Customer Reviews

Shiny Water

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

 

 

Anna Salter has been in the trenches, with all the psychotherapeutic babble and lunacy...yet she shows us that psychotherapy is an art form and that to survive the hard times we need humor and creativity. This is one of the best novels showing what a certain number of us do for a living and the frustrations that we face. She is realistic, funny, extremely educational (I actually learned clinical pointers) and very talented. Wow.

Having attended professional training by the author, I was curious about her books. Folks, the frightening thing is that she is describing the world and thought processes of sexual offenders. If you wonder "how could they do that"- this book is a fascinating and brilliant insight to their minds as well as the realities of "the system." To be honest, I didn't even notice any of the grammatical issues other reviewers found because I was too engrossed in the material! For me, it was validating to read of life through Dr.Michael Stones'eyes, and think,I've seen and thought that myself. I work with Willie and others like him on a daily basis, and I have a new appreciation of these residents, and why I continue to find them so fascinating. I can see myself going to visit Willie to be educated, and I have done this as well as had similar conversations with correctional types. I'm half way through the second book. and have the third waiting. Thank you Anna for going where few seem willing to go.

"Shiny Water" by Anna Salter is not an easy book to read. The violence and horrow of child abuse is not as strongly protrayed as in Andrew Vachss' novels but it's all here. And is it very disquieting. I find the evil and terror or child abuse much more frightening than the horror of Stephen King.
Anna Salter has given us a smart, lively character in Michael Stone. This is a tough lady who is easy to admire, retlate to and enjoy.
An extremely diffcult job making a good novel out of this unsettling subject but Anna Salter has done so.
I'm waiting for the next novel!

Psychologist, Michael Stone, is a character I hope to read more of. Her reasoning is well thought out and explained in layman terms throughout the story. Plot weakens a bit in spots or perhaps it was just my anger towards psycho dads who get away with atrocities.

The information given in this book - ie court, councelling small children, the frustrations of defending children in abuse cases, is impresive. As a former social worker, the dialogue rings true and the insights into all these situations are all to often seen by 'people in the business' including the opinion of the public, judges, lawyers, the opposing parents and unfortunately, the pain of the children. The mystery is woven expertly while giving the real sense of working in this difficult field. It could just as easily been written by a working social worker. The 'heroine' does not come across as a bleeding heart, a point that strenthens the whole picture.

Salter is a forensic psychologist, and it's obvious she really knows about what she writes. The main character, Michael is an interesting heroine who works to help the most innocent of victims...children. She's a bit quirky, stubborn but very likeable.

The story itself was creepy, sad and compelling. This would be a good addition to any mystery book collection.

Astonishing that a first book could be this good. It's not often I reread the last pages, reluctant to let go of the characters or the story. Salter has managed to create a likeable, believable protagonist and an unjargony, technically accurate tale, that hooks readers from the first page.

Forensic psychologist Michael Stone, a transported Southerner living
in Vermont, specializes in cases where someone has been abused, acting as
an advocate for the victim. When she is asked by the Guardian Ad Litem of
two children to evaluate three year old Adrienne and six year old Andrew in
a child custody case to see if the children exhibit any symptoms of sexual
abuse, her findings are down right ugly. The father, renowned thoracic
surgeon and pillar of society Dr. Nathan Southwork, in Michael's expert
opinion is an abuser, a declaration she makes under oath in court.
....... Unfortunately, the mother is deemed mentally incompetent and the judge
chooses to ignore Michael's expert testimony by awarding full custody to
the father. By the next day, both children are dead and the mother is in
jail charged with a double homicide since the bodies were found wearing
pajamas tucked neatly in a bed in her home. This places Michael's
reputation on the line because the grieving father feels that she
misdiagnosed the case. Michael thinks that someone else is using the
scenario to hide their own nefarious and perverted deeds.
...... Move over Ms. Cornwell, Anna Salter has arrived with an imaginative
story telling ability to take her to the top of the best seller list. Ms.
Salter has an uncanny but believable skill to describe the most perverse
sociopaths rambling amidst society. SHINY WATER examines the cesspool of
civilization, while leaving the reader with hope that as long as people
like the protagonist exist, humanity can win over these devious devils.

......Harriet Klausner

I thought the book was well written from a storyline point of view. I found myself staying up to finish the next chapter, then the next. I see the author has only written four books in this series, that's to bad. I look forward to reading the other three.

This book really gets into a mind of a sexual predator, and explains what they're thinking and of their "sick actions" towards innocent young children!!!! But, i can't put the book down!!!