Elisabeth Thomas’s debut novel weaves a thrilling, compact story that builds dread slowly. . . . Thomas incorporates elements of science fiction as she begins to reveal the darkness at work on campus, but not before readers are eased in with some classic hallmarks of prep-school fiction.
"For fans of Donna Tartt's The Secret History and Kazuo Ishiguro's Never Let Me Go , Catherine House is a haunting, atmospheric reflection on the discovery of self and others. At times terrifying, always gorgeously captivating, Thomas’ debut is one not to be missed, and perhaps to be revisited frequently."
Catherine House is a page turner that is equal parts dark, dreamy, and disturbing.
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Elisabeth Thomas had me mesmerized from the first page. Dreamy and brimming with dread, Catherine House will swallow you whole."
"With this astonishing debut, Elisabeth Thomas has conjured an immersive, intoxicating world that left me as reluctant as its characters were to leave it behind. I inhaled the novel in a single, glorious weekend, but Catherine House and its denizens will linger with me for a very long time."
Thomas’s debut novel is a dark, delicious gothic read that hits all the right spots in the best way. If you want a book you can’t put down for even a second, this is it.
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There are shades of Edgar Allan Poe and Alfred Hitchcock as suspense builds in the winding corridors of the house and the twisting turns of the psyche. Moody and evocative as a fever dream, Catherine House is the sort of book that wraps itself around your brain, drawing you closer with each hypnotic step.
Thomas’s debut novel is a dark, delicious gothic read that hits all the right spots in the best way. If you want a book you can’t put down for even a second, this is it.
The 10 Most Anticipated Books Of 2020 Forbes
★ 03/02/2020
Thomas’s spellbinding debut opens in 1996 on Ines Murillo’s first night at a small, highly selective college in the Pennsylvania woods. Drunk after a party, Ines reflects on her relief that behind Catherine House’s locked gates, no one knows about her past. Renowned for controversial research regarding a mysterious elemental substance called plasm, the school holds classes year-round, and students remain confined to Catherine’s rural estate. Eager to disassociate from a past trauma, Ines falls behind on her work while seeking solace in a string of sexual encounters before finding a group of friends who feel closer to family than anything she’s ever known. Still, Ines can’t ignore her growing suspicions about the school’s plasm experimentation in “psychosexual healing,” in which students are subjected to mass hypnosis. Ines’s academic probation leads her to forced isolation in the “Restoration Center,” where a professor places plasm pins in her head and tells her she’ll never think of her past life again. Surreal imagery, spare characterization, and artful, hypnotic prose lend Thomas’s tale a delirious air, but at the book’s core lies a profound portrait of depression and adolescent turmoil. Fans of Donna Tartt’s The Secret History will devour this philosophical fever dream. Agent: Kent Wolf, Friedrich Agency. (May)
There are shades of Edgar Allan Poe and Alfred Hitchcock as suspense builds in the winding corridors of the house and the twisting turns of the psyche. Moody and evocative as a fever dream, Catherine House is the sort of book that wraps itself around your brain, drawing you closer with each hypnotic step.” — The Washington Post
“Calling all The Secret History fans! This debut novel is set within the walls of an exclusive private college, but with a twist: Students seclude themselves for three years, completely removed from their previous lives.” — Entertainment Weekly , Stay Home and Read These 20 New May Books
“This dark, speculative thriller . . . [is] an electrifying update on gothic horror, evoking haunting institutional imagery and weaving in 'psychosexual' experimentation and power imbalances.” — Buzzfeed, 29 Summer Books You Won't Be Able to Put Down
“This haunting thriller is filled with unexpected twists and shocking suspense.” — Today.com, Emma Straub Has 5 Books to Read if You Loved All Adults Here
“The strength of this debut novel relies on its refusal to adhere to any sort of genre conventions . . . The book’s setting provides just as much fodder for thought and discussion as do its characters or plot. . . . While the book is easy to read—Thomas’s smart prose ensures that—the echoes of discomfort linger long after the last pages are turned.” — The Boston Globe
"Elisabeth Thomas is a magician of a writer who expertly blends a deeply atmospheric boarding-school story with a futuristic sci-fi mystery in Catherine House . A grown-up, sophisticated version of Lois Duncan’s Down a Dark Hall , this dazzling debut will have you turning the pages late into the night." — Angie Kim, bestselling author of Miracle Creek
“Elisabeth Thomas had me mesmerized from the first page. Dreamy and brimming with dread, Catherine House will swallow you whole." — Rory Power, New York Times bestselling author of Wilder Girls
"With this astonishing debut, Elisabeth Thomas has conjured an immersive, intoxicating world that left me as reluctant as its characters were to leave it behind. I inhaled the novel in a single, glorious weekend, but Catherine House and its denizens will linger with me for a very long time." — Robin Wasserman, New York Times bestselling author of Girls on Fire
"Catherine House is a novel that lingers long after the final page. It's a haunting, mesmerizing debut—a modern gothic tale that is both profoundly moving and eerily disturbing. Thomas's novel makes us question our ability to forgive, to accommodate our mistakes and those of others, and the possibility of ever truly finding a place that feels like home." — Ivy Pochoda, award-winning author of Wonder Valley and Visitation Street
"For fans of Donna Tartt's The Secret History and Kazuo Ishiguro's Never Let Me Go , Catherine House is a haunting, atmospheric reflection on the discovery of self and others. At times terrifying, always gorgeously captivating, Thomas’ debut is one not to be missed, and perhaps to be revisited frequently." — Booklist (starred review)
“Elisabeth Thomas’s debut novel weaves a thrilling, compact story that builds dread slowly. . . . Thomas incorporates elements of science fiction as she begins to reveal the darkness at work on campus, but not before readers are eased in with some classic hallmarks of prep-school fiction.” — The Atlantic
There are shades of Edgar Allan Poe and Alfred Hitchcock as suspense builds in the winding corridors of the house and the twisting turns of the psyche. Moody and evocative as a fever dream, Catherine House is the sort of book that wraps itself around your brain, drawing you closer with each hypnotic step.
