I like Blake Crouch and I apparently like the way that his brother writes as well. This novel, however, while well written, just did not do it for me. The plot, which started out very promising, wound up becoming a mishmash of genres that left little or none of the emotional impact intact. I give it three stars because the writing was good and, based on that, my dissatisfaction may be my personal taste. I see some other reviews that are positive so consider my review just one person's (differing) opinion. I was wanting a ghost story and I didn't get it. I saw this billed as a gothic ghost story and it isn't. Reading the interview with the writers at the end, I saw that they originally thought of the story one way and then towards the end of the process went a different way with the plot that changed the whole book. I probably would have liked the simpler story that they describe as the "original idea" better. ( )

I didn't finish this book so you can take or leave my opinion, but I just couldn't read this. The prose is pretty awful. It's just stilted and awkward. Honestly, I regret spending money on this book... ( )

There's something moving under the bed. It won't let you leave the house.

Thirty years ago when they were 7 and 5 years old, Grant and Paige Moreton were in a terrible car crash that claimed the life of their widowed father. Grant, being the older sibling, promised that he would always take care of little sister Paige and that nothing bad would ever happen to her. Now grown, Grant is a detective for the Seattle Police Department investigating the disappearance of two wealthy men. The search leads to a web page for a high-class escort service and Grant is stunned when he recognizes his estranged sister's picture on the site. Grant has spent years trying to 'save' Paige from her destructive lifestyle of drugs and alcohol and she has always resented him for his unwanted help but now Grant is afraid that little sis might be involved in much more. Confronting Paige at her home Grant sees that Paige is bone-thin and shaky although she swears she is not using drugs anymore. When Grant tries to get Paige to accompnay him to the hospital for treatment she tells him she cannot leave the house and has been unable to leave for nearly a month. As soon as she goes out the door severe pains strike at her body forcing her back inside. Paige explains that when her 'gentlmen' callers come to the house, after their assignation she blacks out and the man disappears. She knows that whatever is under her bed is taking them. Grant is, of course, skeptical of Paige's story but when he tries to leave the house he is gripped with pain so severe that he crawls back inside. What evil force is holding them captive and what is it doing to the men who disappear?

I do love a good horror story and this did not disappoint! My only problem with the story is that I'm not quite sure that the mystery of what is under the bed is believable, but whatever. It was fun, terrifying, suspenseful and actually rather touching.
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