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House of Reckoning
After the untimely death of her mother, fourteen-year-old Sarah Crane is forced to grow up quickly in order to help tend her family’s Vermont farm and look after her grieving father, who’s drowning his sorrow in alcohol. But their quiet life together is shattered when her father is jailed for killing another man in a barroom brawl and injuring Sarah in a drunken car crash. Left in the cold care of a loveless foster family and alienated at school, Sarah finds a kindred spirit in classmate Nick Dunnigan, a former mental patient still plagued by voices and visions. And in eccentric art instructor Bettina Phillips, Sarah finds a mentor eager to nurture her talent for painting.
But within the walls of Bettina’s ancestral home, the mansion called Shutters, Sarah finds something altogether different and disturbing. Monstrous images from the house’s dark history seem to flow unbidden from Sarah’s paintbrush–images echoed by Nick’s chilling hallucinations. Trapped for ages in the shadowy rooms of Shutters, the violence and fury of long-dead generations have finally found a gateway from the grave into the world of the living. And Sarah and Nick have found a power they never had: to take control, and take revenge.
But within the walls of Bettina’s ancestral home, the mansion called Shutters, Sarah finds something altogether different and disturbing. Monstrous images from the house’s dark history seem to flow unbidden from Sarah’s paintbrush–images echoed by Nick’s chilling hallucinations. Trapped for ages in the shadowy rooms of Shutters, the violence and fury of long-dead generations have finally found a gateway from the grave into the world of the living. And Sarah and Nick have found a power they never had: to take control, and take revenge.
294 pages, Hardcover
First published October 13, 2009
214 people are currently reading
2383 people want to read
About the author
John Saul
149 books2,834 followersJohn Saul is an American author best known for his bestselling suspense and horror novels, many of which have appeared on The New York Times Best Seller list. Born in Pasadena and raised in Whittier, California, Saul attended several universities without earning a degree. He spent years honing his craft, writing under pen names before finding mainstream success. His breakout novel, Suffer the Children (1977), launched a prolific career, with over 60 million copies of his books in print. Saul’s work includes Cry for the Strangers, later adapted into a TV movie, and The Blackstone Chronicles series. He is also a playwright, with one-act plays produced in Los Angeles and Seattle. In 2023, he received the Bram Stoker Award for Lifetime Achievement. Openly gay, he has lived with his partner—also his creative collaborator—for nearly 50 years. Saul divides his time between Seattle, the San Juan Islands, and Hawaii, and frequently speaks at writers’ conferences, including the Maui Writers' Conference. His enduring popularity in the horror genre stems from a blend of psychological tension, supernatural elements, and deep emotional undercurrents that have resonated with readers for decades.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 358 reviews
January 18, 2012
While I always find John Saul's work to be delightfully chilling, creepy and eerie; House of Reckoning had something extra. This book tells of a young girl whose life is shattered by the death of her mother, followed by the demise of her father. She is placed in a foster home in, what appears to be a quaint little town.
She quickly realizes that not only is the town not what it seems; but she also discovers that some of her dreams and visions are actually memories. As she tries to untangle reality and perception; another high schooler struggles with voices in his head. When finally the two meet, the race is on for them to solve an old mystery, to help right so many wrongs, and to keep themselves safe until they complete the tasks.
This is a perfect book for a rainy afternoon on the couch. Fast-paced, it is a quick read packed with colorful characters; some despicable and some endearing. Wondering if Mr. Saul will continue to let bad things happen to good people; or if he will do the unexpected and wrap it up with a "you get what you deserve" ending kept me riveted through the entire book.
She quickly realizes that not only is the town not what it seems; but she also discovers that some of her dreams and visions are actually memories. As she tries to untangle reality and perception; another high schooler struggles with voices in his head. When finally the two meet, the race is on for them to solve an old mystery, to help right so many wrongs, and to keep themselves safe until they complete the tasks.
This is a perfect book for a rainy afternoon on the couch. Fast-paced, it is a quick read packed with colorful characters; some despicable and some endearing. Wondering if Mr. Saul will continue to let bad things happen to good people; or if he will do the unexpected and wrap it up with a "you get what you deserve" ending kept me riveted through the entire book.
February 13, 2017
Sarah is saddled with a friendly but mess of a father who soon lands himself in a pot of hot water. She has to depend on the grace of an unfriendly foster family who takes her in for money while meeting up with a strange boy in class who has bizarre visions. Soon the two are landed in a mystery where their deaths are a likely turnout. Sarah gathers help from an outcast teacher and eventually some from a decent social worker, but ultimately it's the kids against the adults.
John Saul isn't the strongest writer, for his prose comes across as something more suitable for the Junior High School age, yet he aims his market toward adults. Children play the main theme in his stories, but he isn't aiming for young adult horror by doing this. Sometimes it works since creepy children can be creepy, but in this case it's kind of frustrating but the unfairness and injustice with the foster family pissed me off.
I had to struggle through the beginning, but the story takes a creative, cheesy fun turn and is layered enough. Another book with a weaker first half and stronger second part. I had to browse and skim a few areas, but it wasn't bad for fans of his fiction.
Characters are generic and stereotypical, but the villains get what they deserve at the end too, which makes it better since I seriously loathed those people.
Not horrendous, but I'm sure he has to have better out there.
John Saul isn't the strongest writer, for his prose comes across as something more suitable for the Junior High School age, yet he aims his market toward adults. Children play the main theme in his stories, but he isn't aiming for young adult horror by doing this. Sometimes it works since creepy children can be creepy, but in this case it's kind of frustrating but the unfairness and injustice with the foster family pissed me off.
