Keith Ablow – The Architect
West Crosse is More Than an Architect; He is a Highly Skilled Killer
Sep 5, 2009
The Architect, Keith Ablow’s fifth novel in the Frank Clevenger series, delves deep into the psyche of both its antagonist and protagonist. With detailed, concise writing, Ablow – a psychologist himself – eases into an analysis that appears simple on the surface. As the plot deepens, Ablow provides insight into the mind of West Crosse, architect and killer extraordinaire, creating a character whose decisions and actions are almost rational. Ablow’s detailed descriptions lend a certain detachment to Crosse’s murders, but the awe and enthrallment with which Crosse approaches these killings stands out.
Ablow’s central characters, Clevenger and Crosse, are not without flaws; Clevenger, a recovering alcoholic, is struggling against his own will and control while Crosse, completely confident in the path his actions will follow, is flawed in his perceived invincibility. The Architect pits two intelligent and equally matched men against each other. Tracing vulnerabilities and insecurities, Ablow exploits emotional highs and lows and creates a world where logic and rationality need to triumph.
Perfect Engineering: Architecture and Murder
West Crosse is obsessed with perfection and beauty. Taking engineering to the extreme, Crosse is determined to create the ideal homes for his wealthy clientele. However, his ambitions do not stop with the house; he must create the perfect family. As a result, those family members who do not fit his vision must be dealt with. In a sign of his own instability, Crosse rarely cares about the wants or needs of his clients; rather, he invades their privacy, asking intrusive questions to determine what he perceives to be best for the family.
Having determined the ideal family for his designs, Crosse silently and mercifully kills the reject. However, his obsession takes point after his victim has died. With a disturbing attitude of reverence towards the human body, Crosse delicately and expertly dissects part of the victim. Dissections of the eye, the neck, the spine, the abdomen are astounding in their flawlessness, proving Crosse may well be a genius. Crosse’s final murder and subsequent dissection will prove to be his greatest challenge – and achievement – unless Clevenger gets to him first.
The Flawed Hero
Frank Clevenger is saddled with problems. His adopted son, Billy, is sinking deeper into a world of drugs, brawls and jail time. His relationship with Whitney McCormick, an FBI agent, has stalled. His battle with alcoholism has become more than just a daily reminder not to drink. With his personal life spiraling out of control, Clevenger must put aside his problems to catch Crosse. Even going so far as to take Antabuse, a medicine that causes severe reactions when mixed with alcohol, Clevenger will grasp what power he can. Yet, his flaws and vulnerabilities make him an empathetic and admirable hero, and it is impossible not to root for him to overcome his struggles and capture Crosse.
Keith Ablow
To learn more about Ablow’s philosophies and his fiction and non-fiction works, visit his website.
Ablow, Keith
The Architect
St. Martin’s Press
2006
9780312939717
 |
