Mary Ann Bernal reviews of Mr. Barry's novels:
Carla is the story of a perceived mentally-ill person, John
Dexter, who shares his story truthfully about his psychiatric illnesses,
hospitalizations, and his obsessive love for a woman half his age. He speaks to
the reader, as if writing a blog, sharing painful memories with acceptance, his
writings cathartic, purging his fear.
The story held my interest to the very last page and I look forward to
reading more novels by this author.
Hollywood Shakedown: The author has expertly woven a tale of greed and lust into
a compelling story of a ruthless man’s quest to obtain a missing
manuscript. The wealthy Mortimer Saxon
coerces Buddy Chinn to do his bidding, tempting the alcoholic writer with
money, but threatening his life and the life of his woman, Monique, should he
fail. We are introduced to many worlds
in this thriller, from racetracks and bars to chess tournaments and British
football. Mr. Barry immerses the reader
quickly into the intrigue, an enjoyable page turner that is difficult to put
down. I look forward to reading more of
this author’s work.
Kid Atomic is a story about Kevin Taylor who has joined a
protest group on University, and soon finds himself dangerously involved with a
radical faction whose sole purpose is to destroy Great Britain. Mr. Barry expertly weaves into story the
complexities of coming of age as Kevin deals with a myriad of emotions, from
dealing with bullies to falling in love.
Once Kevin becomes the keeper of the Device, the opportunity for
vengeance suddenly is a reality, but could he destroy everyone, including
himself in the process? No spoilers
here. An enjoyable story.
The Illustrated Woman is a story about a young woman’s
choices in the game of life. Despite
Emily’s normal upbringing, extenuating circumstances leaves her on her own,
struggling to raise her 8-year-old daughter with a limited income. Emily’s obsession with having her life’s
story told on her body via various tattoo designs is the catalyst for her
descent into the seedy world of prostitution.
Despite Emily’s chosen profession, she still dreams of being married to the
man she loves, knowing he will never make the commitment. Mr. Barry manages to shed light into Emily’s
psyche - the reader knows why Emily makes poor choices, eliciting sympathy
rather than condemnation. An excellent
story for this genre.
The
Ritual is an interesting take on a satanic theme whereby the devil returns to
earth and claims a human bride. The
story begins when Phillippa and her daughter Jennifer travel from the US to
Wheatley Fields, England, so that Phillippa could be near her brother, Damon,
in his darkest hour. Mother and daughter
are seen at the airport, quite by chance, by a member of religious cult who
believes Phillippa resembles the woman that had been instrumental in
establishing the Church’s formation in the last century, and plans are quickly
put into place to prepare for the sacrificial rites, and the return of Satan to
rule the world. Mr. Barry’s story
captivates the reader with its twists and turns - a page turner that builds up
to a suspenseful crescendo, which culminates in an unexpected ending. An excellent horror story that will cause
nightmares, if one is not into horror and the occult.
Ultra Violence: Mr. Barry delves the reader into the bygone days of British
football where team followers of Notts County clash with the myriad of opposing
fans, resulting in violent clashes on game day.
The story revolves around a middle-aged man whose life is in
turmoil - a failed marriage, a disinterested son and a career on the line. He suddenly finds himself reunited with
friends from his youthful past, and while nostalgic memories are forefront,
replicating events from an earlier era becomes a reality.
I enjoyed this story and recommend it to both men and women.
To purchase Mr. Barry's novels:
UK
US
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