So many layers of suspense! The Last House on Needless Street provided me with a very entertaining story and it brought a bag full of twists. Maybe it was more of an ongoing unraveling of suspenseful events. This is my first experience reading Catriona Ward. This book had some hype attached to it prior to me reading it so I was a bit doubtful that it would all by hype with no substance but I was pleasantly surprised that this book was as excellent as everyone said it was. Like many readers, I found myself trying to jump a few steps ahead to predict the outcome only to find that I kept hitting dead ends with my predictions. What I loved more than anything is how compelling the characters are. I think Ward did a masterful job bringing these characters to life and making you empathize with a character that may have committed evil acts. In a way it reminded me of Dexter. Not fully, Dexter only kills bad people after all but there was enough in Ted to make you feel like, maybe he isn't capable of doing these bad things. But the more you read you feel like, maybe he can.

I loved the many scenarios that played out in my head as I was trying to figure things out. I love Catriona Ward's writing style and character development and plot building. How she was able to keep all of this straight is beyond me. I am very glad I got to experience this book, especially right before Halloween. It fit the mood of the holiday perfectly.

I want to thank Catriona Ward, Tor Nightfire, Macmillan Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Woah. This book is quite the ride and will have you reeling until the very end. The author tackles a difficult subject and weaves a story that is unlike anything I have ever read before. The multiple points of view with each having a level of unreliability to them makes for such a unique and surreal reading experience. Warning: there are parts of this book that will have you so shocked that you will exclaim aloud. On the bright side, this will make your coworkers very curious and then you can recommend this fantastic book!

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC. Ok, I went into this with absolutely no expectations or ideas of what it was about and I think that's the way to do it with this book. It was a ride from start to finish trying to piece together exactly what on earth was happening and was and wasn't real. It's been almost a month since I finished this and I still don't quite know how to properly express all my thoughts on this book. Just go and pick up The Last House on Needless Street and the less you know about it beforehand the better.

This was an interesting story, definitely original. The twists and turns and differing points of view made you think that you had it figured out, then realizing that no, you still have no clue what's going to happen.

I really enjoyed this book. I found it to be weird and confusing and creepy, but in the best way. It was fast-paced and I kept wanting to pick it back up to find out more about Ted and Olivia and all the fascinating characters. I thought the main reveal was well done. It was a layered and excellent book from Catriona Ward. I can't wait to pick up more from this author.

☕ ☕ ☕ ☕ + 1/2

My Highly Caffeinated Thought: A dark multi-layered tale of secrets, twisted hidden pasts, and ever-changing realities.

THE LAST HOUSE ON NEEDLESS STREET is the type of book where you sit down to read a chapter and wind up staying up all night to finish it. Ward, in what seems like an effortless way, developed a story with so many twists, turns, and pivots the reader cannot help but want to find out what happens next.


One of the things I enjoyed about the book was getting inside the headspace for Ted, Oliva the Cat, Lauren, and Dee. Because of the multiple perspectives, the author is able to carefully construct a narrative leading her readers down one path only to reveal a new tidbit that changes so much of what you thought you knew. When you make your way through this book, you will learn, just as I did, things are not what they seem. How Ward thought of this plot, I will never truly comprehend, but the masterful way she wrote it made it addictively creepy. This book took me down a rabbit hole of complex psychosis, shocking secrets, and bone-chilling suspense. And I don’t say that lightly. It is simply horror at its best.


THE LAST HOUSE ON NEEDLESS STREET is haunting and will stay with you for long after you finish. I cannot wait to read another book by the author.

"The Last House on Needless Street," by Catriona Ward is a work of psychological suspense that toys with what is real and imaginary. The central character is Ted Bannerman, a lonely man, battered in body and spirit, who spends hours locked up in the dilapidated house where he was raised. He often drinks himself into a stupor. There are chapters narrated by Ted, and others by Olivia, a talking cat (yes, a cat); and Dee, who bears tremendous guilt because of a tragic event that occurred when she was a teenager.

