Out of Body [Hardcover]

Thomas Baum (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1997

Paroled from prison after serving time for a rape that he cannot recall, Denton Hake tries to rebuild his life, but when his new girlfriend is killed during one of his terrifying memory lapses, he must find out what they mean before it is too late. Tour.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

YA. Screenwriter Baum's compelling first novel combines a murder mystery with early childhood trauma and out-of-body experience. As the story begins, Denton Hake is released from prison, having served his time for a rape he cannot believe he committed. While living with his brother and trying to start over, a new girlfriend is found murdered and Hake, the logical suspect, goes on trial for his life. He loses periods of time, a dissociation sometimes found in survivors of childhood trauma. His therapist tries to help him understand the lapses and their connection to his father's mysterious death, while a new wrinkle sets in. Now he can leave his body and witness events in other locations. Fearing for his sanity, he starts to believe that he might be violent while in these fugue states. The book is one of those "can't put it down" reads that will have great appeal to mystery lovers.?Carol DeAngelo, formerly at Fairfax County Public Library, VA
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Denton Hake, fresh out of prison for a crime he's not sure he committed, quickly finds himself in trouble again when his new girlfriend is found murdered. Hake is prone to blackouts, during which he has out-of-body experiences, an affliction that only grows in intensity after he sustains a head injury. With the help of his therapist, Hake attempts to assert his innocence. First novelist Baum, a screenwriter, has created an endearing figure in the phlegmatic Hake, but the rest of the cast is curiously dry and unconvincing. Additionally, the denouement arrives without fanfare, and the novel seems to end prematurely. The mild paranormal elements may tempt The X-Files crowd, but only larger fiction collections need consider.?Mark Annichiarico, "Library Journal"
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 214 pages
• Publisher: St Martins Pr; 1st edition (April 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312156200
• ISBN-13: 978-0312156206
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,257,241 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Let Baum's words into your body!, November 3, 1997

By 

[e-mail] (Chicago, IL, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Out of Body (Hardcover)

Having the experience of out-of-body travel, controlled or not, must be a truly awsome experience. Baum keeps the reader caught up in that place where reality ends and a book begins. He allows readers to get confused with Denton, who finds himself in the odd place somewhere near the ceiling or just below the floorboards, hovering about in his cell or peering into his brother's bedroom. The fact that Denton isn't certain of where he is keeps the reader wanting to know more than the character. The next time you drive to work and don't remember the drive, you have entered into Thomas Baum's world of confusion. It's an enticing place to be. Read it, you'll see what I mean.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Original suspense thriller, December 5, 2002

By 

Lleu Christopher "www.liminalworlds.com" (Hudson Valley, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Out of Body (Audio Cassette)

Out Of Body is an offbeat suspense novel with a metaphysical twist. The protaganist (or possibly the antihero) is Denton, a man who frequently has blackouts in which he leaves his body. As the story begins, Denton (who narrates the tale) has just been released from prison for a crime he believes he never committed. Because of his unusual state of mind, the reader does not completely trust Denton's claim of innocence. After all, if he doesn't always know where he is, he may have done anything. Denton is surrounded by people who are, if not hostile towards him, at least suspicious. He stays with his brother Elliot and his wife Mimi, whose marital difficulties are even further strained by Denton's arrival. Denton gets a job and becomes romantically involved with the bosses' daughter. When it turns out his new love interest has a checkered past, and a violently jealous fiancee, things quickly turn dangerous for the recently parolled Denton. To add to the complexity, one of Denton's cell mates has escaped and is looking for help. Denton seems destined to find trouble, and neither we nor he are surprised when he is suspected of another violent crime. One of the novel's strongest features is the way it captures Denton's frightening states of dissociation. We are swept along, forced to share his condition, as he is propelled out of one scene into another without any memory of the dots connecting. Author Thomas Baum inserts a powerful psychological theme here as well --at an early age, Denton may have witnessed his own father's suicide. Suspense, psychology and the supernatural are combined in an original way to make this a compellingly unique novel.