, I find it difficult to imagine that they would be captivated by this novel.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for supplying an ARC in return for an honest review.
This book was nothing like I had been expecting. From the blurb I had anticipated a psychological thriller, but that turned out to be only 50% accurate ... There is plenty of psychology, but it is devoid of anything vaguely thrilling.
"The Double" is set in an isolated psychiatric clinic in the Swiss Alps. Following a violent outburst at an awards ceremony, Vidor Kiraly - a prize-winning neuroscientist and Cambridge University professor - finds himself an unwilling patient at the establishment. He is treated by Dr Anton Gessen, who employs some unorthodox methods to try to unearth the source of Vidor's troubles. But, along the way, he begins to doubt whether his high profile patient really is the person he claims to be.
Unfortunately, the pace of the story is painfully slow. I had hoped that it would develop into a slow burner, but it never sparked into life. Ann Gosslin clearly has a keen interest in psychology. She writes elegantly and with commendable knowledge of the subject. However, it takes more than a passion for a particular topic to turn it into a compelling piece of fiction. Unless someone is equally ardent about psychology, I find it difficult to imagine that they would be captivated by this novel.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for supplying an ARC in return for an honest review.
January 20, 2021
As other reviewers have said,the pacing on this felt slow.
It was too slow for me. I found myself skim reading some of the pages in a bid to feel I got somewhere.
As sometimes happens not the right book for me.
It was too slow for me. I found myself skim reading some of the pages in a bid to feel I got somewhere.
As sometimes happens not the right book for me.
August 4, 2021
A clinic high in the Alps. A famed scientist on the edge of a breakdown. Missing patients and winter rolling in. Surely more could not be asked for? I was incredibly intrigued by the premise of Ann Gosslin's The Double but found myself struggling with the book itself. Join me below as I try to untangle my thoughts. Thanks to Legend Press and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Sometimes a book is not served by its own marketing. This happens when a blurb or the praise tries to link a book to other books, or cast the author as the new Margaret Atwood/Hilary Mantell/Ian Fleming/random author who is famous. In the case of The Double it is actually something else. Its cover and blurb strike many of the same tones as many of the countless thrillers being produced every year. The Double is not actually much of a thriller. It is not about the plot twists, the high-stakes chase, the solving of a disappearance. Instead this is a psychological novel, one which attempts to investigate the minds of two smart men as they posture, hide, reveal, and play. Sure, Gosslin introduces potential scares and tries to put the reader on the wrong foot occasionally, but in the end, I think, she wants you to think about them, think about yourself. So it's a shame that this aspect of The Double didn't entirely work for me either.
Vidor Kiraly has reached the peak of his career as he is awarded a major academic prize. But at the ceremony he attacks a man violently, which raises a number of questions. Desperate to keep his mountaintop-clinic open, Dr. Anton Gessen invites Vidor to stay there in the hope to find out how this kindly man switched into an aggressive one. From there they begin a cat-and-mouse game as neither is entirely truthful with the other or, for that fact, with the reader. Small interludes show us the youth of an unknown boy, decades earlier, as he roams Paris for a home. The Double is a novel about inherited trauma, about searching for a home, about origins and about the mind. While much of The Double is promising, it felt to me that some corners were cut. Neither Gessen or Kiraly are sympathetic to me, which may be on purpose, but I also felt like the former was majorly unprofessional and the latter weirdly empty. They are also both given dreadful home lives which are hinted at so often that when the reveal happened it almost felt a little cheap to me. The link between Gessen and Kiraly, their respective traumas and the obviousness of the title; they all led to me feeling slightly underwhelmed once I finished The Double.
