The Temple House Vanishing by Rachel Donohue

 

Louisa never thought she'd find herself attending somewhere like Temple House School.  It is a boarding school for the daughters of rich and famous families and her family is neither rich nor famous.  What her family can be defined as is broken; her mother leaving to live with a new man and her father left behind unbelieving and depressed.  Louisa is a brilliant girl and she receives a scholarship to attend the school.

The Catholic school is foreign to Louisa.  She doesn't fit in with the other girls who look down on her.  She doesn't understand the nun's love of God and their dedication to a life of service.  But like calls to like and soon Louisa is best friends with Victoria, a longtime student who is a rebel.  Then there is Mr. Lavelle, the art teacher.

All the girls have a crush on Mr. Lavelle.  Young and good-looking, he thrives on the girls' attention and devotion.  He challenges the teachings of the school, asking the girls to think unconventionally and follow their dreams.  Victoria has a crush on him as does Helen, the head girl.  Both believe that he returns their love.  Louisa doubts that and her love is reserved for Victoria.  But it is Louisa and Mr. Lavelle that disappear the same night and are never found.  

The years pass and it is now twenty-five years since Louisa and Mr. Lavelle disappeared.  What happened that night?  Did the two run away together, the result of a secret affair?  Did Mr. Lavelle kill Louisa and hide her body?  The nation was obsessed with the case when it happened and now a young journalist is called on to review the case on the twenty-fifth anniversary.  Will she finally find out the secrets of Temple House?

Rachel Donohue is an Irish writer who is at the beginning of her career.  This novel is her first and it gained much attention, being nominated for awards such as the Best Newcomer Award in the Post Book Awards and she won the "New Irish Writer Of The Year" award.  The novel is gothic in feel.  It switches between the viewpoints of Louisa and the journalist, the old and the new versions of the story and leaves the reader to decide which story is the real one.  This book is recommended for readers of literary fiction.