Death at Morning House (HCUK)

By Author / Illustrator

Maureen Johnson

Genre

Suspense & Thrillers

Age range(s)

14+

Publisher

Harper Teen

ISBN

9780063414099

Format

Hardback

Published

15-08-2024

Synopsis

An instant New York Times and Indie bestseller! From the bestselling author of the Truly Devious books, Maureen Johnson, comes a new stand-alone YA about a teen who uncovers a mystery while working as a tour guide on an island and must solve it before history repeats itself.

The fire wasn't Marlowe Wexler's fault. Dates should be hot, but not hot enough to warrant literal firefighters. Akilah, the girl Marlowe has been in love with for years, will never go out with her again. No one dates an accidental arsonist.

With her house-sitting career up in flames, it seems the universe owes Marlowe a new summer job, and that's how she ends up at Morning House, a mansion built on an island in the 1920s and abandoned shortly thereafter. It's easy enough, giving tours. Low risk of fire. High chance of getting bored talking about stained glass and nut cutlets and Prohibition.

Oh, and the deaths. Did anyone mention the deaths?

Maybe this job isn't such a gift after all. Morning House has a horrific secret that's been buried for decades, and now the person who brought her here is missing. All it takes is one clue to set off a catastrophic chain of events. One small detail, just like a spark, could burn it all down - if someone doesn't bury Marlowe first.

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Reviews

Ophelia

Death at Morning House is a classic murder mystery with intense relationship dynamics that distort logical thinking. When lovestruck Marlowe experiences a life-altering event, all she wants is to escape reality. So when she's offered a job that would guarantee a rest from the chaos she is surrounded by, she has no reason not to go for it. It's only after meeting an already complicated group of friends that she realises it won't be the type of restart she was looking for. Then a suspicious disappearance is the start of a cruel and dark plot . . .

This is a truly captivating novel that encompasses basic teen struggles and depicts how emotional involvement can be both beneficial and harmful. Easy to follow and yet full of plot twists at every corner, I would definitely recommend this to all the readers out there who are new to murder mysteries as an enjoyable (yet appropriately morbid) read.

384 pages / Reviewed by Ophelia McCluskey Gahan