After reading this again for the 3rd time, it STILL makes me think 'why would anyone let strangers in their house?', and it still creeped the shit out of me! Way to go John Saul! WARNING: If you have a fear of abduction or of being watched; DO NOT read this book!

"Perfect Nightmare" is exactly what the title says.....a NIGHTMARE! The serial killer/rapist that is in this book, gets his victims after attending Open Houses that realtors are hosting. YES! Can you believe that if you have ever been to one, or had one in your house, have you never thought that someone could possibly steal or plant something in your house with out you ever knowing? This book starts off scary, and you just know that it is not going to be good for the mother of teenaged Lyndsay, the beautiful, blond haired blue eyed 17 year old cheerleader, that the killer becomes OBSESSED with after seeing a picture of her in her bedroom.

Lyndsay is the popular girl at her Long Island high school and she does not look forward to moving before she becomes a senior and prepares for graduation. Why do they have to move now? And why to The City?. With Lyndsay being so mad and upset about the move, the police try to tell her mother when she is discovered missing, "you are worried, but don't be. She will be home in a couple hours, she probably just when to a friends house to get her anger out....." Mother's always know best, and she is right. She did not and is not coming home.

The serial Crazy in this book is the creepiest of creeps. Saul can write the terror like you are right there with the victims and the survivors. He takes a situation like an open house of an address that is for sale, and turn it into a scene of sick behavior of a very sick and demented person out to hurt and torment, and possibly kill an innocent person. Let me tell you, while i was listening to this character (of the serial rapist/killer) and the way he talked to the victims was absolutely a ticket back to my childhood of being a victim to a sick man's game of Candyland. Not for the easily offended or those with a fear of kidnapping.
4

Camden Green, Manhattan
35 Flinder's Beach Road, Manhattan


Characters:

The Marshalls
- Steve Marshall - lawyer and the man of the house of the Marshall's. He was promoted and due to being assigned to the city, he and his wife, Kara Marshall had decided to move to the city.
- Kara Marshall - Steve's wife.
- Lindsay Marshall - Steve and Kara's only daughter, became depressed after finding out that they are moving.


The Shield’s
Patrick Shields - younger brother of Claire Sollinger. Lost his family in a devastating fire on Christmas Eve.
Renne Shields - Patrick's wife who died on the fire
Jenna Shields - Patrick's daughter who looked exaclty like Lindsay Marshall
Chrissie Shields - Patrick's daughter who also died on the fire.


The Fine's
- Ellen Fine - one of the victims, her husband left her for another woman. Was about to sell her house and Rick Mancuso was her agent to contribute for the open house.
- Emily Fine - Ellen's only child, about the age of five or six ( i forgot).
Shannon Butler - went missing after an open house.

Neville Cavanaugh - Patrick's loyal butler.

Claire Sollinger - acquaintance of Kara Marshall and older sister of Patrick Shields.

Andrew Grant - a police detective that was assigned to investigate Lindsay's case.

Mark Acton - the agent who is responsible for the Marshall's open house.

Rick Mancuso - the agent who is assigned for the Fine's open house.

Tina D’ Angelo – Lindsay best friend since kindergarden.

Sharon Spandler – Lindsay coach.

Plot:

The story revolves around a lunatic who has been abducting girl victims, which he carefully picked from open houses (houses that are shown to the people who might buy the house that they are showing?). Lindsay and Shannon was one of the victims.

After an open house on the Marshall's house, Lindsay suddenly disappeared from her room. The police (namely Andrew Grant) suspected that she was depressed by the moving thing (which she was really were) and decided to run away for relieving stress. But as of Kara Marshall, being the mother and knows her daughter more, she didn't believe what the detective had said, she believes that Lindsay was abducted, thus, she comes and look for her daughter.

My Review:

This novel is good, but i rather find it rather scripted or not well prepared on the later part, because i didn't think that the suspect that this novel was pointing was or should be the suspect, because i rather find it contradicting the plot written behind the book. As it says:

"When Lindsay Marshall mysteriously vanishes from her bedroom during the night, her mother, Kara, fears the worst. Their neighbor Patrick Shields can easily relate to Kara's grief - he is still dealing with the pain of losing his wife and two children in a devastating fire. But heartache isn't all that draws Patrick and Kara together. He, too, senses the hand of a malevolent stranger in this tragedy. And as more people go missing, Patrick's suspicion, like Kara's blooms into horrified certainty. Someone is trolling this peaceful community - undetected and undeterred - harvesting victims for a purpose no some mind can fathom. Kara and Patrick, alone and desperate, are determined to unmask the monster who even now is watching, plotting, keeping a demented dairy of unspeakable deeds . . . and waiting until the time is ripe to make another fateful move."

