The Unseen by T. L. Hines

Perched on the top of the elevator, Lucas peered at the woman below and created an elaborate history in his mind.

Title: The Unseen
Author: T. L. Hines
ISBN: 9781595544520
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Pages: 383

I received the book from the publisher. I had not read any book by T L Hines before this.

The Unseen is a very unusual book. It is about Lucas, who observes people. From any nook or corner, literally. He has got equipments to drill holes on top of elevators, walls and closets, where he can hide and watch them. From there, he collects photographs or any such personal stuff and thinks of those as his totems. These totems give him solace in his loneliness. However, he does possess some ethics. He does not watch anyone at their homes or neither does he photograph anyone.

Lucas has no past, he had been brought up in an orphanage and he also has no future as he is not much involved with anyone. He does odd jobs to sustain himself and also saved for himself quite a bit. His life takes a turn when he himself is watched. His world crashes down. He has nowhere to go as he can be easily tracked by those people, belonging to Creep Club. And those who watch him are thorough professionals. They don't have any hang ups about watching people in their homes and taking photographs. They get voyeuristic pleasure out of it.

The Creep Club wants to enroll him initially, but he is not open to offer. A person named Saul, who wants to expose Creep Club members, tries to make use of him. Lucas has some reservations. He does not want to cross the line. However, he comes to know of a murder about to happen and tries to warn the involved person. It backfires on him and he is taken to be criminal, who is at large. It seems the watchers want him dead too. Only he can save himself as he has no one else to fall back on.

The Unseen right from the beginning is very gripping and gives the reader a creepy feeling. While reading it, one thinks if anyone is watching. If yes, from where? The book moves in a good pace. It has lots of twists and turns. Although at first we are revolted by Lucas, as it progresses, we start to like him. We feel his loneliness. We feel his sadness. He does not remember anything from his past before he came to the orphanage at the age of six. He only remembers one line, Humpty Dumpty had some great falls. He does not why or how he came about it.

I am definitely going for more supernatural thrillers by T L Hines. I just couldn't put down the book after I reached half way through.

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Reading this novel inspired to write a poem somebody watching you, which I have posted on my other blog, rooted. A review in poetry? Not quite! I reproduce it here:

suddenly you experience fear
looking around you seek that source
thinking what schemes set about
false feelings of true panic
where nothing seems postive

unaware that from unknown peepholes
someone stares at you
without any fear of discovery
overhead from the elevators;
or mesh between two closets-

it pricks from undergrounds too;
in the labyrinth of pipes
under those crowed highways
he keeps himself hidden
with much deception

he might be your neighbour
one of your best mates yet
creeping into your life
possesing a perverted mind,
filled with sadistic streak