Asylum - by Madeleine Roux (Paperback)

About the Book

Illustrated with creepy photographs of real abandoned asylums, this "New York Times"-bestselling debut takes readers on an unforgettable journey into the dark recesses of the mind, blurring the lines between past and present, friendship and obsession, genius and insanity.

Book Synopsis

Madeleine Roux's New York Times bestselling Asylum is a thrilling and creepy photo-illustrated novel that Publishers Weekly called a strong YA debut that reveals the enduring impact of buried trauma on a place.

For sixteen-year-old Dan Crawford, the New Hampshire College Prep program is the chance of a lifetime. Except that when Dan arrives, he finds that the usual summer housing has been closed, forcing students to stay in the crumbling Brookline Dorm. The dorm was formerly a sanatorium, more commonly known as an asylum. And not just any asylum--a last resort for the criminally insane.

As Dan and his new friends Abby and Jordan start exploring Brookline's twisty halls and hidden basement, they uncover disturbing secrets about what really went on at Brookline . . . secrets that link Dan and his friends to the asylum's dark past. Because Brookline was no ordinary asylum, and there are some secrets that refuse to stay buried.

Featuring found photographs from real asylums and filled with chilling mystery and page-turning suspense, Asylum is a horror story that treads the line between genius and insanity, perfect for fans of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children.

Don't miss any of the books in the Asylum series, or Madeleine Roux's shivery fantasy series, House of Furies!

From the Back Cover

Once you get in, there's no getting out.

For sixteen-year-old Dan Crawford, the New Hampshire College Prep program is the chance of a lifetime. Except that when Dan arrives, he finds that the usual summer housing has been closed, forcing students to stay in the crumbling Brookline Dorm--formerly a psychiatric hospital. As Dan and his new friends Abby and Jordan start exploring Brookline's twisty halls and hidden basement, they uncover disturbing secrets about what really went on here . . . secrets that link Dan and his friends to the asylum's dark past. Because it turns out Brookline was no ordinary psych ward. And there are some secrets that refuse to stay buried.

Featuring haunting found photographs from real asylums, this mind-bending reading experience blurs the lines between past and present, friendship and obsession, genius and insanity.

And don't miss the spine-tingling sequel, Sanctum.

Review Quotes

"I started reading this one at my desk in broad daylight and still got goose bumps." -- Glamour--Glamour

"Madeleine Roux's Asylum takes the fondest dream of our collective nerdy childhood and handily turns it into the scariest collective nightmare." -- Tor.com--Tor.com

"A strong YA debut. Roux (aided by unsettling photo illustrations of abandoned asylums and tormented patients) creates an entertaining and occasionally brutal horror story that reveals the enduring impact of buried trauma and terror on a place."--Publishers Weekly

"Page-turning. Fans of 'found footage' horror will enjoy this visually creepy take on the haunted-institution setting."--Kirkus Reviews

"The plentiful illustrations both advance the story line and immeasurably contribute to the spooky atmosphere. With its abundant jump scares, horror readers and fans of the TV show American Horror Story will delight in the fast-paced plot."--Booklist

"Days after reading Asylum, I'm still haunted by the images that Madeleine Roux's words conjured. I just want to curl up inside her skull and exist for a while in its dark, twisted magnificence. Brilliant!"--Heather Brewer, New York Times Bestselling Author of The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod

"Illustrations used in this book are from actual asylums, and the author builds the tension nicely as Dan receives what may be messages from an inmate. A good choice for readers who enjoy books with scary situations that lead to a solid climax."--Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)