The Keeper

"The Keeper" was the first novel by Sarah Langan. I liked her book "Audrey's Door" (Short form: Crazy architect lady builds a door in a crazy house, cause the house tells her to), so I wanted to read more. It's a pretty good read but definitely shows as a first novel.

"The Keeper is clearly in Stephen King territory. It is even set in Maine. Bedford, Maine to be exact. A dying town that is drying up blowing away. Well not drying. Bedford is famed not only for pollution, and its mill, but for the torrential spring rain that yearly causes flooding. It is here that Susan Marley walks. She walks at night, in the day, when ever she likes wearing a summer dress even in the depths of winter. Poor Susan they would say. They would say she is mad, that she hasn't spoken a word in years. They would say she's a drunk. They would say she's the town pump.

They whisper that she is a witch. They whisper she's now in their dreams.

Bad dreams.

When the rains come again this year, Susan will die. Some will be insightful enough to run away. But many will stay in town as the water rises and the monsters come. Susan will walk again, and the dying town will finally die.

Very good novel. Sarah Langan has a good feel for madness without it being MADNESS, if you know what I mean. I hope she keeps writing. As Willy Wonka said, "The Suspense is terrible, I hope it lasts."