Book Review: Gabriel's Labyrinth: In the Midst of Darkness

Thriller/supernatural fiction novel by Daniel Cauterucci, published 2021

Psychological Thriller with Supernatural Flair

Set against a backdrop of the streets of Miami, and centered around the dark underworld of the local drug cartel, Gabriel's Labyrinth: In the Midst of Darkness is a twisting psychological thriller with supernatural flair. Main character Gabriel's life has taken several tumultuous turns including separating from his wife, trying to navigate the dangerous waters of the drug cartel and when his son gets into a life-threatening bike accident, realizing that he is powerless to help. As a captain in the cartel, helplessness is not something Gabriel deals with well. With nowhere else to turn, cynical Gabriel prays to God, and promptly gets far more than he bargained for.

While Cauterucci uses many of the standard DEA hunting cartel tropes, as well as the strong-man-with-the-haunting-past plotline, the overall story moves in several unexpected twists and turns. There is quite a bit of Spanish slang, but he does an excellent job of using context for understanding and also provides a translation guide at the end of the book. Additionally, violence is portrayed, as is very liberal usage of profanity, but given the characters and scenes during the story, nothing seemed gratuitous or overdone.

2 out of 5 Stars

My largest critique is the constant change of point of view throughout. There are times where within three paragraphs, there were also three points of view. While many books change up POVs, they are generally done on a chapter-by-chapter basis and with just a few characters. This made it harder to connect with any one specific character and at times, hard to follow.

Overall I found the writing style challenging and while the story itself had unique supernatural elements, it wasn't enough to keep me fully engaged. For those drawn to thrillers, specifically related to the dark underworld of the cartel, I definitely recommend even if it wasn't for me.