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Chatroom With A View
Lizzie Borden took an axe . . . and so goes the song depicting the 1892 axe murders of her father and step-mother. Research indicates that a killer gene could be passed down through generations of family members, and evidence begins with Lizzie’s ancestor who murdered his mother in 1673. Chatroom with a View opens with a bone-chilling episode, and what’s left of Troy Cullen’s dysfunctional family keeps him even further from the normal integration with society. Troy’s life further unravels when his ex-girlfriend, Veronica, announces that she is pregnant. Troy loses control and plots to do unto others as they have done unto him. When Veronica digs into his family’s past, she exposes this killer gene; she must try to balance her obsession for a family with shielding herself and their baby from evil. But Troy has his own agenda, resulting in an epic showdown.
321 pages, Paperback
Published December 30, 2020
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14 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 100 reviews
April 29, 2021
Received a arc copy for a honest review.
Actual star score is 3.75, rounded up.
This book does contain what I consider to be triggers and possibly should have that mentioned in the beginning of the book.
The characters are well thought out and well developed.
Troy Cullen comes home from work where he lives with his mom and dad. When he walks into the house he can't find anyone, in a panic he searches the house but can't find anybody. He glanced out his bedroom window and notices movement in the old cabin behind the house.
Very worried about his mother he runs out to the cabin only to find his father has killed his mother with a shovel and hits Troy with it too while he tried to take it away.
The book has a lot to do with physical and mental abuse, both by a parent and by others in his life. Plus it delves into undiagnosed and improperly treated mental illness.
Actual star score is 3.75, rounded up.
This book does contain what I consider to be triggers and possibly should have that mentioned in the beginning of the book.
The characters are well thought out and well developed.
Troy Cullen comes home from work where he lives with his mom and dad. When he walks into the house he can't find anyone, in a panic he searches the house but can't find anybody. He glanced out his bedroom window and notices movement in the old cabin behind the house.
Very worried about his mother he runs out to the cabin only to find his father has killed his mother with a shovel and hits Troy with it too while he tried to take it away.
The book has a lot to do with physical and mental abuse, both by a parent and by others in his life. Plus it delves into undiagnosed and improperly treated mental illness.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 10, 2021
3.5 Stars
Chatroom With A View by Glenn Maynard turned out to be not exactly what I was expecting. But in a creepy, thrilling, good way. I think I was expecting a bit of a serial killer/true crime expose. But instead, I got an intense thriller that kept me flipping the pages to find out what happens.
This is not a light read- it is dark, raw, gritty, gripping, tense, suspenseful, and somewhat creepy. There are twists and turns, dysfunctional family dynamics, some horror, intrigue, danger, and much more.
After a bit of a slow and unsteady start- the story quickly grabbed my attention and held my focus the whole way through. I did feel that the ending was a bit rushed- but these minor issues didn’t detract from my overall enjoyment of the story.
Thank you, Glenn Maynard!
Chatroom With A View by Glenn Maynard turned out to be not exactly what I was expecting. But in a creepy, thrilling, good way. I think I was expecting a bit of a serial killer/true crime expose. But instead, I got an intense thriller that kept me flipping the pages to find out what happens.
This is not a light read- it is dark, raw, gritty, gripping, tense, suspenseful, and somewhat creepy. There are twists and turns, dysfunctional family dynamics, some horror, intrigue, danger, and much more.
After a bit of a slow and unsteady start- the story quickly grabbed my attention and held my focus the whole way through. I did feel that the ending was a bit rushed- but these minor issues didn’t detract from my overall enjoyment of the story.
Thank you, Glenn Maynard!
May 16, 2021
When I tell you that this book is dark, I am not kidding around. Glenn Maynard has created a story about characters who are all, for various reasons, at battle with their inner demons. Whether it is because of a past trauma, the need for medication that is being ignored, or the need to manipulate others for self validation, each one of them has something that they need to tackle. Or rather, that they refuse to tackle. Because instead they all lean into the worst parts of themselves, and the result is a story that was fascinating and wholly uncomfortable in equal measures.
As always, I’ll start with the things that I enjoyed about this book. First, I have to say that the characters that Maynard has written are well fleshed out. Although I loathed Troy with all of my being, I could also understand his motives at first. It was much appreciated that Troy’s descent wasn’t based entirely on his familial history. Instead there are actual events that slowly pile on top of one another. His back story is a tragic one, and it’s really no wonder that he ends up pushed into a space he was previously attempting so hard to avoid.
The writing is this book is also really solid, with the exception of the very start of it which was a bit a rocky. The dialogue felt especially realistic, chatroom conversations included, which was something that I thought added a lot to this story. These portions were a great way to get into the minds of the characters. The inner monologues of Veronica were the most chilling to me. I felt myself shrinking away from the idea that her and Troy would have to meet at some point. Both of them were such a mess that I knew it would be a disaster. Oh, how right I was.
In terms of what was a miss for me in this book, it was honestly the manic pace of the events. As I said above, I really disliked Troy pretty much the entire length of the story. I felt like it was hard to get into to his head after a certain point, and his actions felt more like a means to add sensationalism than true decisions. By the time that the ending approached, I was finally able to catch up again. In fact, the ending was rather satisfying. That made me a happy reader. So I’m more than willing to give this a solid 3-star rating.
As always, I’ll start with the things that I enjoyed about this book. First, I have to say that the characters that Maynard has written are well fleshed out. Although I loathed Troy with all of my being, I could also understand his motives at first. It was much appreciated that Troy’s descent wasn’t based entirely on his familial history. Instead there are actual events that slowly pile on top of one another. His back story is a tragic one, and it’s really no wonder that he ends up pushed into a space he was previously attempting so hard to avoid.
The writing is this book is also really solid, with the exception of the very start of it which was a bit a rocky. The dialogue felt especially realistic, chatroom conversations included, which was something that I thought added a lot to this story. These portions were a great way to get into the minds of the characters. The inner monologues of Veronica were the most chilling to me. I felt myself shrinking away from the idea that her and Troy would have to meet at some point. Both of them were such a mess that I knew it would be a disaster. Oh, how right I was.
In terms of what was a miss for me in this book, it was honestly the manic pace of the events. As I said above, I really disliked Troy pretty much the entire length of the story. I felt like it was hard to get into to his head after a certain point, and his actions felt more like a means to add sensationalism than true decisions. By the time that the ending approached, I was finally able to catch up again. In fact, the ending was rather satisfying. That made me a happy reader. So I’m more than willing to give this a solid 3-star rating.
August 16, 2023
Troy Cullen grew up in an abusive house, his family is beyond dysfunctional. When Veronica tells Troy she is pregnant, everything begins to spiral. Troy uses chatrooms to flirt with other women. All is not as it seems with what happens next.
Intriguing idea. The story is fast paced and you are pulled in with what is happening. Ending is not what I expected which is a nice twist to the story.
Intriguing idea. The story is fast paced and you are pulled in with what is happening. Ending is not what I expected which is a nice twist to the story.
July 9, 2021
Wow! Just wow. I could not put into an opening line for words to express what I had just finished reading. This book had everything I could have wanted in this novel, it gipped me, held me tight, even if I wanted to pull away, I wouldn't have been able to I had a strong need and desire to read the next page..
In my younger years I took high school courses and some college on true crime and forensics. Needless to say the Lizzie Borden Murders always strongly intrigued me and not to how she did it, but why. What flipped that switch that led to the ax murders...so when I heard of this amazing novel, and read what the story focused on, there was not a simple hesitation in my mind, I HAD to read this book and read the take on it and the characters the story line surfaced around. Needless to say, this was beyond anything I could have hoped for, it was dark and very much perfect for this fanatic about things as this!
I will be honest and upfront, for the first time ever I would say, me connecting to at least one character did not happen. I was so withdrawn from the characters that they did not represent a piece of me. But this just made them all and the story line that so much captivating!
Another note to add which I truly loved about this group, there were many story lines and they get woven with the main character the novel circles around. There was more than meets the eye with this novel, I didn't only test the water of my own thoughts while reading this, there were moments I was in disbelief, and shock to the twists and turns the author had done, which was extremely dark and gripping in every which way I would say.
The lead character Troy, is a character you can not put into short term words. He has issues, but not just issues people may face on a daily basis, but issues in sense where they are quite worrisome and he doesn't even realize the help he needs...He strongly needed some therapy for his mind but is doing anything but that...leading up to what I believe would have caused his psychosis is the murder of his mother. He feels guilt I believe based on fact he could not save her from the torment and abuse his father had done to her, which resulted one night in him killing her.
Lets talk on the story line of Veronica. She was twisted and messed up in her own ways too, do I dare say perhaps she was actually worst in the cognitive mind from Troy? One word to describe my first impression of her? Stalker....not just any either...she appears that she is having Troy's child. A lot of events spiral over this...leading to another big thing that came of Veronica, she dug into Troy's time line of his family, but she dug farther than perhaps she should have bringing forth the Lizzie Borden gene that has been passed down from family to family....when you put two characters with minds that are maybe of more ill intent thank you think, and bring this news, you know all too well, something was to happen. I got to say, this was more than I expected, it brought forth a lot of feelings, and shock and the darkness that was leaping off the pages. Which made me love it more!
Honestly, how the story line goes for Veronica until the plot around her is wrapped up, is what very much made this book. Honestly you need to read it and then ask me to have a discussion with you about it. I was left more than speechless, I was gripped and tossed against the wall, and left wanting more as this story was wrapping up.
The story was beyond perplexing and the author is crazily talented with their writing skills, character writing and how they went thru the story and how the plot unfolded.
To say I am impressed is a understatement. I can not express enough how much I enjoyed this This was a first time read by this author, but now I must obtain the rest of the books and see how my mind of what I expect and think I know...can truly be tested.
Again pick this book up and read it. Let your mind wander and get lost into the pages of the book. I can not stress enough, you will not be disappointed or let down in any way.
Amazing read. Well done to the author Glenn Maynard !!!
In my younger years I took high school courses and some college on true crime and forensics. Needless to say the Lizzie Borden Murders always strongly intrigued me and not to how she did it, but why. What flipped that switch that led to the ax murders...so when I heard of this amazing novel, and read what the story focused on, there was not a simple hesitation in my mind, I HAD to read this book and read the take on it and the characters the story line surfaced around. Needless to say, this was beyond anything I could have hoped for, it was dark and very much perfect for this fanatic about things as this!
I will be honest and upfront, for the first time ever I would say, me connecting to at least one character did not happen. I was so withdrawn from the characters that they did not represent a piece of me. But this just made them all and the story line that so much captivating!
Another note to add which I truly loved about this group, there were many story lines and they get woven with the main character the novel circles around. There was more than meets the eye with this novel, I didn't only test the water of my own thoughts while reading this, there were moments I was in disbelief, and shock to the twists and turns the author had done, which was extremely dark and gripping in every which way I would say.
The lead character Troy, is a character you can not put into short term words. He has issues, but not just issues people may face on a daily basis, but issues in sense where they are quite worrisome and he doesn't even realize the help he needs...He strongly needed some therapy for his mind but is doing anything but that...leading up to what I believe would have caused his psychosis is the murder of his mother. He feels guilt I believe based on fact he could not save her from the torment and abuse his father had done to her, which resulted one night in him killing her.
Lets talk on the story line of Veronica. She was twisted and messed up in her own ways too, do I dare say perhaps she was actually worst in the cognitive mind from Troy? One word to describe my first impression of her? Stalker....not just any either...she appears that she is having Troy's child. A lot of events spiral over this...leading to another big thing that came of Veronica, she dug into Troy's time line of his family, but she dug farther than perhaps she should have bringing forth the Lizzie Borden gene that has been passed down from family to family....when you put two characters with minds that are maybe of more ill intent thank you think, and bring this news, you know all too well, something was to happen. I got to say, this was more than I expected, it brought forth a lot of feelings, and shock and the darkness that was leaping off the pages. Which made me love it more!
Honestly, how the story line goes for Veronica until the plot around her is wrapped up, is what very much made this book. Honestly you need to read it and then ask me to have a discussion with you about it. I was left more than speechless, I was gripped and tossed against the wall, and left wanting more as this story was wrapping up.
The story was beyond perplexing and the author is crazily talented with their writing skills, character writing and how they went thru the story and how the plot unfolded.
To say I am impressed is a understatement. I can not express enough how much I enjoyed this This was a first time read by this author, but now I must obtain the rest of the books and see how my mind of what I expect and think I know...can truly be tested.
Again pick this book up and read it. Let your mind wander and get lost into the pages of the book. I can not stress enough, you will not be disappointed or let down in any way.
Amazing read. Well done to the author Glenn Maynard !!!
July 10, 2021
3.5 Stars
Chatroom With A View by Glenn Maynard turned out to be not exactly what I was expecting. But in a creepy, thrilling, good way. I think I was expecting a bit of a serial killer/true crime expose. But instead, I got an intense thriller that kept me flipping the pages to find out what happens.
This is not a light read- it is dark, raw, gritty, gripping, tense, suspenseful, and somewhat creepy. There are twists and turns, dysfunctional family dynamics, some horror, intrigue, danger, and much more.
After a bit of a slow and unsteady start- the story quickly grabbed my attention and held my focus the whole way through. I did feel that the ending was a bit rushed- but these minor issues didn’t detract from my overall enjoyment of the story.
Thank you, Glenn Maynard!
Chatroom With A View by Glenn Maynard turned out to be not exactly what I was expecting. But in a creepy, thrilling, good way. I think I was expecting a bit of a serial killer/true crime expose. But instead, I got an intense thriller that kept me flipping the pages to find out what happens.
This is not a light read- it is dark, raw, gritty, gripping, tense, suspenseful, and somewhat creepy. There are twists and turns, dysfunctional family dynamics, some horror, intrigue, danger, and much more.
After a bit of a slow and unsteady start- the story quickly grabbed my attention and held my focus the whole way through. I did feel that the ending was a bit rushed- but these minor issues didn’t detract from my overall enjoyment of the story.
Thank you, Glenn Maynard!
July 10, 2021
I admit I had a hard time reading this book for the first little but. A domestic abuse survivor, the picture the author paints is realistic to say the least. Too realistic. However, the book kept pulling me back in. The psychological twists and turns of this book definitely throw people for a loop. It's a rife, from beginning to end. It is a perfect thriller. Well, well done.
July 22, 2021
Troy Cullen is a young man with his life ahead of him, but his life in the small town he calls home is anything but normal, he works in the local diner as the night manager and works with a couple of waitresses he has known for a while in passing, when he isn’t there, he is at home where he lives with his parents or he is at the local bar with his best and only friend, sometimes he goes on an internet chatroom to meet girls and look for love, but he isn’t normally too successful and is usually blown off or stood up when it comes to meeting in person. One night, he returns home from work and he know something isn’t right in the house. As he looks around for his parents, all he can hear is silence, and despite the fact his father isn’t overly talkative, it is more unnerving because of it, so as he searches the house for them, he sees that there is a light on in one of the outbuildings, but what he sees within those lights makes him run the fastest he can to get there and this is where he sees the one thing he was most scared of happening in front of his eyes. As things go from bad to worse, Troy has to make some tough decisions and carry them out afterward despite everything that has happened, however, what he decides to do in the end is the lesser of two evils.
Troy eventually completes his tasks which he has set himself and sorts himself out ready for bed where he is out like a light as soon as his head hits the pillow, the next morning, he has to go on living his life in the usual way, however, there is a complication, his dysfunctional family is now even more so, but the topper of the day is when his phone and email light up with multiple messages from his ex-girlfriend Veronica trying to convince his to meet her again, when he tells her he wants nothing to do with her, she doesn’t believe him and instead, decides to convince him it is the other way round and that he needs her in his life. As Troy heads to work, he overhears the conversation the two waitresses are having and he realises what they are talking about seems all too familiar and this has him seething with anger. As all the stress of his living situation starts to get to him, being lonely and somewhat of an outcast is normal for him, but it doesn’t mean he likes it, but when Veronica continues to call, message and email him in a more and more frantic manner, he finally answers the phone and much to his dismay, she announces that she is pregnant and that the baby is his. This news comes as a shock to Try as he was careful and they only met a few times, however, his brain cannot integrate this new information and a shouting match ensues over the phone, in the end, Troy tells Veronica he doesn’t believe her and even if it is true, he wants nothing to do with any of it, this enrages Veronica and so she decides to put a plan into action to find out everything she can about Troy and find a way into his life again.
