Customer Reviews

Topping from Below

5 star:		(40)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(10)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

"Topping From Below" is one of the best psychological thrillers I have read in a very long time, and is reminiscent of the work of Alfred Hitchcock - minus the obvious sexual content. This novel is usually billed as BDSM erotica which really limits the readership. I find this sad because as a novel it is excellent and deserves to be enjoyed by a wider audience. While many potential readers will shy away from a novel with a BDSM theme, they certainly enjoy novels like "Silence of the Lambs," many novels by Stephen King, and suspense thrillers involving serial killers like Jack the Ripper. Although the latter books have little or no sexual content, they are usually much more violent in nature than this spellbinding mystery, suspense novel by Laura Reese. For those who are not familiar with the terminology, BDSM describes a number of related patterns of human sexual behavior. The major subgroupings are described in the acronym "BDSM" itself - bondage and discipline, domination and submission. The book's intriguing title, "Topping From Below," refers to a rebellious dynamic in which the submissive, (the bottom), partner manipulates the dominant mate (the top).

Nora Tibbs, an attractive, successful, 30-something journalist is obsessed with the mysterious murder of her younger sister Franny. Franny's decomposing body was found bound, gagged and mutilated on the floor of her living room. There was no evidence of breaking and entry, so it is speculated that the victim knew her killer and voluntarily allowed him/her to enter her home. The coroner, after the autopsy is completed, is unable to determined the cause of death.

Nora is haunted by her sister's death and is determined to find the murderer. While looking through Franny's papers, she finds a diary on her sister's PC detailing the victim's BDSM relationship with a man called "M." Always believing she knew her sister well, she is shocked that Franny would even consider entering an "abusive relationship." The more she reads the more convinced she becomes that "M" committed the heinous act which ended her sister's life. The police have checked out this potential suspect, thoroughly investigated him, and found no evidence involving him in the case. The relationship between Franny and "M" was between two consenting adults, and the BDSM lifestyle is not a crime. Nora continues to believe "M" is guilty and is determined to prove it. She finds his home and work address and literally stalks "M," a talented musician and music professor with very unusual sexual proclivities, (to say the least!), until finally the two meet. He knows from the beginning who Nora is, but is intrigued by her and the possibilities of forming a relationship with the sister of his former lover.

From the very first page to the last sentence the suspense and the tension increase. The writing is superb and the three main characters, Nora, "M" and Franny are intriguing, well defined and developed. The conclusion is a knock-out! I really couldn't put this book down.

I feel it necessary to warn potential readers that this book is for a mature audience. There are extremely graphic sex scenes, not all of them pleasant. However, none of the sexual material is gratuitous. All of it plays an important role in the plot and the development/decline of the characters. The novel could be compared, in a sense, to the "Story of O," but the storyline is quite different.

If you're intrigued but in doubt, check it out at a local bookstore. If you're just plain interested - go for it! Take a walk on the dark side. It is an excellent read! Highly recommended.

JANA

It's a modern erotic thriller with a great plot, deeply developed characters, and intelligent lively writing.

A young woman sets out to find her sister's killer. Her sister was involved in a sadomasochistic relationship and she suspects this man is responsible. She soon becomes involved with him also, and the "who done it" part of the mystery deepens. Of course I read the last chapter; I always do; but this didn't lessen the impact at all. The story moves fast, the writing is complex, and the sex scenes are frequent, violent, and explicit.

I've read two books recently that have these kinds of scenes: one was "The End of Alice" about a child molester; the other was "In The Cut" which was about a serial killer. Many years ago I read "The Story of O," which also has this quality. "Topping From Below", like these, is not for everyone. Many of the scenes will make you cringe. There's psychological and physical cruelty and scenes including whips, chains and bestiality. The title refers to an expression that supposedly comes from the sadomasochist culture. The "top" is the dominant partner; the "bottom" is the submissive. If the submissive starts to gain control, it's called "Topping From Below".

You might throw this book away in disgust, but it will surely haunt your nightmares, take you away from the comfortable and hurl you into a world where pain and degradation is a sexual turn on.

For the adventurous only. But be forewarned.

By far one of the better books I've read in a long time. The story is disturbing to say the least. It's about control and domination by a man, sexually and mentally, written from a woman's point of view. Nora's sister is brutally murdered with no apparent cause of death. She's convinced the ex boyfriend is the killer and decides to get involved with him and whatever that entails to get to the bottom of her sister's death. As mentioned in my heading, this book is not for the weak of mind. The sex is graphic, and not run of the mill "Harlequin Romance" sex either. It will shock some, intrigue others, fascinate many. Well worth the time invested.

"Topping From Below" bridges the gap between a serious thriller of a novel and explicit erotic fiction. It is an admirable, perhaps audacious, first novel by Laura Reese. It is more than an exciting "fast read" and has a depth that deserves merit.

This is a shocking mystery novel opening with a first person account by the main character, Nora Hibbs, of the sadistic death of her sister Franny. The author grabs the attention of the reader in a graphic first paragraph and succesfully builds the tension all the way to the end.

While the primary plot is attention grabbing, the enduring tension is artfully developed by an underlying, highly erotic, pcychological exchange of power between Nora and M. The author has masterfully used sadism and masachism as a method of playing with human emotions and exchanging physical and mental control between the two main characters. The result is a gripping novel.

