BLOG TOUR: The Introvert Bears Filthy Witness - Michael Paul Michaud

 

Newly estranged from Donna, The Introvert is selected as one of twelve jurors on a notorious murder trial, forcing him to navigate a litany of uncomfortable social interactions, this time with no avenue of escape. Equal parts harrowing and hilarious, The Introvert Bears Filthy Witness is the third entry in the life of one very anti-social and unexpected anti-hero. 

What did I think?

The Introvert Bears Filthy Witness is the third book in the fantastically quirky introvert series and you could totally read it as a standalone but it'll be better to read it as part of the series to fully understand the main character and his foibles.  Although I think Michael Paul Michaud's introvert series won't be everyone's cup of tea, I absolutely love these books.  An introvert myself, although not to the degree of our unnamed anti-hero, I can really empathise with the main character and his discomfort in social situations. 

Michael Paul Michaud has completely nailed the character of the introvert.  Anyone with any introvert tendencies will recognise the following qualities of our main character: an unwillingness to be around people, a desire to draw as little attention to himself as possible and talking as little as possible, especially to people he doesn't know or care about i.e. most people he meets.  His social awkwardness reminds me a little of Forrest Gump and he seems even more Gumplike when our introvert shares a wonderful little pearl of wisdom about old people being like unopened gifts...  I'll not finish the sentence as I don't want to spoil it for others, but it's so completely charming that I'll never forget it.

In this instalment, the introvert is called up for jury duty and his literal analytical brain makes him perfect for such an important task.  He focuses on parts of the case that others skip over as unimportant and causes no end of conflict with his fellow jurors.  I love a courtroom thriller so I really enjoyed this part of the book as I joined the jurors in sifting through the evidence to find out what really happened.

Putting our introverted anti-hero into such a stressful social occasion seemed to mess with his wiring a bit, especially when he's going through a rocky patch in his relationship.  As he becomes more and more of an unreliable narrator, there are plenty of surprises in store for the reader and I loved this level of unpredictability that really kept me on my toes.

An absolutely brilliant addition to a wonderfully quirky series, my only disappointment was turning the final page of The Introvert Bears Filthy Witness.  I'm completely addicted to this series and I can't wait for the next instalment.

Thank you to Michael Paul Michaud and Book on the Bright Side for providing me with an ebook to read and review for the blog tour; this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon

About the author:

I am an American-Canadian citizen, a criminal prosecutor, and author of BILLY TABBS (& THE GLORIOUS DARROW) (bitingduckpress) and THE INTROVERT series (Black Opal Books). I have a B.A. in English from McMaster University, an Honors B.A. in Political Science (summa cum laude) from McMaster University, a J.D. from The University of Western Ontario (with an international exchange completed at Washington & Lee). I have won awards for both my community service and my work as a criminal prosecutor. I am a member of Crime Writers of Canada and International Thriller Writers. I also strive to maintain a strong social media author presence, including at facebook.com/michaelpaulmichaud, and have made regular appearances on SiriusXM’s Canada Talks. I am an unabashed and unapologetic zealot of Twin Peaks. Literary influences are primarily Orwell, Dickens, Vonnegut, Dostoevsky.

I was inspired to write The Introvert after reading Crime and Punishment (Dostoevsky) and The Stranger (Camus). It has been likened to Dexter and American Psycho meeting Office Space and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime. I also consider it the most unorthodox of animals rights books. Every dog lover should read them.

Facebook author page https://www.facebook.com/MichaelPaulMichaud/

The Introvert Book Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/TheIntrovertBook/

The Introvert Confounds Innocence Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/TheIntrovertBook2

Twitter: @MichaelPMichaud

Instagram: @MichaelPMichaud

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-michaud-04439311/

Goodreads page for The Introvert: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32808811-the-introvert

Goodreads page for The Introvert Confounds Innocence: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44490433-the-introvert-confounds-innocence

Goodreads page for The Introvert Bears Filthy Witness: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55516994-the-introvert-bears-filthy-witness

Follow the tour:

The Introvert Confounds Innocence - Michael Paul Michaud

THE INTROVERT CONFOUNDS INNOCENCE continues the story of the eponymous anti-hero introduced in THE INTROVERT.

With his life disrupted by an unscrupulous work colleague and a bully at his son Toby’s school, things go from bad to worse when his neighbor’s abusive boyfriend goes missing, plunging the introvert into the center of a murder investigation.

Increasingly hounded by a meddlesome detective, and with his thoughts continually urging him to make people “red and open” and to “achieve it” with his girlfriend Donna, what follows is a sometimes brutal, oftentimes hilarious, and absurdist account of the life of one very anti-social and unexpected anti-hero.

What did I think?

When reading The Introvert one rainy Saturday afternoon, I really didn't want it to end and my wish was granted with The Introvert Confounds Innocence being next in my reading queue - hurrah!  You could read this book as a standalone but I think it definitely works better as a series, after all, the introvert himself is a serial killer.  He's not your traditional serial killer by any means; he doesn't go out looking for people to kill, it's more like they present themselves to him as people who deserve to become 'red and open'.  As a literal thinking killer with feelings, I think of our nameless anti-hero as a cross between Sheldon Cooper from The Big Bang Theory and Dexter Morgan from Dexter.

I love the simple but clever covers of these books and The Introvert Confounds Innocence shows a new addition to our anti-hero's life.  I think his partner, Donna, not standing along with the family says a great deal about how anti-social our anti-hero really is.  Does he actually love her or is she simply a means to his 'achieving it'?

There is a lot going on in the 226 pages of this book: the introvert's son is being bullied, he has a new competitive colleague at work and his next door neighbour is the victim of domestic abuse.  With many contenders for the next person to become 'red and open', I couldn't read fast enough to see how this story would play out.  Some of the interactions with his new colleague at work had me guiltily laughing out loud as our introvert smashes several of the equality and diversity protected characteristics to smithereens in one fell swoop.  You really can't be offended by it as he doesn't mean it in a derogatory way, he is just being literal and there's nothing wrong with that when that's the way you are made.

Although not a criticism by any means, there was only one thing I personally didn't like in the book and that was the way the weird English detective spoke, however, the repetitive, often lyrical nature of prose did fit well with the book.  He just annoyed the hell out of me as it felt like he was talking to a dog most of the time but I think that was part of his character as he came across as a bumbling friendly guy but he was like a bloodhound that has the scent of blood.

Leading on very nicely indeed to Book 3: The Introvert Bears Filthy Witness, The Introvert Confounds Innocence is a wonderfully quirky instalment in this awesome series.  I can't wait to see what happens next to the introvert and I have to confess that I am most definitely addicted to this highly original series; so just try and stop me reading the books again while I wait (im)patiently for Book 3.

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

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon

The Introvert - Michael Paul Michaud

A vacuum salesman by day, the introvert lives a quiet life alone with his dog until a work relationship and a dark secret from his past team up to create an uncomfortable imbalance in his otherwise ordered life, one that soon finds him squarely at the center of a murder investigation. With his thoughts continually urging him to make people “red and open” and to “achieve it” with his girlfriend Donna, what follows is a sometimes brutal, oftentimes hilarious, and absurdist account of the life of one very anti-social and unexpected anti-hero.

What did I think?

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.

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon