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ACTING OBSESSED by Peter Silverman

ACTING OBSESSED

A Novel of Intrigue and Romance

by Peter Silverman

Pub Date: July 10th, 2012
ISBN: 978-1477412145
Publisher: CreateSpace

Obsessions in all of their dangerous forms are at work in Silverman’s novel.

An enigmatic admirer gave Ginger Brossard two mysterious and expensive gifts: an extravagant crystal glass set with two beautiful rubies and a similar crystal cube with a white rose inside. Both gifts came without warning or any indication about whom the giver might be. But Ginger has more to worry about than these crystals. After a failed marriage and a failed Hollywood career, Ginger moves to Philadelphia to chase her dream of performing onstage. As Ginger makes a life for herself in the city, she meets a fellow actor, Grady, who doesn’t know how to take no for an answer. But she also meets the handsome and charming Winston, who just may steal her heart. Silverman creates a palpable sense of Philadelphia; the city comes alive through real details and descriptions. The well-plotted novel moves at a speed that continually builds tension. Not only must Ginger fend off Grady, who becomes more violent and obsessive, and contend with Winston’s strange family, who have their own dark secrets, but she must puzzle out the mystery of the two crystal cubes. The various plotlines build to a crescendo. Some of the characters, however, feel a bit stock. Grady plays the role of villain almost too well, while the many minor characters come and go with little purpose. Even Ginger has little agency; things happen to her, she reacts, and then she remains essentially unchanged. Like all good mysteries that hinge on a surprising twist, the person behind the crystal cubes is shocking, as is that person's reason for giving them to Ginger.

Explores obsession and its sometimes dire consequences.