Too many of the main character's actions were inconsistent throughout the book, and did not add up at the end. The choice of prefrontal lobotomy as the "best" procedure for revenge was weak. This would have left him intellectually diminished, but still physically capable-the opposite of his victims. ( )

There were some things I liked about this book and some things I didn’t. I liked the style of writing. Different. Quick. It read almost like a play, which makes me think that the guy only wrote it to get a movie deal. I liked the treatment of Toyer in the way that when we knew who he was, we were still interested in what happened. I liked the explanation of why Toyer went nuts.

I didn’t like the fact that Dr. Maude was a stupid and emotionally out of control doctor (just what kind of doctor was she anyway???). She went over the edge about this guy in a most unprofessional way. Then what she does in the end will get her license revoked and her ass thrown in jail. Doesn’t make sense. His treatment of Sara Smith is the total opposite; dedication to the job and a single-minded focus. The story. Only at the end does she stop using people and see that they really are people.

I didn’t like the unnecessary sex. A little goes a long way if you know what I mean.

I didn’t like the way the authorities ignored the crimes. He wasn’t killing anyone so that means he’s low on the list of criminals to catch. He wasn’t taken seriously and when Maude tried to point out this fact (and the fact that if he was sentenced, the crime wasn’t something that would get him a long jail term), she is branded a lunatic and suspended. ( )

Highly recommended to readers who enjoy suspenseful, dark, psychological thrillers. Toyer is a highly functional lunatic who ruins the lives of beautiful, successful women into living dolls (his toys) for fun. He learns about these women, charms his way into their homes and then drugs them. While drugged, Toyer toys with them psychologically by asking them what they were planning to do the NEXT day and telling them they are his NEXT. This is horrifying because they know exactly who he is and what he does. The thought of lying in a coma for the rest of their lives is a fate worse than death for many of them. Then Toyer permanently disables them by using a surgical utensil to cut their spinal cord off from their brain, which puts them into a permanent coma. The newspaper has named him Toyer because he toys with his victims and the police. By turning them into living dolls, one could argue that they become his toys.

Maude Garance is a neurologist who is stressed from treating Toyer's victims. She is enraged by the effect he has on his victims and their families. She is further enraged at the police and DA who are not aggressively hunting for Toyer because he can only be charged with mayhem rather than homicide.

Maude is in a personal fight against Toyer and eventually turns to Sara, an ambitious, young reporter from the L.A. Herald, in an attempt to stop him. Maude talks to Toyer through the paper's op-ed page about feelings and hopes. Sara's editor appreciates the paper's expanded readership. Toyer enjoys his new fame and decides to write a book in which he describes in detail how he destroys his victims. Like with OJ, a publisher actually agrees to pay millions for his book and Toyer decides the money should be divided among his victims' families. Eventually Maude and Sara become Toyer's targets. To say more would be a spoiler . . .

A fascinating aspect of this mystery is that it is written from several points of view -- including Toyer's. Characters are written very well and the view into Toyer's mind is particular chilling.

The book's prose is excellent and it has a very dark, disturbing tone almost all the way through. ( )