Bad is a psychological crime thriller by Michael Golvach. Unable to exercise restraint over a child murderer, homicide detectives Payden Beck and his partner Bryan Verrill can hardly get over their guilt after the perpetrator roams free on the streets. Determined to make things right and exact justice, Payden is willing to go far beyond his limits, much to the chagrin of Bryan. Meanwhile, Bryan's fiancee Mindy develops an unhealthy obsession with Payden. After he rebuffs her advances, Mindy falsely accuses him of rape and abuse. She also does everything in her power to destroy Payden's relationship with his girlfriend, Valarie. But Mindy doesn't know that she is playing with fire as there is more to Payden than she presumes. Will Payden and Bryan's dark secret come out in the open? Will Mindy learn her lesson?

A gripping R-rated psychological thriller laced with suspense and intrigue, Bad truly lives up to its name in an entertaining way, of course. Author Michael Golbach doesn't waste too much time and drops you in the midst of the action from the get-go. The narrative focuses on two homicide detectives who have a secret to hide, with one of them being the obsession of a psychotic girlfriend. The plot is totally unpredictable, with twists and turns that you never see coming. Payden is a complex character, with layers to his personality that slowly get peeled as the story develops further. His scenes with the other characters provide some of the most dramatic moments of the book. Recommended to readers who love psychological thrillers.

Bad: A Riveting Crime Mystery by Michael Golvach is a powerful journey of discovery and justice. Payden Beck is the type of antihero that you will find yourself having a love-hate relationship with. He admits that he is not a good man, but he has a strong sense of justice--and he is even willing to compromise himself for it. The story opens where he and his partner, Bryan Verrill, are listening to closing arguments in the case of the State versus Jeremiah Brickell, a serial rapist and child murderer. Brickell walks away as a free man, and his business should no longer be Beck’s concern. But there isn’t anything in this world that Beck wants more than to find the person who violated those little girls, and such want becomes more intense as Jeremiah sightings are making everyone lose sleep.

Bad is a logical exercise in crime-solving that appropriately introduces you to the protagonist’s motivation and how far he would be willing to go to make sure that justice is served. Of course, the great part is that it does not get you from point A to point B. There will be twists and turns along the way for you to better understand who the players are and, just like Beck, give you an illustration as to how much they are willing to compromise themselves. Much like his past crime novels, Michael Golvach succeeds in keeping you on edge. Certainly his smooth narrative and the realism in his dialogue show a writer with a good handle on the genre, turning crime and mystery into a work of his own style. Bad begins with a strong premise and it is inhabited by characters who don’t just react to situations—they create them. Golvach continues to set the bar high and this is solid, must-read proof.

Bad: A Riveting Crime Mystery is a work of fiction in the thriller, suspense, and crime subgenres. It is intended for the mature reading audience owing to explicit scenes of violence, content of a sexual nature, and strong language used throughout, and was penned by author Michael Golvach. In this third installment of the Payden Beck crime thriller series, we find our protagonist Beck pushed to his limits by the frustration that a deadly child murderer is still walking the streets after a court case ends catastrophically. Bent on ensuring that the killer never harms another soul, Beck must question his own morality, resolve, and self-control as his need for justice urges him toward drastic measures.

This novel was really easy to jump right into, whether you’ve read the other books in the series or not, and I appreciated author Michael Golvach’s direct sense of storytelling to make sure we’re always caught up and on track with the action as it ensues. And there was certainly plenty of action, and an appropriate amount of gritty, graphic content to give the atmosphere of danger and violence that the novel demands. There was a wonderful sense of tension too, a sense that something was always just about to happen, and that danger was never far from Beck’s doorstep. For a work that really makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end, I’d certainly recommend Bad and the series in general. High-quality crime thriller writing at its very best.

Michael Golvach’s Bad is the third book in his Payden Beck Crime Thriller series. This psychological thriller focuses on homicide detectives Payden Beck and Bryan Verrill. The two are sitting in the courtroom, awaiting the verdict in a case they had built against Jeremiah Brickell, an alleged child rapist, and murderer. Unfortunately, Beck and Verrill’s interrogation and brutality border on intimidation. Most of their evidence was not admissible in court, and a jury found Brickell not guilty. Beck asks Verrill a question, “Yes or No?” What would his girlfriend, Mindy, think if he stood her up on their plans? Beck hates Mindy and encourages Verrill to go out that evening with him. The two men end up going to a pub after the captain puts them on desk work, and Mindy is at Verrill’s side. Despite her obvious flirting with Beck, he continually refuses to engage her advances. However, he notices Valarie and soon finds himself drawn to the beguiling personality of the woman who reads hearts.

Michael Golvach creates Beck as a dual-purpose protagonist, playing the part of good cop and bad cop. I know he displays loyalty to Verrill by not wanting to sleep with Mindy; however, he could have revealed how she literally propositions Beck. Instead, he keeps her bold offers a secret. Valarie’s character confused me with her tolerance for pain. She wants a relationship with Beck, but still strings Michael along. I would ditch Michael way before Beck entered the picture. The story jumps between Beck’s interactions with Verrill, Valarie, and Mindy. This continues to build suspense, and I could see Beck’s personality develop into someone who lacked remorse for some of his shadier actions. I found most of the details present through emotional responses, as the surroundings have brief descriptions. Using tension, confusion, worry, and anticipation brings the scene to life, and I could connect with the actions of every person involved. Bad is a brilliant book for readers who enjoy suspenseful crime novels with an emotional perspective.