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Will Carver

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Psychopaths Anonymous: The CULT BESTSELLER of 2021 Kindle Edition

by Will Carver (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

4.0 248 ratings

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When AA meetings make her want to drink more, alcoholic murderess Maeve sets up a group for psychopaths ... The dark, unpredictable, electrifyingly original new thriller from critically acclaimed author Will Carver.

'Cements Carver as one of the most exciting authors in Britain. After this, he'll have his own cult following' Daily Express

'Will Carver is an exhilarating and audacious new voice in literary crime fiction' Sarah Pinborough

'A new Will Carver novel is always something to look forward to, and this is no exception. Striking and unusual, and dark as ever' S J Watson

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Maeve has everything. A high-powered job, a beautiful home, a string of uncomplicated one-night encounters. She's also an addict: A functioning alcoholic with a dependence on sex and an insatiable appetite for killing men.

When she can't find a support group to share her obsession, she creates her own. And Psychopaths Anonymous is born. Friends of Maeve.

Now in a serious relationship, Maeve wants to keep the group a secret. But not everyone in the group adheres to the rules, and when a reckless member raises suspicions with the police, Maeve's drinking spirals out of control.

She needs to stop killing. She needs to close the group.

But Maeve can't seem to quit the things that are bad for her, including her new man...

A scathing, violent and darkly funny book about love, connection, obsessions and sex – and the aspects of human nature we'd prefer to hide – Psychopaths Anonymous is also an electrifyingly original, unpredictable thriller that challenges virtually everything.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Praise for Will Carver

'Gobsmacking, beyond dark, and so much fun. I would join Will Carver's cult. He's the most original writer around...' Helen FitzGerald

'A novel so dark and creepy Stephen King will be jealous he didn't think of it first' Michael Wood

'One of the most compelling and original voices in crime fiction ... The whole thing feels like a shot of adrenaline' Alex North

'Twisty-turny and oh-so provocative, this is the type of book that will stick a sneaky foot out to trip you up' Liz Robinson, LoveReading

'Deliciously fresh and malevolent story-telling ... a laminate-you-to-your-chair, page-whirring dive into a small British town that is turned on its head over the course of a few days. If you like something fresh and unusual, grab this book' Craig Sisterson

'It's going to take something special to top this as my book of 2020. Original, thought provoking and highly recommended' Mark Tilbury

'Weirdly page-turning' Sunday Times

'Laying bare our 21st-century weaknesses and dilemmas, Carver has created a highly original state-of-the-nation novel' Literary Review

'Arguably the most original crime novel published this year' Independent/i>

From the Publisher

Psychopaths Anonymous (4) (Detective Pace)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Wow! It’s totally insane and I mean that in the best of ways. Maeve is a brilliant character - you shouldn’t root for her but you really do. There’s an amazing twisted logic to all of her actions. Incredibly dark and very funny." —Harriet Tyce, author of Blood Orange

"I read this in one sitting. Dark, gripping and yet surprisingly warm, I fell in love with Carver's murderous Maeve. This is an Elinor Oliphant for crime fans. Carver truly at his best." —Sarah Pinborough, author of Behind Her Eyes

"Carver is a smart, stylish writer who has created a uniquely scary personality. We glimpse the world seen through the eyes of a grotesque character who is just normal enough to leave us entertained and disturbed in equal part." —Daily Mail

"I’ve never read such an original, stunning, clever, literary thriller." —Sarah Pinborough, author, Behind Her Eyes on Hinton Hollow Death Trip

"Dark in the way only Will Carver can be. Psychopaths Anonymous oozes malevolence from every page." —Victoria Slotover, author of the Ziba MacKenzie Crime Thriller series

"The plot grips and unfolds at a furious pace. Carver is either a madman or the cleverest of prose manipulators; the reader will decide but no one will prove indifferent." —Maxim Jakubowski, Crime Time

"[A] powerful look into the abyss of a psychopathic personality." — Publishers Weekly

"Fans of classic downbeat noir from Cornell Woolrich and the like will find Carver has brilliantly translated their themes for the 21st century." —Publishers Weekly, starred review of Nothing Important Happened Today

"Thrilling and completely original, Nothing Important Happened Today deserves to become an instant classic." —Kevin Wignall, author, When We Were Lost

About the Author

Will Carver is the international bestselling author of the January David series. He spent his early years in Germany, but returned to the UK at age eleven, when his sporting career took off. He turned down a professional rugby contract to study theatre and television at King Alfred’s, Winchester, where he set up a successful theatre company. He currently runs his own fitness and nutrition company, and lives in Reading with his two children. Good Samaritans was book of the year in The Guardian, Telegraph, and DailyExpress, and hit number one on the ebook charts.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09H7RBVZ4
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Orenda Books (September 25, 2021)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 25, 2021
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 1601 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 332 pages

Best Sellers Rank: #188,889 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #626 in Noir Crime
- #3,102 in Psychological Thrillers (Kindle Store)
- #5,455 in Psychological Thrillers (Books)

Customer Reviews:
4.0 248 ratings

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Will Carver

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Thanks for checking out my author page.

My books are often referred to as either 'LITERARY CRIME NOVELS' or I am told that they 'DEFY GENRE', which makes them difficult to put on a shelf. They tend to sit on the edge of crime fiction, pushing the boundaries in different ways, each time.

They have been long listed/shortlisted for the AMAZON Readers Independent Voice Award, GOLDSBORO Books Glass Bell Award, NOT The Booker, THEAKSTON'S Old Peculiar Crime Novel of the Year Award and the FINGERPRINT Genre-Busting Book of the Year Award, as well as being selected as books of the year in the mainstream press.

My next book is UPSTAIRS AT THE BERESFORD (Novemebr 9th), a prequel to THE BERESFORD, which straddles the CRIME/HORROR genres. It's a dark but humorous story about the guests and residents of Hotel Beresford and the mysterious Mr Balliol, who lives in the penthouse, watching over everything and everyone.

THE BERESFORD is currently in development for TV.

Click FOLLOW on here so you don't miss out on my next book – I write a lot.

If you would like to get in contact, I can usually be found on TWITTER/X @will_carver but who knows how long that will last..?

You could always check out my website where you can join the MAILING LIST to stay updated with deals and competitions and which EVENTS I will be attending throughout the year. (There are also many hidden easter eggs within the site, just as there are in my books. Feel free to click around and see what you find.)

I live in Reading with my partner, our five kids and a tortoise.

Recently, I have also become a podcaster and present the LET'S GET LIT podcast with fellow writer SJ Watson, where we discuss books and writing each week while sharing a drink. (Find us wherever you get your podcasts from.)

Oh, and just in case TWITTER implodes, I can also be found here...

FACEBOOK - @WillCarverAuthor

INSTAGRAM/THREADS - @will_carver

BLUE SKY - @willcarver

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4 out of 5

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David M Capps

Psychopaths, what could be better?

Reviewed in the United States on March 23, 2023

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An absolutely great, fun, fast read. Dark humor from the first page to the last. A must read! So much fun!

Reviewed in the United States on November 10, 2021

PSYCHOPATHS ANONYMOUS is the fourth book in the Detective Sergeant Pace Series by Will Carver. This thriller reads well as a stand-alone but I recommend starting with book one for clarity and context, and development of the characters and their relationships are better experienced by reading the books in order. This is a wild, mad but entertaining, very dark and disturbing read. It is clever and nasty all at the same time.

I have to say that this book is not for everyone. This novel is not for the faint hearted, or easily offended, but highly recommended for anyone who is open-minded and ready to experience a different perspective by questioning the norm and looking at people in a different light. Totally blows your mind!

I think before you read this book, it does help to have read Will’s first book in this series, Good Samaritans, but it can easily be read as a standalone.

