The Night Strangers

A Novel

By: Chris Bohjalian

Narrated by: Alison Fraser, Mark Bramhall

From the bestselling author of The Double Bind, Skeletons at the Feast, and Secrets of Eden, comes a riveting and dramatic ghost story.

In a dusty corner of a basement in a rambling Victorian house in northern New Hampshire, a door has long been sealed shut with 39 six-inch-long carriage bolts.

The home's new owners are Chip and Emily Linton and their twin ten-year-old daughters. Together they hope to rebuild their lives there after Chip, an airline pilot, has to ditch his 70-seat regional jet in Lake Champlain after double engine failure. Unlike the Miracle on the Hudson, however, most of the passengers aboard Flight 1611 die on impact or drown. The body count? Thirty-nine – a coincidence not lost on Chip when he discovers the number of bolts in that basement door. Meanwhile, Emily finds herself wondering about the women in this sparsely populated White Mountain village – self-proclaimed herbalists – and their interest in her fifth-grade daughters. Are the women mad? Or is it her husband, in the wake of the tragedy, whose grip on sanity has become desperately tenuous?

The result is a poignant and powerful ghost story with all the hallmarks readers have come to expect from bestselling novelist Chris Bohjalian: a palpable sense of place, an unerring sense of the demons that drive us, and characters we care about deeply.

The difference this time? Some of those characters are dead.

©2011 Chris Bohjalian (P)2011 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"A page-turner of uncommon depth. Guilt, egotism, and fear all play parts in the genre-bending novel." (Booklist)

“The Night Strangers boasts all the trappings of a classic Gothic horror story, reminiscent in places of the spousal secrets in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s ‘Young Goodman Brown,’ the thrills of ‘Rosemary’s Baby,’ and the psychological frights of Daphne du Maurier. . .A perfect book for Halloween. . .That thump thump you hear as you read is only your heart leaping from your chest.” (Keith Donohue, Washington Post)

"Echoes of Rosemary's Baby and The Shining. . .Read if you dare, but keep an extra light on, and make sure your seat is in the full upright and locked position.” (USA Today)

Edge of your seat awesome!

This book was such fun! It kept me guessing through twists and turns to the last sentence.

This one's a keeper.

What made the experience of listening to The Night Strangers the most enjoyable?

I'd never read Mr. B before and was pleasantly surprised. It started out based on a true life event and turned that event into a wonderful piece of fiction. I read it because it was shorter than most of the books I read and I decided to give myself a break. Now I wish it had been a three parter. I will definitely read more of his work. ANY SUGGESTIONS ANYONE?

Who was your favorite character and why?

The father. His character really developed slowly, over a series of events, and then WHAM!

What about Alison Fraser and Mark Bramhall ’s performance did you like?

Good, clear enunciation. Great inflection. They kind of lulled you into a false sense of security & then you got hit between the eyes, gently.....slowly.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

There is a set of twins. You can't help but pull for the quieter of the two... you want to protect her.

Any additional comments?

It's a good one. I was not disappointed

She deserves a better ending.

Would you try another book from Chris Bohjalian and/or Alison Fraser and Mark Bramhall ?

I thought both narrators did a splendid job. I can always tell when I like a narrator when I find myself googling up any information I can find about him/her.

Would you be willing to try another book from Chris Bohjalian? Why or why not?

I feel very ambivalent about Bohjalian's novel. My feelings about this novel moved along a giant bell curve. Despite the excellent performances of the two narrators, I had a lot of trouble getting into it, feeling that it spent an inordinate amount of time re-hashing the minute details of the plane crash that traumatized the sad sack of an airline pilot. I really wanted to be more sympathetic to his situation, but he didn't become interesting to me until he started having homicidal thoughts. But...the author has a great talent for building a delicate kind of jenga-like structure with the histories and motivations of the large cast of characters, and eventually I was utterly drawn in, realizing (with relish) that when the climax came, I had no idea who would prevail. Everyone seems to have a potential to tip the balance of things, and it was very well done. But but...when everything did finally come to a head, it was a crazy messy sprawl in which everyone and his brother ends up in the same location doing all kinds of ridiculous and inexplicable things. And then on top of that, the denouement toppled my own delicate and wobbling jenga-like patience.

