In the Minds of the Wicked

by Warwick Gibson

The disappearance of six young women across three counties in two years has raised a flag at the syndicate, and the coyote has been sent to do the groundwork for the coming investigation. Then the traveler drifts into town, ready to administer a certain type of justice. His justice.

First he must convince the head man of the Blue Ridge Nomads to help him, and then he must follow the facts to find the killers. Only at the last will he lay his traps for the guilty. When he is asked who he is, he has only one answer. He is a foot soldier, doing his job.

In the great tradition of Lee Child’s Jack Reacher and Dean Koontz’ Nameless, the Traveler series is at the cutting edge of the modern thriller.

132 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 2, 2022

About the author

It is often said that writers learn their craft from the many occupations they have during their lives, and I fit that bill. There were some 24 occupations when I stopped counting a decade ago. The longest was a ten-year stint as a maths teacher. Somewhere along the way I picked up a Masters in Counselling, and that might explain the insights into character that turn up in my books from time to time.
I have written military thrillers as Eric Thorpe, sweet romance and cozy mysteries as Casey Swan, and science-fiction and modern thrillers as myself, Warwick Gibson. I have settled for the moment on my first writing love, science-fiction, so watch this space for another huge sci-fi epic in the manner of the Navscar Trilogy at the end of 2025.

PS,
My, how things change!
Amazon is a bully who doesn't care at all about its authors. I unpublished there in March of 2025, and am now slowly rebuilding at Kobo, B&N, Google Play, and D2D (which includes Apple Books and Amazon).
To beginning authors, Amazon's huge marketplace is tempting, but their dereliction of duty will eventually destroy you emotionally and mentally. They will not send problems up to a tech team when that is clearly what is needed, and they give you the same advice countless times after you have proved to them that it doesn't work. Yes, I am earning less by going wide (though that may change as I get known), but I am far happier!
The new sense of belonging to a writing and reading community that cares is wonderful, and the help I receive is immediate and exactly what is needed. It's unbelievable the difference between this and what Amazon calls 'help'.
Yay for getting out from under the KDP thumb, and yay for going wide!
May the books you read add possibilities to your life!
Warwick Gibson (also as Eric Thorpe and Casey Swan)

Reviews

[Debbie Viscosi · Rating 4 out of 5]

In North Carolina, six young women have disappeared without a trace. A group called the syndicate has decided to intervene. They are committed to solving this case and delivering justice in their own way. We meet two members of the syndicate - the coyote and the traveller. After gathering all information on the case, the syndicate dispatches the traveller to investigate. With his special team and resources, the traveller begins uncovering clues and piecing together a clear picture of the case. There are three people involved in this awful crime and the traveller begins planning their capture. But even the best plans can't account for everything. Will the crime be solved? How is justice delivered?

This is the first book in Warwick Gibson's Traveller series. The concept of a group dedicated to covert justice is fascinating. How did this group form? Is the traveller, Eaven, the only traveller? Gibson crafts a psychological thriller that draws you into the case at hand. There are many unusual twists and turns in this quick-moving story that will surprise you and keep you interested to the end. With so much intrigue in the first book, it will be exciting to see what new surprises Gibson has for us in the second book.

[Kayla C. · Rating 4 out of 5]

“In the Minds of the Wicked” by Warwick Gibson was a gripping thriller that captured my interest immediately. The main character, known primarily as “the traveller,” was a mysterious and compelling protagonist. Certain supernatural abilities combined with his mild demeanor, military training, deductive prowess, and no-nonsense personality to remind me of a cross between David Dunn of Unbreakable and, as mentioned in the blurb, Jack Reacher. Unlike those characters, however, the traveller worked with an extensive team, each member an expert in their field. I appreciated this fact because it broke from the lone wolf stereotype that many vigilante stories utilize and also incorporated more variables into the equation to spice up the story. Gibson expertly kept me on the edge of my seat for most of the novella, and I found him to be a rather meticulous author, tying up each potential plot hole I found. The author informed me this is a new genre for him, but I wouldn't have known it based on the quality of this work.

The first several chapters provided the perfect amount of suspense to hook me. The pacing was spot on and the plot was riveting. However, the flow of the story was interrupted by a brief foray into the source of the traveller’s abilities. While interesting, it was no less disruptive to the plot. If this were a longer work or even if it significantly impacted the course of the novella, it could have been excused, especially if it were handled in a way that flowed better with the rest of the story. Unfortunately, it was out of place in this work, and I think it would have been wiser to reveal the source of the traveller’s power in a separate novella or short story. There were also some awkwardly worded phrases that I only grasped once I reread them. Furthermore, the climax fell somewhat flat for me. Despite that, I enjoyed the novella as a whole. “In the Minds of the Wicked” is the first in the Traveller series, and I’d personally enjoy delving further into the organization the traveller worked for and its agents. In the meantime, I encourage fans of vigilante thrillers to check out “In the Minds of the Wicked.”

Trigger warning: This work contains references to sexual assault (off-page) as well as themes of violence, kidnapping, homicide, and suicide.

(Disclaimer: I received a free digital review copy of this book from the author. All opinions in this review are my own and are honest and unbiased.)

[BooksandBacon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was approached by the author to review "In The Minds of The Wicked" the first of six books planned in the series, I'm on a tight ARC schedule but I agreed and I'm so glad I did!!.

Six women have disappeared and the police are clueless about where they are, it looks like other unsolved missing persons, never to be solved. We meet "The Traveller" he is part of "The Syndicate" a secret group of professionals who are invested in solving unsolvable crimes. He has a special ability which helps him in understanding people which really helps in the investigations.

I have to confess I was really intrigued by the story which left me wanting more about the traveller and other members we briefly meet. Looking forward to how the syndicate formed, how the traveller came to be and his past.

Overall an exciting psychological thriller which I have my sights on.

[Owlbaby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Strange but believable

This was such a strange story but I could totally believe that something like this could and probably does happen. There are so many murderers out there that why wouldn't there be people like the traveller to help keep more of us safe?