The blurbs would have us believe that this book is a shocker that will leave us reeling when we discover what really happened. Nothing could be further from the truth. Ward gives us plenty of clues along the way that point us in the right direction. However, is the trip worth it? Sadly, it is not. This novel is a creepy, desolate, and sickening story of child abuse; murder; and self-harm. It is torture to read about these pathetic characters who have been beaten down by life.

What is the point of "Needless Street"? Is it that children need to be cared for with love and kindness? Or that when parents treat their offspring cruelly, their sons and/or daughters will likely develop some form of mental illness? If so, Ward conveys nothing particularly original here. We have seen too many scenes of unspeakable damage done to youngsters before, both in fiction and nonfiction. it is neither entertaining nor enlightening to read about sadistic adults who, because they are unhinged, are driven by their inner demons to destroy themselves and others.

Wow. Needless Street kept me reading late into the night and is still haunting me days after I’ve finished. This was not the “crazy killer” story I was expecting; it was deeper, scarier, and so heartbreaking!

What a well crafted tale that left me guessing and unsteady all the way to the end.

The Last House on Needless Street was a very unique and intriguing read. The characters weren't all likable but they were all interesting and the mystery is really solid. What makes this book really stand out though is the choices the author makes - when you think it is going to go for one trope, the author takes another route or twist. Great book.

I’m truly unsure what to rate this book. The first 80% was a well written page turner and while I figured out early on that Ted had multiple personalities that encompassed Lauren and Olivia, I was invested in the book and wanted to find out all the details. I didn’t see the twist with Dee Dee coming so that was quite an unsettling surprise.

BUT here is what makes me so unsure of what to rate this book …I don’t like that we were made to believe that an innocent man who had been abused and had a mental disorder was the murderer. It just felt like a horribly cheap trick at the end. It made me feel icky.

I also think the end was wrapped up too nicely…that man, Rob, wouldn’t have fallen in love with Ted so easily. He would have been more wary of him. The police would have dug up those woods and had much more investigating of Ted to do.

Plus so many questions left unanswered…was the chihuahua lady an accomplice? What really happened to Ted’s dad? That blond boy that was with Dee at the lake…he didn’t tell anyone about Lulu? Really?!

I don’t know. I think this book had atmosphere and good writing but in the end it felt wrong to have a horror novel be built around an innocent person who was abused so badly as a child that he developed multiple personalities. It felt like exploitation of a very serious issue.

*****SPOILERS*****

TW: Animal deaths, kidnapped child, dying parent, parent abandonment, alcoholism, toxic relationships, child abuse, suicide, mental disorder dead child

About the book:This is the story of a serial killer. A stolen child. Revenge. Death. And an ordinary house at the end of an ordinary street.
You think you know what's inside the last house on Needless Street. You think you've read this story before. That's where you're wrong.ReIn the dark forest at the end of Needless Street, lies something buried. But it's not what you think...
Release Date: September 28th, 2021
Genre: Horror
Pages: 335
Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

What I Liked:
• I simply adored the cover.
• The plot sounded so weird but interesting.
• All the character pov I liked and was intrigued by them.
• The writing style

What I Didn't Like:
• Nothing.

Overall Thoughts: I was instantly sucked into this world the author put out there for me. From the first page the writing embraced me and made me have to find out what was happening.

This book is such an emotional roller-coaster that definitely takes you for a ride. I kind figured out the twist 20 pages in but that did not take away from me the enjoyment of reading the rest of the book. All the characters have such unique personalities. I was drawn in by each one of them. The perspective of the cat was an interesting one for sure. It's not often you get to read about a cats point of view, but it was charming at times.

There are so many things in this book that make you sad and some just break your heart (hello to the part where Ted's mom asks him to help her tie up the laundry line she plans to hang herself with).

Final Thoughts: One part the movie Identity + I'm Thinking of Ending Things = perfection.

Well written, but not what I was looking for. Might like it more in a different frame of mind. Was excited that King gave it a blurb...not so much now

Ted is a depressed drunk who lives with his daughter, Lauren, and cat, Olivia. Years ago, a young girl disappeared at a nearby lake and Ted was blamed, but later exonerated by his alibi. Now Dee, the girl's sister is back in town, looking for justice for her little sister. But Ted and his family may still be hiding secrets--and Dee's return threatens to uncover them all.

"Today is the anniversary of Little Girl With Popsicle. It happened by the lake, eleven years ago--she was there, and then she wasn't. So it's already a bad day when I discover that there is a Murderer among us."

This is an incredibly wild read that is both mesmerizing and befuddling, as you never know exactly what is going on. You get Ted's point of view, as well as Dee's and even Olivia the cat's. I spent most of the book coming up with theories and feeling frustrated at times, because I was not sure what was happening! If you are someone who always wants to know what is happening, you may not enjoy this book.

It's definitely best to go in blind, as all the other reviews state, because the twists and turns will take you by surprise. And there are twists galore! When this ended, I realized I probably needed to read the book again, just to completely take in everything that happened. Did I fully enjoy HOUSE? Probably not. But I still feel it was worth the read. It was intricate and fascinating and at the end, when you take in the full depth of what you've read--well, it's pretty awe inspiring. Definitely read the author's note at the end, too.

So, I’m not sure how to review this book. I enjoyed it, but I was so confused throughout the whole thing. I couldn’t understand why there was a religious talking cat, among other things. I was told by multiple people that it would get less confusing, so I pushed on.

I did end up liking the book, but I must be stupid because I still found myself confused when the book was over, and it was a let down for me if fitting into the thriller genre.

What i can say as positives: The writing was good. It had multiple POV’s which i always enjoy. It was fast paced, and kept me turning the pages because I was so confused and I needed to keep reading in hopes I would understand it. I was let down that don’t thing still didn’t venting clear, however, and that’s enough to bring my rating down to 3.5

This book has received a lot of pre-publication buzz, so I was excited to dive right in. I saw a few early reviews warning folks to avoid any and all spoilers - which is always sage advice, but especially apt in this case. Told from different perspectives, this book involves a missing girl, a man originally suspected of taking her, Ted Bannerman, a sister looking for answers and a cat. It's an engrossing read from start to finish - and the plot definitely takes some truly shocking turns (really, genuinely surprising - there are things that I am usually quite good at predicting/spotting that took me totally by surprise here!). It kept me on my toes and even had me gasping aloud in some parts. I am not sure I remember when a book last took me so completely by surprise - I absolutely loved this!

Lucky enough to have this in both audio and on my Kindle - I found myself reading and listening at every opportunity. I literally couldn't put this down and appreciated both formats for allowing me to seamlessly immerse myself in the story. Genre-wise, this slants a bit more towards horror, though it's also solidly a mystery/thriller. It's a definite page-turner, that's for sure! The characters all completely come to life - Olivia, the cat, serves up some nicely comedic moments to help break up some of the relentless tension - and she's a definite scene-stealer. I thoroughly enjoyed the parts of the story that she narrated. I really enjoyed this - even more than I expected to, to be honest. I am really looking forward to hunting down Ward's two previous novels as well as any of her future ones!

This is a well-crafted novel and one that definitely holds unexpected twists and turns! It would be a fun one to talk about with a book discussion group - though I can see that not all book clubs would want to tackle a dark and daring read. My own club probably wouldn't love this the way that I do. It's definitely a top 2021 read for me - and it's always added excitement to discover a new author to follow and love!

The last house on Needless Street would likely be the house you’d skip during trick-or-treat night. It’s boarded up, and its inhabitants--a middle aged man who drinks too much, a teenage girl with violent tendencies, and a quirky cat who can recite the Bible by heart--are not the type to host a friendly neighborhood barbeque.

Dee moves onto Needless Street determined to find answers about her 6-year-old sister’s disappearance more than a decade ago. She’s convinced the man in the last house is somehow involved.

There isn’t any major “reveal” but instead there are complex, continual layers being peeled back until we reach the end of the book. Even if you pride yourself on figuring out where a book is headed before you get there, I bet this one will surprise you. I’m actually (usually) not a fan of one of the biggest plot devices used in this book, but it really worked for me here. I guess the execution was just better than most in the genre!

It’s hard for me to nail down an exact genre here, but it’s definitely suspenseful, with some horror, and almost gothic vibes mixed in. Despite the heavy content, you may find yourself laughing at the clever storytelling.

🤯Wow!!!! This was amazing! Thank you go NetGalley for providing me with an ARC!!!!! Point of view from the cat, yessss….

The Last House on Needless Street is going to be a tough one to review. Before delving into the subject matter, I’ll recap my reading experience. I was confused at first. I quickly became turned off and repulsed. Then baffled again. I thought about putting the book down and walking away. Then I wanted to know if what I’d guessed was at all accurate. Then I wanted to know what actually happened… and ultimately, I saw it through all the way to the end, barely able to look away for the final third. But it’s not an exageration to say that for most of the book, the question of whether or not to continue was constantly on my mind.

This has to be one of the most disturbing books I’ve read in the last few years. It’s practically impossible to get a good grasp on what’s happening. The story involves a missing child, as well as a main character, Ted, whose behavior is creepy and suspicious from the get-go… yet we know that he was investigated years ago when the child disappeared, and no evidence was found to link him to the supposed abduction.

So is Ted a kidnapper, abuser, and a murderer? If so, how has he gotten away with it? How does he manage to keep his daughter Lauren hidden away? Why does his cat seem to love him, even though she has a rich inner life of her own?

I can’t say too much for fear of getting into spoilers, and trust me, you do not want to know anything further about the plot if you’re considering reading this book.

For about the first half of the book, if you’d asked me for a rating, I’d have said two stars, maybe three at a stretch. And even here, having finished the book and settling on 4.5 stars, I’m still not certain that really reflects my reading experience.

On the one hand, I have to give endless kudos to the author, who concocted a complicated and utterly creepy and confusing story, and yet manages to make the pieces fit together by the end. The story as a whole is masterfully woven together — a truly impressive feat.

On the other hand, this was probably the least enjoyable reading I’ve done in ages. There’s absolutely nothing fun or pleasurable about reading this horrifying tale. I’ve read my fair share of horror and psychological thrillers, and even at their most disturbing or gruesome, most of them are still books that I’ve enjoyed reading, one way or another. I can’t say that I enjoyed even a little bit of The Last House on Needless Street.

And yet… I have to recognize that this book is incredibly well crafted and tells a twisty tale unlike any other I’ve read. Do I recommend it? Yes and no. Yes, it’s fascinating and, after a certain point, oh-so-hard to put down. But it also wrecked my mood this weekend by forcing me to spend time in the truly dark places the story explores.

Your mileage may vary. This book will not be for everyone, not by a longshot. But I do have certain friends whose taste in books is basically — the grimmer, the better… and for them, this might be perfect.

Absolutely gripping, full of twists and turns that I never saw coming. Dee is trying to find her sister who was kidnapped 11 years ago, and believes she has found her with Ted. Ted lives alone with his daughter Lauren and kitten Olivia. The story is told from the perspective of Ted, Olivia, and Dee. As we get further along we also get the perspective of Lauren which throws another twist into the story. And then just when you think you might have figured it all out, which I thought I did, a huge twist comes up that you never saw coming. I finished this book thinking ok, what did I just read? This was a glorious twisty book full of head games and I loved it!
Thank you to the publisher via NetGalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review. I can't wait to see what else Catriona Ward has coming for future books!

This book started out very slow and very weird but the second half made up for it. I could guess some of the twists coming up and it did feel like some of the characters were introduced just to plug a plot hole and were conveniently disposed of soon after they played their part but overall it did manage to keep me turning the pages. I also appreciated the care taken by the author to show the mental illness discussed in the book with due gravity. Would definitely recommend for fans of I am thinking of ending things.