4 STARS

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. . . .

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Although I am totally new to Charlie Donlea's writing (and the fact that this was a sequal to a series I haven't started) I was still able to completely enjoy it as a standalone. Typically, I am not a huge fan of police procedural but THE SUICIDE HOUSE had enough action and character intrigue for me to overlook it.

THE SUICIDE HOUSE is a slow burn murder mystery with a large cast of characters and several alternating view points. At first I couldn't figure out how they were all going to mesh together, but they came together beautifully at the end. Even though this books only clocks in at 370+ pages, it felt like a longer read to me. Maybe because I had to draw it out over several days due to my busy schedule, or perhaps because of how many layers Donlea added to the story.

Regardless, I never did guess the culprit. (....although I had my suspicions - all of which were wrong!) and was quite pleased by the ending. I will definitely be reading more by this author in the future!

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for my ARC! You can read this one on July 31st.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Kensington Books, and Charlie Donlea for the opportunity to read the second book in the Rory Moore/Lane Phillips series following Some Choose Darkness. While all of Donlea's books can be read as stand alones, definitely read that one first because it's so good. This is another 5 star read!

On the summer solstice on campus of Westmont Preparatory High School, a boarding school in Indiana, two murders took place of students in a deserted faculty house on campus. But that wasn't the end of the deaths - the teacher suspected of the murders tried to commit suicide and two surviving students killed themselves as well. A popular podcast, The Suicide House, is investigating the deaths as is a local news reporter. Lane gets asked to help with the podcast so Rory also gets involved in the investigation. But the deeper they look into the case, the most twists and turns they discover.

Aren't boarding schools just creepy in nature? This one sure is - complete with secret societies, games and pranks to creepy grounds and houses to required therapy for each student. The book is told in different timeframes - from the past leading up to the night in question, to journal entries, to present time. It's a lot to keep track of because you aren't always sure whose voice you're reading but definitely worth it to see all the pieces come together. I was glued to the pages and can't wait for the next in this series!

This was a fantastic thriller that had me guessing until the end. I liked the characters, the plot and the pacing. Although this can be a stand alone thriller, there is 1 book in the series before this one. I didn't feel like I lost anything by not reading the first.

For fans of Sadie, The Suicide House will surely blow your mind. Told from multiple POV, the Suicide House will keep your guessing at every turn.

At first I wasn’t sure if I was going to get into this story. But I pushed through and I’m so glad I did. The first 30 pages or so were a little rough but the story burst wide open after that.

I adored the podcast bits which brought be back to Sadie and how much I loved that as well. I especially loved the focus on Rory and how she managed her life dealing with severe obsessive compulsive behavior as well as other issues. I really think our world needs more badassery in the form of Rory, especially within the pages of books!

A story that makes you look inward and ask yourself what’s really important? Stella and Simon have been together for 20 years. Simon, a musician is on the brink of making it big, he just knows it this time. Stella, a nurse is starting to question their life. Will they ever marry, what about the child she so desperately wants? Everything changes as tragedy strikes and Stella doesn’t wake up one morning. She is in a coma. Simon must now make the decision to stay by her side and care for her or chase his dreams. When Stella finally awakes, she’s not the person she was before. She no longer likes the same foods, wants the same career or really knows what she wants. Soon she discovers an artistic ability that she did not have before. Stella starts to paint portraits of people she meets, and realizes that she can read their innermost thoughts and desires. When Stella feels a sense of betrayal, she sets out on her own and that’s when the changes really happen for both Simon and herself. A story of love, jealousy, betrayal change and second chances. With a fascinating backdrop this book was definitely worth the read.

Charlie Donlea is an incredible writer. I'll still read every book he publishes. This one... just did not work for me. Maybe I held out on reading it for too long so there was too much buildup in my mind. I do believe I wanted to read a different book than I read. While some of the characters/settings are recurring from his previous books, they aren't tied together so this murder mystery about how people keep ending up dead of apparent suicides stands alone. I read the book and am still not all that clear on how the premise plays out and not invested enough to go back to figure it out.

