I had a hard time getting through - the plot is a hard sell. I love the premise - very creative and intriguing but not done well.

Trance is a very addictive thriller with an excellent speculative premise, it is tension fuelled and disturbing, with an interesting main protagonist in Alex Madison.

(Book Blurb) 3 scientists are found dead in a gruesome murder-suicide, and the only suspect in the case, Victor Lazar, is quickly captured. When the spate of violent suicides follows him to prison he is moved to solitary confinement, reserved for the highest-risk inmates. And then his assigned psychologist inexplicably takes his own life.

Alex Madison, a former forensic psychologist turned private therapist, is brought in to interview Victor. He suspects that Victor is controlling his victims, somehow coaxing them into a suggestive trance. (End Book Blurb)

It's a dark story of how one man can control so many minds. It starts as a crime fiction, but turns into sci-fi with the introduction of secret research and human experimentation. Add to the fact that the protagonist, a therapist, is also addicted to Xanax.

While well-written, I didn't like any of the characters. I didn't find any credibility, which is an essential check in what I like to read. I'm sure there are many others who will find this story amazingly good .. but not my cup of tea.

Many thanks to the author / Amazon Publishing / Netgalley for the digital copy of this psychological fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

3.5 stars.

A prisoner who might have very special power over people. A former forensic psychologist who is once again dipping his toes in the more interesting waters than celebrities's anxieties are. An unspeakable crime from the past.

This one is fast-paced read with the main character human enough to be interested in his fate! Alex Madison is a psychologist who certainly needs a therapy on his own, given his abuse of Xanax and the ability to block any lasting relationship with a woman. Being a product of an unhealthy upbringing, he is an expert in blocking his own pain. Yet, Alex is also very good professional. That's why he has been given a case, and what a case it is! Victor Lazar might be the first documented case of an abnormal psychic gift. And Victor might also be on a killing spree.

The evil character is also relatable in the meaning that there is a very understandable "journey" to them being what they are. I like that because the skilled psychopaths without any explainable background dominating the world of thrillers are quite clichey. This novel is not free of cliches, but at least the character building is solid.

But while Alex is chasing darkness, he is also a bit passive player. Maybe next time the powers of darkness (past and present) could be less absolute and Alex more active instead of being a gentleman in distress often?

But the readability factor is high and this novel is a very catchy read, better than many I have read this year. Solid first one in series based on interesting idea!

I did enjoy this one, I found it a little tough to get into at the beginning but I think that was me and not the book! It was a good read and worth picking up.

This book was just okay for me. I didn’t feel it was a solid plot. Some of the ideas were good and written well but there were too many holes that didn’t help with flow. I rate this book a 2.8

Thank you netgalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This was a disturbing psychological thriller that exposes a sick's man desperate attempt at revenge. Alex is drawn in to investigate a triple murder despite his long absence from practicing. He dives into the disturbing past of suspected killer Victor, who is thought to kill people by using hypnotic suggestions. His interactions with Victor lead to revelations regarding his mistreatment as an orphan in Romania.
I thought the scenes with Victor were creepy and scary. Who wants to be in the same room with someone who can control your mind? A definite page turner.

This was an okay read. The plot was interesting at first but kinda of lagged in the middle. I'm not sure how I feel about Alex as a main character. Not his personality or his vices but I'm not sure if he is actually good at his job. But I am planning to read the sequel so we will see.

This book promises a major twist, akin to that in Shutter Island, a film known for one of the biggest twists...
where was it?
This book, despite this let down, was ok. But only ok. I’d rethink picking up another book by the author.

Trance by Adam Southward
This book took a bit of time to get into. I felt confused and times as to what was happening, however there was a moment in the story that made me sit up and pay attention, and the book got a lot more interesting after that. Towards the end I really wanted to see how the book would end

OMG! No book had me so captivated since the very beginning to the end. I loved it and couldn't put it down. The writing is perfect and it made me feel like I was there, just observing the whole story unfolding in front of my eyes. It also helped that these type of thrillers are my favorite type, the psychology, doctors, prison, diagnosis. and a bit of mystery/supernatural... all of it.
Thank you, NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC. I want more...

Trance is a very addictive thriller with an excellent speculative premise, it is tension fuelled and disturbing, with an interesting main protagonist in Alex Madison.

The story jumps between past and present as we learn about Victor, his childhood and weird ability while in the present Alex tries to discover his intentions not realising they are tied together in unexpected ways..

There are twists and turns plus some edge of the seat moments ending with a tense stand off and an excellent set up for the next book.

Very entertaining. Recommended.

I read alot of the reviews for this one, and was surprised that I really liked it! While I did not love the characters, per se, I actually enjoyed the whole "puts people in a trance" lab thing on the killer and the quest to get him. Was it super suspenseful, twisty and turny - no. But every once in a while I enjoy a straight forward mystery.

Definitely a let down. I just couldn't get into it. So much going on I didn't know what was going on. I feel like the description was misleading, which was what cought my attention to begin with.

This is my honest opinion.

Rating 0

Unfortunately, like many reviewers before me, I just did not like this story. It has such an interesting premise and potential, but fell short with character development and dialogue. I don't think I will be reading any following books in the Alex Madison series.

Thank you Netgalley for my copy of this book.

Trance by Adam Southward is a thriller about a man who grew up in an Romanian orphanage where he was subjected to all kinds of psychological experiments, he managed to get away and now he’s getting on in age and the time is right to seek revenge on the scientists who ruined his life. Hot on his tail is Alex Madison, a psychologist who suffers from anxiety.
Trance deals with the current murders instigated by Victor, and the manic hunt for him. I loved the premise of this thriller, but I found the execution somewhat lacking. I loved the whole psychological part of it, finding out about the research and experimentation, about the magnitude of what Victor can do, but after the umpteenth murder/suicide I’d quite had it, like yeah okay we get the picture, move on already! I also didn’t like Alex all that much. We’re supposed to feel compassion for him I think, as a flawed good guy, but most of the time I just rolled my eyes at him. There were also a few passages I frowned at, that didn’t flow like they should, and part of the plot is rather predictable. Still, I flew through it and overall I did enjoy it, but I don’t think I will be reading the sequel.
Thanks to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for the e-ARC.

This review will go live at below link on 24 August. I will post it to Goodreads afterwards.

The plot of this book sounds so gripping and thrilling, but when I read it, it just fell short. I'm not even sure what happened overall, which isn't a good sign for me. Had potential but missed the mark for me personally

I must admit. I fell into the cover so much and then the story was not quite what I was expecting. It was a good read though.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.

This novel, Trance by Adam Southward, is at the top of my TO-READ list right now. From the description below, I knew I had to get my hands on this one because it sounds like a good old fashioned suspense novel with some interesting elements that will grab my attention and not let go.

Synopsis:

Three university scientists are found dead in a gruesome murder-suicide, and the only suspect in the case, Victor Lazar, is quickly captured. When the spate of violent suicides follows him to prison he is moved to solitary confinement, reserved for the highest-risk inmates. And then his assigned psychologist inexplicably takes his own life.

Alex Madison, a former forensic psychologist turned private therapist, is brought in to interview Victor. He suspects that Victor is controlling his victims, somehow coaxing them into a suggestive trance. It seems like science fiction, but as Alex digs deeper he uncovers a frightening reality of secret research and cruel experimentation—and the perpetrators are closer to home than he could ever have imagined.

Too late, Alex learns the true extent of what Victor is capable of—and who he’s after. With everything he holds dear at risk, can Alex take control of a dangerous mind—before it takes control of him?

If you like a little sci-fi in your stories and you enjoy being creeped out, this is a book for you. Trance is free if you have Kindle Unlimited. Or you can buy it here!

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for an ARC of this book. Trance released on 1 July and is now available for sale. I wish I could've enjoyed it more because the blurb had been incredibly promising. But there were some issues that just couldn't be ignored in this psychological thriller.

Oh well... Let's get right to the review of Adam Southward's Trance.

Genre:
Psychological thriller, Mystery

Length:
336 page

Overall Rating:
5 out of 10

Plot:
7 out of 10

Characterization:
5 out of 10

Primary Element:
4 out of 10 for the psychological thriller aspect, 6 out of 10 for its mystery

Writing Style:
6 out of 10

Part of a Series:
According to Goodreads, this is the first of the books in the series of the primary protagonist - Alex Madison.

Highlighted Takeaway:
The basic premise - if this had been explored more, it would've been a very different (and much better) read.

What I Liked:
The book doesn't shy away from being violent and abrupt, making it a fast-paced read.

What I Didn’t Like:
The psychological basis of the story was just a given, which takes away the entire mystery of, "How is this happening?"
Characters were one-dimensional
Plot twists were predictable
The main protagonist, although probably one of the better parts of the book, could probably have done with a little more rationality. Although not as cringe-worthy and annoying, Madison's character reminded me a lot of another confused character that I'd absolutely detested - Lorna - from Samantha Hayes' Tell Me A Secret (review of that apparent psychological thriller is here).
Who Should Read It:
Anyone looking for a quick mystery, pseudo-thriller - as long as you're not expecting a book that stays with you forever.

Who Should Avoid:
Anyone who likes psychological thrillers because of the depth they often offer into the human psyche - Trance has a good premise but does nothing to follow it up.

Read It For:
A fast holiday or non-serious weekend read option.

All in all, I'd say that Trance doesn't have to be one your TBR list. Adam Southward is a talented writer who probably has some great ideas. I'd love to see them more fleshed out though so as to actually make for a compelling, memorable read. As for Trance... it's a good option for when you want something fast and not too sensible.