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The Lost Mind
A teenager wakes up in the woods, horrified to discover a bloody knife in her hand and a dead body at her side and, lacking all memory of who she is, begins to suspect that someone has stolen her mind.
213 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1995
About the author
Christopher Pike
266 books5,580 followersChristopher Pike is the pseudonym of Kevin McFadden. He is a bestselling author of young adult and children's fiction who specializes in the thriller genre.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
McFadden was born in New York but grew up in California where he stills lives in today. A college drop-out, he did factory work, painted houses and programmed computers before becoming a recognized author. Initially unsuccessful when he set out to write science fiction and adult mystery, it was not until his work caught the attention of an editor who suggested he write a teen thriller that he became a hit. The result was Slumber Party (1985), a book about a group of teenagers who run into bizarre and violent events during a ski weekend. After that he wrote Weekend and Chain Letter. All three books went on to become bestsellers.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
McFadden was born in New York but grew up in California where he stills lives in today. A college drop-out, he did factory work, painted houses and programmed computers before becoming a recognized author. Initially unsuccessful when he set out to write science fiction and adult mystery, it was not until his work caught the attention of an editor who suggested he write a teen thriller that he became a hit. The result was Slumber Party (1985), a book about a group of teenagers who run into bizarre and violent events during a ski weekend. After that he wrote Weekend and Chain Letter. All three books went on to become bestsellers.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews
May 20, 2019
Hey, Kids! Wanna learn how to foil a police investigation into the murder of your best friend in which you're the main suspect? Buy this book!
July 1, 2015
Strange. I am not sure what to think of this one. It was not on of my favorite Christopher Pike books. That is for sure. It started of strong, but then took a sharp turn to TrippyLand.
Jenny wakes up with no memory of who or where she is. Her drivers license takes her home but nothing jogs her memory. Not her family, boyfriend, nothing. But she can't tell anyone this. Why? Because her earliest memory was of waking up next to a bloody knife and a dead girl.
Her personality in the book seems quite different than how she must have been prior. Based on her boyfriend and diary entries. I knew someone who had amnesia and the basic personalities were the same so this threw me. Then again, waking up next to a a bloody corpse might alter anyone.
Dreams start plaguing Jenny and that is when things get weird. For she is not herself in these dreams. from drugs, demons, and more this book takes some unexpected turns. I felt they were poorly explained.
I liked Jenny's character although how she handles things is worthy of a few headshakes. The writing makes for a fast paced read.
Jenny wakes up with no memory of who or where she is. Her drivers license takes her home but nothing jogs her memory. Not her family, boyfriend, nothing. But she can't tell anyone this. Why? Because her earliest memory was of waking up next to a bloody knife and a dead girl.
Her personality in the book seems quite different than how she must have been prior. Based on her boyfriend and diary entries. I knew someone who had amnesia and the basic personalities were the same so this threw me. Then again, waking up next to a a bloody corpse might alter anyone.
Dreams start plaguing Jenny and that is when things get weird. For she is not herself in these dreams. from drugs, demons, and more this book takes some unexpected turns. I felt they were poorly explained.
I liked Jenny's character although how she handles things is worthy of a few headshakes. The writing makes for a fast paced read.
September 8, 2019
a scary little horror story that kind of reminds me of "Before I go t o sleep" except for young adults.
A girl awakens with a dead body next to her and a knife in her hand but can't remember anything.
I like this author and this is one of h is books I have yet to do a reread of but I did enjoy it when I read it. It is not among his best but isn't among his worst either.
What I liked..freaky premise, not to long, plenty of twists and an engaging story.
What I did not like..I am not one for strange dreams and visions which he has done is some of his books..I like Symbolism but not the whole nightmare and vision thing. I do not really like that in any book from any author. I feel it just gets tedious.
This one is worth reading if you like bizarre short horror stories.
A girl awakens with a dead body next to her and a knife in her hand but can't remember anything.
I like this author and this is one of h is books I have yet to do a reread of but I did enjoy it when I read it. It is not among his best but isn't among his worst either.
What I liked..freaky premise, not to long, plenty of twists and an engaging story.
What I did not like..I am not one for strange dreams and visions which he has done is some of his books..I like Symbolism but not the whole nightmare and vision thing. I do not really like that in any book from any author. I feel it just gets tedious.
This one is worth reading if you like bizarre short horror stories.
October 23, 2010
Dear Nostalgia,
Me and you are friends, right? That's why when I find Christopher Pike books in a local charity shop for 50p I do a little squeal of excitement. That's why I re-read all of his novels that I can get my hands on - because it reminds me of being a teenager, but also, if I'm honest, because these books are still awesome. There: I said it - Nostalgia, you make me read too many children's and 'young adult' books and I still love them all.
However - and, Nostalgia, don't think I'm tarnishing the memory of my beloved Mr Pike here, because I'm definitely not trying to - this wasn't one of his best. I'm not sure how into it I was, really. But, you know, it was a nice little diversion into the past (although I don't remember ever actually reading this one as a teen, come to think of it.) His best ever was The Midnight Club, I think.
Next time I go back to my parents I'll read some more of the ye olde Pike novels - I know I have half a dozen sitting on my bookshelves back there waiting for my attention. Me and you will hang out soon, yeah?
Yours, always,
Amy.
Me and you are friends, right? That's why when I find Christopher Pike books in a local charity shop for 50p I do a little squeal of excitement. That's why I re-read all of his novels that I can get my hands on - because it reminds me of being a teenager, but also, if I'm honest, because these books are still awesome. There: I said it - Nostalgia, you make me read too many children's and 'young adult' books and I still love them all.
However - and, Nostalgia, don't think I'm tarnishing the memory of my beloved Mr Pike here, because I'm definitely not trying to - this wasn't one of his best. I'm not sure how into it I was, really. But, you know, it was a nice little diversion into the past (although I don't remember ever actually reading this one as a teen, come to think of it.) His best ever was The Midnight Club, I think.
Next time I go back to my parents I'll read some more of the ye olde Pike novels - I know I have half a dozen sitting on my bookshelves back there waiting for my attention. Me and you will hang out soon, yeah?
Yours, always,
Amy.
June 27, 2019
I love it when I go to our local secondhand book store and find a Christopher Pike novel that I didn't read in my teens. It may sound silly for a 40-something to still be reading his novels, but honestly I believe that Christopher Pike is what made me the writer that I am today. This novel was true "Pike" with it's mystery, intrigue, and other-worldly interventions. Oh, how I wish they wrote books like this now!
It's not my favorite of his novels, but not bad, either. I enjoyed it and am glad I found this gem. If you run across it, it's definitely worth a read.
It's not my favorite of his novels, but not bad, either. I enjoyed it and am glad I found this gem. If you run across it, it's definitely worth a read.
January 11, 2010
Awesome. Body-switching! Amnesia! Drugs! Astral projection or whatever!
Jennifer wakes up next to a dead body, but she can't remember what happened, who she is, or anything at all. She slowly realizes that the dead girl was her best friend. All the evidence points to Jennifer as the killer, but she doesn't remember, so she reads her own diary to try and piece together her life.
I always loved that image, of having to figure out your personality by reading your own diary. Would you like yourself? Would you think you're shallow? Oh Christopher Pike, you posed many philosophical questions to my middle-school self.
Jennifer wakes up next to a dead body, but she can't remember what happened, who she is, or anything at all. She slowly realizes that the dead girl was her best friend. All the evidence points to Jennifer as the killer, but she doesn't remember, so she reads her own diary to try and piece together her life.
I always loved that image, of having to figure out your personality by reading your own diary. Would you like yourself? Would you think you're shallow? Oh Christopher Pike, you posed many philosophical questions to my middle-school self.
July 14, 2019
it hits the pike trifecta: kids behaving badly with drugs and sex and treating one another like garbage (if mainly in retrospect via diary entries), graphic violence, and some form of past life / body swapping mental breaks revealed through dreams.
it's trashy, everything's two-dimensional at best, and you'll breeze through it in a couple hours.
still worth your time for a fun summer read.
it's trashy, everything's two-dimensional at best, and you'll breeze through it in a couple hours.
still worth your time for a fun summer read.
December 8, 2015
Its okay so far
September 19, 2016
This is the third book I've read on the "Proof That Christopher Pike Wrote Some Pretty Fucked-Up Books For Teens" list...
I really enjoyed the first two on the list, but wasn't a huge fan of this one... Looking at other reviews, I'm not the only one who was disappointed...
https://www.buzzfeed.com/katangus/sex...
I really enjoyed the first two on the list, but wasn't a huge fan of this one... Looking at other reviews, I'm not the only one who was disappointed...
https://www.buzzfeed.com/katangus/sex...
January 27, 2019
This is what happens after I read my husband two Mary Higgins Clark books we turned dark. Don't ask me the logic or how we ended up going down this path but so we did.
This book sounds so similar to me and yet strange at the same time so I am not quite even sure if I have read it before. The one I keep thinking of that tortured my younger years was "The Wicked Heart" when hammers did all the dirty work.
Anyway it is books like these that has me telling those who enjoy modern horror that Christopher Pike beats out Stephen King anytime even though he wrote for a teenage audience. And even though he is formulaic in his writing just as much as the next big book shover he throws in enough teenage angst, murder and paranormal subjects to make you wonder what you are even reading about.
The writing for this book starts off on a bang and will leave you wondering just how much worse it can get to warrant as many pages as it has. Since of the subject and the timeline this wasn't made to be much of a lengthy book so as a result it is a bit rushed with more mature readers wanting to know more in-depth explanations instead of the brief toss of a bone that you get.
The characters fluctuate between being well-formed and at the same time as being incomplete then again what can you say when you have no memory of who you are, your personality and how you used to live just for a spoiler.
All in all it is a pretty decent book with a peek into some pretty weird spiritual thoughts. My husband was leaning towards 4 stars and I was going for 2 so we are going to compromise on the rating while closing the back cover on this read.
This book sounds so similar to me and yet strange at the same time so I am not quite even sure if I have read it before. The one I keep thinking of that tortured my younger years was "The Wicked Heart" when hammers did all the dirty work.
Anyway it is books like these that has me telling those who enjoy modern horror that Christopher Pike beats out Stephen King anytime even though he wrote for a teenage audience. And even though he is formulaic in his writing just as much as the next big book shover he throws in enough teenage angst, murder and paranormal subjects to make you wonder what you are even reading about.
The writing for this book starts off on a bang and will leave you wondering just how much worse it can get to warrant as many pages as it has. Since of the subject and the timeline this wasn't made to be much of a lengthy book so as a result it is a bit rushed with more mature readers wanting to know more in-depth explanations instead of the brief toss of a bone that you get.
The characters fluctuate between being well-formed and at the same time as being incomplete then again what can you say when you have no memory of who you are, your personality and how you used to live just for a spoiler.
All in all it is a pretty decent book with a peek into some pretty weird spiritual thoughts. My husband was leaning towards 4 stars and I was going for 2 so we are going to compromise on the rating while closing the back cover on this read.
April 17, 2018
Jennifer Hobbs woke up in the woods next to a pond. She had no idea where she was, what year it was, and shockingly realized she did not know her name. She could not remember who she was. She realized there was a dead body next to the pond where she was. Who was she? Did she kill this young woman?
“The Lost Mind” follows Pike’s signature mystery/thriller themes. We follow the character’s journey as she drives herself to the closest town where nothing rings a bell. Using a phonebook, she locates her home, tiptoes around to find her room, and struggles to find anything that looks familiar… until she found out who the dead young woman from the woods was.
