Suicide House: A Gripping and Brilliant Novel of Suspense (A Rory Moore/Lane Phillips Novel, #2)

by Charlie Donlea

An Apple Books Best of the Month Selection
A Publishers Weekly Summer Reads 2020 Editors’ Pick
A Library Journal “12 Novels Featuring Protagonists on the Autism Spectrum” Selection

From #1 International Bestseller Charlie Donlea—A chilling murder in a prestigious prep school is at the heart of this riveting new suspense novel that’s perfect for fans of Lucy Foley and Ruth Ware. Forensic reconstructionist Rory Moore and her psychologist partner, Lane Phillips, must chase down the truth behind the ghastly killings featured on the hit true crime podcast sweeping the nation. Can they uncover the hidden secrets of the school and the psychology of a killer before the next episode airs?
 
Inside the walls of Indiana’s elite Westmont Preparatory High School, expectations run high and rules are strictly enforced. But in the woods beyond the manicured campus and playing fields sits an abandoned boarding house that is infamous among Westmont’s students as a late-night hangout. Here, only one rule applies: don’t let your candle go out—unless you want the Man in the Mirror to find you. . . .
 
One year ago, two students were killed there in a grisly slaughter. The case has since become the focus of a hit podcast, The Suicide House. Though a teacher was convicted of the murders, mysteries and questions remain. The most urgent among them is why so many students who survived that horrific night have returned to the boarding house—to kill themselves.
 
Rory, an expert in reconstructing cold cases, is working on The Suicide House podcast with Lane, recreating the night of the killings in order to find answers that have eluded the school, the town, and the police. But the more they learn about the troubled students, the chillingly stoic culprit, and a dangerous game gone tragically wrong, the more convinced they become that something sinister is still happening. Inside Westmont Prep, the game hasn’t ended. It thrives on secrecy and silence. And for its players, there may be no way to win—or to survive. . . .
 
“Multiple intertwining story lines keep the pacing brisk and the tension high throughout. But the book’s real strength is the idiosyncratic Rory, who suffers from OCD and is on the autism spectrum, a deeply developed character readers can’t help rooting for. Hopefully, she’ll be back soon.”
—Publisher’s Weekly

• ISBN10: 1496727150
• ISBN13: 9781496727152
• Publish Date: 28 July 2020
• Publish Status: Out of Stock
• Out of Print: 12 March 2021
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Kensington Publishing
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 304
• Language: English
• URL: https://penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/isbn/9781496727152

Reviews

[Quirky Cat]

I received a copy of The Suicide House in exchange for a fair and honest review.

The Suicide House is the second novel in Charlie Donlea's Rory Moore/Lane Phillips series. Yet it could easily be read as a standalone novel as well (it worked for me). It is a thriller that will draw you in and demand your full attention.

Westmont Preparatory High School has had a rough go, as of late. A series of murders a year ago have forced dramatic changes in the school. Changes that apparently didn't make a difference, if the rash of suicides is any indication.

Now this story has caught the attention of investigators and reporters. Between the lot of them, they might just get to the bottom of this apparent cold case, and all of the mysteries buried within. To think, it might just have stayed buried, if not for that podcast.

“The man in the mirror. The man in the mirror. The main in the mirror.”

Warnings: As you might be able to guess, from the title of this book The Suicide House contains graphic imagery, as well as discussions about suicide, including depictions and graphic details. The deaths in this book are sometimes gory, and the mental health of the characters surrounding those scenes are unsurprisingly compromised.

The Suicide House is a thrilling read, delivering on all the dark promises made by this cover. And to think – this is a story that might not have occurred, if not for the relatively modern invention of podcasts (and before that, radio and investigative reporting).

I never read the first novel in the series, yet I had no problem following along. Or in finding myself invested in what was occurring. This is a story that unfolds through several perspectives, each of whom presents their own take on events.

That made the backstory both elusive yet shockingly comprehensive, as everybody knew something. Just not enough to solve it on their own. That is, not until the plot quickly starts to escalate. That is where the pure thriller elements come into play.

It made for a tense and interesting read, one that is totally worth getting cozy for the night, and reading it all in one sitting (speaking from personal experience here). It's a dark yet quick read, one that doesn't hold your hand during the investigation.

Yet, as with my favorite mysteries, there are hints to be found throughout. These parts always make more sense one the revelation has finally come about, and all the pieces finally fall into place. There's something extremely satisfying about that, which is arguably one of the many reasons why I enjoyed this book so much.

This is the first novel I've read by Charlie Donlea, but I have to say that I'm impressed. I'm probably going to go back and read the first novel in this series (Some Choose Darkness), as well as keeping an eye on any of his future novels.

Check out more of my reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks