I received Andrew Klavan’s “ A Strange Habit of Mind” advance reader copy ebook from Net Galley in return for an honest review. Thanks to the author, publisher and Net Galley for an excellent book.
Yes, I thought that the novel was compelling, fascinating and entertaining, all words denoting that once I started it, it was one I had to gobble great bits of it at a time. “A Strange Habit of Mind” is the second book in a , so far, three book series featuring a professor of English Poetry Cameron Winter , whose hidden past includes a tour of duty as a secret operative for an off-the-budget US government agency that specializes in ridding the world of dangerous people. That duty left him with a grand disillusion, loneliness and,often, despair.
It has also instilled, or maybe enhanced, an ability to see patterns of action and behavior in events and people not apparent to other people.
This story begins when a young man, Adam, who attended some of Cameron’s classes At the university where teaches, was expelled when a young woman accused him of sexual misconduct following a date. It resulted in a “ he said/ she said” hearing with the university dean of diversity that Adam lost. Disgraced and despairing, Adam committed suicide only minutes after texting Cameron “Save Me.” This happened In San Francisco, a city no known for strict law enforcement, and where Adam , who was sent to a holding pen , was brutalized.. Cameron asks some question without getting answers, but hints lead him to believe that a billionaire tech mogul might have pulled strings to put Adam in a cell with the kind of men who look at nerd like Adam are fresh meat.
This begins the center of a novel that takes in deep into the mind of Cameron Winter, his hidden past and his remarkable skills learned as a secret assassin that he uses to investigate a man who looks like a benign, compassionate thought leader who uses his wealth and influence for the betterment of the world. He is anything but. This billionaire carefully built , self- erected façade . hides a man not afraid to hire his own killlers.
This is a book that is sometime scary, sometimes brooding, but always very good. I look forward to reading the next novel in the series

Klavan has a unique writing style that really draws in the reader. I truly enjoyed the book even if it felt a little forced at times. A good read for someone who wants to think.

Andrew Klavan may have ruined me for other crime writers. I'm sure there are other authors who craft each sentence with a similar level of intricacy, but they are few and far between. I've found myself pausing in other books, thinking, "Klavan would've written that so much better."

Here we have the return of Cameron Winter and another adventure as he digs into the truth behind the suicide of a former student. Once again, the reader is instantly immersed in the story and engaged throughout. Along the way, we learn more about Cameron and his motives as he faces the demons of his past as well as the challenges of the present. Klavan takes us along for the ride and even though much of the path ahead is visible, his craftsmanship as a writer makes the journey quite enjoyable.

One small critique: "strange habit of mind" becomes something of an annoying catch phrase throughout the novel.

Other than that, this is another great read and once again, I can't wait for the next in the series.

A Strange Habit of Mind by Andrew Klavan is a very highly recommended thriller and the second book in the Cameron Winter series. I loved this second book even more than the first and am looking forward to more novels featuring Cameron Winter in the future.

A young man, Adam Kemp, texts someone he trusts with two words, "Help me," and then jumps off a building. The man he trusted is Cameron Winter, currently an English professor who was once a spy with a secret government agency called the Division. Winter tries to contact Kemp unsuccessfully, and then looks into what happened. After talking to the detective who investigated the case, Winter has a few more questions about the reason for Kemp's final decision. Winter begins to look into Kemp's life and after talking to Kemp's girlfriend, he begins to suspect her brother-in-law, Big Tech billionaire Gerald Byrne may have had a hand in Kemp's death, as well as the death of others.

Winter is a wonderfully unique and fully realized character. He has what he calls "a strange habit of mind." He is able to look at a situation from all angles and reach a clear understanding of what actually happened. He is also haunted by his past, questions the idea of spiritual faith, and struggles with a guilty conscious over what he has done. Excerpts from Winter's therapy sessions where he talks about his background and his guilt are included between chapters with more action. These help to create a picture of who Winter is and what he is struggling with.

Once I started reading, I was totally engrossed in the story from start to finish. The mysteries that need to be solved, the suspense created as the danger rises, and the analytical problems that must be handled within the thriller made the action and the characters memorable. Winter may know what his "strange habit of mind" is telling him, but it is sheer pleasure in following along, putting the clues together, and figuring out what he knew long before the reader.

The writing is absolutely excellent, as one would expect from a seasoned, experienced two time Edgar winner. Klavan has provided an exceptional second novel for the series. As a strong, independent, modern woman I loved this novel and am looking forward to another installment in the series. A Strange Habit of Mind was a pleasure to read.
Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Mysterious Press via NetGalley.
The review will be published on Barnes & Noble, Google Books, Edelweiss, and Amazon.

Yikes! I could have sworn that I loved the first book in this series, but I must have been operating under the influence of the Christmas spirit. As a modern independent woman, I don’t think that I’m the right audience for this book. I remember book one as being gloomy and atmospheric featuring a main character, Cameron Winter, now professor of literature but a background in Special Ops, who was mooning over a lost love and confessing his deepest darkest to his therapist.

The latter elements are still strongly present in this story, but there is an air of repetition in Winter’s ongoing loss of Charlotte and revelations to Margaret. Not to mention how good looking he is and how all women want him and apparently, he wants them back, even the dumpy ones. He has a bit of a “mummy complex” as his mentor concluded, though I would liken it more to the Madonna.

