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Psych #3
The Call of the Mild
Based on the hit USA Network series
A new novel fans will be totally "psyched" about...
Shawn Spencer has convinced everyone he's psychic.
Now, he's either going to clean up-or be found out...
Shawn Spencer has always hated the wilderness-by which he means anything outside the delivery radius of his favorite pizza place. But Psych has been hired to solve a baffling case of industrial espionage, and the only way to catch the spy is to join their client's bonding retreat-a grueling seven day backpacking mountain trek.
But when one of the campers turns up with a bullet in the head, Shawn and Gus soon realize that sheer cliffs, rampaging bears, and freeze- dried pineapple aren't the greatest threats they face.
A new novel fans will be totally "psyched" about...
Shawn Spencer has convinced everyone he's psychic.
Now, he's either going to clean up-or be found out...
Shawn Spencer has always hated the wilderness-by which he means anything outside the delivery radius of his favorite pizza place. But Psych has been hired to solve a baffling case of industrial espionage, and the only way to catch the spy is to join their client's bonding retreat-a grueling seven day backpacking mountain trek.
But when one of the campers turns up with a bullet in the head, Shawn and Gus soon realize that sheer cliffs, rampaging bears, and freeze- dried pineapple aren't the greatest threats they face.
288 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
48 people are currently reading
987 people want to read
About the author
William Rabkin
42 books77 followersWilliam Rabkin is a two-time Edgar Award nominee who writes the Psych series of novels and is the author of Writing the Pilot. He has consulted for studios in Canada, Germany, and Spain on television series production and teaches screenwriting at UCLA Extension and as an adjunct professor in UC Riverside's low-residency masters program.
William Rabkin has written and/or produced more than 300 hours of dramatic television. He served as showrunner on the long-running Dick Van Dyke mystery series “Diagnosis Murder” and on the action-adventure spectacle “Martial Law.” His many writing and producing credits include “The Glades,” “Monk,” “Psych, “Nero Wolfe,” “Missing,” “Spenser: For Hire,” “seaQuest 2032,” “Hunter” and “The Cosby Mysteries”. He has also written a dozen network TV pilots. His work has been nominated twice for the Edgar Award for best television episode by the Mystery Writers of America.
He has published two books on writing for television, Successful Television Writing (2003), with Lee Goldberg and Writing The Pilot (2011) and five novels. He is the co-creator and co-editor of “The Dead Man,” a monthly series of supernatural action thrillers published by Amazon’s 47North imprint.
Rabkin, adjunct assistant professor of screen and television writing at the University of California, Riverside-Palm Desert’s Low Residency MFA In Creative Writing and Writing for the Performing Arts, has lectured on television writing and production to writers, producers, and executives in Spain, Germany, Sweden, Norway, Belgium, The Netherlands and Brazil. He also currently teaches “Beginning Television Writing” and “Advanced Television Rewriting Workshop” for Screenwriters University.
William Rabkin has written and/or produced more than 300 hours of dramatic television. He served as showrunner on the long-running Dick Van Dyke mystery series “Diagnosis Murder” and on the action-adventure spectacle “Martial Law.” His many writing and producing credits include “The Glades,” “Monk,” “Psych, “Nero Wolfe,” “Missing,” “Spenser: For Hire,” “seaQuest 2032,” “Hunter” and “The Cosby Mysteries”. He has also written a dozen network TV pilots. His work has been nominated twice for the Edgar Award for best television episode by the Mystery Writers of America.
He has published two books on writing for television, Successful Television Writing (2003), with Lee Goldberg and Writing The Pilot (2011) and five novels. He is the co-creator and co-editor of “The Dead Man,” a monthly series of supernatural action thrillers published by Amazon’s 47North imprint.
Rabkin, adjunct assistant professor of screen and television writing at the University of California, Riverside-Palm Desert’s Low Residency MFA In Creative Writing and Writing for the Performing Arts, has lectured on television writing and production to writers, producers, and executives in Spain, Germany, Sweden, Norway, Belgium, The Netherlands and Brazil. He also currently teaches “Beginning Television Writing” and “Advanced Television Rewriting Workshop” for Screenwriters University.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 100 reviews
November 25, 2010
I'm going to repeat this review for all of the Psych books that I've read, since they're essentially all the same.
If you like the TV show, and it is one of my favorites, then the books aren't bad. Unfortunately, they're not very good either. I expected them to read more or less like an extended episode of the show, but they don't, really. Instead they almost entirely ignore the characters of Detectives Lassiter and O'Hara and focus pretty much exclusively on Shawn and Gus. Mostly Gus, actually, as the books are written almost entirely from his point of view. Shawn, of course, is the lead character on the show, and in my view, the most entertaining and interesting. In the books, he is almost a minor character at times. Worse, the author has made Gus very whiny and insecure; very different than on the show, and definitely a change for the worse.
