It’s All in the Mind!
Review by Ronica Wahi
The Storm Within
By Gill D. Anderson
First published: February 27, 2025, InHouse Publishing.
Kindle Edition Pages: 248.
ASIN: B0DYRTQBGD
Gill D. Anderson is splendidly skilled at understanding and laying bare human psychology and motivations. The Storm Within, Anderson’s latest, has an interesting, widely-different-from-each-other set of characters; the differences stem from their backgrounds and professions, of course, as also from the way these characters perceive and react to their situations, experiences, and traumas. The way Anderson dwells on the thought processes and the inclinations of her varied characters ensures that the characters leave an impact – whether positive or negative - and provides insights into the workings of the human mind.
And these insights can be enlightening or terrifying. In fact, the novel itself – like Anderson’s 2021 thriller Primed for Vengeance – is terrifying. It is so not just in terms of how swiftly things can take an ugly turn, but also in terms of the realization of how evil can lurk in the recesses of the minds of people who appear harmless and of how the storm within a person’s mind can be as acutely devastating as a storm in turbulent waters of seas and oceans.
What accentuates the sense the reader gets of the uncertainty of life and the terror that comes with such realization is the choice of the setting. The story unfolds onboard a luxury cruise ship – with all the variety, the drama, the enjoyment and distractions it offers, alongside a separation from the world and from the worries and monotony of routine life. In such a setting, a murder in cold blood is the cruel bursting of this transient bubble of apparent happiness and carefree relaxation; apparent as the reader learns – both before and after the murder – that those on the luxury cruise are not all happy or carefree or without mental demons. In terms of the tragedy and the dynamics of the handling of the crime, the setting is employed well. Yet, there was scope for better exploring the ship setting to make it even more forceful and impactful.
The Storm Within makes use of the long-been-popular trope of several suspects, each with a possible motive. There is a long build-up and multiple red herrings, but the culprit is not entirely unguessable. The investigation itself does not grab too big a bite from the pie. For Anderson’s intention is clearly not in prolonging the revelation of the culprit. It is in laying bare why the murder took place. And Anderson is a champion at answering the why. It is needless to say, nevertheless it is said here: the title is apt.
Importantly, though the characters may judge, the narrative moves forth sans judgment, providing – as already mentioned - glimpses into the inner world of the darkest characters. The narrative is simply informing the reader – not justifying or condemning – of the motivations for the actions of the characters. This aspect of a lack of vilifying judgment heightens the terror of the tale.
The narrative flows fast and smooth, pulling the reader in right from the start and keeping him/her eager to know how the tale would unfold. Crisper editing though could have done away with the minor errors – typos, missing punctuation marks, and a couple of incomplete sentences. Overall, it’s an engaging, thrilling read. Recommended!
Be sure to order The Storm Within today.
Amazon link (Kindle): https://amzn.to/41nqm4C
Do check out reviews on Gill D. Anderson’s other works:
Melita
Amazon link (Kindle): https://amzn.to/3zOi1aq
Primed for Vengeance
Amazon link (Kindle): https://amzn.to/2WMTWCE
Do watch Gill D. Anderson talk of how she shapes her novels, what is her approach to writing, and why Primed for Vengeance is the closest to her heart among all her novels:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2bhnD9NKdM
DISCLAIMER: Ronica Wahi is a participant in the Amazon Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon. If you make a purchase through any of the Amazon links provided by Ronica here, she may receive a small commission, without any extra cost to you.
This is a wonderful review, written so beautifully!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much! :)
DeleteThankyou Ronica for your articulate and thoughtful review of The Storm Within. I truly appreciate the care and intelligence you bring into your reviews. It means a great deal to see the story reflected on with such depth and insight. It is important for any readers of your blog to note that Ronica did not read the final polished version available on amazon, hence the noted minor errors.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Gill! :) I read and reviewed the version that was shared with me by you. If there is indeed a better edited version available, that's great!
Delete