What a totally awesome book! I love something a bit different and boy, was this different! As a self-confessed introvert, I was attracted to this book by its simple cover as I've never been afraid to stand apart from the crowd, in fact I much prefer it! Thankfully, I don't share any of the dark traits of our nameless anti-hero but, rather like my favourite serial killer, Dexter, he only makes people 'red and open' who deserve it.

I knew from the start that I was going to enjoy this book as the introvert comes up against bureaucratic red tape when he attempts to renew his drivers licence. After queuing for 40 minutes he leaves empty handed but with dark thoughts of stabbing the clerk with her own letter-opener. Don't get me wrong, this isn't a horror story; it's definitely more of a black comedy as I found myself giggling at the situations the introvert finds himself in, especially when he attracts the attention of his colleague, Donna. He finds that although he can 'achieve it' on his own, it's much better when Donna helps him.

I suppose seeing the more human side of him as his relationship with Donna progresses made it easier to take his side when things go spectacularly wrong. I actually found him a little naïve with almost a childlike innocence when the reasons behind his actions become apparent. He does have a good heart but he can't control his impulses for making people who deserve it 'red and open'.

As a very literal person, which my family and colleagues will attest to, I found it quite hilarious to see how the introvert interprets things. I don't think I'm quite as bad as him but there are some scenes with a police officer and police inspector that had me both sniggering at the audacity and silently applauding the literal brain of our anti-hero.

With an anti-hero you can't help rooting for and an intriguing storyline of a strange life and a murder investigation, The Introvert is impossible to put down once you pick it up. At only 160 pages long, it's so easy to read this original and quirky book in one sitting, which is what I did, but I really didn't want the story to end. Thankfully, it doesn't end there with Book 2: The Introvert Confounds Innocence already published and Book 3: The Introvert Bears Filthy Witness in the pipeline.

The Introvert may very well be my new guilty pleasure and it's definitely a book I'd read again as I'm sure I have missed some of the nuances of this wonderful and darkly charming anti-hero. It's the perfect book to pick up if you're at a loose end on a rainy Saturday afternoon. Highly recommended for fans of Dexter and black comedy.

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion. ( )

In The Introvert Michael Paul Michaud gives a wonderful account of the life of a unique young man. Darkly humorous throughout it will have you questioning what makes you laugh and why. It is also at times sad and always thought provoking.

The narrator/protagonist appears (to me, admittedly not an expert on the subject) at times to be on the autism spectrum. The idea of him as simply an introvert is undermined by his inability to understand other people's emotions and basis for their responses or actions. It is that possibility that makes some parts of the story problematic, I want to laugh at the story and the situations but want to stop short of laughing at him. I think Michaud manages to accomplish that tightrope act quite well, I never felt I was laughing at the character's expense but at the dynamics of the situations.

Though the story starts fairly slow I think it helped the reader to get into the mindset and pacing of the narrator so that we could better understand his later actions. Without the first part giving us insight into his ideas on ethics and right vs wrong, we might have had an entirely different view of him as the story played out.

I would recommend this to any reader who enjoys their humor on the dark side and likes a work to be written at a pace that matches the protagonist's life: simple, straightforward and methodical.

Reviewed from a copy made available through Goodreads' First Reads. ( )

This is one of those books that you can both love and hate it at the same time. Ok, maybe hate is a strong word. More like a "what am I reading". This is a train wreck but it is so good that I can't stop reading. This book is told from the first person. I am mixed on first person books. Some I have read are good and others were not so good. This book is in the good category.

The main character is so socially awkward that again this was a situation where it was both painful and funny to watch how everything played out. However, my favorite parts were when the main character would be interacting with someone he could not stand and thoughts of killing them would play out in his head. The results were always the same “red and open”. The next time I watch a murder show or read a book with a murder scene I am going to think “red and open”. I enjoyed reading this book more then I thought I would and the end results were magical. ( )