I had to struggle through the beginning, but the story takes a creative, cheesy fun turn and is layered enough. Another book with a weaker first half and stronger second part. I had to browse and skim a few areas, but it wasn't bad for fans of his fiction.
Characters are generic and stereotypical, but the villains get what they deserve at the end too, which makes it better since I seriously loathed those people.
Not horrendous, but I'm sure he has to have better out there.
May 30, 2017
Though I thought the ending was not believable (way too many questions remain) I did enjoy this book. It's definitely a book about the choices that some make that lead them down a path that they may not be willing to follow in the end.
The book jumps back and forth between characters here and there. But one of the main protagonists is 14 year old Sarah Crane. Sarah is still reeling from the loss of her mother and trying to make ends meet while her father steadily drinks himself to death. When his night of drinking leads one man dead and Sarah injured, Sarah is placed in a foster home (that sounds freaking awful). Sarah just focuses on getting by for four years so that she can be free from her foster family. When she only makes friends with the high school art teacher, Bettina Phillips, and Nick Dunnigan who suffers from hallucinations, she wonders if she can really someone survive 4 more years.
Nick finds himself drawn to Sarah since she is able to make the voices in his head stop. But as they grow closer, it seems that Sarah's art is coming to life and Nick has the ability to make things happen.
I thought the characters in this one were really good. You definitely get how Sarah's foster family which is pretty awful gets turned up to 10 when they start yapping about how she and her father are going to hell due to their sins. Frankly, I think I would have runaway from there. But, we know that Sarah is stuck since the home is close to her father's prison, and she wants to be near him.
What I think was great that not everyone was as they seem in this book. I was definitely surprised by some of the reveals that John Saul throws in this one.
And what I think was really good though is that the ending though I thought it was a stretch definitely leaves some of the people in this book to pay for what they have done.
I think it would have been a stronger book if it only switched between Sarah, Nick, and Bettina. When you add in Nick's mom and father, Sarah's father and her adopted parents, kids at school, etc. then the book got to be too much at times.
The book jumps back and forth between characters here and there. But one of the main protagonists is 14 year old Sarah Crane. Sarah is still reeling from the loss of her mother and trying to make ends meet while her father steadily drinks himself to death. When his night of drinking leads one man dead and Sarah injured, Sarah is placed in a foster home (that sounds freaking awful). Sarah just focuses on getting by for four years so that she can be free from her foster family. When she only makes friends with the high school art teacher, Bettina Phillips, and Nick Dunnigan who suffers from hallucinations, she wonders if she can really someone survive 4 more years.
Nick finds himself drawn to Sarah since she is able to make the voices in his head stop. But as they grow closer, it seems that Sarah's art is coming to life and Nick has the ability to make things happen.
I thought the characters in this one were really good. You definitely get how Sarah's foster family which is pretty awful gets turned up to 10 when they start yapping about how she and her father are going to hell due to their sins. Frankly, I think I would have runaway from there. But, we know that Sarah is stuck since the home is close to her father's prison, and she wants to be near him.
What I think was great that not everyone was as they seem in this book. I was definitely surprised by some of the reveals that John Saul throws in this one.
And what I think was really good though is that the ending though I thought it was a stretch definitely leaves some of the people in this book to pay for what they have done.
I think it would have been a stronger book if it only switched between Sarah, Nick, and Bettina. When you add in Nick's mom and father, Sarah's father and her adopted parents, kids at school, etc. then the book got to be too much at times.
June 11, 2022
With this being the last of John Saul's horror novels, 36 in total, it is with sadness that there are no more to read.....yes, he retired!
When 14 year old Sarah Crane is almost killed by her father after getting hit by him in his car while he is drunk, she is sent to a foster home, and her father to prison. Her mother is dead, and she misses her terribly. When she gets to the foster family's residence, she realizes that they only took her in for the money, and they immediately put her to work as a servent....yes, at 14! The family she is put with is doing it for just the money.
The family has both a teenaged son Connor, who is worthless, and a stuck up bitch of a daughter Tiffany who Sarah has to suddenly share a bedroom with. This is when she misses both her father and her mother.
Sarah has an extreme limp due to botched surgeries after her accident and she walks with the help of an appliance and this immediately makes her the brunt of the school.....along with Nick Dunnigan who hears voices in his head. 1oo's of them that tell him to do terrible things. They are the perfect couple of friends......oh, and when Sarah is near Nick; he hears nothing in his head. Yes, the voices disappear.
One day while Sarah is in her favorite class; Art, her teacher Bettina Phillips notices she CAN DRAW, and I mean well. Bettina notices Sarah is drawing a HUGE rock and stone mansion. This mansion used to house the Mental Hospital years ago. It is called 'Shutters'......and it is Bettina's Home, and in this town, she is labeled 'A witch!, and worker of the devil'. When the abuse gets so bad at 'home' for Sarah she starts to get close to Bettina and she hears that Shutters has always been rumored to be haunted. What? Are you kidding......not in a John Saul book!? (and this IMO is what made his works SO effective!). Sarah tells Nick this. As both the teens start seeing things in a different way than ever before, they notice something:
What is Sarah's father suffering with in his mind, and what are the secrets he is keeping from Sarah?
What started Nick's affliction with hearing evil voices? Are they real, and who are they?
This was so sad to finally read for me, since I never read my signed, personalized from the author 'Last book of his published works.....', because now there are no more to read. This being his 36th novel of horror, was the last of my 'COMPLETE re-read in publishing order works of John Saul' and here is my review rating.....4.5 🩸🩸🩸🩸.👻
HIGHLY recommended! However nothing will take the place of his 1st published classic (IMO) horror novel; "Suffer The Children".
