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Billy
Barton Royal, a deranged misfit, kidnaps twelve-year-old Billy Neary from the video arcade at the Crossland Mall and imprisons him in the secret black room beneath his house, in a tale of madness and evil
317 pages, Hardcover
Published August 20, 1990
29 people are currently reading
920 people want to read
About the author
Whitley Strieber
152 books1,252 followersAmerican writer best known for his novels The Wolfen,The Hunger and Warday and for Communion, a non-fiction description of his experiences with apparent alien contact. He has recently made significant advances in understanding this phenomenon, and has published his new discoveries in Solving the Communion Enigma.
Strieber also co-authored The Coming Global Superstorm with Art Bell, which inspired the blockbuster film about sudden climate change, The Day After Tomorrow.
His book The Afterlife Revolution written with his deceased wife Anne, is a record of what is considered to be one of the most powerful instances of afterlife communication ever recorded.
Strieber also co-authored The Coming Global Superstorm with Art Bell, which inspired the blockbuster film about sudden climate change, The Day After Tomorrow.
His book The Afterlife Revolution written with his deceased wife Anne, is a record of what is considered to be one of the most powerful instances of afterlife communication ever recorded.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews
March 31, 2018
Though this book was not marketed as horror, it certainly fits into the genre — quite comfortably, in fact. It’s the Thomas Harris sort of horror: scares mixed with an indelible crime investigation. And while this 1990 novel about a kidnapping does not offer the sort of complexity as seen in Red Dragon, it isn’t necessary. This is a knockout.
I have to say this up front: I could not give this five stars. The writing is excellent, as is the plotting and characterization. Whitley Strieber is obviously talented, and I couldn’t put this down. However, this is about child abuse and the author is not afraid to rub the reader’s face in the gritty, disgusting details: I feel reading this left a black spot on my soul. I can’t remember the last time I felt so disgusted and violated by what I was reading; it was that visceral reaction that kept me turning pages. Funny how that works.
This book caused me to have nightmares and I know I won’t forget it any time soon. Kidnappings have long fascinated me — I love this subject matter. But the author did almost too good a job of creating a vivid, realistic scenario.
I have to say this up front: I could not give this five stars. The writing is excellent, as is the plotting and characterization. Whitley Strieber is obviously talented, and I couldn’t put this down. However, this is about child abuse and the author is not afraid to rub the reader’s face in the gritty, disgusting details: I feel reading this left a black spot on my soul. I can’t remember the last time I felt so disgusted and violated by what I was reading; it was that visceral reaction that kept me turning pages. Funny how that works.
This book caused me to have nightmares and I know I won’t forget it any time soon. Kidnappings have long fascinated me — I love this subject matter. But the author did almost too good a job of creating a vivid, realistic scenario.
October 23, 2012
I found this older paperback laying around and decided to read it because the title is the same as my father’s name, Billy. I know that’s a strange reason, but that’s why I read this book. I didn’t read the quick blip on the back of the book, but quickly found that it was about a child abduction – not my usual or favorite reading fare.
Although the book seems to be based on a true story, it is fiction. Its beginning is chilling as you get into the mind of the abductor, Barton Royal, while he is stalking and choosing his victim at the mall. Apparently a serial killer, he has done this before and makes his plans very carefully, having learned from past mistakes.
The first few chapters are really gripping, but after that the events began to seem rather implausible. Without giving out too many spoilers, let me simply say that there were times the kidnapper could have been caught, and several times the boy could have escaped, but didn’t. The change in the boy throughout the ordeal seemed rather unrealistic also. Here’s an example:
“Barton rolled the side door of the van open. Despite everything Billy was eager to see the mansion. He loved big houses. If he’d been in control of things, Dad would have made more money, and they would live in a huge house with columns. Instead of the old wagon, they would have something incredible, like maybe a bright red Bentley Turbo, zero to sixty in six and a half seconds, top end a hundred and sixty, the fastest production sedan in the world. ”
Really now, this is unbelievable. The boy had just been kidnapped and knew he would probably be sexually assaulted and maybe even murdered, yet this was his reaction when the kidnapper got him to his house. He’s thinking about a fancy house and a car! No, not even remotely believable.
The police and detective involved in the case seemed to be rather incompetent. Of course, this was before the Amber Alerts which started in 1996, and this book was originally written in 1990. But I still think that law enforcement agencies put a very high priority on stranger abduction of children.
I had a hard time connecting to the family. I think the author tried to make the family seem not too perfect. Even though this story is a parent’s nightmare, I couldn’t relate to the family. The father was a high school teacher, and you got the impression they lived pretty poor. I don’t usually think of teachers as poor. I know they aren’t rich, but the ones I know live well.
The book seemed even more chilling for me because, as I was reading this book, the story of a girl kidnapped in Colorado was just making national news.
The author did a good job of letting you learn about Barton Royal in bits and pieces as you read the book. Parts of the book were unnerving and, for me, had a Silence of the Lambs kind of feel to it - as I said ‘unnerving, a parent’s nightmare.’ I didn’t like sections at the end of the book, written in short fragmented pieces. We also find out what happens to Barton Royal, but aren’t really told how. I wanted to know more about the fate of the kidnapper. The ending of the book seemed rushed. However, the author did have a cemetery scene at the end that I thought was very appropriate.
Not really a book I would recommend, even though it was once a New York Times Bestseller. It’s chilling, unnerving in places, has a lot of suspense, but definitely not my preferred reading.
Although the book seems to be based on a true story, it is fiction. Its beginning is chilling as you get into the mind of the abductor, Barton Royal, while he is stalking and choosing his victim at the mall. Apparently a serial killer, he has done this before and makes his plans very carefully, having learned from past mistakes.
The first few chapters are really gripping, but after that the events began to seem rather implausible. Without giving out too many spoilers, let me simply say that there were times the kidnapper could have been caught, and several times the boy could have escaped, but didn’t. The change in the boy throughout the ordeal seemed rather unrealistic also. Here’s an example:
“Barton rolled the side door of the van open. Despite everything Billy was eager to see the mansion. He loved big houses. If he’d been in control of things, Dad would have made more money, and they would live in a huge house with columns. Instead of the old wagon, they would have something incredible, like maybe a bright red Bentley Turbo, zero to sixty in six and a half seconds, top end a hundred and sixty, the fastest production sedan in the world. ”
Really now, this is unbelievable. The boy had just been kidnapped and knew he would probably be sexually assaulted and maybe even murdered, yet this was his reaction when the kidnapper got him to his house. He’s thinking about a fancy house and a car! No, not even remotely believable.
The police and detective involved in the case seemed to be rather incompetent. Of course, this was before the Amber Alerts which started in 1996, and this book was originally written in 1990. But I still think that law enforcement agencies put a very high priority on stranger abduction of children.
I had a hard time connecting to the family. I think the author tried to make the family seem not too perfect. Even though this story is a parent’s nightmare, I couldn’t relate to the family. The father was a high school teacher, and you got the impression they lived pretty poor. I don’t usually think of teachers as poor. I know they aren’t rich, but the ones I know live well.
The book seemed even more chilling for me because, as I was reading this book, the story of a girl kidnapped in Colorado was just making national news.
The author did a good job of letting you learn about Barton Royal in bits and pieces as you read the book. Parts of the book were unnerving and, for me, had a Silence of the Lambs kind of feel to it - as I said ‘unnerving, a parent’s nightmare.’ I didn’t like sections at the end of the book, written in short fragmented pieces. We also find out what happens to Barton Royal, but aren’t really told how. I wanted to know more about the fate of the kidnapper. The ending of the book seemed rushed. However, the author did have a cemetery scene at the end that I thought was very appropriate.
Not really a book I would recommend, even though it was once a New York Times Bestseller. It’s chilling, unnerving in places, has a lot of suspense, but definitely not my preferred reading.
May 2, 2021
4 Stars for Billy (audiobook) by Whitley Strieber read by Roddy McDowall.
This was a scary story. I’m familiar with the author but I didn’t know what this story was about. This is really disturbing without being graphic.
This was a scary story. I’m familiar with the author but I didn’t know what this story was about. This is really disturbing without being graphic.
October 25, 2013
The Basics
A psychopathic kidnapper by the name of Barton sets his sights on Billy. In Barton’s twisted mind, Billy is going to be his salvation, his happy family he’s always wanted. Billy is abducted from his home, his family desperate to find him, as Barton tries to convince Billy he is the only family he’ll ever need.
My Thoughts
Wow, this book is dark. I read a lot of dark fiction, but there’s something about throwing a kid into the mix that takes it to a whole new level. This was published in 1990, and being that I was seven at the time, I can recall the bombardment of PSAs and after school specials about not talking to strangers, telling your parents when a grown-up approaches you, how to deal with all the various scenarios and everything that could go wrong. This book fits right in with the atmosphere of that time, when parents were learning to lock their doors and watch that guy who’s getting too close. Maybe Strieber was inspired by the surge in interest in educating children about the dangers of the world, but it’s definitely a more adult perspective with some very adult terrors.
The real guts of this story lie with Barton and Billy. Barton’s delusions and mood swings and Billy’s struggles to deal with his situation when he’s really too young to be asked to handle something of this magnitude. I’m not going to pretend a book this tense with this subject matter is for everyone, but if you can handle a thriller where the victim in question is a kid, it’s quite a page turner. For obvious reasons, because you’re not going to be satisfied until you know what happens to Billy, for better or worse. But it also happens to be a thriller that’s fairly well-handled and brings, well, the thrills. So many books in the genre don’t that this one stood out to me as a big victory.
My one complaint would probably be the family. We jump back to them every so often to find out how they’re doing and if they’ve found any new clues about where Billy might be. And the result is the mother completely breaks down and becomes the wretched cliche of the “hysterical woman” that I always hate to see coming in these books. Strieber insists that she’s the rock of this family, the foundation, the sturdy one, as she has one breakdown after another. It’s understandable that a parent faced with this tragedy would be inconsolable, but the number of times that she squared her shoulders and then immediately lost her cool was ludicrous. Show, don’t tell. If she’s strong, then show her being strong. Don’t tell me she is and then contradict yourself.
I admire this story for not pulling a single punch. It goes there. That’s a warning as much as it is praise, but for my part, I like a book that doesn’t flinch. Because it wants me to flinch first.
Final Rating
4/5
A psychopathic kidnapper by the name of Barton sets his sights on Billy. In Barton’s twisted mind, Billy is going to be his salvation, his happy family he’s always wanted. Billy is abducted from his home, his family desperate to find him, as Barton tries to convince Billy he is the only family he’ll ever need.
My Thoughts
Wow, this book is dark. I read a lot of dark fiction, but there’s something about throwing a kid into the mix that takes it to a whole new level. This was published in 1990, and being that I was seven at the time, I can recall the bombardment of PSAs and after school specials about not talking to strangers, telling your parents when a grown-up approaches you, how to deal with all the various scenarios and everything that could go wrong. This book fits right in with the atmosphere of that time, when parents were learning to lock their doors and watch that guy who’s getting too close. Maybe Strieber was inspired by the surge in interest in educating children about the dangers of the world, but it’s definitely a more adult perspective with some very adult terrors.
The real guts of this story lie with Barton and Billy. Barton’s delusions and mood swings and Billy’s struggles to deal with his situation when he’s really too young to be asked to handle something of this magnitude. I’m not going to pretend a book this tense with this subject matter is for everyone, but if you can handle a thriller where the victim in question is a kid, it’s quite a page turner. For obvious reasons, because you’re not going to be satisfied until you know what happens to Billy, for better or worse. But it also happens to be a thriller that’s fairly well-handled and brings, well, the thrills. So many books in the genre don’t that this one stood out to me as a big victory.
My one complaint would probably be the family. We jump back to them every so often to find out how they’re doing and if they’ve found any new clues about where Billy might be. And the result is the mother completely breaks down and becomes the wretched cliche of the “hysterical woman” that I always hate to see coming in these books. Strieber insists that she’s the rock of this family, the foundation, the sturdy one, as she has one breakdown after another. It’s understandable that a parent faced with this tragedy would be inconsolable, but the number of times that she squared her shoulders and then immediately lost her cool was ludicrous. Show, don’t tell. If she’s strong, then show her being strong. Don’t tell me she is and then contradict yourself.
I admire this story for not pulling a single punch. It goes there. That’s a warning as much as it is praise, but for my part, I like a book that doesn’t flinch. Because it wants me to flinch first.
Final Rating
4/5
December 19, 2023
This is a breathtaking pageturner....also very well written probe into a very twisted mind of a psycho.
February 28, 2013
Best book ever best ending ever, Camila should read it.
April 11, 2018
Billy es un predecesor de El monstruo pentápodo que yo no conocía.
Creo que Whitley Strieber, cuando no habla de su abducción por extraterrestres, es un buen narrador. Muy recomendable.
Creo que Whitley Strieber, cuando no habla de su abducción por extraterrestres, es un buen narrador. Muy recomendable.
October 17, 2014
I've had this book for years and years and haven't really wanted to read it but I finally pulled it out. Even though it wasn't one that I had a hard time putting it down I couldn't get enough of it while I was reading it. I didn't go through a range of emotions but my body was involved and I had a tense stomach and body as I became absorbed by the suspense of it all. It grabbed me from the very beginning which has been rare these days with the books I have read and this one kept me involved until near the end. The last 2 chapters or so I felt let down as the ending was what I had expected in some way but there was this sense of disappointment as I was expecting something more intense that went along the flavor of the rest of the book.
Overall though it was a great read and anything that keeps me involved these days is a bonus.
Overall though it was a great read and anything that keeps me involved these days is a bonus.
August 8, 2011
There were flashes of brilliance throughout the book – the description of the kidnapper picking out his next victim, chilling self-talk of the abductor convincing himself that he’s not a pedophile/child killer, and the abducted boy’s descent into his own mind when things become unbearable. But something was off kilter just enough to keep the fourth star out of reach. It's worth reading once.
April 8, 2019
Oh, look, another "Evil Transvestite" trope. Give me a break.
October 19, 2019
Never read a book where children have been kidnaped by a Psycho... It really tears at the heart and what a family must go through. Even though this book is pretty much fiction, it tore at my heart because you know this does happen in real life... New Author for me and I like his writing!!!
March 25, 2023
This book was just brilliant. Perspective from almost every character in the book meant great insight, fascinating character development and an intense building of stress, terror, fear, sadness - just amazing. Such a hard hitting insight into surely the worst thing a family can endure. The threat of violence and terror throughout this book and the build of the situation was wonderfully written. One of the best books I’ve read in ages.
February 8, 2025
My Review and Thoughts:
I first read Billy in 1991. I was in Gresham Middle School when I started reading it and it was one of the first books that I read in one and a half days’ time. 1991 was the year that I officially became an insomniac, and all I really could do to pass the time at night was to read. Billy was one of the first books that occupied my time as I slowly became affected with insomnia. People often ask me how I have read so many books, as of this writing 7,068, it's because for the past 23 years I have only slept about 3 hours a night, 4 if I am lucky. So, books became my refuge, my overall excitement, entertainment and Savior in my darkest times, and in my sleepless deprived nights. Billy was one of those books that I just couldn't put it down, and I thought it was a demented, depressed and deprived subject that truly is haunting and nightmarish.
Another fond memory that I have with the novel Billy is when I was at Gresham Middle School my math teacher was named Miss Hill, and Miss Hill also was a reader, and she had just finished the haunting masterpiece Silence of the Lambs and I wanted to read it, and she wanted to read the book that I kept talking about, Billy. Because I was so young and in middle school, she had to get permission from my mother. My mother agreed, and we switched books, and that's when I fell in love with Silence of the Lambs, and she fell in love with Billy.
So, Billy holds a lot of fond memories for me, but it's so much more than that. It's such a dark book, a kidnapping. A deranged psychopath preying on young boys. It's just a chilling tale that plays with your mind and does give you nightmares. Specifically, if you have kids knowing that there are psychopaths like this, it just gives such a terrifying reality.
Strieber is a different type of writer. If you know his persona, he was the one supposedly abducted by aliens and wrote the book Communion of that experience. He has continued to write books about aliens and of the paranormal, and all kinds of other weird things. If you get past that reality and read some of his horror books, some of his deep dark books, he is a real good he writer, and can control the reader, send them down an edge of your seat style of writing. Some of his greatest books, such as the odd werewolf book, Wolfen, which is also a movie, and an equally great read. The very original and erotic vampire story, The Hunger, which is also a movie. Also, interesting to note Strieber has written other books also not dealing with Horror. He writes all kinds of styles, from horror, sci-fi, metaphysical. He has a reoccurring theme in many books such as Warday and Natures End, often a future of our earth and its overcrowding and epidemic and slow destruction. He wrote the story The Day After Tomorrow along with director Ronald Emmerich which became the movie starring Jake Gyllenhaal.
I absolutely love his older work like Wolfen, Cat Magic, The Night Church, Unholy Fire, Black Magic, but I've read everything he does. He's such a gifted writer that I think is underappreciated and often overlooked. Yes, his personal reality is a little weird dealing with the aliens and so on, but I think that just adds to his appeal.
Billy is a fantastic read, and being reread again for the third time, it still held up today and I absolutely love its deep, dark, nightmarish reality of a child being, stalk, hunted, lusted after, abducted, you get to see it through his eyes and it's a horrifying experience.
Billy gives you a truly terrifying bad guy that's remains with you. Barton Royal is a priceless human monster that just transcends off the page as being in the darkness, or right next to you. This story mixes a terrifying experience for one young child, 12-year-old Billy to his nightmarish ordeal of being kidnapped, driven across country in a van and stuck in a basement. Awaiting his ultimate fate at the hands of Barton.
What is so reality-based about this book, and touching is you get to know Billy. You get to experience his terrifying ordeal as if you were there witnessing it. Or you begin to think that this could happen to your child or knowing that this happens to children all the time. It's such a tense filled, edge of your seat at times, suspense intensity.
This is one book I return to often and I highly recommend it for those who love mystery, suspense, reality-based horror. There's a darkness in this book that is both physical and emotional.
Would I Return to it Again: Absolutely, I already have?
Would I Recommend: In a heartbeat. A wonderful written story that gives you goosebumps.
Four Words: Deep, sadistic, nightmarishly chilling.
My Rating: 5 out of 5
I first read Billy in 1991. I was in Gresham Middle School when I started reading it and it was one of the first books that I read in one and a half days’ time. 1991 was the year that I officially became an insomniac, and all I really could do to pass the time at night was to read. Billy was one of the first books that occupied my time as I slowly became affected with insomnia. People often ask me how I have read so many books, as of this writing 7,068, it's because for the past 23 years I have only slept about 3 hours a night, 4 if I am lucky. So, books became my refuge, my overall excitement, entertainment and Savior in my darkest times, and in my sleepless deprived nights. Billy was one of those books that I just couldn't put it down, and I thought it was a demented, depressed and deprived subject that truly is haunting and nightmarish.
Another fond memory that I have with the novel Billy is when I was at Gresham Middle School my math teacher was named Miss Hill, and Miss Hill also was a reader, and she had just finished the haunting masterpiece Silence of the Lambs and I wanted to read it, and she wanted to read the book that I kept talking about, Billy. Because I was so young and in middle school, she had to get permission from my mother. My mother agreed, and we switched books, and that's when I fell in love with Silence of the Lambs, and she fell in love with Billy.
So, Billy holds a lot of fond memories for me, but it's so much more than that. It's such a dark book, a kidnapping. A deranged psychopath preying on young boys. It's just a chilling tale that plays with your mind and does give you nightmares. Specifically, if you have kids knowing that there are psychopaths like this, it just gives such a terrifying reality.
Strieber is a different type of writer. If you know his persona, he was the one supposedly abducted by aliens and wrote the book Communion of that experience. He has continued to write books about aliens and of the paranormal, and all kinds of other weird things. If you get past that reality and read some of his horror books, some of his deep dark books, he is a real good he writer, and can control the reader, send them down an edge of your seat style of writing. Some of his greatest books, such as the odd werewolf book, Wolfen, which is also a movie, and an equally great read. The very original and erotic vampire story, The Hunger, which is also a movie. Also, interesting to note Strieber has written other books also not dealing with Horror. He writes all kinds of styles, from horror, sci-fi, metaphysical. He has a reoccurring theme in many books such as Warday and Natures End, often a future of our earth and its overcrowding and epidemic and slow destruction. He wrote the story The Day After Tomorrow along with director Ronald Emmerich which became the movie starring Jake Gyllenhaal.
I absolutely love his older work like Wolfen, Cat Magic, The Night Church, Unholy Fire, Black Magic, but I've read everything he does. He's such a gifted writer that I think is underappreciated and often overlooked. Yes, his personal reality is a little weird dealing with the aliens and so on, but I think that just adds to his appeal.
Billy is a fantastic read, and being reread again for the third time, it still held up today and I absolutely love its deep, dark, nightmarish reality of a child being, stalk, hunted, lusted after, abducted, you get to see it through his eyes and it's a horrifying experience.
Billy gives you a truly terrifying bad guy that's remains with you. Barton Royal is a priceless human monster that just transcends off the page as being in the darkness, or right next to you. This story mixes a terrifying experience for one young child, 12-year-old Billy to his nightmarish ordeal of being kidnapped, driven across country in a van and stuck in a basement. Awaiting his ultimate fate at the hands of Barton.
What is so reality-based about this book, and touching is you get to know Billy. You get to experience his terrifying ordeal as if you were there witnessing it. Or you begin to think that this could happen to your child or knowing that this happens to children all the time. It's such a tense filled, edge of your seat at times, suspense intensity.
This is one book I return to often and I highly recommend it for those who love mystery, suspense, reality-based horror. There's a darkness in this book that is both physical and emotional.
Would I Return to it Again: Absolutely, I already have?
Would I Recommend: In a heartbeat. A wonderful written story that gives you goosebumps.
Four Words: Deep, sadistic, nightmarishly chilling.
My Rating: 5 out of 5
January 26, 2023
I was horrified for this kid. I couldn't put the book down, but probably because I wanted to find out if he gets saved.
April 22, 2019
This book was good, but not great. It started out interesting, then the middle was a bit boring, and then it got interesting again towards the end. The parts about the parents and sister could have been shorter or fewer. Their perspective wasn't all that interesting. I would have rather read more about what was going on in Barton's head and what Billy was going through. Some of it was a bit implausible, but most fiction is so I can look past that. This is a quick read if you want to read it on the weekend.
January 6, 2011
Blood chilling. Every parents nightmare.
October 19, 2012
Very scary book. Intense reading.
January 15, 2020
This bitch emotional
April 8, 2022
This is an unflinching look at child abduction and child abuse, and this author doesn’t allow you the luxury of turning away and coming back after a fade-to-black scene. You get it all—splayed out in all its ugliness to stare down if you can. That said, rest assured there are no graphic scenes here that include forcible anal sex or anything like that. But what descriptions do exist are ugly indeed.
Billy is 12 that summer. He can go from 0 to super-sonic just by thinking about fellow classmate Amanda. But he’s a computer geek—almost surely not the kind of guy someone like her would want. In short, he’s a normal nerd. Lots of us can relate to being 12, nerdy, and dreaming afar off about the girl who could change the world if she weren’t so busy rejecting yours.
Billy first sees the fat, smelly guy in the mall playing arcade games. He doesn’t think much of it, but he’s a bit creeped out by the guy. Billy, on the other hand, entirely captivates Barton. For Barton, Billy is the perfect child. He’s that one in a trillion boy who could help Barton have a complete and perfect family. And Royal Barton’s sure the boy would love Barton’s place in southern California with its soundproof room perfect for keeping young boys like him captive while he works his will on them.
It's a warm summer night, and Billy can’t sleep. He has been trying for days to capture and digitize the sound of the bird singing at night in his yard. He’s using his state-of-the-art Amiga computer to digitize the sound and show him the wave forms. His goal? To replicate the sound with his own whistles so the bird will respond specifically to Billy. He reasons if he can get his own whistles to look like those the bird makes, he’ll get a response from the bird.
Royal Barton has surreptitiously entered Billy’s house, and he’s lying on the floor under a workbench just inches from Billy’s bare feet. Tonight, he will take the boy without fail.
This is a harrowing and horrifying fictional account of a stranger abduction and its impact on the young man and his family. I loved the book for the writing style and the scenes portrayed—scenes that make you feel both hopeless for Billy and eager beyond reason to learn how his story ends.
Tension builds as Barton and Billy wend their way from the small Iowa town where Barton abducted Billy to southern California and a dark and horrible room where Barton did his torturing and where he has hidden unspeakable secrets.
This is a compelling, memorable book that will leave you scrambling for something squeaky clean and happy for your next read.
Billy is 12 that summer. He can go from 0 to super-sonic just by thinking about fellow classmate Amanda. But he’s a computer geek—almost surely not the kind of guy someone like her would want. In short, he’s a normal nerd. Lots of us can relate to being 12, nerdy, and dreaming afar off about the girl who could change the world if she weren’t so busy rejecting yours.
Billy first sees the fat, smelly guy in the mall playing arcade games. He doesn’t think much of it, but he’s a bit creeped out by the guy. Billy, on the other hand, entirely captivates Barton. For Barton, Billy is the perfect child. He’s that one in a trillion boy who could help Barton have a complete and perfect family. And Royal Barton’s sure the boy would love Barton’s place in southern California with its soundproof room perfect for keeping young boys like him captive while he works his will on them.
It's a warm summer night, and Billy can’t sleep. He has been trying for days to capture and digitize the sound of the bird singing at night in his yard. He’s using his state-of-the-art Amiga computer to digitize the sound and show him the wave forms. His goal? To replicate the sound with his own whistles so the bird will respond specifically to Billy. He reasons if he can get his own whistles to look like those the bird makes, he’ll get a response from the bird.
Royal Barton has surreptitiously entered Billy’s house, and he’s lying on the floor under a workbench just inches from Billy’s bare feet. Tonight, he will take the boy without fail.
This is a harrowing and horrifying fictional account of a stranger abduction and its impact on the young man and his family. I loved the book for the writing style and the scenes portrayed—scenes that make you feel both hopeless for Billy and eager beyond reason to learn how his story ends.
Tension builds as Barton and Billy wend their way from the small Iowa town where Barton abducted Billy to southern California and a dark and horrible room where Barton did his torturing and where he has hidden unspeakable secrets.
This is a compelling, memorable book that will leave you scrambling for something squeaky clean and happy for your next read.
March 17, 2025
Me before reading: it takes place in Iowa!
Me after reading: it takes place in Iowa...
Either way, don't judge it...This is set in my current home state of Iowa, and I remember people telling me about seeing Barton Royal around the mall at the arcade and seeing the fake SWAT vans lined up in Hollywood Hills. Kinda cool, but it's also a bit embarrassing when it turns out to such like this. This thing is cheesy from the outset. It's packed with more cheese than Cheesy von Cheddar the world famous cheese taster from Switzerland. When Billy goes the point at Barton Royal's residence about halfway thru I felt I could actually choke on the cheese at any moment. It was difficult to breathe. The writing is cheesy, the story is cheesy, the character clues are extra-stuffed crust level or cheesy. It's all cheesy. Strieber seems to be obsessed with real-world topics such as this which is child abduction, but where are these cheesy works of realistic fiction that most of us have never heard of coming from? And why do so many people read them? If this wasn't set in Iowa, I wouldn't have gone near it with a 14 foot mammoth block of cheese. Mmmm-hmmm...cheese. Billy is likeable and relatable, but his sister Sally is useless. Mark and Mary are amazingly memorable and unforgettable whether they're both jam-packed full of cheese or not, but even there is no other reason to read this since they hardly really do anything interesting. This thing is up there with such disturbingly realistic psychological thrillers. In fact, I think I'll avoid works like this one from now on (except for the author anyway since he has written some interesting works) and wait until there's something that's up to the quality of John Grisham and Stephen King. Avoid this nonsense unless you simply wanna have a look at my former place of residence I once visited! And no, it's not in California, it's in Iowa.
Me after reading: it takes place in Iowa...
Either way, don't judge it...This is set in my current home state of Iowa, and I remember people telling me about seeing Barton Royal around the mall at the arcade and seeing the fake SWAT vans lined up in Hollywood Hills. Kinda cool, but it's also a bit embarrassing when it turns out to such like this. This thing is cheesy from the outset. It's packed with more cheese than Cheesy von Cheddar the world famous cheese taster from Switzerland. When Billy goes the point at Barton Royal's residence about halfway thru I felt I could actually choke on the cheese at any moment. It was difficult to breathe. The writing is cheesy, the story is cheesy, the character clues are extra-stuffed crust level or cheesy. It's all cheesy. Strieber seems to be obsessed with real-world topics such as this which is child abduction, but where are these cheesy works of realistic fiction that most of us have never heard of coming from? And why do so many people read them? If this wasn't set in Iowa, I wouldn't have gone near it with a 14 foot mammoth block of cheese. Mmmm-hmmm...cheese. Billy is likeable and relatable, but his sister Sally is useless. Mark and Mary are amazingly memorable and unforgettable whether they're both jam-packed full of cheese or not, but even there is no other reason to read this since they hardly really do anything interesting. This thing is up there with such disturbingly realistic psychological thrillers. In fact, I think I'll avoid works like this one from now on (except for the author anyway since he has written some interesting works) and wait until there's something that's up to the quality of John Grisham and Stephen King. Avoid this nonsense unless you simply wanna have a look at my former place of residence I once visited! And no, it's not in California, it's in Iowa.
August 14, 2017
Il primo libro da molto, molto tempo che sa togliermi il sonno, ipnotizzarmi al punto di non poterlo chiudere, e mi terrorizza a tal punto da dover sbirciare l'ultimo capitolo, perché dovevo, dovevo sapere se Billy Neary sarebbe sopravvissuto.
Viene rapito, Billy, da un predatore di bambini. Viene rapito anche se è una vittima a basso rischio, amato dalla sua famiglia, curato, protetto, ma i suoi bravi genitori e la sua sorella tanto amica non bastano a difenderlo da Barton Royal, il mostro, l'uomo disturbato che rapisce, tortura ed uccide bambini. E' la quindicesima vittima, Billy, chiuso a chiave dentro le stanze, Billy che non riesce a scappare, Billy che tutti stanno cercando attraverso gli Stati Uniti. E' doloroso; ero Billy, a soffrire, a tentare la fuga, ad avere paura, e non ho potuto dormire fino all'ultima pagina, non ho potuto aspettare la conclusione per sapere cosa ne sarebbe stato di Billy, di me.
Viene rapito, Billy, da un predatore di bambini. Viene rapito anche se è una vittima a basso rischio, amato dalla sua famiglia, curato, protetto, ma i suoi bravi genitori e la sua sorella tanto amica non bastano a difenderlo da Barton Royal, il mostro, l'uomo disturbato che rapisce, tortura ed uccide bambini. E' la quindicesima vittima, Billy, chiuso a chiave dentro le stanze, Billy che non riesce a scappare, Billy che tutti stanno cercando attraverso gli Stati Uniti. E' doloroso; ero Billy, a soffrire, a tentare la fuga, ad avere paura, e non ho potuto dormire fino all'ultima pagina, non ho potuto aspettare la conclusione per sapere cosa ne sarebbe stato di Billy, di me.
February 24, 2025
2.5, some nice writing throughout and Barton as a villain was truly menacing and despicable at times, but holy hell, these are some poorly written children. Sally is as make believe as they come, and the dialogue between some of the children, or even internal for that matter, is unbelievable. What kid loves Kafka? Who's 13 year old is stealing their parents car in the night and knows cars by their make and model? What world is this? Anyway, I pushed through, and there was some good to be had, but when I reflect on it in the future I imagine I'll have to squint to recall what about it kept me going.
September 18, 2017
I couldn't put this book down, but this was mostly because my mother in law told me that she cried when she read it. So I was really curious what that was al about. And yes, I also cried. But eventhough I didn't like this book much. It was creepy at times, but not really realistic. I don't think a little boy can behave like Billy behaves in this book.
June 6, 2022
A very effective horror-thriller, convincingly written at times from the perspective of a pedophilic kidnapper. Dialogue noticeably awkward at times, but overall worth a read if you can stomach abuse of a child. Nothing terribly graphic, could have been much more gruesome but it didn’t need to be, well done by Strieber.
December 5, 2017
Quando metto in wishlist un titolo, a volte passa diverso tempo prima di riuscire a recuperarlo e ormai ha messo radici. Quindi lo richiedo senza nemmeno ricordarmi che trama ha (cosa che si presume abbia fatto la prima volta che il romanzo di Whitley e io ci siamo incrociati). Niente di più sbagliato. A prescindere dal fatto che avrei dovuto leggermi l’incipt prima di farlo, lo stile di questo autore è troppo lento e non riesco proprio a farmelo piacere. Inoltre lasciamo perdere i bambini torturati, vi prego. Già è tanto che legga i libri della Hayden, ma lei almeno li salva.
June 29, 2020
heart wrenching
Fantastic book couldn’t put down felt every bit of pain for billy his parents and sister worth a read but very brutal and realistic with facts which make you very wary of children being aloud outside
Fantastic book couldn’t put down felt every bit of pain for billy his parents and sister worth a read but very brutal and realistic with facts which make you very wary of children being aloud outside
October 11, 2024
3.5 🎃 rating
It's always fascinating to read from a serial killer's POV.
Pair this book with Skillet Chicken with carrot salad - an old family favorite of the Royals. Don't forget a glass of Valpolicella wine and Butterfingers for dessert.
It's always fascinating to read from a serial killer's POV.
Pair this book with Skillet Chicken with carrot salad - an old family favorite of the Royals. Don't forget a glass of Valpolicella wine and Butterfingers for dessert.
December 23, 2024
This book is the best!!!!!!
I read it years and years ago from the library and never forgot it. (Which is a feat for me lol).
Decided to look for it a few years ago and had no luck. Finally found it in a thrift store!!!! Ive read it so many times! Highly recommend.
I read it years and years ago from the library and never forgot it. (Which is a feat for me lol).
Decided to look for it a few years ago and had no luck. Finally found it in a thrift store!!!! Ive read it so many times! Highly recommend.
May 29, 2017
Great story, a little morbid but great!
January 23, 2018
Terrifying, creepy and twisted! This will leave you guessing until the very end. Just when you think you got it figured out, nope, another twist.
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