The Architect

Frank Clevenger #6

by Keith Ablow

West Crosse is a genius at creating spaces uniquely fitting the people who will inhabit them. The catch: he works under a shroud of secrecy, charges his clients a fortune, and then sometimes, in the most skillful and horrifying ways, he kills them...

West has the best of reasons. He's designing lives as well as homes, obliterating everything that is ugly, accidental, or ill-conceived. And with each meticulous murder he commits, he's getting better--leaving behind carved bodies that make a bone chilling statement of their own...

Forensic psychiatrist Frank Clevenger is hunting an outrageous serial killer whose victims seem to have only wealth in common. With his own life in shambles and the murderer two steps ahead of him, Clevenger can't know that the next killing ground will be the White House, where an innocent life just needs the perfect touch...

Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Fiction, Crime, Suspense, Murder Mystery, Psychological Thriller

352 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

Keith Russell Ablow is an American psychiatrist, New York Times best-selling author, and television personality.

Reviews

[Jack Heath · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 Stars. You know the killer from the name of the book, "The Architect" and the publisher's informative description. The question outstanding, can he be caught before he kills again? His pursuer, forensic psychiatrist Frank Clevenger, has his own issues which interfere with his efforts to identify and apprehend the serial murderer - his wayward son Billy and the on-again, off-again important woman in his life. He's also got personal shortcomings which get in the way at the worst of times. Like alcoholism! It's hard to see him as the most appropriate person for the responsibilities he holds. As to the killer, the book falls short; West Crosse seems too wacko and one dimensional to be believable. Crosse is extremely talented as an architect; he desires perfection in all aspects of life. Including murder where the crimes start with gruesome and proceed further up the scale. I did enjoy the discovery process Clevenger follows while tracking Crosse down. After some thought, I have decided not to try one of the earlier novels in the series. That's it. Besides, I am not a fan of the conservative Fox News et al and the far right. (September 2017)

[Sandie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is my first book by this author, Keith Ablow, and it will most likely be my last. His protagonist, forensic psychiatrist Dr. Frank Clevenger, is without doubt the most dysfunctional character in a tale teeming with dysfunctional characters. Clevenger's personal life is a train wreck and he is hard pressed to make it through a day without a few belts of booze. He is unable to make any meaningful contribution to the lives of those he purportedly cares about and any of the folks that he "loves" would be well advised to RUN as quickly as possible in the opposite direction.

As for Ablows' "Architect", he is a pale facsimile of a character created by Thomas Harris. Ablow's killer is a one dimensional psychopath who is not nearly as intriguing or terrifying as Harris's Hannibal Lector. The reader is never privy to the underlying reason for "The Architects" obsession with perfection or what drives him in his compulsive need to control every situation

ADVICE TO PROSPECTIVE READERS: The entire storyline is unrealistic. If, however, you are willing to suspend disbelief, are into buckets of blood and gore with a bit of political rhetoric thrown in for good measure, you might find this offering to your liking. On the other hand, if you demand a well constructed, suspenseful and psychologically engaging thriller ......move on my friend. This book is definitely not for you.

[Courtney LaSalle · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was really excited to read this book. Gosh once I started it I wish I hadnt. Im one of those that once I start a book I have to finish it no matter what.

It was slow. There wasnt enought thrill for me. for all the boring details and pointless talk, you would think they at least made a good ending. But nope.

I dont understand what happened with Whitney in the end. he went from loving her everything about her. to just dropping her. I understand she covered things but there was no leading that she was crooked if she was.

his son there was nothing on the progress.

There was no feelings how everyone felt once they found out who it was killing there family.
too many loose ends. not enough action.


I will say this isnt usually the kind of novel I read. maybe its me not liking this genre. but I will try reading abother psychological thriller in the future. there just wasnt any thrill to me

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

West Crosse is a brilliant, handsome architect with a love of ideal beauty and a commitment to creating it at all costs. But the rich, powerful families who employ him don't realize that he has a dark side: Crosse can't stop at designing their homes, he must make their lives beautiful as well.

To Crosse, that means murdering abusive spouses, a toxic lover, predatory business partners or anyone else who doesn't fit with his ideal of perfection. As Crosse begins his master work, the FBI's Frank Clevenger begins the ultimate cat and mouse game. I enjoyed this book and give it an A+!

[Natalie · Rating 2 out of 5]

maniac architect sounds like an interesting idea, pregnant with possibilities. Disturbed psychiatrist on the other hand - seems like a cliche at this point.
I thought the father-son portion of the book was really underdeveloped, pretty raw. Overall, book started out well, but got scattered towards the end. And, really predictable.
Couldn't wait to finish this one, but not in a good way...

[Saleh MoonWalker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Onvan : The Architect (Frank Clevenger, #6) - Nevisande : Keith Ablow - ISBN : 031293971X - ISBN13 : 9780312939717 - Dar 352 Safhe - Saal e Chap : 2004

[Babete · Rating 2 out of 5]

Original e interessante sem dúvida, mas quando começava a entusiasmar-me eis que acaba de forma abrupta, o resultado final foi ficar com a sensação de ter lido meio livro; a páginas tantas existe um personagem que tem um gabinete com " ... quinhentos e cinquenta ou seiscentos e cinquenta metros quadrados...", nem quero imaginar como seria o resto da casa! ;)

[Viji (Bookish endeavors) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the villain more than the hero. Did anyone else feel the same.? West Crosse is a brilliant character,complicated and intelligent. The plot is perfect and the climax was made-to-order. There were no mistakes in terms of logical consistency. One thing leads to another and then to another.. Could a man have planned any better than Crosse.?! I loved the story. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

[Meghan O'Flynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book fast became one that refused to let me do anything else until I finished. The premise was original and tragic, and the pace was more thriller than mystery. It's an older novel, but one that seems evergreen--highly recommend for those who like James Paterson but prefer darker, grittier twists.

[Sarah Glenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

West Crosse is an architect par excellence, a man of enormous creative vision and sensitivity to the needs of his wealthy clients. This is especially true of the homes he designs for families - anticipating both current and future needs. They are creations of light and space, temples to truth and beauty. Crosse is a man of high ideals.

But I wouldn't want him to design a house for me.

Crosse goes beyond planning perfect homes for his clients, you see. He also plans perfect lives for them. If a member of the family is an obstacle to the happiness and growth of the family, Crosse removes that person... and he finds one in each family he works for. An abusive husband, a wife who doesn't want children, a daughter with a drug problem - all of them must die for the good of the family.

Forensic psychiatrist Frank Clevenger is put on the case after the President of the United States begins receiving fan mail from the unsub who has been killing and surgically dissecting wealthy people across the country. Clevenger is beset by personal problems: his love life has taken a downturn, and his continuing problems with his adopted son Billy often steal the stage from the visionary killer on a mission from God. Fighting his alcoholism becomes harder and harder, and finally he begins prescribing Antabuse for himself to prevent falling into the pit for good.
In contrast, the families he meets during his investigation seem to be coming out of their own dark times. They seem calm, even happy... and even relieved at the death of their loved one, though they don't say so out loud. It makes investigating... interesting and nonrewarding at the same time.

I've read several books of Ablow's, and this one was an enormous pleasure to read. Crosse's sense of beauty and clean proportions take him out of the bounds of the 'average' serial killer, while Clevenger's personal life becomes a messy disaster. There are no simple solutions in our hero's world, and he's not going to get them in this novel. For Crosse, though, the mission is clear, and there is no hesitation in his actions. The consequences are horrible. If a movie were made of this book, Hollywood would have to alter the ending. The audience would not accept it.

A side note: the Skull and Bones group of Yale gets a lot of attention in this novel. Crosse belongs to it, and uses its connection to get contracts with the high and mighty. President Buckley (an excellent choice of names) is a member and, given the book's 2005 publication date, was probably meant to draw comparisons to George W. Bush. Ablow casts no aspersions on the Bonesmen, political or otherwise. Membership simply makes them more vulnerable to trusting The Architect and less likely to talk to investigators about other potential victims.

[Richard Good · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was mentioned in Donald Maass' "The Fire in Fiction", a book on writing fiction, and it was used as an example of how to create an effective and believable villain. I picked up this novel as part of a project I have started, using the examples in Donald Maass' book as a reading list.

Regarding the villainous aspect of the novel, Ablow does a great job of creating a truly diabolical serial killer with a unique and interesting twist. I took quite a bit from this novel in that regard, and I found this aspect to the story refreshing, albeit effectively chilling.

I know The Architect is several installments into the Clevenger series, so I might not be as connected with the protagonist's personal history as I should be, but found myself struggling to relate to his private struggles. Alcoholism...okay, it's an acceptable and understandable flaw. Problems with his adopted son who is now an adult and going off the deep end...not as invested in that one. I think the son needs to figure things out a little more on his own.

