Showing posts with label psychological thriller. Show all posts
Showing posts with label psychological thriller. Show all posts

Sunday, August 24, 2025

Saturday is Horror Day #227 - Locked

 Locked


Eddie Barrish (Bill Skarsgärd) means well. He generally has good intentions. But somehow things always seem to get in the way. Such as when it's his turn to pick up his daughter Sarah (Ashley Cartwright) from school but his car is in the shop and he doesn't have the money to pay for it to be fixed and the shop owner refuses to take his word for it that he will pay him or extend him credit.







Eddie is at the end of his rope and desperate. His ex has warned him what will happen if he doesn't fulfill 


his duties as Sarah's father. His promises are empty and she is fed u with them. He does everything he knows how to do to get the almost $500 he needs... and then he spots the luxury SUV sitting alone in a parking lot.  Looking vulnerable. And it's unlocked. What else is a guy to do but take it?




But life is not quite so easy....



Eddie finds himself, to his dismay, locked inside the car. Panicked - and on a time schedule - he tries to get out, but to no avail. Then the screen begins to light up with a call, one that is marked Answer Me. He ignores it the first few times, but finally he's forced to answer it. To his dismay, he discovers himself speaking with the car's owner,  William (Anthony Hopkins), who tells me he is tired of having his car stolen and the police doing nothing about it. So he's taken matters into his own hands. And now, if Eddie wants out, he's going to have to play William's game.


I have to confess that when I saw that this film had both Bill Skarsgärd and Anthony Hopkins, I knew I wanted to see it, no matter what it was about. And I'm glad I did. It's a psychological thriller about two men at the end of their ropes. Eddie is just the unlucky one who falls in the fed-up William's trap. Seriously, who would leave such an expensive vehicle unlocked, alone in a parking lot? But Eddie is desperate, so he isn't using what common sense he might possess. Eddie goes through an ordeal in his attempts to simply exit the car, and William is relentless in his methods - including taxing Eddie, and withholding food and drink, torturing him with music, etc. I was never sure how things would work out, and I found myself very invested in finding out. Both men do an excellent job of portraying their characters. Despite one reviewer who blared something about Pennywise vs Hannibal Lecter, that is far from the case. Eddie is no Pennywise and William no Lecter. I found the movie very enjoyable, I'll give this film 4 Stars.

Monday, May 8, 2023

Book Review: For You and Only You (You #4) by Caroline Kepnes

 

For You and Only You (You #4)        


Author: Caroline Kepnes

Publisher: Random House

American release date:  April 25, 2023

Format/Genre/Length: Paperback/Psychological Thriller/448 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★★

 

Tiring of the bookshop in Florida, Joe Goldberg decides that instead of selling books, he is going to write them! To that end, he applies for and receives a fellowship to Harvard, so it’s off to Boston for Joe! How prestigious is that? The fellowship is being led by an actual well-known author, Glenn Shoddy, of Scabies for Breakfast fame. But that isn’t the best part. When Joe meets his fellow authors, of various backgrounds and various genres, his heart goes thump when he spies her, the girl of his dreams…Wonder Parish. Back in love, Joe does what Joe does best – he stalks the girl. To get to know her better, of course.

Wonder works at a Dunkin’ Donuts and loves Coolattas – she drinks them like they’re going out of style. She lives with her father, whom she buys scratchers for on a regular basis. She has a sister named Cherish, who has a little girl named Karidad. Wonder is working on a book called Faithful, and she is afraid to let anyone read it, but of course that has to happen – that’s the point of the fellowship. Not all the authors are as reticent as she is, and some have actually been published, and think they’re better than the rest. Joe, of course, sees through them. And that includes Glenn.

But Joe isn’t stupid, and he’ll do what he needs to do in order to be published, to be acknowledged as the great writer that he is. Even if it means toadying up to Glenn Shoddy, running errands for him, and even biking with him – ye gods! However, even Joe has his breaking point. When he meets Glenn’s wife Sly, who is also an author, having written an obscure and unsuccessful novel called Flour Girls, Joe learns some interesting truths. And knowledge, as they say is power.

