Stairway to the Stars

A Stairway to the Stars by M.W. Shryock

Reviewed by Lorena Padureanu

I started reading this book right at the beginning of my holiday, and instead of actively enjoying the beautiful weather, I found myself completely immersed in this wonderful story. The combination of adventure, mystery, suspense, relationships, and humor kept me fully engaged.  Purchase Here.

A Stairway to the Stars begins like a whimsical fantasy story that gradually reveals itself to be deeper, darker, and more emotionally powerful than I expected.

Set in the early ’90s, the story is told through Mariana, a witty, intelligent, and awkward 15-year-old, as she recounts how a series of heartbreaking events uprooted her family from their comfortable life in Chicago and brought them to a monotonous existence in rural Virginia.

Everything changes when her grandmother’s old book and beautiful carpet become the gateway to an extraordinary adventure. Alongside Whammy, her beloved family dog, Mariana discovers a golden spiral staircase hidden inside a mysterious tree that suddenly appears in her house. This frightening, yet mesmerizing appearance becomes the portal to Apokalon, a strange planet filled with unfamiliar landscapes, strange beings, and dangers Mariana could never have imagined.

What starts as a desperate attempt to return home gradually becomes a whirlwind journey. Soon, she discovers her arrival wasn’t accidental and that she has a mission to accomplish. This takes her through a world she does not understand, forcing her to make difficult choices, confront danger, form unexpected relationships, and ultimately fall deeply in love.

What initially feels almost playful and magical slowly becomes a fight for survival, and the closer she and Whammy come to the merciless emperor, the more the story shifts from lighthearted fantasy into something genuinely grim and tense.

The adventure takes Mariana and Whammy through dark tunnels, wild waters, strange landscapes, and perilous encounters. Along the way, they meet Kyran, a brave and handsome young man who becomes an important part of Mariana’s life. Their relationship adds another layer to the adventure, bringing romance, trust, and heartbreak to a journey already full of uncertainty. Mariana must face not only the dangers of Apokalon but also the complicated feelings and difficult decisions that come with growing closer to others.

One of the book’s greatest strengths is the warmth of its characters, whose immense help makes Mariana’s extraordinary adventure feel vivid and personal. Among them, the most endearing is undoubtedly sweet, loyal Whammy. He is no longer an ordinary family dog, but a talkative, wise, and perceptive companion. His patience and devotion provide hope and reassurance even in the darkest moments. More than a sidekick, he becomes her moral compass and trusted guide, often recognizing dangers she overlooks and encouraging her to think before acting. Their love for each other is one of the most emotional threads running through the book. He represents something familiar and grounding in a world where almost everything else is strange and frightening. His presence, his familiar smell, and the simple reassurance of having him beside her give Mariana a comfort that makes her determination to protect him even more moving.

Underneath the adventure, the book is a coming-of-age story. As Mariana’s journey unfolds, her understanding of what she is fighting for gradually changes. At first, her world is relatively small; she is desperate to get home largely because she wants to return to the people and things that make her feel safe. But as the journey continues, that concern grows outward. As she encounters new people and develops deeper relationships, including a new love, her circle of care expands. She begins to recognize that other people’s lives and happiness matter to her just as much as her own. And the more people she comes to love, the more courage she finds to continue this fierce and increasingly dangerous journey.

In this sense, Mariana reminded me of so many wonderful characters whose adventures are also journeys of inner transformation. There are echoes of The Arabian Nights, particularly in how the adventure begins; Spirited Away; and The Wizard of Oz—a connection Mariana herself repeatedly makes—as well as something of the larger, more perilous journey of The Lord of the Rings. Like those stories, the physical journey is closely connected to the transformation of the person making it. And yet, the story here has its own particular emotional evolution.

Both the initial descent into Apokalon and the later descent into the ominous grounds of the ruler Dyfel-Epf carry symbolic meaning. As the Oracle tells Mariana, you need to go down in order to go up, and that becomes almost a blueprint for her entire journey. Before the magic carpet and the mysterious book, Mariana is a rough-around-the-edges, anxious teenager who hides inside her books, her music, and her isolation. She is intelligent and witty, but also guarded and afraid. The descent into Apokalon forces her out of the comfort zone she has created. In this harsh and unfamiliar world, she cannot simply retreat into a book or wait for help to arrive. She has to act, make difficult choices, trust people, and keep going even when she is terrified.