What does Alison Fraser and Mark Bramhall bring to the story that you wouldn???t experience if you just read the book?

I found Alison Fraser's voice mesmerizing, although I preferred Mark Bramhall's performance overall. Both of them did a great job evoking the different characters.

Any additional comments?

I was disappointed by this book, but I also enjoyed it very much. I just wish the end had carried me through better.

Not what I was expecting.......

This is the first book by Chris Bohjalian that I have read (listened to) and I really enjoyed it. At first I did not think I would like the 2 different readers and the different perspectives that the book is written in, but I was wrong. The readers have fantastic voices and their transition between the characters is perfect.
The book itself was not what I was expecting, especially the ending, but you will have to read (listen) for yourself!!

Why are we in second person? Spoiler allert

This book starts with a great premise. It's creepy and interesting and a good ghost story. But the second plot line includes herbalists who are witches who are into child sacrifices. That indicates a lack of research on all of the above. And knowing both witches and herbalists, I found it offensive.
It's also partially written in the second person. Words fail me, but it didn't work for me.

Scared me out of my car!

Any additional comments?

Gripping, Stunning and a Driveway book - in that I could not get out of my car and I could not stop listing at work. I was consumed. Heart pounding good.

First audio book for me, not really sure.

Would you try another book from Chris Bohjalian and/or Alison Fraser and Mark Bramhall ?

I am not really sure. This was my first audio book and I am not sure if I liked it or not. The narrators sometimes got on my nerves a bit. Sometimes they sounded alot like an automated system.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

I liked the ghost aspect of it. The hauntings that happened to Chip. I liked where the story was heading with the herbalists, but I didnt like that it wasnt detailed enough in my opinion. I would have liked a little more of that story instead of so much detail on each character first. I did like the fact the the author did detailed backgrounds on the characters it just felt like too much time was spent on that and not enough time on the actual juicy part of the story.

What about Alison Fraser and Mark Bramhall ’s performance did you like?

I like that Mark Bramhall seemed sinister in the parts where it really needed to be sinister sounding. Sometimes though he seemed automated, as did Alison Fraser. Sometimes Alison's voice when she was doing some of the characters didnt seem to fit, and kind of became annoying.

Do you think The Night Strangers needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

No, it seemed quite clear what happened at the end. I dont know.. it might make a good story to see where Chip and Emily are in 30 more years from now.

Any additional comments?

I am just not sure if I didnt care for the book because it was my first audio book or if I just didnt like the story. I actually did like the plot and where it could have gone. I just felt like I was left a little flat at the ending of the book. I dont think there was ever a time in the book though that I felt I couldnt put it down, or that I needed to pick it back up again to see what was going to happen next.

Entertaining

What made the experience of listening to The Night Strangers the most enjoyable?

The story was good, chilly at some points and narrators performed well

What did you like best about this story?

It's not a very common topic although it is a ghost story, the approach a little different.

Which character – as performed by Alison Fraser and Mark Bramhall – was your favorite?

Garnet

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

A old story told in a new outfit.

Any additional comments?

I didn't like the ending so much, a little bit to surreal for me. Was expecting something a little more...possible.

Great ghost story; good movie material.

I've been a Bohjalian fan for decades and he always pleases. I haven't read everything but this debut into this genre was very well executed.. Reminded me a little of The Other by Thomas Tryon or the Wicker Man. Bravo, Chris!

Wonderful ghost story

I absolutely loved this novel. The author was again (as always) masterful in his weaving factual and realistic information into a novel that will keep you guessing and holding your breath!! It was a great ride!