I've never read others' reviews of a book I'd just finished - until now. I wanted to see if any reviews had been left by psychologists or psychiatrists. They haven't, so here goes.

This is my second Ruby Barnes novel; I'd read "Peril" about a month ago and thoroughly enjoyed it. After reading my review, Barnes offered to send me "The Baptist," and I enthusiastically agreed. Here's the bottom line: Barnes can flat-out write.

While the books both deal with psychological pathology (Peril's protagonist is afflicted with narcissism and a lazy sort of greed and misogyny) "The Baptist"'s protagonist is full-on bonkers - and that's not simply a judgement call. John Baptist has been institutionalized after drowning his brother when both were children, believing he can see his brother's inherent evil, determined not to allow him to grow up in the mold of their father. But it's not the brother or the father who's evil, it's John, and it's evil wrapped in the robes of deep-seated religious mania. Upon release from a mental institution, John marries, fathers two children, and goes to work at his father-in-law's garage. He also stops taking his medications. At this point I wondered if we were on our way to an Irish "Shutter Island," and that everything taking place did so within John's mind, and he was still hospitalized. No, that would be too easy.

John, lonely within his marriage, stalks and adopts a friend, Feargal, who is nothing more than a figment of his imagination. But his "friendship" with Feargal leads him to Alice/Mary, a fellow former mental patient with a split personality. Alice/Mary is all too real. Mary is tough, but needy; Alice is unfettered sexuality, alluring, dangerous, and the crazier of the two personalities. John essentially leaves his family in an attempt to permanently cleave Alice's personality from Mary's and sustain Alice as the dominant persona, with tragic societal costs. During an intense relationship based on sex, drugs, alcohol and their co-dependent mental illness, John and Alice murder their way toward John's unspoken mission - preparing the world for Jesus' return. He's not just John Baptist; he's John the Baptist, baptizing those who might stand in this way through water and blood.

This is a fascinating and frightening book that just begs to be read. It is not for those with delicate sensibilities who might be offended by intense sexuality, a gripping description of rampant mental illness, and casual violence, all wrapped in a shroud of religion. But, it is a great read, masterfully written. ( )

This is a book that I could not put down. This story gave us a peek into the unstable life of a mentally ill person and his friends, and what happens when he stops takings his meds. This book has and ending not expected. I have read other works by Ruby Barnes and he is a wonderful author can not wait to read more by this author. ( )

I have read and enjoyed the work of Ruby Barnes before and he didn't disappoint this time. It's the mark of a talented writer when as a reader, you dislike the main characters, yet cannot stop reading because the author has made you care about them. In Peril, Mr. Barnes actually made me like the main character, flawed though he was. In this book, however, I found the main character and his twisted cohorts unlikable from the moment John entered the mental hospital for murdering his brother as a child until the bitter end where John finally makes a moral choice and acts on it. I know few writers who can get into the minds of deranged characters and portray them without apology like Ruby Barnes is able to do. His tales pull the reader along; they are very hard to put down. The Baptist is a dark, disturbing read, with elements of black humor and wit. Ruby Barnes is a master. His works are very well-written and expertly plotted. I recommend this book to anyone who likes a twisted tale. ( )

A word from the author, Ruby Barnes.

The Baptist is the story of a serial killer who strikes every eight years. It's a psychological thriller that keeps the reader guessing until the last page.

I've reproduced here, with permission, the first three reviews of The Baptist.


Chilling - Bibi (London)

A complex tale of insanity, multiple personalities, revenge and murder.

Well written and totally convincing, it provides an absorbing insight into the minds of some very strange characters. It's not without humour albeit of the dark kind.

This novel is likely to test your mental agility and take you out of your comfort zone, but it's well worth the effort and risk.


Highly recommended - Majella Ryan (Ireland)

The second book from the demented author, Ruby, Ruby, Ruby!! (Ruby Barnes).

Dark and dingy, hot and steamy, everything you need in a novel in one swift download.


Compelling and very, very different - Elizabeth Jasper Writer (Andalucia, Spain)

To begin with, the writing is very good indeed, with a light, contemporary touch that makes reading a pleasure. Descriptive passages are original; there is nothing hackneyed about Mr Barnes' prose - it is fresh, sharp and incisive. The pacing is good, the subject matter compelling, unusual and well-observed. The theme - of a serial killer with a religious bent when it comes to despatching his victims - is original and consistent almost right through the story. I loved the intricacies of the relationship between John Baptist and Mary Crossan. In fact, I loved just about everything about the story and read it on two days. The portrayal of John's mental state as he abandons his medication is terrific and the casual way in which he inflicts death is blood-curdlingly understated.

I had a problem with switching from the POV of John in 1st person, to Sarah in 1st person, and then Mary/Alice. It seemed that these alternative points of view were there solely to prop up the plot - that without them, the reader would not know enough of what was going on. Likewise, the inclusion of McAuliffe. His interventions seemed to be there to support the backstory and added little to the main narrative and in one of the final scenes, I was dismayed to find the Gardai portrayed more like the Keystone cops than a police force.

A small issue, but why describe so many journeys too and from places in and around Kilkenny? Perhaps because I have never been there, I did not relate to the town so these journeys became slightly tedious and I think some of them could have been omitted.

Overall, a compelling read that will stick in my mind for far longer than is comfortable. ( )