Porter, Oklahoma holds a dark secret, and troublesome dreams plague Tulsa Police Detective, Kenny Elliot, who grew up in the small town. When a bizarre murder catapults Elliot into his past, he’s brought face to face with the fabric of his nightmares. A shiny necklace dangles from the mirror of the vehicle where Lagayle Zimmerman, the victim, is discovered.
Nine years earlier, in Porter, a similar necklace swung from the mirror of a Mustang that harbored the mutilated bodies of Elliot’s friends, Jonathan Alexander (Johnnie Boy), and Marcia Barnes. Most of the town believed Elliot killed his classmates, but no arrest was made. Following the advice of Porter’s Chief of Police, Elliot left town, never to look back - until now.
Risking his job and his sanity, Elliot digs into his past to solve the murders and expose the truth.
Porter, Oklahoma holds a dark secret, and troublesome dreams plague Tulsa Police Detective, Kenny Elliot, who grew up in the small town. When a bizarre murder catapults Elliot into his past, he’s brought face to face with the fabric of his nightmares. A shiny necklace dangles from the mirror of the vehicle where Lagayle Zimmerman, the victim, is discovered.
Nine years earlier, in Porter, a similar necklace swung from the mirror of a Mustang that harbored the mutilated bodies of Elliot’s friends, Jonathan Alexander (Johnnie Boy), and Marcia Barnes. Most of the town believed Elliot killed his classmates, but no arrest was made. Following the advice of Porter’s Chief of Police, Elliot left town, never to look back - until now.
Risking his job and his sanity, Elliot digs into his past to solve the murders and expose the truth.
Excerpt
TWISTED PERCEPTION
CHAPTER ONE Excerpt
A car horn interrupted the driver's thoughts, and he realized his mind had been elsewhere, reliving a despairing moment, an ugly slice of time in which he'd killed a friend. A tear formed in his eye and rolled down his cheek.
He hoped the night would not hold any more surprises. Enough had already gone wrong. He hesitated, and when he pulled onto the road the reflection of the street lamps off the wet pavement reminded him of a carnival midway, and he fancied being transported to another world where things would not be as they were: life dependent on death.
He tightened his grip on the steering wheel and cursed the troublesome mist that swirled through the air. He could discern no rain falling, though the moisture seemed to be everywhere, a monsoon of molecular proportions emanating from the fabric of the world it coated. His lack of concentration didn't surprise him. He didn't want to be there, driving around town on such a night. The windshield wipers cleared his field of vision, and when he saw the place where he'd found her before, some bar along 31st Street, he slowed the car and pulled in. His actions were not prescient, or even fantastic. He knew where to look. She frequented such places.
He heard a rattling noise and realized it was his ring clattering against the steering wheel as his hands shook. He wanted to blame it on the wine, but he knew better. The drinking had not intoxicated him to the point of being even remotely prepared for the task ahead of him. Beads of sweat ran down his back at the thought of it. There was no getting around what he had to do. She'd come back. And people ought to stay dead when they're put that way.
He thought of Papa. Times like this perpetuated his essence, and he imagined his name—though he didn't speak it, and he did not for a moment pretend to assume his presence. That would be tantamount to disrespect, and disrespecting Papa was not a good idea. He rolled down the car window, letting the cold mist pepper his face as he leaned back in the seat, and waited.
Michelle Baker stepped off the stage and tried to ignore the remnants of the night's audience, the leering faces, each sharing a fantasy they thought their own, and it went through her again, one of those black-hole feelings that sucks you in and tells you you're not getting out, no matter what you do. The doctors called it depression. Michelle called it life, because it had always been that way for her. But there were moments, like that time in Florida, early in the season before the heat set in. A stiff breeze had come off the sea and rolled back the clouds, leaving the moon and stars contrasting against the black sky. Then the dark haired man with rope sandals in his hand slid his arm around her, just as natural as that, and they walked along the beach talking of life as if it were theirs. There had been no darkness then.
Her shift was over. She was going home. She could have her mother pack some clothes and together they could drive down to South Texas, spend a few days at Padre Island.
Lisa, another dancer, a soft little brunette who'd only been there about a month, intentionally brushed against Michelle as she walked past.
"Hey, sweetie," she whispered.
Michelle smiled but said nothing. It came with the territory in these places, the girls loving each other. You learn to hate men so you turn lesbian. The problem with that is after a few weeks, or months, or however long it takes you, you start to hate women too. And where does that leave you? In hell, she guessed.
She didn't even rehearse anymore, worrying over the steps and the music. None of that really mattered. She was a stripper, beginning her act with suggestive clothing and ending with nothing but an idea. It was, though, the boring monotony—the same faces, the same looks and catcalls—that allowed one to detach from it all and exist in such a world. But there were exceptions, those nights when someone would stand out from the crowd, their eyes searching deeper than her nakedness, and that scared her, for she knew the thoughts of such people went beyond fantasy, and they would make them real, given half a chance. She had not seen anyone like that tonight, but the fearful feelings that surrounded those encounters wrapped around her thoughts, and lingered heavy as she said good-bye to the other dancers and stepped outside into the rain.
He sat forward in the car seat and stared in disbelief. She was there all right. There had been no mistake. And when she crossed the parking lot, she saw him as well, her lovely blue eyes piercing the night as if they carried their own source of illumination. She seemed to look right through him, but he knew that was just an act. A smile played across his lips. The parking lot was empty except for the two of them. He'd planned on following her, but it wouldn't be necessary. He did have a bit of luck now and then. He worked his hands into surgical gloves and grabbed the roll of duct tape. He tore off a six- inch piece then ran his hand through the roll, wearing it like a bracelet. Next he retrieved the sock from the floorboard. It was lined with plastic and filled with wet sand.
Opening the car door, he stepped quietly onto the asphalt, sliding the black-handled knife into his back pocket. He did not intend to use it just yet, but he would if he had to. With the torn piece of tape readied in his hand, he came up behind her. She was completely unaware of his presence, and he paused as the sweet scent coming from her hair filled his senses. He wanted to touch her, to take her in his arms and love her, the way he had always loved her. It was then that he saw her the way she had been, lying on her bed, wearing only the top half of her see-through pajamas while she pulled the covers back and shifted ever so slightly. It was not unusual. She often stayed that way after it was over, even getting out of bed on occasion to walk around the room, stopping close where he could see her, watch her through the cracks in the door.
Professional Reviews
Tulsa World
TWISTED PERCEPTION
Porter Oklahoma holds a dark secret, and troublesome dreams plague Tulsa Police Detective, Kenny Elliot, who grew up in the small town. When a bizarre murder catapults Elliot into his past, he's brought face to face with the fabric of his nightmares. A shiny necklace dangles from the rearview mirror of the vehicle where Lagayle Zimmerman, the victim, is discovered.
Nine years earlier, in Porter, a similar necklace swung from the mirror of a Mustang that harbored the mutilated bodies of Elliot's friends, Jonathan Alexander (Johnnie Boy), and Marcia Barnes. Most of the town believed Elliot killed his classmates. But the Chief of Police, Charlie Johnson, didn't share the town's convictions. No arrest was made. Elliot didn't stick around to find out what was going on. He left town, never to look back - until now.
Risking his job and his sanity, Elliot digs into his past and faces his demons to expose the truth.
Read an excerpt.
Check out the Twisted Perception book trailer!
Need a reading guide?
ORDER THE BOOK from Amazon, Barnes & Noble or AWOC Books.
Trade Paperback, 240 pages
ISBN 0-9376-6031-0
August, 2005
PRAISE
"This was a wonderful book full of twists and turns and lots of surprises. I would highly recommend this book as it was quite the page turner."
—Gina Metz, Crimespree Magazine
"Bob Avey has written a terrific mystery filled with engaging characters and a taut storyline that will have you wondering who done it until the very end... This is Bob Avey's debut mystery novel. Hopefully we will be reading more from him soon."
—Andrea Maloney, Spinetingler Magazine (full review)
"Avey has, through switches in viewpoint and a trail of clues, created a suspenseful tale that keeps the reader wondering.... It's a tight read, and will keep readers guessing till the end."
