I was hoping when this book came out that it wouldn't follow the basic John Saul formula and thank God it doesn't. God love Saul but most of his books are like the same. I did enjoy many of his books, namely The Presence and The Homing. But he seems sometime to follow a basic formula. And it is kind of daunting that children are usually in trouble or abused is his books (not that this doesn't happen in real life). Well, anyway enough of my ranting. Perfect Nightmare is one of those books that starts off with a bang. The villian is setting a house on fire, not seeing or getting what he wanted from his latest victim. This is done in a haunting first person point of view. We then go to a family that is moving and having an open house. The novel moves slowly jumping from the family to the first point of view of the stalker. Then a girl is kidnapped after the open house. What follows is a study in grief, as the mother spins out of wack. Then we meet a father who has also lost his family who relates to the mother Kara Marshall. We also get a picture of what is happening to Lindsay Marshall. The book moves slowly back and forth again until another woman is kidnapped, then the book takes a tragic and insidious turn. Filled with many red herrings, like real estate agents and butlers and such. But the truth behind what is really happening is vintage Saul, which is where the book falls just a little short. But it will keep you guessing until the end (even though I had it figured out before then). I believe it is one of Saul's best in a long time. Rating: *****