Enjoy....and stay out of Shutters!!
When 14 year old Sarah Crane is almost killed by her father after getting hit by him in his car while he is drunk, she is sent to a foster home, and her father to prison. Her mother is dead, and she misses her terribly. When she gets to the foster family's residence, she realizes that they only took her in for the money, and they immediately put her to work as a servent....yes, at 14! The family she is put with is doing it for just the money.
The family has both a teenaged son Connor, who is worthless, and a stuck up bitch of a daughter Tiffany who Sarah has to suddenly share a bedroom with. This is when she misses both her father and her mother.
Sarah has an extreme limp due to botched surgeries after her accident and she walks with the help of an appliance and this immediately makes her the brunt of the school.....along with Nick Dunnigan who hears voices in his head. 1oo's of them that tell him to do terrible things. They are the perfect couple of friends......oh, and when Sarah is near Nick; he hears nothing in his head. Yes, the voices disappear.
One day while Sarah is in her favorite class; Art, her teacher Bettina Phillips notices she CAN DRAW, and I mean well. Bettina notices Sarah is drawing a HUGE rock and stone mansion. This mansion used to house the Mental Hospital years ago. It is called 'Shutters'......and it is Bettina's Home, and in this town, she is labeled 'A witch!, and worker of the devil'. When the abuse gets so bad at 'home' for Sarah she starts to get close to Bettina and she hears that Shutters has always been rumored to be haunted. What? Are you kidding......not in a John Saul book!? (and this IMO is what made his works SO effective!). Sarah tells Nick this. As both the teens start seeing things in a different way than ever before, they notice something:
What is Sarah's father suffering with in his mind, and what are the secrets he is keeping from Sarah?
What started Nick's affliction with hearing evil voices? Are they real, and who are they?
This was so sad to finally read for me, since I never read my signed, personalized from the author 'Last book of his published works.....', because now there are no more to read. This being his 36th novel of horror, was the last of my 'COMPLETE re-read in publishing order works of John Saul' and here is my review rating.....4.5 🩸🩸🩸🩸.👻
HIGHLY recommended! However nothing will take the place of his 1st published classic (IMO) horror novel; "Suffer The Children".
Enjoy....and stay out of Shutters!!
October 17, 2016
It’s rare that I find a story that is such a bewildering mix of themes, loose ends, illogic, and cardboard characters, and yet holds my interest long enough to actually get to the end of the book without DNF’ing. I can’t even think of any way to explain myself without spoiling the entire… I can’t say plot, because I’m not sure that there was one. Okay, without spoiling what happens at the end of the book. Nor am I willing to spend more time or brain cells on it. So I’ll just leave that there.
I read this for the Gothic square of the 2016 Halloween Bingo, because a major character of the story is a spooky old house that used to be a lunatic asylum. In fact, it hits 9 of 10 Elements of the Gothic Novel (http://www.virtualsalt.com/gothic.htm)
Previous updates:
http://sheric.booklikes.com/post/1482...
http://sheric.booklikes.com/post/1482...
I read this for the Gothic square of the 2016 Halloween Bingo, because a major character of the story is a spooky old house that used to be a lunatic asylum. In fact, it hits 9 of 10 Elements of the Gothic Novel (http://www.virtualsalt.com/gothic.htm)
Previous updates:
http://sheric.booklikes.com/post/1482...
http://sheric.booklikes.com/post/1482...
January 5, 2017
Книжле, което ще забравиш половин час след като го затвориш, но пък изпълни целта си - отвлече ме от напрегнатото ежедневие за ден и половина. Клиширана история, вече казах, черно-бели герои - добрите са много добри, лошите- яко лоши, имаше няколко логически несъответствия, няколко факти около "дома" останаха недоизяснени, финалът беше претупан, сякаш на Джонката Сол изведнъж му е писнало на водомера и е решил, че след като е набрал необходимото количество думи, изискано от издателя му, спокойно може да приключи с целия този фарс... ама (и това вече го казах) - аз съм непретенционзна книжна свиня - по някакъв начин се насладих на четивото - три и половина от мен да мине :)
May 16, 2018
Hands down one of the dumbest books I’ve ever read. Starts out pretty realistic, then the dumb sets in.
January 23, 2011
I originally read this in the fall of 2009, soon after it was published. I read it right after reading Carrie and Duma Key by Stephen King so some similarities bothered me. I re-read this in January 2011 when it was chosen as a group read in the John Saul Lit Goodreads Group and the similarities to King story elements didn't bother me as much since considerable time had passed. The first half of the story bothered me because of the extreme attitudes of the characters and all the father figures seemed to be basically the same. I enjoyed the second half of the story better this time around. I'd give the first half 1-2 stars and the second half of the book 3-4 stars.
John Saul did a great job of creating outrage at the way Sarah Crane is treated by the Garveys. Take for example this episode in chapter nine:
"You have no rights at all," she said, her cold eyes fixing on her. "You're here because you need to be brought up properly in a good Christian home, and that's exactly what we are going to provide. Your father is a sinner, and your mother did of sin, and you're headed in that same direction unless you straighten up and start working and praying for your own salvation. Now stop arguing and get back to work."
Sarah's fingers tightened on the knife and she struggled to keep her fury under control. "My mother did not die of sin," she said quietly. "She died of cancer."
"Same thing," Zach said, and reached over for a handful of carrots. It was all Sarah could do to keep from driving that kitchen knife right through his hand, pinning him to the cutting board.
"Cancer is evil made manifest," Angie said, draining the pasta into the sink amid a billowing cloud of steam. "All illness is caused by evil and sin, and if your mother had cancer, it was because she had fallen from God's grace. Hand me that bowl."
