On This Page
Description
"Spine-tingling...Mr. Diehl can sustain suspense." THE NEW YORKTIMES Martin Vail, the brilliant "bad-boy" lawyer every prosecutor and politician love to hate, is defending Aaron Stampler, a man found holding a bloody butcher's knife near a murdered archbishop. Vail is certain to lose, but Vail uses his unorthodox ways to good advantage when choosing his legal team--a tight group of men and women who must uncover the extraordinary truth behind the archbishop's slaughter. They do, in a show more heart-stopping climax unparalleled for the surprise it springs on the reader... show lessTags
Recommendations
Member Recommendations
Member Reviews
4.5 stars
This review can also be found on my blog https://pagesflyingfree.wordpress.com
Martin Vail is the attorney prosecutors hate and the accused love. On the heels of another win in court, Vail is handed the pro bono case of Aaron Stampler, the young man accused of murdering the city’s archbishop, who is called the “Saint of Lakeview Drive.” The evidence is stacked against Aaron and Vail is guaranteed a lose. However, that doesn’t stop Vail from dedicating all of his resources to this case. As he and his team get to work, his psychologist makes an astounding discovery: Aaron Stampler has Multiple Personality Disorder. With a surprising avalanche of new information about Aaron and the archbishop coming to light, Vail may not show more be facing a total loss after all.
Primal Fear is a well-crafted story that flows from beginning to end, never meandering or deviating. Tightly written, it focuses on the story it is telling. Little by little, revelations about Aaron and the archbishop and the murder itself are made in a logical progression, each piece tying together with those that came before, letting the tale unfold naturally. There are twists and turns that make the story interesting, compelling the reader to go a little further, but not enough to be confusing or lose sight of the overarching story. Primal Fear, though, did not become especially compelling to me until the idea of multiple personalities came into play. With a background in clinical psychology, I was particularly interested to see how it played out and what impact it would have on the trial. I greatly enjoyed this twist and the portrayal of Multiple Personality Disorder had an authentic ring to it, despite the fact that the existence of this disorder is questionable. Ultimately, the idea of MPD offered a truly unsettling and thought provoking and to an already complex story and individual.
The story Primal Fear tells is helped along by the thoughtfully created characters that tell it. Who they were, what they did, and how they ended up there fit nicely. Though some of the backstories ran a little long and sometimes felt a little convoluted, it helped flesh out each character and gave them a unique personality and place in the story. Despite a large cast, each character, including those that we only meet once, was thoughtfully created to be an individual who had something to offer to help drive the story forward. Of note, I found Aaron to be particularly well-crafted, especially when the second personality came to light. The personalities were distinct and Diehl did a great job of exploring this virtually non-existent disorder, making Aaron, whose perspective we never get, extraordinarily complex with a mind and motivations we cannot even begin to comprehend.
Though Primal Fear is told by several characters, my one complaint is we never hear from Aaron himself. Instead of getting the story through one character, we get it from those that witness each new fact and take that comes to light. We get to experience the action and the reaction of the character experiencing it along with them instead of getting it all secondhand. While some parts are told this way, the reader, for the most part, gets to experience the story as it unfolds, leaving some space for us to make sense of it before Vail gets his hands on it. It helps give Aaron and the archbishop complexity and depth even as they are the only ones we never hear from, the latter being, understandably, dead. While I would have loved to get into Aaron’s mind, it makes sense that this would be impossible. The story would be very different and the end wouldn’t be as haunting. Still, I am very intrigued by what was going through his mind and how he experienced the story Diehl told.
Diehl’s writing style was a good complement to the story he told. A psychological thriller that delves into human nature and motivation, it called for a sort of suspenseful writing that both told a story and left the reader pondering. The writing was down to Earth, gritty without any niceties. The dialogue was believable and matched the character speaking. Though I had some difficulty getting into the first quarter of the story, due to slow setup and multiple introductions, it was worth it to keep going. I did note some missing words and grammatical mistakes, but, considering I was reading the Kindle version, the conversion to ebook might not have been perfect.
Bottom line: an overall excellent psychological thriller exploring crime, human nature, and Multiple Personality Disorder (I admit the last was what really hooked me) with an intriguing story and great writing, despite some scenes that were a little too unsettling for my tastes. show less
This review can also be found on my blog https://pagesflyingfree.wordpress.com
Martin Vail is the attorney prosecutors hate and the accused love. On the heels of another win in court, Vail is handed the pro bono case of Aaron Stampler, the young man accused of murdering the city’s archbishop, who is called the “Saint of Lakeview Drive.” The evidence is stacked against Aaron and Vail is guaranteed a lose. However, that doesn’t stop Vail from dedicating all of his resources to this case. As he and his team get to work, his psychologist makes an astounding discovery: Aaron Stampler has Multiple Personality Disorder. With a surprising avalanche of new information about Aaron and the archbishop coming to light, Vail may not show more be facing a total loss after all.
