Product Description

Customer Reviews (12)

Excellent addition to the series!
I found this third book in the Cree Black series to be a fascinating and highly readable addition.It has some fundamental plot differences from the other two books, but it adds marvelous depth to Cree's character and background.

Cree is called to San Francisco by an old family friend, a fellow she and her sister knew as Uncle Bert.Uncle Bert was a happy fellow, a friend of her dad's.What she finds is an aging, really miserable sort of guy, who is finishing up his career as a homicide detective.

Some odd bones have been found under a house.They appear to be from the Great Earthquake of 1906.Cree tries her special talents to see what she can find out about them, and does a lot of interesting historical research, also.

Finally, the most interesting part of the book involves a character named Ray.We wonder who he is, what is he up to? Is he a good person, or a bad person -- so much depends on the lens we are looking at him through, and what other people think about him.This makes for an extra interesting story.

I really enjoyed this book and recommend it to anyone who enjoys this series.If you haven't read any of the other books, I think this would stand on its own, but you would enjoy it more if you read the other two first!

So much potential but...
I've never picked up a Cree Black book before, so I admit that my review may be a little off since I can't take the whole series into account.

I read the first couple pages of this book and was really intrigued; lots of forensic info, a smattering of history, and a hint at some supernatural. I figured it would be right up my alley! It started out fairly well; half forensics show/CSI, half hard-boiled detective. But I knew I was in trouble when I got to the first chapter with Ray alone. It seemed like a flimsy characterization for me and what OTHERS said about Ray was more interesting than what Ray said himself. It's always great for an author to show rather than tell and it didn't seem to be happening here. I get that Hecht wanted to hold onto a couple things until later in the end, but being too mysterious can be a turnoff for readers.

The diary parts could have been so much stronger. Without a diary, we would never have gotten very far into the character of Lydia--- or would we? I get the impression that Cree is psychic and can look into things when she's in the right setting. Wouldn't it have been so much more interesting if she could have found one object that pulled her into Lydia's mind, rather than a diary that wasn't quite as interesting as I'd hoped? Again, Hecht falls a bit flat with characterization. I felt like he was trying so hard to get into the mind of a woman but he just missed the boat by a bit. The problem is writing for the period, which is again why it would have made much more sense thematically to let Cree channel Lydia somehow, rather than have tell-all chapters where Lydia's "diary" clues us in.

I also never, ever bought Cree's relationship with Ray.Maybe this is a problem that came up since I'm not as familiar with the character, but she was presented as an intuitive, no-nonsense woman who didn't put up with a lot of crap. So why on EARTH would she tolerate Ray's weirdness? Just pity doesn't cut it!

But with all of that aside, I still enjoyed it much more than I normally enjoy books in that genre. It was a fun read and all the little details about San Francisco were great as well. Hecht has a lot of talent and obviously put a lot of work into this book, but I just felt like he squandered a lot of the opportunities he set up for himself by talking so much about Cree's interest in the paranormal.

Almost as good
I really enjoyed the first two Cree Black novels.I think the paranormal aspect lends a great twist to the mystery theme, but this book had no paranormal aspects.
The story and subplots kept my interest anyways and I found myself reading the book into the wee hours, but the end seemed rushed and left too much hanging.
My library does not have this or the 2nd Cree Black novel on audio books, so I read the hardcovers back to back.I think that also kept the momentum going for the Bones of the Barbary Coast.

"Everybody was a werewolf"
Dan Hecht has written two previous books about Cree Black, a psychologist and 'psychic' investigator with a knack for paranormal contact.In these books she and her partners become enmeshed in what are, for the most part mystery stories where past events are a determinant in a present situation.You could describe them as forensic parapsychology and not be wrong.

Bones of the Barbary Coast is a different animal.The story revolves around the discovery of a skeleton of a human being with a weird deformity that makes the victim appear to be part wolf.There is no apparent murder here, the death was caused by the collapse of a house during the San Francisco earthquake.Cree is asked to come to San Francisco to investigate by an old friend of the family.So you are led to expect some psychic event, but one never really materializes.Instead Cree finds herself in a difficult investigation and discovers some remarkable, but not murderous facts.

