Think of a Number

Think of a number between 1 and 1,000: Go on, first one that enters your head.

7.

So John Verdon arrives on the scene with a cliche-ridden brick of a book about a genius detective whose obsessive behaviour is damaging his marriage and so he has retired from the NYPD to upstate NY where everything will be much better...if he doesn't get dragged into solving a mystery for an old college mate who is being sent freaky hand-written messages by a scary person who seems to know more about the recipient than is reasonable for anyone.

It's obvious where this is going to go and it does, but nevermind - Verdon has crafted a page-turner with vivid even if off-the-shelf characters. There's a technique he uses to show off his protagonist's skills. In show more group interactions he likes to set up a moron (always a bloke) and a sharply perceptive and well educated woman to compare and contrast with his hero. In fact he'll try to squash in several types of moron if he can. No wonder he was the most celebrated detective in NYPD history with all those other idiots about - in fact it's amazing any crimes get solved now he's retired - oh! They don't - he has to come back and do it for them...

There are zillions of other books out there about psychos and genius detectives but most of them are far less worthy of your time than this one. show less

Intriguing, captivating, thought-provoking - all of those cliched descriptions are appropriate when describing Think of a Number. There is a deliberateness, a focus on logic that is both unique and appealing. The murders themselves are not the focus but rather the psychological aspect of solving a crime that makes up the heart of the novel. Still suspenseful, still heart-pounding, Think of a Number proves that the details truly make up the most fascinating aspects of any crime.

Reminiscent of Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot, Dave Gurney has a similar approach to crimes. There is no rushing to judgment, no jumping to conclusions. What appears impossible is known to have a rational explanation once all the facts are known. It is this show more appreciation for the puzzle aspect of a crime that is so interesting because it is the antithesis of modern society with its focus on headlines and tendency to gravitate towards sensationalism rather than earnestness. Even flawed as he is, with his dysfunctional relationship with his son and strained relationship with his wife, Gurney is the epitome of never giving up and using hard work to accomplish the impossible. In an era when big guns and brute strength seem to be the only way to solve problems, the use of one's brain is a refreshing approach to conflict resolution.

Think of a Number is also reminiscent of the television show, Criminal Minds. Both use knowledge of a serial killer's insights, thought processes, and profiles to help solve the case. However, in Mr. Verdon's case, the reader has the added resource of stepping into the mind of a very successful detective as well. The end result is a story that unfolds methodically and slowly while losing none of the suspense and anxiety that makes up a great crime novel. This is a story that builds tension with each unveiled puzzle piece, and the thrilling climatic scene is made more powerful because of the knowledge already uncovered about the mental and psychological aspect of the criminal. Think of a Number draws readers into the seemingly impossible murders and continues to delight through the very end, making it one of the better murder mysteries I've read all year. show less

This an interesting first novel which takes a very traditional crime conundrum (effectively a locked-room murder although it happens out in the open) and runs with the theme in modern day America.

The key investigator is a retired police detective, famous for bringing down serial killers in his time but now struggling to come to terms with life after work in an unfamiliar rural environment. The result is a clever combination of Agatha Christie era mystery and modern day police procedural/thriller -- and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Readers who relish extreme violence and very fast plots might not like 'Think of a Number' quite so much. It's vaguely marketed to suggest that it's past of the slash-and-burn school of crime fiction. In fact it's show more rather more considered than that and the mystery unfolds at a gentle rate. The author, a mature chap who rather reflects his protagonist in many ways, takes his time to develop both his characters and the plot. The awkward interactions between the detective and his wife ring true, and cast shadows through the whole investigation.

That's not to say that this is a dull book -- far from it, and it has its fair share of bumpy moments where different officers, politicians and top brass trip over each other. The intricacy of the core plot is unusual, too, and kept me guessing for an awful long time...

Just don't be put off or misled by the slightly strange prologue, seen from the killer's point of view. That really does feel out of place, as if the publisher insisted on a bit of freaky weirdness right at the beginning. You could skip the first pages and not miss it in the least!

Think of a Number is an interesting introduction to a new character and from a new author. Definitely worth trying, although the follow up, Shut Your Eyes Tight is a little less successful.
8/10 show less

Imagine that you get a letter which asks you to think of a number. You do, and when you open the little envelope enclosed in the letter, it contains the number you thought of. Imagine that you have a history which includes alcoholic blackouts, and the writer purports to know some horrible secret about you -- you know not what. Imagine that the letter is vaguely threatening. Then there are more letters . . .

