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Sarah Pinborough

The Death House Kindle Edition

by Sarah Pinborough (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

351 ratings

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Lord of the Flies meets Never Let Me Go in this “moving and totally involving” (Stephen King) dystopian thriller from the internationally best-selling author of Behind Her Eyes

Toby’s life was perfectly normal . . . until it was unraveled by something as simple as a blood test.

Taken from his family, Toby now lives in the Death House; an out-of-time existence far from the modern world, where he, and the others who live there, are studied by Matron and her team of nurses. They’re looking for any sign of sickness. Any sign of their wards changing. Any sign that it’s time to take them to the sanatorium.

No one returns from the sanatorium.

Living in his memories of the past, Toby spends his days fighting his fear. But then a new arrival in the house shatters the fragile peace, and everything changes. Because everybody dies. It’s how you choose to live that counts.

Print length

286 pages
Language

English
Sticky notes

On Kindle Scribe
Publisher

Titan Books
Publication date

September 1, 2015
File size

1076 KB
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

"When I reached the end, I was devastated and sad. Sad because it was over, devastated because the ending was perfect." - Word Gurgle

"The ending was powerful and just another sign that Sarah Pinborough is one of the best we got." - Dying World News

"Pinborough delivers an irresistible cast here, from our main couple and their friends to antagonist Jake and his goons, to the mysterious Matron and her nurses who treat the children with little to no emotion. It has the feel of GIRL, INTERRUPTED mixed with OUTBREAK, and while the horror is latent in each scene, at its core THE DEATH HOUSE is a dark love story with a heart-wrenching finale that showcases Toby's integrity." - The Horror Fiction Review

"Dark and touching, you’ll grow to care about these captives and share their desperation as they search for answers." - St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"Pinborough’s The Death House provides a compelling celebration of hope in the direstof worlds" - Blog Critics

"The best young adult book I have ever read” - SF Reader

"An amazing, heart-rending novel of love, loss, and hope." - Fandom Post

"The Death House is bleak yet beautiful, dark yet full of warmth, compassion, and understanding. Sarah Pinborough deserves all the acclaim and accolades that have been coming her way." - Dirge Magazine

"The perfect bittersweet mixture of suspense and first-love romance” - Pop Kernal

"The story flows effortlessly from the first page toward the achingly touching and beautifully written ending. It has been written so well that it immediately grabs hold of the reader and doesn't let go (it'll be almost impossible for the reader to put this novel down). In my opinion, Sarah Pinborough's The Death House is an amazing achievement." - Rising Shadow

"Comes in quietly and leaves with the emotional impact of a wrecking ball." - Barnes & Noble

"Recommended, for those who want a dash of The Girl with All the Gifts with their The Fault in Our Stars." - Kirkus

"There’s more than enough to keep readers going through to the end." - Entertainment Buddha

“I loved THE DEATH HOUSE. It's moving and totally involving. Pinborough writes with vividness and emotional resonance. I couldn't put it down.” STEPHEN KING

"A marvelously creepy and engaging novel" - Count Gore

"You turn the pages begging for the story to continue ever further and not reach its poetic but terrible conclusion so fast. It will leave you in tears." - Love Reading

"There are curveballs and plot twists galore, and more than a handful of tear-jerkers as the story progresses, but all of it is crafted with a care and attention to detail that defines what a good narrative and cracking tale it really is." - British Fantasy Society

"Pinborough layers a beautiful account of that first, maddening, youthful love, alongside the friendship and brotherhood only found in those doomed to die together. It's poignant and tear-jerking: the ending is stunning, and I haven't cried this much at a book in a long time." - Strange Horizons

"Sarah Pinborough has created an incredible book with The Death House. Ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances highlighting the power of humanity....The writer's deft touch leaves the reader emotional. You might feel like your heart has been stomped on." - Geek Syndicate

"The Death House is sad, stealthily creepy, emotionally haunting and quite brilliant." - SFF World

"Unsettling, frightening and in the end uplifting, The Death House has stayed with me" - Jenny Colgan

