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Joe Café
The murder at Joe Café is an abomination. It stops the entire universe. For Michael, it tarnishes everything, including his badge. For Chet and his hostage, it is the beginning of a chase that will lead them through dingy motels and the darkest corridors of their minds. Dogan just wants Sara back. Jimmy the Cat wants to make up for all the time he has wasted. Frankie wants to live a 'moral' life, erasing everyone in his path who does not live up to his standards. Conventional notions of good and evil quickly blur as they are all forced to look into the mirrors they have avoided for so long. Chilling and horrifying, whimsical and wretched, Joe Café's cast of broken characters try to find their way in a world they never understood to begin with...for the Chens, it is easy. They are dead.
121 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2011
63 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
October 16, 2011
Love this book, and will review it more completely soon. It has a surprisingly emotional kick considering the detachment of its noir/crime facade. Its depths are deceptive, like the river one of the main characters fishes.
July 9, 2012
Joe Cafe is one of those rare books that takes you on a trip without you realising it until you finish, set it down, and take a deep breath. JD Mader is one of those rare writers whose talent comes from showing you the ugly side of people. The side that no one wants to see, that's glossed over, that's pushed to the side or under the carpet because it's too ugly to think about. No one is ever *that* bad.
Right?
His characters are so achingly real, so believable, it's as if he plucked them out of real life and set them on a chessboard just to have a bit of fun, to see what he could come up with.
Another book I had to force myself to put down to return to my normal life, JD Mader has something special deep down inside that comes out in his writing. The Chet's are dead, gunned down by a man who has nothing going for him except that he can kill without compunction. And he does, all because he needs some money. Left behind is the ruination of one man's sanity and a brief interruption in a small town where things like a senseless massacre still mean something. Sara, an exotic dancer because she has to be, is kidnapped by the same crazy man leaving behind her boss and lover who has no other option but to call in a favour from the mob. But, the mob has secrets of its own and some of them are not so nice.
When I was little, my mum used to tell me about the 'ripple effect' to try and help me understand cause and effect. Nowhere is this more perfectly illustrated than in JD Mader's book. It's not so much about 'whodunit' you know right from the start, it's about what happens when CSI finishes their pictures and the case reaches a dead end.
When you're alone with a crazy man, tied to a chair, what do you do?
When you don't have the answers, where do you turn?
When your whole life has been taken from you, when you're being taunted, when the answer is right there just out of your reach, how do you cope?
JD hasn't just asked the questions, he's answered them in a way that makes you feel compassion for a man you shouldn't, pride for a woman in a disreputable job, and heartbreak for a small town man that had everything going for him.
Punctuated by beautiful fishing scenes that are all the more terrible for the man enduring them, JD takes you on a ride. Not a ride filled with action packed scenes or snappy dialogue, but a ride through the human psyche that makes you sit and wonder how we judge people, and maybe that all isn't what it seems.
Right?
His characters are so achingly real, so believable, it's as if he plucked them out of real life and set them on a chessboard just to have a bit of fun, to see what he could come up with.
Another book I had to force myself to put down to return to my normal life, JD Mader has something special deep down inside that comes out in his writing. The Chet's are dead, gunned down by a man who has nothing going for him except that he can kill without compunction. And he does, all because he needs some money. Left behind is the ruination of one man's sanity and a brief interruption in a small town where things like a senseless massacre still mean something. Sara, an exotic dancer because she has to be, is kidnapped by the same crazy man leaving behind her boss and lover who has no other option but to call in a favour from the mob. But, the mob has secrets of its own and some of them are not so nice.
When I was little, my mum used to tell me about the 'ripple effect' to try and help me understand cause and effect. Nowhere is this more perfectly illustrated than in JD Mader's book. It's not so much about 'whodunit' you know right from the start, it's about what happens when CSI finishes their pictures and the case reaches a dead end.
When you're alone with a crazy man, tied to a chair, what do you do?
When you don't have the answers, where do you turn?
When your whole life has been taken from you, when you're being taunted, when the answer is right there just out of your reach, how do you cope?
JD hasn't just asked the questions, he's answered them in a way that makes you feel compassion for a man you shouldn't, pride for a woman in a disreputable job, and heartbreak for a small town man that had everything going for him.
Punctuated by beautiful fishing scenes that are all the more terrible for the man enduring them, JD takes you on a ride. Not a ride filled with action packed scenes or snappy dialogue, but a ride through the human psyche that makes you sit and wonder how we judge people, and maybe that all isn't what it seems.
February 13, 2012
Title: Joe Cafe
Author: JD Mader
Publisher: Lockjaw Publishing
Format: Kindle Edition
Interest: Crime/Thriller
Rating 0-100: 97 (5 Stars)
The murder at Joe Café is an abomination. It stops the entire universe. For Michael, it tarnishes everything, including his badge. For Chet and his hostage, it is the beginning of a chase that will lead them through dingy motels and the darkest corridors of their minds. Dogan just wants Sara back. Jimmy the Cat wants to make up for all the time he has wasted. Frankie wants to live a 'moral' life, erasing everyone in his path who does not live up to his standards. Conventional notions of good and evil quickly blur as they are all forced to look into the mirrors they have avoided for so long. Chilling and horrifying, whimsical and wretched, Joe Café's cast of broken characters try to find their way in a world they never understood to begin with...for the Chens, it is easy. They are dead.
________________________________________
I first came across JD Mader from a guest post he made on the Indies Unlimited site. He has since become a contributing author on their staff. His weekly articles are written with an honesty that is rare. I was a fan of JD Mader long before purchasing this book. With that disclaimer out of the way, here's the good-bad-ugly of Joe Café.
This is not a book that I would let my children read. As a parent it's my job to protect them from the evil in this world, and make no mistake about it, this book is filled with evil. It's also wonderfully written.
Every character in the book goes through a transformation. The good cop goes a little crazy. The crazy killer has moments of tenderness and yearns to be more than he is. The stripper, club owner, and even the mob boss all see life from a different perspective by the end of the book. Say what you will about the dark theme, it takes mad skills to pull off what Mader accomplishes in a short amount of time.
This book is a rollercoaster ride of emotion. In some ways it's not unlike passing a car wreck on the Interstate. It's hard to look away, as much as you might want to. Some of the scenes in this book are so graphic that if it were made into a movie, it would either be regulated to Pay-Per-View or win an Oscar. There is no middle ground here. If there is such a thing as a 'fine line', then I can assure you that Mader has no problems crossing it.
And that's the good. Here's the bad.
There were several times, especially in the latter part of the book, that I had to back up to see which character the scene focused on. A few of the primary characters had similar traits; cursing and drinking. Nothing wrong with this, but I did get confused a few times. Of course, I should also point out that I read the last quarter of the book in bed with the flu. It may have been the fault of Benadryl.
And now for the ugly.
This book will take you inside the mind of a psychopath. If that's not someplace that you can handle, then you will not enjoy this book. The curse words may turn some off as well. However, if you put yourself in the same situation as these characters it's seriously doubtful that you will be hurling Disney lines.
This goes back to the honesty in his writing that I mentioned earlier. Mader does not shy away from getting inside these characters, and he gives them a voice that rings true to the situation.
Would I recommend this book? For my children, no. But I would recommend it to my friends and fellow writers. It's a great read, and if you are a writer, it should be a textbook on how to create rich, compelling characters.
