An atmospheric setting and lyrical writing style make The Temple House Vanishing an impressive debut for Rachel Donohoe. With a convent boarding school setting, a scholarship student struggling to fit in and a charismatic young art teacher the scene is set for a mystery that will keep the reader engaged as they struggle to unravel what really happened. The two narrative voices in the book are Louisa, the scholarship student who disappeared one night along with her charming art teacher and "The Journalist" who is writing an investigative piece about the vanishing twenty five years after the event. From Louisa we learn about her life at Temple House, her struggles to fit in, and her budding friendship with Victoria, one of the other girls at the school. Both Louisa and Victoria study art with the dashing Mr Lavelle , and his unorthodox manner engages the girls, especially in contrast with the repressive and conventional methods that prevail in the rest of the school. It seems that both girls are developing something of an infatuation with the young man, particularly Victoria, and Louisa worries about her friend, especially when it seems that she plans to run away with him. However it is Louisa who vanishes and the story becomes something of a scandal, with numerous theories as to what happened to the couple. With great determination the Journalist tracks down Victoria, and with perfect pacing and tension the truth of what happened that fateful night is finally revealed.
The almost claustrophobic school setting really adds to the tension and atmosphere of the book, and while some might find the slow reveal off putting, I was so engaged in the story being told and the well realised characters that I was fully hooked. The author does a fantastic job of recreating the confusion of being a teenage girl, struggling with hormones and burgeoning sexuality especially in the repressed world of the boarding school.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

I love a good campus novel, especially one with a mystery involved.
Rachel Donohue gave both in a way which was easy to read and quick to get into. Told from two points of view, Louisa and a journalist investigating her disappearance, The Temple House Vanishing slowly reveals what actually happened when Louisa and her teacher went missing.
Great debut novel, perhaps a little too much description of things but still very easy to read.
Thanks Netgalley and Rachel Donohue for the opportunity to read and review.

Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this captivating story about the disappearance of a teenage girl and her art teacher. Temple House is home to Louisa - a young girl awarded a scholarship to the imposing Catholic boarding school. Immediately out of place among the elite girls, Louisa seeks acceptance until the day she disappears along with the cool, (slightly creepy) art teacher. Told from two different time periods - we are given insights into the time of the disappearance and 25 years later and two different perspectives- Louisa and the present day journalist investigating the disappearance, the story unravels nicely to a great, neat ending that sweeps you along and leaves you feeling very satisfied that all loose ends are tied up. An engaging, emotive and atmospheric novel - very much enjoyed.

Louisa thought that she would have been treated like an equal at Temple House after she had won a scholarship there, but the attitude of the other pupils let her know differently. They, after all, were students whose parents had paid for their right to be there, but there was one exception, a pupil who befriended Louisa. Victoria was different and so was the young art teacher, Mr Lavelle where soon a dangerous friendship developed between the three of them.
Although this is partly set in the 1990s it actually feels quite dateless, that is perhaps because I have no personal experience of Catholic schools that were run by nuns. Even the girls seem of a time period way before when it is set.
Twenty-five years later, a reporter that knew Lousia before she had attended the Catholic school decides that a long enough time has elapsed since Louisa went missing from the school the same time that the art teacher vanished too and she is determined to find out what really happened.
As the reporter begins to dig and ask questions the past seems to creep up on you rather than jump in your face with all the answers. My conclusions were continually changing, from certainty to impossible, from the guilty to the innocent. The majority of the characters are teenagers with raging hormones that make everything more intense. It is a very atmospheric read where being surrounded by fellow pupils can be the loneliest place. You know that something has to give but it was more shocking than I had thought.
I wish to thank NetGalley and the publisher for an e-copy of this book which I have reviewed honestly.

Readers be warned once you start reading this book you will not be able to put it down. Beautifully written and atmospheric. Storytelling in past and present which I gladly immersed myself in I was there. This is the gift the author gave me . A mystery, cold case, the plot was original. This book was a joy to read and so highly recommended.
Thanks to Atlantic Books and Netgalley for the ARC.

A great book with a really captivating story. I enjoyed the school setting and the relationships between the girls and the teacher. A sad conclusion but the story was wrapped up nicely with no loose ends.

When Lydia wins a scholarship to the exclusive Temple House school for sixth form, she's automatically out of place, a token student, there to make it look as though the school is accepting of students from outside its typical social circles. In art class she meets Victoria, a favourite of twenty-five year old Art teacher Mr Lavelle, a completely non-typical character in a school run by nuns and a favourite of many of the girls. Lydia and Victoria quickly form a strong friendship despite their differences outside the school however after just one term after Lydia joins the school both her and Mr Lavelle disappear on the same evening, the police case has never been officially closed though no new information has been put forward for a long time.

We switch perspectives between Lydia in 1990 and a journalist in 2015 who lived across the road from Lydia as a child. For the 25th anniversary of her disappearance the journalist of trying to get in touch with as many people as possible for a series of articles which could uncover a missing piece, including Victoria who has historically been very tight-lipped on the whole experience.

