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A Very Simple Crime
A murdered woman. A grieving husband. And their son-a mentally handicapped adult with a history of violent outbursts. A very simple case. Or is it?
Leo Hewitt, an Assistant DA once blamed for setting free a notorious child-killer, is eager to redeem himself with this intimate and grisly crime. As he digs below the surface he discovers more than he ever anticipated-including an emotionally disturbed wife, a husband who'd do anything to escape his disastrous marriage, and an accused young man with no apparent means of defense. But with each shocking new revelation, Leo is only led deeper and deeper into the darkness-an inescapable trap of blood bonds and twisted family secrets.
Leo Hewitt, an Assistant DA once blamed for setting free a notorious child-killer, is eager to redeem himself with this intimate and grisly crime. As he digs below the surface he discovers more than he ever anticipated-including an emotionally disturbed wife, a husband who'd do anything to escape his disastrous marriage, and an accused young man with no apparent means of defense. But with each shocking new revelation, Leo is only led deeper and deeper into the darkness-an inescapable trap of blood bonds and twisted family secrets.
264 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
13 people are currently reading
747 people want to read
About the author
Grant Jerkins
11 books96 followersGrant Jerkins is the author of THE NINTH STEP and AT THE END OF THE ROAD. Winner of the Writers Network Screenplay and Fiction Competition (the Fade In Awards), his first novel, A VERY SIMPLE CRIME, was selected from well over two-thousand entries to take the top honors, and has since been optioned for film.
Grant lives with his wife and son in the Atlanta area.
http://www.grantjerkins.com
Grant lives with his wife and son in the Atlanta area.
http://www.grantjerkins.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 149 reviews
April 11, 2012
A wealthy woman is killed and all signs point to her mentally disturbed son. Disgraced attourney Leo Hewitt uncovers new evidence pointing to the woman's unhappy husband. Can Leo help the DA's office put him away?
I won this book in a Firstreads giveaway and didn't realize it was a legal thriller. Yawn city, right? Well, it turned out to be a lot better than the dreary courtroom drama I was expecting.
Jerkins uses shifting viewpoints to his advantage. Adam Lee, the suspect, has his part of the story told in the first person while the rest is told in the third person, primarily from the point of view of Leo Hewitt. This works to Jerkins' advantage. While I was pretty sure what was going on from the beginning, he had me doubting myself quite a few times.
The characters were well drawn, in my opinion. Leo's desire to regain his lost position was fairly powerful. Monty Lee seemed like a douchebag attourney and Paula's drive to get to the top was also pretty convincing. Adam Lee, the conflicted suspect, was both sympathetic and repugnant at the same time. Plumbing his past was good for some foreshadowing of the future.
The story was a page turner. I kept waiting for pieces of evidence to surface or be tossed out. I thought I knew what the final twist was going to be but I wound up being off by a few degrees.
While this book didn't change my views on legal thrillers, it was definitely worth a few hours of reading. Recommended for when you need a quick read with some twists.
I won this book in a Firstreads giveaway and didn't realize it was a legal thriller. Yawn city, right? Well, it turned out to be a lot better than the dreary courtroom drama I was expecting.
Jerkins uses shifting viewpoints to his advantage. Adam Lee, the suspect, has his part of the story told in the first person while the rest is told in the third person, primarily from the point of view of Leo Hewitt. This works to Jerkins' advantage. While I was pretty sure what was going on from the beginning, he had me doubting myself quite a few times.
The characters were well drawn, in my opinion. Leo's desire to regain his lost position was fairly powerful. Monty Lee seemed like a douchebag attourney and Paula's drive to get to the top was also pretty convincing. Adam Lee, the conflicted suspect, was both sympathetic and repugnant at the same time. Plumbing his past was good for some foreshadowing of the future.
The story was a page turner. I kept waiting for pieces of evidence to surface or be tossed out. I thought I knew what the final twist was going to be but I wound up being off by a few degrees.
While this book didn't change my views on legal thrillers, it was definitely worth a few hours of reading. Recommended for when you need a quick read with some twists.
November 28, 2015
A Very Simple Crime by Grant Jerkins was a well-paced, well-written detective story with a satisfying plot, interesting characters, and just enough twists to keep the reader's interest alert.
Adam and his brother Monty are close, in that terminally ambivalent way that brothers so often seem to be. Orphaned at an early age, Adam looks to Monty for protection and Monty plays the sophisticated elder brother role well. A successful criminal attorney, Monty loses himself in both the law and the pleasures offered by many women.
