When the Serpent Bites by Nesley Clerge

Clues to describe this book: Betrayal, Pride, Control, Revenge

Disclaimer: I received a free digital copy of this book from Shayla Raquel (@shaylaleeraquel) in exchange for my honest opinion. This has no effect on my opinion, review, or rating.

Review: When the Serpent Bites by Nesly Clerge is the first of a trilogy and is also the first book I read from this author. The story revolves around Fredrick Starks, a wealthy and successful CEO, who decides to confront his estranged wife’s ex-lover. The consequences of his actions ultimately turns Starks life upside down and he ends up in prison. The storyline follows Starks’ life in prison, how he tries to stay alive, and his flashbacks/memories of how his life was prior to his stint.

The premise of the story is intriguing which kind of reminds me the set up of “Orange Is The New Black” or “Prison Break.” I really enjoyed the intense courtroom scenes, in-depth analysis through the counseling scenes, and attention-grabbing prison scenes which were exceptionally written and conveyed by the author in such a realistic manner. With that said, I felt that I had different expectations for this novel. I was expecting an action-packed gritty prison novel, but half of the story ends up with the main character’s prolonging bitterness and obsession with his estranged wife. At first, I sympathized for Starks, but as the storyline progressed, I ended up resenting him for being very immature through his actions. Although Starks is realistically flawed and an unlikable character, the author’s portrayal of him was exceptionally well-written. The ending was a bit predictable and abrupt, however, I didn’t mind the abruptness since I loved the action going on and bear in mind, it is the first book of a trilogy.

Overall, I enjoyed reading this thriller even though I did have different expectations for the storyline and there could have been less flashbacks. I would recommend this novel if you love reading crime psychological thrillers.