The other part of the story revolves around Bert Marchetti, who asked her to come to town, and Cameron Raymond, an X-ray specialist who helps with the study of the bones.Marchetti is a cop on the verge of retirement, profoundly unhappy about his accomplishments and desperate for one last, redeeming arrest.Raymond is a man who has remade his life, but who bears a terrible scarred face as the result of a brutal arrest.The brutality in question was from Marchetti, and you can cut the enmity between the two with a knife.

These two men and Cree, who plays this novel solo are all lonely poles in a drama that parallels the slowly emerging story of the wolfman.These are set aside by disease, by loss, and by fear of the isolation each has to deal with in a story where redemption is a rare commodity.Each must face their flaws and either come to terms with them or fail tragically.

As you can see this is far more a novel than a genre mystery or suspense story.If you've followed the series you may experience some initial discomfort as Hecht sets out into uncharted waters.But, as truth would have it, this is a very readable story, with much that is worthwhile if disquieting.For those that have noticed the author's strong writing skills, this will be a worthwhile exercise.

Could have been better
I love the Cree Black series, and I loved this book until the end. It just left so many open ends. Throughout the book, you're waiting for things to move, you hit the climax and then everything grinds to a screeching halt, and you say to yourself, "That's it?". Still a big fan and looking forward to the next book, though! ... Read more

Product Description
Superb-A thoroughly satisfying, disturbing novel. -Cleveland Plain DealerIn City of Masks, the first Cree Black novel, parapsychologist Cree and her partner take a case in New Orleans's Garden District that leaves them fearing for their own lives. The 150-year-old Beauforte House has long stood empty, until Lila Beauforte resumes residence and starts to see some of the house's secrets literally come to life. Tormented by an insidious and violent presence, Lila finds herself trapped in a life increasingly filled with childhood terrors. It takes Cree's unconventional take on psychology and her powerful natural empathy with Lila to navigate the dangerous worlds of spirit and memory, as they clash in a terrifying tale of mistaken identity and murder. Daniel Hecht is the author of two previous novels, Skull Session and The Babel Effect. His most recent novel is Land of Echoes, second in the Cree Black series. A BookSense 76 pick in hardcover "Sharp, fast, and deft, a gripping story that with the skill of a Wallenda walks the tightrope between the real and the supernatural." -Kirkus Reviews "A gripping and fully realized mystery set in an unfamiliar world that the author makes palpable-creating characters that go far beyond the cookie-cutter." -Denver Post "A ghost story readers won't soon forget-You are taken on the ride of your literary life." -Tulsa WorldAmazon.com Review
If it's New Orleans and the novel's main characters have been dead for years but are still walking around terrorizing people, it must be an Anne Rice adventure. But it isn't--it's the first in a new series starring a fascinating heroine, Seattle parapsychologist Cree Black, whose own murky past and special gifts make her the perfect choice to investigate a haunted house in the Garden District and the family that's slowly being scared to death. Lila Beauforte has moved back into her ancestral home, now inhabited by ghosts who seem bent on driving her out. Cree, her senses more attuned to the presence of revenants than flesh-and-blood bad guys, shakes enough closets in Beauforte House to bring the skeletons out, solve mysteries of the past as well as the present, and fall in love with an equally appealing if more traditional investigator of the unconscious who may be able to help her free herself from her own emotional prison. She's a smart, vulnerable, and attractive character in an unearthly and unusual thriller that starts off a promising new series with a howl and presages a long run on the bestseller list. --Jane Adams ... Read more

Customer Reviews (28)

NOLA & Ghosts:a "super" natural (groan) combination
One of the main reasons I read this book was b/c of it's setting:New Orleans (a city where I once lived and will always love).Hecht does an admirable job of evoking "The City That Care Forgot".The main character of the series is Cree Black, a PhD in clinical psych and a parapsychologist.If you're into parapsych, you'll find plenty of info on it here (e.g., theory, technology, procedures).Cree is also an empath with synesthesia, so it's a good thing that Hecht's particular strength as a writer lies in his description.He's not only perceptive, but also eloquent, when writing of emotions, behaviors, and locales...all of which help make Cree and the other characters so believable. I only wish he'd set the whole series there!

"Cree heard the name as if it were her own."
have read two books by Hecht, both of which I almost liked (The Babel Effect and Skull Music). By almost liked, I really liked the energy, but there was something about the plot in both cases that gave me pause.

