A review by ash_thelibrarian_reads
Mannequin by Stefan Plesoianu

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Thank you to the author for gifting me a copy of this book in return for an honest review! 

I joined the book tour for Stefan’s last book, Thorn, and was absolutely delighted to be asked to join the one for Mannequin! I’m including the book blurb below and if that alone doesn’t capture you’re attention I don’t know what will! 

Review: This is a great October thriller. As someone who has their own mental health issues I really felt for Chris. Even when his actions were morally questionable I couldn’t help but hope for a good resolution for him. He gets in with the wrong crowd that leads down a tougher path than he anticipates which makes for a compelling series of events. 

It is fascinating to see how author’s have characters handle mental illness and struggles in such varying ways, which just speaks to how different we all are as human. Stefan’s approach was perfect and the twists and turns had me hooked until the very end. Give this and his other novel a try if you’re looking for a thrilling yet different experience! 

Blurb: “Deeply scarred by the death of his mother, Chris is permanently on the edge of losing his frail stability.

Given that they sometimes go on missions together, Chris’ mobster friend Bone wants to teach him how to fire a gun. For this, they use two stolen mannequins as targets. One remains intact, and Chris takes it home but soon becomes unsettled by its increasingly unholy presence.

An irreversible deterioration begins when Chris mindlessly slaughters a vile pimp on a mission. Obsessed with the event, he reenacts the murder scene by beating and strangling the mannequin. However, when the lifeless torso starts to bleed and pulsate under his eyes, Chris fears he might be dealing with more than just trauma and anxiety this time.”