The Secret History of Twin Peaks

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The Secret History of Twin Peaks
The Secret History of Twin Peaks cover.jpg
Author Mark Frost
LanguageEnglish
Genre Epistolary novel
Set inUnited States
Publisher Flatiron Books
Publication date
October 18, 2016 (2016-10-18)
Publication placeUnited States
Media typePrint, digital
Pages359
ISBN 978-1-250-07558-1 (print edition)
OCLC 963918085
791.4572
LC Class PS3556.R599
Website Official website

The Secret History of Twin Peaks is an epistolary (dossier-style) novel by Mark Frost, which provides background information on the history of the fictional town and characters from the television series Twin Peaks . The book was published in October 2016, several months before the debut of a new season of the series in May 2017. A follow-up book, Twin Peaks: The Final Dossier , also written by Frost, was released after the new season aired. [1] The audiobook release features four original cast members from the original and sequel television series, Kyle MacLachlan, Russ Tamblyn, Michael Horse, and David Patrick Kelly, joined by original cast member Chris Mulkey and cocreator Mark Frost, and introduces 2017 season actors Amy Shiels, Robert Knepper, and James Morrison.

Contents

Summary

The book takes the form of a dossier of documents, letters, clippings and notes compiled by an unnamed individual referred to as The Archivist. The dossier was recovered in a steel lockbox at an undisclosed crime scene, and has been assigned by Federal Bureau of Investigation Deputy Director Gordon Cole to an FBI analyst with the initials "TP" for review and investigation. [2]

The documents are presented in a roughly chronological order, beginning with the exploration of the area by the Lewis and Clark Expedition, correspondence with President Thomas Jefferson, and Meriwether Lewis's mysterious death in 1809. The next section concerns the flight of the Nez Perce people from the area, with their leader Chief Joseph. Both Lewis and Joseph are mentioned to have experienced "vision quests" in the area where Twin Peaks would be founded.

The town of Twin Peaks is founded when two families, the Packards and the Martells, form two rival sawmills on either side of the river. In 1927, boy scout Andrew Packard and scoutmaster Dwayne Milford see a giant figure in the woods during a camping trip. Milford confides to Packard that his brother, Douglas Milford, also reported seeing a similar figure. Douglas Milford—a minor character in the television series—subsequently becomes one of the key figures in the book. His involvement with the Roswell UFO incident while with the U.S. Army Air Forces sees him assigned to investigate UFO sightings and abduction claims for Project Sign, Project Grudge and Project Blue Book, and to establish Listening Post Alpha, a SETI facility near Twin Peaks. In 1940, three children including Maggie Coulson (the Log Lady), Carl Rodd (the trailer park owner from Fire Walk with Me ) and Alan Traherne, go missing in the woods, re-appearing with strange triangular markings on their bodies, and no memory of that day.

The last section covers the events of the television series, including the murder of Laura Palmer. The backstories of several other characters including Josie Packard, Lawrence Jacoby, Ed and Nadine Hurley, and Norma and Hank Jennings are revealed in extracts from a book on notable local families by Dr. Lawrence Jacoby's brother Robert. The Archivist is revealed to be Major Garland Briggs, whose final entry in the dossier notes that "something's wrong" with Dale Cooper and ends with the word "*M*A*Y*D*A*Y*". The FBI analyst notes that Briggs subsequently disappeared, and Cooper's whereabouts are also unknown, with files on them at the USAF and FBI classified well above top secret. She signs off her investigation notes as Special Agent Tamara Preston.

Reception

Twin Peaks co-creator, writer and director David Lynch, when asked what he thought of the book, stated that he hadn't read it and that it was "his [Frost's] history of Twin Peaks". [3]

Devan Coggan of Entertainment Weekly wrote "More than 25 years after Laura Palmer was found wrapped in plastic, Twin Peaks co-creator Mark Frost returns to the Pacific Northwest with a new novel structured as a secret dossier. Assembled by a mysterious “archivist” and annotated by an FBI agent known only as TP, this enigmatic collection includes undiscovered Lewis and Clark diary entries, UFO sightings, and personal journals of Twin Peaks residents. Plus, Frost (finally!) tackles unanswered questions from the show’s finale". [4]

Eric Diaz of Nerdist commented "If you love Twin Peaks, there is no way I can’t recommend this book to you, although it really is made for the hardcore fan. And if you were looking for answers to mysteries laid out by the series finale, except for a few (Audrey lives!) you’ll probably be disappointed. But hey, we have a whole new season of the show coming for all that. Taken together with the excellent audio version, this is a multimedia experience no Twin Peaks fan can afford to ignore". [5]

Related Research Articles

<i>Twin Peaks</i> American drama television series (1990–91, 2017)

Twin Peaks is an American mystery-horror drama television series created by Mark Frost and David Lynch. It premiered on ABC on April 8, 1990, and ran for two seasons until its cancellation in 1991. The show returned in 2017 for a third season on Showtime.

