A Thief in the House of Memory [Hardcover]

Tim Wynne-Jones (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 24, 2005

Family secrets, forgotten memories, and the transforming power of truth

It's been six years since sixteen-year-old Dec's free-spirited mother, Lindy, disappeared. Dec feels so trapped in the present, he's avoided examining his past. But when an intruder dies in the museum-like family home, the man's death sends forth tremors that reawaken forgotten memories. Suddenly Dec is flooded with visions of his mother so tangible it's hard to believe they're not real. At least Dec has his best friend - gifted, funny Ezra - to help him sort out what's real and what isn't. But as Dec's dream visions of his mother turn into nightmares, Ezra announces he's going away, leaving Dec haunted by questions that must be answered. What did happen to his mother? And who really is the thief in the house of memory?

In this masterful new novel, Tim Wynne-Jones explores with wit, compassion, and humor the fictional territory he knows best - the prickly ties that bind families, the murky connections between imagination and real life.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Starred Review. Grade 7-10–Six years ago, when Declan Steeple was 10 and his sister was just a baby, his mother, Lindy, disappeared, searching for something better than the dusty family estate with its generations of clutter and memory. Now the Steeples live in a modern split-level down the hill from the Big House, but the mansion is still there, filled with a past that hides secrets. When a local man is found dead in the house, memories of Lindy and her unhappiness living there suddenly become a pressing weight on Dec, compounded by the fact that he and his sister were the ones to discover the body. The teen feels lost and suspicious; his father seems to be hiding something and Dec realizes how much has never been discussed. This is a beautifully written novel, slim and surprising but ultimately satisfying. Declan's vivid memories and conversations with his father and his friend Ezra bring the pain of his abandonment, and the strength of his determination to move on, vividly to life. Declan's other friends, especially the creative and quirky Viv, appear only briefly but have enough character to bring them to life and to illuminate the protagonist. The dreams and memories that haunt Declan sometimes seem almost fantastic, but overall this is a realistic and moving story. Given that it focuses on an internal journey, this rich and rewarding novel will appeal most to thoughtful readers who appreciate a sad and bittersweet read.–Karyn N. Silverman, Elizabeth Irwin High School, New York City
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Gr. 7-10. Whenever 16-year-old Dec visits the house where his family lived before his mother's disappearance six years earlier, he slips into long-forgotten scenes that he had shared with her during his childhood. Drawn with a skilled hand, the protagonist is placed in a memorable eastern Ontario setting, where Dec's ancestral family home is preserved, museum-like, near his current house. The violent death of a man who breaks into the old house sets in motion a series of mysteries and revelations that drive Dec to remember things about his mother and try to learn the rest from her best friend and from his father, who guard their secrets well. Vividly written, the narrative conveys a strong sense of Dec's uneasiness, as past and present overlap in an unsettling way. The final revelations about his mother seem almost anticlimactic, as Dec has already developed a sure sense of who he is and where he is headed. An original coming-of-age story from the author of The Maestro (1996). Carolyn Phelan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR); 1st edition (March 24, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0374374783
• ISBN-13: 978-0374374785
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,876,578 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Journey Though a Teenager's Thoughts, May 17, 2006

By 

Teen Reviewer - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Thief in the House of Memory (Hardcover)

A Thief in the House of Memory is a young adult book that is one of those books that would almost make a better movie. It's an incredibility well written story and follows a teenager who changes his mind about people that he interacts with all the time. Through the way the author wrote the book, my idea of the characters changed as well. Tim Wynne-Jones grabbed my emotions by changing my approach and assumptions of the other characters and himself. It jumps around from the present time to past memories which make the book contrasting but often confusing. It can get confusing at first for a reader so I advise you to read slowly and carefully to follow the book correctly. I did find it very interesting because it was from a teenager's prospective which made it out of the ordinary from books I have read before. I would suggest it to anyone who has time to sit down, have patience, and follow the book!
The book is about a young teenager named Dec who has a lot to live up to. He is a descendent from a long line of famous governors, but his father, Mr. Steeple broke that chain of politics after being abandoned by his wife. This hurt Mr. Steeple as much as it hurt his young son and infant daughter. They had had everything in their life, money, friends, and power, or so they thought. But as we learn though Dec's memories throughout the book, that isn't enough for a family to function. After years of fighting, Lindy, Dec's mother, had had it. She stole a car and ran from her flawless family; she just couldn't stand appearing to be perfect. Leaving a broken family that realized a family can't be bought, it has to be worked for and built on a foundation of trust and love.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mysterious Musings, August 21, 2006

By 

Linda A. Joseph "Give me a DEAR day!" (DC Suburbs, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: A Thief in the House of Memory (Hardcover)

Dec is a great narrator - totally reliable for a teen. The story is short and would probably qualify as "high interest" for lower level or on-level 9th graders. There was a twist or two that I did not see coming, which makes the book a good choice for serious readers as well. The best part about the book, however, is the conglomeration of friends Dec has at school. This is a group of high achievers who consider rationalizing a teacher out of existence, or spending a day without using any words with "O" in them is fun - where do they really come from? I would recommend this book for teachers and students.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A thought-provoking mystery about complex relationships, June 8, 2005

By 

Teenreads.com (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Thief in the House of Memory (Hardcover)

Sixteen-year-old Declan Steeple hasn't seen his free-spirited mother Lindy in six years. His father Bernard has moved on with his life, creating a new family with his girlfriend Birdie and Dec's little sister Sunny. Bernard is content with his life in the present while pursuing his hobby building miniature models of famous battles in history. Dec would rather just face the future when he could leave his family's home and perhaps pursue a career in architecture.

Then one day, Dec and Sunny come across the body of a mysterious intruder in Steeple Hall, his father's family home where Dec had spent his early childhood years before Lindy left. Dec briefly met the intruder when he hitched a ride from him a few weeks before and thinks that because he accidentally mentioned a secret road leading to the old house, this prompted the man to take a chance at burglary. When Sunny mentions that a bust of Plato was placed on a side table instead of by the fallen bookshelf where it once sat, Dec begins to think that something far more sinister has taken place.

The mysterious death causes Dec to begin having visions of his mother as he remembered her when he was a young child: Lindy being dressed as Wonder Woman, Lindy and Dec playing hide-and-seek with a frustrated Bernard, and Lindy telling a young Dec to rescue her from the manor. The visions are hazy and surreal, making Dec wonder if they are really memories or just dreams. He decides to ask Bernard and Birdie questions about Lindy, but they're unwilling to reveal many details especially as to why Lindy left. Frustrated, Dec seeks refuge in Steeple Hall and confides in his best friend Ezra, a quirky science geek who helps him make sense of the bizarre visions.

As time goes by, Dec slowly pieces together the confusing puzzle of visions. What the puzzle reveals to Dec changes everything he thought he knew once again. There are revelations about his family, Lindy's disappearance, and the mysterious dead intruder. THE THIEF IN THE HOUSE OF MEMORY is a mystery that portrays the complexities of friendships and family, while set against the backdrop of a house harboring mysteries of its own. It's a book that is sure to be pleasantly thought-provoking for readers.
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