Customer Reviews

Compulsion: A Novel

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Ablow's newest tale is his best yet. The author doesn't use his background in forensic psychiatry to bore you with complicated medical terms but instead allows the reader more of a layman's perspective on some of society's neuroses. As I glided through Ablow's prose and provocative storytelling, I was twice legitimately surprised by the turns this mystery takes. This is a top-notch read.

Ablow's last novel PROJECTION turned me off so much I didn't want to read any more of his books, but I gave this a try anyway, and I'm glad I did. This is a first-rate psychological thriller with hardly a false note in the entire book. Though the murder of a child within the confines of a troubled household may not be the most original plotline, Ablow's keen psychological insight guides you masterfully through the twists and turns of a deeply disturbed family, springing surprises just when you thought you had everything figured out. Highly recommended.

I enjoyed this entry in the Frank Clevenger series immensely! I especially appreciated the quick pacing and smart plot. Mr. Ablow does a fine job of keeping you guessing, creating compelling characters, examining their motives without dragging it out, ( I hate being forced to skim), and he throws in some really interesting and ingenious diagnostic scenerios. It is the proverbial page-turner, and I did indeed stay up late into the night to finish it. Highly recommended.
I will now proceed to critique and pick apart every little nuance and plot turn in the book, and complain that I hated the main character, because he's human, with human frailties, weaknesses, and not altogether pure motives......NOT!!!!
Doesn't that describe all of us, to one extent or another? Why do critics think that the protagonist has to be pure of heart, (read one-dimensional) in order to be believable? Shouldn't it be the other way around? Go figure.
This book is time and money well spent, and like myself, you'll likely learn a few things along the way. What could be better?

The book starts out with the classical mystery scenario where someone has been murdered, in this case a baby, one of twins. The murderer could have been any one of 5 people who were in the house at the time. The prime suspect is Billy, an adopted son of the baby's father. Billy is such a likely suspect because he has long shown signs of a tendency towards pathological behaviour. For this reason, Dr Frank Clevenger is asked to come and talk to Billy to give his opinion on whether he thought it probable that Billy was the killer.

While he is at the house of the murdered baby, Clevenger talks with the other family members and quickly decides that the prime suspect isn't the only one with the psychological profile of a killer. Added to the list are: the billionaire businessman, head of the family and overly dominant father figure; the beautiful younger (2nd-) wife, mother of the dead baby with a history of depression; the eldest son, also adopted and driven hard to strive for high achievement by his father; and finally, the pretty nanny who seems to be the primary caregiver to more than just the babies.

So Clevenger has to dig through the minds of the family members to work out whether Billy is the murderer, as has been accused, or whether it was someone else and Billy is being brilliantly set up.

I didn't find this book quite as compelling as the first couple of books in the series, although the frailties of the human mind are laid bare in fascinating detail. Certainly, one of the strongest aspects of the series is the substantial character descriptions and development. The past of Frank Clevenger continues to be revealed and just when I thought I knew all about him, a little more of his shocking past is told.

Frank Clevenger had given up forensic psychiatry after his last case that spiraled him into a downward depression and drove him to alcohol. Two years later and a call from his best friend, North Anderson, brings Frank back into a situation he dreads, but is compelled to see through to the end.Try and put this book down - it can't be done. A compulsively readable thriller with suspects all living under the same roof. I can't recommend this book or this author highly enough. Don't deprive yourself and read DENIAL and PROJECTION. You will NOT be disappointed.

Dr. Frank Clevenger, the emotionally scarred forensic psychiatrist with an addictive personality featured in Denial and Projection, returns in this third outing that is quite chilling. Toning back the "over-the-topness" doings of Projection (that book is a very wild ride), Keith Ablow delivers a novel that will compel you to keep reading in order to figure out whodunnit. Facing the demons of his past, some of it heartbreakingly written, Clevenger must find out who murdered a baby in a wealthy Nantucket home. You can't help but cheer for the good doctor as he propels himself through a plot that races towards a thrilling showdown, with the baby's killer and his own past.
Great beach reading, Keith Ablow is pretty addicting.

I'm not really good at summarizing stories, but I have to say, Keith Ablow has totally blown me away with the forensic psychologist Frank Clevenger books! At times, I feel that some things weren't explained well enough or things happened too quickly, but I can say, without a doubt, these are the BEST books I've read in a very long time, second only to James Patterson's Alex Cross novels.

If you're looking for a book to keep you turning pages and up all night reading, you found it!!

This book came highly recommended and I did enjoy the overall story,although the characters were generally not too likable. This was my first Keith Ablow story, and the primary character, Frank Clevenger, was a bit of a disappointment. He is too simply drawn, and he has an annoying "inner voice" that I found too contrived. The character of Billy was very well drawn, and I wish the author had spent more time focusing on him and his troubles than on the overly-hyped Julia and her nasty husband. The setting of Nantucket and Boston made me miss my days in Beantown. Overall, this was a decent thriller that had a disappointing ending visible from halfway through the story.

Brooke and Tess are identical twin girls born to billionaire Darwin Bishop and his beautifully charismatic wife Julia. They also have two adopted sons, Graham the golden boy and sixteen year old Billy who has been in and out of psychiatric institutions all his life and is known to the local authorities for his violent behavior.

When Brooke unexpectedly dies, Darwin immediately thinks that his son murdered his sister. Nantucket police officer North Anderson isn't convinced that Billy is guilty and brings forensic psychologist Dr. Frank Clevenger on the case. Frank believes that everyone that was in the house except for baby Tess is a likely suspect and he risks his own life to uncover the truth.

The moment one starts reading this fascinating crime thriller one is compelled to finish it in one sitting. Like the protagonist, readers will find it hard, if not impossible, to figure out who killed the infant because all the suspects have motives, meaning and opportunity. Keith Ablow is a gifted storyteller who ha written an exceptional tale.

Harriet Klausner

This is the first book I have read by this author. If you like the medical thriller genre, then you should pick up this book.
The main character is a psychiatrist with his share of flaws. The mystery itself was not all that great, but the writing style is very enjoyable, and you find yourself wanting to read more by Keith Ablow. Already, I have started reading Psychopath and look forward to reading all of them.