I felt like I needed a law degree to understand this book! Too much legal jargon for me to sort out and I am mad at how much time I spent on this book

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange of an honest review.
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I'm angry and sad about how much time I wasted reading this book.
It was messy to the farthest limit, full of legal jargon, the narrative was so boring.
I didn't understand why the author put many stages in the protagonist's life.
Also, what happened to him in Afghanistan could have been written less vaguely.
Overall, didn't like it.

When anything or anyone asks, “What could possibly go wrong?” Expect trouble...Thankfully trouble is what happens within these pages! I enjoyed the mental and emotional turmoil of he characters who finds themselves several crossroads not only ethically, but between surrender to their greatest fears or conquering them alast!

This wasn't a book that drew you in pleasantly, it was quite depressing to start with and I wondered where it was going to go. We have Phil, a man who has experienced immense tragedy at the forefront of his life besides those close to him not being supportive when he needed it most. So he creates his own game to get back at them. It was okay but I didn't find it a particularly enjoyable or relaxing book to read.

Think you have the suspense/thriller/crime genres down pat? Not sure anything can surprise you? Hang on for Stephen Bentley’s COMFORT ZONE and I do mean HANG ON! Ready yourself for unexpected twists, dark and terrifying turns and be prepared to face everything Phil Mercer must face.

What is reality, what is a game, what is going on in Phil Mercer’s mind? Is it real? Dark, gritty, filled with the unexpected, this tale of crime will have you reeling!

I was invited to receive a complimentary copy from Hendry Publishing via NetGalley! This is my honest and voluntary review.

Many Thanks to Net Galley, BooksGoSocial and the author for a chance to read and review this book. All opinions are expressed voluntarily.

Where do I begin with this book? 120 pages of goosebump raising, anxiety inducing, dread filled thriller that makes one sit down and think, empathize and commiserate about the effects of mental illness, war crimes and brain-washing.

The opening chapter with almost an emotionless robotic cruelty was utterly gripping and then Phil Mercer and VINCENT walks into the picture enumerating the grievances that have been doled out to him by his so-called friends. The parlor game was just that, a revenge against all the wrongs but Phil is himself astounded by the discoveries he makes in the course of the events that follow.

The chapters are short and snappy but the author keeps the reader glued to its pages dishing out twisty surprises piecemeal by piecemeal and it is quite an amazing feat to convey such a thought-provoking subject in the length of a novella.

Comfort Zone is definitely not a comfort read especially with the chapters that transpires in Afghanistan/Pakistan that makes a reader feel the whole gamut of emotions. The book highlights PTSD with dissociative amnesia without too many frills and that in itself is quite admirable.

I would like to thank Shalini who recommended this brilliant book.

This review is published in my blog https://rainnbooks.com/; Amazon India, Goodreads, and Twitter.

What a unique book. The Prologue eally grabbed me and the story kept me reading. It came together beautifully near the end. The characters were well written and I loved Phil Mercer.

I enjoyed reading this book. It had a good story to it. I liked the variety of characters in it. It is my first book read by this author. I hope to read more books by this author.

This is my first book by the author. I was sold on the blurb and was banking on the "storytelling dinner game" where you reveal your dark side or fears. Thats some serious storytelling and you cant just call it "HEY, ITS ALL FUN AND GAMES."

The first page opens with quite a gruesome and graphic start, being the very visual person I am, it was horrid. I braced myself for whats to come further in the book and it was disturbing, I will never be prepared for it I guess.
The reading experience was a crazy ride which had me zoning out quite a few times and other times being glued to it. I have mixed feelings about it, but overall it didnt entertain me as much as I had anticipated.
It breaks my heart to write this but I did not like this book in a deep way, so I would say happy to start reading it but disappointed once done.

The good thing about the book is it is a short read and sheds some light on the mental condition of PTSD and how it changes people.

Thankyou NetGalley and the publishers for sending me this e ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The main character and narrator of this enthralling thriller is a complex individual who had various mental health issues. Even though we are now living in the 21st century and despite the fact that mental health issues don't carry as much stigma as they did in the past. There are still people that scoff at and ridicule others whose brains refuse to work properly. Intrusive thoughts are one of the terrifying aspects of mental health, add onto that the shocking treatment that Phil Mercer had apparently experienced in the past then you have a ticking time bomb that is bound to explode at some point. There have been a number of cases where people who have mental health issues have gone into a dissociative fugue and murdered their loved ones. Is this what happened to Phil and if it was then it's very unfair if we readers judge him as unlikable when he had no control over his behaviour and actions. Were we being cleverly manipulated by the author and Phil into feeling sympathy for someone who was really insane or a cold blooded killer and was hiding behind a mask. What really happened in Afghanistan in 2002? We all know that terrible atrocities are carried out in war torn countries and sometimes the truth is locked away by the powers that be and never divulged to the public.