But there are good points, too. The mysteries are mostly decent and the trademark humor, particularly the pop culture references, is there.
I'd recommend them if you REALLY like the TV show and have nothing better to read. Otherwise, pass.
If you like the TV show, and it is one of my favorites, then the books aren't bad. Unfortunately, they're not very good either. I expected them to read more or less like an extended episode of the show, but they don't, really. Instead they almost entirely ignore the characters of Detectives Lassiter and O'Hara and focus pretty much exclusively on Shawn and Gus. Mostly Gus, actually, as the books are written almost entirely from his point of view. Shawn, of course, is the lead character on the show, and in my view, the most entertaining and interesting. In the books, he is almost a minor character at times. Worse, the author has made Gus very whiny and insecure; very different than on the show, and definitely a change for the worse.
But there are good points, too. The mysteries are mostly decent and the trademark humor, particularly the pop culture references, is there.
I'd recommend them if you REALLY like the TV show and have nothing better to read. Otherwise, pass.
July 3, 2014
This was a really great story. Definitely had the vibe of Psych. It was perfect for me to read it now since I miss Psych so much. It had a great dynamic and the story kept me interested. I always to wanted to read more to finally find out who did it. I especially like the wilderness part. It reminded me a little bit of Agatha Christie's "And then there were none". So, if you liked that element you should definitely check that book out too.
The only thing it would have made it better, if it were Shawn's point of view. I get that was kind of impossible, because then we would have found out everything sooner, but still I was always curious what's going on inside his head.
The other thing that bother me were the few spelling mistakes and grammatical errors. I would expect those in a fanfiction, but not in a published book.
All in all it was a great stroy, perfect edition to Psych and just great to ease my pain that my favourite show is now over.
The only thing it would have made it better, if it were Shawn's point of view. I get that was kind of impossible, because then we would have found out everything sooner, but still I was always curious what's going on inside his head.
The other thing that bother me were the few spelling mistakes and grammatical errors. I would expect those in a fanfiction, but not in a published book.
All in all it was a great stroy, perfect edition to Psych and just great to ease my pain that my favourite show is now over.
October 19, 2023
I love how funny Shawn is in this book because this really reminds me of the series and how Shawn acts in the series.
Great book would read it again soon and also finally got the paperback version of four of them
Great book would read it again soon and also finally got the paperback version of four of them
April 10, 2020
Another novel and another wish that this story would be picturized as well. Nostalgia is one thing but this books have made me start the series again and I am already in the 2nd season of my rewatch of the entire series.
In this book things start one way but they veer wildly to the wild side as Shawn and Gus finds themselves on a mountaintop with bunch of lawyers one of whom is a killer as well. Well as always Shawn is right wrong and funny as the trend for these books it is again mostly focused on Shawn and Gus and told from Gus' perspective making things little bit different from the show.
If you have watched the show then definitely give these books a chance to jump back to the world of psych, read all 5 and then keep on reading.
People who don't read generally ask me my reasons for reading. Simply put I just love reading and so to that end I have made it my motto to just Keep on Reading. I love to read everything except for Self Help books but even those once in a while. I read almost all the genre but YA, Fantasy, Biographies are the most. My favorite series is, of course, Harry Potter but then there are many more books that I just adore. I have bookcases filled with books which are waiting to be read so can't stay and spend more time in this review, so remember I loved reading this and love reading more, you should also read what you love and then just Keep on Reading.
In this book things start one way but they veer wildly to the wild side as Shawn and Gus finds themselves on a mountaintop with bunch of lawyers one of whom is a killer as well. Well as always Shawn is right wrong and funny as the trend for these books it is again mostly focused on Shawn and Gus and told from Gus' perspective making things little bit different from the show.
If you have watched the show then definitely give these books a chance to jump back to the world of psych, read all 5 and then keep on reading.
People who don't read generally ask me my reasons for reading. Simply put I just love reading and so to that end I have made it my motto to just Keep on Reading. I love to read everything except for Self Help books but even those once in a while. I read almost all the genre but YA, Fantasy, Biographies are the most. My favorite series is, of course, Harry Potter but then there are many more books that I just adore. I have bookcases filled with books which are waiting to be read so can't stay and spend more time in this review, so remember I loved reading this and love reading more, you should also read what you love and then just Keep on Reading.
