Customer Reviews

The Venus Fix: A Dr. Morgan Snow Novel (Butterfield Institute, Book 3)

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

"The Venus Fix" is a schizophrenic novel, a multi-strand thriller with erotic overtones.

At its center is sex counselor Dr. Morgan Snow. While her boyfriend, New York police detective Noah Jordain, is investigating the murder of an online performer, who died in agony during one of her shows, she's treating patients who may have a connection to the case. One is a mystery man who needs therapy for his addiction to Internet webcam shows, while the other is a group of teens from the same school.

Rose has said in interviews that she wanted the novel to reflect accurately the trauma caused by Internet sex addiction, and she has done so effectively, showing the lure of graphic images on the part of the men, and trauma such behavior inflicts on the women in their lives, and the girls who feel pressured to imitate the looks and behavior of porn stars.

But depicting behavior is not the same thing as telling a story. While the patients struggle with their obsessions and the murders of the sex performers follow the thriller template, the far more compelling story lies with Snow's personal life. Morgan and Noah, each with enough emotional baggage to fill a 747, feel their way toward a hopeful greater intimacy, which is threatened when Morgan's ex-husband returns, wanting to make things right with her. Morgan also has a problem with her daughter, who at 13 is acting in a Broadway play and has the potential of making a career out of acting. To Morgan, who saw her actress-mother self-destruct, this is unacceptable.

It is Morgan Snow's struggles to find her place in a relationship, to retain a connection with her daughter and her need to protect herself from her patients' traumas that give "The Venus Fix" its kick.

An erotic thriller isn't the kind of book you'd expect to find on most guys' reading lists. But most novels of this type aren't as good, and as universal, as those written by M.J. Rose. Any reader, man or woman, who enjoys a sexy, suspenseful read would be advised to pick up one of her books.

Rose's latest, "The Venus Fix," features the return of sex therapist Morgan Snow, a single mom and top-notch professional in her field. In a wonderfully-crafted plot, Snow is counseling a group of teenagers who are addicted to live Internet sex shows. When someone starts killing off the performers, while the boys watch, Snow is drawn into the investigation.

The plot of "The Venus Fix" is fresh and intriguing, but it is the characters that push this thriller to such a high level. The relationships that fill it -- mother-daughter, doctor-patient, girlfriend-boyfriend -- are so well-developed and so real that the story takes on considerable power and poignancy.

Dr. Morgan Snow, sex therapist at the well known Butterfield Institute in New York City, has a new patient. He is an extremely influential and powerful man that she only knows as "Bob." His problem is an extremely strong addiction to watching internet porn of the web-cam variety. He is not the only patient that Dr. Snow has. She is also running a group session for a small group of teenagers, at a prestigious high school, who are all obsessed with the same type of internet fed sexual fantasies.
Then the women creating these fantasies start to die while performing. Suddenly, The N.Y.P.D. is fielding hundreds of phone calls from across the country. Phone calls made by the men who were watching as these women became sick and died. Dr. Snow's work becomes entangled with detective Noah Jordain's investigation as he tries to unravel the riddle behind the murders. All the victims are purveyors of the web cam porn industry. Also, all the victims are employed by the same company. What other connections tie the victims together?
The clues point towards Dr Snow's new patient. However, new evidence comes from an unexpected source and changes the focus of the hunt. Can they find the real killer in time, or will more women die?

The Venus Fix is M.J. Roses third book in the Butterfield Institute series. As a newcomer to this series, I found it easy to fall into Dr. Snow's world and sensibilities. M.J. Rose has crafted a story that pulls its elements from seedier aspects of society and combines them with well crafted events to make a quick, enjoyable, thrill-filled story. Being fairly new to the mystery/thriller world, I was unaware of M.J. Rose's reputation for writing that is a bit sexual, raw and underground. In fact I stumbled across her due to a self promotional contest online for this title. M.J. Rose is one of those authors that you hear a lot about. She self published her first novel, due to increased frustration with having her book turned down by several publishing houses, and put all her effort into using the internet to market her writing. As a result, her books have been picked up by the mainstream publishing industry. She still keeps a web blog called Buzz, Balls & Hype which she uses as an outlet to help publishers and authors reach a larger audience about their books. I've never been much of a reader of thrillers, however I found The Venus Fix a fantastic introduction to the genre and am looking forwards to reading more works by the author.

I have yet to find an author who integrates erotica and suspense as well as M. J. Rose. Her Butterfield Institute series is built on what I would call an ingenious premise. Dr. Morgan Snow, a sex therapist with the Institute, frequently encounters clients who find themselves embroiled in significant trouble as a result of their sexual problems. Such elements permit Rose to explore storylines that are unique yet believable. It is a given that sex specifically and passion in general have the capacity to get one into trouble. Rose proceeds from that premise and takes it to its logical conclusion, making each of her novels in that vein a riveting cautionary tale.

