Thriller writer Oliver Stark’s debut novel is a lengthy wild goose chase with all the trappings of a Saw flick – liberal helpings of gore, surprising plot twists, and at its very core, one very twisted individual.

The story opens with the grisly murders of two young socialites, with the New York Police Department scrambling to quickly solve the cases. Meanwhile, their go-to man, star detective Tom Harper, is on administrative leave and faces being dismissed from the force for breaking his superior’s jaw.

A concession is made – if Tom undergoes therapy sessions with police psychologist and profiler Denise Levene to sort out his anger issues, he’s back on the case. It may be an odd comparison, but a Good Will Hunting-esque relationship develops between them, with Denise playing mentor/counselor to Tom’s brooding tortured genius.

As the death toll mounts, a pattern emerges from the victims. They’re all young, rich Caucasian females; their bodies specially positioned and missing one of their body parts. It is clear that the ‘American Devil’, nicknamed as such by a fear-mongering news reporter on her first big break (with a dubious but never-failing secret source), is trying to send out a message of some sort.

It may be the workings of a madman, but it is a madman with a cause. Stark doesn’t mince words when describing the gruesome details of the murders and the pain the victims suffered before death. If you’re a fan of crime fiction, but not one of gratuitous carnage, it will be difficult to sit through this book.

In his ambitious first novel, Stark seems to still be finding his bearings. He has some really clichéd passages that contrasts starkly with the engrossing detail paid to the development of Tom’s character.

Hard-going in the first two or three chapters, the story picks up speed quickly. Stark carefully shows little glimpses of the American Devil’s identity but never really gives away his identity, keeping the suspense taut as a tightrope.

However, there are a few faults in American Devil. One of the biggest ‘surprises’ in the plot can spotted from a mile away. Also, despite Stark crafting out a sense of involvement with each character, there still remains the question of the American Devil’s motivations. The reasons for him going on a killing spree are not that convincing and give a lackadaisical attempt at providing insight into the mind of a serial killer.

The ending of the book is unsatisfying, as after the final terrifying but expected plot twist, the story descends into a muddled confusion, jumping back and forth between the American Devil’s, Tom’s and the victims’ points of view.

If the plans to make the novel into a series come through, Stark will need to continue building on Tom’s background and avoid falling into the trap of further plot clichés and cringe-worthy dialogue.

Fingers crossed that he doesn’t get caught up in competing for the title of ‘Master of Gore’.

Title: American Devil
Author: Oliver Stark
Genre: Thriller
Publisher: Headline Publishing