Meanwhile, as Veronica is concocting her plan to win Troy over, he is concocting a plan of his own, he has been listening to the waitresses conversations and he knows that he has to get back at them for what they are doing, so he decides to play them at their own game and see how they like it, he ropes in his best friend who is more than happy to help and all he has to do is sit and wait, but Veronica’s plan throws a spanner into the works. Will Troy and Veronica’s plans work out as they want them to, or will things come to a head in a much different way than expected? This is a thrilling story of two people and how what starts as a small detail can blow up into something much bigger and with consequences nobody could dream of, it will hook you in and send you on a journey of discovery into how nature and nurture can affect someone and whether there is such a thing as a “Killer Gene” like in the case of Lizzie Borden.
Troy eventually completes his tasks which he has set himself and sorts himself out ready for bed where he is out like a light as soon as his head hits the pillow, the next morning, he has to go on living his life in the usual way, however, there is a complication, his dysfunctional family is now even more so, but the topper of the day is when his phone and email light up with multiple messages from his ex-girlfriend Veronica trying to convince his to meet her again, when he tells her he wants nothing to do with her, she doesn’t believe him and instead, decides to convince him it is the other way round and that he needs her in his life. As Troy heads to work, he overhears the conversation the two waitresses are having and he realises what they are talking about seems all too familiar and this has him seething with anger. As all the stress of his living situation starts to get to him, being lonely and somewhat of an outcast is normal for him, but it doesn’t mean he likes it, but when Veronica continues to call, message and email him in a more and more frantic manner, he finally answers the phone and much to his dismay, she announces that she is pregnant and that the baby is his. This news comes as a shock to Try as he was careful and they only met a few times, however, his brain cannot integrate this new information and a shouting match ensues over the phone, in the end, Troy tells Veronica he doesn’t believe her and even if it is true, he wants nothing to do with any of it, this enrages Veronica and so she decides to put a plan into action to find out everything she can about Troy and find a way into his life again.
Meanwhile, as Veronica is concocting her plan to win Troy over, he is concocting a plan of his own, he has been listening to the waitresses conversations and he knows that he has to get back at them for what they are doing, so he decides to play them at their own game and see how they like it, he ropes in his best friend who is more than happy to help and all he has to do is sit and wait, but Veronica’s plan throws a spanner into the works. Will Troy and Veronica’s plans work out as they want them to, or will things come to a head in a much different way than expected? This is a thrilling story of two people and how what starts as a small detail can blow up into something much bigger and with consequences nobody could dream of, it will hook you in and send you on a journey of discovery into how nature and nurture can affect someone and whether there is such a thing as a “Killer Gene” like in the case of Lizzie Borden.
July 21, 2021
Chatroom with a View by Glenn Maynard is a dark book that really delves into some topics that might not be suitable for most people. The moment I read the blurb for this book I knew I had to read it. I have heard about this “killer gene” before and the idea of it intrigues me. So to find a book like this I just had to see what was going to happen.
Troy and Veronica were such intense characters. Everything about them seemed to have me on the edge of my seat. I got a feel quite early on for how I thought this book was going to go turn out but even still I felt like at any moment the author could throw a curveball in.
I think this is a book that definitely doesn’t need to be taken lightly but I would say is worth the read. If this is the level of work the author produces then I can’t wait to read more.
Troy and Veronica were such intense characters. Everything about them seemed to have me on the edge of my seat. I got a feel quite early on for how I thought this book was going to go turn out but even still I felt like at any moment the author could throw a curveball in.
I think this is a book that definitely doesn’t need to be taken lightly but I would say is worth the read. If this is the level of work the author produces then I can’t wait to read more.
February 2, 2023
Chatroom with a View is the story of what happens when Troy comes home one day from work to find the unthinkable has happened. His life further unravels when he finds out his ex-girlfriend is pregnant with his baby. As his ex digs further into his life to keep him in hers, she uncovers secrets from his and his family’s past.
A gripping tale that will keep you on the edge of your seat while you read, Glenn Maynard wrote an excellent story. The beginning was a little slow for me but it quickly ramped up and the turns it took were unexpected.
A gripping tale that will keep you on the edge of your seat while you read, Glenn Maynard wrote an excellent story. The beginning was a little slow for me but it quickly ramped up and the turns it took were unexpected.
January 17, 2023
This was a wonderful book. This had me staying up past my bedtime. There were so many twists and turns, that keep you wanting more. Troy really dug a deep hole for himself. So many things go wrong, just maybe there is a way out of this mess.
July 10, 2021
Well, I'm not really sure where to start with a review for this book. Chatroom with a View opens with some of the most disturbing chapters of any novel I have read lately. Enter mid-twenty something Troy, still living at home with his parents. He believes that he can keep his mother safe from his abusive father by staying at home. But can he really? Throw in Troy's ex-girlfriend Veronica--stalker, determined, and claiming to be pregnant, and Troy is overwhelmed by life. When he finally decides to get revenge on those who have messed up his life and others like his, it all falls apart. Veronica begins digging into Troy's family history, only to learn that Troy's ancestor is none other than Lizzie Borden.
This is a solid 5 star read. Although I did not connect with the characters because I couldn't relate to their situations, the story was so twisted, dark, and unpredictable that I was drawn into it anyway. This book is one of the best written ones I have read in a long time. The pace of the story is perfect, and make the book impossible to put down. Highly recommend and will be looking forward to reading more from Glenn Maynard!
This is a solid 5 star read. Although I did not connect with the characters because I couldn't relate to their situations, the story was so twisted, dark, and unpredictable that I was drawn into it anyway. This book is one of the best written ones I have read in a long time. The pace of the story is perfect, and make the book impossible to put down. Highly recommend and will be looking forward to reading more from Glenn Maynard!
July 17, 2021
I This is a a fast paced book we dibe straight into Troy's life. Troy had learnt chatroom. The plot can be a trigger for some it can help others have an understanding. Coming from a childhood of domestic violence and still trying to protect his mother a tragedy occurs. Soon he find himself in a late night chatroom and meet Veronica alas things start to change for the better oe do they. Read to find out more it's worth it.
May 10, 2021
Troy Cullen’s father has physically abused him and his mother for as long as Troy can remember. When he returns home from work one day, he is confronted with a scene of unimaginable horror. Troy snaps, he has had enough of living such a ghastly life and decides to fight back. However, as he begins to plot his revenge, an unhinged ex-girlfriend reappears claiming to be pregnant…
Chatroom with a View is a thriller that is quite refreshing and unorthodox in its approach and narrative. The opening is compelling as it is awful, cleverly establishing some salient facts and yet keeping the reader guessing. The literal prose both disguises and emphasises the horror of the scene and the writing carries a sliver of black humour throughout which also tempers the carnage.
Troy reminded me of Travis Bickle crossed with Walter Mitty. He is, certainly in the beginning, a sympathetic character. However, some of the decisions he makes are deeply questionable and there are areas of the novel when he makes you feel uncomfortable. Notwithstanding, he carries the novel very well, you know he is mentally unravelling and this is depicted with normality which makes it realistic and all the more concerning. The state of blind, frenzied panic that he exists in is contagious and makes for quite an agitating read in parts. I really enjoyed the exchanges with his only friend, Stitch, and personally thought it was a smart move to make Stitch quite a nebulous figure. Despite the fact he turns up at the right moments, there were times I wondered if he even existed or was he just a separate realm of Troy’s skewed consciousness?
The storyline involving waitresses Natalie and Marnie which really is the main plot for most of novel certainly taps into feelings that, I suspect the majority of readers will have experienced; revenge on those that have taunted or bullied you, basically, schadenfreude at its finest and I think the outcome with the two was a brave but sensible conclusion. The chapters that took place in the online chatroom were well-realised and immersive. Then we have Veronica, the ex-girlfriend. She veers between being a comic figure to a scarily deranged individual and remains convincing. Once she moves in with Troy, her behaviour is chillingly awful and the narrative became a horror story within a horror story.
The pace is extremely fast and resultingly the prose gets a little loose in places, there is a touch of haste and repetition. I do also think that some elements were a little far-fetched and credibility was occasionally stretched in order to keep the narrative on track. The strand involving Troy’s father towards the end was one such believability leap although I thought the ending was very good and unusual.