The erotic scenes are explicit and may be offensive to some readers. Most involve S&M, but all of them are integrel to the story and changing the lives of the characters. They are not merely thrown in to tease or shock the reader. This is a serious novel with good character development and a devilish plot that could be real.

My only disappointment was with some of the author's over-use of description of the physical environment. Some of the description was lengthy, unnecessary, and unrelated to the plot.

This is a thrilling, very readable first novel. It is also one of the very few legitimate, quality novels that successfully includes explicit erotic scenes that are integral to a very real story. I hope the subject matter does not hinder the author's opportunity for future success.

Perhaps I shouldn't write a review, because I was only able to get through the first three chapters before giving up in distaste, but I'm going to anyway.

As someone with an interest in altenative sexuality, I was turned off and disgusted by the relationship described here. I'm afraid this book will contribute to some of the negative stereotypes about SM held by the vanilla public. The relationship depicted here is one between a pathologically sadistic, selfish, immature jerk and a pathetic, insecure, unformed young woman with no self-esteem.

The activities the author recounts are abusive and manipulative, not a mutually-enjoyable, informed and consensual dynamic between two consenting adults. Any Top who would treat a bottom this way would quickly find himself alone, as most young female players have more than their share of potential partners within the established Scene.

I would not compare this novel to the classic "Story of O" (which many others in BDSM also find offensive) because "O's" Tops ALWAYS ask for her informed consent before proceeding, and she seems to enjoy her distress and pain on some level. The bottom in this novel never gives her consent, is pressured into activities she doesn't want to do, and is manipulated into believing this is regular, normal sexual behavior, rather than a lifestyle choice that must be considered carefully.

Perhaps this is a good novel that I'm not giving enough of a chance. If you read it, however, be aware that this is NOT what BDSM is all about.

Topping from Below is one of the most explicit erotic thrillers I have read in a long time! Its powerful, no-holds-barred approach to eroticism pulls you into the dark and sinister world of hardcore S&M.

When her younger sister is found murdered, Nora Tibbs becomes obsessed with wanting to expose the man she believes is her sister's killer. Nora wants to experience the same things her sister had experienced by surrendering to the suspect's tough and illicit sexual commands. However, the sleuthing journey she decides to embark upon is one of deception, surprises and manipulation. Nora soon finds that collecting evidence is more difficult than she had anticipated, especially when the suspect mightn't be the murderer after all...

The novel's climax will blow you away.

Exquisitely dark, fiendishly graphic and powerfully gripping, Topping from Below is the best reading investment I've made all year. I recommend this novel to all fans of erotic thrillers.

I absolutely LOVED this book. Intrigued by the cover, and the fact that its set in my hometown I bought it. I really didn't expect much more then a way to occupy time ... boy was I wrong! It consumed my life for two days!! I was always surprised, it was never predictable, and as a previous reviewer said, I really felt as if I was reading non-fiction. It drew me into a world I still feel ... its as if I know Nora and Ian and M., and i grieve for Franny. God I loved this book!! Shocking,yes, but its excellent! I read it a week ago and so far have bought two copies for friends and loaned out mine. Ive told so many people about Topping, I feel like I should stock this book in my store! I can't wait for her next book .... Laura....please hurry :) END

Those that will appreciate this book most are the ones who enjoy BDSM from the safety of their armchairs. Those who actually live the BDSM lifestyle will most likely find this book to be offensive and downright degrading. The basic tenet of BDSM is that all play must be "safe, sane and consensual" and you'd be hard pressed to find even the heaviest "edge" players willing to partake in some of the scenes described in Reese's book. Aside from the ridiculous portrayals of BDSM (M. is not a true dominant, he is simply deranged), the protagonist is completely insipid and the storyline is predictable down to its final twist and turn.

I must say I was a little standofish about reading this book. I like BDSM novels so I picked it up for that simple fact...the only thing that made me cautious was a friend of mine had told me that its not for the faint of heart, which i'm defiently not, but I do not however like stories envolving beastiality and this one as my friend had said, included it. But after reading the novel, which grips you from the very first page, the story and plot more than exceeded my expectations. You feel sorry for the "dead sister" and even more sorry at least to me for the sister who is trying to figure out who killed her sister. Although the story does give few twist and turns overall it was extremely easy to figure out and the ending, to me was justified. Kudos to Laura Reese on a brillant book.

Yes, you've heard from me (vixen) before - but i just wanted to say that the HPEP Reading/Movie S.I.G.that Master and i host recently finished our own discussion of "Topping From Below" and it was one of our best meetings yet!!! All the folks who read the book found something compelling to talk about - be it the issue of consensuality, the culpability of the Dominant in the death of Fran, or the realism of the S/M scenes...all who read the novel were somehow moved, (my Master says i am prejudiced because i fell in love with the character 'Michael" - but i remind Him that it was only because He bears such a striking similarity to "His truly" - i have to admit when Master dressed for the meeting in the unpretentious debonair fashion of 'M' - right down to the silky shirt with rolled-up sleeves, i found myself in such a state that i could barely conduct the group)... But then, my friends, that just helped to illustrate the powerfull evocative nature of the characters described, and how intensely "genuine" the experiences of the heroine were presented. (*sigh*)

By the way, the Doms loved it too, and were almost unanimously defensive of M's relative innocence.

To reiterate, "Topping From Below" is a tremendous book, on many levels, and a very special BDSM literary find. Read it alone, or with your Dom/or sub... MWvixen