The Casperian Books edition of The Tea House is now out of print. An expanded version of the novel will be released by Amy Einhorn Books (Penguin Group) and is currently in development.
Emily Stewart has a secret. So does her brother, Michael. Thirteen years old, precocious and privileged, the Stewart twins are just beginning to learn the power of secrets.
During the summer of 1925, the twins discover a game of pretending to contact the dead. In the garden playhouse of their riverfront estate home, neighborhood children gather to be in the presence of the unknown and test their bravery. When adults become involved, the twins find themselves dabbling in the uncertain territory of human grief, and the game truly becomes a matter of life and death.
Inspired by and loosely based on the true story of the Fox sisters, this deeply compassionate debut novel delivers a suspenseful story that delves into the truths lying at the very heart of families.
Praise for The Tea House
"Elwork's debut has that rare combination of wonderful language, intense and interesting characters, an intriguing plot and enough suspense to keep you turning the pages even when you want to stop and savor the writing."
M. J. Rose, author of The Reincarnationist
Read the complete review here.
"Spellbinding... elegantly written... [a] compelling tale of people coping with loss, and vulnerable to suggestion."
Gary Kramer, Philadelphia City Paper
Read the complete review here.
"For a 168-page book, The Tea House is very complex and weaves together many different sub-plots and characters. Loss. Mourning. Discovery. Empowerment. Clandestine Love. Betrayal. Given its brevity, that’s a lot. Still, Elwork pulls it off because he’s such a skilled writer... I’m going to miss this book."
Jeff Vande Zande, author of Into the Desperate Country and Emergency Stopping & Other Stories
Read the complete review here.
"In The Tea House, Paul Elwork reaches into the past and pulls out a mysterious little gem."
Dan Pope, author of In the Cherry Tree
"In The Tea House, Paul Elwork achieves several literary feats. He creates a unique ghost story while depicting the struggles endured by teenagers as they prepare to leave behind the innocence of childhood. He reminds the reader of the difficulties that accompany coming of age, and the temptation to cling to childish imagination. Finally, he returns to the adult reader the hope of something beyond what is seen and understood, and the desire to once again believe."
Elizabeth Tabasko, Philadelphia Stories
Read the complete review here.
"Overall, The Tea House is an enchanting, engaging read, and Paul Elwork is a sublimely sensitive storyteller with an ear for character and setting. If this novel is a sign of things to come, we can certainly expect to be both charmed and captivated by Elwork in the future."
Marc Schuster, Small Press Reviews
Read the complete review here.
"The Tea House is a quietly lovely coming-of-age story set in that breathless moment between the two world wars; the veil that Emily draws back with her talent is not so much the one that lies between this world and the next as the one that lies between the oblivious innocence of childhood and the regretful wisdom of adulthood."
Dru Pagliassotti, The Harrow
Read the complete review here.
"Beneath the story of the twins lies an amazing story of people... I found myself actually concerned about most of the characters... Several days have passed since I finished this book, and I am still pondering the characters and their personalities, wishing I knew all of their little secrets."
Wendy Hines, Armchair Interviews
Read the complete review here.
"This book is extremely well written. Mr. Elwork does an excellent job of developing the story and bringing together characters in the story and the story itself in equal portions, so that the farther along the book goes, the more characters and circumstances fit together, giving the reader a more detailed understanding of the story."
Tim Gleichner, Upon Further Review
Read an excerpt of the novel at Philadelphia Stories
and
listen to an interview with Connie Anderson at Armchair Interviews.
