The Confession [Mass Market Paperback]

Sure, Domenic Stansberry had his book THE CONFESSION published under the HARD CASE CRIME banner. That doesn't mean this feels anything like the crime pulp novel it claims to be.

It's a psychological thriller (a fairly unoriginal one at that) and extremely dark. I felt sort of glad when I was through with it just because I knew that after I read it once I wouldn't have to really return to it again unless I was in the mood to read passage after passage of some guy rambling on about the psyche and how it can make you go crazy sometimes.

Sort of self-indulgent and pretentious at times, but has it's moments.

This is a truly outstanding noir mystery and completely deserves the Edgar. Layered, psychological, twisted, scary and perfect in every way. One of those rare and totally satisfying mysteries that also can be read on a whole new level once you know how it ends, so you will want to read again immediately after finishing it. I was amazed at how perfect it was in every way.

It's hard to review this book without giving away the twist that really makes it fantastic. If you have read some of the other reviews or are familiar with noir themes, you may have figured it out already, but boy, is it done well! This is a very psychological book, and I will just say that the twist comes into play a bit before the halfway point (or maybe earlier, if you are more perceptive than me) when the reader realizes that all is not as it seems. Then, what starts out as a pretty formulaic (but still very well-written!) detective novel becomes increasingly unique and interesting.

This novel, like a lot of good noir films (and books for that matter), starts out a little slow and builds to a fantastic, dramatic crescendo. Yes, it's dark, but it's also great. Intelligent, psychological, twisted, and a perfect ending. Extremely well-written and satisfying. My favorite Hard Case Crime book yet by far, The Confession is unique and not to be missed.

Jake Danser is in a hell of a fix. His wife Elizabeth has found out about his mistress Sara and wants a divorce. Sara wants a commitment but Jake want to save his marriage. In the meantime, Elizabeth has taken up with local prosecutor Minor Robinson during the separation. When Sara is found strangled with a tie very similar to Jake's own, he becomes the prime suspect and Robinson is determined to prove him guilty. Could he be guilty? Well, he does have this disorder where he blacks out for periods of time...

Author Domenic Stansberry successfully utilizes the "confessional" style made most famous by Edgar Allan Poe is such tales as "The Black Cat" and "The Tell-Tale Heart." Luckily, Danser does not deluge us with the same multiple protestations regarding his samity as Poe's protagonists did. Stansberry's skillful prose style also lends a level of credence to The Confession, which is essentially a "didhedoit" where the lead character seems often as clueless as the readers.

Danser tells his own story, ten years after, so at the very least, we know he's not dead, but we don't know where he's telling it from (I had assumed it was prison). The confessional style works well for this tale of a man who doesn't seem entirely sure of his own innocence, keeping the all-important doubt in the reader's mind all the way through this highly suspenseful novel. It's easy to see how Stansberry was nominated for two previous Edgar Allan Poe awards: he really knows his way around the psychological crime genre.

The cover, by artist Richard B. Farrell (using his own hands and his wife as models), again represents the inside contents well. The title of the book would seem to give away the ending, but any mention of the ending at all is bound to be a giveaway of some sort. I'll just say, in the sensationalistic style of publishing blurbs everywhere (it doesn't seem entirely inappropriate for this line): "I confess! I was astounded by The Confession."