This was a great book! I absolutely love Rory, so I was glad to read her second adventure (her first was Some Choose Darkness, out now in mass market paperback). Unfortunately I did figure out the killer early on, but I loved the writing and watching everyone figure it out. I would definitely recommend this book to mystery/thriller lovers. 4 stars!

A year-old case involving the death of two teenagers at an abandoned boarding house on the campus of Westmont Prep is getting new life thanks to a podcast by Mack Carter. Lane Phillips, a forensic psychologist and criminal profiler, has been asked to come aboard for a fresh perspective. Lane would love his brilliant girlfriend, Rory Moore, to join him and offer her insight into the case. Rory is a forensic reconstructionist who needs some time off after wrapping a very large case so she passes on joining Lane, but her curiosity gets the best of her.

I think Rory and Lane make a fantastic team personally as well as professionally! They know each other so well that words are not even necessary to know what the other one is thinking. Rory in particular is quite complex. She is incredibly smart and yet very flawed. She has a very unique hobby in restoring antique porcelain dolls. Like the dolls she repairs, she is a bit broken herself.

As much as I enjoyed the two main characters of this book, I did not enjoy this book as much as book one – Some Choose Darkness. There were quite a few characters to keep track of, which alone would not be so bad, but pair that with the time periods constantly changing and I found the story to be a bit confusing at times. I had to really stop and think, where are we and what is going on. Unfortunately it really hurt the flow of the book for me.

The mystery itself was creative and I thought including a podcast was a great way of introducing us to the murders that took place on the Westmont Prep campus and the deaths that have plagued the campus since then.

Even though this book did not knock my socks off, I will no doubt continue on with this series!

The grisly murders at an elite prep school boarding house in Indiana becomes a national story after a true crime podcast goes viral, putting pressure on law enforcement to solve the heinous crimes and to find out why surviving students' return there to play a deadly game.

This is one of the most original and suspenseful thrillers of 2020. Charlie Donlea is a master storyteller offering a page-turning creepy and suspenseful thriller that sucks you in from the start.

The characters are interesting, including Rory Moore, a forensic reconstructionist, and her psychologist partner, Lane Phillips. Those two form a great duo.

There is a lot of stuff going on in this book but Donlea meshes the story lines nicely at the end and he paces the book well so you don’t feel lost.

I would like to add that as a podcaster myself (Meet the Thriller Author) and a fan of true crime podcasts, I enjoyed that narrative. It was original and fun to read.

I am a huge fan of Charlie Donlea. His stories are always complex and unusual and he knows how to tell a good story.

A year ago a gruesome killing happened in Westmont Prep High School. Two students were murdered obviously by one of their teachers in an abandoned house on the schools property. This house is the meeting point for a secret club who plays a sinister game. In the aftermath of the killings two more kids took their own life in the same way said teacher tried to kill himself. Based on this case a podcast was created which became a major hit.

Rory, who we know from a previous book from Donlea, is an expert on recreating crime scene. She has the ability to see things nobody else noticed. Together with her partner Lane, a profiler, she is asked to help with the podcast.

The story is, as usual with Donlea, very complex and tangled. I will not go into it too far because I am afraid I would spoil it for you. The problem with very complex plots is that you need some time to show what’s going on. Here I had some problems to tell apart all those characters, teachers and students’. The book is told in two timelines, one year ago and today, from multiple POV. And there is someone who reads his journal to somebody else. So there is a lot going on and Donlea challenged me to concentrate on what he is telling me.

I enjoyed the eerie atmosphere of the book. For a long time I did not know what was going on and it kept my interest all the time. Charlie Donlea can write, no question, but he is not a master of suspense. His books are more of the slower side. So I was not glued to the pages although I enjoyed reading it. I like Rory, she is a strong character. But as in the first book about her, we hardly see her work as a forensic reconstructionist. Instead of that we see her restoring antic dolls. She does this to calm her mind but I find this hobby less interesting than her job.
But this is criticism on a high level because Charlie Donlea’s books are still above average. He is a stellar writer with the ability to create unique stories and unusual characters.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4

The Suicide House is the 2nd book in the RoryMoore/Lane Phillips Series. I have not read the previous book, Some Choose Darkness, and feel this works fine as a stand-alone. However, saying that I will definitely be reading the previous book as my curiosity to Rory's past is begging for an answer.

