Publisher: Orion
Format: ARC**
Published: 6th August 2015
Number of Pages: 320
Book: For Review*
Genre: Thriller, Suspense,
Horror, Paranormal, Mystery, Contemporary, Adventure, YA, Crossover
Recommended
Age: 14+
Contains: Violence, Death, Swearing, Alcohol and Drug References
Author's
Site: Dawn Kurtagich
Part-psychological
thriller, part-urban legend, this is an unsettling narrative made up of diary
entries, interview transcripts, film footage transcripts and medical notes.
Twenty-five years ago, Elmbridge High burned down. Three people were killed and
one pupil, Carly Johnson, disappeared. Now a diary has been found in the ruins
of the school. The diary belongs to Kaitlyn Johnson, Carly’s identical twin
sister. But Carly didn’t have a twin . . .
Re-opened
police records, psychiatric reports, transcripts of video footage and fragments
of diary reveal a web of deceit and intrigue, violence and murder, raising a
whole lot more questions than it answers.
Who
was Kaitlyn and why did she only appear at night? Did she really exist or was
she a figment of a disturbed mind? What were the illicit rituals taking place
at the school? And just what did happen at Elmbridge in the events leading up
to ‘the Johnson Incident’?
Chilling,
creepy and utterly compelling, THE DEAD HOUSE is one of those very special
books that finds all the dark places in your imagination, and haunts you long
after you've finished reading.
Review:
I read The
Dead House in a single sitting. It blew my mind. Totally.
Completely. Irreversibly. I literally cannot believe how
amazing this book was – especially for someone's debut novel! I just...
wow. I am seriously struggling to find the words. It's so hard...
The Dead House is so freaking
unique and it blew my goddamn mind. Ah, I need the words... Here goes…
'I AM
NOT A SICKNESS!'
Carly and Kaitlyn Johnson are unique: two
sisters, two people, who share one body. Carly has the day. Kaitlyn
belongs to the night. People think they are crazy.
Are they?
Naida Chounan-Dupré, a practitioner of
Mala, doesn't think so.
And then one night, twenty-five years ago,
the school the girls attended burnt down. Three were killed. One vanished
– Carly Johnson.
Ever since, this event has become known as
the Johnson Incident – but very little was actually known about it.
Until a journal was found among the
wreckage – a diary that belonged to Kaitlyn. Along with police
interviews, Naida's video footage and psychiatry sessions, the diary finally
sheds a light upon the mystery that happened all those years ago.
What happened that night? Who set the
fire?
And who is Kaitlyn Johnson?
I received The Dead House in the mail. It came with a post-it note on
it, reading ‘I curse anyone who
reads this book’. Also with it, an admissions form for the
psychiatric hospital Carly and Kaitlyn were sent to. The moment I saw
these intriguing little extras, I began to read. And just... whoa.
I have never, ever read anything like The
Dead House. It's going to be so hard to write this review – partly
because I really don't want to write any spoilers, partly because it's so hard
to describe everything this book made me feel, everything this book is. I
just... God, I still don't have the words – not to do The Dead House justice.
All of the characters were just... so
amazingly made and so complex. I can't say much about them – I don't want
to give anything away about this mind-blowing plot. But all of them just
blew me away, because I never knew what to do with any of them.
Kaitlyn was the most intriguing character.
Broken, dark, scared, so lonely. And the biggest question, one
everyone has to ask, is she even real? Is she crazy? Whatever you
believe, you can't deny she's one of the most interesting characters in any YA
paranormal thriller.
Carly – we didn't see a lot of Carly.
But we saw some of the notes the girls pass to one another – they are so
close, so loving, it's so sweet...
The first time Ari entered the story was
hilarious – with the bowler hat and the "I have excellent taste. It'd be gay if I wasn't so straight."
And their IM chats... killed me!
Naida was another intriguing character –
she was into Mala, a kind of magic. The whole thing was so fascinating,
actually – and freaking terrifying!
Enough with the characters! No spoilers, guys!
I utterly adored Dawn's writing – it was phenomenal. The mix of diary
entries, interviews, film footage and notes was pure genius and so brilliantly
compelling. I was so addicted to every single word that Dawn wrote – every.
single. damn. word. It was like a spell had been cast over me.
If you know me, you know I love a good
thriller. I've watched and read many – horrors and mysteries too.
But I have never read a plotline quite like that of The Dead House. It was... whoa.
I still can't get my head around it – still can't believe this brilliantly
crafted, utterly terrifying, bloody brilliant story line. It is just...
bloody hell. I seriously don't
have the words! I never knew what to expect, was left desperate for more
answers, left stunned, mind blown, and utterly lost for words. I just... bloody hell.
The other issues – was this insanity or
Mala? – were utterly intriguing. I know which I'm leaning towards, but
either way... whoa. The complexity of the Johnson split personality disorder
was utterly intriguing – and towards the end the theory about why rang true...
As for Naida's dual-soul and Olen-based
beliefs, those were just as intriguing, oddly just as believable too. It
was all just... whoa (never have I
said whoa so much in one review).
This review is random ramblings – I'm not
even sure it makes sense and I apologise. It's just The Dead House was so freaking amazing. It was scary as hell,
utterly addictive and pure damn magic. I'm not sure how to tell you guys
how goddamned and bloody fantastic. You can't blame me – only about ten
percent of my thought process is going towards this review. Sixty percent
is silent, lost for words, blown away. The other thirty is still trying
to figure everything out, still trying to desperately piece together the
clues, my thoughts, my mind, my heart. I just...
Ok, I seriously have no words. So I'm going to do you all a favour and stop and
give you a piece of advice instead. Buy The Dead House. Buy it right freaking now. Read it.
Read it right freaking now.
It is one of the most intense, most suspenseful, most shocking and most
breath-taking thrillers you will read this year – or ever, actually. I
honestly just can't recommend this bloody amazing book enough. It is... phenomenal.
Unique. Incredible.
And we're back to adjectives. I'll
stop now. Just read it yourself – render yourself as incoherent as me.
If you'll excuse me, I now have to go rock
in a corner, hugging this book to my chest. I should be better in a year
or two. Maybe.
Star Rating:
5 Out of 5
5 Out of 5
Read this
book if you liked:
Empty Coffin Series by Gregg
Olsen
Happy Reading
Megan
* This
book was received from Orion in exchange for an honest review
**
Quotes used are from a proof copy and may have been changed in the finished
book
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