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1st out of 101 books
—
4 voters
Midnight Voices
by
John Saul,
Joe Blades
The sudden, tragic death of her husband leaves Caroline Evans alone in New York City to raise her children with little money and even less hope. When she meets and marries handsome, successful Anthony Fleming, the charismatic man of her dreams, she believes her life is destined for happiness. She and her children move into her new husband’s spacious apartment in the legend...more
Paperback, 384 pages
Published
March 4th 2003
by Ballantine Books
(first published May 1st 2002)
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Feb 09, 2013
Dustin
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Any fans of John Saul and/or the supernatural
I'm not a particularly big fan of John Saul. In the early 90's, I tried Sleepwalk, along with two others, found in John Saul: Hellfire, The Unwanted, Sleepwalk. They did little to nothing for me, due mostly to the the fact that they all felt the same, in a very cliched way.
Years later, I borrowed Midnight Voices from a relative, because it piqued my interest. And at first, I liked it enough to keep reading, but it wasn't really anything I'd praise, or even recommend. Then, about halfway throug...more
I'm the world's biggest wuss when it comes to horror. Splatterpunk, slasher films? All this newfangled psychopath-porn totally squicks me out.
A lot.
Now, the classic stuff--haunted houses, demons, vampires, zombies, gateways to hell--is way more my thing. Midnight Voices adheres to this wonderfully.
Our story begins with the recently bereaved Caroline, whose kind-hearted compassionate husband was strangled on a jog one morning and left for dead. Still young and beautiful, she finds herself alienat...more
A lot.
Now, the classic stuff--haunted houses, demons, vampires, zombies, gateways to hell--is way more my thing. Midnight Voices adheres to this wonderfully.
Our story begins with the recently bereaved Caroline, whose kind-hearted compassionate husband was strangled on a jog one morning and left for dead. Still young and beautiful, she finds herself alienat...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
I had a difficult time with this book. I did not know anything about it and was expecting it to be a mystery...which it was, but I don't go for the beyond reality sort of mystery unless it is clear that is the genre. E.g., it features wizards or magic or whatnot.
Also, this author began too many sentences with the word "but" which as any high school english might tell you, it just not right. Ok, I can allow for this some of the time, because that is how people talk. However, when several sentenc...more
Also, this author began too many sentences with the word "but" which as any high school english might tell you, it just not right. Ok, I can allow for this some of the time, because that is how people talk. However, when several sentenc...more
Caroline and her two kinds are left alone after Caroline's husband,Brad, dies. They barely have enough money to live off of and she has had to put the kids in an unsafe school. One day at the park she meets Anthony Fleming. He seems tone great with the kids, loves Caroline, is rich, seems like e perfect guys. Caroline tries to ignore her kids fears of the apartment that they live it. It has a history of horror and ghost stories. Caroline. Tries learning a bit more about the residence in the bui...more
MIDNIGHT VOICES is a rip-off of Roman Polanski's THE TENANT and ROSEMARY'S BABY, but without the edge, suspense, characters, or atmosphere. Although the technical writing is solid, it feels bland and generic, and, like a PG-13 movie, this title should be placed in the "young adults" section. The pace picks up a bit towards the end, but it was hard to get through the melodramatic daytime soap opera dialogue of the first two-thirds. I enjoyed reading this author when I was younger, but I guess 15...more
Caroline, a recently widowed mother of two, falls fast for Anthony Fleming, a rich, seemingly stable guy who lives in an upscale apartment building in New York's Central Park West -- The Rockwell. The building's old architecture and not-so-friendly look aren't inviting to the neighborhood kids, who share tales of The Rockwell's haunted halls to spook each other. But what really happens at The Rockwell is more disturbing than the imagination of most children and Fleming isn't quite the man of Car...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Caroline Evans and her two children are suddenly left alone when their father Brad's neck is broken while he is jogging in the park. But Caroline meets and then proceeds to marry a seemingly wonderful man that seems to go out of his way to please the kids as well as her. The only problem with this man, Anthony Fleming, is that she can't seem to find out anything about his family life or any other facts about him. These problems don't really bother her all that much, but they do bother her best f...more
A page-turner with a creepy ending!
