Some of the Bartholomew's other inhabitants:
LESLIE EVELYN--the woman who keeps life at the Bartholomew running smoothly; she's the one who interviews all the apartment sitters and informs them of the rules for living there--the rules she also enforces.
GRETA MANVILLE--the reclusive author of Heart of a Dreamer; she grew up at the Bartholomew in 12A, the apartment where Jules is now staying, and though Jules would love to chat with her, she's not the friendliest of neighbors.
INGRID GALLAGHER--the young, fun apartment sitter living below Jules in 11A. Her sudden departure in the middle of the night is what makes Jules start to ask dangerous questions about the Bartholomew and its inhabitants.
DR. NICK--the rich and handsome surgeon who's parents, grandparents and great-grandparents all lived at the Bartholomew before him. He's a legacy.
MARIANNE DUNCAN--a former soap opera star, and her dog, RUFUS.
DYLAN--another apartment sitter; he knows more about the former occupant of 12A than he's willing to admit.
CHARLIE--the helpful and friendly doorman.
My thoughts:
You know right from the start that something isn't right at the Bartholomew, you just don't know what the dark truth is. And it's that mystery, and Sager's excellent writing, that kept me reading late into the night. Jules is one of those characters that is easy to like. She's engaging and determined. I totally understood why she jumped at the chance to apartment sit. (For that kind of money, I would have jumped at the chance, too.) I also got why she was so invested in finding out what happened to Ingrid, a person she just met. It all goes back to her own sister who disappeared years ago and was never found. As for the mystery itself? The deep dark secret of the Bartholomew is one I never would have guessed! I thought it was both creepy and compelling. And talk about a suspenseful ending! For me, this book is a definite must-read. Of course, Melody, who buddy read this book with me, has a slightly different opinion of this one. Be sure to check out her review and see what she thinks!
Happy Reading!
Melody's questions....and my answers:
Q. What do you like or dislike about the Bartholomew?
A. My favorite part of the Bartholomew was all the gargoyles and Jules' view from apartment 12A. I love gargoyles and would love to live in a building where I had a stone gargoyle guarding my balcony. My least favorite part? The small, creaky elevator, and all the rich, snobby people who live there. I would not want any of them for my neighbors.
Q. What do you think happened to Jules' sister, Jane?
A. I'm not really sure. We only know that she willingly got into someone's car after work one day and then was never seen again. Something bad must have happened to her after that though, because I don't think she'd would have let Jules bear the burden of their parents' deaths alone. I think she's probably dead.
