The Blackstone Chronicles: The Serial Thriller Complete in One Volume

Blackstone Chronicles #1-6

by John Saul

Now, for the first time, the New York Times bestselling serial thriller is complete in one terrifying volume. John Saul, the master of supernatural suspense, John Saul, brings to chilling life the small New England town of Blackstone--and the secrets and sins that lay buried there. . . .

From atop Blackstone's highest hill, the old Asylum casts its shadow over the village. Built in the 1890s to house the insane, the Asylum has stood vacant for decades. But now, the wrecker's ball is about to strike--and unleash an ominous evil. Strange gifts begin to appear on the doorsteps of Blackstone's finest citizens.

Each bears a mysterious history.

Each brings a horrifying power to harm.

Each reveals another thread in the suspensefully woven web of . . .

THE BLACKSTONE CHRONICLES

Part I--An Eye for an The Doll
Part II--Twist of The Locket
Part III--Ashes to The Dragon's Flame
Part IV--In the Shadow of The Handkerchief
Part V--Day of The Stereoscope
Part VI--Asylum

Genres: Horror, Fiction, Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Supernatural, Horror Thriller

544 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

About the author

John Saul is an American author best known for his bestselling suspense and horror novels, many of which have appeared on The New York Times Best Seller list. Born in Pasadena and raised in Whittier, California, Saul attended several universities without earning a degree. He spent years honing his craft, writing under pen names before finding mainstream success. His breakout novel, Suffer the Children (1977), launched a prolific career, with over 60 million copies of his books in print. Saul’s work includes Cry for the Strangers, later adapted into a TV movie, and The Blackstone Chronicles series. He is also a playwright, with one-act plays produced in Los Angeles and Seattle. In 2023, he received the Bram Stoker Award for Lifetime Achievement. Openly gay, he has lived with his partner—also his creative collaborator—for nearly 50 years. Saul divides his time between Seattle, the San Juan Islands, and Hawaii, and frequently speaks at writers’ conferences, including the Maui Writers' Conference. His enduring popularity in the horror genre stems from a blend of psychological tension, supernatural elements, and deep emotional undercurrents that have resonated with readers for decades.

Reviews

[Dirk Grobbelaar · Rating 4 out of 5]

A place of unspeakable sadness and pain.

A small town.
An abandoned asylum for the ‘insane’.
A past mystery.
A present mystery.

The Blackstone Chronicles consists of six distinct sequences that were originally released in serial format, much in the same fashion as Dickens's work, and more recently, The Green Mile. Each sequence is roughly the length of a novella, and added together they form the complete novel. The good news is that it’s completely cohesive and flawlessly executed, which has to be commended.

Inside the box were two stacks of file folders.
And something else.

Each sequence deals with a gift that anonymously finds its way to one of the prominent families in Blackstone, and the consequent results. I loved how Saul somehow treats insanity as a transmissible affliction. Yes, it’s implausible that the gifts should have such a powerful effect on the lives of people, but that’s neither here nor there: this is a horror novel after all. Paranoia. Compulsion. Delusion. Psychosis. Take your pick.

Behind their locks and barricades they knew precautions were useless, of course, for deep in their souls, each of them understood that if the madness came to invade his home, no locks would keep it out, no shutters hold it at bay. It would slither in through the crevices and cracks, and by morning—

I must admit that this is one of the most insidious stories I’ve ever read; it slowly but surely gets under the skin, in its own unassuming fashion. You have to read with a discerning eye; Saul inserts a few tips into the story regarding the patients and their relation to the current residents of Blackstone. Even though I actually managed to identify the shadowy antagonist of the story, the ending was still rather shocking. Something that did bother me was the reaction of the people who were eventually privy to the truth: a bit too blasé and not very convincing, considering all that had happened.

Something inside its walls—something unknowable—terrified him.

The book flirts with the supernatural, weaving events into the plot that just prevents the reader from discarding every possibility. The Blackstone Chronicles isn’t eerie all the time, but when it’s eerie, it’s very eerie.