Adam, on the other hand, has married once and stayed loyal to his wife, a woman who mental state was fragile to begin with and deteriorates badly after their son is discovered to be developmentally disabled. Devoting her life to her son, she is able to help him become functional beyond the imaginings of any of the doctors who first diagnosed him. Sadly, she cannot prevent him from having explosive outburst as a teen that lead to his injury of her, long-term hospitalization and finally, in the course of an argument with a roommate, an episode of violence that ends any hope of "normalization" for him or his mother who withdraws into complete reclusiveness. Upon the death of his wife's father, Adam is left extremely wealthy but imprisoned within his wife increasingly psychotic love.
Parallel to this story is that of the Assistant Deputy Prosecuting Attorney: an invented title for a man who was once the rising star of the district attorney's office. By insisting on behaving with integrity, Leo has destroyed his career as well as allowing a child murderer to go free long enough to murder another child.
Adam is looking for one last chance at freedom. Leo is looking for one last chance at redemption.
The two are set on a collision course.
Recommended: For all who enjoy well-written crime fiction, desperate family drama, political maneuverings and the quest for-along with the possible sacrifice of-justice.
Adam and his brother Monty are close, in that terminally ambivalent way that brothers so often seem to be. Orphaned at an early age, Adam looks to Monty for protection and Monty plays the sophisticated elder brother role well. A successful criminal attorney, Monty loses himself in both the law and the pleasures offered by many women.
Adam, on the other hand, has married once and stayed loyal to his wife, a woman who mental state was fragile to begin with and deteriorates badly after their son is discovered to be developmentally disabled. Devoting her life to her son, she is able to help him become functional beyond the imaginings of any of the doctors who first diagnosed him. Sadly, she cannot prevent him from having explosive outburst as a teen that lead to his injury of her, long-term hospitalization and finally, in the course of an argument with a roommate, an episode of violence that ends any hope of "normalization" for him or his mother who withdraws into complete reclusiveness. Upon the death of his wife's father, Adam is left extremely wealthy but imprisoned within his wife increasingly psychotic love.
Parallel to this story is that of the Assistant Deputy Prosecuting Attorney: an invented title for a man who was once the rising star of the district attorney's office. By insisting on behaving with integrity, Leo has destroyed his career as well as allowing a child murderer to go free long enough to murder another child.
Adam is looking for one last chance at freedom. Leo is looking for one last chance at redemption.
The two are set on a collision course.
Recommended: For all who enjoy well-written crime fiction, desperate family drama, political maneuverings and the quest for-along with the possible sacrifice of-justice.
August 20, 2011
Adam Lee, a businessman who has not entirely outgrown his troubled childhood, is on trial for the murder of his wife. He claims that he loved his wife and that he is innocent. He insists that, tragically, his wife was killed by their mentally ill son, Albert, who was home on a visit from the institution where he is normally committed. Adam is represented by his older brother, Monty, a handsome and successful lawyer, whom Adam has always worshipped.
Initially, the authorities had also concluded that Rachel, Adam's wife, was killed by their son. Adam is on trial only because of the efforts of Leo Hewitt. Leo once had a great career in the prosecutor's office until he was blamed for allowing a child killer to go free. He has since been reduced to the lowest rungs of the prosecutor's office and is desperate to redeem himself. He refuses to believe Adam's account of the events surrounding Rachel's death and doggedly pursues the case until charges are filed against Adam.
This is a very dark, well-written and cleverly-plotted novel, which grabs your attention in spite of the fact that the two main protagonists, Adam and Leo, are both amazingly unsympathetic characters. There is really no one you want to root for in this book and yet you can't stop turning the pages. The book should appeal to all fans of noir-inspired crime fiction.
Initially, the authorities had also concluded that Rachel, Adam's wife, was killed by their son. Adam is on trial only because of the efforts of Leo Hewitt. Leo once had a great career in the prosecutor's office until he was blamed for allowing a child killer to go free. He has since been reduced to the lowest rungs of the prosecutor's office and is desperate to redeem himself. He refuses to believe Adam's account of the events surrounding Rachel's death and doggedly pursues the case until charges are filed against Adam.
This is a very dark, well-written and cleverly-plotted novel, which grabs your attention in spite of the fact that the two main protagonists, Adam and Leo, are both amazingly unsympathetic characters. There is really no one you want to root for in this book and yet you can't stop turning the pages. The book should appeal to all fans of noir-inspired crime fiction.
