Visits

Visits is a book about a sixty year old man named Tony.  Tony hasn’t done much with his life thus far.  He is a car salesman and he is good at it.  In his spare time he likes to frequent the local topless   On occasion, such as his birthday he wants a little something extra and will spring for a hooker/prostitute.  This time goes a little differently for Tony as he is charged up on his Viagra, and finished up with the “party” he is still tied to a hotel room bed and robbed.  Being left tied up and humiliated Tony starts to get incredibly angry and decided he is going to get even and get his money back.  bars.

Throughout the story you can tell that Tony’s mind is starting to slip.  For me the biggest thing that made this constantly stand out was a constant fixation on a spear gun throughout the story.  It seemed like something so unlikely and farfetched that it was the main point that had me constantly questioning the reality of the situation and what was going on in Tony’s mind.  

Tony’s quest for vengeance takes him on quite a road trip, both in actual mileage and throughout personal growth and thinking within his mind.  This story that John Phelps has concocted is phenomenal.  As the reader you are on this journey with Tony as he rationalizes this serial killing spree that seemed to have sprung up out of opportunity.  It is very interested to see Tony’s through process in his analysis of each and every person and the sometimes seemingly small items that he holds a grudge against people for to the point of wanting to take their lives.

As you think about the things that causes Tony to want to harm someone from events decades in the past, it makes you remember to always be nice to everyone you encounter whenever you can.  You never know when they may come after you on a crazed, seemingly unrelated killing spree. 

I also thoroughly enjoyed being a part of Tony’s mind due to the fact that although he may be slightly insane, he is not a dumb man.  He is quite observant and a great judge of character, and he is as quite thorough on spur of the moment kills.  And it is great to all the while be able to learn new bits and pieces about his background and what kinds of people and events have made him the man he is today, at the end of his rope.

As you are reading and especially at the halfway mark and beyond, you get the feeling that something insane is looming on the horizon.  Even if you can guess the half of it, you will never believe some of the crazy twists and turns that the story takes.  There were only minor typos of words missed, which barely stood out.  This book really draws you into its depths and makes you root for Tony, even though you should be despising him for some of the unforgivable acts that he is committing.  Mr. Phelps was descriptive enough to give you a real feel of how things are occurring, but he was not overdoing the visualization to the point of pushing away those with weaker stomachs for violence.  By the time you reach the end of the book you can envision it being played in the movie theater and how it would translate over quite nicely to a wonderful thriller/suspense movie.  

I commend Mr. Phelps on his book Visits and highly recommend it to anyone who is in for a bit of mystery and suspense that can handle a touch of violence from the mind of a man who has spent his life being kicked around and has decided that he will take a stand…. At sixty.  5 out of 5 stars easily.