Review: The Mind Man by P D Richmond
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 06 16, 2013
It's 1984 in a small Australian town. Adam Henderson is shy, introverted, and mercilessly bullied. Until, one night, Adam starts having dreams that start coming true. And the lead bully is killed.Fast forward twenty-seven years, Sacramento police sergeant Teddy Farrell is called to the scene of a single-vehicle accident. The driver was a healthy, non-impaired, well-rested businessman. The accident makes no sense to Farrell, so he begins to dig.What he uncovers shocks him to his core and threatens everything he values.~*~*~It's a fascinating premise, that begins with great promise. But once the story leaves Australia, it loses a lot in the (pardon the pun) translation.The American characters use Australian terms and vernacular, making them sound 'off' to the ear. (Perhaps an American beta reader could have helped.) In the Brits, it isn't quite as jarring. But, again, with the French, the phrasing just doesn't ring true.I found some of the plot points a bit unbelievable, as well. Ferrell manages to figure out the circumstances around the mysterious deaths rather quickly. Given the unusual nature of the situations, and the methods used by the killer, that seemed a tad far-fetched.While I can forgive the randomness of Adam showing up at the same beach where Ferrell's wife and kids are spending the afternoon, it's difficult to imagine that Ferrell would then send his wife undercover. Or that he could jet all over the world, when it was already established that his family was struggling financially.Add in a British reporter whose editor publishes her story, based strictly on speculation, naming names and virtually slandering the subject. I cannot imagine any reputable newspaper would be so irresponsible.There were characters and situations - the odd man with the multiple websites and the Kurds he contacts - that did nothing to advance the plot. Moreover, their addition bogged down an already complicated story. Nothing would have been lost by removing this side story.Lastly, the ending. It completely undid the entire book. For hundreds of pages, readers were led in one direction, to one conclusion, without any hint of another possibility. Then, in the last few sentences, it's all thrown out the window and the book ends.I will admit to a certain amount of curiosity about what comes next, as a sequel is planned. However, The Mind Man, while offering a thrilling premise and frequent bursts of brilliance, in the end throws readers under the bus.~*~*~Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary electronic copy of this book from the author. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.