The Children's Home

November 2, 2015
British author Lambert (With a Zero at Its Heart) fuses a contemporary fairy tale with understated horror in this strange, mesmerizing novel. Morgan Fletcher—who has the “face of a monster” because his emotionally unstable mother threw acid on him when he was young—has never left his estate; his only contact is with his housekeeper, Engel. But when children mysteriously begin appearing at Morgan’s sprawling manor, he compassionately takes them in. Soon, the house is filled with dozens of children, who explore the labyrinth of abandoned rooms uncovering fascinating treasures, which reveal clues to Morgan’s dark heritage. The folkloric undertone and stylish prose, which is replete with gruesome and wondrous images, keep the reader turning the pages, though the latter chapters lack the intensity and focus of earlier chapters, and the thought-provoking conclusion isn’t as satisfying as it could have been. Agent: Isobel Dixon, Blake Friedmann Literary Agency.