--Rush
Author: JD Mader
Publisher: Lockjaw Publishing
Format: Kindle Edition
Interest: Crime/Thriller
Rating 0-100: 97 (5 Stars)
The murder at Joe Café is an abomination. It stops the entire universe. For Michael, it tarnishes everything, including his badge. For Chet and his hostage, it is the beginning of a chase that will lead them through dingy motels and the darkest corridors of their minds. Dogan just wants Sara back. Jimmy the Cat wants to make up for all the time he has wasted. Frankie wants to live a 'moral' life, erasing everyone in his path who does not live up to his standards. Conventional notions of good and evil quickly blur as they are all forced to look into the mirrors they have avoided for so long. Chilling and horrifying, whimsical and wretched, Joe Café's cast of broken characters try to find their way in a world they never understood to begin with...for the Chens, it is easy. They are dead.
________________________________________
I first came across JD Mader from a guest post he made on the Indies Unlimited site. He has since become a contributing author on their staff. His weekly articles are written with an honesty that is rare. I was a fan of JD Mader long before purchasing this book. With that disclaimer out of the way, here's the good-bad-ugly of Joe Café.
This is not a book that I would let my children read. As a parent it's my job to protect them from the evil in this world, and make no mistake about it, this book is filled with evil. It's also wonderfully written.
Every character in the book goes through a transformation. The good cop goes a little crazy. The crazy killer has moments of tenderness and yearns to be more than he is. The stripper, club owner, and even the mob boss all see life from a different perspective by the end of the book. Say what you will about the dark theme, it takes mad skills to pull off what Mader accomplishes in a short amount of time.
This book is a rollercoaster ride of emotion. In some ways it's not unlike passing a car wreck on the Interstate. It's hard to look away, as much as you might want to. Some of the scenes in this book are so graphic that if it were made into a movie, it would either be regulated to Pay-Per-View or win an Oscar. There is no middle ground here. If there is such a thing as a 'fine line', then I can assure you that Mader has no problems crossing it.
And that's the good. Here's the bad.
There were several times, especially in the latter part of the book, that I had to back up to see which character the scene focused on. A few of the primary characters had similar traits; cursing and drinking. Nothing wrong with this, but I did get confused a few times. Of course, I should also point out that I read the last quarter of the book in bed with the flu. It may have been the fault of Benadryl.
And now for the ugly.
This book will take you inside the mind of a psychopath. If that's not someplace that you can handle, then you will not enjoy this book. The curse words may turn some off as well. However, if you put yourself in the same situation as these characters it's seriously doubtful that you will be hurling Disney lines.
This goes back to the honesty in his writing that I mentioned earlier. Mader does not shy away from getting inside these characters, and he gives them a voice that rings true to the situation.
Would I recommend this book? For my children, no. But I would recommend it to my friends and fellow writers. It's a great read, and if you are a writer, it should be a textbook on how to create rich, compelling characters.
--Rush
October 7, 2011
Joe Café centres on the kidnapping of lap dancer Sara by psychotic killer Chet Mooney. While her boyfriend and the police look for them, the novel hones in on the private hell the dancer is going through at the hands of a man who is intent on purging his hatred on her.
The narrative voice is strong from the outset:
‘Joe Café opened in 1969 with no fanfare. It was a small-fronted diner. The kind of place that looks old for no discernible reason, dirty though it is impeccably clean.�
Stylistically the novel is both elegant and dark, moving between evocative descriptive passages and sharp edge dialogue. Using flashbacks it gets you inside the killer’s head and Mader cleverly manages to allow you to see the reasons Chet Mooney has ended up this way. This is one of the strengths of Joe Café, it digs behind the behaviour of the characters and gets beneath the skin. In its thematic darkness and narrative style Joe Café is a Noir novel and a fine one at that.
Mader has also structured his first novel brilliantly, moving with ease between the different perspectives of the characters. After the first chapter it is extremely hard to put down. You are pulled into the maelstrom of events sparked off by the abduction. Mader has a native elegance to his prose that offsets the more disturbing aspects of the novel.
The descriptions of being held captive and the physicality of the experience are powerfully told:
‘The hardest part is mental. We get used to having stimuli pounding into our brains. We get used to traffic and billboards and radio cures for baldness. Being in a dark room, tied to a chair, is an agony few experience.�
Sara’s imprisonment is the physical centre of the narrative as attempts to rescue her are made.
This is a sharply written highly readable novel that takes you to the dark side, I highly recommend it.
The narrative voice is strong from the outset:
‘Joe Café opened in 1969 with no fanfare. It was a small-fronted diner. The kind of place that looks old for no discernible reason, dirty though it is impeccably clean.�
Stylistically the novel is both elegant and dark, moving between evocative descriptive passages and sharp edge dialogue. Using flashbacks it gets you inside the killer’s head and Mader cleverly manages to allow you to see the reasons Chet Mooney has ended up this way. This is one of the strengths of Joe Café, it digs behind the behaviour of the characters and gets beneath the skin. In its thematic darkness and narrative style Joe Café is a Noir novel and a fine one at that.
Mader has also structured his first novel brilliantly, moving with ease between the different perspectives of the characters. After the first chapter it is extremely hard to put down. You are pulled into the maelstrom of events sparked off by the abduction. Mader has a native elegance to his prose that offsets the more disturbing aspects of the novel.
The descriptions of being held captive and the physicality of the experience are powerfully told:
‘The hardest part is mental. We get used to having stimuli pounding into our brains. We get used to traffic and billboards and radio cures for baldness. Being in a dark room, tied to a chair, is an agony few experience.�
Sara’s imprisonment is the physical centre of the narrative as attempts to rescue her are made.
This is a sharply written highly readable novel that takes you to the dark side, I highly recommend it.
July 8, 2012
Let me say, up front, that I do not, as a rule, read dark books. My genre is Fantasy. But I have read posts by JD Mader, read reviews of this book, and heard from others about how good it is. So, with some curiosity and a little trepidation, I opened Joe Café and began to read.
It IS dark. The story begins with a senseless quadruple murder. It progresses into the aftermath for the murderer, the town, the town’s detective and others touched by the crime in some way. Mader examines one aspect of society many of us never brush up against, at least not enough to be personally touched by it. Some might be drawn to read this expecting to have their voyeur curiosity satisfied. If so they are in for a surprise. Mader understands his characters so intimately that they are real for us. He helps us see that even those we deem the most unsavoury have qualities that make them sympathetic. It is not that Mader explains what motivates them, though he does that to a degree, it is more that he lets us get inside their heads so that we, too, begin to understand them. We lose our aversion, even some of our fear. We accept that their raw language is normal, that their behaviours make sense, given the hand fate has dealt them. We see redemption in some, decline in others, and in the young woman kidnapped by the murderer, a strength we would never have imagined for one with her personal story.
It would be accurate to say that Joe Café is a mystery, a crime story and a detective story. Yet, for me, it was a character study, one that accepted and understood, intimately, each of the individuals in it. Those individuals are revealed by Mader with such deft, delicate sensitivity that we care about each one and forget this is only a book.
It IS dark. The story begins with a senseless quadruple murder. It progresses into the aftermath for the murderer, the town, the town’s detective and others touched by the crime in some way. Mader examines one aspect of society many of us never brush up against, at least not enough to be personally touched by it. Some might be drawn to read this expecting to have their voyeur curiosity satisfied. If so they are in for a surprise. Mader understands his characters so intimately that they are real for us. He helps us see that even those we deem the most unsavoury have qualities that make them sympathetic. It is not that Mader explains what motivates them, though he does that to a degree, it is more that he lets us get inside their heads so that we, too, begin to understand them. We lose our aversion, even some of our fear. We accept that their raw language is normal, that their behaviours make sense, given the hand fate has dealt them. We see redemption in some, decline in others, and in the young woman kidnapped by the murderer, a strength we would never have imagined for one with her personal story.
