***Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Expected publication July 28, 2020.***

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This book had me hooked from the very beginning. The story-line and characters were very dark and twisted, but that's what kept me up until the early hours of the morning to finish the book.

I will definitely be trying out other books by this author. :)

This was my first book by this author and I didn't realize it was a series. However, it was fine as a stand alone book. The Suicide House takes place at Westmont Prep High School. There is a secret society of sorts and during the summer initiation 2 students are killed and a teacher is quickly found to be the killer. During the next year the students that survived the slaughter begin to commit suicide at the abandoned boarding house where the murders took place. It follows the students as well as some detectives while they begin to suspect maybe it wasn't the teacher who committed those murders. Maybe something sinister is being covered up and driving the survivors to kill themselves. I thought this was a good thriller and had some twists that I didn't see coming. A few things were a little obvious but not so much that I didn't enjoy the story. I enjoyed the pacing of the story and the different POVs. I plan on looking at the other books by this author as well. Thanks to Netgalley and Kensington Publishing for the advanced copy for a honest review.

This is my first Charlie Donlea book and once I realized it is the second in a series, I was concerned that would make it less enjoyable. Absolutely the contrary! These books are meant to stand alone and only have overlapping characters and references to previous books, but the stories are completely unto themselves. Do not let the series aspect keep you from picking up this one first.
This is a well paced thriller set at an isolated prep school for high school kids. When they start their junior year, a small group are tapped by the senior class to be inducted into a secret society on campus. This particular year, as a group of 6 juniors are going through the various challenges to enter the society and things do not go as expected.
The main characters that are originally introduced in the first book, are a couple, Rory and Lane, who are the brains behind solving some of the most difficult cold cases. This is why each book can stand-alone, the setting and cases change, but these two are the glue holding the series together. In The Suicide House, they are brought into this prep school case, where two murders have occurred during the initiation into the secret society and the case that appears to be closed may have holes. This pair are intriguing and unique characters whose story is interesting on its own. But there are layers and layers to this story.
I was immersed in this world and am looking forward to going back into the previous books by this author.
Highly recommend!!
Thanks for the early copy for review.
#TheSuicideHouse #Netgalley #KensingtonBooks #Kensington

I think I’ve found another author to add to my favorite’s list! The Suicide House by Charlie Donlea is a well written, character driven, taut thriller. I loved the depth given to each character. Donlea is an expert writer and he pays special attention to each of his characters in a way that not many writers do these days.. I loved that while most books promise to keep you on the edge of your seat, this one really carries through! While I had my suspicions, I really didn’t know what the ending was going to be until I got to it. I will definitely be reading more of Charlie Donlea’s books in the future!

I have always been drawn to a book that is set in an elite prep school, and even more so if there happens to be a mystery surrounding the school. Suicide House gave me everything I expected from it along with secret societies, murder, gossip, and more.

The story takes place on the campus of the elite private school in Indiana called Westmore Prep, where a podcast decides to focus on a past murder of two students who were killed in an abandoned boarding house that students used as a hangout. The podcast, titled Suicide House tackles why students that were there that night go back to the scene and commit suicide.

I enjoyed the story but found out later the main characters is in a book before this one, and Suicide House is the second in the series, While I think that the book stood on its own very well, I would have liked to have read the other one first, maybe to just get insight on the characters that were investigating the crime. The story itself had plenty of suspenseful moments and was a well-written mystery. I really enjoyed the author giving us glimpses of the killer bu their journal entries that were included in the story, that along with the blogging and podcasts gave the story a real feeling of being on a campus in which these things would really be happening in today's world.

I did struggle with a few things in the book, mostly that there were a lot of mysteries or stories, and POVs going on at once, and at times I had to re=read to comprehend parts of it, especially when I first started reading the book. The book does move at a bit slower pace than most books I read so that helped me out a bit also. I had time to think about things without getting totally lost.

All in all Suicide House is a great book and most mystery readers will enjoy it.

A prep school, a murder and podcast to solve it....I love this book. I was literally guessing to last page. I highly recommend this read be added to beach read list.