July 31, 2011
An interesting yet crude book. The book focuses primarily on a man named Adam Lee. He married a woman who has serious psychological issues. They have a son with mental issues who spends several years in an institution for violence. One weekend he takes his son home from the institution for a weekend at home. That same weekend he leaves on an affair getaway. When he returns, his wife is found dead. Adam turns to his brother, Monty, for his legal help as a lawyer. Monty then involves another attorney, a has-been who let a murderer go free once. From there we have our two main suspects, The son and Adam. Or someone else?
One thing I must say is that every character in this book has serious issues. Some more than others. The book is written primarily in from a first person perspective from Adam. I liked the perspective but hated the character from early on. Too many issues of his own, let alone his wife and kid. The book does have you guessing some at who the murderer is which was good. What I didn't care for was the crude style of writing. From language, to sex to how every male in the book views woman as crap basically. So the book had its good and bad.
I won this book free as a First Reads Giveaway on Goodreads.
One thing I must say is that every character in this book has serious issues. Some more than others. The book is written primarily in from a first person perspective from Adam. I liked the perspective but hated the character from early on. Too many issues of his own, let alone his wife and kid. The book does have you guessing some at who the murderer is which was good. What I didn't care for was the crude style of writing. From language, to sex to how every male in the book views woman as crap basically. So the book had its good and bad.
I won this book free as a First Reads Giveaway on Goodreads.
June 11, 2014
I picked this up today and could not put it down. I can't remember the last time I read a book in one sitting, but it is an easy and quick read. It's a legal thriller/murder mystery, and the author sets it up so well. You might think it's an open and shut case, but nothing is ever what it seems especially when the lawyers are presenting the "facts". I love these "who done its" especially when the author keeps you guessing till the end.
June 27, 2014
This book is simple to stark in style. Exceedingly spare prose of short clipped sentences and an easy read of under 2 hours for me.
It's grim. There are no characters that I would want to know or converse with or meet in happenstance in real life within this entire novel. And the base of relationship is negative manipulation and disdain of superiority to a grovelling patsy or a psychotic toady.
You will get no cozy or feel good vibes from this book.
There are trial scenes and they set the stage for the ultimate reveal.
The conclusion made sense and was a 4 star. Not particularly liking the style of writing or the world these characters lived, nor connecting to it- I stretched to give the whole a 3.
It's grim. There are no characters that I would want to know or converse with or meet in happenstance in real life within this entire novel. And the base of relationship is negative manipulation and disdain of superiority to a grovelling patsy or a psychotic toady.
You will get no cozy or feel good vibes from this book.
There are trial scenes and they set the stage for the ultimate reveal.
The conclusion made sense and was a 4 star. Not particularly liking the style of writing or the world these characters lived, nor connecting to it- I stretched to give the whole a 3.
June 2, 2022
The case seems cut and dry: A young, mentally disabled man with a violent history has killed his mother. But a disgraced attorney determined to redeem his own name begins to dig deeper and finds holes in this simple crime.
The thing that shocked me the most about this novel was the “About the Author” blurb. Apparently Grant Jerkins works as an advocate for people with mental disabilities. I totally get that the first person narrator came from the mind of a very disturbed individual and the third person perspective reflected views and language that some people likely have and use. But I do wish he’d inserted something to actually counteract the perspectives. I wasn’t impressed with the lack of nuance concerning mental illness, either. Due to the imbalance, the story seemed to be a minefield of harmful stereotypes.
It absolutely is a compelling read, though. It’s weird - really weird - and very dark. I found myself turning the pages quickly, despite having a pretty good idea of what was going on. While the story felt superficially developed, the author did have a small twist up his sleeve that counteracted what seemed the most obvious.
There isn’t a single character to root for in the novel so if you need a likeable cast, you may want to pass on this. But if you simply desire a quick, disturbing read, A Very Simple Crime is worth checking out.
The thing that shocked me the most about this novel was the “About the Author” blurb. Apparently Grant Jerkins works as an advocate for people with mental disabilities. I totally get that the first person narrator came from the mind of a very disturbed individual and the third person perspective reflected views and language that some people likely have and use. But I do wish he’d inserted something to actually counteract the perspectives. I wasn’t impressed with the lack of nuance concerning mental illness, either. Due to the imbalance, the story seemed to be a minefield of harmful stereotypes.
It absolutely is a compelling read, though. It’s weird - really weird - and very dark. I found myself turning the pages quickly, despite having a pretty good idea of what was going on. While the story felt superficially developed, the author did have a small twist up his sleeve that counteracted what seemed the most obvious.
There isn’t a single character to root for in the novel so if you need a likeable cast, you may want to pass on this. But if you simply desire a quick, disturbing read, A Very Simple Crime is worth checking out.