It would be accurate to say that Joe Café is a mystery, a crime story and a detective story. Yet, for me, it was a character study, one that accepted and understood, intimately, each of the individuals in it. Those individuals are revealed by Mader with such deft, delicate sensitivity that we care about each one and forget this is only a book.
August 17, 2012
I was thinking about this book after I finished it last night. Have you ever noticed that when a murder occurs, we only think about the victim's family and close friends and what they might be going through? What about the policemen working the case? What about the one who committed the crime? We never hear about their perspectives.
In Joe Cafe, Mader gives us a glimpse into how one crime - four people killed - can cause a ripple effect and touch the lives of many people. It causes one man to lose his mind and faith, one to find love he didn't think he was able to possess, one to find clarity, one to discover hope and a different life, one to learn that he is not infallible, and one lady to find strength and to stand up for herself after a lifetime of not being able to.
I enjoyed this book, even though it is not my usual genre. I did find that the contemplation of the characters went on a bit too long and stuff was reworded and repeated. However, it is definitely a book worth reading and it has a wonderful ending! I did cry, and that is SO not me. It has shown me a different way of looking at things - just like it did the characters in the book. I suggest grabbing a copy and looking at the world through different eyes for a while.
In Joe Cafe, Mader gives us a glimpse into how one crime - four people killed - can cause a ripple effect and touch the lives of many people. It causes one man to lose his mind and faith, one to find love he didn't think he was able to possess, one to find clarity, one to discover hope and a different life, one to learn that he is not infallible, and one lady to find strength and to stand up for herself after a lifetime of not being able to.
I enjoyed this book, even though it is not my usual genre. I did find that the contemplation of the characters went on a bit too long and stuff was reworded and repeated. However, it is definitely a book worth reading and it has a wonderful ending! I did cry, and that is SO not me. It has shown me a different way of looking at things - just like it did the characters in the book. I suggest grabbing a copy and looking at the world through different eyes for a while.
July 19, 2012
Joe Cafe surprised me on so many levels, in a good way.
JD Mader is a master of delving into the minds of his characters, each one unique and full of inner torment. The characterization takes the forefront in Joe Cafe, though the common story between the characters will pull you along this twisted journey, making it hard to put down. What appears to be a typical crime drama or mystery in the first chapters quickly turns into something much more.
Following these characters as they are thrust into a situation that makes them question everything they've done and everything they are makes this an enjoyable read from beginning to end. You never quite know where JD Mader is going to take you in Joe Cafe, but you can be sure it is somewhere dark and twisted in the minds of this book's varied cast.
I 100% recommend Joe Cafe.
JD Mader is a master of delving into the minds of his characters, each one unique and full of inner torment. The characterization takes the forefront in Joe Cafe, though the common story between the characters will pull you along this twisted journey, making it hard to put down. What appears to be a typical crime drama or mystery in the first chapters quickly turns into something much more.
Following these characters as they are thrust into a situation that makes them question everything they've done and everything they are makes this an enjoyable read from beginning to end. You never quite know where JD Mader is going to take you in Joe Cafe, but you can be sure it is somewhere dark and twisted in the minds of this book's varied cast.
I 100% recommend Joe Cafe.
June 8, 2012
HARD-EDGED MURDER! THRILLING NEW AUTHOR!
This is one book that's so thrilling you won't be able to put it down...even after reading it, the characters leave indelible marks on your minds. Author J.D. Mader does such a superb job probing the psychiatric depths of his characters' minds, you end up liking them all on one level or another; even the murderer has his good points. Unbelievable!
The story begins on a quiet night at Joe Café in the small town of Millersville when in off the street walks evil incarnate in the form of Chet Mooney. Fortunately--but not for them--there are only two customers and the diner's owners on the premises when Mooney's violence erupts, ending in the worst carnage the town has ever seen. The night ends in a terrifying bloodbath that effects people for miles around...
By the time local police arrive, Mooney is heading out of state...long gone, taking the entire safe with him.
Mader starts Joe Café off with a bang that grips his readers with sticky tentacles of fear that creep up and down one's spine, refusing to release their hold until justice is done. But will the killer ever be caught? How does the local law enforcer Michael Butler--who has never handled a murder before--take it? What happens to him when he gets nowhere with the case? Scenes at the lake with Michael being introspective turn out to be the tranquil breaks that the story needs from time to time. (Mader is great at setting the proper pace with perfect timing.)
It looks like a cold case to Mooney, so he feels safe in wreaking more havoc. True to his evil nature, he kidnaps a young stripper named Sara and begins a long journey, from one cheap motel to another, always one step ahead of the law. He plans to kill Sara but keeps hesitating. Why does he delay? Is it because she cleverly manipulates him, managing to save herself by keeping a clear head, reasoning with her kidnapper and playing along with him? Or is he too hardened for that to work on him?
What happens when he buys Sara a surprise gift? How does she react? The book's big question is: Does help arrive before Mooney murders Sara?
Toss into this mix the woman's boyfriend, Dogan, who's out of his mind with worry, his friend "Jimmy the Cat" and an unlikely cast of other broken characters and you have a story personifying good versus evil; a story wherein everyone must stop to examine his true nature as each struggles to find his way in their changing world.
And who is Frankie and how does he fit in? And the Mafia hit-men...? Questions and more questions...
The surprise ending is where Mader's brilliance truly emerges, but you'll have to read for yourself to find out who is the true hero of this story. I have my opinion, but yours may be different. A very satisfying ending of a thoroughly engrossing read...
I highly recommend this powerful, gripping crime novel, and look forward to reading Mader's latest work The Biker (A Matt Stark Novel) .
Reviewed by Betty Dravis, May 23, 2012
Author of "Six-Pack of Blood" (with "Queen of Terror" Barbara Watkins)
This is one book that's so thrilling you won't be able to put it down...even after reading it, the characters leave indelible marks on your minds. Author J.D. Mader does such a superb job probing the psychiatric depths of his characters' minds, you end up liking them all on one level or another; even the murderer has his good points. Unbelievable!
The story begins on a quiet night at Joe Café in the small town of Millersville when in off the street walks evil incarnate in the form of Chet Mooney. Fortunately--but not for them--there are only two customers and the diner's owners on the premises when Mooney's violence erupts, ending in the worst carnage the town has ever seen. The night ends in a terrifying bloodbath that effects people for miles around...
By the time local police arrive, Mooney is heading out of state...long gone, taking the entire safe with him.
Mader starts Joe Café off with a bang that grips his readers with sticky tentacles of fear that creep up and down one's spine, refusing to release their hold until justice is done. But will the killer ever be caught? How does the local law enforcer Michael Butler--who has never handled a murder before--take it? What happens to him when he gets nowhere with the case? Scenes at the lake with Michael being introspective turn out to be the tranquil breaks that the story needs from time to time. (Mader is great at setting the proper pace with perfect timing.)
It looks like a cold case to Mooney, so he feels safe in wreaking more havoc. True to his evil nature, he kidnaps a young stripper named Sara and begins a long journey, from one cheap motel to another, always one step ahead of the law. He plans to kill Sara but keeps hesitating. Why does he delay? Is it because she cleverly manipulates him, managing to save herself by keeping a clear head, reasoning with her kidnapper and playing along with him? Or is he too hardened for that to work on him?
What happens when he buys Sara a surprise gift? How does she react? The book's big question is: Does help arrive before Mooney murders Sara?
Toss into this mix the woman's boyfriend, Dogan, who's out of his mind with worry, his friend "Jimmy the Cat" and an unlikely cast of other broken characters and you have a story personifying good versus evil; a story wherein everyone must stop to examine his true nature as each struggles to find his way in their changing world.