The title, cover and blurb give enough clues that this will be a dark story. Especially when an abandoned house plays center stage. I read this in a matter of days, having the need to find out what was going on. The chapters aren't long making it perfect for JustOneMoreChapter.

The Suicide House is a complex story with many layers, characters and even time periods. Yes, I kept notes. It's a slow-paced story with a couple of mysteries on the go, though in the end it mostly works out. Yea there were a couple of things that didn't sit well. But all in all, this was well written and intricately pieced together. The author kept me entertained with some of his metaphors. I liked Rory and Lane but didn't feel they got enough time with this story. Having not read book #1 so I can't say if this is the norm.

Charlie Donlea is a new author to me, one I've been hearing good things about. Will be reading more of his books.

My thanks to the publisher (via Netgalley) for an advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Suicide House by Charlie Donlea is the second book in the Rory Moore, forensic reconstructionist, series. Rory finds herself traveling to Indiana to investigate a murder at Westmont Prep, a boarding school. A year ago two students were murdered at an abandoned boarding house in the woods in a secret society game gone wrong. The murders were gruesome and disturbing. The murderer was never found and the students that were there are dying , one by one. There’s a popular podcast about the murders and that’s what gets the whole story rolling. The book goes back-and-forth between before the murders and present day. It is a dark and complicated story. I especially enjoyed this one. It seems like Donlea’s books get better with each book he writes. You don’t necessarily need to read the first Rory Moore book but it would be helpful so you can understand her quirks. I can’t wait until the next book Donlea writes. You definitely should read this book! Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

It's a trend for podcast to explore cold cases. Serial, Hell and Gone.....I'm fans of both. 'The Suicide House' by Charlie Donlea is the story of "The Suicide House' at an elite boarding school in Indiana. This is a story of murder, suicide......and a secret society.

A cold case expert, Rory Moore, is brought in to help solve this mystery.

There is a lot is going on in this book:
--Several different mysteries
--Several different storylines.
--Several different characters and points of view.

It was ALMOST too much except that the pacing of this book was slow enough that it was easy to keep track and see where stories overlapped.

Rory and Lane are clearly a team that can't expand into multiple books, however this one can stand alone.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review.

This was an enjoyable book. It flips back and forth between today and the year before to tell the story of what really happened, Creepy old houses in the woods always make for interesting mysteries. The only issue I had is that there are two main characters Rory and Ryder that I was always getting confused as their names were so similar.. Requires paying attention.

Rory Moore and Lane Phillips make a good pairing, it has to be said. Rory is a quirky woman who sees things in cold cases that other people miss. Her partner in life, and in cases too, it seems, is Lane Phillips who accepts her as she is and is always there to hand her the Dark Lord when required.

There are things going on at Westmont Prep which go a bit beyond the usual cliques and initiations that exclusive boarding schools tend to have. Why several pupils and a teacher have committed suicide after a double murder in the grounds of the school is a big mystery to be solved and Moore and Phillips are the perfect pair for the job. They are ably assisted by some members of the police force and a journalist.

The storyline was tight and drew me in straight away. I felt myself wondering how this was all going to go and how the clues would come together and point to the perpetrator. Masterfully done!

5 stars from me. Hope there is another book starring these two!

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books.

Thank you to Kensington Publishers for this book! After reading an excerpt on Bookish First, I was excited to read this one.

The overall plot line was great. There's something about murder at a boarding school that intrigues me. The myth of the Man in the Mirror and excerpts from that fateful night read like a horror film. It reminded me of a mix of The Midnight Man and I Know What You Did Last Summer. Donlea expertly wove in multiple viewpoints and timelines that added suspense to the story and no confusion.

I loved Lance and Rory. As a true crime fanatic, these portions of the story felt familiar. From going over profiling basics and walking alongside Rory as she pours over cold cases. The two worked very well together. Despite this being the second book in the series, this did read as a stand alone. I appreciated that the plot from the first one had not been mentioned in enough detail to give anything away.

There were sections of the story that didn't seem necessary. A lot of repetition happened around Rory and her doll reconstructions. A few of these scenes were necessary for the reader to understand Rory and what made her tick. After a while though it wasn't needed.

