A Most Anticipated Novel by Cosmopolitan, Forbes, Good Housekeeping, Better Homes and Gardens, Newsweek, Harper’s Bazaar, Ms. Magazine, Woman's Day, PopSugar, and more.
“Deliciously sinister.”
—New York Times Book Review (Editor’s Choice)
“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.”
“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 possibility of ever truly finding a place that feels like home.”
—Ivy Pochoda, author of Wonder Valley and Visitation Street
“Dreamy and brimming with dread, Catherine House will swallow you whole.”
—Rory Power, New York Times bestselling author of Wilder Girls
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.
“An immersive, intoxicating world.”
—Robin Wasserman, author of Girls on Fire
"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
"It’s hard to put “Catherine House” into a genre box. It certainly fits the description of a contemplative gothic thriller, but it’s also a coming-of-age story with sci-fi elements sprinkled in. The strength of this debut novel relies on its refusal to adhere to any sort of genre conventions... The descriptions in the book are what really ground the story; from the depiction of the varied buildings of Catherine House to the visceral and constant thoughts about food and drink, Thomas builds a thick atmosphere. 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."
“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.”
“A haunting page-turner that will keep you riveted until the unforgettable ending.”
—Kym Havens, Wellesley Booksmith, Wellesley, MA
“A dark, delicious gothic read that hits all the right spots in the best way.”
—Angela Maria Spring, Duende District Bookstore, Washington, DC