Okay, out of the being conscious about the spoiling thing, the suspect is Patrick and i can say that what is writing on the back contradict on what writting in side the book. Patrick and Kara does not investigate. Patrick only sense it but he didn't do anything. Kara on the other hand, just fears the worst, and she just give fliers of the her beautiful daughter, Lindsay picture on it. They didn't, but Patrick did help Kara to overcome her grief. But no.

And this novel, kinda lack on the part where, how did Patrick turn out to be the suspect, the author did explain what had happened to him, his sister, Claire, raped him during Patrick's six birthday, but i kinda don't understand, or maybe my mind is that narrow to understand such cope, but no, i think the author didn't explain it well, how does Patrick chooses his victim? Why does he chose Lindsay? well, as i can see it, Lindsay looked exactly like his daughter Jenna, but raping Lindsay? or maybe not raping her, or treating her that way? does Lindsay being looked alike his daughter has something to do to his perfect nightmare of being raped by his sister and her friend? And Ellen, at least the author puts some light on her, why Patrick chooses her, because i think, Ellen looked exactly like his mother, his mother who doesn't care what had happened to him. And Shannon? poor girl she has to die, but, i wonder why did he choose her too?

Let me explain well, Patrick was raped by his sister and her best friend whose name written but i forgot. He was raped during his six birthday on the playhouse on their house, 35 Flinder's Beach Road, Manhattan. And his mother didn't do anything about it, and knowing something happened Claire instead of telling the truth, she told her father that Patrick raped her, and thus, Patrick was almost killed by his father.

And now, looking at what he did. First, his family died. Renee, Jenna (the girl who looked like Lindsay) and Chrissie. They died because of him, of course, but the author didn't explain what exactly what happened. It was just briefly said when Patrick was talking to his crazy mind, that the girls, his daughter was going to tell her, tell whom? their mother, Renee, about what? he was doing to them? maybe raping them too? Hmm... who knows.

Then his first victim, Shannon the author didn't explain what happened or how Patrick abduct her, it was just said when detective Andrew Grant put suspicion
when Ellen Fine was abducted too after an open house. Thus. Shannon must have been abducted after an open house. The author then again didn't explain how he chooses her and how she relates to his perfect nightmare.

And now, to Lindsay. Lindsay went missing after the open house where Mark Acton was responsible to. Of course, Patrick hid himself under Lindsay bed and let the open house to be over and let Mark Acton to left and lock the house, and when the time comes and Lindsay was alone, he took her. But why with such a coincidence? did he utterly choose Lindsay because she looked exactly like his dead daughter that he might be raping before he burn them? And what is her relation to his perfect nightmare?
hmmm... who knows. Then again, the author didn't put much light on it.

Then to Ellen Fine, who was also abducted, but atleast. Ellen's being abducted has reason to it, because she looked like her mother when her mother was young and ignore his sufferings.

Well, but this novel is interesting, but the Author didn't put much light on what was happening and didn't explain much well, he just stick with his story and tell it. Just like mother used when she was telling story to her children, she didn't put much light on much detail explanation and just stick with the story.

But this story is good for reading, but not much was explained.
Thus 3 1/2 star for the book

This book played on one of my biggest fears and/or phobias of people being in our home. We even decided to buy a house in order to not have to deal with the house we were renting being shown and strangers walking through our house. It's so strange to feel violated by people walking in your home and being in your personal space. And the twist! I honestly had no idea the direction this book was going to take.

I have a lot of emotions going through me as I finish this. Usually when I read suspense novels it’s almost rare to have the POV of the character in turmoil. In this case Lindsay as she’s been kidnapped and being tortured and her mother Kara who’s hunting for her. A lot of loss and not a lot of clues and keeps you guessing til the end. You think you’re absolutely certain who kidnapped Lindsay but maybe you’re wrong! Fantastic read

This was an okay read. There were several times where I ended up skimming because I got bored. It's stories like this that always make me wonder how the author comes up with the little tidbits, as in being able to describe what a person with these kind of issues thinks and all the gross stuff.

I was not a fan of Lindsay at all. She was 17, yet, acted like she was a lot younger. Constantly pouting, feeling sorry for herself (all the time) and running off when she got upset. There was one part where she tells her mom (I think it was) to stop treating her like a little kid. What a joke.

What exactly was with the two male realtors? I mean Kara catches Mark Acton watching Lindsay as she's heading into the house. Okay...what exactly is wrong with that? I mean we're never told how old he is, he could have been in his early 20's for all we know. Plus, he's a male! haha Yet, the weirdo vibe is put out on him. Then the other guy, Rick Mancuso. Ellen thinks he's weird because what? He tells her that Emily is a cute kid? I don't get it. The police detective guy ends up thinking they're weird too and I don't feel like there was anything 'weird' related about them, at least not explained.

