Customer Reviews

Nothing to See Here

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This just published book by Dr. David Post, practicing Clinical Psychologist, and gifted classical composer is absolutely terrific. It describes the journey of a clever, smug, self-satisfied,rational middle class man into the landscape of the Id. "Crime and Punishment" in a modern Boston suburb. Plot, place, prose, and plausibility are all here. A thoughtful exposition of the fine line between the rational "everyman", and madness.

If only Claude Chabrol would option this book and make the movie.

Based on an actual event which sparked the idea for this novel, which traces the deterioration of a respected Boston psychiatrist, it tracks his virtual loss of sanity driving him to commit a ghastly act. It begins with his wife of more than a decade leaving home, abandoning Dr. Alan Sarnower and their 10-year-old son. About two months later, he returns home to find her nude in bed with a hippie. The doctor throws the man's clothes out the window; the man then runs out into the yard nude and flees.

Shortly thereafter, the wife files for divorce, seeking custody of the boy, support, and possession of the home. Thus begins the debilitating course of events as the doctor tries to salvage his life and keep custody of the boy. Worn down by the court, his wife's demands, and the system, Sarnower slowly begins to lose it. He begins to neglect relationships, his practice and various other responsibilities.

The novel is taut, especially for a debut work. The author, a clinical psychologist, has command of the subject, and provides substantial insights into the doctor's mind (and reactions) A good read, and a gripping tale.

Alan Sarnower,a self absorbed psychologist living in an affluent suburb of Boston is married to his drug addicted manic depressed wife named Cassie. They have a 10 year old son Mitch who is left with Sarnower when Cassie decides to leave them asking Alan for a divorce. From this point things start to go wildly out of control in Dr. Sarnowers world. Between fighting expensive custody issues in the effort to keep his son along with maintaining his patients in his practice, life begins to pose a major struggle for him. Sarnower's existence becomes further complicated with his new outside relationships he has made with other women since Cassie has left often leaving the good doctor with not knowing what is real or unreal.

David Post has written a novel that totally grabs your attention and keeps you interested. Once you start it you simply cannot put it down. His experience as a clinical psychologist makes his story telling fascinating. Also within the book he makes several references to classical music compositions which serves so brilliantly to intensify the novel. David Post is able to weave a story filled with the richness, suspense and drama much like that of a powerful Mahler symphony.

Bravo!

Nancy Loftus Keast
Boston, Mass

Reviewed by Richard R. Blake for Reader Views (6/07)

Professionally caring, and competent, Dr. Alan Sarnover, a successful Boston psychiatrist, is suddenly faced with a family crisis of his own. His wife Cassie, mother of their ten-year-old son, Mitch, in on the brink of a nervous breakdown. Her erratic behavior, uncontrolled outbursts, repeated relapses, and a heavy dependence on prescription drugs culminate in a destructive climactic departure from the home leaving no trace as to her whereabouts. Several weeks later Cassie reappears, files for divorce, custody of Mitch, the larger share of their assets, and an expense support settlement.

Author David L. Post, long a practicing clinical psychologist, shows a rich depth of understanding as he describes diverse symptoms and authentic background psychological analysis to help the reader understand characters introduced in the novel. He portrays dysfunctional relationships, the results of broken marriages, suicidal symptoms, weaknesses and flaws of character just below the surface ready to erupt in many of us.

The author is also a published composer and musician. This love for music came through his writing in the broad base of performers and composers referred to throughout the narrative. This alone will entice many music lovers back to read his next work of fiction.

I was drawn into the web of suspense as Sarnover moved from success as a therapist to the very edge of sanity. Faced with the stress of single parenting, a declining practice, and outrageous attorney's fees, Sarnover, finds himself out of touch with reality, drifting in and out of daydreaming, and on a quest to fulfill his daydreams and other hedonistic pleasures with an old college buddy, Tug.

After the suicide of her ex-boyfriend, Sarnover counseled his grieving office manager, Nina, "No one really knows anyone at all, at least not to the extent they think they do. Listen, we've all got demons, most of the time we can keep them under control. Sometimes they get unbearably strong. Anything we do to try to put them back in their cages is useless. They tear us apart with their fury." A variation of these demons would soon plague Alan's very existence.

As Alan continued to plummet deeper in his despair he mused, "You couldn't watch CNN for more than a week without seeing someone go berserk in McDonalds or K-mart." He, himself, "now losing his own protective skin could almost empathize, he was getting to know the currents and undertows that would drive you to such a point."

While spiraling out of control himself, Alan buries himself in a destructive pattern of self-loathing, jealousy, paranoia and a way to personally administer justice for the bad hand of fate he had been dealt. Graphic violence and a strong sexual current vividly describe the depths of Alan's deprivation.

The timely theme, the dialog, suspense and drama of "Nothing to See Here" make this a potential novel for Hollywood consideration.

The engaging, multi-dimensional characters, gripping plot, and strong dialog, all combine to give David L. Post the potential of becoming a best selling author in the psychological suspense thriller genre. Superb writing!

Received book free of charge.

Book Title: Nothing to See Here
Author: David L. Post
Beckham Publications Group, Inc.
Reviewer: Lee Carper

Is Alan Sarnower an ordinary man driven to kill under extraordinary circumstances, or is he an unstable man who had the capacity to kill all along? Is his circumstance all that extraordinary to begin with? These are questions I asked myself as I turned the pages in this gripping tale of a man who sees his life spiral into a chasm of darkness and despair.

A successful psychiatrist, Dr. Alan Sarnower lives with his wife Cassie and ten year old son Mitch, in the Boston suburb of Cambridge. Alan has a decent life. Sure, he and Cassie had problems throughout the years, but doesn't every marriage come with ups and downs? Didn't every couple get on each other's nerves once in a while? Cassie, never what Alan would call a warm person, used to enjoy socializing or perhaps a movie from time to time, while he remained busy with medical school and preoccupied with clients. Was he partly to blame for the dissolution of the marriage?

Cassie's demeanor, increasingly bizarre, finally culminates in a quick and unexpected escape. Her car is found with a note attached to the windshild: "Split for the coast". Alan, confused with his wife's erratic behavior, is determined to make a good life for his son despite the course of events. Mitch blames his father for Cassie leaving, and Alan begins to unravel. He has an affair with his receptionist, as well as a mother of Mitch's schoolmate. While Alan struggles to reclaim a positive relationship with his son, Cassie's unexpected return and filing for divorce, forces him to face the realities of not only a judicial system that favors mothers, but a social services culture where anything can go awry.

Alan's old psychiatry mentor offers a few conciliatory words along the way, as does his friend Tug, who lends a bit of comic relief in an otherwise dramatic novel.

Alan Sarnower's self-serving ways did not sit well with me, and the idea of killing his wife might have been more powerful had it not occurred so soon. Perhaps in the bigger picture, however, that remained the intent. How well do we really know someone? Is Alan a sympathetic character? Did he end up killing his wife? How far would you go to protect the ones you love? Author David L. Post challenges the reader to ask these difficult questions.

Nothing to See Here is truly something to see.