In the Dark of the Night
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.
