Dominance

A Novel

By: Will Lavender

Narrated by: Christopher Evan Welch

A fast-paced literary puzzler, Dominance is “an academic mystery that gleefully illustrates the dangers of losing yourself in a book” (The New York Times Book Review).

Fifteen years ago, Alex Shipley was part of a special night class taught by Richard Aldiss, a re-nowned literature professor— and convicted murderer. Lecturing the group of nine hand-picked students from a video feed in his prison cell, the professor spoke only of one novel by a famously reclusive author, and he challenged the class to solve the mystery of that writer’s identity once and for all.

Today, Alex is a Harvard professor who made her name as a member of that class, and as the woman who helped set Richard Aldiss free. But when one of her fellow alums is murdered, can she use what she learned from Aldiss to stop a killer—before each of the night class students is picked off, one by one?

Terrible

The novel was poorly written. The plot was ridiculous. The narrator is fine.

Brilliant, clever, intelligent: well done Will

This is a smart murder mystery to the end (if such there is). Lavender does the dance of mystery--keeping the suspense going, not telling too much, while giving us just enough to keep guessing until the end (if such there is)--very well. Lesser writers fail at this cat and mouse game by doing stupid stuff. I thoroughly enjoyed this Stephen-King-like novel which never relied on any contrivances beyond reality or reason (a feat in itself). Can't wait now to enjoy his first novel, Obedience.