And who is Frankie and how does he fit in? And the Mafia hit-men...? Questions and more questions...
The surprise ending is where Mader's brilliance truly emerges, but you'll have to read for yourself to find out who is the true hero of this story. I have my opinion, but yours may be different. A very satisfying ending of a thoroughly engrossing read...
I highly recommend this powerful, gripping crime novel, and look forward to reading Mader's latest work The Biker (A Matt Stark Novel) .
Reviewed by Betty Dravis, May 23, 2012
Author of "Six-Pack of Blood" (with "Queen of Terror" Barbara Watkins)
June 20, 2016
First I would like to start my review by commenting of some of the previous reviews -
One reviewer said, "Wonderfully drawn characters and a beautiful story" - NOT!
The author did give you a complete picture of each of the characters but "wonderfully drawn" would not be the terms I would use to explain them. Nothing about the description of Chet the Psycho is "wonderfully drawn". Sara and Dogan have found each other in the most unimaginable places for a love story, but not "wonderfully drawn" - their descriptions and backgrounds are graphic were well done by the author. Michael is a mess and not "wonderfully drawn" - to me Michael is a confused mixture to the overall picture of the novel - from the quiet trout fisherman to the alcoholic. Jimmy & Frankie are described in understandable detail but are not "wonderfully drawn" - a fantastic picture of two aging gangsters realizing there is more to life.
"A beautiful story" - I feel that is a statement that shouldn't be anywhere near this story as there is no beauty in such viciousness, even though the author leaves no doubt in what is happening throughout the story - it's not beautiful.
Fun Read - NOT! If someone thinks this is a fun read they have a different concept of fun then I do. Again, I'm not saying the story didn't keep me interested, it was not a fun read.
More than just "Blood & Coffee" - YES! Rosanne's review made the most sense to me and pointing out these things doesn't take away from how skillful the author has written his story.
A Satisfyingly deep Novel - Not! I can't imagine anyone thinking this story was satisfying - Maintaining your interest throughout the story is more meaningful to me.
Now for my quick summary - JD Mader captures the essence of evil, gave the reader a glimpse of how it must feel to be tied to a chair for an extended period of time and how a mind can protect you under stress, was able to picture how a police officer could discover how inadequate he really was, brings a love story into being in such an odd situation and circumstance, gives a great explanation of aged gangsters, and finally builds an entire story around a beginning - in your face - vicious crime.
Again, I can't tell you to enjoy this book but I can tell you to enjoy the skills the author has shown to put it all together.
One reviewer said, "Wonderfully drawn characters and a beautiful story" - NOT!
The author did give you a complete picture of each of the characters but "wonderfully drawn" would not be the terms I would use to explain them. Nothing about the description of Chet the Psycho is "wonderfully drawn". Sara and Dogan have found each other in the most unimaginable places for a love story, but not "wonderfully drawn" - their descriptions and backgrounds are graphic were well done by the author. Michael is a mess and not "wonderfully drawn" - to me Michael is a confused mixture to the overall picture of the novel - from the quiet trout fisherman to the alcoholic. Jimmy & Frankie are described in understandable detail but are not "wonderfully drawn" - a fantastic picture of two aging gangsters realizing there is more to life.
"A beautiful story" - I feel that is a statement that shouldn't be anywhere near this story as there is no beauty in such viciousness, even though the author leaves no doubt in what is happening throughout the story - it's not beautiful.
Fun Read - NOT! If someone thinks this is a fun read they have a different concept of fun then I do. Again, I'm not saying the story didn't keep me interested, it was not a fun read.
More than just "Blood & Coffee" - YES! Rosanne's review made the most sense to me and pointing out these things doesn't take away from how skillful the author has written his story.
A Satisfyingly deep Novel - Not! I can't imagine anyone thinking this story was satisfying - Maintaining your interest throughout the story is more meaningful to me.
Now for my quick summary - JD Mader captures the essence of evil, gave the reader a glimpse of how it must feel to be tied to a chair for an extended period of time and how a mind can protect you under stress, was able to picture how a police officer could discover how inadequate he really was, brings a love story into being in such an odd situation and circumstance, gives a great explanation of aged gangsters, and finally builds an entire story around a beginning - in your face - vicious crime.
Again, I can't tell you to enjoy this book but I can tell you to enjoy the skills the author has shown to put it all together.
January 28, 2014
This dark gripping story grabs your attention and in seconds you are pulled into the dark suspenseful mystery that is Joe Café. Terrifying doesn't properly describe it. Everything feels real which had my emotions scattered all over the place. It's a clever plot that gave me goosebumps because the storyline was so incredibly believable. The writing is clear and crisp. Not over or under dramatic. Great story telling with a well developed plot and characters that have a realness to them. There are some gut wrenching moments that took my breath away.
Joe Café could be anywhere. Even somewhere close to home.
"It had been a while since Chet had had more than a few hundred dollars to his name. He wanted to be cautious with the money, but he also wanted to live it up. It had been too long since he had touched a woman. The girl in the cafe had awoken something in him. The club was nearly empty, and the fact that Chet was handing out dollar bills like a suburban cop hands out tickets made up for the fact that he was an unappealing,and even frightening, man. It wasn't that he was big. It was the thin black hair. The boyish face. The baby fat. The squinty, shifting eyes. The sarcastic comments that never landed...that came out bitter and mean. Strippers are used to mean, squinty-eyed bastards. They looked at Chet and saw money..."
Joe Café could be anywhere. Even somewhere close to home.
"It had been a while since Chet had had more than a few hundred dollars to his name. He wanted to be cautious with the money, but he also wanted to live it up. It had been too long since he had touched a woman. The girl in the cafe had awoken something in him. The club was nearly empty, and the fact that Chet was handing out dollar bills like a suburban cop hands out tickets made up for the fact that he was an unappealing,and even frightening, man. It wasn't that he was big. It was the thin black hair. The boyish face. The baby fat. The squinty, shifting eyes. The sarcastic comments that never landed...that came out bitter and mean. Strippers are used to mean, squinty-eyed bastards. They looked at Chet and saw money..."
June 13, 2012
Strippers, a psycho killer and true love - how could anyone not like this one?
Joe Café is JD Mader's lightning-paced psychological thriller that grabs and refuses to let go.
The story's success rests with Mader's characters, each as sharply defined as the crack of a 9mm. There's lots of action. There are plenty of plot twists. But Mader keeps his focus tight on the inner workings of the characters themselves, letting the action and plot spring directly from their fears, their dreams, their most secret desires. Chet, Dogan, Sara, Jimmy are troubled souls, each searching for that one person to trust in the aftermath of the killings at Joe Café. And in the end each is either saved or destroyed by his or her trust.
Equally impressive is Mader's ability to coax the reader into feeling compassion for the most twisted criminal. In Mader's capable hands, the psychotic Chet becomes a sympathetic character, as pitiable and as tragic as Lolita's Humbert Humbert.
Hitchcock defined drama as life with all the boring parts cut out. In Joe Café, JD Mader has created drama with nary a boring part to be found. I'm looking forward to reading The Biker, Mader's follow-up novel.
Joe Café is JD Mader's lightning-paced psychological thriller that grabs and refuses to let go.
The story's success rests with Mader's characters, each as sharply defined as the crack of a 9mm. There's lots of action. There are plenty of plot twists. But Mader keeps his focus tight on the inner workings of the characters themselves, letting the action and plot spring directly from their fears, their dreams, their most secret desires. Chet, Dogan, Sara, Jimmy are troubled souls, each searching for that one person to trust in the aftermath of the killings at Joe Café. And in the end each is either saved or destroyed by his or her trust.