I also liked the following from Chapter 22 - it shows how John Saul mixes humor into his horror:
"Over the course of a decade, Tarbell had apparently married three young women and fathered five children; only the last wife and one of the children survived. Tarbell according to the notes, had eaten all the others."
Overall, I enjoyed the book once I got past the extreme characters. It was a good story with a fitting title. The ending had closure and the epilogue was humorous.
John Saul did a great job of creating outrage at the way Sarah Crane is treated by the Garveys. Take for example this episode in chapter nine:
"You have no rights at all," she said, her cold eyes fixing on her. "You're here because you need to be brought up properly in a good Christian home, and that's exactly what we are going to provide. Your father is a sinner, and your mother did of sin, and you're headed in that same direction unless you straighten up and start working and praying for your own salvation. Now stop arguing and get back to work."
Sarah's fingers tightened on the knife and she struggled to keep her fury under control. "My mother did not die of sin," she said quietly. "She died of cancer."
"Same thing," Zach said, and reached over for a handful of carrots. It was all Sarah could do to keep from driving that kitchen knife right through his hand, pinning him to the cutting board.
"Cancer is evil made manifest," Angie said, draining the pasta into the sink amid a billowing cloud of steam. "All illness is caused by evil and sin, and if your mother had cancer, it was because she had fallen from God's grace. Hand me that bowl."
I also liked the following from Chapter 22 - it shows how John Saul mixes humor into his horror:
"Over the course of a decade, Tarbell had apparently married three young women and fathered five children; only the last wife and one of the children survived. Tarbell according to the notes, had eaten all the others."
Overall, I enjoyed the book once I got past the extreme characters. It was a good story with a fitting title. The ending had closure and the epilogue was humorous.
January 5, 2020
This book touchef some heart strings. The pain sarah had to endure, the horrible way her foster parents behaved. But happily they all got there just deserts. I must say it put me through some emotions. It was well written in my opinion and the characters were relatable. Definetly a must read....
November 26, 2010
While I do like John Saul's work, this book just isn't the best thing he's put out. The book promises a lot of stuff, some of which is typical Saul fare: children in peril, human & supernatural evils run amok, & twisty plot turns. Unfortunately the book just couldn't live up to those promises, at least not entirely.
The plotline follows the character of Sarah, a young girl whose mother died when she was about 14. When her father is incarcerated for a barroom brawl gone murderous, not to mention accidentally running her over, it seems as if Sarah will never be happy again. These fears only grow stronger when her new foster family is barely hospitable to her & grows even less so by each passing day. Only her art class & a strange boy lifts Sarah's spirits, even as mysteries spring up around her & evils from the past mingle with the evils of the present.
Where do I begin with the critique of this book? While I did enjoy reading this book, I just felt as if the book took the easy way out of everything. The plotline was interesting, but it felt sort of... mechanical. Everything seemed to be a little rushed & none of the book's characters or plot progression seemed to be organic. It felt more like "plot point A leads to plot point B which leads to...". Don't get me wrong- this is an enjoyable read for a few hours, but I've read far better from John Saul in the past. This just came across as sort of a first draft of sorts. It just needed to be fleshed out more & have the rough edges smoothed out. The ending especially needs to be slowed down a bit- it just seems to go a little too fast for everything that has happened. (Maybe if some of the ending happened earlier in the book?)
But overall this book was ok. (Even when he's not at his peak, Saul's still a pretty entertaining read.) Die-hard collectors of Saul will undoubtedly get this to keep their hardback collections up to date & die-hard fans will rush out to get this as well. But for the average John Saul fan, I suggest waiting for the paperback or getting it from the library. And if you haven't read Saul at all, I recommend reading some of his earlier stuff first. This book isn't bad, but it's not his best.
(ARC provided by amazon vine)
The plotline follows the character of Sarah, a young girl whose mother died when she was about 14. When her father is incarcerated for a barroom brawl gone murderous, not to mention accidentally running her over, it seems as if Sarah will never be happy again. These fears only grow stronger when her new foster family is barely hospitable to her & grows even less so by each passing day. Only her art class & a strange boy lifts Sarah's spirits, even as mysteries spring up around her & evils from the past mingle with the evils of the present.
Where do I begin with the critique of this book? While I did enjoy reading this book, I just felt as if the book took the easy way out of everything. The plotline was interesting, but it felt sort of... mechanical. Everything seemed to be a little rushed & none of the book's characters or plot progression seemed to be organic. It felt more like "plot point A leads to plot point B which leads to...". Don't get me wrong- this is an enjoyable read for a few hours, but I've read far better from John Saul in the past. This just came across as sort of a first draft of sorts. It just needed to be fleshed out more & have the rough edges smoothed out. The ending especially needs to be slowed down a bit- it just seems to go a little too fast for everything that has happened. (Maybe if some of the ending happened earlier in the book?)
But overall this book was ok. (Even when he's not at his peak, Saul's still a pretty entertaining read.) Die-hard collectors of Saul will undoubtedly get this to keep their hardback collections up to date & die-hard fans will rush out to get this as well. But for the average John Saul fan, I suggest waiting for the paperback or getting it from the library. And if you haven't read Saul at all, I recommend reading some of his earlier stuff first. This book isn't bad, but it's not his best.
(ARC provided by amazon vine)
May 24, 2015
This is a good ghost story, even if John Saul has been following the same formula for thirty some years: a young person, usually female, with a heart of gold, tossed into terrible circumstances and surrounded by incredibly mean, often sadistic people who torture the protagonist until the reader feels like she wants to toss the book out the nearest window. One thing has changed, though (and for the better), and that's how Saul ends a novel. I have not read a book by John Saul in a long, long time and I am happy to have picked up one of his more recent at the library, House of Reckoning. Recommend!
