The Temple House Vanishing

By Rachael Donohue

Published by Atlantic Books Feb 2020

What it’s about?

25 years ago a 16 year old student and her art teacher disappeared from an elite Catholic girls boarding school.

A journalist is writing a series about the case and the impact it has had on people. What really happened at Temple House?

What I think:

This is a dark and atmospheric novel.

Temple House school is isolated and haunted. The life at the school follows strict rules from both the Catholic nuns and the prefects. There’s something du Maurier-esque about the setting – a dark and twisted, religious Malory Towers.

Louisa is academically brilliant and feels out of place in her own family. A scholarship at Tenple House is a life-changing opportunity.

Louisa meets enigmatic student, Victoria, and bohemian art teacher Mr Lavelle and her infatuation begins.

The relationships in this book are dark and intense. The young women are bright and intelligent, awkward and passionate. The teenage intensity is something we can all relate to and may have experienced ourselves to some degree.

Louisa and Victoria’s friendship is fragile and beautifully written. There’s something about the book and the writing which makes it feel like it’s set far further in the past.

Split between the past and the present the story of Louisa’s experiences at Temple House and her disappearance reveals itself slowly. Both the present and the past are interesting although I definitely preferred Louisa and Victoria’s story.

This is an intriguing read and I really enjoyed it.

Thank you Netgalley and Atlantic Books for the advanced copy in return for an honest review.

Add this to your 2020 TBR pile and preorder The Temple House Vanishing at:

Waterstones: click here

Amazon.co.uk: click here