This is a well written, thought provoking story that keeps the reader guessing and causes you to experience a wide range of emotions. The plot definitely took the reader out of your comfort zone at times especially during some of theocrats that were set in Afghanistan. This is the first of this author's books that I have read and I would happily read more of his books in the future.

This was one crazy-arsed ride from beginning to end. I was absolutely freaked out!!

Phil Mercer was a barrister who had been betrayed by his friends until he simply broke down and decided to call his friends over to play a parlor game called COMFORT ZONE to pull them out of theirs.

My second book by author Stephen Bentley, the book started slow with different snippets shown to me. Then came Phil Mercer into my life who brought Vincent along. Oh my!! The beginning of an unbelievable ride with unexpected twists. At a moment or two, I forgot to breathe when I read what Phil had gone through.

The author in his afterword had said that the story pulled at his being and called him to write it. And I could see why. Mental health problems were written in a understandable manner. I liked how the author neither glossed it over nor went over the top with it, but used it brilliantly in the story along with character build-up.

I hadn’t read a book like this and at 120 odd pages, it was one quick read. The last few chapters tied the loose ends together, and the author brought reality to the precipice of fiction.

Depression, PTSD and loneliness are all covered in this book about Phil Mercer a lawyer who just seems to think about killing people.

If the author had kept to one area of expertise, for instance, his intimate knowledge of a solicitor's practice, then this book would have worked and kept my interest. Unfortunately, it didn't.

Thanks to Net Galley and BooksGoSocial for the chance to read and review.

Phil Mercer is a man suffering PTSD following his experience during the war. He later went on to practice law until his brother died, his mother died, and his wife died ... all within a very short time. And now his career is threatened by something innocently done years ago.

He starts to think about all the people who he feels has wronged him in one way or another. So he plans a dinner party, inviting all his back-stabbing colleagues.

He creates a parlor game ... COMFORT ZONE. Each person must tell a story about what they fear most. But his plans go awry .....

This is very different, unique kind of crime fiction. Several topics are explored ... mental illness ... depression .... feelings of rage .... As the book continues, the suspense builds,, the angst is heightened. With this complex plot comes twists and turns that lead to an unexpected conclusion. As a former undercover British detective, and a barrister, I expected a great amount of credibility. I was not disappointed.

Many thanks to the author / BooksGoSocial / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

I didn't really care for this book. The game "the comfort zone" created by Phil Mercer, used to find out the phobias of past colleagues who did him wrong, was what intrigued me to the story in the first place. However, that was such a small part of the story, and then it went in a totally different direction that I was not expecting. But not in a good way. This was a strange book, jumping back and forth without a smooth transitions. I would not recommend.

Perhaps the most intriguing character I have “met” in a long time. Phil Mercer is a deeply damaged man and I was inclined to sympathise with him. A veteran, Phil Mercer has suffered greatly and this book really gives visibility to the impact which killing people must have on a man’s psyche. And then the dark depths of his character were revealed and it was so shocking! The story was chilling and gripping but, if I am being honest, everything was secondary to the compelling creation which is Phil Mercer.

Thank you NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for the eARC.
The first chapter of this book was so gruesome, it pushed all the wrong buttons for me. I decided to read on, but did not finish, thinking I would turn to a book that wasn't so graphic and depressing ... we all need a bit of a lift in these trying times.

After an eerie prologue, the reader is thrust into the life of Phil Mercer. Phil had worked 14 years as a barrister. Now, he has "voices" that are directing him as to what he needs to do. Inner thoughts, perhaps?

There are a number of people who have taken advantage of Phil or just outright turned on him. It is Phil's turn for revenge! Phil is not sure if he does/does not want to kill these people, yet revenge sounds sweet. The "voice" tells Phil it is a MUST! These people (mostly solicitors/barristers) NEED to be taken care of. soon.

First Phil visits a Russian at a car boot sale as he pieces his plan together. He invents a game - Comfort Zone- and a dinner party to go with the game. Sounds just fine to Phil...

A different kind of read, I enjoyed the story very much!

Many Thanks to BooksGoSocial and NetGalley for a very good read.