By Wesley Thomas
The novel opens with a tragic car accident in which a father and his two children are arguing about whether their father is still alive after their car flips over. From that moment on, we identify with the children because of their innocence and sympathize with their trauma.
Next, we are thrown into the future and see these kids as adults. Grant is a detective and his current case has similarities to his colleagues’ cases, so we think they will be related in some way.
This happens to bring him into contact with his estranged sister Paige, who now works as a prostitute for some wealthy men. Grant’s last encounter with Paige was not a pleasant one, and he has been worried about her safety ever since.
He uses his wits and ingenuity to find her and discovers that she is in much worse condition than he thought. But at first, it’s just based on her appearance. She looks tired, haggard, and terrified. But as she tells Grant about her incredibly dire situation, his concern for her is palpable. Paige claims there is an entity in the house that is preventing her from leaving.
As a protective brother, Grant worries about her mental health. It’s not until this entity forces an innocent man to commit suicide that Grant begins to question the possibility that this presence is fact, not fiction. This means that every horrific detail Page tells is also true.
The structure of this book is brilliant and revolutionary. The opening chapters are slow paced as they introduce the characters and the turmoil they have experienced in their pasts, but once Grant finds his sister, the pace seems to fly fast, filled with creepy moments, thick tension, and downright terrifying scenes.
The mystery of the villain in the story makes the story even more sinister. There is little description in the story, and Grant and Page can only rely on these descriptions as they try to escape the house alive.
There’s a lot of crime in this book, which is perfectly blended with horror. We investigate and research to try to unearth the history of the house, but at the same time, we get some well-crafted suspense scenes as the siblings have several run-ins with unseen forces.
This book is addictive, not only because of its horror, but also because of the information it delivers bit by bit. It creates an irresistible desire to keep reading and find out who lives in that house and how long they have lived there. There are also other mysteries that, as readers, we want answers to.
All questions are answered in an explosive and epic finale that makes the most of everyone’s true role in the story. I do say “I never thought it would be like this” probably too often. But here I am real I mean it. I was shocked, delighted and thrilled by the identity, past and significance of this force. A perfect, satisfying ending that tied up loose ends and explained every little thing that lacked logic.
This is another book in the “must read” series. A gem of a horror novel, and a very disturbing read! “Shocking” covers almost every aspect of this book!
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score:4/5
