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Dark Coming of Age #1
Purity
Handsome young Owen will do anything for love...even if it means murder.
From New York Times bestselling author Douglas Clegg comes his classic dark psychological thriller of dangerous obsession and endless love.
For fans of Patricia Highsmith, Ruth Rendell, and Gillian Flynn.
This short novel is approximately 25,000 words in length or 120 pages if in print. The Dark Coming of Age series books do not need to be read in any specific order -- they are stand-alones built around a theme of "dark coming of age."
Owen Crites has grown up in the shadow of the Montgomery summer estate and has always been in love with beautiful Jenna Montgomery, who arrives each summer to her family's summer home on Outerbridge Island, just off the New England coast.
Now, both of them teenagers, Owen -- the gardener's son -- begins to understand that Jenna is meant for a different life in adulthood than he's destined for -- and he knows that he must somehow keep her with him on the island until she no longer wants to leave.
Enter handsome and wealthy Jimmy McTeague, the young tennis star from Manhattan, heir to a sporting goods fortune. Jimmy's also come to spend the summer with the Montgomery family. To Owen, this intruder is a rival for Jenna's love, but he soon discovers that Jimmy holds in a deep secret that could destroy him. Soon, a triangle of love, hate, and the darkest of human impulses emerges.
From New York Times bestselling author Douglas Clegg comes his classic dark psychological thriller of dangerous obsession and endless love.
For fans of Patricia Highsmith, Ruth Rendell, and Gillian Flynn.
This short novel is approximately 25,000 words in length or 120 pages if in print. The Dark Coming of Age series books do not need to be read in any specific order -- they are stand-alones built around a theme of "dark coming of age."
Owen Crites has grown up in the shadow of the Montgomery summer estate and has always been in love with beautiful Jenna Montgomery, who arrives each summer to her family's summer home on Outerbridge Island, just off the New England coast.
Now, both of them teenagers, Owen -- the gardener's son -- begins to understand that Jenna is meant for a different life in adulthood than he's destined for -- and he knows that he must somehow keep her with him on the island until she no longer wants to leave.
Enter handsome and wealthy Jimmy McTeague, the young tennis star from Manhattan, heir to a sporting goods fortune. Jimmy's also come to spend the summer with the Montgomery family. To Owen, this intruder is a rival for Jenna's love, but he soon discovers that Jimmy holds in a deep secret that could destroy him. Soon, a triangle of love, hate, and the darkest of human impulses emerges.
118 pages, Hardcover
First published June 1, 2000
8 people are currently reading
154 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
January 22, 2012
Loved this brief chilling tale. Didn't want it to end.
May 25, 2018
This novella by horror writer Douglas Clegg is about a fatal love triangle between a manipulative young worshiper of deep-sea demon god Dagon, the girl he loves, and a boy that comes between them. Major themes are rich vs poor, sociopathy, and sexual orientation. Just when I thought I'd found a character I liked, some gnarly stuff was revealed about him. Despite the lack of sympathetic characters, though, things get riveting about 2/3 of the way through, and the ending is twisty and explosive. I recently saw something about Clegg being gay himself, and married to a dude, so I was thrilled to have found another openly gay horror writer besides Clive Barker.
June 25, 2020
I am legit SHOOK.
May 21, 2021
A decent little story but not super memorable. And honestly the whole thing about homosexuality just didn't make sense to me. I don't understand why anybody would give a crap if their kids gay or not. So that whole angle of people can't no I'm gay just didn't really do it for me in the story. Maybe because nowadays people don't even identify as a gender. So in the grand scheme of things who really cares?
The whole thing with Dagon was pretty cool. I liked the slow build to the chaos with that. It seems well paced while dragging at the same time. I was into it one second and not the next. Mostly because the main character Owen just didn't do it for me. His mom says he's a psychopath but he does nothing psychopathic in the whole story. He lied a little bit. I didn't actually kill anybody... So what's the point of highlighting that?
