In the Dark of the Night: A Novel

By John Saul

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.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
• Release date: Jul 25, 2006
• ISBN: 9780345493675

John Saul

John Saul’s first novel Suffer the Children became an instant bestseller, as have many of the thirty-three novels of dark suspense he has published since. Amidst this busy writing schedule, he divides his time between Seattle, Washington and Hawaii.

Reviews for In the Dark of the Night

[readingover50 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This is a decent horror novel. It takes awhile to get to the good stuff, but the last half of the book was pretty good. John Saul's books are pretty formulaic, but sometime, that is what I want to read. I will always remember how scary his books were when I first started reading them as a teen.

This book once again features teens in trouble. The cursed objects could have been more interesting, but it was still a pretty good concept.

[angelajmaher · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A genuinely creepy horror novel. It starts off with a fairly common scenario, a group of teenage friends heading into a situation that isn't going to turn out well. The evil goings-on are interesting though, and I wasn't quite sure what would happen next, or quite how it would end. It's the first book I've read by this author, but it won't be the last.

[madam_razz · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was absolutely an eventful novel. A great suspense thriller and gripping paranormal murder mystery all rolled into one. The characters are all interesting, though I'll admit not overly complicated, and even the ones you like will annoy you at times. But, I feel like that's a good thing.I disliked the way Merrill's husband and friends treated her the most, I think. They were all super dismissive of her and while some of it made sense, I thought they were rather patronizing about it. At other times, they seemed devoid of common sense when assuring her that she had no reason to be worked up, to the point where it almost bordered on gaslighting. Wasn't fond of that, but you can definitely feel her frustration through it, that's for sure.This plot had me guessing all the way to the end and while it wrapped everything up neatly, there are still things left over to think about. In fact, by the time you finish the epilogue, you'll feel a genuine sense that not just the book but the story is finished and yet a satisfying sense of foreboding still permeates.While this book is obviously meant to be horror, and therefore scary, however, there were very few parts that I found to actually be scary. Just once or twice did I feel a tingle slip up my spine and even then only for a moment. Still, it's a great book and I would absolutely recommend it to anyone who is interested in this genre or just likes murder mysteries and doesn't mind if there's a paranormal twist to them. It definitely gives you more than enough to think about and wonder about as the book progresses, that's for sure.

[jhemlock-1711 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is probably the bloodiest John Saul book I have read yet. Gory, suspenseful and pretty brutal. The story is good but a little predictable. It seems some things were left hanging, but that is OK. A little ambiguity is good for the imagination. I feel a little more of the "why" should be answered but all in all it is a good read.

[joe73-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is probably the bloodiest John Saul book I have read yet. Gory, suspenseful and pretty brutal. The story is good but a little predictable. It seems some things were left hanging, but that is OK. A little ambiguity is good for the imagination. I feel a little more of the "why" should be answered but all in all it is a good read.

[carol420 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

In the Dark of the Night by John Saul4.5★'sFrom The Book: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.My Thoughts:This is a reread for me but several years have past since I read it the first time. I discovered John Saul's books almost forty years ago and eagerly read every book he wrote from that time on. It's more than just a horror story. It's seemingly impossible things happening to real families that could be your next door neighbors...your friends... or Heaven forbid...even your own family. The plot is not especially unique...at least not to ghost story and horror story regulars but there are plenty of twists and turns. Overall just good creepy fun along the way as John Saul is famous for his creepy things happening to ordinary people type of writing. If you like that type of book then this authors writings will never disappoint.

[edward.lorn · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

John Saul is one of those authors I grew up reading. My mother had a closet full of horror novels, and a great number of them were Saul's books. Though this is not my favorite book of his, it comes damn close.

The Lizzy Borden murders is one of those mysteries I've always been obsessed with. Something about a lady with a hatchet drives me crazy. I keed, I keed. As demented as that sounds, you should also know that I love her history for the same reason I dig Amelia Earhart's. It's the unanswered questions, the what ifs. IN THE DARK OF THE NIGHT is centered in the Lizzy Borden mythos. Saul does a good job of answering real life questions with fictitious happenings. Though the story takes place in modern day, we're thrust headlong into the murky waters surrounding the deaths of Borden's mother and father. Did Lizzy actually do it? Nobody but Lizzy knew, of course, but John Saul takes us a bit further, theorizing that Lizzy did it, but not of her own accord.

In this novel, the city and citizens of Pinecrest are well realized. So much so that the town kind of stole the potlight for me. I looked forward to the families trips into town, and couldn't wait for the celebration that is the focal point of this novel's climactic ending. This book is, at times, seriously creepy. Especially where inner thoughts are concerned. I wish I could say more, but I risk giving away a vital plot point and I refuse to do so, mainly because this book is one of those that is much better the least you know about it.

