An Absolute Gentleman

In her debut novel, R.M. Kinder takes readers on a trip into the psyche of Mr. Arthur Blume: nice-guy English professor, struggling writer and occasional killer. Kinder’s real-life romance with a serial killer no doubt adds to this fascinating study of a twisted mind. Writing from the killer’s point of view, Kinder gives voice to a man whose tale becomes tragically believable. Throughout the narrative, Blume flashes between the events of his troubled childhood in Georgia to the moments leading to his Missouri capture. When Blume commits the deed that we know he is capable of, he’s become a surprisingly sympathetic character—his story all the more shocking. Reading about a serial killer is creepy, and this book will leave you wondering if Blume is a bit like anyone you know.