I will say it did play out well. As in all the pieces fit together. And it seemed like the main character got f***** in the end so that it was a pretty good twist.
I was really tossed on this so I would probably give it two and a half Stars if I could.
The whole thing with Dagon was pretty cool. I liked the slow build to the chaos with that. It seems well paced while dragging at the same time. I was into it one second and not the next. Mostly because the main character Owen just didn't do it for me. His mom says he's a psychopath but he does nothing psychopathic in the whole story. He lied a little bit. I didn't actually kill anybody... So what's the point of highlighting that?
I will say it did play out well. As in all the pieces fit together. And it seemed like the main character got f***** in the end so that it was a pretty good twist.
I was really tossed on this so I would probably give it two and a half Stars if I could.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 25, 2018
Owen Crites has grown up in the shadow of the Montgomery summer estate and has always been in love with beautiful Jenna Montgomery, who arrives each summer to her family's summer home on Outerbridge Island, just off the New England coast.
Now, both of them teenagers, Owen -- the gardener's son -- begins to understand that Jenna is meant for a different life in adulthood than he's destined for -- and he knows that he must somehow keep her with him on the island until she no longer wants to leave.
Enter handsome and wealthy Jimmy McTeague, the young tennis star from Manhattan, heir to a sporting goods fortune. Jimmy's also come to spend the summer with the Montgomery family. To Owen, this intruder is a rival for Jenna's love, but he soon discovers that Jimmy holds in a deep secret that could destroy him. Soon, a triangle of love, hate, and the darkest of human impulses emerges.
Now, both of them teenagers, Owen -- the gardener's son -- begins to understand that Jenna is meant for a different life in adulthood than he's destined for -- and he knows that he must somehow keep her with him on the island until she no longer wants to leave.
Enter handsome and wealthy Jimmy McTeague, the young tennis star from Manhattan, heir to a sporting goods fortune. Jimmy's also come to spend the summer with the Montgomery family. To Owen, this intruder is a rival for Jenna's love, but he soon discovers that Jimmy holds in a deep secret that could destroy him. Soon, a triangle of love, hate, and the darkest of human impulses emerges.
February 4, 2020
I dug this short story from my favorite author!
A damn good novella about the twilight of adolescent freedom and the fears that come with the transition to adulthood. Of course, it's a pretty dark version of that age old tale, being from Mr. Clegg. Just wish it had been longer. Of Clegg's work, this is one of his more grounded and realistic stories, and I found it to be a strong one.
A damn good novella about the twilight of adolescent freedom and the fears that come with the transition to adulthood. Of course, it's a pretty dark version of that age old tale, being from Mr. Clegg. Just wish it had been longer. Of Clegg's work, this is one of his more grounded and realistic stories, and I found it to be a strong one.
November 8, 2025
Cuento de madurez en forma de novela corta que bebe tanto de Lovecraft como del talentoso Mr. Ripley y que mezcla géneros con facilidad gracias el talento de este escritor tan poco valorado en mi opinión como es Douglas Clegg. Excelente.
April 26, 2018
I love this & I can't wait for more.
I will be also leaving a review on Goodreads @ Amazon.
And letting everyone know about it.
So i gave it a 5 Stars.
I will be also leaving a review on Goodreads @ Amazon.
And letting everyone know about it.
So i gave it a 5 Stars.
July 26, 2019
This was a very intense book about the brooding relationship between three teenagers over one summer that didn't end well
November 3, 2019
18+ disturbing
March 29, 2020
I really liked this story. The main character has strong Holden Caulfield vibes and while none of the characters are remotely likable, there was something really enjoyable about this story overall.
September 12, 2020
Review forthcoming
November 21, 2020
Siento que acabo de verme una de esas series dique darks de la CW, hum, pero estuvo entretenido.
September 18, 2024
Second book I have read by this author. I think it's just not for me.
