[Book Review] BABY MARVIN by Laurie Kirk

As a reader, there is nothing more exciting than stumbling across a new voice, someone whose writing style speaks to you from the very first paragraph. That is exactly what happened to me the moment I opened BABY MARVIN, a deeply disturbing journey into the dark recesses of madness, control, and obsession.

Author Laurie Kirk wastes no time establishing the troubled world of Marvin Damon, a one-time child star made famous by a nationwide ad campaign that made him a household name at age four, wearing a hauntingly cute, painted-on smiley face. Everybody knew BABY MARVIN.

As the story opens, it is just before Marvin’s 18th birthday, and he is living a difficult life of semi-seclusion, living with his real peach of a mother in a giant gated Victorian mansion. But he’s about to turn 18 and get his much-anticipated emancipation from his controlling mom. But a force that Marvin knows as his “reflection” has other plans – and things are about to get messy.

Steeped in dread, the tale unfolds in real time as Marvin slowly figures out his birthright and the true nature of his mother’s control is revealed.

The truly disturbing psychological turn took me aback because, just as it appeared we were going to a full-on slasher tale, we detour into something very messed up as Marvin confronts the true nature of his “reflection” and the power that family secrets can contain.

I found myself fully immersed in the world that Kirk creates, and her ability to make you feel empathy for characters doing vile things in the name of family is disturbingly lyrical.

The words that Marvin’s mother pounds into young Marvin’s brain, “This is what success looks like,” take on a whole new meaning by the end of the story. And once Marvin dons the iconic makeup that made him famous as a child, a secret is revealed that will change everybody’s life, and let’s just say it’s not for the better.

Some tales are just told; some are experienced, and BABY MARVIN is definitely an experience like no other.

This warped little ditty is already out and ready for your eyeballs. CLICK HERE, grab your grease paint, and get ready for a ride.

BABY MARVIN is coming in strong with 4.25 out of 5, gleefully spooky smiley faces……