So Lindsay doesn't want to go home after the open house. Yet, the only friend she mentions is Dawn and the fact that she can't go with Dawn because she has other plans. Why didn't she just go to another friend’s house?

After reading the back of the book, I wasn't surprised at all that Kara's husband ended up dying. Considering it said that Kara's neighbor, Patrick, would basically be helping her to deal with all the bad stuff. I automatically thought, "Well where's her husband at?"

Lindsay is looking for her slipper that apparently was under the bed. The phone rings which causes her to jump up and bang her hand/knuckles on the wood part. Which in turn, turns black and blue within seconds? Doubtful.

Patrick (of course we don't know it's him yet) is under Lindsay's bed. Lindsay is talking on the phone as he starts to pull himself out from under said bed. Lindsay hangs up and goes to find the slipper again. She's crouched down when suddenly he's grabbing her by the ankles and pulling himself out that way. How was he already partway out without her seeing him? Was there nothing she could have grabbed to hit him over the head with? That part was just strange.

The way Kara's husband died...wow! And that's a wow in a bad way. Could that part have been anymore of a cliche? I mean seriously, first he's driving home drunk...in a car that he's never driven before (hence, he doesn't know what handle does what)...then he realizes there's tons of traffic, suddenly it starts raining...and ends up getting cut off. Anything else? That was just stupid.

Lastly, it was obvious that Patrick had multiple personalities or something going on. He refers to Ellen as 'Mommy' and treats/acts like Shannon and Lindsay are the little girls. What in the world made any of them think he considered himself the father? That was weird. I mean I automatically thought he was thinking of his abusive childhood. Hence, his mother didn't notice anything bad that happened to him. And what was with Shannon and Lindsay wanting to show him that they loved him by talking sexy to him?

Don’t have enough to worry about? Let’s add stalkers finding victims through open houses. Kara Marshall needs to sell her house and relocate to the city with her husband. Her daughter Lindsay, like any other teenager, resists the move. When Lindsay later shares her suspicions with Kara—someone has been going through her things in her bedroom after the initial open house and has left their stench lingering on her pillow—Kara initially dismisses it, thinking that open house events are professional and secure, and that no one would go through her personal items. However, she soon finds herself living out every parent's nightmare when Lindsay goes missing.

It’s a startling realization: anyone who comes into an open house could have ulterior motives—unless you stage it with furniture and items that are not personal to you, they would have access to everything you own. It’s very creepy. John Saul’s writing usually creates a gripping and suspenseful atmosphere, which is evident in certain sections of this book. However, I felt the suspense was lacking in some parts. The time spent stalking Lindsay could have been used more effectively to disturb the reader further.

Kara's character is well-developed, and we can follow her devastation and disillusionment with the authorities, who typically and expectantly dismiss her claims about her missing child. The addition of other victims adds to the complexity of the situation, providing a community of victims who might help each other—a potential solution to the problem. However, some elements of the plot were predictable, and I was able to spoil much of the book for myself.

Overall, it is certainly an imperfect read but remains engaging for the most part.

Well I seen the twist coming a mile away, it was predictable and slow.
I liked how it ended.

Open house turns into nightmare. Who is kidnapping the girls and why? What about the Marshall family and why does Patrick Shield help Kara to get Lindsay back? This John Saul will run shivers down your spine. The way the maniac is described is absolutely haunting. Will the police find the perp in time? The novel evolves like a movie. At parts you can't stand the descriptions of mad action and the misery Kara Marshall has to face. Psychological horror at its best in the typical John Saul manner. Well drawn characters and deep insight into a mind gone mad. There are only a couple of his novels left I didn't read. This one didn't disappoint. Straight to the heart. Highly recommended!

Good one. Creepy.

Intense book, but a little too perverted for me. Characters were interesting. Plot and storyline however, was creepy. Real disturbing look into abuse. If you like disturbing books, this one's for you.

This is the perfect title for this book because it will give you nightmares. A Psycho kidnaps young women from their homes gaining access after open houses. The story unfolds between the killer's torturing of the captured women and the mother of Lindsey who will not give up looking for her daughter. The killer turns out to be who you would least expect. It was a chilling novel, perfect to scare the pant off of you.

I was hooked from chapter 1! The emotional trauma and thrills in this book had me glued from start to finish. And the twist in the end... never saw that coming. I especially enjoyed reading from the villain's POV. That was just bone chilling.

I highly recommend this read.