January 26, 2012
Norwegian only:
Dette er min første horror-novelle, og bare det er interessant nok. Jeg utvider horisonten, som var et av lesemålene for 2012, og jeg ble ikke skuffet! Douglas Clegg kjente jeg overhode ikke fra før, men med litt aktiv jobbing på Amazon så leste jeg nok reviews til å konkludere med at jeg måtte forsøke meg på denne forfatteren. Et snev av Dean R. Koontz, kanskje? Man har jo lov å håpe!
Handlingen i novellen
Owen er tenåringssønnen til gartneren som steller hagene for de rike på Outerbridge Island. Han bor sammen med faren og moren i en liten gartnerbolig som tilhører familien Montgomery. Owen er hodestups forelsket i den jevnaldrende rikmannsdatteren i hovedhuset, Jenna, som kommer hver sommer for å tilbringe flere ferieuker på øya. Owen blir knust da hun sommeren de blir 18 år har med seg en kjæreste, Jimmy, til øya.
Owen bestemmer seg for å vinne henne tilbake ved å forføre Jenna's seksuelt småforvirrede kjæreste. Owen er en utrolig kompleks person rent mentalt, og har en mor som etterhvert frykter ondskapen som han oftere viser utad. Han har nemlig en hemmelighet gjemt i fiskedammen i hagen, og denne finner hans mor. Owen innser, at dersom han ikke kan konkurrere mot Jimmy for å få Jenna, så må sterkere midler til. Selv om det betyr mord..
Min evaluering
Jeg ønsker ikke å skrive mer om innholdet, for da spolerer jeg hele novellen og "the grand finale" :-) Det Douglas Clegg har fått til her er imidlertid å gi leserne en veldig dyptgående kjennskap til Owen's psyke, og dette preger hele historien. Vanligvis i noveller så synes jeg persongalleriet blir noe grunt beskrevet pga novellens generelle korthet, men her føles det ikke slik. Man blir dratt inn i Owen's verden og tenker ikke på at dette er en kort historie. Avslutningen er en overraskelse, og alt i alt er dette en godt skrevet novelle.
Det eneste som jeg reagerer på er at denne er markedsført som en "horror story". Det synes jeg ikke den er, selv om psyken til Owen ikke nødvendigvis er A4. Ja, han tilber en stygg fiskeliknende statue han kaller Dagon, og Dagon var som kjent fiskeguden til filisterne - et folk som i Midtøstens jernalder bodde ved Middelhavet - men statuen griper ikke nok inn i historien. Dette er mer en ulykksalig trekanthistorie med litt mørke undertoner, et godt persongalleri og en overraskende slutt enn noe annet. Ikke en must-read, men en god novelle. Jeg kommer nok til å sjekke ut Clegg's bøker neste gang. De virker mer Koontz-horroraktige i forhold til denne novellen.
Min rating 3 av 5
Dette er min første horror-novelle, og bare det er interessant nok. Jeg utvider horisonten, som var et av lesemålene for 2012, og jeg ble ikke skuffet! Douglas Clegg kjente jeg overhode ikke fra før, men med litt aktiv jobbing på Amazon så leste jeg nok reviews til å konkludere med at jeg måtte forsøke meg på denne forfatteren. Et snev av Dean R. Koontz, kanskje? Man har jo lov å håpe!
Handlingen i novellen
Owen er tenåringssønnen til gartneren som steller hagene for de rike på Outerbridge Island. Han bor sammen med faren og moren i en liten gartnerbolig som tilhører familien Montgomery. Owen er hodestups forelsket i den jevnaldrende rikmannsdatteren i hovedhuset, Jenna, som kommer hver sommer for å tilbringe flere ferieuker på øya. Owen blir knust da hun sommeren de blir 18 år har med seg en kjæreste, Jimmy, til øya.