August 1, 2015
I listened to the audiobook of this, the performance itself was very good, no complaints here.
This story was quite good. I wouldn't say it's anything fantastic, but it's was enjoyable.
It had its brutal parts which I enjoyed and I also love a good dose of karma so the ending pleased me as well.
This story was quite good. I wouldn't say it's anything fantastic, but it's was enjoyable.
It had its brutal parts which I enjoyed and I also love a good dose of karma so the ending pleased me as well.
September 11, 2021
John Saul writes a really easy, nicely paced novel filled with a good balance of characters and a interesting mystery.
I really enjoyed this by him, found that I could not put it down. It actually reminded me of Graham mastertons house of whispers so if you like that, you'll love this one.
The main character I loved. I adored how she went from being quietly strong to openly strong and bested her foster family. They were horrible and I felt disbelief at the way they treated her.
I would have loved more from the ending, more of what their lives were like afterwards.
I really enjoyed this by him, found that I could not put it down. It actually reminded me of Graham mastertons house of whispers so if you like that, you'll love this one.
The main character I loved. I adored how she went from being quietly strong to openly strong and bested her foster family. They were horrible and I felt disbelief at the way they treated her.
I would have loved more from the ending, more of what their lives were like afterwards.
January 10, 2022
This is the first book I've read by the author and I plan to read more.
February 13, 2010
Right from the start I liked the main character, Sarah. My heart went out to her as one tragedy after another was placed in her life. Secondary characters were also well developed and portrayed. I liked the story itself as well. The setting was superb and I would love to find more novels set in or about old insane asylums or hospitals for the criminally insane.
It's not too often I finish a book in just over 24 hours. On a whim I had put this on hold a couple of months ago with my online library. It became available this week and once I started it I couldn't put it down. I found myself putting aside other books that I am enjoying and nearly finished with in order to spend more time with this one. I'll be finding more books by John Saul to read soon.
It's not too often I finish a book in just over 24 hours. On a whim I had put this on hold a couple of months ago with my online library. It became available this week and once I started it I couldn't put it down. I found myself putting aside other books that I am enjoying and nearly finished with in order to spend more time with this one. I'll be finding more books by John Saul to read soon.
January 25, 2018
I've decided to start reading some my TBR from some ofbooks on my long-time favorite authors. This selection was one I had never read before, and had just recently found at a local thrift shop.
.
.
This story is about a couple of teenagers, who are very confused by what's happening to them. She is a talented artist who draws things she can't understand. He hears voices in his head, telling him to do bad things. Do these two children have any connection to the old house at the end of town, formerly the home of the first warden of a now-closed insane asylum?
.
.
This novel is a reminder to make of why John Saul has long been one of my favorite authors. This may very well be his best work since Second Child, which is a classic in horror literature, IMO.
.
.
This story is about a couple of teenagers, who are very confused by what's happening to them. She is a talented artist who draws things she can't understand. He hears voices in his head, telling him to do bad things. Do these two children have any connection to the old house at the end of town, formerly the home of the first warden of a now-closed insane asylum?
.
.
This novel is a reminder to make of why John Saul has long been one of my favorite authors. This may very well be his best work since Second Child, which is a classic in horror literature, IMO.
January 20, 2019
House of Reckoning by John Saul. 5 Stars. John Saul published his first novel in 1997. The House of Reckoning was published in 2009, FYI. He is a very prolific writer. This is the 5th book of his that I’ve read. HE WRITES PAGE TURNERS! OMG! He writes about children, and creepy things, the monsters under the bed, old Gothic mansions, odd people who could be the neighbor next door. There is a similar theme in his scenes and characters. But for my part, they’re ALL GOOD! A great read when you just want to curl up on a rainy day, with the lights ON
May 11, 2021
This book has spooky elements mixed with the supernatural. As typical for many John Saul books I have read, there are teenagers who are going through hardships all while dealing with bullying, trauma, parents and some sort of crazy phenomenon. I would have liked to have the ending explained more, but despite this, I loved the book.
May 3, 2020
Definitely one of the best paranormal books I’ve read in a long time! I could. It put it down once I began reading it. I tried. I really did. But after - I think the third chapter, i just kept reading. I had to find out what happened next, and before I knew it, I was done. Excellent read. If you like paranormal, this is a good one.
January 7, 2021
Loved this book I heard this was one of his weaker Novels but I really enjoyed it.
January 25, 2023
Spent fourteen hours reading this. It keeps you enthralled throughout because f an old mansion that was owned by a person who was n charge of the now torn down insane asylum. Without giving away any secrets you are kept is suspense as two teens finally figure out that his voices and her art are some way entwined with the mansion and the deaths. John Saul at his almost best!
July 20, 2018
Captivating and thrilling all at the same time. The story kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time.
April 10, 2021
Really enjoyed this book. Plot twists and suspense enough to please me.
September 26, 2016
Три звезди на релси. Тази книга беше като поредица от дежа вю фрагменти. "Свърталище на духове" среща "Кери"... а след това среща латино сапунка.
Историята започва многообещаващо, но бързо затъва в клишета - неразбрани тийнейджъри, тормозени от всички в училище, които откриват свръхестествените си способности; страховита стара къща с тайствено минало, изпълнена с паранормални явления; мила жена, несправедливо набедена за вещица и т.н. Добрите герои са кротки, търпеливи и онеправдани, а лошите са много лоши, защото... ами защото просто ей така, да стане още по-мрачно и зловещо. Всички тези елементи не са проблем сами по себе си, но резултатът от съчетаването им е разочароващ. Докъм средата историята вървеше добре, а след това стремглаво се срина. Явно авторът смята, че щом в неговия свят има свръхестествени явления, значи може да зареже напълно причинно-следствените връзки.
