Button Bright

by Michael Kurland

“Somebody was yelling in the room now, one of the strange men, and her mother was screaming and screaming. But Button was only dimly aware of the sounds. Her consciousness had shrunk down to focus on the body that was blocking her hole—and the warm, thick liquid that was dripping onto her hand."

Button is an 11 year old, bubbly and intelligent girl who is haunted in her dreams by a tapping sound… Living with her mother and father in Cottsborough, Vermont, Button had been trained to hide and not ever answer to her secret name ‘Rachel’.

One day, two men arrive at Button’s family home searching for her by this secret name. Refusing to give Button up, things turn violent and the men shoot her father dead. Through a narrow crack in the floor boards, Button bears witness to the murder.

Eluding the two men who tried to catch her, Button uses her wits to navigate herself from Vermont to Boston and then to New York. Button has a plan to find her uncle Dromkin. When her search seems hopeless, Button is taken in by a resident of her uncle’s apartment building, Phil, who claims he can help.

But when they find Dromkin sprawled on the floor with his throat cut, Button is convinced she is somehow the cause of these family murders... Will Phil be able to keep her identity hidden long enough for her to find out the truth?

Genres: Horror, Fiction, Science Fiction

240 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 1, 1990

About the author

aka Jennifer Plum

Michael Kurland has written many non-fiction books on a vast array of topics, including How to Solve a Murder, as well as many novels. Twice a finalist for the Edgar Award (once for The Infernal Device) given by the Mystery Writers of America, Kurland is perhaps best known for his novels about Professor Moriarty. He lives in Petaluma, California.

Reviews

[Peter · Rating 3 out of 5]

11 year old Buttom Gramm witnesses how her father is shot and her mother is abducted. Why want the unknown people get a hold on her? Is there a secret hidden in her past? When she flees to New York a group of outsiders helps to know her early years. What about the Eternal Master? Why can the blind man help? And what about the government program to increase certain mental abilities in special bred children? The book has many fine ingredients and is very intriguing at parts. On the other hand it sometimes is too much dialogue, philosophy and dragging along. With Dean Koontz the government program would have been enough to throw you off the rocker. Here you have some complicated metaphysical elements inside that are a bit too much for the story. Hey, it was a great blast from the past, don't get me wrong but a show like "Stranger Things" does better here if you know what I mean. Nevertheless recommended if you're into classic governmental horror and cult stuff. Had its moments!

[Jack Tripper · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was quite the surprise. While the cover makes it seem like some cheesy "killer doll" horror novel in the Zebra mold, it's more of mystery-thriller, with supernatural and science fiction overtones that slowly get ramped up. It reminded me a bit of Stranger Things, only if the focus was almost exclusively on Eleven, and instead of her staying in Hawkins, she was constantly on the move across the country in order to evade the sinister people who are after her.

Button is a unique eleven year-old, wise beyond her years and with otherworldly gifts she doesn't fully understand. Some bad people are looking for her, killing anyone that gets in their way, and she must try and remember her buried past while staying on the run. She meets some great characters during her trek across the country, many of whom risk the ever-increasing dangers -- both physical and psychical -- in order to help her discover her hidden origins. Some may even be special like her.

It's strange to me that this isn't more of a cult classic, as I found it to be a pretty intense horror-tinged thriller that's very well-written and with some far-out SF concepts dealing with (VAGUELY SPOILERY) planes of reality, the true nature of gods, etc. It's extremely creepy at times, fun and lighthearted at others. I suppose it didn't help that the publishers probably didn't know how to market this, and I can't blame them, as it doesn't fit neatly into any one genre.

I only wish Michael Kurland had written more in this vein, blending multiple genres, as opposed to straight mystery, straight fantasy, etc., but either way I'd definitely be down to read more of his stuff.

[Warren Fournier · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Button Bright" is one of those 80s paperback horrors that has garnered quite a reputation as a hidden classic over the years. It certainly was an enjoyable adventure, and at times was really adorable, cute, and touching. The character of the 11-year-old Button is quite charming and sweet. She is both infantilized and advanced for her age, and as the course of the mystery behind her life unfolds, you begin to understand why.

