Hell House

October 15, 2013
A seemingly universal truth that's become evident to anyone who has watched a reality-TV show in the last decade is that the wildest contestants seem to create the wildest stories. Hampton assembles some of the most colorful characters from her previous novels and gives them the run of a gorgeous St. Louis mansion in a new reality show, Hell House. The house's inhabitants live their lives entirely on camera, with every conflict, manipulation, and confession caught on film. As the contestants learn more about each other, and the rules of the game begin to shift, they have to keep up or risk missing out on the grand prize of $100,000. Hampton's novel is a fascinating glimpse behind the scenes of an imagined reality show, complete with backstabbing characters, fragile alliances, and steamy seductions. Fans of Hampton's previous novels will recognize the six main characters in Hell House, though she helpfully provides some backstory for new readers. Combining the scheming, posturing, and temptation at the core of the reality-TV genre with some of Hampton's most explosive characters, Hell House is an entertaining, high-tension read.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)