This is, in part, the situation of an old college acquaintance who approaches retired NYPD detective Dave Gurney for help. Gurney is trying to settle into retirement in a little town in upstate NY, but it's not going well. His wife thought retirement would end his interest in crime, but he still has serial killers on the brain, as show more well as the memory of his young son's death many years ago. While mourning the son who died, he has a strained relationship with the son he has remaining.

Now a friend has come to him with a dangerous and seemingly insoluble puzzle, and Dave is hooked. Soon he is in the middle of a deadly game, the rules of which appear to have been written by a madman.

I had never heard of this book or author (as far as I can recall) when I stumbled upon it as an available audio download. A look at the reviews (and those of the second book in the series) convinced me to try it. It was rather unusual, and I thought it was really well done, especially for a first-in-series (which can often get bogged down in introductory details). I got a little annoyed with the protagonist regarding how he was handling his family life, and there were moments when I wanted to yell at his wife, but I think that was as the author intended. The mystery itself was intriguing; very complex without being totally convoluted. I was able to follow it on audio, without benefit of being able to page back, despite the complexity. The criminal had a plan that was a little over-the-top and which depended upon people's reactions, but at least upon fairly predictable reactions. I didn't find it totally implausible, as has been the case with the nefarious plots of the killers in some other recent mysteries.

Some of the personal melodrama was a bit annoying, but overall I really enjoyed this mystery. I'll definitely try another in this series.

Note: this book is not for those easily offended by profanity. Mind you, it's not used gratuitously; it fit with the characters and circumstances. But there was at least one phrase that made me cringe a little, and I'm not usually bothered at all by rough language. show less

What would you think if you got an anonymous letter, asking you to do the following: first think of some number, and then open a second enclosed envelope. In the second envelope is a message reporting the exact number you selected, along with the insinuation that this correspondent knows ALL about you, and you better take out more life insurance?

This is more or less the theme of Think of a Number by John Verdon.

Dave Gurney is a 47-year-old recently retired NYPD homicide detective. His successful career had made him “the most decorated detective in the NYPD.” While on the force, he captured some notorious serial killers, and has recently taken up the art of “enhancing, clarifying, and intensifying criminal mug shots” of these men show more to convey “the nature of the beast” for a local art gallery.

He and his wife Madeleine have not been getting along lately; it seems they had different ideas of what Dave’s retirement would be like. Madeleine suspects, correctly, that Dave isn’t ready to give up his profession.

When an old classmate, Mark Mellery, comes to him asking for help with some menacing correspondence, it is a foregone conclusion that Dave will get involved, even if it endangers his life, because this is an intellectual challenge he can’t pass up. Mellery originally received a note instructing him to think of a number between 1 and 1,000 and then open the accompanying envelope. Inside, another note correctly predicted he would choose 658. The note also made vague threats. More notes followed, in the form of verse. Mellery is scared, and upset.

Dave, with his experience tracking serial killers, is even more concerned than Mellery:

"The detachment of the voice in those poems, bloody purpose and careful syntax, hatred and calculation – he had seen those qualities combined before to horrible effect.”

When the correct guesses of numbers, the poems, and the dead bodies start piling up, Dave goes back to the police force as a consultant to help solve the case.

Discussion: This is a more “literary” serial killer than most, which is its redemption, because as a mystery, it suffers a bit. For example, it never occurs to Dave and Mellery - the college friends – that the signature on the notes, Mr. X. Arybdis, is a reference to Charybdis, as in Scylla and Charybdis, sea monsters that play a significant role in Homer’s Odyssey. Dave keeps musing “there’s something about that name….” until finally his wife points out that X can stand for Chi. It’s almost comical. And in fact, later the killer checks into a local bed and breakfast as Mr. Scylla. The poor guy is probably desperate for someone to get his poetic allusions. No wonder he’s on the rampage!

And the resolution of how the numbers were guessed? I’m not buying it. But you’ll have to see for yourself – it’s really the heart of the mystery so no spoiling allowed! (Some other mysteries about the killer were left unsolved at the end, it should be noted.)

Evaluation: It’s different. It’s an odd combination of amateurish and sophisticated. Even though I wasn’t liking it that much, I was forced to keep reading to see how the number trick was done, so I suppose that says something about the cleverness of the premise. show less

Well, John Verdon's debut novel had my number, that's for sure. I'm a big fan of suspense and thrillers and Think of a Numb3r had me right from the start...

