A Thief in the House of Memory

Tim Wynne-Jones

Farrar, Straus and Giroux

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Family secrets, forgotten memories, and the transforming power of truth

It's been six years since sixteen-year-old Dec's free-spirited mother, Lindy, disappeared. Dec feels so trapped in the present, he's avoided examining his past. But when an intruder dies in the museum-like family home, the man's death sends forth tremors that reawaken forgotten memories. Suddenly Dec is flooded with visions of his mother so tangible it's hard to believe they're not real. At least Dec has his best friend - gifted, funny Ezra - to help him sort out what's real and what isn't. But as Dec's dream visions of his mother turn into nightmares, Ezra announces he's going away, leaving Dec haunted by questions that must be answered. What did happen to his mother? And who really is the thief in the house of memory?

In this masterful new novel, Tim Wynne-Jones explores with wit, compassion, and humor the fictional territory he knows best - the prickly ties that bind families, the murky connections between imagination and real life.

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Book Excerpts

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From A Thief in the House of Memory:

They rounded the final curve and the big house sprang fully into view. Light glinted off the glass of the conservatory. The newly budding maples shhhhhed in the breeze. There was always wind up here.

Steeple Hall. The words were carved in stone above the entranceway with a shamrock on either side. Sunny broke into a run. Her yellow boots made galumphing noise on the wide stone pathway.

She waited for him by the door, wiggling like a puppy back from a walk.

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Reviews

Praise for A Thief in the House of Memory

"Becoming absorbed in this book is like entering a dream. From first chapter to last, Wynne-Jones masterfully evokes the surreal quality of faded memories enhanced or distorted by the imagination.  Alluring."  -- Starred, Publishers Weekly
 
"This is a beautifully written novel...rich and rewarding." 
-- Starred, School Library Journal
 
"Vividly written."  -- Booklist
 
"Melancholy, uncanny, and emotionally powerful."  -- Starred, Kirkus Reviews
 
"Wonderfully subtle...unambiguously memorable."  -- The Horn Book
 
"The book carefully builds its mood, accruing layers of unease.  Readers who have enjoyed the combination of edge and cool sophistication of Wynne-Jones' previous works will find this pleasingly unsettling."  -- The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
 
"Wynne-Jones does an excellent job of keeping the reader guessing without ever being dishonest.  Every character is nicely rounded, and all grow as lines of communication open when memories are finally laid to rest."  -- VOYA
 
"Young adolescent readers can relate to the author's superb writing style and characterizations."  -- SIGNAL
 
"Kept me on my toes." -- A YALSA Teen YA Galley Reader
 
"A great mystery. . . . You can't put it down!" --A YALSA Teen YA Galley Reader

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About the Author

Tim Wynne-Jones

Tim Wynne-Jones's many award-winning books include The Boy in the Burning House, winner of the 2002 Edgar Award for Young Adult Fiction. He lives near Perth, Ontario.

Tim Wynne-Jones

Tim Wynne-Jones

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Available Formats and Book Details

A Thief in the House of Memory
Tim Wynne-Jones

Award

American Library Association Best Books for Young Adults, Books for the Teen Age, New York Public Library, Kirkus Reviews Editor's Choice, Publishers Weekly Best Children's Books of the Year, Vermont Dorothy Canfield Fisher Award Master List

Trade Paperback

Trade Paperback
Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
Farrar, Straus and Giroux
April 2008
Trade Paperback
ISBN: 9780374400194
ISBN10: 0374400199
Young Adult Fiction
5 1/2 x 8 1/4 inches, 224 pages
Age Range: 12 and up
Grade Range: 7 and up Information for Librarians

Information for Librarians


Lexile: 600L

$8.00

Hardcover

Hardcover
Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
Melanie Kroupa Books
April 2005
Hardcover
ISBN: 9780374374785
ISBN10: 0374374783
Young Adult Fiction
5 1/2 x 8 1/4 inches, 224 pages
Age Range: 12 and up
Grade Range: 7 and up Information for Librarians

Information for Librarians


Lexile: 600L

$17.00
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Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)

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