Privileged Conversation

Rating:
Summary: Outstanding. Highly Recommended
Review: I am not an avid reader of "fiction" and typically quit reading these books after a few chapters as they soon strike me as unbelievable. I especially avoid so called "psychological thrillers" and in particular those dealing with serial killers --and in part that has to do with a period of my career when, as an expert in the neurosciences, I had dealings with such individuals, including stalkers, serial rapists, murderers, the criminally insane etc. This book surprised me. I loved it. It was incredibly believable. The plot terrific. The characters deep and complex. This is an outstanding "psychological thriller." I highly recommend it.

Rating:
Summary: Outstanding. Highly Recommended
Review: I am not an avid reader of "fiction" and typically quit reading these books after a few chapters as they soon strike me as unbelievable. I especially avoid so called "psychological thrillers" and in particular those dealing with serial killers --and in part that has to do with a period of my career when, as an expert in the neurosciences, I had dealings with such individuals, including stalkers, serial rapists, murderers, the criminally insane etc. This book surprised me. I loved it. It was incredibly believable. The plot terrific. The characters deep and complex. This is an outstanding "psychological thriller." I highly recommend it.

Rating:
Summary: What is the motivation?
Review: Plot in a nutshell: Dr. David Chapman has an affair with Kate the dancer. A stalker begins to stalk Kate. Problems from Kate's past continue to haunt her. David tries to help Kate. Stalker, affair, and Kate's past all meet in the end.

I think I understand the point Hunter was trying to make, but, just like in his novel Criminal Conversation, he fails to adequately portray the emotions involved in an affair. He leaves many unanswered questions. David appears to be in a good marriage with wife Helen, but Hunter shows no guilt on David's part. He shows David wanting to stop the affair because it is inherently wrong, not because he still loves his wife.

I think the ending somewhat explains why we are never made to fill sorry for Helen or angry at David for having the affair. Still, the ease at which a man can fall into an affair and then begin to lie about it while still supposedly loving his wife makes this book less than it could be.

The ending of the book also makes you think differently about some of the actions of the characters. David could have done a lot of things to change the fate of some of the characters and to make his fate more enjoyable.

This book is short and easy to read. Its not that bad if you are interested in the affair/sex/stalker genre.

Rating:
Summary: What is the motivation?
Review: Plot in a nutshell: Dr. David Chapman has an affair with Kate the dancer. A stalker begins to stalk Kate. Problems from Kate's past continue to haunt her. David tries to help Kate. Stalker, affair, and Kate's past all meet in the end.

I think I understand the point Hunter was trying to make, but, just like in his novel Criminal Conversation, he fails to adequately portray the emotions involved in an affair. He leaves many unanswered questions. David appears to be in a good marriage with wife Helen, but Hunter shows no guilt on David's part. He shows David wanting to stop the affair because it is inherently wrong, not because he still loves his wife.

I think the ending somewhat explains why we are never made to fill sorry for Helen or angry at David for having the affair. Still, the ease at which a man can fall into an affair and then begin to lie about it while still supposedly loving his wife makes this book less than it could be.

The ending of the book also makes you think differently about some of the actions of the characters. David could have done a lot of things to change the fate of some of the characters and to make his fate more enjoyable.

This book is short and easy to read. Its not that bad if you are interested in the affair/sex/stalker genre.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: This book is very Hitchcock-like, and is a well written novel with good characters, a fast-moving plot and an ending sure to surprise. Evan Hunter shows that when writing under his own name or writing as Ed McBain that he is one of the premier storytellers we have today, in any field!

Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: This book is very Hitchcock-like, and is a well written novel with good characters, a fast-moving plot and an ending sure to surprise. Evan Hunter shows that when writing under his own name or writing as Ed McBain that he is one of the premier storytellers we have today, in any field!