Mystery

Rating:
Summary: One of the richest and most haunting stories ever written
Review: The "hook" with Peter Straub's novel was that a popular horror author has written a book titled "mystery". Had the author changed genres? This was what I wondered in High School when I first picked up the book. I had read Ghost Story (excellent) by Mr. Straub and was intrigued that he would write a book titled "mystery" with no apparent supernatural creatrues or doings found in the pages. But what authors like Peter Straub remind us of is that horror and fear and dread are all psychological in essence and that you can be scared and affected by a book that has no ghosts or no monsters. "Mystery" stands as a perfect novel in my eyes. While Ghost Story may be Straub's best "horror" novel, and one of the best ever I might add, this novel achieves greatness amongst ANY class of fiction. The characters are wonderful. Straub not only makes you love them, namely Tom Pasmore the antagonist and his mentor Lamont Von Heilitz, but he makes you be there WITH them. You long to learn the mysteries of the past. You long to learn the ways of a sleuth. I was right alongside Tom Pasmore in this story. I felt for him, I grieved with him, and I detected with him. Simple as that. The plot sounds simple but is so much more complex. Tom Pasmore, a young boy who is nearly killed in the beginning of the novel, takes up the art of mystery solving. He is fueled by a wonderful, reclusive neighbor who was once a "detective" himself. Tom then applies his knowledge to try and find a killer in the present and ultimately in the past. Mystery is about a young man's journey into adulthood and the hard truths about life. It is about realizing that secrets and untold truths swirl around us every day and that sometimes finding them out can be satisfying and other times dreadful. I left this story with a sadness in my heart. I simply didn;t want to leave the story. Mystery has suspense. Mystery has heartache. Mystery has, of course, a mystery. But what Mystery has most of is heart. It is simply one of the richest and most haunting stories you will ever read. One final note in case you didn't know. Mystery is the middle book of a trilogy that beings with Koko and ends with The Throat. You don't have to read Koko to read Mystery, and vice versa. But you DO have to read them both before reading The Throat. One more thing... The Throat is almost as good as Mystery. Almost.

Rating:
Summary: One of the richest and most haunting stories ever written
Review: The "hook" with Peter Straub's novel was that a popular horror author has written a book titled "mystery". Had the author changed genres? This was what I wondered in High School when I first picked up the book. I had read Ghost Story (excellent) by Mr. Straub and was intrigued that he would write a book titled "mystery" with no apparent supernatural creatrues or doings found in the pages. But what authors like Peter Straub remind us of is that horror and fear and dread are all psychological in essence and that you can be scared and affected by a book that has no ghosts or no monsters. "Mystery" stands as a perfect novel in my eyes. While Ghost Story may be Straub's best "horror" novel, and one of the best ever I might add, this novel achieves greatness amongst ANY class of fiction. The characters are wonderful. Straub not only makes you love them, namely Tom Pasmore the antagonist and his mentor Lamont Von Heilitz, but he makes you be there WITH them. You long to learn the mysteries of the past. You long to learn the ways of a sleuth. I was right alongside Tom Pasmore in this story. I felt for him, I grieved with him, and I detected with him. Simple as that. The plot sounds simple but is so much more complex. Tom Pasmore, a young boy who is nearly killed in the beginning of the novel, takes up the art of mystery solving. He is fueled by a wonderful, reclusive neighbor who was once a "detective" himself. Tom then applies his knowledge to try and find a killer in the present and ultimately in the past. Mystery is about a young man's journey into adulthood and the hard truths about life. It is about realizing that secrets and untold truths swirl around us every day and that sometimes finding them out can be satisfying and other times dreadful. I left this story with a sadness in my heart. I simply didn;t want to leave the story. Mystery has suspense. Mystery has heartache. Mystery has, of course, a mystery. But what Mystery has most of is heart. It is simply one of the richest and most haunting stories you will ever read. One final note in case you didn't know. Mystery is the middle book of a trilogy that beings with Koko and ends with The Throat. You don't have to read Koko to read Mystery, and vice versa. But you DO have to read them both before reading The Throat. One more thing... The Throat is almost as good as Mystery. Almost.

Rating:
Summary: One of the richest and most haunting stories ever written
Review: The "hook" with Peter Straub's novel was that a popular horror author has written a book titled "mystery". Had the author changed genres? This was what I wondered in High School when I first picked up the book. I had read Ghost Story (excellent) by Mr. Straub and was intrigued that he would write a book titled "mystery" with no apparent supernatural creatrues or doings found in the pages. But what authors like Peter Straub remind us of is that horror and fear and dread are all psychological in essence and that you can be scared and affected by a book that has no ghosts or no monsters. "Mystery" stands as a perfect novel in my eyes. While Ghost Story may be Straub's best "horror" novel, and one of the best ever I might add, this novel achieves greatness amongst ANY class of fiction. The characters are wonderful. Straub not only makes you love them, namely Tom Pasmore the antagonist and his mentor Lamont Von Heilitz, but he makes you be there WITH them. You long to learn the mysteries of the past. You long to learn the ways of a sleuth. I was right alongside Tom Pasmore in this story. I felt for him, I grieved with him, and I detected with him. Simple as that. The plot sounds simple but is so much more complex. Tom Pasmore, a young boy who is nearly killed in the beginning of the novel, takes up the art of mystery solving. He is fueled by a wonderful, reclusive neighbor who was once a "detective" himself. Tom then applies his knowledge to try and find a killer in the present and ultimately in the past. Mystery is about a young man's journey into adulthood and the hard truths about life. It is about realizing that secrets and untold truths swirl around us every day and that sometimes finding them out can be satisfying and other times dreadful. I left this story with a sadness in my heart. I simply didn;t want to leave the story. Mystery has suspense. Mystery has heartache. Mystery has, of course, a mystery. But what Mystery has most of is heart. It is simply one of the richest and most haunting stories you will ever read. One final note in case you didn't know. Mystery is the middle book of a trilogy that beings with Koko and ends with The Throat. You don't have to read Koko to read Mystery, and vice versa. But you DO have to read them both before reading The Throat. One more thing... The Throat is almost as good as Mystery. Almost.