We are taken along the ride as Jennifer investigates her family, her boyfriend, and her dead best friend’s boyfriend to find out the truth. Is she really capable of killing her own best friend? She may have lost her memory, but deep inside she is unable to accept that she is a murderer.
Haunted by strange dreams of magic, deceit, and a murder plot, she finally tracks down the killer and sets off to avenge her best friend.
I read this book in 1995. I stumbled upon Christopher Pike in my high school library and sought out his books. I love how this story still showed a lot of emotions. It goes to show that even without any memory or identity, we can still feel compassion and love towards other people.
Read my review here: https://thekaleidoscopeworldofgeeks.w...
“The Lost Mind” follows Pike’s signature mystery/thriller themes. We follow the character’s journey as she drives herself to the closest town where nothing rings a bell. Using a phonebook, she locates her home, tiptoes around to find her room, and struggles to find anything that looks familiar… until she found out who the dead young woman from the woods was.
We are taken along the ride as Jennifer investigates her family, her boyfriend, and her dead best friend’s boyfriend to find out the truth. Is she really capable of killing her own best friend? She may have lost her memory, but deep inside she is unable to accept that she is a murderer.
Haunted by strange dreams of magic, deceit, and a murder plot, she finally tracks down the killer and sets off to avenge her best friend.
I read this book in 1995. I stumbled upon Christopher Pike in my high school library and sought out his books. I love how this story still showed a lot of emotions. It goes to show that even without any memory or identity, we can still feel compassion and love towards other people.
Read my review here: https://thekaleidoscopeworldofgeeks.w...
April 4, 2009
This was a great suspenseful novel, and again it's one where Pike brings up questions of the paranormal or metaphysical world into which he often delves. This book kept me up all night - I still remember reading it - the suspense and what will happen kept me turning the pages, and I believe I read it over the course of one evening. It also has depth, and like many of his good novels, it leaves you pondering the nature of life - and what comes afterward.
January 4, 2022
When it comes to Christopher Pike, I am mostly familiar with Spooksville. I even did a blog post all about it. I have heard about the YA work he is mostly known for but I hadn't read any of it in full. Until now. The Midnight Club is being adapted into a series later this year and I decided to tie into it. But I wanted to go a bit bigger than just doing one here and there.
So every month I will read one Pike YA book leading up to whenever that series comes out. Maybe I'll keep going after it depending on when that comes out or what I've done. Either way it will be randomized so it will be a crapshoot of how good or notable each one is. I do hope to get to the big ones even if they don't get pick at some point. But for now I obey the wheel. I am very interested to see how this goes. I'm not allowing the adult books, sequels so I don't get bogged down in too much of the same, the Final Friends trilogy for same reasons, the two short story ones, and Whisper of Death because...yeah no. (I think some 2010's ones are stand alone YA but even if so, skipping those too,)
First up, is a later-ish one. Published in August 1995, this is when he was really pumping them out. This would be the last thing he did before Spooksville came out in October. He isn't big on his later work as it was rushed to meet deadlines and such. Reading it, I can kinda see it.
A girl wakes up next to a dead body with no memory. She has no idea who she is, who the murdered person and doesn't recall anything about their lives. She must figure out who she is, why this person was killed, and all that jazz. So I didn't know how to rate this one. In the end I say I kinda liked it but it was teetering on a 2.5.
The best aspect is the setup. From page one it sucked me in and I was really interested to see where it would go. The writing is solid, mostly early on as things come into view. It's a setup I tend to like, and it is somewhat interesting how things unfold.
It's a slow burn at 213 pages, and I do mean slow. Things happen just enough to keep me kinda interested but it could have been shorter. It's not super thrilling, with not that much action of horror. It's more about mystery. Ir's both kinda interesting and kinda dull. We find out more about the lives of those people and it's sorta interesting but not always hugely so.
I liked the stuff with Jennifer and her brother, it's more wholesome than I expect from these. This gets into some weird places due to some dreams and the explanation of what is going on. It is both weirdly complicated/hard to understand and a bit too simple at the same time. By the very end I sorta get but still nor quite.
It's weird. Pike apparently goes to some spiritual places and there's plenty of that here. It's kinda neat but confusing. It actually ends on a solid note, which is what pulled this up. It's not amazing but it was nice and at least left me with a fine feeling.
The rest was an odd mix, some interesting stuff but some under-cooked sutff to. Jen is a blank slate on purpose which is fine but even as more is found out, it's not all super deep. There's a jerk boyfriend because of course there is. There is a middle eastern character named Amir who is alright at first but things get more iffy with him as we go on. Not awful but not great. We do get commentary on how these cops accuse him though, that was something.
I can tell Pike's work can be a lot but while this has tropes in there, the extreme stuff is toned down. There's sex and death but not to a big extent. I kinda wanted more but I get wanting to do something kinda different. I imagine he has done some of these ideas in other places.
Overall, the wheel didn't pick an ideal one but it wasn't bad. It can get too dull and confusing with a few iffy bits, but it is compelling enough and kept me at mildly interested and the ending worked mostly fine. It could have been so much more but for what we got, my easy to please myself got enough out of it.
I'm hoping more exciting stuff is ahead of me though. Next month, the wheel has picked thankfully takes to an early one. And it's one of those ones I found thrifting. Woo hoo. See ya then.
So every month I will read one Pike YA book leading up to whenever that series comes out. Maybe I'll keep going after it depending on when that comes out or what I've done. Either way it will be randomized so it will be a crapshoot of how good or notable each one is. I do hope to get to the big ones even if they don't get pick at some point. But for now I obey the wheel. I am very interested to see how this goes. I'm not allowing the adult books, sequels so I don't get bogged down in too much of the same, the Final Friends trilogy for same reasons, the two short story ones, and Whisper of Death because...yeah no. (I think some 2010's ones are stand alone YA but even if so, skipping those too,)
First up, is a later-ish one. Published in August 1995, this is when he was really pumping them out. This would be the last thing he did before Spooksville came out in October. He isn't big on his later work as it was rushed to meet deadlines and such. Reading it, I can kinda see it.
A girl wakes up next to a dead body with no memory. She has no idea who she is, who the murdered person and doesn't recall anything about their lives. She must figure out who she is, why this person was killed, and all that jazz. So I didn't know how to rate this one. In the end I say I kinda liked it but it was teetering on a 2.5.
The best aspect is the setup. From page one it sucked me in and I was really interested to see where it would go. The writing is solid, mostly early on as things come into view. It's a setup I tend to like, and it is somewhat interesting how things unfold.
It's a slow burn at 213 pages, and I do mean slow. Things happen just enough to keep me kinda interested but it could have been shorter. It's not super thrilling, with not that much action of horror. It's more about mystery. Ir's both kinda interesting and kinda dull. We find out more about the lives of those people and it's sorta interesting but not always hugely so.
I liked the stuff with Jennifer and her brother, it's more wholesome than I expect from these. This gets into some weird places due to some dreams and the explanation of what is going on. It is both weirdly complicated/hard to understand and a bit too simple at the same time. By the very end I sorta get but still nor quite.
It's weird. Pike apparently goes to some spiritual places and there's plenty of that here. It's kinda neat but confusing. It actually ends on a solid note, which is what pulled this up. It's not amazing but it was nice and at least left me with a fine feeling.
The rest was an odd mix, some interesting stuff but some under-cooked sutff to. Jen is a blank slate on purpose which is fine but even as more is found out, it's not all super deep. There's a jerk boyfriend because of course there is. There is a middle eastern character named Amir who is alright at first but things get more iffy with him as we go on. Not awful but not great. We do get commentary on how these cops accuse him though, that was something.
I can tell Pike's work can be a lot but while this has tropes in there, the extreme stuff is toned down. There's sex and death but not to a big extent. I kinda wanted more but I get wanting to do something kinda different. I imagine he has done some of these ideas in other places.
Overall, the wheel didn't pick an ideal one but it wasn't bad. It can get too dull and confusing with a few iffy bits, but it is compelling enough and kept me at mildly interested and the ending worked mostly fine. It could have been so much more but for what we got, my easy to please myself got enough out of it.
I'm hoping more exciting stuff is ahead of me though. Next month, the wheel has picked thankfully takes to an early one. And it's one of those ones I found thrifting. Woo hoo. See ya then.
September 22, 2022
I'll be the first to admit that I don't know a lot about all the stuff Christopher Pike writes about for it is beyond my realm of understanding. I'm a person who writes about things after reading books with titles like Witchcraft For Dummies or An Idiot's Guide To Astrology. The only thing I do know for sure is that I really enjoyed this book.
This is a book that is almost thirty years old so it might not be exactly PC and even more might be known but it really shouldn't matter. This is a fiction book not a non-fiction book. I take reviews by others into consideration before I write my own after reading the book...it is a matter of opinion.
Now back to the review...
A teenage girl wakes up near a pond in the woods. She is covered in blood, blood in the water, cuts on her arm, a knife laying near her slack hand...and another girl's body not that far away.
The other girl is dead and has been stabbed to death.
She doesn't know who the girl is...she doesn't even know who she is.
The scenario doesn't look good but she knows she couldn't have killed anyone. Taking the knife, she stumbles off and soon finds a car. In the car, she finds a purse with a driver's license.
It says her name is Jennifer Hobbs. It doesn't sound familiar. She finds an address/phone book in the purse as well.
The woman she calls is her mother but the voice is that of a stranger. She calls her own personal phone line and the voice on the answering machine sounds like a different person.
Early in the morning, Jennifer heads home after washing the blood away and getting rid of the clothing. She tries to figure out what happened...why can't she remember anything? Who was the girl dead beside her?
Soon Jennifer is going to find out the answers to her questions and the world as she knew it, even the world she knows now, is never going to be the same ever again...
The murder mystery element of the story is good and the angle to which all of the madness begins is a unique one. There are themes of friendship, family, love, loss, lust, remorse and anger.
Jennifer is a very good person and a strong female Pike leading lady. We get to know the "other" Jennifer through her diary and see a growth in her character. The one thing that tugs at me is the relationship she has with her little brother Ken but affectionately called Gator.
Finding out the identity of the other girl is the biggest spoiler so I can't really discuss too much of that but it ties in with the previous themes I mentioned. We all know that the connection between the two young women will be significant and we also know we don't want Jennifer to be guilty.
The attitudes of most of the male characters have not aged well I must admit.
The climatic reveal is not what I expected but in a good way that kept me on my toes and the ending was a gut punch. To ME, it was relatable in the themes I mentioned (all except the lust part...) and so far it is one of my favorite Christopher Pike books.
His thrills and scares are good, his embracing of taboo subjects and themes of religion, etc. are hit and miss but Pike's subtle glimpses of the human condition for all its sins and virtues are what make him such an intriguing author.
You can write about horny teenagers and still give them depth...that's a true master of the written word.
A highly recommendable read.
This is a book that is almost thirty years old so it might not be exactly PC and even more might be known but it really shouldn't matter. This is a fiction book not a non-fiction book. I take reviews by others into consideration before I write my own after reading the book...it is a matter of opinion.
Now back to the review...
A teenage girl wakes up near a pond in the woods. She is covered in blood, blood in the water, cuts on her arm, a knife laying near her slack hand...and another girl's body not that far away.
The other girl is dead and has been stabbed to death.
She doesn't know who the girl is...she doesn't even know who she is.
