The Throat

The third and final book in the Blue Rose Trilogy, The Throat (1993), a horror novel by Peter Straub, follows an acclaimed novelist who teams up with an old army friend to solve murders taking place in a small town. The book won the 1993 Bram Stoker Award for Best Novel and received a nomination for the 1994 World Fantasy Awards. Straub is an American horror and thriller writer. Although he typically writes short stories and novels, he also writes some poetry. In the past, he collaborated with renowned horror writer Stephen King on a supernatural series.

The protagonist is Tim Underhill. Once a reclusive writer whom no one could track down, he is now an acclaimed novelist who enjoys the spotlight. Readers of the Blue Rose Trilogy first meet Tim in Koko, the first book, where he and his army friends got together to track down a notorious serial killer known as the Blue Rose Killer.

Now, the only killers Tim encounters are the ones he writes about in his own books, and he plans to keep it that way. He has had enough excitement for one lifetime. Unfortunately for Tim, his friends have other plans. Tim’s old friend, Ransom, calls Tim with worrying news; there is a new murderer on the loose, mimicking the Blue Rose Killer.



Tim wonders how this new killer affects him. Ransom tells him that his wife, April, is dead. Someone left her body in an alley and scribbled the words “Blue Rose” on a nearby wall. Ransom reminds Tim that they served in Vietnam together; their bond means something. Despite his own fears, Tim travels back to his hometown of Millhaven, Illinois, to meet Ransom.

Readers learn that the Blue Rose Killer murdered Tim’s sister 40 years ago. The killer left her in a tunnel with similar words scrawled over her body. Going back to Millhaven means facing demons he hasn’t thought about in a long time; he doesn’t know if he’s ready to face them. On the other hand, as a novelist, he knows that facing his past might help him move forward with his future. He can, in other words, start a new chapter.

When Tim arrives in Millhaven, he quickly seeks out his old buddy Tom Pasmore. The eldest member of the original group, Tom lives a hermit’s lifestyle; he doesn’t like anyone disturbing him. Although Tom’s sleuthing skills are incredible, he doesn’t want anything to do with the Blue Rose copycat, and he ignores Tim’s request for help at first. Only when Tom realizes how dangerous the new killer is, does he agree to investigate.



It turns out that Ransom was right to fear this new killer. The Blue Rose copycat murders someone else and writes the words “Blue Rose” beside her corpse. Now, there is an undeniable link between the original serial killer and this new murderer. Tom proposes they go to talk to an actual killer called Walter Dragonette.

Ransom and Tim are at a loss as to why they should talk to a convicted murderer. Tom explains that only a serial killer knows how a copycat truly thinks. Walter can perhaps shed light on how the copycat chooses his victims. Admitting it is worth a shot, Ransom and Tim join Tom in a visit to Walter. Walter agrees that this new killer is more than just a copycat: he is a serial killer who plans to share the spotlight.

While in Millhaven, Tim spends time revisiting old haunts and reconnecting with people from his past. He admits that he wrote a book called The Divided Man based on the Blue Rose murders. Admittedly, he is ashamed that he profited from the crimes, but he realizes that his own book may be the key to solving the murders.



Tim rereads The Divided Man. It turns out that the killer is leaving bodies in the same places as the original killer, whose story Tim covered in the novel. It is likely that the killer plans to recreate the novel’s next scene. If Tim, Tom, and Ransom can beat him to it, they may just save someone’s life.

In the meantime, the characters face their personal, deep-seated memories from the Vietnam War. They all carry skeletons in their closets, from the crimes they committed to the horrors they witnessed over there. They heal from their personal traumas as they work toward catching a serial killer.

In the end, it turns out that a fellow soldier from Vietnam, Fee Bandolier, is the killer. He is continuing his father’s work—his father being the man responsible for the Blue Rose murders. They thought Fee was dead, but it turns out that he simply assumed a new identity. The trio only finds this out after they unjustly accuse the wrong man. They bring Fee to justice and let go of their old mental wounds at the same time.