I know what you're thinking —Think of a number, from its original title in English— is the first volume of the police series Detective Dave Gurney. The work, framed in mystery and suspense, was first published on July 6, 2010 by Crown Publishing. In 2013, it was translated into Spanish by Javier Guerrero and marketed by Roca. To date, it has received good reviews.
On platforms such as Goodreads and Amazon it has reached an average rating of 3.88 and 4.2 stars, respectively. In addition, Readers have given their approval to most of the elements that make up the work, which, by the way, is the literary debut of John Verdon, who, from his residence in Catskill, became so assiduous to crime novels that he ended up writing his own.
Synopsis of I know what you're thinking
A criminal with the ability to read minds
The plot of la Novelty It begins when a subject receives an anonymous letter. In it, The sender asks you to think of a number from one to one thousand. After following a series of instructions given by the stranger, the reader realises that the digit he had in his head is the same one that appears at the end of the letter. How did he do it, and why did he choose him to test his skills?
After weighing it up, The recipient of the letter contacts Detective David Gurney, A policeman who, after twenty-five years of service, retires to upstate New York to live with his wife. Gurney decides to get involved with the case thinking that it is some kind of scam or blackmail. However, As the investigation progresses, he understands that his own life is in danger.
An impossible mystery to solve?
John Verdon, former publicist and now crime novel writer, has created an intriguing premise that moves, by all accounts, in the finest thread of the mystery. His antagonist turns out to be the creator of a chilling scenario. Obviously, he is a textbook psychopath: brilliant and cruel, devoid of the morality or good manners that the rest of society tries to maintain.
The author constructs a hybrid novel, which ranges from the classic "closed door" story - where mystery and conflict resolution are the most important - and a much deeper story, a trend that has become established in criminal investigation and works inspired by serial killers. This is an advantage, since it is difficult to convince readers these days.
Psychological profile of Dave Gurney
Gurney has everything going for him to be an impressive detective, but he also has many problems in his personal life. Even though he loves his wife and son, The protagonist of this story is not a particularly emotional being.His world revolves around the importance of facts, details, clues, and ultimately, truths, which makes it very difficult to interact with him.
He is also not very demonstrative with his affections, receiving constant criticism from his wife, who, as a rule, spends a lot of time alone while her husband goes around solving cases. This dichotomy is not new, far from it: Several crime titles present the character as emotionally distant who is torn between his work and his love life.
The resolution of the enigmas
Considering that this is the writer's first novel, he manages to maintain the tension with dignity, especially because the moment of solving the puzzles has become his weak point, since they function as small, rather brief, solitary climaxes. It is true that they are well resolved, but Using characters as catalysts for responses feels forced.
A perfect novel for the summer
I know what you're thinking It gives off summer vibes: readers don't have to leave their brains in the pool, as the author doesn't create big plot twists or overly complicated characters. This is, without a doubt, a well-constructed novel. —perhaps a little light for the most dedicated fans—, full of entertaining mysteries and thorough research.
A curious fact about the work is that, on more than one occasion, John Verdon has been questioned regarding his main character, as some critics have noted several similarities between Dave Gurney and the writer himself. For example: both were born in the Bronx, graduated from the same university, had a demanding job in the city and then moved, among other things.
About the Author
John P. Verdon was born on January 1, 1942, in New York, United States. He began his professional career as a writer for advertising, but he left his area to become a carpenter and design furniture. Some time later, his wife stopped working as a teacher, so they had to move to the Catskill Mountains area, an event that changed their lives forever.
His new home turned out to have a great impact on his future, as he used his free time to read mystery novels by Conan Doyle and Ross Macdonald. Verdon was fascinated by the mechanical construction of the characters, and he never stopped talking about it. Soon, his wife advised him to write his own novels, and that's how it was born. I know what you're thinking.
In 2010, Verdon's publicity agent recommended that she write more novels, using the same main characters as her first novel, to which critics responded surprisingly well. Many literary commentators have commented that, if they knew nothing about the author, they would have thought that The work was written by an old ex-policeman or ex-prosecutor.
Chronology of the series Detective David Gurney
- I know what you're thinking (2010);
- Don't open your eyes (2011);
- Leave the devil alone (2012);
- Don't trust peter pan (2013);
- I will control your dreams (2015);
- You will burn in the storm (2018);
- The black angel (2020);
- The favor (2023)