The part that kept me rolling my eyes was the romantic relationship with an FBI director, but I can still chalk that up, in part, to unfamiliarity with the back story. It feels like a deliberate element of tension between two protagonists - "Will they ever get together for good; can the relationship withstand the pressures of their respective occupations; will she ever find a "normal" guy to be with (there was a hint of another guy she was seeing, but it was mentioned so passively that it felt all the more divisive); how many times will she let him off the hook for running off to rescue his perpetually dysfunctional son? - so I pretty much skimmed the parts involving the two of them.

On the whole, I did like the story, and I enjoyed the ending, which is what kept this book in the "4" rating. Poor endings really bother me, no matter how good the rest of the story was, and this one took me a little by surprise. In fact, the way this novel was written, I was beginning to see things from the antagonists perspective a little, so the conclusion left me with a feeling of introspection that I don't often get from thrillers.

[Alins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dr. Frank Clevenger is a forensic psychiatrist who could use a psychiatrist of his own. Oh wait, he has one. But he only has time for one visit while tracking down a serial killer who expertly dissects a single aspect of his victim's body.

The backstories in "The Architect" are distracting and really don't add anything. Clevenger is an alcoholic. That addicition inteferes with his bonding with Billy Bishop, a 19 year old recently adopted by Clevenger. Adopt a teenager? Young Bishop's problems with his own early fatherhood, drug and alcohol consumption keep disracting Clevenger - and the reader - from the pursuit of the murderer, And then there's the ongoing off-and-on affair with Whitney McCormick, Clevenger's FBI boss and occasional lover. Again a distraction. Finally author Ablow inserts his political opinions into the narrative. Yet another disctraction.

Ignore these things and Ablow crafts a reasonably interesting story. West Crosse is a brilliant architect. Educated at Yale, he is a member of the Skull and Bones, the secret society so beloved of conspiracists. His Skull and Bones membership and referrals bring him new commissions. Crosse designs to reflect the innermost desires of his clients, even those desires the clients repress. Crosse wants perfection for his clients, not only in the structures he designs for them, but in their lives. So as author quickly makes apparent, Crosse more or less redesigns his client's families as well by getting rid of those elements he finds disturbing.

Crosse is definitely a bit off the beaten track in a less accomplished way then Hannibal Lechter was. Clevenger applies his forensic psychiatric skills in identifying Crosse as a suspect. This, frankly, happens a bit too easily and is less than credible. But it works because Ablow's storytelling skills are pretty good.

Overall, if you ignore the backstories and the author's political pontifications, Ablow has created a gruesome killer, a moderately interesting chase and an overblown, but enjoyable, climax. Not a bad read at all.

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this book was really pretentious and overdone from the beginning, but it kind of grew on me. The character is overly contrived at the beginning, almost as if the author is trying to over-dramatize the killer's various obsessions and compulsions. By the end, I was genuinely interested in what was going to happen. The suspense picked up mid-book for me.

The narrative simultaneously follows the story of a prestigious architect who also happens to be a self-trained surgeon and a freelance psychiatrist hired by the FBI to solve the crimes. The architect has begun killing and dissecting the body parts of certain individuals in high profile families that hire him. In each case, the victim is in some way holding the family back from what the killer feels is their ultimate happiness. There are some hints of a political message as the ultimate threat is the daughter of a President with a no tolerance policy on his idea of immorality. The psychiatrist follows the case while dealing with his own adopted son's gang involvement and drug use.

If you were wondering, this author is indeed the same Keith Ablow from the television show where he practices popular psychiatry on the masses.

[Trudy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The issue for some with Ablow's books is going to be that they tend to be very graphic and intense. If you get past the first Ablow book, which I though was the most disturbing, then you should really enjoy his Frank Clevenger series.

As noted in other reviews, I love the series that give you just as much of a story in the main character as the main plot. And Frank Clevenger has quite a story to him as he is as screwed up as they come. A forensic psychiatrist with a thing for booze, coke and the wrong women who over the course of the series cleans up his act and takes on a boy who has lost everything and is just as screwed up as Frank was.

This book is as much about that relationship as the serial killer who kills people to make the world a better place. Admittedly, it has been a while since I have read this book, but I have enjoyed this series so much that I refused to turn the books into the used book store and passed them on to a friend. The real tradgedy is the author is or was on TV, so who knows when we will get the next installment. That being said, I will most likely have to read these again.

