The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward is set up as a psychological thriller. A girl goes missing, a creepy guy lives in a boarded up house, the missing girl’s sister shows up, there are things buried in the woods…a prescription for something really sinister and scary. Unfortunately, the book completely disappoints. I wanted to quit it numerous times along the way. It was predictable; I’m not sure if the author was trying to be obvious about things- the “daughter” not really being the daughter; the things buried in the woods, etc.- but they were obvious to me. And then, about ⅔ of the way through, the author seems to have gotten a new idea for the book and it completely changed courses. Most of the book makes no sense; the reader is left confused and disjointed in the transitions from one chapter to the next. I think the intent was that it wasn’t supposed to make sense until the end. The ultimate ending and explanation is so rushed and vague, massive plot points are left out, that it is far from just disappointing, it left me feeling like I had wasted my time completely. I could see what the author was trying to do, and her discussion on the topic in the afterward could have been helpful, but in the end it just felt like Ward didn’t have direction or purpose in writing the book. It was not scary, creepy, or psychologically thrilling; rather, it was mundane, confusing, and a big letdown. The thriller genre is particularly my favorite, but I have read much better than this. So thankful for the eARC from NetGalley, but it’s a miss for me. #TheLastHouseOnNeedlessStreet #NetGalley

“ How many times can someone bend before they break for ever? You have to take care, dealing with broken things; sometimes they give way, and break others in their turn.” Catriona Ward, The Last House on Needless Street

Holy cow… what a ride! I feel like I’ve just gotten off a tilt-a-whirl through a fun house!

I truly had no idea what I was listening to when I started. I was literally shaking my head thinking what the heck is going on? Very, very bizarre… a talking cat? Seriously? But, again, I kept faith in my GR’s friends reviews and kept listening. I even read a bunch of their reviews hoping to get some hints as to what the heck was going on, only to be met with several ‘this story must be experienced to really be appreciated.’ It was at about the 30% mark that I finally started to feel like I was making some sense of what was going on. Felt that at this point I’d found the key and from then on it started to make sense.

From totally bizarre to heartbreakingly sad this story will muddle with all of your emotions… like putting them in a jar and shaking. The ending did drag a bit, but it was a needed cool down after the marathon run of this story.

I listened to this on audio and I would highly, highly recommend this format. Christopher Ragland does an absolutely brilliant job in his narration… so much so that I would’ve sworn it was more that one person. Truly an award winning performance that I think lends so much authenticity to these characters.

This novel will definitely be popping up on all the Best Of 2021 book lists, if not, then a true crime has been committed. Story: 4.5 stars, narration: 5+stars.

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

An incredibly compelling read, with so many revelations as the book goes on, that I feel like I might need to read it again, now that I know the ending.

Eleven years ago, Dee and her little sister Lulu went on a trip to the lake with their parents. By the end of the day, Lulu was gone. Dee has still not given up looking for her. She manages to find a slim lead; a picture of a man said to be a person of interest in the case with the streetsign visible. With this information, she goes looking for him to get answers.

Ted is a strange man who doesn't really have any attachments to anyone except his daughter, Lauren who comes to visit him sporadically, and his beloved cat, Olivia. He drinks too much, often leaves the house for days at a time, and is just in general a weird guy.

The book is told from multiple points of view. Ted's point of view is disjointed and strange, and it is almost a relief when the other narrators come out to tell their points of view. The story is also told from Lauren's point of view, from Dee's point of view, and from Olivia's (yes, the cat).

This was a masterfully told tale! There aren't twists per se, but there are amazing developements that you don't see coming until the last moment. So many questions are raised in this book, and they are all answered (which is a breath of fresh air for me - I hate when strings are left dangling). This book isn't generally one of the genres that I read, but I truly enjoed this one!

Thank you to Catriona Ward and to Viper publishing for sending me an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

There are some books that I think I'm not smart enough for. And at first, The Last House on Needless Street was considered one of them. After about 80% of the way through, though, everything began to make sense and started piecing together and I really enjoyed it. That being said, if you feel like you can't connect to this novel: keep going. It will find you. This also serves as a really great novel to reread. There's tons of connections you'll probably find your second go around. I definitely plan on giving it a second read.

Little Girl With Popsicle went missing eleven years ago. Ted Bannerman was a suspect at the time, but was cleared of all charges. Ted is eccentric, yes, with his daughter Lauren and cat Olivia, but there's a lot more layers to Ted than we originally think.

