Writer - Grady Hendrix
Published By - Berkley Books
Grady Hendrix can write in a very engaging style; with his unique mixture of horror and dark humor; his relatable, interesting and well developed cast of characters and his unique knack of using well used tropes in fun ways to entertain. But unlike his previous writings this one does drag a bit in the middle and might have done well with cutting out 100 or so pages.
After their parents' sudden death Louise must deal with the house they left behind and her complicated relationship with her brother Mark, while also dealing with something sinister that also inhabits their childhood home. Throughout the story we get to slowly learn more about the eventful history of the house and her family.
The prose by Hendrix was as enjoyable as ever, with his unique style of slowly divulging information and coloring his characters. I especially enjoyed how he brilliantly transformed Mark from an annoying and selfish prick into someone who is quite smart and thoughtful and sympathetic person.
Despite the strength of the characters, the story really suffered from the plodding pace during the second half the book. It does pick up its tempo closer to the ending, but by then finishing it felt like a bit of a chore.
I will definitely check out future works by the author, especially because I really like his character building and sense of humor. I just really he keeps things a bit more compact and focused.
This was a mixed bag, 3 out of 5 stars from me.
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