Blind Spot

by Barbara A. Shapiro, B.A. Shapiro

"A terrific, terrifying, ripping read'this is a thriller you won't put down. Shapiro is the new queen of suspense."
--Deborah Crombie, author of Dreaming of the Bones

With two college-bound teenagers and a pile of past-due bills, Suki Jacobs finally has the case that could make her career as a forensic psychologist: evaluating the sanity of Lindsey Kern, a convicted murderer claiming to be innocent'and clairvoyant. Awaiting a new trial, Suki's professional judgment could free Lindsey'who insists the real killer was a ghost'or find her criminally insane for life.

This complex case soon takes an eerie similarity in Suki's own life when her 17-year-old daughter, Alexa, has a premonition that her ex-boyfriend is dead. The very next day the boy is murdered'and Alexa becomes the main suspect. Desperate to prove her daughter's innocence, Suki will turn everywhere for answers except to Lindsey, the one woman whose own haunted past and psychic insights might save Alexa. Can Suki go beyond the boundaries of her own reality to see the truth ... before it's too late?

"Put Blind Spot at the top of your nighttime reading list, though I have a feeling you'll be keeping the bedroom light on long after you close the covers of this book."
--Jeremiah Healy, author of The Only Good Lawyer and Invasion of Privacy

Genres: Mystery

432 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

About the author

AKA B.A. Shapiro and Barbara Shapiro.

I am the author of six novels (The Art Forger, The Safe Room, Blind Spot, See No Evil, Blameless and Shattered Echoes), four screenplays (Blind Spot, The Lost Coven, Borderline and Shattered Echoes) and the non-fiction book, The Big Squeeze. In my previous career incarnations, I have directed research projects for a residential substance abuse facility, worked as a systems analyst/statistician, headed the Boston office of a software development firm, and served as an adjunct professor teaching sociology at Tufts University and creative writing at Northeastern University. I like being a novelist the best.

I began my writing career when I quit my high-pressure job after the birth of my second child. Nervous about what to do next, I said to my mother, "If I'm not playing at being superwoman anymore, I don't know who I am." My mother answered with the question: "If you had one year to live, how would you want to spend it?" The answer: write a novel and spend more time with my children. And that's exactly what I did. Smart mother.

After writing six novels and raising my children, I now live in Boston with my husband Dan and my dog Sagan. And yes, I'm working on yet another novel but have no plans to raise any more children.

Reviews

[Catten · Rating 4 out of 5]

Barbara Shapiro's book, Blind Spot, doesn't pit a detective against the bad guy, but a mother against her teenage daughter's accusers. Before you wave your hand and turn away with a "Bo-ring," at least consider that the writing is crisp and fresh. Er, I didn't intend to make it sound like a salad. But the writing is very good and the characters are intriguing.

I generally don't get into books about ghosts (Island of the Sequined Love Nun is the exception), ESP, or the paranormal. But Suki Jacobs, the main character, is a forensic psychologist who denies such things exist, making it okay to be skeptical. She isn't perfect, she isn't beautiful, she isn't a pathetic victim. She's just a single mom doing her job and raising two kids in a small town. This is a sympathetic character who makes mistakes, loses her cool, questions her motivations. She's real. Her daughter is moody in that aggravatingly normal teenage way.

Suki picks up a case than might be just the thing to put her ahead of the bills piling up on the desk - she is asked to assess the sanity of a murderess who claims to have seen a ghost commit the crime. Unfortunately, Suki's daughter Alexa has just had an inexplicable "vision" - that comes true. So Suki's torn - who's insane? Who's not? And the vision Alexa had is that of a murder. Things are complicated by the politics in a small town and loyalties are tested as fingers start pointing at Alexa as the perpetrator.

Shapiro approaches the mother-daughter relationship with a frankness I've not experienced. There are harsh words and awkward apologies. Suki has to confront the truth that her daughter isn't the perfect kid she'd believed her to be. But this isn't done in that sepia-toned, heartwarming way that Girl Movies are made. It's real. It's honest.

Suki takes matters into her own hands (you have to expect that) and it's kind of cool to read about a character who isn't prepared for every eventuality. She finds several times that she has no idea what she's doing or how to get what she wants, but she blunders forward until she finds her way. To me, this is more real and more inspiring than the hero characters who do everything just right and always have adrenaline-pounding action jumping out from every corner.

And if you like those books where you have to figure out which person is really the bad guy, you'll like Blind Spot.

[Ferne (Enthusiastic Reader) · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Reality is at the edges of your awareness, you just need to let yourself turn sideways a bit to see it."

After reading "The Art Forger" and "The Muralist" I wanted to read some earlier novels by this author. The writing style in "Blind Spot" is totally different and I would have never guessed that it was written by B.A. Shapiro. That said, it was a riveting read from cover-to-cover. I was unaware of the role of a forensic psychologist and that alone was eye-opening. I highly recommend this novel not only to those with an interest in the paranormal but it's a great introduction to all who have questions and are open to expanding their own universe of thinking.

