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Personal Demons: Book One in the Jake Helman Files Series (The Jake Helman Files #1)
by
Gregory Lamberson (Goodreads Author)
Jake Helman, an elite member of the New York Special Homicide Task Force, faces what every cop dreads--an elusive serial killer. While investigating a series of bloodletting sacrifice rituals executed by an ominous perpetrator known as the Cipher, Jake refuses to submit to a drug test and resigns from the police department. While battling a cocaine addiction, Jake starts a...more
ebook, 400 pages
Published
October 1st 2009
by Medallion Press
(first published 2002)
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625)
Oct 14, 2009
Rhonda
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
reviewed,
kindle-books
Gregory Lamberson's new series, The Jake Helman Files, starts off with a detailed scene showing readers how the book's serial killer, The Cipher, operates. Readers are then introduced to the series' main character, Jake Helman, who works for the New York Special Homicide Task Force. After killing two men shortly into the book, Helman is required to take a drug test. Instead of following orders, Helman decides to take more drastic measures and quits. Less than 48 hours later, Helman receives a ph...more
Personal Demons is not what I expected. After reading the abstract and deciding to buy it, I thought I was heading for something dark and atmospheric with hints of the supernatural.
Dark? Certainly.
Atomospheric? Sure.
Hints of the supernatural? Nope - truck loads of it!
This novel goes way over the top with the pseudo-scientific, supernatural, action-gore, but I loved the premise and the book delivered it in a style that took me straight back to days of sitting and eating popcorn watching The Evil...more
Dark? Certainly.
Atomospheric? Sure.
Hints of the supernatural? Nope - truck loads of it!
This novel goes way over the top with the pseudo-scientific, supernatural, action-gore, but I loved the premise and the book delivered it in a style that took me straight back to days of sitting and eating popcorn watching The Evil...more
Personal Demons was a good fun read. The prose is to-the-point and Lamberson does not waste any space with unnecessary wording. The action scenes in the book were well thought out and kept the pace rolling along. THe supernatural/horror element of the novel was well done and never got too over the top or unbelievable, though I did think that Jake just accepted all the supernatural stuff a little bit too easily. I know if I was in that situation I would be questioning my sanity.
Jake Helman was a...more
Jake Helman was a...more
After having read all of Stephen King and Clive Barker's work over 15 years ago, I had pretty much given up on the horror genre. I tried numerous "more modern" horror authors in the late 90's only to continue to find the same old stories constantly rewritten with new character names. Along came Toronto's fan expo this year, and I chanced a meeting with Greg at the event. I took home a single promo chapter from his table and found myself taking pleasure once again in the horror genre. An amazing...more
This book was really great! I definetly recommend it for fans of Dean Koontz because for some reason while reading it, I felt like I was reading Koontz who's one of my favorite authors. It was a great creepy book to read for the month of October. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars was because it didn't completely blow me away. I did read it in about a day and a half because it did keep my attention and make me want more. I cannot wait to start the rest of the series!
Personal Demons haiku
"Where's Old Nick?" you ask.
The Tower masks his quest for
Immortality.
I enjoyed this book quite a bit and really admired its ambition. It was impressive that Lamberson was able to include so many plot elements and have them all work together and make sense. (view spoiler)...more
"Where's Old Nick?" you ask.
The Tower masks his quest for
Immortality.
I enjoyed this book quite a bit and really admired its ambition. It was impressive that Lamberson was able to include so many plot elements and have them all work together and make sense. (view spoiler)...more
I am not going to do a full review for this one, but since I am going to do a full review for the 4th book I do want to do a quick review for each of the books leading up to it. Mr. Lamberson was kind enough to send me all 4 books in this series and I have to say that I quite enjoyed them!