THE VENUS FIX, the third of Rose's Butterfield Institute books, initially finds Snow treating a patient who is unknown to her --- he identifies himself only as "Bob" --- but is obviously someone possessed of power and importance. "Bob" frequently visits live Internet webcam sex sites, and this obsession is worming its way into the cracks of his relationship with his wife and destroying its foundation. At the same time Snow is working with a group of male and female high school students who are similarly obsessed with real-time websites. The males watch because...well, that's what males do. The females visit them because they literally are looking for tips to attract the males, and thus are seeking to emulate the behavior of the women on these websites.

This is shocking, but Noah Jordain, a detective with the New York City Police Department's Special Victims Unit (and Snow's intermittent gentleman caller), is drawn into the world of Internet sex when a woman running one of these live sex websites dies online before a number of horrified viewers. It is quickly determined that her death, rather than being happenstance or by accident, is murder. When another incident occurs, it becomes clear that someone is targeting a specific group of women.

Jordain's investigation leads him to "Bob" and a revelation concerning his identity. Snow is convinced that "Bob" is incapable of committing murder, which is challenged by "Bob's" confession. But the investigation is by no means over and causes difficulties for Snow, who must preserve client confidentiality. This becomes even more difficult when Snow comes to realize that there is a link --- which may or may not be coincidental --- between the murders and the student group she is counseling.

THE VENUS FIX continues Rose's practice of interweaving complex philosophical, ethical and moral issues into a suspenseful plotline that entertains --- and yes, arouses --- while providing intellectual grist for thoughtful consideration long after the reader has completed the novel. Rose creates a rather ingenious modus operandi for the killer --- one that undoubtedly will raise the word of mouth profile for this book --- and her choice for the ultimate villain of the piece is at once sympathetic, diabolical and controversial.

However, she also raises some fascinating issues relating to sexuality in general and adolescent promiscuity in particular. An unfortunate byproduct of the so-called sexual revolution, combined with the instant gratification element of the Internet, is that it has resulted in an incredible amount of pressure being placed upon young women to conform to a sexual ideal that they cannot, and should not, aspire to. Adults have a different problem. How many relationships are affected by the obsession of one or both partners with the portrayal of an ideal that neither can equal in the real world? Rose provides an evenhanded and levelheaded view of the problem, even as it becomes clear that there are no easy solutions.

Rose combines exotic situations with mystery and suspense to provide readers with a novel that will raise the temperature --- among other things --- at the beach this summer.

--- Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub

This is an important book. It should be required reading for every parent of teens. M.J. Rose has written an exceptional book about porn addiction and how it effects its users. We have heard of broken marriages, but not too much about the effect of porn on teen boys and the girls who are involved with them.

Once again, we meet Dr. Morgan Snow and her lover Detective Noah Jordain. That alone would be enough to read this installment of the series, but the underlying story demands we read this book.

Well written, intriquing, and a real page turner. Buy this book.

Someone is killing webcam girls, someone very angry who wants to hurt someone close. Who could be doing it? That answer eludes Detective Noah Jordain, of the NYPD Special Victims Unit, but he is prepared to find out. On the other hand, Morgan Snow, sex psychologist at the Butterfield Institute, has several possible suspects. One of her clients is a very successful and well-known man -- so well-known that he attends the clinic under a pseudonym, for fear of being discovered. He is addicted to webcam pornography and feels a conflicted combination of guilt and thrill for hiding it from his wife. Morgan is also working with a group of teenagers with the same problem, webcam addiction. Are any of these people involved, or is someone close to them committing those crimes? If so, why? There are some twists throughout the novel.

M.J. Rose is one of my favorite suspense novelists. Her erotic-slash-psychological thrillers are delectable and enthralling. Her descriptions are sensual and literary. Her first novel, Lip Service, is a favorite of mine. I have read all of her books with the exception of The Reincarnationist (still on my TBR pile). The Dr. Morgan Snow novels are wonderful. Then why am I giving The Venus Fix two stars, you ask? I thought it was boring. I also didn't like the format in which it was written. There is too much head-hopping going on. Almost every chapter features a new point of view. Morgan, a fascinating and complex heroine, gets lost in the middle of all the isolated scenes/chapters. It made her first-person narrative seem absurd in the middle of so much third-person hopping. I give it two stars because I enjoyed her scenes with Noah and her difficulty accepting her teen daughter's passion for acting and how her daughter's ambition reminds her of her mother, a former child actor who self-destructed once her career was over. If not for that, I would have given it one star. Perhaps M.J. Rose is no longer into this series, which may explain why she hasn't written one in over a year. The first novel in the series, The Halo Effect, is the best one (so far). As said earlier, I admire this author, but that doesn't stop me from admitting that The Venus Fix is kind of a stinker.

The Venus Fix is book 3 in M.J. Rose's trilogy. Having read the first two in this series, book 3 did not disappoint. Early on in the book I thought I had figured out who the killer was. As the book progressed there were several prospects. Without giving away any spoilers I will just say I loved the twist and certainly didn't see it coming. Just like Ms. Rose's other two books this can also be read as a standalone. Even though the author provides enough history about her characters and how they have come to be where they currently are I would still recommend reading the first two books prior to The Venus Fix.
Series order
The Halo Effect (MIRA)
The Delilah Complex (MIRA)
The Venus Fix: A Dr. Morgan Snow Novel (Butterfield Institute, Book 3)

At the Butterfield Institute in New York City, Dr. Morgan Snow is one of the top sex therapists. She treats high profile clients and disturbed teenagers with the same compassion and calm even though her own life is teetering on the edge of a meltdown with her daughter who is a Broadway star.

Just divorced and dating Detective Noah Jordain was complicated enough until someone starts killing web cam sex performers online and in plain sight. Noah has been assigned to the case and one of Morgan's clients, a very secretive, paranoid, self-proclaimed high profile man, may be involved. While the clock ticks relentlessly on more girls will die on camera on the Internet if the killer isn't found. One of Morgan's clients holds the keys, but can she break confidentiality to help Noah find the killer before it's too late?

From the first page of "The Venus Fix" the stage is set. The murderer speaks and lays out the deadline and the motivation. Throttle back for introductions and then M. J. Rose puts this high performance vehicle into gear and lets go. In short meaty chapters, Rose hits high and low, slowing down for curves and then hits the accelerator and speeds on down the road.

With topics like sex and the Internet it's hard to miss a gear and Rose proves she is up to the task. The web cam girls emerge as more than hot bodies with eyes full of dollar signs but rather as flawed and intricate women. The only web cam girl that isn't as clearly drawn is the last to be targeted, the girl behind the mask who paid her way through school and now works alongside Morgan at the Butterfield Institute.

There are times throughout the book I believed I had the killer's identity nailed. I was wrong. Not until the final chapters was I able to say for sure who did it. Rose kept the killer hidden in plain sight behind a mask of deception and misdirection that held up until the end of the race.

By jumping from character to character and situation to situation, "The Venus Fix" is a tightly plotted novel enlivened by realistic dialogue and well-written, true-to-life characterizations that resonate. There is a palpable sense of place and time that makes the reader believe they are walking the winter streets of New York or the languishing in warmer New Orleans. There are no clear-cut villains or saints and each secret is giving the loving attention every voyeur craves. Rose is the ultimate Peeping Tom offering a full frontal view of Lady Godiva and her sisters and brothers that will not soon be forgotten.

M.J. Rose is one of those rare authors who keep coming out with books
that seem to get better and better . . . her latest erotic thriller,
THE VENUS FIX, is the third in a series of novels about Dr. Morgan
Snow--one of New York's top sex therapists.

It deals with those secretly addicted to watching Internet webcam
[...]. . . in particular, there's a powerful, influential man,
as well as a group of high school students . . . that their obsession
leads to murder is what makes the book so interesting . . . a
love story makes it even more so.

Even if you never read the first two books, you'll have no trouble
following this one . . . but that said, I did enjoy the continuation
of the characters who somehow are managing to grow on me . . . I
really feel like I'm getting to know not only Snow, but also the others
in her life: the off-and-on boyfriend, daughter, ex-husband, business
partner, etc.

THE VENUS FIX is quick reading . . . it will leave you guessing until
the last page, and as is the case with everything Rose has written,
there's a great ending.

In addition, there's great writing throughout; among the passages
that caught my attention were the following:

* Noah took a drink, put the glass down and started to play. It took almost
fifteen minutes for him to slip into the zone where he was no longer
conscious of his fingers flying over the keys, or the day he'd had, or the
problems waiting for him at the precinct house. There was just music.
And he was sailing on it.

* Being a detective was part of him. It was what his dad did. What he
always wanted to do. But he played piano from inside. He needed
it for balance, for beauty. For the sliver of soul he still had intact.
That's what the music had salvaged.

* As long as she would let me sit on the side of her bed and talk to her,
as long as she would listen, as long as she took what I said in, that was
all I could ask for. It was so much more than so many parents had.

And this one that contained great advice that is something I now
try to do as a result of reading it:

* Ever since she [the main character's daughter] was little, it's been
our tradition at dinner to talk about what had happened that day,
but with caveats. For everything that had gone wrong or that
you complained about, there had to be one thing that had gone right
or that had made you happy. Always a balance.

M.J. Rose writes hybrid books--by that I mean, they defy genres. All her novels are really part literary novel, part sizzling thriller, and totally satisfying. As a mother of a son, I always worry about the creeps trolling the internet, so I was particularly interested in this novel M.J. Rose has crafted a terrific and smart novel of air-tight psychological suspense. Loved it.