The Novels in the Detective Sergeant Pace Series Include:

The Good Samaritans (Book 1) 2018
Nothing Important Happened Today (Book 2) 2019
Hinton Hollow Death Trip (Book 3) 2020
Psychopaths Anonymous (Book 4) 2021

Maeve has a high-level job in advertising, a beautiful home, and a string of uncomplicated one-night stands. She’s also a functioning alcoholic with a dependence on sex and an addiction for killing men.

When she can’t find a support group to share her obsession, she creates her own…Friends of Maeve, aka Psychopaths Anonymous.

Now in a serious relationship, Maeve wants to keep the group a secret. But not everyone in the group sticks to the rules, and when a reckless member raises suspicions with the police, Maeve’s drinking goes out of control.

She needs to stop killing. She needs to close the group.

But Maeve can’t seem to quit the things that are bad for her, including her new man. Her relationship with Seth is very captivating and it kept me focused as I had no idea how Maeve was going to react next. It is really chilling how she chooses her next victims; they could be anyone she happens to randomly pass on the street. What a frightening character!

This is a dark funny book about love, obsessions and sex, and the aspects of human nature we’d prefer to hide.

Psychopaths Anonymous, his latest novel is a brilliantly crafted novel. Maeve, the character at the heart of the novel is a very twisted individual, but also a very original character. The author allows us to step inside Maeve’s mind and feel what she is going through, by seeing the world through her eyes.

I had to keep on reading to see how dark this story could get.

This was a brilliant read. If nothing else, this novel will make you question and think outside the box than rather accepting everything at face value.

Many thanks to the author, Orenda Books and The Book Club Reviewer Request Group (FB) for my digital copy.

2 people found this helpful

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Kindle Customer

Is that the end?

Reviewed in the United States on June 29, 2022

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I enjoyed it well enough until the end and then I was just confused. Maybe he's setting it up for a sequel? Other than that, it was a decent read. I would read other books by this author.

One person found this helpful

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Tammy B

Predictable

Reviewed in the United States on January 29, 2023

Verified Purchase

Not very original. Insults thrown at Trump. Big deal, every other author is doing it. Insults thrown at Trump voters and half your reader base? WTF.....what did we ever do to you?

2 people found this helpful

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Sue Purbrick

Sophisticated awfulness, caustic wit and humour

Reviewed in the United States on October 27, 2021

Psychopaths Anonymous is chockfull of very clever, sophisticated awfulness, caustic wit and very sick humour. I found the first half of this book totally compelling. Rather like an excellent comedian, Will Carver is not scared to venture where other (more sensitive authors) fear to tread. There are absolutely no sacred cows. Religion, social media, the state of modern society and politicians all come under Carver’s cynical scrutiny – sometimes cruelly, at others with humour, irony or sacrilege. Do not read this book if you’re quick to take offence, dislike blasphemy or are deeply religious. Carver deliberately sets out to offend you, presumably to make you question, think and debate, rather than simply accept.
In Psychopaths Anonymous, Carver exposes what I assume are the real AA 12 steps to recovery. Aren’t they, like masonic rites, meant to be deadly secret? He cleverly uses these steps to structure this story about alcoholic, psychopathic Maeve, who’s very serious about drinking, and loves nothing better than other people’s misery.
What a character! Talk about cruel and calculating. She’s also a totally unrelatable witness, which makes the story a lot more fun as I often had no idea what to believe.
For me the second half wasn’t quite as grippingly compulsive as the first, although I really enjoyed Maeve’s deepening relationship with the poor, uncomprehending Seth as well as the dynamic between her and fellow alcoholic, Jill.
This is Will Carver at his most cynical. Yet there’s also his trademark humour, not all of it dark. His use of the English language is fantastic (‘a veritable smorgasbord of Hampstead boredom’, referring to the the various classes on offer at the local community center, and “We can use rhetoric or satire to scold these Neanderthals but I think a cricket bat to the head says everything in a more succinct way.”). I physically cringed more than once – exactly as Carver intended, I’m sure.
There are also some brilliant observations stemming from Carver’s unique way of looking at the world (the oversight of the fourth day of God creating the world comes to mind). Psychopaths Anonymous is unbelievably gory in parts, and this is all hilariously juxtaposed with Maeve’s other addiction, watching soapies.
Go ahead and read it if you dare!

