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The Room Upstairs

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There’s something strange going on at the Journey’s End.

Erin Sullivan has come to Hope Harbour intent on selling the old church-turned-B&B. It belongs to her maternal grandmother, Jane Ross, a woman Erin never knew. The property will become Erin’s when Jane dies, which could be any day. And considering this heartless woman abandoned Erin after the death of her parents when she was only three years old, she just wants to get it over with.

But as she uncovers details of the past, she is drawn to her dying grandmother. Jane tries to warn Erin of a great threat, but Erin can’t understand. In a desperate attempt to find answers before it’s too late, Erin struggles to unravel the mysteries of her parents’ deaths, the Journey’s End Inn, and the people of Hope Harbour.

Only then will she truly learn what it means to lose everything.

275 pages, Paperback

Published April 7, 2023

4 people are currently reading
95 people want to read

About the author

Ida Linehan Young

12 books147 followers
Ida Linehan Young is a wife, mother, and grandmother living, writing, and publishing in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.

Recently retired from the information technology sector in the federal government, Ida created Seaweed Publishing to complement her substantial, award-winning, and best-selling writing portfolio.

Ida’s first published works, a memoir, debuted to a record-breaking crowd in 2014. She has since published across multiple genres with historical Newfoundland fiction, non-fiction, speculative fiction, crime, and children’s books.

Influenced by her love of local history and the familial art of storytelling passed down by her father, Edward Linehan, and her maternal grandfather, Frank Power, she began writing stories that told of her people and her roots. She researches the past of her beloved birthplace and writes to showcase the richness and storied past of her province.

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5 stars
33 (27%)
4 stars
25 (20%)
3 stars
42 (34%)
2 stars
17 (13%)
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5 (4%)
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
Profile Image for Matthew Ledrew.
Author 70 books63 followers
April 27, 2023
Ida Linehan Young's work has always dealt with the realities of death. Her family, sadly, was marked by tragic death, which has been the subject of two books by the author, most recently last year's 'If I Cried I'd Fill the Ocean.' The award-winning Mary Ro series is, in many ways, about harkening back to a time in Newfoundland history when death was more commonplace, and fighting it. The characters are always challenging, overcoming, but surrounded by: death.

I feel like when we look back on Linehan-Young's work from a future date, when we apply auteur-theory to her work and look for unifying themes across it, 'the Newfoundland Death' will be a strong theme that runs through it all. How do we deal with it, how did we deal with it, and how does it reflect back upon us?

To that end, 'The Room Upstairs' is something of a distillation of Linehan-Young's work. Rather than dancing around the ideas of death like she does in Mary Ro, or dealing with death in a very factual way like she does in If I Cry I'll Fill the Ocean: The Catherine Linehan Story the author explores her ideas about death: what it means, where we go, and what chances we get before we take that final step into... the Room Upstairs.

The characters are brilliantly written and sharp, and there is mystery layered throughout. On a character-level, this is some of Linehan-Young's best writing. This book deals with big ideas and stretches what the author is capable of. She's been experimenting lately -- playing with different timelines in The Stolen Ones working in non-fiction in 'If I Cried I'd Fill the Ocean.' I'm very interested to see what she does next. Easily one of her best.

