Donlea is fierce!

This was an explosive thriller. I was glued to the pages and I stayed up until the wee hours of the night finishing this book. The pacing was excellent and I could not wait until I finished. I just HAD to know what was going to happen. It is best not to know much going into this.. so I won't reveal anything. All I can say is.. READ IT! You won't be sorry. This is truly a pageturner and a suspenseful one at that.

VERY gripping!

A very good mystery that keeps the pages turning. I like the character, Rory, in fact so much that I looked up those Madden boots she loves to wear:) This is the second book I've read with her as the main character and I enjoy all her quirks and her hobby of restoring dolls. Definitely, worth reading. Author, Charlie Donlea puts out good work that keeps the reader engaged.

I requested this book after so many of my book friends gave such great reviews. This is a great book! I could tell that some of the characters were part of a series, but that didn't diminish my enjoyment of the book at all - in fact, I'll be seeking out the others soon. There are several plotlines the book follows: the 25-year-old former student who held on to bitterness about not being selected for the secret society when he was at prep school; two remaining seniors who survived the horrible night the summer before; the local press reporter who was a bit jealous that a nationally ranked podcaster 'stole' her story; and a former FBI behavioral analyst (and his girlfriend) who is asked to consult on the current 'suicides' of 3 students since the events of the previous summer. The book starts with a counseling session cum diary entry from the murderer's POV. There are no indicators whether this is a man or a woman, young or old. The diary entries continue as a thread throughout the book.
The FBI agent and his girlfriend are continuing characters from another of Mr Donlea's books. It did not matter at all that I hadn't read any of the previous books. It was clear that these two were devoted to each other and fed off each others instincts and energies. The two of them, working with the local police and with the help of the reporter pulled the plotlines together and solved multiple mysteries.
I wasn't sure about the format of the writing at first. Written in the 3rd person, but moving between the perspective of multiple characters was hard to keep track of at first. After awhile, it didn't matter - the story was so engaging, I just kept turning pages until I was done! I would definitely recommend this to my friends and anyone in search of a mystery-thriller

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: July 28, 2020
Every time I see a Charlie Donlea book, I always say “I HAVE to read this one”….then things happen, and I never do. For one reason or another, they always seem to slip by me. I will say one thing right now—this is a mistake I will NOT make again. “The Suicide House” is my first experience with Charlie Donlea, and I’m happy to say that my instincts were right on the mark. Donlea’s novels are works that I need to experience.
There are rumours of a secret society at Westmount Prep School, rumours where an elite group of juniors are selected to participate in an initiation game called Man in the Mirror, where students call on the Man from the spirit world. One summer before their senior year, a group of juniors participated in the game, and it ended in the gruesome and tragic deaths of two of their classmates. When the chemistry teacher is charged for the crime, everyone at Westmount Prep begins to move on. However, it is one year later and now, the remaining students are slowly throwing themselves in front of moving trains, right in the place where their initiation happened. Forensic specialist Rory Moore and her partner, Lane Philipps, are called in to investigate if the tragic deaths are actually suicides, like the police suspect, or if they are tried to the gruesome events that occurred at the abandoned house one year ago.
“The Suicide House” is a stand-alone novel, although Donlea states that there are “Easter eggs” from his other novels throughout. Lane and Rory appear in another novel (“Some Choose Darkness”) of Donlea’s, but it is not necessary to have to have read any of Donlea’s previous works to be able to comprehend this one (I speak from experience!).
This novel is told in two timeframes- the year of the initiation and the following year when the suicides begin to occur. There are many perspectives as well, and a lot of characters. If you can get a handle on who is who quickly enough, it is one heck of a thrill ride.
I love the perspective of the psychologically twisted killer (of course), and I really loved the Temperance Brennan-type character of Rory. Rory absolutely made the novel spectacular. Her experience with Asperger’s and the way she manages her life, is thoughtful and respectful to those on the spectrum, while still providing an honest portrayal.
This novel has short chapters, which helped keep me hooked and invested in the plot from the start, and the alternating perspectives were visibly differentiated, making it very clear who was doing the narrating. I actually thought I had guessed the ending halfway through, and I was thrilled to find out I was wrong (normally, I don’t revel in being wrong. But in this case….). The ending came as a shock and a surprise, yet an enjoyable one.
I am a forever fan of Donlea now, after just one novel. “The Suicide House” is a must-read.

I really enjoyed the story line of this book. It combines a life long serial killer with a college secret society and an urban legend. Couple that with an eclectic cold case guru and her quirky partner and you have a great story line along with memorable characters.
The book was very suspenseful and the story was told quite well. The only thing that is causing it to lose a star for me is the fact it was a little drawn out. I think the story could have moved at a faster pace.

This is the fourth book I've read by Charlie Donlea. And sadly it was my least favorite of all his books. What makes it so disappointing is I loved his previous releases. Unfortunately, this one just didn't grab me.

Everyone wants to be part of the secret club at the exclusive boarding school. It’s up to the current senior members to approve or deny the Juniors’ acceptance. Once voted in, the initiation process begins. But at what cost? What lengths and sacrifices would you be willing to make to belong to this club? How far will you take their secrets?

Rory and Lane are two characters that I've become quite fond of. I watched them develop through the previous books and looking forward to seeing how their characters would blossom in this latest. But the same magic from this duo fell rather flat.

I will continue to be a huge fan of this author and will definitely be reading more of his future work in the future. Just not a match for me this time.

A buddy read with Susanne that left us both a bit underwhelmed.🙁

Thank you to NetGalley Kensington Books for an ARC to read and review.

Westmont Prep High School - an elite boarding school in Indiana harboring some big secrets. When a group of selected students join the initiation for a top-secret cult led by upperclassmen, those secrets unleash horrifying murders and suicides. The murderer was caught, supposedly. But why the suicides?

Popular podcasts have kept the murders in the news, especially since the spate of suicides involving students have occurred. Rory Moore, forensic re-constructionist along with her work colleague and life partner, serial profiler Lane Phillips, are called to assist with research on the podcast. And the fun begins.

The Suicide House is a wonderful, suspenseful whodunit which kept me wondering throughout. There were so many possibilities and red herrings tossed out by the author, Charlie Donlea. To be fair, the red herrings all contributed to the conclusion, but never in the way I thought they would. There's nothing better than a book that surprises you throughout, all the way to the end. This one definitely did that!

The book is a stand-alone, but its predecessor, Some Choose Darkness, which I can't wait to read, apparently introduces the character of Rory, and gives some background as to her unique character, including her obsessive-compulsive disorder and possible placement on the autism spectrum. I found her character fascinating, especially her obsession with restoring antique dolls. Although some might wonder why this element is even part of the story, I found a parallel between her restoration and reconstruction of broken dolls from the past, and her reconstruction of cold cases, fitting pieces together to make sense of them again.

This was my first Charlie Donlea book, but it won't be my last.

Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

5 creepy stars!

Rory Moore and Lane Philips enter into a world where young people have died tragically by throwing themselves in the path of an oncoming train after an initiation ritual at their prestigious high school goes disastrously awry. These two characters, first introduced in his book Some Choose Darkness form the background of ferreting out what exactly is occurring as certain students are chosen to join a secret club if they pass the man in the mirror test. The initiation takes place in an old abandoned house on both the winter and summer solstice, that once was home to the teachers in the school, but is now deserted. It lay next to railroad tracks and these tracks become the place where students have thrown their lives away.

As in most initiations, there is hazing and cruelty, and the gauntlet being thrown down as to how one can gain entrance to this most sought out secretive club. Teachers are usually the butt of pranks and one teacher in particular has been designated as the patsy for the kids initiation rites.

Things go disturbingly wrong and the students who were privy to a night where two students were massacred, hold a secret, a terrible conspiracy that threatens their very lives. As the deaths mount, Rory and Lane try to ferret out what exactly is happening. These two are wonderfully developed characters, Rory, being not only a forensic reconstructionist, but also autistic. Somehow she is the pivotal character equipped to see what other don't. Lane, is the ying to her yang and he analyzes serial killers. As we follow all the characters, there emerges the idea that one among them is a cold blooded killer and it's probably not the man who was convicted of the crime.

Fast paced, engrossing and compelling, this story will keep the reader fully engaged in the tragedy that unfolds. It's certainly was for me, a fascinating and riveting story. Definitely recommend this one and now onto more Donlea books for this reader!

Thank you to Charlie Donlea, Kensington Books, and NetGalley for a copy of this gripping book due out June 28, 2020.

I tried, but the writing didn't capture me and I quit around chapter 20. Nothing about the story or the characters pulled me in. Not for me.

Two students enter a dilapidated old house on a dare.
A disturbing history is revealed in a private journal.
Police are called to a grisly scene near a prestigious prep school.

Holy Moly…and we’re off! Three distinct & creepy threads make up a prologue that immediately grabs your attention & fills your head with 100 questions. Who are these people, are the events related, what the hell just happened…..there, I got you started.

We soon realize everything revolves around an horrific event in Peppermill, Indiana during the summer of 2019. That’s where you’ll find Westmont Preparatory H. S., a prestigious academy that takes in teens & spits them out 4 years later, polished & ready for uni. On the summer solstice, a group of students made their way to an old manor house on school grounds. Most returned home. Two did not.

Detective Henry Ott was called to the scene & although a local man was eventually convicted of murder, he’s never been able to let go of what he saw that night. One year later, several of the students returned to the area & one by one committed suicide. Despite the school’s efforts to hush up the whole mess, the cases are currently the topic of a hugely popular podcast & true crime website.

And that’s when criminal profiler Dr. Lane Phillips & his partner Rory Moore get involved. We were introduced to them in Some Choose Darkness & they’re an interesting pair. Rory usually consults with the Chicago P.D. She has a unique ability to recreate a crime scene & “see” what others missed. Rory falls somewhere on the autism spectrum & although she lacks social skills, her eidetic memory & obsessive need for detail means she’s a rock star in the world of cold case solves.

The book has an interesting format that serves the multiple story lines very well. Rory & Lane are key characters but they share narrating duties with several others in alternating chapters. This means you gradually get the low down on what happened in 2019 as events in current day unfold. It effectively builds tension as what you learn about the original case begins to inform Rory & Lane’s investigation. And it’s obvious pretty damn quick that someone would rather they stop digging & put Peppermill in their rearview mirror.

After reading the previous book, I knew this was a series I’d follow. One of the reasons is the intriguing MC’s & their relationship. Lane is a smart & driven man who accepts Rory & all her personal tics as is. As for Rory, I enjoy watching how her brain picks away at a puzzle. The author portrays her as completely self aware, someone who has learned how to channel the “gift” she’s been given in order to function. Her hobby of restoring antique dolls is particularly poignant as the meticulous care she puts into fixing their broken bodies mirrors the effort it takes for her to manage her life.

But the other reason I knew I’d be back is the author’s ability to spin a compelling story that keeps you reading. As each thread progresses, connections are made & the reader begins the game of name-that-killer. I was keeping my eye on a couple of candidates but it wasn’t ’til the final pages that i knew their identity. At some points we know more than Rory & this adds nicely to the tension that culminates in a creepy finale. A bonus for faithful fans are cameos by several characters from previous books. If Moore/Phillips #3 is on the way, I’m all in.

So, despite how excited I was to read this, some parts fell slow and flat for me. I loved the plot of this book though. As a fan of anything dealing with serial killers and thrillers, it was still a pretty good book.

Thank you Netgalley, the author and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a little slow to start, particularly in the student sections, but it ended up being a true mystery. As in, I wasn't able to guess the resolution 25% of the way in--a real problem for me with a lot of mystery/thrillers. Also, I, for one, enjoyed the doll restoration scenes, but I understand that ymmv.

Thanks to Kensington and NetGalley for providing this copy for review.

I really enjoyed this one and though it was a pretty solid thriller. I have to say though, I think I'm starting to become immune to a lot of so called "thrillers". I don't find myself particularly wowed by them anymore except a certain few. Maybe I read too many so I've become immune to the twists and turns? I'm trying not to let that cloud my judgement here lately.

I LOVED the plot of this.

Prep School ✔
Quirky Characters ✔
Gory Deaths (well, 1) ✔
Serial Killer ✔

Pretty solid in turns of the mystery and I really love stories that alternate time frames. There were quite a lot of characters in this one and for some reason I kept getting confused in the first 40% as to which time period we were in. Either way, I think new thriller readers will love it and I think serious thriller readers will think it's fun.

Quick side note though, what's up with the Dark Lord beer name drop? Couldn't it just be referred to as "a beer" instead of the brand Dark Lord? It was actually starting to really aggravate me as it started being mentioned 2-3 times per page.

*Review copy provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

I really liked the premise of this book, which was my first by Charlie Donlea. In a story that begins a little bit like a new season of Serial with some Ghost Hunters thrown in, a podcaster investigates a series of prep school murders for which a teacher was ultimately held responsible. The teacher then killed himself. The next year, students from the same prep school return to the old boarding house where some of the events took place to kill themselves in the same way.

This is an intriguing setup and story and I enjoyed the character of Rory Moore the most. The story eventually gets a lot more complex and twisty. This is my first Rory Moore book but I am interested to read the other one. This is what I would call more of a traditional police procedural mystery than a thriller. I really liked several of the plot twists, especially the discovery of a piece of evidence that ties a number of deaths together. It is a very well-constructed mystery.

I generally love multiple narrator/ perspective books but there were so many different characters and perspectives here that I got a little confused from time to time, particularly when some chapters and narrations come without a character name or time period (the story jumps between the present and 2019). New characters kept entering the book all the way through and I might have liked it better if the book stuck with just the most interesting ones (Rory, the reporter Ryder and one or two of the detectives, for me). I also was not wild about the person chosen to be the one whodunit, as I had constructed several other scenarios in my mind that I liked better. :) (But, this is usually a sign of a good plot, right?) Despite this I still really enjoyed the book and thought the reason for the killings was really ingenious. I will read more of this author!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for sharing this ARC with me in exchange my honest review.

I was so excited to read this! Charlie Donlea has quickly become one of my favorite thriller authors and I was excited his MC, Rory Moore, makes her return in this book! I enjoyed Some Choose Darkness and couldn't wait to get my hands on this. Definitely recommend!

A chilling murder in a prestigious prep school is at the heart of this riveting new novel from acclaimed author Charlie Donlea, featuring forensic reconstructionist Rory Moore and her psychologist partner, Lane Phillips. I love these characters! They don’t appear until well after the story begins but once you meet them this book just takes off and it’s a great ride until the end. Great plotting, believable dialog and well developed characters, this book is an excellent read. Thank you NetGalley for the advanced readers copy for review.

This book was so good. I knew I’d read a Rory/Lane book before but couldn’t remember any of the details; I just remembered I liked the characters. And I did really love them, and I loved this mystery. Once again, the author writes the story so you know just enough to piece the threads together but there’s also enough twists and reveals to keep me hooked as a reader. I did go back and look and this is the fourth book I’ve read by this author, and I think every one has gotten better. The pacing of this was so good. Can’t wait to see what’s next from this author.

I was given this book by NetGalley for an honest review -
Once again Donalea has written a winner - I couldn't put this book down!
A game called the Man in the Mirror is an initiation in Indiana's prep school...…..and then one year two students were killed in a gruesome way. A teacher is convicted but there are numerous questions.
One being - why are the students who were there that night now committing suicide?
Rory and Lane are investigating with disturbing results!
You will want to grab this book!

I received an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review. I've read all of Donlea's books, so while you don't have to read Some Choose Darkness before The Suicide House, you might find it easier to understand Rory Moore, a forensic reconstructionist, someone who solves cold cases most detectives can't solve, because of the way her mind works.

In The Suicide House, we don't become reacquainted with Rory and her partner Lane right away. We 'meet the unsub' and the story around the Suicide House is described at Westmont Prep school in Indiana. The mystery revolves around a secret game and a secret society, in which 2 students are found murdered. The supposed killer, brain dead after attempting to kill himself at the train that whizzes by the house.

The story is a little clunky and convoluted to follow but I enjoyed the parts with Rory and Lane, journalist named Ryder and the ending was great suspense. Even with a red herring, I wasn't surprised at the identity of the unsub who murdered these kids. It wrapped up a little neatly with a bow, but I liked how the woman saved herself instead of waiting for someone to save her. This book is somewhere between a 3.5 and a 4 out of 5 stars. If you like mysteries, and you've read Donlea's books you will enjoy this one.

This is the second book with Rory Moore and Lane Phillips, but can be read without having read the other. Rory is a forensic reconstructionist that helps uncover what really happened in cold cases. She has just seen her last case to fruition and is ready for a much needed break when she she stumbles upon the West Minster Prep case. A missing person with a tie to the school, murdered students and much more set up her new case for Rory to delve into.

Another great book. I was guessing until the end and highly recommend this book!