Review: REVIEW OF "A PERFECT SETUP" -A TREMENDOUS TRAUMATISED TALE
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 07 31, 2013
The second Sami Saxton novel by Douglas Wickard takes place some months after the events of "A Perfect Husband" and deals with the harsh consequences of the ordeals Sami went through. The novel does not shrink from confronting the harsh realities of trauma and post traumatic stress disorder. As the author details Sami's struggles with addiction and agoraphobia driven by her desire to find peace and respite from her brutal reality I felt as if the the tortures had been dragged from the darkest corners of my psyche. A profoundly uncomfortable but deeply compelling feeling that is testament to the sheer quality of the penmanship. Wickard has been open in his blogs about his own struggles with alcohol, and anyone who has ever dealt with addiction in any way will recognise the harsh truths unfolded.It is a positive relief to read a sequel where for once the heroine does not bounce back happy and ready to plunge into the fray. The characterisation feels profoundly human. Drew, Sami's BFF has a bigger role to play in this novel than the last, and there were times I felt close to despising her for her self absorption she felt so real to me.  All of the protagonists in this tangled tale kept me engaged, whether they were empathetic, vicious, self centred or simply quiet. Once or twice I felt that a character didn't appear to be drawn as clearly as I would have wished, however as the work progressed it was apparent there was rationale behind even this.Disrupting Sami's search for equilibrium a parcel containing a manuscript from a university admirer arrives, complete with the rather disturbing admonition to "Remember Me". The plot evolves from the arrival of the manuscript to a chilling tale of obsession and stalking. One scene describing the interior of the apartment occupied by Sami's admirer turned obsessive is destined to remain in my my mind for a very long time, marked as it is by the most mundane of details.  The image of crumpled and dirty tissues, that leaves the reader to draw their own gut churning conclusions, is made powerful by what it omits rather than by an excess of detail.Running alongside this fresh problem for Sami is the arrest of her ex husband for murder. Again the author distinguishes the scene of the crime by the lack of excessive graphic detail and the inclusion of a few key, searing images that ensure the reader's imagination becomes fully involved. The twists and turns that follow detail another story of obsession and vengeance that the reader cannot help but contrast with the parallel plot.There is a strong sexual subtext that runs throughout the book and at times the reader needs a strong stomach, as Wickard delves into the sordid reality and excitement of affairs, domination, submission, and abuse.The line between imagination and reality for Sami becomes blurred and uncertain as the novel proceeds apace. Sami, the police and the reader are fully engaged, inevitably drawing conclusions about events that may or may not be correct. I freely admit mine were little more than a third of the way there as the multiple threads come together and the truth begins to emerge.The final scene of the book had me reading and re-reading it incredulous. It left me wanting more, needing to know. And therein lies, for me, it's brilliance.All in all a superb piece of writing. Certainly equal to and in my opinion even superior to it's predecessor "A Perfect Husband".