Charisma: A Novel - Softcover

Barbara Hall is an award-winning novelist, screenwriter, and television producer. She is the creator and producer of the Emmy-nominated television series Joan of Arcadia. Her TV writing and producing credits include Northern Exposure, Chicago Hope, and Judging Amy. She is the author of four young adult novels, including Skeeball and the Secret of the Universe (1987, Orchard Press), Dixie Storms (1990, HBJ), Fool’s Hill (1992, Bantam), and the mystery House Across the Cove (1995, Bantam). Her previous novels include A Better Place (1992), Close to Home (1997), and A Summons to New Orleans, all published by Simon & Schuster.Barbara Hall lives in Pacific Palisades, California, with her daughter Faith.

The creator of the TV series Joan of Arcadia offers up a tale of one woman’s struggle to find her place in the world in the aftermath of a brutal attack. Sarah Lange was savagely raped and almost killed two years before checking herself into the Oceanside trauma center. She’s treated by David Sutton, a doctor skeptical of her claim that she hears voices from the other side. For her part, Sarah wonders if someone as rigid and passionless as David can ever understand her, let alone help her. As his relationship with his girlfriend falls apart, David finds himself fixating on Sarah, determined to get to the bottom of her problems. Sarah has her own ideas about fixing herself, and she absconds with another patient, hoping that by helping him she can heal herself. When he turns out to be dangerous, Sarah realizes she may have taken on more than she can handle. Hall’s dialogue-heavy novel is an intriguing exploration of how the bond that forms between therapist and patient can change the lives of both. --Kristine Huntley