ABANDONED. YA Teens enter house, can't leave (exits vanish); series of rooms have multiple exits (sometimes through a mirror); pursued by some danger; use flashlights that glow brighter when they are closer to the exit

[Steph]

I read this book back in the late 90's/early 2000's but I don't know the date of publish.
My memories are vague, but a group of teenagers enter an (abandoned?) house and find the exits vanish/just take them to another room. The house is a series of rooms, and they get separated. Sometimes the rooms have no doors so they need to use mirrors (maybe cabinets?) to exit. They are pursued by some threat but I don't recall the specifics. At some point they discover their flashlights glow brighter when they are closer to the 'correct' exit to each room.

I don't even remember if they make it out, but I'm going to assume yes? Or at least some of them?

[Andria]

Spirits and Spells, maybe?

[Steph]

Andria wrote: "Spirits and Spells, maybe?"

Hmmm, doesn't look familiar but I am intrigued and may have to read this! I feel like the search for this book is just going to lead me to MORE things to read (and that's fine with me!).

[Blue]

This sounds vaguely familiar.

Do you happen to remember anything about the cover or where the book may have been set?

[Daisy]

Long shot, but possibly House of Stairs?

[Blue]

Daisy wrote: "Long shot, but possibly House of Stairs?"

Which author?

[Juels]

Maybe the Shadow House series by Dan Poblocki?

The Gathering
You Can't Hide
No Way Out
The Missing

[Daisy]

House of Stairs by William Sleator

[Andria]

House of Stairs -- link for Daisy's suggestion

[Steph]

It's not house of stairs, although that does sound in a similar vein.

Shadow house series sounds closer from the description, but I'll have to dive in.

Blue, I *think* there was just a house on the front, but I don't recall where it was set. It was so long ago, I mostly remember the themes and a few vague details!

[Kris]

Here's the Google Books preview of The Gathering (the first book in the Shadow House series) by Dan Poblocki - Juels' suggestion:

https://books.google.com/books?id=dMx...

[Steph]

Kris wrote: "Here's the Google Books preview of The Gathering (the first book in the Shadow House series) by Dan Poblocki - Juels' suggestion:

https://books.google.com/books?id..."

Hmm this isn't it, but it jogged my memory a bit.

[Steph]

UPDATE: My memory was jogged a bit by all this. I am pretty sure the group of friends go into the house to find another friend who went in previously and didn't come out again.

[Blue]

Was it a full length novel or a short story?

RL Stine wrote a short story that sounds a bit familiar, I'll have to find the title if you think ti might be a short story.

[Steph]

Blue wrote: "Was it a full length novel or a short story?

RL Stine wrote a short story that sounds a bit familiar, I'll have to find the title if you think ti might be a short story."

I remember it as a full length novel, but what's the name of the RL Stine story? It's possible I'm not remembering it right.

[Blue]

House of No Return from Tales To Give You Goosebumps: 10 Spooky Stories

[Steph]

Blue wrote: "House of No Return from Tales To Give You Goosebumps: 10 Spooky Stories"

That is weirdly similar, but not the book I'm thinking of! There were no ghosts in this book, as far as I remember. No exposition by anyone/thing, the kids had to figure out what was happening on their own.

[Blue]

I thought about it some more and I remember a novel with a similar story but for the life of me cannot remember the name of it.

And I also think it may have been made into a TV show episode in Canada (that or something similar was made and I am going crazy).

[Blue]

bump

[Rainbowheart]

Still looking, Steph?

[Kris]

No response, moving to Abandoned folder.

Steph (OP) was last active on the site in August 2019.