Overall, Chatroom with a View is a blistering, unsettling and absorbing thriller that is well worth a read. Highly recommended.
Chatroom with a View is a thriller that is quite refreshing and unorthodox in its approach and narrative. The opening is compelling as it is awful, cleverly establishing some salient facts and yet keeping the reader guessing. The literal prose both disguises and emphasises the horror of the scene and the writing carries a sliver of black humour throughout which also tempers the carnage.
Troy reminded me of Travis Bickle crossed with Walter Mitty. He is, certainly in the beginning, a sympathetic character. However, some of the decisions he makes are deeply questionable and there are areas of the novel when he makes you feel uncomfortable. Notwithstanding, he carries the novel very well, you know he is mentally unravelling and this is depicted with normality which makes it realistic and all the more concerning. The state of blind, frenzied panic that he exists in is contagious and makes for quite an agitating read in parts. I really enjoyed the exchanges with his only friend, Stitch, and personally thought it was a smart move to make Stitch quite a nebulous figure. Despite the fact he turns up at the right moments, there were times I wondered if he even existed or was he just a separate realm of Troy’s skewed consciousness?
The storyline involving waitresses Natalie and Marnie which really is the main plot for most of novel certainly taps into feelings that, I suspect the majority of readers will have experienced; revenge on those that have taunted or bullied you, basically, schadenfreude at its finest and I think the outcome with the two was a brave but sensible conclusion. The chapters that took place in the online chatroom were well-realised and immersive. Then we have Veronica, the ex-girlfriend. She veers between being a comic figure to a scarily deranged individual and remains convincing. Once she moves in with Troy, her behaviour is chillingly awful and the narrative became a horror story within a horror story.
The pace is extremely fast and resultingly the prose gets a little loose in places, there is a touch of haste and repetition. I do also think that some elements were a little far-fetched and credibility was occasionally stretched in order to keep the narrative on track. The strand involving Troy’s father towards the end was one such believability leap although I thought the ending was very good and unusual.
Overall, Chatroom with a View is a blistering, unsettling and absorbing thriller that is well worth a read. Highly recommended.
April 21, 2021
First, I want to apologize to the author who provided me this story for review and my terribly late review. If you have already read this story then it’s I who is late to the party.
This story takes place in real world time, Troy Cullen is facing his abusive father in the family’s log cabin situated away from the main house as he witnesses the murder of his mother by his father it a fit of rage. Troy, who has been abused by this man all his life, defends his mother the best he can but he is unable to end this man’s life.
Troy buries his mother in the garden near the log cabin, gets his now invalid father back into the main house and he begins to unravel. Terrified he will be caught for injuring his father or accessory to murder of his own mother. He begins to plan on how to protect himself.
Meanwhile, a stage 5 clinger ex-date is stalking Troy and becoming more and more unhinged. He shuts her out of his life because he has other things on his mind.
Troy works as a manager at a local small restaurant and tries to keep a normal schedule, be a normal as possible but two of his waitresses, who were also the bullies of his childhood along with his own current simmering rage, decides these two catfishing trolls need to be taught a lesson.
No spoilers, there is so much going on here. Many moving pieces. Veronica the unstable ex-date is hatching a plot to find out where Troy works and lives and trap him. Troy is trying to hatch a plot on how to snare the two girls’ via media chatrooms and get them to the cabin. These two worlds are going to collide in a violent way. Veronica actually turns out to be my favorite character as the story goes on, you’ll see.
The story probably was not meant to be humorous but many parts are funny in an ironic kind of way. The story setting of a perceived psycho vs. an actually psycho is so unique. So much is packed in this novella that saying any more really will ruin the discovery.
My only complaint is the ending is jam packed with twists and turns that it seems rushed. So much important things are brought up that did not get the expected reaction by the characters or the attention it deserved.
Grab a copy, the reason for the title will be revealed as well as the Lizzie Borden reference in the official story description. Anymore from me will literally just be paraphrasing the entire book. You will enjoy this wild ride. Grab anything Glenn Maynard has in his collection and let me know what you think!
This story takes place in real world time, Troy Cullen is facing his abusive father in the family’s log cabin situated away from the main house as he witnesses the murder of his mother by his father it a fit of rage. Troy, who has been abused by this man all his life, defends his mother the best he can but he is unable to end this man’s life.
Troy buries his mother in the garden near the log cabin, gets his now invalid father back into the main house and he begins to unravel. Terrified he will be caught for injuring his father or accessory to murder of his own mother. He begins to plan on how to protect himself.
Meanwhile, a stage 5 clinger ex-date is stalking Troy and becoming more and more unhinged. He shuts her out of his life because he has other things on his mind.
Troy works as a manager at a local small restaurant and tries to keep a normal schedule, be a normal as possible but two of his waitresses, who were also the bullies of his childhood along with his own current simmering rage, decides these two catfishing trolls need to be taught a lesson.
No spoilers, there is so much going on here. Many moving pieces. Veronica the unstable ex-date is hatching a plot to find out where Troy works and lives and trap him. Troy is trying to hatch a plot on how to snare the two girls’ via media chatrooms and get them to the cabin. These two worlds are going to collide in a violent way. Veronica actually turns out to be my favorite character as the story goes on, you’ll see.
The story probably was not meant to be humorous but many parts are funny in an ironic kind of way. The story setting of a perceived psycho vs. an actually psycho is so unique. So much is packed in this novella that saying any more really will ruin the discovery.
My only complaint is the ending is jam packed with twists and turns that it seems rushed. So much important things are brought up that did not get the expected reaction by the characters or the attention it deserved.
Grab a copy, the reason for the title will be revealed as well as the Lizzie Borden reference in the official story description. Anymore from me will literally just be paraphrasing the entire book. You will enjoy this wild ride. Grab anything Glenn Maynard has in his collection and let me know what you think!
April 13, 2021
Troy Cullen comes from an unusual family. His father is an alcoholic and his mother is his favorite punching bag. His mother doesn't leave for many of the reasons women in these situations don't leave. She wants Troy to have a "complete" family. She wants him to have a support system. Troy just wants his mom alive.
This book has it all! It's sad, mysterious and a wonderful thriller. The plot was so intricately laid out, you can't stop once you begin. The characters are people you know. They are that strange man at your favorite diner. The odd waitress you see in town. Mr. Maynard does a brilliant job of bringing it all together in this book. His writing is top notch. You'll be sharing this story with friends. It would make a spectacular book club selection. There are many things to discuss in this one. Get yours today!
I found no issues with this one.
I gave this one 5 cheers out of 5 because it really is a look-over-the-shoulder kind of read. The author provided a copy of this book and I chose to review it.
This book has it all! It's sad, mysterious and a wonderful thriller. The plot was so intricately laid out, you can't stop once you begin. The characters are people you know. They are that strange man at your favorite diner. The odd waitress you see in town. Mr. Maynard does a brilliant job of bringing it all together in this book. His writing is top notch. You'll be sharing this story with friends. It would make a spectacular book club selection. There are many things to discuss in this one. Get yours today!
I found no issues with this one.
I gave this one 5 cheers out of 5 because it really is a look-over-the-shoulder kind of read. The author provided a copy of this book and I chose to review it.
February 13, 2023
Troy Cullen comes from a dysfunctional family that is barely held together by his mother. His father is abusive to Troy’s mom and is downright cruel to Troy. His upbringing has made it difficult for Troy to socialize well with others and he prefers to keep to himself. When Troy comes home from work one day and discovers that his mother is dead something in him suddenly snaps and he starts to spiral out of control.
Then to make matters worse his ex-girlfriend Veronica pops back into his life and announces that she is pregnant. This is a girl that has not been able to understand that he does not want a relationship with her and that he wants nothing to do with because he thinks that she is crazy. Veronica has no intention of going anywhere and intends to make Troy love her so they can be a perfect, happy little family. Troy feels as though he can no longer control anything in his life. Now that tiny thread that has kept Troy from losing controlled has broken and Troy sets out to seek revenge on everyone that has ever hurt him.
The closer Veronica gets to Troy and his family the more she realizes that something is not quite right. She has questions about his family, so she starts to dig into Troy’s family history. That is when she discovers the killer gene that gets passed down from generation to generation. This concerns Veronica because she is worried about how it will affect their baby, but she loves Troy and wants to make things work.