—Marlene Satter, Futures Mystery Anthology Magazine
"Avey's debut has much to recommend it. The pace and fine plotting will grab your attention. The twists and turns will catch you by surprise."
—Michelle Patterson, The Tulsa World
"With a storyline worthy of a Mary Higgins Clark or a Dell Shannon and intense characterizations that make you want to cheer for the good guy while your skin crawls at the thought of the bad guy, Twisted Perception is a brilliantly written first novel. This is for the mystery lover in the family. A true connoisseur of this genre will stay awake for hours reading until the last "gasp"."
—Sime-Gen reviews
"If I could give a higher rating than five coffee cups for this masterpiece I would! Twisted Perception kept me hanging on the edge with a suspenseful plot, true-to-life characters, and twists and turns that you don't see coming. I recommend that if you like suspense, murder, and a thriller plot, definitely pick up Twisted Perception. You'll thank me. This book deserves to be recognized for its outstanding plot twists and turns, and making you read every last page at one sitting!
—Book Review Café (full review)
"Twisted Perception's plot begins as crime in the big city, but turns into a small town saga. The town's story of secrets and unrequited love would be typical if it were not the edgy quality Avey brings to the story. The plot is tangled and intricate. The pages are filled with detailed car chases and cloak and dagger meetings. To top off the excitement in the story, Avey added enough red herrings that I was guessing at the identity of the killer until the very end.... Twisted Perception is full of details. The kind of details that make mysteries fun and challenging to read."
—Christine's BookList
"This mystery based loosely on urban legends about murders at lovers' parking areas, finds the lead police detective in a small Oklahoma town coming under suspicion from his captain and fellow officers as being the perpetrator of a long list of serial murders of blond-haired, blue-eyed women. This story is as much a psychological thriller as it is a mystery. The author furthers the story's complexity with a history of child abuse that twists the antagonist into something totally unexpected. We rated this book three hearts."
—Heartland Reviews
"Aptly named, Twisted Perception is a classic hard-boiled mystery with intriguing psychological portrayals and a never failing undercurrent of dread. A current murder creates a haunting tug of memory to deaths in the past for Detective Elliot who struggles to handle the layers of his current life while continuing to resolve a former case. Set in Tulsa, Oklahoma, with a police procedural format, past and present merge seamlessly as the hunt for the murder uncovers more deception than Detective Elliot bargained for. Mr. Avey draws his characters with a rapid brush and maintains the initial suspense throughout the book. A good "curl up" read with a broad span of unusual personalities and a perfectly delivered conclusion."
—M. P. Butterfield, DorothyL
"Bob Avey is a master of quirky characters and hard-boiled mysteries with enough twists and turns to satisfy even the most demanding mystery fans."
—Charles W. Sasser, author of the Detachment Delta series and At Large
"If you want to curl up with a book that makes you jump when the floor creaks, be sure to read Twisted Perception."
—Dusty Richards, author of The Horse Creek Incident
TWISTED PERCEPTION
Porter Oklahoma holds a dark secret, and troublesome dreams plague Tulsa Police Detective, Kenny Elliot, who grew up in the small town. When a bizarre murder catapults Elliot into his past, he's brought face to face with the fabric of his nightmares. A shiny necklace dangles from the rearview mirror of the vehicle where Lagayle Zimmerman, the victim, is discovered.
Nine years earlier, in Porter, a similar necklace swung from the mirror of a Mustang that harbored the mutilated bodies of Elliot's friends, Jonathan Alexander (Johnnie Boy), and Marcia Barnes. Most of the town believed Elliot killed his classmates. But the Chief of Police, Charlie Johnson, didn't share the town's convictions. No arrest was made. Elliot didn't stick around to find out what was going on. He left town, never to look back - until now.
Risking his job and his sanity, Elliot digs into his past and faces his demons to expose the truth.
Read an excerpt.
Check out the Twisted Perception book trailer!
Need a reading guide?
ORDER THE BOOK from Amazon, Barnes & Noble or AWOC Books.
Trade Paperback, 240 pages
ISBN 0-9376-6031-0
August, 2005
PRAISE
"This was a wonderful book full of twists and turns and lots of surprises. I would highly recommend this book as it was quite the page turner."