Предвид жанра си книгата не е лоша, но няма да я запомня. Прочетох я бързо и с интерес, става за убиване на времето, но като цяло ми остави чувство на разочарование от пропуснатата възможност за много по-интригуващо четиво с подобен сюжет.
Историята започва многообещаващо, но бързо затъва в клишета - неразбрани тийнейджъри, тормозени от всички в училище, които откриват свръхестествените си способности; страховита стара къща с тайствено минало, изпълнена с паранормални явления; мила жена, несправедливо набедена за вещица и т.н. Добрите герои са кротки, търпеливи и онеправдани, а лошите са много лоши, защото... ами защото просто ей така, да стане още по-мрачно и зловещо. Всички тези елементи не са проблем сами по себе си, но резултатът от съчетаването им е разочароващ. Докъм средата историята вървеше добре, а след това стремглаво се срина. Явно авторът смята, че щом в неговия свят има свръхестествени явления, значи може да зареже напълно причинно-следствените връзки.
Предвид жанра си книгата не е лоша, но няма да я запомня. Прочетох я бързо и с интерес, става за убиване на времето, но като цяло ми остави чувство на разочарование от пропуснатата възможност за много по-интригуващо четиво с подобен сюжет.
June 21, 2013
Book Review originally published here: http://www.iheartreading.net/reviews/...
House of Reckoning starts out with fourteen-year-old Sarah Crane, who’s mother died a few months ago, and who gets hit by her Dad’s car when he returns from a night in town, completely wasted. She gets injured badly and will limp for the rest of her life. Her dad gets sent to jail for killing a man earlier that night. Sarah is forced to go live with a foster family, who only accepted the outsiders’ presence for the money it brought them. They’re quick to remind Sarah she has no rights, should do all the chores in the house, etc. The daughter of the family, who has to share a room with Sarah, is less than pleased and starts teasing her at school as well.
Then there’s Nick Dunnigan, a classmate of Sarah’s, who is shunned by most of the high school population as well. Nick hears voices in his mind, countless voices, and all of them tell him to do bad things. Therapy doesn’t help and neither does medicine, although he’d like his Mom to believe it does. But the moment Nick sees Sarah, the voices shut up. He’s surprised by the silence, since they’ve been babbling on for God knows how long, and yearns to find out more about this strange girl who can make the voices go quiet.
Sarah quickly bonds with her arts’ teacher, Bettina. While the entire town thinks Bettina is a witch because she leaves in an old, weathered mansion called Shutters, Sarah finds a kindred spirit in the teacher, who cares for her more than her foster family ever will. But Shutters is a strange place, where the shadowy ghosts of the past live on, haunting the mansion and harming whoever enters with ill-intentions towards its inhabitants…
I liked the idea behind Shutters. It’s not just an “evil” house, the evil is directed toward those who try to harm its inhabitants. I also enjoyed reading about the house’s history, how it used to be a hospital where they took care of the mentally ill, how one sick man turned all those good intentions around and brought forth an ancient evil in doing so. The house itself was so vibrant and entertaining it almost became a character all on its own. Shutters was, by far, my favorite character.
I also liked Sarah. She refused to give up, no matter how many hardships life threw at her, and I can respect that. Nick was okay as well. He was a little less eager to take charge, and was content doing whatever Sarah told him to do. Nevertheless, I liked his personality and thought he was at times quite charming. Bettina was all right as well, even though I wonder why she didn’t just tell the truth earlier. Everybody in town thought she was a witch, while she was probably the sanest person there.
But then there’s the secondary characters, and that’s where the story gets a little meh. Mostly because half what those characters do, doesn’t make sense. It’s over the top, sometimes downright ridiculous and weird. Especially Sarah’s foster family. On top of that, all the father figures kind of act the same way, which doesn’t make a lot of sense either. The secondary characters could use a rewrite, and a lot more personality.
Apart from that, this was a great book. Not that scary, but entertaining enough to keep me reading, and it gave me some goosebumps here and there.
House of Reckoning starts out with fourteen-year-old Sarah Crane, who’s mother died a few months ago, and who gets hit by her Dad’s car when he returns from a night in town, completely wasted. She gets injured badly and will limp for the rest of her life. Her dad gets sent to jail for killing a man earlier that night. Sarah is forced to go live with a foster family, who only accepted the outsiders’ presence for the money it brought them. They’re quick to remind Sarah she has no rights, should do all the chores in the house, etc. The daughter of the family, who has to share a room with Sarah, is less than pleased and starts teasing her at school as well.
Then there’s Nick Dunnigan, a classmate of Sarah’s, who is shunned by most of the high school population as well. Nick hears voices in his mind, countless voices, and all of them tell him to do bad things. Therapy doesn’t help and neither does medicine, although he’d like his Mom to believe it does. But the moment Nick sees Sarah, the voices shut up. He’s surprised by the silence, since they’ve been babbling on for God knows how long, and yearns to find out more about this strange girl who can make the voices go quiet.
Sarah quickly bonds with her arts’ teacher, Bettina. While the entire town thinks Bettina is a witch because she leaves in an old, weathered mansion called Shutters, Sarah finds a kindred spirit in the teacher, who cares for her more than her foster family ever will. But Shutters is a strange place, where the shadowy ghosts of the past live on, haunting the mansion and harming whoever enters with ill-intentions towards its inhabitants…
I liked the idea behind Shutters. It’s not just an “evil” house, the evil is directed toward those who try to harm its inhabitants. I also enjoyed reading about the house’s history, how it used to be a hospital where they took care of the mentally ill, how one sick man turned all those good intentions around and brought forth an ancient evil in doing so. The house itself was so vibrant and entertaining it almost became a character all on its own. Shutters was, by far, my favorite character.
