- The Temple House Vanishing, by Rachel Donohue. Corvus. $27.99.
Temple House is an exclusive school for the daughters of the well-to-do.
We are never told in what country it is - it could be England or Ireland or even Australia.
Louisa, from the inner city and with parents about to separate, is given a scholarship to the school for her final two years.
There are some unusual things about Temple House, most notably the role played by prefects, senior girls who have been given a job to ensure discipline is maintained.
Their responsibility includes checking that dress is appropriate, and Louisa is in trouble with the senior prefect Helen on this score.
She finds comfort in her only friend Victoria whom she meets at art classes with the charismatic Mr Lavelle.
At this stage, we have met all the characters in the story and we note that their interactions take place mainly in the special building set aside for art classes.
We are dealing with 17-year old girls and all three fall in love with Mr Lavelle.
Or they think they do.
"He had been careless with hearts that were still forming. ... and he was also naive.
"He thought he was loved for his mind, but in fact it was for his face."
Art, by its nature, lends itself to soul-searching and philosophical jabber.
The teacher encourages this and we are never quite sure whether he is a manipulator of their bubbling hormones or a well-meaning, if inexpert guide in their transition to womanhood.
If it was today, he would likely be before the courts and the ire of a salivating media, though there is no physical element in the relationships between the four characters.
At some stage just before Christmas of Louisa's first term at the school, she and Mr Lavelle disappear and are never found; Hanging Rock comes to mind.
The story moves forward 25 years and the narrative is taken up in alternating chapters by a new voice, that of a young journalist, keen to find out what happened to the missing duo.
Helen and Victoria are still alive, each prosperous and successful, but neither particularly keen to help.
This is a completely satisfying story, a wonderful treatment of many areas of social concern - teenage angst, the education of girls, the role of the teacher.
The story moves back and forth by a quarter of a century without ever confusing the reader.
It is dark, but without taking itself too seriously and is careful to avoid hectoring or grandstanding.
The Temple House Vanishing is a quite exceptional first novel by this new Dublin writer.
She's clearly someone to watch.
