The Edge of Normal (Reeve LeClaire Series Book 1)

Reeve has a fragile grip on reality. Wedded to her routine, she is slowly acclimating to life after being abducted and held captive for four years. After six years of therapy with a psychologist who pioneered her treatment, she is gradually gaining confidence and a tentative sense of independence and control. But all that is threatened when her therapist asks her to speak to a young victim of a similar crime. After reluctantly agreeing she becomes drawn into an investigation of similar cases. With intelligence and grit, she confronts her fears and limitations to vanquish an insidious evil.

The story is chilling and Reeve is a heroine to love. She is bright and refreshingly honest. Her romantic dilemma is handled with sensitivity and she is a strong and believable character. There were a few missteps. The prosecutor was a one dimensional harpy. I doubt very much that an experienced and ambitious politician would be as obnoxious to a victim of a horrific sex crime as she was to Reeve. The therapist who has supported her evaporates mid story, supposedly beset by personal problems and professional commitments. The subplot of Reeve's attacker applying for release from prison was poorly developed and distracting. I found Reeve's introduction in the investigation implausible. It seems that someone further along in the recovery process would be invited to commiserate with a new victim. Still, this is a fascinating and spine chilling read. Recommended.

I received this book from netgalley.com in return for my honest review. Thank you to St. Martin's Press and to the author, Carla Norton.

Reeve LeClaire was kidnapped and held hostage for 6 years. She was rescued, not by stellar police investigation, but by accident when things went suddenly wrong for her kidnapper. Through therapy, she has been striving to achieve a "normal" life. Ten years after her rescue, her therapist asks her to be a mentor to a young girl who was recently set free from a similar situation. But there are other girls out there somewhere and they must be saved before it's too late. Reeve steps beyond the boundaries of being a mentor and follows her instincts to save the victims from a monster who may still be out there.

This was a fast-paced, suspenseful novel. I especially enjoyed the psychological aspects. I loved the insight into captivity syndrome. I also liked that parts of the story are told from the perspective of the kidnapper. I always enjoy seeing both perspectives in thriller/mystery novels. Hearing the kidnapper's thoughts make him that much more evil.

There was one thing that was left as a loose end in my opinion - things that were eerily similar in cases but didn't quite wrap up. I don't want to say any more because I don't want this to be a spoiler. But...it was a great read in the thriller category. 4 stars.

4.5 stars

Did I enjoy this book: Yes.

Carla Norman’s a really strong writer. She demonstrates her unquestionable skill from page one. Her story is interesting and her characters are flawlessly developed.

(I’m going to be deliberately vague in this next paragraph in hopes of avoiding the dreaded spoiler alert.) But there’s a scene when our main character is being tricked by one seriously bad dude. As she walks into the risky situation, I had to skim ahead. I felt such a strong feeling of dread, I couldn’t force myself to read it – kind of like covering your eyes during a really scary movie. I wanted to yell, “Stop! Run!” But it’s bad enough that I talk back to the TV. It’s probably best if I not talk to my books.

I don’t want to say any more because the end of the book is so powerful that I don’t want to ruin it.

My one ½ star gripe: The story was a little predictable. I hate it when I guess what’s coming next and get it right.

Would I recommend it: Yes.

Will I read it again: No.

As reviewed by Belinda at Every Free Chance Book Reviews.

(I received a copy of this book for review purposes.)

This is a solid mystery novel with an unusual and engaging main character. Reeve was extremely likeable and very, very strong. For me, her character was perhaps the most fascinating thing about this novel - I've rarely read a novel that can bring you so firmly into the mind of someone who survived the horror of abduction. The psychological aspects were riveting.

Unfortunately, I did not enjoy the villain of the piece. No spoilers here, but he was a bit like a pedophilic superman. He seemed like the smartest, most technologically advanced, amazingly skilled person on the planet. I had a lot of trouble believing in this character. I also felt a little cheated by the reveal on this one.

The book does contain quite a bit of violence against girls and the pedophilic aspects are uncomfortable, so it may not be for everyone. But it is a solid, well-written book overall.

After devouring Gone Girl and all Gillian Flynn's other books, I came across this one from an the store recommendation. This book kept me hooked to the end. The concept of a pedophile who keeps young girls chained up in basements is so gruesome that at times, it almost turned me off to the book, but the strength of the main character kept me reading. I also appreciated that the author did not go into gory details but left the horrors to the imagination. The author does a great job of creating suspense by slowly revealing the identity of the criminal and then making it seem as if there's no way the truth will come out. I did have to suspend disbelief over one major fact - that a person who had gone through what the narrator has gone through would become sufficiently fearless to pursue a criminal. However, I decided to just accept it and keep reading. This was a good page-turner.

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.

The story blurb tells a little bit but the fact that Reeve is a survivor and hiding is what makes this book so easy to read and follow. She chooses to go to the police when trouble happens which is what we are supposed to do in the real world. What can I say of course they don't believe her rather farfetched story.

I highly recommend this since it only took me a day to read and had to convince myself to put it down.

Fast-paced suspense with lots of action. Not a boring moment in the book and no unnecessary drawn-out dialogue. Reeve is the former victim of a serial kidnapper and rapist. Many years after being rescued, she is called in by her therapist to act as mentor to another young girl who was the victim of the same type of crime, only by a different perpetrator who is still on the loose. Soon Reeve is being stalked by another sadistic killer who intends to make her his new prisoner. The ending was a cliff-hanger.

Reeve LeClaire was kidnapped at age twelve and held prisoner for four years by a sadist who raped, tortured and starved her. She was lucky to be rescued. Now at twenty-two, she's trying to put her life back together. She's still very fragile, but when another young girl is rescued from a similar situation, Reeve agrees to mentor her.

But Tilly Cavanaugh's rescue is only part of the solution. Three girls have disappeared from Jefferson in the last few years. Now that one has been found, hope rises that the other two will be rescued. Reeve inadvertently learns from Tilly that more than one person was involved in her kidnapping. This knowledge pits Reeve against a monster who controls not only the girls, but their keepers as well.

This is a frightening book. You can hardly imagine how terrifying it must have been to be a the mercy of a sadistic torturer, but Norton does an excellent job describing Reeve's pain and fears. You don't want to read this book alone at night with the lights out.

The book is fast paced. The novel moves from the news events surrounding Tilly's return to the hunt for the kidnapper. The investigation takes Reeve from a terrified victim to a victorious survivor. You can't help but like her and feel a kinship with her suffering.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good mystery, but it's more than that. It's a sensitive psychological portrayal of a very gutsy young woman.

I reviewed this book for Net Galley.

What an engrossing read...could not put it down. The pace of the storyline builds like a freight train hurtling down the tracks. Cannot wait to see what lies ahead for Reeve in the sequel "What Doesn't Kill Her".
UPDATE!!!!
July 17, 2015. The Edge of Normal is being adapted as a movie.
"Bold Films is developing the thriller “The Edge of Normal” as a movie after outbidding several other potential buyers for Matt Venne’s script, Variety has learned exclusively. The project, based on Carla Norton’s 2013 novel, is being produced by Bold’s Michel Litvak, Matthew Rhodes and Lisa Zambri, along with Industry Entertainment’s Andrew Deane. Bold’s Gary Michael Walters will executive produce, along with Industry’s Ava Jamshidi."

Prepare yourself to be taken on an emotional roller coaster ride when you read The Edge of Normal. Carla Norton dives into the world of fiction with a novel that has an intense impact on anyone with a heart and a soul. Known for her true crime writing, she brings that attention to detail and distinct knowledge into the story of Reeve LeClaire.
Reeve is a victim on her way to becoming a survivor, the hurdles that still haunt her are slowly fading into the past with the aid of her psychiatrist. Dr. Lerner is a specialist in a very niche category of therapy, an expert in captivity syndromes. Reeve was kidnapped as a young girl, held captive for four years, tortured...raped...abused, only to be recovered in a fluke accident. Her adjustment to her return to her family and real life took a tremendous amount of effort, time, energy, and patience. She battles with her particular form of PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome) every day of her life. Then her past returns to terrorize her when a kidnapping case close to her geographically hits the news. Suddenly the parallels are being drawn between her and the new victim. One of her worst enemies has returned - the press.
The novel that Norton writes is a testament to understanding the psyche of those who have been victimized, not just once, but for an extensive period of time. Her characters, in particular Reeve and Tilly Cavanaugh, are extremely complete, delving into all of the complexity of their personalities and how they would handle the challenges they face. Dr. Lerner, is a character that in the beginning I liked, but I did find that there were times he came off as not being the character originally presented, or more importantly that his role in the story tended to be brushed off to the side. This would be my one complaint...in an effort to create the suspense, mystery and thriller factor, Norton overlooked a pretty important character to me. I think that Reeve would have turned to Dr. Lerner more often during the story's plot, thus showing a very natural and strong bond that they had created over their time together as patient and doctor. I believe that is the only flaw within the story that Norton wrote.
The plot is an intense thriller, with some solid suspense. There is a great twist for the reader, that I will not spoil here, that I think made the flow of the tale come off remarkably well. Honestly, I have always had a thing for true crime, or stories based on real crimes...yes, I may be morbid, thus this book appealed to me on that level. It also appealed to me on the personal level, I am a PTSD sufferer, and seeing how the characters were portrayed is important, you want to know that they are being given the justice due to them.
I honestly will be mentioning this book to my own psychiatrist and therapist to include in their libraries. I firmly believe that this book should be read and shared.

REVIEW
Thrillers seem to attract the attention of a lot of readers. THE EDGE OF NORMAL is no different.

This book is a real eye opener and the bad thing is it happens all to often. Molesters, kidnappers, and torturers of children. Some are found alive, but psychologically still with their captor.

The author, Carla Norton shows two points of views, the villain's and the captive. The villain is always just a little ahead of the detectives. You never know his name. The captive, Reeve LeClaire, sometimes called "Edgy Reggie" has been in captivity for three years. She was only freed because of a weird car accident. She immediately went to the police. Not everyone would do that.

Reeve us now 22 years old, living in anonymity. She looks nothing like the little girl that was on all the "Missing" posters. That was six years ago and she isn't recovered completely. She now has a job and an apartment. That would be pretty normal for anyone else. Not for Reeve. Dr. Lerner, Reeve's psychiatrist has learned of another little girl, Tilly, who has gone through pretty much the same ordeal. Dr. Lerner thinks that Reeve may be able to help Tillie. He asks Reeve to travel across the country to see if she can help the girl and maybe herself, too. There are two more missing girls, Abby and Hannah. There's more going on with Tilly than is out in the open. Could Tilly be the key to finding them.?

The author wrote in the possibility of romance for Reeve but it never happened. The romance in the story was about Reeve taking a chance.

These girls went through some awful things that may take a long time to get over. They have to move on to become strong, trusting and productive individuals again.They do need professional help to move on.

The author wrote a sensitive book that is called fiction and yet it is so true. It's a page turner, you're wanting to know what is happening next. There are times when the author puts you on the edge of your seat wondering if the captives will come out alive.
This was one of those thrillers that you can't put down. The minute you open the book, you're hooked. Ms. Norton has written about a subject that is very important. This is happening more and more everyday. Not just children, but adults too. Be aware of your surroundings and strangers. Impress upon your children, without really scaring them, that the danger exists. This book is one that will stay with you for a very long time.

IS IT POSSIBLE FOR A PERSON TO BE NORMAL AFTER SOMETHING LIKE THIS?

I would give this book 5 KEY HOLES.

I was given a complimentary copy of THE EDGE OF NORMAL by Carla Norton from Booksparks Book Tours for my opinion. No other compensation took place.

Source: Received an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Have you ever read a book where something kind of silly just makes it difficult for you to connect? That happened for me here as the main setting for this book is Jefferson City, Jefferson County, CA. Well, there's no such place as I know abundantly from my work (random factoid: North Carolina has 100 counties-don't ask why I know that) and every time the county was mentioned, I grimaced. It was a little tic that got me constantly throughout the book especially because San Francisco and some other (real) big cities are mentioned indicating that the location is supposed to be plausible.

The premise for this book is quite chilling as is made abundantly clear by the cover. Reeve is a survivor of a kidnapping and captive situation; she has worked hard for six years to move past her time in captivity. Thus she is not thrilled to be called in to give support to another girl just rescued from her captor. She wants to move on, she doesn't want to receive more media attention but she can't just ignore another girl in such a similar situation. Once she's there, she also begins to play detective and stunningly makes several excellent deductions that may just end the work of a serial killer for good.

Moving on to the book's actual qualities, I was very impressed. As the story wore on, I was able to start making a lot of connections where earlier pieces of information paid off in satisfying ways. The characterization wasn't as deep as I'm used to in first-person centric YA narratives but I got a good picture of Reeve and her bravery as well, unfortunately, of the creep perpetrating these crimes. Reading from his perspective was creepy and yet so engaging because of his knowledge (of surveillance tactics for example), strategic abilities (planning out the abduction and torture of at least three girls without being caught), and determination to complete his course. And the most terrifying part is how ordinary he seems instead of looking like the disgusting pig he is.

One thing I was sad about is how Reeve's psychiatrist Dr. Lerner plays increasingly less of a role as the book progresses. He is an important character from the start and is the reason Reeve ends up in Jefferson City and involved in the case in the first place. But because she gains more confidence and because she has such a unique experience, he ends up out of the picture. I liked him so that made me sad. Another disappointment was the incorporation of Reeve's abductor whose menace hangs over her and who resurfaces from his continuing stint in a mental hospital. But nothing really happens from him and it felt choppily integrated. I would have liked his appearance to have more of a point to the plot.

Overall: Very chilling-the pace definitely ramps up as the book progresses, making you desperate for every word just the way a thriller ought!

Cover: Love the key-this has a really great meaning as the book progresses.

Content: The book is pretty clean except for some choice words and discussion of rape that may be triggers.

The Edge of Normal is the first fiction novel written by Carla Norton. As a debut novel, it has all the necessary qualifications for a thriller: violence and mystery served with a twist.

The story is about a young woman named Reeve LeClaire who was kidnapped and held captive ten years before the story begins. Her therapist Dr. Ezra Lerner asks her to help another girl named Tilly who was recently rescued from a similar situation, as a mentor of sorts, someone who understands what Tilly has just experienced. Reeve reluctantly agrees, and finds herself getting attached to Tilly and her family. The problem is there’s another man out there, one that will stop at nothing to keep kidnapping and holding captive young girls for his own pleasure. Throughout the plot, Reeve shows herself to have grown from being a victim to being a survivor, and she is the only link who can stop the kidnapper from harming any more girls.

This story reminded me of Ariel Castro, that monster who held girls captive for ten years in his home. And of Jaycee Duggard, and all the other poor girls who are kidnapped and held captive in real life. Although Norton doesn’t necessarily mimic their real life stories, she does go into extreme detail about what captivity has been like for her character Reeve, and for the other girls in the book. The plotline is somewhat predictable but the tension and mystery is sustained in by the unknown fate of two other missing girls, Hannah and Abby.

The book is very well written. The chapters are short, but attention grabbing. The novel is a very fast read, as the storyline and the way the chapters are set up make you want to turn the page until the novel is complete. The novel also switches between points of view, and it's a great example of a well done villain’s point of view. The chapters in the villain’s point of view show how he is always one step ahead, but the chapters are careful to not reveal his name. I personally enjoy books that bounce from different points of view and if it’s done well, it really works. This is one of those books that bouncing back and forth makes sense and it makes the book better.

If this is what Carla Norton’s debut novel reads like, I will definitely read another one of her books in the future!

Guest Reviewer: Kara Kelly

This book was received for review and there was no monetary compensation.

The opening pages of The Edge of Normal are intense: a young girl is handcuffed, blindfolded and stuffed into the trunk of a car. It is only by accident that the girl, Reeve LeClaire, a prisoner for three years, is finally reunited with her family. But even six years later she bears more than the physical scars, certain sounds make her jump, male strangers on the street frighten her, nightmares plague her. Through weekly visits to her psychiatrist, Dr. Lerner, a leading expert on captivity syndromes, Reeve is learning to reclaim her life when he gives her "homework", seemingly simple tasks to overcome her mental obstacles. Getting a job was a huge step towards independence. Her latest homework: establish a comfortable relationship, platonic or sexual or friend or lover, he asks her to step outside herself. And her pet tarantula, Persephone, does not count.

Then, Dr. Lerner receives a phone call from the Jefferson County Sheriff's office. A young girl named Tilly, missing for weeks, has been found and her kidnapper arrested. Lerner flies to northern California to help her acclimate back to a normal life and he is surprised when Reeve joins him. The two girls bond, they compare scars, they share details of their traumatic imprisonments. Through Tilly, the police discover there are more girls, and the man arrested had accomplices.

The author of The Edge of Normal has an impressive background as an expert on the psychological aspects of captivity and survival. Her non-fiction bestseller, Perfect Victim, is on the FBI reading list in their Behavioral Sciences Unit. Her first fictional novel benefits greatly from this knowledge and significantly intensifies the situation in the story. Departing from most thrillers, there are two narrators: Reeve and the lead kidnapper, known only to the reader as "Duke". Duke is obviously in law enforcement and he is not only able to hide in plain sight, but he uses knowledge concerning the case to control any potential progress in finding the missing girls.

It's a good first fiction novel and Reeve is an unusual main character. As she and supports and helps Tilly recover, she also helps herself recuperate from her own nightmare. By the end of the story, Reeve also discovers a purpose in life. And, she has made a friend.

Synopsis: Ten years ago, Reeve Le Claire was the kidnapping victim of a sexual sadist. Held for 4 years before being rescued, Reeve has worked hard the last 6 years to overcome that horrible period in her life.

When the same situation happens to another young girl, Tilly, Reeve, at the request of her psychiatrist, Dr Ezra Lerner, has been asked to help Tilly open up about what happened to her. Unlike Reeve's case, there are a whole lot more people involved with Tilly's kidnapping and they want to make sure that Tilly doesn't speak about it and they will do whatever it takes to ensure she doesn't. Can Reeve protect Tilly and find out who is behind the vicious kidnapping?

My rating: 4 Stars

My opinion: I loved this story and I whipped through it. The action was pulse pounding. I loved that the book didn't "soft touch" the aspects of the sexual crimes, which in this case I thought was important. As a result, I felt the book flowed quickly and had a feeling of realism to it as we are seeing more and more of these cases.

Ms. Norton, who normally writes non-fiction, transferred beautifully into the thriller genre.

Source: Publisher for review

Would I recommend? : Already have

Stand Alone or Part of a Series: Stand Alone

“The Edge of Normal” by Carla Norton

Pay it forward. A term many of us have come to know and have done, I’m sure, at least once. That’s what Reeve LeClaire is doing in “The Edge of Normal.” Reeve is a past victim trying to overcome her kidnapping and torture as a teenager. Now in her early twenties, she’s still seeing Dr. Lerner on a weekly basis. But he leaves town in order to counsel another young girl, whose situation is eerily similar to Reeve’s nightmare from ten years prior.

Reeve gets a call from Dr. Lerner while he’s away. The family of the newest victim wants her to come and speak to their daughter Tilly. Since Reeve has been through the acclimation back into society after a brutal assault, they think her strength may help Tilly. Albeit hesitantly, Reeve agrees to try and assist the young girl.

Helping Tilly is more than an emotional trial for Reeve. She has to relive what the monster did to her in order for Tilly to come to terms with what’s happened. But then Tilly reveals to Reeve things about two other young missing girls, Hannah and Abby. Reeve is bound to keep Tilly’s secret, but knows she needs to do something. She goes out on her own and tries to find evidence that the police haven’t located. She makes headway, but now it’s her life that hangs, once again, in the hands of another.

An absolute thrill from page one to the end. I must admit that just before the end, I thought, “Oh, no. Norton is going to disappoint me. She can’t do this.” For just a second, I wanted to put the book down. Boy, am I glad I didn’t! Wow! Norton blew me away! You will not believe the ending; just when I thought it was over and I don’t get…never mind. I can’t say anymore without giving it away. Suffice to say, you have to read this book!

Reviewed by Starr Gardinier Reina, author of “The Other Side: Melinda’s Story”

Reeve LeClaire has been rebuilding her life for six years. She was kidnapped as a twelve-year-old and kept captive for almost four years. During that time she was beaten, starved, tortured and sexually abused. She is still seeing the same psychiatrist that she has been seeing since she was freed. Dr. Lerner is a noted expert famous for helping people who have been held captive. When he gets a call the sends him to Northern California to help another 12-year-old who was just freed from captivity, the parents want to talk to another of his patients before trusting their daughter to him.

Reeve is startled and unsettled to be asked because she feels that she is a long way from normal. But, when she loses her part-time job, she goes to see if she can help young Tilly Cavanaugh. She doesn't follow the news or she would know that Tilly was just one of three young girls who had gone missing from the area. She soon learns the details and finds herself investigating to see if she can find out what happened to the other girls.

The story was exciting and the sections from the mastermind who came up with the kidnapping plot were chilling. It was especially chilling when he decided to focus his attention on Reeve.

I liked that Reeve was stronger than she thought she was and I liked that she was more determined too. I liked her tentative romance with the young deputy who worked with the prosecutor and thought it was realistically handled.

I recommend this quick read for fans of thrillers.

After surviving years of being held captive, raped, and tortured by her sadistic kidnapper, Reeve LeClaire is finally on the edge of living a normal life, at least as normal as possible. When another young girl is rescued under similar circumstances, Reeve's psychiatrist asks her to act as a mentor of sorts to her. Reeve is forced to relive many of the horrors she faced, but this time her anger at what was done to young Tilly keeps her from regressing. Her experience gives her a unique perspective, and she is able to see the investigation in a whole different way from the authorities, who won't listen to her insights. With two other kidnapped girls still out there somewhere, Reeve decides to investigate on her own, never dreaming that she will end up in the kidnapper's cross hairs. Will she be strong enough to outsmart and overpower him and save the other two missing girls?

This one was slow going for me for most of the book, really right up until the end. I could never really connect with Reeve. I also found it a bit unrealistic for Reeve to be brought into the situation and for her to have made connections that the authorities missed (especially ones that were so obvious). Dr. Lerner doesn't really seem to be that effective. In Reeve's case, it seems she owes more to her own decision to educate herself on her situation rather than Dr. Lerner, and she seems to do more counseling with Tilly that he does.

There's something about psychos and girls in captivity that I enjoy while at the same time horrifies me. How can a man have a girl locked up in the basement to do... whatever he fancies?

I was so furious while reading <i>The Edge of Normal</i> because I wanted the bastard to be caught right away... But then the book would have finished in 20 pages, right? *sigh*

Anyway, I didn't give the full five stars because I felt something off; something that didn't quite click with me. Maybe it was that Reeve took upon herself to play criminal investigator; or maybe that the psycho didn't get what he really deserved; yet, it could have been that everything was solved mainly due to chance and luck (once again the police proved useless).

I don't really know why I didn't totally and completely enjoyed it. BUT, I couldn't put it down either. I read it in just one day; I bit my nails; I got mad when I was interrupted; and I got furious because the psycho didn't get raped and abused and... and... well.

I would like to read a book where the perpetrator goes to jail and get to think about what he's done. Usually, books kill the bad guy or the story ends with the guy being caught, thus leaving it up to me to imagine his punishment.

Back to <i>The Edge of Normal</i>, it was worth my trip to the library to check the book out :-)

This review is based on an advance copy received from the publisher

Regina LeClaire was kidnapped at age twelve and held captive and abused for
four years. Six years later (and after having changed her name to Reeve) she is
still in therapy with a specialist in this kind of trauma, starting to put her
life back together but with work left to do. Then one of three missing girls in
cases believed to be related is rescued, and Reeve's therapist asks her to
accompany him to provide emotional support to the victim. But the man who was
arrested was acting under somebody else's direction, and the accomplice who was
the brains of the operation is still watching.

The Edge of Normal is an engrossing, tightly plotted thriller featuring a
heroine who, although damaged, is recovering and still stronger than she thinks
she is. Its appeal comes just as much from the chance to spend time with its
protagonist as from following the twists and turns of the plot and the sick
mastermind behind it.

Authored by an expert on the "psychological aspects of captivity and survival" writing her first novel THE EDGE OF NORMAL is an above average suspense novel of the "women in peril" genre. The main protagonist is Reeve a twenty-two year old who was kidnapped and abused by her captor for four years when she was just a teenager. After years of therapy Reeve has made great progress to overcome her ordeal but it still bearing physical and emotional scars from her horrific ordeal. She has the opportunity to mentor and counsel another young girl who has been rescued from a similar situation though this victim's nightmare is far from resolved and Reeve takes the initiative to find the main villain in this case and hopefully set free some other captives.

Despite some problems with believability THE EDGE OF NORMAL is an engaging page turner. I read it easily in one day. There are a few elements to the book that seemed implausible but I was willing to suspend some disbelief to enjoy this thriller that is superior to the "normal" books from this currently crowded genre.

Her insights into the human psyche are so on-pitch, they're frightening in and of themselves. This story feels very real, very plausible and completely gripping. Enjoyed meeting and interviewing her on our tv show, Books du Jour, at last summer's ThrillerFest in NYC - check her out here: https://youtu.be/cJiWhVJnHdw

This is a quite thrilling debut novel! The present tense - consistent across the various viewpoints - amplifies the tension throughout the book. It's easy to become absorbed in the story from its very first pages. The protagonist, a true survivor once named Regina Victoria, has changed her name to Reeve in celebration of her fresh start (as well as to hide from the media), certainly makes for a sympathetic heroine. The assorted other characters, for the most part, feel realistic. Unfortunately, the book's main flaw lies with its overly omnipotent villain, Duke. His perspective is introduced early on in the novel and each segment from this viewpoint adds to his impressively nefarious skillset. Not only is he a computer and tech genius, but he is also a self-trained crackshot, builder extraordinaire, master manipulator and pedophile (though even his pedophilia strains the edges of credibility as he responds to adult women as well). Duke greatly detracts from the strength of the narrative. Not that every villain must have some sort of humanizing, positive quality, but his wide-ranging, superior talents make him feel at times like a sort of comedic, supervillain (he even has his own supersecret lair of gadgets!).

Norton even spends times developing Reeve's own heightened survival skills, but squanders them in a Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey-like encounter with the villain. And even in the climax of the novel, Duke is temporarily brought down in a scene straight out of Home Alone 2: Lost In New York! And though Norton neatly ties together all of the strings, they are almost too neatly tied together. It is a well-written novel, but it lacks the realism necessary for it to be a genuinely gripping thriller. The tension is well-maintained, but any comedy seems quite unintentional. It's an entertaining book, but not the edgy and dark read it seems to be aiming to be.

Carla Norton knows this subject matter well, and it shows in the plot line and character development. This novel puts the reader 'into the head' of an abducted young woman with such authenticity. As a reader with (thankfully) no personal experience of the sort, I'll never know what it's actually like. By delving so deep and making me feel what Reeve LeClaire feels, I came away with a new appreciation and respect for anyone who's been abducted and survived.

The book is fast-paced and well-plotted. I already have the second in my 'to read' pile.

**Spoiler Alert**
The book is over-written and the plot is all over the place. There is far too much coincidence and far too many inconsistencies and loose threads. The evil guys are all evil and the police are numerous, insensitive, and bumbling. There are “extras” such as the newspaper reporter, Tilly’s brother, Dr. Lerner, and Darryl Wayne who seem to be momentarily and/or periodically important, but then are left dangling or not heard of again.

At the beginning of the book, Reeve is appears as a fragile, almost friendless, young woman who was kidnapped and severely abused. She's still in counseling. No reputable psychiatrist would ask her to help another victim of the same abuse. Nor would she be able to do so. A better premise would have been a Reeve much more recovered and strong.

Reeve finds out from Tilly that there is another abuser. Reeve knows that two other girls are still missing. She simply could not have kept this secret--no matter what she promised Tilly. And later Tilly tells the police anyway and there's never an explanation for why.

Reeve is far too fragile to investigate on her own. She stumbles upon the house where Hannah is kept and because someone yells at her brandishing a rifle, she has to go back? Even though she is lost when she "finds" this house? And why doesn't Duke, the bad guy, catch her? He has her car bugged for GPS. And he uses it to track her later. So why didn’t he move Hannah before Reeve could return to the house which she shouldn’t have been able to find? And why did Nick never call her back? None of this made sense.

At the end, Reeve believes that she is talking to Abby’s father. Really? How did Abby’s father get Reeve’s cell phone number? Reeve rescued Hannah, but had nothing to do with rescuing Abby and never met her. Why would she even consider seeing Abby without talking to Dr. Lerner first? The only reason she talked to Tilly was because Dr. Lerner asked her and approved it. Reeve, of all people, knew what state Abby could be in and would not want to cause more harm. It made for a torturous ending (exciting to some) but it made no sense.

And I hate to add this next inconsistency but I will. Big bad Duke goes to a lot of trouble to drug small boned Reeve with hot cocoa so he can abuse her. But when his plan works perfectly, he doesn’t-- because he prefers his victims to be conscious! So why drug her? He could have over powered her in the kitchen. Well, he doesn’t so that the author can let Reeve can wake up scared and find a way to escape. So contrived. And I’ll add what another reviewer mentioned: pedophiles are pedophiles. Reeve was far too old for Duke.

Reeve and Detective Nick Hudson are attracted to each other, but she tells him she won’t be back.. Having that relationship work would have gone a long way to save at least the end of the book.

Why 2 stars and not one? Well, I finished the book.

Twenty-five years ago, author Carla Norton wrote a nonfiction true crime bestseller called "Perfect Victim." It sold over a million copies. It was the detailed and well-documented horrific story of Colleen Stan, a young hitchhiker who was picked up in California by a man and his wife and kept captive as a sex slave for seven years. Stan was called "the woman in the box" because her captors kept her locked up under their bed at night in a wooden box. The experience of investigating and writing that book left the author so traumatized that she stopped writing true crime.

A few years ago, Carla went back to college to learn the art of writing fiction and now she's back in the publishing world with a debut novel, "The Edge of Normal." It's a chilling suspense thriller about a sadistic sex kidnapper, his three young teenage victims, and the savvy, emotionally fragile woman who bests him at his game.

The book is fast-paced and packed with suspense. From the beginning, we know who the monster is and why he is so successful. This knowledge drives the suspense. The sadistic rapist and kidnapper is a police officer! He's the regional expert on high-tech surveillance...so he has access to a toy box full of advanced tools that he can use for his evil desires. Because we know up front who the monster is and what he's up to, this book virtually simmers with suspense.

However, the best thing about this book is not the suspense, but its main character, Reeve LeClaire. She's a breakout new type of heroine, a psychologically fragile woman who blossoms into an avenging fighter. When Reeve was twelve, she was kidnapped by a sadistic sex pervert and held hostage for four years. When the novel opens, Reeve is twenty-two years old. She's still psychologically damaged and fragile, but thanks to Dr. Ezra Lerner--one of the nation's leading experts on "Captivity Syndrome"--Reeve's almost completed her long road to recovery.

As the book opens, Dr. Lerner gets called to help a young rescued kidnapping victim. The parents of the teenager ask to meet with Reeve. They think she might be able to help their daughter since both were victims of similar types of sadistic sex perverts. Reeve agrees. But she gets far more than what she expected. Events spin out of control. Reeve is soon the focus of the monster cop's attention. Eventually, the book turns into a cat-and-mouse game; not only is Reeve's life on the line, but also the lives of two other young girls who are still being held captive.

I enjoyed this book. It was well written and it made me feel creepy and scared. But I didn't love it. This book is a suspense thriller. I expected a psychological suspense thriller...and that's not what this was. There's a big difference. I wanted the author to focus more on the subtle hidden psychological motivations driving her two main characters' actions. That's why I read fiction, because it gives you entrée into the minds of its characters. In true crime nonfiction, readers are given all the facts and the readers are supposed to try to figure out the motivations using that knowledge. But in fiction, authors have access to a powerful tool: they can take you deep into the minds of their characters to reveal subtle complex hidden motivations.

Sure, in this novel we are privy to what Reeve and the monster cop are thinking, but that's not the same as really focusing on their complex inner psychological makeup. Norton doesn't do that; this novel is all about suspense and action.

This book is a very good suspense thriller. Don't hesitate to buy it if you like that type of fiction. But if you need your suspense thrillers to also have complex psychological content, you might want to look elsewhere.

Edge of your seat thriller that flows so fast you might get paper cuts turning the pages. You are gripped with sympathy for the main characters from the first keystroke and you close the book however many hours it takes you to finish it. Regina LeClair is the victim more than once, when she had more than paid her dues the first time. The ending is satisfying and the while it's what you might expect, it's how you get there with heart pounding thrills and the sensation that you really don't know what is going to happen next. I'm not sure if this book will have a sequel but it should. Congratulations to the author. If you want to be scared to death and entertained as well, this will serve you excellently on both counts.

This is a great book. The characters are real, the storyline is engaging and it was fun to read. Stop reading reviews for fear of spoilers. The less you know before starting the better. Just know it's a thriller and reminded me of Gone Girl. IF you disliked that novel don't discount this one but if you loved that novel...you will 99.9% surely love this one.

Reeve has spent years trying to regain her life after having survived a kidnapping. When she is asked to help a girl in a similar situation, she discovers she must also protect her from a predator who continues to run free. A compelling psychological thriller about a young woman tired of being a victim, forced to face her deepest fears.

The Edge of Normal
Carla Norton

Carla Norton's thriller debut is an exceptional read. My attention was snagged from the first page.
Reeve LeClaire was only twelve years old when she was kidnapped, abused and held hostage for four years. She is finally getting her life back on track when she is asked to lend moral support for another kidnapped victim recently found. Things get heated up rather quickly after Reeve becomes part of the investigation and it is hard to put the book down as there isn't a dull minute.
Carla Norton certainly as attained an ability for describing a most vile predator. One I hated very much while reading this story.
Reeve is a genuine character, likeable and someone to look up to for her strength, guts and loyalty.
The plot here is fast past and kept my interest. The police team was pretty competent and interesting on their own.
I am definitely interested in reading future works by Carla Norton!

I love a good thriller, especially one that's dark and disturbing, and lucky me as that's what I got when I picked up "The Edge of Normal." I can't even remember how I came across the novel but no matter as I'm so glad I did. Carla Norton ("Norton") weaves a dark and chilling tale about kidnapped children who are held for months and/or years; tortured, starved, and sexually abused at the hands of pure evil - evil that lurks behind the façade of those who walk among us. "The Edge of Normal," a brilliant and well-written suspenseful-thriller that is sure to intrigue fans of such genre as it's truly a dark, intense and thought-provoking novel, with characters that come across as realistic as can be. Such an intriguing and riveting tale full of twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end, reading each and every word well into the late hours, leaving me with feelings of such satisfaction and pleasure when I reached the end, by the same token feelings such disappointment as the story had come to an end. Norton's debut fiction novel is a true thriller that should not be missed. I anxiously look forward to her next work of fiction.

Twenty-two year old Reeve LeClaire may appear normal; however, her life is anything but. Kidnapped as a young teen and tortured by a sadistic rapist, Reeve was lucky to escape. After years of therapy, she's content with living a mundane life, but news of another kidnapped girl's release puts her on edge. Asked by her therapist to help the girl readjust to everyday life, Reeve complies, but by doing so, places herself in the sights of brutal predator.

Reeve is an incredibly tenacious heroine that you can't help but root for, especially since the parts of the story told from the perspective of the villain are terrifying. The writing doesn't rely on gore and shock; instead, the author uses subtle language to craft a psychological terror that readers won't soon forget.

The Edge of Normal is a must read for fans of Gillian Flynn. Just don't read it with the lights off.

This was a good suspenseful page turner. A young girl that is held captive for years that escapes her kidnapper by a freak car accident. Years later, still trying to recover, she is asked by her therapist to be sort of a mentor, to help another victim who escaped her captor. This book is told of the lives of Reeve and Tilly and also of the mastermind behind Tilly's kidnapping and also a couple of other girls. I wish the ending would have been a little different, but it was a great thriller overall!

Check out the full review at Kritters Ramblings

A thriller were the reader knows the killer from the beginning, but is just waiting for the detectives and team to put all the pieces together. Told from many point of views, the reader is able to get a full picture which was beyond entertaining.

My most favorite part of the book was thinking that it was concluding, but realizing that there were quite a few pages to go and clearly there was still a few things that were going to happen!

Victims of long-term kidnapping are apparently a literary thing now. Debut author Carla Norton adds Reeve LeClaire to the ranks in this novel about a survivor who is asked to help another girl recently recovered from a similar situation. It's a fast, punchy read with an slightly too omniscient super villain and a heroine who goes from being afraid to pass by a beggar in a wheelchair to kicking butt a little too quickly to be believable. But by that point, I think most people will be flipping pages too fast to be truly annoyed. I'm looking forward to Ms. Norton's next book.

"The Edge of Normal" by Carla Norton is a psychological thriller that will keep your heart pounding and sitting on the edge of your chair. It's a deeply disturbing novel that keeps your eyes peeled to the pages for the same reason you wish you could look away.

For those who skip the Prologues and Introductions to books and go directly to the first chapter, read the Prologue of this book. It will mega enhance the disturbing nature of the story.

There are a number of really good psychological thrillers out now. DO NOT skip over this one!

This is a fast read...easily devoured in three or four hours. What's more, it will stay with you. Reeve LeClaire is a tremendous character. I don't know if it would work for her to return in a sequel, as one reviewer suggests. With all that happens to her in this book, that would be pushing it, in my opinion. However, she is a person you will remember.

Very highly recommended.

Carla Norton presents a rapid fire, heart jumping book with her first novel. Based on real crime concerning violence towards women, she is respectful of the subject and families who suffered through the horrors of having loved ones kidnapped and abused. The characters are genuine and her technique of having different voices tell the tale is most effective. Reeve has survived the worst of ordeals yet through healing and ongoing therapy is able to reach out to others who have suffered as she has. Reeve takes us along as she plunges into the ongoing crime scenes. It's a powerful ride through tough territory; I was fully engaged by the plot and Ms. Norton's exceptional writing. I hope to see Reeve return in future books.

Young Reeve has managed to move on with her life, even if just barely. A survivor for ten years, Reeve has become accustomed to being alone, and now managed to just survive life itself. Until she meets a younger version of herself, another survivor, but one who's still in danger. Determined to help protect her, Reeve comes alive in a way she never knew before.

Carla Norton’s The Edge of Normal could have been written by a committee of untalented but savvy hacks in the publishing trade. The book made me angry for its calculated cynicism and contempt for readers, while it fills shelves that could be used for real writers. Most of the chapters are one page long (stretched into two), thus extending this exercise in wasted type and paper into what seems a normal length for this kind of airport kiosk fare. I was angry that I spent any time at all on it. These franchise writers (i.e., James Patterson, who have a stable of hacks to ghost their books) are using up valuable publishing expertise on something worth nobody’s time or attention. In this empty excuse for a novel, the characters are cookie-cutter, the sentiments are bogus, the treatment is completely factitious and contrived, and there isn’t a word of truth or nature in any of it. Reading it was like eating a meal at Applebee’s, amid orange and brown plastic, pumped full of grease, corn sugar and processed junk made to vaguely imitate real food. Take a step up and read Jeff Lindsay’s Dexter books which have wit and cleverness and some actual trenchant observations on our culture.

Nope, I couldn't finish it. The story is contrived and you never feel like there is any in depth analysis of character to make it interesting. Also felt guilty reading about this subject matter as a form of entertainment.

This story is so emotionally charged that I read it too fast so now I am rereading. I did not want it to end and hope that Carla Norton (author) will continue with sequels with Reeve LeClaire. She was surrounded by strong characters too as Dr. Lerner and Jackie Burke.More Please!!!