Hangman

by Chris Bohjalian

Detective J.P. Burrows investigates the mysteries of a century-old farmhouse when one of its inhabitants, Brian Middleton, is found hanging by a noose in its attic.

Genres: Fiction, Mystery, Contemporary

301 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1991

About the author

Chris Bohjalian is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of 25 books. His 25th book, THE JACKAL’S MISTRESS, is now on sale. He writes literary fiction, historical fiction, thrillers, and (on occasion) ghost stories. His goal is never to write the same book twice. He has published somewhere in the neighborhood of 3.5 million words.

His work has been translated into 35 languages and become three movies (MIDWIVES, SECRETS OF EDEN, and PAST THE BLEACHERS) and an Emmy-winning TV series (THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT). He has two other novels in development for TV series as well.

He is also a playwright, including THE CLUB in 2024; MIDWIVES in 2020; and GROUNDED (now WINGSPAN) in 2018.

His books have been chosen as Best Books of the Year by the Washington Post, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the Hartford Courant, the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, Kirkus Reviews, Bookpage, and Salon.

His awards include the Walter Cerf Medal for Outstanding Achievement in the Arts; the Sarah Josefa Hale Award; the ANCA Freedom Award for his work educating Americans about the Armenian Genocide; the ANCA Arts and Letters Award for THE SANDCASTLE GIRLS, as well as the Saint Mesrob Mashdots Medal; the New England Society Book Award for THE NIGHT STRANGERS; the New England Book Award; Russia’s Soglasie (Concord) Award for THE SANDCASTLE GIRLS; a Boston Public Library Literary Light; a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award for TRANS-SISTER RADIO; a Best Lifestyle Column for “Idyll Banter” from the Vermont Press Association; and the Anahid Literary Award. His short story, SLOT MACHINE FEVER DREAMS was a finalist for Best Short Story from the International Thriller Writers Association and the audio production was an Audie Finalist. His novel, MIDWVES was a selection of Oprah’s Book Club, and his novel, HOUR OF THE WITCH, was a Barnes & Noble Book Club pick. He is a Fellow of the Vermont Academy of Arts and Sciences.

He has written for a wide variety of magazines and newspapers, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, Cosmopolitan, Reader’s Digest, and The Boston Globe Sunday Magazine. He was a weekly columnist in Vermont for The Burlington Free Press from 1992 through 2015.

Chris graduated Phi Beta Kappa and Summa Cum Laude from Amherst College. He has been awarded Honorary Degrees as well from Amherst, Champlain College, and Castleton University.

He lives in Vermont with his wife, the photographer Victoria Blewer.

Reviews

[♥ Sandi ❣ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

This was Bohjalian's second book and although I can see where he has grown in his writing abilities, this book is just as good as all his others.

A New York couple moves to Vermont. Buys an older farmhouse. After moving in they find that there is a large back story that goes along with this house. A young girl was hung in the attic many years ago. Within a week the husband had also hung himself in the same attic. Was it suicide or was it murder? If murder, who is the murderer?

Good paranormal story. What seems to be the evil spirit, may not be.

I have yet to find a Bohjalian story that was not good. No exception here.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hangman is noticeably different from Chris Bohjalian's other novels. It is his first work of fiction, a murder mystery that questions the potential of the supernatural/ghosts/haunted house. It also delves into the past in a period piece kind of way. There is no gore or anything that doesn't measure up to the writing/story line quality we expect from Chris Bohjalian. Background issues include adultery and domestic violence. It is suspenseful and intriguing while keeping a firm footing in reality. This may be my absolute favorite of his novels.

On Chris Bohjalian’s books:
Chris Bohjalian's books take two or three issues that people tend to have strong opinions about, and somehow make them all come together into one cohesive novel where the issues are not the stars of the story and no bias on the author's part is revealed. The reader is not asked to form a decisive stance on the issues, and the book does not lay the controversies of the issues to rest. The issues are there without being introduced, and the story line does not focus on them, but rather weaves through them. The books are written in a flowing way that draws you in and makes you want to keep reading till the end. I appreciate that his novels very rarely cause the reader to predict an obvious next step in the story, and that when this does happen, the prediction never comes true - not even as the predictably of the opposite happening. What does occur makes sense, without being predictable. I personally enjoy that he and I coincidentally have resided in (or often visited)some of the same towns, which are usually the settings of his novels and always accurately depicted. (Eg. Stowe, VT, Amherst, MA) Having read most of his books one after the other in a short period of time, I've noticed a few shared characteristics; one being that a lot of the novels begin after a death, which starts the story with tension in the characters while often not using the death as a primary plot point.

