Serenity Place: A Town Built on Illusion

By Christopher James

Chilling and disturbingly plausible. Serenity Place is a psychological thriller about illusion, control, and the price of obedience. It explores the dark undercurrents of conformity, surveillance, and human resilience inside a seemingly perfect community. Perfect for fans of The Stepford Wives, Black Mirror, and The Girl Before.

"Welcome to Serenity Place. Peace of mind. Perfect design. A life worth living."
Journalist Sasha Porter agrees to house-sit for her sister in Serenity Place, a family-friendly community designed for optimal living.

She was expecting peace and quiet. What she got was controlled perfection. The town is spotless. The community methodical. Residents are sedately calm and polite to the point of robotic.

As Sasha digs deeper, she uncovers a horrifying truth. Serenity Place isn't a community. It's a psychological experiment. Every emotion is regulated. Every movement is monitored. The families living there aren't neighbours. They're human test subjects.

As residents begin to awaken to the truth, Sasha must lead a growing resistance from inside a town that was never designed to let them leave. *******************************************************************************************************************************************Prologue - No Way Out

The woman was running barefoot, breathless, eyes wild with panic. She moved swiftly across the manicured grass, her heartbeat drumming in her ears. Above her, a flawless sky stretched out like spotless blue silk, empty of clouds or birds. Too perfect. Too still. She had to get out.

Behind her, the houses stood neatly in rows. They had identical porches; white picket fences and shutters painted in coordinated shades of pastel. Not one curtain stirred, but she felt their eyes. Watching. Waiting. Recording.

She reached the edge of the park and halted. She'd been here before. She recognised the roses blooming in perfection and the polished benches where no one ever sat. Her mouth went dry, panic slicing through her chest. She was running in circles. She'd been running in circles for hours.

A sob escaped her throat as she turned to face the empty street again. There were no exits. There was no way out.
Then, she saw him, standing calmly beneath a streetlamp as if he'd always been there. He wore a white coat, hands folded neatly, his eyes cold but reassuring. She'd trusted those eyes once. Trusted that voice, calm and measured, promising her peace and safety.
"You shouldn't be here," he said gently, like a teacher to a misbehaving child.
"Let me go," she whispered, barely audible.
"You're confused." He stepped towards her slowly. "We can help you find peace again."
She stumbled backward, feet slipping against wet grass that had never felt real. "This isn't peace. This isn't real."
His voice hardened just slightly. "Reality is relative. You know this."
She shook her head, tears streaming silently now. "I won't go back."
He paused, sadness and something darker flickering briefly in his eyes. He raised a hand in quiet signal. Two figures emerged from the shadows, moving swiftly.
"Please," she gasped, pleading one last time. "You can't keep this hidden forever."
His expression softened to something like pity. "Soon, we won't have to."

Hands closed around her shoulders, pulling her gently but firmly away. She didn't scream. She knew there was no point.
As she disappeared into the night, he stood alone, straightening his coat. Above him, the sky remained motionless, perfect and silent.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0FHJK3M1P
• ISBN13: 9798291911488
• Release Date: July 2025
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 228 Pages
• Weight: 0.51 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.0" x 8.0"