Thank you Netgalley for an early copy of The Suicide House for an honest review.
The Suicide House is a great thrilling read. I absolutely love the character Rory. I so hope to read more novels with her as the main character. If you want to read a novel with a main character is on the spectrum this is for you. Thank you Charlie Donlea for creating such a good role model.

This is my first Donlea. I had no idea when I requested this book that this was the second novel in the Rory/Lane series. It stood out perfectly as a standalone and I can see why this is getting the rave reviews it currently has.

The opening scene brings the reader in. You have the setup for sinister and creepy with a group of kids hosting initiating rights into a secret club. What initiating rights you ask? None other than the fabled Man in the Mirror who can either curse you with bad luck for the year or bless you with good. This was right up my alley. Superstitions, murder and mystery wrapped up neatly with a bloody bow.

There are multiple POVs and for the majority of them they are easy to follow, my favorite being the reader of the murderous journal entries. As more characters are introduced and their backgrounds and quirks are described I did get a little confused. The confusion stems from my dyslexic type reading issues. Things that are too similar can get really mixed up so when characters have similar names (Rory/Ryder and Mack/Marc) it takes me longer than most to back track and catch on. This did not take away from my rating, strictly personal but frustrating for me nonetheless.

Some areas surrounding Rory’s calming activities slowed the pace for me dragging with the detail. I felt there was a descriptive lull between 10% and 45% of the novel, feeding the reader details, background and some clues to the buildup. I highly recommend to keep going. Store your speculations and keep reading because when the climax hits, it hits hard and fast and you can’t put it down. You will be contemplating till the end and you will continually second guess your conclusions.

I am definitely a new fan and recommend this to anyone who loves mystery, suspense and psychological fiction. Now to get my hands on the other books by Donlea. Thank you to Kensington Books and Charlie Donlea for the opportunity to read and review this advanced copy.

When I started this book I was so intrigued I flew through the first 30% super fast. There is journal entries of a man confessing to killing his dad, podcasts and then some other point of views sprinkled in. I liked how the chapters was short. This follows Rory and Lane and they are trying to figure out a case where students are killing themselves at this boarding home. Like I said I was super intrigued in the story and then I got bored. There started to be too many povs and the timeline to figure out the big mystery was d r a g g i n g. The plot twist at the end didn't surprise. Not because I saw it coming I just didn't care. I wished that I loved the whole book.

Wow. Just wow. I’ve read a lot of thrillers but this has to be a fav. Donlea expertly spins this story. I was completely transfixed with Rory, the main character. I not only kept thinking about the story but about her. I’m not sure how he did it, but from the very start, she intrigued me in a way that I can’t explain.
The story itself is done well. Mystery is woven with intrigue and details are only released intermittently. There was no way for me to guess the ending and I love that. I didn’t need to guess throughout, I was completely content letting the story play out while I devoured the details.
This is a well done murder mystery. I will definitely be checking out his other novels! This is book 2 in a series but can definitely be read as a stand-alone.
The content was high in bloody details but only had casual swearing and no intimacy. There are trigger warnings for suicide, spousal abuse and gory details. I recommend this for thriller lovers everywhere!

The Suicide House is the second book in the Rory Moore/Lane Phillips series and is set in a secluded boarding school with an elite society, grisly murders, and a series of suicides. Oooo, right?! It may not be a school I'd be eager to attend, but it does make for a suspenseful read!

Rory Moore, a forensic reconstructionist who loves the coldest of cold cases, finds herself pulled into this new case at the urging of her partner, Lane. I'm glad that we see a bit more of Lane this time out, but I was surprised Rory was more in the background (compared to the first book where we got to see more of how her mind works and her unique take on things). Instead of the focus on Rory, the story telling is shared between multiple POVs - I particularly liked crime blogger, Ryder Hillier.

There's a LOT going on in this book with numerous characters and different timelines and a few secondary plot lines thrown in too. It was a lot to take in and keep track of (I ended up making a character list), giving this book a convoluted feel. But things come together in the last half with great revelations and twists and I enjoyed how Donlea keeps his chapters short, particularly when things heat up towards the end.

This book could be read as a standalone but I'd strongly recommend reading the ah-mazing first book in the series, Some Choose Darkness first to get a clearer understanding of Rory. There's a lot happening in this book, but Donlea's suspenseful and sharp storytelling skills paired with Rory as his main character are what will keep me coming back for future books.

Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to Kensington Books for providing me with a digital ARC, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

The Suicide House takes place between two timelines, while we, as the read, try and understand what is so creepy and lethal about an abandoned house in the woods.


As much as I wanted to like this book, I didn't enjoy it as much as I anticipated. The timelines were well placed and I did enjoy most of the characters. But several times, I found myself confused as to where I was and what exactly was happening. It was almost paced oddly, I suppose.


Overall, an okay story.


The Suicide House comes out 7.28.2020.


3/5 Stars

The Suicide House by Charlie Donlea
Pub Date 07/28/20

The Suicide House is a podcast that focuses on True Crime cases. In particular the Westmont Preparatory School Murders.

We met a couple of really cool and intriguing characters, the psychologist and ex FBI profiler Lane Phillip's and his girlfriend the forensic reconstructionist Rory Moore. They were asked to come down to the school and figure out why 3 of the survivors from the night of the murders have committed suicide.

This was written as a stand-alone but ties into Charlie's other books. I love the ease of this book. I flew through it, it held my attention throughout the whole book. I did figure out who the killer was before the big reveal but I still loved it.

Big thanks to the publisher and to #NetGalley for the free book for a honest review. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4/5

“The Suicide House”—Charlie Donlea [4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️] This was my first read by this author and I really enjoyed this suspenseful storyline. At the Westmont Prepatory High School, two students were gruesomely murdered and a year later this case becomes the the focus of a hit podcast called The Suicide House. Although one of the teachers was convicted for the murders, something just doesn’t sit right with some of the facts of the case, not to mention the students that survived that tragic night are now going back to where the crime occurred and are killing themselves. Rory Moore, a forensic reconstructionist, along with her psychologist partner Lane Phillips, and a true crime reporter, are now all investigating this case to find answers to what happened that night and what is still occurring; they need to uncover the truth behind this secret society at this school that went tragically wrong. This story flips back and forth from the past and the present in different people’s perspectives, which all makes perfect sense in the end. You definitely need to pay attention when you are reading so that you don’t miss out on any important details. The book definitely had me hooked and I really enjoyed that twisty ending. I highly recommend checking this out when it’s released on July 28th! 👍🏼 *Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for providing me a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review! 📚

This is a new to me author, and after reading this book, I find myself desperate to go back and read the rest of his work.

At first, the jumping between time & points of view was confusing - not to mention the incredible number of characters - but after a few chapters, I got used to the rhythm and this became a must-finish-cannot-put-down book for me. The main characters were a mix of the usual mystery trope - grizzled old detectives, prep-school kids with too much time on their hands, the red herring that turned out to be anything but - and new, exciting ones like the a-typical forensic reconstructionist who moonlights as an antique doll restorer, and the former FBI profiler turned best-selling true crime author & creator of a website devoted to finding links between cases.

It was truly a tangled web, with plenty of twists that kept me guessing 'whodunit' right up to the very end. I thought it was very well plotted, and hugely satisfying in the end. Definitely a must read for fans of TV shows like CSI or Criminal Minds.

Oh my gosh this was a read and a half and I simply didn't want to put it down from start to finish.  I'm sure you know the feeling.  I'd set myself a limit but would immediately proceed to break it promising myself just a few more pages/chapters.  <b>The Suicide House</b>  by Charlie Donlea is listed as book 2 in the Rory Moore series which started with Some Choose Darkness.   If you haven't read book 1 don't let that deter you as it definitely works as a stand alone.   The fast paced story is what carries this one, moreso than the characters, even though I enjoyed being reacquainted with Rory and Lane.

The story immediately got my attention.   The first interaction we had with any character was an unnamed but self confessed murderer who spoke with such pride about their meticulous planning.    Whilst it was clear this was the first it certainly was not  the last murder they committed.     Just where and how the other murders took place and trying to deduce who this unnamed character was is what kept me flipping those pages.   All things considered the book was surprisingly devoid of graphical violence - I won't say it was completely free of violence because that would be untrue - but it wasn't a major factor.     This was a whodunnit to keep you guessing.   Though others may have sussed it out before the big reveal, i had not and got quite a surprise, always a good thing with this genre.