October 26, 2010
Every crime tells a story - especially murder. The motivations, the events, the hidden desires...sometimes it really is simple, and sometimes it only seems that way.
A Very Simple Crime tells just such a story, one that seems all too familiar. A man trapped in a marriage and a life he doesn't want, looking for a way out. He goes away for a weekend with a lover and returns to find his wife dead, and his disabled son traumatized. It seems simple, at first.
What keeps Grant Jerkins' tale of murder moving is smart shifts in perspective and a well-paced plot. The story begins with Adam Lee, the husband, detailing his life and his attempts to get away from it. Just as his story seems to be reaching a critical point, the perspective shifts to Leo Hewitt, a prosecuting attorney whose career is stalled and who sees an opportunity to make a new name for himself. Though the answers seems obvious to others on the case, he pursues it with determination. He looks under the covers and in the closets and finds buried secrets and hidden lives.
But is what he finds real? Or is he trying so hard that he's telling a new story for his own gain?
A Very Simple Crime is not a perfect book. Some of the characters are a little flat and some of the plot developments are a little hard to buy into. But these are minor failings and Jerkins still succeeds admirably in showing the complex, multilayered mystery of a murder that reaches deep into the psyche of the murderer.
A Very Simple Crime takes the crime story to a new level, with the understanding that telling the story of a murder requires some inspiration and even invention for the person telling it. Whether that person is the murderer or the one investigating the murder, the story is a little different for everyone. Even what seems a simple crime has complex and unexpected roots, for everyone involved.
A Very Simple Crime tells just such a story, one that seems all too familiar. A man trapped in a marriage and a life he doesn't want, looking for a way out. He goes away for a weekend with a lover and returns to find his wife dead, and his disabled son traumatized. It seems simple, at first.
What keeps Grant Jerkins' tale of murder moving is smart shifts in perspective and a well-paced plot. The story begins with Adam Lee, the husband, detailing his life and his attempts to get away from it. Just as his story seems to be reaching a critical point, the perspective shifts to Leo Hewitt, a prosecuting attorney whose career is stalled and who sees an opportunity to make a new name for himself. Though the answers seems obvious to others on the case, he pursues it with determination. He looks under the covers and in the closets and finds buried secrets and hidden lives.
But is what he finds real? Or is he trying so hard that he's telling a new story for his own gain?
A Very Simple Crime is not a perfect book. Some of the characters are a little flat and some of the plot developments are a little hard to buy into. But these are minor failings and Jerkins still succeeds admirably in showing the complex, multilayered mystery of a murder that reaches deep into the psyche of the murderer.
A Very Simple Crime takes the crime story to a new level, with the understanding that telling the story of a murder requires some inspiration and even invention for the person telling it. Whether that person is the murderer or the one investigating the murder, the story is a little different for everyone. Even what seems a simple crime has complex and unexpected roots, for everyone involved.
May 28, 2022
Holy cow that was a messed up book. It’s been years since I’ve read my first Grant Jerkins novel & I loved it. This one wasn’t as good, but what a twisted story. It was a very quick read, with short chapters. But it isn’t for the faint hearted. There were some really disturbing things in here. I kind of predicted the end, but then the twist got me. Crazy. If you could stomach verity I think you’d like this one!
November 13, 2010
Enjoyed this book, and enjoy it more as it continues to play around in my mind. I recommend it to readers who like their mystery/thrillers to have a psychological edge and at little legal action. The writing is deceptively simple. Take my advice and pay attention to the details as you're reading. If the beginning is a little slow or hard to get into, stick with it. It's one of those thrillers that starts with some short chapters that leave you wondering what the heck is going on, but you quickly get drawn into the story and when you think you know what's going on that's when you really don't know what's going on.
A Very Simple Crime is the story of Adam Lee, a man who was orphaned at a young age and, along with his older brother Monty, is sent to live with his mother's sister's family. Adam is a man who seems to have skimmed along the surface of life, not living very deeply. His older brother Monty is one of the most successful criminal defense lawyers in the Atlanta area and a handsome womanizer who seems to have it all. Adam has worshiped Monty since the two brothers were boys.
Adam marries Rachel, a mentally disturbed woman who is the sole heir to her wealthy father's fortunes. They have a child, Albert, who is mentally handicapped. Adam gets a job in his father-in-law's firm and is initially a competent, proficient worker. During his son's childhood, however, he starts to throw himself into his work and is surprised that he becomes successful. Eventually it becomes obvious that Albert needs to be institutionalized after he hits his mother in the head with an ashtray, hard enough that she is hospitalized. Life goes one. At first Adam and Rachel visit Albert regularly, but then Rachel's own mental illness intensifies and the visits dwindle. Adam seems trapped in his sick marriage . . . and from there the plot takes off.
When Rachel is found dead and obviously murdered, is seems a simple conclusion can be drawn that Albert, the son, did it. He was home visiting his mother that weekend. But complications arise. Enter Leo Hewitt, a junior deputy prosecutor whose once stellar career is now in shambles after being blamed for releasing a suspected child murder who was later caught red-handed. Leo is prompted to dig into this new crime. The authorities were going to consider the murder an open and closed case. But Leo finds some damning evidence. Dark history between Adam and Monty comes to light. Did Adam do it? He's claimed all along that he loved his wife....
A Very Simple Crime is one of those crime novels where you're left pondering characters, scenes, and the entire plot. You'll find yourself flipping back through parts of the book and realizing that little things mentioned here and there turn out to be significant things later on.
If you're interested, read the book now, because the movie version is in pre-production.
A Very Simple Crime is the story of Adam Lee, a man who was orphaned at a young age and, along with his older brother Monty, is sent to live with his mother's sister's family. Adam is a man who seems to have skimmed along the surface of life, not living very deeply. His older brother Monty is one of the most successful criminal defense lawyers in the Atlanta area and a handsome womanizer who seems to have it all. Adam has worshiped Monty since the two brothers were boys.
Adam marries Rachel, a mentally disturbed woman who is the sole heir to her wealthy father's fortunes. They have a child, Albert, who is mentally handicapped. Adam gets a job in his father-in-law's firm and is initially a competent, proficient worker. During his son's childhood, however, he starts to throw himself into his work and is surprised that he becomes successful. Eventually it becomes obvious that Albert needs to be institutionalized after he hits his mother in the head with an ashtray, hard enough that she is hospitalized. Life goes one. At first Adam and Rachel visit Albert regularly, but then Rachel's own mental illness intensifies and the visits dwindle. Adam seems trapped in his sick marriage . . . and from there the plot takes off.
When Rachel is found dead and obviously murdered, is seems a simple conclusion can be drawn that Albert, the son, did it. He was home visiting his mother that weekend. But complications arise. Enter Leo Hewitt, a junior deputy prosecutor whose once stellar career is now in shambles after being blamed for releasing a suspected child murder who was later caught red-handed. Leo is prompted to dig into this new crime. The authorities were going to consider the murder an open and closed case. But Leo finds some damning evidence. Dark history between Adam and Monty comes to light. Did Adam do it? He's claimed all along that he loved his wife....
A Very Simple Crime is one of those crime novels where you're left pondering characters, scenes, and the entire plot. You'll find yourself flipping back through parts of the book and realizing that little things mentioned here and there turn out to be significant things later on.
If you're interested, read the book now, because the movie version is in pre-production.
June 10, 2011
A Very Simple Masterpiece
If you are looking to read a mystery with a blatant psychological edge, this is the new book for you. Nothing is really simple about A Very Simple Crime except the short, direct sentences and chapters. The prose is not ensconced in metaphors, it is direct and there are many zinger phrases, "can I acknowledge......that I was attracted to mental illness....Darkness is drawn to darkness." And dark is this novel, one feels drawn down to deeper levels alongside the characters.
None of the characters is likeable or sympathetic. Two brothers Monty and Adam Lee, become orphaned after their parents' violent death. They are relegated to their aunt's dark basement for their living quarters. Adam, the narrator, is comfortable in the gloomy basement where he and his brother enjoy being sequestered. Monty is handsome and bright and grows up to be a successful criminal defense attorney. He appears to be "his brother's keeper." Adam works for his father-in-law after he marries Rachel who is paranoid and consumed with jealousy. She exists on drugs and alcohol and becomes agoraphobic. They have a child, Albert, who initially seems to be a normal infant but he becomes a lumbering retarded young man who is sent to an institution. He is violent and only reaches a five-year-old intellectual level.
Adam plods along in his narration, seemingly trapped in a sick marriage, and the reader is only given glimpses into his psyche. He professes his love for his wife and admiration for his perfect brother. The reader purposely cannot grasp his covert feelings. Grant Jerkins keeps us wondering how this horrific family portrait will play out. We know from early on that Adam is accused of killing his wife and Monty is defending him at the trial. As the narrator, he reminds us of his faithfulness to Rachel and then his sexual depravity as his son becomes older.