Primal Fear is a well-crafted story that flows from beginning to end, never meandering or deviating. Tightly written, it focuses on the story it is telling. Little by little, revelations about Aaron and the archbishop and the murder itself are made in a logical progression, each piece tying together with those that came before, letting the tale unfold naturally. There are twists and turns that make the story interesting, compelling the reader to go a little further, but not enough to be confusing or lose sight of the overarching story. Primal Fear, though, did not become especially compelling to me until the idea of multiple personalities came into play. With a background in clinical psychology, I was particularly interested to see how it played out and what impact it would have on the trial. I greatly enjoyed this twist and the portrayal of Multiple Personality Disorder had an authentic ring to it, despite the fact that the existence of this disorder is questionable. Ultimately, the idea of MPD offered a truly unsettling and thought provoking and to an already complex story and individual.
The story Primal Fear tells is helped along by the thoughtfully created characters that tell it. Who they were, what they did, and how they ended up there fit nicely. Though some of the backstories ran a little long and sometimes felt a little convoluted, it helped flesh out each character and gave them a unique personality and place in the story. Despite a large cast, each character, including those that we only meet once, was thoughtfully created to be an individual who had something to offer to help drive the story forward. Of note, I found Aaron to be particularly well-crafted, especially when the second personality came to light. The personalities were distinct and Diehl did a great job of exploring this virtually non-existent disorder, making Aaron, whose perspective we never get, extraordinarily complex with a mind and motivations we cannot even begin to comprehend.
Though Primal Fear is told by several characters, my one complaint is we never hear from Aaron himself. Instead of getting the story through one character, we get it from those that witness each new fact and take that comes to light. We get to experience the action and the reaction of the character experiencing it along with them instead of getting it all secondhand. While some parts are told this way, the reader, for the most part, gets to experience the story as it unfolds, leaving some space for us to make sense of it before Vail gets his hands on it. It helps give Aaron and the archbishop complexity and depth even as they are the only ones we never hear from, the latter being, understandably, dead. While I would have loved to get into Aaron’s mind, it makes sense that this would be impossible. The story would be very different and the end wouldn’t be as haunting. Still, I am very intrigued by what was going through his mind and how he experienced the story Diehl told.
Diehl’s writing style was a good complement to the story he told. A psychological thriller that delves into human nature and motivation, it called for a sort of suspenseful writing that both told a story and left the reader pondering. The writing was down to Earth, gritty without any niceties. The dialogue was believable and matched the character speaking. Though I had some difficulty getting into the first quarter of the story, due to slow setup and multiple introductions, it was worth it to keep going. I did note some missing words and grammatical mistakes, but, considering I was reading the Kindle version, the conversion to ebook might not have been perfect.
Bottom line: an overall excellent psychological thriller exploring crime, human nature, and Multiple Personality Disorder (I admit the last was what really hooked me) with an intriguing story and great writing, despite some scenes that were a little too unsettling for my tastes. show less
For a book that had so much hype, I have to say that I am rather disappointed. Most of the book was engaging, and I was prepared to give it a higher rating. However, I was hit with the disappointment one has when something starts, and goes on with plenty of promise, only to fizzle out in the end... which is exactly what happened with this book. The last court scene felt like the author had just gotten bored of his work and decided to just wrap things up quickly. I realize there are a couple more books after this one, but it... just did not click for me. The very last chapter/scene just made it even worse.
Holy Christmas. This was relatively different than the movie and, as most books are, better. I'd originally thought that Aaron knew exactly what he was doing from the beginning, but Diehl's exposition nearly convinced me that he didn't. The characters were well developed - I found their backstories fascinating, particularly Dr. Arrington's. I definitely recommend this for anyone who likes legal thrillers.
Those of you who have seen the excellent movie made from this book will have a pretty good idea where it winds up. I saw the movie long before getting the book, so the ending wasn’t a huge surprise, and I found the book to be quite interesting with intriguing characters:
-Vail, the successful lawyer dragged into a case he didn't want because the judge wants to hand him a sure loss as punishment for Vails successful suit against the city ;
- Mollie, the young psychologist who wanted to be a biologist until her brother returned from Vietnam slowly entering a state of catatonia;
-Rebecca, Stempler’s former teacher who taught in a one-room schoolhouse and saw him as one of her few success stories, the boy who didn’t go down in the hole; show more
-the brilliant prosecutor who didn’t want the case either but was dragged into it as her last case before she left the D.A.’s office;
-Goodman, the sensitive P.I. working on his law degree, a former boxer whose career disintegrated when he smashed his hand;
and Aaron Stempler, genius IQ who could read Latin and devoured every book he could get his hands on who is accused of the brutal murder of Catholic Archbishop Rushmon who had befriended him. The evidence against Aaron is overwhelming.
-And then there’s Roy.