But from discussions of this book in the horror community, I made an erroneous assumption. I thought this was going to be a more serious study of childhood trauma and its extended impact across communities. In some cases it was. But this ended up being mainly a bizarre roadtrip novel from Vermont to New York, from New York to the Midwest, and from the Midwest to Southern California, with the finale located in a former Indiana State Hospital, likely based off the still active Richmond or Evansville State Hospitals from the descriptions. I was also surprised to find that this was more of a work of science fiction and an imitation of Stephen King's "Firestarter" in many ways, only with incredibly uneven pacing and a lack of a satisfying final showdown.

With only just a few pages left in the book, I was convinced the story was going to end abruptly and set itself up for a sequel. Instead, it wraps everything up as quickly as it can within that short span, leaving the end feeling incredibly rushed and unsatisfying. In fact, one of the major plot points was simply forgotten and never resolved. You can really tell when authors suddenly find themselves up against a deadline after screwing around a bit too much for their publisher's satisfaction, because for almost two whole acts of the book, the author took his time. We have countless scenes of Button sitting around eating pancakes or acting precious while her adult friends are waxing philosophic or telling horrid "dad jokes." This helped established some investment in the characters but went on for too long at the expense of building tension in the reader to be released in a thrilling conclusion. I was reminded of a grumpy and impatient dad reading to his kids:

"...and then the monster reared up and bared his great big ugly teeth and wiggled his sharp claws at the frightened little girl!"

"Ooo, what happened next, Daddy?"

"What? Oh, then they all lived happily ever after, the end. Now shut up and go to bed."

This book deserved to have an epic end, as this was a tale that took place all across America while the bad guy schemes for world domination. You follow Button through some wild stuff as she investigates the death of her parents and her own mysterious origins, and you wanted to see Button kick some serious ass in the end.

But this book was too sweet and lighthearted to go there. The tag line, "Button, Button shining bright, Tell me who you'll kill tonight!" is completely false advertising. And as much as I found the cuteness of our main protagonist and the soft-hearted nature of most of the characters a refreshing change of pace from the oft nihilist literature I've been reading, I'm not so sure fans of 80s paperback horrors would appreciate it, as they might expect higher body counts with more gore, frights, and action in such fair.

In all, I thoroughly enjoyed "Button Bright," but for readers who found this review looking for titillating vintage horror titles, this is not your strongest offering.

[ItzSmashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

The cover and blurb imply this is a horror story but id say it is very low on any scary moments. I did however enjoy this a sci fi story.Good mystery and the characters were likeable and fleshed out. A young girl with physic powers is on the run after her parents are killed by religious extremists and has to hone her skills to fight the leader who is targeting her and other gifted kids.

[Jerri · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am conflicted concerning this book. There were definite 4 star moments but there were more 2 star (grit your teeth and get through it) moments. I liked Button and especially her dream sections. This author has talent. The story concept is good and there is a nice creepy feeling. I loved the beginning of the story. It grabbed my attention and held it. I began doubting the story once Button is discovered by Phil. At that point I kept thinking "well that was too easy - that was too convenient." Introduce Janice and Susan and the story started to fall apart as conversations were tedious, forced and too lengthy. There are enough good parts in the book that pull the reader back in just when we are about to give up and call it quits. I found the Master sections to also be dull and uninspired. I just couldn't wait to get through them. I was a bit worried about 15 pages from the end. I don't mind stories with unclear endings or stories that leave the author with an opening for a second book. But - I absolutely despise a cliff hanger book the just ends with no closure what so ever. Anyone who reads my reviews knows how I feel about this and that I will be unlikely to ever read the author again. Kurland manages to finish up the story hurriedly in those last 15 pages. I was relieved that I wouldn't have to give the story 2 stars. There is an opening for a follow up book but while I enjoyed parts of the book and feel that the author does has talent, I doubt that I will read the next.

[angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible Book!!!!!

Absolutely loved it! Well written with a great premise. A coming of age novel that reminded me greatly of Stephen Kings The Talisman. Michael leaves the book with a satisfying ending while simultaneously teasing the reader a promise of more to come. I sincerely hope there is a sequel as I would love to go on more adventures with Button. I devoured this book within four hours and that was while mothering my two toddlers. Please do not disregard this review on account of the housewife stereotypes. I am quite the connoisseur of books; some would even call me a bibliophile. I assure you that this is a great book.

