Coldren's Prison: A psychological thriller

by Kevin Gen

Had it not been the worst f*cking day of my life, I would have woken up to the smell of fresh-roasted coffee, warm bread straight out of the oven, and birds chirping as if I were living in one of those nauseating happily-ever-after fairy tales.

Instead, I woke up in some prison, with my arms chained to a wall and blood gushing down my face. Stained clothes and an immense pounding in my head caused concern for my longevity. I had no idea who put me there, nor why they left me in this state. The only way I had a chance to get out was to pull myself together and consider who hated my guts enough to lock me up like this. Admittedly, I made a couple dozen enemies in my life who wouldn’t mourn my death and one of them has made this eerily personal. The big question is, who?

286 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 20, 2022

About the author

Born and raised in the Netherlands to a Dutch father and a New Zealand mother, Kevin has always appreciated a good story. Having read young adult mystery books throughout his childhood, he soon began writing his own. He eventually switched to heavier novels, and the itch to write down the stories that roamed around in his head became too strong to ignore. A good three years later, the novel Coldren's Prison got printed on paper.

Reviews

[Xavier Marcé · Rating 5 out of 5]

Imagine wake up one day without knowing where are you, what has happened to get in that place. And you do that knowing that you have pissed so many people in your life... Well, Kevin Gen, does a magistral work here in this thriller to get the reader accompany a badass as Cold is, the protagonist, to try to find out the clues that can explain his current situation. Being the first novel of the author I can just congratulate him for the the way he makes you feel inside Cold skin all the time.

Walking that path helps not only the protagonist, but the reader to question ourselves and discover that regreets can be the ones leading your life, but helping us to improve and wish to be a better version of ourselves, no matter what have happened in the past.

I don't want to get in to the plot more, as it's something that you will discover reading each chapter, but the final destination it will be worth all the time you invest in this psychological triller. A MUST READ!

[Della · Rating 4 out of 5]

I volunteered to read this book after the author posted about it in a FB group that I’m in & I am so glad I did. My goal was to keep notes about phrases, words, scenarios, etc., that I didn’t understand or maybe wanted to ask about but I quickly gave up on that because I was enjoying the book so well.

It’s a fast-paced thriller with fights using fists, bats, guns & whatever else the characters could pick up. There were also a lot of twists & turns & I was not expecting the twist at the end! Actually, the two twists at the end….no spoilers but TW-physical abuse, drugs, rape.

Some of the wording did confuse me but I also went in completely blind-I knew nothing about Kevin Gen until I read his acknowledgments at the end of the book. There are a few questions I still plan on asking but I’m also looking forward to reading any other books Mr. Gen puts out into the world.

[Irene Bodde · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm blown away by this amazing debut from Kevin Gen. It's a great book. Very good written and besides all the exitement also lots of smiles because of the pun and self-mockery. Loved that. The story captivated me instantly and it was hard to put away. The very surprising ending left me in awe and dropped my jaw to the floor. Many thanks to the author for the pleasent hours i got to spend reading this book. You did a great job. Very much looking forward to your next one.

[Chelle Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The back and forth of the current situation and past events that got him there kept me on my toes. I didn't want to put this one down with the mystery and suspense building. When it got time for the big twisted reveal, I felt very disappointed. Just didn't seem quite big enough for the situation. All around good story, though.

[Marianne Long · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was fast-paced because it was so full of action to keep you reading the entire book! A couple twists at the end and the story was complete and answered all your questions and didn't leave you hanging. Enjoyed this book a lot.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to the author for providing this book for free through Kindle Unlimited. I liked the storyline and the ending was great.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very fast paced book with lots going on. I had to keep notes but WOW it was good. The ending blew my mind. I will read more from Kevin Gen.

[Janice · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good debut novel by the author. It is a fast paced thriller that kept me turning the pages to see where it would go next. Loved the twists at the end! Definitely recommend.

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story, told using flashbacks, with many surprising twists. Enjoyed this one lots.

[Sorell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the pleasure of reading Coldren’s Prison by Kevin Gen l. This was a remarkable story that keeps you guessing right to the very last page.

A man wakes up to discover he is being held captive. He has no idea why. We go on a journey with him as he attempts to recollect his memories and possible people he may have offended in the past. Whomever has captured him has had no qualms in treating him quite brutally and he knows the only way he can survive is to escape.

This is a brilliant story. As we learn about the main character’s past we begin to suspect who may be responsible for his capture. His own discretions leave us unsure of his innocence.

Questioning whether we should be routing for him or not, we join him in his attempt to figure out why this has happened to him, as he slowly recalls past events that have led him to his prison.

You will love him and you will hate him. You’ll suspect him and you’ll cross your fingers for him. But you’ll never guess how it ends.

Truly magnificent. I really hope Kevin has another book in the works because he is a masterful storyteller. I highly recommend this - a massive 5 star from me.