Open House

A Novel

By: Katie Sise

Narrated by: Rebecca Mozo, Lori Prince

A missing young woman, ten years gone. A town still held in the grip of an unsolved mystery. A breathtaking novel of psychological suspense by the bestselling author of We Were Mothers.

A decade ago in upstate New York, art student Emma McCullough walked into the woods and was never seen again. It’s a mystery that still haunts her bucolic university town and her broken family, especially her sister Haley, whose need for closure has become an obsession. But now, finally, the first piece of evidence in the vanishing has been found: Emma’s bracelet, lodged in a frozen piece of earth at the bottom of a gorge. For Emma’s three best college friends, for a beloved former teacher, and for Haley, the chilling trinket is more than a clue in a resurrected cold case. It’s a trigger.

Then a woman is attacked during an open house, and the connections between the two crimes, ten winters apart, begin to surface. So do the secrets that run as deep and dark as the currents in this quiet river town.

©2021 by Katie Sise. (P)2020 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Critic reviews

“Narrator Rebecca Mozo builds taut suspense from the start of this audiobook thriller about the unsolved disappearance of an art student named Emma. Voicing Emma's sister, Haley, 10 years after the disappearance, Mozo imparts an undercurrent of dread upon learning the police have found new evidence. Narrator Lori Prince, portraying Emma in the past, adds an exciting and quirky dimension to the novel's backstory.” (AudioFile Magazine)

“Part murder mystery, part interpersonal drama, a serviceable who-done-it (or did anyone?) with a host of compelling characters...this novel has just enough twists to keep its readers along for the ride. Sleuths will delight in piecing together clues and untangling lies alongside the protagonists.” (Kirkus Reviews)

“Sise (We Were Mothers) weaves together the stories of two crimes in Waverly, N.Y., in this crafty novel…Sise’s talent is her ability to keep readers guessing about which character might be covering for whom, and she keeps the surprises coming. This will appeal to fans of Big Little Lies.” (Publishers Weekly)

Slow but enjoyable

The plot starts off slow and can be confusing. It took a few chapters before I was hooked and had to know how it ended. The plot did jump around which in-turned caused the confusion. Once I understood the plot and why it was jumping so often, I started to enjoy the story.
Betrayal, jealousy, murder, attempted murder, family secrets, love and love lost, then justice sums up the plot and craziness going on in this story.
Narration was great, I liked the voices of Rebecca and Lori.

dysfunction as a plot?

every character is dysfunctional
makes it hard believe motivation of any one of them

Good quick listen

This was a good quick listen mystery. There were multiple timelines (my fave). I was confused about some accents/pronunciations.

Dragged on and on

It just dragged on and on. I kept listening, hoping for a good twist, It I had already figured it out half way through the book. The voice used for the missing girl did not work. She sounded like a whiner valley girl. Disappointing.

Excellent, well thought out storytelling. Enjoy

Great listen. My first by this author. Narration also well done. Most enjoyable. Recommend highly.