The Suicide House

The Suicide House is the second book in the Rory Moore/Lane Phillips series and is set in a secluded boarding school with an elite society, grisly murders, and a series of suicides. Oooo, right?! It may not be a school I'd be eager to attend, but it does make for a suspenseful read!

Rory Moore, a forensic reconstructionist who loves the coldest of cold cases, finds herself pulled into this new case at the urging of her partner, Lane. I'm glad that we see a bit more of Lane this time out, but I was surprised Rory was more in the background (compared to the first book where we got to see more of how her mind works and her unique take on things). Instead of the focus on Rory, the story telling is shared between multiple POVs - I particularly liked crime blogger, Ryder Hillier.

There's a LOT going on in this book with numerous characters and different timelines and a few secondary plot lines thrown in too. It was a lot to take in and keep track of (I ended up making a character list), giving this book a convoluted feel. But things come together in the last half with great revelations and twists and I enjoyed how Donlea keeps his chapters short, particularly when things heat up towards the end. 

This book could be read as a standalone but I'd strongly recommend reading the ah-mazing first book in the series, Some Choose Darkness first to get a clearer understanding of Rory. There's a lot happening in this book, but Donlea's suspenseful and sharp storytelling skills paired with Rory as his main character are what will keep me coming back for future books.

Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to Kensington Books for providing me with a digital ARC, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

My Rating: 4 stars

Author: Charlie Donlea

Genre: Suspense, Psychological Thriller

Type and Source: eBook from NetGalley
Series: #2 in the Rory Moore & Lane Phillips series

Publisher: Kensington Books

First Published: July 28, 2020

Opening Lines:I killed my brother with a penny. 
Simple, benign, and perfectly believable.

Book Description from GoodReads: 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.

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. . . .

One year ago, two students were killed there in a grisly slaughter. The case has since become the focus of a hit podcast, The Suicide House. Though a teacher was convicted of the murders, mysteries and questions remain. The most urgent among them is why so many students who survived that horrific night have returned to the boarding house--to kill themselves.

Rory, an expert in reconstructing cold cases, is working on The Suicide House podcast with Lane, recreating the night of the killings in order to find answers that have eluded the school, the town, and the police. But the more they learn about the troubled students, the chillingly stoic culprit, and a dangerous game gone tragically wrong, the more convinced they become that something sinister is still happening. Inside Westmont Prep, the game hasn't ended. It thrives on secrecy and silence. And for its players, there may be no way to win--or to survive.