Somebody's Watching You

Book excerpt: Melody Hollenback has a problem. Her husband, Jeff, has joined what appears to be a cult. Considering his and her months-long unemployment and Jeff's clinical depression, Melody has a lot to worry about. When Jeff exhibits sudden signs of mental wellness, he is convinced the cult is curing him. He becomes increasingly immersed in the teachings, and Melody worries he is pulling away from her. In an effort to hold on to him, she pretends to join the fold. She soon discovers that the cult has long arms and keeps a tight grip on its followers. In fact, one of the group's ringleaders, the mysterious Floyd, has been keeping his creepy eye on her. Somebody's Watching You, the debut novel from Robin D'Amato, reads like a quirky thriller. Set in a community unware of danger in its tree-lined blocks, the absurd tactics of the cult frame this otherwise simple love story with both dread and humor.