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The Stranger Box
Alienation, revenge, and redemption are the themes of The Stranger Box, a moving saga of a mother and daughter caught like two white dwarf stars in separate orbits, destined to collide. The daughter, Eden, born to a young actress, is abandoned to the care of her maternal grandmother and then adopted at an early age when the grandmother dies. As the story opens Eden is in her mid-teens, living in New York City with her dysfunctional adoptive family, the Denglers. Carolyn Dengler is depressive and beleagured. Robert is pompous, defensive, exploitative and ineffective. Their daughter is a spoiled daytime actress. Eden’s vain and self-obsessed birth mother has assumed the name Katherine Blair and wants no one to learn of her early indiscretion or Eden’s existence.
Not knowing who her parents were, Eden seeks solace outside of the dysfunctional Dengler family. In the role of housekeeper, a voodoo priestess adept at the art of both white and black magic becomes her first role model and beloved mentor. Later, Min Tan, a Buddhist and Chinese herbalist, becomes the sage who seeks to look after Eden’s soul.
Neither can save her when she is forced to run to avoid Social Services. She takes shelter in a community of society’s outcasts who dwell in the tunnels beneath New York’s Grand Central Station. The community’s feared leader, the Dark Angel, dubs Eden his Queen Lilith and insists she recognize him as the Son of Satan.
Determined and resilient, Eden traverses a maze of threatening events, confronting both good and evil, until she finally discovers the identity of her birth mother, and schemes to take back the family that was denied her.
Among the many early readers of the book was R.W. Goodwin, Executive Producer of The X-Files. He reflected the opinion of many when he said, “The Stranger Box is a real page-turner. Eden is right. Trust no one.”
The tension between good and evil is reminiscent of Patricia Highsmith’s Ripley series. The portrayal of the consequences of intense negative emotion on the outcome of a family drama is suggestive of Ian McEwan’s Atonement. Eden’s resilience, and her ability to emerge as a strong and resourceful adult inspite of a disastrous childhood brings to mind Stieg Larsson’s Lisbeth Salander.
Not knowing who her parents were, Eden seeks solace outside of the dysfunctional Dengler family. In the role of housekeeper, a voodoo priestess adept at the art of both white and black magic becomes her first role model and beloved mentor. Later, Min Tan, a Buddhist and Chinese herbalist, becomes the sage who seeks to look after Eden’s soul.
Neither can save her when she is forced to run to avoid Social Services. She takes shelter in a community of society’s outcasts who dwell in the tunnels beneath New York’s Grand Central Station. The community’s feared leader, the Dark Angel, dubs Eden his Queen Lilith and insists she recognize him as the Son of Satan.
Determined and resilient, Eden traverses a maze of threatening events, confronting both good and evil, until she finally discovers the identity of her birth mother, and schemes to take back the family that was denied her.
Among the many early readers of the book was R.W. Goodwin, Executive Producer of The X-Files. He reflected the opinion of many when he said, “The Stranger Box is a real page-turner. Eden is right. Trust no one.”
The tension between good and evil is reminiscent of Patricia Highsmith’s Ripley series. The portrayal of the consequences of intense negative emotion on the outcome of a family drama is suggestive of Ian McEwan’s Atonement. Eden’s resilience, and her ability to emerge as a strong and resourceful adult inspite of a disastrous childhood brings to mind Stieg Larsson’s Lisbeth Salander.
- GenresFiction
414 pages, Paperback
First published November 4, 2014
13 people are currently reading
767 people want to read
About the author
Pamela Cuming
7 books25 followersCuming is a Scottish name that means “courage.” Throughout her life, Pam has eagerly seized new opportunities and bravely confronted the obstacles that life has put in her way. She has always embraced Helen Keller’s belief,“Life is an adventure or nothing at all.”
After graduating from Smith College, she embarked on what would become a multi-faceted career during which she would advise leaders of American corporations, Wall Street financiers, directors of non-profits and medical practitioners on the human dimensions of their enterprises. She published two books on leadership and the use and abuse of power..
While her life has been rich in opportunity, she has also known heartbreak. When she was thirty-four, her husband died suddenly, shaking the foundations on which she had built her life. She wrote about the tumultuous journey that ensued in Widow’s Walk, a candid story of bereavement and healing.
Now she is facing a new set of challenges as she learns to deal with emerging health problems and other demands presented by an aging body. Courageously confronting her own mortality, she insists that the last part of life can still present us with a great adventure.
Pamela Cuming is a Certified Senior Advisor (CSA)® . Her website is www.pamcuming.com.
After graduating from Smith College, she embarked on what would become a multi-faceted career during which she would advise leaders of American corporations, Wall Street financiers, directors of non-profits and medical practitioners on the human dimensions of their enterprises. She published two books on leadership and the use and abuse of power..
While her life has been rich in opportunity, she has also known heartbreak. When she was thirty-four, her husband died suddenly, shaking the foundations on which she had built her life. She wrote about the tumultuous journey that ensued in Widow’s Walk, a candid story of bereavement and healing.
Now she is facing a new set of challenges as she learns to deal with emerging health problems and other demands presented by an aging body. Courageously confronting her own mortality, she insists that the last part of life can still present us with a great adventure.
Pamela Cuming is a Certified Senior Advisor (CSA)® . Her website is www.pamcuming.com.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
June 2, 2016
“A real gripping thriller… draws the reader right in and envelops them in the story, not letting go until it’s over. I found myself right in there, living Eden’s life and was disappointed that it had to end! Excellent story, brilliantly written and a great storyline.” Reviewed By Anne-Marie Reynolds for Readers’ Favorite…..Five Stars!