The flashlight revealed a bathroom.
A large tiled bathroom, still equipped with an old-fashioned, claw-footed bathtub, a toilet with a flushing tank pinned high on the wall—its pull chain long since disappeared—and a pedestal sink standing below an old-fashioned medicine cabinet with a mirrored door.
[He] played the light into every corner of the room, but once again found nothing even slightly threatening. It was just as barren and grubby as the office next door. But then, as he was turning back toward the door, the beam of the flashlight struck the mirror above the sink. Through the layer of grime that had built up over the years, [he] caught a quick glimpse of the bathtub. Now, in the reflected glow of the beam, it was no longer empty.
Two figures, their eyes glimmering in the light, peered back at him.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are after a typical, solid horror read, then this offering from John Saul is one for you. Originally a series of short stories, this novel ties them all together – without the hassle of you having to run out and get the next one! As such, this serialisation is pacey and, whilst the stories are connected, it is chilling enough to remain original and interesting.

All of the stories are linked to the Asylum, long since closed, that overlooks the town of Blackstone. The mysterious artefacts that people suddenly begin to receive, are linked to the murky past of the Asylum and, through flashbacks, readers learn the significance of each item. Each object appears to have supernatural influences over the recipients. Leading to hallucinations, paranoia and excessive feelings of jealousy, the town turns inevitably suspicious of bad luck descending onto their own households. Despite each story focusing on a symbolic object, Saul is still able to ensure the episodes are different and unique. His descriptions build on the intensity of emotions and the fear everybody feels in Blackstone. Whilst I could eventually predict how some of the stories would conclude, it was still a horrific pleasure to read.

However, despite this, I did find myself feeling a little drained in the last quarter of the novel. Yes, I was enjoying the plot development but, personally, it became a little stagnant and obvious how the series would finally unfold. I had remembered the link between all of the stories – despite reading this book for the first time over a decade ago – and this certainly lessened the overall impact that the novel had on me. Being a set of short stories meant it was easy to have a break from reading the book yet, combined with the predictable plot development, it did decrease the tension and horror of everything.

Whilst this is a good example of a decent horror read, and better than the Stephen King novels I have thus far read, it must be remembered that this is a collection of short stories. To appreciate this anthology at its best, readers should approach this with an awareness that as a serialisation, the horror is possibly reduced for some; it is a decent scary, psychological read but repetitive towards the end.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book came to highly recommended and I must admit I am glad I chose the version that I did.

But lets wind back for a second. This book is the combination of 6 shorter stories very much in the style of Stephen King's Green Mile (in fact John Saul actually credit this books creation to King acknowledging the fact that with out his book the Blackstone Chronicles would not have existed).

Anyway this book is like I say the collection of the 6 short stories in to one book. Now I will admit that after the first story I think if I was reading them in isolation I may not have read much further -the story was good the action predictable and the characters engaging BUT and here is the BUT it felt so predictable well at least the first story

Now I know that in every story someone has to write it first usually followed by a number f people who think they can do it better but usually end up only copying the original at the same time creative cliches left right and centre.

Well after the first story that is how I felt - but since I was technically only 1/6 through the book forged on. And boy was I glad as the story started to leave the predictable and cliche and set out on its own and I started to really enjoy the story.

Obviously I will not give anything away that is my no spoilers however at the end it did feel a suitably convincing end although reading it at times feel like I was reading a TV script rather than a book. However if you like you creepy town filled with secrets then this is the one for you. I think the Green Mile did it better but I am glad others have tried their hand at the serial story too. I may be temped to read more of Mr Saul's work as a result.

[Unsolved ☕︎ Mystery · Rating 4 out of 5]

- My Description -
In the small town of Blackstone, there sits a hill.
On this hill, an abandoned building rests.

Blackstone Asylum has sit dormant for decades.
Having closed down, It sits almost like an eyesore.

Plans are sit into motion to tear the old building down.
The replacement building will be a brand new and modern shopping center. Pretty spiffy.

Plans are delayed when a problem occurs with the funding for the project.

