by Riley Sager
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Dutton Books
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No visitors. No nights spent away from the apartment. No disturbing the other residents, all of whom are rich or famous or both. These are the only rules for Jules Larsen's new job as an apartment sitter at the Bartholomew, one of Manhattan's most high-profile and mysterious buildings. Recently heartbroken and just plain broke, Jules is taken in by the splendor of her surroundings and accepts the terms, ready to leave her past life behind.
As she gets to know the residents and staff of the Bartholomew, Jules finds herself drawn to fellow apartment sitter Ingrid, who comfortingly, disturbingly reminds her of the sister she lost eight years ago. When Ingrid confides that the Bartholomew is not what it seems and the dark history hidden beneath its gleaming facade is starting to frighten her, Jules brushes it off as a harmless ghost story—until the next day, when Ingrid disappears.
Searching for the truth about Ingrid's disappearance, Jules digs deeper into the Bartholomew's dark past and into the secrets kept within its walls. Her discovery that Ingrid is not the first apartment sitter to go missing at the Bartholomew pits Jules against the clock as she races to unmask a killer, expose the building's hidden past, and escape the Bartholomew before her temporary status becomes permanent
As she gets to know the residents and staff of the Bartholomew, Jules finds herself drawn to fellow apartment sitter Ingrid, who comfortingly, disturbingly reminds her of the sister she lost eight years ago. When Ingrid confides that the Bartholomew is not what it seems and the dark history hidden beneath its gleaming facade is starting to frighten her, Jules brushes it off as a harmless ghost story—until the next day, when Ingrid disappears.
Searching for the truth about Ingrid's disappearance, Jules digs deeper into the Bartholomew's dark past and into the secrets kept within its walls. Her discovery that Ingrid is not the first apartment sitter to go missing at the Bartholomew pits Jules against the clock as she races to unmask a killer, expose the building's hidden past, and escape the Bartholomew before her temporary status becomes permanent
Wholly unbelievable, but kept me reading (which is big when I find a book... well you know, unbelievable) until the last word any way. I figured it out from the beginning, which was obviously meant to b happen so the reader would stress over what was coming, still... I thought there had to be more.
Then when it was revealed what the “more” was it was waaaaaay more than unbelievable, it was IMPOSSIBLE to keep that happening... for that long. (Trying not to push any spoilers here.)
THEN...
The three book clubs that submitted their reviews (and voted it the MOST UNDERRATED BOOK of 2019) LOVED this book. They loved the allegory of socioeconomic status, plutocracy, and oligarchy issues throughout history.
Wait…. WHAT?! Did we read the same book?
So, I decided to re-read it based on that information (and their reviews) and WOW! I did not see that coming! I did not see that at all.
And YES, it has been happening… for generations! Ouch.
Go into this book with this one thought: In the world we live in, this is happening in ways far more ludicrous and widespread than one apartment. And we know it. Any of us are not stopping it, are in on it.
If you aren’t part of the solution, you are part of the problem.
Then when it was revealed what the “more” was it was waaaaaay more than unbelievable, it was IMPOSSIBLE to keep that happening... for that long. (Trying not to push any spoilers here.)
THEN...
The three book clubs that submitted their reviews (and voted it the MOST UNDERRATED BOOK of 2019) LOVED this book. They loved the allegory of socioeconomic status, plutocracy, and oligarchy issues throughout history.
Wait…. WHAT?! Did we read the same book?
So, I decided to re-read it based on that information (and their reviews) and WOW! I did not see that coming! I did not see that at all.
And YES, it has been happening… for generations! Ouch.
Go into this book with this one thought: In the world we live in, this is happening in ways far more ludicrous and widespread than one apartment. And we know it. Any of us are not stopping it, are in on it.
If you aren’t part of the solution, you are part of the problem.