But even with the fellowship under new leadership, bumpy roads lie ahead. True crime writer Mary Beth (rhymes with Death) is on to Joe. In a moment of weakness, he confesses all, which she captures on tape. So now she has proof of his dark deeds! So, what will she do with the information? And what will Joe do with Mary Beth? How can he protect Wonder from undeserved criticism, protect and boost her fragile ego, convince her she is a wonderful writer, and make her see that he is the greatest thing to ever come into her life, all while becoming published himself and staying out of prison? Joe has got his work cut out for him.

I think I enjoyed the fourth Joe Goldberg novel even more than the third. How bold of Joe to yearn to enter the spotlight, to reveal himself to the world at large, when he has left a trail of dead bodies a mile wide. Surely that is bound to catch up with him at some point? Or does he lead a truly charmed life? Joe is a delight, as always. I find his taste in women somewhat lacking, but at the same time, somewhat similar. I don’t believe I’ve liked any of them.

If you’re also watching the series, you’ll notice a great divergence, as the series has taken a left turn. I think I stopped watching after the second season because of that, and not wanting to confuse the books with the series. That being said, Penn Badgley is simply brilliant as Joe. I just wish they’d stuck to the books (I have the same complaint in regard to Lucifer and the Witcher series. At least the Witcher followed it for a while, but Lucifer never did. But I digress). Fantastic novel, looking forward to more. I have to believe that at some point, Joe will have to face the consequences of his actions. It will take more than a silver tongue and a strong sense of self-preservation to help him then.

Friday, May 14, 2021

Book Review: You Love Me (You #3) by Caroline Kepnes

 

You Love Me (You #3)      


Author: Caroline Kepnes

Publisher: Atria/Emily Bestler Books

American release date:  April 6, 2021

Format/Genre/Length: Paperback/Psychological Thriller/400 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★

 

Joe Goldberg’s dreams of a forever love with Love Quinn, mother of his future child, have been crushed following the death of Love’s twin brother Forty and Joe’s arrest on suspicion of murder—namely RIP Beck and RIP Peach. But thanks to the wealthy Quinn family, Joe is freed and given 4 million dollars to go away, with the proviso that he sign a paper that says he must stay away from his son, whom Love names Forty in honor of her brother.

Joe winds up moving to Bainbridge Island, Washington, in a house bought for him by the Quinns, where he becomes a volunteer at the local library and falls madly in love with librarian Mary Kay DiMarco. Mary Kay comes with baggage, in the form of teen-age daughter Nomi,  whom Joe refers to as the Meerkat, but so what? Joe can deal with that. But MK (as he calls her) is hiding something else from him, something that is an even greater obstacle to their happiness, in the form of a has-been rock star husband named Phil.

Simple enough for Joe Goldberg, right? Not like he hasn’t killed people before, he has. But Joe has turned over a new leaf. He doesn’t want to hurt anyone, much less kill them. He’s a good boy, he is. But suddenly, people are dying, and none of it’s his fault. So why is he being made to suffer for their deaths?

The third book of the You series is just as delightful as the first two, with the deliciously psychotic Joe Goldberg as the main attraction. I love reading Joe’s voice, and his humor, even if I don’t get all the references (I do get a lot of them, though). Joe’s trying to do the right thing but the universe seems determined to get him, and his growing softness might just be the end of him.

More interesting characters along with some very unexpected events. Definite roller coaster ride with its ups and downs, and never knowing how things will turn out for Joe. Will surely be reading the next one whenever it comes out. I know this is not the end of the line for our hero, and I look forward to reading more as I wonder what he will be up to next.

