I was not able to finish this book because it was confusing and it didn’t hold my interest. I loved the story idea though

The book, in some parts,is a strong page turner. In between these parts though, the plot feels disjointed and the transitions could be smoother. While you can eventually work out what you have just read, the abrupt changes disrupt the flow of the book which pulled me out of the world created in the book rather than immersing me in it. Some very clichéd phrasing in places.

Each case visited has an ending of sorts, but as a reader, I would have felt it was more complete with clearer information on what happened to bring the character to the situation, and how the situation was resolved. There is a lot of ambiguity.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book in advance of publication.

Dr Denny's attempt to dig deeper into the mysteries of the mind is psychiatry 101. And him falling down the rabbit hole of his own sanity is the effect of fragile individuality. (That being said, I wouldn't be any better)
It is short and packed and leaves you questioning your own psyche (is that written right?). As far as thrillers go, this is promising. I can't wait to add this to my physical library.
3.9 star read for me.

The book is in 3 sections: the Tower, the Monster, and the Tree. Each focuses on a different story (or case) with a common hero and themes. Our hero is a psychiatrist with alternative therapeutic ideas for his troubled patients. We explore the world through the eyes of the doctor and the alternative world seen through the eyes of the patients. The characters are complex and there is more lurking between the lines.

Based on the description, I was a bit worried that the book would be too dark for me. But though the stories explore dark topics of the troubled psychiatric patients - and their sometimes equally troubled doctor - the book does not tip over into horror.

The stories are vivid but the author doesn't spell out everything. You'll be tempted to re-read sections to find the meaning. At times, I wanted more. The author seemed to skip major events in the timeline or interleave events. But looking back, I generally had enough information to piece together what happened. Just ride the plot line with a stream of consciousness.

True mystery readers may find the book a bit frustrating. While the stories are compelling, there is not a clean "wrap-up". In many ways this book is about perspective. You have to use your imagination and discover the meaning for yourself.

This would be a great read for a book club. Lots to discuss!

It's hard to latch onto the main character, who is involved so deeply in so many people's lives but never seems to come into his own sense of purpose. Also troubling is his dogged insistence on under medicating his psychiatric patients, or even taking them off medication completely; medication is, in fact, demonized in this book, associated exclusively with physical restraint, abuse, and gaslighting.

First and foremost, I would like to point out that there is a very good solid story laid out by the author. The biggest problem I have (and hence the three star rating), is that the plot is very dispersed. Many characters tell their story and they seem to be linked, but it is difficult to separate the different storylines as we are going back and forth in time, reading two additional books within this book (one unbeknownst to us the reader) and with characters that you can only assume are the same, but maybe not. Do I make sense, probably not, but this is just my point, and of course - the main flaw of the book.

Now, don't get me wrong. I hate it when a book spells everything out to the reader, thinking that we are not intelligent enough to link different facts. But here, just a more accurate sense of timeline (maybe as a chapter title) and a differentiation between the books would have made a huge difference to the reading experience.

As the title suggests, Patric Denny will be featured in other novels to come. I'm certain they will be just as interesting, but I do hope that the author will give the reader just a little bit more insights in what and when the actions take place.

Thank you NetGalley, Cemetery Hill Publications, and the author for allowing me to be an early reader. All opinions are my own.

I was given a copy of this book for review purposes, but I will not be finishing it. The book is confusing and frustrating, trying to understand what is happening. Whose story is being told? The plot jumps from modern day to a journal that tells a story from the past. DNF at approximately 25%.

Without a doubt, this has been the best book I’ve read so far this year. "Why Did God Make the Tree?" is a psychological thriller that completely drew me in - surprisingly so, since I don’t typically gravitate toward darker, more macabre stories. The author does a great job of exploring the human psyche, and the interwoven narratives create a truly compelling experience. Dr. Patrick Denny, the protagonist, has a tragic past and a layered, intricate life that made him fascinating to follow. I’m already eager to see where his story goes next. The other characters are impressively well-developed, especially given the book’s relatively short length (by today’s standards, anyway). In fact, this would be my only complaint - the book was over too soon :)