A Stairway to the Stars is an adventure about finding courage through love and discovering an identity beyond others’ expectations. Mariana’s journey reminds readers that becoming yourself is not about looking different or proving your individuality to a crowd. It is about learning what matters, caring deeply, and finding the strength to keep moving forward—even when the path ahead is frightening and unknown.

I recommend this book to teenagers and adults alike, to anyone looking for a captivating adventure and, perhaps more importantly, a story that invites us to reflect on how much of who we are is truly our own. Maybe, along the way, you too will discover what Mariana does:

“I had been stripped of this superficial, meaningless sort of conformity masquerading as individuality. I had discovered the strength inside myself.”

I'm Sorry You Feel That Way

I’m Sorry You Feel That Way: A Novel by Rebecca Wait

Reviewed by Ephantus Gold

“So . . . Where is she?” Alice says, “In the coffin at the front. They already brought her in.” Hanna gives a sharp laugh. “I meant our mother. Don’t get my hopes up.”  Purchase Here.

This early conversation in “I’m Sorry You Feel That Way” by Rebecca Wait is between Hanna and Alice, two sisters who haven’t seen each other for a long time. They meet at Aunt Katy’s funeral where Alice has been nervously welcoming guests while trying not to sweat through her black dress, a dress she compares to a dark sack befitting a penance performance in Biblical times. Hanna jokes about hoping their mother is in the coffin using the words above, words that sound a warning to the reader about the weight of an ongoing family circus whose axis revolves around their mother, Celia, and her unseen presence in every conversation even when she is not in the room.

Celia, Alice, Hanna and their brother Michael are people who have lived together, shared the same house and eaten at the same table yet, they have always felt like strangers around each other. Michael is the mother’s favorite- her golden goose- a child who never goes wrong. Even when as a child he got caught stealing, Celia defended him, “My son… is not a thief.” Alice is the dutiful one and the most like Celia in both temperament and looks. Celia however expects her to take care of her, not to pursue her own needs and desires. Hanna on the other hand is the least loved child and she knows it. Celia sees her as volatile and impossible to control. Even when Hanna is diagnosed with depression, Celia believes that a family curse has fallen on her. But the mother’s belief, it turns out, is just another story.

Wait’s genius shines especially in how she presents a relatable picture of how family members identify each other based on rumors, assumptions, and errors of the past. The family rumors in this story are never fact-checked, and we as readers falls for them too. Wait surprises us and makes us realize we are too quick to judge. She has structured the story like a tragedy wearing a comedy mask, a comedy that highlights the pain instead of making you forget it. You could cry or become deeply saddened by the relatable family dynamics, but instead, Wait gives you moments to laugh, to shake your head and roll your eyes just before she draws the tears again when you have let down your guard.

If you have ever been sidelined or side-eyed in a family setup, this book will feel like a support group in novel form. And if you have ever felt like the difficult one, the story will be a major confidence booster, revealing to you that most times, the ones who don’t fit in, are the ones who see things more clearly. In a world that often asks us to choose between drama and comedy, this book allows you to feel both at once, in the end, leaving you with the recognition that life is messy, and the only way through it is to laugh and cry, often at the same time.

 

Bad Americans Part II

Bad Americans Part II by Tejas Desai

Reviewed by Christine Kinori

What if, during a global lockdown, a reclusive billionaire invites 12 people to a luxurious Hamptons mansion for an elite dating app competition? Better yet, they cut off the Internet and force the group to share stories every night to survive the social isolation. Well, that is the premise of Bad Americans: Part II.  Purchase Here.

The book is basically the literary equivalent of a reality TV reunion show, if a mastermind of psychological satire and dark humor directed it. While Book I was a critically acclaimed slow burn, Book II amps up the psychological tension until everything comes to a head in the climactic finale.

