The Venus Complex

By: Barbie Wilde

Narrated by: Doug Bradley

A man rises out of an abyss of frustration and rage and creates works of art out of destruction, goddesses out of mere dental hygienists, and beauty out of death. It’s also about the sickness and obsession that is love. Enter into Michael’s world through the pages of his personal journal, where every diseased thought, disturbing dream, politically incorrect rant, and sexually explicit murder highlights his journey from zero to psycho.

"After purposefully killing his wife in a car accident, art professor Michael Friday finds his perspective on things has become a little...warped. Via his personal journal, we’re allowed into his mind to slowly watch the disintegration of it, bearing witness to his unnerving sexual cravings and ideas about killing: intertwined with the paintings he loves so much. As Michael writes, he’s 'turning into something dead'; but at the same time he wants to be somebody, not a nobody. Using his diary to rant against the world in general - including everything from banks to popular culture, from national holidays like Christmas to politics - he reveals more about the big, gaping hole in his own life. But as the novel goes on the first person narrative tensely builds up, displaying his dark dreams and innermost thoughts: his way of filling that void and presenting his grisly 'works of art' to the world. As intelligent and cultured as Hannibal, easily as disturbing as American Psycho and infinitely less reassuring than Dexter, this is a sexually-charged real life horror story that will definitely stay with you.” (Paul Kane, award-winning horror and fantasy writer)

“Wilde is one of the finest purveyors of erotically charged horror fiction around.” (Fangoria)

“The Venus Complex is a delicious collision of noir thriller and visceral horror. Whip-smart devious and jolting!” (Jonathan Maberry, Bram Stoker Award winner and New York Times best-selling author of Code Zero and V-Wars)

“Wilde expertly charts Michael’s diabolical descent into voyeurism, stalking and murder in a transgressive tale that would make Patrick Bateman blush.” (Rue Morgue)

"Damaged people, ultraviolence, murder and explicit sex--what’s not to love about her work?” (Chris Alexander, editor in chief, Fangoria #321)

"Barbie Wilde follows the tradition of Ellis's American Psycho and Oates's Zombie yet breaks new ground in the field of sadistic crime fiction. If you like the lurid and shocking, you'll love The Venus Complex. It's Dexter, without a moral code.” (Midwest Book Review)

©2018 Barbie Wilde (P)2018 Comet Press

fantastically creepy

oh this book was creeping and interesting and fascinating all in one I like this book quite much and the narrator did a very good job overall a great and very creepy book
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review

Greatly convincing horror crime, best of it's like

I loved this . I was just having Clive Barker's books and wanted the Venus Complex for my library. The narrator was incredible and there is no way to get that like he has.

W O W

I was absolutely blown away by this book. An exquisite performance by Doug Bradley, reading a masterful tale by Barbie Wilde.

Not for the squeamish...

This book goes beyond gratuitous violence of a fictional sexual predator, taking us into his thoughts and motivations about his victims as well as the wider world. I found that I could actually agree with some of the protagonist's musings, but then his logical processes would fracture dangerously, pulling him further along his dark path. His memoirs include past reflections, current frustrations, and future dreams/plans. This audiobook contains graphic sexual violence and the author's very effective writing style may be uncomfortable for some (consider yourself warned). But... as I mentioned, there's way more to this book than that. I'm glad I listened to it, because it gave me food for thought about what might go on in the head of a psychopath. The only reason why I knocked off one star is because I think I would have been more satisfied with a different plot ending.

The narration was perfect for this style of story. This is synergy - excellent story, powerful narration. I'd read this author again and listen to this narrator again. (I increased the playback speed for personal preferences.)

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

Sexual Insanity

This was totally sick/horror. It is about Michael Friday and his diary which contains his dreams and thoughts showing what go thru a serial killer’s mind and not for the squeamish. It was disturbing with sexual torture and murder. I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review. Thank you