While the above maybe doesn't sound too positive, I did keep reading. I occasionally considered DNF'ing The Double but Gosslin did have my attention. I wanted to see what she would do with the story, where she would take it. In the end it became more of a curiosity for me, rather than a storyline I was majorly intrigued by. The clinic in the Alps was worked out very well, I felt like I could picture it, yet so much around it was a mystery that it all felt a little unsettled. While I believe this was in part Gosslin's intention for the chapters narrated by Kiraly, it continued into Gessen's chapters. As the latter chased across Europe in order to find out more about his patient, nothing quite seemed to stick. Some reviewers have complained about the pace of The Double and admittedly the plot picks up significantly in the last third. Gosslin takes her time to make the reader feel comfortable in the world she is creating, before pulling one rug after the other out from under them. Admittedly plenty of hints have been dropped throughout the preceding 2/3 of the novel and I wasn't surprised, per se, at the end. By the time we get to this at the end of The Double, however, some of the reveals or moves didn't feel sensical. Both Gessen and Kiraly make major mental leaps, suddenly gaining certain kinds of self-awareness and becoming active when they haven't before. So yes, still conflicted about The Double but not about Gosslin. I'd be very intrigued to read her other books.
In the end I struggled a lot with The Double. The story and characters itself didn't motivate me to keep going, but my interest in Gosslin's intentions with this story did.
URL: https://universeinwords.blogspot.com/...
Sometimes a book is not served by its own marketing. This happens when a blurb or the praise tries to link a book to other books, or cast the author as the new Margaret Atwood/Hilary Mantell/Ian Fleming/random author who is famous. In the case of The Double it is actually something else. Its cover and blurb strike many of the same tones as many of the countless thrillers being produced every year. The Double is not actually much of a thriller. It is not about the plot twists, the high-stakes chase, the solving of a disappearance. Instead this is a psychological novel, one which attempts to investigate the minds of two smart men as they posture, hide, reveal, and play. Sure, Gosslin introduces potential scares and tries to put the reader on the wrong foot occasionally, but in the end, I think, she wants you to think about them, think about yourself. So it's a shame that this aspect of The Double didn't entirely work for me either.
Vidor Kiraly has reached the peak of his career as he is awarded a major academic prize. But at the ceremony he attacks a man violently, which raises a number of questions. Desperate to keep his mountaintop-clinic open, Dr. Anton Gessen invites Vidor to stay there in the hope to find out how this kindly man switched into an aggressive one. From there they begin a cat-and-mouse game as neither is entirely truthful with the other or, for that fact, with the reader. Small interludes show us the youth of an unknown boy, decades earlier, as he roams Paris for a home. The Double is a novel about inherited trauma, about searching for a home, about origins and about the mind. While much of The Double is promising, it felt to me that some corners were cut. Neither Gessen or Kiraly are sympathetic to me, which may be on purpose, but I also felt like the former was majorly unprofessional and the latter weirdly empty. They are also both given dreadful home lives which are hinted at so often that when the reveal happened it almost felt a little cheap to me. The link between Gessen and Kiraly, their respective traumas and the obviousness of the title; they all led to me feeling slightly underwhelmed once I finished The Double.
While the above maybe doesn't sound too positive, I did keep reading. I occasionally considered DNF'ing The Double but Gosslin did have my attention. I wanted to see what she would do with the story, where she would take it. In the end it became more of a curiosity for me, rather than a storyline I was majorly intrigued by. The clinic in the Alps was worked out very well, I felt like I could picture it, yet so much around it was a mystery that it all felt a little unsettled. While I believe this was in part Gosslin's intention for the chapters narrated by Kiraly, it continued into Gessen's chapters. As the latter chased across Europe in order to find out more about his patient, nothing quite seemed to stick. Some reviewers have complained about the pace of The Double and admittedly the plot picks up significantly in the last third. Gosslin takes her time to make the reader feel comfortable in the world she is creating, before pulling one rug after the other out from under them. Admittedly plenty of hints have been dropped throughout the preceding 2/3 of the novel and I wasn't surprised, per se, at the end. By the time we get to this at the end of The Double, however, some of the reveals or moves didn't feel sensical. Both Gessen and Kiraly make major mental leaps, suddenly gaining certain kinds of self-awareness and becoming active when they haven't before. So yes, still conflicted about The Double but not about Gosslin. I'd be very intrigued to read her other books.
In the end I struggled a lot with The Double. The story and characters itself didn't motivate me to keep going, but my interest in Gosslin's intentions with this story did.
URL: https://universeinwords.blogspot.com/...
March 19, 2021
The Double is a very unusual psychological thriller, focussing more on the psychological aspect of the workings of the brain rather than fast-paced thrills. Although the pacing is rather slow it was nice to just to relax in the stunning virtual environment of the Swiss Alps and immerse myself in the soothing and mesmeric writing of Ann Gosslin.
Vidor Kiraly is a very interesting main character and I suspected from the very first chapter that there was more to him than meets the eye. He may seem confident but underneath he is clearly insecure and seeking validation; and that's not all that is lurking beneath the surface. After having some kind of psychotic break, Vidor is sent to a psychiatric clinic in the Swiss Alps to be assessed by Dr Anton Gessen.
I really enjoyed Dr Gessen's sessions with Vidor. Dr Gessen is like a detective wearing kid gloves, gently probing Vidor's mind to try to ascertain whether diminished responsibility is a valid claim for Vidor's violence. I found the use of aroma to evoke memories really interesting; it's so true that a smell from your past can transport you through time and space to a forgotten place.
Dr Gessen and Vidor prove worthy adversaries as one tries to uncover the truth and the other tries to remain one step ahead. Tension and suspense mounts like snow falling flake by flake on the Alps and an ominous feeling descended over me in the latter half of the book as the pacing picked up speed.
Atmospheric and mesmerising, The Double is a literary study of the mind and all its foibles. It may be a slow burner but it constantly simmers and boils with the underlying threat of explosion. I enjoyed it but it's perhaps a book that will appeal more to the discerning reader who likes to explore the intricate workings of the human mind.
Many thanks to Legend Press for sending me an ARC to read and review for the blog tour; this is my honest and unbiased opinion.
Vidor Kiraly is a very interesting main character and I suspected from the very first chapter that there was more to him than meets the eye. He may seem confident but underneath he is clearly insecure and seeking validation; and that's not all that is lurking beneath the surface. After having some kind of psychotic break, Vidor is sent to a psychiatric clinic in the Swiss Alps to be assessed by Dr Anton Gessen.
I really enjoyed Dr Gessen's sessions with Vidor. Dr Gessen is like a detective wearing kid gloves, gently probing Vidor's mind to try to ascertain whether diminished responsibility is a valid claim for Vidor's violence. I found the use of aroma to evoke memories really interesting; it's so true that a smell from your past can transport you through time and space to a forgotten place.
Dr Gessen and Vidor prove worthy adversaries as one tries to uncover the truth and the other tries to remain one step ahead. Tension and suspense mounts like snow falling flake by flake on the Alps and an ominous feeling descended over me in the latter half of the book as the pacing picked up speed.
Atmospheric and mesmerising, The Double is a literary study of the mind and all its foibles. It may be a slow burner but it constantly simmers and boils with the underlying threat of explosion. I enjoyed it but it's perhaps a book that will appeal more to the discerning reader who likes to explore the intricate workings of the human mind.
Many thanks to Legend Press for sending me an ARC to read and review for the blog tour; this is my honest and unbiased opinion.
February 17, 2021
𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐨𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐞
⭐⭐⭐
"𝘍𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘷𝘪𝘰𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘢𝘶𝘭𝘵 𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯 𝘶𝘯𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘶𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳, 𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘴 𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘺, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘱𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘯𝘦𝘶𝘳𝘰 𝘴𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘤 𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥, 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘱𝘦𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘰𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘶𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳. 𝘝𝘪𝘥𝘰𝘳 𝘒𝘪𝘳𝘢𝘭𝘺 𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘲𝘶𝘦 𝘈𝘭𝘱𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘨𝘰 𝘱𝘴𝘺𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘺𝘴𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘺 𝘔𝘳 𝘎𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘯. 𝘎𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘷𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘢𝘺𝘦𝘥 𝘱𝘪𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘒𝘪𝘳𝘢𝘭𝘺'𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦, 𝘶𝘯𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘥𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘰𝘯. 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘪𝘴 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘵 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘯𝘦𝘹𝘵 𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘮?"
This was a psychological thriller which i felt likened to Shutter Island, the intruiging storyline, that kept you hooked, jumped, and disturbed, but never gave you the answers you were crying out for. I was a little disappointed with this book, the storyline was exquisitely interesting but there was too much information for such a short book. For me this meant that key areas were not given the writing time they needed, and so has left me feeling unfulfilled. I wish i knew more about Gessen, my guesses and expectations never came into fruition and that was so frustrating, but 𝐢 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞.
