Elvin Bishop is a creature of routines. He and his Mom have been on their own for many years and Elvin likes his family of two plus dog. Then one day his dead uncle Alex appears sitting on the couch in his living room, determined to turn Elvin’s life upside down. Alex wants redemption by “fixing” Elvin’s life, to make up for running off with the money left Elvin and his Mom by his Dad.

Elvin doesn’t want fixing – in fact, he doesn’t want anything to change. What follows is a struggle of wills between Elvin and Alex, causing Elvin to question everything and everyone around him.

Like all great stories of finding oneself, much of what Elvin goes through is “cringe-worthy” – most readers will be able to relate the Elvin’s experiences and empathize with him. Chris Lynch has created a voice for Elvin that rings with honesty and created a great coming of age story, filled with humour and humanity.

I enjoyed this so much – in fact I stayed up half the night reading it. Highly recommended.

The Monsters of Gramercy Park by Danny Leigh draws the reader into a haunting tale of need and a struggle for power between two determined personalities. Wilson Velez, the convicted felon and leader of the Sacred Incan Royals, needs a reason to live after years of the harshest segregation known in the American prison system. Lizbeth Greene, the celebrated novelist known for the extreme violence that has haunted her life, is looking for her next book. The coming together of these two to create a true recounting of Wilson’s life sets in motion a train of events leading to a truly horrific outcome.

While not your typical blood and gore thriller, this book is perfect for the reader who likes to be kept guessing. Throughout, manipulation and tension keep shifting the foundation upon which the novel is set. Many time I felt the rug pulled out from under my feet as what I believed to be true was ripped away.

Leigh does a great job in fleshing out his characters. Just when you think you know who they are, knowledge is turned on its head and you are left scrambling for a foothold. While Wilson and Lizbeth were not characters I liked, I was compelled to keep reading their story. Several times I found myself ranting out loud at Lizbeth, something I haven’t been caused to do by a book in years.

This is a novel that will leaving the reader thinking and second-guessing for days to come. Highly recommended for readers who don’t want their endings tied up in a box with a pretty bow.