SOLVED. Horror / Suspense DTB - YA/Adult Audience - Young Protagonist - Written before 1992 [s]

[Nyssa]

Hello, I, unfortunately have limited info due to how long ago I first read the book, but I'm hoping someone will recognize the basic premise.

1. I know it was written prior to 1992.
2. I read it between 1988 - 1992.
3. My original list of possible authors were: Stephen King, Peter Straub or John Saul, however I did not recognize the titles as what I was looking for.
3. I specifically remember the main character being a young boy (Possibly pre or early teens), who befriends a girl.
4. He went to a place for intelligent kids, either a camp or a school. I'm leaning towards camp, because they weren't there for that long if I remember correctly.

But thats where the rest is blank until the end, which I've put in spoiler tags, JIC.

(view spoiler)[ He returns to his home, thinking his "girlfriend" (Friend that is a girl, not love interest per se) is dead. However, when he turns on his computer, she's waiting for him. (That sounds creepier than intended), and explains that her consciousness is now in or a part of the computer. (hide spoiler)]

Thank you for your help.

[N]

Could it be Diana Henstell's Deadly Friend ?

[Nyssa]

Nancy wrote: "Could it be Diana Henstell's Deadly Friend?"

Unfortunately no. I'm completely unfamiliar with that author.

[Nyssa]

*Bumping*

[Nyssa]

Oh, I'm sorry.

[Nyssa]

Ruqyo wrote: "That's all right. I know just how infuriating it is to try and find a long lost book. Google and WorldCat.org aren't working for me no matter how many search terms I use, and I'm usually fairly goo..."

I appreciate your efforts!

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Did the girl die at the camp? Do you remember how she died?

[Nyssa]

Lobstergirl wrote: "Did the girl die at the camp? Do you remember how she died?"

I want to say yes. I'm not 100% sure, but I think so. (view spoiler)[ Which added to the surprise ending of the boy finding her "in his computer". (hide spoiler)]

Edited to add: She is either dead, or at the very least, believed to be dead.

[Tab]

Maybe Shadows by John Saul? Have you ruled out all of Saul's books?

Do you remember the cover?

[Nyssa]

Tab wrote: "Maybe Shadows by John Saul? Have you ruled out all of Saul's books?

Do you remember the cover?"

No I have not ruled him out, and unfortunately, no, I don't remember the cover. I thought I'd recognize it when I saw it.

The synopsis for this sounds spot on.. I only wish I knew how it ended.

Funny, when I want a spoiler I can't find one...lol

I've just sent a message, asking about the ending, to someone who has read it recently. I don't know this person, so I really hope they decide to answer.

[Tab]

Funny, when I want a spoiler I can't find one...lol

Lol, yes, I was thinking the same thing when I was trying to find the ending

[Andria]

The Kirkus review for Shadows says that the ending of it is virtually the same as the movie The Lawnmower Man. Unfortunately I haven't seen that film, but perhaps this clue will help?

[Nyssa]

Andria wrote: "The Kirkus review for Shadows says that the ending of it is virtually the same as the movie The Lawnmower Man. Unfortunately I haven't seen that film, but perhaps this clue will help?"

I haven't seen that either, but it at least gives me another reference.

Oh and I asked about the ending on the book page (Putting it under spoiler tags). So hopefully someone somewhere will confirm something.

Thank you guys so much!

[Juels]

Found a way to view a couple pages in the back of the book. Sounds like Shadows by John Saul is correct.

Excerpt:
(view spoiler)[
"You're dead" Josh typed. "I saw your brain die."
Amy nodded. "It did die," she told him. "But I didn't. I'm still alive. I just went away."
Josh's mind reeled. Away? Where? How? It wasn't possible!
"How?" he typed.
"It was easy," Amy told him. "I knew what was going to happen. As soon as Dr. Engersol figured out he couldn't control us, I knew he'd try to kill us. And I didn't want to die. So I replicated myself."
Josh frowned, then typed again: "I don't understand!"
"Sure you do," Amy told him, her smile broadening and turning mischievous. "You know how brains work. All they are is big computers. So I copied the whole structure of my brain. The cells and nerves are just like micro circuitry, except they're a lot more complicated, with billions and billions of connections. But I found out that I could copy them, just like you copy files. So I duplicated myself. All the cells in my brain and all the nerve connections. And all my memories, too. And it worked, Josh. It works even better than what Dr. Engersol was trying to do, because now I don't need my brain, either."
Josh stared at the screen, an icy chill creeping down the back of his neck. Was it really possible? Could she be telling him the truth? Summoning his courage-for he wasn't certain he wanted to know-he typed his question: "Where are you?"
Amy laughed, a crackling sound that was distorted by the tiny speaker in the computer. "I was in the Croyden at the beginning. And one of me is still there. But then I started moving. And now I'm everywhere Josh. I'm in the biggest computer in the Pentagon, and I'm in the one in the salt vaults where they keep all the bank records. I even sent a copy of myself to a computer in Japan, and one in Germany."
(hide spoiler)]

[Nyssa]

OMG Yes! This is it!! After all of this time! I must have read it when it was brand new, My step-mom bought it for me the summer I went to spend with my mom, and was in the midst of a Stephen King phase. Shadows was a complete surprise, I didn't even know who John Saul was.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!!