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Shrink Rapt
Psychologist April Simon finds her career and life on the line after the murder of her arrogant department chairman. When four of her patients, all subjects in the late psychiatrist's research, begin to violently unravel, April tries to solve the riddle of their transformation. Her quest alarms the killer. Will she be next? So many of her colleagues, she discovers, had reason to kill the chairman. Who can she trust, when no one is what they seem?
395 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2014
About the author
Freda Hansburg
27 books35 followersFreda Hansburg is a psychologist and psychological suspense author. Her novels include Suffer Little Children - 2022 Independent Press Award Winner and 2021 NYC Big Book Award Distinguished Favorite for Suspense, Tell on You - 2020 Independent Press Award Winner for Psychological Thriller, 2019 New York City Big Book Award Winner for Suspense and 2019 Next Generation Indie Book Award Thriller Finalist, and the mystery thriller Shrink Rapt.
Freda is also co-author with Mel Silberman of PeopleSmart: Developing Your Interpersonal Intelligence - a bestseller translated into a dozen languages - and Working PeopleSmart.
Freda has the good fortune to live on beautiful Hilton Head Island, where she can soothe her wild imagination by sitting on her dock watching dolphins and pelicans fishing on the intracoastal waterway. An avid Pickleball player, Freda has spent her entire adult life being mistaken for Carol Burnett.
Freda is also co-author with Mel Silberman of PeopleSmart: Developing Your Interpersonal Intelligence - a bestseller translated into a dozen languages - and Working PeopleSmart.
Freda has the good fortune to live on beautiful Hilton Head Island, where she can soothe her wild imagination by sitting on her dock watching dolphins and pelicans fishing on the intracoastal waterway. An avid Pickleball player, Freda has spent her entire adult life being mistaken for Carol Burnett.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
December 8, 2014
I fell in love with this cover when I did a cover reveal for the author and was so excited to get the chance to read it for this blog tour. The description and the mystery the cover eludes to just grabbed at my attention. And the story ... captivated my attention from start to finish. There are a lot of characters (all of which I found interesting in one way or another) and a lot going on so make sure you pay attention because everything that the author writes about is written about for a specific reason. It was fun trying to see if I could figure out who was the bad guy, "collecting clues" (I had a teacher who told me once that everything she put on the board was for a reason and when I read stories, I think of her and wonder if the stuff that is pointed out - you know, the little things - are things she would have put on the board) and I like how the author gives you little pieces of information before they happen, which I found encouraged me more to let out my inner-Poirot. An awesome book, one that could be in the running for favorite reads this year. I recommend to anyone who is interested in mysteries and thrillers.
Note: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
Note: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
April 10, 2020
First, I want to thank Freda Hansburg for providing me with this book so I may bring you this review.
Shrink Rapt by Freda Hansburg was just the medical thriller/suspense book that I have been craving to read.
Right from the beginning Freda caught my attention with the pharmaceutical medical trial the main character. If you know me I am fascinated with the medical field and used to be in it. So, I love reading medical thrillers. I can comprehend the medical terminology and procedures that are listed in the books-where others may not.
I just had to laugh at the part of the book when Freda talks about Go Cupid. I wondered if she meant OK Cupid which is a similar dating site that she mentioned. I admit I tried that site out and it was a joke. I fully agree that all those questions are way too much!
I found it quite comical that she named her tabby cats Boris and Natasha.
I found the session with Lowell Morgenstern had with his patient Tyrell Johnson when he was on the medication Pacifil very fascinating. It made me more interested in the story and wonder what this drug was honestly doing to the patients.
The patients you meet in this book will just blow your mind. Like one of them had multiple personality disorder with 26 alters. Now that is someone who would be fascinating to talk to. Freda came up with some very unique characters that I have never read about in previous books. It made for a very interesting yet sometimes disturbing read.
Freda brought up a very important topic in this book. She wrote in a storyline about a survivors group. It was about trauma dealing with physical and sexual abuse. There were four patients who had different stories to tell. Each so different and unique than the ones you are used to hearing. Many of them I wanted to reach out and hug because I felt empathy for what they went through.
