What do you think?
Rate this book
The French House
Designed to offer a simulated experience of studying abroad, the French House at the University of Wisconsin instead repeatedly falls victim to tragedy. But for college freshman Simone Duchamps, an American of French descent, the residence provides her first niche. Finally, a place where she belongs. But the illusion slowly dispels as her hopes for bohemian values are sullied by social hierarchy and segregation. When one of the residents is found dead, Simone fears she’s going mad, just as her mother once had. Throughout police investigation she draws connections to everything—from her family’s plagued history to the rumors The French House was once used for mind control research via psychedelic drugs. With twists and ambiguities, The French House explores the concept of life imitating art through the power of suggestion, and ultimately what is a simulation and what is reality
"Atmospheric and haunting. The French House will leave you questioning your memories and wanting to discuss its twists long after reading."
—International Award-Winning Author, Gregory Lee Renz
"Spellbinding. This novel is an important thesis on segregation, mind control, and our existential need to fit in. An absolutely stunning debut."
—Jean-Christophe Born, French film and opera star
"Atmospheric and haunting. The French House will leave you questioning your memories and wanting to discuss its twists long after reading."
—International Award-Winning Author, Gregory Lee Renz
"Spellbinding. This novel is an important thesis on segregation, mind control, and our existential need to fit in. An absolutely stunning debut."
—Jean-Christophe Born, French film and opera star
- GenresFiction
294 pages, Paperback
Published January 25, 2023
6 people are currently reading
25 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
September 29, 2023
This book had A LOT going on and it was a bit chaotic. Simone is a French student at the University of Wisconsin Madison who is invited by the enigmatic Professor Boucher to live in the immersive French House. Her father owns a winery nearby, her mother is deceased, and her blind brother has synesthesia. Throw in some conspiracy theories about the CIA using the French House as a venue for mind control experiments, a whirlwind romance with a French dude, a psychotic TA, and a dead Arab student, and, like I said, there’s a lot going on. There were too many unrelated themes that Lochner tried to connect and she managed to tie everything together in the concluding chapter, however, it just wasn’t very cohesive.
The book had plenty of redeeming qualities. I loved the first line: “They said Alice in Wonderland represented an opium trance.” And I appreciated the intriguing topics of winemaking, hallucinogenic mushrooms, and French literature. There was great potential if the story had been more focused…
The book had plenty of redeeming qualities. I loved the first line: “They said Alice in Wonderland represented an opium trance.” And I appreciated the intriguing topics of winemaking, hallucinogenic mushrooms, and French literature. There was great potential if the story had been more focused…
January 14, 2023
This is an odd, difficult to categorize book, but an intriguing one. There's a hearty dose of dark academia, some mind-altering experimentation, and a dash of sinister family secrets (the first of these, in my opinion, is the most successfully rendered). The books does not seem quite sure which external threat it wants to emphasize, and I think that it would have stuck the landing better if it had chosen one and ignored the others. However, the disparate threads weave themselves together for a series of climatic events in which the heroine, in grand Gothic tradition, is satisfyingly vindicated.
Simone is the daughter of a vintner growing up in Wisconsin after her family has been effectively exiled from France following an unspecified scandal. She embraces her French roots, and when she enrolls in a nearby university she is drawn to the charismatic French literature professor, Anne Boucher, and to the French House, a cultural and linguistic immersion residence on campus. In addition, she is fascinated by Professor Boucher's book, a primer on how woman can use their powers of persuasion to better achieve their aims, and begins to put these ideas into practice.
Fairly early on in the narrative, it becomes evident to the reader that things are very much Not Right at the French House or at the family vineyard. Simone's father seems awfully eager to serve her a special soothing tea of his own concocting, and he pays close to attention to make sure his 19-year old daughter is taking her anti-anxiety medication. When she breaks the rules and stays out all night, his reaction seems both disproportionate and completely inappropriate for a parent who is only concerned with his child's safety. Meanwhile, at the French House, red flags are popping up like toadstools after a good rain. From the hints that Simone's crush, Henri, is much older than he claims to be to Professor Boucher's ardent pleas for her to move into the residence to the house queen bee, Camille's, stated purpose of releasing devastating information about the professor, it's evident that danger is lurking just behind the beautiful décor and crackling hearths.
The best writing is devoted to the atmosphere of the autumnal college setting and the isolated elegance of the titular location. The weakest is the dialogue--for instance, the conversations within the clique that Simone falls in with never convince me that these people are long-time friends, or make me see how they would be especially alluring to an outsider. Yet, it occurs to me that this is one of the few books I have reviewed for which I had more complex thoughts than a glorified list of good and bad points, which is in itself a mark in its favor. For all its flaws, The French House is unique enough that I both recommend it and am curious to see what the author does next.