[Katharine · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is my second book in my Read Alphabetically Thru The Library Project. The beauty of this project is that I read books that I would never pick up on my own. This is one of those books -- a dark, and at times grisly, thriller. The "Architect" is a diabolical serial killer who believes that he can creatively kill to put people's lives aright. He's scary, to be sure, but he's so implausible that this could have been fantasy. To be fair, it's the sixth one in a series by the author and I have not read them, so I was a bit lost and confused as to the private life of the POV character, a law enforcement officer, Clevenger, because the main plot -- the twisted objectives of the architect -- was more interesting. I give the book three stars because I found the villain implausible, his actions too disturbing and I was dissatisfied with the ending, hoping that Clevenger would "save the day" in a more thorough sense. The villain's last crime was far too horrible for my tastes. I found the writing to be lacking in artistry -- I wasn't wowed by any elements of the book. But I finished it and glad I read it for the sake of my project.

[Jennifer Wardrip · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ablow's Frank Clevenger series began with an appearance by this forensic psychologist back in 1998 in Denial. In every subsequent book, we get a great thriller story interspersed with Clevenger's own personal trials, and THE ARCHITECT is no different.

The main storyline of this book, that of an architect who believes he's doing God's work by reshaping the lives of the people he builds houses for, is definitely overshadowed by the story of Clevenger himself. His own battle with alcoholism (reminiscent of that of Lawrence Block's Matthew Scudder), his on-again-off-again very realistic relationship with his FBI girlfriend, and the tightrope he walks with his adopted son, Billy, take front row.

Although the bad guy in this book keeps the story fresh and the plot intense, to me it was the underlying story of Clevenger and his life that held my real interest. I was left at the last page not with the feeling of "good, the bad guy is dead," but that of "what's going to happen to Billy?"

I guess you could say I'm hooked.

[martin · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book almost wins a third star for its ending alone - the good guys don't stop the bad guy in the last minute, save the victim or make the world happy and safe.

I read this in a day - it doesn't require too much thought. The cover oversells it (surprise, surprise) but it makes a reasonable attempt at what might be called the "psychopath messiah" crime genre. Married to an architect, I can really recognise and understand the artist / perfectionist mentality described and that for me was the best part of the book

Other good points? Definitely the character of Clevenger is multi-layered and believable. The relationship with the adopted son is well described and far more successful than the rest of the book.

Bad points? This is 90210 meets Da Vinci Code meets 24. Money, power, conspiracy theories, secret brotherhoods and of course everyone has a perfectly sculpted body to die for and is hot in bed. Don't think there was a normal, average person anywhere in the book (at least one with a name)

[Barbara ★ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is spectacular! West Crosse is beyond insane. He is an architect who designs homes based on what kind of family you should have not what you do have even to the extent of murdering someone to make the dynamics work as he sees it. He has murdered seven people so far and FBI psychiatrist Dr. Clevenger is investigating each death and searching for clues as to why they were murdered and who could have done it.

Dr. Clevenger has many personal issues going on at the same time he is hunting this serial killer. His adopted son is arrested on drug and battery charges. Dr. Clevenger himself is an alcholic on the wagon with major girlfriend issues.

This is a very suspenseful and well written psychological mystery that grabs you from page one and just doesn't let go. I literally couldn't put it down and read it in one sitting. Keith Ablow is a fantastic author.

[Linda Branham · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my 3rd book in the series... Frank Clevenger is a forensic psychologist/crime fighter. In this book Clevenger is contacted by the FBI to help them trace a serial murderer who carefully dissects parts of his victims - wealthy victims. Clevenger connects the murders to a well-known architect wes Cross, - an architect who is extremely talented and extremely disturbed. Cross builds the house around the family - their loves, passions, issues - to make the house totally their own. Cross sees himself as building "lives"
I won't say more because it would give the story away But if you enjoy a book where the author helps you to understand the psychological perspective - the thinking behind why a person does something - you will enjoy these novels.


Keith Ablow ends the book with the expectation of another novel in the series... but there have been no new follow-ups - and this was written in 2005 :(

[Vespertine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four stars for originality. Because it is a curious thriller.

First the hero is not a member of the police or the FBI but a psychiatrist and, as such, he only does that, talking to people and trying to understand them or, as he puts it himself, see if their explanations are plausible. He's really a consultant, not a man of action, which is kind of refreshing.

Weirdly enough, we know almost since the beginning who the killer is and what his motives are but it does not make the whole book boring though. Getting inside the mind of the "Architect" is quite fascinating and the concept of the killings is original to say the least.

Weirder, the investigation often seems secondary to the hero's personal life and his own struggles - talking about a psychiatrist almost as damaged as his patients...

All in all, this book is a good surprise and it goes right to the essential in less than 300 pages. Give it a try, you'll know very quickly if it intrigues or bores you !

