Early Praise for Johnny Manic
BestThrillers.com
The first advance copies of Johnny Manic went out two months ago, and I’m starting to get some good feedback. BestThrillers.com calls it one of the year’s best thrillers.
“A truly riveting tale of deception, murder and psychological suspense. Part psychological thriller, part noir, Diamond has accomplished the incredibly difficult task of deriving true suspense from the battle for supremacy going on within [the narrator’s] own mind. The Bottom Line: One of the year’s best thrillers.” - BestThrillers.com
That puts me on the list with Lisa Jewell and Harlan Coben
Kirkus Reviews
Kirkus likes the book too.
“For lovers of crime fiction, there can be no more seductive catnip than a caper about a compromised antihero desperate to change his life for the better, the unhappily married femme fatale who is going to make that exceedingly difficult, a detective who is suspicious of both of them, and a rising body count… Diamond nails an evocative, nihilistic, hard-boiled style that fans of Jim Thompson and the like will admire… A feverishly readable psychological noir.” - Kirkus Reviews
Midwest Book Review
Here’s an excerpt from the review that will appear in the August, 2019 edition.
“This is no light whodunit, but a complex psychological piece that pits the efforts of Detective Lou Eisenfall to solve not just a crime, but the roots of a relationship that descends into madness… Diamond cultivates an engrossingly dark vision of a protagonist whose alter ego takes over in many different ways. The build-up of psychological suspense and the evolution of evil is truly compelling. To Hell with Johnny Manic is very highly recommended for crime readers who like their stories introspective, brooding, and psychologically astute.” – D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review
DartFrog Books
DartFrog has accepted the book for in-store distribution, which is quite an honor, because they’re picky. Getting indie books into stores is really hard, so I’m excited about this. Their acceptance message was short and to the point. “We have read your book and find it to be particularly well done. Congratulations.”
Feathered Quill Book Reviews
I got a well-written and insightful review from Feathered Quill.
“A tough, twisted tale of distorted dreams and evil plans going wrong in every direction. Anti-hero Gantry is likeable enough, trying in his blundering way to do the right thing while falling deeper into a hole of his own digging. The cinematic plot is thoroughly engrossing, with tortuous turns and all the wrong characters showing up at all the wrong times. Manic’s work assignments with a varied cast of colorful customers provide a few breaks in the unnerving, rapidly escalating scenario of deception piled on deception. The cleverly conceived aspect of dual personality - Manis slowly gaining sway over Manic - adds a fascinating layer. Diamond manages all these threads deftly, with subtle humor and a wealth of forensic and personal detail.
With rapidly changing action in every chapter and psychological undertones, To Hell with Johnny Manic is very likely to garner new fans and further recognition for mystery writer Andrew Diamond.” - Feathered Quill Book Reviews
Readers’ Favorite
And Readers’ Favorite gave it the full five stars.
“Filled with high octane suspense, chemistry, action, intrigue, and deception, we find ourselves focused on the dangerous and powerful pairing of John Manis (the Johnny Manic of the novel’s title) and the beautiful Marilyn Dupree. Intuitive detective Lou Eisenfall has a bad feeling about these two volatile spirits coming together, particularly since Johnny’s wild lifestyle implies there’s a lot of darkness going on under the surface. What results is a powerful and engaging mystery that changes gear at every turn, charging towards a dangerous and disastrous conclusion for everyone involved… a gripping read that will keep you in your seat from cover to cover.” - Readers’ Favorite
Goodreads
And the first Goodreads review appeared this week as well.
Very evocative of the multilayered Fight Club and Gone Girl. The reader travels with the protagonist who is well developed and constantly evolving. Whether he wants to evolve is something that he answers through the course of Johnny Manic. The supernatural overtones serve the story well although this could be read as straight noir. Johnny and the plot sucked me in and didn’t let me go until I was finished listening to what they had to tell me. - Goodreads
[Upated July 6, 2019]