Owen bestemmer seg for å vinne henne tilbake ved å forføre Jenna's seksuelt småforvirrede kjæreste. Owen er en utrolig kompleks person rent mentalt, og har en mor som etterhvert frykter ondskapen som han oftere viser utad. Han har nemlig en hemmelighet gjemt i fiskedammen i hagen, og denne finner hans mor. Owen innser, at dersom han ikke kan konkurrere mot Jimmy for å få Jenna, så må sterkere midler til. Selv om det betyr mord..
Min evaluering
Jeg ønsker ikke å skrive mer om innholdet, for da spolerer jeg hele novellen og "the grand finale" :-) Det Douglas Clegg har fått til her er imidlertid å gi leserne en veldig dyptgående kjennskap til Owen's psyke, og dette preger hele historien. Vanligvis i noveller så synes jeg persongalleriet blir noe grunt beskrevet pga novellens generelle korthet, men her føles det ikke slik. Man blir dratt inn i Owen's verden og tenker ikke på at dette er en kort historie. Avslutningen er en overraskelse, og alt i alt er dette en godt skrevet novelle.
Det eneste som jeg reagerer på er at denne er markedsført som en "horror story". Det synes jeg ikke den er, selv om psyken til Owen ikke nødvendigvis er A4. Ja, han tilber en stygg fiskeliknende statue han kaller Dagon, og Dagon var som kjent fiskeguden til filisterne - et folk som i Midtøstens jernalder bodde ved Middelhavet - men statuen griper ikke nok inn i historien. Dette er mer en ulykksalig trekanthistorie med litt mørke undertoner, et godt persongalleri og en overraskende slutt enn noe annet. Ikke en must-read, men en god novelle. Jeg kommer nok til å sjekke ut Clegg's bøker neste gang. De virker mer Koontz-horroraktige i forhold til denne novellen.
Min rating 3 av 5
March 23, 2023
What interesting insights the author has into the heads of the not-quite-poor! He's absolutely right. His wealthy characters are rather shockingly self-absorbed, which could explain their failure to notice that Owen is a sociopath. I have a sister who is a sociopath, and she kinda gives me the wiggins. That the others characters never even noticed what he is just shows you what jerks they are.
I find Owen the Sociopath to be the most sympathetic character in the book. He might set out to destroy a person, but he's honest enough that he doesn't use people for what he can get from them. That's such a grovelly thing to do, and crazy old batshit Owen, with his Dagon worship and his total lack of empathy still manages to be the most honorable character in his milieu.
So I liked this odd little book. It's interesting to think about the psychology of it.
I find Owen the Sociopath to be the most sympathetic character in the book. He might set out to destroy a person, but he's honest enough that he doesn't use people for what he can get from them. That's such a grovelly thing to do, and crazy old batshit Owen, with his Dagon worship and his total lack of empathy still manages to be the most honorable character in his milieu.
So I liked this odd little book. It's interesting to think about the psychology of it.
July 8, 2014
Damn but this Mr Clegg can write. I tend to forget when I've not read anything of his for a while. Beautifully written, disturbing, gripping, wonderful novella. Would love to read a new full length Douglas Clegg novel (preferably horror but I'm pretty easy going on that) but in the meantime this novella will keep me ticking over. I can't afford the hardback so it's good to see this in an affordable ebook format. Highly recommended for readers who don't mind thinking as they read.
July 21, 2015
I really liked this short story. Dagon is one of my absolute favorites of H.P. Lovecraft. Together with the love/hate relationship between Owen, Jenna, & Jimmy-which reminded me of times like Sally, Brian, & Maximillian in Cabaret-was superb! I loved how dark it was, & this story was very easy to get yourself lost in.
November 4, 2010
Review written @ doubleshotreviews.com
May 23, 2011
Slow to start, this tale of psychological terror ends up being chilling and extremely dark.
November 22, 2015
Pretty good love story with a little suspense/mystery thrown in. I was surprised at the ending and thought it could have ended a little better, but it was okay as well.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews