A House of Vipers
Published on 28. April 2026
Book
Hardback
400 pages
979-8-217-02698-2 (ISBN)
Description
In this thrilling dark academia mystery that begins a year after the sudden disappearance of a student at an elite boarding school, his brother finds clues that can help him and his friends solve their school's most elusive puzzle-and find his brother, dead or alive.
"Perfect for Wednesday and The Inheritance Games fans . . . packed with backstabbing, puzzles, and a secret order that leaves you wondering what they could be doing in the darkness."-Parade
It's been a year and a half since Sutter Heyward's brother, Lawson, disappeared from the secluded campus of Meddlehart Academy. Everyone has given up on finding him except for Sutter, who can't shake the feeling that he's out there somewhere and desperately needs help to make it home.
That is, until he and his friends uncover clues that Lawson was searching for their school's rumored buried treasure the night he went missing . . . and there is a secret society on campus still trying to find it. They are the Order of the Vipers. Sutter and his friends don't hesitate to join the hunt, but they quickly realize that becoming a Viper involves dangerous initiation rituals where the risk is often greater than the reward.
With every clue and secret they uncover, Sutter knows they are one step closer to solving the mystery of his brother's disappearance. But as he digs closer to the deadly truth, he will discover that some things were meant to stay buried.
"Perfect for Wednesday and The Inheritance Games fans . . . packed with backstabbing, puzzles, and a secret order that leaves you wondering what they could be doing in the darkness."-Parade
It's been a year and a half since Sutter Heyward's brother, Lawson, disappeared from the secluded campus of Meddlehart Academy. Everyone has given up on finding him except for Sutter, who can't shake the feeling that he's out there somewhere and desperately needs help to make it home.
That is, until he and his friends uncover clues that Lawson was searching for their school's rumored buried treasure the night he went missing . . . and there is a secret society on campus still trying to find it. They are the Order of the Vipers. Sutter and his friends don't hesitate to join the hunt, but they quickly realize that becoming a Viper involves dangerous initiation rituals where the risk is often greater than the reward.
With every clue and secret they uncover, Sutter knows they are one step closer to solving the mystery of his brother's disappearance. But as he digs closer to the deadly truth, he will discover that some things were meant to stay buried.
Reviews / Votes
"A mystery that coils around the reader's throat and doesn't let go." -Clay McLeod Chapman, author of Shiny Happy People"Buried lies, hidden clues, and mysterious disappearances, all slithering around a delightfully delicate love triangle." -Megan Davidhizar, author of Silent Sister and Gaslit
"An atmospheric, magnetic mystery, driven by a fierce found family whose relationships are even richer than the missing treasure that they seek." -Charlotte Lillie Balogh, author of Kill the Lax Bro
"Perfect for Wednesday and The Inheritance Games fans... It's packed with backstabbing, puzzles, and a secret order that leaves you wondering what they could be doing in the darkness."-Parade
"A pulse-pounding mystery... Expertly rendered character dynamics, a believably suspenseful love triangle, and a focus on the bracing impact of trust and friendship sets this YA debut apart." -Publishers Weekly
"The angst of unrequited teenage love pairs quite well with the life-or-death hunt for buried treasure, and the explosive conclusion satisfyingly wraps things up." -Booklist
"A good addition to the YA dark academia genre with a treasure hunt at its core that will also appeal to fans of Jennifer Lynn Barnes's "The Inheritance Games" and the National Treasure movies." -School Library Journal
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United States
Publishing group
Random House USA Inc
Target group
Children/juvenile
US School Grade: Seventh Grade and over, Interest Age: From 12 years
Dimensions
Height: 215 mm
Width: 147 mm
Thickness: 38 mm
Weight
458 gr
ISBN-13
979-8-217-02698-2 (9798217026982)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Person
Emma Jackson is the author of A House of Vipers. She wrote her first story at eight years old and knew immediately she wanted to be an author one day. Emma studied writing at the University of Oklahoma, where she focused on young adult fiction. When she is not writing her next story, she can be found spending time with friends and family, playing cozy video games, going on adventures with her husband, or reading on the couch with her orange tabby cat.