January 15, 2011
This was such a great book. I would recommend this to any Psych fan. William Rabkin does a wonderful job of capturing the Characters from the television show and translating them into this book. Were I must admit that Shawn and Gus are not the same as in the show; there is no way someone can fully capture what the actors bring to the characters.
The book was a very fast read and I found myself totally engrossed in the story line. While I read this on my Kindle app at work when I was bored, I flew through it. The plot is clever and fast paced, and I look forward to reading another Tie-in book. I love the show Psych and enjoy reading these books while I wait for the next season to start. To any one who is a fan of the show Psych, I would say this is a must read. For anyone who enjoys a fun easy read, pick one of these books up, sit back, and enjoy.
The book was a very fast read and I found myself totally engrossed in the story line. While I read this on my Kindle app at work when I was bored, I flew through it. The plot is clever and fast paced, and I look forward to reading another Tie-in book. I love the show Psych and enjoy reading these books while I wait for the next season to start. To any one who is a fan of the show Psych, I would say this is a must read. For anyone who enjoys a fun easy read, pick one of these books up, sit back, and enjoy.
November 14, 2011
Better than the last book. An eccentric billionaire head of a prestigious law firm hires Shawn and Gus to ferret out a murderer amongst his lawyers. He sends his team (Shawn and Gus, included undercover) to an isolated mountain-top and leaves them there. The team has to trek all the way down by themselves. Only one among them has the map and they're not telling. Shawn and Gus have to survive the perilous descent under the watchful eye of the murderer while making sure they're all not killed off one by one.
The book had an "And then there were none" feeling to it. Enjoyable.
The book had an "And then there were none" feeling to it. Enjoyable.
August 29, 2022
I AM MISSING THE END!!! It is very clearly a publisher/printing error but I am so... ARGHHHH!!
Updated 8/27/22:
So. I really enjoyed this, overall. Rabkin portrays Shawn and Gus in a very familiar way. I felt I could immerse myself in a nice, long episode of Psych. It was delightful and comfortable. Like others, I also felt this had a bit of inspiration from And Then There Were None.
However, the end is abrupt and leaves several loose ends. I’m still not convinced that was the actual end. I feel I’m missing 2-5 pages. It’s frustrating. 😣
Updated 8/27/22:
So. I really enjoyed this, overall. Rabkin portrays Shawn and Gus in a very familiar way. I felt I could immerse myself in a nice, long episode of Psych. It was delightful and comfortable. Like others, I also felt this had a bit of inspiration from And Then There Were None.
However, the end is abrupt and leaves several loose ends. I’m still not convinced that was the actual end. I feel I’m missing 2-5 pages. It’s frustrating. 😣
June 17, 2011
Laugh out loud funny in many places, a fun read.
September 21, 2018
Would you enjoy reading it again:
Yes. The book read just like a Psych episode: it was interesting, well thought out and funny - 5
Did you enjoy the plot:
Plot was amazing/ unique. I knew who the killer was all along but it kept on making me guess, and it remained interesting. The book did a good job keeping me entertained; and I could actually imagine Shawn and Gus actually saying this stuff- 5
Did you enjoy the writing style:
Not really. There was a lot of 'tell' rather than showing. It was written with a lot of similes, with is poor writing (in my mind). The major flaw about this book is the writing style... also, I found tons of spelling mistakes (around twenty in total throughout the book)- 2
Good ending?
It was what I expected but still entertaining. While it did keep me entertained and it was interesting, the ending what somewhat expected. It was a happy ending and I enjoyed that- I enjoyed the happy nature of the book - 3
Format: physical book (paperback)
Average rating: 3.75. Round up: 4 stars
Yes. The book read just like a Psych episode: it was interesting, well thought out and funny - 5
Did you enjoy the plot:
Plot was amazing/ unique. I knew who the killer was all along but it kept on making me guess, and it remained interesting. The book did a good job keeping me entertained; and I could actually imagine Shawn and Gus actually saying this stuff- 5
Did you enjoy the writing style:
Not really. There was a lot of 'tell' rather than showing. It was written with a lot of similes, with is poor writing (in my mind). The major flaw about this book is the writing style... also, I found tons of spelling mistakes (around twenty in total throughout the book)- 2
Good ending?
It was what I expected but still entertaining. While it did keep me entertained and it was interesting, the ending what somewhat expected. It was a happy ending and I enjoyed that- I enjoyed the happy nature of the book - 3
Format: physical book (paperback)
Average rating: 3.75. Round up: 4 stars
August 11, 2019
I had high expectations for this book, being a huge fan of the show. I was disappointed. The kind of humor that makes the show great is hard to translate to literary form, but even with that said it was still lacking in humor. Gus’s character is whiny and annoying, unlike the show, which changed the feel of the story. Also, Lassiter and Juliet were barely mentioned. I Thought that the ending was well done, but the rest of the story was strange, and didn’t feel like psych.
April 22, 2015
2.) Reread April 21, 2015
A thoroughly enjoyable reread, enhanced by the fact that I'd forgotten who the murderer was in the intervening five years. This is definitely my favorite of the Psych books -- good character development, fantastic setting, and quite a good mystery with some high stakes -- and I've no doubt I'll be rereading it again. Fun stuff.
==========================
1.) Read January 27, 2010
I have three requirements when it comes to tie-in novels: a well-written plot; that the characters behave the way they behave on the show/movie; and that there's internal action as well as external, or in other words, that the story isn't just fluff. It's important to me that we see something deeper about the characters, in who they are as people and in their relationships to each other; when I read a "Monk" book, for instance, it's all very well and good to have Monk hilariously freaking out on an airplane ("I need a Bible." / "You're not a religious man." / "If I'm about to meet God, I want to have His best-seller in hand.") -- but the reason I love Lee Goldberg's tie-in novels so much is because of the way he shows how much Monk and Natalie, for all their quibbling, care about each other; or because his encounter with a John-Edward-esque character shows us how much Trudy's death affected him and is affecting him still; or because solving a case with his brother gives Monk the chance to help build up his brother's confidence, which he does with love, in the end. I want the characters to behave the way they do on the show, and I want the plot to be _interesting_ -- but if the author drops the ball in getting the Story to _matter_, it doesn't matter how good the other two points are. I won't care.
This was my first "Psych" novel despite the fact that it's third in the series; the description on the back cover, however, made the book sound simply too impossibly fun for me to wait to read (even if it generally burns my soul to read/watch things out of order). Rabkin is actually a frequent writing partner of Lee Goldberg's -- the two of them have penned episodes of both "Monk" and "Psych" -- and so, as with Goldberg's "Monk" novels, we are given a line of books by an author who has actually written scripts for the show the books are based on.
Which may be why, like the "Monk" books, I found the "Psych" books to be spot-on in their characterization. Shawn is Shawn, Gus is Gus (and, indeed, since the book was primarily from Gus's point of view, we got some treatful insights into his character), and Shawn's father Henry is _delightfully_ Shawn's father -- his scenes were some of my favorite in the book. Lassiter was also spot-on, though due to the nature of the plot he couldn't be featured in more than a few scenes; and O'Hara was in the book only two or three times, so I can't really say if I found her to be in-character or not -- which is fine, given, again, the nature of the plot.
The plot itself was interesting -- a sort of Boston-Legalized version of Christie's "And Then There Were None." If I was mildly disappointed in the plot, I think it's because the back copy of the book makes it sound like it's something it's not. While they do spend half the book traipsing around the woods, they do only spend _half_ the book there -- and when they're there, they're not so much complaining about dealing with freeze-dried pineapple as they are trying to unmask a killer before anyone else (including, perhaps, one of them) dies. I wish I could have read the book without back-cover expectations, because I feel I can't fairly say how I found the pacing to be; I was busy waiting for the story I'd read summarized to kick into gear, and so when it turned out to really be a different story (albeit a good one), it was too late to read it more objectively. Whoever wrote that back copy should be FIRED.
(Well, I generally make it a policy _not to read_ the back covers of books if I've already decided I want to read the book, because if I already KNOW I want to read it, why risk the spoilers?? So I suppose that this will teach me ... :P)
But for all that, "Psych" achieved the single most important thing to me: meaning. It was _about_ something, something that made the mystery more than just a puzzle to be solved, but turned it into something with high stakes and high costs. I loved Gus not being able to meet Shawn's eyes when they were being held hostage (but not for the reasons you'd think), and I loved Shawn offering to drop the case for Gus's sake, and I _really_ loved the final reveal of Shawn's recurring nightmare -- that was _brilliant_, and the perfect example of the ... the _more_ that I need in all my stories. The ending had me tearing up a bit.
And it's also worth mentioning that this is the _funniest_ book I've read in quite some time. More than that -- I'm sure I've laughed just as hard (and just as often) at Dave Barry's non-fiction books ... but this has to be the funniest _novel_ I have ever read. The scene with the mime was absolutely priceless.
So, a good book, well-recommended to any "Psych" fan (or possibly even to those of you who are not), and I'm looking forward to going back to the beginning and catching up on the next two books.
A thoroughly enjoyable reread, enhanced by the fact that I'd forgotten who the murderer was in the intervening five years. This is definitely my favorite of the Psych books -- good character development, fantastic setting, and quite a good mystery with some high stakes -- and I've no doubt I'll be rereading it again. Fun stuff.
==========================
1.) Read January 27, 2010
I have three requirements when it comes to tie-in novels: a well-written plot; that the characters behave the way they behave on the show/movie; and that there's internal action as well as external, or in other words, that the story isn't just fluff. It's important to me that we see something deeper about the characters, in who they are as people and in their relationships to each other; when I read a "Monk" book, for instance, it's all very well and good to have Monk hilariously freaking out on an airplane ("I need a Bible." / "You're not a religious man." / "If I'm about to meet God, I want to have His best-seller in hand.") -- but the reason I love Lee Goldberg's tie-in novels so much is because of the way he shows how much Monk and Natalie, for all their quibbling, care about each other; or because his encounter with a John-Edward-esque character shows us how much Trudy's death affected him and is affecting him still; or because solving a case with his brother gives Monk the chance to help build up his brother's confidence, which he does with love, in the end. I want the characters to behave the way they do on the show, and I want the plot to be _interesting_ -- but if the author drops the ball in getting the Story to _matter_, it doesn't matter how good the other two points are. I won't care.
This was my first "Psych" novel despite the fact that it's third in the series; the description on the back cover, however, made the book sound simply too impossibly fun for me to wait to read (even if it generally burns my soul to read/watch things out of order). Rabkin is actually a frequent writing partner of Lee Goldberg's -- the two of them have penned episodes of both "Monk" and "Psych" -- and so, as with Goldberg's "Monk" novels, we are given a line of books by an author who has actually written scripts for the show the books are based on.
Which may be why, like the "Monk" books, I found the "Psych" books to be spot-on in their characterization. Shawn is Shawn, Gus is Gus (and, indeed, since the book was primarily from Gus's point of view, we got some treatful insights into his character), and Shawn's father Henry is _delightfully_ Shawn's father -- his scenes were some of my favorite in the book. Lassiter was also spot-on, though due to the nature of the plot he couldn't be featured in more than a few scenes; and O'Hara was in the book only two or three times, so I can't really say if I found her to be in-character or not -- which is fine, given, again, the nature of the plot.
The plot itself was interesting -- a sort of Boston-Legalized version of Christie's "And Then There Were None." If I was mildly disappointed in the plot, I think it's because the back copy of the book makes it sound like it's something it's not. While they do spend half the book traipsing around the woods, they do only spend _half_ the book there -- and when they're there, they're not so much complaining about dealing with freeze-dried pineapple as they are trying to unmask a killer before anyone else (including, perhaps, one of them) dies. I wish I could have read the book without back-cover expectations, because I feel I can't fairly say how I found the pacing to be; I was busy waiting for the story I'd read summarized to kick into gear, and so when it turned out to really be a different story (albeit a good one), it was too late to read it more objectively. Whoever wrote that back copy should be FIRED.
(Well, I generally make it a policy _not to read_ the back covers of books if I've already decided I want to read the book, because if I already KNOW I want to read it, why risk the spoilers?? So I suppose that this will teach me ... :P)
But for all that, "Psych" achieved the single most important thing to me: meaning. It was _about_ something, something that made the mystery more than just a puzzle to be solved, but turned it into something with high stakes and high costs. I loved Gus not being able to meet Shawn's eyes when they were being held hostage (but not for the reasons you'd think), and I loved Shawn offering to drop the case for Gus's sake, and I _really_ loved the final reveal of Shawn's recurring nightmare -- that was _brilliant_, and the perfect example of the ... the _more_ that I need in all my stories. The ending had me tearing up a bit.
And it's also worth mentioning that this is the _funniest_ book I've read in quite some time. More than that -- I'm sure I've laughed just as hard (and just as often) at Dave Barry's non-fiction books ... but this has to be the funniest _novel_ I have ever read. The scene with the mime was absolutely priceless.
So, a good book, well-recommended to any "Psych" fan (or possibly even to those of you who are not), and I'm looking forward to going back to the beginning and catching up on the next two books.
July 15, 2018
In certain places the books simply dragged and some of Shawn's shenanigans were rather obnoxious. What I truly loved was that one heart to heart Shawn and Gus had in the woods, almost at the end of the book. That was sweet.
July 26, 2025
Psych the novel? And there’s more in the series whaaaaat
The story played out as if I was watching a bonus episode of one of the best shows of all time! More Psych in any format will always be the answer! You know that’s right!!!
The story played out as if I was watching a bonus episode of one of the best shows of all time! More Psych in any format will always be the answer! You know that’s right!!!
September 13, 2020
With the show no longer being in production, I love reading these books. It's like getting a bonus episode.
July 8, 2025
2.5 stars
October 9, 2025
Loved the series! Loving the books.
May 21, 2022
I was confused for most of this book to be honest
March 27, 2024
Lacks the zip and immediacy of the TV show, of course, but an enjoyable enough mystery.
December 7, 2022
This book is ALMOST terrible... ALMOST.
This time around Rabkin manages to capture (to a small extent) the feel of the characters -- The last Psych book I read completely failed to find ways to demonstrate Shawn's ability to see clues and pick up on them. This time around, Rabkin captures that to a very small measure.. but refuses to really use it to solve the mystery.
He captures much of the patter between Shawn and Gus-- he manages to make Shawn look like an idiot (which he does most of the time) and that works well. In fact, he even manages to poke fun at several television programs and that was a bit fun.
However, he slips downhill-- when Gus is placed in the wilderness that is like one of his greatest fears, and Gus practically overcomes his fear immediately.
Gus and Shawn wind up on a lawyer's retreat with a killer, and like an old Agatha Christie novel one by one they are killed in some manner. However, Rabkin handles the reveal poorly and the climax of the novel fails to have a "book-Em Dano" or an "AHA!" moment.
Still.. portions of the novel were fun (the reason I didn't rate it as one star. Henry (Shawn's Father) participating in a Rock and Roll camp was a great idea. The Mime stuff was a bit iffy-- and the helicopter sounded really cool...
Overall.. very disappointing
This time around Rabkin manages to capture (to a small extent) the feel of the characters -- The last Psych book I read completely failed to find ways to demonstrate Shawn's ability to see clues and pick up on them. This time around, Rabkin captures that to a very small measure.. but refuses to really use it to solve the mystery.
He captures much of the patter between Shawn and Gus-- he manages to make Shawn look like an idiot (which he does most of the time) and that works well. In fact, he even manages to poke fun at several television programs and that was a bit fun.
However, he slips downhill-- when Gus is placed in the wilderness that is like one of his greatest fears, and Gus practically overcomes his fear immediately.
Gus and Shawn wind up on a lawyer's retreat with a killer, and like an old Agatha Christie novel one by one they are killed in some manner. However, Rabkin handles the reveal poorly and the climax of the novel fails to have a "book-Em Dano" or an "AHA!" moment.
Still.. portions of the novel were fun (the reason I didn't rate it as one star. Henry (Shawn's Father) participating in a Rock and Roll camp was a great idea. The Mime stuff was a bit iffy-- and the helicopter sounded really cool...
Overall.. very disappointing
February 11, 2010
I love William Rabkin's Psych novels. He writes the characters so well that I can see James Roday and Dule Hill act the story out in my mind.
That's one of the signs (for me) of a great book, that I forget I'm reading and see the whole thing as a movie in my head.
On that note the book was kind of ruined when I was pulled out of my little movie world at the reference to the wrong ST:TOS movie at the climatic end.
For anyone who loves Psych they will know about the hilarious pop culture references flung back and forth between Shawn and Gus. Myself being born and raised in Australia I miss about half the references, but to me that's OK if I'm that curious I could always Google them at a later date.
I am a fan of Star Trek so when Shawn starts quote Wrath of Khan I know what his talking about. In this instance however I know it's not correct.
-This is the spoiler bit-
With Gus hanging off a cliff and killer hanging off his ankle, that is a perfect reference to Kirk and Kruge in Search for Spock, not Wrath of Khan where Kirk and Khan are never in the same room, especially for the quoted "Khhhhaaaaaannnnnnn" line in the book.
On the whole I loved the book, but the ending completely threw me off and now leaves me slightly dissatisfied.
That's one of the signs (for me) of a great book, that I forget I'm reading and see the whole thing as a movie in my head.
On that note the book was kind of ruined when I was pulled out of my little movie world at the reference to the wrong ST:TOS movie at the climatic end.
For anyone who loves Psych they will know about the hilarious pop culture references flung back and forth between Shawn and Gus. Myself being born and raised in Australia I miss about half the references, but to me that's OK if I'm that curious I could always Google them at a later date.
I am a fan of Star Trek so when Shawn starts quote Wrath of Khan I know what his talking about. In this instance however I know it's not correct.
