Richard Bachman enjoyed huge success with his anthology, The Bachman Books, and his novel, Thinner. In 1985, though, the author's true identity was exposed, and his alter ego deemed it necessary to inflict him with a case of terminal cancer. Stephen King fans know the gory details of this untimely death, and novices will be enlightened when they compare this novel to its companion piece, Desperation by Stephen King. Life on Poplar Street seems idyllic at the start of this particular midsummer day: neighbors tossing frisbees, washing cars, and lighting barbecues. There's something amiss in the house where autistic eight-year-old Seth lives, however—an intangible "something" that will eventually warp the entire neighborhood's concept of reality. Before the sun sets on this surrealistic summer day, the quiet Ohio suburb will become a terrifying slaughterhouse. The most stalwart of horror fans will be hard pressed not to flinch as this gruesome tale unfolds. Thanks to the talent of master narrator Frank Muller, each unexpected terror will send another tingle up and down the reader's spine.