Downfall

Dr. Rick Shepard arrives at his office to see a body surrounded by crime scene tape. When he watches the news with his girlfriend, Jackie, they see the murdered man’s picture, and he is Rick’s doppelganger. When Rick’s father is gunned down a few nights later, Rick is sure he is also a target. He has been getting a lot of hang-ups, and they increase. But Rick forgets day after day to have the number changed, even though he repeats over and over how he has to get it done. That last sentence is emblematic of this book. The problem is the execution of what is a great story premise. Author Mark Rubinstein has a couple of excellent characters, but a lot of stereotypes. The point-of-view is all over the place, hopping from head to head, and confusing readers. Actions are repeated and dialogue is circular, repetitious, and filled with clichés, slowing the story way down and showing the author does not trust the readers to get what he’s writing. A good round of editing and some consequential cuts would help, and a good copyeditor could get rid of the innumerable grammatical errors.