Rating: 
Summary: Not one for horror either
Review: Like another reviewer, I'm not much of one for the horror genre. A few authors do it well, blending humor and great settings with the morbid stuff--Anne Rice comes to mind, along with McCrae and his "Bark of the Dogwood," but there are not many who can carry it off the way John Saul does. Great writing and great characters make this a stellar read for those with discerning tastes.Also recommended: Bark of the Dogwood and Little Children
Rating: 
Summary: MIXED EMOTIONS ABOUT THIS ONE
Review: On one hand, the author's theme here is wearing a bit thin. As I read it, I kept thinking, "Hmmm, I've been here before." For this reason I am not giving it the highest rating. Perhaps Mr Saul is falling too much into a familiar formula. On the other hand, this was a nice, easy read which did not cause me to think all that much, i.e. nice escapism, and for me, this is filled the bill at the particular time I read it. The character developement was certainly there and the novel was well constructed. I continue to be a big fan. I think if this where the first of Saul's books I had read, I would have been very pleased. I would recommend this one for anyone who wants a nice easy read and who would like to be amused for a while.
Rating:
Summary: That old black magic . . .
Review: Our book club is an eclectic bunch if nothing else. We read everything from self-helps (The Purpose Driven Life) to fiction (McCRae's The Bark of the Dogwood), so I wasn't surprised when someone recommended this book. We had not done a "haunted house" book before, but this read is much more than that. While the subject matter is nothing new, the way Saul treats his characters and material is impressive and well thought out. I highly recommend this book (everyone is our club does). It was quick, easy, and a pleasant change (in a bizarre way) from some of the heavier pieces we've read. Also recommended: The Purpose Driven Life and The Bark of the Dogwood
Rating:
Summary: 4 1/2 stars
Review: See storyline above. Saul's latest is a mix of horror and ghosts and witchcraft. Though there isn't much in the form of originality here, he does a good job of melding all these genres together and creates a story thats engrossing and captivating. The cruelty of kids, as well as parents, is well depicted. Highly recommended.
Rating: 
Summary: Black Creek Crossing or Story Line Missing?
Review: There seems to be a trend among successful page turner authors to short change their readers once they have made it. This is a terrific example. I began reading this book, and became engrossed early on. Unfortunately, Saul gets us interested in the story without doing much to develop the characters or make us care much about them. There are numerous loose ends in the book, and the story ends without much resolution. It's almost as if the author did a page count and decided it was time to end the story, whether it made sense or not. Why were the kid's parents the way they were? What happened to the other two bullies? Why did the two main character kids do what they did? What's the deal with the roundtree in the cemetary? This book reads more like a draft than a finished product. My condolences to the author, to the readers who pay good money for the book, and shame on the editor for allowing a half-done book to be published under the guise of a finished product.
Rating:
Summary: A Great Book
Review: This book keeps the reader interested with the different twists and turns in the story line. I can say that this is one to read or listen to around Halloween.
Rating: 
Summary: Not the Greatest
Review: While fascinating in subject matter, this story has many inconsistencies and loose ends. The ending with regard to Angel and Seth is strange and doesn't make sense. I don't feel that I wasted my time in reading it, but on the other hand, I wasn't totally satisfied that it was as good as Mr. Saul's previous books.
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