This is one of the best horror I've read in a while. I love how well-planned the whole story was--even if it was a tad predictable. Each character was fleshed out so well that I even had my heart break for some minor characters. Some of the imagery gave me a good case of the spooks.

Very well done. 4/5 only because of the predictability.

This was a book club book, and one of the worst books I've read in recent memory. All but one character is stupid beyond believability, there's a staircase that kills or breaks bones of everyone who gets near it,and a magical basement where dead people don't smell. Overall this book is a landslide of small and large things that don't add up and ruin the story. I listened to the audio book and had to spead it up over 250% just to make it through. It was not an enjoyable read at all. Even if this is your type of genre, I wouldn't suggest reading this book.

Too creepy for me...brrr

This is the first book of his that I've read and I was really impressed.

There were so many unexpected moments (Unexpected to me anyway) which added to the enjoyment of what was already a great story which I flew through in almost no time.

I'm not a huge fan of Gothic Horror but I did enjoy this and I will now be looking out for more books by this author.

I now know the true meaning of 'Unloved'

From the time I was in high school, re-reading John Saul books was my favorite thing to do in the summer. I have to admit, it's really interesting to read a book written before cellphones and the internet. Makes one wonder how we managed.

This is one of his books that has aged pretty well, all things considered and I'll certainly read it again. Not a bad way to spend an evening or two.

Another crummy book from one of the horror genre's biggest hacks. (He's still a ways behind Koontz as the #1 hack but he's moving up rather quickly).

This book kept me on the edge seat. The aunt went from being herself to being to acting like her mother. She toremented Jeff and Julie. Killing their father. You really never knew what would happen next.

Impresionante historia. No parece al inicio. Empieza muy tranquila y casi que uno presagia el tipo de historia que viene, pero aunque no termina siendo un argumento demasiado original, esta tan bien llevada y tan logrado el clímax, que al terminar el libro se queda uno muy perturbado de haber leído algo tan intenso.
El ambiente de caserón aislado y de pueblo chico, los secretos grandes y turbios, es un recurso muy usado, pero cuando está bien hecho, me atrapa y me dejo llevar.
Por momentos me recordó a "flores en el ático" de V. C Andrews, o a "Holocausto" de Robert Marasco.
el camino a la locura que tiene la historia es muy cinematográfico, me sorprende que no tenga película, será por lo truculento de algunas partes. Imperdible.

I first read this book in junior high and remember being so terrified by it. Of course, a couple of weeks ago I stumbled upon it again and while I could recall the feeling when I first read it, I could not remember much of anything else. A good opportunity to make an old book new!

This is another of Saul's book set in the rural south with a creepy desolate mansion on an island that has been owned by the Devereaux family for more than a century. The only road in is a causeway that comes and goes with the tide. Woman in Black, anyone? Once a luxurious home, it is now a severely dilapidated home occupied by the maniacal Helena Devereaux; her daughter, Marguerite; and their lifelong servant, Ruth. Helena is a wretched old bitty who, thankfully, is on her death bed. Coming into town to say his goodbye to his mother is her son, Kevin, and his family. There's no love lost for Kevin, luckily having been sent away at a young age to boarding school to avoid the abuses from his mother. Needless to say, after Helena kicks the bucket (please note that this is not a spoiler as it happens very early on), her will essentially binds Kevin to the house and so his family move into the mansion. Not long afterwards, there are images of dead people walking in the cemetery, teenagers turning up missing, and life-threatening storms. I cannot reveal much more without compromising the plot twist.

I loved this book and was enthralled with the story. This is definitely a southern gothic horror novel which will have you reading on your Kindle Cloud Reader on the computer while at work pretending to do work. Maybe that's just me. It's a great novel for this Halloween season. Go freak yourselves out and read it.

It was bonechilling

one of my favorite books of all time— I reread it every year

The story line and ending seemed obvious throughout the book. There was no thrill of what is going to happen next. There was very little character development.