An online acquaintance recommended I give the Cree Black novels a go, so I picked up City of Masks. I was expecting a detective novel, but not a paranormal detective novel. Well-- at least a detective series with a parapsychologist as the main character. I was a little suspicious, getting into the book.

I'm still a little suspicious, I have to admit. But it worked much better than I would have thought. Cree Black is a good character. Her reasons for choosing her field, are well-played not overplayed. Hecht's ability to detail his environment is very good. We explored New Orleans here along with its ghosts. I wasn't in a terribly good mood when I picked up the book, and I found it nearly absurdly comforting. That's a good thing.

Perhaps it still isn't perfect-- there's something about the pacing and the length that felt off. A little too long? But this is a minor quibble. I'm going to go ahead and pick up the second.

Very frightening mystery!
This is the first book I've read by Daniel Hecht.It came to me highly recommended and I was not disappointed!What a ride!The main character, Cree Black is a psychologist who specializes in hauntings (a parapsychologist !!).She accepts a job in New Orleans:A woman has returned to live in a childhood home and something dreadful seems to have taken up residence there!

Cree is strongly empathetic and finds herself deeply emeshed in the nightmare haunting that follows.Wow!This book has everything!Dark family secrets, hideous ghosts, hoodoo -- you name it!Every horror story, and mystery story, cliche makes an appearance!But they work!Not only is it truly terrifying, but the mystery itself wasn't simplistic, and was one I certainly didn't see coming!

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys suspense and mystery in a good thriller!

amazing~!
I am absolutely fascinated by paranormal and mystery type books and stumbled upon this book by chance. I absolutely loved it and could not put it down!

Very entertaining and complex story
Five stars -- City of Masks takes place in New Orleans, a city that will always offer a great locale for mystery and suspense.Cree Black, the protagonist, will be an exciting character to follow in subsequent novels.The interesting way that "ghosthunting" was woven into science and history made for a great read.The writing and evolution of characters reminded me a little bit of Greg Iles. Definitely a recommended read! ... Read more

Product Description
Back in print and accompanied by its prequel Puppets, the bestselling Skull Session is a classic tale of suspense. Despite his brilliance, Paul Skoglund hasn't held a steady job for years, partly because of his Tourette's syndrome. When his eccentric, wealthy aunt asks him to take on the repairs of her magnificent hunting lodge, he is in no position to refuse. But then he finds that the rambling old house has been savagely vandalized: he discovers a scene of almost superhuman destruction, a violence mirrored by a series of disappearances and grisly deaths haunting the region. Paul delves into the wreckage, wondering what dark passion—and what strength—could cause such chaos. As state police investigator Mo Ford pursues the mystery through official channels, escalating events force Paul deeper into his family's past and into the darker aspects of his own nature. "Skull Session is a story that keeps the reader guessing till the very end... A narrative that's populated by believable characters and infused with healthy doses of medical science and psychology."—New York Times Book Review "[A] thriller of the mind...Hecht transcends cliché and raises valid and timely questions...Enticing."—New York Daily News "Vividly atmospheric, rich with twists and turns."—Jonathan Kellerman Also available: City of Masks pb 1-58234-359-4 $13.95 Land of Echoes pb 1-58234-473-6 $13.95Amazon.com Review
Guitarist Daniel Hecht sold a lot of albums in the 1970s and '80s: his Willow on the Windham Hill label might be sitting in your closet. But in 1989 a hand ailment turned Hecht's talents to writing, and the first published result is as dazzling and moving as his music. In this novel, gifted Vermont woodworker Paul Skoglund has learned to live with and basically control his Tourette's syndrome, thanks to early training from his caring father and daily doses of haloperidol. But the drug has also burned away the once-sharp edge of his creativity, and Paul has been having a hard time earning a living. So when his eccentric Aunt Vivien offers him a job restoring her old house in Lewisboro, New York, Skoglund is glad to accept--even though it will take him away from his 8-year-old son, Mark, who suffers from neurological troubles of his own. It turns out that the house has been savaged by vandals who are apparently linked to several local teenagers who have disappeared in recent months. While state police investigator Morgan Ford pursues the mystery in an official way, Paul and his fearless lover Lia discover that the damage to the house is of unnatural--possibly even demonic--origins. Hecht balances these diverse elements with impressive artistry, all the while making us care for the fate of his characters. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (48)

good book, but needs better story plotting
While I found it interesting that the main character had tourette's, it was a disappointment that the tourettes story really went nowhere.Another disappointment was the lack of storyline around the young female witness to the murders.She was an interesting character that was taken nowhere.The secondary main character was a horny police detective and his obsession with every female that crossed his path was an unnecessary distraction to the plot and frankly gave me the creeps about a character that was supposed to be a good guy.The girlfriend, ex-wife and son really added nothing to the storyline either.I found the plot involving the detective to be the most interesting and actually found myself frustrated when it went back to the main character who seemed to continually remember things from the past, that also added nothing to the plot.In my opinion, the author needed to fine tune the storyline and take out a whole lot of extraneous material that was boring.The main plot line was good, but too much other stuff was a distraction and dragged out the story.

Good Read
This is my first book by Daniel Hecht.I enjoyed the characters in this book immensely and the plot was good.I did not guess the outcome, as in so many "who done it" books.Good work, I will definitely try to read his others.

Flawed but interesting thriller.
I used to have a real taste for psychological detective novels and thrillers. This was back in the day when Jonathan Kellerman still wrote interesting material. I picked this book up on a whim when I saw it on sale, based on the material and some good reviews. I have also read another book by Hecht (The Babel Effect) and also liked it well enough. Hecht seems to have an affinity for subjects that explore the root of violence-- a field guide writer to the devil inside. I find that he makes an interesting choice of subject matter, and writes well enough in the bargain.

The novel features a main character with Tourette's (Paul) who finds that his struggle to understand his own neurological quirks becomes mixed with the past when he travels to fix vandalism damage done to an estranged Aunt's house. The book is full of characters who are trying to understand the value and nature of their internal limits, plumbing the depths of their capacities for violence and self-harm. For a long, long time Hecht works thhose threads effortlessly into the plot of his book, and the result is a really compelling reading experience for at least the first three-quarters of the story.

Unfortunately, the ending to Skull Session isn't nearly as good as the set-up that precedes it. I'm struggling to capture what I don't like here without giving too much away for potential readers. Let me say just this-- sometimes an author has a choice whether to take a risk on an ending that might be either too small or too big. I feel as though Hecht makes the wrong choice here. The interiority of Paul's struggle is much of what made the book really interesting. The conclusion and epilogue material felt just too much, somehow.

I also have a minor quarrel with the character of Lia. In general, the characters are pretty well written. (Although the female characters do seem to "hiss" instead of speak fairly frequently, and that gets tiresome after a bit.) But something about Lia never felt right at all. She seems a foil to Paul and very little else. That lack really is visible since her character is quite important to the justification of his actions.

Anyhow, I would still recommend the book, even with these concerns. Particularly if you like a focus on psychology in your mysteries, then this should be a good waste of a few hours. It reads quickly and well. I would gladly read something else by Hecht.

Unforgettable
I read this book 7 years ago and have reread it twice since. I was expected a literary ghost story when I bought Skull Session and was rewarded with something even better - a true psychological thriller by a writer gifted in plotting and narrative.

Paul Skoglund is a man with reduce expectations. His marriage ended in divorce, the medication for his Tourette's syndrome leaves him feeling mentally swathed in cotton wool, his son has a little understood neurological illness and his job prospects are limited. So his Aunt Vivien's offer a job restoring her once beautiful now vandalized house seems a godsend, even though it requires revisiting painful family memories like his father's suicide. But just what did happen to and at that house? And is it connected to the strange deaths that policeman Morgan Ford is investigating?

The answers will defy your expectations. Hecht's theme is the mysteries (and power) of our own neurological wiring, what appears to be a "handicap"may be a gift, and a gift may really be a curse.

This isn't a quick read but it is absorbing and highly enjoyable.

Very good!
This book caught me up from page one and held me with rapt attention.I learned a lot about Tourette's, which I found interesting, but be aware the author crosses from the book being a neurological thriller into psychological horror toward the end.There was one scene toward the end I would prefer to have seen done differently, but overall felt this was a very good book with some very interesting characters.I shall definitely read more by Mr. Hecht. ... Read more

Product Description
The thrilling prequel to the bestselling Skull Session, published for the first time in the United States.

The New Jersey State Police had started calling him Howdy Doody, after the famous TV puppet of the 1950s. Three people killed in northern New Jersey, then three in Manhattan and another in the Bronx, in a thirteen-month period. And all of them hung up with strings attached to their limbs, like puppets. Finally the murderer was caught in New York City. Or so it seems-until State Police detective Mo Ford finds another victim, killed and arranged in exactly the same way. Is it a copycat crime, or did the police catch the wrong man? Mo's theory about what happened soon expands to involve U.S. intelligence agencies and a horrific experiment with human beings. With so many forces behind the scenes, who is the real puppet master? ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Absolutely Outstanding!
This is the first book (actually audiobook) I've read by Hecht and I must say it's now one of my all-time favorites.Hecht keeps the wheels on the story right through the very end.Most fiction seems to disappoint by either being too long winded, too far-fetched, or by having a preposterous ending, but not here, this is good till the last drop.

Hecht is an extremely gifted writer.Do yourself a favor and ignore the negative reviews posted here and give it a try.Not for the faint-of-heart.

Compelling!
I had to shake my head over the so-called reviewer who hadn't bothered to read the word "prequel" on the cover, and then fussed over the ending of the book. Groan. One should have at least basic reading skills before deigning to criticize a writer of Hecht's enormous skills. Puppets is, like all Hecht's work, addictive. The author has an all but peerless ability to create mood and genuninely creepy tension; this, coupled with great narrative drive, makes for a superior reading experience. Puppets is fascinating on many levels, dealing as it does with the issue of control--something that is central to all our lives--and it delivers the goods. It isn't so important to learn the identity of the villain (and the pathway is strewn with a fair number of adroitly dropped red herrings) as it is to watch Mo Ford and the other main characters take shape before us and act out in entirely believable ways. What I like best about Hecht's work is the believable fallibility of his characters; they remain true to themselves, even when it isn't pretty, even when we, the readers, wince at their ability to embarrass themselves and then scramble for redemption. Puppets is Hecht doing what he does best: making us care about his people to the extent that we're willing to go with them, wherever they have to go. Highly recommended!

Interesting read, but not his best.
Daniel Hecht has two other books I thoroughly enjoyed. I am speaking of the Cree Black thrillers, "City of Masks" and "Land of Echos." He has one other book with Mo Ford in it, "Skull Session." This book really confused me because I recalled that at the end of the book,

SPOILER HERE








Mo Ford was killed off. So how'd he resurrect his for this book?

Anyway, the story is pretty interesting, a serial killer hanging his victims up with string, a la puppets. It really didn't take a great deal of ingenuity to figure out who the killer was, I think Hecht wanted you to know but the chase to catch him is the thrill. Overall, a pretty good read.

pretty good
not as good as some of his other books, but still way better than most

Can't recommend it.
Warning:animals and humans are tortured in this book.But that's not why I rated it "poor."It's because I figured out, almost from the beginning, who was behind it all and after that, I really didn't care.There were red herrings trying to divert suspicion, chapters that took you into the killer's mind, a massive government conspiracy, a romance for the protagonist, and I still didn't care.In fact, I ended up skimming through most of the book.I've enjoyed other books by Hecht, but just can't recommend this one. ... Read more

Product Description
Lucretia (Cree) Black is a parapsychologist whose investigative methods include in-depth historical research and psychological analysis.When she's asked by her former mentor, renowned neuropsychiatrist Mason Ambrose, if she would examine the case of a 15-year-old boy suffering from bizarre and frightening symptoms, Cree refuses to get involved.Physically and emotionally exhausted, she's planning to take some time off.But Ambrose is persistent and so Cree reluctantly finds herself heading for a private boarding school on a Native American reservation in New Mexico - and becoming embroiled in the extraordinary case of Tommy Keeday.A case whose roots lie in the unsolved mystery of a gruesome murder that took place over 15 years before ... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

What a mystery!
This is a very, very good mystery that again gives us a team of professional "ghost busters," involving Cree (a prestigiously trained clinical psychologist), an engineer, and a wonderful Tae Kwon Do kicking administrative assistant.Cree is drawn into a case at a private school for talented native American kids.What is going on?Is it a haunting?Is it a nature spirit?Is it something involving some ancient ancestor of the boy, Tommy, who is the target of the haunting?

