Freeing Linhurst

by Al Cassidy, Rachel Elizab Miner (Contributor), Tracy Seybold (Editor)

A Journey to Uncover the Truth Linhurst State School and Hospital, the abandoned mental asylum in the small town of Spring Dale has been shrouded in mystery as long as Jack Alexander can remember. Before her untimely passing, his mother — an investigative journalist for the local paper — had begun to inquire about the truth behind its crumbling walls. Devastated, Jack is determined to uncover the truth about Linhurst no matter what. As he digs deeper, Jack unearths powerful secrets that have long been buried by patronizing adults and a modern day plot that threatens to destroy the property in just days and erase the memories of those who once called Linhurst home. Working against the clock — and the better judgement of his best friend Celia — Jack slips into the abandoned property…on Halloween night. What they discover could destroy Linhurst forever or spark a revolution that could change the future of Spring Dale.

Genres: Horror, Young Adult

320 pages, Paperback

Published April 7, 2017

Reviews

[Glen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I won this book in a goodreads drawing.

A kid in a small town wants to write a paper on the psychiatric hospital located in the middle of town. Nobody in town wants him to do the paper, or even talk about it. The hospital is haunted from all the bad things that happened there.

It didn't seem real to me.

[Norrine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I could hardly put it down. The writing and the flow of the story just pulled me right in. The subject matter peaked my interest. My sister is handicapped and when she was little my parents had to fight to get her an education. Everyone told them she would be better in an institution.

[Christina Foster · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Freeing Linhurst" is a Young Adult mystery novel based loosely on what happened within the walls of Pennhurst State School and Hospital, and the aftermath of its closing. While this tale is fun, spooky, and easy to read, it also brings to the forefront what can happen when people allow greed and power to influence their actions and decisions. Al Cassidy tells this story from the perspective of the curious teenagers growing up in a town shrouded in the secrets of a now vacant, and presumably haunted, mental institution.
This novel has a solid pace and well developed characters. The author captures the various personalities within this small town quite well, and the settings are vividly described. The themes of a small town's local politics, patient abuse, and environmental/energy issues are all relevant today, and presented in an approachable manner. I would definitely recommend this mystery novel to young adults and preteens.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Even though it is a young adult story, I liked Freeing Lindhurst because it was not overburdened with teenage angst. The characters were believable, as we all knew someone like them in high school. I enjoyed Jack's courage and determination, as well as Celia finding her courage. Not sure an M.D. or Ph.D. would ever take a position as a school janitor, but I did like Dr. Moseley. Also like the Principal seeing the error of his ways and seeking some redemption. All-in-all this was a fun read. Thank you Mr. Cassidy.

[Hildegart · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good mystery

This is a fun, easy read for around Halloween (or any time). It also makes you think about what life was like or might have been like for people placed in mental institutions. Another bright spot in the story is science that is mentioned. Fission and fusion technology are simplified in the story, but it helps the young reader grasp the differences between the two.

I received a digital copy of this story in exchange for an honest review.

[Joe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is well written, easy to read, and entertaining from beginning to end. The author does a great job of developing the individual characters along with the plot as he mixes drama, emotion, and fantasy into an intriguing story that additionally touches on lessons that would be valuable to any reader, especially young adults.

[Nikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the book!!! Great story and well written .

[Eric Dunn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book very much. It's a well written fiction story that has it's roots in a real place that inspired the author. The characters and pacing were wonderful. The plot was well thought out and kept you on your toes throughout.

The plot in this book was great. It hit on so many things that I wasn't expecting. It tackled such topics as bullies, abuse, death of a loved one, lies, love, and paranormal activity just to name a few. This book has a little bit of everything and it's so well tied together into one flowing story. The writing was done in such a way that you felt like you were in the abandoned buildings or running through the dark to get away. In my mind it's the sign of a good book when you feel like you're in the story with the characters.

Speaking of characters, I really liked the characters in this book. They were well rounded and very believable. I really found Jack to be wonderful. You got to follow the roller coaster that was his life. While most of us won't find ourselves searching through an abandoned state hospital, we will find ourselves dealing with loss, frustration, joy, and pain. You get to follow Jack through all of these things and I found myself rooting for him as I read.

This is a fairly quick read that keeps you interested throughout. This is a fantastic book for adults and kids alike. I would recommend this book to anyone that asks.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

A mystery, an adventure, and an abandoned insane asylum is a great combination for a story. Plus this also gives a bit of a history lesson about the neglect, overcrowding, and other things that actually happened in these state hospitals. Linhurst is based off of Pennhurst in Spring City. Living a handful of miles away from Spring City and having visited Pennhurst some of these descriptions made me feel like I was there again. I would definitely recommend. Can’t wait to get started on book 2.

[Michele Rice Carpenter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was a spooky, fun read. It centers around Pennherst State School and Hospital, which had been closed a long time before the happenings of this book. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys mystery, young adult, coming-of-age books.

I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway.

[Shelby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun YA

Jack decided he needed to explore the long closed mental hospital on Halloween. Rumored to be haunted. What will he find? And will he save his town? I had a couple issues. The story line for Jack's mom seemed weak. And I don't know why, but this book read so slow.

[Liane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cool story in great locale.

[Tamra Conner · Rating 4 out of 5]

If kids like ghosts, this would be a book for them.
It's a good story about keeping promises and finding out why Linhurst is always not talked about.
I won a copy and happy I had an opportunity to read it.
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