Ezekiel

Madman, Mastermind or Messiah?

Fiction - Suspense
325 Pages
Reviewed on 11/15/2021
Buy on Amazon

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Author Biography

This is my 7th novel. The character "Ezekiel" first appeared in the 2nd book of the "Max Justice" trilogy. He was such a wonderfully interesting character that he deserved his own story, so here it is!
I have 35 years experience working in a variety of mental health settings so naturally this theme tends to permeate most of my stories. The "Ezekiel" story is no exception.
I have been writing in various forms since the mid 80s.
I hope you enjoy this unique tale.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Steven Robson for Readers' Favorite

Ezekiel: Madman, Mastermind or Messiah by Bob Goodwin, as the name suggests, is a compelling vision into the life of Ezekiel Jeremiah Kaufman, an extraordinary individual destined to touch the lives of those he encounters in profound and mysterious ways. We pick up this gripping tale in 1998, with seven-year-old Ezekiel and his father Joshua in consultation with a psychiatrist, and follow his story through to 2017. In this time, Ezekiel will meet a wide range of individuals from all sectors of society, and become entangled in some of the seedier aspects of the real world; chance encounters that at first appear totally unrelated, but ultimately become braided into a whole, leading to quite a few penny drop moments. The lessons to be learned from Ezekiel’s life of wonder are manifold, but perhaps the most prevalent is that many people feel threatened by differences in others they either don’t understand or refuse to acknowledge; we should all be much more tolerant of these differences, which make us truly unique.

Bob Goodwin’s Ezekiel: Madman, Mastermind or Messiah is cleverly constructed, effortlessly blending the lives of many villains and heroes with little confusion or lack of clarity; a task I believe is easier said than done. All of the characters are wonderful and very specific to their station in life: Emily is the atypical young sister; Quentin reeks of his black interior; Joshua evolves with his understanding of his son; and Ezekiel is just the star, in spite of his eating habits. These are only a few of the many shining lights. The combination of a great plot and fascinating characters, combined with dangers, intrigues, the sense of the unknown, humor, and heartbreaking moments – Ezekiel’s bedside visit to his father in particular – come together to make this a highly recommended book for the mature reader.

K.C. Finn

Ezekiel: Madman, Mastermind or Messiah? is a work of fiction in the suspense and psychological drama subgenres, and was penned by author Bob Goodwin. The work is suited for the mature adult reading audience due to explicit scenes of violence and gore as well as references to abuse, trauma, and mental health themes. As the title suggests, we find ourselves with central figure Ezekiel Jeremiah Kaufman, who has caused concern everywhere he goes since childhood. Claiming to hear the word of God and see prophetic visions lands him in a mental institution, and we follow Ezekiel’s journey as he tries to seek out the ultimate evil that grips him with fear, to destroy it before it’s too late.

Author Bob Goodwin chills readers to the bone in this skillfully crafted suspense novel with extreme action and psychological tension. One of the most impressive features of this work is the fact that you always feel in safe hands with Goodwin, from the word pictures painted to heighten every setting with atmospheric detail to the inner workings of the protagonist’s tortured mind. There are plenty of duplicitous questions about who is really the madman here, which keep the suspense bubbling as new twists occur and crank the action up yet another gear. It’s one of those novels where the intensity reaches fever pitch just at the right moment for it all to be revealed. Overall, I would certainly recommend Ezekiel: Madman, Mastermind or Messiah? to readers seeking dark fiction with realistic psychological themes, an unpredictable plot, and a confident author to take you on a wild ride.

Vincent Dublado

Ezekiel: Madman, Mastermind or Messiah? by Bob Goodwin is a brilliant work of suspense fiction crossed with the paranormal. Welcome to the world of Ezekiel Jeremiah Kaufman, a child who seems ordinary on the outside, but has a secret that would make you believe he is God’s anointed. God has given him a special gift—a gift that he didn’t exactly ask for. Ezekiel’s strong spiritual connection with God allows him the ability of foresight. Sadly, some people close to him are not very encouraging and see him as suffering from a mental condition. Other than Ezekiel’s very early signs of hair loss, his own family has no real concerns about his mental condition, but his teachers advise that Ezekiel should see a psychiatrist. The passing of years has allowed Ezekiel to understand his gift better, but it is also when his gift will be tested when the son of a drug baron wreaks murder and mayhem.

I like the way Bob Goodwin gives a spin on the idea of a special gift coming from God, which is very different from superpowers that are products of genetic mutation or freak accidents. There are elements of bitter reality and poignancy in Goodwin’s storytelling. He provides enough exposition to flesh out his characters, but at the same time, it has that taut pacing that will keep you turning pages. Another thing I like about Goodwin’s writing is that he manages to hook your attention from start to finish, that you become 100% invested in reading it. I find myself feeling sympathy for Ezekiel, particularly for dealing with the people who don’t understand him. This story is the real deal; it is keenly observed, solidly plotted, and features a sympathetic protagonist. These elements give Ezekiel: Madman, Mastermind, or Messiah? its weight and makes it convincing and gives it a kind of sneaky confidence that makes you enjoy reading it.

Rabia Tanveer

Ezekiel: Madman, Mastermind or Messiah? by Bob Goodwin is a suspense novel filled with plenty of action to keep you sitting on the edge of your seat. Ezekiel knew from an early age that he was different. He had a special gift that gave him prophetic abilities. He had visions on regular days, and on bad days, he could feel the presence of evil lurking just at the corner of his eye where he could not see what it was. Over the years, Ezekiel developed his abilities and started helping people in need. However, he had no idea that the evil one was also getting more powerful. Before Ezekiel knew it, evil was picking out everyone he helped and even knew. They were being killed most horribly, and there was nothing Ezekiel could do. Or was there? Could Ezekiel stop the Evil One from destroying lives? Or was Ezekiel going to be its next victim?

The author did a remarkable job of keeping the suspense alive until the very end. Bob Goodwin created an atmosphere for readers to immerse themselves in. The world-building was incredibly well-written and well-developed. Ezekiel was a smart character, he understood his condition and worked according to the situation. He adapted to his abilities well and worked hard to master them. The mystery behind the Evil One was very interesting and had me reading on. The descriptions were on point, and the imagery was fantastic. Reading Ezekiel: Madman, Mastermind or Messiah? felt like watching a movie, which is all thanks to the author’s ability to fully draw readers into the story. The narrative was in tune with Ezekiel’s growth, the pace of the story was fast without being too much, and the plot was well-thought-out. A complete package!

Ian Laver

EZEKIEL. The author makes this a hard to put down book. Each chapter is alive with some good descriptive writing and there is always a good reason to compel the reader to turn the pages to find out more. There seems to be an underlying threat of either evil or madness as the characters’ true nature unfolds. You can count the normal people on half a hand. The story has a strong sense of place, a wide range of people you quickly get to know, some you may even identify with and the ending doesn’t disappoint. Never know, there could easily be an Ezekiel living in your suburb. I enjoyed this fast-paced novel and it ticks all the boxes.
Ian Laver author of CRUCIAL STEP