I did like how all of the story threads came together at the end. Every minute detail ended up weaving together a sinister ending with an equally sinister bad guy.

The Suicide House is a thriller that delivers suspense. While it is told from different time periods and told by different points of views I love how the story unfolded. You are given small pieces of the puzzle along the way. I enjoyed this one. Thank you to #kensingtonbooks and #netgalley for my advanced copy. All opinions are my own. This one comes out July 28th.

Thank you Kensington Books and Netgalley for the free advance copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Donlea hits another one right out of the park with his second installment of the Rory Moore/Lane Phillips saga, and I’m already itching for more of Rory. When I read Some Choose Darkness last year, I never imagined it would become a series, but I’m so glad it did!

Rory’s character really grew on me in The Suicide House. I think when I read Some Choose Darkness, I found her to be much more awkward than endearing, but this time she really stole my heart. If you’re a fan of Holly Gibney, I think you’ll love Rory Moore.

Donlea tends to write short chapters told from the third person that focus on different characters as well as dual timelines to tell a story. He also usually inserts some form of additional media, and in this case it’s journal entries. He plants all kind of red herrings and he stumps me every time. I am truly in awe of the tangled web he is able to weave and the way he ties everything together in the end.

His books never disappoint and if you haven’t read any yet, I urge you to pick one up. You truly can’t go wrong with any of them! If you want to commit to reading all five that he currently has published, then although it’s not necessary, I recommend reading them in the order he wrote them. All of his books are tied together in little ways and you’ll appreciate the Easter eggs the most if you’ve read them in order.

Five high school students keep a terrible secret amongst themselves the night they are being initiated into a secret society. One of their teachers is blamed, but more than one person investigating this case is not quite satisfied with the verdict. A popular podcast host brings the story back to life a year later and questions are raised once again, what happened that night when two of these students were killed? And why do the others keep going to the train tracks and committing suicide?

Being a big fan of mystery/thriller/ suspense novels, this book really kept me interested and guessing until the very end. Of course, you read enough of these books and you develop your own theories. Was I able to figure this out before the end of the story? Yes, but as the story first progressed, I had suspected a few other people, but not who had done it. Where I won't ruin this story for the first time reader, be prepared to be surprised as it takes a turn near the ending. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for giving me another enjoyable book!

4.0 out of 5.0 stars

This was my first Charlie Donlea book, but it likely will not be my last!

The premise for this book excited me from the start: Brutal murders at an elite boarding school from one year ago that are somehow connected to a recent string of suicides from the survivors of that night being investigated by a podcast. Sign me up!

I didn't realize when I picked this up that this book was a companion novel and that it was book 2 in the Rory Moore/Lane Phillips duo. I do think there is a little background that I missed that was likely set up in previous stories, but that being said I was able to be completely understand this book as a standalone and can be read first without much catching up needed.

Overall I found this to be a very fun thriller and I recommend it!

Here were the strengths for me:
Rory is a badass, who I really enjoy and I like her and Lane's relationship.
The back and forth between timelines was nice and I think lended well to the pacing of the story.
I liked the journal entries.
The actual murders from the beginning and the description of the initiation were very intriguing.
The mystery itself is solid and it's well-written.

There were some things I think could have been improved:
Toward the middle, I began to suspect a certain character. This isn't the issue as this happens and it can actually be satisfying to be proven right. The thing that bothered me was toward the end of the book it felt very obvious who it was, but there was a lot of back and forth chapters that felt like they were drawing out the reveal unnecessarily.
I didn't need quite so much doll restoration.
I don't entirely understand why one of the characters had to physically actually toward to Florida at the end. There was nothing about the case that couldn't have been discussed over the phone.
It felt like there were a few too many characters introduced -- some of this I think stems from certain characters being from other stories so they may feel familiar to other readers, but at times for me it felt like I was overloaded with a ton of new characters, some of which didn't end up being all that important.
The podcast. I love the idea of it, but I felt like it could have been better executed. The narration of the podcast didn't feel realistic as a podcast at times (it was more like a book narrator than podcast dialogue), but I still wish it hadn't dropped as part of the storytelling halfway through the book.


Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.