The scenario doesn't look good but she knows she couldn't have killed anyone. Taking the knife, she stumbles off and soon finds a car. In the car, she finds a purse with a driver's license.
It says her name is Jennifer Hobbs. It doesn't sound familiar. She finds an address/phone book in the purse as well.
The woman she calls is her mother but the voice is that of a stranger. She calls her own personal phone line and the voice on the answering machine sounds like a different person.
Early in the morning, Jennifer heads home after washing the blood away and getting rid of the clothing. She tries to figure out what happened...why can't she remember anything? Who was the girl dead beside her?
Soon Jennifer is going to find out the answers to her questions and the world as she knew it, even the world she knows now, is never going to be the same ever again...
The murder mystery element of the story is good and the angle to which all of the madness begins is a unique one. There are themes of friendship, family, love, loss, lust, remorse and anger.
Jennifer is a very good person and a strong female Pike leading lady. We get to know the "other" Jennifer through her diary and see a growth in her character. The one thing that tugs at me is the relationship she has with her little brother Ken but affectionately called Gator.
Finding out the identity of the other girl is the biggest spoiler so I can't really discuss too much of that but it ties in with the previous themes I mentioned. We all know that the connection between the two young women will be significant and we also know we don't want Jennifer to be guilty.
The attitudes of most of the male characters have not aged well I must admit.
The climatic reveal is not what I expected but in a good way that kept me on my toes and the ending was a gut punch. To ME, it was relatable in the themes I mentioned (all except the lust part...) and so far it is one of my favorite Christopher Pike books.
His thrills and scares are good, his embracing of taboo subjects and themes of religion, etc. are hit and miss but Pike's subtle glimpses of the human condition for all its sins and virtues are what make him such an intriguing author.
You can write about horny teenagers and still give them depth...that's a true master of the written word.
A highly recommendable read.
April 30, 2009
What would you do if you woke up next to a corpse, the murder weapon in your hand? What if you couldn't remember how you got there, who she was--who you were? What if all the evidence pointed to you being the killer? These are some of the first emotions explored by Jennifer Hobbs as she wakes up, covered in blood, next to the body of Crystal Denger.
Jenny does a near expert job of removing the evidence of her involvement: the murder weapon, the bloody clothes. The only clue to her identity is a driver's license and the keys in her pocket. The town nearby is her home, and her address is easy enough to find. As to not arouse suspicion, she must behave as though everything is normal... while at the same time trying to solve the crime. But how do you do that when you can't even remember your own mother's face? Who your friends and enemies are? Where you were the night your best friend was murdered?
This book had an excellent beginning--a very imaginative concept! It had me guessing all over the place. If this book suffered from anything, it was that it could have easily been a couple hundred pages longer. It touched on a few topics (soul reversal, mysticism, tarot and even Islam) that were very interesting, but not explained clearly.
Book Details:
Title The Lost Mind
Author Christopher Pike
Reviewed By Purplycookie
Jenny does a near expert job of removing the evidence of her involvement: the murder weapon, the bloody clothes. The only clue to her identity is a driver's license and the keys in her pocket. The town nearby is her home, and her address is easy enough to find. As to not arouse suspicion, she must behave as though everything is normal... while at the same time trying to solve the crime. But how do you do that when you can't even remember your own mother's face? Who your friends and enemies are? Where you were the night your best friend was murdered?
This book had an excellent beginning--a very imaginative concept! It had me guessing all over the place. If this book suffered from anything, it was that it could have easily been a couple hundred pages longer. It touched on a few topics (soul reversal, mysticism, tarot and even Islam) that were very interesting, but not explained clearly.
Book Details:
Title The Lost Mind
Author Christopher Pike
Reviewed By Purplycookie
September 6, 2008
Christopher Pike is a very good writer of teen Horror/Thriller/Mystery/Fantasy. Lost Mind stands out as a book that also tackles metaphysical questions. In an very original novel, Pike deeply explores the mysticism of the soul.
The story is about a teen girl named Jen. She wakes up in the woods next to the dead body of a girl who has been stabbed to death. Fearing she could be the killer's next target, Jen flees - but instead of finding answers, she is confronted with question after question about herself and her life. You see, Jen has amnesia - her only immediate clue her driver's license. When she discovers that the murdered girl was actually her best friend Crystal, and that she is now a prime suspect, she is in a race against time to find the real killer.
Could it be her boorish football jock boyfriend Mitch who has gambling debts? Or does the mysterious Egyptian Amir, who had been seeing Crystal, have something to do with the situation? Jen has no allies except her little brother, who knows something is going on with his beloved big sister. The more Jen finds out, the less she likes the shallow person that she seemed to be. Could she really have killed her best friend?
This is a must-read for Pike fans.
The story is about a teen girl named Jen. She wakes up in the woods next to the dead body of a girl who has been stabbed to death. Fearing she could be the killer's next target, Jen flees - but instead of finding answers, she is confronted with question after question about herself and her life. You see, Jen has amnesia - her only immediate clue her driver's license. When she discovers that the murdered girl was actually her best friend Crystal, and that she is now a prime suspect, she is in a race against time to find the real killer.
Could it be her boorish football jock boyfriend Mitch who has gambling debts? Or does the mysterious Egyptian Amir, who had been seeing Crystal, have something to do with the situation? Jen has no allies except her little brother, who knows something is going on with his beloved big sister. The more Jen finds out, the less she likes the shallow person that she seemed to be. Could she really have killed her best friend?
This is a must-read for Pike fans.
September 25, 2008
This is another Christopher Pike book that I read as a teen. Liked it.
March 20, 2020
I actually enjoyed reading this book. The story is consistent and gripping with some unique surprises along the way.