Rating:
Summary: A disturbing story, wonderful to open up your mind.
Review: The story follows the life of a boy who has a special gift for seeing past the facade of how things appear to look to how they really are. His death only broadens this spectrum and creates questions that he feels need to be answered. Lamont von Heilitz is his guide along the path to his enlightenment and self-discovery, and along the way he finds out things about his family and world that he only dreamed were true. The writing style is direct, provoking an emotional reaction to the situations described. By a simple style, Straub draws you in and makes you face what Tom faces. I have not read any of his other books, but I feel that this one has made such an impact on me that I will definitely have to look into what other creations he has penned into existence.

Rating:
Summary: A disturbing story, wonderful to open up your mind.
Review: The story follows the life of a boy who has a special gift for seeing past the facade of how things appear to look to how they really are. His death only broadens this spectrum and creates questions that he feels need to be answered. Lamont von Heilitz is his guide along the path to his enlightenment and self-discovery, and along the way he finds out things about his family and world that he only dreamed were true. The writing style is direct, provoking an emotional reaction to the situations described. By a simple style, Straub draws you in and makes you face what Tom faces. I have not read any of his other books, but I feel that this one has made such an impact on me that I will definitely have to look into what other creations he has penned into existence.

Rating:
Summary: lacked any real direction; not a good read
Review: this was my first peter straub book and i was deeply disappointed; certainly not a dean koontz or stephen king tale. plot was weak and very drawn out. characters didnt come alive for me. i could not recommend. will try one more of his books before i give up on the author.

Rating:
Summary: Blue Rose part 2
Review: Tom Pasmore is the central focus in Peter Straub's second Blue Rose book, "Mystery". It is just that; a very multi-layered intricate murder mystery surrounding a family on a small island in the Caribbean. During the middle 1960s, 17-year-old Tom is very curious about the murder of a woman who is rumored to be a local politcian's mistress. After that, he is approached by local excentric Lamont von Heilitz to help with the murder of Tom's own sister years before. Soon afterward Tom is sent to Wisconsin by his grandfather and begins investigating a murder up there many years before. Without giving too much away, all these murders are connected. This was a great book, even though I read "The Throat" first by mistake and already knew what the outcome was. But that hardly mattered; it was the details that was so fascinating. Tom Pasmore and Lamont von Heilitz (who is claimed to be the basis for 'The Shadow', the popular radio show at that time) seem very well drawn out, and I liked them both a lot. The only down point is the other characters, they are very one dimentional and shallow. But that is okay. The story and murders are very interesting, it will keep you turning the pages until the very end.

Rating:
Summary: Blue Rose part 2
Review: Tom Pasmore is the central focus in Peter Straub's second Blue Rose book, "Mystery". It is just that; a very multi-layered intricate murder mystery surrounding a family on a small island in the Caribbean. During the middle 1960s, 17-year-old Tom is very curious about the murder of a woman who is rumored to be a local politcian's mistress. After that, he is approached by local excentric Lamont von Heilitz to help with the murder of Tom's own sister years before. Soon afterward Tom is sent to Wisconsin by his grandfather and begins investigating a murder up there many years before. Without giving too much away, all these murders are connected. This was a great book, even though I read "The Throat" first by mistake and already knew what the outcome was. But that hardly mattered; it was the details that was so fascinating. Tom Pasmore and Lamont von Heilitz (who is claimed to be the basis for 'The Shadow', the popular radio show at that time) seem very well drawn out, and I liked them both a lot. The only down point is the other characters, they are very one dimentional and shallow. But that is okay. The story and murders are very interesting, it will keep you turning the pages until the very end.

Rating:
Summary: a truly beautiful and amazing story
Review: Tom's childhood was far from perfect, but he was one of the lucky few who had a magical life. If you are one of those of us who feel that our childhoods were some how magical, you will love this book. Stunningly mature, beautifully written, and shockingly surprising, you will want to read this over and over. I read it until the thing fell apart.
Tom grows up on an island where society is what life centers around. When his eyes become opened after a life threatening accident, he is plunged head first into one of the most startingly mysteries ever known, including a mystery of his own life.
This is one of my all-time favorite books. Do yourself a favor and read this. It will stay with you forever.

Rating:
Summary: a truly beautiful and amazing story
Review: Tom's childhood was far from perfect, but he was one of the lucky few who had a magical life. If you are one of those of us who feel that our childhoods were some how magical, you will love this book. Stunningly mature, beautifully written, and shockingly surprising, you will want to read this over and over. I read it until the thing fell apart.
Tom grows up on an island where society is what life centers around. When his eyes become opened after a life threatening accident, he is plunged head first into one of the most startingly mysteries ever known, including a mystery of his own life.
This is one of my all-time favorite books. Do yourself a favor and read this. It will stay with you forever.