Over the Line

This pychological thriller is probably the best-written book (use of language, specifically) I've read in a long while. It initiated a lot of discussion in my family about the need for compassion as well as punishment, rather than revenge, in dealing with criminals and the wisdom to know when to apply each. We also need -- the public -- to become interested and informed about our judicial system. My only caviat, and it is personal, is Portia READ WHILE SHE WAS DRIVING. This may be reality today, but an author does not need to reinforce something that is potentially dangerous. One small mistake, and someone ELSE may suffer. I loved the book anyway.

Tbis book is great - suspenseful and well-written, it leaves the reader wanting to read more. I'm ready for the next one.

A psychological thriller. This appears to be the first of a new series about a Charlotte-based forensic psychologist, Portia McTeague. Just released, already a best seller in England--this first novel by Faye Sultan is a "must read".

A North Carolina psychologist, I eagerly await this book's publication, having been impressed for some years with the genius and humanity of Faye Sultan. Susan D. Griffith, Ph.D.

Jimmy Weir is a transient who drifted into the small town of Dixon, South Carolina. He currently lives in the loft of an old tobacco barn in exchange for keeping the property in reasonably decent shape. He works as a delivery boy for the local grocer, an easy job for a simple person. The townsfolk do not care that Jimmy seems a bit touched in the head as long as he correctly does his job and remains out of trouble. After three years elapse, Jimmy is taken for granted, though not quite accepted by the locals. None of Dixon's citizens realize how much rage resides inside his soul or that without provocation his anger will be unleashed, resulting in the rape and mutilation and death of two elderly women. The crime drew national media attention, making it the domain of the state's attorney general, who plans to use it as a springboard for a senate candidacy run. The attorney general plans to call for the death penalty when the perpetrator is found guilty. This decision forces forensic psychologist Portia McTeague to join the defense team. After evaluating Jimmy, she concludes that he is not guilty by reason of insanity. Now she must prove the obvious to those who refuse to hear the truth, even as she must battle her own traumas that rival the horror that Jimmy has endured. Fay Sultan and Teresa Kennedy have created a very dynamic, complex, and memorable work that examines the flaws in the judicial system when it comes to dealing with the mentally ill. Unlike similar story lines, OVER THE LINE, goes one step further by analyzing the close relationship between an impassioned psychiatrist and her mentally disturbed client. The story line deals less with right or wrong, but more with society's responsibility to deal with those incapable of taking care of themselves.Somehow this work touches the souls of its readers, making them feel emotions they never previously considered when it pertains to unsettling social issues. This literary work of crime fiction brings the New Year off to a great start. Harriet Klausner