—Gina Metz, Crimespree Magazine
"Bob Avey has written a terrific mystery filled with engaging characters and a taut storyline that will have you wondering who done it until the very end... This is Bob Avey's debut mystery novel. Hopefully we will be reading more from him soon."
—Andrea Maloney, Spinetingler Magazine (full review)
"Avey has, through switches in viewpoint and a trail of clues, created a suspenseful tale that keeps the reader wondering.... It's a tight read, and will keep readers guessing till the end."
—Marlene Satter, Futures Mystery Anthology Magazine
"Avey's debut has much to recommend it. The pace and fine plotting will grab your attention. The twists and turns will catch you by surprise."
—Michelle Patterson, The Tulsa World
"With a storyline worthy of a Mary Higgins Clark or a Dell Shannon and intense characterizations that make you want to cheer for the good guy while your skin crawls at the thought of the bad guy, Twisted Perception is a brilliantly written first novel. This is for the mystery lover in the family. A true connoisseur of this genre will stay awake for hours reading until the last "gasp"."
—Sime-Gen reviews
"If I could give a higher rating than five coffee cups for this masterpiece I would! Twisted Perception kept me hanging on the edge with a suspenseful plot, true-to-life characters, and twists and turns that you don't see coming. I recommend that if you like suspense, murder, and a thriller plot, definitely pick up Twisted Perception. You'll thank me. This book deserves to be recognized for its outstanding plot twists and turns, and making you read every last page at one sitting!
—Book Review Café (full review)
"Twisted Perception's plot begins as crime in the big city, but turns into a small town saga. The town's story of secrets and unrequited love would be typical if it were not the edgy quality Avey brings to the story. The plot is tangled and intricate. The pages are filled with detailed car chases and cloak and dagger meetings. To top off the excitement in the story, Avey added enough red herrings that I was guessing at the identity of the killer until the very end.... Twisted Perception is full of details. The kind of details that make mysteries fun and challenging to read."
—Christine's BookList
"This mystery based loosely on urban legends about murders at lovers' parking areas, finds the lead police detective in a small Oklahoma town coming under suspicion from his captain and fellow officers as being the perpetrator of a long list of serial murders of blond-haired, blue-eyed women. This story is as much a psychological thriller as it is a mystery. The author furthers the story's complexity with a history of child abuse that twists the antagonist into something totally unexpected. We rated this book three hearts."
—Heartland Reviews
"Aptly named, Twisted Perception is a classic hard-boiled mystery with intriguing psychological portrayals and a never failing undercurrent of dread. A current murder creates a haunting tug of memory to deaths in the past for Detective Elliot who struggles to handle the layers of his current life while continuing to resolve a former case. Set in Tulsa, Oklahoma, with a police procedural format, past and present merge seamlessly as the hunt for the murder uncovers more deception than Detective Elliot bargained for. Mr. Avey draws his characters with a rapid brush and maintains the initial suspense throughout the book. A good "curl up" read with a broad span of unusual personalities and a perfectly delivered conclusion."
—M. P. Butterfield, DorothyL
"Bob Avey is a master of quirky characters and hard-boiled mysteries with enough twists and turns to satisfy even the most demanding mystery fans."
—Charles W. Sasser, author of the Detachment Delta series and At Large
"If you want to curl up with a book that makes you jump when the floor creaks, be sure to read Twisted Perception."
—Dusty Richards, author of The Horse Creek Incident
Simegen Reviews
TWISTED PERCEPTION
Porter Oklahoma holds a dark secret, and troublesome dreams plague Tulsa Police Detective, Kenny Elliot, who grew up in the small town. When a bizarre murder catapults Elliot into his past, he's brought face to face with the fabric of his nightmares. A shiny necklace dangles from the rearview mirror of the vehicle where Lagayle Zimmerman, the victim, is discovered.
Nine years earlier, in Porter, a similar necklace swung from the mirror of a Mustang that harbored the mutilated bodies of Elliot's friends, Jonathan Alexander (Johnnie Boy), and Marcia Barnes. Most of the town believed Elliot killed his classmates. But the Chief of Police, Charlie Johnson, didn't share the town's convictions. No arrest was made. Elliot didn't stick around to find out what was going on. He left town, never to look back - until now.
