Customer Reviews

The Madman's Tale (Charnwood Library)

5 star:		(28)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(12)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

In "The Madman's Tale," John Katzenbach has produced a well-written thriller with an unusual protagonist and an eerie setting. Francis "C-Bird" Petrel is a former patient of a state mental hospital who recounts a series of unsolved murders that occurred at the asylum years ago. The narrative weaves together the present and past as Francis revisits the closed-down asylum for a series of lectures and then grapples with the memories and internal voices of his past. He decides to write down, in pencil on the walls of his apartment, the story of life in the asylum and his role in helping track down the serial killer known simply as "The Angel." As Francis composes his tale, his madness threatens to resurface and prevent him from completing the story.

After being committed to the hospital at the age of 21 following a violent outburst against his family, Francis struggled to adjust to institutional life. He was befriended by Peter the Fireman, a former arson investigator under psychiatric evaluation for setting fire to a church. Fellow inmate Lanky announced that an angel visited him and commanded him to stamp out evil. Lanky was found with the blood of a slain nurse on his clothing and was accused of the murder. Prosecuting attorney Lucy Jones visited the hospital because of similarities between this murder and those against other women that had previously occurred outside the confines of the hospital. She felt that Lanky was wrongly accused and that the murder was the work of a serial killer now hiding out in the asylum. She called upon Francis and Peter to help her track down the killer among the institution inmates.

Lucy and her helpers soon discovered that finding a murderer in a mental institution was no easy matter. The usual investigative techniques did not work. How can they find a psychopath among thousands of psychotics and other mentally ill patients? What is considered suspicious behavior in a place where the abnormal is normal and where the illogical is routine? Are they looking for signs of sanity or insanity in a suspect? How can they interview witnesses or suspects without setting off a disruption of the institutional routine that could upset the inmates?

Katzenbach provides a powerful portrayal of the despair and hopelessness of asylum life through an array of disillusioned inmates and bureaucratic medical staff. He includes touching portraits of a would-be Napoleon and a would-be Cleopatra who befriend Francis. Through schizophrenics, catatonics, psychotics, and the delusional, he portrays inmates who rely on medications to keep mental demons at bay and who often lose the battle to regain sanity and reentry into the outside world. With echoes of "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," this book is a fascinating, eerie, and suspenseful must-read.

Eileen Rieback

A most unusual "detective story," The Madman's Tale spools out from the memory of Francis X. Petrel, a delusional man in his 40s who is former mental patient. Known at the hospital to which he was once committed as "C-Bird," because of his last name, Francis reconnects, twenty years after his release, with Napoleon, another former patient at the hospital, who urges him to write about the murders that happened when they were both confined. Francis is not sure he can write about these events. "The trouble with being mad," he says, "was that it was real hard to tell what was true and what wasn't." Nevertheless, when he returns home, he discovers that the visit has "startled emotions within [him]." Lacking paper, he picks up his pencil and begins to cover the walls of his apartment with the story that becomes this novel.

Author Katzenbach is convincing in his portrayal of Francis, both as the barely functioning 41-year-old narrator who still hears voices and sees visions, and as a 21-year-old patient, who, though mad, is not nearly as mad as many others in the hospital. When a nurse nicknamed Short Blond, is gruesomely murdered shortly after Francis arrives, a young prosecutor from Boston, Lucy Kyoto Jones, who was, herself, once the victim of a vicious crime, arrives at the hospital to investigate. Since she has no staff with her, she asks for help, and C-Bird's only friend, another inmate named Fireman, volunteers, believing his skills as an arson investigator could be useful. Francis also agrees to help. Soon two more murders occur.

Katzenbach brings the chaos of the hospital to life, creating a powerful and affecting portrait of the lives of the mentally ill, and taking us inside the mind of Francis at two different stages of his life, twenty years apart. As Francis continues writing his story on the walls of his apartment, the reader hopes desperately that Francis will finish the story before the terrifying, satanic Angel he sees and the cacophony of voices he hears capture him and destroy him completely. Because the plot is often unrealistic, the well-drawn main characters take center stage. The sense of foreboding and palpable evil are strong, and Katzenbach's vibrant dialogue, eye for detail, ability to describe strange interactions within the hospital, and his unusual main character turn the traditional detective story on its head. This is a real page-turner. (4.5 stars) Mary Whipple

When the Committee to Preserve the Western State Hospital invites former inmates, (those who are functional, not interned elsewhere, and still alive), to attend a special daylong program about the institute, its history, and the "important role it played in the state's current approach to treatment of the mentally ill," Francis "C-Bird" Petrel decides to visit his old residence, which was closed down twenty years before. It seems the committee wants to use a section of the grounds for a museum, and is sponsoring this function to raise funds. Francis has never been to a reunion of any kind in his entire life, and certainly never thought to return to this particular hospital, where so many traumatic and painful events occurred. Unsettled, but fascinated, he calls to confirm his attendance before he can change his mind.

