Publication Date: March 20, 2018
Publisher: Berkley
The “clever and wonderfully chilling” (Fiona
Barton) suspense novel from the award-winning author of The Haunting of
Maddy Clare...
Vermont, 1950. There's a place for the girls whom no one wants—the troublemakers, the illegitimate, the too smart for their own good. It's called Idlewild Hall. And in the small town where it's located, there are rumors that the boarding school is haunted. Four roommates bond over their whispered fears, their budding friendship blossoming—until one of them mysteriously disappears...
Vermont, 2014. As much as she's tried, journalist Fiona Sheridan cannot stop revisiting the events surrounding her older sister's death. Twenty years ago, her body was found lying in the overgrown fields near the ruins of Idlewild Hall. And though her sister's boyfriend was tried and convicted of murder, Fiona can't shake the suspicion that something was never right about the case.
When Fiona discovers that Idlewild Hall is being restored by an anonymous benefactor, she decides to write a story about it. But a shocking discovery during the renovations will link the loss of her sister to secrets that were meant to stay hidden in the past—and a voice that won't be silenced...
Vermont, 1950. There's a place for the girls whom no one wants—the troublemakers, the illegitimate, the too smart for their own good. It's called Idlewild Hall. And in the small town where it's located, there are rumors that the boarding school is haunted. Four roommates bond over their whispered fears, their budding friendship blossoming—until one of them mysteriously disappears...
Vermont, 2014. As much as she's tried, journalist Fiona Sheridan cannot stop revisiting the events surrounding her older sister's death. Twenty years ago, her body was found lying in the overgrown fields near the ruins of Idlewild Hall. And though her sister's boyfriend was tried and convicted of murder, Fiona can't shake the suspicion that something was never right about the case.
When Fiona discovers that Idlewild Hall is being restored by an anonymous benefactor, she decides to write a story about it. But a shocking discovery during the renovations will link the loss of her sister to secrets that were meant to stay hidden in the past—and a voice that won't be silenced...
The story bounced back between a perspective from
November 2014 to flashbacks from 1950 at the elusive, mysterious Idlewild Hall,
a boarding school for girls who have suffered less than desirable fates. Our
main character, I would consider to be, Fiona Sheridan. Fiona is a journalist
who is still stuck in the past and stuck in her sister’s murder that happened
years before this story took place. The infamous Idlewild Hall mesmerizes Fiona
because some part of her thinks it holds more secrets than anyone has yet to
uncover. And when a body is unearthed during renovation of the boarding school,
Fiona is forced into a world of murder, ghosts, and laying past demons to rest.
Four girls who attended Idlewild Hall share the
second narrative, the part of the story that is set in 1950. Katie, CeCe,
Roberta, and Sonia each share their voices and moments of the time they spent
at the haunted, eerie, and soul-draining boarding school. These girls formed a
bond that was unbreakable and when one of them disappeared, they banded
together to learn the truth and protect the others no matter the cost. Their friendship
was remarkable and endearing.
Fiona is intuitive, persistent, and determined to
find answers to the mystery of her sister’s disappearance as well as the bones
of the young, malnourished girl that was dug up on the grounds of the boarding
school where her sister’s body surfaced years before. I absolutely loved both
perspectives – Fiona’s and the teenage girls. Every character felt so real,
raw, and emotional. They all have/had secrets and were eager to find something
to believe in in a world that seemed otherwise hopeless.
Then there is the character of Mary Hand…or the
ghost of Mary Hand, I should say. Mary Hand’s story is fascinating, if not
completely unveiled until the end. To me, she serves as a major character in
this story because she helps our main characters see their pasts, their
present, and their future.
The writing and pacing of this novel was perfect
for me. I flew this book and was completely enraptured by every part of this
story. I loved both perspectives equally, I was completely freaked out when
reading about Mary Hand’s ghost, and I did not see the ending coming early on.
Simone St. James is a brilliant novelist with a knack for writing suspense,
horrific scenes, and sending chills up your spine. There is not one part of
this book that I would consider slow or boring. I had a hard time ever putting
it down.
“That was what the books did - they turned off
your thinking for you, put their thoughts in your head so you wouldn't have
your own.”
“If you were hunting for someone to murder, what better
person could you choose?”
It was November 19, 1950. She would be dead in ten
days.
Simple handwriting, on a piece of notebook paper,
written in ballpoint pen. Meet me behind
the church at eleven o’clock, it said. And beneath that: You’re not looking hard enough.
This was my first Simone St. James read and it was
definitely a 5 star read all around! I was invested in the story from page one.
It took me no time at all to love Fiona and want her to find the answers to all
of her questions. These are the type of books that make readers like me more
invested in this passion. I thought about this book long after I had put it
down. I want more – and I will be looking for more books by St. James.
The story is spooky and creepy but not enough to
make me sleep with the light on. I love the boarding school trope, so if you
are a fan of that trope as well, then this is a must read for you. I did see
the ending coming but not from the start. I was so pleased to see that Fiona
had a love interest, but it did not take over the plot nor was that her sole
focus. She was brave and kept pushing all the right people to get the answers
she desired. If St. James writes more, I will be reading them and this will
probably be one of my favorite books of 2018.
***A free copy of this book was provided to me by the
publishers at Berkley in exchange for my honest review***
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