5 people found this helpful

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Kristen Heyl

Fourth in the series. Can be read as a standalone.

Reviewed in the United States on November 14, 2021

This was a dark and disturbing book but a well written one with fully developed characters that are so twisted that you feel normal. I voluntarily reviewed an advance readers copy of this book.

One person found this helpful

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Sophie Swainger

Bonkers and brilliant

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 25, 2024

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Wow. I'm not entirely sure what I just read but it was compelling, crazy, alcoholic, gory and very entertaining. Pretty far from the standard psychological thriller so I understand why it might be a bit of a marmite book.

I have no idea how Will Carver did it but somehow the first person narrative accelerated until everything was careening off the rails and I wasn't sure what was real. It managed to capture the feeling I remember from occasional nights in my younger years when I had drunk way too much, and my perception of the world tilted so nothing quite made sense.

This was my first Will Carver book but it certainly won't be my last.

Dingemanse

Donker, geweldig en waanzin

Reviewed in the Netherlands on December 2, 2021

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Niet voori de gevoelige lezer. Totale gekte, geweld en duistere humor. Praatgroep voor psychopaten wie verzint dit....
Last Maeve maar schuiven...

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JenMedBookLover

Dark, acerbic, twisted. Support groups will never be the same again

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 24, 2021

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Well ... Will Carver has done it again. Left me in a bit of a quandary. Another one of those 'how the heck do I review this' moments that I have come to know (and kind of dread) when reading one of his novels. And I say dread, not in a bad way, it's just that as a reviewer you always have to wine a very fine line between conveying what a book is about and how it made you feel, without giving away too much. Will Carver always manages to leave me with a kind of 'wtf-ery' feeling that makes conveying my thoughts very difficult indeed. This latest book, Psychopaths Anonymous, is no different.

As I said at the start this is, sort of, a kind of prequel to the loosely formed Sergeant Pace series. It is the kind of book you can read before or after book one, Good Samaritans, but, as with all good prequels, you'll probably get more from it if you read book one first. This is Maeve's story. Maeve of Good Samaritans fame and notoriety, and so if you have read the book then her slightly skewed outlook on life will make sense. If you read this book first, then her response to what happens in GS will come a little to no surprise. Maeve is a, how shall I put this, interesting character. The title should give you the best clue of all as to her true nature, and the blurb leaves little to the imagination. That's not to say that Maeve is a fully irredeemable character, at least not at the start. She just has a few ... questionable (?) character traits. Peccadilloes if you like. Possibly soon to become full on psychotic episodes, but that's for later in the book ...

What I enjoyed about this book was seeing Maeve become more and more consumed by her obsession with the idea of death and murder. Written in first person, as readers we are privy to her train of thought, her gradually escalating need to satisfy the very deepest and darkest of urges. Unable to satisfy her itch by attending Alcoholics Anonymous, instead she uses it to target victims in a way that will both amuse and astound you as a reader. In many ways, this targeting, and indeed the escalation, is. best understood if you do read this after reading at the very least books one and two in the 'series'. There are many cross references, little easter eggs for readers in the know if you like, that will mean much more and be far more impactful if you do. But as you come to understand that chronology of this particular tale then things will both make sense and not.

As I read this book there was almost a kind of sliding doors, crossed timelines feel to the stories. Scenes which belong both in Maeve's future and the readers past. The whole thing kind of have a female equivalent Patrick Bateman vibe, but told in Mr Carver's trademark brutally acerbic and twisted way, representing all that is wrong with modern society (although this is technically slightly set in the past) but in a way which is brutally honest, and darkly humorous. I'd expect nothing less. And Maeve is such a perfect conduit for this dissection of modern life, to pull apart it's rights and wrongs, cast aspersions against the elements of our existence -religion, family, friendships - that are often just fundamentally flawed.