Risking his job and his sanity, Elliot digs into his past and faces his demons to expose the truth.
Read an excerpt.
Check out the Twisted Perception book trailer!
Need a reading guide?
ORDER THE BOOK from Amazon, Barnes & Noble or AWOC Books.
Trade Paperback, 240 pages
ISBN 0-9376-6031-0
August, 2005
PRAISE
"This was a wonderful book full of twists and turns and lots of surprises. I would highly recommend this book as it was quite the page turner."
—Gina Metz, Crimespree Magazine
"Bob Avey has written a terrific mystery filled with engaging characters and a taut storyline that will have you wondering who done it until the very end... This is Bob Avey's debut mystery novel. Hopefully we will be reading more from him soon."
—Andrea Maloney, Spinetingler Magazine (full review)
"Avey has, through switches in viewpoint and a trail of clues, created a suspenseful tale that keeps the reader wondering.... It's a tight read, and will keep readers guessing till the end."
—Marlene Satter, Futures Mystery Anthology Magazine
"Avey's debut has much to recommend it. The pace and fine plotting will grab your attention. The twists and turns will catch you by surprise."
—Michelle Patterson, The Tulsa World
"With a storyline worthy of a Mary Higgins Clark or a Dell Shannon and intense characterizations that make you want to cheer for the good guy while your skin crawls at the thought of the bad guy, Twisted Perception is a brilliantly written first novel. This is for the mystery lover in the family. A true connoisseur of this genre will stay awake for hours reading until the last "gasp"."
—Sime-Gen reviews
"If I could give a higher rating than five coffee cups for this masterpiece I would! Twisted Perception kept me hanging on the edge with a suspenseful plot, true-to-life characters, and twists and turns that you don't see coming. I recommend that if you like suspense, murder, and a thriller plot, definitely pick up Twisted Perception. You'll thank me. This book deserves to be recognized for its outstanding plot twists and turns, and making you read every last page at one sitting!
—Book Review Café (full review)
"Twisted Perception's plot begins as crime in the big city, but turns into a small town saga. The town's story of secrets and unrequited love would be typical if it were not the edgy quality Avey brings to the story. The plot is tangled and intricate. The pages are filled with detailed car chases and cloak and dagger meetings. To top off the excitement in the story, Avey added enough red herrings that I was guessing at the identity of the killer until the very end.... Twisted Perception is full of details. The kind of details that make mysteries fun and challenging to read."
—Christine's BookList
"This mystery based loosely on urban legends about murders at lovers' parking areas, finds the lead police detective in a small Oklahoma town coming under suspicion from his captain and fellow officers as being the perpetrator of a long list of serial murders of blond-haired, blue-eyed women. This story is as much a psychological thriller as it is a mystery. The author furthers the story's complexity with a history of child abuse that twists the antagonist into something totally unexpected. We rated this book three hearts."
—Heartland Reviews
"Aptly named, Twisted Perception is a classic hard-boiled mystery with intriguing psychological portrayals and a never failing undercurrent of dread. A current murder creates a haunting tug of memory to deaths in the past for Detective Elliot who struggles to handle the layers of his current life while continuing to resolve a former case. Set in Tulsa, Oklahoma, with a police procedural format, past and present merge seamlessly as the hunt for the murder uncovers more deception than Detective Elliot bargained for. Mr. Avey draws his characters with a rapid brush and maintains the initial suspense throughout the book. A good "curl up" read with a broad span of unusual personalities and a perfectly delivered conclusion."
—M. P. Butterfield, DorothyL
"Bob Avey is a master of quirky characters and hard-boiled mysteries with enough twists and turns to satisfy even the most demanding mystery fans."
—Charles W. Sasser, author of the Detachment Delta series and At Large
"If you want to curl up with a book that makes you jump when the floor creaks, be sure to read Twisted Perception."
—Dusty Richards, author of The Horse Creek Incident
This cozy murder mystery takes place aboard luxury liner, Queen Elizabeth II, as wealthy couple celebrate their silver wedding anniversary with family and friends.
