"Disturbing. . . . Satisfying entertainment. . . . A bloodstained tapestry of stunning emotional power." --San Franscisco Chronicle

"A classic mystery novel. . . . Deft, impressive." --The New York Times Book Review

"Magnificent. . . . Intensely riveting. . . . A haunting tale of murder, obsession, and the malevolent horror that can inhabit those dark forbidding places in us all." --Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

"Terrifying psychological horror. . . . One of this year's best contemporary horror novels. . . . Straub, a master storyteller, weaves a tale that's rich in detail and character." --Cleveland Plain-Dealer

"An intense thriller. . . . Fans of Straub's Koko will be pleased to know that Tim Underhill is back." --USA Today

"An excellent psychological novel. . . . Straub well understands the dark recesses of the psyche where the personal demons dwell. . . . We may want to turn away . . . but we cannot because the horror mesmerizes us." --Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

"Suspenseful and compelling. . . . Mesmerizing. . . . An accelerated roller-coaster read that is totally engrossing. . . . Just when the reader thinks he has the cases figured out, Straub manipulates the plot to expose yet more twists." --Chattanooga Times Free Press

"Marvelous. . . . Enormously satisfying. . . . Unashamedly designed to fascinate."--Sacramento Bee

"The best of Peter Straub's writing." --Houston Chronicle

"The characters are outstanding. . . . They are the story, enshrouded by a nightmare that never lifts. Peter Straub takes bold risks and he succeeds." --San Jose Mercury News

"Enomously entertaining and scary. . . . Rich, complex, dark, and tough to put down."--New York Daily News