Jules Larsen, a young woman facing financial ruin, accepts a high-paying job as an apartment sitter at the Bartholomew, a legendary and secretive Manhattan building. The position requires her to follow strict rules: no visitors, no nights spent away, and no disturbing the wealthy residents. When another sitter named Ingrid disappears after warning her about the building’s dark history, Jules investigates the Bartholomew's hidden past. She uncovers a legacy of strange deaths and missing persons, eventually discovering a biological conspiracy where the elite residents utilize the building’s staff as a literal resource for life extension.
Fans of psychological horror and urban mysteries read this for the claustrophobic atmosphere and the subversion of the haunted house trope. It appeals to those interested in the ethics of extreme wealth and the vulnerability of the precariously employed. Readers walk away with a cynical perspective on high-society philanthropy and the realization that the most dangerous monsters are often the people in power rather than supernatural entities. State-of-the-art medical horror connects with the classic gothic setting to provide a resolution rooted in physical predation.
Insights from Lock Every Door
“No one is going to miss me.”
Jules has nothing left. That makes her the perfect target for the Bartholomew. People with zero connections are easier to erase.
“Rule number one: No visitors.”
The apartment rules are so weird. No visitors. No nights away. It feels like a prison with gold trim.
Ingrid disappears and everyone just shrugs. It shows how easily we ignore people who don't fit in. Her absence is treated like a choice.
“The building is watching me.”
Living in a luxury building sounds great until you realize you are the product. Jules is being watched every second. The walls have eyes.
- Published
- 2019
- Publisher
- Random House
- ISBN
- 9781473568051
- Language
- EN
