The Situation: Eric Ross and his two daughters, 18 year-old Dess and 12 year-old Stacy, have been moving from town-to-town for quite some time now. Eric will do whatever is necessary in order to take care of his daughters and keep them safe, and right now that means taking off-the-book jobs, staying in motels, and always being on the lookout. Dess is well-aware of what is at stake, and takes everything just as seriously as her father does. And while young Stacy may not be quite sure what is going on, she is clever and creative, and most importantly, obedient. When her father decides to accept an offer to stay in the "most haunted place in Texas," both girls understand that completing the job could mean the secure future they have searching for, even though no one before them has been able to remain in the house for very long.
The Problem: Eric may be doing his best to keep his past a secret, but he is not the only one. His new employer, Eunice, has a few secrets of her own, mostly related to the house she wants Eric and his small family to stay in, and its troubled history. Known as the spite house, all of the citizens of the town of Degener seem wary of the place, refusing to stay inside it for very long, and only coming inside if they truly have to. The people who came before Eric to attempt to do what Eunice wanted managed to come out alive, though there were issues. But Eric is determined to complete the assignment, with not only the six figure payout as motivation, but also to understand a few things about his own past, and what he has witnessed.
Genre, Themes, History: This is a horror fiction novel set in and around the fictional small town of Degener, Texas, where the strange spite house sits on a hill. The concept of a spite house is essentially a structure that has been built or altered solely for the purpose of irritating neighbors, or anyone interested in the land, or even in some cases, family members. There are many stories out there of people building houses or modifying them to intentionally block the view of another house, or somehow disrupt the building of something else. In this novel, vengeance, anger, and resentment are major themes, and are given a destructive power, almost creating a cautionary tale. Switching narrators throughout the story, the novel follows the Ross family, as well as those involved with the spite house, and weaves a creepy tale of what it may be like to have the past literally haunt you.
My Verdict: When described in one sentence, it would suffice to say that this novel is about a man who accepts an offer to stay in a haunted house with his two daughters in an effort to prove that there is something supernatural going on, and scary events ensue. It is the kind of thing many horror lovers will, and should, flock to. There is even the small town, and old woman keeping secrets, and a family man running from a mysterious past. All of the secrets and hidden terrors are revealed slowly, and the pacing of the novel is to be commended. But for me, this is a book that is all about the journey, as the final destination left a lot to be desired. However, for some, this may not be a bad thing, as the journey is interesting, and scary, just as it should be for a horror novel.
Favorite Moment: As someone who loves a good haunted house story, I love any moment that goes into deeper detail about how the house is physically constructed, especially if the detail is about something the house contains or was built with that is not included in most houses.
Favorite Character: Dess is a young woman who has been through more than most 18 year-olds, and who put her future on pause to make sure her little sister was taken care of.
Recommended Reading: I cannot end a post about a haunted house story without at least mention The Shining by Stephen King. Though more of a haunted hotel situation, I cannot recommend this book enough.
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