Jerkins adds subordinate characters who are fascinating and contribute to this very simple crime. There are the women: Violet Perkins, nursing assistant, Anne Hunter, journalist, Paula Manning, prosecutor, and Mrs. Herbert Watkins, tourist. The men also distinguish the plot: Leo Hewitt, attorney, Box Fox, prosecutor and Mr. Herbert Watkins, tourist. The author doesn't waste his characterizations, there is a sense of purpose
Amid the darkness, there are obsessions with retribution, brutality, madness and sheer violence. It all seems so simple as the reader peers into the darkness and sees what the author want us to perceive. Highly recommended.
If you are looking to read a mystery with a blatant psychological edge, this is the new book for you. Nothing is really simple about A Very Simple Crime except the short, direct sentences and chapters. The prose is not ensconced in metaphors, it is direct and there are many zinger phrases, "can I acknowledge......that I was attracted to mental illness....Darkness is drawn to darkness." And dark is this novel, one feels drawn down to deeper levels alongside the characters.
None of the characters is likeable or sympathetic. Two brothers Monty and Adam Lee, become orphaned after their parents' violent death. They are relegated to their aunt's dark basement for their living quarters. Adam, the narrator, is comfortable in the gloomy basement where he and his brother enjoy being sequestered. Monty is handsome and bright and grows up to be a successful criminal defense attorney. He appears to be "his brother's keeper." Adam works for his father-in-law after he marries Rachel who is paranoid and consumed with jealousy. She exists on drugs and alcohol and becomes agoraphobic. They have a child, Albert, who initially seems to be a normal infant but he becomes a lumbering retarded young man who is sent to an institution. He is violent and only reaches a five-year-old intellectual level.
Adam plods along in his narration, seemingly trapped in a sick marriage, and the reader is only given glimpses into his psyche. He professes his love for his wife and admiration for his perfect brother. The reader purposely cannot grasp his covert feelings. Grant Jerkins keeps us wondering how this horrific family portrait will play out. We know from early on that Adam is accused of killing his wife and Monty is defending him at the trial. As the narrator, he reminds us of his faithfulness to Rachel and then his sexual depravity as his son becomes older.
Jerkins adds subordinate characters who are fascinating and contribute to this very simple crime. There are the women: Violet Perkins, nursing assistant, Anne Hunter, journalist, Paula Manning, prosecutor, and Mrs. Herbert Watkins, tourist. The men also distinguish the plot: Leo Hewitt, attorney, Box Fox, prosecutor and Mr. Herbert Watkins, tourist. The author doesn't waste his characterizations, there is a sense of purpose
Amid the darkness, there are obsessions with retribution, brutality, madness and sheer violence. It all seems so simple as the reader peers into the darkness and sees what the author want us to perceive. Highly recommended.
January 14, 2011
I guess I'm in the minority when I say I really didnt care for this book. I saw every twist and turn coming from a mile away and kept wanting more from it...and never got it. Anyone that reads thrillers or mystery type books should have no prob figuring this book out right from the begining. Again I was really wanting the author to suprise me and make me think. But I never got it. Its wasnt a bad book, it just didnt live up to my expectaions and the only thing that kept me wanting to read it, was the thought that soon something "big" was going to happen or throw me off. Too predicatble.....
July 9, 2013
Eventhough it is a legal thriller it is also a very dark book. It is a fast read and has very little wasted words. It is also a hard book to put down and as a result you can finish it very quickly.
A little slow at the beginning and couple of the legal narratives are not realistic. The story is full of twists and all the characters in the book have a hard time telling the truth. I look foward to the authors next book.
A little slow at the beginning and couple of the legal narratives are not realistic. The story is full of twists and all the characters in the book have a hard time telling the truth. I look foward to the authors next book.
August 25, 2011
Good neo-noir novel. The prose is tight and brisk with a plot that moves along without ever bogging down in style. I'm still out on the different POV's. It worked here, and I don't see a way that it would have been pulled off it had been done entirely in the 1st person. Also what's interesting is how the reader should (or not) empathize with unlikable brothers Adam and Monty. Fans of noir should enjoy this one.
September 29, 2016
This is a genuinely “noir” novel that hits you like a punch to the face. “Darkness is drawn to darkness,” one of the main characters tells us early in this novel, and that’s a good description of the novel as a whole. None of the characters here are loveable or even likeable, but they are compelling. We are drawn to their stories and want to find out what happens next. Highly recommended for lovers of literary crime fiction.
March 18, 2011
This is a very troubling but intriguing read with mostly unpleasant characters, but with a story line that keeps you reading. You have to know what really happened and whether you are being tricked, as you suspect right away. Not a five star book but definitely a very convincing and engaging plot. The hero of the story is hard to find.
