Penance

Rick Reed has turned out another suspensful gay murder mystery involving street kids, an abused sick monster, and a priest battling his addiction to boys. I like that Mr. Reed is able to give the reader a glimpses into the psyches that make up the main characters. The man/child physically abused by an aunt becomes a saviour in his mind. We have a good backstory, voices in his head that allow the reader to feel what he feels and in some way understand the horrible torture he inflicts in the name of the Lord. I could feel his helplessness. Then we see into the tortured soul of the priest who wants to help the street boys...but the closer in proximity he comes to them the more his sexual desires overrule his sensibilities...throwing him into an abyss of self-loathing and despair. I could feel his helplessness. Great character development of the street kids involved and their story give the reader a rich overview of why they are here. Thrilling story, that was a page-turner! It left me on the edge of my seat!

Now THIS is the kind of book that makes me uncomfortable, which--in my mind, anyway--says it's GOOD. Rick Reed has a twisted mind, which I love, and his writing makes you cringe and make faces while you read it. I loved it! Very dark, moody, and scary--what MAKES it scary, I think, is that it's BELIEVABLE. It COULD happen, and probably IS happening somewhere right this minute. It's a tough read for the faint of heart--don't touch it if you are a wuss. Probably one of the best books I've read in a long time--Reed's not afraid to tackle the seamiest subjects...

Novel about a psycho killer stalking the homeless children in Chicago Illinois. There's also a pedophile priest and a constant sense of depression and horror. I couldn't stop reading but I can't say I LIKED the book. It does do what it intends to--it horrifies you--but I find books where children are attacked and tortured or killed almost impossible to read. Still it's well-written, moves quickly and gives you characters you care about. Heck, you even feel for the priest! You don't feel for the killer but the author explains why he is this way. It all leads up to a disturbing conclusion. So--on one hand--this is a horrifying view of a man and his killings with some very extreme scenes of violence. On the other hand this is a well-written, strong study of a madman and his victims. Proceed at your own risk. As I said, it's unpleasant but I kept reading.

Reviewed by Tyler R. Tichelaar for Reader Views (4/07) Rick R. Reed's "Penance" is an action-filled novel about a man whose sexual addiction and guilt over that addiction become so terrible that his twisted religious beliefs make him seek revenge on those who tempt him. He begins to pick up and punish the children and teenagers who walk the streets to sell their bodies. He abducts, tortures, and kills them, telling them this way they can receive penance from the Lord for their sins and the wrongs they have committed by tempting him. Dwight Morris is the sexually-tormented killer of child prostitutes. He tries to overcome his addiction by going to sexual addicts meetings, but he finds the addiction is too powerful. Dwight abducts attractive Jimmy Fels and tortures him, but Jimmy manages to escape by setting Dwight's clothes on fire. As a result, Dwight's wife divorces him, and Dwight decides to get his revenge on Jimmy. In the process, Dwight kidnaps and holds in bondage many of Jimmy's friends, trying to get to Jimmy himself. Jimmy becomes friends with a priest, Richard, who also has a sexual addiction. Richard is sexually attracted to Jimmy, but he is trying to overcome that attraction to be Jimmy's friend and earning his trust. The building of trust between Dwight and Jimmy brings the strongest scenes and the best descriptions of how sexual addiction can make a person feel powerless and tormented. When Jimmy tells Richard about Dwight, Richard realizes he knows Dwight from the sexual addicts meetings, and he then helps Jimmy track down Dwight's whereabouts. The story becomes intense when Dwight sends Jimmy a letter stating he is going to find him, and in the meantime, that he is hurting Jimmy's friends. Jimmy and Richard have to put aside their trust issues to rescue Jimmy's friends. In the process, many twists and turns occur where it looks like Dwight will get the upper hand. Rick R. Reed has written several other suspense novels. His character development for his killer was stronger in "IM" because he used first-person narration to get inside the killer's head, whereas in "Penance" the entire work is in third-person. However, "Penance" did a thorough job of exploring the truly helpless feelings a sexual addict has. The novel was also very descriptive and well-thought out in depicting the lives of the children who sell their bodies to survive. The depictions of poverty, drugs, and sexual exploitation were all well-conceived and effective in adding to the setting and plot. Toward the end, the book seems to carry on a bit too long in its plot twists, although it was a fast read for its 369 pages. The novel's strongest asset was the character of Father Richard Grebb. Catholic priests have appeared in the media frequently for child-molesting, but rather than make Richard a stereotypical character, Reed succeeds in depicting the struggles the priest undergoes between his addiction and his desire to serve God. Since Richard's sexual addiction

Mr. Reed (...)has the writing ability (talent) to keep you totally engrossed in his books. The "S.O.B.-Killer/Pervert" in "Penance" will send ice cold shivers throughout you whole body. "Penence" opens your eyes to just how terrible the cruel world can be to "lost" children. Mr. Reed makes you remember that all children (even the homeless)can get scared, lonely. But, the basic instinct of human survival can be terminated so easily by evil. GREAT READING. Be ready to cry at times though!!! This book is definitely NOT for the light hearted!! But WILL keep your attention from the first page to the last!!