Efficient and Divine: Almost Heaven

by Gene Kendall

Small-Town Murder and Mayhem

Is there a demon hiding inside Mason Mackay? The world sees only a witty, handsome filmmaker. But one interview subject brings out something dark, something truly unspeakable, buried deep in Mason’s subconscious. Within hours, the interview subject is dead. The evidence points to Mason—and he can’t honestly say the police are wrong.

Forced to face the secrets of his past, Mason finds himself at odds with a retired FBI agent with cryptic motives. Meanwhile, a mysterious family is offering Mason not only answers, but acceptance of even his darkest urges. What lies buried within Mason must be exposed…for good or ill.

351 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 7, 2023

Reviews

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book opens with murder, mystery, and a forgotten past. This is no slow starter. I was immediately hooked and wanted to know what was happening in our protagonist’s, Mason Mackay’s, frazzled young mind.

As the story unfolds, the question of Mason’s past becomes a major focal point and I was ready for some answers long before they were delivered. I began to lose hope (and admittedly a bit of interest somewhere in the middle), but things really pick up again at the end as secrets are uncovered and motivations are revealed.

The narration was definitely a performance with plenty of characterization and a voice that drips with importance and intrigue. However, at times I felt the narration overpowered the story, which I felt called for a bit more space for reflection.

[Twainy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brutal mystery/crime drama.

Mason McKay can’t remember the first ten years of his life. We spend the Book unraveling this mystery.

When we meet Mason he’s in a relationship with Natalie, she works for a small town police department that’s working on a case of an abducted girl. They have a blow up on his birthday over his adopted family. She sees that they love him and doesn’t understand his push back and disinterest.

Mason & Natalie break up.

There’s child trafficking, cult behavior, designer drugs, murder & mayhem. This is where the hard boiled crime comes in. Mason gets mixed up in a story line that has you wondering if he’s helping stop or participating in the criminal activity. Natalie is also confused. Is Mason good, bad or gray.

He’s been through a lot as the story unfolds & you’re left wondering, is Mason a cold blooded killer?

This story left me with a lot to think about and THAT alone boosts it’s rating. Parts that seemed confusing sat with me & made me think. What was causing his change in behavior. Is it permanent?

Oddly I wished the story of Mason and Natalie continued in a book two. There was resolution and a fine ending that left it open for another story. I’m not sure where it can go from here but it’ll be fun finding out.

The author gifted me an audible copy with the promise that I’d review the story. Thank you, I hope there’s a book 2. The narrator was the perfect choice!

4.5 stars.

[Leisl Kaberry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Listened on Audible.

I have to admit i wasn’t sure this was my kind of book when I first started Efficient and Devine: Almost Heaven and I LOVE crime stories! I wasn’t mad about the narrators voice for Mason (kind of had a 1930’s Dick Tracey detective vibe which there is nothing wrong with but seemed out of place in the modern setting), i didn’t love the protagonist at first and i wasn’t sure what it was all about. So it took me a while to get into it but once I did I discovered how wrong I was. The start was just a clever set up for what was to come and I enjoyed getting to know Mason from others perspectives as well as his own journey of self discovery.
I also love that we got to have a small view into lesser characters perspectives which filled in more colour for the story and gave a bit more of an understanding to their personal motivations including some of the antagonists.
I also love the messaging that good people can do very bad things so too bad people can do very good things. There was also a very different perspective to the whole devil and angel on one’s shoulders which I thought worked well.
This is a well written story with well fleshed out characters and twists to keep you guessing.
Despite the adult themes I do think it’s very suitable for a teen audience.

[Laura Koerber · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't sure if this book was a horror story or a psychological thriller and, now that I'm finished, I'm still not completely certain. It is very grounded in gritty realism in many ways and the characterizations are rich. There's also a lot of psychology. All of these features make for an effectively horrifying story. In addition, this story seems to have a supernatural element too, as do most horror stories. However, the supernatural being might be part of the main character's psychological problems or maybe isn't—but ambiguity, too, appears in horror stories regularly.