Equally impressive is Mader's ability to coax the reader into feeling compassion for the most twisted criminal. In Mader's capable hands, the psychotic Chet becomes a sympathetic character, as pitiable and as tragic as Lolita's Humbert Humbert.
Hitchcock defined drama as life with all the boring parts cut out. In Joe Café, JD Mader has created drama with nary a boring part to be found. I'm looking forward to reading The Biker, Mader's follow-up novel.
August 28, 2011
JOE CAFE hooks you from the start. A compelling story with twisted characters, leading you on a journey you may or may not want to take (though can hardly resist) into their seedy underworld. With an unlikely hero in the end, we are left with a sense of justice after all and a spark of hope for the survivors.
Mader has a way of capturing a character's true psyche through inner monologue and an introspective look into haunting memories. You may not always want to know these secrets, but you'll find yourself turning the page to find out anyway.
While Mader's writing is fluid and fascinating, a few of the characters think so similarly that it becomes difficult to tell them apart at times. The fact that would-be hero and murderous villain sometimes feel like the same person may be Mader's way of pointing out the darkness in us all. I was certainly pleased, or actually relieved, with the justified ending; however, I was left wanting just a bit more in that climactic moment.
Overall, JOE CAFE is a good read that will keep you interested till the very end.
Mader has a way of capturing a character's true psyche through inner monologue and an introspective look into haunting memories. You may not always want to know these secrets, but you'll find yourself turning the page to find out anyway.
While Mader's writing is fluid and fascinating, a few of the characters think so similarly that it becomes difficult to tell them apart at times. The fact that would-be hero and murderous villain sometimes feel like the same person may be Mader's way of pointing out the darkness in us all. I was certainly pleased, or actually relieved, with the justified ending; however, I was left wanting just a bit more in that climactic moment.
Overall, JOE CAFE is a good read that will keep you interested till the very end.
June 5, 2012
Joe Café by J.D. Mader
Joe Café is the establishment where an unspeakable horror occurs one day when four innocents are brutally and inexplicably murdered by Chet Mooney, a complex and intriguing 'bad guy'. The local cop, Michael Butler, is soon out of his depth and it isn't long before the perpetrator continues his vendetta mission, kidnapping a stripper who he intends to injure cruelly before murdering her. Sarah is no ordinary stripper though and soon the underworld is sending out its best man to seek revenge. What follows will keep your pulse racing.
Joe Café is a gritty novel with earthy characters. Mader succeeds in depicting the complexity of man's emotion in his characters and challenges the idea of what is actually 'evil'.
If you like psychological thrillers that keep you on a roller coaster of a ride, then you will love this novel. This reader couldn't put it down and only managed to breath properly again when she reached the end!
Without doubt a worthy five star read.
Joe Café is the establishment where an unspeakable horror occurs one day when four innocents are brutally and inexplicably murdered by Chet Mooney, a complex and intriguing 'bad guy'. The local cop, Michael Butler, is soon out of his depth and it isn't long before the perpetrator continues his vendetta mission, kidnapping a stripper who he intends to injure cruelly before murdering her. Sarah is no ordinary stripper though and soon the underworld is sending out its best man to seek revenge. What follows will keep your pulse racing.
Joe Café is a gritty novel with earthy characters. Mader succeeds in depicting the complexity of man's emotion in his characters and challenges the idea of what is actually 'evil'.
If you like psychological thrillers that keep you on a roller coaster of a ride, then you will love this novel. This reader couldn't put it down and only managed to breath properly again when she reached the end!
Without doubt a worthy five star read.
October 21, 2011
This book captured my attention from the first paragraph. In its first few pages, I was reminded of Richard Russo's writing - nuanced descriptions of people and places, and I loved it. It's rare that one reads a debut novel, and decides very early on that the author is promising enough to desire a second book from him. That's how I felt when I read Joe Cafe. Before the first chapter was over, I wanted to hear more from Mader. He already has a strong literary voice, and I love that in a new author. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars was the whole mobster angle - sometimes that feels tired to me. Still, despite my personal opinion about that detail, the writing is quality, the story is fast-paced, and the writer is talented. Highly recommended. At $3.99 on kindle, it's a steal.* wait, what???! Only 99 cents? People, GO NOW. Download and prosper.
September 16, 2011
JD Mader spins a dark, introspective crime thriller about the nature of evil. Both introspective and suspenseful, this short novel takes the reader into a sordid world of strip clubs, cheap hotels, and mafia hitmen. Gruesome scenes contrast with the beauty of fishing on a tranquil lake. Deep psychological character development stands next to sudden flashes of action. The characters are developed with care--even the mobsters seem like flesh and blood (as opposed to cardboard cutouts). With a few unexpected twists in this upside-down moral universe, Joe Cafe keeps the reader guessing without being trite or glib.
If you're looking for a well-written, powerful crime novel that keeps you thinking, buy Joe Cafe. You won't regret it.
If you're looking for a well-written, powerful crime novel that keeps you thinking, buy Joe Cafe. You won't regret it.
September 17, 2011
If your a fan of the tv show The Soprano's you will like this book with its gritty tale of a massacre in a small town that involves a Viet Nam vet who's crazy and having flashbacks and a last minute kidnapping that involves the mob in trying to find him. The author lets you see the inside of a lot of people in the book which lets you see why they reacted the way they did even if was a bit crazy!
July 9, 2012
The story is very simple. Sara, a stripper, is kidnapped and her boyfriend gets someone to look for her.
The first few chapters are great. I love the writing, bare and simple (my favorite), and the story is gripping. A bit in the story I find passages of the dialogue a bit forced, but I keep on reading and the ending makes it all worth it.
An interesting tale with some interesting writing.
The first few chapters are great. I love the writing, bare and simple (my favorite), and the story is gripping. A bit in the story I find passages of the dialogue a bit forced, but I keep on reading and the ending makes it all worth it.
An interesting tale with some interesting writing.
June 5, 2012
This is a difficult review to write as anything I type doesn't seem to do this story justice ...
More of a fictional crime story than a mystery , Mader's Joe Cafe is hard to put down . The story is somewhat dark , yet really pulls you in . The characters are so life-like . Fast paced , but deep . Amazing how ugly events can impact everyone differently !
More of a fictional crime story than a mystery , Mader's Joe Cafe is hard to put down . The story is somewhat dark , yet really pulls you in . The characters are so life-like . Fast paced , but deep . Amazing how ugly events can impact everyone differently !
July 14, 2012
I would like to give this 5 stars as it is a good read. Sadly there was too many simple spelling & grammatical mistakes & I felt it ended too abruptly. Worth reading.
May 10, 2021
Well, it wasn't bad. It read easily enough, and I could see the strands of the story well enough to make it interesting but I don't think that I understood the characters. A lot of time spent on each main character, but it still felt like an exercise.
The things that bugged me mostly were....
It was a small-town police force and the help left on the morning of the killings. Why were they not replaced? How does one policeman on his own in a department find time to spend all his days fishing, and drinking and generally falling apart. The policeman never did figure out why he was contacted by the psycho and proceeded to drink himself to oblivion. Why was he even in the story?
I was never really sure when the story was based. There were references to Vietnam, and a period of time passing and then reference to a DVD security system. Early 2000's? Not a show stopper, but felt sketchy.
Why did the main villain keep disappearing off to the pub and leaving the victim tied up?
How did he transport the victim from one location to another?
Why not find one location and stay there?
A little convenient at the end. How did the girl escape after having no success in doing so for x number of weeks?
Apart from that, it was ok.
The things that bugged me mostly were....