Cree must find all this out before Tommy is either killed, or destroyed by being treated by contemporary medications.Also, this wonderful school could end up closed.We also meet the owner and principal of the school, Julieta, who has her own issues, along with a marvelous local doctor of Navajo descent.

The thing I really liked about this book was how textured it was.It wasn't a fast read for me and I got to know all the characters quite well.The author, Hecht, doesn't give us the sense that the book is just an outline (which I find all too often, these days, in many mysteries).

So I recommend this fine mystery without hestitation.

Excellent Read
I really enjoyed this book, right from the beginning. I liked the way Hecht kept going back & forth between characters and time. Adding interesting things about New Mexico's past made it especially interesting.I highly recommend this book - it was hard to put down.

JUST RIGHT!
Excellent read.....leaves you wanting more. Geographically I've lived there and Hecht got it right.The characters are true...bravo!! The land, the people and the culture are dynamically rendered. I will absolutely be passing this along.

Good Protagonist But Predictable Plot
I consider this predictable because I guessed the identity of the ghost and what had happened well in advance of the big reveal.

I admit that I also had a problem with Cree Black.As a parapsychologist who studies the paranormal scientifically, she gets all this extra credibility that the native practitioners who have so much more experience don't get.I am trying not to blame Cree Black for other people's attitudes.She herself isn't arrogant.She respects native practitioners, realizes her ignorance and wants to learn from them.That makes me willing to read another book about her.

A Great read.
I have to admit to a love of ghost stories.I have loved them since childhood.Cree Black, the heroine of Hecht's novel, is a parapsychologist as well as a psychologist.She investigates hauntings, and if possible, loosens the ties that bind the ghosts to the living world.The theories behind hauntings, and her abilities, are sound well thought out and very plausible.The storyline-trying to free a child possessed by a spirit-has echoes of its own.However, Land of Echoes stands proudly apart.It is a fascinating story that I recommend highly. ... Read more

Product Description
With all the imaginative depth and narrative power of Michael Crichton's Timeline or Jurassic Park, The Babel Effect is an electrifying, thinking person's thriller based on cutting-edge neurological and genetic research. From the author of the widely acclaimed Skull Session, The Babel Effect artfully brings the speculative thriller to new literary heights.

Is violence a virus? Can your genes make you a killer? Why are we so willing to hurt each other? In The Babel Effect, the brilliant husband-and-wife research team of Ryan and Jessamine McCloud are charged with answering these urgent questions. Beginning as a neurological study of murderers on death row, their research explodes into an investigation into the biomedical foundations of human history. The quest takes them from prison cells to research labs to war zones throughout the world and forces them to doubt their mostbasic assumptions about the human species, about themselves, and about their marriage.

Combining systems theory with modern epidemiology, they soon learn that our propensity for violence resembles a contagious disease. But is the human carnage of the last hundred years an ancient plague or a new nightmare? Can they identify the cause and find a cure? As their discoveries reveal frightening secrets about multinational corporations, clandestine military programs, and millennial religious cults, they realize that finding the answers depends on a still more urgent and terrifying question: Can they survive the search?

When an unknown enemy steals their data and abducts Jessamine, the FBI investigation stalls, and Ryan realizes that it is up to him alone to find his pregnant wife. He soon finds that to learn where she is, he must discover who she is -- and confront the question of whether we can ever really know the one we love.

As real as the astonishing and disquieting news coming out of today's biotechnology revolution and as disturbing as our suspicions of global conspiracy, The Babel Effect provokes us with an astonishing perspective on human nature as it brings us face-to-face with our most unspeakable fears -- and our brightest hopes. Though The Babel Effect is part thriller, part mystery, it is at its core the very human tale of one man who simply seeks to know his wife -- to find her and love her again.

Amazon.com Review
The Genesis Project, headed by Ryan and Jess McCloud, is researching afascinating thesis: that violence is a virus, that evil is geneticallybased, and that neurology can prove what psychology only suggests. Abillionaire who heads the world's largest media and technology empirebelieves the McClouds are onto something with enormous potential valueand agrees to underwrite their project, which starts with brain scans ofdeath row inmates and progresses to war zones and killing fields allover the world.

