This is an extremely horrifying book.

First and foremost, picture in your mind the terrifying scenario of your child being stolen right from a hospital. Then, compound that horror by imagining that your child is taken by a homicidal madman. This is precisely the nightmarish situation that "Laura", the mother of "David", unfortunately finds herself in.

The book commences with a powerful and startling beginning. It was so intense that initially, I had serious doubts about whether I would be able to muster the courage to continue reading it. Violence directed towards children deeply disturbs me, and thus, the very first time I saw Mary with her "baby", my stomach instantly knotted up in a wave of nausea and horror.

The action throughout the book is rapid-fire and unrelenting, which led me to read far into the night, completely engrossed. Although the superhuman nature of the characters and the occasional lack of strict medical accuracy could potentially have diminished my rating of this book, the sheer intensity and gripping nature of the story managed to maintain my attention firmly and keep my interest at a fever pitch. I would highly recommend this book for all lovers of horror thrillers.

Top-tier McCammon, in my opinion.

Out of the 8 novels I have read from him thus far, this one definitely ranks among my top 3 favorites. I adored every single aspect of it. The characters were complex and compelling, drawing me in from the very beginning. The story was riveting, thrilling, and a real page-turner. It was so vivid and cinematic that I could easily picture every scene in my mind. The expert craftsmanship was evident throughout, building up to a crescendo of an ending that was both powerful and emotional.

This story is set in the 1980s and follows a mother whose newborn baby is kidnapped by an acid-crazed, hippie terrorist serial killer. The mother then embarks on a cross-country pursuit to rescue her child. It is an adventure filled with action, suspense, car chases, shootouts, brawls, high emotional stakes, and interesting psychological character explorations.

Reading this book was not like reading for me at all. Instead, every time I sat down and opened it, I was completely transported and immersed into the story and the minds of the characters. And when I wasn't reading it, I found myself constantly thinking about it.

It was one of those kinds of reads, just like McCammon's work usually is.

The man is truly a master storyteller and writer. His books, to me, feel like a privilege to read. And this one was no exception. It left a lasting impression on me and I can't wait to read more of his works.

From start to finish, this book was truly fast-paced. Despite being nearly 500 pages long, it managed to hold my attention throughout the entire reading experience. It was captivating from the very beginning and never let up. The story unfolded at a rapid pace, keeping me on the edge of my seat and eager to turn the next page. I found myself completely immersed in the world created by the author.

I think I've discovered an author whose work I'm really going to enjoy. Their writing style is engaging and their ability to tell a story is remarkable. I can't wait to explore more of their books and see what other adventures they have in store for me. This book has definitely left a lasting impression and I'm looking forward to reading more from this talented author in the future.

Mine by Robert R McCammon is an outstanding thriller that earns a 4.5-star rating. It offers a wild ride filled with sex, drugs, and intense violence. McCammon, a fine horror author, departs from the supernatural in this book and presents a relentless chase thriller. The story revolves around the kidnapping of a baby and the mother's desperate pursuit to rescue him. The pacing is excellent, and the author uses his horror background to add terrifying elements. The villain, Mary Terrell (Mary Terror), is a former left-wing extremist and a captivating and frightening character. She may be the best antagonist McCammon has created. There are also other memorable characters, and the author weaves them into a page-turner. The book is filled with emotion as it focuses on the maternal instinct. While it's not a five-star blockbuster like some of McCammon's later works, it's still a great read for horror fans. It has an intense, relentless, and brutal storyline with a satisfying conclusion. I highly recommend it.

  "Mary, Mary, quite contrary, how does your garden grow?

With shotgun shells and walking hell and dead men all in a row."




4.5 stars out of 5.

Sex, drugs and out of control violence! Mine by Robert R McCammon is a fantastic, edge of your seat thrill ride from one of the finest authors in the horror genre.  I've been reading a lot of books by this author lately and he may just be my number one. A true hidden gem.

In this one Robbie Mac gives us a relentless chase thriller and completely departs from the supernatural elements that had been a feature of his previous work.  The premise centres around the kidnapping of a baby and the mother's frantic pursuit to get him back.  It's intense, taught and a believable with brilliant pacing.  McCammon uses his background in horror to add terrifying elements throughout.

The star of the show in this one without question is the villain Mary Terrell (Mary Terror to her friends). A former left-wing extremist and complete psychopath, the authors characterisation is captivating and frightening in equal measure. She's maybe the best antagonist McCammon has written and the scenes involving her are highly memorable.  Without question as terrifying as any supernatural entity ever written and the way he delves into her psyche is fascinating.

  "They fed on hate, day and night. They breathed it in, in their attics and cellars, while they burned their incense and candles. I wonder what they did with that hate when the candles went out."

There's a number of other memorable characters and McCammon weaves these into a real page turner. He's not reinventing the wheel here but he does write it to an extremely high standard.  There's a lot of emotion packed into this one as McCammon focuses on the maternal instinct and the depths that Laura (the mother) is prepared to go to when her child's life is at stake.  Honestly, if you're looking for something that's fun and action packed this is the book for you.

So what stopped this one from getting full marks, a rarity when it comes to McCammon novels? I recently finished reading Freedom of the Mask, one of his latest novels, and the progression in his level of writing is mind-blowing. I don't think I've ever seen an author develop so much. Don't get me wrong, the writing and dialogue is good in Mine, but he's now on another level all together. So for that reason this one isn't an all out five star blockbuster.

It's not the most intricate story. Intense, relentless and brutal in parts with a satisfying conclusion. I'd give it a strong recommendation for horror fans. Great to see a truly great female villain, up there with Stephen King's infamous Annie Wilkes. Would be great to see an ultimate showdown between these two. My money is on Miss Terror. Peace out!

Just wow!!!

Flash forward from the 1960s to the 1980s. The era of hoping to change the world with love-ins and wearing flowers in one's hair has long passed. Head shops, roach clips, bongs, lava lamps, black light posters, and Woodstock - all have more or less fallen by the wayside.

For Mary Terror, a former member of a radical student group, moving on proves to be a little more difficult. She is marking time, waiting until she can be reunited with her love and present him with 'their' baby. However, the truth is that Mary is crazy, and there is no baby - until she snatches one from the hospital. Having indulged in too many hits of acid both in the past and in the present, she drifts in and out of a perpetual purple haze. Considering Jim Morrison to be God, she listens to The Doors albums and even imagines him standing beside her on occasion, hearing the words 'Mr. Mojo risin'.' Oh, indeed!

This story delves into something very dangerous - the concept of 'deserve'. What do any of us truly deserve? And more importantly, who has the authority to decide such a thing?

I am truly impressed with Robert McCammon. He has the ability to craft a story that ranks among the best. This particular one starts off with a particularly disturbing scene and then maintains its intensity at a fever pitch. While I would not consider it to be of the same high caliber as BOY'S LIFE, it is still extremely good.

I read this book many years ago, and yet, to this very day, it randomly enters my thoughts, unbidden. McCammon has an extraordinary talent for taking readers deep into the mind of a psychopath, presenting a character unlike any one has ever encountered before. The story is so captivating that you will find yourself completely glued to the pages, unable to tear yourself away until the very end. It truly is just another masterpiece by a wonderful author who, unfortunately, remains somewhat underrated. I can't stress enough how amazing anything written by this man is. His works have a unique charm and power that draw you in and keep you hooked from start to finish.

Don't tempt a mother!


My story revolves around two mothers, Laura and Mary. Laura is a highly successful journalist, and her newborn son David is her last hope for true happiness. On the other hand, Mary is a survivor of the radical 1960s, still firmly trapped in a hallucinatory world of memories, guns, and, most dangerously, murderous rage. When Mary steals David from Laura, Laura, with very little support by her side, embarks on a perilous cross-country journey to reclaim her precious son. In order to win David back, Laura might have to transform into the very monster that took her child. With one mother being a savage who clings to a world of fantasy and hallucination, and the other fighting tooth and nail for her own son, it's a dirty, savage race that could have any outcome!




Last year, I had the pleasure of reading Robert McCammon's Swan Song. This book had such a profound impact on me that even now, whenever I think of it, my mind drifts off in thought for a moment. Ever since then, I've been eager to explore more of McCammon's works. However, considering that almost all of his books are quite substantial in size, I decided to choose "Mine" as it is relatively shorter compared to the others. Needless to say, Mr. McCammon worked his magic once again!