That's when the gifts begin to arrive.

Like the old asylum, these gifts also have a history.

Part 1 - An Eye for an Eye, The Doll:
A baby doll is left on the front porch of the Mcguire household. Megan McGuire is ecstatic. Like any little girl, she loves baby dolls. There is something special about this one.

Little Megan thinks the doll is for her.
Elizabeth, Megan's mother, is pregnant.
She refuses to give Megan the doll because she suspects the doll might be for the new baby.

Elizabeth hides the doll from Megan, but Megan finds the doll.
Elizabeth hides the doll again, this time somewhere Megan can't reach.

This time, The doll finds Megan.

Drastic consequences take place.

Part 2 - Twist of Fate, The Locket:
Jules Hardwick finds a small box in his driveway.

The box contains a heart shaped locket.

Soon after Jules finds the locket, he begins having visions of his wife with another man. She's having an affair! He's sure of it!

Drastic consequences take place.

Part 3 - Ashes to Ashes, The Dragon's Flame:
Oliver Metcalf and Rebecca Morrison are out shopping one day.

Rebecca finds a dragon cigarette lighter.
She has to have it. It's perfect for her cousin Andrea.

Andrea is finally coming home after being away for twelve years.
Her boyfriend left her then she finds out she's pregnant.
She has to come home. She has nowhere else to go.

Rebecca gives her the dragon lighter as a Welcome home present.

Drastic consequences take place.

Part 4 - In the Shadow of Evil, The Handkerchief:
While browsing his attic, Oliver finds a beautiful hand embroidered handkerchief with the letter R.
He knows just what to do with it. It would be just perfect for Rebecca.

If only someone hadn't stolen it from her...

Drastic consequences take place.

Part 5 – Day of Reckoning, The Stereoscope:
Ed Becker stakes a claim on an abandoned antique dresser left in the old asylum.
He wants to bring it home, refurbish it, then sell it for more than what he paid for it.
Pretty simple. Pretty smart.

Not so fast.

Ed discovers that the dresser has something inside one of the drawers.
A stereoscope, a 3-D device used for viewing images.

Ed really should have left that dresser where he found it.

Drastic consequences take place.

Part 6 – Asylum:
The Asylum is alive.

Everyone thought it was abandoned...

Boy, were they wrong.

- My Review -
I love old abandoned buildings, whether it is a house or in this case, a mental hospital.
There is such history inside them.

I believe no building is ever really abandoned.
If only walls could talk...

I read this for the month of October to celebrate Halloween. Boo. HaHa =)

My favorite story out of the 6 is the 1st one.

There were a few creepy scenes throughout the book so that made me happy.

While I did enjoy this book, the last story felt disconnected from the rest of the book. That was very disappointing.

Also, the ending was abrupt. It left me wanting more.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hey guys! I was looking for a new read to check out while I waited to go back to my local library. While I was browsing the TN reads (Regional Ebook audiobook download system) online library system, this book caught my eye. It is a serial novel called The BlackStone Chronicles by John Saul. This was the first book I have ever read by John Saul in E-book form from the Tennessee Reads (regional e-book and download system) online library system. The Blackstone Chronicles was actually a pretty good read. In each part of this six part serial novel the reader learns of the town's past with the Blackstone Asylum and of the families who receive a mysterious gift that came from the Asylum's evil walls and from the dark presence that resides there like a locket, a doll, a cigarette lighter, a stereoscope, and a razor blade. All of the gifts cause chaos and destruction to the families and this premise reminded me of the "Tales from the dark side" TV series and the Twilight Zone. The storyline was pretty interesting and there were characters that you liked and hated. If you would like to check out this fast-paced read, then definitely check out the BlackStone Chronicles serial novel by John Saul. You'll enjoy it.

[Badseedgirl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read for my February 2022 Mini-challenge "Short Month, Long Book." I will read books 500+ pages for this challenge.

