The Secret History of Twin Peaks

Diane, it is 8:16 PM, Central Daylight Time, October 22, 2016. I am holding in my hand a green hardback book wrapped around a half dustcover (itself adorned with the most wonderful trees you can imagine) titled "The Secret History of Twin Peaks: A Novel by Mark Frost." Its construction is solid and sturdy, and its price reasonable, especially at the substantial discount Amazon was gracious enough to provide. All in all, this is a solid book, reasonably priced.I'm now opening the book. It's contents, Diane, are a marvel. This is a few streets down from the Hardy Boys--maybe a few counties. Each and every page stands out: an 18th Century handwritten expedition report here, a government document there, transcripts, newspaper clippings, pictures, and footnotes. Footnotes written by FBI Special Agent T____ P_____, who seems to be trying to make heads or tails of this masterwork of an enigma along with me.After spending quite a bit of time with this strange book, I've gotten a lot of insight into the history and events of this fascinating town, and of the even more bizarre collection of states we humbly call the US. Mysteries and secrets abound both in and out of Twin Peaks, some considerably and shockingly real, others enjoyably peppered with fiction, all of it, to the last word, magnificently well written and believable.I've also learned certain details containing loose ends left untied 25 years ago after the untimely cancellation of the television series, Twin Peaks. Some unresolved plotlines, I can say with confidence, are duly resolved as of the publication of this work.This does not mean, however, that the answers are all out in the open; nor does it mean that this work doesn't sow several questions in its own right. This is not a book, Diane, to take at face value. While it is enjoyable enough for casual reading and keeping up with old familiar characters, there seems to be something beneath the surface. Strange and obvious inconsistencies pepper the work. Inconsistencies that stand out over the care and research otherwise blended into its construction. We may have an unreliable narrator on our hands, or maybe even something much much more. I've taken a look at a live interview with author Mark Frost, who said the following in response to such changes:"In life you have to learn to live with paradoxes, and sometimes what we think we know isn't what actually happened. Sometimes what we think really happened isn't something that we actually know. And sometimes things will be revealed further down the line that will help clarify all those things."In conclusion this is a magnificent insight to the world of Twin Peaks, a fine bridge between the 1991 TV series and its 2017 resurgence, an entertaining look into the surreal side of American history, a solid study of the difference between mysteries and secrets, and a damned fine mystery in its own right.This is gonna need a few pots of coffee, Diane, and at least another reread.

This is not a novel in the traditional fashion. What it is, is a collection of letters, documents, newspaper clippings, and photos. These start way back with Lewis and Clark and go all the way forward to now. It’s a bit slow in the first 100 pages but after that the collection hits its stride. It becomes suggestive, gloomy, and quirky; much like the series.The attention to detail is really nice. The footnotes are distracting, but they do add to the overall body and contain their own add-in of data. The cover is beautiful, and I am surprised the price wasn’t higher. The cover is highly embossed and gives it the feel of a book much older than it is. It is apparent that pride was taken in making this, and it is something that Mark Frost should be proud to have his name on.Does it answer questions?Heck yes it does. Sometimes those answers are subtle; a single line in a document. Other times it’s a headline about a bank explosion that you can’t un see. DON’T flip through it casually if you want to read it the whole way through. Yes, the answers are there for a whole lot of things you may have wondered, and a lot of things that may not have dawned on you no matter how many times you have read it.Are there any bad points?Maybe. It depends on what you want. If you want something that tells the story in a way that is very fitting of the Twin Peaks world, this is the book for you. If you want a novel to just read through, you may be disappointed. The one bad thing for me was about every 50 pages there would be something incorrect for the time period, like cellophane on a 1947 pack of cigarettes, or a 1800s’ era person using a bit of modern slang. This isn’t an issue once it gets to the 1960s’ and if you are not big into history it’s quite possible that you wouldn’t even notice. It just broke the continuity for me which was a bummer since I was trying to get back into the Twin Peaks feel.A lot of material produced for a TV show or movie tend to be filler to make more dollars from a franchise. This book was written for fans, by folks who care about the fans and the Twin Peaks world. It answers a lot of questions, but still leaves enough unsaid that season three will be very welcome. I think this book does exactly what Mark Frost said it would, bridge the gap between the seasons.