This is a great way to set up a series and it introduces several characters that will re-occur throughout the other books as the series progresses. I love the character of Jake Helman and I think that he makes...more
This is a great way to set up a series and it introduces several characters that will re-occur throughout the other books as the series progresses. I love the character of Jake Helman and I think that he makes...more
I remember first seeing the name Gregory Lamberson when I saw an ad for the DVD of "Slime City" back in 2006 in an issue of Fangoria. The movie looked pretty cool, but at the time I had no source of income like I(Barely) do today. I continued seeing his name throughout the many years I read Fangoria and in 2011 I decided that I would give one of his books a try. They looked good, dark and gritty with the promise of a ton of splatter that would soak my retinas and infect my brain. Having read the...more
Angel's Adjectives: terrifying and twisty
A Bram Stoker Award nominee, Greg Lamberson is making his mark as one of horror's new forces. This is his second novel and the first in the Jake Hellman series (of which the second book is also out). It introduces coke-snorting police detective Jake Helman, a man whose life goes from Not Too Bad at the beginning to Complete and Utter Shit by the end of the book. At every turn, Lamberson turns the thumb screws on his poor protagonist. It's like watching a...more
A Bram Stoker Award nominee, Greg Lamberson is making his mark as one of horror's new forces. This is his second novel and the first in the Jake Hellman series (of which the second book is also out). It introduces coke-snorting police detective Jake Helman, a man whose life goes from Not Too Bad at the beginning to Complete and Utter Shit by the end of the book. At every turn, Lamberson turns the thumb screws on his poor protagonist. It's like watching a...more
2.5. Jake Helman, a cocaine-addicted homicide detective following the trail of a serial killer gets hired as the top security officer by the DNA/Genetics corporation Tower International after being forced to leave the police force. What Jake discovers about Tower International goes far beyond any nightmare he could ever have imagined. DNA, cloning, heaven, hell, demons...I would have preferred the story to get less into the heaven/hell/demon realm, but that's just me.
A disgraced New York City Homicide Detective with an alcohol and cocaine problem is on the case of a serial killer known as The Cipher.
A reclusive billionaire has plans to sell genetic mutations to the highest bidder and sell out human souls for an even greater price in his quest for immortality.
Tack on an Angel and Demon who are fighting for the Light and Dark and a genetically engineered women bent on serving the billionaire and the sh*t gets very serious, very fast. Heaven and Hell clash in...more
A reclusive billionaire has plans to sell genetic mutations to the highest bidder and sell out human souls for an even greater price in his quest for immortality.
Tack on an Angel and Demon who are fighting for the Light and Dark and a genetically engineered women bent on serving the billionaire and the sh*t gets very serious, very fast. Heaven and Hell clash in...more
I expect a lot more to have been done with the Heaven/Hell and how the hot issue of genetic manipulation and cloning relates to it. While the story was pretty good, and I can't recall any slow parts, it almost feels as if the author was playing it.....safe? As if he was afraid to explore the heaven and hell relationship with advances in science. Good book, but could have been great.
I really did not know where this one was going to go, yet it looked interesting enough, so I gave it a go. So what is it? I guess you could call this one a contest between good and evil. The main character, Jake Helman, is a detective with the NYPD until he finds himself stepping in the proverbial pile of dung. He gets an offer for employment and soon finds himself in the middle of a battle of good versus evil as old as Cain vs. Abel, literally. This book was enough to entice me and I hope as th...more
This was an entertaining read and I loved how freaky Kira was and the whole Tower and souls deal! The only thing I had a hard time wrapping my head around was when the people died how could they be seen walking around and asking for their souls back? That was never explained and I just had a hard time with it. All in all a great ride!
this was a freebe from Nook. I guess it wasn't what I was expecting because I don't often read very dark, creepy books and this one really is. It's a murder mystery that gets very personal and gruesome. If you like that type of stuff, this one is really well written with lots of surprises
This is a very good book. It blends mythology, a serial killer and just plain excitement very well. I am so impressed that I am going to hunt out more books by this author. This book captivated me from beginning to end and I can hardly wait to read the next installment. This is a breath of fresh air for the horror genre. Highly reccomended. 5 stars easily.
After reading the back of the book jacket, I thought this book sounded intriguing; hopeful for a good, scary read. Boy was I wrong. It started off not to bad with the killer but then there wasn't much about him till about two-thirds of the way in. It took only one day after Jake getting a new job at the Towers that he discovered the "horrors". Give me a break! The horrors were a joke. It didn't make any sense. The plot was so unbelievable and so were the other characters thrown into the mix. It...more
Very imaginative. Really makes you think about what could be going on that only a select few know about.
Entertaining. What I'd consider a "beach read".
ummm, yehh. I enjoyed the serial killer action at the beginning and the idea of a cop addicted to cocaine. However, then the book delved into the peculiar, but unfortunately weird and confusing paranormal. Sure, I'm accustomed to suspending my disbelief, but it's like the second 3rd of the book is a different one. The addiction theme was abandoned, the serial killing is not addressed...and tell me, what kind of addict can just quit cold turkey from a cocaine addiction?
Gregory Lamberson writes for horror fans because he clearly is one and respects them. He masterfully includes all the elements we as fans have come to love with a reverence and respect. Jake Helman’s Personal Demons is a terrific read. I highly recommend it to anyone who is searching for characters with heart, thrown into all the genre trappings we love.
Full review at
http://wherethedeadfeartotread.blogsp...
Full review at
http://wherethedeadfeartotread.blogsp...
Small cuts open flesh.
Nerve endings sending pain.
Life leaks through open fingers.
The killer is insane.
He likes when you fight,
bite,
squeal,
and kick.
He wants you to suffer.
Don't die too quick.
And as your life does leave you.
Pray for your soul.
He's come to steal it.
For that is his goal.
by Nikki
2 1/2 STARS
A semi-solid read that's a little unbelievable and b-movies-ish, but does entertain. Don't know if I'll read another.
Nerve endings sending pain.
Life leaks through open fingers.
The killer is insane.
He likes when you fight,
bite,
squeal,
and kick.
He wants you to suffer.
Don't die too quick.
And as your life does leave you.
Pray for your soul.
He's come to steal it.
For that is his goal.
by Nikki
2 1/2 STARS
A semi-solid read that's a little unbelievable and b-movies-ish, but does entertain. Don't know if I'll read another.
10 stars??? This book was A-mazing! It took so many turns I wasn't expecting! It lead me to pull for one person, then another, then to stop and reread because I thought 'I really didn't read that...'!!
My 18 year old son tried to take it away and read it, I gave him a different book and told him to keep his hands off my book. Now what do I do? I need more Jake!!! I know there are at least 2 more books....
Thank you Goodreads!
My 18 year old son tried to take it away and read it, I gave him a different book and told him to keep his hands off my book. Now what do I do? I need more Jake!!! I know there are at least 2 more books....
Thank you Goodreads!
Something pretty good for the horror genre. Never read this author before, and liked his style. Another series to sink my teeth into. Got the next one on order from the library.
Sep 14, 2011
Alexis
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Mature Audiences
This book rarely has a dry moment. I enjoyed the in depth detail that the writer had gone into. It was a wonderful book to read and it had me hooked from day one. Being a wonderful book that it is I would warn however this book is not for the light of heart and for mature audiences due to some of the graphic scenes depicted in the story. However it is still a wonderful story!
Fun, fast, exciting read. And, just great. Now I have ANOTHER character to follow whose name begins with a J....
I picked this book up at a library book sale and was not expecting that much from it. I was pleasantly surprised at how this book turned out, as I really like this type of stories which is the paranormal investigator type. I am definitely going to search for the next in the series as I want to see what happens next to Jake Helman.
Gregory's novel started out as quite the thriller - catching a malicious serial killer. About halfway through it turned into the horror I presumed it would be. The paranormal comes into play and all hell breaks lose, literally. Can't wait to see what Jack Helman faces in his next book (although I think it might be zombies!)
I enjoyed the book. There were a few gripes that I had with the plot, but overall the author kept my suspension of disbelief throughout the novel.
I'm deducting a star for the numerous formatting errors that occur throughout the digital edition. Harsh perhaps, but Medallion could have done better.
I'm deducting a star for the numerous formatting errors that occur throughout the digital edition. Harsh perhaps, but Medallion could have done better.
The story begins as most murder mysteries do, but then takes quite an unpredictable turn - a turn replete with genetically manipulated monsters and visits from Biblical creatures. Personal Demons is different than most books I usually enjoy, but it was kind of fun to read!
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Gregory Lamberson is an author and filmmaker who specializes in horror entertainment. He is a two time winner of the IPPY Gold Medal for Horror and a three time Bram Stoker Award finalist. Fangoria magazine called him "the hardest working man in horror."
Lamberson is the author of two ongoing supernatural action series, "The Jake Helman Files" (PERSONAL DEMONS, DESPERATE SOULS, COSMIC FORCES and TO...more
More about Gregory Lamberson...
Lamberson is the author of two ongoing supernatural action series, "The Jake Helman Files" (PERSONAL DEMONS, DESPERATE SOULS, COSMIC FORCES and TO...more
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