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Reviewed by Pikasho Deka for Readers' Favorite
Treat yourself to an enthralling suspense drama with K. Denmark's Skills. After failing to make it as a professional actor, G. Calvert Blessing opened an acting class to entice young aspiring actors for his own benefit. An ad published on the BroadLights Weekly brings him a new batch of eight emerging talents. These students come from varied backgrounds -- some with a history of childhood trauma and abuse, while others face societal stigma or financial issues. Calvert makes sure to play on their vulnerabilities and preys on them for his own ends, including acquiring sexual favors from a young paralegal. Meanwhile, his wife, Valerie, is done with their marriage and plans to leave him broke. In desperation, he manipulates two of his students to perform an act of lewd depravity, which might lead to his own downfall.
Skills is a gripping tale about abuse of power, manipulation, and exploitation. K. Denmark knocks it out of the park with this novel and crafts an absorbing drama revolving around an antagonist you can't wait to see fall from grace. The multi-POV narrative gives readers room to explore character backstories and fleshes out their personalities. Denmark's characters are distinct and layered. I found the different relationship dynamics playing out between the students and Calvert one of the highlights of this novel. The narrative is not entirely conventional, and, at times, you almost feel like you're reading a play. But it works for the story Denmark wants to tell. I found myself engaged throughout the book, and if you love character-driven dramas, I highly recommend this one!
