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In the tradition of Gillian Flynn and Paula Hawkins, The Substitute is a deliciously creepy psychological thriller that will keep you guessing until the very last page.
Warren Botts is a disillusioned Ph.D. taking a break from his lab to teach middle-school science. Gentle, soft-spoken, and introverted, Warren befriends thirteen-year-old Amanda, a lonely student looking for guidance.
One morning, Warren returns from a jog to find Amanda dead, hanging from a tree in his backyard. A police investigation follows, but Warren is unable — or unwilling — to answer the questions that swirl around him. Suspicions mount, and Warren’s peaceful neighbours quickly become hostile.
Meanwhile, an anonymous narrator who possesses a dangerous combination of extreme intelligence and emotional detachment offers insight into events past and present. As the tension builds, we gain an intimate understanding of the power of memories, secrets, and lies.
“Lundrigan’s skillfully balanced blend of psychological thriller and haunting coming-of-age story is infused with creepy, small-town atmospheric suspense. . . . Lundrigan’s writing is both elegant and darkly humorous, delivering bare-knuckle social commentary that will appeal to fans of Gillian Flynn, Karin Fossum, and Laura Lippman.” — Booklist
“[A] creepy thriller.” — Toronto Star
“[A] chilling psychological thriller.” — CBC Books
“A feast for fans who miss Patricia Highsmith's and Margaret Millar's haunting anatomies of people as nice as pie except for their murders.” — Kirkus Reviews
“Sly and clever . . . this book will keep readers guessing and . . . they’ll be surprised by how it all plays out.” — Publisher's Weekly
“Lundrigan’s novel is a spine-chiller for readers who appreciate language and refined, well-crafted plots — and who aren’t afraid to delve, for a time, into the mind of a psychopath.” — Quill and Quire