I'll be looking forward to getting my hands upon Charlie Donlea's other titles if the first two I've read are anything to go by.    His Authors Nore directed me towards various other novels that tie in with some of the characters we met in Ths Suicide House so that's a bit exciting.

My thanks to the author, to Kensington Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity of reading this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review which it was my pleasure to provide. Will be listing this as 4.5 stars on Goodreads.

Westmont Prep is an elite High School which recently has had a few murders and a few suicides on its campus. Although the case has been closed, not all of the evidence is lining up. A famous podcaster is reporting the case and ends up dead. A forensic psychologist and his girlfriend end up covering the case afterwards and find out a lot more about the missed evidence and what went wrong in the conviction of one of the the teachers. The story is told through multiple narrators, including a journal kept by the killer. There are a lot of twists and turns and everything is not what it seems. The ending was definitely not predictable and I found myself surprised at who the killer really was. I enjoyed this novel and think it is definitely worth the read. I would love to read other books by Charlie Donlea in the future.

A chilling murder in a prestigious prep school!?

Count me in!

There is much going on in this story and it starts with a bang!

“The Suicide House" is a hit podcast that focuses on the grisly murders of two students at an elite boarding school. The boarding school in question is Westmont Preparatory School where there is a 'secret' society which everybody is aware of. The story starts with students who hope to be initiated into the secret society, have to go to a hidden cottage in the woods and survive the Man in the Mirror. But this ends up becoming a nightmare for all when students end up dead and a teacher is blamed.

The mystery of what’s going on at the boarding school is extremely intriguing and I was completely hooked. However, from there it does become a tad confusing because there are a lot of characters and their POV’s, a lot of subplots, mysteries, going back and forth between timelines.
I still stuck on and I'm glad because I did end up liking the book.

The highlight for me was Rory Moore and Lane Phillips. They are a superb pair and I just love both of them. But a little special corner of my heart is for Rory. who is a very well fleshed out character.

I'm guessing a lot of the characters introduced here are a setup for the author's next books and I can't wait to read what Charlie Donlea comes up with it.

A solid 3.5 stars which I'm bumping to 4.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for sending a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to Netgalley and Kensington Books for the ARC.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 5/5 stars. If you start a book out with a disturbing scene of someone whispering something at a mirror and then immediately getting murdered, I am going to love that book. The Suicide House got my attention right off and I couldn’t stop reading until I finished it.

This is the second book centered around the character Rory Moore and her partner, Lane Phillips, but you do not have to read their last book, Some Choose Darkness, to enjoy this one! I love the characters of Rory and Lane and hope they are featured in future books by Charlie Donlea.

The Suicide House is a set at a creepy prep school where two students are killed and the grisly murder becomes the topic of a hit podcast. Rory and Lane begin working on the podcast and try to solve why the students who found the bodies keep returning to the scene to kill themselves. I loved how flashbacks, podcast excerpts, and therapy session notes were all used to tell the story.

The Suicide House is a disturbing, original novel that is very fast-paced and features many great characters. Fans of The Chestnut Man and Mindhunter should definitely check this one out when it releases on 7/28/20!

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

After reading an excerpt of The Suicide House on Bookishfirst, I was excited to be approved for an ARC on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, I looked forward to a great summer read. The author grabs the reader at the very beginning with the brothers and the train incident. The main story takes place at Westmont Preparatory School in northern Indiana. I am hooked as the opening scene is late at night, a candle needs to be lit to keep the Man in the Mirror away.

I liked the short chapters but soon became confused with so many characters and trying to remember who was who. This book needed to include a character chart with a warning to the reader to use it. I later found out that this book was the second in a series but was able to stand alone. I wish I had known as the two characters, Rory and Lane, were in the first book. I especially liked Rory who is on the spectrum.

I think my rating would have been higher with either less characters and weaves in the plot or if I had realized there would be so many characters to remember.