The book plays out like a modern, hyper-realistic Decameron. During the day, it is all about flirting, gossiping, and dining while actively plotting your arch-nemesis’ takedown. However, the real tea is served at night when the storytelling begins. Each tale acts as a catalyst, sparking fiery arguments, massive debates, and shifts in people’s perspectives on many issues.

What I love about this sequel is that Desai remains unapologetic and true to himself as a writer. His experimentation with style is clear in this book. He doesn’t stick to one prose style. In one chapter, he uses neurotic noir to highlight the frantic, hilarious romantic comedy that some of the characters are experiencing.

In another chapter, he uses Sylvania’s unfiltered nature to deliver a brilliantly sharp, satirical look at identity and transformation that leaves you laughing while also making you truly contemplate these issues.

The highlight has to be the “Dope Double Ditty” chapter featuring a rap challenge battle. It is the absolute crown jewel of stylistic fun, as Angela and Darnell use rhythm to tackle heavy topics like community friction and structural racism without ever losing their entertainment value.

It is impossible to discuss this book without mentioning the realistic dialogue. Desai outdoes himself in how well he makes all these 12 characters seem as authentic as possible. He perfectly channels real-world observations of urban tension, micro aggressions, cultural pride, and linguistic rhythms straight into the characters.

Thanks to this unique style, the conversation and intense debate between the characters feel like real, messy human discourse. For a second, it takes us back to those family dinners that feel like a minefield, as everyone has different perspectives on life and experiences.

In this sequel, Desai completes the narrative arc, which mirrors the entire 2020 pandemic lockdown experience. Together, the two books form a singular “masterpiece” of social commentary. Unsurprisingly, this second book is unflinching and unforgiving in how it magnifies the underlying fractures of modern America.

In its essence, Part II is a riveting masterclass in the psychological toll of social isolation. The book unmasks how pandemic-driven social claustrophobia changes how we interact with each other.

As a reader, it was fascinating to watch the dynamics between the characters shift during dinners. The dinner debates play out like an ideological boxing ring where one statement can deliver a knockout punch.

The book perfectly captures the political and social polarization we are currently witnessing in our society. It truly proves that some of these deep ideological divides aren’t just internet talk.

In his own style, Desai uses these characters to expose America’s fractured identity. The book effortlessly exposes the emotional and psychological toll of the immigrant experience.

Simultaneously, it directly confronts structural inequalities, racial tensions, and class barriers many Americans currently face.

Bad Americans: Part II feels like a deliberate channel for literary voyeurism. Through its reality-TV surveillance structure and the confessional nature of the stories, readers feel like flies on the wall, prying into private human chaos.

The book exposes all the human vulnerabilities, flaws, and the disintegrating social and moral decorum that people normally try to hide from the public eye. Ultimately, Desai uses this voyeuristic format not just to entertain us, but to call us out.

Overall, we can’t help but praise Tejas Desai’s mastery. It takes mad skills to write a high-concept book that is deeply intellectual, fiercely critical of modern American subcultures, and yet consistently, wildly entertaining from start to finish.

Once again, Desai proves that he is a literary chameleon who uses dark humor and sharp satire to push the envelope and provoke readers to confront uncomfortable societal mirrors.

 

 

 

To All the Men I've Killed Before

To All the Men I’ve Killed Before by Katy Brent

Reviewed by Ephantus Gold

“We’re here for revenge. And the revenge I have in mind isn’t going to be sweet. It will be brutal.”

This phrase in “To All the Men I’ve Killed Before” by Katy Brent, introduces the reader to a story heavily driven by the desire for retribution, by characters who do not forgive easily – in fact, who do not forgive at all. The phrase further primes the reader for a journey that will keep them on the edge, turning pages, while remaining conflicted about the character’s central morals.  Purchase Here.

Kitty Collins, a thirty-year-old serial killer who kills only the “worst men who absolutely deserve it,” and her twenty-year-old half-sister Antoinette, arrive in Los Angeles to find and kill Aidan Ward, a British therapist who beat Kitty’s friend Tor almost to death, before fleeing to LA. Tor barely survived and was left with a swollen face, a closed eye underneath a couple of bruises, and a lingering trauma that makes her unable to sleep. But as Kitty and Antoinette settle in and search online for Aidan, Antoinette comes across information regarding a serial killer right at the heart of Los Angeles who is brutally murdering women who are found sexualizing themselves, women who, according to Kitty, are only exercising agency over their own bodies. Antoinette wants Kitty to hunt down the Los Angeles serial killer as well, especially because the police have not so far acknowledged his presence, even as the number of those slain continues to rise.

The story also captures the interruption of the sisters’ evening meal at a restaurant in West Hollywood by an A-lister movie star who wants them to join him for a “little party” in his room that night. Kitty recognizes him, remembering that several women have previously sued him for sexual misconduct, although the cases were dropped for lack of evidence. After dismissing him, Antoinette hisses across the table that they should kill him, too. But Kitty doesn’t realize the weight of Antoinette’s words until the following day, when she finds her resting her feet on the dismembered naked torso of a man right there at the center of their room.

This story involves two protagonists whose discovery that they share a parent felt, to me as the reader, like a nuclear bomb of a plot point. This was made worse, especially by my discovery that one of them had committed an unforgivable act against the other’s family, raising the question in me of whether she was justified or merely monstrous.  Kitty – the main protagonist’s repetition that she had killed a lot of people, most especially primed me for a journey that initially felt wrong, but gradually emerged as more complicated than I thought, a journey that made me question what I thought about right and wrong. But what made the story deeply engaging was the half-sister’s involvement as Kitty’s “an assassin-admin assistant.” Her entrance pointed to a coordinated, systematic operation that was ideologically driven by individuals who saw themselves as avengers for women wronged by men.

Brent used humor that made the dark violence not just palatable, but engaging and almost enjoyable. For instance, she told of a jaw that hung out like a scream mask, a massacred movie star who looked like a sad, aging pirate – specifically like Captain Hook but in need of a midlife health check, and a lip-less, dead individual who the main protagonist thought was looking at her. This humor allowed me to break the tension, made the protagonists more relatable, and, at times, made me question my moral responses. “To All the Men I’ve Killed Before” by Katy Brent is a book I would recommend to readers who enjoy dark, morally complex thrillers served with a side of sarcasm and humor, as well as to readers who enjoy books about complex family dynamics. Kitty and Antoinette are exactly the kind of characters these readers will enjoy, even though they know they probably shouldn’t.

 

 

Looked Down Upon

Looked Down Upon: The Exiled Kin by Jordan Lopez

Reviewed by Lily Andrews

“Looked Down Upon: The Exiled Kin” by Jordan Lopez follows sixteen-year-old Lucas “Luke” Ramirez, who lives in an old, small cottage at the heart of Blackroot town, Tennessee, together with his thirty-seven-year-old mother, who is a nurse, and his seventy-two-year-old grandmother. He has autism, a condition that makes it extremely difficult for him to make friends or cope with change. His grandmother, on the other hand, is fighting liver cancer as well as COPD, an illness that affects her lungs, requiring her to rely on an oxygen tank for breathing. Luke grows up knowing that his father, a successful mechanic, died in a car accident when Luke was three. He was told his father wasn’t big on taking pictures, which is why there are no photos of him in their house.  Purchase Here.

Luke starts his sophomore year at Princeton County High School and almost immediately notices Natalie Brown, a new student. He keeps to himself, but with Brown, he feels different. They meet over lunch. But some bullies, led by Rob, interrupt their warm conversation, creating a scene by mocking Luke’s condition and leaving him deeply shattered. He imagines having beautiful times with Brown. But we know that underneath all that lies a chilling, recurrent nightmare that involves a masked haunter who lunges at him in his sleep, sometimes mocking his worth and reminding him that he doesn’t deserve to be loved.

Luke’s story explores, among other themes, identity and self-acceptance. This theme ideally forms the backbone of the story. Self-acceptance, especially, emerges as an often painful struggle, worsened by constant reminders that you are different; this often leads the victim to hide their authentic self, even as they believe they are broken or that a large part of them is out of sync with the world.

“Looked Down Upon:  The Exiled Kin” is a story where the hero spirals, cries, withdraws, and tries to fight back, showing us how deeply he is hurting. His struggles pull us right into his world, a world where systems meant to protect him often fail, and where survival seems like a daily battle for someone like him.  By writing Luke’s story, two-time published author and autistic self-advocate who was often misunderstood in his tender years by many of his peers and teachers, Jordan Lopez manages to show us that autism doesn’t place any limit on an individual’s purpose. His writing style keeps emotions close to the surface, so you don’t struggle to feel the story as it happens. The mystery of the masked haunter is one of his most compelling creations and a major source of psychological unease that keeps you guessing and turning pages as you wonder what that creepy figure is all about.

“Looked Down Upon: The Exiled Kin” is without a doubt a story that anyone who has ever felt like an outsider will resonate with. It is a book that offers insight into what it is like to raise or support an autistic child. It makes you understand autism easily, and on the other side, the impact of bullying and how it can shape a child’s self-worth. This makes it a great read for parents, teachers, and caregivers. Readers who love stories about courage and justice shouldn’t miss it either.

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My Inner Child Wants to Kill

My Inner Child Wants to Kill by Karsten Dusse

Reviewed by Ephantus Gold

I read My Inner Child Wants To Kill not too long ago, and it’s one of those books where the title makes you think it’s going to be wacky, but it actually ends up being a lot heavier than you expect. Björn is a lawyer who’s been trying to keep himself together with concentration because his wife basically told him he was slipping. And it helped him calm down a bit, but you can tell it didn’t fix whatever was beneath the surface. It just made the noise quieter.  Purchase Here.

The book starts with him deciding not to kill this gangster, Boris, even though he has every reason to. And the way it’s written, it doesn’t feel like some big moral moment. It feels like he’s just worn out. That kind of sets the tone for everything else. Most of the story comes out in therapy sessions, and the way he talks about these completely wild events, with a calm, almost flat tone, is weirdly funny and unsettling. Even a family trip goes off the rails in a way that made me stop and think, “Okay, this is not normal vacation chaos.”

The whole inner‑child thing becomes a lot more literal than I expected. It’s not just a metaphor he’s supposed to think about — it’s something he actually has to face, and once he does, you start to see how much of his adult behavior is tied to stuff he never dealt with as a kid. The book doesn’t sugarcoat any of that. It’s not the usual “heal your inner child, and everything magically improves” message. It’s more like: here’s the stuff you’ve been dragging around for years, and here’s what happens when you finally stop pretending it’s not there.

As it goes on, you see how much of him was shaped by old wounds and beliefs he didn’t even realize he had. And the book doesn’t pretend that self‑awareness automatically makes someone better. Sometimes it just makes you more aware of the chaos you already have. I actually liked that honesty, even though it’s not exactly comforting.

If you enjoy psychological stories or narratives that challenge the usual self-help tropes, this book stands out. Its dark humor and unsettling moments force you to confront just how chaotic inner struggles can be, which is at the heart of its message. It’ll leave you thinking long after you finish.

 

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You'll Be Sorry

You’ll Be Sorry by Lisa Gardner

Reviewed by Ephantus Gold

“You’ll Be Sorry” by Lisa Gardner starts by following Dog, a stray who never had a family until he meets Dave Dixon, his wife Janet, and their four kids. In their home, Dog finally finds love and quickly becomes part of the family. But one stormy night, everyone except Dog vanishes, leaving only bloody footprints behind. Thirty years later, a young couple from Boston buys the Dixons’ old house, surprising the locals who wonder why anyone would want to live where such a terrible crime happened. The new owners, Theo and Raquel, know the Dixons’ story and can’t understand why no one ever figured out what really happened.  Purchase Here.

One of the most memorable scenes is when a mysterious four-legged visitor shows up on their porch. “No collar – No tags.” They let him in, and soon he runs to a certain spot and digs something up. By now, readers know who this dog is and feel he has returned to deal with something that still haunts the place.

The story flows smoothly from one scene to the next.  The pacing feels right, so it’s easy to follow, and it still keeps the mystery going. I liked how Dog adds warmth to the story, even when he comes back years later. I often tried to guess what would happen, but the twists kept surprising me.

The story kept me interested with its clues, misdirection, rising tension, and flashbacks. The flashbacks made it feel as if something dark were still lurking beneath the surface. “You’ll Be Sorry” really shows how skilled the author is at turning crime and suspense into a gripping story. I enjoyed the steady plot, strong characters, and the exciting ending, and now I want to read more from this author.

Homes

Homes: A Novel by Hayden Thompson

Reviewed by Lily Andrews

“Homes” by Hayden Thompson is the story of a man who wants to be a good father, but life keeps throwing him curveballs. We follow him into new countries and new ways of living, even as he constantly adjusts and tries to find that sweet spot where everything clicks.  Purchase Here.

Dr. George Harrington, a single father who lives with his twelve-year-old son in Auvers-sur-Oise, Paris, understands that a single life is all we get, and that it is not something to be wasted on routine or the safe and familiar path. We meet him in the story’s first chapter just after he has received official documents for a new job in Asia, an international post that gives him a chance to make a difference in the developing world. He has spent many years standing shoulder to shoulder with the best and the brightest. But currently, what he craves is not human accolades, titles or applause, but relevance, a change of scenery and a renewed sense of purpose.

Their arrival in Farnamlan, Asia, however, is not the warm embrace George pictured. The airport and the traffic are chaotic, and the heat levels are nothing like the mild French mornings they had left behind. Soon, doubts and self-blame start to kick in, leaving him second-guessing his timing and reason for moving. But unknown to him, Farnamlan is already weaving a different story, one that will soon test him in ways he never expected.

Readers will agree that George is a character who spends more time in airports than most people spend in their kitchens. He unpacks and repacks through tearful goodbyes, and then does it all over again. Most times, in later chapters, he travels alone, sits on benches, sips coffee in quiet cafés with nothing but his thoughts and the world passing by. As a travel enthusiast myself, I couldn’t help but feel like his sense of solitude was more like the “ultimate” luxury than about loneliness. He is mostly alone yet never lonely. And in a world that keeps telling us we need to be with someone to be happy, his case is the perfect image of having myself as my own “enough” companion.

“Homes” is not a loud book, yet it is profoundly gripping. Its emotional weight doesn’t come from what happens externally in the protagonist’s life but in what happens inside of him. The book’s pauses, silences, quiet reflections, and moments that naturally seem insignificant gave me the space to feel, reflect, and connect with his emotional journey. Although the book mentions medicines, diseases, and public health work, it made clear that its focus was not medical content but George himself — what drove him as a single, aging individual and professional.  Medicine serves the story, not the other way, and because of that, I never felt lost. This is a book that will be enjoyed by anyone who believes that home is not a place on a map but rather a feeling in their heart.

 

Our Marriage is Murder

Our Marriage is Murder by Carol Goodman

Reviewed by Ephantus Gold

“Our Marriage Is Murder” by Carol Goodman is a gripping mystery that positions itself in a world where fiction and reality are blurred by a very thin line, one that, if crossed, carries devastating consequences. The book follows award-winning novelists Fred and Thea Morgan-Lane, who have been married for twenty years. They are flying to Italy for this year’s MurderCon, where they have been nominated for the prestigious Poirot Prize for Best Mystery Series. Morgan-Lane, the narrator, reveals that Fred sees her as a pushover, whereas she is the one who has always greased the wheels behind the scenes to get what they need from their publishing company. She also discloses that they are still together, not because they are in love, but because their brand as a writing couple has been quite profitable.  Purchase Here.

Morgan-Lane is exhausted and wants out, not just from the hollow shell of her marriage but from the series the two have written. She has spent months planning her exit, and has a termination clause that prevents Fred from continuing the series without her approval. But what she doesn’t know is that someone close to her has been planning a betrayal of their own. You sense early that she is headed towards a devastating twist, one that could end her life, in a world where any ally could be the enemy, and for that matter, an enemy who might ensure that the series is not hers at all to end.

Morgan-Lane is a charming character who wins the reader’s heart, especially after she finally resolves to reclaim her life from a marriage she claims she betrayed long ago, when she turned it into a business rather than prioritizing love. It’s undeniable that she has been running from herself all along. But it’s not her “victim-hood” that really makes her compelling; rather, it’s her complicity. She is self-aware, which makes her all the more compelling. Yet the most interesting part of her story is a game she invented with her husband that later serves as the mechanism for a real murder. The game was their private joke and a shared language. Here, you realize that the killer might then be someone who has been watching them long enough to know their secrets.

Morgan‑Lane’s story isn’t a quick happening. It feels more like watching two people drift apart because they stopped saying the things that mattered. You start noticing the little things that were not taken care of. After a while, their marriage comes across like something they’re doing as a routine rather than actually living. As the connection between her and Fred thins out, you can still feel her trying to hang on. It makes you wonder whether Fred is really the problem, or if she’s been avoiding the truth that’s been sitting right in front of her. The reader will soon start to feel her confusion and her hope, and you stay with her as she finally stops dodging what she’s known deep down all along.

Three Reasons for Revenge

Three Reasons for Revenge by Dervla McTiernan

Reviewed by Ephantus Gold

“Three Reasons for Revenge” by Dervla McTiernan begins at Melbourne West Police Station, where Detective Sergeant Judith Lee has received a complaint from a psychologist, one Robert Walker, who claims to have been sexually assaulted. On hearing his name, Lee freezes. The complaint is soon followed by a video of him assaulting a patient, which gets sent to his wife, Vanessa Walker, the host of ‘Let’s Talk, Australia.’ She fears that, although it looks like a deepfake to her, an online leak could end her career. As you read on, you learn that Robert resents her and her success, which makes her next move critical.  Purchase Here.

Lee finds her bike destroyed- its leather seat and tires slashed, brake lines and wire harness cut in multiple places. More talk follows about other women who might have fallen victim to Walker. But then, Walker gets murdered. With no one left to investigate or prosecute, Lee is left with only one deep conviction- that she might be missing something. The case is not finished; rather, it has been interrupted.

“Three Reasons for Revenge” by Dervla McTiernan begins at Melbourne West Police Station, where Detective Sergeant Judith Lee has received a complaint from a psychologist, one Robert Walker, who claims to have been sexually assaulted. On hearing his name, Lee freezes. The complaint is soon followed by a video of him assaulting a patient, which gets sent to his wife, Vanessa Walker, the host of ‘Let’s Talk, Australia.’ She fears that, although it looks like a deepfake to her, an online leak could end her career. As you read on, you learn that Robert resents her and her success, which makes her next move critical.

Lee finds her bike destroyed- its leather seat and tires slashed, brake lines and wire harness cut in multiple places. More talk follows about other women who might have fallen victim to Walker. But then, Walker gets murdered. With no one left to investigate or prosecute, Lee is left with only one deep conviction- that she might be missing something. The case is not finished; rather, it has been interrupted.

I loved how this story’s tension deepens, especially through a protagonist whose greatest strength was not only in solving but in doubting. I could feel her isolation right in my bones, especially when she was dealing with a complainant who wasn’t fully honest, yet remained desperate for quick action and justice. The author didn’t underline every betrayal or motive; instead, it was up to me to decode the characters’ silences, avoidance of eye contact, and heightened emotions when questioned. For me, this was unique, as were the retaliations, which felt like a minefield of words I couldn’t say.

“Three Reasons for Revenge” is a story that seems to understand what happens to disturbed individuals who seek help but end up getting taken advantage of. McTiernan doesn’t exploit their situation for shock value but to demonstrate how a predator operates. She also understands that employing twists and threatening constant action is the perfect way to build tension. One moment, she brings you a victim, and just as you start growing sympathy towards them, you see their other side. Her pace moves like a master chess player, and her characters breathe through contradictions, leaving the reader with the feeling of being alive beyond the pages. You will notice that she grants them weight instead of long back stories, a weight that makes the choices they make, as well as those they fail to make, land with a punch. This is a greatly rewarding story for fans who prefer deeply layered mysteries and character-driven tension over cheap thrills.