I found this older paperback laying around and decided to read it because the title is the same as my father’s name, Billy. I know that’s a strange reason, but that’s why I read this book. I didn’t read the quick blip on the back of the book, but quickly found that it was about a child abduction – not my usual or favorite reading fare.Although the book seems to be based on a true story, it is fiction. Its beginning is chilling as you get into the mind of the abductor, Barton Royal, while he is stalking and choosing his victim at the mall. Apparently a serial killer, he has done this before and makes his plans very carefully, having learned from past mistakes.The first few chapters are really gripping, but after that the events began to seem rather implausible. Without giving out too many spoilers, let me simply say that there were times the kidnapper could have been caught, and several times the boy could have escaped, but didn’t. The change in the boy throughout the ordeal seemed rather unrealistic also. Here’s an example:“Barton rolled the side door of the van open. Despite everything Billy was eager to see the mansion. He loved big houses. If he’d been in control of things, Dad would have made more money, and they would live in a huge house with columns. Instead of the old wagon, they would have something incredible, like maybe a bright red Bentley Turbo, zero to sixty in six and a half seconds, top end a hundred and sixty, the fastest production sedan in the world. ”Really now, this is unbelievable. The boy had just been kidnapped and knew he would probably be sexually assaulted and maybe even murdered, yet this was his reaction when the kidnapper got him to his house. He’s thinking about a fancy house and a car! No, not even remotely believable.The police and detective involved in the case seemed to be rather incompetent. Of course, this was before the Amber Alerts which started in 1996, and this book was originally written in 1990. But I still think that law enforcement agencies put a very high priority on stranger abduction of children.I had a hard time connecting to the family. I think the author tried to make the family seem not too perfect. Even though this story is a parent’s nightmare, I couldn’t relate to the family. The father was a high school teacher, and you got the impression they lived pretty poor. I don’t usually think of teachers as poor. I know they aren’t rich, but the ones I know live well.The book seemed even more chilling for me because, as I was reading this book, the story of a girl kidnapped in Colorado was just making national news.The author did a good job of letting you learn about Barton Royal in bits and pieces as you read the book. Parts of the book were unnerving and, for me, had a Silence of the Lambs kind of feel to it - as I said ‘unnerving, a parent’s nightmare.’ I didn’t like sections at the end of the book, written in short fragmented pieces. We also find out what happens to Barton Royal, but aren’t really told how. I wanted to know more about the fate of the kidnapper. The ending of the book seemed rushed. However, the author did have a cemetery scene at the end that I thought was very appropriate.Not really a book I would recommend, even though it was once a New York Times Bestseller. It’s chilling, unnerving in places, has a lot of suspense, but definitely not my preferred reading.
I've had this book for years and years and haven't really wanted to read it but I finally pulled it out. Even though it wasn't one that I had a hard time putting it down I couldn't get enough of it while I was reading it. I didn't go through a range of emotions but my body was involved and I had a tense stomach and body as I became absorbed by the suspense of it all. It grabbed me from the very beginning which has been rare these days with the books I have read and this one kept me involved until near the end. The last 2 chapters or so I felt let down as the ending was what I had expected in some way but there was this sense of disappointment as I was expecting something more intense that went along the flavor of the rest of the book. Overall though it was a great read and anything that keeps me involved these days is a bonus.
What do You think about Billy (1990)?
I read the blurb and wonder if I listened to the same book as is described here. This is a well written story about an ordinary boy that is kidnapped out of his home, by someone who thinks they can give him a proper home. It's very plausible and makes you wonder, do I know where my children are? As it develops you see the story from both sides, but it didn't make me breathless - probably seen too many thrillers on TV? It is thought provoking, and with Roddy McDowell reading it you feel the drama & tension.
—Nigel Pawson
2006 Review:Ok, for the most part, this book was stupid. It's about a man that kidnaps a boy named Billy. The boy is between the ages of 9 and 12-they do give his real age, but I don't remember.This book took me a really long time to read. The parts with the kidnapper-Barton, and the boy, Billy, were somewhat interesting but any part that had to do with the police and especially with the parents should be completely skipped. Those parts were all annoying, and boring, and just really dumb.Ok. So, the last 1/4 of the book I read all in one night. I started it tonight basically just because I wanted to finish it so I could start reading an actual good book. But, the last part of the book did really, really grab me. The style of the book changed completely. This book *is* scary and would make an *excellent* horror movie. I mean, it could possibly be on of the scariest horror films ever made, considering it's dealing with a little boy instead of an attractive adult (like the Exorcist did,I suppose). It was really really scary-at least with my imagination. So, once the scary stuff happened, the writer did a good job of not making everything be sunny and merry and all tied up. He showed dark consequences of what would happen to a young boy that had been through this-but then, in the last, like, 3 pages suddenly it's all peachy again and it ended with everything being completely fine. WHAT? The horror film would definitely end differently.This isn't a story about a pedophile, though. Just a very screwed up man with a screwed up life who did horrible things. But once again, everything in this book besides Barton and Billy should have been left out.Even though I think this book could be the inspiration to a great/horrible horror movie, the majority of the book was stupid. I'd also be scared to be in a room with the author(not from scenes to do with horror stuff though-just the way the stuff with some of the family was written really creepily) and think that the mention of the national center for missing and exploited children at the end of the book is actually distasteful because I don't think the purpose of the book was to help anybody and I think this book would be horrible for anyone to read who had been through any similar situations.So, it's gets 2 stars for inspiration for a very disturbing horror flick and for being a book that I'll probably remember forever.
—Krystl Louwagie
Took awhile to kick into gear, which eventually it did. I really thought that, although the book began slowly and my attention meandered for a bit, it ultimately goes in the books for me as a gripping story of a young boy's survival when kidnapped by a schizophrenic sociopath. The antagonist, who seems rather tame early one exhibits progressively more violent and disturbing tendencies as we delve deeper into the heart of the book. The last third of this book makes it worthy in my eyes as propelling it into the very good category.
—Dave
