A Madness So Discreet

By: Mindy McGinnis

Narrated by: Brittany Pressley

Grace Mae knows madness.

She keeps it locked away, along with her voice, trapped deep inside a brilliant mind that cannot forget horrific family secrets. Those secrets, along with the bulge in her belly, land her in a Boston insane asylum.

When her voice returns in a burst of violence, Grace is banished to the dark cellars, where her mind is discovered by a visiting doctor who dabbles in the new study of criminal psychology. With her keen eyes and sharp memory, Grace will make the perfect assistant at crime scenes. Escaping from Boston to the safety of an ethical Ohio asylum, Grace finds friendship and hope, hints of a life she should have had. But gruesome nights bring Grace and the doctor into the circle of a killer who stalks young women. Grace, continuing to operate under the cloak of madness, must hunt a murderer while she confronts the demons in her own past.

In this beautifully twisted historical thriller, Mindy McGinnis, acclaimed author of Not a Drop to Drink and In a Handful of Dust, explores the fine line between sanity and insanity, good and evil - and the madness that exists in all of us.

©2015 Mindy McGinnis (P)2015 HarperCollins Publishers

An incredible drama

Rarely does a book make me gasp in shock, Mindy Mcginnis drew me so deep in Grace's world. This story twists and turns and leaves you hoping for more. Bravo!

What a Rush

What a fantastic story!!!!
Love the narrator voice, soothing!!!
Fantastic!!!
An amazing , well written masterpiece!!

It was ok

I feel the story could have gone in such a better direction. The relationships felt underdeveloped. Finding the killer seemed anticlimactic. Glad for the happy ending but just felt disorganized.

Wonderful Accident

My daughter downloaded this by accident and I'm glad she did. It starts a little slow but when it picks up it really picks up. And if you think you know where this story is going, you'll find that you're wrong. Really Good Story.

Credit well spent

The narration for this audiobook was pitch perfect. Each character came to life. And I will be looking for more read by her.

The story left me wanting more. From causing my to feel glad and angry. Bringing out my turns sadness and hope. I couldn't stop listening. The reason it gets four stars and not five I cannot say without revealing a spoiler so I will not. But even with my few minor issues with the plot line (which may not bother others) I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

I must warn, if you can't tell from the description, this is not a feel good story. But it is intelligent and interesting.

The book that got me reading again.

This book brought an elevated and mature voice to the kind of stories I enjoyed as a child. She explores dark themes and real struggles; while still having a unique and interesting cast of characters. Mystery and drama with historical ties that create a timeless story.

Fantastically Gothic and Gripping

If you could sum up A Madness So Discreet in three words, what would they be?

Madness is thrilling.

What was one of the most memorable moments of A Madness So Discreet?

The mental patient who could smell diseases . . . for real.

Which scene was your favorite?

When Grace was thrown into the cellar of the mental institution, in complete darkness, naked, bleeding, and then the lobotomy doctor shows up.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I had an extreme reaction in that I love it so much I reached out to the author to tell her how much I loved it.

Any additional comments?

If you enjoy historicals, Gothic tales, mental illness history or asylum history plus murder mysteries with a unique factor or serial killer tales, enjoy!

A Madness Indeed

I loved everything about this book! The narrator was superb and gave such life to the story. Grace made you feel the madness. Couldn't put this one down!

Wonderful story and characters, iffy narration

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes, I love Mindy McGinnis. Her books have never disappointed

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Brittany Pressley?

Someone less simpering.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No

Any additional comments?

I have read 2 other books by Mindy McGinnis and I wish I had bought the book instead of listening to this one. The narrator did great voices for every character except Grace! Grace came across as simpering and weak, and just plain annoying. This is disappointing as Grace really is a strong character dealing with a lot of trials.

Great mix of mental health history and mystery

I loved Not a Drop to Drink, but this book is so much better. While short, it is not a young adult novel as it deals with mature content. McGinnis has written a great story with strong, quirky, and interesting characters. I enjoyed reading about the different asylums as well as trying to figure out what would happen next with every turn. I'm not sure if this is meant to be a series, but I hope so.