4.0
Anatomy of a Murderer
ByPublisher Description
A teenage sociopath is “fixed” after he gets an implant that’s supposed to cure him in this thrilling coming-of-age tale from the author of Willful Machines.
A year ago, Rem Braithwaite watched his classmate Franklin Kettle commit a horrific crime.
Now, apart from the nightmares, life has gone back to normal for Rem. Franklin was caught, convicted, and put away in juvenile detention for what he did. The ordeal seems to be over.
Until Rem’s mother selects Franklin as a test subject for an experimental brain procedure intended to “cure” him of his cruel and violent impulses. Suddenly Rem’s memories of that day start coming back to the surface. His nightmares become worse than ever. Plus he has serious doubts about whether his mother’s procedure will even work. Can evil really just be turned off?
Then, as part of Franklin’s follow-up testing, he and Rem are brought face to face, and Rem discovers…Franklin does seem different. Despite everything, Rem finds himself becoming friends with Franklin. Maybe even something more than friends.
But when another of their classmates turns up dead, Rem’s world turns upside-down yet again. Franklin insists that he’s innocent, that he’s cured, but Rem doesn’t know what to believe. Is someone else responsible for this new murder, or is Franklin fated to stay a monster forever? And can Rem find out the answer to this question before the killer, whoever it is, comes after him too?
A year ago, Rem Braithwaite watched his classmate Franklin Kettle commit a horrific crime.
Now, apart from the nightmares, life has gone back to normal for Rem. Franklin was caught, convicted, and put away in juvenile detention for what he did. The ordeal seems to be over.
Until Rem’s mother selects Franklin as a test subject for an experimental brain procedure intended to “cure” him of his cruel and violent impulses. Suddenly Rem’s memories of that day start coming back to the surface. His nightmares become worse than ever. Plus he has serious doubts about whether his mother’s procedure will even work. Can evil really just be turned off?
Then, as part of Franklin’s follow-up testing, he and Rem are brought face to face, and Rem discovers…Franklin does seem different. Despite everything, Rem finds himself becoming friends with Franklin. Maybe even something more than friends.
But when another of their classmates turns up dead, Rem’s world turns upside-down yet again. Franklin insists that he’s innocent, that he’s cured, but Rem doesn’t know what to believe. Is someone else responsible for this new murder, or is Franklin fated to stay a monster forever? And can Rem find out the answer to this question before the killer, whoever it is, comes after him too?
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Meet readers like you in the Fable For You feed, designed to build bookish communitiesAnatomy of a Murderer Reviews
4.0
Change and growLikeableMemorableMinor characters stand outStrong relationshipsStrong villainAction-packedAddictiveGripping/excitingSteady pacingSuspensefulTwistyWell-structuredSetting fits the storyVivid descriptionsBeautifully-writtenDescriptiveEasy to readSimplisticStraightforwardAbuseDeathGriefHomophobiaMisogynyMurderViolenceWar violence
“This is part of an experiment I’m doing called Re-Reading-Books-I-Enjoyed-As-A-Young-Adult-And-Seeing-If-They-Held-Up
Original rating from 2018: 4 stars
2024 rating: 3.5 stars
This book was something I randomly stumbled upon in Barnes and Noble one day and after I read it has stuck with me ever since. I’m glad I finally picked it back up! It may have been knocked down slightly rating wise since my reading taste has matured but this book was still unputdownable and such a roller coaster of emotions.
Also looking back this book was like a gateway to the toxic, dark adult mm romances I read now. Heh.”
About Tim Floreen
Tim Floreen majored in English at Yale and earned a Master’s degree in creative writing at Boston University. He now lives in San Francisco with his partner and their two cats. Willful Machines is his first novel. You can find him online at TimFloreen.com or on Twitter at @TimFloreen.
Other books by Tim Floreen
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