This book plunges you deep into the story from the very first pages and hooks you right from the get-go! I have never read a book that sucked me in and held my attention like this one! I took Criminology in College and am an avid reader of True Crime books, so this book caught my eye, and I knew that I had to read it. It was impossible to put down and took so many twists and turns that I had no choice but to continue reading to find out what happened next.
The characters in this book were ones that the reader cannot fall in love with nor relate to but they are intriguing. Troy comes across initially as being meek, mild, and perhaps a bit mousy. However, when the one person he truly loves dies something in him snaps and his dark side comes out. Years of trauma and abuse that he has pushed down have surfaced and he can no longer contain them. You can understand why Troy has snapped based on how he was bullied and abused through school as well as at home, so you want to feel empathy for him, but his actions make that impossible. It is obvious that he should have sought counselling in his earlier years but if there is indeed a killer gene in his family then perhaps counselling would have been useless anyhow.
Veronica is a girl that cannot and will not take no for an answer. This quality in others might be commendable but in Veronica it is clearly not the case. She is obsessed with Troy and resorts to stalking and bullying her way into his life. Veronica intends to make Troy hers and will stop at nothing to make that happen. When she starts talking to Troy’s father, she uncovers some dark family secrets that make her want to know more. Rather than run from the crazy family with the killer gene, Veronica embraces it and immerses herself farther into Troy’s life.
This book was a fast-paced, grab-ahold-of your-seats, intense psychological thriller that plunges you deep into the dark and troubling world of a boy who suffered abuse, bullying, and trauma from a young age. It leaves you feeling sorry for the way Troy was treated throughout his life and at the same time perplexed that he took such a dark path to deal with the abuse. My emotions were all over the map as I tried to figure out the complex character of Troy and determine whether the trauma was what motivated him or if it was the killer gene that he was unable to control. The way the different storylines melded and wove themselves together kept me riveted. I felt the ending left the book open to a sequel with what may become of Veronica and Troy. Will their story continue? Will Troy continue on his path of mayhem and destruction, leaving bodies in his wake? If Troy has the killer gene which makes it impossible for him to stop then it would not be out of the realm of possibility for him to become a serial killer. Now, that would be an intense sequel. Perhaps he ends up with Veronica by his side after all? This is not only a fantastic read, but it would make an amazing movie! Highly Recommend!
Then to make matters worse his ex-girlfriend Veronica pops back into his life and announces that she is pregnant. This is a girl that has not been able to understand that he does not want a relationship with her and that he wants nothing to do with because he thinks that she is crazy. Veronica has no intention of going anywhere and intends to make Troy love her so they can be a perfect, happy little family. Troy feels as though he can no longer control anything in his life. Now that tiny thread that has kept Troy from losing controlled has broken and Troy sets out to seek revenge on everyone that has ever hurt him.
The closer Veronica gets to Troy and his family the more she realizes that something is not quite right. She has questions about his family, so she starts to dig into Troy’s family history. That is when she discovers the killer gene that gets passed down from generation to generation. This concerns Veronica because she is worried about how it will affect their baby, but she loves Troy and wants to make things work.
This book plunges you deep into the story from the very first pages and hooks you right from the get-go! I have never read a book that sucked me in and held my attention like this one! I took Criminology in College and am an avid reader of True Crime books, so this book caught my eye, and I knew that I had to read it. It was impossible to put down and took so many twists and turns that I had no choice but to continue reading to find out what happened next.
The characters in this book were ones that the reader cannot fall in love with nor relate to but they are intriguing. Troy comes across initially as being meek, mild, and perhaps a bit mousy. However, when the one person he truly loves dies something in him snaps and his dark side comes out. Years of trauma and abuse that he has pushed down have surfaced and he can no longer contain them. You can understand why Troy has snapped based on how he was bullied and abused through school as well as at home, so you want to feel empathy for him, but his actions make that impossible. It is obvious that he should have sought counselling in his earlier years but if there is indeed a killer gene in his family then perhaps counselling would have been useless anyhow.
Veronica is a girl that cannot and will not take no for an answer. This quality in others might be commendable but in Veronica it is clearly not the case. She is obsessed with Troy and resorts to stalking and bullying her way into his life. Veronica intends to make Troy hers and will stop at nothing to make that happen. When she starts talking to Troy’s father, she uncovers some dark family secrets that make her want to know more. Rather than run from the crazy family with the killer gene, Veronica embraces it and immerses herself farther into Troy’s life.
This book was a fast-paced, grab-ahold-of your-seats, intense psychological thriller that plunges you deep into the dark and troubling world of a boy who suffered abuse, bullying, and trauma from a young age. It leaves you feeling sorry for the way Troy was treated throughout his life and at the same time perplexed that he took such a dark path to deal with the abuse. My emotions were all over the map as I tried to figure out the complex character of Troy and determine whether the trauma was what motivated him or if it was the killer gene that he was unable to control. The way the different storylines melded and wove themselves together kept me riveted. I felt the ending left the book open to a sequel with what may become of Veronica and Troy. Will their story continue? Will Troy continue on his path of mayhem and destruction, leaving bodies in his wake? If Troy has the killer gene which makes it impossible for him to stop then it would not be out of the realm of possibility for him to become a serial killer. Now, that would be an intense sequel. Perhaps he ends up with Veronica by his side after all? This is not only a fantastic read, but it would make an amazing movie! Highly Recommend!
May 2, 2021
*Disclaimer – I received free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
Chatroom With a View explores the intersections and interactions of characters that are in dire need of a therapist. Beginning with the young and troubled Troy Cullen, desperate to protect his mother from his violent and abusive father, Troy feels let down by the world and by himself. Now having to work with two women who bullied him in high school and hearing that they are still up to their immoral shenanigans, he decides to take covert action against them, but quickly crosses the line between giving them a taste of their own medicine, and becoming the monster himself.
But as Troy is struggling not to become like his father, and failing miserably, a girl from his past shows up again too inform him that she is pregnant with his child. Not taking no for an answer, Victoria is determined to create her perfect family with the reluctant Troy, no matter what he is hiding in his father’s cabin. Discovering that Troy may have a hereditary disposition for violence, and so might her unborn son, Victoria believe she can nurture this nature out of them.
Chatroom With a View is a roller coaster ride of bad reactions and even worse decisions. Rather than investing in a few well needed, therapy sessions, every character in this story leans into their darkest and most irrational ideas much to the detriment of everyone around them. With small touches on the theory of nature versus nurture when it comes to violence and even murder, as well as the role of family on one’s own mental struggles, this is a novel that attempts to shed some light on the darker motivations that some people have. Representing the self titled victims of the cruelty of women is Troy, and representing the perfect ten women who just seem to be too much for people is Victoria – at no point should these psyche’s meet, but unfortunately they do.
While Maynard’s writing is enjoyable and his character’s solid enough, the decisions made and actions taken by many of the characters in the story felt very rash and unpredictable. It was difficult to get a handle on what Troy’s priorities were and how far he was willing to go to stroke his own ego. Victoria’s mental health issues were more overt, but Troy’s complete disconnect with reality has them on the same level for much of the story. But the story does take an interesting look at the downward spiral of a young man on the outskirts of society with violence in his blood.
Chatroom With a View explores the intersections and interactions of characters that are in dire need of a therapist. Beginning with the young and troubled Troy Cullen, desperate to protect his mother from his violent and abusive father, Troy feels let down by the world and by himself. Now having to work with two women who bullied him in high school and hearing that they are still up to their immoral shenanigans, he decides to take covert action against them, but quickly crosses the line between giving them a taste of their own medicine, and becoming the monster himself.
But as Troy is struggling not to become like his father, and failing miserably, a girl from his past shows up again too inform him that she is pregnant with his child. Not taking no for an answer, Victoria is determined to create her perfect family with the reluctant Troy, no matter what he is hiding in his father’s cabin. Discovering that Troy may have a hereditary disposition for violence, and so might her unborn son, Victoria believe she can nurture this nature out of them.
