To Hell with Johnny Manic
John Manis, aka Johnny Manic, isn't who he says he is. His money can't ease the burden of his dark secret. The high life, he finds, is a lonely life when you have to live it as someone else. If only someone could see him for who he really was.
Marilyn Dupree has a strange intuition, a spark of recognition when they meet. Passionate, volatile, and married to the wrong man, her life isn't going right either. But she and Johnny have a chemistry like nitrogen and glycerin. "The wiser part of me knew I should have left," Johnny recalls. "But knowing what's right and doing what's right are two different things, especially when you're at war with instincts you can't articulate and don't understand. The important thing was that in the grocery store that morning, Johnny Manic and the raven-haired Marilyn Dupree had found each other. The fuse was lit." Watching them both is the wary detective Lou Eisenfall, who senses he's going to be very busy in the coming weeks. A dark tale of deception, murder, and psychological suspense, To Hell with Johnny Manic is a throwback to the classic crime fiction of Raymond Chandler and Jim Thompson. "A feverishly readable psychological noir." - Kirkus Reviews "Truly riveting... One of the year's best thrillers." - BestThrillers.comEarn by promoting books
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"A truly riveting tale of deception, murder and psychological suspense. Part psychological thriller, part noir, Diamond has accomplished the incredibly difficult task of deriving true suspense from the battle for supremacy going on within [the narrator's] own mind. The Bottom Line: One of the year's best thrillers." - BestThrillers.com
"This is no light whodunit, but a complex psychological piece that pits the efforts of Detective Lou Eisenfall to solve not just a crime, but the roots of a relationship that descends into madness... Diamond cultivates an engrossingly dark vision of a protagonist whose alter ego takes over in many different ways. The build-up of psychological suspense and the evolution of evil is truly compelling. To Hell with Johnny Manic is very highly recommended for crime readers who like their stories introspective, brooding, and psychologically astute." - D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review
"For lovers of crime fiction, there can be no more seductive catnip than a caper about a compromised antihero desperate to change his life for the better, the unhappily married femme fatale who is going to make that exceedingly difficult, a detective who is suspicious of both of them, and a rising body count... Diamond nails an evocative, nihilistic, hard-boiled style that fans of Jim Thompson and the like will admire... A feverishly readable psychological noir." - Kirkus Reviews
"Filled with high octane suspense, chemistry, action, intrigue, and deception, we find ourselves focused on the dangerous and powerful pairing of John Manis (the Johnny Manic of the novel's title) and the beautiful Marilyn Dupree. Intuitive detective Lou Eisenfall has a bad feeling about these two volatile spirits coming together, particularly since Johnny's wild lifestyle implies there's a lot of darkness going on under the surface. What results is a powerful and engaging mystery that changes gear at every turn, charging towards a dangerous and disastrous conclusion for everyone involved... a gripping read that will keep you in your seat from cover to cover." - Readers' Favorite (5 stars)
"A tough, twisted tale of distorted dreams and evil plans going wrong in every direction. Anti-hero Gantry is likeable enough, trying in his blundering way to do the right thing while falling deeper into a hole of his own digging. The cinematic plot is thoroughly engrossing, with tortuous turns and all the wrong characters showing up at all the wrong times. Manic's work assignments with a varied cast of colorful customers provide a few breaks in the unnerving, rapidly escalating scenario of deception piled on deception. The cleverly conceived aspect of dual personality - Manis slowly gaining sway over Manic - adds a fascinating layer. Diamond manages all these threads deftly, with subtle humor and a wealth of forensic and personal detail." - Feathered Quill Book Reviews