I would love to have had more story and less description, however for a disturbing psychoanalytic novel this was up there with the mystery and the torture that is mental instabilty in all its glory.
Thank you @legendtimes for my gifted copy on the blog tour for this read.
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"𝘍𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘷𝘪𝘰𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘢𝘶𝘭𝘵 𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯 𝘶𝘯𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘶𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳, 𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘴 𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘺, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘱𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘯𝘦𝘶𝘳𝘰 𝘴𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘤 𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥, 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘱𝘦𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘰𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘶𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳. 𝘝𝘪𝘥𝘰𝘳 𝘒𝘪𝘳𝘢𝘭𝘺 𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘲𝘶𝘦 𝘈𝘭𝘱𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘨𝘰 𝘱𝘴𝘺𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘺𝘴𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘺 𝘔𝘳 𝘎𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘯. 𝘎𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘷𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘢𝘺𝘦𝘥 𝘱𝘪𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘒𝘪𝘳𝘢𝘭𝘺'𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦, 𝘶𝘯𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘥𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘰𝘯. 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘪𝘴 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘵 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘯𝘦𝘹𝘵 𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘮?"
This was a psychological thriller which i felt likened to Shutter Island, the intruiging storyline, that kept you hooked, jumped, and disturbed, but never gave you the answers you were crying out for. I was a little disappointed with this book, the storyline was exquisitely interesting but there was too much information for such a short book. For me this meant that key areas were not given the writing time they needed, and so has left me feeling unfulfilled. I wish i knew more about Gessen, my guesses and expectations never came into fruition and that was so frustrating, but 𝐢 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞.
I would love to have had more story and less description, however for a disturbing psychoanalytic novel this was up there with the mystery and the torture that is mental instabilty in all its glory.
Thank you @legendtimes for my gifted copy on the blog tour for this read.
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February 23, 2021
If someone says about this book it has a slow pace, it's highly exaggerated. I will be completely honest, there is nothing happening in this book up till 3/4 of the book. I can't even count how many times I wanted to DNF this book or I fell asleep while reading it. In the last 1/4 of this novel the story gets a bit better and interesting, although no big surprises.
This book is supposed to be a psychological thriller which is set in the psychiatric facility (can't call th chalets, saunas, etc. a hospital) high in the mountains in Switzerland. Where doctor Gessen is treating his patients, one of which is doctor Vidor Kiraly. Who won just recently a price for his discoveries in neuro-biology. During the ceremony he attacked the man, without any known reason.
The web of this mystery is slooooooowly untangling to tell us what is wrong with Vidor and how twisted his mind really is. No huge surprises, blood. As well the name of the book is very much revealing what actually is wrong with the main character (very badly chosen title, cause I guessed the mystery since after few pages in the beginning).
I didn't like any characters in this book, maybe even the author didn't. I also didn't have the feeling "I want to know more". There are some bright places in the story more to the ending, but even the mysterious atmosphere was not enough for me. I often felt lost in the story, it's like the author had so much on mind so she's jumping from one thought to another and I really, really don't like that in the book. So thank you Netgalley for the book, but this really wasn't my cup of tea. I will give this 2,5* but now I need to round it down since I was really struggling with more than half of this book.
This book is supposed to be a psychological thriller which is set in the psychiatric facility (can't call th chalets, saunas, etc. a hospital) high in the mountains in Switzerland. Where doctor Gessen is treating his patients, one of which is doctor Vidor Kiraly. Who won just recently a price for his discoveries in neuro-biology. During the ceremony he attacked the man, without any known reason.
The web of this mystery is slooooooowly untangling to tell us what is wrong with Vidor and how twisted his mind really is. No huge surprises, blood. As well the name of the book is very much revealing what actually is wrong with the main character (very badly chosen title, cause I guessed the mystery since after few pages in the beginning).