Chatroom With a View is a roller coaster ride of bad reactions and even worse decisions. Rather than investing in a few well needed, therapy sessions, every character in this story leans into their darkest and most irrational ideas much to the detriment of everyone around them. With small touches on the theory of nature versus nurture when it comes to violence and even murder, as well as the role of family on one’s own mental struggles, this is a novel that attempts to shed some light on the darker motivations that some people have. Representing the self titled victims of the cruelty of women is Troy, and representing the perfect ten women who just seem to be too much for people is Victoria – at no point should these psyche’s meet, but unfortunately they do.
While Maynard’s writing is enjoyable and his character’s solid enough, the decisions made and actions taken by many of the characters in the story felt very rash and unpredictable. It was difficult to get a handle on what Troy’s priorities were and how far he was willing to go to stroke his own ego. Victoria’s mental health issues were more overt, but Troy’s complete disconnect with reality has them on the same level for much of the story. But the story does take an interesting look at the downward spiral of a young man on the outskirts of society with violence in his blood.
June 25, 2021
The first thing that compelled me to read this book was its spooky cover. Dark bluish night in the woods and a wooden cabin give the impression of a horror story. However, the book is dark but not horror. It opens with a gruesome scene of excavating graves, a blood-drenched ax, a dead body, and a wounded man.
From this very first chapter, Troy Cullen's decisions seem ununderstandable to me. If someone finds out his father has killed his mother, the natural response would be to get the culprit arrested rather than keeping him safe, fearing that police might consider him an accomplice. The rest of the story unfolds with similar bizarre decisions by all the characters.
Troy works as a restaurant manager with two waitresses Natalie and Marnie, with whom he happened to share a history. During their school days, he was a coy victim of their bullying. One day eavesdropping on their conversation about trapping some rich and hot men through online chatrooms gave him an idea of revenge. Later, he impersonated the type of guy who could lure those two. In the end, he held them captive in his house, but what exactly is his plan remains nebulous. It seems he doesn't even have a plan. Along with this main storyline, his ex-girlfriend – Veronica, bombarded him with the news of her pregnancy. He doesn't love her and wants to get rid of her.
The story of a murder, an injured father, two kidnapped waitresses, and a psycho ex-girlfriend goes in parallel. It is hard to lose interest when so much is going on in the story.
It is not mentioned in the novel, but I felt all the characters are psychopaths who don't think before doing anything and hardly cares about the consequences. The most compelling character is Veronica. Her weird acts and talks motivated by her mental condition arouse a bone-chilling impact.
In summary, it is a fast-paced thriller, quite unusual from regular ones. The characters are hard to relate to and loathable to some limit. It is hard to guess what is going to happen next. The author has conscientiously managed to keep the readers captivated. I would recommend this as a book where you will hate everyone.
From this very first chapter, Troy Cullen's decisions seem ununderstandable to me. If someone finds out his father has killed his mother, the natural response would be to get the culprit arrested rather than keeping him safe, fearing that police might consider him an accomplice. The rest of the story unfolds with similar bizarre decisions by all the characters.
Troy works as a restaurant manager with two waitresses Natalie and Marnie, with whom he happened to share a history. During their school days, he was a coy victim of their bullying. One day eavesdropping on their conversation about trapping some rich and hot men through online chatrooms gave him an idea of revenge. Later, he impersonated the type of guy who could lure those two. In the end, he held them captive in his house, but what exactly is his plan remains nebulous. It seems he doesn't even have a plan. Along with this main storyline, his ex-girlfriend – Veronica, bombarded him with the news of her pregnancy. He doesn't love her and wants to get rid of her.
The story of a murder, an injured father, two kidnapped waitresses, and a psycho ex-girlfriend goes in parallel. It is hard to lose interest when so much is going on in the story.
It is not mentioned in the novel, but I felt all the characters are psychopaths who don't think before doing anything and hardly cares about the consequences. The most compelling character is Veronica. Her weird acts and talks motivated by her mental condition arouse a bone-chilling impact.
In summary, it is a fast-paced thriller, quite unusual from regular ones. The characters are hard to relate to and loathable to some limit. It is hard to guess what is going to happen next. The author has conscientiously managed to keep the readers captivated. I would recommend this as a book where you will hate everyone.
February 16, 2023
This is the first book I have read by Glenn Maynard, and I was not disappointed. As a fan of true crime and history in that sense the synopsis intrigued me with the ties to Lizzie Borden. The synopsis mentions that the book starts with an episode and lord does it.
The perspective of the book is that of Troy Cullen a distant relative of Lizzie Borden. He is an only child and is currently 24 years old, only he still lives at home. Not because he can’t afford to move out but because his father is extremely violent and abusive and Troy lives to protect his mother. Until that day, returning home from work both of their cars are in the driveway which is strange but after searching the entire house he can’t find or hear any of them until he looks out a window into the back yard. On the family property was an old log cabin that was usually locked up like Fort Knox, having never seen anyone inside it the sight of movement draws Troy’s attention when he witnesses a tragedy, he always feared but knew was coming. Only after a lifetime of being told he would go to prison if something ever happened, he decides not to call the police but to coverup everything and keep his father alive and bound in the house. Life brings another twist when he learns that his ex-girlfriend is pregnant with his child. Being such a dysfunctional family in their small-town Veronica decides to dig into his family history, afraid she becomes determined to shield her unborn child from the evilness that lives within the family and genetics, but will it be enough?
Will Troy follow in his ancestors’ footsteps? What will happen to Veronica and their baby? Can Troy break the cycle or is he doomed to forever be a monster? Becoming his father was never his goal but now he sees a monster is within him too. The world the author builds, the characters and scenarios are realistic and have meat too them. Being well fleshed out and three dimensional I found myself holding my breath is several places and rushing to finish the chapter to start the next. This book keeps you on your toes guessing what will happen next and how it will end.
The perspective of the book is that of Troy Cullen a distant relative of Lizzie Borden. He is an only child and is currently 24 years old, only he still lives at home. Not because he can’t afford to move out but because his father is extremely violent and abusive and Troy lives to protect his mother. Until that day, returning home from work both of their cars are in the driveway which is strange but after searching the entire house he can’t find or hear any of them until he looks out a window into the back yard. On the family property was an old log cabin that was usually locked up like Fort Knox, having never seen anyone inside it the sight of movement draws Troy’s attention when he witnesses a tragedy, he always feared but knew was coming. Only after a lifetime of being told he would go to prison if something ever happened, he decides not to call the police but to coverup everything and keep his father alive and bound in the house. Life brings another twist when he learns that his ex-girlfriend is pregnant with his child. Being such a dysfunctional family in their small-town Veronica decides to dig into his family history, afraid she becomes determined to shield her unborn child from the evilness that lives within the family and genetics, but will it be enough?
Will Troy follow in his ancestors’ footsteps? What will happen to Veronica and their baby? Can Troy break the cycle or is he doomed to forever be a monster? Becoming his father was never his goal but now he sees a monster is within him too. The world the author builds, the characters and scenarios are realistic and have meat too them. Being well fleshed out and three dimensional I found myself holding my breath is several places and rushing to finish the chapter to start the next. This book keeps you on your toes guessing what will happen next and how it will end.
February 27, 2023
OMFG!! This book. Wow. It starts off a little dark then gets twisted and then adds a little crazy into the mix. I am not sure who my favorite character is. Becky/Veronica for her stalker-tendencies. Troy for just trying to survive the crap hand he was dealt and not understand card references. Pops for playing Troy for a week but helping him in the end. Stitch for just being Stitch.
After an abusive childhood that turned into an abusive adulthood, Troy accidently watches his father murder his mother. When Troy tries to save his mom, he gets a shovel upside the head for his trouble. After getting the shovel away from his father, Troy beats his father nearly to death but can’t quite swing that final blow. Troy is in panic mode and doesn’t know what to do. Sprinkle in a woman that he dated for two weeks now claiming she is pregnant with his child, Troy is having a breakdown. Troy also overhears two women that used to torment him from elementary to high school talking about catfishing men in chatrooms. Troy decides that he is going to get the women back by doing the same thing to them. This is where things really go wrong.
Despite Troy wanting to hurt the women that now work for him, he keeps having bouts of consciousness. When his plans to trick them kinda take a way wrong turn, Becky/Veronica shows up and brings her merry bag of unmedicated mental health issues with her. Troy thinks that Becky/Veronica is going to turn him in for all the bad stuff going on at his house, but she jumps right in and starts playing house like what is going on is normal. When Troy finds out that Becky/Veronica is actually Becky impersonating her sister Veronica and not pregnant with his child, Becky doesn’t take it well. Madness and mayhem ensue. Then things get crazy. Wow. The ending was not what I was expecting.
