The Hawthorne School: A Novel

Claudia Morgan is raising her exceptional son, Henry, alone after the death of her mother. Henry’s father has never been in the picture, so Claudia must find the best balance she can for her young son and she hopes to have found it in a progressive new school on the outskirts of Chicago. Stevie Perry’s novel The Hawthorne School is a cautionary tale reminding us to be careful what we wish for.

At first, the school—set in an idyllic location complete with orchards and space for students to roam—seems a perfect fit if a bit unorthodox. Claudia’s neighbor, also a single mother, sends her daughter there and swears by the power of the curriculum that emphasizes outdoor playtime and more traditional learning, like math and reading, happening only when a child is ready. Claudia is skeptical, but she’s busy building a steady client base as a massage therapist, trusts the school and its oddly spry elderly matriarch Zelma, but as Henry’s behavior shifts she begins to have doubts. Upon closer inspection of the school, Claudia and Henry find themselves embroiled in something far more sinister than they could have ever imagined.

The Hawthorne School has some predictable turns, and Claudia can be annoying in her naivete, but the story itself is a fun ride for readers who enjoy suspenseful and psychological thrillers.