House of Shame

BASED ON A TRUE STORY.
A refuge for the lost… or a factory of malice and retribution?

Australia, Victoria. Detective Sergeant Eleanor Smith finally gets her first murder case. In Harrowford Hall, a home for unmarried mothers in a remote rural setting, a woman is found dead—a local nurse. Everything points to poisoning.

For many years Harrowford Hall had a notorious reputation as a "home for girls in trouble." For girls like fourteen-year-old Jane McEvoy, who can’t understand how she could possibly have gotten pregnant. Or Marilyn Pollard—frightened, bitter, and desperate to break free. Their parents brought them here, ready to do anything to avoid shame and gossip.

But when Smith arrives at the once-luxurious gothic mansion, she discovers it has nearly emptied out—the home is being shut down in a hurry. And the abandoned, overgrown cemetery nearby makes her suspect that the death of Nurse Chapman is far from the first strange death connected to Harrowford Hall… Where did all the "inmates" go? And, most importantly, what happened to their children, born within these walls? It seems this case won’t be easy for her…
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“An exciting page-turner.” – New Idea
“An astonishing story full of murders and the historical powerlessness of women. Told from three characters’ points of view and distinguished by a fast narrative pace.” – Sisters in Crime
“This is a thrilling detective story written with a scalpel-sharp pen. Yowart once again fills an engaging crime plot with literary finesse. The result is one of the best detective novels I’ve read in recent years.” – J. P. Pomare
“Big and vivid, beginning in dark times. A story of lies and betrayal that will make you angry and keep you awake at night. Lin Yowart is a writer you have to reckon with.” – Hayley Scrivenor
“Devilishly clever and remarkably original, this book uncovers the secrets of a dirty world that have been kept hidden until now. A fantastic continuation of the triumph of ‘The Silent Listener,’ full of convincing characters and astonishing plot twists.” – Ashley Blunt
“A piercing story about injustice and revenge. Lin Yowart is an unusually strong writer. I very much enjoyed it.” – Margaret Hickey
“As gripping as it is shocking, this novel gives the story such astonishing life that you can’t look away—and it will keep you on edge until the most unpredictable ending.” – Glenna Thomson
“Yowart delivers a gothic punch to the gut—horrific and unbelievably smart. This novel gives voice to a generation of women who were denied it. Bold, brutal, and irresistible.” – R. W. R. Macdonald