Providence
Caroline Kepnes
Publication Date: June 19, 2018
Genre: Thriller / Psychological Suspense 

    

A propulsive novel that’s part love story, part detective story, and part supernatural thriller—from the acclaimed author of You, whose work Stephen King describes as “hypnotic and totally original”

Best friends in small-town New Hampshire, Jon and Chloe share a bond so intense that it borders on the mystical. But before Jon can declare his love for his soul mate, he is kidnapped, his plans for a normal life permanently dashed.

Four years later, Chloe has finally given up hope of ever seeing Jon again. Then, a few months before graduation, Jon reappears. But he is different now: bigger, stronger, and with no memory of the time he was gone. Jon wants to pick up where he and Chloe left off . . . until the horrifying instant he realizes that he possesses strange powers that pose a grave threat to everyone he cares for. Afraid of hurting Chloe, Jon runs away, embarking on a journey for answers.

Meanwhile, in Providence, Rhode Island, healthy college students and townies with no connection to one another are suddenly, inexplicably dropping dead. A troubled detective prone to unexplainable hunches, Charles “Eggs” DeBenedictus suspects there’s a serial killer at work. But when he starts asking questions, Eggs is plunged into a whodunit worthy of his most outlandish obsessions.

In this dazzling new novel—and with an intense, mesmerizing voice—Caroline Kepnes makes keen and powerful observations about human connection and how love and identity can dangerously blur together.

Whatever preconceived notions you might have about Providence by Caroline Kepnes, do me a favor, and throw them all out the window. When I finished this book, I was a jumble of feelings. I was confused, wanting more, NEEDING more. Then I took a step back and a moment to think. Wow. This story is a living thing that grows into something you might not completely understand or agree with, but that ride is what you need to experience for yourself.

Providence is a story unlike anything I have read, maybe ever. The tone in which it is written is unique and the story is bizarre yet enticing. Jon, Chloe, and Eggs are three separate minds who are connected in ways they can’t even comprehend. It’s not a love story or a straight up mystery thriller or even a fictional tale of overcoming hardship and pain. Instead, it is a thought that seeps into your brain, making you wonder what is happening and how in the world it will end. The time spans across years and the characters evolve into people who are distinctly flawed and brilliant. I could have read several more chapters and wished for a bit more closure, but just like this daring and unique story, I took what Kepnes gave me and appreciated the story she shared.