I also liked Sarah. She refused to give up, no matter how many hardships life threw at her, and I can respect that. Nick was okay as well. He was a little less eager to take charge, and was content doing whatever Sarah told him to do. Nevertheless, I liked his personality and thought he was at times quite charming. Bettina was all right as well, even though I wonder why she didn’t just tell the truth earlier. Everybody in town thought she was a witch, while she was probably the sanest person there.
But then there’s the secondary characters, and that’s where the story gets a little meh. Mostly because half what those characters do, doesn’t make sense. It’s over the top, sometimes downright ridiculous and weird. Especially Sarah’s foster family. On top of that, all the father figures kind of act the same way, which doesn’t make a lot of sense either. The secondary characters could use a rewrite, and a lot more personality.
Apart from that, this was a great book. Not that scary, but entertaining enough to keep me reading, and it gave me some goosebumps here and there.
November 24, 2009
Billed as “vintage John Saul” and a novel that recaptures the energy and power of Suffer the Children, the author’s first and best novel, House of Reckoning doesn’t succeed at living up to all of the hype. That being said, it is an absorbing and very good read. I don’t think Saul will ever get the respect he truly deserves in the horror community, but this man knows how to tell a story and excels at building the most sympathetic of characters. House of Reckoning isn’t a novel that’s going to sit around on the night table for days once you start reading it; you’ll want to finish this book in a matter of a few days. As much as I enjoyed this novel, though, a plethora of nagging questions remain unanswered or less than fully addressed after in the end.
When you pick up a John Saul novel, you know you’re going to be reading about good kids placed in horrible situations; the Saul pattern never really changes, a fact which his critics are more than happy to expound upon. Poor Sarah Crane may be the most sympathetic character of them all, though. Six months after her mother died of cancer, Sarah finds herself laid up in the hospital for weeks with a busted leg and hip (a tragedy suffered under some of the most tragic circumstances imaginable) while her father goes to jail for manslaughter. Once she’s able to leave the hospital, she is placed with a foster family who treat (and mistreat) her as nothing more than slave labor. As the new, crippled kid at school, she is immediately ostracized. Her only friends are Bettina Philips, a most sympathetic art teacher (whom everyone in town labels a witch) and the designated crazy kid at school, Nick Dunnigan, who hears voices in his head and sees horrible visions. When Sarah is around, though, the voices in Nick’s head are silent. The uncanny link between Sarah and Nick is also shared by Bettina – or, to be more precise, the old house in which she lives, which used to be an institution for the criminally insane.
Though never remotely frightening, House of Reckoning does have a share of intense moments, with a few sudden (albeit somewhat predictable) surprises thrown in along the way. Saul packages the whole thing in a tight and pretty bow, but various aspects of the ending just don’t ring true. Not only do several questions go unanswered, numbered among those are a couple of last-minute questions you wonder why Saul even raised in the first place. A religious aspect that Saul adds to the story also bothers me, as it is unclear what Saul’s point is supposed to be. Sarah’s foster family is supposedly ultra-religious in an Old Salem kind of way, but there is no evidence of this in their behavior and actions (especially in regards to Sarah). It’s unclear if Saul is attacking Christianity in and of itself (perhaps as a byproduct of his own homosexuality) or just trying to add some unnecessary spice to the story.
Despite all of my criticisms and the novel’s obvious weaknesses, though, I truly enjoyed reading House of Reckoning. It can be frustrating at times to be a John Saul fan, but the good almost always outweighs the bad.
When you pick up a John Saul novel, you know you’re going to be reading about good kids placed in horrible situations; the Saul pattern never really changes, a fact which his critics are more than happy to expound upon. Poor Sarah Crane may be the most sympathetic character of them all, though. Six months after her mother died of cancer, Sarah finds herself laid up in the hospital for weeks with a busted leg and hip (a tragedy suffered under some of the most tragic circumstances imaginable) while her father goes to jail for manslaughter. Once she’s able to leave the hospital, she is placed with a foster family who treat (and mistreat) her as nothing more than slave labor. As the new, crippled kid at school, she is immediately ostracized. Her only friends are Bettina Philips, a most sympathetic art teacher (whom everyone in town labels a witch) and the designated crazy kid at school, Nick Dunnigan, who hears voices in his head and sees horrible visions. When Sarah is around, though, the voices in Nick’s head are silent. The uncanny link between Sarah and Nick is also shared by Bettina – or, to be more precise, the old house in which she lives, which used to be an institution for the criminally insane.
Though never remotely frightening, House of Reckoning does have a share of intense moments, with a few sudden (albeit somewhat predictable) surprises thrown in along the way. Saul packages the whole thing in a tight and pretty bow, but various aspects of the ending just don’t ring true. Not only do several questions go unanswered, numbered among those are a couple of last-minute questions you wonder why Saul even raised in the first place. A religious aspect that Saul adds to the story also bothers me, as it is unclear what Saul’s point is supposed to be. Sarah’s foster family is supposedly ultra-religious in an Old Salem kind of way, but there is no evidence of this in their behavior and actions (especially in regards to Sarah). It’s unclear if Saul is attacking Christianity in and of itself (perhaps as a byproduct of his own homosexuality) or just trying to add some unnecessary spice to the story.
