The Darkhouse - Softcover

Radecki, Barbara

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1770864784 ISBN 13: 9781770864788

Publisher: DCB Young Readers, 2017

Synopsis

Fifteen-year-old Gemma's life on a small New Brunswick island with her father, Jonah, is not an exciting one. Her mother ran off when she was an infant, and Jonah, an amateur scientist, spends most of his time conducting experiments he thinks will one day bring him fame. But when a woman arrives on the island, Gemma tries to play matchmaker―only to discover Jonah’s secret journals, which hold terrifying secrets about both their lives.

Mystery, science, and dreams of a better life collide in this page-turning young adult novel from Barbara Radecki.

About this title

About the Author

Barbara Radecki is a Toronto-based actor-turned-writer. She is well known for voicing the role of Sailor Neptune in the original English dub of the popular Sailor Moon anime. She worked extensively in film and television before turning her focus to writing. She has written several screenplays, which are in various stages of development. THE DARKHOUSE, released through DCB in Canada and Orca Books in the US, is her first novel.

Join her Facebook Author Page here:
facebook.com/barbararadeckiauthor/

From the Back Cover

Gemma's life on a small island off the coast of New Brunswick is unexciting and lonely. She has no friends her own age, and her father - an amateur scientist - is preoccupied with his experiments.

When a mysterious stranger arrives on the island, terrifying secrets come to light and she is forced on a dangerous journey to uncover the truth about herself and her family.

From the Inside Flap

thriller, mystery, science fiction, child abduction, coming of age

Reviews

Gr 7–10—This debut novel sees teenager Gemma reach her breaking point as she discovers who she is and where she is going in life. It takes place on an old, sleepy, small island in New Brunswick, with a detour to Maine. The limited first-person point of view adds to the tense mood as the protagonist struggles to uncover the mysteries surrounding the lighthouse and her father Jonah's obsession with amateur science experiments. Jonah keeps his projects secret in a storage shed behind their house. Mysteries abound as things just don't sit right with Gemma. Who is her real mother, and will she ever see her again? Why does Jonah keep his science experiments hidden? Some mysteries are left unresolved, such as why Gemma refers to her father as Jonah and why she has conversations with her doll Adria. Though satisfying, the climactic conclusion is not neat and tidy. VERDICT A dark work that should find interest among mystery fans and those who enjoy Lois Duncan's books.—Seth Herchenbach, McHenry City College, Crystal Lake, IL

Edition details

• Publisher: DCB Young Readers
• Publication date: 2017
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1770864784
• ISBN 13: 9781770864788
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 240