[Cynthia · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing book 📕
Certainly the best book I have read this year!

Brian and Marcia have bought a house in a small town in the hills of Vermont. In essence, it’s a new start for their marriage. They left behind their respective jobs/careers and the still smoldering ashes of a marital indiscretion. But as fate would have it, their new house has a history dating back a few decades and slowly, Brian and Marcia are caught up in the spirit of a little girl. After a loud and violent marital brawl one night, Marcia wakes to find Brian is gone. Creeping through the house in the dark, she eventually finds Brian hanging from a noose in the attic. As the police investigate, the possibility that Brian was murdered is raised with Marcia being one of two likely perpetrators.

Cannot say too much more without spoilers, but if you love a good mystery, you’ll undoubtedly enjoy this book.

[Ben · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've never read a Christopher Bohjalian novel before, so I must be about the only person who started with this one. It's not great. It's a formulaic cop / haunted house thriller that stops bothering to develop the main character after the initial 20-page prologue. I hope to pick up Midwives at some point and read Bohjalian when he hit his stride.

[Betsey Brannen · Rating 4 out of 5]

On my quest to read all of the novels written by Bohjalian, we turn to his second, Hangman.

What a crazy, freaky thriller. At times I felt like I was reading Stephen King and not Chris Bohjalian. I started out with this novel next to my bedside table and read it nightly prior to going to sleep. What a mistake! My husband leaves for 10 days and suddenly I am awake all night relying on doses of Zzzquil and Melatonin to attempt to quiet the fact I was scared out of my mind.

I wasn't terribly thrilled with the end, and I doubt most readers are, but I still give this one 4 stars for the chill that goes up my spine each time I think of that attic.

P.S. I had the pleasure once again to meet Bohjalian in January 2015, he told me that the house he grew up in was the inspiration for the house in this novel. WHAT?! That's like buying the Amityville Horror House. No. No. Nonononono.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was another Chris Bohjalian page turner. Set again in Vermont with the charm and quaintness of the area, we see a New York City couple anxious to move the the country. Here they find a wonderful old house with character. However, the character takes a dangerous and haunting turn and changes there lives forever,
even ending one!

I read this in two sittings over two days! Wanted to see where it was going! Again, Bohjalian has created a tale and characters that draw you in to the story.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

So happy to start off the new year with reading one of the earlier works of Chris Bohjalian. Couldn't put this book down. Chris is clearly my favorite author. His books always has interesting and diverse content. I enjoy his style of writing. I don't usually read a book more than once but with his books I am sure to read them again and again. Hangman was intriguing, suspenseful and kept me wondering what would happen next and how in the world would this end. Can't wait to read a couple more of his earlier works that have been hard to find. And of course can't wait for his newest book out in 2018.

[krdito · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am a fan of Chris Bohjalian's later books (esp. Midwives) and decided to read his earlier books as well. This was his second book, and I simply did not like it. It is a creepy book, similar to what you might expect from Stephen King, but there were too many situations that we never explained, so you get to the end and feel as if you don't really know what happened. I didn't care for any of the characters, except maybe J.P. and Simon. It was simply a convoluted horror story that leaves you feeling like you wasted your time and just don't "get it."

[Jerry · Rating 4 out of 5]

An early Bohjalian novel about a "haunted" house in Vermont.

[Barbara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mildly entertaining

[Bev Emerson · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

[Zosma Leonis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bohjalian's writing is just as magnetic in this early work, but he does not demonstrate the deftness with plot and character that he shows in his later works.

[Carol · Rating 2 out of 5]

What started off as a promising and creepy haunted house story slowly degenerated into a boring, clichéd and silly book. The premise could have really been developed and explored so much better than it was. An old Vermont farmhouse with a past and a ghost in the attic could have been very atmospheric and creepy. Instead, the stupid cop investigating the beautiful, suspicious widow (her husband having hanged himself in the attic), falls in love with her and we have to hear about his erection while he’s interrogating her. Is that really necessary? And her lack of shock over and remorse for her husband’s inexplicable death in the attic is not believable at all. So you have your clichéd New England locals, the New York outsiders, a retarded brother who’s the only one who sees the ghost, the horny, incompetent cop whose name is the only mystery in the whole book, and the little ghost whose spirit yearns for retribution …..no atmosphere, no suspense, no skilled buildup to a horrifying ending…..Just……well, boring. Not recommended.

[Bridget · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was one of the last Bohjalian books I had left to read, but was actually his first or second book. You can tell it's an early book, not only has his writing matured and gotten stronger but so have his storytelling abilities. This one was a bit of a stretch for me with the ghosts but I was reminded of several of his later books with certain characters and plot points. It's almost as though he re-used some of this story in later years. Still, an enjoyable and quick read. I read the book cover to cover on a flight from Miami to Boston.

ETA: According to this article, the idea of moving to Vermont and finding a noose in the attic and leaving it there is something Bohjalian thought of because the house HE bought in Vermont had a noose in the attic! And he left it there. Very interesting tidbit. http://thesnoopster.com/2009/09/%E2%8...

[Shelly Sievert · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was the third book by Chris Bohjalian that I have read. The other two were written after this one and it is apparent that Bohjalian has improved his overall writing skills since Hangman was written. That being said, I did really get into this book about 100 pages in. Normally, I would have given up but having read his works before, I figured that the book would get better - and it did.

The story follows a woman who moves with her husband from NYC to Rural Vermont. They move from a small apartment in Manhattan to a larger, old farmhouse, which, if local lore it so be believed, is haunted. The story follows the woman after her husband either hangs himself or is murdered and what happens at the house and because of the house.

All in all, a good read but not a great one.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trying to read all of his, this is his second, what a page turner, loved it, so scary. People buy house with a noose in the attic and it's as if the house wants victims, people are lured up to the attic, sometimes door won't open, always really cold, husband is new owner and hangs himself shortly after move in, no one believes wife did not do it, everyone thinks she's crazy because she keeps talking about the house, she has imaginary family in her head from childhood and realizes the house she bought is the house for her imagination. Find out the little girls father killed her when she walked in on him having sex with mistress and she is haunting the house to exact revenge, she works through new female owner to get resolved. Super fast read that I couldn't put down

[Donna Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not one of Bohjalian's best works, although this was his first novel. The story line was intriguing however the ending left a lot of unaswered questions. The biggest question of all was whether Marcia killed her husband or not. I'm still scratching my head over that one. I'm also a little confused about Barrington - especially how he got away with what he did (everyone seemed to be aware of the issue, but no one did anything about it...) I wish he had cleared this up at the end/

[Charlotte · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was one of Chris' first books. It was set in Vermont and NYC. It was the story of a house that was haunted and a murder that happened many years ago, and a recent death in the house. I liked it, but I found the end kind of petered out, and didn't end on a strong note. But I enjoyed it right up until the end. I'll continue to read his books, because I really have liked all of the ones I've read thus far.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked it! A quick, classic ghost story. An easy, page-turner read. You have to buy into it being a ghost story - aka ghosts are real - and then it's fun. I am, however, super creeped out by my friend Bridget's review which noted it's based on the author having a keeping a noose in his own actual house. A lot of his books have made me think he's a little off, and that kind of pushed it over the edge for me. I'll still keep reading his books, though!

[Cherie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A- An oldie but goodie of Bohalian's; I read it in 2 nights (and had nightmares bc of it, thanks a lot, Chris!). A young New York couple purchase a house in Vermont, but dark secrets are hidden - both in their relationship, and in the house. Fascinating story of a haunted house, a suicide - or murder?, a love affair, and small-town Vermont. Really enjoyed this one.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

An incredible page turner, this book kept me on the edge of my seat! It was suspenseful and kept me guessing, plus it made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up quite a few times. I highly recommend this thriller to anyone who enjoys this genre.

[Liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was definitely an early work of Bojhalian's. I much preferred Buffalo Soldier and Midwives. But it is an entertaining quick reading ghost story for those who are into that kind of thing.

[Lolly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book-It's a well written ghost story. If you have read his other novels, it is a different but still quite enjoyable. If you like spooky stories, you will be pleased.

[Mara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bohjalian's writing is just as magnetic in this early work, but he does not demonstrate the deftness with plot and character that he shows in his later works.

[Carrie Cooper · Rating 3 out of 5]

Usually, I do not like spooky tales, but this one was alright.

[LInda L · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting ghost story, but not up to some of his later books. Worth reading, though.

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this one even though it isn't one of Bohjalian's more popular books. I don't scare easily; however, I found myself creeped out while reading late at night.

[Laurie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a pretty good ghost story, not my usual genre, but I couldn't put it down. Chris Bohjalian is a wonderful storyteller.

[Krista · Rating 2 out of 5]

Though this early book in the author's career wasn't all that great, it was fun to read to see how his writing has evolved over time.

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this is his first novel. It started off slow but once it got moving, I was hooked and found myself thinking twice before I shut the light off at night!