Despite all of my criticisms and the novel’s obvious weaknesses, though, I truly enjoyed reading House of Reckoning. It can be frustrating at times to be a John Saul fan, but the good almost always outweighs the bad.
August 7, 2013
This was a bit of a stretch but then if you're a fan of John Saul's, that's not a determent.
I love the characters Sarah and also Bettina. Totally believable that they are mom and daughter, since both of them have that
never- give-up-attitude and bit of rebellion in them.
Sarah's dad ticked me off at the beginning. I understand his total devastation at the death of his wife, but it was very, very selfish to not realize he had a daughter who needed so desperately right then, but couldn't help but feel sorry for him and eventually admire him.
This book isn't exactly bloody but there sure is a lot of ick. I do love, and I mean love, Saul's 'retribution factor' that usually occurs in his books. (See my progress reports)
As for bullies: I'll share a little experience with you. When I was in elementary school, a odd boy named Kenny was in my classes. I was picked on at times because my teeth were a little buck. To this day if I tell someone about being called bugs for Bugs Bunny, I cringe. But poor Kenny was constantly made fun of because he did have some odd habits and was heavy. That was rare back then. I would never participate and not even laugh. One day I was actually going past him and somebody made a comment, of course it was derogatory. But it was also funny, and before I could catch myself, I laughed.
Poor Kenny was shocked that I laughed and probably, before he realized what he did, he slapped me in the face. Instead of being angry, I realized immediately that I betrayed him. I was not his friend but the poor kid suffered so greatly and he probably looked upon me as a kind of friend. I have never stoppedi feeling guilty for that burst of laughter. It was wrong and cruel It doesn't matter that it was unintentional. It was wrong and cruel.
I love the characters Sarah and also Bettina. Totally believable that they are mom and daughter, since both of them have that
never- give-up-attitude and bit of rebellion in them.
Sarah's dad ticked me off at the beginning. I understand his total devastation at the death of his wife, but it was very, very selfish to not realize he had a daughter who needed so desperately right then, but couldn't help but feel sorry for him and eventually admire him.
This book isn't exactly bloody but there sure is a lot of ick. I do love, and I mean love, Saul's 'retribution factor' that usually occurs in his books. (See my progress reports)
As for bullies: I'll share a little experience with you. When I was in elementary school, a odd boy named Kenny was in my classes. I was picked on at times because my teeth were a little buck. To this day if I tell someone about being called bugs for Bugs Bunny, I cringe. But poor Kenny was constantly made fun of because he did have some odd habits and was heavy. That was rare back then. I would never participate and not even laugh. One day I was actually going past him and somebody made a comment, of course it was derogatory. But it was also funny, and before I could catch myself, I laughed.
Poor Kenny was shocked that I laughed and probably, before he realized what he did, he slapped me in the face. Instead of being angry, I realized immediately that I betrayed him. I was not his friend but the poor kid suffered so greatly and he probably looked upon me as a kind of friend. I have never stoppedi feeling guilty for that burst of laughter. It was wrong and cruel It doesn't matter that it was unintentional. It was wrong and cruel.
February 12, 2010
Not to say other titles haven’t fit a book well, but never has a better title been penned. This book was fascinating; the twists and turns the story took kept me turning, page after page. Although seeing this on the big screen would intrigue me—and unquestionably countless others—I’m sure; this book is the perfect example of why movies aren’t always as good as their literary namesakes. Sarah Crane is a strong, determined, brave young lady who faces countless obstacles in overcoming the raw deal she received in her life. With a much-loved, deceased mother and a father who will spend the rest of his life in prison, she embarks on a journey of self-discovery that even she didn’t know would happen given the way she was hurled into the “system”, injured hip and leg first.
“Shutters”—the house—has a personality all its own. The story is so well done; it actually becomes one of the characters in the book. You are on pins and needles waiting to see what it will do next, as if it was a living, breathing human being. The things it “does” and the “changes” that take place are spellbinding and I was riveted.
Nick—the other kids’ favorite outcast until she came along—is the best thing that happens to her. I don’t want to give anything away, but their relationship is not your average “two kids meet and find common ground” pairing. They are truly tied on a much deeper, more profound level. Read this book, I actually got goosebumps—something that never happens to me when I’m reading. John Saul writes so well—no shock there—that the pictures he paints with his words leap from the pages and you will be captivated from the first word to the last.
www.suspensemagazine.com
“Shutters”—the house—has a personality all its own. The story is so well done; it actually becomes one of the characters in the book. You are on pins and needles waiting to see what it will do next, as if it was a living, breathing human being. The things it “does” and the “changes” that take place are spellbinding and I was riveted.
Nick—the other kids’ favorite outcast until she came along—is the best thing that happens to her. I don’t want to give anything away, but their relationship is not your average “two kids meet and find common ground” pairing. They are truly tied on a much deeper, more profound level. Read this book, I actually got goosebumps—something that never happens to me when I’m reading. John Saul writes so well—no shock there—that the pictures he paints with his words leap from the pages and you will be captivated from the first word to the last.
www.suspensemagazine.com
July 11, 2016
As strange as it may seem for the genre I write and read, I've never read John Saul's work. A friend and colleague sent me a copy of Saul's the House of Reckoning while I was recovering from surgery. Okay--to the point here: Saul is an excellent horror writer. His characters in this novel (YA), are well developed and his antagonists are deserving of their horrific fates. The story is filled with the typical teenage cruelty (Think Carrie), but it moves along with solid pacing and the chapters are short, but moves the story along nicely. The resolution is what you'd hope for if you like rooting for the good guys. I think I'll pick up a few of Saul's other novels (33 in total I believe) to see how he does over the long haul.
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