It is certainly horrifying. Not gratuitously. There's no wallowing. I guess I just don't like being mentally involved for a long period in a story about the physical, emotional, and psychological abuse of children, even though there's a lot more to the story than that. There is character development, including a strong female protagonist. In fact, much of the story is about the interior life of the main character, Mason, and how he evolves as the plot progresses. Still, this is a book for readers who are not affected by a long immersion in darkness.

I like the author's writing style: brisk, efficient most of the time, with occasional apt metaphors or descriptors that brighten the text. I've read several books by this author, and he always comes up with creative and intriguing concepts. This one was just too dark for me. However, it is not necessarily too dark for other people. It is a gripping story

[Seth Hobbs · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice but dizzying read, reminiscent of True Detective or other detective thrillers plus paranormal/supernatural shows with dark events. There is a lot of action and death, though I won't go into too much detail, so as not to give away the revelations. It is interesting to finally get to know Mason as a character, especially since I have seen the author's profile pic before, and always wondered about the iconic cover. It also reminds me of a 90s alternative/grunge album cover, which is cool. Mason struggles to figure out who he really is, both figuratively and literally, as trouble mounts up around him. The story moves quickly, but sometimes it jumps a bit too much for me. The amount of violence may be tough for some readers, but it didn't bother me, and I think the author does a decent job of handling these topics and weaving a decent story. If you like dark crime thrillers or detective stories, or mysteries and supernatural themes, you will likely enjoy this read.

[David Gordon · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Manson Family Meets Criminal Minds and Supernatural.

In a well-written and fast-paced work, Gene Kendall weaves a tale that could very easily be an episode from either the Supernatural or Criminal Mind Television Series. The character Mason McKay is very intriguing as a kind of Anakin Skywalker who channels his inner Darth Vader when needed. For readers who like mystery-thrillers and crime novels, this book should hold your interest from beginning to end although there was a little slowdown in the middle. Also, some of the older law enforcement characters like Lester were not really sympathetic because he, like a misguided puppet master, inadvertently set the events in motion that led to the killing spree that takes place throughout the book.

[Ann Birdgenaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

Psychological thriller with supernatural undertones

Gene Kendall's Efficient and Divine: almost heaven, is a psychological thriller with supernatural undertones. Mason Mackay's dark side is triggered during an interview for his latest documentary. But did he really kill the subject? He doesn't know and neither do the police, including his fiance, Nathalie. Mason must face up to his sketchy past: why has he suppressed the first ten years of his life, why does he hate his adoptive parents, when they yearn for a relationship with him and why is he a closed book? There are many twists and turns in the plot. Is Mason having an impact on the rash of crimes in the area and is it a positive or a negative one? It keeps you guessing and trying to keep up with the quick pace of the storyline. Warning: sometimes very violent in nature.

[Siobhan D · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the narration of Brian L. Knutson, who brings out the suspense , brilliant characters.

This is a fast-paced read filled with twists and suspense a great psychological thriller.

What a Roller Coaster of a thriller, Mason start off as a good man, with a mysterious past , Mason has forgotten what his life was before his adoption. With unexplainable resentment to his adoptive parents It is only after he becomes a suspected of murdering a trafficker of young girls , that he interviewed we start to his true character,

[Myra McCulloch · Rating 4 out of 5]

A free book from Voracious Readers thank you

Murder and mayhem impacting so many lives bought to life in this story of a boy who cannot remember his first 10 years of life.
Life takes a strange twist when he interviews a truck diver involved in human trafficking.
Great characters and a page turner of a read.
A twisted psychological thriller that has shades of horror.

[✨sara✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, this story became so much more than I expected and kept me absolutely engrossed. 5 stars!

It’s genuinely hard to review this without giving away twists and details, but I’ll try my best. The story starts out laying the foundation for who the characters are, slowly adding as they become relevant but never slowing down on the suspense. Mason Mackay has built a normal life for himself, but these little sprinkled hints, voices, show he has a forgotten, dark past we’re going to watch him battle. His intertwinement with a police officer, his fiancé, adds difficulty to his, uh, adventures. His fiancés mentor, Mason’s boss with a risqué project, and a retired fed are thrown in the mix too. With every new hint, every new message, I really tried figuring out what was going on and I was never even close.

I really applaud the author’s intricate web of connections created that I can’t expand on without spoiling things. Details are given in a way that keep you engaged and on the edge of your seat wanting to keep going and find out what happens next, who else is involved, to what extent they’ll go, where is “home”, or what is home?

The interview subject for Mason’s latest film project is found dead early on, but he’s just the tip of the iceberg. Who this man was, who he was truly connected to is bewildering. Mason’s character goes through turbulent changes as he discovers more of himself, which parts he wants to follow, and learns who to trust. He’s arrogant and slick in the beginning, but by the end we’re reading a man who’s clearly barely grasping reality. I don’t want to say I’m rooting for him, but I want answers. He’s able to connect with characters along the way that are able to provide those answers, but falling deeper, pushed deeper, into his new found indulgences.

This was a fast-paced read filled with twists and suspense that I couldn’t put down. Truly a great psychological thriller. My only qualm would be the beginning felt a little choppy on getting points across or details out, but quickly found it’s rhythm as the plot picks up. I would definitely recommend, and learned a second book is coming out and I definitely need to read that too.

[Dave Saari · Rating 4 out of 5]

Murder and Mayhem

Gene Kendall’s novel “Efficient and Divine: Almost Heaven” introduces Mason McKay, an urbane, witty documentary filmmaker with a mysterious past. When we first meet Mason, he is happily engaged to Natalie Martinez, a young police officer in Western Hills, an outer-ring Chicago suburb. We soon discover that Mason has a much darker side, apparently kindled during his unremembered early years before being found washed up on the shore of the Ohio River with the remnants of a makeshift raft. Natalie is unable to understand Mason’s antipathy toward his adoptive parents, which leads to an argument and a breakup. Furthering the rift, Mason becomes a suspect in the death of a man he recently interviewed, and the story soon spirals into a complex tale of murder, mayhem, and mysticism.

Overall, I found the book compelling, with interesting, well-drawn characters and surprising plot turns. I also found most of the characters hard to root for, with the notable exception of Natalie, who shines like a beacon of light fighting to find goodness in a world seemingly gone mad. Without offering spoilers, I will say that my attitude toward Mason eventually changed for the better when the mystery of his early years was finally revealed and the mystical elements of the story were explained. Even so, he did not come across as an entirely sympathetic hero, but most definitely an interesting one with both good and bad characteristics. The book serves as a great introduction for future books featuring McKay – a second one, “Efficient and Divine: Honey Locust,” is already available.

There are some stylistic elements that diminished my enjoyment of the book, however. Kendall frequently uses a clipped narrative style, omitting the subjects of many sentences. (Apparently doesn’t think subjects are important. Or tries to create tension by using incomplete sentences. Overdoes it, in my opinion.) On the other hand, he also occasionally over-describes the subjects of sentences. (For example, “The young officer’s body collided …” created momentary confusion about which of two young officers was moving; “Natalie collided …” would have sufficed.) Finally, Kendall often concludes his chapters with cryptic sentences presumably intended to heighten the suspense, but which I often just found confusing.

Despite these nitpicks, the book maintained my interest from start to finish, and I recommend it especially for crime/mystery fans, with the caveat that there is a fair amount of violence – it’s not for the faint of heart. I give it a solid four-star rating.

[Terry Birdgenaw · Rating 3 out of 5]

An engaging story with a main character you want to root for, but …

Efficient and Devine: Almost Heaven starts with a plot that moves quickly and can be challenging to follow. Yet the main character’s demeanor sucks you in, and the narration compels you to dig further. The writing is smooth, the dialogue crisp, and the pacing moves the story along at a spell-binding clip. Gene Kendell writes for those who enjoy lots of twists and those who appreciate character arcs far from flat. This story is no different, and the novel’s main character, Mason Mackay, has an arc that often bends nearly to the breaking point. He starts as a clean-cut, admirable man, engaged to a spunky cop, but has a mysterious past that he does not want to share. In fact, Mason has lost the early years before his adoption from his conscious memory. He also cannot convey why he resents his adoptive parents so much. It is only after Mason is suspected of murdering a trafficker of young girls he interviewed for a documentary that we get a glimpse into his true character, which is much darker than we initially see. Without giving away too many spoilers, I was not so captivated by the motivations provided for several flips and flops in Mason’s personality that are explained at first only by references to his inner goddess and ghost boy. I appreciate the effort to create tension for an action/thriller by revealing key answers at the end. Mason’s motivations, at first glance, appear psychotic, yet are collectively shared by other characters and are not well articulated in the end. I might have appreciated the writing more if it had not been for the disbelieving impact this had on me as I read. It is still a powerful book that will keep readers turning the pages to discover what strange impulses drive the main character’s actions.