<i>Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me</i> 1992 film by David Lynch

Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me is a 1992 psychological horror film directed by David Lynch and written by Lynch and Robert Engels. It serves as a prequel to the television series Twin Peaks (1990–1991), created and produced by Mark Frost and Lynch. It revolves around the investigation into the murder of Teresa Banks and the last seven days in the life of Laura Palmer, a popular high school student in the fictional Washington town of Twin Peaks. Unlike the series, which was an uncanny blend of detective fiction, horror, the supernatural, offbeat humor, and soap opera tropes, Fire Walk with Me has a much darker, less humorous tone.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Laura Palmer</span> Fictional character from Twin Peaks

Laura Palmer is a fictional character in the Twin Peaks franchise and the primary focus of the series. She is portrayed by Sheryl Lee and was created by the series creators David Lynch and Mark Frost. She first appears in the ABC original series Twin Peaks. A high school student whose death is the catalyst for the events of the series, Palmer is the protagonist in Lynch's prequel film Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me (1992), which depicts the final week of her life leading up to her murder. Laura also appears in the novels, Twin Peaks: The Return (2017), and a variety of merchandise based on the series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bob (Twin Peaks)</span> Fictional character from the television series Twin Peaks

Bob is a fictional character in the ABC television series Twin Peaks, played by Frank Silva. He is an interdimensional entity who feeds on pain and sorrow. An inhabiting spirit, he possesses human beings and then commits acts of rape and murder in order to feast on the suffering of his victims. In the film Fire Walk With Me, this suffering is called "garmonbozia" and can manifest in the form of creamed corn.

Margaret Lanterman (née Coulson), better known as the Log Lady, is a character in the television series Twin Peaks (1990–2017), created by Mark Frost and David Lynch. She appears in both seasons of the show, the prequel film Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me, and the 2017 revival series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Donna Hayward</span> Fictional character

Donna Marie Hayward is a fictional character in the Twin Peaks franchise. She was portrayed by Lara Flynn Boyle in the television series Twin Peaks (1990–1991) and by Moira Kelly in the film Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me (1992) and its deleted and extended scenes compilation Twin Peaks: The Missing Pieces (2014). She was created by David Lynch and Mark Frost. Making her debut as a main character in the original series, Donna is introduced as the best friend and classmate of Laura Palmer, who tries to solve the mystery of her murder. Donna has a supporting role in the prequel film Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me, which depicts the final week of Laura's life. Donna is referenced numerous times in Jennifer Lynch's novel The Secret Diary of Laura Palmer. The novel Twin Peaks: The Final Dossier by Mark Frost reveals some of what happened to her after the events of the show's second season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Audrey Horne</span> Fictional character

Audrey Horne is a fictional character from the ABC television series Twin Peaks, played by Sherilyn Fenn. The character was created by Mark Frost and David Lynch. She was introduced in the pilot. The daughter of Ben and Sylvia Horne, sister of Johnny Horne, her storylines focused on her infatuation with the series protagonist Dale Cooper, infiltrating the brothel/casino One Eyed Jacks and becoming an activist through civil disobedience.

Episode 29 (<i>Twin Peaks</i>) 22nd episode of the 2nd season of Twin Peaks

"Episode 29", also known as "Beyond Life and Death", is the twenty-second and final episode of the second season of the American mystery television series Twin Peaks. Episode 29 served as the final episode of Twin Peaks for over 25 years, until Twin Peaks: The Return was aired in 2017. Upon its original airing in 1991, the episode was paired with episode 28 to form the second hour of what was then billed as a two-part series finale. The episode was written by the series co-creator Mark Frost, producer Harley Peyton and regular writer Robert Engels and was directed by series co-creator David Lynch, who rewrote parts of the script. It features series regulars Kyle MacLachlan, Michael Ontkean, Richard Beymer and Kenneth Welsh; and guest stars Frank Silva as Killer Bob, Michael J. Anderson as The Man from Another Place, Carel Struycken as The Giant, and Heather Graham as Annie Blackburn.

"Episode 1", also known as "Traces to Nowhere", is the second episode of the first season of the American mystery television series Twin Peaks. The episode was written by series creators David Lynch and Mark Frost, and directed by Duwayne Dunham. "Episode 1" features series regulars Kyle MacLachlan, Michael Ontkean, and Richard Beymer.

Episode 14 (<i>Twin Peaks</i>) 7th episode of the 2nd season of Twin Peaks

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"Episode 5", also known as "Cooper's Dreams", is the sixth episode of the first season of the American mystery television series Twin Peaks. The episode was written by series co-creator Mark Frost and directed by Lesli Linka Glatter. "Episode 5" features series regulars Kyle MacLachlan, Michael Ontkean and Richard Beymer, with guest appearances by Chris Mulkey and David Patrick Kelly.

"Episode 4", also known as "The One-Armed Man", is the fifth episode of the first season of the American mystery television series Twin Peaks. The episode was written by Robert Engels, and directed by Tim Hunter. "Episode 4" features series regulars Kyle MacLachlan, Piper Laurie and Richard Beymer, and introduces series co-creator David Lynch in the role of Gordon Cole.

"Episode 6", also known as "Realization Time", is the seventh episode of the first season of the American mystery television series Twin Peaks. The episode was written by Harley Peyton, and directed by Caleb Deschanel. "Episode 6" features series regulars Kyle MacLachlan, Sherilyn Fenn and Eric Da Re, with guest appearances by Chris Mulkey and David Patrick Kelly.

"Episode 7", also known as "The Last Evening", is the eighth and final episode of the first season of the American mystery television series Twin Peaks. Series co-creator Mark Frost wrote and directed the episode. It features series regulars Kyle MacLachlan, Piper Laurie and Eric Da Re, with guest appearances by Chris Mulkey and Walter Olkewicz.

Episode 8 (<i>Twin Peaks</i>) 1st episode of the 2nd season of Twin Peaks

"Episode 8", also known as "May the Giant Be with You", is the first episode of the second season of the American mystery television series Twin Peaks. The episode was written by series co-creators David Lynch and Mark Frost, and directed by Lynch. It features series regulars Kyle MacLachlan, Michael Ontkean, Ray Wise and Richard Beymer; and guest stars Grace Zabriskie as Sarah Palmer, Chris Mulkey as Hank Jennings, Miguel Ferrer as Albert Rosenfield, Don S. Davis as Major Garland Briggs, and Victoria Catlin as Blackie O'Reilly.

<i>Twin Peaks</i> season 3 2017 season of television series

The third season of Twin Peaks, also known as Twin Peaks: The Return and Twin Peaks: A Limited Event Series, consists of 18 episodes and premiered on Showtime on May 21, 2017. Developed and written by creators David Lynch and Mark Frost, with Lynch directing, the season is a continuation of the 1990–1991 ABC series and its 1992 theatrical prequel, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me. An ensemble of returning and new cast members appear, led by original star Kyle MacLachlan.

<i>Twin Peaks: The Missing Pieces</i> 2014 feature-length compilation of deleted and extended scenes from Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me

Twin Peaks: The Missing Pieces is a 2014 feature-length compilation of deleted and extended scenes from Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me, a 1992 film directed by David Lynch and written by Lynch and Robert Engels. It was released over twenty-two years after the movie and the original series ended and three years before the revival, Twin Peaks: The Return, aired.

Episode 9 (<i>Twin Peaks</i>) 2nd episode of the 2nd season of Twin Peaks

"Episode 9", also known as "Coma", is the second episode of the second season of the American mystery television series Twin Peaks. The episode was written by Harley Peyton, and directed by series co-creator David Lynch. It features series regulars Kyle MacLachlan, Michael Ontkean, Ray Wise and Richard Beymer; and guest stars Chris Mulkey as Hank Jennings, Miguel Ferrer as Albert Rosenfield, David Patrick Kelly as Jerry Horne. Don S. Davis as Major Garland Briggs, Victoria Catlin as Blackie O'Reilly, Don Amendolia as Emory Battis, Frances Bay as Mrs. Tremond, Grace Zabriskie as Sarah Palmer, and Catherine E. Coulson as the Log Lady.

<i>Twin Peaks: The Final Dossier</i> 2017 novel by Mark Frost

Twin Peaks: The Final Dossier is an epistolary (dossier-style) novel by Mark Frost, and a sequel to Frost's earlier book, The Secret History of Twin Peaks. The text was initially released by Flatiron Books on October 31, 2017.

References

  1. ↑ Dean, Alex (October 25, 2017). "Review: The secret history of Twin Peaks revealed in new book". Daily Review. Retrieved May 11, 2017.
  2. ↑ Miller, Laura. "Mark Frost's The Secret History of Twin Peaks Shows Just How Bad Twin Peaks Would Be Without David Lynch". Slate. Retrieved May 11, 2017.
  3. ↑ "Twin Peaks: David Lynch holds a weird press conference". Entertainment Weekly. March 10, 2017. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
  4. ↑ Coggan, Devan (October 14, 2016). "Mark Frost's 'The Secret History of Twin Peaks': EW Review". Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved October 3, 2018.
  5. ↑ Diaz, Eric (November 3, 2016). "MARK FROST'S THE SECRET HISTORY OF TWIN PEAKS IS A DAMN FINE BOOK (REVIEW)". Nerdist . Retrieved October 3, 2018.
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