Simone is the daughter of a vintner growing up in Wisconsin after her family has been effectively exiled from France following an unspecified scandal. She embraces her French roots, and when she enrolls in a nearby university she is drawn to the charismatic French literature professor, Anne Boucher, and to the French House, a cultural and linguistic immersion residence on campus. In addition, she is fascinated by Professor Boucher's book, a primer on how woman can use their powers of persuasion to better achieve their aims, and begins to put these ideas into practice.
Fairly early on in the narrative, it becomes evident to the reader that things are very much Not Right at the French House or at the family vineyard. Simone's father seems awfully eager to serve her a special soothing tea of his own concocting, and he pays close to attention to make sure his 19-year old daughter is taking her anti-anxiety medication. When she breaks the rules and stays out all night, his reaction seems both disproportionate and completely inappropriate for a parent who is only concerned with his child's safety. Meanwhile, at the French House, red flags are popping up like toadstools after a good rain. From the hints that Simone's crush, Henri, is much older than he claims to be to Professor Boucher's ardent pleas for her to move into the residence to the house queen bee, Camille's, stated purpose of releasing devastating information about the professor, it's evident that danger is lurking just behind the beautiful décor and crackling hearths.
The best writing is devoted to the atmosphere of the autumnal college setting and the isolated elegance of the titular location. The weakest is the dialogue--for instance, the conversations within the clique that Simone falls in with never convince me that these people are long-time friends, or make me see how they would be especially alluring to an outsider. Yet, it occurs to me that this is one of the few books I have reviewed for which I had more complex thoughts than a glorified list of good and bad points, which is in itself a mark in its favor. For all its flaws, The French House is unique enough that I both recommend it and am curious to see what the author does next.
January 20, 2023
Ever since Simone Duchamps moved from France to Wisconsin with her parents and younger brother, Bertrand, she has always felt like an outsider. After the death of her mother, Simone's family life becomes more difficult as she is left to care for her father and brother, while balancing the work she does at her family's vineyard. Relief comes at the age of 19, when enrolls as a freshman at the University of Wisconsin. She is slowly making friends and enjoys her classes, particularly her French Literature class wit the mysterious Professor Bouchard. Under the suggestion of Professor Bouchard, Simone signs up to live in the French House, a French language residence hall that is suppose to simulate living abroad. For once, Simone feels like she belongs as she bonds with fellow French speaking natives, Charlie, Reine and her French Lit TA, Camille. The French House almost begins to feel like home, until stories of the House's dark history begin to come to light, and Simone begins to realize that not everything is quite as it seems. Simone is determined to save the French House when she learns the building may be closed due to lack of funding, despite the rumors swirling around campus. Meanwhile, she begins to connect the dots and also uncovers secrets about her own family's dark past that cause her to question her own memories. In this haunting debut, Lochner presents the perfect blend of dark academia and psychological thriller. Francophones will especially enjoy the multitude of French references, both cultural and otherwise, throughout the novel. While the dialogue at times feels stilted, Lochner's writing shines with her atmospheric and vivid descriptions.
As a reader, I especially enjoyed this debut because I was a French Lit major in college, who also spent a year living in a French language residence hall. Though my time there was no where near as dramatic as Simone's, I was able to relate to the bond one develops with the other students living there.
As a reader, I especially enjoyed this debut because I was a French Lit major in college, who also spent a year living in a French language residence hall. Though my time there was no where near as dramatic as Simone's, I was able to relate to the bond one develops with the other students living there.
December 5, 2022
The French House is an engaging and suspenseful novel that will have you captivated by the characters. This story is told by the main character, Simone Duchamps. Simone is a 19-year-old French girl who moved to the US with her parents at an early age. Her life is marked by the trauma of the death of her mother, Lisette. Upon entering college, she is invited to live in The French House, a dark brick mansion located in Madison, Wisconsin. The purpose of this residence is the exchange between foreign students and local students who want to develop their French and learn more about French culture. Although the plot develops around The French House, many mysteries are solved in each chapter. It’s the perfect book to enjoy with a glass of wine at night.
The exciting story is not predictable, and the characters are constructed, so your feelings for them will change. There are a lot of expressions and short phrases in French throughout the story, which was initially a little frustrating having to look up the translation, but I soon got used to it. I wish the author had put the translation of some to facilitate reading.
This book caught my attention because it is loaded with historical and artistic references. I enjoyed it when the author described everything with delicacy and uniqueness. Courtney Lochner writes, without a doubt, with mastery and creativity. As it is written in her own words on one of the book’s pages, “the mind erases just as well as it creates,” and this story is so well constructed that it made me question my memories.
The French House is thrilling and suspenseful, filled with unpredictable characters and plot twists. Each question answered seems to bring forth a new mystery for readers to discover and see where they end up. Between murder and social hierarchy climbing, readers will
The exciting story is not predictable, and the characters are constructed, so your feelings for them will change. There are a lot of expressions and short phrases in French throughout the story, which was initially a little frustrating having to look up the translation, but I soon got used to it. I wish the author had put the translation of some to facilitate reading.
This book caught my attention because it is loaded with historical and artistic references. I enjoyed it when the author described everything with delicacy and uniqueness. Courtney Lochner writes, without a doubt, with mastery and creativity. As it is written in her own words on one of the book’s pages, “the mind erases just as well as it creates,” and this story is so well constructed that it made me question my memories.
The French House is thrilling and suspenseful, filled with unpredictable characters and plot twists. Each question answered seems to bring forth a new mystery for readers to discover and see where they end up. Between murder and social hierarchy climbing, readers will
December 6, 2022
The French House is a captivating and an engaging read especially by the characters depicted. The main character Simone Duchamps tells the story and begins with her move when she was 19 years old. The parents had moved with her to the US upon which she later gets traumatized by the sudden death of her mother, Lisette. The French House is the perfect book to enjoy filled with many mysteries in each chapter. Simone gets invited to live in the French House which is in Madison. The purpose of the residence is to ensure that students both local and foreign understand and develop their French and further get acquainted with the French culture. I especially had a hard time reading some parts in the story that were short phrases in French. I had to look up the meanings while engaging with the book. I wish the author had included some translation in the novel to facilitate reading. Courtney Lochner is the true embodiment of creativity and uniqueness. The way the book is loaded with artistic and historical references is astounding and not to forget how the story is so unpredictable. On one of the pages, she states ‘the mind erases just as well as it creates.’ Thinking deeper about this statement will make you question your own state and your memories. The book is packed with entertainment, action,murder and other mysteries that will keep readers hooked.
February 28, 2024
Courtney Lochner’s psychological thriller rivals Shutter Island and The Woman in the Window. When I finished reading the novel, I had to wait a few hours for my hands to stop shaking enough to type a review. The story is about Simone, the daughter of a Wisconsin vintner, who is accepted to a French immersion residence house at the University of Wisconsin. The house itself, has a checkered past involving mind control experiments by the CIA. Her relationships with her fellow residents become strained when one troubled freshman woman is found dead on the front lawn of the house after a night of heavy drinking and Simone can't remember what happened. She only has fleeting glimpses of the evening’s events.
What I find brilliant about the novel is the author’s deft use of the unreliable narrator. Between the protagonist’s traumatic childhood, the history of the residence hall, suspicious behavior of her fellow students, and the use of drugs and alcohol, reality for both the main character and the reader become fractured. Suspense is a slow build and carried all the way through to the crescendo. Courtney Lochner’s background in French literature and psychedelic therapy make her the perfect person to tell this story. Definitely put this on your to be read list! Five stars.
What I find brilliant about the novel is the author’s deft use of the unreliable narrator. Between the protagonist’s traumatic childhood, the history of the residence hall, suspicious behavior of her fellow students, and the use of drugs and alcohol, reality for both the main character and the reader become fractured. Suspense is a slow build and carried all the way through to the crescendo. Courtney Lochner’s background in French literature and psychedelic therapy make her the perfect person to tell this story. Definitely put this on your to be read list! Five stars.
February 11, 2023
I really wanted to like The French House, and I actually read it at a chateau in France.
Unfortunately, between the psychedelics, CIA mind control, supernatural, murder mystery, romance, and mental health plotlines, I found myself lost through most of the story.
Even though things are explained at the end, the connections feel tenuous and a lot of the novel feels expository, especially the dialogue. The interactions between students and teachers feel unrealistic, as do the interactions between the public and the detective, who appears a little too late considering the main plotline is a murder mystery.
For me, the book didn't really start until page 127. The love story was the most convincing part of the piece, which made the murders feel anticlimactic, even though they were the central event of the story.
The sex scenes were well-written, and the twists and turns were interesting, but none of it really worked for me because the novel felt disjointed, and the explanations for everything felt almost like an afterthought.
In short, there's simply too much going on for this to be an enjoyable read - at least for me.
Unfortunately, between the psychedelics, CIA mind control, supernatural, murder mystery, romance, and mental health plotlines, I found myself lost through most of the story.
Even though things are explained at the end, the connections feel tenuous and a lot of the novel feels expository, especially the dialogue. The interactions between students and teachers feel unrealistic, as do the interactions between the public and the detective, who appears a little too late considering the main plotline is a murder mystery.
For me, the book didn't really start until page 127. The love story was the most convincing part of the piece, which made the murders feel anticlimactic, even though they were the central event of the story.
The sex scenes were well-written, and the twists and turns were interesting, but none of it really worked for me because the novel felt disjointed, and the explanations for everything felt almost like an afterthought.
In short, there's simply too much going on for this to be an enjoyable read - at least for me.