The narrative was a bit broken with really good writing in some sections and not so much in others. Then there were the numerous political hot button topics touched on such as racism, rape culture, patriotism, bullying, abuse, social media censorship, etc. All from the rich, white protagonist who describes himself ad nauseum as an old-fashioned gentleman living in a modern world. He has a Strange Habit of Mind that allows him to intellectually look past all these perceived murky issues by the rest of us and see them clearly.

I didn’t really feel like there was a mystery to solve here. Winter just follows a series of events and research to the perpetrator of several so-called accidental deaths with the full knowledge of who was behind all of it, continuously questioning why he should bother since they were all bad people who deserved what they got. Recommended to my far-right wing friends and women who have 1950s values.

Thank you to Netgalley and Penzler Publishers for a copy provided for an honest review.

Cameron Winter is an ex-government operative and now an English professor at a Midwestern college. A former student he helped defend against a rape charge texts him a two-word plea -- "Help Me". When he investigates he finds the student allegedly committed suicide right after sending the text and his investigation ultimately leads to a tech titan Gerald Byrne. An interesting mystery with a unique protagonist.

I received this book from NetGalley for my unbiased review.

An interesting book, but not Mr. Klavan's best.

It was a nice read, and slowly built the story line. it was well written. Just didn't grab me like some books do.

Main character was confusing--good guy or bad guy? Not sure the character could even answer that question.

A superb novel filled with fascinating, multi-dimensional characters and a spellbinding original storytelling.

Two time Edgar Award winner Andrew Klavan’s intense sequel to When Christmas Comes (2021) finds Cameron Winter, once a spy with a secret government agency called the Division, now a literature professor at a Midwestern university. Winter receives a two word text from a former student, Adam Kemp: “Help me.” He tries to call Kemp multiple times, but gets no answer. Later he learns his former student who Winter defended against a date rape charge committed suicide by stepping off the roof of his San Francisco apartment building only minutes after texting the plea for help. Troubled by why Kemp hadn’t waited for a reply before choosing suicide, Winter flies to San Francisco to find out more. After speaking with the police detective who investigated Kemp’s death, Winter accepts the official verdict that it was suicide, but some other details the detective provides prompts Winter to dig deeper. Subsequently, he suspects the brother-in-law of Kemp’s girlfriend, an eccentric billionaire tech oligarch, engineered Kemp’s death. Winter has “a strange habit of mind.” He sometimes slips into a meditative state without warning that allows him to see clearly motives and actions that had had puzzled him previously. He has used this quirk more than once to solve problems, avert catastrophes, and even solve crimes. Thinking about the circumstances of Kemp’s death rouses the mental oddity and Winter soon knows for certain that the billionaire, Gerry Byrne, had set in motion the circumstances that provoked Kemp’s suicide. The deeper Winter digs into Byrne, the more examples he finds of individuals the billionaire has destroyed and even murdered who had opposed Byrne’s efforts to mold the world in his personal image. Since Winter’s history as a spy for a secret government intelligence agency molded him into someone who believes evil must be stopped and injustices addressed, it sets up an inevitable showdown. Winter’s special “gift” and his modus operandi sets him apart from the Jason Bourne and Jack Ryan types of thriller and suspense yore, making him so distinctive and multi-dimensional that he is instantly an unforgettable character. Klavan makes this guilt-ridden former intelligence operative turned academic imminently plausible. My verdict, get it if you’re passionate about reading riveting and suspenseful thrillers you can’t put down. I read this one in one sitting.

I heard that this book was coming out but I hadn’t thought that I’d have the privilege of reading an ARC! Awesome! Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley!
I read the first book and, though I think you should definitely read that one, you won’t be lost if you don’t get to it before reading "A Strange Habit of Mind". It can stand as a great book all on its own. This book has it all! Mystery, suspense, good guys, bad guys, bad guys that everyone believes are good guys, guys that are both good and bad, traditional family values, and people who aren’t afraid to do what’s right 👍
Thank you Mr. Klavan for having the courage to write a story that we actually want to read!

I loved Klavans' books since reading 'Don't Say a Word' years back (read it, as it is waaay better than the movie). He is a versatile author who can do many genres (he even wrote an epic fantasy). While I prefer his thrillers, He is as good at writing a mystery. Very enjoyable read and Winter is an engaging character.

Really enjoyed this Cameron Winter Mystery by Andrew Klavan. Even though I hadn't read the first one, was able to follow and enjoy these characters and the story. Will definitely need to track down the first in the series, and can't wait for the next one. #AStrangeHabitofMindACameronWinterMystery #NetGalley

This book was sent to me by Netgalley for review. Mystery and intrigue...likable characters and some not so much. This story, although it moves slowly at times, is one of surprises...red herrings abound...this is a talented and gifted author...I look forward to more books by this author.

Cameron Winter is an interesting individual. An English professor and an ex assassin for the US government, he’s disturbed by the recent suicide of an ex student who had been hounded out of campus after a supposed non consensual liaison. Shortly before the suicide, he texts Winter “help me”, but then kills himself anyway. Winter’s search for answers, aided by his “strange habit of mind”, in which he can synthesize solutions form disparate pieces of information, leads him to Gerald Byrne, founder of a huge social media platform. How he comes to unearth what happened is only one part the novel. We also learn a great deal about Winter’s background while the narrative unfolds, and it’s well integrated into the novel.

This is the second Cameron Winter book, and found that reading the first book was not necessary to my immensely enjoying this book.

Trigger warning. Those readers who are happy with the current rigid left wing orthodoxies on college campuses , and with tech censorship, will be offended by the book.

Many thanks to Mysterious Press and to Netgalley for providing an ARC of the book.