Author: Johnny Compton
Genres: Horror, gothic, Paranormal, Thriller
Publication date: February 7, 2023
Book Description (from back of the book): Eric Ross is on the run from a mysterious past with his two daughters in tow. Having left his wife, his house, his whole life behind in Maryland, he’s desperate for money–it’s not easy to find safe work when you can’t provide references, you can’t stay in one place for long, and you’re paranoid that your past is creeping back up on you.
When he comes across the strange ad for the Masson House in Degener, Texas, Eric thinks they may have finally caught a lucky break. The Masson property, notorious for being one of the most haunted places in Texas, needs a caretaker of sorts. The owner is looking for proof of paranormal activity. All they need to do is stay in the house and keep a detailed record of everything that happens there. Provided the house’s horrors don’t drive them all mad, like the caretakers before them.
The job calls to Eric, not just because there’s a huge payout if they can make it through, but because he wants to explore the secrets of the spite house. If it is indeed haunted, maybe it’ll help him understand the uncanny power that clings to his family, driving them from town to town, and making them afraid to stop running. A terrifying Gothic thriller about grief and death and the depths of a father’s love, Johnny Compton’s The Spite House is a stunning debut by a horror master in the making.
Review:
Quick read, family-focused, and the cherry on top: a haunted house. It provides a good twist to the classic idea of a haunted house and the paranormal chasers.
We follow several POVs and also several storylines are told simultaneously; eventually, they mesh and make more sense, be ready to be confused for a little bit at the beginning.
The MC is Eric and it all starts with him and his two daughters, an 18 yo and a younger girl- it kicks off with a bang. The small family is on the run, both adults the older daughter, and the father make money in several dubious ways. They are on the run, something specific- they are running from the mother?
What happened? Why is the mother not with them? The youngest girl misses her mother greatly.
They are trying to hide from someone, and the opportunity presents itself like a miracle. Stay in a house and provide verifiable proof of the paranormal activity that takes place in it. The pay is great, and the risk, well minimal right?
During their stay, Eric starts finding out a lot about the history of the house, the people who previously tried to do the same job as him. The whole town is living in the shadow of the owners of the house, they are afraid and walk on eggshells around the old decrepit lady. She's the last survivor of the lineage, but she definitely is someone you don't want to mess with.
The family ties here among the Rosses- that is sweet and heartwarming.
The first half of the book is better, with the build-up and anticipation. And I loved the family dynamic- every member of the family would go to unbelievable lengths to protect each other.
The plot twists were a bomb, I did not see that coming. I can sometimes figure them out, but still, I enjoy the ride of having them revealed, but in this case, my theories could not have been more wrong. One specific reveal- relating to the younger daughter- was my favorite, it could have been more fleshed out. But oh well nothing is perfect.
The ending was a perfect balance of open ending so you can make up your own conclusions- it can be either a happy ending or is it?
Whose the perfect audience? I would recommend this to readers who are quick to absorb details and find it easy to navigate through a complex, multi-layered story with a lot of POVs. Fans of alternative, unexpected twists on classic tropes, haunted house tales, father/daughter relationships.
This book was selected as part of the following challenges:
Literally dead book club.
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