Even though this is a short book it does not lack an incredible story that keeps your attention.
Shrink Rapt by Freda Hansburg was just the medical thriller/suspense book that I have been craving to read.
Right from the beginning Freda caught my attention with the pharmaceutical medical trial the main character. If you know me I am fascinated with the medical field and used to be in it. So, I love reading medical thrillers. I can comprehend the medical terminology and procedures that are listed in the books-where others may not.
I just had to laugh at the part of the book when Freda talks about Go Cupid. I wondered if she meant OK Cupid which is a similar dating site that she mentioned. I admit I tried that site out and it was a joke. I fully agree that all those questions are way too much!
I found it quite comical that she named her tabby cats Boris and Natasha.
I found the session with Lowell Morgenstern had with his patient Tyrell Johnson when he was on the medication Pacifil very fascinating. It made me more interested in the story and wonder what this drug was honestly doing to the patients.
The patients you meet in this book will just blow your mind. Like one of them had multiple personality disorder with 26 alters. Now that is someone who would be fascinating to talk to. Freda came up with some very unique characters that I have never read about in previous books. It made for a very interesting yet sometimes disturbing read.
Freda brought up a very important topic in this book. She wrote in a storyline about a survivors group. It was about trauma dealing with physical and sexual abuse. There were four patients who had different stories to tell. Each so different and unique than the ones you are used to hearing. Many of them I wanted to reach out and hug because I felt empathy for what they went through.
Even though this is a short book it does not lack an incredible story that keeps your attention.
September 16, 2020
Shrink Rapt is a dark fiction mystery novel written about the treatments associated with mental disorders. The story begins with the director of psychiatry, Lowell, being murdered. Since he was very arrogant and didn’t leave much of a fan base, the list of suspects isn’t short. Besides, the patients he was working on before his death also fall ill, and that creates more chaos and havoc.
The thrilling story was sometimes humorous as well as exciting to read. I didn’t want to put the book down. The psychological exploration of the whole cast was a particular aspect of the book that I really enjoyed.
The ending of the book was also a pleasant surprise. The complexity of the thriller with the added romantic notion created an amusing story. The tale’s message is about betrayal, love, trust and the underlying issue of drug testing.
April, the psychologist and Sam, the detective worked well together. Sam seeks her help in solving the mystery. I particularly enjoyed the fact that although she would try to rely on Sam when problems arose, but mostly, she counted on herself and her abilities to conquer the issue.
I would recommend this story to anyone who likes to read murder mysteries and enjoys exciting endings.
The thrilling story was sometimes humorous as well as exciting to read. I didn’t want to put the book down. The psychological exploration of the whole cast was a particular aspect of the book that I really enjoyed.
The ending of the book was also a pleasant surprise. The complexity of the thriller with the added romantic notion created an amusing story. The tale’s message is about betrayal, love, trust and the underlying issue of drug testing.
April, the psychologist and Sam, the detective worked well together. Sam seeks her help in solving the mystery. I particularly enjoyed the fact that although she would try to rely on Sam when problems arose, but mostly, she counted on herself and her abilities to conquer the issue.
I would recommend this story to anyone who likes to read murder mysteries and enjoys exciting endings.
April 9, 2015
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, and I was pleasantly surprised by it! I picked it up to read as I was in the middle of a reading slump. I have read around 10 books this week, and I felt pretty ambivalent about all of them. So I was looking for something to break me out of the doldrums. And, believe me, I was skeptical when I picked this one up. It's not the typical book that I review - I usually stay within the romance genre.
So color me surprised that this was an engaging read that I finished in one sitting, and kept me up until 1am. This book reminded me of False Memory by Dean Koontz... it might be because that was the only other "psychology-based" psychological thriller that I have read - but I enjoyed them both very much.
