I don't know the name of this book (It's sort of a long post)

United States
June 21, 2018 3:01pm CST
It was actually @morgoodie that made me think of this because of her recent discussion on a book she read. I will do the best I can to describe what I can remember. It was a book I read earlier this year or last. I think it might have been by an author I still read but I can't recall enough to really try to find it that way. The book had the main story but it also had a shorter story that the author had original wrote. A family moved into an older home. The home itself was probably built around the turn of the 20th century, maybe earlier. It apparently used to be a home for orphans and before that it was a manor estate for a well to do family. Like many older houses, it had unique features such as weird placements for cupboards and some hidey holes. Across the street from this home lives an older woman. She moved to the neighborhood about the same time as the home became an orphanage. She recalls how the orphanage didn't last very long and that a lot of children had become sick. She tells us of how she used to give treats to the little children that would wander into her yard, and about a little boy that used to come regularly but suddenly never came again. The family currently living in the home have a daughter of about 6 years old. She begins to dream of a little boy who is calling out for her. She starts to see things that are like memories, but not her own. Her parents are a bit preoccupied, they don't always pay close attention to her. She spends long hours playing in a cupboard that is in her room. One day she goes missing completely. She can't be found and they search everywhere. The cupboard, her closet, every little nook and cranny that they can find. They start to look at the history of the house, try to find blueprints for the home. They are convinced she must still be inside. The police are convinced that the parents had something to do with the child's disappearance. You learn more about what went on when the home was an orphanage. You learn why the children are sickly. You also learn about the original owners. They find their child but it's a little too late. There was a secret door in the cupbopard of her room, the door lead to a staircase. The staircase is old and dilapidated. The child fell and broke her legs and collarbone. Beside her was the body of the boy from years before. I don't remember the circumstances of how he got there. I think the secret room was built as a shelter of some sort.
4 people like this
6 responses
@akalinus (40440)
• United States
21 Jun 18
If you find out, please let us know. I want to get it from Amazon. At first, I thought you were speaking of "Mrs.Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children," but that is not it. It also is not "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe." I must not have read that book. I am stumped. Will keep thinking about it.
• United States
21 Jun 18
I know I found it on amazon and it was either free or it was a kindle unlimited title. I can't go back in my history because I know it wouldn't be there. I am familiar with both of the titles you mentioned and know it can't be either of those. Oh and I think it was considered horror.
1 person likes this
@morgoodie (2645)
• United States
21 Jun 18
I loved the Peculiar Children series. I read them all. I loved how he made the story based on the old pictures that he collected. It made it so much more realistic. I didn't care for the movie though. They made changes that I didn't understand why they made them.
@morgoodie (2645)
• United States
21 Jun 18
@ScribbledAdNauseum I had thought at first it sounded like Coraline because of the little door in the girl's room. But I know it's not that. You don't recall the name of the author either? What a conundrum!!
@akalinus (40440)
• United States
23 Jun 18
Could it be one of the Joyce Carol Oates books?
• United States
23 Jun 18
I don't think so. I seem to remember that it was a male author. I'll check the author out just to be sure though. Thank You. I've been looking everywhere, but maybe not so thoroughly. I'm trying to pinpoint what month it migt have been that I read it.
• United States
23 Jun 18
@akalinus I looked through her books and none seemed the one that I am thinking of. This will drive me crazy until I find it, I'm sure.
@akalinus (40440)
• United States
23 Jun 18
@ScribbledAdNauseum Down the wall here, someone mentioned the name Coraline. That reminded me that a character in We Were the Mulvaneys was named Corine. The storyline is different but I thought she might have written the book you describe.
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
21 Jun 18
I don't know the story or the author, but I would like to know who it is if you find out. It sounds like an interesting story. I could almost see the pictures in my head when you described it.
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
22 Jun 18
@ScribbledAdNauseum I will tell you if I ever see it on Goodreads. I read other books from this genre and it might show up in one of the lists.
• United States
22 Jun 18
@Porcospino I used to follow the lists on goodreads a lot. You can find soem great stuff that way. I've also been looking through old discussions here, just in case I mentioned it before. So far, no luck.
1 person likes this
• United States
22 Jun 18
I have made a few keyword searches and am trying to remember more so that I can do more. I will try to look through my kindle history but that's not a guarantee. I use kindle unlimited and it doesn't show the history of every book I have ever borrowed I don't think.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (457918)
• Switzerland
22 Jun 18
I am sure I have seen the movie made from this book, but I cannot remember the title. I will go through the titles of my DVDs, but it will not be an easy task, we have more than 600.
• United States
22 Jun 18
I am not convinced this was made into a movie. It does seem like something to be adapted into a movie but I don't think it is. This also reminds me of a season of American Horror Story, but not quite.
1 person likes this
@mlgen1037 (29886)
• Manila, Philippines
21 Jun 18
Hi Amber. It gave me the chills actually.
• United States
21 Jun 18
There were parts that gave me the chills as well. I wish I could remember the name of the book. It was sad as well .
1 person likes this
• United States
22 Jun 18
@mlgen1037 I am still looking. I will let everyone know as soon as I find it.
1 person likes this
@mlgen1037 (29886)
• Manila, Philippines
22 Jun 18
@ScribbledAdNauseum I am intrigued with the story. I hope you will be able to find the title of the book. Really interested.
@morgoodie (2645)
• United States
21 Jun 18
I think you just created your own mystery and now I want to read the book. I hope you remember the name of the book or the author.
• United States
21 Jun 18
That I did! I'm not quite certain on some of the details I gave. Like, I think there's something else I am forgetting about the woman across the street from the orphanage. I think the children at the orphanage were always starving. It's bugging me that I am not sure what the hidden room was for. I will try to find the book but there is no guarantees.
1 person likes this
• United States
21 Jun 18
@morgoodie I will let you know as soon as the name comes to me. I feel like the room lead to somewhere else. It was a cupboard that was near her bed (I think) and the cupboard had the hidden area that was essentially leading to a staircase. I think the staircase lead to a hallway that lead outside. I might be getting it mixed up with another book though.
1 person likes this
@morgoodie (2645)
• United States
21 Jun 18
@ScribbledAdNauseum Maybe the hidden room was for punishment if they were bad. I really want to read this book.