It was a small-town police force and the help left on the morning of the killings. Why were they not replaced? How does one policeman on his own in a department find time to spend all his days fishing, and drinking and generally falling apart. The policeman never did figure out why he was contacted by the psycho and proceeded to drink himself to oblivion. Why was he even in the story?
I was never really sure when the story was based. There were references to Vietnam, and a period of time passing and then reference to a DVD security system. Early 2000's? Not a show stopper, but felt sketchy.
Why did the main villain keep disappearing off to the pub and leaving the victim tied up?
How did he transport the victim from one location to another?
Why not find one location and stay there?
A little convenient at the end. How did the girl escape after having no success in doing so for x number of weeks?
Apart from that, it was ok.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 29, 2013
Some time ago I wrote a rather light-hearted piece about villains and what made them sexy however being sexy is not the only thing at which villains can excel. They can make us fearful. They can fill us with loathing. And sometimes, sometimes they can make us care.
When I read J.D. Mader's novel 'Joe Cafe' I did not know what to expect, of the story or the characters within it. I knew that Mader wrote well from reading his posts on Indies Unlimited however there is an almighty chasm between a short piece and a novel. What works for one often does not work for the other. I need not have worried. Mader makes the transition from short form to long with an ease that kept me reading when I should have been doing other, more productive things; we almost missed out on dinner entirely on the night 'Joe Cafe' was nearing its conclusion!
In many ways 'Joe Cafe' is a simple story. We learn almost from the beginning that the villain of the piece is a character called Chet. Chet arrives in town and goes to Joe Cafe - and yes the misspelling is deliberate - for a meal. Something upsets him and he murders four people in very horrible ways. Of the four deaths only one is clean and what might be called merciful.
The four deaths tell the police that the murderer is both very good at what he does and emotionally involved but they have no idea who this murderer might be or why he has chosen to kill apparently random targets in a small diner. A short while later the local policeman, Michael, discovers that the murderer knows him and has apparently used these deaths as a form of revenge. The 'why' remains a mystery, at least to Michael, however we, the outsiders looking in, are granted insights into Chet's past that answer the question. For Michael the process of unravelling just continues in confusion.
And then there is a second crime, unrelated to the first except in so far as Chet is the perpetrator. This crime is the abduction of a professional dancer from a strip club. Given Chet's apparent lack of remorse for any of the deaths he has caused the fact that he keeps Sara, the dancer, alive would be strange but for the fact that we already know that he has issues with beautiful women and possibly sex in general.
It was about this point that I started realising that the real protagonist in this psychological thriller was Chet himself. So who is Chet? My first thought was that he was a psychopath and the trail of dead bodies in his past would seem to confirm that guess yet there is something not quite right about that easy definition. The Ted Bundy's of the world are characterised by superficial charm, intelligence and an almost complete lack of empathy. For anyone. Chet does not quite fit this description. Yes, he kills without thought. Yes, he seems to need to kill. And yet, and yet... there is something so broken about him. Is he a pure psychopath or is he something more human, a psychopath 'made' by circumstance?
As I continued reading I came to see that Chet is more 'rogue' than pure psychopath. The distinction between the two is fine, I'll admit, however a rogue is someone who does terrible things because he or she has been pushed too far. In Chet's case the pushing began in childhood with an abusive father, a lack of stability, bullying and a lack of acceptance. It culminated in Vietnam where Chet is taught how to be a true killing machine. Of course Chet does not fight this process. As he says himself, he has always found hatred and 'being bad' to be things that came naturally to him. And so he ends up hating everyone, except for Sara the dancer. She tugs at some small remnant of the man he might have been. He finds that he can't rape her or kill her and so the two of them play a game of cat and mouse until the relationship between them develops into something else, at least for Chet. He is aware of the insanity of feeling this way but he is incapable of stopping himself and so the story continues towards a hopeless ending. Someone is going to have to die. They both know it yet the foolish hope that there may be a way out continues to tease until the moment of confrontation finally arrives and one of them dies.
I do not normally describe a plot in such detail when I review a book but in this instance getting to the climax is the whole purpose of the novel. There is intense beauty in the portrayal of these strange, broken people and the telling becomes more important than the final resolution. Having said that I have to quickly qualify my statement by saying that the resolution completely shocked me because, like Chet, I kept hoping that somehow a miracle would happen.
If you are looking for a comfortable murder mystery then 'Joe Cafe' is not for you. However if you want to look inside the head of a rogue and travel the seedier paths of life for a short while then 'Joe Cafe' will leave you breathless. I honestly don't know whether this novel contained any typos or not because I was so rivetted by the story I simply did not notice such imperfections. I suspect there were no imperfections because the quality of the prose and the attention to craft were both so good.
If I were to make any criticism of the novel at all it would be a wistful wish that it had not ended so abruptly. The character of Michael the policeman was told with great sensitivity yet at the end I felt as if he had been left hanging, just a little. In real life things happen, people are destroyed and there is no tying up of loose threads to give meaning to the destruction. Nonetheless I am naive enough to have wished for just a little more meaning to Michael's pain. Ultimately though Joe Cafe is not a story about Michael or any of the other rather wonderful characters. It is a story about hope and I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in what makes people tick.
When I read J.D. Mader's novel 'Joe Cafe' I did not know what to expect, of the story or the characters within it. I knew that Mader wrote well from reading his posts on Indies Unlimited however there is an almighty chasm between a short piece and a novel. What works for one often does not work for the other. I need not have worried. Mader makes the transition from short form to long with an ease that kept me reading when I should have been doing other, more productive things; we almost missed out on dinner entirely on the night 'Joe Cafe' was nearing its conclusion!
In many ways 'Joe Cafe' is a simple story. We learn almost from the beginning that the villain of the piece is a character called Chet. Chet arrives in town and goes to Joe Cafe - and yes the misspelling is deliberate - for a meal. Something upsets him and he murders four people in very horrible ways. Of the four deaths only one is clean and what might be called merciful.
The four deaths tell the police that the murderer is both very good at what he does and emotionally involved but they have no idea who this murderer might be or why he has chosen to kill apparently random targets in a small diner. A short while later the local policeman, Michael, discovers that the murderer knows him and has apparently used these deaths as a form of revenge. The 'why' remains a mystery, at least to Michael, however we, the outsiders looking in, are granted insights into Chet's past that answer the question. For Michael the process of unravelling just continues in confusion.
And then there is a second crime, unrelated to the first except in so far as Chet is the perpetrator. This crime is the abduction of a professional dancer from a strip club. Given Chet's apparent lack of remorse for any of the deaths he has caused the fact that he keeps Sara, the dancer, alive would be strange but for the fact that we already know that he has issues with beautiful women and possibly sex in general.
It was about this point that I started realising that the real protagonist in this psychological thriller was Chet himself. So who is Chet? My first thought was that he was a psychopath and the trail of dead bodies in his past would seem to confirm that guess yet there is something not quite right about that easy definition. The Ted Bundy's of the world are characterised by superficial charm, intelligence and an almost complete lack of empathy. For anyone. Chet does not quite fit this description. Yes, he kills without thought. Yes, he seems to need to kill. And yet, and yet... there is something so broken about him. Is he a pure psychopath or is he something more human, a psychopath 'made' by circumstance?
As I continued reading I came to see that Chet is more 'rogue' than pure psychopath. The distinction between the two is fine, I'll admit, however a rogue is someone who does terrible things because he or she has been pushed too far. In Chet's case the pushing began in childhood with an abusive father, a lack of stability, bullying and a lack of acceptance. It culminated in Vietnam where Chet is taught how to be a true killing machine. Of course Chet does not fight this process. As he says himself, he has always found hatred and 'being bad' to be things that came naturally to him. And so he ends up hating everyone, except for Sara the dancer. She tugs at some small remnant of the man he might have been. He finds that he can't rape her or kill her and so the two of them play a game of cat and mouse until the relationship between them develops into something else, at least for Chet. He is aware of the insanity of feeling this way but he is incapable of stopping himself and so the story continues towards a hopeless ending. Someone is going to have to die. They both know it yet the foolish hope that there may be a way out continues to tease until the moment of confrontation finally arrives and one of them dies.
I do not normally describe a plot in such detail when I review a book but in this instance getting to the climax is the whole purpose of the novel. There is intense beauty in the portrayal of these strange, broken people and the telling becomes more important than the final resolution. Having said that I have to quickly qualify my statement by saying that the resolution completely shocked me because, like Chet, I kept hoping that somehow a miracle would happen.
If you are looking for a comfortable murder mystery then 'Joe Cafe' is not for you. However if you want to look inside the head of a rogue and travel the seedier paths of life for a short while then 'Joe Cafe' will leave you breathless. I honestly don't know whether this novel contained any typos or not because I was so rivetted by the story I simply did not notice such imperfections. I suspect there were no imperfections because the quality of the prose and the attention to craft were both so good.
If I were to make any criticism of the novel at all it would be a wistful wish that it had not ended so abruptly. The character of Michael the policeman was told with great sensitivity yet at the end I felt as if he had been left hanging, just a little. In real life things happen, people are destroyed and there is no tying up of loose threads to give meaning to the destruction. Nonetheless I am naive enough to have wished for just a little more meaning to Michael's pain. Ultimately though Joe Cafe is not a story about Michael or any of the other rather wonderful characters. It is a story about hope and I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in what makes people tick.
September 15, 2023
2.5⭐️ bumped up to a 3 because some of the writing was really good.
February 27, 2015
What happens when Hoboken is connected with Mayberry RFD by a senseless violent act? JD Mader connects the dots between a homicidal psychopath, a stripper and Andy Griffith in a tale that has all charm of Sinatra being backed up by Chet Atkins singing your favorite Burl Ives songs. You know the songs Burl used to sing about the nature of good and evil? Well, me either. Joe Cafe doesn't answer the question of why it's not Joe's Cafe. Avoids the issue entirely. But it does paint an accurate picture of a small town and the local LEO when a crime occurs that is beyond his depth. You know, like something worse than littering. There is just no way for our version of Barney Fife, er Michael, to understand the connection between such a ruthless killer and his childhood in Mayberry. So Barney spins out of control. He tries trout fishing, but moves on to the harder stuff.
How could a psychopath and stone cold killer ever hope to find true love? Well he makes an effort. Misguided but courageous. You even come to feel sorry for the monster that is Chet. Just a little. But there is little redemption in life, even for the most deserving of us. And Chet is a long way from deserving, at least deserving anything short of a state sanctioned needle in the arm.
If you're looking for a feel good story, Joe Cafe is probably not for you. If dark characters, vivid accounts of action, and a good dose of poetic justice combined with an ironic lack of same - this may be just what you need to cuddle up with to feel all warm and fuzzy. Chet is not as cuddly as Dexter Morgan, nor have the strange moral code. But he is pathetic. It maybe his only likable quality.
Strong language, mature situations and a good dose of dark pathos. Joe Cafe is actually one of the best books I've read this year. It hit all the right chords for me. Realism, honesty and deeply disturbing irony. It holds the reader in it's spell and keeps you reading right through to the end.
How could a psychopath and stone cold killer ever hope to find true love? Well he makes an effort. Misguided but courageous. You even come to feel sorry for the monster that is Chet. Just a little. But there is little redemption in life, even for the most deserving of us. And Chet is a long way from deserving, at least deserving anything short of a state sanctioned needle in the arm.
If you're looking for a feel good story, Joe Cafe is probably not for you. If dark characters, vivid accounts of action, and a good dose of poetic justice combined with an ironic lack of same - this may be just what you need to cuddle up with to feel all warm and fuzzy. Chet is not as cuddly as Dexter Morgan, nor have the strange moral code. But he is pathetic. It maybe his only likable quality.
Strong language, mature situations and a good dose of dark pathos. Joe Cafe is actually one of the best books I've read this year. It hit all the right chords for me. Realism, honesty and deeply disturbing irony. It holds the reader in it's spell and keeps you reading right through to the end.
February 1, 2014
J.D. Mader's "Joe Cafe" is a crime thriller about a psychotic murderer/kidnapper, a small town cop, a strip club owner, a kidnapped stripper/waitress and a host of mafia references that tie it all together.
The story begins with a gruesome murder of four people at Joe Cafe - the Chinese husband and wife owners of the cafe, their most frequent patron and a very unlucky coed. All are needlessly slaughtered by a mentally unstable military veteran out to get the attention of the local police chief.
After the murders, the killer decides to go to a strip club and takes an interest in one of the girls who was nice to him during his visit to the club. He then kidnaps her after her shift is over. Unbeknownst to him, the woman is the girlfriend of the strip club owner who will go to any length to get his girlfriend back and make the kidnapper pay for his mistake.
After the kidnapping, the story takes the reader on a roller-coaster ride of emotions where you feel sorry for the murderer/kidnapper and can almost, just almost like him. You also could almost believe that there is a budding love bond forming between the victim and her kidnapper.
Interspersed between the main story, there are views into what the local police chief is going through after the murders occur in his town (not a pleasant story) and during the hunt for the perpetrator. I do not want to give away too much, so no spoilers here ... You will have to read the book to find out what happens next.
This novel has some very graphic depictions as well as quite a lot of profanity, but that is what makes the story more realistic, compelling and a definite page-turner.
This is not a genre I normally read, but the writing was well done and the story was well thought out. If you like the Sopranos and like a happy ending, you will enjoy this book.
The story begins with a gruesome murder of four people at Joe Cafe - the Chinese husband and wife owners of the cafe, their most frequent patron and a very unlucky coed. All are needlessly slaughtered by a mentally unstable military veteran out to get the attention of the local police chief.
After the murders, the killer decides to go to a strip club and takes an interest in one of the girls who was nice to him during his visit to the club. He then kidnaps her after her shift is over. Unbeknownst to him, the woman is the girlfriend of the strip club owner who will go to any length to get his girlfriend back and make the kidnapper pay for his mistake.
After the kidnapping, the story takes the reader on a roller-coaster ride of emotions where you feel sorry for the murderer/kidnapper and can almost, just almost like him. You also could almost believe that there is a budding love bond forming between the victim and her kidnapper.
Interspersed between the main story, there are views into what the local police chief is going through after the murders occur in his town (not a pleasant story) and during the hunt for the perpetrator. I do not want to give away too much, so no spoilers here ... You will have to read the book to find out what happens next.
This novel has some very graphic depictions as well as quite a lot of profanity, but that is what makes the story more realistic, compelling and a definite page-turner.
This is not a genre I normally read, but the writing was well done and the story was well thought out. If you like the Sopranos and like a happy ending, you will enjoy this book.
April 16, 2012
Hearty. Full-bodied. Sincere. Fiery. Powerful.
No, I’m not talking about an expensive, delicious vintage wine. These are just the attributes that popped into my head when I was reading this novella.
I’ll be honest, a couple of pages in, with already a senseless murder of four people (that’s not a spoiler � it’s in the book’s hook), a hint of doubt fluttered across my mind. However, I needn’t have worried. Not one little bit.
The shocking murder of four innocent people in a much loved café causes a big, headache for policeman, Michael Butler. He has much, much more than a random, heinous, criminal act on his hands. There’s an even bigger nightmare for strip-club owner, Tony, when his pregnant girlfriend is abducted. Now, more than ever he needs to call on a few favours from his mobster friends, Jimmie and Frankie.
This novella is small, but very, very mighty. Each and every one of the diverse characters, thoughtfully and carefully conceived, draw you right to their very core. Mader gives depth to each one. Peel back the alcoholic, violent, deprived (and depraved) layers and you’ll find yourself with a glimmer of sympathy for some of these ‘lost� and wayward souls. Each one - from the troubled fisherman policeman, Michael, and Sara, the gentle, level-headed girlfriend to the ex-army and unscrupulous killer - stay with you well after the last page.
Excellent, compelling, and very well-written. If it’s not already, put this on your priority TBR.
No, I’m not talking about an expensive, delicious vintage wine. These are just the attributes that popped into my head when I was reading this novella.
I’ll be honest, a couple of pages in, with already a senseless murder of four people (that’s not a spoiler � it’s in the book’s hook), a hint of doubt fluttered across my mind. However, I needn’t have worried. Not one little bit.
The shocking murder of four innocent people in a much loved café causes a big, headache for policeman, Michael Butler. He has much, much more than a random, heinous, criminal act on his hands. There’s an even bigger nightmare for strip-club owner, Tony, when his pregnant girlfriend is abducted. Now, more than ever he needs to call on a few favours from his mobster friends, Jimmie and Frankie.
This novella is small, but very, very mighty. Each and every one of the diverse characters, thoughtfully and carefully conceived, draw you right to their very core. Mader gives depth to each one. Peel back the alcoholic, violent, deprived (and depraved) layers and you’ll find yourself with a glimmer of sympathy for some of these ‘lost� and wayward souls. Each one - from the troubled fisherman policeman, Michael, and Sara, the gentle, level-headed girlfriend to the ex-army and unscrupulous killer - stay with you well after the last page.
Excellent, compelling, and very well-written. If it’s not already, put this on your priority TBR.
March 16, 2012
This is a great first book by an indie author about people who are thrust into a very bad situation and how they handle it and themselves. I liked the story line, it flowed smoothly and moved forward at a nice pace. It definitely made me wonder what I would do in that kind of situation; I'd probably do the same thing.
I feel this book could have been a bit longer, the characters fleshed out a bit more. I wasn't sure who the main characters were out of -- Michael, Chet, Sara, Dogan, Jimmy and Frankie -- I cared about Michael, Sara and Chet thought he was the kind of person most people hate and for good reason, but the book should have been longer for me to really care and see how the others grew from the bad situation they were put in. I wanted to care more for Michael and know what happened to him at the end. I didn't get a sense of how Dogan grew from the experience of having his girlfriend kidnapped and what he went through. How did it really affect him? Though I cared for Sara and felt for what she was going through, I really wanted to know about how she felt about what she had to do at the end.
There were some very small, minor grammar/editing issues that beta readers could probably have caught, but overall I give this book 4.5 stars for a first book that did keep my attention and I wanted to know what happened all the way to the end.
I feel this book could have been a bit longer, the characters fleshed out a bit more. I wasn't sure who the main characters were out of -- Michael, Chet, Sara, Dogan, Jimmy and Frankie -- I cared about Michael, Sara and Chet thought he was the kind of person most people hate and for good reason, but the book should have been longer for me to really care and see how the others grew from the bad situation they were put in. I wanted to care more for Michael and know what happened to him at the end. I didn't get a sense of how Dogan grew from the experience of having his girlfriend kidnapped and what he went through. How did it really affect him? Though I cared for Sara and felt for what she was going through, I really wanted to know about how she felt about what she had to do at the end.
There were some very small, minor grammar/editing issues that beta readers could probably have caught, but overall I give this book 4.5 stars for a first book that did keep my attention and I wanted to know what happened all the way to the end.
April 20, 2012
Just brilliant.
Joe Cafe is not a mystery at all, and not precisely a thriller. It could be called a crime story, but I'm going to say it's a consequence story. Mader follows a murderer and several people who are impacted by the crime. The story is sparse on dialogue, but the narrative is stunning, with a poet's attention to language, a symphony of themes, and a gift for depicting troubled minds that echoes either a background in abnormal psychology, or a very interesting childhood.
There are some lessons for writers worked in. Listen to the use of symbols. Take special note of how viewpoint shifts are used as an emotional tool, sometimes punctuating the break between scenes, sometimes a staccato flurry working like a filmmaker's jump cuts. (Knowing the rules lets you understand how to break them.) The book is short, but nothing is left unsaid.
A few hiccups made it past line editing, but nothing deafening. Mader's writing voice, and efficient storytelling more than compensate for the typos and sparse dialogue. This is powerful, thought-provoking stuff. Get a foretaste at his blog (jdmader.com), and then dig in.
Joe Cafe is not a mystery at all, and not precisely a thriller. It could be called a crime story, but I'm going to say it's a consequence story. Mader follows a murderer and several people who are impacted by the crime. The story is sparse on dialogue, but the narrative is stunning, with a poet's attention to language, a symphony of themes, and a gift for depicting troubled minds that echoes either a background in abnormal psychology, or a very interesting childhood.
There are some lessons for writers worked in. Listen to the use of symbols. Take special note of how viewpoint shifts are used as an emotional tool, sometimes punctuating the break between scenes, sometimes a staccato flurry working like a filmmaker's jump cuts. (Knowing the rules lets you understand how to break them.) The book is short, but nothing is left unsaid.
A few hiccups made it past line editing, but nothing deafening. Mader's writing voice, and efficient storytelling more than compensate for the typos and sparse dialogue. This is powerful, thought-provoking stuff. Get a foretaste at his blog (jdmader.com), and then dig in.
July 26, 2014
This is a six-handed tale set in a hard-boiled fictional contemporary world. The characters are gritty, real and well drawn, the author finding humanity enough in each of them that you could imagine any of them being the lead character. Mader keeps the reader guessing, writing each of the six primary characters so well that you’re spoilt for choice when deciding who to root for. There’s crime and punishment, brutality and honour and a surprise ending that will reward the reader who tries to second-guess the writer, making this a satisfying but unpredictable read.
The writer has a wicked sense of humour, uses dialogue and setting deftly and has a hyper-real writing style that pulls you deep into this world, rooting for the story’s victims at the same time as you’re understanding and feeling for its villain.
An exceptional read and whole-heartedly recommended.
The writer has a wicked sense of humour, uses dialogue and setting deftly and has a hyper-real writing style that pulls you deep into this world, rooting for the story’s victims at the same time as you’re understanding and feeling for its villain.
An exceptional read and whole-heartedly recommended.
September 16, 2011
This book really pulls the reader into it. The characters are very "multidimensional", something I find very appealing. Even the more gritty characters are more than just gritty. I found myself caring about these people.
It is an intense story about intense people, but we see their fears, their inner "scared child", if you will. There is also the flip side - the not so intense people with inner strength.
It is a very well written book that is intriguing, and combines a gritty harshness with a surprisingly refreshing humanness.
It is an intense story about intense people, but we see their fears, their inner "scared child", if you will. There is also the flip side - the not so intense people with inner strength.
It is a very well written book that is intriguing, and combines a gritty harshness with a surprisingly refreshing humanness.
July 5, 2015
Two stars
I gave this book two stars because I was completely turned off by the foul talk. I felt that the police character was a waste of text. He played no active role in the investigation of the highlighted crime. The characterization of the bad guy was boring. I only liked the kidnapping character.
I gave this book two stars because I was completely turned off by the foul talk. I felt that the police character was a waste of text. He played no active role in the investigation of the highlighted crime. The characterization of the bad guy was boring. I only liked the kidnapping character.
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