In this story, the murder victim is a psychiatrist connected to a university and resident program. He has been engaging in some very dicey behavior with regard to patients in a clinical drug trial. He is not a likeable man, and you don't really feel bad for his death. Everyone in the department seems to have skeletons in their closet, so you have lots of suspects. I figured out the culprit about half way through, but that did not take away from the story in the least. April Simons was a likeable lead character, especially when interacting with the broody Detective Sam Perone.
The patients in the clinical trial were a good secondary story. I hated that part of their issues involved hurting animals... I sometimes like animals more than people. Luckily none of that was very graphic.
All-in-all, I found this story a realistic (if depressing) portrayal of academia. Given that Hansburg is a psychologist herself, this does not surprise me. Full of competition, juicy secrets, and back stabbing. Throw in murder, a pregnant mistress, a bitchy aging wife addicted to botox, a "real woman" lead character, sexy Italian detective... and you have a juicy made-for-tv mystery that you won't want to put down. I thoroughly enjoyed this read and am glad that I volunteered for the review opportunity.
See full review at: http://bambi-unbridled.blogspot.com/2...
So color me surprised that this was an engaging read that I finished in one sitting, and kept me up until 1am. This book reminded me of False Memory by Dean Koontz... it might be because that was the only other "psychology-based" psychological thriller that I have read - but I enjoyed them both very much.
In this story, the murder victim is a psychiatrist connected to a university and resident program. He has been engaging in some very dicey behavior with regard to patients in a clinical drug trial. He is not a likeable man, and you don't really feel bad for his death. Everyone in the department seems to have skeletons in their closet, so you have lots of suspects. I figured out the culprit about half way through, but that did not take away from the story in the least. April Simons was a likeable lead character, especially when interacting with the broody Detective Sam Perone.
The patients in the clinical trial were a good secondary story. I hated that part of their issues involved hurting animals... I sometimes like animals more than people. Luckily none of that was very graphic.
All-in-all, I found this story a realistic (if depressing) portrayal of academia. Given that Hansburg is a psychologist herself, this does not surprise me. Full of competition, juicy secrets, and back stabbing. Throw in murder, a pregnant mistress, a bitchy aging wife addicted to botox, a "real woman" lead character, sexy Italian detective... and you have a juicy made-for-tv mystery that you won't want to put down. I thoroughly enjoyed this read and am glad that I volunteered for the review opportunity.
See full review at: http://bambi-unbridled.blogspot.com/2...
April 16, 2015
Is that a cool cover and clever title, or what? Yeah, I know you aren't supposed to judge a book by its cover, but believe me, this book's content fully lives up to that intriguing cover and title. The story is infused with mystery, dark undertones, and all kinds of fascinating behind-the-scenes goings-on in the academic and treatment realms associated with mental disorders. I'm talking about shady stuff. Unethical stuff. Fun-to-read-about stuff. Extramarital affairs, fudged data, jockeying for position, and... (Ooooh!) secret post-hypnotic suggestions.
He wasn't exactly the most-loved person in the hospital, so when the arrogant director of psychiatry is murdered, the list of possible suspects isn't a short one. To complicate matters for the other doctors trying to maintain a modicum of normalcy without their fearsome leader, four patients the dead doc was treating in conjunction with a drug test are going downhill fast, and nobody knows why. Tempers flare and accusations fly before the killer is found... but not before the killer kills again.
This is a very enjoyable read, and in some parts, edge-of-the-seat thrilling. My only very small beef was with the formatting mistakes in the e-version I got from Amazon. Some paragraphs were smushed together into one, so that multiple people were speaking in the same paragraph. A bit confusing. In several instances, some words were missing altogether, and a paragraph would begin mid-sentence. Also confusing. The other mistake was in the plot itself. Toward the end of the book, a doctor mentions going back to help the "other patients" when at that point, there was only one drug-test patient left to help.
Talking about the end of the book, do NOT skip reading the prologue! Really! (Talk about chilling and thought-provoking!)
All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and give it four and a half hearty stars, rounded up to five.