On a warm May afternoon, wearing his only suit, Francis, now forty-one years-old, takes three buses before arriving at the small New England town where he had spent so much time behind walls and locked doors. Ghosts from the past haunt him as he recalls "the tastes and smells of madness." He listens to his past "as it swirled around him." The medications he takes daily keep the voices at bay, inner voices he has heard since he was a little boy. Of course, the meds have side effects, some severe, which cause other medical conditions - but the voices are quiet now...and that's the point. Francis is not completely convinced, however, that their silence is a good thing. They never told him to do anything bad, and he doesn't know if he would have obeyed them if they did. In a sad strange way, they offered him sensible advice and kept him company. He never experienced the normalcy of childhood, of growing up with friends, playing sports, dating, because of their presence. Except for the voices, he has always been isolated - alone. But he did make a friend or two at one time - at the hospital. And he reunites with one today.

Nappy, who obviously believed he was Napoleon, (most of the time), knows more about the former Emperor of the French than most historians. Another Western State Hospital alumni, he is going to give a speech about the "road to recovery" in today's program, and is glad to see C-Bird. Of course, he is now aware, all of the time, that he is neither emperor nor general. With chagrin, he admits to the huge number of delusional people who make the same claim to fame as he did. He was not even original in his madness. He confidentially informs "C-Bird" (the nickname that was given to Francis shortly after he was committed), that he will not discuss the killings in his speech - the killings which were never revealed, never solved, and that still give both men hideous nightmares. Then Nappy remarks, "I'll be happy when they tear it down. It was a dangerous evil place." And he asks C-Bird, almost pleadingly, to tell the story.

Francis goes home that evening thinking about Nappy's request. He has pens and pencils, but no paper. He does have unadorned, white painted walls. So he pulls an old chair over to the side of a wall, "deep in the corner of the room." His long suppressed memories have begun to surface, and he grips the pencil and begins to write.

Twenty years ago, a shy, frightened Francis Xavier Petrel arrived at Western State Hospital, in Massachusetts, in the back of an ambulance. He is a schizophrenic who has been guided by voices since childhood. Considered harmless, one day during a family argument, he threatened his parents and sisters with a kitchen knife. This outburst caused his family to commit him to the mental institution, where he is forced to adjust to terrifying and dangerous new surroundings. It is at Western State that he meets the first friend he has ever had - ironically, a man who is most definitely not insane. "Peter the Fireman," is a Boston firefighter and arson investigator, who burned down a Catholic church, inadvertently killing a priest and injuring several other people. He believed the church was empty. The priest was a pedophile who preyed on Peter's nephew, and many other innocent boys. The firefighter knew the priest would never be brought to justice, so he took the law into his own hands. He is at Western State for evaluation before standing trial.

When C-Bird and Peter find the broken and bloody corpse of a beautiful young nurse-trainee in a suspiciously unlocked storage closet, the hospital's medical director Dr. Gulptilil, and his assistant, the arrogant psychologist, Dr. Evans, are eager to place the blame on the most obvious inmate. Lanky, a paranoid schizophrenic, obsessed with finding and eliminating evil, had recently expressed hostility toward the young woman, but he is not a likely suspect, given the circumstances. However, he is arrested immediately, charged, and incarcerated in yet another institution. As Peter observes, "Evil has not been killed. It is right here among us and is as alive as you or I." Both Doctors Gulptilil and Evans do not want to explain their policies nor have their decisions scrutinized. They fear that further police and state investigation will bring out information about the brutal, substandard manner in which the hospital is being run, which would jeopardize their jobs.

Massachusetts profiler and state prosecuting attorney, Lucy Kyoto Jones, recognizes clues from the crime scene photographs which makes her think she has a serial killer-rapist on her hands - one she is very familiar with. There have been murders in three different parts of the state, with the exact same modus operandi. Not only does Ms. Jones believe Lanky is innocent of the crime, she is almost positive that this repeat killer has managed to conceal himself as a patient in the asylum. The man probably is considered harmless enough, especially medicated and sedated, that he is allowed occasional access to the outside world - perhaps furloughs to spend weekends with family. Lucy remembers Peter from former cases. He has testified frequently for the prosecution against suspected arsonists. He asks to help her investigate, and has the skills she requires. She respects him, regardless of the circumstances in which she find him, and accepts. They just have to find a way to bamboozle Dr. Gulptilil and Dr. Evans into cooperating.

