HomeGroupsTalkMoreZeitgeist
Search Site
This site uses cookies to deliver our services, improve performance, for analytics, and (if not signed in) for advertising. By using LibraryThing you acknowledge that you have read and understand our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Your use of the site and services is subject to these policies and terms.

Results from Google Books

Click on a thumbnail to go to Google Books.

Loading...

The Orphan Choir (2013)

by Sophie Hannah

MembersReviewsPopularityAverage ratingMentions
1697163,574 (3)4
"Louise Beeston is haunted... Louise has no reason left to stay in the city. She can't see her son, Joseph, who is away at boarding school where he performs in a prestigious boys' choir. And her troublesome neighbor has begun blasting choral music all hours of the night. And to make matters worse, she's the only one who can hear it. Hoping to find some peace, Louise convinces her husband, David, to buy them a country house in an idyllic, sun-dappled community called Swallowfield. But it seems that the haunting melodies of the choir have followed her there. Could it be that her city neighbor has trailed her to Swallowfield, just to play an elaborate, malicious prank? Is there really a ghostly chorus playing outside her door? And why won't they stop? Growing desperate, she begins to worry about her mental health. Against the pleas and growing disquiet of her husband, Louise starts to suspect that this sinister choir is not only real, but a warning. But of what? And how can it be, when no one else can hear it? In The Orphan Choir, Sophie Hannah brings us along on a darkly suspenseful investigation of obsession, loss, and the malevolent forces that threaten to break apart a loving family. - The Orphan Choir was a major bestseller in the U.K. when it published in June 2013, outselling Hannah's immensely popular Zailer and Waterhouse series. - For fans of Shirley Jackson and Stephen King "--… (more)
None
Loading...

Sign up for LibraryThing to find out whether you'll like this book.

No current Talk conversations about this book.

» See also 4 mentions

English (6)  Dutch (1)  All languages (7)
Showing 1-5 of 6 (next | show all)
Hmm, quite a departure from her usual style. I enjoyed it but not sure I'd read any more of her works in this theme. ( )
  joweirqt | Jan 15, 2021 |
I'm an addict for Hannah's Zailer-Waterhouse series (c'mon, Sophie, it's been 3 years since the last one), but her standalones, not so much. This one moves right along in its tale of a family whose seven year old son has been sent to boarding school to be a chorister in an renowned church program. Louise, the mother, is completely heartbroken without her son, and schemes to take him back. Her husband is somewhat sympathetic but becomes alarmed at her odd behavior, which starts with a battle with a next-door neighbor about loud music, and continues with the family's purchase of a second home in a suspiciously overly quiet gated community in the country. There are hints along the way that Louise's mania may be justified, as in so many, many mysteries where this overused trope prevails. The ending works but is not wholly unexpected. ( )
  froxgirl | Jun 19, 2018 |
Louise is desperately missing her son Joseph who boards at school as he is in a choir. She not coping very well and to top it all off she has a neighbour who plays loud music.

I have to say that this book surprised me. I really was quite enjoying it. I thought at times it was a little unbelievable especially how quickly the environmental health lady paid at visit, but then all will be revealed.

I'm not sure if this book was scary enough to be classed as a horror and I didn't really find it scary. I was enjoying the book as it explored how Louise wasn't coping and the actions she decided to take.

However it was a quirky little book which overall I did enjoy. The ending wasn't for me as I couldn't really accept the book as a horror read. ( )
  tina1969 | Nov 14, 2015 |
And to think it went right along as a perfectly normal sort of mother/child situational problem---until...it wasn't! The audio was absolutely terrific---read by Rebecca Shelburne-Timm. Write in the first person of the mother with terrific dialogue, this made for wonderful listening. ( )
  nyiper | Nov 4, 2014 |
The sad and harrowing tale of a mother struggling to cope with her son's absence at boarding school, combined with an on-going battle with a noisy neighbour. Deeply disturbing & excellently written. My kind of horror story. ( )
  hscherry | Aug 21, 2014 |
Showing 1-5 of 6 (next | show all)
no reviews | add a review
You must log in to edit Common Knowledge data.
For more help see the Common Knowledge help page.
Canonical title
Original title
Alternative titles
Original publication date
People/Characters
Important places
Important events
Related movies
Epigraph
Dedication
First words
Quotations
Last words
Disambiguation notice
Publisher's editors
Blurbers
Original language
Canonical DDC/MDS
Canonical LCC

References to this work on external resources.

Wikipedia in English

None

"Louise Beeston is haunted... Louise has no reason left to stay in the city. She can't see her son, Joseph, who is away at boarding school where he performs in a prestigious boys' choir. And her troublesome neighbor has begun blasting choral music all hours of the night. And to make matters worse, she's the only one who can hear it. Hoping to find some peace, Louise convinces her husband, David, to buy them a country house in an idyllic, sun-dappled community called Swallowfield. But it seems that the haunting melodies of the choir have followed her there. Could it be that her city neighbor has trailed her to Swallowfield, just to play an elaborate, malicious prank? Is there really a ghostly chorus playing outside her door? And why won't they stop? Growing desperate, she begins to worry about her mental health. Against the pleas and growing disquiet of her husband, Louise starts to suspect that this sinister choir is not only real, but a warning. But of what? And how can it be, when no one else can hear it? In The Orphan Choir, Sophie Hannah brings us along on a darkly suspenseful investigation of obsession, loss, and the malevolent forces that threaten to break apart a loving family. - The Orphan Choir was a major bestseller in the U.K. when it published in June 2013, outselling Hannah's immensely popular Zailer and Waterhouse series. - For fans of Shirley Jackson and Stephen King "--

No library descriptions found.

Book description
Haiku summary

Current Discussions

None

Popular covers

Quick Links

Rating

Average: (3)
0.5 1
1
1.5
2 11
2.5 2
3 9
3.5 7
4 8
4.5 2
5

Is this you?

Become a LibraryThing Author.

 

About | Contact | Privacy/Terms | Help/FAQs | Blog | Store | APIs | TinyCat | Legacy Libraries | Early Reviewers | Common Knowledge | 207,147,043 books! | Top bar: Always visible