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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Another Great Clevenger Thriller, May 13, 2007
Ablow's Frank Clevenger series began with an appearance by this forensic psychologist back in 1998 in Denial. In every subsequent book, we get a great thriller story interspersed with Clevenger's own personal trials, and THE ARCHITECT is no different.
The main storyline of this book, that of an architect who believes he's doing God's work by reshaping the lives of the people he builds houses for, is definitely overshadowed by the story of Clevenger himself. His own battle with alcoholism (reminiscent of that of Lawrence Block's Matthew Scudder), his on-again-off-again very realistic relationship with his FBI girlfriend, and the tightrope he walks with his adopted son, Billy, take front row.
Although the bad guy in this book keeps the story fresh and the plot intense, to me it was the underlying story of Clevenger and his life that held my real interest. I was left at the last page not with the feeling of "good, the bad guy is dead," but that of "what's going to happen to Billy?"
I guess you could say I'm hooked.
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12 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
strong psychological thriller, July 5, 2005
He is one of the most brilliant architects the world has ever known, a virtuoso who believes that he knows what would suit the client more than the client does. He is not listed in any phone book and most people have never heard of him. He was a member of the secret society known as the Order of Skull and Bones and gets his referrals from them through word of mouth. His talent is such that he was picked to design a new museum in the White House because the president was also a member of the secret society and trusts him implicitly.
However, this fine architect, believing he has God's blessing, is also a cold blooded murderer who kills a person from his client's family when the victim makes the lives of their relatives miserable. Forensic psychiatrist Frank Clevenger is called in to profile this serial killer. Frank also tries to help his troubled son Billy who looks like he is going to be serving time as he battles his drinking and drug problem.
West Crosse is one of the most sinister villains since Hannibal Lechter. What makes him so frightening is he believes he has a calling to kill those who destroy the perfection of a family and is rational enough to know that if he kills his last victim, he will die almost immediately. Frank is also at his best with his own demons and second guessing himself so he comes across as the more realistic character, one that elicits sympathy from the reader. Keith Abbot has once again shown that he is the master of the psychological thriller.
Harriet Klausner
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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
THIS STORY IS BUILT ON SHAKY GROUND, August 15, 2007
This review is from: The Architect: A Novel (Frank Clevenger) (Mass Market Paperback)
This is my first book by this author, Keith Ablow, and it will most likely be my last. His protagonist, forensic psychiatrist Dr. Frank Clevenger, is without doubt the most dysfunctional character in a tale teeming with dysfunctional characters. Clevenger's personal life is a train wreck and he is hard pressed to make it through a day without a few belts of booze. He is unable to make any meaningful contribution to the lives of those he purportedly cares about and any of the folks that he "loves" would be well advised to RUN as quickly as possible in the opposite direction.
As for Ablows' "Architect", he is a pale facsimile of a character created by Thomas Harris. Ablow's killer is a one dimensional psychopath who is not nearly as intriguing or terrifying as Harris's Hannibal Lector. The reader is never privy to the underlying reason for "The Architects" obsession with perfection or what drives him in his compulsive need to control every situation
ADVICE TO PROSPECTIVE READERS: The entire storyline is unrealistic. If, however, you are willing to suspend disbelief, are into buckets of blood and gore with a bit of political rhetoric thrown in for good measure, you might find this offering to your liking. On the other hand, if you demand a well constructed, suspenseful and psychologically engaging thriller ......move on my friend. This book is definitely not for you.
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