Peter also wants to work with C-Bird, to the young man's great surprise. No one has ever wanted to do anything with him before, or be around him at all. The question for Lucy and Peter is, how does one find a psychopathic serial killer masquerading as a madman in a world populated by the insane? Peter recognizes that Francis is able to understand the inverted rationale of an insane asylum, and see into the minds of the mentally ill. In this world of madness, he is a better profiler than either Lucy or Peter.

As his need to concentrate and write with accuracy become stronger, Francis goes off his medications and begins hearing voices again, and hallucinating about the murderer the patients called "the Angel." The well-written, fast-paced, unputdownable narrative moves back and forth between life and events at Western State Hospital, twenty years before, in 1979, to the present, with Francis dedicating all his energies to documenting the story, at last. By bringing the truth to light, he hopes to resolve and put to rest the memories and fears which still stalk him.

I have the highest praise for Mr. Katzenbach's novel. He has not only created a brilliant suspense thriller, but has written with great sensitivity, humor and poignancy about the world of the insane. His most unusual characters come to life on the page, and I so liked and cared about many of them, as much as I hated Dr. "Gulp-a-pill" and Mr. "Evil." Francis, is one of the most sympathetic, intelligent narrators I have "listened to" in a long time. This is a fabulous tale which will grip you until the last page, and haunt you long after you finish.

This is a must read!!
JANA

John Katzenbach is always an interesting writer. Every book is completely different than the one before. The author of the POW bestseller, HART'S WAR, goes in a completely different direction by writing a desert island type of thriller that takes place in the confines of an insane asylum located in Massachusetts.
Francis Petrel, a young man, is committed to the Western State Hospital, an insane asylum about twenty years ago. He befriends some of the other lost souls residing there. Suddenly a trainee nurse is found brutally murdered and Francis becomes involved in the investigation after being tagged by a female DA, Lucy Jones, investigating the murder. Lucy,already branded by a large facial scar, is intent on catching the killer. Other dead bodies turn up and it appears a serial killer is on the loose. For the inmates there is no escape.
John Katzenbach manages to effectively portray the life and environs of the insane asylum and cleverly tell a compelling story peopled with realistic characters. The major problem is the pacing which, at times, creeps along for a very severe length. There was ample opportunity to tighten up the storyand thus create a work of unbearable tension. Instead, this rambling tale loses much momentum as it proceeds to the inevitable and not totally surprising conclusion.

In 1979 Francis Petrel was committed to the Western State Hospital for his erratic behavior. Surrounded by medicated zombies, Francis, desperate to stop the voices in his head, makes friends with several inmates: an ex-fireman with a thirst for fire, a would-be Napoleon and a man who imagines devils. But, as the men open up to each other, a shocking crime will force them to confront the fact that a killer may be among them.

A nurse is found sexually assaulted and brutally murdered late one night after lights-out. The police suspect an inmate, while the patients talk of a white-shrouded "angel" lurking the halls at night. A mysterious prosecuting attorney arrives with her own theory about the killing, but after more bodies are discovered she realizes that someone is turning the madhouse in a slaughterhouse.

Twenty-years later the doors of the Western State Hospital are being closed for good and Francis, now living in an apartment and taking his meds to keep the "voices" quiet, needs to tell the story of the nightmarish days at the hospital. Armed with his pencil, Francis begins writing everything he remembers about the murders, but since the crimes were never solved he fears his story will remain unfinished, until the killer returns...with a vengeance.

`The Madman's Tale' is a shocking thriller. A creepy mental hospital is the setting for a twisted story about broken individuals and how far their illnesses will push them. The plot twists will keep readers turning the pages and the narrative will keep them guessing as the journey through the main character's mind is unpredictable and spooky.

John Katzenbach has been writing original thrillers for years and his newest is one of his finest. `The Madman's Tale' is the perfect book for readers looking for a smart, intricately plotted thriller.

Nick Gonnella

John Katzenbach delivers with this story of mystery and madness. This is my first time reading Mr. Katzenbach--I will definitely look for everything else he's written. I loved his imagery! When you pick up this book and start reading, you'll feel like you're right next to C-Bird in the hospital looking for the Angel.

me sleeping with a night light and looking over MY shoulder!

C-Bird (Francis Xavier Petrol) is taken to a 'hospital' for the insane at the age of 21 and from page one his story unfolds. But it unfolds by his writing of his experience at Western State Hospital... on the sterile walls of the apartment he has occupied since his release. Not too crazy really as he has only a pencil and no paper so he looks for the first blank surface and it just happens to be the walls.

Actually his reasoning was about the best of all the characters and this was because he WAS mad and could think like a madman and therefore attempt to assist Lucy Jones and Peter the Fireman in flushing out 'the Angel'...a killer...an obsessive madman who is hiding his madness among all the other madmen in the institution.