 

Monday, February 22, 2021

Book Review: You by Caroline Kepnes

 

You             


Author: Caroline Kepnes

Publisher: Atria/Emily Bestler Books

American release date:  October 13, 2020

Format/Genre/Length: Paperback/Serial Killer Thriller/448 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★

 

The moment Guinivere Beck walked into the NYC bookstore that Joe Goldberg manages, she becomes his instant obsession. His new love. What else can he do, in her best interest, other than to find out everything he can about her and stalk her? And Joe is very good at what he does.

Determined that Beck love him as much as he loves her, he goes about learning what makes her tick. So naturally he needs to spy on her inside her apartment (good thing she doesn’t believe in curtains). A stroke of fortune (or is it Fate?) finds him in possession of her cell phone, so now he can follow her every message, tweet, and email. He gets to know her friends, the most obnoxious of whom is Peach, an entitled rich beeyatch. And then there’s Benji, the surfer-looking dude with his own artisanal water company who seems to be a friend with benefits.

Good thing Joe has the patience of a saint, because the road to winning Beck’s heart is not going to be an easy one. And if, well, he has to kill a few people along the way, all in a day’s work, right?

You pulls you in from the first page with its compelling first person narration. Joe Goldberg is “likeable”… in that charming, demented, narcissistic serial killer kind of way. Poor Joe. Sometimes it seems as though he takes one step forward and three steps back in his pursuit of the elusive Beck. After a while, you begin to wonder just what it is he sees in her that makes him so crazy.

Oh, and just to be clear, this is not his first rodeo, as he plainly admits. So maybe he just wants to get it right this time… unless things don’t work out, and then he can just start again, right?

This book will make you laugh and will also horrify you… and leave you hoping you never meet any people like these. But it’s definitely a fun, wild ride, a psychological rollercoaster that will leave you wanting more. And luckily, there is a second book. Looking forward to reading it.

Thursday, November 5, 2020

Book Review: Audition by Ryu Murakami

 

Audition     


Author: Ryu Murakami

Publisher: W.W. Norton & Company

American release date:  June 7, 2010

Format/Genre/Length: Paperback/Psychological Thriller/192 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★

 

After seven years of being alone, widower Aoyama decides, after being prompted by his fifteen-year-old son Shige, to consider marrying again. However, Aoyama doesnt know just how to go about looking for a wife, as he confides to his close friend, Yoshikawa. Wanting to see his friend happy, Yoshikawa hits on the perfect solutionhell announce an audition for a romantic movie (which may  never get made, but thats show business, right?), and Aoyama can look through the resumes that are submitted and select about thirty or so for the two men to audition for the role of Aoyamas future wife.

 

One resume in particular catches Aoyamas eye, and he barely gives any of the other applicants the time of day, so intent is he on meeting Yamasaki Asami. And when he does, she is even more than he could have hoped for. Of course, he has to let her know she didnt get the part, and hope that she wont be too disappointed.

 

Is she Aoyamas next great love... or a nightmare waiting to happen?

 

This is my second book by this author, the first being Piercing. Both are psychological thrillers which take us deep into the protagonists psyche. Audition is slow-paced, but well worth the time it takes to come to a boil. Ive seen the movie, as well, and have to say I like the book just a little bit better, although the movie is good too. Its a good read, and well done, and I plan to read more of this authors books. The ending may be too graphic for some, so know that going into it. This story is not for everyone, but I really liked it.

 

 

Friday, October 30, 2020

Book Review: Piercing by Ryu Murakami

 

Piercing       


Author: Ryu Murakami

Publisher: Penguin Books

American release date:  March 27, 2007

Format/Genre/Length: Paperback/Psychological Thriller/192 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★★

 

New father Kawashima Masayuki stands beside the bed of his infant daughter every night, in the still of the night, and tells himself he will not stab her with the ice pick he holds in his hand.

His wife has no idea of his thoughts, and would naturally be horrified if she only knew. Kawashima has to do something to rid himself of this urge. Better a complete stranger than his child, right? Not like he hasn’t done that before.

