I didn't finish this book, making it to 47% through before having to give up as it was making me so uncomfortable.
I can see what the author is trying to do in shining light on the ineffectiveness of the Sex Offender Registry in the USA, with regards to the scope of offensives it encompasses.
A 'dolphin' refers to a person that has been made to register as a sex offender, but is a "good person" caught up in the net when the police sweep up all the sharks etc - and of course, this is what our main character is set up to be.
I assume there is a murder mystery at some point but I had to abandon the book when the main character starts to question if he is attracted to his own young daughter - just gross. On top of all this the writing just wasn't very good either so I thought I'd cut my losses and move on.

THE DOLPHIN - Craig Bennett Hallenstein

THOUGHT-PROVOKING - 3.5 stars

Plot - 4 stars - Our main character is someone who got caught up in the sexual offender system, meaning he committed a fairly minor crime but has still been registered. Now he faces outing and the fallout that occurs afterwards.

Writing - 3 stars - The story started out slowly, but then it suddenly got intense and even brutal at times. I felt that the fluctuations in the writing were somewhat disjointed, but the overall flow of the plot was steady. The subject matter is emotional, of course, and people's passions create a sometimes uncomfortable situation, which isn't always easy to read.

Characters - 3 stars - Sean is a regular guy who got caught up in a situation that quickly blew out of control, changing his whole life. Unfortunately for him, he was misled in his past, and his continual guilt and self-doubt have added to his problems. Now he comes across as very needy emotionally, and I found it difficult to sympathize with him when he made such obviously poor choices in his actions. The best part about him was his psychology background. At those times he was practical and made a lot of sense.

Title - 3.5 stars - When the definition of "dolphin" is explained, the title makes a lot of sense. But before that, you really have no idea what the story will be about.

Cover - 4 stars - Gorgeous cover. Deep blue background with the bright pinwheel to draw the eye. The blood on the pinwheel hints at the mystery involved. But I still wasn't sure why it was a pinwheel and what it was supposed to represent.

Overall - 3.5 stars - The subject matter was fascinating, with a look into the confusing laws surrounding sexual offenders and those who get caught up in the system. Of course, this is an explosive subject for many, so at times the read was violent and uncomfortable, rightfully so. But that meant that I had to put it down from time to time so I could take a break, and sometimes it was difficult to pick it up again, not a good thing. Sometimes I felt that the author went a little overboard with the bad things that happened to Sean, creating some over-the-top drama. A little less might have been better and just as effective in telling the story. Overall, a good read, even if out of my usual comfort zone.

This story was fast paced with suspense throughout. It was thought provoking, and atmospheric as well.
Many thanks to Storyville Press and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Dolphin by Craig Bennett Hallenstein follows Sean Jordan, an aspiring child psychologist who had been labelled a sex offender at age 15. He's spent years wracked by guilt over the choices of his youth. But is he really a sex offender? Sean moves to New Orleans trying to put the past behind him. Sadly, that wasn't to happen. As a ploy for ratings, a radio host LeGrande outs all of the local registered 'dangerous sex offenders’, which includes Sean. Thanks to this, when the radio host’s teen daughter disappears, Sean is accused. However, he becomes just as much a victim of the kidnapper. Sean is given a devil's deal. He has the chance to save the young girl if he meets the kidnapper's demands, but doing could cost his moral integrity. Refusing could cost his life. This was an interesting read. Intellectually, I know that not all sex offenders are paedophiles or rapists, but society is trained to think so. In fact, there are a fair amount of cases that are the result of consensual teenaged encounters. Sean’s is one such case. As a result, he’s lived his life on the Registry, dealing with all the prejudice and suspicions that result. I had never heard of the term 'dolphin’ before, regarding these types of sex offenders, many of whom shouldn't even bear the label or stigma. This was certainly a controversial topic to work with, and it’ll certainly give you something to think about. The setting of New Orleans during Mardi Gras was great. It felt vivid and immediate. ***Many thanks to Netgalley, and Storyville Press for providing an egalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

The story opens with a bang as we meet young Sean Jordan. All is well until tragedy occurs.

Fast forward, Sean and his best friend Doug are out having a few beers celebrating. Sometimes being festive has consequences as Doug's fallout from his Mardi Gras reveling shows.

The story has an underlying discussion of the controversial topic of sex offenders. In many ways overusing the term bullying makes it ineffectual so does the blanket use of the term sex offender combined with the sex offender registry sets up problems. Some of the instances highlighted in this book would make a person want to eat their gun.
Doug is a sex offender for public indecency charges during Mardi Gras.
Sean is a sex offender at eighteen for.... you'll have to read to find out for yourself.

There's new kid in town, and he's started a new game.

Good book!