[Sotto Voce · Rating 4 out of 5]

The idea of this book is intriguing. We are following the transformation of the character as his storyline unfolds layer by layer.

I like the fast pace, the willingness to create impacts, and the body counts along the way. The tightly woven of interlocking flows between scenes and characters are established firmly. There are enough revelations and mysteries; it was not a difficult read for me. The author manages to handle some sensitive topics delicately, and personally, I don't mind others that are more jarring.

Spoiler review ahead. This is a totally personal review based on how I felt during the reading experience.

I wish to feel more connected to the main character. It started really well. I like and understand him up to around one-third of the book, but eventually, I feel detached, and in the end, I feel indifferent to him. That may be the intention; I don't know. There are a couple of factors that don't flow well for me. Again, it is minor and could be unimportant to others, but they stand out for me. I find it difficult to believe that a character like Mason, which I relate to in many ways, would have the kind of job he has, that an organization that capable would take that long to locate him, and the clarity of Lester's motivations. I wish for richer backstories of Mason's "before" to make it a complete circle because the transformations and triggers feel underdeveloped. The story also feels less intimate because I felt like I was reading the characters from afar, not getting into their heads.

The mysteries and the way the plots make readers follow along are great. The deliveries, the punches, and some unpredictability are well-written.

3.5 rounded up

[K.T. Munson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Plot/Characters

There was only one character that I connected with and that was Natalie. It was difficult to like most of the main characters, but that is what this author does. So if you love very flawed characters, you'll love these for sure! Plot was more interesting but it took a long time for me to be invested. I think it was very chaotic, the point of viewed jumped a lot, and the story meandered at times, jumping around here and there. The plot was engaging and wonderful at times, while confusing and convoluted at others. I am still not sure if I liked the final twist/villain that the whole book was leading up to.

Overall

I had more issue with the writing then the story. In fact the focus of human trafficking the horrors of it, were very meaningful. It is a heavy topic and the author got most of it right from a trucking perspective. If that had remained the focus, it would have been a more powerful ending. That aspect seemed to fall by the wayside in favor of...well I don't want to ruin it. In the end it came down to the relationship between Natalie and Mason that kept me turning the pages. Also there is a lot of death...too much in my book. It pushed murder and mayhem to the extreme for a 'small town.'

Rating

3.5 Stars (rounded down)

Natalie is the star of this heavy themed book. I wish I had seen more of her and less...of everyone else.

[Christa Nonnemaker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Be prepared for some mind-bending with this one! It all starts out so well with what appears to be a healthy, functioning relationship, with a couple on the cusp of marriage, until some whispers start getting into the male protagonists’ head. After that, it’s off to the races with all sorts of twists and turns and some truly reprehensible characters along the way, a few whose morals are ambiguous and one or two who fall on the almost morally irreproachable. I won’t spoil the story line but suffice it to say that the relationship faces major challenges! I’m still rather unsettled by the idea that there might be someone in our midst who is directed by a Goddess to kill those who commit immoral or simply do wrong in society. The novel continues to probe questions like: “Who really has the right to decide on how justice is meted out?” or “ Who is truly good and who is truly evil?” The book also touches on the issue of how cults infiltrate society and the lasting psychological damage of cults. I wish that had been drawn out more fully. The book veered from good to evil and back again, multiple times, and really kept me on my toes. A good read for those who aren’t squeamish and for those who like crime novels and/or the supernatural.