-This is the spoiler bit-
With Gus hanging off a cliff and killer hanging off his ankle, that is a perfect reference to Kirk and Kruge in Search for Spock, not Wrath of Khan where Kirk and Khan are never in the same room, especially for the quoted "Khhhhaaaaaannnnnnn" line in the book.
On the whole I loved the book, but the ending completely threw me off and now leaves me slightly dissatisfied.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 24, 2018
Rereading books can be fun, for many reasons. Especially if you liked the book in the first or previous readings, and do not have instant recall of the entire book when you start a new rereading. On the other hand, I believe my lack of remembrance, for the most part lack of remembrance of the story-line here, is due less to the great number of years and books between first reading and this rereading, and more because the book itself is kind of . . . to put it bluntly . . . boring.
On the other hand – I believe I enjoyed the sub-plot involving Psych’s father and the ‘foot cop’ more this time than I did in the previous reading. On the other hand, I think I enjoyed the Gus and Shawn story, plot line, more in the first go around. A good deal of, maybe all of the humor that I know I noticed before (since I spotted a few times when I had previously laughed), just didn’t hit me as humorous this time. At least in regard to Shawn and Gus’s story.
Decent enough book. Seemed like an Episode of Psych. Just not an exciting episode of Psych.
Rating: 3
April 24 2018
On the other hand – I believe I enjoyed the sub-plot involving Psych’s father and the ‘foot cop’ more this time than I did in the previous reading. On the other hand, I think I enjoyed the Gus and Shawn story, plot line, more in the first go around. A good deal of, maybe all of the humor that I know I noticed before (since I spotted a few times when I had previously laughed), just didn’t hit me as humorous this time. At least in regard to Shawn and Gus’s story.
Decent enough book. Seemed like an Episode of Psych. Just not an exciting episode of Psych.
Rating: 3
April 24 2018
September 8, 2017
Psych is one of my favorite TV shows, and I thought
A Mind is a Terrible Thing to Read
was better than a typical television tie-in novel, but this one just wasn't as good. The plot was a little hard to follow, a flaw made worse by suspects who were barely indistinguishable from each other and obscure pop culture references used to make key points in dialogue.
Read
August 19, 2025Thank you Mr. Rabkin for writing anther fun-filled Pych tale with my super hero friends Shawn and Gus. The mild and well intentioned Shawn, Gus, and Henry teach us some interesting lessons in loyalty, trust, commitment, and the importance of having fun in spite of the anger and resentment that others around you may be experiencing. My hope is that you will be able to enjoy this wacky mystery at a time when you just need to put your feet up and enjoy a good book.
September 25, 2017
Not my favorite psych book. It was loosely based on "and then there were none", which I did not enjoy. When I pick up a book based on the tv show psych, I expect it to be fun and enjoyable WITHOUT mass murder. Not the best read
October 26, 2020
I enjoyed the banter between Gus and Shawn (like in the TV show) and all the movie references. I thought is was really wild and fun. It was hilarious. I laughed out loud many times. I look forward to reading more of the series.
November 10, 2017
Love the characters from the TV show. Plot was pretty good but the ending was a little anticlimactic.
December 26, 2019
William Rabkin’s, Psych: The Call of the Mild plants us on another phsyicic episode induced journey with our favorite characters from the show, Shawn and Gus. Tasked with retrieving a stolen necklace, Shawn and Gus follow their leads and misguided instincts, only to return empty handed and find their client deceased. Following tracks to a Law Firm, they are excited to learn that the owner is aware of the situation and wants to send them on a company retreat with the other lawyers to figure out who the real killer is. Unfortunately for Shawn and Gus, they didn’t read the retreat itinerary and are dropped off on the side of a mountain, have their phones confiscated, and one amongst them is a killer. Can Shawn and Gus pull their wits together and solve this case before it turns them cold?
I enjoyed this book! It is filled with humor, emotion, and though its told mainly from Gus’s point of view, I argue that it made the book even stronger. Keeping our distance from Shawn really helps solidify his character.
There are two negative aspects of this book, one unavoidable, one potential. The first, is something that I can only speak to having watched the show more than once, is that someone picking up the book without any exposure to Shawn and Gus wont have the intimacy needed to make this novel fleshed out. Many of the gags and jokes are classic Shawn and Gus bits, that one wouldn’t know without having watched the show and I feel like that could detract from the reading experience. Although, most would presume that those reading this book have already watched the show. Either way, this is a potential issue. The second, and more problematic, is directly related to time, and that is pop culture references. The issue with making pop culture references is that the more time that passes between when you write the material and the time when the reader reads the book, the less connective tissue there will be for those jokes. Thus, some of the jokes went over my head, because I didn’t know what they were referring to.