First rate legal novel. The courtroom scenes are magnificent. show less
-Vail, the successful lawyer dragged into a case he didn't want because the judge wants to hand him a sure loss as punishment for Vails successful suit against the city ;
- Mollie, the young psychologist who wanted to be a biologist until her brother returned from Vietnam slowly entering a state of catatonia;
-Rebecca, Stempler’s former teacher who taught in a one-room schoolhouse and saw him as one of her few success stories, the boy who didn’t go down in the hole; show more
-the brilliant prosecutor who didn’t want the case either but was dragged into it as her last case before she left the D.A.’s office;
-Goodman, the sensitive P.I. working on his law degree, a former boxer whose career disintegrated when he smashed his hand;
and Aaron Stempler, genius IQ who could read Latin and devoured every book he could get his hands on who is accused of the brutal murder of Catholic Archbishop Rushmon who had befriended him. The evidence against Aaron is overwhelming.
-And then there’s Roy.
First rate legal novel. The courtroom scenes are magnificent. show less
this was actually pretty good, much better than i was expecting it to be. i would have given it 2 stars but the last third or so of the novel kept me really engrossed.
"He's probably thinking that when the jury returns he'll own a small piece of the real Estate he's looking down at, a hunk of the city which for a year now he has casually stomped into dust".
Primal Fear (Vail/Stampler, #1)
by William Diehl
It doesn't really get any better then this for thrillers.
So if you don't know this book was also a movie and it is the movie that made Edward Norton a star. And no wonder! I still am electrified by that last scene in the film.
The book and the movie are really pretty much the same. No major changes here. Although I preferred the movie, the book is still great and can make it's own intense impact.
END SPOILERS:
One of the best twists in History! It gets five stars for that alone!
Primal Fear (Vail/Stampler, #1)
by William Diehl
It doesn't really get any better then this for thrillers.
So if you don't know this book was also a movie and it is the movie that made Edward Norton a star. And no wonder! I still am electrified by that last scene in the film.
The book and the movie are really pretty much the same. No major changes here. Although I preferred the movie, the book is still great and can make it's own intense impact.
END SPOILERS:
One of the best twists in History! It gets five stars for that alone!
A chilling, gripping book. The movie did not do it justice at all. I loved the sequels as well.
Members
- Recently Added By
Lists
NPRs your picks: top 100 Killer Thrillers
100 works; 17 members
the law is an ass
20 works; 5 members
Author Information
28 Works 3,770 Members
William Francis Diehl was born in Jamaica, New York on December 4, 1924. During World War II, he served as a ball turret gunner on a B-24 Liberator where he flew 24 missions over Germany. He was the recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross, Purple Heart, and Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters. He received a B.A. in creative writing and show more history from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 1949. He began his writing career in 1949 at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution where he served as a writer, photojournalist and editor. Additionally, he worked as a freelance photographer and an actor. His articles have appeared in Esquire, Life, Look, and New York. He started writing his first novel, Sharky's Machine, while serving as a juror. The novel was published in 1978 and was later made into a movie. His other works include Chameleon, Hooligans, The Horse, Show of Evil, Reign in Hell, and Eureka. His novel, Primal Fear, also became a movie. He died of aortic embolism on November 24, 2006. His last work, Seven Ways to Die, was completed by Kenneth Atchity and published in 2012. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Awards and Honors
Notable Lists
Series
Work Relationships
Has the adaptation
Common Knowledge
- Canonical title*
- Primal Fear
- Original publication date
- 1993
- People/Characters
- Martin Vail; Aaron Stampler; Naomi Chance; Abel Stenner; Judge Jack Spalding; Judge Harry Shoat (show all 8); Jane Venable; Tommy Goodman
- Important places
- Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Related movies
- Primal Fear (1996 | IMDb)
- Epigraph
- There is no crueler tyranny than that which is perpetrated under the shield of law and in the name of justice.
Montesquieu, 1742 - Dedication
- This book is for
my children, my grandchildren,
and their husbands and wives
Cathy, John, Katie, Emily, and Chelsea
Bil and Lori
Stan, Yvonne, Nicholas and Jason
and Temple
And always for
Virginia - First words
- February 26, 1983
When Archbishop Richard Rushman, known to Catholic, Protestant and Jew alike as "the Saint of Lakeview Drive" because of his great charitable works, stepped out of the shower, he had less than ten min... (show all)utes to live. - Quotations*
- Er bestaat geen wreder tirannie dan die welke bedreven wordt onder het schild van de wet en in naam van het recht. (Montesquieu, 1742)
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)"Suppose there never was an Aaron."
*Some information comes from Common Knowledge in other languages. Click "Edit" for more information.
Classifications
Statistics
- Members
- 1,015
- Popularity
- 25,667
- Reviews
- 14
- Rating
- (3.98)
- Languages
- 9 — Czech, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Norwegian (Bokmål), Spanish, Swedish
- Media
- Paper, Audiobook, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 32
- ASINs
- 10