Amazing book. Easily one of the best released in 2023, calling it now. Great for fans of Dan Brown who wished he wrote dialog better, and adults who grew up on Judy Bloom and want more of that introspection in their fiction. Also great for fans of Paul Rowe's The Last Half of the Year, Stephen King's Bag of Bones, and Audrey Niffenegger's The Time Traveler's Wife.
Profile Image for Bonnie.
29 reviews
October 11, 2025
This book was a little hard to get into at the beginning. It felt like I was reading about different people on every other page hard to keep track of who was who and what actual year I was in. It was really confusing, but as I got further towards the end my jaw dropped because never in a million years did I expect the story to go the way it did and I have to say I was impressed with the ending. This book shows how far a parent would go for those they love and that sometimes parenthood is hard and choices are not easy but Jane did what I would hope most parents would do for
their family. Ida Linehan Young continues to amaze me with her stories. I give this book a four out of five only due to the confusion I felt in the beginning
Profile Image for Claudia Aikman.
33 reviews
April 17, 2025
The book is different for sure… not sure if it is a good different. I was confused by the book for alot of the time. I usually get engulfed in books, but not this one. Wouldn’t recommend it.
15 reviews1 follower
June 6, 2023
I went into this book believing it to be your average thriller, just another mystery that would reveal itself as I turned the pages. I have never been so pleased to be proved wrong. The unknown lingers under the surface of this novel, and uncertainty hides around its edges. It was fast-paced, and i finished the story in 1.5 sittings. There is a cast full of loveable characters, all of whom gain depth as the story progresses. As an added bonus, the main character shares my name, so I basically HAD to read it. A wonderfully told story about the power of parenthood, and just how much we’re willing to sacrifice to save those we love.
Profile Image for Nicole.
535 reviews14 followers
October 18, 2023
Ida Linehan Young’s otherworldly novel, THE ROOM UPSTAIRS, embraces familiar themes of home, family and the ties that bind. But this time … with a supernatural twist. It is no secret that I am a huge fan of this authors past body of work, so I was beyond excited to get my hands on a copy of this newest endeavor.

“There’s something strange going on at the Journey’s End” is what we are told, and thus begins a story quite unlike any other.

Erin Sullivan is ambivalent at best about her visit to Hope Harbour. Her estranged grandmother is nearing death and, as her sole heir, Erin stands to inherit the Journey’s End, an old church repurposed as an inn. In Erin’s own words, the building is an eyesore. And yet, here she is, somehow drawn to this town and its people and, more importantly, to the grandmother she had long considered cruel and cold.

As she delves further in her past and, as she spends more time with an ailing Jane Ross, Erin discovers that everything she had believed for so very long, may the furthest thing from the truth. Her whole entire world is about to be turned upside down.

Written in Linehan Young’s distinct style, this book will keep you guessing right up until the very end - when all the pieces fall seamlessly together. It is a real page-turner.

This author has a unique perspective on family, and thusly, writes about the nuances of kinship in a beautiful yet honest way. These characters are not shown to us through rose coloured glasses; instead, we see all the lumps and bumps, the good and the bad – the way family truly is, even at the best of times.

An entertaining book from cover to cover, Linehan Young’s venture into the realms of supernatural fiction has been successful, without a doubt, proving to us that her writing talents are vast and all encompassing. I absolutely cannot wait to see what comes next from this author!
Profile Image for Loretta Ward.
32 reviews
August 18, 2023
The prologue threw me off as I waited until nearly the end to find out what was going on there. A bit of a supernatural air to it but it kept me turning pages to find out what was going on. Overall a good read! :)
Profile Image for Linda Churchill.
554 reviews10 followers
March 17, 2024
Well, that was different. Very likeable characters . A fascinating look at death …. A great read.
Profile Image for Taylor Jackson.
150 reviews2 followers
July 31, 2024
It was a good book ! And a interesting read
I found it interesting and very well written
Was hard to follow at times but a good read



Read while at work on Tanker North Atlantic Kairos ⚓️
Profile Image for Melanie O'Brien-Stoyles.
43 reviews
November 21, 2023
I'm still trying to decide if I enjoyed it. It was interesting but I feel not quite developed enough and the end was a whole bunch of ideas thrown into one chapter.

It was creative, we'll leave it there.
Profile Image for Tammy.
7 reviews
June 4, 2023
I loved this book! I love all of Ida’s books. And eagerly wait for another one to be released.
Profile Image for Harold Walters.
2,004 reviews37 followers
May 8, 2023
Here’s a partly processed thought or two.

Not profound thoughts because I’ve been up since 4:00AM, not to be reflective, but because — loveable crotchety codger I, eh b’ys? — my septuagenarian prostate spurred me from the sack and sent me scuffing down the hall to the bathroom.

The bathroom isn’t where I formed the deep thoughts. I stayed up for coffee in my Lay-Z-Boy — where I thought prodigiously, despite my prostate and the diuretic effects of caffeine urging me otherwise.

I lodged my mug on a copy of the book I’d finished reading before going beddy-bye — Ida Linehan Young’s novel The Room Upstairs [Flanker Press].

The cover features a picture of a church looming from a dark blue background — a towering stand-the-frig-back kind of church.

Pop!

… the sound of an aforementioned thought arriving in my noggin.

In the novel, the church has been re-purposed as an inn — Journey’s End, in the community of Hope Harbour. But now, neglected for ages, it needs a good scrub.

Ida my duck, I don’t know if the present plight of churches here on the Rock influenced you or not, but it’s common knowledge that certain churches — largely for financial reasons — are being sold lock, stock, and graveyards …

… well, maybe not graveyards, which brings me back — “finally” you say — to my weighty, recliner-bred notions.

What if the churches up on the auction block, so to speak, serve the same purpose as the Journey’s End? What if these churches — possibly bought by some of that crowd from Upalong and turned into craft breweries, for frig sake — are, like the Journey’s End, really way stations?

Way stations?


Yes, way stations. For lingerers.

Lingerers?

Yes, lingerers. Individual folks who have shuffled off their mortal coil but are unable to kick it free from their boots.

Lingerers’s frustration, eh b’ys?

Listen …

Erin Sullivan arrives in Hope Harbour intending to sign papers related to an inheritance — the Journey’s End — from her dying grandmother Jane Ross. Erin’s plan is to scrawl her signature and batter back whence she came.

You know that won’t happen.

Granny doesn’t truly die.

She lingers, I think. Because my noggin isn’t as razor’s-edge keen as I’ve led you to believe, I’m as befuddled as Granny on her deathbed. During her final (kinda final?) days, she’s all muddled up about Erin’s identity. Granny thinks Erin is her mother — Erin’s mother that is, Granny’s daughter Hannah.

Some tangle, eh b’ys?

And there’s a guy, Ben.

Oh, mention of Ben reminds me of something I meant to remark on earlier. Erin’s the jumpiest heroine I’ve seen since Miss Muffet, her tuffet dining interrupted, hastily fled a close encounter with a hairy back arachnid.

“Erin yelped.” A man spoke behind her.

“Erin smothered a squeal.” Someone touched her shoulder.

“Erin jerked away.” There was a noise behind her.

“Erin jumped and screamed.” Ben spoke near her ear.

“Erin shrieked.” Ben startled her.

(Forgive me, Ida. You know I’m teasing, eh?)

I’ve said before that Ida Linehan Young’s stories are tapestries of complex weaving — yarns of convoluted knitting if I dare to mangle a metaphor.

Intricate plot lines and complicated character relationships in mind, I’ve tried to imagine Ida’s workspace. A physical desktop — not a laptop’s screen — littered with reams of scribbled scraps of paper. Shelves stacked with notepads decorated with penciled plot lines as tangled as a youngster’s drawing. A rainbow of sticky-notes, sprinkled with hints and reminders, gummed to a corkboard or wall.

Am I anywhere close, I wonder.

Frig sake, I’ve failed to provide a sensible synopsis, but what odds. You’re going to read The Room Upstairs for yourself.

So, high-dee-ho the nearest bookstore and slap your money down.

Don’t linger.

Thank you for reading.
20 reviews1 follower
May 17, 2023
I really enjoy this author. This book was a deviation from her other works but it was no less appealing and held me on the edge of my seat. I was intrigued by the way the author introduced us to characters and hinted at something bigger going on. She didn't say it but you could feel it throughout the book. I was excited to read the next page but then hesitant at the same time. I was right in the story with Erin when she went to visit her grandmother for the first time, when she was in the basement by herself, and when she reached out to touch the cheek in the wood. Other scenes where Jane was in and out of reality were done with class and believability. I liked the twists and turns and especially the ending. I liked how it turned out for all the characters. This is not normally a book that I would consider picking up but I trusted the author with what she was giving me. Well done. I really enjoyed the read and would recommend it to anyone.
Profile Image for Nada Loughead.
802 reviews14 followers
September 3, 2023
I would have given this book a higher rating as I love Young's writing and in that regard, she doesn't disappoint in this book. My issue is with the marketing of the book - I am not a paranormal genre lover and would have passed on this book if I had known. A little teaser on the description of the book would be more honest. https://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/...
1 review
May 16, 2024
As my mind wrapped around the lives of each character and the mysteries that were uncovering, my eyes were glued to each word as I flipped every page. Ida certainly has a beautiful way of laying things out in a way that will keep you curious until the end! This was one of my favorite books to read. I couldn’t put it down, and when I did, I wanted to know more!
Profile Image for Ida Young.
Author 12 books147 followers
January 28, 2023
If I can't give myself five stars then you don't deserve to read it, because it's not good enough. I enjoyed writing this story. It was hard to finish off the idea and still make it a complete work. I do hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
8 reviews
July 2, 2023
Ida writes using wonderful descriptive language that paints a picture as you’re reading. Throughout, I could visualize what was happening as if watching a movie. This book makes you want to keep reading to know what’s happening and to see where the story takes you next. Loved it!
1 review
April 13, 2023
I was hooked from the beginning. I didn’t know what was happening but had to find out. A few surprises and what the heck moments along the way. Enjoy!!
Profile Image for Michelle.
659 reviews3 followers
February 8, 2024
This was an entertaining ghost story.
Erin comes to Hope Harbour as her grandmother, a woman she has never met, is dying and leaving and old church turned inn to Erin.
197 reviews1 follower
March 1, 2024
Creative. But confusing.
The last quarter of the book was a lot
1,450 reviews13 followers
June 30, 2023
The book begins with an eerie conversation and scene in a church between a woman and a man. A funeral is about to begin and it's clear the people in the coffins are relatives of the woman's. I didn't understand what was happening in that scene until the end.

Erin has returned to the small town where her grandmother Jane lives because she has been informed of her imminent death. Erin has always felt abandoned by her grandmother who never bothered to even try to contact her following the death of her parents. Jane is now living in an extended care home but when Jane sees her, she mistakenly believes her to be Hannah, Erin's mother.

When Jane dies, Erin will inherit an old church that years earlier, Jane tried to convert into a B&B. But when Erin first sees it, she is surprised to see how run down it is. Ben a young man is onsite trying to do some minor repairs. Erin is suspicious of him and almost everyone else in town except for the kind elderly couple, Matty and Ada that own the B&B where she is staying. There is a town official who is trying to persuade Erin to sell as her has a interested developer who wishes to purchase the property.

As Erin spends more time with Jane she realizes there was a reason why Jane never contacted her but it seems like everyone is holding back important information that Erin believes she needs to know. Jane has periods where she is lucid and she drops brief comments in which she is trying to warn Erin about something but Erin has no idea what it all means.

As she begins to spend more time with Ben, he offers to help her and they discover secret journals hidden in the basement. Some are blank but some are full, why?

The book focuses on the 'in between' time from death until those individuals pass on in their journey. I have to admit I found it kind of weird and I just wasn't sure exactly how to rate it.
Profile Image for Ed.
8 reviews2 followers
January 15, 2025
Ok..I admit..

I had Ida Linehan Young pigeon holed into the "historical fiction genre"...

But...with The Room Upstairs she gently nudged me ok..more like "kicked" me ...outside of that box and caused me to realize she is a multi talented author that can cross many genres..

THANK YOU Ida...

Haven' read my John Saul's, Dean Koontz's n VC Andrews novels many years ago..it was exciting to get back into the genre that intrigues me.. challenges me..n brings me on a journey

A journey that "nudges" me on the paranormal.. horror.. mystery..page turning..can't get enough jujubes into my face at one time cause I don't want to stop reading..book.

I will not use the words " masterpiece" cause that risks this book being pigeon holed..but be prepared to be challenged..a wee bit confused..heart rate rising n some mind expanding..just to mention a few...

Darn you Ida...now I want more..you have "gently nudged me" ok.. kicked me to looking around da corner of your writing talents and wanting for what is next...

Word of warning..I am very impatient n hate waiting..so when is the next one... please.. please.. now
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews

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