Kawashima is a very methodical man, as is very evident in the way he goes about making plants to inflict his urges on a prostitute he intends to hire. Nothing can be left to chance, and nothing can ever lead back to him. It won’t, not if he plays his cards right. And when he succeeds, his baby and wife will be safe, right?

This psychological thriller by Ryu Murakami explores the thought processes in this man, who otherwise appears to be normal, but beneath it all is filled with personal demons he struggles to control. Namely the impulse to cause harm with an ice pick. And then there is the prostitute he hires through an agency, Chiaki, who has demons of her own. A woman bold enough to pierce her own nipple.

This is my first book by this author, but it won’t be my last. I am currently reading Audition, also by him. I honestly had no idea what was going to happen, as we explore the minds of these two people, brought together by chance, both of whom struggle with painful pasts. I hope the movie is half as good as the book.

This book is very well written and flows smoothly, one of those hard to put down books you are too anxious to find out what happens next. I highly recommend it.

Tuesday, October 6, 2020

Virtual Book Blast: The Trapped Daughter by Jay Kerk

 Good morning! Please welcome author Jay Kerk to Full Moon Dreaming. He is here to tell us about his new release, The Trapped Daughter. Jay will be awarding a $24 Amazon/BN GC to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour via Rafflecopter. The more you comment, the better your chances of winning. To find the other stops on Jay's tour, go here. Don't forget to look for the Rafflecopter at the end of this post.

 


The Trapped Daughter

by Jay Kerk


 

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GENRE: Thriller (Psychological)

 

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BLURB:

 

Have you ever been trapped somewhere? I have.

Have you ever found that the world does not believe you? I did.

 

I have been betrayed by the people I trusted the most. They coil around me like snakes, lulling me with whispers about protection and safety and for your own good.

 

They offer up pills like sweets, promising me relief. Just take the meds and everything will be fine, Belle – the meds, Belle, the meds.

 

Everything will not be fine, and it never will be again. Justice is gone from the world. I have been wronged by Gabe, the man I loved most, and when I turned to others for backup, they sided with him because he’s a star. When I ran to my father for safety, he locked me up in his great big mansion and threw away the key. Now I drift like the ghost Gabe pretended I was, my bare feet tasting the coldness of rich tiles, my breath turning to ice.

 

Gabe isn’t real, they tell me. They insult me, they spit at me, then smile and pretend that they wish to help. Meanwhile, Gabe is out there, luxuriating in all that I won for him, and I suffer and burn.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

EXCERPT:

 

About Gabe: 2011

 

We met for the first time on a dry autumn day. If I had known who I was going to meet on that day and what he would do to me, I would have turned back… but innocent me had no idea.

 

It was the kind of clichéd meeting most hopeless romantics dream of.

 

The ground was carpeted with leaves, and I was surrounded by the huge oak trees they’d fallen from, trying to cram my way through the crowded main entrance to the university. The passage could probably hold a few hundred of the thirty thousand students registered in an academic year at once, and it was hot with the smell of excitement and sweat.

 

I am a shy person, but back then – there should have been a stronger word to describe how shy I was. I walked with my gaze on my feet, my hair across my face, my shoulders hunched inwards as others bumped and barged me from left and right. I walked as one who wants to be invisible, and has almost – almost – achieved it.

 

The last bump was hard enough to knock my notepad out of my hand. I bent to pick it up, and was faced with a hand that wasn’t mine on the pages. I lifted my head and saw Gabe squatting in front of me. 

 

Our eyes met, and I felt the butterflies, felt my mouth turn dry. I crouched motionlessly, bewildered by how perfect he was. Without a word, he gave me the book and hurried away, looking at his watch. I told myself, this is fate. I will marry this man one day.

 

I didn’t want anyone else. I loved him before he became a superstar – and once he did, I adored him.

 

I wish I could to listen to his music, waltz into one of his shows, a casual observer with nothing to lose, nothing to care about. People die from broken hearts, but I haven’t died. Yet.

 

I never I imagined I could stay in love with someone for so long.

 

 

 

 

 

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

As a physician, I used my clinical background to keep the readers on their toes.  All options are on the table. Is Gabe real? Did Gabe ever love her? What was their relationship? Was he her husband, and did she kill him? Is Gabe her brother?

 

My name is Jay Kerk, and I am a 33 year old. I am a medical doctor, and I use my background to illustrate unlikely but realistic situations revolving around the alterations of the mind.  My first book A Predator and A Psychopath, self-published in July 2019, received five stars from Readers Favorite and 4 and a half stars from Self-Publishing Review.

www.Jaykerk.com

https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJayKerk/

https://www.instagram.com/authorjaykerk/

https://twitter.com/KerkJay

https://www.goodreads.com/jaykerk

https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B07V8SRM47

 

Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08HXQFHSB/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i1

 

 


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Thursday, February 21, 2019

Virtual Book Tour: The Moment Between by Gareth Frank



Good morning and please welcome author Gareth Frank and Goddess Fish Promotions! Gareth will be awarding a $50 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. The more often you enter, the better your chances of winning. To find the other stops on the tour, go here.




The Moment Between

by Gareth Frank

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GENRE: Psychological Thriller

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BLURB:

After four years of mourning, Doctor Hackett Metzger is determined to stop letting his wife's death control his life. He is finally beginning to live again, but his recovery leads to an unexpected fight for his own survival and startling revelations about what happens to all of us in The Moment Between.

Hackett, a brilliant neurologist, is a skeptic. He doesn't believe he will one day be reunited with Jean, or dwell with God in heaven. What he does believe is that he should have seen the warning signs of her heart attack; he should have saved her. He also cannot accept the possibility that his clinical study of near death experiences could prove the existence of a conscious afterlife. When Hackett falls for the mother of a patient, grief finally begins to fade. But he has no idea his new love is hiding her dangerous past. Will Hackett's damaged spirit endure another heartbreak?

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EXCERPT:



Yu Lai’s eyes radiated sadness, and there was a slight tremble in her lips. Hackett could see her trying to flush out her emotions before speaking.

“Nobody really knows what death is, when it starts or when it is complete,” she said. You and I both know the body dies gradually. Under the right circumstances, someone whose brain stops functioning and whose heart stops beating can be brought back to life an hour later, even more. The cells of the brain don’t just die the second blood flow is cut off.”

“What are you saying, Doctor? Are you advocating that we outlaw transplants?”

“No. You know I’m not. I guess I was just spooked by the way her arms lifted up. It was clear that Mrs. Carrollton wasn’t coming back, but I don’t know if she was truly and totally gone.”

Hackett wanted to yell, wanted to shut her up. Death was death. When the brain died, the conscious mind went with it. Hackett had learned the hard way that it was better to face that fact.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~



AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Gareth Frank is a former union organizer and administrator. He received a Master's Degree at the University of Wisconsin and later studied at the Writer’s Center in Bethesda, Maryland. The Moment Between is his first published novel. His short stories have been published in various journals and have been nominated for the Pushcart Prize as well as the Silver Pen Write Well Award.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GarethFrankAuthor
https://www.amazon.com/Moment-Between-Gareth-J-Frank/dp/1732294208




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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE

Gareth Frank will be awarding a $50 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

RAFFLECOPTER CODE:



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Thursday, April 21, 2016

Virtual Book Tour: When the Serpent Bites

Please welcome author Nesly Clerge, who is here to talk about his new release, When the Serpent Bites. He will be awarding a signed paperback copy of When the Serpent Bites to one randomly drawn commenter via Rafflecopter. The more you comment, the better your chances of winning. To find out where the rest of the stops on his tour are, go here. Don't forget to look for the Rafflecopter at the end of this post.


