The French House is an engaging and suspenseful novel that will have you captivated by the characters. This story is told by the main character, Simone Duchamps. Simone is a 19-year-old French girl who moved to the US with her parents at an early age. Her life is marked by the trauma of the death of her mother, Lisette. Upon entering college, she is invited to live in The French House, a dark brick mansion located in Madison, Wisconsin. The purpose of this residence is the exchange between foreign students and local students who want to develop their French and learn more about French culture. Although the plot develops around The French House, many mysteries are solved in each chapter. It’s the perfect book to enjoy with a glass of wine at night.

The exciting story is not predictable, and the characters are constructed, so your feelings for them will change. There are a lot of expressions and short phrases in French throughout the story, which was initially a little frustrating having to look up the translation, but I soon got used to it. I wish the author had put the translation of some to facilitate reading.

This book caught my attention because it is loaded with historical and artistic references. I enjoyed it when the author described everything with delicacy and uniqueness. Courtney Lochner writes, without a doubt, with mastery and creativity. As it is written in her own words on one of the book’s pages, “the mind erases just as well as it creates,” and this story is so well constructed that it made me question my memories.

The French House is thrilling and suspenseful, filled with unpredictable characters and plot twists. Each question answered seems to bring forth a new mystery for readers to discover and see where they end up. Between murder and social hierarchy climbing, readers will have a steady source of action and entertainment to keep them hooked till the last page.

Pages: 296 | ASIN : B0BGFHQ5RT