Crack-Up [Kindle Edition]

Eric Christopherson (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Best Mystery Novel, Red Adept Annual Indie Awards 2010

Argus Ward is a former U.S. Secret Service agent who runs a protection agency catering to the rich and famous. His best-kept secret--which he shares with lawyers, doctors and even psychiatrists--is his status as a high-functioning paranoid schizophrenic. One day, with little warning, he turns psychotic for the first time in twenty years. He lands in a secure psychiatric facility, charged with the murder of his most famous client, high tech industry billionaire John Helms, the wealthiest man in America.

Argus has no memory of the killing. A blood test suggests to him that some unknown enemy had switched his anti-psychotic medication with identical-looking dummy pills to purposely drive him insane.

A sign of lingering paranoia? His doctor thinks so. Even his wife.

Yet Argus escapes incarceration to prove his theory. With the law on his trail and a ticking time bomb in his head--due to a lack of medication--he discovers that his disease had been "weaponized" by a powerful group to secretly assassinate John Helms as part of a multiple assassination conspiracy of world-wide significance.

Or has Argus simply lost his mind again? What in the end is "real" and what is only imagination in his story?

And what is justice for the criminally insane?

Come lose your grip on reality. Read CRACK-UP.

* * * * * * * *

Also by Eric Christopherson: THE PROPHET MOTIVE

Red Adept Reviews Indie Award for Thrillers/Suspense, 2011

San Francisco police detective John Richetti infiltrates a bizarre cult on the trail of two murder suspects. But a series of sophisticated brainwashing techniques pushes him beyond the breaking point ...

Product Details

• Format: Kindle Edition
• File Size: 696 KB
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
• Language: English
• ASIN: B002HMCLFQ
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (45 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #32,463 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

More About the Author

Eric is a former police officer and federal government consultant. His undergraduate degree is from the University of Texas at Tyler, and he has a graduate degree from Duke University. He is represented by Frank Weimann of the Literary Group International in New York City.

He was born in California, grew up in New England, and has since lived throughout the United States and a bit in Asia. He now lives in semi-rural Ohio with his wife, Seiko, and an infant son, Keith.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

101 of 105 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Couldn't Put It Down, July 30, 2009

By 

Lynn ODell "Red Adept Reviews - A Blog" (Carolinas) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Crack-Up (Kindle Edition)

Plot/Storyline: 5 Stars

Ever imagined what it's like to be a paranoid schizophrenic? This book will show you. You will cringe from the emotions invoked by this thriller. You might even become a little paranoid yourself.

The protagonist, Argus, of this book already knows that he has a problem. However, he also knows that his medication controls it. So, what happens when he sees a naked stewardess serving drinks on a plane and none of the other passengers notice? Well, he must be going crazy again, right?

There are many plot twists and turns while Argus goes on a journey to try to figure out what is real and what is not. He also needs to clear himself of a murder charge. This is a bit difficult to do while in a mental institution.

Reading this book will have you on the edge of your seat, unable to put it down. I was actually sad to see it end.

Character Development: 4 3/4 Stars

Argus is a very logical character. Although he suffers from a mental illness, readers can easily put themselves in his shoes to understand the realistic decisions made by him.

I did wonder at times why he didn't spare a little more thought to his wife and child.

Writing Style: 5 Stars

This book is extremely well written with tight, concise prose. Every single sentence forwards the plot and story line.

Editing/Formatting: 5 Stars

This is a self-published work without an error to be found. It is of better quality than many commercially published books. The Kindle formatting is also excellent.

Rating: PG-13 due to minimal violence and mature psychological issues

22 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What's real? What isn't? Argus Ward doesn't know for sure, and neither will you., August 2, 2009

By 

CS - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Crack-Up (Kindle Edition)

Argus Ward is a hero with a secret. Everyone knows he once saved the President's life, but very few people are aware that he's also a paranoid schizophrenic. Luckily, he's been able to keep his condition under control with medication...

...until he sees a naked flight attendant on a corporate jet and begins a slow, torturous descent into insanity.

Argus suspects someone discovered his secret and sabotaged his medication to make him go crazy.

But how can he know anything for sure when he can't even distinguish what's real from what isn't?

And therein lies the premise of Eric Christopherson's "Crack-Up" - one of the BEST thrillers I've read in ages.

Christopherson is a master storyteller. His first book is easily in the same class as the giants of the genre.

"Crack-Up" is an incredible debut novel and an absolute must-read.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hooked from the start, September 8, 2010

By 

VickiT (Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Crack-Up (Kindle Edition)

`"Listen to me, son," said the caller. My father? "Kill John Helms." Then he hung up.'

What happens when the lines between reality and delusion start to blur? Paranoid schizophrenic Argus Ward sees and hears things, but how much of it is real? What about the voices telling him to kill his most famous client...

Crack-up hooked me from the start. By the end, I was almost as paranoid as Argus. A fast-paced, excellently crafted thriller, gripping from start to finish. I look forward to reading more from this author.