I have read a few Christopher Pike books, and know that he likes to incorporate philosophy and science fiction in his thrillers. But, these usually become a hit or miss for me, as I feel it sometimes takes the plot in an unbelievable direction. Even though “The Lost Mind” also has these elements, the story is very interesting. The plot actually made sense for the most part.
Most of the characters are likable. Jenny is a good protagonist and it was interesting to see how she tries to clear the situation she is in. I wouldn’t have really liked her if she was anything like her diary entries. Also, I adored Gator and wanted to see more of him in the story. Amir is also a strong supporting character, and I liked how he gets connected to the main plot. In addition, I also love some of the philosophical passages the author mentions like:
“It is only a life lived in total surrender and service that destroys the ego. It is only when you have left your ego behind that you have a chance to unite with your other aspects."
However, I feel the author could have written the ending in a better manner. While I enjoyed how the story ended, I felt like the scenes where Jenny fights the villain to learn the truth was very rushed. After that, it felt like a lot of things happen within the blink of an eye in one page, and I would have liked to seen it more drawn out. Moreover, there are some redundant characters like Mitch who did not add anything meaningful.
Overall, “The Lost Mind” was a fun Christopher Pike book to read, and had all the classic elements. I would recommend it to anyone who likes the author or in the mood for a classic YA suspense novel.
I have read a few Christopher Pike books, and know that he likes to incorporate philosophy and science fiction in his thrillers. But, these usually become a hit or miss for me, as I feel it sometimes takes the plot in an unbelievable direction. Even though “The Lost Mind” also has these elements, the story is very interesting. The plot actually made sense for the most part.
Most of the characters are likable. Jenny is a good protagonist and it was interesting to see how she tries to clear the situation she is in. I wouldn’t have really liked her if she was anything like her diary entries. Also, I adored Gator and wanted to see more of him in the story. Amir is also a strong supporting character, and I liked how he gets connected to the main plot. In addition, I also love some of the philosophical passages the author mentions like:
“It is only a life lived in total surrender and service that destroys the ego. It is only when you have left your ego behind that you have a chance to unite with your other aspects."
However, I feel the author could have written the ending in a better manner. While I enjoyed how the story ended, I felt like the scenes where Jenny fights the villain to learn the truth was very rushed. After that, it felt like a lot of things happen within the blink of an eye in one page, and I would have liked to seen it more drawn out. Moreover, there are some redundant characters like Mitch who did not add anything meaningful.
Overall, “The Lost Mind” was a fun Christopher Pike book to read, and had all the classic elements. I would recommend it to anyone who likes the author or in the mood for a classic YA suspense novel.
Read
September 22, 2023The aspects of Christopher Pike's books that I've always enjoyed is that they're never afraid to have the main characters be flawed and that the young adults did engage in drugs, drinking, or sex, or all of the above. I also enjoyed how weirdly supernatural & spiritual they can get as well, delving in mythology and new age spiritualism beyond the usual horror themes. They've always be somewhat weird which why I think they were a little less popular than R.L. Stine's Fear Street and why they always appealed to me as a teen.
This book definitely has some of those aspects but it's not as good as my favourite Pike series, partly because it's got some problematic shit with how the Egyptian character Amir is written and partly because it's too short. I realized while reading this that the majority of my favourite Pike books are series and those are my favourites because the characters get to be fleshed out & the plot isn't as rushed.
It's an interesting premise though, writing through the POV of a character with amnesia trying to piece together her life and the murder she is tied to.
This book definitely has some of those aspects but it's not as good as my favourite Pike series, partly because it's got some problematic shit with how the Egyptian character Amir is written and partly because it's too short. I realized while reading this that the majority of my favourite Pike books are series and those are my favourites because the characters get to be fleshed out & the plot isn't as rushed.
It's an interesting premise though, writing through the POV of a character with amnesia trying to piece together her life and the murder she is tied to.
September 26, 2021
Read for the third round of the Booktube Spin.
This one ended up being not for me. It held my attention enough for me to finish the book, but what this story ended up being about is just a subject I am not interested in. The epilogue was probably the best part of this book for me. This definitely won't be one that I will be re-reading, but I'm glad I did read this one as it was one that I had not visited when I was growing up.
This one ended up being not for me. It held my attention enough for me to finish the book, but what this story ended up being about is just a subject I am not interested in. The epilogue was probably the best part of this book for me. This definitely won't be one that I will be re-reading, but I'm glad I did read this one as it was one that I had not visited when I was growing up.
March 7, 2022
This was a book that surpassed my expectations. I wasn't quite sure what to think at first but the plot began to really pick up quite a bit during the midpoint. This was an excellent book and I could see it possibly getting a film adaptation.
March 4, 2022
Not my favorite CP, still always a joy to read one of his books.
March 18, 2021
Oh man...I don't recall reading this as a Teen, although I know I did. I have a clear memory of sitting on the floor of the room my BFF shared with her younger sister, door closed, music blasting to mask anything being said (because what we had to say was sooooo important it deserved utmost discretion ). I remember the ugly red shag carpeting upon which we sat. I remember holding this book and handing it to my friend to read...and telling her something along the lines of, "OMG this book is SICK" (but in 90s teen speak). I remember her taking the book from me.
But I didn't recall what the book was about until the reread.
Hmmm.... maybe there's a sci-fi worthy reason I couldn't remember the book. Maybe it wasn't actually ME that read it, but someone who took over my body and mind as I read, vacating after the last page and leaving me with only the knowledge that I HAD the book, but not that I READ it.
Or maybe it was just so forgettable I immediately moved any knowledge of reading it to my mental "trash" bin ("recycle" bin for you Windows/PC users out there) and moved on with life. Because if I recalled the plot of every crappy book I've ever read or attempted to read, I'd likely be crazier that this book's protag by now. Even after rereading, the details of the book are fading even as I pen this review.
To paraphrase the Late, Great Grumpy Cat: I (think I) read The Lost Mind once (twice?). It was awful!
