Customer Reviews

The House at Midnight: A Novel

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

What happens when you drop a group of elitist (read: self-indulgent) Oxford post-graduates in a sprawling, three-storied stone manor in the English countryside, and supply them with copious amounts of expensive liquor and a smorgasbord of sordid secrets? According to Lucie Whitehouse, complete chaos. If you, dear reader, are a fan of characters who betray each other at every step, ongoing relationship melodrama and salacious plot twists piled on at the end, then Lucie Whitehouse's creepy and deliciously macabre debut, THE HOUSE AT MIDNIGHT, is just the novel for you.

The story begins as Joanna --- the book's earnest but somewhat vapid narrator --- and her college chums are driving up from London for a mini reunion of sorts to celebrate New Year's Eve with their friend, Lucas, who recently inherited his uncle's posh estate after his mother died, his father disappeared and was presumed dead, and his uncle committed suicide. As soon as they arrive, a fire is lit, drinks are poured, and the crew gets down to the business of reacquainting themselves and reminiscing about the good old days.

From the start, it's clear that the friends shoulder their fair share of baggage. Lucas and Joanna are best friends but realize their feelings for each other might be of the romantic sort. When they finally get together, all seems glorious and happy-go-lucky until Lucas's precocious and pompous childhood pal, Danny, finds out --- and gets jealous. Is he a homosexual? Not exactly (despite his fling with well-intentioned Michael). But that still doesn't prevent him from threatening Joanna, telling her to keep her paws in check --- or else.

Then there's Martha, Joanna's straight-laced and responsible roommate who falls for Danny, knowing full well that he's a womanizer and a cheat. (But the sex is good, so why not?) And Rachel, the fashion maven who brings along her new boyfriend, hunky Greg, who gets along swimmingly with the others --- especially Joanna. Michael, who also slept with Danny, rounds out the group, until Diana shows up. But that's not until later.

Over the next few hundred pages, the friends travel back and forth from London to Oxfordshire, spending weekends in the lap of luxury while generally driving themselves crazy and acting like spoiled children. One minute, Lucas is a sensible young man with a career. The next, he quits his job and moves with Danny to live in Stoneborough Manor full-time. The two dabble in writing novels and playing movie director, but who are they kidding? They'd much rather slack off and get boozy.

Meanwhile, Joanna is having second thoughts about her relationship with the changed Lucas. So it isn't surprising when she's caught kissing Greg in the moonlight. All hell breaks loose upon that discovery (including Rachel's disappearance from the rest of the book), and the group's fragile equilibrium irreparably shatters --- especially after the surprise appearance of the aforementioned Diana, Lucas's other childhood acquaintance, whose debutante mother hobnobbed with Lucas's parents/uncle before they died.

If that's not enough (and of course it isn't, given Whitehouse's style), in a cacophony of shocking events (some easily foreseen, others delightfully unexpected), Lucas finds out that his family history is not what he thought it was, and the news turns his --- and everyone else's --- world upside down.

Overall, THE HOUSE AT MIDNIGHT falls somewhere between a modern-day (albeit twisted) THE GREAT GATSBY, a V.C. Andrews novel, and the brat pack movie St. Elmo's Fire. Although Whitehouse's characters may appear two-dimensional at times, her ability to spin a wickedly suspenseful tale that underscores human weaknesses and gives free reign to unleashed depravity will entertain even the more skeptical reader.

--- Reviewed by Alexis Burling

The House at Midnight is the first novel by British author Lucie Whitehouse. Neo-Gothic in tone, the story is primarily about the relationships between seven friends from college: Joanna (the narrator), Lucas, Danny, Michael, Martha, Rachel, and Greg. When Lucas inherits Stoneborough Manor from his uncle Patrick, he encourages his friends to treat the mysterious old house as their own. Soon, Joanna finds herself in a romantic relationship with Lucas, he decides to move in with his parasitic friend Danny, and things get trickier when Joanna discovers Rachel and Greg in a compromising position on the floor one night.

There's a whole slew of interchangeable (and sticky) relationships between these seven characters, characterized by a lot of drinking and drug-taking. It took the author six years to write, and I get the feeling that she began the novel thinking that she originally intended the characters to be younger than they eventually turned out to be. Although approaching the age of thirty, all of these people act as though they're still in college and trying to figure out their lives. The novel is heavy on the relationships between these characters and not so heavy on character development and plot. Even Joanna, the narrator, isn't a particularly attractive character; she's a little bland, and blasé about her career, relationships, and future.

I picked up this novel because I thought that this would be a Gothic type of novel, similar to Barbara Vine's work; but the key to writing a Gothic novel is using subtlety, which this book doesn't have. It seems as though the reader is repeatedly hit over the head with how eerie Stoneborough Manor is, or appears to be. Also, the ending, while truly unexpected, seemed a little bit tacked-on. I give the author props for writing about what she knows best, and for the intriguing premise of the novel; but the execution of that premise ultimately falls flat. This book has been compared to Donna Tartt's The Secret History; and while I see superficial similarities between the two books, The House at Midnight doesn't even come close to the other.