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Having read most of John Saul's books, I would rank Midnight Voices very near the bottom of the list. It's a fairly predictable storyline, but it does mark a slight departure from Saul's typical portrayal of some adolescent facing unknown horrors pretty much on his/her own. That's not to say that this novel doesn't have adolescents in danger because it most certainly does, but I think Saul does a decent job of shifting perspective among several characters this time around. When all is said and d...more
Midnight Voices
John Saul
Suspense
375 pages
copyright: 2003
isbn: 0-449-00653-0
Saul knows how to dish out thrills, and with a sly tribute to Ira Levin's Rosemary's Baby, as well as other horror classics, this latest pulp shocker should have fans lining up. Mother of two and widow of a murdered Central Park jogger, Caroline evans thinks she has found the answer to her prayers in her new husband, Anthony Fleming. The family moves into his apartment in the Rockwell, a storied old Upper West Side buildi...more
John Saul
Suspense
375 pages
copyright: 2003
isbn: 0-449-00653-0
Saul knows how to dish out thrills, and with a sly tribute to Ira Levin's Rosemary's Baby, as well as other horror classics, this latest pulp shocker should have fans lining up. Mother of two and widow of a murdered Central Park jogger, Caroline evans thinks she has found the answer to her prayers in her new husband, Anthony Fleming. The family moves into his apartment in the Rockwell, a storied old Upper West Side buildi...more
I had previously read Darkness by John Saul and was hoping for a good book without the cannibalism involved in that one. However, this is basically the EXACT same plot. Just a few different surface details. I feel like Saul should sue himself for theft of intellectual property or something. It was literally almost exactly the same as Darkness. The characters were not even like able and even if you hadn't read Darkness the plot and ending would be obvious within the first few chapters. So disappo...more
As always this was a great read--John Saul is one of my favorites in the horror genre. This story was set in Manhatton and revolved around an old co-op apartment (similar to the Dakota) and the creepy tenants who are absolutely NOT what they seem to be! The truth of what-exactly-they are doesn't seem to fit in any of the known categories. I did think the ending was a little weak--compared to his usual style. However--the story itself was not diminished by this fact and I am looking forward to re...more
I get the feeling I will be holding this book in a couple of years forgetting that I have already read it. This book is okay, a straight up supernatural thriller that moves along. The problem is the subjects covered have been done so many times before: haunting building, age renewal through vampirism, and the usual creepy stuff. There are also no surprises and some loose ends left untied. If you have never read Saul before I would recommend one of his other books.
First book by John Saul I have ever read, I usually stick to old Stephen King for the scary/weird stuff.
Book wasn't bad but the side stories didn't get answered by the end of the book so you still want to know what happened. The main story was good and definitly creepy but the supporting stories were left unanswered and that is why I only gave 3 stars. Also you don't get any real answer to why or how the tenants were able to do what they were doing for so long.
Book wasn't bad but the side stories didn't get answered by the end of the book so you still want to know what happened. The main story was good and definitly creepy but the supporting stories were left unanswered and that is why I only gave 3 stars. Also you don't get any real answer to why or how the tenants were able to do what they were doing for so long.
Would you do anything if you could live forever? Saul explores immortality in this rather creepy novel.
Less that a year after her husband is murdered Carolyn Evans marries Anthony Fleming and moves her children into The Rockwell, a creepy apartment building off of Central Park West. Her son doesn't trust his new step father and soon the only other child in the building a sickly girl named Rebecca,disappears. When Carolyn's daughter becomes sick as well and begins to talk of nightmares of people...more
Less that a year after her husband is murdered Carolyn Evans marries Anthony Fleming and moves her children into The Rockwell, a creepy apartment building off of Central Park West. Her son doesn't trust his new step father and soon the only other child in the building a sickly girl named Rebecca,disappears. When Carolyn's daughter becomes sick as well and begins to talk of nightmares of people...more
I would actually list this among my favorite John Saul books. It's just so interesting to me.
Making up his mind, Ryan sucked his lungs full of air, then began running toward the precipice.
One step. Two steps. Three steps.
His right leg stretched forward, raised high, and his foot found the top of the rampart. He swung his arms back, heaved himself forward, and led off into the air with his left foot.
His right foot left the rampart, and he was suspended in mid-air.
And time seemed to stop, stretch...more
Making up his mind, Ryan sucked his lungs full of air, then began running toward the precipice.
One step. Two steps. Three steps.
His right leg stretched forward, raised high, and his foot found the top of the rampart. He swung his arms back, heaved himself forward, and led off into the air with his left foot.
His right foot left the rampart, and he was suspended in mid-air.
And time seemed to stop, stretch...more
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After loosing her husband and barely being able to make ends meet, the main character meets a new gentleman who she ends up marrying. She moves into his apartment building with her two children who all the elderly residents in the apartment building fall in love with. Little does she know that her new husband and the residents of the building have their own agenda for her children. Great book. I highly recommend it!!
I actually don't like horror books. But I have to admit this one was well enough written that I read it despite not really enjoying the type of horror book that aims at making your skin crawl and causing you to try to avoid sleeping for fear of the nightmares you are certain to have after you put this book down.
I read it, as a favor to a friend, and well if you like being scared you might just like this book
I read it, as a favor to a friend, and well if you like being scared you might just like this book
This is only my second John Saul read. I didn't love it, but it was still interesting enough to keep my attention. I would have liked a second book to explore the ending a little more--there was definite possibility for revenge/tracking down, but Saul unceremoniously ended it in one sentence. I probably should give it only three stars for the brick wall of an ending, but it was still a good read.
Pretty creepy story! Reminded me a lot of the X-Files, for some reason. I have to say that Caroline's inability to take care of her children and herself without a man....in this day and age...made me a little sick. It was pathetic that even she decided to take some responsibility, she had to depend on her 10-year-old son to help her! Pretty pathetic character. Her kids are so much more gutsy and likable!
I picked this one up off the library shelf - just because of the title, or the cover, or whatever. It turned out to be a decent book. A bit of mystery, a bit of horror and suspense about a mother protecting her children from her new husband and the neighbors in the Rockwell apartment building in Manhatten.
This is the most boring, sorry, slow to get into book I seen. I am a huge fan of John Saul, but this book is his worst I ever read by him. I got up to the 8th chapter, and lost interest. So this book is not John Saul best. Sorry. =[
Sep 27, 2012
Joseph Hellion
added it
The suspense is amazing , you are left with more questions than answers with every chapter you finish . The style is quite easy flowing and not dwelling on many details save those that serve the general purpose of the story .
One of the best horror tales I've ever experienced! Really gave me the creeps and that's pretty rare. I'm not a huge horror reader but I really like John Saul and this is the best of the 4 or so I've read of his.
One of my favorite Saul novels. Found out that Saul and his personal secretary scour the streets of America hoping to find yet another old house or building to use as a location for his scary actions!
Will start this as soon as it arrives. A Book Club read. Looking forward to this! It is done. This was my third from Saul in the last month. Never under estimate a child's sense of uneasiness. They are very sensitive to the unseen world. Ryan was the hero! Saul never failed to build the plot and follow through. Have you heard voices in the night? Make sure there are no secret rooms.
This book is good for a rainy day or if you are going on a short vacation, and want something scary to read. I only say this because the book is semi-short. The character development is pretty good starting off, but towards the end the story seems a little bit rushed, so that is why I gave it four stars.
Plot was predictable. I pretty much knew where it was going about 40 pages in. There were some interesting twists. Some of Saul's other thrillers are better.
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Manhattan Hun...: Midnight Voices (Group Read - September 2011) | 4 | 7 | Jan 17, 2012 11:45pm |
John Saul was born in Pasadena, California on February 25, 1942, and grew up in Whittier where he graduated from Whittier High School in 1959. He attended several colleges—Antioch, in Ohio, Cerritos, in Norwalk, California, Montana State University and San Francisco State College, variously majoring in anthropology, liberal arts, and theater, but never obtaining a degree.
After leaving college, he...more
More about John Saul...
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