Gruesomely addictive from the very first spell-binding scene.
Gruesomely addictive from the very first spell-binding scene. Novembers starts with a remarkably intriguing scene where we first meet the mysterious and meticulous successful-until-right-then victim and his anonymous even more detail-oriented murderer, in a highly regarded community in Toronto. The author beat me into submission with every movement.
The scariest part of this book was wondering how Cristofoli knew the intricacies of the methods, the minds both of the killer and the people trying to catch him, and the poetic way he mixed them all. While the reader learns the murderer’s name before the detectives do, I found this added to the beauty of the story because I wanted to scream at the investigators the angles they were missing and the clues they were overlooking. There was still lots of mystery to unfold even after the baseball bat was dropped and, as long as this book was, I now crave a sequel.
With the possibility of revenge over a financial fiasco, mixed with high-powered and highly flaunted BDSM scenes, this was a book I was sucked into and felt I was watching instead of reading. The natural way the author described even the most horrific of moments while sprinkling them with humour, family and friendship was unforgettable. Learning who the detectives were personally, discovering their relationships within the job and outside of it, and if they could ever escape the riddles, kept me thoroughly engaged.
The characters were all believable, interesting and quirky enough to make me love them — yes, even the bad guys — but also hate them and want them to all just wake up and smell the roses. There is potential for a sequel with the same characters, though this book is solid on its own.
A story not for the faint of heart, Novembers takes the reader through dark alleyways, brutal beatings and bedrooms which otherwise should be ignored. The pacing and mix of Greek mythology, poignant moments and compelling concepts work together to make me want more from this author, and I want to look for his poetry. If you don’t mind violence, mystery, and a little naughtiness, I highly recommend this wild ride of a book.
Norman Cristofoli has published several chapbooks of poetry/prose plus two audio compilations of spoken word performances. He published the “Labour of Love” literary magazine for 25 years and was the co-founder and manager of the “Coffeehouse” artist networking site. His play “The Pub” and a new book of poetry “Relinquishing the Past” were both published in 2020 by CanamBooks. His murder/mystery novel “Novembers” was published in 2023 by Austin Macauley (New York/London).
Publisher : Austin Macauley (Dec 8 2023)
Language : English
Paperback 6.14″ x 9.21″ | 386 pages
ISBN-13 : 979-8886937572
I am a struggling artist, a challenging and challenged mother who always thinks she is failing, an emerging freelance writer and reporter, an author with my name on several books crossing genres and always hoping to find more readers who enjoy them.
I am also a successful artist, a wonderful and thriving mother of one, a reacher towards both people and dreams despite all of the turned backs and obstacles in my way. I am a thriving freelance writer and reporter, an author loved by enough readers to make it worthwhile and a discombobulated conundrum who loves to hear new music, tell new tales and meet new authors. And I’m doing something I always dreamed of doing – reviewing books to support others as well as myself and my family.