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Trolling in Social Media
BLOATER follows a neurosurgeon devastated by his wife’s sudden death who experiences a psychological collapse and makes it his mission to enact justice on the world by killing off sinners. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
I felt it would be interesting to weave a tale of retribution for those who use social media platforms to spew hate and prejudice upon innocents. My intention was to create a deranged vigilante to exact vengeance. I spent many years in the operating theater as a surgical device representative for several Fortune 500 medical manufacturers, so a medical setting felt comfortable.
Dr. Jeremiah Nowak is a fascinating character, watching him transform and justify his killings. What scene was the most interesting to write for that character?
I endeavored to subtly display Nowak’s increasing obsession with killing, and the satisfaction he derived from it. My favorite scene to write was the finale, where we witness his lust for mutilation and murder, but then ride along as it all comes apart.
I felt that BLOATER delivers the drama so well that it flirts with the grimdark genre. Was it your intention to give the story a darker tone?
Yes. It was important for me to help the reader understand that although trolling in social media is hurtful and can be harmful, it pales in comparison to a maniacal quest for blood.
What is the next book that you’re working on, and when can your fans expect it out?
I am writing a sequel that delves into another Camby and Lanquist investigation. I hope to complete the book by March of 2026. My original plan was to develop a series of three novels for the duo, but I am open to more depending upon the response from your readership.
Author Links: GoodReads | Website | Amazon
The man who once repaired the human brain begins to dissect the human soul… one sinner at a time.
His victims don’t just disappear.
They float—bloated, ballooned, grotesquely smiling—left drifting like obscene warnings across the city skyline.
Each murder is a flawless surgical performance.
Each body a message carved in flesh.
Each kill more daring than the last.
And Nowak tells himself it isn’t vengeance.
It’s justice.
BLOATER
BLOATER delivers a dark crime thriller built around a string of shocking murders that leave victims grotesquely inflated and displayed like macabre parade balloons. The investigation falls to FBI agents Camby and Lanquist, who slowly uncover a connection between the killings and the victims’ histories of cruelty and bigotry. Alongside this, the novel follows the psychological collapse of Dr. Jeremiah Nowak, a neurosurgeon devastated by his wife’s sudden death. These narrative threads pull together into a grim exploration of vengeance, morality, and the terrifying lengths a disturbed mind might go to when fixated on the idea of consequences for unkindness.
I found the story vivid and unsettling in a way that held my attention even when the scenes made me squirm. The writing moved quickly and often felt cinematic, especially during the forensic sequences. The author had a knack for describing grotesque details with a strange mix of matter-of-fact precision and emotional punch, which made the book feel alive and twitching under my hands. Sometimes the tone veers into almost playful banter between the agents, which gave me a moment to breathe, then the next chapter plunged me back into grisly territory. I liked that rhythm. It kept me alert. It kept me guessing whether I should laugh, grimace, or look away for a second.
The victims were not random. They were people who had spent their lives spreading cruelty, and the killer seemed obsessed with correcting what he saw as a moral imbalance. That idea rattled me. The story poked at the question of whether words can wound deeply enough to trigger monstrous retaliation, and I appreciated that the author let the ugliness of that question sit there without softening it. A few moments felt a bit on the nose, but the emotional force carried the story and made those moments feel raw rather than preachy.
BLOATER left me with a mix of shock, curiosity, and an odd sympathy for characters who were messy, flawed, and sometimes unbearable. I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy crime fiction that leans boldly into horror, to anyone who likes investigative banter paired with stomach-turning forensic scenes, and to those who are comfortable questioning the line between justice and obsession.
Pages: 322 | ASIN : B0G1BJNDM3
LITERARY TITAN 