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In the Dark of the Night: A Novel | 
 enlarge | Author: John Saul
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Category: Book
List Price: $7.99
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Rating:  46 reviews
Sales Rank: 275302
Media: Mass Market Paperback
Edition: X
Pages: 416
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.5
Dimensions (in): 6.9 x 4.2 x 1.2
ISBN: 0345487028
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.54
EAN: 9780345487025
ASIN: 0345487028
Publication Date: June 26, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Features:
| • | ISBN13: 9780345487025 | | • | Condition: NEW | | • | Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark. |
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Product Description
Summer vacation becomes a season in hell for an ordinary family who unwittingly stir something invisible, insidious, and insatiable from its secret slumber–unleashing a wave of horror only the darkest evil could create, that only a master of spine-tingling terror like John Saul could orchestrate. For deep in the shadows in the dark of the night lurks something as big as life . . . and as real as death.
It has waited seven years for someone to come back to the rambling lakeside house called Pinecrest, which has stood empty since its last owner went missing. For upscale Chicago couple Dan and Merrill Brewster, the old midwestern manse is an ideal retreat, and for their kids, Eric and Marci, it’s the perfect place to spend a lazy summer exploring. Which is how Eric and his teenage friends discover the curious cache of discarded objects stowed in a hidden room of Pinecrest’s carriage house. The bladeless hacksaws, shadeless lamps, tables with missing legs, headless axe handle, and other unremarkable items add up to a pile of junk. Yet someone took the trouble to inventory each worthless relic in a cryptic ledger. It has all the makings of a great mystery–whispering, coaxing, demanding to be solved.
But the more the boys devote themselves to restoring the forgotten possessions and piecing together the puzzle behind them, the more their fascination deepens into obsession. Soon their days are consumed with tending the strange, secret collection–while their nights become plagued by ever more ghastly dreams, nightmares that soon seep into reality. And when a horrifying discovery surfaces, so does the chilling truth–about the terrifying events that rocked the town seven years before, the mysterious disappearance of Pinecrest’s last resident, and a twisted legacy with a malevolent life of its own . . . and a bottomless hunger for new victims.
From the Hardcover edition.
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 46
 A Thrilling Page-Turner March 23, 2007
Jeffrey T. Munson (Dixon, IL)
11 out of 14 found this review helpful
John Saul has written a chilling tale about haunted houses and serial killers in this exciting novel. The story centers around Eric Brewster and his friends Kent Newell and Tad Sparks. Tad and Kent's families have been coming to Phantom Lake, Wisconsin for several summers. However, Eric has always been left behind in Evanston, Illinois. This year, however, Eric's family has finally decided to rent their own home on Phantom Lake. Now, the boys will be able to spend their summer together. There is a problem, however. Eric's Mother Merrill is a constant worry-wart, and she thinks the whole idea is bad, but after some reassuring from her husband Dan, the family, along with sister Marci, sets off for Wisconsin.
The name of the house they are renting is called Pinecrest. It has sat empty for several years after the former owner, Dr. Darby, mysteriously disappeared. Some believed he committed suicide; others believe he was murdered. There's also a strange old hermit who lives in a run-down shack on the lake. He has a boat with a large cross on the front, and he's constantly rowing near Pinecrest, as if drawn there by some supernatural presence.
Once the families are settled in, the boys begin to explore their surroundings. They encounter a couple of local teenagers; Adam Mosler, Ellis Langstrom, and Chris McIvens. Bad blood forms between the two groups of boys, and the tension will remain high between them throughout the course of the book. Most of the days are spent fishing, going into town, and exploring the grounds around Pinecrest. One particular area of interest to them is the carriage house. One day, the boys decide to explore the carriage house. They find a curious cache of items stored inside; a bladeless hacksaw, a shadeless lamp, a table with a missing leg, a headless axe handle, and surgical insturments in pristine condition. However, someone took the time to catalog each of these items in a neatly-organized ledger; complete with dates of acquisition and price paid for each item. The items have the making of a great adventure, demanding to be solved.
However, the boys' devotion to learning about the objects soon turns into obsession, as they spend hours at a time inside the room trying to piece together the mystery. To make matters even more confusing, the boys begin to have a recurring nightmare about the objects, as if the objects are somehow speaking to the boys. As a series of strange events takes place, the boys wonder if they are the ones who caused these events.
During their study, the boys learn that all of the materials contained within the room were once owned by famous serial killers; Jeffrey Dahmer, Jack the Ripper, Lizzie Borden. Meanwhile , the voices keep speaking to the boys, and the nightmares become more intense. One person has already been killed; did the boys do it, as their dreams suggest, or was it the power of the objects coming from the room?
All of the events culminate on the Fourth of July weekend. Are the boys at fault, or is something or someone else responsible?
This is a first-rate suspense novel. John Saul's thrilling story is well-conceived, and it leaps off the pages and immediately draws the reader in. The characters are well-developed, and the action is fast-paced. This is the first book by John Saul that I've read, but after reading this one, I'll definitely be reading others.
I highly recommend this fine book. Suspense and horror fans will love it.
The most gruesome yet... June 11, 2007
Emily J. Moore (Ridley Park, PA 19078)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I have been a long time fan of John Saul. At points in this book, I found myself nautious. I definately was not in the mood to eat during points of the book. Definately a change of pace for John and I great read for any fan.
In The Dark of the Night November 6, 2006
P. Pinder (Tempe, Az USA)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Always a master of macbre, John Saul never disappoints.
John Saul at his best November 7, 2006
Billy Alley (South Carolina)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This isn't "Second Child" but definitely a great book from John Saul and well worth buying..loved every minute of it! Jake
HE'S DONE IT AGAIN! August 27, 2008
S.L. Chessor (North Judson, Indiana United States)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I have read just about everything John Saul has written and this was as terrific as the others. I could not put it down and read it in a little less than three days. Highly recommended to all John Saul followers. S.L. Chessor author of Poodlums, Boogeymen and Booglers and My Tongue Fell Out. Poodlums, Boogeymen and Booglers: A Poetry Collection
Showing reviews 1-5 of 46
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