Duplicity by Charlie H. Johnson, Jr. is a thoroughly engrossing novel about a
psychic detective who tangles with the wrong spirits. Part mystery, part occult
thriller, and part psychological memoir, it is all award winning writing. This
novel will keep you up reading late into the night…with the lights on!

Duplicity is set New York City during the 1990s. Carlos is a down and out psychic detective living
one step away from the bill collectors. A child of the 60s, Carlos has an
independent spirit, an acceptance of the unusual, and has done his share of
experimentation with hallucinogen substances. His choice of career as a psychic
detective gives him the freedom to carry his 60s lifestyle well into the 90s. The
plot begins when Carlos reads a message written on the wall, "Judge Crater:
please call your office". Inspired by the message, Carlos decides to find
out what happened to Crater. (Judge Joseph Crater was a real historic figure. He
did vanish from New York, August 1930.) Investigations into Crater’s background
suggests that he had underworld connects and that while he had vanished, he may
not have departed life or New York City. After researching the historical case, Carlos contacts his psychic
friends to find out what additional information they could provide. Joe Davidson,
an ESP expert turned stock market pro, had little to add. Maria Polska (aka "Janice
Johnson from Omaha") a street psychic who tells fortunes for five dollars
a pop warned him against the investigation. However, it was Borys,
the aged paranoid Russian medium, who provided the most information. A physical
medium, Borys makes contact with Crater. Crater is
none too please at being disturbed. He warns Carlos that further investigation
would cost him dearly. Thus in earnest begins the story. Carlos does dig
deeper. He becomes obsessed, dare I say possessed, with Crater. As the person
and world of Crater takes shape, Carlos and his world falls apart. The novel moves
at a reckless pace, careening like a roller coaster, to its startling climax.

Duplicity is a book that explores the dangerous worlds of the alcoholism,
addiction, and the occult. Carlos is someone who is far from physically or
mental healthy. He lives his life on the edge of poverty. His lifestyle is
riddled with addictions. His hold on reality seems held together by duct tape. He
is a perfect candidate for abuse by a dominant personality. He even has
difficulty dealing with the casher at the corner convenience store. The
presence of a malicious spirit and copious liquid spirits only exacerbates Carlos’
self-destructive tendencies. It is only a matter of time before Carlos finds himself
sliding down that slippery steep slope to complete disintegration. While his
psychic friends – Joe, Marie, and Borys – appear none too stable, they at least
have developed strong defenses for venturing into the world of the occult.
Carlos, while the novel hints at a long history with a love-hate relationship
with the psychic realm, seems to have built up no such walls. It is a wonder
that he has lasted as long as he did as a psychic detective.

This book has award potential. The writing is stellar. Carlos is
accurately depicted as a man of a fast track to hell. This is especially true
in the descriptions of his disintegration through the subtle but steady increase
in his growing paranoia. Many of the secondary characters add wonderful comic
relief. While as a character Carlos’ time seems destined to be short, if
Johnson continues this series, which I encourage him to do, I will be the first
in line to buy any further adventures of Carlos, the self-destructive psychic
detective!

"Charlie Johnson Jr. has spent the past 30 years in
the professions of student, itinerant historian, freelance writer and jack-of-all
trades. He has written about landmark Colorado buildings, Charles F. Lummis, and California railroads and worked as an
editor, museum tour guide, bookkeeper, keno writer and electronic watch repair
technician." (http://www.iuniverse.com)

Duplicity by Charlie H. Johnson, Jr. is more than a psychic detective novel. It
is a tale of a man’s self destruction. It is engrossing and riveting. I could
not put down. It has award potential written all over and all throughout it. I
highly recommend it.

© 2004Su Terry

Su Terry: Education:
B.A. in History from Sacred Heart University, M.L.S. in Library Science from
Southern Connecticut State College, M.R.S. in Religious Studies/Pastoral
Counseling from Fairfield University, a M.Div. in Professional Ministry from
New Brunswick Theological Seminary, a Certificate in Spirituality/Spiritual
Direction from Sacred Heart University. She is a Licensed Minister of the
United Church of Christ and an Assistant Professor in Library Science at Dowling
College, Long
Island, NY.

Categories: Fiction, Addiction, General