“Sarah Pinborough’s writing is flawless, and in this one she’s got a mastery of mood that wraps around the psyche with dark little tendrils to burrow in and squeeze. Brilliant work, truly top-notch.” - Horror Fiction

“a bleak and beautiful climax” Barnes & Noble SFF blog

Review

"When I reached the end, I was devastated and sad. Sad because it was over, devastated because the ending was perfect." - Word Gurgle

"The ending was powerful and just another sign that Sarah Pinborough is one of the best we got." - Dying World News

"Pinborough delivers an irresistible cast here, from our main couple and their friends to antagonist Jake and his goons, to the mysterious Matron and her nurses who treat the children with little to no emotion. It has the feel of GIRL, INTERRUPTED mixed with OUTBREAK, and while the horror is latent in each scene, at its core THE DEATH HOUSE is a dark love story with a heart-wrenching finale that showcases Toby's integrity." - The Horror Fiction Review

"Dark and touching, you’ll grow to care about these captives and share their desperation as they search for answers." - St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"Pinborough’s The Death House provides a compelling celebration of hope in the direstof worlds" - Blog Critics

"The best young adult book I have ever read” - SF Reader

"An amazing, heart-rending novel of love, loss, and hope." - Fandom Post

"The Death House is bleak yet beautiful, dark yet full of warmth, compassion, and understanding. Sarah Pinborough deserves all the acclaim and accolades that have been coming her way." - Dirge Magazine

"The perfect bittersweet mixture of suspense and first-love romance” - Pop Kernal

"The story flows effortlessly from the first page toward the achingly touching and beautifully written ending. It has been written so well that it immediately grabs hold of the reader and doesn't let go (it'll be almost impossible for the reader to put this novel down). In my opinion, Sarah Pinborough's The Death House is an amazing achievement." - Rising Shadow

"Comes in quietly and leaves with the emotional impact of a wrecking ball." - Barnes & Noble

"Recommended, for those who want a dash of The Girl with All the Gifts with their The Fault in Our Stars." - Kirkus

"There’s more than enough to keep readers going through to the end." - Entertainment Buddha

“I loved THE DEATH HOUSE. It's moving and totally involving. Pinborough writes with vividness and emotional resonance. I couldn't put it down.” STEPHEN KING

"A marvelously creepy and engaging novel" - Count Gore

"You turn the pages begging for the story to continue ever further and not reach its poetic but terrible conclusion so fast. It will leave you in tears." - Love Reading

"There are curveballs and plot twists galore, and more than a handful of tear-jerkers as the story progresses, but all of it is crafted with a care and attention to detail that defines what a good narrative and cracking tale it really is." - British Fantasy Society

"Pinborough layers a beautiful account of that first, maddening, youthful love, alongside the friendship and brotherhood only found in those doomed to die together. It's poignant and tear-jerking: the ending is stunning, and I haven't cried this much at a book in a long time." - Strange Horizons

"Sarah Pinborough has created an incredible book with The Death House. Ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances highlighting the power of humanity....The writer's deft touch leaves the reader emotional. You might feel like your heart has been stomped on." - Geek Syndicate

"The Death House is sad, stealthily creepy, emotionally haunting and quite brilliant." - SFF World

"Unsettling, frightening and in the end uplifting, The Death House has stayed with me" - Jenny Colgan

“Sarah Pinborough’s writing is flawless, and in this one she’s got a mastery of mood that wraps around the psyche with dark little tendrils to burrow in and squeeze. Brilliant work, truly top-notch.” - Horror Fiction

“a bleak and beautiful climax” Barnes & Noble SFF blog

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00R049OJM
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Titan Books (September 1, 2015)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 1, 2015
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 1076 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 286 pages

Best Sellers Rank: #44,164 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #118 in U.S. Horror Fiction
- #154 in Native American Literature (Books)
- #411 in Dystopian Fiction

Customer Reviews:
351 ratings

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Sarah Pinborough
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Sarah Pinborough is a New York Times bestselling and Sunday Times Number one and Internationally bestselling author who is published in over 25 territories worldwide. Having published more than 25 novels across various genres, her recent books include Behind Her Eyes which will air on Netflix in January 2021, Cross Her Heart, in development for UK television, and 13 Minutes in development with Netflix.
Sarah was the 2009 winner of the British Fantasy Award for Best Short Story and also the 2010 and 2014 winner of the British Fantasy Award for Best Novella, and she has four times been short-listed for Best Novel. She is also a screenwriter who has written for the BBC and is currently working on three TV projects and the film adaptation of her novel The Death House.
Her latest novel, DEAD TO HER and is a dark and twisty, sexy tale of hidden secrets and revenge in high society Savannah and has been sold for TV in the US.
Sarah lives in the historic town of Stony Stratford, the home of the Cock and Bull story, with her dog Ted.
You can follow her on Twitter @sarahpinborough
See more on the author's page
Sarah Pinborough
Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.
Sarah Pinborough is a New York Times bestselling and Sunday Times Number one and Internationally bestselling author who is published in over 30 territories worldwide. Having published more than 25 novels across various genres, her recent books include Behind Her Eyes, now a smash hit Netflix limited series, Dead To Her, now in development with Amazon Studios, and 13 Minutes and The Death House in development with Compelling Pictures.
Sarah was the 2009 winner of the British Fantasy Award for Best Short Story and also the 2010 and 2014 winner of the British Fantasy Award for Best Novella, and she has four times been short-listed for Best Novel and was shortlisted for the British Book Award for best Thriller.
Sarah lives in the historic town of Stony Stratford, the home of the Cock and Bull story, with her dog Ted.
You can follow her on Twitter @sarahpinborough
See more on the author's page

Customer reviews

4.1 out of 5

351 global ratings

5 star		51%
4 star		24%
3 star		13%
2 star		6%
1 star		6%

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Claadizzy

Typical...

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on November 30, 2015

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I still want to know what happens in the sanitarium. And what happens to the sick kids. I don't even care about finding out what becomes of Louis. That's a great ending. But I desperately want to know what the hell was going on in the first place...

One person found this helpful

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Callandra

Beautiful and Haunting

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on September 16, 2015

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I found out about this book by searching for some must-read YA novels lists. The novel is beautifully written and even though it is written for a younger audience, the author does not "write down" to the reader like some YA authors do. When I first read a synopsis of the novel, I thought it would be very depressing and disturbing but that is not the case. It is a love story and is about living, not dying (as the title might imply).

The novel is about a young man, Toby, who is "Defective" and will eventually die. He is taken from his house soon after the test he was administered to in school and brought to the "Death House," an isolated mansion presumably on an island somewhere. There are some subtle hints that this novel takes place somewhat in the future (there was a line about no snow falling in England for the past 100 years). We are not given much information about this disease (it seems to present differently in everyone who has it) but it will inevitably lead to each young person (if you make it to 18 without testing positive, you are safe for life) becoming ill in some way and then in the night, will be taken up to the sanatorium to die.

Despite the grim nature of the novel, it is surprisingly light-hearted even if Toby starts off as [understandably] depressed, sleeping during the day and up at night. Then one day, new "Defectives" arrive and that's when things change for Toby.

I won't go any further into the plot summary as to not give anything away but I will say there is a twist in this novel (I sort of saw it coming) and the ending, while beautiful, is sad (but you'll see it coming).

If I could change one thing, it would be nice if the author added an epilogue at the end with some explanations. There are a lot of unanswered questions, but maybe sometimes some things are better left unexplained. A sequel would be nice as well.

Overall, I highly recommend it.

2 people found this helpful

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Kindle Customer

Sure if your looking for a Romeo, Juliet story

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on November 9, 2022

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Not quite what I thought it was going to be. It was still entertaining, but ending disappointing. It was not scary either if that is what you are seeking

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Christine

From "The Horror Fiction Review"

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on May 10, 2016

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There’s a whole generation of kids right now growing up on a steady diet of YA dystopia, and when they are ready to move on to more solid grown-up fare, here is the book to get them there.

Here is a dystopia we-the-reader don’t even see, don’t have explained to us beyond the barest of bare-bones basics. There’s no scrappy rebellion against the system, no Team ThisGuy and Team ThatGuy ‘ship wars.

In this world, kids are routinely blood-tested for some never-named disease / genetic anomaly. The ones whose results come back as ‘Defective’ are, with no warning, picked up by agents in vans and whisked away to a boarding school on an island. There, they just … wait. Every now and then, kids get sick and are taken upstairs to the sanatorium, never to be seen again.

So many questions! The symptoms of the disease seem to vary, the kids share rumors about its effects and history, but none of them know, so neither do we. The nurses and teachers, overseen by Matron, are cool and detached. Lessons are perfunctory. Socialization is pretty much left to fend for itself.

Both Narnia and Lord of the Flies are frequently mentioned by the characters throughout the course of the story, and perfectly so because elements of each figure as prominent under- and over-tones to their own situation. The various dorms are their tribes, they have their own outcasts and troublemakers and weirdos.

The protagonist, Toby, likes to skip his bedtime ‘vitamin’ to roam the big old house alone while everyone else sleeps. But that changes for him when a new girl, Clara, has the same habit, and he has to share his private night world.

Sarah Pinborough’s writing is flawless, and in this one she’s got a mastery of mood that wraps around the psyche with dark little tendrils to burrow in and squeeze. Brilliant work, truly top-notch.

16 people found this helpful

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Sophie

The perfect book to ease me back into reading!

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on May 26, 2021

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Honestly amazing. I have been trying to get back into reading, and this was the perfect book to pick up! I recently watched “Behind Her Eyes” on Netflix, and I knew I had to find another work by this author. I was NOT disappointed. Though the book has dark themes, you can breeze through the novel with only 288 pages. The end had me sobbing. I loved the character arc of our protagonist Toby.Must read.

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Top reviews from other countries

Cindy (Midnight Blue)

The Death House is a dark and gloomy book packed full with emotions

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on August 8, 2018

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Sarah Pinborough’s books have always been able to captivate me and I’m slowly working my way through all her books. I enjoy her writing style and the amazing twists and concepts she puts in her books. The next one on my list was The Death House. I didn’t know too much about it when going in, which is the way I prefer it when I know the author is good. The Death House is not your usual kind of book. It centers on quite an emotionally heavy storyline, has practically only one location where the story plays out and it involves kids and adolescents in a very dark and somber setting.

Kids’ blood is being tested and when they are found to have a certain genetic defect, they are sent away. Our main character is one of those kids who arrives at a big house on an island after his blood test came back positive. This is not a voluntary decision though, kids are literally taken from their parents, whether they want to come with or not. They also don’t know where they are being brought, only that kids who are taken never return.

It is kept very vague what the genetic defect actually does. It is only hinted at throughout the book, but it seems to be linked to events in the past and this kidnapping thing is a sort of prevention to stop it from happening again. The house has several kids, all divided over dorms. Whenever one of them gets ill they know that person will be taken to the elevator and brought to the top floor very soon. They don’t know what happens there, kids who get ill just get taken during the night, wheeled in the elevator and never come back. The symptoms are never the same, so people are never sure when they are actually ill from their genetic defect or if they’ve just caught a bug. This brings a lot of uncertainty and fear, but also denial and hope.

These are kids we’re talking about and even in their circumstances they will try to shift everything into a simpler situation. That’s why a sort of rivalry between the different dorms happens. Toby’s dorm is the only dorm that hasn’t had anyone taken yet and he wears it as a badge of honour. He frequently clashes with the leader of another dorm, especially when another batch of kids arrive and this time a beautiful girl is among them. Far away from home and faced with an uncertain future, these kids live through jealousy, fear, elation and love.

A very remarkable part of the book is when the kids see snow for the very first time. This is another hint at the fact that this might be a post-apocalyptic world where snow is not common at all. It’s like a light has finally been turned on in this glum part of the world where they have been brought. The kids can be young again, without thinking about their future or getting ill.

There are some truly heart breaking parts in the book. It’s easy to get attached to the different characters, they’re kids and they’ve abruptly been taken from their home knowing they will never return and will probably die. That is also a thing all the kids have in common and though there is a fierce rivalry going on in the house, it still connects them on some level. So when one of my favourites got ill, the storyline that followed literally broke my heart.

The ending is surprising and heart-wrenching, showing how the kids through their ordeal have become very mature and are capable of making choices that are beyond their years. This book has shown me a different side of Pinborough’s work. Where here “Dr. Thomas Bond” books used a historical mystery to create an amazing story full of real historical facts but with a supernatural twists; and 13 minutes is a dark coming-of-age tale with a surprising twist; The Death House is a dark and gloomy book packed full with emotions. I’m very excited to read more of her books and find out what else she is capable of!

One person found this helpful

Little Bookness Lane

An emotionally bumpy ride, but one I didn't want to stop.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on October 2, 2017

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Set some time in the future when kids can be removed from their familiar surroundings for carrying a ‘Defective’ gene, “The Death House” is where they are relocated to be with others who have also tested positive.

Although the house is situated on an island, it’s about as far from paradise as you could get. The dormitory situations exhibit the customary bashful awkwardness, pecking orders and bravado. Despite these daily distractions, everyone’s thoughts are overshadowed by disbelief and the nightmarish unknown that no one wants to talk about.

Fuelled by fear, unthinkable rumours about their fate circulate among their group. Yet this only emphasises the need to live life to the full. The focus on Clara and Toby’s blossoming relationship may appear futile, but even given their dire circumstances there are choices they have the power to make.

I liked the casual nod towards Lord of the Flies as the choice of study material in the lessons none of the students paid much attention to. There’s a subtle comparison to the friction and friendship within the death house and how events conspire to change the outlook of the residents.

Not exactly what I’d call a ‘happy’ read, but it didn’t leave me feeling downhearted either. It’s a convincing drama / love story about unfortunate youngsters who are singled-out on medical grounds – they’re just riding the storm as best they can, knowing that lightning could strike at any second.

*** Actual Rating: 4.5 / 5 ***

One person found this helpful

Anne bonny book reviews

This book makes it to the 5* whoop whoop book shelf!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on July 31, 2016

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I originally bought this for my teenage daughter daisy & later we both read 13 minutes by the same author. My daughter nagged me to read this and I was slightly wary as I am not a huge sci-fi/fantasy reader (if that's how you'd tag this novel).
However I was completely blown away. I found it to be a beautifully written story, detailing the emotional fragility of the children involved.
(also as I was a teenage bride at 17 - so many moons ago) I found this reminded me in some way of the innocence of falling in love in youth.
I found the ending very moving & sad. I don't think this will be a novel I forget in a hurry!

I have read 133 novels so far this year and the 2 by Sarah Pinborough place her firmly in my top 3 favourite authors! (no bigger recommendation than that!)

5 people found this helpful

lynnsbooks

The Death House

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on March 1, 2015

Verified Purchase

The Death House by Sarah Pinborough is an emotional and dark story. A story that puts the focus on life and death and how people cope when faced with their own mortality.

I won't deny that this is a difficult review to write and I've been mulling it around in my brain some. Firstly, I'm aware that I won't be able to do the story justice and, secondly, given the nature of the book I don't want to portray this as really gloomy and put people off. It is undoubtedly a dark book and just a look at the cover alone gives you an idea that it's going to be somewhat bleak, however, it's so much more than that.

The story is set in the future although as a reader we find out very little about the time or lifestyle. We really only catch glimpses into the world when Toby takes a trip down memory lane, and these are only snippets designed to give us a small insight into what is going on.

In this particular future it seems that children are given blood tests up to the age of 18. Up to that age, if they're going to develop a defective gene, it will show up in the blood. After that they're clear. Not many people seem to have this defect and that would explain why all the children are so relaxed about the regular testing. However, if the defect appears, well, the child is removed, immediately! It's very odd. What is this defect. Well, I can only think that disease has been almost eradicated, however, maybe sometimes it rears it's ugly head and it seems to manifest in all sorts of different ways - it could be worse than that but we don't really find out! Anyway, defect equals incarceration. Why, not really sure - maybe there's a great fear of disease once again taking a hold.

Toby, has been taken from his family and taken to a remote island where he now lives with a number of other inhabitants in an old mansion known as `The Death House'. To a certain extent the boys and girls live a sort of boarding school existence with lessons in the morning and other activities that they can take part in to pass the time. The problem is - they all know why they're there and what could possible be worse than counting down your own existence never quite knowing when the grim reaper will show up. On top of that, you could call this a care home - except nobody really cares about their charges - it's just all a means to an end. Cold and sterile and actually a little bit forbidding in the shape of Matron!

To the good.

Characters: I do love good characters when I'm reading and this book has good characters in spades. I mean, they're not all as well developed as each other but we pretty soon get a good idea of the dynamics and different groups. Toby, has become almost like a carer to the younger boys on his ward. Jake is the tough guy and seems to have attracted the wannabee toughies. Ashley turns to worship and given how scared they all are he also develops something of a following. Then we have The Matron - everybody is trying to stay under her radar. Nurse Ratched could take a few lessons from her!

Plot: well, it's all like a mystery and it's compelling to read about. You feel in the dark as a reader - which is somewhat ironic as Toby does like to spend most of his time wandering around by himself at night alone. This is until the latest new additions to the house which include a young girl who is about to upset the tentative status quo. Clara. She has an undoubted love of life that not even being brought to the Death House has squashed.

Setting: A dilapidated mansion on a remote island with lots of unfurnished, unused rooms. It could be incredibly creepy but Toby relates the story in an unaffected manner. He doesn't believe in ghosts and is happy to spend time alone at night in what really could be a bit of a spooky setting.

The unexpected. I sort of spent most of the novel gagging to find out what was going on. What was the Sanatorium where the sick children disappeared to. What actually happens there. What I actually received instead was a captivating tale of love. The love and care that some of the inhabitants found for each other in spite of such dire circumstances, the love that some of them managed to find in the most simple things - such as snowfall, and then the relationship that developed between Toby and Clara.

I will say that this is an emotional read. I'm not going to lead you astray on that point. But, it's also intriguing and mysterious. You start reading and you don't want to stop.

Pinborough has a way with words. She's the word master!! I've read quite a few of her books now and she defiantly manages to evade genres skirting around on the edges of contemporary and speculative fiction. I love it!

Paul D

Spend some time in 'The Death House'

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on November 3, 2015

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I enjoyed the premise of this book, and feel that mostly it was handled very well and kept me very entertained. The only criticism I have is that the opening was very strong and intriguing, I felt for the characters in the book, and could sense the dread and fear inside all of them, but that didn't last. By the time I was halfway through, although I wanted to know how it was going to end, there wasn't enough coming from the antagonists in the book, and there was a sense that the central characters could pretty much do what they wanted in the house, with little fear - it would seem - of getting caught. It all felt too easy for them to avoid the sleeping pills and then just roam around the island and plan their escape when the supply boat comes. But I suppose in some ways the main antagonist of this book is not the warden and the nurses, but the sickness apparently within these children, that being said, without the nurses and warden keeping any checks on them at all through the night, meant an opportunity was missed to really amp up the tension a little more. I can't fault the writing itself however, for Pinborough's prose reads so effortlessly off of the page, and she shows considerable skill and handles dialogue with aplomb.

Some may find the central love story a little bit too sickly sweet, but I think that was needed for the story, and the fact that this was dealing with young love meant she could get away with it, and of course it sets up the ending very well, an ending which was handled very sensitively and was perhaps more unpredictable than I imagined. All in all then a good read, if not a great one.

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