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Blurbs and Amazon Reviews
"Reverb is an arresting and simply splendid novel. It is positively riveting -- I found myself pushing more pressing responsibilities to the side to spend time with it. J. Cafesin manages to sustain tenterhook levels of tension and suspense, withholding key pieces of the puzzle until exactly the right moments. But it's not just a captivating thriller; it has moments of dazzling beauty and remarkable emotional perception. I would recommend it to all who read!"
--Steven M. Alper, Composer/Conductor: The Immigrant, Arthur, and Pageant
"Reverb is the story of a most wanted man. Wanted by the law, wanted by lust, and wanted by readers who will tear through the pages of this compelling adventure to unravel the stunning dark secret that drives him."
--Kemble Scott, Author of bestsellers SoMa and The Sower
"Reverb is dynamically captivating, with disjointed slices of a life that are strung together like pearls in a strand."
--M. B. "Bud" Fields, Jr., award-winning author of The Grand Organ Mysteries series.
"This book grabbed me and thoroughly engaged me throughout. I couldn't put it down. At the end of the book, it left me wanting the story to continue. The characters felt like real people, living their lives out in the real world. I still think about the protagonist, James Whren, what he's doing, what his music must sound like.
The story hooked me from the beginning, following James on the run, slowly revealing who and what he's running from. Surprising plot twists kept the pacing tight and his character captivated me as the man he used to be unfolds, but what keeps the story moving is who James is, and ultimately becomes.
I highly recommend Reverb. The writing is clean, intelligent, and visual, like a movie. (Who will play James in the movie?) After I finished, it left me thinking (the hallmark of a good book), and quite possibly a better man."
--Andrew Weiss, Amazon Review
"While it may be cliche to say, Reverb is absolutely a page-turner. It is exceptionally hard to stop reading. I wound up staying up late at night several times because I was so riveted. The author is a great writer and clearly knows these characters. After reading the book, I feel like I could bump into these folks somewhere-- that's how real they seem.
I also liked the various genres of the book. There is the thriller-mystery aspect. There is the psychological examination, particularly of the main character. And, then there is romance. Cafesin (the author) skillfully weaves these together to create a great work of fiction.
Most of all, it is fun!"
--Bert Epstein, Amazon Review
"I finished reading Reverb today, and, as I wrote in WDC mail, you have done a great job with it.
The book held me captive right through to the end, and still at the last few pages I was worried that something would go wrong, and he wouln't be granted the life he so definitely deserved.
The characters were built expertedly, and as a reader I was able to feel the pain, fear and love as real - you manage to convey emotions really well.
The descriptions of places and the atmosphere in those worked well, with one exception: the part when you describe their path across the Greek countryside: I don't know why it sounds to me like an excerpt from a travel brochure. Can't even explain why, sorry about that!
The last sentence--it was creepy! and brought up the fact that people who have been tortured never recover from it, are scarred for life.
With love comes hope and understanding, so although the ending points out the fact above, the remaining feeling from the book was he made it and learned what's important in life."
--Eeva Rislakki, author of Celebrate The Season Anthology