This story consisted of 6 interlocked short stories originally published in serial form. I enjoyed the tale, and it had a real 1980's horror feel to it, although it was published in 1997. My first thought when reading this story, was "Nobody has a cell phone?" But when I thought about it, in 1997 cell phones were not as common. I, in fact, had an emergency pager used for work. I did not have a cell phone.
I figured out who the antagonist was fairly quickly in the series, but the actual details came as a bit of a disappointing reveal. I was curious how the author was going to work his way out of the predicament he wrote himself in. I'm not sure it was successfully resolved, thus the three vs. four stars for the this book.

[Nora Nix · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible book series - incredible game!

I bought each one of these small novellas when they first came out. I was a preteen then, and the horror genre was my favorite to indulge in. John Saul never disappointed, and certainly kept that trend with this series.

The little-known video game by the same name is also amazing. It's perfectly immersive and atmospheric. One of the most frightening, and fun, games I've ever played!

On a personal note, I once sent this author an e-mail to tell him how much I enjoyed his work, and he sent me a personal message in return. That was one of the moments that inspired me to continue on the path of becoming an author, so thank you for that, John Saul.

[Bandit · Rating 2 out of 5]

John Saul was one of the first horror authors I have ever read, for which he has earned a sentimental value and a whole shelf of my bookcase. I've stopped reading him long ago, but nevertheless collected most of his books. I picked up Blackstone Chronicles just to see how I'd enjoy his work now all these years later and I found out that it just doesn't rate that high anymore (much to my disappointment), although it is very interesting to see how my tastes have changed and matured. After a decade of Masterton, Clark, Ketchum, Lee, Laymon, Clegg, Lebbon , Pinbourough, Kenyon, etc. Saul reads boring bland, pedestrian, cardboard like and predictable. This book at the time was a New York Times bestseller, so I guess majority will read horror so long as it's bland enough, but they'll walk away having no idea of the real potential greatness of the genre. It's not a terrible book, it reads very fast, it's just so incredibly blah. There are characters without characters development, the culprit (the great reveal in the end presumably) is made so blatantly obvious throughout the book, I thought it was a set up, but no, that was actually him. Some descriptions and histories are a bit of fun, but it never goes too far, as if constantly kept through a conscientious effort at a friendly rating. So, basically this would be ok to read if you like your horror very tame and your suspense predictable or if you're just discovering horror or if you're very young and impressionable and this is the next step from R.L. Stine books. I'm always gonna have a soft spot in my heart for the author who turned me on to modern horror, but I don't know if I'm gonna necessarily be reading much more of him given options.

[Jessie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun story. I really enjoyed it.

[emanumela · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️
Peccato per il finale frettoloso e deludente.
Il tema è un classico di questa narrativa ed è intrigante; purtroppo Saul non scrive come il Re (King) d’antan perché con questo materiale sarebbe stato un signor libro gotico.
Saul resta un medio scrittore horror.

[Joshua Hair · Rating 4 out of 5]

John Saul did not disappoint on this one. I can imagine the excitement of his readers back in the day when he first announced this six-part serial novel. The anticipation of waiting for each new part probably kept everyone on their toes just as much as the writing did. Some parts were stronger than others, but overall each had a nice creepy feel to it. The conclusion, in my opinion, was the weakest moment, as certain major plot points are simply swept under the rug. John Saul stayed within the classic elements of horror here, so there's nothing to blow you away but it's a fun read regardless, made better when sampled in small doses as Mr. Saul intended it.

[Koen Crolla · Rating 3 out of 5]

I played Legend Entertainment's John Saul's Blackstone Chronicles in 1999, and I mainly remember it as being gloomy and confusing. Once I realised it was based on a book, I resolved to read it to see if it made the game any better, but finding specific low-tier English-language thrillers was a lot harder back then, and I eventually forgot about it.

As it turns out, the premise of the novel is that there is an abandoned evil insane asylum scheduled for renovation, which a mysterious occupant is unhappy about; to express this unhappiness, he sends haunted objects associated with specific episodes in the asylum's history to the townsfolk, with deadly results. It was originally published as a serial, with each of the first five episodes dealing with one object and the sixth being a conclusion I didn't expect it would have—it felt like the sort of story the sort of writer John Saul is would leave open-ended, and I'm glad he didn't.
The execution is serviceable if you're prepared to allow it to be, but this was obviously never going to be one of the great classics—I'd call it a poor man's Stephen King, but I'm pretty sure Stephen King is the poor man's Stephen King. Still, it fills a few evenings.

Of course, now that I've read the book the video game is impossible to find (legally) anymore. I'm sure it was just your typical '90s FMV puzzle adventure game, anyway.

[Yani Daniele · Rating 5 out of 5]

¿Qué puedo decir? es John Saul, uno de los pocos autores que me encanta como logra hacer que el lector se sumerja en la historia y quede atrapado dentro de la atmósfera del libro. Y The Blackstone Chronicles no es la excepción, 6 historias que ocurren en el pequeño pueblo de Blackstone, 6 historias que tienen un objeto "maldito" como protagonista, un objeto que traerá el pasado al presente, para acechar a alguna de las familias del pueblo. Más allá de estos objetos, es el ser misterioso que los va repartiendo y se esconde en la oscuridad lo que une cada relato y no es sino hasta llegar al último, que descubrimos quién es y cuáles son sus motivaciones.

Historias cortas, sin relleno y pura acción, pura maldición cayendo sobre cada personaje, algunos nos darán lástima, otros nos parecerá que lo que les ocurre no es castigo suficiente.

Si les gusta las historias de terror, este libro es cien por ciento recomendado, se lee de un tirón y cuando se termina, te quedas aún vagando por las calles de Blackstone, aún te acecha la sombra del antiguo asilo, porque parte de tu espíritu se ha fundido con los habitantes de ese pueblo.

[Stephanie (Books in the Freezer) · Rating 2 out of 5]

The premise of this is interesting, but the execution not so much. The writing is not great. The characters are two-dimensional. The stories felt tropey and full of cliches. It read more like a soap opera, than anything else. I'm glad I've heard people say that this isn't John Saul's best because it's my first book by him and was close to being my last. Two stars because it read like cotton candy and I kept reading for the eye-roll moments.

[Patty Zuiderwijk · Rating 3 out of 5]

Verhaal: 3,5/5
Karakters: 3,5/5
Schrijfstijl: 3/5
Papier/audio? Papier.
Herlezen: Misschien.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is everything you could ever want from great serial horror. I remember my sister-in-law reading 10 pages every night before she went to bed, and having to watch a Disney movie just so she could sleep. This book rules!

[Dana · Rating 1 out of 5]

i've read lots of his books. The serial concept totally messed him up. Take my advice...read Stephen Kings instead.

[Heidi *Bookwyrm Babe, Voyeur of Covers, Caresser of Spines, Unashamed Smut Slut, the Always Sleepy Wyrm of the Stacks, and Drinker of Tea and Wine* · Rating 4 out of 5]

An abandoned asylum. A mysterious person. Cursed objects. Mayhem ensues.

6 short thrillers that are very well written

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

A reread and still my one my favs from hom

[Alistair Cross · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Blackstone Chronicles, John Saul, 1997

My favorite quote: “The dark figure cradled the doll, gazing into its porcelain face in the moonlight, stroking its long blond hair, remembering how it had come to be here.”

Notable characters: The truth is, they’re all notable. Seriously. This is some of the best work Saul has ever done

Most memorable scene: Early on, when the little girl goes to the asylum. I was stunned. STUNNED. And so was the nurse who helped her undress

Greatest strengths: The shock value. Here there be many, many shocks …

Standout achievements: For technically containing six different stories, it’s remarkably cohesive

Fun Facts: The Blackstone Chronicles is a serialized novel consisting of six installments, all of follow the lives of different characters living in the fiction New Hampshire town of Blackstone

Other media: It’s been adapted into a graphic novel, a computer game, and ALMOST a miniseries … but apparently plans fell through

What it taught me: Because of the way it’s weaved together with a few interesting threads, this collection reads like a complete novel -- something I paid very close attention to for later use in my own work

How it inspired me: When Tamara Thorne and I began our gothic horror collaboration, The Ravencrest Saga, it was originally released in serial form. It’s thanks to Stephen King’s The Green Mile and John Saul's The Blackstone Chronicles that we were able to do that. Those serializations paved the way and warmed modern-day readers to the idea of serial installments

Additional thoughts: When we interviewed John Saul on our podcast, he told us a wonderful story about how this book prompted Whoopi Goldberg to get in touch with him … good stuff

Haunt me: alistaircross.com

[Tania · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just finished the Blackstone Chronicles - all the 6 parts. I'm sad that it's over! If you like thrillers that keep you wondering what is going on, what kind of evil is lurking, you will not be able to put it down. John Saul did a wonderful job of developing the different characters you encounter in the book. You don't necessarily know off the bat who is the main character, but eventually you start noticing the one constant character in all the stories.
I usually enjoy a good thriller / suspense / horror with an asylum in the backdrop. This is it! You get crazy people, doing weird things, weird deaths, suspenseful moments where every line you read you just want to read faster to find out where the author is taking you. The description of the town, of the streets and houses and the people, you can literally see it all around you, it was so well-written.

I loved it, and I loved it even more when I finished and was reading the afterword where John Saul was thanking everyone who helped him, including my beloved Stephen King. As a fan of Mr. King, knowing that he supported Mr. Saul throughout, made it even better for me. After reading this, I now plan on reading as many novels by John Saul as I possibly can.

[Edward Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first four parts were decent to good -- a lot of good things happening. But then it quickly went down. The last part was totally stupid. I was lost. I didn't get it. Where did the story go? It's books like these that get my blood boiling for wasting my time.

I do love reading serial novels and have since The Green Mile, but this is not one of them. If you want to try something new and different, try Ninth Step Station: The Complete Season 1

[Peri · Rating 1 out of 5]

Bad. Bad all over. I only got through about ten pages.

I'm bummed because growing up, I read a lot of novels by Saul. I remember them fondly but now I'm scared to give them a re-read. The only thing I can think of is that this trilogy was published when JSaul was at peak popularity, and I can't blame him for churning out a few books to make bank.

Luckily I got this copy free as an extra from a book sale. I'd be really bummed if I'd spent money on it.

[Rebecca Hemphill · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed it. The character's and setting of the town was strong. reminiscent of King.
I loved the old school feel of it.
My only critique would be that it was a little predictable.
Overall a good read.

[Iris Kain · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you are a huge fan of 80s horror films, this would be a great book for you. It read just like one. I liked it, but found it a bit too full of tropes for me. I'm a big fan of John Saul in general, but this one wasn't one of my favorites. Still, if you're in the mood to read something that's a bit nostalgic for old horror flicks, this would be an excellent book for you.

[Penelope Bartotto · Rating 5 out of 5]

Classic chills and thrills from this acclaimed author. Keeps you guessing until the very end.

[Zeke · Rating 3 out of 5]

mildly interesting story but a bit trite. extremely male writing. if u love stephen king u would probably like this

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was fun and spooky! The ending was a little lackluster for me but it was a pretty good ride!

[Angie · Rating 3 out of 5]

So this book, which is the entire collection of short stories set in Blackstone in one book, made me think of a 90's horror/comedy show (like Tales from the Crypt without the Cryptkeeper). You know, low budget for the effects, each story has a moral at the end or a separate theme but they're all tied together in some way. Yeah, something like that. It was all very 90s. But not bad. It was an enjoyable series of short stories that features a cursed item in each one, then it all comes together in the end when you find out who the mysterious shadowed figure is delivering these items to the townsfolk. Easy read, nothing too deep, and your classic 90s horror. Enjoy!

[Aaron Lindsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful story of the town of Blackstone and sins past and present. Odd things are happening as long lost items become unwanted gifts with deadly consequences.
Originally published in serial format, this novel is easy to read in six sittings. Very entertaining from start to finish.