Calling all The Secret History fans! This debut novel is set within the walls of an exclusive private college, but with a twist: Students seclude themselves for three years, completely removed from their previous lives.
This dark, speculative thriller . . . [is] an electrifying update on gothic horror, evoking haunting institutional imagery and weaving in 'psychosexual' experimentation and power imbalances.
29 Summer Books You Won't Be Able to Put Down Buzzfeed
This haunting thriller is filled with unexpected twists and shocking suspense.
Emma Straub Has 5 Books to Read if You Loved Today.com
Elisabeth Thomas had me mesmerized from the first page. Dreamy and brimming with dread, Catherine House will swallow you whole."
"Catherine House is a novel that lingers long after the final page. It's a haunting, mesmerizing debut—a modern gothic tale that is both profoundly moving and eerily disturbing. Thomas's novel makes us question our ability to forgive, to accommodate our mistakes and those of others, and the possibility of ever truly finding a place that feels like home."
"For fans of Donna Tartt's The Secret History and Kazuo Ishiguro's Never Let Me Go , Catherine House is a haunting, atmospheric reflection on the discovery of self and others. At times terrifying, always gorgeously captivating, Thomas’ debut is one not to be missed, and perhaps to be revisited frequently."
Booklist (starred review)
The strength of this debut novel relies on its refusal to adhere to any sort of genre conventions . . . The book’s setting provides just as much fodder for thought and discussion as do its characters or plot. . . . While the book is easy to read—Thomas’s smart prose ensures that—the echoes of discomfort linger long after the last pages are turned.”
"With this astonishing debut, Elisabeth Thomas has conjured an immersive, intoxicating world that left me as reluctant as its characters were to leave it behind. I inhaled the novel in a single, glorious weekend, but Catherine House and its denizens will linger with me for a very long time."
Elisabeth Thomas’s debut novel weaves a thrilling, compact story that builds dread slowly. . . . Thomas incorporates elements of science fiction as she begins to reveal the darkness at work on campus, but not before readers are eased in with some classic hallmarks of prep-school fiction.
This dark, speculative thriller . . . [is] an electrifying update on gothic horror, evoking haunting institutional imagery and weaving in “psychosexual” experimentation and power imbalances.
Catherine House is a page turner that is equal parts dark, dreamy, and disturbing.
25 of the Best New Books to Add to Your Reading Li PopSugar
05/08/2020
DEBUT With an abundance of influential graduates, exclusive Catherine House College is well known, but its inner workings remain shrouded in mystery. Not an outstanding student and lacking a stable, supportive family, Ines only applied to the school after being encouraged by her favorite teacher, believing she wouldn't have been accepted. After arriving on campus, Ines finds herself among a diverse group of students with varying academic and social goals, and everyone seems to have a secret, including Ines. With a constant influx of half-told truths and unclear motivations, the tone of the story is dark and discomforting. Adding to the fearful feeling is the use of a closed-off, baroque-style mansion with secluded nooks perfect for a clandestine rendezvous. As Ines, and most of the other characters, reveal small pieces of their stories very slowly, it's difficult for readers to engage fully what is happening. A central mystery surrounds the plasma research conducted at Catherine House, but it doesn't develop much tension, even as portions of inhumane, secret experiments are exposed. VERDICT Readers looking for a strong atmospheric setting in the gothic style will be drawn in by this psychological thriller. Less satisfying are the interesting if underdeveloped characters. [See Prepub Alert, 10/26/19.]—Stacey Hayman, Rocky River P.L., OH
