In the Night Room

A Novel

By: Peter Straub

Narrated by: Scott Brick

Willy Patrick, the author of the Caldecott-winning young-adult novel In the Night Room, thinks she is loosing her mind again. Two weeks before her second marriage, on her way home one day, Willy is drawn into the parking lot of a warehouse. Knowing that her daughter Holly is being held in that building, she wants to rescue her. But what she knows is impossible, for her daughter is dead. On the same day, author Timothy Underhill, struggling with a new book about a troubled young woman, is confronted with the ghost of his nine-year-old sister, April. Soon after, Underhill begins to receive eerie, fragmented e-mails that he finally realizes are from dead people whom he knew in his youth. Like his sister, they want to tell him something. When Willy and Timothy meet, they recognize each other, realizing that they must join forces to confront the evils surrounding them.

"Peter Straub is the master of subtle, smoldering dread [whose] creepy, erudite vision of the beyond will chill you like a winter wind." (People)©2004 Peter Straub; (P)2004 Books on Tape, Inc.

Critic reviews

“A powerful and arresting foray into the dark fantastic.”—The Washington Post Book World

“So imaginative, intricate, and electrifying that readers will be tempted to race through the novel.”—Associated Press

“A chase novel and a metafictional fun ride that, like much of Straub’s work, takes genre elements and twists them into something unexpected.”—Time Out New York

“A twisting, fast-paced plot.”—USA Today

“A brilliant work of horrific fantasy . . . Anyone looking for a good read providing plenty of thrills while doling out literary meditations on the nature of fantasy vs. reality won't find a better book.”—St. Louis Post-Dispatch

“[A] brilliant novel . . . Moving briskly while ranging from high humor to the blackest dread, this is an original, astonishingly smart and expertly entertaining meditation on imagination and its powers; one of the very finest works of Straub’s long career, it’s a sure bet for future award nominations.”—Publishers Weekly

“Popular fiction of an intriguingly high order, deftly exploring how imagination not only draws on reality but can actually shape it.”—Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

“A fascinating jumble of fantasy and reality.”—BookPage

"Straub’s truly twisted talent for weirdness takes off into a full-blown hurricane of reality-bending, mind-boggling proportions. . . . This book will really unravel your brains. Definitely a must-read.”—Realms of Fantasy

“This must-read horror tale is simply incredible in every way. Tender, dark, and simmering with a wry irony that is just plain inspired, it’s the perfect book for a cold autumn afternoon.”—New Mystery Reader

“Yet another brilliant piece of work by a writer who should long ago have been honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award.”—Amazing Stories

Read It Again

I almost didn't purchase this book because of the other reviews. At first I was wondering 'what is going to happen'; When 'it' happened it was done masterfully. This story is a roller coaster ride and definitely worth a re-read if you thought it wasn't a great book. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and cannot wait to read Straub's other book.

Lost momentum

This story started out interestingly enough, and had a unique plot twist, however I feel as though it was rushed at the end which left me disappointed in the book.

In the night room

I almost didn't get this book because of the review I read. I am not quite certain what his problem was but I found this book rather good and entertaining. The first 45 minutes to an hour, one had to follow closly but all came clear and became more and more engrossing.
I am happy that I relied upon past experience with this author and not the listener review.

Good story – terrible narrator

I really liked this book. At least I really liked the story, but it was really hard to stay focused on the writing what with the narrator, Scott Brick, treating every sentence as a dramatic reading. I had to keep backing up to re-hear passages since in my annoyance I would start thinking of how a normal person would narrate it. What a Drama Queen he is. Author and story were great though. I would have given more stars if it were a better narrator.

The Perfect Book

It took a little while to get into really confusing at first. Then I became totally engrossed. I don't want to give anything away, just get it. Get it now! Before someone tells you about it and messes up all the surprises.