[E.M. Swift-Hook · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mason McKay knows himself to be a decent man, a good man. Despite having been adopted and having issues with his adoptive family and little memory of his childhood, he's now a journalist and has a wonderful girlfriend Natalie. Then a trucker who was involved in trafficking young girls for sex whom Mason had been interviewing for a big expose piece, is murdered and everything in Mason's world falls apart.

This is probably technically a psychological thriller, but the genre label is kind of irrelevant because this is Gene Kendall and that means all bets are off and all genre expectations should be thrown to the wind. What you get is a tumultuous ride through a moral labyrinth where who exactly is the good guy in the situation becomes blurred and the reader is left questioning their own moral compass.

I read the sequel to this before I read this book and would recommend you don't make the same mistake. I can see now that I'd have got a lot more from it had I done the sensible thing and read them in order.

If you enjoy psychological thrillers and like to push the boundaries, this is going to be a book you will want to read.

[P.J. Ashton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, this book is one that starts off making you think one thing, but then twists and turns so much, your jaw drops. The clues are all there and that is the hallmark of a well-crafted, mystery thriller.

The novel is about a man named Mason, who is accused of murder. The thing is, from the first chapter, we know he did it. This is not the important thing though, it is the why that is the mystery. At the same time, a group of people are after him. Who are they and what is their relationship to him?

I really enjoyed this novel. When you think the book is heading in one direction, something happens that sends it completely in another. The wonderful thing is, these situations are completely believable reactions of the character. I will not go into spoilers, but one of the things I am referring to happens about 60% into the book, at the motel.

All in all, if you like psychological thrillers with a twist, this novel is for you.

[S.D. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mason Makay is a fascinating anti-hero—developing into part monster and part victim. His story was both compelling and at the same time disturbing. I so much wanted to like him and hoped for his bright, happy future but fate had another plan. Perhaps it was his buried past that reemerged and took control of his life and changed everything. Still his motives seem to be on the side of right although most of his actions seem so very wrong. Having read the second book in this series first, I now understand the Mason in the second book. To say more would be a spoiler.

The writing is evocative and pulls you along at a clip pace. People who love happy-ever-after-endings would not enjoy this story. Of course it was not written for them. And while I like happy endings, I will read more of Kendall’s work. His writing style is strong.

[Ann Albert-Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mason Mackay hears voices, and sees visions. Most of the time he receives conflicting information from the entities that speak to him, which puts me in the mind of an angel on one shoulder, and a devil on the other. At times, Mason seems to have a definitive direction on which voice he wishes to obey, yet other times, he is conflicted. This makes the story interesting, and leaves the reader wanting to read more.
I would have liked to know more about Natalie and Mason's relationship prior to the destruction of Mr. Peacock. I feel like I am missing a piece of the puzzle, as to how Natalie could have even agreed to marry him due to her dislike of his relationship with the Mackay's, or lack thereof.
Overall, I enjoyed this book - it was an easy read, a real page-turner!

[Miriam Schwellnus · Rating 4 out of 5]

A filmmaker’s life (and psyche) begins to come apart after someone he was interviewing turns up dead. Things get intense and surreal. Gene Kendall’s Efficient and Divine: Almost Heaven is a dark and at times devastating psychological puzzle that keeps the reader on their toes.

It takes some investment, but the plot unfolds with purpose. Each chapter seems to reveal something new or raise the stakes. The twists and mysteries make this book a compelling read, even if they sometimes get in the way of connecting with the protagonist. I would imagine that is the author’s intention. Otherwise, the story succeeds in drawing you into its uncomfortable world.

Heavy themes, not for the faint hearted, but for those who like psychological thrillers, it’s definitely a recommendation.

[Amanda Stuntz · Rating 3 out of 5]

What a story! It’s like a mystery mixed with psychological thriller that will keep you wanting to know more.
Although this was an enjoyable read and the ending was satisfying, I had a hard time connecting to any of the characters.
The beginning starts out with a lot going on but in a way that was sometimes confusing and other times boring. It felt like to much information at one time and certain areas dragged on, making me want to skim over it.
I did enjoy the mystery surrounding Mason and where he came from, and when the mystery of who he was started to unfold that’s really when I got into the story.
This would be a good book for anyone who like mystery thrillers.