Lucy Crisp and the Vanishing House

Privileged Lucy Crisp is living in New York City with her restaurant critic father, “halfway through her second gap year, after her first failed to yield positive results.” After learning of the coveted Ladywyck Variety rose, which boasts an unusually long life, Lucy applies to attend the Floral Arts program at esteemed Ladywyck Lodge, a college four hours upstate known for its flowers and vegetables. Her father buys a former sea captain’s house in the town at a great price; it’s lovely and old, and seemingly perfect lodging for his daughter and potential roommates. But as strange and unexplained phenomena occur, Lucy rapidly discovers that the house has a storied past—furniture and other objects spontaneously appear—and she begins to uncover the magical, potentially menacing, truth about Ladywyck Lodge and the town in which it sits. Moody full-page and spot illustrations by Hill (Miss Moon: Wise Words from a Dog Governess) evoke a sense of uneasy glamour, and the text’s arch tone underlines its picturesque-turned-uncanny-valley vibe. Spine-tingling with a gentle message about belonging and creativity, Hill’s debut novel is a worthy diversion. Final art not seen by PW. Ages 12–up. [em](Apr.) [/em]