The Reach by Nate Kenyon

Paperback. 276 pages.
Horror

Synopsis: Jess Chambers is a star student in Psychiatry... she has come to the attention of her professor, Dr. Jean Shelley. Dr. Shelley decides to put Jess to the test on a very special patient... a little girl by the name of Sarah who has spent her entire life in an institution, the girl is diagnosed as schizophrenic and has not spoken in months. "Just try to befriend her, see if she will open up to you" Dr. Shelley tells Jess. What they didn't count on was the door they opened by inviting Jess into Sarah's life, and what it would lead to in the end. After a series of twists and turns we come to an explosive ending.

I read this book in two days. It was an amazing read. Nate Kenyon reminds me of Stephen King. And it isn't because Kenyon is also from a small Maine town (Dresden, Maine which is also my wife's hometown). Like King, Kenyon brings his characters to life and, as only the great authors can, makes you forget you are reading. You feel like Jess Chambers is your best friend who you meet once or twice a week for coffee. And you wish you could jump into the pages to help her help Sarah. This is horror at its best. It has elements of King's novels Carrie and The Firestarter. While King has strayed away from horror with his last few novels, Kenyon jumps in and grabs the reigns.

I rate this novel an 9.5. Go buy it, rent it from the library, steal it. Just get the book and read it. You will love it.