When the Serpent Bites
by Nesly Clerge

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GENRE: Crime fiction, psychological thriller

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BLURB:

Frederick Starks has it all—a gorgeous wife who was his high school sweetheart, three beautiful children, a mansion and cars others envy, millions in the bank, respected in his community, admired by his employees, loved and respected by loyal friends. He revels in the hard-earned power and control he’s acquired. As the saying goes, “All that glitters is not gold,” which Starks discovers when gut-wrenching betrayal by his wife sends him over the edge and into a maximum security prison. There, Starks is a new “fish,” stripped of nearly everything he’s always relied on. In that place, where inmates and guards have their own rules and codes of conduct, Starks is forced to face the darker side of life, and his own darker side, especially when the betrayals, both inside and outside the prison, don’t stop. He must choose which path to follow when the line between right and wrong becomes blurred: one that leads to getting out of the physical and emotional hellhole he finds himself in or one that keeps him alive.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EXCERPT:


Starks tugged at the neckline of the undershirt his mother had dropped off for him at the jail. She hadn’t wanted to see him. He knew why: Members of the maternal side of his family were born with a pride chromosome. Lynn Starks loved her son but the extreme public humiliation resulting from his arrest was more than she could stand. He knew she’d forgive him one day, and that her ability to forgive tended to simmer until she was ready.

“All rise. The District Court of Suffolk County, State of Massachusetts, is now in session. Honorable Judge Harold Weaver, presiding.”

The judge took his seat at the bench then shuffled through the case files in front of him, glancing up briefly at the line-up of people waiting to plead. “We’ll begin with arraignments then move onto trials.” In a monotone voice, he continued. “All persons are innocent until proven guilty. You have the option to plead not guilty, guilty, or no contest. No contest means you concede the charge or charges against you, without admitting guilt and without presenting a defense. I advise you against pleading no contest. You have the right to obtain counsel. If you cannot afford counsel, the court will appoint an attorney for you.”

An hour later, it was Starks’s turn in front of the judge. He flinched and his face reddened when the charges against him were read aloud. He also questioned whether his decision to plead not guilty would work in his favor or not. He’d always been able to methodically weigh pros and cons when it came to business matters. This, however, was unfamiliar, unpredictable territory.

He tried to give his full attention to what was going on but his mind wanted him in the past, a reverie that was broken when Parker nudged him to stand.

“My client pleads not guilty to all charges, your honor.”

The judge looked directly at Starks then glanced at Parker with a quizzical expression on his face. He shook his head, checked the calendar and said, “Trial starts this coming Monday, 10:00 a.m.”

“In the matter of bail, your honor—”

“No bail will be set.”

“Your honor, in this instance, bail can be set quite high, which will ensure my client shows up for trial.”

“Denied.” The judge’s gavel came down, putting an end to the matter.

Starks turned to Parker. “I don’t want to stay in jail until the trial. Do something. Get me out, for Christ’s sake.”

Parker began to pack his briefcase. “This judge is a hard-ass. Plus, it’s election time. You’ve seen the corporate scandals on the front pages of all the newspapers. Everyone, especially candidates running for office, are screaming for corporate criminals to be held accountable.”

“I’m not involved in any of that.”

“No.” Parker shut his briefcase. “But you’re considered one of them.”

“Am I going to have to keep paying for the shit others do?”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Nesly Clerge received his bachelor’s degree in physiology and neurobiology at the University of Maryland, and later pursued a doctoral degree in the field of chiropractic medicine. Although his background is primarily science-based, he has finally embraced his lifelong passion for writing. Clerge’s debut novel, When the Serpent Bites, will be available in 2015, with the sequel to follow in 2016. His debut novel explores choices, consequences, and the complexities of human emotions, especially when we are placed in a less-than-desirable setting. When he is not writing, Clerge manages several multidisciplinary clinics. He enjoys reading, chess, traveling, exploring the outdoors, and spending time with his significant other and his sons.

Official site: www.clergebooks.com

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