RELEASE DATE: September 10th, 2013

Genre: Psychological Thriller/Crime/Suspense

Publisher: St Martin's Press/Montaur Books

PRAISE:

"This novel is brilliant." A perfect blend of literary style, psychological insight and edge-of-the-seat thriller. From journalist Poe to protagonist Reeve—and a particularly horrific incarnation of evil along the way—Norton has given us living, breathing characters that we know and understand . . . and who inhabit our imaginations after we've finished this book.” —Jeffery Deaver

“The Edge of Normal is a heart-pounding thrill ride that had me holding my breath to the very end. With a compelling, tough-as-nails heroine and a truly terrifying villain, this is a book you won’t soon forget.”—Chevy Stevens

DESCRIPTION:

In many ways, Reeve LeClaire looks like a typical twenty-two year old girl. She’s finally landed her own apartment, she waitresses to pay the bills, and she wishes she wasn’t so nervous around new people. She thinks of herself as agile, not skittish. As serious, not grim. But Reeve is anything but normal.

Ten years ago, she was kidnapped and held captive. After a lucky escape, she’s spent the last six years trying to rebuild her life, a recovery thanks in large part to her indispensable therapist Dr. Ezra Lerner. But when he asks her to help another girl rescued from a similar situation, Reeve realizes she may not simply need to mentor this young victim—she may be the only one who can protect her from a cunning predator who is still out there, watching every move.

From the author of the #1 non-fiction bestseller Perfect Victim: The True Story of the Girl in the Box comes a novel that draws you into a chilling and engrossing world. With powerfully gripping characters and an ending that is a masterpiece of deception, Carla Norton's The Edge of Normal is a stunning debut thriller.

My Take:
5+ Stars!
Wow! This is an amazing book you DON'T WANT TO MISS READING! If you LOVE this genre, then you, like myself, may vote 'this book' as THE BOOK OF THE YEAR for this genre!
The protagonist in this story is Reeve LeClaire, who went through hell and back when an abductor captures her. She is held captive in a stark, horrid, dark basement for about 4 years and suffers through severe abuse that is hardly imaginable. She makes an amazing escape on her own, saving her own life. Even though they capture the man who abducted her and he is in prison serving time, she is still being watched. She has no clue this is happening, but starts to wonder after a while. Although the terror lived on in her mind as it would anyone if this were to happen to them, a special therapist, a doctor who specializes in treating people who go through these types of horrid ordeals such as this, Dr Ezra Lerner, comes along to help her. He gets her through recovery, which is quite remarkable. She is now living a normal life, although she still remembers. Years into her therapy she confides in Dr Lerner that even though she knows her abductor is in prison, she tells him *intellectually, I know it*, but she really means that deep down it still haunts her.
One day a young girl by the name of Tilly who had been abducted also, escapes her abductor, just like Reeve did. Immediately Dr. Ezra Lerner is called in to help this girl. Dr. Lerner gets an idea that would help Reeve further her recovery and Tilly's by asking her to come help with Tilly and her recovery right away. The two girls together would be able to relate to each other. With trepidation, Reeve agrees. Off she goes to try to help.
In the meantime, there are two more girls who have been abducted. This all seems like it has to point to one man, a serial killer, who is taking these girls because the MO (Method of Operation) is the seems to be like it was for Reeve, and the police believe this has to be the same abductor for all three of these girls, and possibly Reeve, too. Somehow Reeve thinks it goes a little deeper than that, and she starts her own search for this monster.
The monster finds out that Reeve is helping Tilly, eventually. He does not like this. Little does he know that Reeve is catching on to him. She puts herself into the limelight of trouble, and it's all she can do to try to remain safe herself. Does it work, though?
In this book it goes back and forth between places, yet we get to read what the serial killer is thinking and doing, learning about him, too. We learn what is driving him, and how he is threatening others, too, and everything in between.
You will be shocked, scared, unable to comprehend how a living human being can be so sick, while looking over your shoulder, rooting and cheering Reeve on!
Simply put - an amazing read NOT to be missed!
I loved this book! It was written with excellence! I was able to connect with the the characters, especially Reeve. I could feel what they were feeling, the FEAR, the worry, and more. The character of Reeve is completely believable, and when I think back to the book, I still think of her and the other characters as being so realistic. All the characters are so life-like. The suspense had you on the edge of your seat the entire time. There was not one place, until the 'end' is "The End" that you aren't wondering about the 'what if's', and even then you wonder if this really could/would happen someday in real life. This is, by FAR, the BEST thrill book of true Psychological Suspense this year, at least in my opinion! To go without reading this book is to miss the BEST OF THE BEST of chilling/thrilling Psychological suspense story, ever! This one is a MUST READ! Scroll down and read 'about the author', and that will tell you even more about 'why' you need to read this book!
I LOVE to read Psychological/Suspense/Thrillers, and guess where I found this book from again? Yep! You guessed it! The "Book Buzz 2013" book! They offered several chapters from this book, and my finger hit that REQUEST button so fast, and it was one of the BEST books I've read! I LOVED this story! LOVED it! I received this book for FREE from the Publisher, St Martin's Press/Montaur Books and through NetGalley, in exchange to read and write a review about it. It is NOT required for from this review to be either positive or negative, but of my own honest opinion. "Free" means I was provided with ZERO MONIES to read this book nor to write this review, but to enjoy the pure pleasure of reading it. I am disclosing this information in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html
Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

I encourage you to visit the author, Carla Norton, at her website at http://www.carlanorton.com for more information about her and her books!

About the Author:

Carla Norton on Twitter: @CarlaJNorton (please notice the J as her middle initial in her name when you go to Twitter and type in her name. I only say this because it's hard to notice it.)

Carla Norton - Goodreads Author Profile:

url

http://www.goodreads.com/CarlaNorton

born

The United States

website: http://www.CarlaNorton.com

genre

Crime, Suspense, Thriller

member since

February 2013

CARLA NORTON is the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Perfect Victim, which the FBI put on their Behavioral Sciences Unit reading list. She served as the special sections editor for the San Jose Mercury News and has written for numerous publications. She has an MFA from Goddard College and has twice served as a judge for the Edgar Awards. The Edge of Normal, which won a Royal Palm Literary Award for best unpublished mystery, is her debut novel. She lives in California and Florida.

Also, from Goodreads:

Is THE EDGE OF NORMAL inspired by true events? Absolutely.
When a shocking kidnapping case first hit headlines, Carla Norton
wedged herself between reporters and sketch artists to cover the
trial, and later wrote PERFECT VICTIM with the prosecutor. The
book made the reading list for the FBI's Behavioral Sciences Unit
and became a #1 New York Times nonfiction bestseller.

Carla's debut crime fiction, THE EDGE OF NORMAL, is inspired by
that haunting true story. Her novel's protagonist is a 22-year-old
survivor of kidnapping and captivity. She’s scarred, flawed, and psychologically unbalanced. But ‘Edgy Reggie’ has a hot sense of
justice. And when called upon, she’s absolutely fearless.

Slated for release this September, THE EDGE OF NORMAL is already earning accolades: Jeffery Deaver says it's the "perfect blend of
literary style, psychological insight and edge-of-the-seat thriller."
Chevy Stevens calls it "a heart-pounding thrill ride that had me
holding my breath to the end."

THE EDGE OF NORMAL won the Royal Palm Literary Award for
best unpublished mystery last year, and will soon be released
in the UK, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Japan. The
novel is included in BUZZ BOOKS 2013 as one of the most
anticipated books of the coming fall/winter season.

Carla's 2nd true crime, DISTURBED GROUND, is now available
in ebook formats. This nonfiction thriller details the life and
nine-murder-count trial of Dorothea Puente, a white-haired
landlady who planted bodies in her rose garden.

Carla gives book talks, speaks at conferences, and has appeared
on Larry King Live. When she's not writing books about crime,
she writes essays and really bad poetry.