Denial

Rating:
Summary: A Must Read for Lovers of Psychological Suspense
Review: I read this book when it was first published and just finished reading it again. It is a true on-the-edge-of-your-seat thriller. Once you read the first few chapters, you will not want to put the book down until you finish the book. It has a great plot, interesting characters and an overwhelming amount of suspense. I am anxiously waiting for the release of Ablow's new book, "Projection," due on the bookshelves November 2000.

Rating:
Summary: A Psychologist discovers his own issues while learning other
Review: I really liked this book. I found it easy to read and hard to put down. I really liked how the author was able to personalize with the other characters in the book. However, some of the graphic sex scenes I could have done without.

Rating:
Summary: Seemed like a made-for-cable late night movie.
Review: I really wanted to like this book, but it seemed so "cut and paste"... you can tell the main character was a psychiatrist because all he had to do was say "I understand" and anyone would pour his or her heart out to him. Boring.

Rating:
Summary: I wish I had more than 5 stars to give...
Review: I think this book was a great read. I like the fact that the main character, Frank Clevenger is not perfect. It was well paced and a very enjoyable read.

Rating:
Summary: Intense and fast paced.
Review: I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I love flawed heroes and in this case flawed is an understatement. It may not be great literature, but sometimes a fun, fast read is what one requires. I certainly wouldn't recommend this for the faint of heart or easily shocked. It would appeal to fans of Joe R. Lansdale.

Rating:
Summary: Enjoy every sense of Denial!
Review: I thouroughly enjoyed this murder-mystery! Frank Clevenger, a forensic psychiatrist, tries to track down the murderer. This drug-addicted, sex derived man gives the story a definate twist. With his girlfriend working in the hospital amongst sinners and subjucts of prey, gives Clevenger enough reason to take this case seriously. I found myself deep into this book, as if I was trying to find the killer myself. For a non-reader like myself, I highly recommend this book, for it includes murder-mystery, romance, drugs, and real-life actions. With all this in one book, you can't go wrong with Denial.

Rating:
Summary: Compared to Cornwell? Not even CLOSE!
Review: In the front cover of "Denial," one reads an excerpt from the Baltimore Sun comparing Mr. Ablow's book to Patricia Cornwell. For many Cornwell fans, this is a reason to pick up the book. However, the first five pages alert the reader that Mr. Ablow's novel is nowhere near the quality of their prized author.

Read the 'great' authors of contemporary mystery/thriller writing - Grisham, Patterson, Cornwell, Grafton, Gerritson, Cook, and others - authors whose names appear consistently on the New York Time's Best Sellers list. Sex is tantalizingly subtle. Details are left to the imagination. Even Stephen King, who leans toward more graphic detail in his references to sex and bodily functions, has more subtly than Ablow. The story, the plot, is the focus of these truly great authors, with sex in the background - not the other way around.

While he demonstrates a budding gift for good storytelling, Mr. Ablow is completely lacking in the subtlety that separates mediocre authors from great authors. He has missed the mark completely in understanding the difference between eroticism and blatant vulgarity. Just as we sometimes continue to watch bad movies, putting up with poor acting/plot/music - because we want to believe that "they will get better if we just give them a chance" - I finished this novel to find out whether or not Ablow could satisfactorily conclude the plot.

The main character is an anti-hero in the truest sense. In fact, disliking this character is more probable and more frequent than liking him. Substance abusers and those of us who have professionally counseled them, will empathize and understand with his struggles - even celebrate his minor successes in the book. Others may find him simply pathetic and even a disgusting individual.

The plot, when you can find it, is interesting though hardly compelling. The formula is a little too predictable - he thinks he has the right killer, but he doesn't - times 2. The main character stumbles on the truth rather than actually profiling the case. Disappointing to say the least.

Typically, I trade books with friends when I am done reading them. "Denial" simply went in the trash.

If you are a fan of any of the 'greats' in this genre, you will most probably find yourself painfully wading through the borderline pornographic descriptions of Ablow's encounters with others to once again find the truly mediocre story that lurks in the background.

Rating:
Summary: Every character flaw in the world but good at his JOB...
Review: Is how the author describes our hero. Seriously flawed yet the best at what he does. That might be a whole lot easier to swallow if he weren't a psychiatrist. Up until the half way mark I was able to stomach the unbelievable plot and that's why it got two stars but after that it became ridiculous. Between the flashbacks to an abusive childhood and kinky sex there is a wonder at all that oh yeah he figured out who was murdering everyone. If you want an interesting, plot twisting, all the facts laid out kind of mystery then don't get this one. I have yet to figure out what the title has to do with the book.... maybe it's one of those deep psychological things.

Rating:
Summary: Great debut novel, and fantastic psychological thriller.
Review: Keith Ablow creates an unforgetable character in "Denial" with Dr. Frank Clevanger. Clevanger is a brillant forensic doctor who is approached by an ambitious police commish to solve a heinous murder. Through the novel's many twists and turns, we see Clevanger is an impaired physican, who uses cocaine and has sex with strippers. The City of Lynn is described very well, and truthfully. Along the way, there are a few very disturbed suspects, but the truth isn't revealed until the very end. I was very surprised at who the killer was, and even more surprised at Clevanger's obstruction of justice. It ended perfectly, as this didn't read like a Hollywood thriller. Also the insight of Clevanger's stripper lover are quite deep, as it gives one a new perspective on original sin.

Rating:
Summary: Great debut novel, and fantastic psychological thriller.
Review: Keith Ablow creates an unforgetable character in "Denial" with Dr. Frank Clevanger. Clevanger is a brillant forensic doctor who is approached by an ambitious police commish to solve a heinous murder. Through the novel's many twists and turns, we see Clevanger is an impaired physican, who uses cocaine and has sex with strippers. The City of Lynn is described very well, and truthfully. Along the way, there are a few very disturbed suspects, but the truth isn't revealed until the very end. I was very surprised at who the killer was, and even more surprised at Clevanger's obstruction of justice. It ended perfectly, as this didn't read like a Hollywood thriller. Also the insight of Clevanger's stripper lover are quite deep, as it gives one a new perspective on original sin.