While this story isn’t the most cheerful, it’s hard to deny the fact that the author successfully pulls you into Eden’s world and shows the reader the good, the bad, and the downright ugly parts of human life. Cuming forces the reader outside of their comfort zone, making this a compelling and thought-provoking read." 4 stars SELF PUBLISHING REVIEW
The power of this book—an undeniable page-turner—comes from the sheer unpredictability of the storyline. The author incorporates a wide variety of narrative elements (Voodoo, Buddhism, the nature of evil, abandonment, abuse, etc.) that leads readers to a virtual precipice at novel’s end—and the last plot twist pushes them off of that cliff.
Character development is another strong point. The writing style is intelligent, insightful, and intimate; Eden becomes real in these pages, and her painful rebirth is both heartrending and heart-warming.
The ending of the novel is, frankly, a risky move on the author’s part, but it’s a courageous decision that makes for a powerful conclusion. Readers will find that The Stranger Box is unique, intense — and more than a little disturbing. BLUE INK REVIEW
While this story isn’t the most cheerful, it’s hard to deny the fact that the author successfully pulls you into Eden’s world and shows the reader the good, the bad, and the downright ugly parts of human life. Cuming forces the reader outside of their comfort zone, making this a compelling and thought-provoking read." 4 stars SELF PUBLISHING REVIEW
The power of this book—an undeniable page-turner—comes from the sheer unpredictability of the storyline. The author incorporates a wide variety of narrative elements (Voodoo, Buddhism, the nature of evil, abandonment, abuse, etc.) that leads readers to a virtual precipice at novel’s end—and the last plot twist pushes them off of that cliff.
Character development is another strong point. The writing style is intelligent, insightful, and intimate; Eden becomes real in these pages, and her painful rebirth is both heartrending and heart-warming.
The ending of the novel is, frankly, a risky move on the author’s part, but it’s a courageous decision that makes for a powerful conclusion. Readers will find that The Stranger Box is unique, intense — and more than a little disturbing. BLUE INK REVIEW
March 19, 2015
Reviewed By Anne-Marie Reynolds for Readers’ Favorite
The Stranger Box by Pamela Cuming is a psychological thriller that will have you gritting your teeth. Katherine Blair is vain and she does everything she can to stop her daughter Eden finding out who she really is. Eden wants revenge and she will do what it takes to get back the family she was denied. Eden was adopted, but most of her influences come from Leila, the Haitian housekeeper. She is the one who gives Eden the Stranger Box and shows her how to use it to keep others from harming her. Eden begins to study black magic and white magic and becomes entranced by the thought of zombies after witnessing a possession at a voodoo ceremony. Leila has to return to Haiti after sexual advances by Eden’s adoptive father and Eden has to face the future alone. Tragedy strikes the heart of her adoptive family and Eden goes on a journey to find her real family and make them pay.
The Stranger Box by Pamela Cuming was an excellent story. A real gripping thriller, one of those books that keeps you turning the pages until the very end. The way this has been written is to draw the reader right in and envelop them in the story, not letting go until it’s over. I found myself right in there, living Eden’s life and was disappointed that it had to end! Excellent story, brilliantly written and a great storyline. I hope Pamela Cuming has more where this came from.
The Stranger Box by Pamela Cuming is a psychological thriller that will have you gritting your teeth. Katherine Blair is vain and she does everything she can to stop her daughter Eden finding out who she really is. Eden wants revenge and she will do what it takes to get back the family she was denied. Eden was adopted, but most of her influences come from Leila, the Haitian housekeeper. She is the one who gives Eden the Stranger Box and shows her how to use it to keep others from harming her. Eden begins to study black magic and white magic and becomes entranced by the thought of zombies after witnessing a possession at a voodoo ceremony. Leila has to return to Haiti after sexual advances by Eden’s adoptive father and Eden has to face the future alone. Tragedy strikes the heart of her adoptive family and Eden goes on a journey to find her real family and make them pay.
The Stranger Box by Pamela Cuming was an excellent story. A real gripping thriller, one of those books that keeps you turning the pages until the very end. The way this has been written is to draw the reader right in and envelop them in the story, not letting go until it’s over. I found myself right in there, living Eden’s life and was disappointed that it had to end! Excellent story, brilliantly written and a great storyline. I hope Pamela Cuming has more where this came from.
December 31, 2014
This book is a really riveting read. It is like a chess match against mother and daughter. I felt so bad for poor Eden as she is cast into a horrible existence that she somehow weathers. I came to love this topsy turvy story with a dash of suspense and a perfect balance of each sides perspective.
This isn't the lightest of reads. You will cry. You will wonder if things will get better for everyone, but it was well worth it.
This isn't the lightest of reads. You will cry. You will wonder if things will get better for everyone, but it was well worth it.
May 20, 2016
This was a really good book., given away at birth, Trying to find real parents and any
family. Stuff that goes on in between and then 9-11. You will have to read this book
to see what happens to Eden, etc. 2nd book??????
family. Stuff that goes on in between and then 9-11. You will have to read this book
to see what happens to Eden, etc. 2nd book??????
March 1, 2015
Great read
This book kept me entertained with all the twists and turns somehow making it easier to keep reading than to lay the book down.
This book kept me entertained with all the twists and turns somehow making it easier to keep reading than to lay the book down.
March 9, 2015
Awesome!
I loved this story. I will read anything she writes. The characters are so believable. I just couldn't put it down!!
I loved this story. I will read anything she writes. The characters are so believable. I just couldn't put it down!!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews