Skip to main content

Beneath the Stairs by Jennifer Fawcett

 

Title: Beneath the Stairs

Author: Jennifer Fawcett

Genre: Thriller/Haunted House story

Published: Feb. 22,2022 by Atria Books

 I received an advanced copy from Atria through NetGalley for review.

Octagon House has a dark past. The original family that lived there met a horrible violent end. Now it sits empty. Venturing into this house ends up being a traumatic experience for Clare and Abby. Twenty years later, Abby is in a coma after going back into the house. Abby comes back to be with her friend and find out why she she would go back to Octagon House. 

I really enjoyed the mix of thriller and horror elements. This was an engaging story with interesting characters that had just enough of the spooky atmosphere that I love. I really enjoyed learning more about the main characters lives as teens and adults as well as the history of the haunted house. This is a great story of overcoming fear and trauma. The house scenes felt very claustrophobic in the best creepy way. If you are looking for a thriller with some horror elements I would recommend giving Beneath the Stairs a read.

TW: This story deals with very serious topics such as miscarriage, attempted suicide, and mental illness. 

My Rating: 4 out of 5



Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Happy Bunny and Other Mischiefs by Rebecca Gransden Book Review

  Title: Happy Bunny and Other Mischiefs Author: Rebecca Gransden Genre: Weird Fiction/ Horror Published: 10/30/24 by the author I received a copy for review from the author.  This collection of 14 short stories that are full of imaginative scenarios. The ideas are truly unique which helps to draw you in.  Imagine taking a friend's pigeon to the vet leads to an underground cult. Imagine a sentient turducken escaping its packaging to explore the world. These are just of a couple of the outrageously weird concepts explored in this collection. A couple of the stories are written a very fever dream kind of way that makes following the plot difficult. I don't fault the experimental writing, but I personally do not enjoy the confusion they left me feeling. The rest of the stories I enjoyed. The standout stories for me were SparrowEyes, with its creepy setting and creature, and Happy Bunny, with a person in a bunny costume getting teleported to various television and movie s...

Alt Vegas: Nuclear Dreams by Wren Cavanagh Book Review

   Title: Alt Vegas: Nuclear Dreams Author: Wren Cavanagh Genre: Horror Published: September 28, 2024 I received a copy for review from the author.    Kyle and Mandy have dreams making a profit by developing when they purchase land in Esperville, Oregon. Soon they find out the land is home to a portal to another dimension stuck in 1950s Las Vegas. It is a hard place with unforgiving desert and fiendish creatures. This a fantastic creature feature horror novel with an alternate dimension flair. The characters, Kyle and Mandy, did not seem sympathetic at first as foolhardy newlyweds taking on more than they can chew. However, throughout the story they become more and more endearing. They are great underdog characters to root for. The portal to Alt Vegas allows for such contrasting settings. The lush and overgrown Oregon with the desert landscape outside 1950s Vegas. The last fourth of the book could have used another round of line editing, but overall this was a fantas...

Overgrowth by Mira Grant Book Review

Title: Overgrowth Author: Mira Grant Genre: Science Fiction Horror Published: May 6, 2025 by Tor Nightfire I received a copy for review through NetGalley.   Anastasia has not fit in since she walked into the forest and was turned into an alien plant. To make things worse she can't seem to help telling everyone that the alien invasion is coming. No one believes her, but they should have heeded the warning. Science fiction and horror is a genre blend that works so well. This is a very character focused story with a quirky main character and her amazing found family. It shows the alien invasion from the perspective of an alien plant that has been raised human that needs to choose sides. It is light on horror past a very disturbing plant attack of a child, but it is an epic and fun story with an interesting perspective. If you are wanting to read about an invasion of sentient blood drinking plants that does not take itself seriously then this story is for you. My Rating: 5 Out of 5 Sta...