What was captured really well were the intense feelings of teenagers that I'm sure we all experienced at one point, at just sixteen Victoria particularly is convinced that she's experiencing a love that nobody could possibly comprehend and everyone must be jealous of; Lydia who feels abandoned by her mother latches onto her new friend completely and quickly; imagining what their adult lives could be like once she'd left Temple House.

This became quite an addictive read and kept changing my mind as to what had actually happened to the girls. At one point I was convinced by a theory of switched lives to cover up privileged family shame but maybe that was a bit far fetched. I find with most books like this the ending lets it down slightly, and I wasn't a massive fan of the epilogue in this but I thought the ending tied everything up well and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

The Temple House was an elite, all girls Catholic boarding school run in an extremely old fashioned and strict way by Nuns. In 1990 a young scholarship student, Louisa, and the charismatic art teacher, Mr Lavelle, went missing, presumably together, and the school eventually had to close due to the scandal. Now, 25 years later, a young journalist is determined to find out what really went on at The Temple House and how Louisa’s friend, Victoria, fits into the story.

This was another NetGalley read for me so I was given a free download in exchange for an honest review. “The Temple House Vanishing” by Rachel Donohue will be released by Atlantic Books on 20 February.

I went into this one pretty much blind; I’d read the synopsis but didn’t know anything about the author and haven’t read any other books by her. I’m always looking to try new authors and broaden my horizons somewhat so I was happy to give this one a try.

The story is told in first person narrative but split between two narrators in two different timelines; the unnamed journalist, who is looking to uncover the truth in the present, and Louisa, who describes her time at The Temple House and the relationship between her, Victoria and Mr Lavelle back in 1990. I didn’t find either narrator to be particular trustworthy. The journalist grew up on the same street as Louisa, seems to feel she has a connection somehow and is definitely more sympathetic towards her from the off. Louisa describes being an outcast from the moment she arrived at the school as the other students are from wealthy backgrounds and she was a scholarship student. The first person narrative makes it difficult to really know whether that was the case or not.

There is obviously a little bit of back and forth between the two timelines but it’s always clear who’s narrative we are reading so it wasn’t confusing. There is a bit of a twist in the tale, which I love, but I had partly figured it out.

For me, the end of the book lost its way a little. I obviously don’t want to give anything away but there is a point where the book could have ended cleanly but then there is an extra bit which just felt odd and unnecessary to me.

I was glad that it didn’t go down the obvious route; trouble at a catholic school could have gone a certain way but I feel like that would have been a bit obvious and has probably been done before.

As I’m sitting down to write this review there’s so much I want to say but I feel would be a bit too spoilery so it’s actually a really hard review to write. Parts of it reminded me of a film I watched years ago, for anyone who has watched the film this would be a spoiler so I’m not going to mention the title. I could definitely see Donohue possibly getting some inspiration from this though.

Overall I did enjoy it. The writing had a nice flow, which kept my attention gripped and although I partly worked out the twist I hadn’t fully figured it out so it didn’t spoil the ending. Some of the supporting characters could have been more well rounded but I think this is often an issue with first person narrative.

I would try more books by Rachel Donohue as the premise was good and it was well executed.

The Temple House Vanishing is an atmospheric and creepy literary thriller set in the past and the present. A journalist in the present is trying to uncover the truth behind the disappearance of schoolgirl Louisa and school teacher Edward Lavelle schoolteacher. The past chapters are told from the point of view of Louisa and the shift between the two perspectives works really well and keeps the suspense building. I liked the way themes were brought together in the ending. The setting for the story is a Catholic school (Temple House) and this adds as much to the book as the plot and characters, giving the mood of the story a sinister, gothic feel. A highly enjoyable read.

Unfortunately I was hoping to read this book before publication date, but life got in the way I have read the NetGalley reviews which make this book sound like a must read, so I’m hoping to get to it in The not to distant future, when I will update my review.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and was sorry to finish it. It is beautifully written, engaging the reader throughout with increasing insights into the characters and the background to the disappearance of a pupil and her teacher.. The story is told through the voices of Louisa, the disappeared, and the reporter who is currently investigating the disappearance 25 years later. As you read, you cannot help speculating on the outcome. When it arrives, it is a satisfying ending. An author to look out for.

Oh my good god. You all need to read this. It’s hot literally everything I’d want in a book: well-written, atmospheric, mysterious and over all fabulous.
5/5. I’d have given it more if I could.
Will be looking out for more by this new author.

The Temple House Vanishing is billed as a novel set in an elite Catholic girls' boarding school in Ireland in 1990, where creepy nuns rule the roost but attractive art teacher Mr Lavelle offers a possibility of escape. It's surprising how little of this the novel actually delivers on. Louisa arrives at the school as a scholarship girl and forms an intensive friendship with Victoria; both are drawn into Mr Lavelle's orbit and become somewhat set apart from the other girls. A second plot thread is narrated by a journalist who is investigating the disappearance of Louisa and Mr Lavelle, now decades in the past; she really wants to contact Victoria, but Victoria isn't talking.