When pregnant Jess is kidnapped by a religious leader, who fears that science will destroy his faith-based empire, the action ratchets up several levels, skipping over some of the hard science that keeps this would-be thriller mired in detail much of the time. Author Daniel Hecht posits as good a raison d'être for the root causes of violence as any other suspense novelist; it's an intriguing idea, well-worked out in the plot. And Jess McCloud, vainly trying to reconcile her decidedly unscientific faith with scientific empiricism, is an interestingly complex character. Unfortunately, she's missing for much of the novel, and her husband, whose efforts to retrace her research in order to find her, is a much less fascinating hero. But that won't stop fans of RobinCook, Michael Crichton, et al. for sticking with Hecht to the last page.--Jane Adams ... Read more

Customer Reviews (29)

Babel Effect in hardcover
I just discovered Daniel Hecht and was looking for hard cover edition of this book (not easy to find). This is a used book so I was a bit unsure about purchasing sight unseen, but it arrived promptly and was in very good condition. I would definitely buy from this seller again!

Great Idea - Incredibly Poor Execution
I guess my disappointment is so acute because I had such high hopes. After reading the blurb I couldn't wait to start.But oh,what a disaster. A team of scientists investigates whether the cause of modern violence is a "virus" or at least neurological in nature. In a sense it's the old nature vs nurture argument. They interview serial killers and war criminals for research at brain differences. The first half of the book (each chapter about 4 pages) is pure fluff - the author drones on about society, race, culture, troubled marriages, etcBook II concerns the kidnapping of the woman scientist and the search for her.

Let's start with the characters or should I say caricatures? The television preacher is a slick Southerner with a Messiah complex, the businessman is a greedy, scheming CEO, the religious folks are wacky fanatics, the black woman scientist is beautiful and ultra-intelligent, her white husband is intellectual and troubled and their child is adorable, outstanding, etc.You get the picture.There is almost as much discussion about race, gender and culture as there is about violence. (PC Passwords are GHANDI & MANDELA in case we didn't get the point.)It's an interracial marriage, what's the big deal?
But it's the premise that really bombs.The book reads like thetelevangelist it mocks - the world is evil, conspiracies are everywhere, our modern lifestyle has ruined society.Does the author seriously suggest that violence is worst today than, say, in 2000 BC or 50 AD or 1200 AD or even 1900 AD?If so, he is mistaken for while individual violence is flashed across our screens 24/7 thanks to the instantaneous media, the level of cultural violence continues to decline.

More problems:The author's knowledge of the corporate world are straight out of a made-for-TV special or perhaps an NPR editorialrather than the real world.The scientists are hardly treated better since the vast majority deal with the mundane and not international intrigue, murder, kidnapping or discoveries that startle the world. And am I the only one that noticed now answer was given to the "virus" question? Instead we have the usual candidates - government conspiracies, electricity, chemicals, population, religion and evolutionary psychology.So, is/was there a virus? The author assures us the answer to that lies in combining scientific research and religion.Now THAT'S original (LOL).

