I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the DOPPELGANGER by William Michael Davidson Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!
Author: William Michael Davidson
Pub. Date: March 24, 2021
Publisher: Shadenger Press
Formats: Paperback, eBook
Pages: 319
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David Anderson is a mild-mannered English professor until he walks into the classroom one day and discovers the corpse of one of his colleagues. She has been murdered. With all eyes on him, another woman, this time a former student of his, is also found murdered. In both cases, the killer has done the same thing: taken photos of the body and posted them anonymously online. Because of this, the media has dubbed him the Voyeur Killer. When it happens a third time, Detective Grimm, the cold and ruthless woman leading the investigation, narrows her sights on the English professor and begins to close in. Yet David, who has exhausted himself convincing others that he isn’t guilty, begins to question his own sanity. Is he the one committing these murders? Has he been doing it without his own knowledge? Desperate to clear his own name and discover what is happening, he begins to unravel the secrets of a twisted and depraved mind. The only question: is it his own?
Praise for DOPPELGANGER:
"If you
love James Patterson, you will love this!!I am an avid mystery reader. This was
definitely a page turner. I judge a mystery on how quickly I can figure out
"who dunnit". I didn't see the ending coming. If you love James
Patterson, it is reminiscent of his style yet the author definitely has carved
out his own niche. Great Read!!" Amazon Review
"This story is very compelling and David is a character that cared about, could relate to in his ordinary-ness. I like to read books like this that keep me glued to the page, wanting the best for the character but having this niggling worry he's not all he seems to be. The evil narrator filled me with such dread, pure evil with hope of redemption, a human horror story." Amazon Review
"Wow.
Honestly, this isn't really my genre. It is just not the type of book that I
generally seek out. But I started reading it, and once I did, I could not put
it down." Amazon Review
Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, TBD, Bookshop.org
My Rating: ★★★★☆
(I received this book free in exchange for my honest review)
As a lover of thrillers and mysteries, I have to say I was quite intrigued with this book. Though I have read a few with a similar take, few have kept me on the ropes like this one. I quite enjoy books that do the dual POV, especially when one of the POV's is of the killer.
That brings me to where I feel like this story missed the target by a smidge. There was for me, just not enough of that killer POV. Though I enjoy reading about David's daily life, even when it was, dull. I believe those duller moments and lulls in David's life, could have been taken by the killer's POV. It would have kept the story moving at a steady pace, adding just a little bit of a extra layer to bring this already dark twisted read home. Instead, I felt like there was this choppy feel at times that drew me out of the story.
Outside of that, this book did bring a newness to the pages that kept me reading and engaged. Time was spent on devolving the characters; giving it a realistic feel. I like the foreshadowing that appeared not long after the first murder. I kind of connect the dots rather quick after that, thought I didn't quite know who the killer was until later on. I also liked how that foreshadowing was linked throughout the book. Almost like a tragic play, or rather, a tragic poem that was being acted and written at the same time. Oddly realistic, and fascinating, cause we all know a pair like this.
Overall this is a well written book that will keep you on the edge of your seat. There will be times where you don't know who's side of the story is real. Who is truly good and who is truly evil. Please take my high recommendation and my stamp of approval that you will get captured by this my twisty read.
Warning: There are themes of animal abuse, SA, drugs, and DA, in this book.
The spark will ignite.
The fuse will be lit.
It reminds me of what my grandmother said on her deathbed: “It is almost time to strike off.” I can see her emaciated face, her wrinkled grin. The lights in her eyes blow out like two matches, leaving twin threads of smoke.
I stand at the bottom of the campus stairwell and look up as the woman descends. Her heels click like hammers on the concrete steps, and her scarlet skirt flutters about her legs. She is sexy, yes. The kind that doesn’t know it—and that is always the best kind.
She doesn’t see me standing in the shadows, but she will when she turns the corner. And that’s when I will have to put on my mask. Not a literal mask, but the facade I’ve created. The one we all create.
I was only a young boy when I learned this very important aspect of human nature. It was my mother who told me this in the backyard over a glass of Jack Daniels. She held the glass in her left hand, adorned with its third wedding ring, her cigarette perched in the other hand, and she slurred her words: “I just don’t get you. School called again today and said you were brattier than usual. I don’t see you act that way here. How can you be two different people?”
That was when it started.
At least, I think.
It was like the first time I pulled a dirty mag from under Stepdad Number Three’s side of the bed and saw it for the first time. That same sensual euphoria. The hot arousal.
I can be two people. Split. A doppelganger. A soul in stereo.
My mom didn’t know it was me when I killed the stray cat that wandered into our yard. She didn’t hear it scream when I sliced its throat, when I felt its blood pour over my hands. It was the first of several. Cats sound a lot like children screaming when they die. So much so that I worried the neighbors would call the police because it sounded like I was murdering a child. My mom didn’t know that I was the reason our bird died, too. She didn’t see when I held it underwater in the bathtub with both hands and brought it up minutes later, limp and dripping tepid water.
All of that was in preparation for this.
Because I’ve taken so much—YOU ARE A HORRIBLE—of her—LOSER OF A CHILD—and the world—AND I HOPE YOU DIE—and the wait is over. I will unveil my art in defiance.
Her voice is still in my head, like barbed wire.
I have been two people.
And so when the woman descends the stairs, I will put on my face. The face she likes. The face she knows. But the world will soon see that she is the first bit of fuse that I will light. The first domino that I will knock over.
Because I’ve learned to master this art. I’ve done it for years, so much so that I wonder if the other half of me even knows about this. I have fooled even myself, because when I slip out of this self—like a snake shedding dry scales—I will refuse to admit this to myself.
She sees me and walks toward me.
I see that sexy smile, so I smile back.
She shakes my hand, a courteous hello, and her fingers are strangely cold.
I look into her eyes and grin. She doesn’t know that very soon, like my grandmother, the light in her eyes will flicker out and her hand will feel much colder than this.
Time to strike off.
William
Michael Davidson lives in Long Beach, California. A believer that "good
living produces good writing," Davidson writes early in the morning so he
can get outside, exercise, spend time with people, and experience as much as
possible. He is a writer of suspense and speculative fiction. If he's not
writing, he's probably at the beach.
Giveaway Details:
- 1 winner
will receive a finished copy of DOPPELGANGER, US Only.
- 1 winner will receive an eBook of DOPPELGANGER, International.
Tour Schedule:
Week One:
7/5/2021
Kickoff Post
7/6/2021
Excerpt
7/7/2021
Excerpt
7/8/2021
Instagram Post
7/9/2021
Excerpt
Week Two:
7/12/2021
Excerpt
7/13/2021
Guest Post
7/14/2021
Guest Post
7/15/2021
Guest Post
7/16/2021
Excerpt
Week Three:
7/19/2021
Review
7/20/2021
Excerpt
7/21/2021
Review
7/22/2021
Excerpt
7/23/2021
Review
Week Four:
7/26/2021
Review
7/27/2021
Review
7/28/2021
Excerpt
7/29/2021
Review
7/30/2021
Review
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