A review by kittyhorror
A Beautiful Madness by Lee Thompson

4.0

Edward Wood is a disgraced former governor who broke up his family with one horrifying act of violence. Edward witnesses the death of a teenage boy in his yard and sees the killer leaving the scene. His eldest son, Sammy, believes that his father may be responsible but he soon changes his mind when more bodies begin to pile up.

This story is told completely from Sammy's pov, first person narration might not work for everyone but I thought it suited this story well. There's a lot going on in this read and some of the details in it are redundant, such as the missing governor and his wife. Small quibbles aside it was engrossing and a particular strong point were the characters. Not many of the characters are particularly nice people, Sammy is a drug dealer, his father a wife beater and his sister is someone who systematically uses every person she comes into contact with. Thompson's considerable writing skills flesh these characters out, they are shown as complex people who are capable of doing both heinous acts and kind deeds.

A twist just after the halfway mark shifts the read up a gear, the killer is superbly written and makes a surprisingly sympathetic character. There were so many things to like with this book but I couldn't help feeling disappointed with the almost happy ending where too much is tied up with a bow. Something grittier would have been more appropriate.

A great entry into the thriller genre for Thompson. Recommended.