I highly recommend this outing for fans of psychological horror as well as fans of fiction that builds on life's true mysteries. I'm also a bit biased because I love just about anything John Saul writes, so take that into consideration before rushing into IN THE DARK OF THE NIGHT.

[rsplenda477 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I haven't read too much of John Saul's work, but I read really good reviews of this one. I have to admit, this was a very well-written and fascinating read. John Saul tackles the horror genre in a different way. He focuses on serial killers and their spirits inhabiting certain residents of a community that do horrible things.If you are a fan of the horror genre, you won't be disappointed with this work. It takes a little while to develop, but the second half of the book really delivers. Saul skilfully exposes the horrors of human beings while touching upon the supernatural in a way that makes it believable. Horror fans will not be disappointed by this clever piece of work.

[lsmoore43 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I finished reading this 2 weeks ago and was not disappointed. I love John Saul books and have yet to read one I didn't like. It was a good story that kept me guessing all through it. I don't think I will ever take a vacation and stay in another house again without thinking about this book. I love a good/great scary story that keeps me on edge and also has a pretty happy ending. Of course some people did have to die in the end but the main family.... won't tell ya what happened to them because that would ruin the whole book for ya. But it was great and I did love the ending as usual with his books.. Great read and a big 5 star..

[carl_alves_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I'm not the biggest John Saul fan so I read this book with some hesitancy. Overall, it was a little better than I thought it would be. There were still many annoying elements I find with some of Saul's work - weak dialogue, not believable young characters,lack of realism - but what I really liked was the incorporation of the haunting of items obtained from real life serial killers. I really enjoyed this element of the story, even if I didn't fully understand how it worked. Overall, not too bad.Carl Alves - author of Two For Eternity

[lorihedgpeth · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

"In the Dark of the Night" has a great premise for a thriller/horror novel. Can the evil that possesses serial killers live on in their "tools of the trade"? And if so, what if the wrong person - - or any person- - gets their hands on them? Saul in the past has proven that he can scribe some seriously creepy books, but this one just fails to deliver. The problems? The only noteworthy adults in the book are either psychotically disturbed, bland and underdeveloped or worrying to the point of neurosis. There is absolutely nothing to identify with. The teens and children of the book are much more developed, and maybe the book would have been better directed at the young adult market (with revisions to the gorier parts of the book). They are more so the heroes/heroines of the book than the adults, who are clearly supportive characters. Another failure with the book is the lack of explanation for exactly what Dr. Darby was doing, with his research, and what happened to him. The lack of explanation left a gaping hole in the story. Another negative point for me was the predictability of the story. Absolutely nothing happened that I didn't expect or see coming, which was a disappointment. As far as the good goes, the book was a quick and easy read (it took me about 3 days from start to finish) and the chapters were relatively short. The overall storyline idea was an interesting (and chilling) concept (which ranks the 3 stars), but Saul didn't develop the idea to its fullest extent. As such, the book just wasn't up to his usual standards and I would wait to get this one at the library if you're a fan.

[sonicquack · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

John Saul's novels are mostly centred around children, and are frequently middle of the road horrors, with some good scenes of tension and a decent mystery to see readers through until the end. 'In the Dark' is no different in that aspect, a winning formula is not to be sniffed at. The scenario here centres around a supernatural force which seeks to influence the children that move in to a set of holiday homes. The plot is well thought out, with some well presented characters, and the requisite amount of spookiness. The book is however let down by a certain lack of closure. There are far too many questions left unanswered - or plot holes left unfilled (depending on your view). Overall though, another easy to read Saul horror, which will keep you interested until the inevitable conclusion.

[andyray_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I like JS because of his great characterization, his continuity of story, but most of all because he doesn't follow the "Hollywood" plot. In his books, there is not always a happy ending, and sometimes you, the reader, may not KNOW exactly what has been going on. This is such an example, where a typical American family, complete with the Little Miss Sunshine 5-year-old girl and nervous Nellie mother, a shade shy of paranoic, rent a big old monster of a house at a lakeside resort with their best friends. The wives of the trio are good friends, the husbands, also, and the teenage boys are the center of the action. They go where few men have gone before and some two score murders result. As in most of JS's novels, something (at least one thing) is left unresolved. Here it is the question of who bricked up the back room again? or better yet, Did all the activity in the back room after they unbricked it actually happen? How much is real evil; how much is a man's insanity? And will the price of gold go up or down in a deep depression?

[l3wilso_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great author. I have always enjoyed his writing since I first read Shadows. This book was a true page turner. It had everything. Shocking was the ending and how well the characters played their roles.

[thoss_2 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A page turner. Very ending was a little let down.