If you want something different, something out of the ordinary, This is your book. What a wild ride!!!
After an abusive childhood that turned into an abusive adulthood, Troy accidently watches his father murder his mother. When Troy tries to save his mom, he gets a shovel upside the head for his trouble. After getting the shovel away from his father, Troy beats his father nearly to death but can’t quite swing that final blow. Troy is in panic mode and doesn’t know what to do. Sprinkle in a woman that he dated for two weeks now claiming she is pregnant with his child, Troy is having a breakdown. Troy also overhears two women that used to torment him from elementary to high school talking about catfishing men in chatrooms. Troy decides that he is going to get the women back by doing the same thing to them. This is where things really go wrong.
Despite Troy wanting to hurt the women that now work for him, he keeps having bouts of consciousness. When his plans to trick them kinda take a way wrong turn, Becky/Veronica shows up and brings her merry bag of unmedicated mental health issues with her. Troy thinks that Becky/Veronica is going to turn him in for all the bad stuff going on at his house, but she jumps right in and starts playing house like what is going on is normal. When Troy finds out that Becky/Veronica is actually Becky impersonating her sister Veronica and not pregnant with his child, Becky doesn’t take it well. Madness and mayhem ensue. Then things get crazy. Wow. The ending was not what I was expecting.
If you want something different, something out of the ordinary, This is your book. What a wild ride!!!
February 21, 2023
This book was a first for me by author Glenn Maynards but I was definitely intrigued after reading the synopsis. I mean who hasn’t heard of Lizzie Borden and the axe murders. It is intriguing to wonder if there really could be a gene passed down that makes you predetermined to be a serial killer or monster. I mean there are genes for every other disease including psychological ones, it definitely could make you lose sleep at night.
Troy witnesses things in his lifetime that no one should have to, including the abuse of his father and death of his mother. Even though he could sense it was coming it just became another dark notch in his life. He decides not to call the police and instead keep his father alive and locked up in the house. Then enter Veronica with another life twist for Troy, she is pregnant with his baby. With such a small town and the dysfunctional family life of Troy, Veronica decides to do some research into Troy’s past and what she finds terrifies her. Can Veronica protect their baby from the evilness that is passed down in Troy’s family? Can Troy break the cycle or is he doomed to follow the same path of his ancestors?
The book is a well thought out, well written psychological thriller that will keep you turning pages to find out what happens next and may make you not want to sleep at night. The characters are well written and the storyline is easy to follow even though there sometimes seems to be several strands to pull until everything is unraveled. After reading this book I am intrigued to read other books by this author and cannot wait to see what other journey I can go on.
Troy witnesses things in his lifetime that no one should have to, including the abuse of his father and death of his mother. Even though he could sense it was coming it just became another dark notch in his life. He decides not to call the police and instead keep his father alive and locked up in the house. Then enter Veronica with another life twist for Troy, she is pregnant with his baby. With such a small town and the dysfunctional family life of Troy, Veronica decides to do some research into Troy’s past and what she finds terrifies her. Can Veronica protect their baby from the evilness that is passed down in Troy’s family? Can Troy break the cycle or is he doomed to follow the same path of his ancestors?
The book is a well thought out, well written psychological thriller that will keep you turning pages to find out what happens next and may make you not want to sleep at night. The characters are well written and the storyline is easy to follow even though there sometimes seems to be several strands to pull until everything is unraveled. After reading this book I am intrigued to read other books by this author and cannot wait to see what other journey I can go on.
February 26, 2023
I’m still trying to wrap my head around Chatroom With A View. I thought I was reading one story the whole time and then the ending made me question it all. When an author can make you second guess what happened and what didn’t, I feel like that makes them pretty good at what they do! I enjoyed this book. I was intrigued till the very end. I would recommend it to anyone I know that likes a psychological thriller. This book is comparable to You and the movie Identity. If having that knowledge intrigues you, I say you should check it out.
There’s also a lot that could be a trigger for someone so I recommend tread lightly, but don’t let it stop you!
Troy leads a normal life for someone who comes from an abusive household. But what happens when that abuse goes too far? What happens when you can’t protect anyone but yourself? That’s exactly what happens to him, which causes him to spiral. Getting himself stuck in situations that he has no idea how to get out of. Ones he never intended to be in. On top of that he has his crazy ex Veronica trying to force herself into his life. He knows she’s mentally unstable but to protect himself and others he sometimes needs to play along.
Will he manage to escape the chaos that he’s caused?
Can he escape Veronica as well?
So many questions, but they all have answers. While the author has you twisting and turning as you go, every question you think of definitely has an answer. Or does it?
You are just going to have to dive in to find out!
There’s also a lot that could be a trigger for someone so I recommend tread lightly, but don’t let it stop you!
Troy leads a normal life for someone who comes from an abusive household. But what happens when that abuse goes too far? What happens when you can’t protect anyone but yourself? That’s exactly what happens to him, which causes him to spiral. Getting himself stuck in situations that he has no idea how to get out of. Ones he never intended to be in. On top of that he has his crazy ex Veronica trying to force herself into his life. He knows she’s mentally unstable but to protect himself and others he sometimes needs to play along.
Will he manage to escape the chaos that he’s caused?
Can he escape Veronica as well?
So many questions, but they all have answers. While the author has you twisting and turning as you go, every question you think of definitely has an answer. Or does it?
You are just going to have to dive in to find out!
February 15, 2023
A lot of people have dysfunctional families and Chatroom with a View delves deep into the dysfunction of the Cullen Family.
Troy Cullen has a tortured past that is still hanging on tight is his present. When his father takes his abuse a little too far, Troy is left with many unresolved issues he has to make tough choices on.
Suddenly another wrench is thrown into his current situation when his ex-girlfriend, Veronica, announces she’s pregnant with his child. Troy spirals and plans to keep the trauma going.
When Veronica learns too much about Troy’s past, she finds that there are too many skeletons in the Cullen closet. She’s fighting for her desire to keep a family together and keeping her child safe. Who will survive and who will crumble?
Chatroom with a View has a unique, and terrifying storyline. However, something about it fell flat for me. I’m unsure if it was the story being told in third person or something else, but I really struggled to get into and stay engaged with this book. I’m willing to try something else from the author, as it was written well, but I will definitely pay attention to the POV prior to starting.
The book opens up with a bang and then slows down for a bit before hitting back harder and harder. If you are sensitive to topics about abuse, you may need to stay away from this book.
Troy Cullen has a tortured past that is still hanging on tight is his present. When his father takes his abuse a little too far, Troy is left with many unresolved issues he has to make tough choices on.
Suddenly another wrench is thrown into his current situation when his ex-girlfriend, Veronica, announces she’s pregnant with his child. Troy spirals and plans to keep the trauma going.
When Veronica learns too much about Troy’s past, she finds that there are too many skeletons in the Cullen closet. She’s fighting for her desire to keep a family together and keeping her child safe. Who will survive and who will crumble?
Chatroom with a View has a unique, and terrifying storyline. However, something about it fell flat for me. I’m unsure if it was the story being told in third person or something else, but I really struggled to get into and stay engaged with this book. I’m willing to try something else from the author, as it was written well, but I will definitely pay attention to the POV prior to starting.
The book opens up with a bang and then slows down for a bit before hitting back harder and harder. If you are sensitive to topics about abuse, you may need to stay away from this book.
February 24, 2023
Chatroom With a View is a very dark and at times disturbing read. The book begins with Troy finding his mother dead in her own pool of spreading blood and he has beat the crap out of his father to the point of his father being immobilized and helpless! What a way to kick off this dark book! Troy, who is the main character of the story is not the nicest guy nor the brightest color in the crayon box, but he knows how to play dirty! Troy’s life is going okay between work and tending to his immobilized father until Veronica, a few night stand that he met through a chatroom and met up for some fun a few times, has contacted him and told him she is pregnant with his child! What a major upheaval in his already jacked up life. The waitresses that he works with are basic run of the mill bitches who like to play games with those in the chatroom so Troy decides to dish out his own sweet revenge for him and all the other guys that the waitresses have screwed over and played with. Very dark story but entertaining if you enjoy suspense and thrillers and being inside the mind of twisted people! The characters are very well written and definitely a very original book which is quite refreshing since most stories seem to be rewritten or updated versions! I must say that this was a very good read and I cannot give enough praise for such an original book! BRAVO!!!
