Challenge Corner discussion

The haunting new thriller from Alex North, author of the New York Times bestseller The Whisper Man

You knew a teenager like Charlie Crabtree. A dark imagination, a sinister smile--always on the outside of the group. Some part of you suspected he might be capable of doing something awful. Twenty-five years ago, Crabtree did just that, committing a murder so shocking that it’s attracted that strange kind of infamy that only exists on the darkest corners of the internet--and inspired more than one copycat.

Paul Adams remembers the case all too well: Crabtree--and his victim--were Paul’s friends. Paul has slowly put his life back together. But now his mother, old and senile, has taken a turn for the worse. Though every inch of him resists, it is time to come home.

It's not long before things start to go wrong. Reading the news, Paul learns another copycat has struck. His mother is distressed, insistent that there's something in the house. And someone is following him. Which reminds him of the most unsettling thing about that awful day twenty-five years ago.

It wasn't just the murder.

It was the fact that afterward, Charlie Crabtree was never seen again...

will definitely start this tomorrow!

25 % - (view spoiler)[I'm not sure I'm enjoying this but I want to know what happened exactly with Paul and his friends. Charlie is kind of creepy - especially when he smiles watching a guy being killed by a truck. The narrator's voice was so flat I had to rewind and make sure I heard correctly... (hide spoiler)]

I will hopefully be starting this today after The Sandman

50% - (view spoiler)[It's getting a bit more interesting. Charlie is probably still alive somewhere. I'm wondering who was behind that last crime scene. A copycat, they say?

Also hearing 6666 repeated I don't know how many times is annoying lmao (hide spoiler)]

Can't wait to see your comments :)

75% - (view spoiler)[That book was a little creepy. So... Charlie targeted James? And Paul's mother's "accident" was scary. Someone got inside and pushed her probably. (hide spoiler)]

80% - (view spoiler)[ She was dead?! I feel dumb for not figuring out she was the one who was killed :( Her death was so brutal it's horrible. (hide spoiler)]

Ah, I keep having to pause my audiobook because work is busy. Hopefully I can start this in the morning

100% - (view spoiler)[When he left her mom after the death of Jenny, that was so freaking sad knowing what happens to his mom afterward.

I'm not sure how to feel about this book overall. This was one of those audiobooks where my mind didn't want to focus on it. I feel like I missed who was behind the copycats murders... The victim's father went after Paul and then slit his own wrists so he wouldn't be caught and then Amanda said the case was closed? (hide spoiler)]

Okay reading now

Kelly wrote: "25 % - [spoilers removed]"

Agreed, he lacks emotion

25% (view spoiler)[ Is this just kids that want to connect and have friends or is there an actual supernatural element here? It seems like they just thought they shared dreams but Idk.

Charlie is definitely creepy and got Billy to murder James as a sacrifice. How sad (hide spoiler)]

This reminds me of Slenderman

Kelly wrote: "50% - (view spoiler)[It's getting a bit more interesting. Charlie is probably still alive somewhere. I'm wondering who was behind that last crime scene. A copycat, they say?

Also hearing 6666 repeated I don't kn..." (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[ it seems like there have been several copycats and I wonder if Charlie was involved in them? I've been tuning out the 666 I guess haha. (hide spoiler)]

50% (view spoiler)[ It is picking up a bit but still kind of slow. I wonder if Paul was involved more than we know? Maybe he's hiding things (hide spoiler)]

75% (view spoiler)[ I feel like no more progress has been made. I still think maybe Paul is hiding something. I am sad that his mom died and he missed so many years with her. It also seems like Charlie is back and he pushed Daphne down the stairs (hide spoiler)] All I can hear now is 666 lol

Kelly wrote: "75% - [spoilers removed]"

yeah that's what it's seeming like

Kelly wrote: "80% - [spoilers removed]"

I'm so confused (view spoiler)[ I thought he'd been talking to grown up Jenny now? Must be another girl? I thought James was the dead kid. (hide spoiler)]

Oh, if I'd listened another 2 minutes I could have answered my own question duh

Aly wrote: "75% [spoilers removed] All I can hear now is 666 lol"

lol I'm sorry!! I shouldn't have mentioned it

Haha it's fine

finished (view spoiler)[ Well that was kind of a cluster fuck. James killed Charlie because he was going after James' mom (because James is Charlie's half brother and Charlie wanted to know about his dad I think?) Then after those boys copycat Charlie's killing, Andrew's dad went crazy and killed Billy, James, and James' mom.

Right? That's a lot of people involved. Plus the stuff with James' stepdad and Paul's mom. The story moved so slowly and then had all this at the end and I feel like it could have been unraveled better (hide spoiler)]

Kelly wrote: "100% - (view spoiler)[When he left her mom after the death of Jenny, that was so freaking sad knowing what happens to his mom afterward.

I'm not sure how to feel about this book overall. This was one of those au..."(view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

I think (view spoiler)[ the copycats were just other kids that tried to find the redhands creature. The forum poster (the 666) I think was James? (hide spoiler)]

so behind on this one lol

(view spoiler)[This book left me so confused. There was too many people, too many plot directions. It was so messy especially listening to the audio. I don't know if it would have been better reading the ebook. I feel like we could have done without the copycat killings and just tried to find out what happened in the past. It felt like the past and present weren't well connected.

Yeah, 666 was James I think. (hide spoiler)]

Kelly wrote: (view spoiler)["This book left me so confused. There was too many people, too many plot directions. It was so messy especially listening to the audio. I don't know if it would have been better reading the ebook. I..." (hide spoiler)]

Yes totally agree

Alaina wrote: "so behind on this one lol"

Ha no worries! I'm behind on ebooks so...

Same here. I have a few ebooks I need to get to ^^

I'm sadly behind on audiobooks lol but I had some long ones to finish. Hoping to catch up on all BRs this weekend.

Part 1: (view spoiler)[Okay, this is creepy but I want to see where this is all going. The red handprints freaks me out but I'm addicted anyways. Also, ugh, they had to mention Pet Sematary... I'm just glad they didn't mention IT. (hide spoiler)]

Alaina wrote: "Part 1: [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[ Yeah the handprints are freaky! (hide spoiler)]

34%: (view spoiler)[Okay, getting a bit creepier with the blood on the doors. Also, is it weird that I feel like I'm flying through this book but the percentage doesn't seem to add up? Lmao.. (hide spoiler)]

Part 2: (view spoiler)[Yikes, why is she out in the woods by herself? That's like rule #1, don't go towards the scary shit by yourself.. or ever. (hide spoiler)]

Finished: (view spoiler)[well that was an interesting ending. A lot of people died and I think the one that makes me so sad is Jenny’s death. (hide spoiler)]

Alaina wrote: "Finished: [spoilers removed]"

Yes, that one was terrible

30% (view spoiler)[
I loved how this story opened with a young boy getting arrested for murder. Crazy. I also like the going back and forth 25 years later. It seems like Charlie is the leader of this pack of kids at school, and he is the one that was involved in the murder. Weird stuff going on in the house too.
(hide spoiler)]

50% (view spoiler)[ I think Paul definitely knows more than he's letting on and I don't here the 666s either - maybe it's something else ooohhh (hide spoiler)]

75% (view spoiler)[Charlie is a ghoul! God I hope he gets shot, eaten, decapitated, something gruesome. (hide spoiler)]

Jammin Jenny wrote: "30% .."

Somehow the name Charlie made me think of Charlie Manson...

Jammin Jenny wrote: "75% [spoilers removed]"

Lol, I love where you're at because I was not thinking that. I was just like... omg things are creepy.

And Finished!

Well, that was a creepy book, and I did love the two timelines going on. (view spoiler)[ Wish Charlie would have been given a worse ending though! (hide spoiler)]

Jammin Jenny wrote: "And Finished!

Well, that was a creepy book, and I did love the two timelines going on. [spoilers removed]"

So creepy also yes, I was thinking something much worse for him