Title: Twisted Minds
Author: Richard S. Johnson
Publisher: Brilliant Books Literary
ISBN: 979-8889450924
Genre: Fiction
Pages: 256
Reviewed by: Arthur Thares
Hollywood Book Reviews
It’s not just the minds that are twisted in this excellent story by Richard S. Johnson; the story itself twists and turns throughout the pages as body counts and suspicions rise. Twisted Minds is a story of action presented in dramatic wrapping paper. It may not be a story for the most sensitive of readers, but for those who can handle it, you’re in for a treat.
Twisted Minds is a hard book to nail down because it is just as much Jack Reacher as it is Dick Tracy. Jake is an interesting character because his words make him seem like more of a lover, but his actions prove he’s a fighter. A brutal attack brings on an overlaying revenge plot, but that only serves to dig deeper into a small-town conspiracy. As mysteries unravel and the story twists, it turns out that the object of Jake’s ire is nothing more than a pawn in an even larger game. With the cops questioning Jake and Jake on the tail of a bigger conspiracy, things are not stacking up in his favor.
This book is for people who are seeking powerful writing; not easily offended by raw language and explicit scenes. There are a few instances in the book that are absolutely non-forgettable as they paint a picture of how disturbed and evil the antagonists of the book really are. As a storyteller, Richard S. Johnson is incredibly gifted. There is so much going on in this story, and it is as exciting and captivating as it is organic. The characters are brought to life, and it is easy to envision them as real people instead of characters on a page. I found myself wrapped up in what could have been a generic mystery novel, but it turned out to be an exhilarating thrill ride where you find yourself cheering out loud for the ant-hero protagonist.
I don’t think there is a back cover that can give justice to this novel. It is not so much the broader story but the nuanced characters that give life to Twisted Minds. It is rare to find a book so good that you want to immediately start rereading it again when you finish, but that was my visceral reaction to finishing this book. Twisted Minds is bloody, vengeful, dark, and enticingly fun.