The Lost

Jack Ketchum is one of those rare writers that never disappoints. "The Lost" is a close second right behind "Off Season" as my favorite book from him. Previously released by Cemetery Dance and now by Leisure Books, leaders in the world of horror publishers, it reads more like a suspense novel rather than a horror book. Its ultra violent third act itself might just push it over the fence as a horror book after all. Its main protagonist/antagonist is Ray Pye, one of the most despicable characters in recent memory. One night in 1965, Ray, along with his sometime girlfriend Jennifer and his best friend Tim (acting solely as witnesses), shoots two camping women on the suspicion that they might be lesbians. He kills one of them on the spot while the other one escapes, only to die later on in the hospital. Four years pass and one of the cops on the investigation is still trying to catch the murderer. His only suspect is Ray Pye and he doesn't have any evidence to put him away. Some might find this book slow moving because after the double murder, it takes a good two hundred pages for the plot to really thicken. But believe me, it's well worth it and the fact that the characters and events are so well developed leads to a much stronger and much more explosive third act than you could ever expect. Layer by layer, Ketchum weaves a compelling tale involving many characters. We follow Ed Anderson, a retired cop who worked on the double murder case. He's dating a girl named Sally who is young enough to be his granddaughter. His ex-partner Charlie Shilling is on Ray's trail and hovers over him like a hawk, always edging on the thin line of the law to get his man. Ray, aside from his drug dealing and sleeping around, is after a new girl in town, Katherine. She's the first time he's ever had a challenge in the dating department and he begins obsessing about her. We also get a glimpse of how sick Ray really is when he seems to be getting off on hearing the grisly details of the Charles Manson - Sharon Tate murders--an event that will echo all the way to the third act. Meanwhile, Tim and Jennifer never orbit too far from Ray, but a storm is brewing and their relationship will be put to the test. Ketchum's portrayal of Ray as a troubled young man trying to deal with his feelings of inadequacy (he always wears cowboy boots to gain a few inches, amongst other things) paint a crystal clear picture of what a monster man can be. The novel moves at a good pace, even though there isn't much action or a whole lot of gruesomeness in between the first and third act. What goes on between the characters is so engaging that you'll catch yourself saying "one more chapter" until you've reached the finale. All the different roads traveled by the characters will crisscross, culminating into a cleverly orchestrated chaos; one that will stay fresh in your mind days after the book is closed. If you're a fan of Ketchum, you have to pick up "The Lost"; it's the author at the top of

I have to scratch my head at reviews that call this a mindless beach read or disappointing drivel. Did those people read the same book I did? This wasn't as fast-moving and chockful of mayhem as some of the other books by Ketchum that I've read, but ultimately, it is just as horrifying, if not more so, because we've come to understand and sympathize with his characters, many of whom meet with violent ends.You can't pick up a Jack Ketchum novel and expect light reading. Ketchum specializes in realistic horror and he will not flinch or turn away or cop-out. This doesn't always make his books very easy to read. But if you know what you're getting into and are prepared to hold on for the ride, you'll be subjected to a level of horror that just does not exist elsewhere in the publishing world right now. I'd liken the experience of a Ketchum novel to riding a rollercoaster--once you're strapped in and climbing that first hill, it's too late to do much but go along for the ride.This is a good book--it is slow-moving to begin with, but there's a reason for that, as Ketchum develops and creates a cast of believable, realistic, human characters. We see their motivations and their thoughts/feelings, which makes what happens later on that much more affecting. Regardless of this slow start, I was held riveted to the book and could not stop reading until it was finished. It isn't quite up there in the same league as _The Girl Next Door_ or _Stranglehold_, Ketchum's most appalling books, but it is certainly one of his best novels and deserves to be read. Just be careful and know what it is you're getting yourself into.

Jack Ketchum has written some very disturbing tales; his The Girl Next Door is one of the most affecting book I've ever read. He is a so-called horror novelist who blends natural, every-day horror (the darkness of a person's mind is always prominent in his books) with great stories. Now comes The Lost, his most mature and most affecting since Girl Next Door.A melee of characters in 1969 are trying to cope with something horrible that happened five years ago; the cold-blooded murder of two young female campers. You have the murderer, Ray, his two accomplices, Jen and Tim, some of their friends, the cop on the case, Charlie, and a retired cop who helped Charlie with the case five years ago, Ed. All their lives are about to crumble together as the horrors of the past event resurface to haunt them once more. Ketchum has no remorse for any of these characters; he shows to us that no one, no matter how good, is safe from a twisted mind. Ketchum is at his affecting best with this book. His prose grabs you by the guts and never intends to let go of you until the final page. The regular Ketchum reader will recognize all the trademarks that made this author such a cult phenomenon. But new readers beware; this tale is more slow moving and nostalgic than his other books (a lot of the book was obviously inspired by old 60s music, rock icons and films). Still, with its bloody finally and believable characters, The Lost is Ketchum's best in years, and that's saying a lot!

The Lost isn't really a horror novel which seems to upset a few people I've talked to that's read the book. Having said that, I found it so interesting and absorbing I couldn't stop reading until the last page. Its one of those stories that immerses you on so many levels. You find yourself becoming so into the characters that it leaves you sad that it's over at the end. Ray Pye is one of those characters you despise yet pity also. I had read that the character was loosely based on The Pied Piper of Tuscon. This book takes you beyond that into a fictional world of obsession and murder. Its so well-written that it just flows along perfectly as you turn the pages. I found it hard to put down the night I started it and finished it the next morning. If you have an open mind, you can enjoy this book. I found it frightening that there are people exactly like Ray out there in the world right now. There is also some humour involved as well. Though Ray kills many people in this book, he does get his in the end. Literally. You will have to read it to understand exactly what I mean.I also found there was also some social commentary to the book namely the way Jack Ketchum tied in many events that had seemed to break down the moral fabric of our society. Some say he didn't do that well but I disagree. I think Mr. Ketchum showed this perfectly. All in all, its a great book full of mayhem!

I've read Jack Ketchum before and looked forward to this new book, THE LOST. When I started it I couldn't put it down until it was finished. It's a tense and edgy ride with Ray and those attracted to and repulsed by his relentless hunger. Years after the opening Bad incident we travel through the town Ray lives in, drawn by his non-PC life, waiting for the next Bad thing to happen. Ketchum doesn't disappoint in THE LOST, there was always another layer of Bad things waiting to make me turn the page. In the end, the random everyday-ness of Ray's evil made me want to put extra locks on my door and windows and sleep with the lights on. LOVED IT!