But consider that it was probably dashed off in a 24-hour period by an author who had, by then, fully gone off the deep end. Because any longtime Pike reader will confirm that this author got weird toward the back half of the 90s...and probably continued the trend, although I likely stopped reading him shortly after handing off this book.
Also consider that
But all things considered, there's no excuse or defense.
This one is going back to the Goodwill from which it came.
But I didn't recall what the book was about until the reread.
Hmmm.... maybe there's a sci-fi worthy reason I couldn't remember the book. Maybe it wasn't actually ME that read it, but someone who took over my body and mind as I read, vacating after the last page and leaving me with only the knowledge that I HAD the book, but not that I READ it.
Or maybe it was just so forgettable I immediately moved any knowledge of reading it to my mental "trash" bin ("recycle" bin for you Windows/PC users out there) and moved on with life. Because if I recalled the plot of every crappy book I've ever read or attempted to read, I'd likely be crazier that this book's protag by now. Even after rereading, the details of the book are fading even as I pen this review.
To paraphrase the Late, Great Grumpy Cat: I (think I) read The Lost Mind once (twice?). It was awful!
But consider that it was probably dashed off in a 24-hour period by an author who had, by then, fully gone off the deep end. Because any longtime Pike reader will confirm that this author got weird toward the back half of the 90s...and probably continued the trend, although I likely stopped reading him shortly after handing off this book.
Also consider that
But all things considered, there's no excuse or defense.
This one is going back to the Goodwill from which it came.
January 8, 2014
This book was a good mind trip, it was good enough that I remembered details of the story even after I had forgotten the name of the book and the author. It's certainly trippy, and though it's a little young for me now I am considering re-reading it for old-times sake.
November 22, 2010
My Favorite by Christopher Pike!
Read
February 15, 2013This one's a little hurried, but still good. Pike describes a murdered girl's blood soaked top as a "demented Christmas sweater." :)
December 24, 2016
main character try not to incriminate yourself challenge (IMPOSSIBLE)
demons, murder, amnesia, w little brothers, and making the worst possible decision at every turn
5/5 toyota celicas
demons, murder, amnesia, w little brothers, and making the worst possible decision at every turn
5/5 toyota celicas
August 15, 2025
Je dois être dans une période nostalgique à relire des romans de mon adolescence ! XD Je gardais un vague souvenir de l’intrigue d’Ames égarées, donc tout n’a pas été une réelle surprise, ce qui je pense va jouer dans ma critique. Après je me dis aussi que me rappelant certaines choses, j’étais plus attentive sur certains détails ce qui m’a permis de vraiment apprécier des points de l’intrigue qui m’auraient peut-être échappé sans cela.
L’idée est intéressante à plusieurs niveaux. Se réveiller auprès d’un cadavre, couverte de sang mais ne rien se rappeler. De ce qu’il s’est passé mais aussi de toute sa vie. Quelles seraient nos réactions ? Je ne sais pas si j’aurais été aussi calme et débrouillarde que Jenny (et j’espère ne jamais le découvrir !), mais en choisissant cet angle Christopher Pike fait un gros travail psychologique qui m’a convaincu. J’aime aussi l’idée que nous sommes le résultat de nos expériences. Quand Jenny découvre qui elle était, elle ne s’apprécie pas vraiment et pourtant elle reste la même personne en un sens. Cela pousse à la réflexion.
Question intrigue… j’ai trouvé que l’idée de tout condenser en 24 heures n’était pas forcément une bonne chose. Cela rend moins crédible ce qu’il se passe. En faisant durer la chose sur plusieurs jours, j’aurais peut-être mieux apprécié le tout et trouver qu’il y avait plus de sens. Et c’était faisable, je pense, sans trop allonger le roman. Globalement, c’est bien ficelé et on a toutes les réponses à nos questions, mais je n’y ai pas cru. Un peu paradoxale, je sais…
Heureusement, Jenny se montre pleine de ressources, et elle porte le roman du début à la fin. Il y a des choses trop évidentes, mais vu la situation, on peut comprendre que ça ne fasse pas tilt tout de suite. La partie surnaturelle est légère, mais là encore en plus d’ajouter du mystique, elle permet de donner du sens à l’histoire. Et bien que le roman soit très court, cette partie était plutôt intéressante, bien que j’aurais aimé en savoir un peu plus.
Pas un mauvais roman donc, mais plusieurs petites choses pêchent un peu. Même si la cible reste assez jeune, ça manque de conviction. Il y en a de beaucoup plus aboutis dans la collection Peur Bleue de l’auteur, c’est certain.
L’idée est intéressante à plusieurs niveaux. Se réveiller auprès d’un cadavre, couverte de sang mais ne rien se rappeler. De ce qu’il s’est passé mais aussi de toute sa vie. Quelles seraient nos réactions ? Je ne sais pas si j’aurais été aussi calme et débrouillarde que Jenny (et j’espère ne jamais le découvrir !), mais en choisissant cet angle Christopher Pike fait un gros travail psychologique qui m’a convaincu. J’aime aussi l’idée que nous sommes le résultat de nos expériences. Quand Jenny découvre qui elle était, elle ne s’apprécie pas vraiment et pourtant elle reste la même personne en un sens. Cela pousse à la réflexion.
Question intrigue… j’ai trouvé que l’idée de tout condenser en 24 heures n’était pas forcément une bonne chose. Cela rend moins crédible ce qu’il se passe. En faisant durer la chose sur plusieurs jours, j’aurais peut-être mieux apprécié le tout et trouver qu’il y avait plus de sens. Et c’était faisable, je pense, sans trop allonger le roman. Globalement, c’est bien ficelé et on a toutes les réponses à nos questions, mais je n’y ai pas cru. Un peu paradoxale, je sais…
Heureusement, Jenny se montre pleine de ressources, et elle porte le roman du début à la fin. Il y a des choses trop évidentes, mais vu la situation, on peut comprendre que ça ne fasse pas tilt tout de suite. La partie surnaturelle est légère, mais là encore en plus d’ajouter du mystique, elle permet de donner du sens à l’histoire. Et bien que le roman soit très court, cette partie était plutôt intéressante, bien que j’aurais aimé en savoir un peu plus.
