The Cavendish Home for Boys and Girls

Perfectionist Victoria Wright’s everyday routine involves meeting up with her best friend Lawrence. Victoria has no idea why she is friends with Lawrence, given his messy hair, untucked shirts, and obsessive piano playing. Frankly, neither does Lawrence. But when Lawrence disappears and no one acknowledges it, Victoria feels compelled to investigate.

The Cavendish Home for Boys and Girls is a mysterious and eerie standalone book, which becomes more dark and twisted the further the story goes. Victoria, as a girl who wants to be perfect in order to avoid disappointing her parents, is a well developed character who is portrayed as bossy, poised, and a little compulsive. All the same, Legrand manages to make her relatable. The story, which features horror elements mixed with touches of fantasy, flows smoothly from one part to the next and employs a steady pace that makes it a quick read. Illustrations are included inside each chapter for a creepy glimpse at what is happening and what the characters look like. Not much of the why or how of the story’s elements are explained but the story nevertheless entices. When the epilogue is finished all the reader will wonder is “What will happen next?”