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first novel by this author I've read. I didn't realize it was a series of books. However this book was a mystery to me. I have a feeling that it's a middle book of a series where it helps you get to know the character better. It had a lot of personal issues about the main character. You know who the killer is in this book however I didn't find him as smart, evil and fascinating as others. There are some political statements made in this book along with veiled statements about the Bonesmen of Yale. I felt the ending wasn't explained very well and that the religious significance of the killer wasn't explored. I wanted to like this book badly because I felt a connection to the lead character of the series. I think I will have to pick up the first book of the series to see if I really do like the book or if I was just fooled.

[Victoria · Rating 1 out of 5]

I did not like this book at all. This is the first Keith Ablow that I read, and perhaps a part of my dislike have something to do with the fact that this is the sixth book in a series that was not named on the book's cover... Which is certainly no fault of Ablow's but is a particular pet-peeve of mine. What is the point of writing a series if your publisher doesn't correctly market your novel as a series?! But mostly, I didn't sympathize with the characters and the inclusion of the murderer's P.O.V. sucked any mystery out of the book at all. And the "suspense" led to a very unsatisfying ending. Really, it was the ending that ruined it for me and the large holes in the killer's "story"... some of his actions simply seemed impossible. And though I tried, I just couldn't find anything redeeming in this book whatsoever.

[Jery · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting thriller, I feel as if I might have had more sympathy for the protagonist if I had not joined the series midway through. His struggles as the adoptive parent of a troubled child and an alcoholic take nearly as much storyline as the main thread of a brilliant but psychopatic architect who specializes in creating perfect houses and 'life spaces' for people, with the added component of killing members of their family if they don't fit his perception of a perfect life.

I am not giving away any spoilers here btw because it's not a whodunit - it's more a "will they figure out whodunit in time". Decent read..will probably pick up more in this series.

[Lori Anaple · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book! I haven't read it in a long time, but if you like a book with a twisted psycho, then definitely read this! It is the second or third in a series, but it is stand alone. Each book has the same protagonist and you get more and more of his story with each book. The first in the series is Denial. Ablow is fairly graphic and not really for the faint of heart.

This one is my favorite. Who would have ever thought of an architect as one who arranges peoples lives???? Off the hook!

[Dale · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is my first Keith Ablow novel. While a good read, there was no big mystery in "who" the serial killer was. But the author did a good job in understanding the "why." The basic premise was unique; and I have read a lot of psychological thriller novels. The forenic psychiatrist, Frank Clevenger, also has some personal drama so the book has subplots. The last page left his romance with Dr. Whitney McCormick, Director of the FBI's Behavioral Sciences Unit, on a cliff so I may look for more on this character.

[Kishyie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Being an Architecture student, I have stumbled on this book that caught my eye. Not really a fan of forensics, but I consider their work amazing.

West has much more of a value and is one of those cunning antagonists that stood as a focal point more than the protagonist was in the story.
The way the story ended was satisfactory, yet again showing that West ended his story as a free man and was not caught in the crossfire.

Overall, the book will show more of how the antagonist beats the protagonist in a duel that shows who is more devious.

[Maureen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't realize this book is part of a series. I will start from the beginning because I enjoy character development. This book wasn't bad. It held my attention and I wanted to know what was going to happen to all the main characters. The ending fell a bit short for me, unfortunately. I think some books go on and on and should and could end much sooner than they do, but I felt this book needed a few more chapters to give the reader a more fulfilling ending. I don't want to ruin it for those who haven't read it. Interesting story lines but could have been better towards the end.

[Victor Flores · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a meh for me, finished it in a day. I feel sorry for Clevenger in this one, he had to deal with his reckless foster son and a deteriorating relationship with McCormick while trying to track down “The Architect” West Crosse. West is one crazy [insert word here]. I don't know much about architecture so I was a bit confused and overwhelmed at some parts of the story. Overall this isn't a bad read, but wasn't a great one either.

P.S. Hopefully Billy can fix his act for his son, Jake, and his Foster father Frank Clevenger.

[Maureen Garza · Rating 2 out of 5]

While I appreciate what the author was trying to do with this book, I still found myself not very invested in the characters and plot progression. Nevertheless, I found the villain and his peers provided timely political and social commentary, particularly with the protagonist's approach to the relationships in his life providing something of a foil, and I applaud Albow for not choosing a more conventional ending.

[Tom Hill · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first 90% of this book was a very good read. Then the author punted on the ending and it went from a 5 star to a three. A serial killer whose motivation is to improve families using death and dissection is a unique plot for the story. The psychologist trying to catch him seems a little slow on the uptake, but he is distracted by family problems. In the end, the bad guy wins and all the surviving family members are happy with the result. Very unsatisfying.