[Brenda Treddle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fair story

It started off as a good story line and held my interest.Then in the middle to me the story went all over the place. Doesn't tell how people were captured,how minds controlled was done. Bring people in that you have no ideal who what where they are or from .This just had me lost even at the end you don't know what has really happen to these characters. Needs more work on giving more insight into the story.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting but disjointed

Good premise decent writing in the beginning. Starts skipping around and there is a lot of missing time. Kind of disjointed.

[Krista · Rating 1 out of 5]

What...the #$%@&...was the last 1/3 of this book?! Did the author suddenly drop acid and write it from some psychedelic astral plane?

The first 2/3 were okay. Some parts were tedious, some were entertaining. It followed the trope of a mysterious Institute doing psychic/genetic experiments on children. One day two mysterious men show up to retrieve 11-year-old Button from her home; they kill/kidnap her parents; she runs away and, in a storyline that could only happen prior to the 1990's, gets on a bus to New York City and hides out to live with a random adult man (a psychologist named Phil) and his two lesbian artist friends (Janice and Susan) who take her in. These adults avoid calling the police and decide they're going to take a road trip (apparently they have no actual jobs or responsibilities) to go find the Institute that Button recollected living at when they hypnotized her back to her two-year-old self. At the end of Part 2, Button sees her mother in a diner. The mother screams, calls her a bitch and demands that someone grab her. Three men jump out of nowhere, and suddenly we're in Part 3 of the book.

Then it gets weird.

It's two years later, Button is living with Janice on the other side of the country under an assumed name, and literally nothing is explained about what happened at the end of Part 2. We never see or hear from the mother again or find out the reason for her reaction. There's a cult whose leader is a white man who assumes a fake Indian name, and who mind-controls women into having sex with him. He's also trying to mind-control a US Senator and presidential candidate (presumably for power, not sex.) He calls himself the Eternal Master. There's a portal to another plane of existence where blind men can see, or something. Susan, who was last seen in the diner in Part 2, is now a sex slave to the cult leader. It is literally never explained how or why. Phil has had his mind taken over (??) and is living under a different name in some random small town in Nebraska, working as a gas station attendant and appearing as an "idiot savant". Again, there is no explanation for this.

Then a random woman dressed in tons of silver jewelry shows up to kill Button because she believes Button has been murdering people. But Button can make duplicate images of herself (what, I don't even??), and this scares the woman so much she decides not to kill her. Then a psychic blind man who's ALSO been pursuing Button shows up with his guide dog, along with the person who used to be Phil. It turns out the silver-clad woman is Button's "sister" from the institute where they were genetically experimented on. Her special ability is teleporting pure silver objects. And the Eternal Master cult leader is their half-brother. Yeah, I'm not making this up. The blind man explains about a race of beings from another dimension who want to extinguish humanity but can't because a barrier is in place. Somehow these interdimensional aliens were behind the genetic manipulation project and are controlling the Eternal Master to open the portal...I think. At this point, on every page I was literally saying "What. The Hell?" out loud as I was reading.

Then it gets even MORE bizarre, and not in a fun or entertaining way. None of it makes sense, and you should probably just throw the book away.

[Mandy Farrar · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book to enrich your life

First, I’d like to state that this story was very articulate and well-written. I had to look up perhaps over 10 words. I could not put the book down.

*SPOILER ALERT*

However, it was not without its flaws. At times, the conversational banter dragged on; at other times it felt rushed. It also felt like the dialogue was the same for everyone. I didn’t feel like normal intelligent people in todays’s society speak this way to their close friends. I get these are not normal intelligent people. Which brings me to another point: this started to feel like science fiction about 3/4 of the way in. In addition, the “Others” motives made no sense, or wasn’t clearly established.
Another thing, it was stated in the story that “plain of existence is comparatively young, a few tens of millions of years old...It came into being with the formation of the planet Earth around the Sun, at just the right distance and with just the right atmosphere and physical makeup to encourage the formation of life.” (p. 215). Um, no. Try a few hundreds of millions of years. Perhaps billions; however, this equation has yet to be solved so I won’t nitpick a few million. At any rate, let facts be facts where you find them.

And one last but minor thing that I couldn’t stop thinking about: why didn’t Janice recognize Phil? 🤔

Nitpicking aside, I fell in love with the characters and thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It enhanced my knowledge in certain areas and for that I am grateful, as that is the purpose of reading! I would read more from this very capable Author.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed reading the first 2/3 of this book. Amazon presents it looking like a bloody horror story - a genre that I do not like. But it is the opposite: this is a book told out of the eyes of an 11 year old girl. Coming from an Author like Michael Kurland we know right away that there is nothing 'usual' about this kid! People who meet Button tend to call her 'precocious'. But the more we learn about her and find out about her early life we get this sneaky feeling that there is a lot more to Button than we know so far.
After her father gets shot and her mother gets kidnapped Button is on the run and meets quite interesting characters - some of whom she can trust and end up helping her. I really enjoyed reading MK's short, one paragraph, descriptions about the towns which Button and her friends visit. You feel like you've been there - or really want to go and visit!
Unfortunately the story suddenly sort of 'falls apart' in the last third. I can not go into details without spoilers.

[Antigone Walsh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Button is a brilliant and engaging little girl with a mysterious background. When her father is murdered and her mother abducted Button heads to NYC. There she is befriended by some kindly strangers who realize something evil is afoot. Button and her friends are drawn into a battle with powerful a nab d relentless opponents.

Overall I liked this book. Button is engaging. Her adversaries, while evil, are not especially interesting nor are they well defined. The Master is a stereotypical bore. I am not a big fan of sci fi and this book clearly falls into that category. But I did like Button enough to read her next adventure.

[Raymond Hardie · Rating 5 out of 5]

My one big gripe about Kurland’s book is there is no sequel. Button is a fascinating and entrancing character. And the arc of the narrative drives forward at breakneck speed. I was galloping through the book when I decided I had to hit the brakes in order to savor it. And it is indeed a book to savor. I loved the interweaving complexity of the narrative, and the different voices.

I had the same feeling I experienced when reading the first C.S. Lewis Space Trilogy Out of the Silent Planet. That sense of lurking evil and horror, only this time, with a child as the central character, it was even more intense.
Read it! It is a mind-bending thrill. And it should be a movie.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Button Bright - Michael Kurland
There is something extraordinary about Button, that she has people hunting her down. These people will kill anyone who stands in their way of retrieving Button. Button finds kind people along her way to help her find out why she is being sought after. Will she find the truth and the motive as to why someone wants her dead?

[Nancy Newhall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Button Bright.......

Very interesting supernatural story that held my interest throughout without being completely unbelievable... I really enjoyed the story and will look to see if there is a follow-up...

[Nikki Johnson-tyner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent story

I like that author took the time to develop the character thus letting you buy into their story line. When the story ended I was searching Amazon for part two. Totally engaged... What's next for Button?

[Maryjane Vendel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Button, Button. Who's got the Button?

Wow. Wow. This story managed to lead me through realms of worlds I didn't see coming. Just as you thought you had it figured out......it changed. I hope we will see more of Button. What a good movie this would make.

[Janina s. Asselin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thrilling journey

I really enjoyed this book. The only disappointment was the choppy flow of the writing. The characters seemed unfinished and the story skipped and had missing pieces. It is too bad because it really had promise. Some sections were captivating and others felt like I had missed pages when reading. I tried to look beyond that which is why I said I really enjoyed it. I enjoyed the promise of it.

[Carla O · Rating 5 out of 5]

A mindbending read!

This was a very interesting plot line. I don't usually read sci-fi, and although technically, this is, it had a very human and emotional aspect. I loved the characters. I also found this writer to be well researched and erudite. A very satisfactory ending.

[Sherri · Rating 4 out of 5]

(3.5) I just can't decide how to rate this book. I liked it and wanted to finish it, but it's not quite a 4 but more than a 3.

[Kathy Long · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantasy and courage........

Interesting story. Easy read. You need to believe in make believe to completely enjoy this book. Great main character warms your heart.

[dawn h hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story

Loved this. Great characters, good plot. Pulled me right in , I finished it in one day-+I'll be waiting for the next one.

[Donna King · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rate the book!

What a great story. Wonderful. Wonderful. Great characters. Button was super. Mr. Kirkland did a super job. He is a great author!

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story

Not a very easy read but is a very good story. Had a happy ending. Great characters. Really enjoyed the book.