Lucy is a prosecutor, who after being assaulted when she was in law school, tries to put those who prey on women behind bars. When a young night nurse is raped and murdered at the asylum she sees a link with three unsolved similar murders in the past and sets out on a quest for justice.

She enlists the help of Francis C-Bird and Peter the Fireman; who really was a fireman. One of the rare 'realities' in this creepy thriller.

We go between Francis' thoughts and his actual writing on the wall which refers to himself in the third person. Intriguing!
We come to meet his friends Napoleon (Nappy), who fights the battle of Waterloo daily; Peter the Fireman who is not mad at all; Lucy of course; the Newsman who walks the halls reciting by heart the headlines of the day from many newspapers; the wonderful characters of Big Black and Little Black and Cleo, Queen of the Nile...all artistically pertrayed by Katzenbach.

His prose was so beautifully descriptive that I was walking the halls and hearing the noises and living inside the heads of the characters. That's why I needed a night light! Scary in there!

He had me sewn up as a fan from this entry on page 22 referring to Dr. Gulptilil (Gulp-a-pill to the patients)...'the doctor was overweight and round, especially in the shoulders and the stomach, bulbous like a child's party baloon that had been squeezed into a shape'. Words that paint a picture with one swift stroke of his imaginative brush. I just knew it would get better and better.

I can't believe that this was my first Katzenbach novel. Why didn't someone tell me? Half-way through I was at the Amazon site and ordered all his books. I had seen Hart's War and loved it but bought the book anyway just for the magnificent writing.

The novel is 438 pages which I 'inhaled' in under 2 days..after all I did have to sleep or try to, anyway. Took me some time to dig out that night light,too.

If you love mystery-thrillers, don't miss this one; but don't be surprised if it turns you into a obsessive/compulsive Katzenbach fan.

With his new novel Mr.Katzenbach delivers his best yet. The main protagonist, Francis, is mad; this means he spent a lot of time in an institution and has only slowly found his way back to a halfway normal life. Though normal is relative as he needs to take a whole dose of pills every day to fight back his voices and he has achieved nothing more but the status of 'innocent idiot' in his home town.

He reflects on his time, now twenty years ago, in a mental institution. Katzenback is absolutely flawless in capturing the dark and grim mood of the mental health institition where inmates and caretakers alike are only there trying to pass the day without crating problems and with a total absence of a long term perspective.

This is the background for a gruesome murder to be investigated by a young women with the help of two inmates, amongst them Francis. The result is a rollercoaster of emotions and moral choices, in particular when the writing of the story pushes Francis back into his delusions. It is a fight against evil, the direct evil of the murder and the more allegorical evil of the institution, and a very heroic one indeed.

It is hugely rewarding as a reader to identify with Frances, a very, very flawed individual, but with a keen sense of observation, and one ends the book not only having read a darned good mystery novel, but also with a lot of compassion for the inmates and other people in the asylum, not dissimalr to kesey's One flew over the Cuckoo's nest

Katzenbach usually creates his own little microcosms for his novels. He writes intelligently and with lots of details about his special worlds. He does this here too, but it is not enough to carry the story for over 500 pages.
The small world here is a mental hospital, the main actors are two patients and a prosecutor, who team up, not exactly very plausibly, to find a serial killer who is assumed to be hiding in the hospital.
The story is told by one of the patients. This device for the narration works for a long time: C-Bird writes his recollection on his appartment walls, 20 years after the events. In the process he wrestles with his demons all over again.
What made me give up after struggling on for over 400 pages was the fact that the investigation does not seem to get anywhere. One finds it hard to quite believe that prosecutor Lucy Jones is such a crack at what she does. She doesn't seem to actually investigate or take action. Most of the time she is seen rather helpless and lost in the crazy world of hospital bureaucracy and one would like to help her. She does not take advice from readers though. Her chief assistant, Peter the Fireman, is not really a very plausible element in the story either. He is in a way too good to be true; his private war with the Catholic Church is somewhat artificially added.
One has to take into account that the story is set in the 70s, i.e. before major breakthroughs in forensic methods. That accounts for many things that are not done by the team. But on the other hand, the hospital management's resistance against a full fledged investigation is just not plausible.

It is incredibly difficult to find any flaw in this book. An excellent plot, developed well incrementally and excitingly in each page. The narration style used by the author is a smart innovation of mixing present-past scenarios. Alternatively using a protagonist narrator to describe present-tense incidents and then using the same narrator to re-live the past, the author sustains and builds interest in the rapidly evolving plot. The twists in the plot are not evern barely predictable....the type of twists the plot takes and their timing makes the story an excellent read. It is difficult not to miss the resemblence of the female prosecutor's character with a similar one in Hannibal, but that is the only minute case I can make for being nit-picking. Otherwise, the characters are original and their personalities well developed over the book. An excellent read!