My BOOKS
I AM YOUR LAST CHAPTER
He’s a veteran detective haunted by his personal failures; she’s a young, unorthodox therapist for whom the words healing and good behavior can take a very different, disturbing meaning. Between the two, a precarious relationship will develop, unpredictable, consuming them up, catapulting them into a sinister world where death can sometimes be viewed as relief. More . . .
. . . Do you believe in destiny? And in redemption? When a series of savage murders starts disturbing the quiet nights of cozy Gilbertstown in Upstate NY, Detective Cam Devlin is confronted with a stealthy killer whose abilities for hiding are at par with special talents for transforming bodies into mincemeat.
Dedicated to his job, the veteran cop carries a lot of unwanted baggage with him, leftovers from bygone days filled with personal failures. He quickly ends up in a cul-de-sac while cadavers—in pieces—are piling up at the morgue. Devlin’s quest gradually morphs into a challenging game of chess when he meets Krista, an intriguing woman whose puzzling revelations force him to re-evaluate his own tenets and his raison d’être.
Under the shroud of an odd relationship, the pair will explore dark, murky, grim lands, suspecting they have more in common than it appears. When the masks are about to fall off, Devlin understands that, to uncover the truth, he may have to pay the price with his soul.
Through a surprising mixture of music, sex, food and odors, this novel puts to the test our belief (or not) in God and in fate. Nothing is black or white here: gray is the dominant color. Crime fiction hiding a psychological thriller? Well, maybe not for the reasons you think . . .
WARNING: I AM YOUR LAST CHAPTER is built like the first episode of a TV series: fast-paced, straight-to-the-point, with peculiar characters whom you may be tempted to root for. But, make no mistake: perhaps, after reading this story, will your nights be disrupted by a sudden need to dig deep into your soul and your memories, looking for solace. Perhaps will you never be able to forget Cam Devlin and Krista De Labelle. For better or worse! You’ve been warned.
Crime/Thriller by Gabriel Ravel
WHITE MEAT EATERS
After the surprising and teasing I AM YOUR LAST CHAPTER, Ravel delivers a second opus that may make you consider Hannibal Lecter a fairly amicable persona.
You can smell traces of blood and sex in almost each of the 356 pages of this novel.
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Imbrolio is a wealthy, star stage-hypnotist from Miami Beach, who is linked to human trafficking. With his money and his power, he has become invincible, protected by corrupt friends in high spheres of many governments who take good care of protecting him from any serious probe by the police.
A reckless private group of mercenaries is always at his side, ready to dispose of anyone or anything standing in his way. Against all odds, a seductive—but, oh, so clever—woman unknown to him commits to annihilate his appalling domination. Revolted by the horrible death of one of her client’s employee, the fearless—and affluent-—businesswoman is convinced this nebulous tyrant is a threat to every living woman. Upset, but stimulated by this unequivocal challenge, she is determined to crush her pitiless opponent, confident she’s destined to become a savior, a hero, with or without help from the police. But…things will not turn out the way she had planned.
Her mission will take a surprising twist and turn more complicated when she finds herself in Central Mexico, prisoner of a ruthless group of assassins—originally from Buenos Aires and supported by local drug cartels. Feared by everyone, they are in control of huge pieces of land, with complete authority over all social, economical and political activities. The obstinate woman will have to negotiate her way out to advance in her quest for the sinking of Imbrolio’s empire. The road will be paved with a multitude of perilous battles leaving many injured or dead. Action constantly bounces back and forth from Florida to Argentina, Uruguay, Italy, Canada and Mexico, mixing the fate of its various actors in unexpected ways.
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On many occasions, reasonable solutions seem impossible, even to the reader. Except that Ravel’s brilliance is in his ability to deploy and decipher complex relationships between shady characters in an orderly manner—to the amazement of many! You will enjoy the ingenious conclusion of the last chapters. And, without even noticing it, you’ll probably learn a few rudiments of Spanish too—for free!
This fast-paced thriller should satisfy those who crave dark stories as much as those who prefer twisted criminal investigations. Ravel at his best! Pieces of the puzzle, often unrelated in appearance, are fetched from unsuspected events often happening in far-away, exotic locations.
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Is a movie in the making? If not, Hollywood producers and TV moguls ought to, at least, have a (close) look at this book. A must-read for the fans of Dexter*, The Silence of the lambs* and the CSI* series.
Crime/Thriller by Gabriel Ravel
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*: Dexter, the TV series, is based on Jeff Lindsay’s book Darkly Dreaming Dexter. The TV series was developed by James Manos Jr for Showtime. The movie The Silence of the Lambs was directed by Jonathan Demme (Ron Bozman, Edward Saxon & Kenneth Utt, Producers; Grace Blake & Gary Goetzman, Exec. Producers). It was based on Thomas Harris’ novel of same title. CSI TV series: created by Anthony E. Zuicker (Anthony E. Zuicker, William Petersen, Jerry Bruckeimer, Ann Donahue, Kenneth Fink, Naren Shankar & Danny Cannon, Exec. Producers).