July 1, 2011
I love books that lead you to believe that you have it all figured out...and then smack you around with not one but TWO crazy (yet believable) plot twists right at the very end. This is one of those books :) Good times....
January 5, 2020
One of my least favorite thrillers. The characters were not developed enough to care for. It was intense so I kept reading but was unfazed with the ending. It was nasty in some parts that I thought were unnecessary.
November 13, 2011
A Very Good Book. Definitely a page-turner; the twists and turns kept me guessing until the last minute.
April 21, 2016
An unusual one. Not very long, very compelling.
February 22, 2024
About The Book
A crime fiction novel bordering on psychological thriller, A Very Simple Crime is about a man -Adam- on trial for killing his wife who was psychotic and worth millions. First the case seemed open and shut, with the murder being pinned on his retarded son who has a history of violence but then an ambitious Junior Prosecutor who wants to clear his name after his last big case went south digs deep and apparently finds damning evidence against Adam. Adam gets his big shot brother lawyer to defend him however, even though he is a big time lawyer with major connections, he just can't seem to even come remotely close to convincing a single person that his brother is innocent. With the trial nearing it's end, who can Adam trust to get him out of this mess?
Writing style
The book is told from the perspective of various characters by a single narrator who let's us in on the internal thoughts of the characters. The book also explores the past in between the present to give context to the present. There is a sexual scene between minors which can be disturbing to some readers. I wasn't entirely comfortable with imagining children in that position myself. There is also some strong language here and there.
My Personal Feelings
I could not put this book down. The twist and turns? Oh my goodness, absolutely loved it! The characters are either power hungry or psychotic to some extent, it's hard to find a stable character in this book which makes it all the more exciting because you just don't know what to expect.
🌟 Flow - check
🌟 Diction - check
🌟 Character Development - check
🌟 Story Line Development - check, check and check
🌟 Captivity - check
A crime fiction novel bordering on psychological thriller, A Very Simple Crime is about a man -Adam- on trial for killing his wife who was psychotic and worth millions. First the case seemed open and shut, with the murder being pinned on his retarded son who has a history of violence but then an ambitious Junior Prosecutor who wants to clear his name after his last big case went south digs deep and apparently finds damning evidence against Adam. Adam gets his big shot brother lawyer to defend him however, even though he is a big time lawyer with major connections, he just can't seem to even come remotely close to convincing a single person that his brother is innocent. With the trial nearing it's end, who can Adam trust to get him out of this mess?
Writing style
The book is told from the perspective of various characters by a single narrator who let's us in on the internal thoughts of the characters. The book also explores the past in between the present to give context to the present. There is a sexual scene between minors which can be disturbing to some readers. I wasn't entirely comfortable with imagining children in that position myself. There is also some strong language here and there.
My Personal Feelings
I could not put this book down. The twist and turns? Oh my goodness, absolutely loved it! The characters are either power hungry or psychotic to some extent, it's hard to find a stable character in this book which makes it all the more exciting because you just don't know what to expect.
🌟 Flow - check
🌟 Diction - check
🌟 Character Development - check
🌟 Story Line Development - check, check and check
🌟 Captivity - check
March 15, 2019
Adam Lee has a controlling wife and a mentally challenged son prone to violence. When Adam's wife is murdered, his son is the prime suspect… until a disgraced detective begins investigating and pins the crime on Adam. Is Adam an emotionally abused husband or a cold-blooded killer?
A Very Simple Crime is a very simple read. At 263 pages, I finished the book while working in a little under three hours. The story is split between two points of view: Adam, who narrates what life was like growing up with his brother Monty, now a successful attorney; his marriage to his emotionally manipulative wife; and their relationship to his mentally handicapped son. The rest of the story is told by Leo, a detective who fumbled a past serial killer case and who is looking for redemption. Adam evokes sympathy until his reliability as a narrator is called into question. Leo is eager to please, and that eagerness may be his downfall. Monty isn't the golden boy he is perceived to be. Almost everyone has a secret.
The story is certainly fast-paced, with short chapters and unpretentious prose. It did keep me wondering who was telling the truth. The ending wasn't exactly a surprise, but I enjoyed it.
A Very Simple Crime is a very simple read. At 263 pages, I finished the book while working in a little under three hours. The story is split between two points of view: Adam, who narrates what life was like growing up with his brother Monty, now a successful attorney; his marriage to his emotionally manipulative wife; and their relationship to his mentally handicapped son. The rest of the story is told by Leo, a detective who fumbled a past serial killer case and who is looking for redemption. Adam evokes sympathy until his reliability as a narrator is called into question. Leo is eager to please, and that eagerness may be his downfall. Monty isn't the golden boy he is perceived to be. Almost everyone has a secret.