Maeve has a dark heart, an astute mind, and a cold and calculating personality that makes the narrative flow. She is, in a word, a psychopath. What else. Will Carver has portrayed her in a way which is both off putting and yet completely engrossing. She plays with her victims like a cat with a mouse. She has the measure of those around ehr, and she is incapable of mercy. But what else would you want in your protagonist, and what else would you expect from this particular series? If you have read GS, then you know that she's no saint. Far from it. And this book is a real exploration of those shadows that exist within her. But it's not all about the darkness. There are moments that really did make me smile, scenes where I had a good chuckle where convention suggests I really perhaps shouldn't. Gallows humour or just the fact we are all a little bit twisted? Read the book and decide for yourself.

There is a twist to this tale. One which I was perhaps both expecting and not. There is a kind of inevitability about what will come to pass from the very moment the Maeve meets Seth, but watching the progression from early attraction to what comes to pass it as entertaining as listening to Maeve's inner thoughts, expressed on the page with absolutely no filter, for your reading delight. A partnership that seemingly shouldn't work and yet does. And again, one of those reasons I'm torn between saying absolutely don't read this before Good Samaritans or absolutely do. It's a real dilemma.

Dark, twisted, funny and undeniably acerbic, and a little bit madcap, support groups will never be the same again. Psychopaths Anonymous, is pretty much everything I've come to expect from a Will Carver novel and I have no doubt fans of the series are going to love the book just as much as its predecessors.

3 people found this helpful

Lagoon

A searing insight into the abyss.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 27, 2021

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Maeve is a drinker; not an alcoholic. That’s what she tells herself. She’s also a killer. One thing that the author does particularly well is make you see how individuals such as Maeve are like each and every one of us. The degrees that separate you from ‘ordinary’, whatever that even is, to stone cold killer, are wafer thin.

Not content with attending AA meetings, Maeve seeks to reach out to fellow psychopaths. Why not have a group where like minded killers can support and draw strength from each other? Maeve is not just about knocking back Pinot Noir and stabbing faces though. She has much to say on the many modern day curses that drag us all down.

I loved the concept and Maeve is a striking creation; albeit one that is hard to like. For me, the narrative ran out of puff. I got what Maeve was about and she proved her point or points more than once. Perhaps too many times.

3 people found this helpful

Jacob Collins

A dark, entertaining read!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 21, 2021

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With each of Will Carver’s books, you know that you’ll get something a little bit different and a little bit mad each time. Psychopaths Anonymous, his latest offering is another stunning, brilliantly crafted novel. Maeve, the character at the heart of the novel is a very twisted individual; she’s also one of the most original characters I’ve come across in crime fiction for a while. If you’re looking for a very dark read, perfect for when the nights draw in then look no further than this book.

I think before you read this book, it does help to have read Will’s first book in this series, Good Samaritans, but it can easily be read as a standalone.

What I love about Will Carver’s books is that he always delves into the minds of his characters really well. There is a lot of heavy stuff going on inside Maeve’s head and this book is almost like a rich character study. We see the world through her eyes and Will Carver understands Maeve really well. She is very unpredictable; I got the feeling that she could snap at any moment and that no one around her was safe. This really drives the tension and it kept me turning the pages.

What this book will also have you doing is thinking about people in a different way. I loved the idea of the Psychopaths Anonymous meeting. It was a very chilling thought. It was interesting to see Maeve’s perspectives on the people in the group she has created. I’ve recently heard that one in one hundred people are psychopaths and this is portrayed very clearly in this book.

Maeve's relationship with Seth is very intriguing and it kept me on tenterhooks as I had no idea how Maeve was going to react next. This isn’t a very light book at all, so if you are a bit squeamish it may not be one for you. It is really chilling how she chooses her next victims; they could be anyone, perhaps just someone who she happens to randomly pass on the street. It’s what makes her such a frightening character as well.

So if you’re looking for a wild, entertaining, very dark read, then I highly recommend Psychopaths Anonymous. It might not be one that you want to read just before going to bed.

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