I didn't like any characters in this book, maybe even the author didn't. I also didn't have the feeling "I want to know more". There are some bright places in the story more to the ending, but even the mysterious atmosphere was not enough for me. I often felt lost in the story, it's like the author had so much on mind so she's jumping from one thought to another and I really, really don't like that in the book. So thank you Netgalley for the book, but this really wasn't my cup of tea. I will give this 2,5* but now I need to round it down since I was really struggling with more than half of this book.
July 2, 2022
This isn’t a psychological thriller, in fact it’s a form of horror story I think. Two men patient and doctor dance around each other trying to outdo the other. The theme of double personality applies to both, they both have a past they want to overcome and new identities have overtaken them. At first we wonder whether it’s reincarnation, an in uteri absorbed twin, imagination or split personality. In fact it’s the last one and both have it. I think. Not too sure.
It’s quality writing but it’s not very interesting I’m afraid, reading about two old farts, no matter what their pasts are, they are both pompous characters and they sound like the same person to me. Also the cast of by standers is confusing and many women characters have just been shoe horned in to have female representation I think. I have no idea why we are supposed to feel sorry for the multi millionairess living in luxury at the clinic, nor why she gets kidnapped. Is this a romance ?
There is a very dull middle full of repetition, exposition and boring scenes (how many times are we told Ishmael didn’t get on with his father) . The ending is confused and I’m still in a fog about what happened.
One guy escapes but is in his past personality, his academic personality was a fraud anyway. The other one burns in a fire as he can’t cope with his father being a nazi.
Or some such. As I say, not quite sure. I couldn’t follow it.
I’m so over novels referencing the holocaust.
Quality writing but too much is missing. We need less people, more action, clearer characterisation. And please don’t muddle souks and the holocaust.
Also what time are we in ? It’s all very old fashioned - harems and James bond style Swiss clinics ?? Really
It’s quality writing but it’s not very interesting I’m afraid, reading about two old farts, no matter what their pasts are, they are both pompous characters and they sound like the same person to me. Also the cast of by standers is confusing and many women characters have just been shoe horned in to have female representation I think. I have no idea why we are supposed to feel sorry for the multi millionairess living in luxury at the clinic, nor why she gets kidnapped. Is this a romance ?
There is a very dull middle full of repetition, exposition and boring scenes (how many times are we told Ishmael didn’t get on with his father) . The ending is confused and I’m still in a fog about what happened.
One guy escapes but is in his past personality, his academic personality was a fraud anyway. The other one burns in a fire as he can’t cope with his father being a nazi.
Or some such. As I say, not quite sure. I couldn’t follow it.
I’m so over novels referencing the holocaust.
Quality writing but too much is missing. We need less people, more action, clearer characterisation. And please don’t muddle souks and the holocaust.
Also what time are we in ? It’s all very old fashioned - harems and James bond style Swiss clinics ?? Really
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 24, 2021
This suspenseful and fascinating psychological thriller was impossible to put down, even delaying dinner. Observing what goes on inside people's minds is intriguing and this book gives glimpses into several interesting minds, literally using psychology as methodology.
Most of the story is set in an unusual psychiatrist clinic in the beautiful Swiss Alps, the new "home" of Vidor Kiraly, a brilliant neuroscientist. Whilst delivering his acceptance speech for a prestigious award along with a huge monetary prize, he suddenly leaps off the stage and tackles a man near the entrance. Of course this is captured on television which is seen all over, including the Swiss clinic and its owner, Dr. Gessen. He feels Vidor needs psychiatric aid so offers his help...besides, Dr. Gessen could use the income. Much to Vidor's disgust he is checked in and scrutinized and finds himself in the midst of a handful of other patients, one of whom dies mysteriously.
Though not full of action, to me the intent is a slow psychological unveiling and revealing. The pace really appeals to me. I like the subtleties, nuances and that there is no gore. Throughout the book I questioned who was on what side and was pleased with how it ended.
My sincere thank you to Legend Press and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this dark and mysterious book in exchange for an honest review. Much appreciated.
