A razor-sharp debut that reveals how one woman can go so far off the deep end, she might never make it back up.
Sam James has spent years carefully crafting her reputation as the best psychologist at Typhlos, Manhattan's most challenging psychiatric institution. She believes if she can't save herself, she'll save someone else. It's this savior complex that serves her well in helping patients battle their inner demons, though it leads Sam down some dark paths and opens her eyes to her own mental turmoil.
When Richard, a mysterious patient no other therapist wants to treat, is admitted to Typhlos, Sam is determined to unlock his secrets and his psyche. But she can't figure out why Richard appears to be so normal in a hospital filled with madness. As Sam gets pulled into Richard's twisted past, she can't help but analyze her own life, and what she discovers terrifies her. And so the mind games begin. But who is the savior and who is the saved?
In this unexpected and addictive psychological debut, A. F. Brady takes listeners into the psyche of a deeply disturbed woman desperately trying to keep her head above water, showing that sometimes what's most terrifying is what exists in your mind.
About the Author :
A.F. Brady is a New York State Licensed Mental Health Counselor/Psychotherapist. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from Brown University and two Masters degrees in Psychological Counseling from Columbia University. She is a life-long New Yorker, and resides in Manhattan with her husband and their family. The Blind is her first novel. Kate Zane hails from Mystic, Connecticut. She has narrated the work of several popular authors, including C. F. Bentley, Sharon Lynn Fisher, Carla Cassidy, and Belle Aurora.
Review :
"A propulsive, compelling debut. The main character, Sam, is complex, damaged and sympathetic. You won't soon forget this gripping psychological read."
-- "A. J. Banner, author of The Good Neighbor and The Twilight Wife"
"A suspenseful look at our weaknesses and ability to forgive."
-- "Booklist"
"Brady's entertaining debut is told in the wry voice of Sam, who uses black humor to hide an undercurrent of pain...A satisfying, darkly funny tale of redemption."
-- "Kirkus Reviews"
"Complex, intricately plotted...This psychological thriller grabs the reader and doesn't let go until the truth about Richard's past is finally revealed."
-- "Publishers Weekly"
"Fast-paced, riveting...Brilliant character study and superior writing make this an outstanding debut."
-- "Library Journal (starred review)"
"In The Blind, A.F. Brady creates a fascinating character study. Is Sam James losing her grip on reality, infected by the mental patients she works so hard to help? Or is she the author of her own madness: a self-destructive combination of too much alcohol, an abusive relationship, and a murky past? As things fall apart, a new patient might just be the one to save her. Or is he the author of her misfortune? A page-turner that had me holding my breath until the last page."
-- "Catherine McKenzie, author of Hidden and Fractured"
"Madness is at the heart of A.F. Brady's gritty, gripping The Blind, in which a psychologist navigates her own inner demons while attempting to care for her patients...with devastating results. The reader gets a front-row seat for her unraveling, which unfolds like a slow-motion train wreck-one where you can't look away. Sly, dark, and completely enthralling, The Blind is a knockout debut."
-- "Kimberly Belle, author of The Marriage Lie"
"Reading A.F Brady's The Blind is like watching a trapeze on the sharpest of edges. Moment for moment, we follow psychologist Sam James as she navigates madness: both her patients and her own. We see her try, with increasing dereliction, to repair her patients' lives as her own life collapses around her. We watch as this character unravels, with potentially tragic results. Smart, raw and intense, this is a nail-biting debut."
-- "Anna Snoekstra, author of Only Daughter"
"Sometimes stark and often startling, The Blind asks important questions about the arbitrary lines we draw between the sane and 'crazy' members of our society. Along the way, this quick-paced debut novel pulls its reader into a web of deceit, recrimination, and ultimately, redemption."
-- "Miranda Beverly-Whittemore, New York Times bestselling author"