I was looking forward to reading this because I like suspense and ghost stories, neither of which I found in the book. The plot was very slow. There were so many ridiculous story lines that I think at one point I must have rolled my eyes. By the last 1/4 of the book I was skipping complete paragraphs because I just wanted it to be over. I didn't care what happened to the characters. Awful.

This book was the perfect recipe for my addiction to gothic novels.

The actual reason why I loved it so much was that it reminded me so much of The Secret History. I don't know whether that's a bad thing or a good thing. But I really enjoyed The House At Midnight.

The House at Midnight is very atmospheric and gripping. It is an edge of the seat novel and the psychological suspense is intriguing. Throughout the book, there is feeling of hidden evil, of something horrible about to happen. I admit there are parts where I was pretty creeped out and scared.

Its not a horror story, yet its scary. The subtelity is more terrifying than horror itself. The author describes the house, the setting so well , that you almost believe that you are there in the novel.

The numerous twists and turns kept me awake for two nights in a row. At the same time, it is not just meaningless thrills , but also an intelligently written novel. The dark and disturbing novel kept me hooked to the last page. The writing was beautiful. The imagery was great without which the atmosphere would never have built up. The suspense element and the creepy feeling is because Lucie Whitehouse has a way with words. She can make the most ordinary things seem scary.

The house at Midnight was mesmerizing and unputdownable. The atmosphere, the mystery and the words enthrall you, they take you in and don't let you go until the very end.

The book is about how the myriad of human emotions - love, lust, anger, jealousy- can lead to utter chaos. This captivating story is not only disturbing but very sensual too. Its a novel that will stay with you a long time.

Overall:

Compelling gothic suspense with great writing!

Recommended?

Yes! Especially to those who like intelligently written suspense/psychological thrillers. However this is not a light read.

A little slow in the beginning, but picked up and became hard to put down!

I had a hard time trying to express my adoration for this book; it was good for so many reasons that it's difficult to quiet the buzzing in my head long enough to write a perfect description of why it rocks. From the first page there is an aura of enigmatic charm to it, something is going on, something deep and heavy but the reader isn't sure if it's paranormal or plain old spooky, the tone and way of drawing the story seems to touch on something sensitive. The tale revolves around a group of friends who are entering a new decade, their thirties are just around the corner and some are dealing with it in ways that aren't ripe with fortunate promises. Joanna and her London roommate Martha and their friend Danny drive up to Lucas's new mansion, one he's inherited from his uncle. The Stoneborough Manor located out in the countryside provides a lush and interesting hideaway for old Oxford buddies and when they are joined by a few other acquaintances and neighbors dark secrets and betrayals seems to multiply and shock. The house seems to have a strange effect; people's desires and insecurities come out to the open and wreck havoc. Joanna's journey through the New Year, her celebrating the Eve in the mansion with a man she's had a crush on all her life was intense and spiced with some sensual tension. A touch of mystery and something creepy was written into the pages, but the book still felt light and enjoyable, this was not some Gothic deep sweat drenched doorstop but a bubbly and alluring story about young people and pasts that haunt them as if they lived a hundred years. Something happens and just when the story resembles some fairytale, a pebble turns into a rock and wedges in-between friends and new lovers. The story is stirred with an air of intrigue and mystery that erupts into an intense and shocking ending.

The way I read this book was without reading the dust jacket description, the less I knew about the story the better it got when I had the chance to read it, it's something that I've been practicing more of lately to some great results. All I want to say in this review is that I loved the book, the author made the characters real enough for me to care deeply about their actions and mistakes, their triumphs and conquests and I cannot wait to read her next novel! The writing was beautiful and easy to absorb yet it was not simple, I was lost and mesmerized and I wish there was more...when books are good you don't want them to ever end.

- Kasia S.

I spotted this book on the New Release shelves and the title caught my eye, as only the spine was visible. I immediately liked the cover and reading the description knew immediately that the book was coming home with me (at least for the 14 day borrowing period).

I found The House at Midnight to be a strong first effort for debut novelist Lucie Whitehouse. The book is decidedly modern but at times felt wonderfully gothic, with the bits and pieces of romance scattered in, as well as the dark atmosphere surrounding the imposing Stoneborough Manor. The house itself is a major character in the book; after all, don't forget the title. In fact, I found Ms. Whitehouse's descriptions of the manor to be some of the most powerful in the book. Her descriptions are so smooth, so eloquent and yet so mysterious that I could easily envision the house in my mind, in all its finery and unquiet. I also found the group of friends to be firmly fleshed out and relatable. I cared about them and I cared what happened to them.

The weak links to the book, in my opinion, were just two. First, I felt the book did teeter on the edge of full out creepiness without going there. I wished Ms. Whitehouse had made the house just a bit more sinister, without reverting to camp. Secondly, I found the ending to be a disappointment. After sitting on the edge of my seat throughout a great portion of the book, the ending was so uninspired, almost lacking in emotion, and so brusque, that it felt as though Ms. Whitehouse abruptly got up from her keyboard and decided she was done with the book.

