Twisted - by Andrew E. Kaufman

I love psychological thrillers. Those books which keep your mind racing during and after the read. Twisted had been on my TBR list for quite some time, and I felt the time had come for me to finally settle down with this hidden gem.

We are introduced to psychologist, Dr. Christopher Kellan who works at Loveland Psychiatric Hospital. He is dedicated to both his work and his family - wife and son, Devon. Christopher is in charge of treating the facility's most unstable patients, and is assigned to a new inmate: Donny Ray Smith - accused of murdering a number of young girls. It is up to Christopher to determine whether Donny Ray Smith is malingering or is in fact suffering from insanity. 

From the outset, Kaufman puts the reader on edge. Christopher becomes irked by Donny Ray and senses an eerie familiarity in his eyes. The questions about Donny continue mounting in Christopher's mind, and throughout their sessions together he denies any knowledge of the missing girls. 

The pace of the book is rapid. Kaufman manages this through the use of 87 short to medium length chapters, each bringing a new element, a new twist to the story. Beware that your mind will be pushed and you will be running a marathon at a sprinting pace. The intensity is not only kept up throughout the book, but is pushed until the very last word. I felt myself finally take a breathe when I closed the book - it felt as if I'd been holding my breath the entire time.

I will say one thing. Despite the nagging feeling I had about how the book may end and the fact that I wasn't too far off, Kaufman again managed to surprise me. 

My favourite parts were the flashbacks relating to Christopher's childhood and his parents. It showed him in a completely different light, especially as the story went on. I am not usually a fan of unreliable narrators, but this could turn me...

It would be difficult to review Twisted without giving away any spoilers, so I will say one thing: Kufman makes the reader doubt their own sanity. Just when you think you know what is going on and why, you suddenly don't. Be prepared for mind-bending paranoia. Twisted is full of surprises. It is utter madness. 

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Genre: Fiction

Publisher: Thomas & Mercer

Date of publication: 7th April 2015

Pages: 336

My rating: 3.5 out of 5

#thriller #psychologicalthriller #review #bookreview #suspense #medicalthriller #horror #mystery #psychiatry #fiction