LitPick Review
Have you ever thought mediums are fake and need to be exposed? Well, Debunked written by Beth Perry is a paranormal novel about the downfall of a popular TV show host as he comes across a young lady medium who he has deemed fit for public humiliation. Craig Herbert, a field manager for The Debunked Challenge series, traveled to Tennessee to scout a proposed guest for the final challenge since the scheduled guest had to deal with her health. While in Tennessee, he was introduced to a young lady named Betty Ann who is like a medium except that Craig believes she is a fake. The main purpose of The Debunked Challenge series was to disgrace people who claim to be mediums and psychics. Craig was very sure Betty Ann would be exposed, but it got worse when she brought up talk about his brother who had been missing. With feeling of hatred for her, he waited in expectation for the day when her tricks would be seen. Unfortunately, things began to take a different turn when Betty Ann arrived for the challenge. Everyone was sure she will be a failure, but unknown to them, something they had not experienced before awaits them: a very dark secret awaiting to be told.
Opinion:
The novel's cover page is a picture of a man who I presume to be Craig Herbert. The colors used provided an eerie dark look which matched its paranormal genre. As for the title "Debunked”, it clearly matches the story, which is about the host of a popular TV show humiliating guests who prove to have some supernatural ability. He does this in the form of entertainment, only that this time he gets his dose.
The book's plot was a well-written and spooky one. When I read about Craig's weird dreams, it made me feel uneasy. Furthermore, moments when he felt his mind was playing tricks on him when he saw what others didn't, evoked a bit of fear in me. Still on the plot, it had some emotional impact on me, I felt a wave of sadness due to Craig's missing brother, Kristophe, and even more, I was shocked when Kristophe, was pronounced dead. Furthermore, the suspense was top-notch; it was unpredictable until almost the end of the book.
The characters were relatable, especially Craig. I could feel his sadness and struggle as he tried to forget his brother's disappearance. The names used were quite much, but I was able to remember each one, even that of the captured children. I really liked Betty Ann for her generous act of extending her gift prize won at the challenge to the missing-but-found boy, Brent Price. Most especially, I loved how she came to the show not to showcase her talent but to uncover an evildoer without accepting the prize. When I read of Gerald Agee's wicked acts, I couldn't help but detest him as a character for his evil deeds. I praise the author for the well-developed characters and more still, for a creative plot.