[Rosemary Dreyer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointing. After reading The Art Forger, a great book, I was intrigued to read more by this author. I turned to an earlier book and have to say the writing differences were startling. In this book, Blind Spot, the storyline is repetitive and often unbelievable. The characters, while under duress, still behave erratically and unrealistically. I never really cared for any of them as they weren't written with any sense of depth. I was quite unimpressed by this earlier novel.

[Joyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read 3 books by this author, “The Art Forger”, “ Metropolis” , and “The Muralist” and enjoyed all of them. So I decided to try this one, “Blind Spot”, one of her earlier novels published in 1998. WOW! I was blown away! So different from the three others I read. This is a terrifying, suspense-filled, psychological thriller, and definitely a page-turner . I loved every minute reading it.
The story takes place in Boston ( where the author lives so she is very familiar with the city), and involves 2 murders which are not connected but are intertwined in the story because of similar circumstances involved in both cases. The main character is Suki Jacobs, who is a forensic psychologist. A prisoner, who she is asked to do an evaluation on, is involved in one murder, and her teenage daughter is involved in the other murder. Circumstances in both murders involve the paranormal and have you questioning your own beliefs about clairvoyance and precognition.
If you want to extend your vision and are willing to expand your mind and way of thinking, this book definitely provides food for thought.
And even if you’re not into that, this book hold it’s own as a great thriller with superb writing!

[Diana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not the best thing I have read by Ms. Shapiro.
This effort is slightly ridiculous, seriously implausible and not very sophisiticated in terms of craft. I like the art books - and the one about the storage facility vastly better.
Suki is a PhD -- and a completely unhinged, unprofessional psychologist with sever boundary issues. SHe also appears to be a horrible parent. Living ina 21st century fancy Boston bedroom comunity run by a cabal of powerful men. Yeah, try The Art Forger, give this one a pass!

[Katie Crommett · Rating 2 out of 5]

Glad to have the theme of the unknown amidst science and law, but the storytelling was clunky. There were characters that were a big part of the story but had lots of holes in them. The main character Suki drove me nuts. How could one woman juggle all of these things? Oh right - it was the 90s. It kept me turning pages though because I wanted to see the reveal. But as a piece of writing, it didn’t inspire me.

[Marti · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of twist & turns, & I had lots of questions. I liked seeing more of Lindsey from another book by this author.

[Andy Plonka · Rating 3 out of 5]

If read when it was first published, it might have shocked me more, but substance abuse has become almost ordinary in today's world (sadly)

[J.B. Siewers · Rating 3 out of 5]

Page turner but a bit over the top and transitions were not well thought out. Interesting subject, E.S.P. Weak ending.

[Allison · Rating 3 out of 5]

Long, dragged on, strained credibility. Dated, but that’s okay. Prefer her later books about the art world.

[Arla Allen · Rating 2 out of 5]

A slow and meandering stories. I found myself skimming a lot.

[Sandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

With two college-bound teenagers and a pile of past-due bills, Suki Jacobs finally has the case that could make her career as a forensic psychologist: evaluating the sanity of Lindsey Kern, a convicted murderer claiming to be innocent'and clairvoyant. Awaiting a new trial, Suki's professional judgment could free Lindsey'who insists the real killer was a ghost'or find her criminally insane for life.

This complex case soon takes an eerie similarity in Suki's own life when her 17-year-old daughter, Alexa, has a premonition that her ex-boyfriend is dead. The very next day the boy is murdered'and Alexa becomes the main suspect. Desperate to prove her daughter's innocence, Suki will turn everywhere for answers except to Lindsey, the one woman whose own haunted past and psychic insights might save Alexa. Can Suki go beyond the boundaries of her own reality to see the truth ... before it's too late?

"Put Blind Spot at the top of your nighttime reading list, though I have a feeling you'll be keeping the bedroom light on long after you close the covers of this book."
--Jeremiah Healy, author of The Only Good Lawyer and Invasion of Privacy

[Les · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is about a single mother who has two children. The daughter is a very bright teenager but had problems with drugs and had a abortion. Her mother new nothing about this and the daughter is accused of murder. It is a very good read and if you have children, you can understand the troubles this single mother goes through. I don't want to give anything away, but the mother is a psychologist and a women who is in prison holds the key to the murder as a physic.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've read a couple of other books with this theme --- parent struggling with whether teenage child is a murderer --- and liked them better. The psychologist mother was an interesting touch, but the first third was peppered with too many names, so I spent my time wondering who the author was talking about rather than whodunit.

[Pat Albu · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this after being totally engrossed by The Art Forger," but I was disappointed. The idea of the psychologist mother trying to protect her teenage daughter was intriguing, but the story rambled along - too long. And the citations about forensic psychology were ridiculously long and repetitive. The actual mystery of who killed Jonah was the best part of he story.

[Patricia Goodman · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't like this book as much as her other book, The Art Forger. The story was interesting and shows what length a mother will go through for her child. A good read where I was expecting a great read.

[Ginny · Rating 4 out of 5]

interesting little paperback suspense novel. A little slow in the beginning but it grabs you in and beware you'll stay up to all hours to finish it!

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could not put this book down. Read it in two days!