Introduction

Set in New York City and Los Angeles between August 1999 and November 2001, The Stranger Box is a fast-paced psychological thriller. It is the story of a mother and a daughter caught like two white dwarf stars in separate orbits, destined to collide. Though she does everything in her considerable power to insure the child never finds out who she is, the vain and self-obsessed Katherine Blair is unable to change the course of her destiny or evade Eden, the resourceful daughter whose pursuit is fueled by the desire for revenge and the determination to steal the family that has been denied her. Eden’s sometimes tortured and always tumultuous journey is the focal point of this story of abandonment and revenge. Her character and beliefs regarding right and wrong, and good and evil are influenced not only by her Jewish adoptive mother, but by their housekeeper, Leila, a young Voodoo priestess from Haiti. It’s Leila who gives Eden her first Stranger Box, and teaches her to keep it filled with things that will protect her from others who would do her harm. Under her tutelage, Eden learns to worship the Iwa, and begins to master the art of using plants and herbs to heal and to punish. Fascinated by the black magic as well as the white magic that characterizes the Voodoo religion, Eden becomes intrigued with the notion of zombies. At a Voodoo ceremony, she witness a possession and encounter an opportunity to steal a jar of the powder used to create a zombie. Eden’s burgeoning fascination with all things Voodoo comes to an end when Leila is forced to leave the family’s employ and return to Haiti because of the sexual advances of Eden’s adoptive father. Eden's journey becomes more tumultuous as tragedy strikes and her adoptive family disintegrates, forcing her onto the streets and into the arms of a disciple of Satan. The tension between good and evil is reminiscent of Patricia Highsmith’s Ripley series. The portrayal of the consequences of intense negative emotion on the outcome of a family drama is suggestive of Ian McEwan’s Atonement. Eden’s resilience, and her ability to emerge as a strong and resourceful adult inspite of a disastrous childhood brings to mind Stieg Larsson’s Lisbeth Salander. Among the many early readers of the book was R.W. Goodwin, Executive Producer of The X-Files. He reflected the opinion of many when he said, “The Stranger Box is a real page-turner. Eden is right. Trust no one.”To tell more would destroy the tension and ruin the surprise.

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Excerpt

Part One
ORIGINAL SIN


Chapter One

Cain and Abel

When she heard the front door slam, Eden breathed a sigh of relief. Her adoptive parents, Carolyn and Robert, had finally left for their weekend in the Hamptons. I don’t get how Robert is always able to finagle invitations to rich people’s houses. He is such a jerk, Eden thought as she retrieved her well-used, red leather journal from under the mattress and plumped up the pillows so that she could sit up in bed. ... view entire excerpt...

Discussion Questions

Does Eden feel guilty over Samantha’s death? Should she? Why or why not?


Is the Dark Angel pure evil. If not, why not?

Does Katherine Blair have any redeeming characteristics? If so, what are they?


In what ways is the influence of the Dark Angel over Eden apparent in the way the story ends? Min Tan? Leila?


Min Tan tried to teach Eden to be compassionate. Did he succeed or fail? How did she show compassion? When did she fail to show compassion?


Eden tells Anna she was never really mothered. Is that true? Did Carolyn totally fail Eden as a mother figure?


The Dark Angel talks about the differences between aggressive, seductive Lillith and the passive, responsive Eve. These two types of women are mirrored by the two types of mothers in Eden’s life: Katherine Blair, and the more docile, easily manipulated, Carolyn Dengler. As she matures, what kind of woman is Eden becoming? What kind of mother is she likely to be?


Eden could have stolen Bryce from her mother. Why didn’t she?

Eden always believed in rejecting others before they could reject her. She didn’t do that with Bryce. Why not? What happened?

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»	Author Pamela Cuming's web site
»	Publisher's book info
»	Author Interview
»	Self-Publishing Review
»	Reader's Favorite Review

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