PRIMARY OBSESSIONS by Charles Demers

 

The endearing and unflappable Dr. Annick Boudreau regularly confronts a myriad of mental health issues in her psychiatric practice at the West Coast Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Clinic. But even Annick is stunned when Sanjay, a young patient who suffers from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, is arrested for the brutal murder of his roommate.

While Sanjay is tortured by repeated violent thoughts, he is horrified by them and Annick is convinced that he would never enact one of them in real life. But the police and prosecutor are convinced that they have caught the perpetrator and aren't interested in looking very hard.

Unable to talk to the authorities because of doctor-patient confidentiality, Annick feels compelled to investigate on her own, whatever the risks. 

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Shortlisted for the 2021 Bill Duthie Booksellers’ Choice Award

'Demers writes sharp, witty dialogue and delivers a nuanced portrayal of the stigmatization of mental illness in collision with crime.' Nathan Ripley, author of Find You in the Dark

'Witty, compassionate and sharply observed... exciting from start to finish' Iona Whishaw, author of the Lane Winslow series

'It’s surprisingly nimble-footed and bright, with a romp-like atmosphere: Crime solving as a breezy adventure.' Brett Joseph Grubisic, The Vancouver Sun

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'Charles Demers captures the way that the pain of mental illness is made even worse by stigma and ignorance... a page-turning mystery' Kelly Hrudey, Hockey Night in Canada and Sportsnet analyst and mental health advocate

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'A longtime CBT patient himself, Charles Demers brings authenticity to a particular aspect of psychiatric practice “Primary Obsessions”, illuminating shadowy subject matter with sensitivity, wit, and the kind of narrative storytelling style that engages the reader’s full and rapt attention from first page to last.' Midwest Book Review

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'As the first of a projected series of mystery novels featuring Dr. Annick Boudreau, Primary Obsessions is a cracking good start. Boudreau is a likeable protagonist and mental illness is a subject surprisingly under-addressed by current mystery writers ... Charles Demers brings freshness to a literary genre'  John Moore, BC BookWorld

 

'Dr. Annick Boudreau is a winning literary creation: she’s smart, funny, confident, and easy to cheer for.' Paul Headrick, Ormsby Review

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