July 21, 2024
I became interested in “The French House” because Courtney Lochner is from Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin and she has some friends in Dubuque, Iowa whom I am friends with. I have never met the author but the concentric circles are tight.
The book is a work of fiction with real events and places in Wisconsin and France used as the backdrop for the story.
The protagonist, Simone Duchamps is an American of French descent. As a college freshman attending the University of WIsconsin she lives in the French House which has a strange legend around it. As a child Simone’s mother died and the cause of death isn’t revealed until the closing pages of the book.
Due to the trauma of the death of her mother Simone is prescribed medication to deal with events that caused the trauma. When she started her college career she quit taking her medication and her mind cleared up. It causes more questions than answers.
This book is part psychotic, psychedelic, and ghost story wrapped up in one.
The book is a work of fiction with real events and places in Wisconsin and France used as the backdrop for the story.
The protagonist, Simone Duchamps is an American of French descent. As a college freshman attending the University of WIsconsin she lives in the French House which has a strange legend around it. As a child Simone’s mother died and the cause of death isn’t revealed until the closing pages of the book.
Due to the trauma of the death of her mother Simone is prescribed medication to deal with events that caused the trauma. When she started her college career she quit taking her medication and her mind cleared up. It causes more questions than answers.
This book is part psychotic, psychedelic, and ghost story wrapped up in one.
December 2, 2022
The French House is an interesting thriller that reimagines the genre through artificial simulations.
Among the book’s highlights is Locher’s description of sensory experiences, crafting thrilling atmospheres, and setting the tone through her character’s motions.
Exploring the real-life French House through the first-person POV of a French-American character also opens up a relatable experience for those who have gone to the location.
Issues in childhood, discussions among parents and their effect on our present-day self, the power of mind control and how memory can be distorted are also explored in the psychedelic trip of sensations that is the French House.
The description of many French dishes, wines, and idiosyncratic expressions adds an extra touch of characterization to the character’s French heritage. Any francophone will laugh at the book’s references.
This one’s definitely the type of book you’d read in one sitting.
Among the book’s highlights is Locher’s description of sensory experiences, crafting thrilling atmospheres, and setting the tone through her character’s motions.
Exploring the real-life French House through the first-person POV of a French-American character also opens up a relatable experience for those who have gone to the location.
Issues in childhood, discussions among parents and their effect on our present-day self, the power of mind control and how memory can be distorted are also explored in the psychedelic trip of sensations that is the French House.
The description of many French dishes, wines, and idiosyncratic expressions adds an extra touch of characterization to the character’s French heritage. Any francophone will laugh at the book’s references.
This one’s definitely the type of book you’d read in one sitting.
October 25, 2022
I loved The French House. So enigmatic, emotion-invoking dark, and puzzling with every turn of a page. Beautifully written gem of fiction, filled with sensory verbiage and such a pleaser for any francophone with its richness in French references. Nothing, it turns out, is what it seems. Astounding resolution to a dynamic and thrilling plot. For me, it left a long trail of “what in the world just happened” state of shock. What IS reality? Masterful incorporation of psychedelic research. Magnifique et énigmatique livre. Je l’ai adoré!
October 14, 2022
The FRENCH HOUSE by Courtney Lochner is an intriguing journey into mind control and the struggle in finding one’s tribe. The author takes the reader deep into the mind of a young coed who fears she may be falling into madness. This story has it all: complicated family dynamics, friendship, love, and betrayal. The plot had me guessing throughout and rooting for the protagonist to find her way. The gripping ending is well-earned and satisfying.
November 5, 2023
Hauntingly Addictive Suspense Novel
The French House by Courtney Lochner takes the reader on a journey like no other. Seductively pulls you in with descriptive imagery, intense characters and an unique story line. Page after page with exquisite descriptions filled with an engaging mind bending plot. The French House is truly a worthwhile tale, an addictive read which is not easily forgotten. Bravo!
The French House by Courtney Lochner takes the reader on a journey like no other. Seductively pulls you in with descriptive imagery, intense characters and an unique story line. Page after page with exquisite descriptions filled with an engaging mind bending plot. The French House is truly a worthwhile tale, an addictive read which is not easily forgotten. Bravo!
December 13, 2022
The French House was a weird book in the best possible way, a psychological thriller with an intriguing premise and a plot that the author teased out slowly. It was very atmospheric, with a vibe that swung between very real and grounded to slightly surreal, and a sympathetic, unreliable narrator.
March 29, 2023
Very twisty, crazy story. Enjoyed learning about the shrooms and French wine.
June 3, 2025
Always fun to read a book set in a very familiar location!
December 13, 2022
I was constantly being surprised throughout this book. I was shocked in the end to find out what really happened. It was not even a scenario I had played out in my head while reading. The only negative I had was the first chapter started out very slow.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews