Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner
Certifiably Insane
Amazon US HC Amazon Canada HC
Arthur W. Bahr
Class/Genre: Mystery Legal Setting Psychological Suspense Thriller
Simon & Schuster, Mar 1999, $21.00, 272 pp.
The New York police were horrified by the macabre murder scene. With her body showered in blood, Janice Jensen nonchalantly sits eating grapes. Her spouse, a fellow cop, was shot in the head twice and in both eyes. Her baby was stabbed numerous times by a knife. Law enforcement officials do not require Sherlock Holmes to know who murdered the two Jensen males, but the courts must decide whether Janice is criminally responsible or insane?
Her lawyer, Kate Newhouse is renowned for successfully defending females who commit a crime against an abusive male. She immediately hires her best friend forensic psychiatrist Simon Rose and media darling Dr. Brice Darling to determine whether her client is capable of understanding right from wrong. However, Simon quickly rules himself out of bounds because the defendant is a girl he coveted and even once had sex with during high school. No one yet knows how dangerous of a sociopath Janice truly is, but almost everyone involved directly or through a loved one will soon learn the truth about the defendant.
This novel is a brilliant epitaph to the writing abilities of Arthur W. Bahr, who recently passed away. Fans from both the legal thriller and psychological suspense sub-genres will quickly acknowledge that CERTIFIABLY INSANE is one of the years best novels. The fast-paced story line is a superb glimpse into the head of a sociopath, who cleverly fools anyone in her circle of influence. The characters are interesting as their clearly defined motives lead to their interactions making sense, especially Janice and Simon. Readers will recognize that the literary world lost a major new talent with Mr. Bahr's recent death.
Harriet Klausner
Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner
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