Primary Obsessions by Charles Demers

Mental health and its often misunderstood impact on the affected individual/s is brought under the microscope in this tragic murder plot which sees the troubled Sanjay stigmatized by common misconceptions, seemingly fuelled by intellectual apathy, and as a result becomes compartmentalised into a metaphorical and literal dark room, with no exit………

The driven and indefatigable Dr Annick Boudreau is the voice of reason who strives to combat this apparent witch hunt, by attempting to raise awareness, by whatever means necessary, of the invasive and damaging thoughts that bombard the inner recesses of those living with OCD, and so avoid a probable miscarriage of justice.

Set in the sultry summer heat of Vancouver the author presents a multi-layered plot which superficially points to the voiceless Sanjay’s guilt until Boudreau begins to slowly break through the morass of lies and shine a light on a seedy underworld that is concealing the city’s dirty secret.

Without compromising the message of female empowerment, the author is able to portray in Dr Boudreau, a complex woman whose unwavering determination to do the right thing, sometimes at the expense of those closest to her, creates a charge of such positive energy that it pulsates through both the reader and the supporting cast of characters and ultimately generates a voice for the marginalised that can be heard over the mainstream noise.

The culmination of her crusade for truth is possibly missing a final spark but as the overriding message is the defence of mental health this can probably be excused. Boudreau is a powerful and confrontational advocate of those with primary obsessions and her unbending personality gives her the air of a social activist whose thoughts and deeds bring followers in her wake.

She is a character who demands to be heard and only a sequel will silence her growing band of believers.

Primary Obsessions by Charles Demers. Published by Legend Press