The Seven Days of Peter Crumb

October 15, 2007
Like a terse American Psycho
, this first novel from British writer and actor Glynn suffers from familiarity even as the voice of the narrator, Peter Crumb, fascinates. Believing he will kill himself in a week, Crumb decides to succumb to his id and do whatever he pleases—and killing people is near the top of his list, along with making witty social observations. His particular mental illnessrequires him to have conversations with a crueler version of himself while butchering London neighbors, misusing prostitutes and making the Marquis de Sade’s most ferocious work look like part of the Nancy Drew series. Crumb’s monumental appetite for carnage and self-examination drives what there is of a plot. While the reader definitely believes in Crumb, the problem is that in an age of reality shows and slasher movies even the worst degradations have lost their power to shock. Glynn’s visceral prose convinces, but the sell-by date on this novel passed long ago.

November 15, 2007
A novel not for every taste, this British authors fiction debut charts, in interior-monologue format (ostensibly as the narrator records his thoughts and deeds on paper), a young mans final descent into complete mental deterioration. Upon the novels opening, Peter Crumb has already sunkfrighteningly low; his mental hauntedness has compelled him tothe point of engaging inserial murder. Crumbs alter egohis Mr. Hydeterrorizes and provokes him with incessant criticism, commentary, and goading, as if he were actually a separate person speaking into Peters ear. Only his planned suicide in seven days time, as Crumb sees it, will bring relief for his wickedness. The story is extremely graphic, and not easy to read for that reason, butit is indeed easy to appreciate it for its psychological fathoming. How the author connectscurrent events to Crumbs experiences during his seven-day countdown gives the storycontemporary relevance.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2007, American Library Association.)