John Saul， master of psychological and supernatural suspense， has created a terrifying serial thriller set in the New England town of Blackstone. From the old Asylum， an insidious evil has descended upon unsuspecting souls who fall within its looming shadow. Seemingly harmless gifts have been appearing for months at the homes of Blackstone s residents. ???????????????????? Each object has a dark， horrifying past.??????????????????????Each marks the recipient with inescapable doom.??????????????????????Each carries a shameful， secret history returning with a vengeance . . .??????????????????????????????????THE BLACKSTONE CHRONICLES?????????? PART 6??????????Editor Oliver Metcalf has written a provocative article on the Asylum that implies there may be a curse on the town. The community is outraged， charging him with inflaming hysteria. More urgent is the mysterious disappearance of Rebecca Morrison. As Blackstone rallies to find the missing woman， a mysterious package arrives on Harvey Connally s front porch. The contents hold the ultimate， grisly key to the horrors of the Asylum. Now， at last， Oliver must confront the gruesome truth of the past--one that threatens to crush all the inhabitants of Blackstone in one final grip of terror. . . .??