Cemetery Girl

by David Bell

Overview

Four years after Tom and Abby's 12-year-old daughter vanishes, she is found alive but strangely calm. When the teen refuses to testify against the man connected to her disappearance, Tom decides to investigate the traumatizing case on his own. Nothing can prepare him for what he is about to discover.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780451234674
Publisher:	Penguin Publishing Group
Publication date:	10/04/2011
Pages:	400
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.10(h) x 0.90(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

David Bell is an assistant professor of English at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, Kentucky. He received an M.A. in creative writing from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, and a Ph.D. in American Literature and creative writing from the University of Cincinnati. He has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize.

Read an Excerpt

Chapter One
(Continues…)

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Excerpted from "Cemetery Girl"
by .
Copyright © 2011 David Bell.
Excerpted by permission of Penguin Publishing Group.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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What People are Saying About This

-John Lescroart

"Cemetery Girl grabbed me by the throat on page one and never let up. An intense, unrelenting powerhouse of a book, and the work of a master."

John Lescroart

"Cemetery Girl grabbed me by the throat on page one and never let up. An intense, unrelenting powerhouse of a book, and the work of a master."

From the Publisher

"A smart, tense, creepy take on the story of a missing daughter, told by her far-from-perfect father. If you think you know this tale—from all- too-familiar newspaper accounts, from lesser movies and books—then this terrific novel will make you think otherwise."—Brock Clarke, national bestselling author of Exley and An Arsonist's Guide to Writers' Homes in New England

Will Lavender

"Trust me: you have never read a missing persons story like this one....A fast, mean head trip of a thriller that reads like a collaboration between Michael Connelly and the gothic fiction of Joyce Carol Oates, Cemetery Girl is one of those novels that you cannot shake after it's over. A winner on every level."

-Will Lavender

"Trust me: you have never read a missing persons story like this one....A fast, mean head trip of a thriller that reads like a collaboration between Michael Connelly and the gothic fiction of Joyce Carol Oates, Cemetery Girl is one of those novels that you cannot shake after it's over. A winner on every level."

Reading Group Guide

Questions for Discussion

1. Do you understand why Tom wants to take Frosty to the pound?

2. Do you think Abby is making the right decision by having a memorial service for Caitlin and attempting to move on with her life? Or do you think Tom is right to resist this step?

3. Tom and his half brother, Buster, have a complicated relationship to say the least. Do you have someone in your life like Buster? A sibling or a friend?

4. When Caitlin is discovered, she makes her father promise to never ask her where she’s been or what she’s been doing. Do you understand why Tom might be tempted to honor that request?

5. When Caitlin comes home, Tom and Abby try to live in the same house again for Caitlin’s sake. Do you understand why they want to do this for their daughter?

6. Abby’s interest in religion drives a wedge between her and Tom. Do you understand why Abby might turn to religion at this time in her life? What did you think of Pastor Chris?

7. Tom finds comfort in talking to Susan, the volunteer victim advocate. What do you think Tom gets out of this relationship that he doesn’t get from talking to a psychologist?

8. What do you think of Tom’s reaction to seeing Jasmine, the girl in the park? Does he do enough for her?

9. Do you understand why Tom wants to confront John Colter, the man who kidnapped Caitlin? What do you think he’s hoping to get out of the confrontation?

10. Tom seems to contemplate giving Caitlin back to Colter in order to learn what happened during those four years. What do you think of his thought process?

11. Were you glad to see Caitlin reunited with Frosty?

12. What do you think Caitlin’s future looks like? How will she move on and recover from the events depicted in the book?

Editorial Reviews

Set in a small Ohio college town, Bell’s suspenseful, disquieting debut thriller gets off to a strong start. The disappearance of 12-year-old Caitlin Stuart, last seen four years earlier walking the family dog in a park near her home, has severely tested the marriage of her parents, Tom and Abby. When Abby seeks closure by scheduling a “funeral,” it places the final strain on their fragile relationship. Then the police pick up a teenager outside a mall late one night, somewhat dirty but basically okay, who turns out to be the missing girl. Since Caitlin, a private, self-contained child even before her abduction, is reluctant to share information about her experiences and captor with either her family or police, Tom wonders if she was somehow complicit in her disappearance. Tom’s search for answers to what power held his daughter captive drives the narrative, and all his relationships become defined by his quest. Readers compelled to join Tom in his journey deserve a less pat resolution. (Oct.)

Publishers Weekly

Praise for Cemetery Girl

“Cemetery Girl grabbed me by the throat on page one and never let up. An intense, unrelenting powerhouse of a book, and the work of a master.”—#1 New York Times bestselling author John Lescroart

“An utterly compelling thriller...an absolutely riveting, absorbing read not to be missed.”—New York Times bestselling author Lisa Unger

“Trust me: you have never read a missing persons story like this one....A fast, mean head trip of a thriller that reads like a collaboration between Michael Connelly and the gothic fiction of Joyce Carol Oates, Cemetery Girl is one of those novels that you cannot shake after it's over. A winner on every level.”—New York Times bestselling author Will Lavender

“Cemetery Girl is a smasher. It twists and turns and never lets go.”—New York Times bestselling author Jacquelyn Mitchard

“A tense and terrifying journey that brims with emotional authenticity. Bell manages not only to build suspense effectively but also tell a story that goes way beyond simple thrills.”—Booklist

“Disturbing, brilliantly engaging, and a must read for thriller fans.”—Suspense Magazine

More Praise for David Bell and His Novels

“One of the brightest and best crime fiction writers of our time.”—Suspense Magazine 

“A natural storyteller and a superb writer.”—#1 New York Times bestselling author Nelson DeMille 

“Taut, intelligent, and intense suspense that is deeply human.”—#1 New York Times bestselling author Mark Greaney 

“Bell is a brilliant craftsman as well as storyteller.”—The Providence Journal

From the Publisher