Dave Gurney is a retired NYPD Homicide Investigator. He's moved to the country with his wife Madeleine to enjoy the quiet life. (Mind you, his new hobby is exhibiting serial killer photographs...) Mark Mellery, an acquaintance from college sends Gurney a somewhat desperate note asking for his 'professional' help. Mark has received a series of cryptic notes - the first asking him to pick a number between 1 and 1000. When he mentally does, he then opens a second envelope to find that exact number. How could anyone know what number he would have picked? The notes have escalated in tone show more and Mellery is now quite frightened. Who wouldn't be....

"What you took you will give
when you get what you gave.
I know what you think,
when you blink,
where you've been,
where you'll be.
You and I have a date,
Mr. 658."

Against his better judgement (and that of Madeleine) he is drawn into the investigation.

What an utterly imaginative and creepy crime Verdon has come up with! It begins with the notes, but the crime scenes themselves are out of the ordinary as well. I love not being able to figure out the whodunit and the howdunit. Verdon kept me enthralled from start to finish. Very, very clever!

The relationship between Dave and Madeleine is also a big part of the book. Gurney is good at the detective stuff, but is having trouble with his own relationships. I'm still making up my mind about Gurney. I think he's a work in progress. I found the enigmatic Madeleine to be fascinating and I think there are depths to plumb there.I definitely hope that this becomes a regular series as I think there is much left to explore, know and develop with Dave Gurney.

Some of the supporting characters, notably the police captain and the district attorney, were a bit over the top, but provided a good foil for Gurney.

A wonderfully creepy read that will have you guessing to the end! show less

You may also read my review here: http://www.mybookishways.com/2012/10/think-of-a-number-dave-gurney-1-by-john-ver...

Dave Gurney is more than a little surprised when he’s contacted by an old college acquaintance, Mark Mellery. He wants to see Dave, but it’s not just to catch up on old times. Dave agrees to meet with Mellery and he joins Dave at his home. Mellery is overly familiar and his rapport seems a bit forced, but his desperation over some recent correspondence is very real, and he’s come to Dave seeking advice on how to handle the supposed threat.

Mark Mellery now runs the Mellery Institute for Spiritual Renewal, a professed oasis for people seeking spiritual guidance and healing. However, his past saw a period of alcoholism show more that caused destruction and the end of his marriage, and he’s worried that it might be catching up with him. Strangely enough though, he’s very reluctant to involve the police, even at Dave’s urging. Dave is stumped however, since part of the correspondence included asking him to think of a number, then open an envelope containing a number: the very one that Mark thought of. Dave knows there must be a logical explanation, that this isn’t ESP, but he doesn’t know how the trick was carried out. He does know that the letters get increasingly threatening. Turns out his instincts about the threat were spot on when Mellery turns up dead outside his home, sliced brutally in the throat. Obviously Dave must notify the police of his involvement, and he inevitably becomes tied to the investigation. His reputation precedes him, and his logical mind is just the thing they need to solve this mystifying case. As the killings escalate, Dave must not only muster every tool in his arsenal, but also confront some hard truths within himself.

Think Of a Number is the first book in the Dave Gurney series, and it caught my interest immediately. Dave is brilliant, logical, and nearly always even keeled, but he’s not without his flaws. However, that’s what I liked most about him. As talented as he is at self examination, he constantly misses cues that point to his increased tendency to push away those he loves the most. Dave and his wife, Madeleine moved to the Catskills in the wake of Dave’s retirement, and I always got the sense that Madeleine was desperate to see him take what she considered a much needed break from law enforcement, but if nothing else, Dave Gurney is a cop to the core, and even a tragedy in his past can’t pull him back from the puzzle of this newest case. One would almost think he was using the case so as not to have to deal his wife’s frustration, or the calls from his adult son whose life and career paths he doesn’t quite approve of. His wonderfully precise mind is always “on”, in working a case, in his art (manipulating the mugshot photos of some of his most notorious collars), but the things that should be closest to him seem always just one step too many away.

I dare you to start the first page of this book and not get hooked immediately. It begins with a decidedly creepy lullaby, uttered from a son to his mother and sets up this intricate puzzle mystery perfectly. When you’ve got a hero this fascinating, a villain as brilliant and cunning as he is evil, and and author whose writing pulls you in and dazzles with its smooth grasp of detail and breathless pace, and you’ve got an unputdownable mystery that you’ll stay up very late finishing. I’m looking forward to the next installment in this series. Recommended for suspense fans and puzzle mystery lovers alike! show less