All in all, though, I would recommend this book if you are a gothic or mystery fan. It's well worth the effort and I found it more enjoyable and pleasing than what may be considered a counterpart, The Thirteenth Tale.

I picked this book up cheap at a discount books warehouse, where the quality (of story) is very hit or miss (and more often it's a miss). This one was a definite hit. I would have been quite happy to have paid full price.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and found myself often thinking about the characters and story during my work day and wondering what would happen next, then grabbing it almost as soon as I walked in the door. Surely the mark of a good book.

I'm a little surprised at some of the reviews - I'd have thought for sure this book would have rated at least at the 4 star mark. I will concede that the title and premise may be a little misleading. I was expecting more of a horror or thriller and that's not how I would have classified this book - at least not in the classic sense. It's definitely more driven by the characters and their dynamics, the house of the title being almost another character.

As with any novel, at least for me, you need to be able to relate to the character/s on some level, to be able to immerse yourself in the story and allow it to carry you. In this instance, the characters are on the cusp of 30 and just starting to realise it's nearly time to grow up. They are still holding on to their college days of drinking and partying, just doing it now on a more intimate scale (if somewhat grander due to the inheritance of one of the key players). The excesses aren't excessive. I, for one, was fully immersed.

It felt real to me and I could absolutely relate, particularly to the protagonist and some of her questionable choices. It's good to see characters 'being real' - we don't always walk the moral high ground and we all (yes, all) make mistakes. They just hopefully don't have such dire consequences.

I felt the author had a natural, real, unpretentious style which was a pleasure to read. I liked her 'voice' and will definitely be keeping my eye out for any future offerings. I was actually quite surprised this was her first - it felt much more accomplished.

Highly recommended.

After years of friendship, seven college pals gather for a New Year's Eve celebration at Stoneborough, the country manse Lucas Heathfield has inherited from his tragically dead uncle, Patrick, leaving Lucas all his worldly goods. Driving the rustic roads to the intimidating, three-storey edifice, Joanna is unsettled by the property, the others excited on this latest adventure. Looming in the darkness, the house is intimidating indeed; from that first night, Joanna senses something amiss, although she is sidetracked by Lucas' sudden show of affection after ten years of friendship. Tentative at the best of times, Joanna is riddled with shyness and self-doubt, frequent asthma attacks a symbol of the distress she experiences over the next year. But anything seems possible on this night, Lucas' love, a gathering of like-minded people, even the arrogance of the group's most outrageous member, Danny, who basks in the reflected splendor of his friend's recent acquisitions and good, if painful fortune.

Building a deeper relationship with Lucas, Joanna is shocked when confronted by unexpected complications, another's not-so-subtle sabotage, a tug-of-war for his attention to which the pivotal person, Lucas, remains oblivious. When Danny and Lucas move into Stoneborough full time, far from London and Joanna, she finds her dreams dashed by Danny's increased influence on Lucas, who is still struggling to absorb Patrick's death. What unfolds in the following chapters ratchets up the emotional tension and wipes the innocent façade from a group who once thought their alliances unbreakable. The growing angst of the main characters is spot on, provocative, Whitehouse deftly capturing the ambivalence of a triangulated relationship, Lucas oblivious to Danny's motives and Joanna's frustration and helplessness, Lucas a vulnerable and unwitting pawn in a deadly serious game. The house, while retaining the vague menace of the past, is the perfect venue for a clever, grasping friend, as Lucas tries to live up to his uncle's high ideals.

Joanna is outmatched, never devious enough to out step hidden malice. Shadowed with ill intentions, Stoneborough exhales the unhappiness of its tenants as though absorbing the pain of its inhabitants. Played out in a gothic atmosphere, the author captures the power of conflicting desires, the house's valuable paintings bearing silent witness to the unraveling of Lucas' hopes for a lasting relationship with the woman he loves and the friend who directly benefits from his unstinting generosity. Reeling from the treachery of another and her own emotional confusion, Joanna can only retreat. This beautifully plotted, finely nuanced story reveals the ultimate destruction of a twisted passion, relationships sundered, the stunned friends left to reflect on a collision course that ends in shattering violence. Luan Gaines/ 2008.

Seven former college buddies meet every weekend at the magnificent manor house Lucas has inherited from an uncle. At first, it seems an idyllic retreat, far from the London of their working lives. But this house seems to have an agenda, and after a few months, nothing is as it was among these best of friends.

Author Whitehouse tries hard to make the house a looming character in this debut novel, but simply having characters speculate about its menacing aura isn't quite sufficient to create the real thing. Rather, it seems that excessive alcohol, pot, and the machinations of one Danny have a much greater impact on the story's outcome than the house ever could.

The House at Midnight is an Anglicized version of the old Friends TV series. Just a soap opera, really, full of yuppie angst. Not a bad book, but it misses its mark.