I love school settings, but The Temple House Vanishing doesn't conjure up any sense of place or time. The scenes at the school could have been set at any time in the past seventy years (and indeed, feel rather earlier than 1990; while the school itself is supposed to be stuck in the past, there's not much sense that this causes any disjuncture with the pupils' ordinary lives). I'm only guessing that it's set in Ireland because of the fact that the author, Rachel Donohue, is from Dublin. Finally, the nuns have very little presence on the page; we're told that 'they weakened you with mind games and nightmares about limbo, and hell', but this is never actually shown. Throughout, the prose is formal, eschewing contractions in a way that could have worked had it been confined to the narration and dialogue of a single character, but feels ponderous when generalised; here's the journalist having an inconsequential conversation with her intern:

"Are you coming to the drinks on Friday?" she asked.

"I doubt it, might have to go away this weekend," I said.

"No-one thinks you will come," she answered.

"I am predictable that way," I said.

With so many options of boarding-school or university-set novels to read in 2020, I can't say that I particularly recommend this one.

This is the 1st book I’ve read from this author and although I felt it started slow it did improve. The story starts with the death of Victoria and is told from Louisa’s memories and a journalist who is investigating the mystery surrounding the disappearance of an art teacher and a pupil from the elite Catholic boarding school.
I had several theories as I read along.
Many thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review

A Catholic Boarding school, run by nuns and living in the past. Here Louisa the scholarship girl from a working class background meets Victoria. Victoria is very definitely a class apart from Louisa with parents who have money, position and influence. Add into their friendship a young art teacher who oversteps the mark and a jealous and vindictive head girl, Helen. So what exactly happens on that summer night when Louisa and her teacher crush disappear? A modern journalist sets out to solve the mystery once and for all.
I really loved the sound of this book. It is told in different time periods so we follow the story of the past whilst the journalist is investigating in the hear and now. I also enjoyed the start of the book. We have Louisa struggling to fit into a school where she really stands out like a sore thumb. She is not from an elite background and struggles with the seemingly senseless and excessive rules. As for the unwritten rules, she doesn't stand a chance. She is attracted like a moth the a flame to Victoria who has it all - money, wealth, looks and a captivating personality.
Unfortunately I felt the book started to go downhill half way through. There is a lot of meandering whilst the girls discuss philosophical meanings of life. It all got quite airy fairy and rather lost its way. I expected that it would lift towards the end but I am not convinced that it did. The ending was not particularly satisfying and I didn't feel happy that everything had been drawn together in a satisfactory manner.
This had the makings of a good read but I felt it rather lost its way in the middle & never found it again. Such a shame.
I received a free copy of this book via Netgalley.

A slow burner that kept me interested throughout. The combination of boarding school, nuns, the teenage girl/young teacher relationship gave the text a creepy and salacious vibe that kept me guessing. What happened 25 years ago at the Temple House School? The dual narrative works well as the journalist attempts to solve the mystery of what happened and the reader gets the blow by blow account, albeit drip fed, by Louisa, one of the main players in the events. The ending was interesting; I didn't expect it but I'm not sure I found it satisfying. A great debut though.

I found this a really atmospheric and well written read, but sadly I could not finish it, nothing to do with the quality of the novel, but life got in the way of reading and I just ran out of time before it was deleted! I read about 60 pages and that was enough for me to want to read the rest so will be purchasing it, which shows that the author has done a good job in pulling this reader in,

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the review e-copy of this book, only sorry I didn’t get to read the whole book in time.

This is a very engrossing mystery that switches between events at a girls' Catholic school in 1990 and investigations in to those events in 2015.  A brilliant story that is worthy of the old 'I couldn't put it down' cliche. Recommended.

A gothic style novel, intent on unravelling the mysterious disappearance of scholarship girl, Louisa and her charismatic art teacher, Edward Lavelle from their cliff-top school 25 years ago. Events in the past are narrated by Louisa, as she attempts to find a place for her budding sexuality and fierce intellect amongst the spoiled, privileged girls attending the school. A Herculean task, in a convent school which seems to cling tightly to its past and fails to embrace modern comforts or traditions. The other narrative thread is of an investigative journalist, looking to write a series of articles on the 25th anniversary of the disappearance. She wants to uncover the truth, but also to relate the lives of those most affected by these events
I found the modern thread, easier to read- perhaps because it wasn’t awash with the constant self-examination of the younger narrator! This meant that the pace was slower, and more repetitive in these sections and as these came first, meant I wasn’t immediately hooked by this read.
Overall, an interesting read with an atmospheric setting, but no surprises. A solid debut, and I’d be interested in where this author goes next. My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A gothic mystery set over two timelines. Twenty five years ago a boarding school student disappears along with her charismatic art teacher. In the present day, an unnamed journalist investigates the case. I liked the boarding school element but failed to engage with the characters and the ending was drawn out.