Stranger Things: Suspicious Minds

The First Official Stranger Things Novel

By: Gwenda Bond

Narrated by: Kristen Sieh

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • If you think you know the truth behind Dr. Brenner’s experiments at Hawkins Laboratory, prepare to have your mind turned Upside Down in the first official Stranger Things novel—“the prequel story that fans have been waiting for” (Kirkus Reviews).

It’s the summer of 1969, and the shock of conflict reverberates through the youth of America. As a student at a quiet college campus in the heartland of Indiana, Terry Ives couldn’t be farther from the front lines of Vietnam or the protests in Washington.

But the world is changing, and Terry isn’t content to watch. When word gets around about an important government experiment in the small town of Hawkins, she signs on as a test subject for the project, code-named MKULTRA. The remote lab, deep in the woods, contains a mystery Terry is determined to uncover.

Behind the walls of Hawkins National Laboratory—and the piercing gaze of its director, Dr. Martin Brenner—lurks a conspiracy greater than Terry could have ever imagined. To face it, she’ll need the help of her fellow test subjects.

Amid the rising tensions of the new decade, Terry Ives and Martin Brenner have begun a different kind of war—one where the human mind is the battlefield.

Critic reviews

“You’re left hungry for more, but in the best way possible, as the book manages the balancing act between interconnected prequel and standalone story.”—Cinelinx

“Suspicious Minds is the prequel story that fans have been waiting for.”—Kirkus Reviews

“Highly recommended for those readers interested in expanding their knowledge of the Stranger Things’ universe, this book is also a dark and captivating story that will stick in the readers’ minds even if they are not fans of the franchise.”—The Unseen Library

Well done

I enjoyed this book. I listened to it to affirm it would be suitable for my daughter of 12, as the series Stranger Things is her obsession. I will be allowing her to read this book and I am thankful they kept it PG even though it contained the aspect of a love story in the under part of this mystery.

Great book. Wonderful narrator. Wonderful insights into parts of the Stranger Things world.

Great book. Well written and narratorated. Looking forward to listening to more books written about the world of Stranger Things.

Requisite Backstory

3.5 stars. I wanted more of that Eleven-interaction-with-friends type of action. The background story does the job but it's almost a big info dump. The writing is solid, and it's not like Eleven's mother could slay monsters in the Upside Down, so the author did a good job with what she had.

Made me love Stranger Things even more!

Great book and great narrator! Loved learning more about the happenings at Hawkins Lab. Made me appreciate the show so much more. Really would love another book to pick up where this one left off!

In-depth backstory well done!

This flushed out a lot of the backstory and bring things full circle for the characters, (especially the new characters such as 008 & Terry) on Stranger Things 2. I will now happily rewatch the series with this new knowledge in mind. I look forward to the second novel about Hopper as well as Stranger Things 3!