Pas un mauvais roman donc, mais plusieurs petites choses pêchent un peu. Même si la cible reste assez jeune, ça manque de conviction. Il y en a de beaucoup plus aboutis dans la collection Peur Bleue de l’auteur, c’est certain.
February 22, 2026
I went into The Lost Mind by Christopher Pike not totally sure what to expect, but wow; that opening hooked me immediately. A girl wakes up in the woods next to a dead body, there’s blood everywhere, a knife in her hand… and she can’t remember anything. Not even her own name. That’s such a strong, creepy setup and it pulled me in right away.
The mystery side of this book really worked for me. Watching Jennifer try to figure out who she is (calling her own house, reading her diary, trying to piece together her life) was honestly more interesting than the murder itself at times. I liked the contrast between the “new” Jennifer and the girl she used to be. It makes you wonder how much of who we are is memory vs. choice.
I also really loved the stuff with her little brother (Gator!). Those scenes added some heart to a story that could’ve felt cold or overly weird. And yes, Pike does go into some spiritual/philosophical territory here. That can be hit or miss for me with his books, but I actually thought it mostly worked this time. It’s strange, a little confusing in places, but interesting enough that I didn’t mind going along with it.
My main issue is the ending. After such a slow build, everything kind of happens very fast at the climax. I would’ve liked the final confrontation and revelations to breathe a little more. A couple side characters also felt kind of just… there.
Still, I was invested the whole time. It’s not super action-heavy (more of a moody mystery with some metaphysical twists) but I had a hard time putting it down. The ending left me with that slightly unsettled feeling Pike is so good at.
Not perfect, but definitely one of the more memorable Pike books I’ve read. If you like ’90s YA thrillers with a weird edge, this one’s worth it.
The mystery side of this book really worked for me. Watching Jennifer try to figure out who she is (calling her own house, reading her diary, trying to piece together her life) was honestly more interesting than the murder itself at times. I liked the contrast between the “new” Jennifer and the girl she used to be. It makes you wonder how much of who we are is memory vs. choice.
I also really loved the stuff with her little brother (Gator!). Those scenes added some heart to a story that could’ve felt cold or overly weird. And yes, Pike does go into some spiritual/philosophical territory here. That can be hit or miss for me with his books, but I actually thought it mostly worked this time. It’s strange, a little confusing in places, but interesting enough that I didn’t mind going along with it.
My main issue is the ending. After such a slow build, everything kind of happens very fast at the climax. I would’ve liked the final confrontation and revelations to breathe a little more. A couple side characters also felt kind of just… there.
Still, I was invested the whole time. It’s not super action-heavy (more of a moody mystery with some metaphysical twists) but I had a hard time putting it down. The ending left me with that slightly unsettled feeling Pike is so good at.
Not perfect, but definitely one of the more memorable Pike books I’ve read. If you like ’90s YA thrillers with a weird edge, this one’s worth it.
April 2, 2025
“He made me remove my bandages. He photographed the cuts.
They did look like scratches. Even the deep ones.
My mother followed all this with haunted eyes.
She had begun to look at me differently. But I didn’t take it personally.
I didn’t know what my personality was.”
“The Lost Mind” is the ultimate supernatural murder mystery, when a young woman wakes up covered in blood in the forest with a knife in her hand, with another young woman carved up dead before her. She can’t remember anything - her name, the victims name, anything! - and the mystery only grows deeper as she discovers in time that the victim was her best friend.
As with most of CPs books, I am a bit horrified, but also deeply impressed. This story has a strong etching of spirituality stitched with love, friendship, hate, and enmity. Certain bits here and there I am sure some readers will complain about, but not me. Honestly, even the bit about having a middle eastern character accused of being a terrorists was interesting, as this took place long before 9/11. While the spirituality might be a bit hodgepodge here and there, there is also something deep, and vast, both beautiful and terrifying in the keynotes.
Overall it’s an amazing murder mystery, the likes few other authors could have crafted, and it was a fascinating thrill ride from the beginning to the tear streaked ending - seriously, all the feels with that ending!
Could be that I am rating this one higher as I didn’t really remember much on reading it before, but I’m going to gladly give this one four out of five bloody lakes.
They did look like scratches. Even the deep ones.
My mother followed all this with haunted eyes.
She had begun to look at me differently. But I didn’t take it personally.
I didn’t know what my personality was.”
“The Lost Mind” is the ultimate supernatural murder mystery, when a young woman wakes up covered in blood in the forest with a knife in her hand, with another young woman carved up dead before her. She can’t remember anything - her name, the victims name, anything! - and the mystery only grows deeper as she discovers in time that the victim was her best friend.
As with most of CPs books, I am a bit horrified, but also deeply impressed. This story has a strong etching of spirituality stitched with love, friendship, hate, and enmity. Certain bits here and there I am sure some readers will complain about, but not me. Honestly, even the bit about having a middle eastern character accused of being a terrorists was interesting, as this took place long before 9/11. While the spirituality might be a bit hodgepodge here and there, there is also something deep, and vast, both beautiful and terrifying in the keynotes.
Overall it’s an amazing murder mystery, the likes few other authors could have crafted, and it was a fascinating thrill ride from the beginning to the tear streaked ending - seriously, all the feels with that ending!
Could be that I am rating this one higher as I didn’t really remember much on reading it before, but I’m going to gladly give this one four out of five bloody lakes.
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