The story is certainly fast-paced, with short chapters and unpretentious prose. It did keep me wondering who was telling the truth. The ending wasn't exactly a surprise, but I enjoyed it.
December 3, 2022
This book was a quick read. It was told in a style that reminded me of The Stranger--flat, mostly emotionless, as if events had their own momentum and simply carried the characters along. I did see the twists coming by about halfway through, but it was a quick and neatly plotted book.
For me, the least satisfying part was the ending. It doesn't have to answer all questions, but
For me, the least satisfying part was the ending. It doesn't have to answer all questions, but
February 12, 2022
I can't really say this book was good- it was about god awful people doing god awful things with not a lick of justice- but it was certainly well written and well paced and while I can't really say I enjoyed it, either, I can say it offered the same sort of titillation as walking past a crime scene or a bad car accident, where you can't help but look. I read it in two sittings, as I tried to put it down after the first night, but found myself coming back to it nearly a week later to see how it ended. Definitely more intriguing than satisfying, but there it is.
April 27, 2025
This is the worst book I have ever read.
I am hoping and thinking this is the first book the author ever wrote and has gotten better from here??
There were little to no character descriptions. I have no idea what all but one of the characters hair color is, how tall they are, the build they have, nothing. Really poor job at painting a mental image. The story line was good but under developed. The book was severely lacking details. It was just so bad all around. I should have read more reviews before I got it.
I am hoping and thinking this is the first book the author ever wrote and has gotten better from here??
There were little to no character descriptions. I have no idea what all but one of the characters hair color is, how tall they are, the build they have, nothing. Really poor job at painting a mental image. The story line was good but under developed. The book was severely lacking details. It was just so bad all around. I should have read more reviews before I got it.
September 12, 2025
This mystery was well written, with great pacing and great characters. The characters really stood out in this story. They were deeply flawed individuals with few positive qualities. My only complaint was the ending, I felt the author wrapped up the story quickly. I definitely wanted more. Highly recommended!
February 13, 2018
A Very Simple Crime takes off at a gallop and the pace doesn't let up. I read this book faster than I read The Widow. It's a similar thriller with multiple perspectives. Less famous, but better written.
June 28, 2020
A good plot, but not well written. I felt many scenes were unnecessarily crude. It was hard to believe that an author whose bio said he worked as an advocate for adults with developmental disabilities would use the terms he did to refer to the main character’s son.
February 22, 2021
What a disappointment. I hardly write reviews but felt the need to warn that this book is full of crude, perverse, and degrading scenes. I’m not a prude but this book was just wrong on so many levels. I was really hoping that somehow in the end there would be some redeeming factor, but no. I feel sick and disgusted after it. Half the book I had to skim because it was just that bad.
For an author who claims he is an advocate for the developmentally disabled, he seriously made me believe otherwise. Not only did he use rude names for the mentally and physically disabled characters, he sexually violated them both in these books. In both violent and graphic detail. One was a 13 year old girl! Absolutely disgusting. These sick and twisted scenes had NOTHING to do with the murder mystery and could have been left out. If an author wants to write porn, fine. But only a perverse individual would write about a teenager and mentally disabled person in this way.
Degradation aside, the book was honestly difficult to read. Three of the lead male character names are all so similar it was confusing who is who. Adam Lee, Monty Lee, and Leo.... come on. Characters were poorly developed and point of view flip-flopped between 1st and 3rd person. Just pick one. Save yourself the stomachache and skip this one.
For an author who claims he is an advocate for the developmentally disabled, he seriously made me believe otherwise. Not only did he use rude names for the mentally and physically disabled characters, he sexually violated them both in these books. In both violent and graphic detail. One was a 13 year old girl! Absolutely disgusting. These sick and twisted scenes had NOTHING to do with the murder mystery and could have been left out. If an author wants to write porn, fine. But only a perverse individual would write about a teenager and mentally disabled person in this way.
Degradation aside, the book was honestly difficult to read. Three of the lead male character names are all so similar it was confusing who is who. Adam Lee, Monty Lee, and Leo.... come on. Characters were poorly developed and point of view flip-flopped between 1st and 3rd person. Just pick one. Save yourself the stomachache and skip this one.
March 12, 2021
This was a very easy read. There was nothing unexpected and unrolled just as I thought it would. Normally I would have been bored by this but instead, I enjoyed how it went exactly the way it should have.
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