The House

Throughout the novel, Pamela's Florida State sorority house is referred to as The House. Pamela lives here in the narrative present of 1978 with her sorority sisters. Having recently been elected chapter president, Pamela takes pleasure in her life at The House. She likes having a position of power, and keeping her sisters' lives and living space in order.

However, Pamela's relationship with The House changes on Saturday, January 14, 1978. Pamela wakes in the middle of the night, horrified to discover that a man has broken in, attacked two of her friends, and killed two others. In the wake of this horrific incident, Pamela feels perpetually unsettled at The House. The university fails to provide the girls with alternate housing, and Pamela and her friends are even forced to spearhead the cleaning after the investigators are finished inspecting the crime scene. Almost 50 years later, when Pamela receives a letter...