The pros, however, far outweigh the cons. Shawn and Gus together, is the best duo together since butter and bread, and the translation from screen to paper doesn’t lose any of that magic. It truly feels like you are just watching another episode of the show.
Point in case: “You’re not supposed to remember that,” Shawn said. “It’s been clearly demonstrated in every movie ever made that when you’re knocked out with a rock and someone tells you that you feinted, you always believe it. I think it has something to do with short-term memory. Or rocks.”
In summary, this novel contains great value for those who have watched the TV show but falls short in some comedic areas as the Pop Culture references are lost. Even for those who aren’t steeped in the Psych lore, this is a book worth picking up as it doubles a nice mystery.
For a funny and wonderful new adventure with the characters we love, I rate this book a 3.5/5
I enjoyed this book! It is filled with humor, emotion, and though its told mainly from Gus’s point of view, I argue that it made the book even stronger. Keeping our distance from Shawn really helps solidify his character.
There are two negative aspects of this book, one unavoidable, one potential. The first, is something that I can only speak to having watched the show more than once, is that someone picking up the book without any exposure to Shawn and Gus wont have the intimacy needed to make this novel fleshed out. Many of the gags and jokes are classic Shawn and Gus bits, that one wouldn’t know without having watched the show and I feel like that could detract from the reading experience. Although, most would presume that those reading this book have already watched the show. Either way, this is a potential issue. The second, and more problematic, is directly related to time, and that is pop culture references. The issue with making pop culture references is that the more time that passes between when you write the material and the time when the reader reads the book, the less connective tissue there will be for those jokes. Thus, some of the jokes went over my head, because I didn’t know what they were referring to.
The pros, however, far outweigh the cons. Shawn and Gus together, is the best duo together since butter and bread, and the translation from screen to paper doesn’t lose any of that magic. It truly feels like you are just watching another episode of the show.
Point in case: “You’re not supposed to remember that,” Shawn said. “It’s been clearly demonstrated in every movie ever made that when you’re knocked out with a rock and someone tells you that you feinted, you always believe it. I think it has something to do with short-term memory. Or rocks.”
In summary, this novel contains great value for those who have watched the TV show but falls short in some comedic areas as the Pop Culture references are lost. Even for those who aren’t steeped in the Psych lore, this is a book worth picking up as it doubles a nice mystery.
For a funny and wonderful new adventure with the characters we love, I rate this book a 3.5/5
June 5, 2021
Rating: 2 stars.
This was one of my least favorite of the Psych books. It dragged on. A lot. There was also a lot of pointless side tracks the case took that wasn't necessary, this book didn't need to be over 250 pages it could have easily been a solid 200 or even in the 100 page range. It seemed the author dragged the story on just to hit the 250 page goals.
I do wish the books were from Shawn's point of view instead of Gus'. I know the show followed Shawn's view and the book wanted to give Gus some spotlight but I think it would have been a lot better for the books to be in Shawn's POV. It would have made a lot more sense.
This was one of my least favorite of the Psych books. It dragged on. A lot. There was also a lot of pointless side tracks the case took that wasn't necessary, this book didn't need to be over 250 pages it could have easily been a solid 200 or even in the 100 page range. It seemed the author dragged the story on just to hit the 250 page goals.
I do wish the books were from Shawn's point of view instead of Gus'. I know the show followed Shawn's view and the book wanted to give Gus some spotlight but I think it would have been a lot better for the books to be in Shawn's POV. It would have made a lot more sense.
January 20, 2024
Why I'm interested in this book at the first place
My second Psych reading in the series.
What do I think of this book... now that I've done reading it
Equally entertaining. Shawn and Gus were hired by an organization regarding a possible corporate espionage - and to solve it, they're required to participate in a bonding retreat in the wilderness.
+
Shawn and Gus' coping mechanism and their sheer will to survive in the woods. It is implied that camping is not their forte; and they're suffering.
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🍍
-
I still don't get the motivation of the antagonist. Like, why?
Get this
If you're a die-hard fan of Psych, the tv series.
My second Psych reading in the series.
What do I think of this book... now that I've done reading it
Equally entertaining. Shawn and Gus were hired by an organization regarding a possible corporate espionage - and to solve it, they're required to participate in a bonding retreat in the wilderness.
+
Shawn and Gus' coping mechanism and their sheer will to survive in the woods. It is implied that camping is not their forte; and they're suffering.
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🍍
-
I still don't get the motivation of the antagonist. Like, why?
Get this
If you're a die-hard fan of Psych, the tv series.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 100 reviews