Title: The Dead House
Author: Dawn Kurtagich
Page count:
Rating: 3 stars
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’?
Book blurb
This book was an interesting take on DID (Disassociative Identity Disorder) and it’s effects when doctors either don’t believe you or think you’re just making things up. You have Carly, who is present during the day and Kaitlyn, who is only present at night. The entire premise of the book is based on what happens when one of the identities, in this case Carly, disappears altogether. The psychiatrist, Dr. Lansing, believes it to be a good thing, but Kaitlyn disagrees.
There’s a whole lot more going on in this book, which became confusing at times due to Kaitlyn being an unreliable narrator. It’s difficult to say if everything was happening for real or if it was all apart of group hysteria. For one thing, Carly should not have just up and disappeared like she did. On the other, it’s difficult to believe it was entirely the works of demons and dark magic in the context of the book. I will say, I called the twist of Ari being the Shyan very early on in the book, but I also found John and Brett to be extremely sketchy and, if I’m being honest, kind of glad they died.
The book creates a haunting and eery setting, of which I would like to see more of. Maybe a sequel about one of the paranormal groups that visit the school?
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