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As good as his other books I've read.

I am one of Chris Bojhalian's biggest fans and was greatly disappointed by this effort of his. He appears, for some reason, to have morphed into a Stephen King type writer in this book. Every writer is entitled to one major mistake and, hopefully, he's gotten his out of his system.

I am a fan of Chris Bohjalian's later books (esp. Midwives) and decided to read his earlier books as well. This was his second book, and I simply did not like it. It is a creepy book, similar to what you might expect from Stephen King, but there were too many situations that we never explained, so you get to the end and feel as if you don't really know what happened. I didn't care for any of the characters, except maybe J.P. and Simon. It was simply a convoluted horror story that leaves you feeling like you wasted your time and just don't "get it."

This is a very suspenseful story. It's about a house that seems to be taking lives & wanting to harm others. But it IS believable. It kept me up at night- looking into the dark in my room. I was very impressed with this novel, a first-rate mystery. I read everything by Bohjalian after reading this & Midwives. All of his books are excellent.

A book of love, death and a voyage that most people want to take, all are in the book Hangman. Chris A. Bojalian makes this book easily enjoyable. With much detail in every sentence making sure you don't miss anything. As if a fly on the wall, watching every move, then written down quickly so nothing forgotten.
Chris tells a journey of a couple who travel from Manhattan, New York to Deering, Vermont. The major cause of them leaving New York, to get away from all problems and starting fresh. Such that Brian had and affair with a co-worker and lied to his wife, said, "it is over" really when he had just seen her a couple hours before.Brian middle-aged man, a charming husband, loved his wife dearly, not that much, obviously. While Marcia thinking her husband, the best around, why would he do that to her, she loved him so much.
The house that they moved into, an extremely old, almost abandon house in the middle of a small town in Vermont. Loving it all, including fixing it up, room by room, they moved in. With much work left to do they slept in a cold room with no light, just a lamp. The kitchen and living room piled high with boxes, paths between them all. The attic still not touched because new roofing hasn't been put on yet, the door never been open by them. Many empty rooms with nothing to fill them, the doors are shut, trying to conserve heat. Wallpaper still in the plastic wrapping and in bags, they decided on stripes although Marcia wanted bows. Many things still undecided, as everyone tries to work hard to before winter comes.
As Marcia walked through the kitchen one day she realized the cats had disappeared from there. They had been boxed in, because Marcia didn't want them roaming the house yet. So she began to call their names, Solstice and Chloe. Not any were on the first floor; she looked up stairs and again the same thing. Scared Marcia had only one idea where they might be, in the attic, but how. She walked over to the door and placed her hand around the cold porcelain knob. Beginning to pull she realized that it was jammed shut. Only one thing came to her mind, she placed her foot on the casing and planted her other foot, as if stuck in the mud, and pulled. The door flung open and the two cats ran out frightening her. With this in mind all week in stumped her as to how the cats got in the attic, no one had been up there.
Marcia woke about a week later, finding her husband and cats nowhere to be found she was stunned. But then realizing that Brian had sleeping problems she thought nothing of it. When he didn't return after a few minutes she became panicked. She stood and began searching the house for any clues of Brian, none were found. She began to think that maybe the house took Brian and the cats with him, because she couldn't locate them either. When she went to the attic door she became terrified by what she might find. With her foot on the wall and foot in the mud she pulled. The door opened again as hard as the first time. The cats also jumped out and startled her. With flashlight in hand she slowly crept up the stairs. Turning to see Brian hanging from the ceiling beam dead. Calling the police quickly they, never saw anything like this before. They all began to question her, but she only had the information that she found him up there hanging dead.
Investigating this incident, Detective J.P. Burrows. He and his partner had no idea why anyone would do such a thing. Finding out additional information which would have been much more helpful to them earlier in the investigation, Brian had drunken a little too much. It really didn't affect it much, but very valuable.
Marcia quickly took the only necessary things and headed home to her parents house in New York. Her family, shocked by this incident, very surprised that Brian would do such a thing. Many days went on and then came the funeral. Marcia, very upset about the whole thing, had a tough time at the funeral. With family by her side, being watched over closely and questioned everyday became quickly exhausted by everything. She began to look up the history at the Middlebury library, while in Vermont, and found that I little girl also hung herself in the house, at the age of seven. Which made Marcia scared, because she lived in a house where someone had died; thinking still that the house took people. Just bringing it up again petrified her even more then before.
Much more interesting detail filled chapters are to come for me. Not finishing the book it still keeps me interested in reading more, all the time. With no time on my hands although very eager to finish it, Chris A. Bojalian did an excellent job. Anyone could read this book and enjoy the love, death and scariness of this book. Whizzing through this book relatively quickly comes easy. With many exciting events and wanting to know what comes next you won't want to put it down. If you liked this book than consider reading some of Chris Bojalian's other books, such as Midwives.

Bohjalian's writing is just as magnetic in this early work, but he does not demonstrate the deftness with plot and character that he shows in his later works.

Brian and Marcia Middleton sell their New York City apartment and purchase an old house in the hamlet of Deering, Vermont, to make a new start after Brian confesses to an affair and Marcia decides to forgive instead of leaving him. The locals make them welcome; but something about the house isn't right, and Marcia knows it on her first day there alone. After a well-meaning neighbor tells them the house's story during a Saturday night visit, Marcia awakens early Monday morning to find her husband missing from their bed...because he's hanged himself in the attic.

Burlington detective J.P. Burrows grew up in another Vermont hamlet like Deering. The 30-something bachelor is initially unhappy about being assigned to investigate Brian Middleton's obvious (or so it seems) suicide, because he's forced to abandon another on-going investigation; but soon he finds himself not just interested, but positively obsessed. Not only does he learn intriguing bits of information from his retarded brother, who has worked in the house as helper for a renovation company and who briefly knew the victim; he also becomes powerfully attracted to the newly widowed and increasingly terrified Marcia Middleton.

This is part ghost story, part mystery/suspense novel, and it's top drawer despite being its author's second published book. "Christopher A. Bohjalian" has since gone on to become Chris Bohjalian, writer of acclaimed mainstream and historical fiction. I'm loving his later books, but part of me wishes he had written more mysteries. This one kept me turning pages until I'd finished it, long after midnight, in a single session.

--Reviewed by Nina M. Osier, author of 2005 science fiction EPPIE winner "Regs"