He wasn't exactly the most-loved person in the hospital, so when the arrogant director of psychiatry is murdered, the list of possible suspects isn't a short one. To complicate matters for the other doctors trying to maintain a modicum of normalcy without their fearsome leader, four patients the dead doc was treating in conjunction with a drug test are going downhill fast, and nobody knows why. Tempers flare and accusations fly before the killer is found... but not before the killer kills again.
This is a very enjoyable read, and in some parts, edge-of-the-seat thrilling. My only very small beef was with the formatting mistakes in the e-version I got from Amazon. Some paragraphs were smushed together into one, so that multiple people were speaking in the same paragraph. A bit confusing. In several instances, some words were missing altogether, and a paragraph would begin mid-sentence. Also confusing. The other mistake was in the plot itself. Toward the end of the book, a doctor mentions going back to help the "other patients" when at that point, there was only one drug-test patient left to help.
Talking about the end of the book, do NOT skip reading the prologue! Really! (Talk about chilling and thought-provoking!)
All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and give it four and a half hearty stars, rounded up to five.
October 12, 2014
Thriller fans you are going to love Shrink Rapt! Author Freda Hansburg has created a tangled web of characters that rapidly weave in and out of each others’ lives. Affairs, deceit, physicians interacting with their patients, murder and greed. It’s all here.
The central focus is around psychiatrist, Lowell Morgenstern and his patients. There are a select group of patients who are participating in a medical study for a new medication. Things seem to be going smoothly until Morgenstern is found dead and his colleague Dr. April Simon becomes a suspect.
This is a text-heavy story that maintains a fast-paced plot. Hansburg has constructed a brilliant psychological story that is sure to have your heart pumping in anticipation of what comes next. The characters are very believable, the therapy sessions are realistic, and there are a number of murder suspects. I never saw the ending coming - that means the writer was successful in crafting their tale.
The central focus is around psychiatrist, Lowell Morgenstern and his patients. There are a select group of patients who are participating in a medical study for a new medication. Things seem to be going smoothly until Morgenstern is found dead and his colleague Dr. April Simon becomes a suspect.
This is a text-heavy story that maintains a fast-paced plot. Hansburg has constructed a brilliant psychological story that is sure to have your heart pumping in anticipation of what comes next. The characters are very believable, the therapy sessions are realistic, and there are a number of murder suspects. I never saw the ending coming - that means the writer was successful in crafting their tale.
November 29, 2014
Just finished Shrink Rapt, the spectacular debut novel by New Jersey psychologist Freda Hansburg.
This dark psychological thriller centers on young Philadelphia psychologist, April Simon who stumbles on the body of her domineering department chairman. The police rule his death a homicide, which launches Dr. Simon into a world of deceit, where not even her closest colleagues can be trusted.
This stunning book has a cast of rich characters, razor sharp dialogue, and Breakneck plot twists that made it nearly impossible to put this book down, and the novel’s climax is a gut punch!
If you like suspense, this is the book for you.
This dark psychological thriller centers on young Philadelphia psychologist, April Simon who stumbles on the body of her domineering department chairman. The police rule his death a homicide, which launches Dr. Simon into a world of deceit, where not even her closest colleagues can be trusted.
This stunning book has a cast of rich characters, razor sharp dialogue, and Breakneck plot twists that made it nearly impossible to put this book down, and the novel’s climax is a gut punch!
If you like suspense, this is the book for you.
December 11, 2014
April is caught in a tangled web of deceit and dishonesty. After the murder of Morganstern, the department chair, she begins to unravel his unethical behavior.
This is a rapidly moving psychological thriller with several different story lines that converge together at the end. This keeps the reader in wonder through out the saga.
There is minor issue in this novel. There are places April’s character can’t make up her mind what she wants to be. One minute she is timid and indecisive, the next minute she is a mountain of strength and determination.
All in all, it was an exciting, edge of your seat read!
This is a rapidly moving psychological thriller with several different story lines that converge together at the end. This keeps the reader in wonder through out the saga.
There is minor issue in this novel. There are places April’s character can’t make up her mind what she wants to be. One minute she is timid and indecisive, the next minute she is a mountain of strength and determination.
All in all, it was an exciting, edge of your seat read!
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews