In the Dark of the Night is one of many books by John Saul, who I discovered in middle school, around the same time I discovered Dean Koontz and V.C. Andrews.
In this one, three close-knit upper-class families vacation in a small lakeside community for the summer. Each of the families has a teenage son—all of whom are best friends with one another.
One day, the boys go exploring and find an old abandoned boathouse with a hidden room tucked inside. After poking around where they shouldn’t, the boys unleash an evil entity that starts killing people in the peaceful community. On top of that, the boys have to worry about a group of local bullies who hate rich kids.
The suspense in this one builds very slowly until about midway through, when it’s revealed why there’s a dark evil attached to the mysterious “tools” the boys find in the boathouse. I’ll admit the buildup was worth it, because the entire concept behind the history of those tools is pretty damn intriguing and original.
But unfortunately, after that, the excitement fades away just as quickly as it came on. Nothing really happens with those tools, and it’s so lame. It’s disappointing, because it seems as though the author got lazy and gave up, when he could have done way more with his wildly creative concept.
In the Dark of the Night is probably the last book I’ll ever read by John Saul. I loved him when I was a teenager though. I borrowed every single one of his titles from the library, I was so obsessed.
Other books by John Saul include:
- The Devil’s Labyrinth (2007)
- Faces of Fear (2008)
- House of Reckoning (2009)
What did you think about this book?
Last Updated on February 4, 2026 by Sarah Ann
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