March 7, 2021
Chatrooms are detrimental for any person who's not aware of its traps. Troy learned this quickly. Alas, that isn’t his only problem. Soon he finds himself in the middle of so much tension that you wonder how he will get away scot-free. It is amazing to read how he talks himself deeper into trouble, which makes for an interesting plotline.
Coming from a dysfunctional family, Troy is tired of the abuse in his home but stays to protect his mother. A gallant thing to do until one day when it did not end well.
The plotline could be comical if not for the state his father is in. Troy has no love for his father. Forced by his own doing to take care of him, it tests him on all fronts. Problems amounts at an alarming pace and Troy has a hard time to stay in control. When he receives the news of the pregnancy, the wheels fell off one by one.
This book has so many twists that you wonder if Troy will survive it all. Will his father survive his own hell and what about Veronica? Will she keep it together or try to help? All I know is that it enhances the story and gives it greater depth.
The chatroom conversations are realistic, the pace of the story fast. The author did an outstanding job in bringing it all together. The end almost sinister, but fitting.
Coming from a dysfunctional family, Troy is tired of the abuse in his home but stays to protect his mother. A gallant thing to do until one day when it did not end well.
The plotline could be comical if not for the state his father is in. Troy has no love for his father. Forced by his own doing to take care of him, it tests him on all fronts. Problems amounts at an alarming pace and Troy has a hard time to stay in control. When he receives the news of the pregnancy, the wheels fell off one by one.
This book has so many twists that you wonder if Troy will survive it all. Will his father survive his own hell and what about Veronica? Will she keep it together or try to help? All I know is that it enhances the story and gives it greater depth.
The chatroom conversations are realistic, the pace of the story fast. The author did an outstanding job in bringing it all together. The end almost sinister, but fitting.
July 8, 2021
Chatroom With A View is an incredible story. For some people who have experienced bullying and domestic violence this book may contain triggers.
The primary character in the book is Troy Cullen. After a childhood that involved domestic violence and an inability to find his place in society, Troy is still living at home for no other reason than to protect his mother. His father is verbally and physically abusive and does not care who receives the brunt of his anger. After an especially tragic night, Troy must face some new obstacles in life.
As a way of making himself feel more normal, Troy engages in chatroom dating. He met a girl named Veronica in this chatroom, and they hooked up a few times. Troy realized that he needed her out of his life because of her nature. Only when Veronica pops up with the story that she is pregnant does Troy truly know that he cannot be with Veronica.
Troy needs to move on with his life, but he is triggered when he learns that the waitresses from the diner where he works have been playing the field in the chatroom that he frequents. Decisions are made, plans are put into action, and it all comes down to who will make through the final showdown.
This is a fast-paced novel that will have you hanging on every word.
The primary character in the book is Troy Cullen. After a childhood that involved domestic violence and an inability to find his place in society, Troy is still living at home for no other reason than to protect his mother. His father is verbally and physically abusive and does not care who receives the brunt of his anger. After an especially tragic night, Troy must face some new obstacles in life.
As a way of making himself feel more normal, Troy engages in chatroom dating. He met a girl named Veronica in this chatroom, and they hooked up a few times. Troy realized that he needed her out of his life because of her nature. Only when Veronica pops up with the story that she is pregnant does Troy truly know that he cannot be with Veronica.
Troy needs to move on with his life, but he is triggered when he learns that the waitresses from the diner where he works have been playing the field in the chatroom that he frequents. Decisions are made, plans are put into action, and it all comes down to who will make through the final showdown.
This is a fast-paced novel that will have you hanging on every word.
July 22, 2021
This was a really gripping story. It is very dark and intense but is a story that will captivate you from the beginning. I love how realistic this book is especially with regard to the chatrooms and the talk inside there. Everyone always pretends to be someone they aren't. It's a fast paced story full of twists and turns that I definately recommend reading.
It starts off very dark with a murder and an incident that leaves Troy alone in a world that keeps spinning around him. Troy's dad is an abuser, who always used violence so is that a gene that Troy now possesses.
With his world spiraling out of control around him he decides to take revenge over his 2 co-workers who are misleading and hurting men on this chat site. Armed with his two fake profiles Troy wants to teach them both a lesson but how far will he go.
Add to this the stress of Troy's last encounter with Veronica resulting in her being pregnant. Veronica is now set on being a family with Troy and the baby until she researches Troy's family and finds out about the risk of the killer gene. Will she keep her fantasy of being a happy family or will she run to protect herself and the baby? Can she escape Troy when he finally realises he wants to be a dad or will her obsession of being a family mean its too late?
It starts off very dark with a murder and an incident that leaves Troy alone in a world that keeps spinning around him. Troy's dad is an abuser, who always used violence so is that a gene that Troy now possesses.
With his world spiraling out of control around him he decides to take revenge over his 2 co-workers who are misleading and hurting men on this chat site. Armed with his two fake profiles Troy wants to teach them both a lesson but how far will he go.
Add to this the stress of Troy's last encounter with Veronica resulting in her being pregnant. Veronica is now set on being a family with Troy and the baby until she researches Troy's family and finds out about the risk of the killer gene. Will she keep her fantasy of being a happy family or will she run to protect herself and the baby? Can she escape Troy when he finally realises he wants to be a dad or will her obsession of being a family mean its too late?
July 28, 2021
Chatroom With A View starts out at 100mph and never slows down. Troy Cullen comes from a dysfunctional family and continually questions his part in the role he inherited. Dysfunctional is the understatement of the year in a family where murder has been ongoing for generations. Glenn Maynard paints a very dark picture, from the opening chapter, and doesn’t stop there. Every time I THOUGHT I figured out the “why” of the main character’s thinking, or almost sympathized with him, another curveball was tossed our way. Not only is the main character the product of generations of abuse, neglect, and even murder, he is constantly battling his own mind on where he stands in all of this. Nature vs Nurture is the ongoing question. Then, enter “Veronica”, the sweet and caring girlfriend…. or so she seems. Without indulging too much, she is not who she seems. Nothing is easy for Troy Cullen, that much is apparent from page one. Whether you sympathize with his choices, or not, he is a strong character, and well written. This was definitely NOT what I was expecting when I started in on Chatroom With A View, but I was pleasantly surprised. I love things that have a dark path, or a surprise twist, and this is full of both. Definitely 5 stars.
August 2, 2021
Wow! What a great, dark and twisted book! I have to admit that the beginning was a little slow and tough for me to get through. But after reading the remainder of the book, I believe that it is crucial information needed for the rest of the book. Once the author hooked me in, I could not put this book down!
Troy lives at home with an abusive father. He stays because he wants to protect his mother from his father. He works at a diner as a night manager. And in his already chaotic life, he has this stalker ex-girlfriend (Veronica) who is determined to get him back through lies and deceit. Troy is frustrated and decides to plan his revenge on all those who are out for him. How will he do it? And will it work?
The author, Glenn Maynard, dives into some topics that are definitely tough to read about. And he does it so well. I am sure that this could be hard for some people to read. I absolutely love it when authors decide to write on topics that most people cannot even talk about in a fashionable way. Glenn brings you into these topics by way of his wonderful written characters. And he does it so gracefully and brashly. I thoroughly enjoyed this book from beginning to end!
Troy lives at home with an abusive father. He stays because he wants to protect his mother from his father. He works at a diner as a night manager. And in his already chaotic life, he has this stalker ex-girlfriend (Veronica) who is determined to get him back through lies and deceit. Troy is frustrated and decides to plan his revenge on all those who are out for him. How will he do it? And will it work?
The author, Glenn Maynard, dives into some topics that are definitely tough to read about. And he does it so well. I am sure that this could be hard for some people to read. I absolutely love it when authors decide to write on topics that most people cannot even talk about in a fashionable way. Glenn brings you into these topics by way of his wonderful written characters. And he does it so gracefully and brashly. I thoroughly enjoyed this book from beginning to end!
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