Some dangers you cannot outrun. Some nightmares do not end when you wake.Something is watching Katherine Harris. She can feel it when she goes out. She can feel it inside her home. She feels it in her bed. Her husband, Alex, wants to blame her anxiety on her pregnancy, but he’s often away for work. He doesn’t know what it’s like to be stuck in a small town, to be trapped in a tiny house on a … house on a run-down street, to be alone. Kat does, and the feeling only grows worse.
Whatever is going on, Kat’s certain that it’s far more serious than pregnancy jitters. When Alex takes Kat on a second honeymoon to get her mind off things, it becomes far more dangerous as well.
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Be prepared to shiver a little before bed at night with Cleaving Souls, a psychological suspense and thriller published in 2017 by Chauncey Rogers. I can safely say this was a great read, a solid 4.5 star book with lots of fantastic components.
Why This Book
I’m a big fan of psychological mysteries and thrillers. When the opportunity popped up to read this one, I jumped on getting a copy last month. I’ve been reading a few lighthearted children’s books and cozy mysteries, which meant I needed something to scare the pants off me (doesn’t happen often)! The other reason I needed to read it – and yes, this is embarrassing but I am nothing if not honest and focused on learning – is that I wasn’t certain I knew what the word ‘cleaving’ meant. Though I’d heard it before, I wanted a clear definition, and so I started reading the book. Wouldn’t you know… the first page provides a few definitions to choose from. And when I got to the end, it was QUITE CLEAR!
Plot, Characters & Setting
Kate’s expecting a baby with husband Alex, but she’s starting to lose her mind a little more each day. She has absolutely no idea why she’s lost and confused, but her husband tries to be supportive. As a truck driver, he’s unfortunately out of town for several days in a row. It begins to unravel Kate, who by now is hearing her name being called in weird places, sees people outside her window and thinks she’s being followed. She tells Alex, and he tries to be a good husband, but things escalate quickly. Alex takes her to a cabin for a getaway while they wait for her appointment with a psychologist, hopeful the break will calm his wife. But it doesn’t; instead, Kate meets a woman who has visions that indicate someone might bring harm to Kate and Alex. That’s when the drama truly begins and you won’t see this one coming from a mile away. I might stop talking to myself based on what happens to others once you go down that dangerous path!
Approach & Style
I read the 225 page novel on my iPad through Kindle Readers. Chauncey’s writing is very detailed and descriptive; he goes to great efforts to fully flesh out the specific look-n-feel, setting and thoughts of his characters. While this can be a bit much for some people, it helps amp up the suspense and bring on the fear-factor in this book. The novel is told in third person, switching back and forth between focusing on Alex and Kate for most chapters. One or two chapters are told from the local police’s perspective, helping create some confusion and mystery all throughout the book; you will try to piece together the puzzle before it bursts forth on its own. Don’t try – just let it happen naturally in this book.
Key Thoughts
If you’re a fan of horror, thriller or suspense stories, you often want it to be as innovative and mysterious as possible; you enjoy the guesswork from start to finish, but you love when the author can surprise and shock you. Chauncey’s work leans in the direction of big surprise. I didn’t care who was causing the trouble in his book, I just wanted to know how and why it was happening. I look at that as a good thing! The build-up is strong. The potential angles are wide. When it finally becomes clear what’s going on, you realize all the possibilities of what could be baked into the finish. It’s a great psychological ride.
Chauncey excels at realistic descriptions and narrative. You will know the location and setting as much as you understand every little aspect of what’s happening in the main characters’ lives. His slow build-up of driving the main character a little batty is quite strong. It was less about “Oh, I like Kate and don’t hurt her” but instead “That poor woman, what on earth is happening to her.” Through some repetition, sound effects and purposely missing moments, you really feel the swift descent of her psyche once the story gets into its climax.
Author & Other Similar Books
Chauncey Rogers has two other books he released earlier this year, both of which sound interesting. We connected on Goodreads and he’s a genuinely good guy. I enjoy when authors interact with their readers and fans. It’s tough as time goes by and your following grows larger, but when you have the time and choose to make yourself reachable, it’s a big win in my book. Kudos to Chauncey for demonstrating that in both his own books and his interest in reviewing other books on Goodreads.
Summary
I recommend this book. I do not recommend reading it right before bed. I am normally quite excited by thrillers and suspense, even before getting ready to sleep under most other circumstances. But when the main character in this book is that scared in her bedroom while trying to sleep and there is a noise at the window – Chauncey’s words, imagery, details and timing created quite a stir – I was in my bedroom, getting ready for bed, listening to the rain pellet the window… unable to let myself fall asleep for at least an hour because I kept seeing someone at the window. I’ll find a way to get him back for this!