Official Review: Dreaming Wide Awake by Charles R Hinckley

[Prisallen]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Dreaming Wide Awake" by Charles R Hinckley.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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August (Gus) Chase is a detective; however, he is not just any detective—he possesses psychic abilities. Ordinarily, his dreams involve things that will happen or have already occurred, like murders or accidental deaths. Although it is horrifying for him to see those vivid and disturbing images, actually witnessing the crimes sometimes helps with his cases. Recently, his dreams have involved rectangles and lines, which have been very unusual.

Gus was hired by Sherry Hart, who was desperate to obtain evidence to prove that her brother, Billy Littlefield, didn’t murder Connie Wells. With his computer-knowledgeable best friend, Millar (Mill) Milner, Gus promised to look into the case. The more Gus investigated the murder, the more he wondered if Billy had been set up, possibly to cover up something even worse.

Shortly after starting the investigation, Gus noticed he was being followed. A mysterious stranger, Porter Grossman, asked him to help destroy the Orenda Reach Program. This was a secretive project with the goal of taking control of world leader’s minds through paranormal powers. Grossman claimed responsibility for the odd dreams of rectangles and lines; he was verifying that Gus was, indeed, psychic. Gus declined to help. However, Grossman doesn’t want to take no for an answer.

Dreaming Wide Awake by Charles R. Hinckley is the second book in the August Chase series. The author said his inspiration for this series came from a precognitive experience he had in which a crime was committed. The first novel was a standalone story. In the current tale, although the questions having to do with the current investigation are answered, a major unresolved issue will continue over into the next book. However, it can still be enjoyed on its own. After reading the first novel, Dream State, I found the author’s impressive writing imaginative and thrilling and looked forward to his next story. Therefore, after seeing this one, I seized the chance to read it and wasn’t disappointed in the least.

Written from the first-person point of view, this 339-page crime drama/mystery was thrilling. The tale started with action as Gus witnessed a murder in his dream. Then, as Gus investigated the murder and dealt with Grossman, the twists and turns kept the novel mesmerizing and intense and had me wondering what would come next.

I love books with unique characters. Each character here has their own distinctive personality. Gus and Mill are both believable and likable with obvious strengths and flaws. Gus hates his paranormal gift. Not only does it cause many sleepless nights, but it has cost him his girlfriend. He takes dangerous chances, and Mill does not hesitate to point that out. Mill is a tech-savvy genius with a love for muscle cars, who sold his company for a fortune. He represents a true friend, who is there through thick and thin. Their friendship and witty banter lightened the story and frequently made me smile. It was hard to know who to trust at the beginning of the novel. Therefore, not wanting to provide a spoiler, the villains will not be identified, but they are sufficiently creepy and will make one’s skin crawl.

There was absolutely nothing about this book that I didn’t enjoy. Therefore, I enthusiastically award it a rating of four out of four stars. Readers who enjoy thrillers, crime dramas, mysteries, and paranormal stories will appreciate this novel. Sensitive readers need to be aware there are violence and profanities in the book.

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Dreaming Wide Awake
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[Michael Jerry_]

This review is very captivating and makes me eager to read this book. The author seems to have achieved the perfect balance between crime and investigation and supernatural powers and it’s a blend that I love already.

[Justine Ocsebio]

A detective with extraodinary psychic abilities! This has such as a fascinating premise. Great review!

[smolbird]

Thanks for your review! This book sounds like something I will thoroughly enjoy reading.

[kiki2881]

I'm not fond of action-thriller books, but this review piqued my curiosity. Anyway, I liked your review, especially your short blurb.

[Joy Phill]

Mill seems to be a well-developed character with depth. I'll pass on this one though. Thanks for your review.

[Saint Bruno]

Wow! A cop and a psychic sounds intriguing already. Reminds of the movie Next. Thank you for your engaging review and recommendation.

[Prisallen]

This review is very captivating and makes me eager to read this book. The author seems to have achieved the perfect balance between crime and investigation and supernatural powers and it’s a blend that I love already.

I agree! I enjoy a little paranormal activity in my mysteries. I hope you get a chance to read it!

[Prisallen]

A detective with extraodinary psychic abilities! This has such as a fascinating premise. Great review!

It is certainly not your run-of-the-mill detective story. Thanks for stopping by!

[Prisallen]

Thanks for your review! This book sounds like something I will thoroughly enjoy reading.

I think you will. I hope you will give it a try. Thanks for reading my review!

[Prisallen]

I'm not fond of action-thriller books, but this review piqued my curiosity. Anyway, I liked your review, especially your short blurb.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my review and leave your thoughts. You might actually enjoy this story if you give it a try!

[Michael Jerry_]

This review is very captivating and makes me eager to read this book. The author seems to have achieved the perfect balance between crime and investigation and supernatural powers and it’s a blend that I love already.

I’ll certainly be giving this a read it’s already been added to my bookshelf
I agree! I enjoy a little paranormal activity in my mysteries. I hope you get a chance to read it!

[Prisallen]

Mill seems to be a well-developed character with depth. I'll pass on this one though. Thanks for your review.

Thanks for taking the time to read my review and comment. I appreciate it!

[Prisallen]

Wow! A cop and a psychic sounds intriguing already. Reminds of the movie Next. Thank you for your engaging review and recommendation.

He is actually a private detective and not a cop. However, they are close. I never watched that movie, so I can't compare them. It sounds like something I would enjoy, though. Thanks for stopping by!

[Prisallen]

This review is very captivating and makes me eager to read this book. The author seems to have achieved the perfect balance between crime and investigation and supernatural powers and it’s a blend that I love already.

I’ll certainly be giving this a read it’s already been added to my bookshelf
I agree! I enjoy a little paranormal activity in my mysteries. I hope you get a chance to read it!

Good reading!