Twisted Roads

Rating:
Summary: A timely and deeply philosophical book -- Recommended
Review: Written in four parts, TWISTED ROADS details the kidnapping of seven-year-old Katrina and the ramifications of that crime. Sexual predator Roy Thornquist was recently released from a mental hospital before kidnapping Katrina as she leaves her school bus. Shockingly, two hospital psychologists had pronounced Thornquist rehabilitated. The combined efforts of the local police and the State Police and the Canadian police track Thornquist result in his capture.

Previously, Thornquist had been suspected in a sixteen-year-old kidnapping case in which the child's body was never found. In the second section of TWISTED ROADS, the victim of the sixteen-year-old crime is at last discovered. Her family struggles with reconciling themselves to the finality of the discovery of their child's body. In the third section, a millionaire forms the vigilante group Warmstorm to rid the world of sexual predators like Thornquist. The forth section proves the horrible consequences of vigilantism.

The four sections of TWISTED ROADS read much like four loosely linked short stories. Unfortunately, TWISTED ROADS falls victim to the flaws of self-publishing, even as it offers powerful food for thought. Ordinarily I do not mention formatting or other technical concerns with a book in my reviews because they do not reflect specifically on the author's writing ability. However, with this self-published novel the uneven margins with an inch and a half at the top of each page is a bit disconcerting, leaving the reader feeling as though the presentation was orchestrated to falsely present a longer book. In addition, unconventional editing choices, such as the use of parenthesis or dashes, may be distracting to readers.

Specifically addressing the content of the novel, the author would have benefited from a writing critique group that focused on "show don't tell" when creating characters and motivation. Much of the book is a series of long paragraphs that describe the events and people, with the unfortunately result of flat characterizations and a lack of tension. Nevertheless, the author presents a timely and deeply philosophical book that examines the conundrums of vigilantism and the flaws of its use. An interesting read, TWISTED ROADS comes recommended.