How to Sell a Haunted House

                            

Title: How to Sell a Haunted House

Author: Grady Hendrix

Published: Berkley, January 17, 2023

Pages: 422

Genre: Horror Suspense

When Louise finds out her parents have died, she dreads going home. She doesn’t want to leave her daughter with her ex and fly to Charleston. She doesn’t want to deal with her family home, stuffed to the rafters with the remnants of her father’s academic career and her mother’s lifelong obsession with puppets and dolls. She doesn’t want to learn how to live without the two people who knew and loved her best in the world.

Most of all, she doesn’t want to deal with her brother, Mark, who never left their hometown, gets fired from one job after another, and resents her success. Unfortunately, she’ll need his help to get the house ready for sale because it’ll take more than some new paint on the walls and clearing out a lifetime of memories to get this place on the market. 

But some houses don’t want to be sold, and their home has other plans for both of them…

I have been looking forward to this book for MONTHS. Based on the title alone. If there is one thing that Grady Hendrix has figured out, it is how to choose an exceptional title! Don't get me wrong, the book was good too. But the title is great!

Books have really been making me face my fears recently. As much as I've been anticipating this book, I don't think I even read the blurb once. I maybe should have read the blurb before I convinced my book club to read this book... It's DOLLS, y'all! Dolls and Puppets! What's worse than a creepy haunted doll? A CREEPY, HAUNTED PUPPET! Are you freaking kidding me?!?! 

So then we move into the meat of the book. This is only the second book by Grady Hendrix I've read, so I can't deduce a complete pattern yet. But so far, he's really good at writing a really sympathetic protagonist. I won't say they're reliable. For certain, Louise is not incredibly reliable. He leads you along this winding path of trusting, and distrusting, and then trusting her again. 

Then you have her brother. Mark, Mark, Mark. I loved their dynamic. The way that they became complete monsters to one another within 5 seconds of breathing the same air felt very authentic. The resentment was REAL. Sure, some families band together after experiencing a traumatic loss. And some families tear one another down. And some families tear each other down while reliving fond memories and trying to exorcise their family home of CREEPY HAUNTED PUPPETS!!!

I can't get over the puppets. Or the dolls. I didn't even mention the taxidermy squirrels. TAXIDERMY SQUIRRELS. Even if they weren't haunted, inheriting this house would be an absolute nightmare. But they are haunted. I'm still not ok about it. 

Ratings

Stars: 4/5