Although Stephen King's books are known for creating bone-chilling horror effects, they mostly incorporate supernatural elements (and I'm not suggesting that this is a bad thing; I'm simply pointing it out). In contrast, Robert McCammon delves deep into human nature and psychology in the dirtiest, filthiest ways. While reading his books, I often find myself flinching, yet deep inside, a little voice shamefully admits that in those same situations, I might very well do the same. And that's where the magic of great writing lies! "Mine" presents a unique type of horror that I've never encountered before. It clearly demonstrates that good and bad are just relative terms, and human nature is merely a product of our surroundings and the situations we find ourselves in.




"Mine" is pure horror. It's savage, raw, bloody, and absolutely chilling. Read it at your own risk, as it might give you graphic nightmares that could leave you feeling uneasy. But if you're a thriller lover who enjoys a bit of blood and gore, then this book is definitely for you!

According to my reading notebook, this is the fourth book encounter with McCammon. The previous ones are "The Border" (I liked it), "Stinger" (I didn't like it as much), and "Boy's Life" (I got used to it). Here I am somewhere between "The Border" and "Stinger" - an interesting story, a well-developed plot, full-blooded heroes, blood flows quite satisfyingly and excitingly... (the novel won the "Bram Stoker" in 1990), but... obviously I have become accustomed to more dynamic actions and thrillers, so something seemed a bit dull to me or perhaps I didn't catch the exact moment... Which will not prevent me from later digging out "Mysterious Return" (the last one translated into our language, since I haven't read it) for encounter number 5.

McCammon's works always have their own charm. Each book presents a unique world and set of characters. Although this particular one didn't quite meet my expectations in terms of excitement, it still had its merits. The story was engaging enough to keep me reading, and the characters were vividly portrayed. I'm looking forward to seeing what "Mysterious Return" has in store for me. Maybe it will be the book that truly blows my mind and makes me fall in love with McCammon's writing all over again.

DNF. Stopped after the first chapter.

Although this book was SO far outside my comfort zone, I picked it to fulfill two reading challenges I am participating in this year. The first one is my library’s winter reading challenge which is horror themed. The second is the Book Riot Read Harder prompt for “read an award-winning book from the year you were born”.

As the mother of an infant, there is no way I would have gotten through this book unscathed. The only pages I read were so graphic in their descriptions about child abuse that I had to stop and put the book away to keep from crying. It was just too much for me to handle. I can only imagine how much more difficult it would have been if I had continued reading.

I know that some people might think that I should have toughed it out and finished the book, but I don't think that's necessary. Sometimes, it's okay to know when something is too much for us and to stop. I still plan on completing the reading challenges, but I'll do it with a different book that won't have such a negative impact on me.

A well-tuned thriller that takes readers on a violent rollercoaster ride of madness.

At the beginning, it started off slow, almost lulling the readers into a false sense of security. But then, like a rocket taking off, it suddenly picked up speed and intensity.

It was truly unlike anything I’ve ever read before. I was completely hooked and couldn't put this book down. I was on the edge of my seat, eagerly waiting to find out how it would all turn out. This was an awesome story, a true real page turner that kept me engaged from start to finish.

A part of me just couldn’t believe what I was reading. The twists and turns were so unexpected that they left me gasping for breath.

Anyways, if you’re looking for an intense read that will keep you on the edge of your seat, this is it! It was the perfect introduction to Robert McCammon for me. This book also shows that there’s nothing like a mother’s love for a baby, which adds an extra layer of depth and emotion to the story.

Overall, I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a good thriller.

3.5 This was my very first encounter with McCammon's work.

Given all the wonderful things I had heard about his writing, I had high expectations and thought it would be a bit better.

To be fair, this was indeed a good story that had me hooked and constantly turning the pages.

However, there were a few elements within it that were just too unrealistic for me to overlook.

It kind of took away from the overall authenticity of the narrative.

Moreover, I was really hoping that the ending would be a little more thrilling and exciting.

But unfortunately, it turned out to be a bit anticlimactic.

It didn't quite deliver the punch that I was expecting after such a build-up.

Overall, while it had its good points, it also had some flaws that prevented it from being a truly outstanding read for me.

Nevertheless, I'm still willing to give McCammon another chance and explore more of his works in the future.

Maybe the next one will be able to live up to the hype and exceed my expectations.