Warning Signs: A Novel of Suspense (Alan Gregory)

by Stephen White

Book Overview

Sometimes the warning signs come too late...The brutal slaying of Boulder's controversial D.A. strikes deep in the heart of everything clinical psychologist Alan Gregory holds dear: After all, Alan's... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0440237416
• Release Date: January 2003
• Publisher: Dell
• Length: 512 Pages
• Weight: 0.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 6.8" x 1.3" x 4.2"

Customer Reviews

A fast pace thriller....

I couldn't lay the book out of my hands until I finished if to the very end. This is a typical White's book with the brilliant psychological insights and the fast pace rhythm of the plot. Dr. Alan stand in front of an ethical dilemma - whether to break the client-patient contract or to ignore the "warning signs" and keep his patients secrets with him even though his wife could be in danger for her life... I enjoyed it a lot and can't wait for the next White's one.

This is a Warning - You Must Read This!

Being a Steven White aficionado,I think this is his best book ever! I am sure his next book will probably top this,but it will be difficult. This has such a tight,fast-moving story line with several sub-plots that never interfere with the whole,just add to it. In spite of the many characters, you never seem to lose track of exactly who each one of them is. In so many books they all seem to become muddled,so you forget what part each plays. Not so with this book. The plot is very complicated and twisted. It leaves you wondering if there will ever be a way out of the horrendously exciting turn of events that arises. As always, Alan Gregory works closely with the police to a successful conclusion,albeit a tragic one. The addition of baby Grace to his family is a welcome one. I had initially thought it might be a distraction,but it works for the better. This is a must read book!

Tight, Tense, and Intelligent.....

The brutal murder of legendary Boulder County District Attorney, Royal Peterson, while his invalid wife slept in her room upstairs, was shocking and horrifying. But when the prime suspect turns out to be one of their own, homicide detective, Lucy Tanner, it becomes crystal clear that nothing in Stephen White's latest thriller, Warning Signs, is exactly what it seems. Psychologist, Alan Gregory, soon finds himself smack in the middle of the case, brought in by his close friend and Lucy's partner, Detective Sam Purdy. Sam can't believe that Lucy committed the crime, even though the evidence against her seems to be growing exponentially with each passing day, and he wants Alan's insight to help him prove it. Alan knows all the players well. In fact, his wife is a prosecutor in the District Attorney's office, and worked for Royal. Enter new patient, Naomi Bigg. She's come to Dr Gregory seeking help with her son, cagily talking about bombs, Columbine, vengence, and parental responsibilities. When a bomb is found in Royal Peterson's house, and it becomes apparent that Naomi Bigg and the Peterson crime may be connected, Gregory has to wrestle with the ultimate psychologist's dilema. Which is more important, his ethical duty to his patient, or his moral obligations to the community..... Warning Signs is a tight, suspenseful, very compelling psychological thriller that grabs you from page one, sets you on the edge of your seat, and never lets go. Mr White weaves a seamless, intricate, well paced plot full of twists, turns, riveting scenes, and more than a few surprises. His writing is crisp and tense, and his intriguing characters, well drawn, with strong voices. This is an intelligent thriller that will keep you thinking, long after you've finished the book. Author, Stephen White has really honed his craft, and Warning Signs is the latest installment in a superb series that just gets better with each book. So turn off the phone and lock the door...Alan Gregory and company are about to keep you up all night.

Warning Signs continues a trend of excellence in a serial...

that Stephen White began over ten years ago. In bringing his hero, Alan Gregory, to life, White also gets to pursue, in words, his love affair with the western Rocky Mountains, particularly in Colorado. He has the ability to weave the beauty of the region, and its downfalls, into his story line in a natural and compelling way. Show me a reader who does not want to see Colorado after finishing a White novel!There is no question that White has done what most authors of thrillers cannot do, and that is to maintain the quality of his story lines and characterization based on the same group of characters, time after time. I don't believe he has stumbled in this effort, and in pursuing the Gregory storyline, he has won over many fans of other writers who have fallen prey to commercialism. In past years, White has become my author of choice, the author whose works I immediately buy regardless of price. Writing this, unfortunately, may help too many others to discover him, and hopefully he won't come blazing into the public eye, with too much pressure to write "hits" or "blockbusters" to take away the thoughtful manner in which he sets his plotlines before he begins his story.Warning Signs weaves the continuing struggle of Gregory's wife, Lauren's, MS, throughout the novel, contrasting her coping ability with that of Susan Peterson, the wife of the local DA, who is mysteriously murdered in the early part of the novel. As the story unfolds, White is able to interweave three plotlines, including a crisis of practice for Gregory in terms of when danger and potential harm to others outweigh the need for doctor patient privilege. Gregory doesn't handle the situation appropriately, but his own feelings and the reactions of the public and his circle of close friends help to make this situation even more real for the reader. A story of the abandoned offspring of a central character plays a key role in the mystery, and again leaves us questioning the psychological motivation of characters who seem ordinary on the surface; this daughter is struggling with the meaning of intimacy, and she promises to be a new continuing character in future Gregory novels.Lastly, in the wake of Columbine and Jon Benet, Gregory is able to explore the feeling of confusion and despair that must invade the Colorado population, when confronted with the media spotlight on how parents and law enforcement personnel react to sudden and unexpected crimes of violence in the seemingly serene Colorado setting. Although the "Columbine-like" plotline is a little farfetched, it is ultimately the vehicle that builds into the climax of the novel, and White does a credible job of building the tension and relief when the violence finally ends.Lastly, White is able to showcase Gregory and Lauren in still another setting; as new parents of baby daughter Grace. This is a book that is chockful of great storylines and suspense, and difficult to put down when you want to finish it in one sitting.A

A FIRST-RATE PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER

Author cum psychologist Stephen White well knows how to plumb the depths of the human mind, excising the malevolence of which mankind is capable. As evidenced in "The Program," White's prose is swift, dextrous, and his plotting expertly paced. The tenth novel to spotlight clinical psychologist Alan Gregory, "Warning Signs" is a shocking yet fascinating thriller. The brutalized body of Boulder County District Attorney, Royal Peterson, is found, and a homicide detective is soon thought to be the murderer. Violent as the crime was, what strikes even closer to Gregory's heart is the fact that his wife used to work for Peterson and is considering defending the accused detective. In the midst of this turmoil Gregory sees a new patient, Naomi Bigg, an obviously frightened mother. What is she afraid to confront? And, what is Gregory's responsibility regarding doctor/patient confidentiality if he believes other lives are at stake? He is torn as he attempts to help his patient, and watches a series of violent episodes tear the city apart. Perhaps only he can unlock the secrets buried in the dark corners of a criminal mind. "Warning Signs" is compelling and frightening - a first-rate psychological thriller.