Most of the story is set in an unusual psychiatrist clinic in the beautiful Swiss Alps, the new "home" of Vidor Kiraly, a brilliant neuroscientist. Whilst delivering his acceptance speech for a prestigious award along with a huge monetary prize, he suddenly leaps off the stage and tackles a man near the entrance. Of course this is captured on television which is seen all over, including the Swiss clinic and its owner, Dr. Gessen. He feels Vidor needs psychiatric aid so offers his help...besides, Dr. Gessen could use the income. Much to Vidor's disgust he is checked in and scrutinized and finds himself in the midst of a handful of other patients, one of whom dies mysteriously.
Though not full of action, to me the intent is a slow psychological unveiling and revealing. The pace really appeals to me. I like the subtleties, nuances and that there is no gore. Throughout the book I questioned who was on what side and was pleased with how it ended.
My sincere thank you to Legend Press and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this dark and mysterious book in exchange for an honest review. Much appreciated.
February 27, 2021
3.5 🌟
Having enjoyed Ann Goslin’s debut, The Shadow Bird last year, I was happy to dive into her second psychological thriller.
The Double
After a violent outburst at an awards ceremony, Kiraly, a prize-winning neuroscientist and Cambridge don arrives at a remote and prestigious psychiatric clinic nestled into the Swiss Alps. Gessen, the clinic’s director is determined to discover the causes of Kiraly’s behaviour and suspects that his reluctant patient has dark secrets and may also be connected with the disappearance of another patient.
This is an elegantly written book, and I enjoyed the slow pace which allowed for in-depth psychological insights - I’m always fascinated in perspectives that allow me to further understand how people think and behave. I love descriptions about what makes us tick!The parts that interested me especially were the passages containing internal wrestling with ethical dilemmas.
The plot is well constructed, and I found the protagonist Gessen very credible and complex with an intriguing backstory. I’d actually like to read more about him in a sequel! I recommend this transportive and immersive mystery and thank Legend Times for the review copy in exchange for an honest opinion.
Having enjoyed Ann Goslin’s debut, The Shadow Bird last year, I was happy to dive into her second psychological thriller.
The Double
After a violent outburst at an awards ceremony, Kiraly, a prize-winning neuroscientist and Cambridge don arrives at a remote and prestigious psychiatric clinic nestled into the Swiss Alps. Gessen, the clinic’s director is determined to discover the causes of Kiraly’s behaviour and suspects that his reluctant patient has dark secrets and may also be connected with the disappearance of another patient.
This is an elegantly written book, and I enjoyed the slow pace which allowed for in-depth psychological insights - I’m always fascinated in perspectives that allow me to further understand how people think and behave. I love descriptions about what makes us tick!The parts that interested me especially were the passages containing internal wrestling with ethical dilemmas.
The plot is well constructed, and I found the protagonist Gessen very credible and complex with an intriguing backstory. I’d actually like to read more about him in a sequel! I recommend this transportive and immersive mystery and thank Legend Times for the review copy in exchange for an honest opinion.
April 24, 2021
I was excited about the premise of this book considering its setting and the shocking start to it but I am sad to say I am pretty disappointed.
This book follows Vidor an award-winning professor who out of the blue attacks a random man but has no memories of the attack or much of the time following it. Gessen is his psychologist, tasked with diagnosing Vidor who closes up, on his mysterious history making it difficult to get anywhere. After another patient goes missing Gessen has reasons to doubt Vidor's story.
The premise and setting seemed so interesting going into this but the setting ended up not being a large part of the story at all. I feel like the isolated area could have done lenders for the tense feel and isolation of the place but I don't think it was utilised effectively.
The characters were not particularly memorable or likeable. Aside from Vidor and mysteries, they seemed bland.
I also had an issue with the pacing. I felt like a lot of the book nothing happened and it got to a point where most twists became pretty predictable. It picked up around 80% in but the rest of the book, I didn't feel added very much to the story as a whole.
Overall I I do feel like this was not for me. It was a hit or miss but it missed on my part.
This book follows Vidor an award-winning professor who out of the blue attacks a random man but has no memories of the attack or much of the time following it. Gessen is his psychologist, tasked with diagnosing Vidor who closes up, on his mysterious history making it difficult to get anywhere. After another patient goes missing Gessen has reasons to doubt Vidor's story.
The premise and setting seemed so interesting going into this but the setting ended up not being a large part of the story at all. I feel like the isolated area could have done lenders for the tense feel and isolation of the place but I don't think it was utilised effectively.
The characters were not particularly memorable or likeable. Aside from Vidor and mysteries, they seemed bland.
I also had an issue with the pacing. I felt like a lot of the book nothing happened and it got to a point where most twists became pretty predictable. It picked up around 80% in but the rest of the book, I didn't feel added very much to the story as a whole.
Overall I I do feel like this was not for me. It was a hit or miss but it missed on my part.
April 8, 2022
I found this book hard to like and hard to follow. It jumped from "back then" to the here and now and I couldn't make sense of the different people. It felt wrong that the doctor would have almost no patients at the clinic yet seemed to have enough money for loads of staff and security guys. Also that someone who in a fit of rage killed a stranger in Copenhagen (Denmark) would be allowed to leave the country to be assessed in a clinic in the Swiss Alps. The whole story left me wanting Also I felt like the timing was out. Maybe it's just too long since WWII to still base novels on the first generation of kids of the war generation. Just too many years have passed to make it fit.
September 2, 2021
Vidal Kivaly, a highly respected neuroscientist and Don at Cambridge University, attacks a man while receiving a prestigious award at a ceremony. Kivaly then finds himself a patient, in a remote psychiatric clinic in the Swiss Alps, where Dr Anton Gessen is tasked with unlocking years of feelings and secrets lurking in Kivaly's mind. Dr Gessen treads carefully at first but does have to ask himself if Kivaly is faking it.
Although I quite enjoyed this novel, I did think it moved at a painfully slow pace and willed it to speed up a bit.
Although I quite enjoyed this novel, I did think it moved at a painfully slow pace and willed it to speed up a bit.
May 3, 2023
The premise of the book was so intriguing but found the writing far too slow paced for me.
The characters never felt alive...they never jumped off the page and gripped me unfortunately.
Even the setting I struggled with and I think the clinic needed to be a character in itself but it never felt real or fully formed.
It did get more interesting towards the end but as a whole struggled to maintain my interest.
Thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The characters never felt alive...they never jumped off the page and gripped me unfortunately.
Even the setting I struggled with and I think the clinic needed to be a character in itself but it never felt real or fully formed.
It did get more interesting towards the end but as a whole struggled to maintain my interest.
Thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
March 9, 2021
Keeps you guessing! A thrilling puzzle with the ultimate question in crime tackled are they bad? Or are they mad? This mystery not only tackles this question but explores the psychology behind the diagnosis of people. Is it physical, is it mental is it trauma or is it nature? This book keeps you guessing all the way to the end which I loved. If you love a crime thriller with psychology at its heart this is a book for you.
December 28, 2021
This book starts out strong, but then gets a bit slow as it continues. It is still a good story, which I enjoyed reading, but keep in mind this isn’t going to be a quick thriller that keeps you turning the pages as fast as you can to find out the twist, but rather a slower burn suspense novel that takes time to get where it ultimately goes.
To read my full review, visit: https://bookwormerin.com/review/the-d...
To read my full review, visit: https://bookwormerin.com/review/the-d...
February 7, 2023
This was an excellent thriller! This book had kept me guessing throughout and had a good cast of characters that were eccentric and all brought something to the book. I liked that this book had more of a back story than a usual thriller. The international feel and historical elements to this story had blew me away. I would recommend this book to anybody who loves intellectual, twisty thrillers!
September 9, 2025
Would like to give 31/2. The story was promising and the style of writing kept me engaged with the story of how Gessen unearthed Vidor's life who is accused of a murder. The story however lost momentum towards the end and had a predictable endings without no any real surprises or conclusion.
May 2, 2021
Long-winded but a good plot
May 17, 2021
Full review can be found here:
https://link.medium.com/xjgek6txkgb
https://link.medium.com/xjgek6txkgb
September 15, 2021
Started really well but was ultimately not that saitisfying but it was nice to pretend I was in the Swiss Alps where the novel is set. Would read another of this authors books.
April 6, 2021
After an uncharacteristic outburst at his own award ceremony, Vidor Kiraly is placed in an isolated psychiatric clinic in the Alps to await assessment. Director of the clinic, Anton Gessen, feels an unnatural connection to Vidor but feels he knows more about his condition than he lets on.
Thank you to Legend Press and Ann Gosslin for letting me be a part of this wonderful blog tour! The tour began yesterday and runs to mid-March! you can see who else is participating below!
This novel immediately intrigued me, it is not your usual psychological thriller. It focuses heavily on the mindset of the characters and the actual thought process (or lack thereof) as the narrative progresses. I found this endlessly fascinating, I've had a keen interest in the psychological aspects of a criminal ever since falling in love with Spencer Reid at fourteen. 'The Double' definitely gets you to think about the why instead of the how and Gosslin executes that with a perfect level of clinical detail without excluding those of us without a medical background.
As more and more is revealed about Vidor it's clear to see that the secrets ran deep. Paying attention to every single line of this book was imperative to pick up on each thread and how they came together to conclude the mystery surrounding him. In some ways this was great, I was completely submerged in the narrative and felt each emotion along with the character, however, it did mean that as a reader I needed to be in a very focused mood to get through it. As we all know, this isn't necessarily the mood we always find ourselves in and a lighter read would be preferable. Gosslin creates a setting that takes you away and whilst the snowcapped mountains and secluded atmosphere is a great setting for a thriller, the level of depth to the text wasn't fast-paced enough for me to call it that, a mystery would be better fitting.
Having a complete mystery surrounding not just Vidor but Gessen as well made for an interesting concept. It prompted the reader to query not just the suspected 'villain' of the piece but also the 'reliable professional' which, connected with the suspicious past of both, created a restless atmosphere that kept me reading. However, considering how eager the narrative had made me, left me slightly disappointed at the lack of solid conclusion. The novel to this point had been meticulous with detail and giving strong accounts of the character's thoughts and emotions but the ending felt rushed and inconclusive. That being said, it was did leave me guessing in such a way that I'm sure I know the outcome.
'The Double' is a very clever novel with an in-depth look at the actual conditions aggressive criminals may have. If you're at all interested in the psychological aspects of violent crime it's certainly one to add to your shelves.
Thank you to Legend Press and Ann Gosslin for letting me be a part of this wonderful blog tour! The tour began yesterday and runs to mid-March! you can see who else is participating below!
This novel immediately intrigued me, it is not your usual psychological thriller. It focuses heavily on the mindset of the characters and the actual thought process (or lack thereof) as the narrative progresses. I found this endlessly fascinating, I've had a keen interest in the psychological aspects of a criminal ever since falling in love with Spencer Reid at fourteen. 'The Double' definitely gets you to think about the why instead of the how and Gosslin executes that with a perfect level of clinical detail without excluding those of us without a medical background.
As more and more is revealed about Vidor it's clear to see that the secrets ran deep. Paying attention to every single line of this book was imperative to pick up on each thread and how they came together to conclude the mystery surrounding him. In some ways this was great, I was completely submerged in the narrative and felt each emotion along with the character, however, it did mean that as a reader I needed to be in a very focused mood to get through it. As we all know, this isn't necessarily the mood we always find ourselves in and a lighter read would be preferable. Gosslin creates a setting that takes you away and whilst the snowcapped mountains and secluded atmosphere is a great setting for a thriller, the level of depth to the text wasn't fast-paced enough for me to call it that, a mystery would be better fitting.
Having a complete mystery surrounding not just Vidor but Gessen as well made for an interesting concept. It prompted the reader to query not just the suspected 'villain' of the piece but also the 'reliable professional' which, connected with the suspicious past of both, created a restless atmosphere that kept me reading. However, considering how eager the narrative had made me, left me slightly disappointed at the lack of solid conclusion. The novel to this point had been meticulous with detail and giving strong accounts of the character's thoughts and emotions but the ending felt rushed and inconclusive. That being said, it was did leave me guessing in such a way that I'm sure I know the outcome.
'The Double' is a very clever novel with an in-depth look at the actual conditions aggressive criminals may have. If you're at all interested in the psychological aspects of violent crime it's certainly one to add to your shelves.
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