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Forger: A Psychological Thriller

By: Mark Spivak
Published by: Sunshine Wine Concepts LLC
Publication Date: April 2023
ISBN: 979-8367559569
Reviewed By: Kathy Stickles
Review Date: January 10, 2023

In Forger: A Psychological Thriller, author Mark Spivak does an excellent job of giving the reader a thrilling novel that will keep you on the edge-of-your seat as you follow along on a clinical psychologist’s journey trying to help her first patient in her new practice while also attempting to stay on the right side of the law.

Cheryl Weissberg is just about to step out of residency and into her own office as a psychologist when she first meets Lester Gordon. Lester has been arrested for threatening to destroy a painting at the Museum of Modern Art with a box cutter. After meeting with him briefly, Cheryl is confused by the accusations against Lester as she finds him to be a very mild-mannered and gentle man who does not even remember destroying the painting. Returning the next day, Cheryl goes to speak with Lester and finds “Baby Les” in his place, a small child in Lester’s body who is terrified over where he is and being left alone yet again by his parents. Cheryl quickly realizes she is dealing with multiple personalities in one man and sees it as a case that will launch her career and make others believe in her. In addition, Cheryl feels that she is being given the chance to really help someone and she is excited and nervous at the same time.

As a condition of his release, Lester must commit to therapy with Cheryl in the hopes that she can help him. As the book progresses we see Lester, “Baby Les,” and two new personalities; Louis Bétancourt, an artist who paints like the amazing impressionist painters of the past and Father Humphries, a priest intent on donating some famous paintings left to him by his parents to a small art museum in need of great art.

What follows is an amazing journey as Cheryl works hard to first convince Lester of his true medical condition and the reason behind his many blackouts and second, trying to combine all of Lester’s personalities into one functional human being who has the best of all of them. With the help of her mentor, a woman who is ahead of her field in dealing with multiple personality cases, Cheryl sets out on her first solo case as a psychologist.

This is a very well-written story that will be very hard to put down once you pick it up. It combines everything a reader wants - an excellent plot, extremely well-developed characters, outstanding research into the medical condition displayed that is written in language those of us reading the book can understand, as well as a wonderful glimpse into the world of art and art forgeries. Mr. Spivak has outdone himself with Forger and I recommend it to all. With the twists and turns involved in the plot you will be completely riveted by the novel until the very end.

Quill says: Forger is a thrilling novel wrapped around the issues surrounding a person with multiple personalities and the author does an excellent job of bringing across the fear, confusion, danger, and long-term effects associated with the condition. I highly recommend it to any reader.

For more information on Forger: A Psychological Thriller, please visit the author's website at: markspivakbooks.com