Ideology Masquerading as Literature
This book is clearly high concept, yet it disappoints on at least three levels: it is basically an ideological tract with a story thrown in; in many ways it is "junk science;" and the story and characters are essentially unbelievable.
Whatever one's own ideological viewpoint, in this case it is helpful to call a spade a spade: the author manages to exploit just about every issue dear to the hearts of a left-of-center world view: fundamentalist religion, uncaring large corporations, evil government intelligence agencies.The book's portrayals of these societal constructs are universally negative and stereotypical:of course the self-appointed evangelical is flawed and either (at best) unable to control the criminal behavior of his followers, or (at worst) the cause of their criminal behavior; of course the large corporation has deep secrets that must involve illegal activity; of course the intelligence agencies are non-accountable, evil and always willing to stamp on individuals' rights.The viewpoint the author would like us to adopt is astonishingly transparent.
At the end of the book, the author assures us that the science is "true."The problem is (again) a certain viewpoint is presented as the only viewpoint; or, if an alternative viewpoint is suggested (i.e., through the character of Jared Constantine) it is presented as flawed and obviously wrong.For example, the message the book presents about games theory is basically that it teaches aggression is never rewarded, and cooperation (non-aggression) is always more efficient.A review of the literature concerning just, say, the Prisoner's Dilemma makes it clear that games theory is not so black and white -- the effectiveness or efficiency of any particular approach depends on the facts and circumstances of the particular situation, non-aggression is not always "bad."But, of course, it is more convenient to present a simplistic, one-sided view, because it supports the author's apparent world view: if we could all just work together, sing "kumbaya" as we travel the road of life, there would be no wars, no violence.That is not what games theory says, or not all that it says.
It is interesting that Amazon's summary points up the inevitable comparison of Michael Crichton with this author.However, in a recent Parade article, Crichton tells us, for example, that fears of negative health effects from EMF have been thoroughly debunked, yet EMF plays a prominent part in this book.Which author should we believe?Crichton's most recent book, "State of Fear" debunks global warming (how did Hecht leave global warming out of Babel Effect?A glaring omission.)
Finally, just a few of the factors that make the book unbelievable: first, someone like Ryan McCloud simply could not possibly exist.Second, the credibility of finding Jessamine at the refugee camp was zero.Third, the episode of Ryan's imprisonment was too obvious of a plot mechanism (how else could Jessamine have been conveniently kidnapped?).Fourth, the ending was just too syrupy.
Two final comments.As yet another example of the author's ideological leanings, if the theory of the book is followed to its logical conclusion (behavior is genetic and biological), then of course no one has to ever worry about taking responsibility for his or her own acts -- it's a disease (i.e., obesity is a disease, has nothing to do with diet or exercise; ditto for osteoporosis).But, the author at the end cannot bring himself to draw the obvious conclusion -- if "bad" behavior is a disease, then a "medicine" could be developed to correct the problem.However, in order to do that, the author would have to turn to pharmaceutical companies for the solution, which certainly have to be on the author's ideological blacklist.So he's painted himself into a corner on that one.Finally, the author makes the following statement on his web site: "Recent advances in neurology, neurochemistry, and cognitive neuroscience are rapidly changing our view of self, family, society, behavior, belief, values, good and evil, and personal responsibility."www.danielhecht.com.This statement, like its author, is wearing blinders.No, these things are not changing our view.They may be helping to form the views of a certain intellectual elite (the "blue states" from the last Presidential election come to mind).But the folks in the "red states" still have their old-fashioned moral and religious values.Mr. Hecht obviously pities these folks for clinging to their primitive beliefs, which, as all policy wonks know, fly in the face of "true" science.The pity is perhaps misplaced.

Good combination of relationship and science
The title book caught my eye on the shelf and I could hardly put it down.The science was interesting, and the relationships were as well.Perhaps for someone in the field it was too simplistic, but for a reasonably intelligent person not in the field, it was a stimulating and gripping read.

the usual scientists..
I must say I'm a bit biased, because I usually don't read this genre of books. It seemed interesting though, as it claimed to be a scientific thriller, and I'm a scientist who likes suspense.

I got immediately put off by the way it is written. So many clichés! And the scientists - sigh. They always have to be extreme geniuses, while nothing in the text shows that they actually are. I was not once impressed with any observation that was made. Then, their 'difficult' backgrounds make the story go a bit more downhill. It's all so easy! I would sooner take up an Agatha Christie I have read many times had I known what the book would be like.

One plus is that he makes science sound interesting. All in all, the science in the book is too simplistic for such a complicated problem, but I understand you have to compromise.

I would not recommend this book. I have read far more interesting scientific novels, of which 'A scientific romance' by Ronald Wright is one.

One comment on the editorial at amazon: much of the book is about who kidnapped Jess, and the editorial writes it down in one sentence as if it is a triviality! Thank you for giving it all away directly! ... Read more

Product Description
Word count: 1549. ... Read more

Product Description
It began when three people were found killed in northern New Jersey, then three in Manhattan, and another in the Bronx in a thirteen-month period. All of them were hung up with strings attached to their limbs, like puppets. The New Jersey State Police had started calling him Howdy Doody, after the famous TV puppet. Several months after he is caught, State Police detective Mo Ford finds another victim killed and arranged in exactly the same way. Is it a copycat crime or did the police catch the wrong man? ... Read more