There are twists and turns on every single page; you get lost, then you're found again. You'll be scratching your head for the first half, and crying for the second half. I'll have my content warnings at the end of this review--there are some very serious ones in this novel.

This book gets a 4 star rating because, while I did enjoy it by the end, I feel like there were a few details that weren't clearly explained away in the end.

Thank you to NetGalley, Tor Nightfire, and Catriona Ward for the chance to read this advanced review copy!

CW: child abuse, animal cruelty, medical experimentation, problematic psychologists

Well, this book might keep me up at night but not in a pleasant "What was that creaking and is it the spooky thing from the book in my attic or creeping down the hall?" sort of way. It's going to be the kind of lying awake wishing I could get that damn image out of my head. Early on, there's a scene of graphic animal abuse that should have been a huge I'D TURN BACK IF I WERE YOU sign but it was an advance review copy and I kept slogging through despite the unreliable narrator that I cared nothing about. The first half doesn't feel like a horror novel, but it eventually gets to that point. and by the end it gets really interesting....but it was too little too late.

What I Loved
The House on Needless Street is one of those stories where the less I say about it, the more you will enjoy it. I can say this: I loved the artistry involved in telling the tale. There are so many spoiler details that even tiptoeing around them is not possible.

Each secret revealed is done at a time and in a place that just heightened the already overwhelming intensity this story delivers. And it is this intensity that pushes the story past the psychological thriller line into the realm of horror. I sometimes thought I couldn’t be within this world for another second and wanted to put the book down more than anything. The only thing that kept me going was the all-consuming desire for answers and explanations. And, boy, did I get them. I never read as wild and jaw-dropping explanations that still are plausible as contained in the pages of this novel.

Characters

The story opens with three characters: Dee, the sister of a little girl that went missing years before the novel begins; Ted, a man who lives in the house on Needless Street; and Olivia, Ted’s cat. I can’t say that I particularly liked any of the characters nor, do I believe, was I supposed to. Dee’s chapters were the easiest to read initially as they contained the least amount of nerve-shredding potency. Those chapters in the first half provide as much of a break as I was going to get. And, having a cat character is intriguing.

Reminds Me Of

As I read, I kept thinking this would be a book that Hitchcock would have wanted to get his hands on to turn into one of his movies.

What I Wish

Honestly, I wouldn’t have a clue what to wish for. The story is so artfully told, I couldn’t imagine any changes that would improve it.

Trigger Warnings

Graphic death/murder including children

To Read or Not to Read
If you love psychological horror, you won’t want to miss out on this perfect story for the Halloween season.

The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward is one of the best books I have read this year. The way the story unfolds, chapter-by-chapter, building anticipation in the reader, is brilliant. The slow-burn and genre-bending nature of the plot was unexpected and a pleasant surprise. The character development is superb - each character having their own unique voice, perspective, reality, and truth. It is a book that keeps you on the edge of your seat, keeps the reader engaged, challenges the reader's notions, and gives space for the reader to really think.,

This is one of those books where you pretty much need to go in cold as anything anyone will tell you will probably be a spoiler. And that would be a shame as this book is one of the most original ones I’ve read in a long time.

And it’s not for everyone. It’s creepy, strange, odd, scary, sad, surprising, chilling, twisty and more. Dark, atmospheric. claustrophobic and it’s uncomfortable to read. If you are intrigued, take a chance on author Catriona Ward’s most unusual and well-written book. It will take you on an unexpected journey. If you start it, don’t give up. I’m betting that you too will say, “What the heck did I just read?” and you'll immediately want to talk about it.

WARNING: Child abuse triggers. This book can be considered horror only in the horrible things contained within its pages really can happen. In The Last House on Needless Street lives a drunken man, his angry daughter and his beautiful Bible-reading cat. The windows are boarded up and there's an air of despair and neglect about the house and its occupants. The story is woven together wonderfully and it's hard to stop reading even though it's also hard to read. Confusing at first, everything makes more sense as you move through the story. And Catriona Ward explains what compelled her to write such a compelling story in her thoughtful afterward.

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this early e-arc.*

Thank you to Netgalley, Macmillan-Tor/Forge, and the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review of the book.

This is a total trip of a book. If you would have asked me my thoughts halfway through, I would have been rather ambivalent. I thought I understood where this was going and that I had it all figured out. But I was wrong.

This has been the year of innovative books, and I am adding this entry to that short but exciting list. It is difficult to discuss what is so good about this book without giving something away--and I do not want to do that. What I will say is that this book may check a number of boxes: it's a thriller, it's a ghost story, it's a whodunit, and it's a tale of perseverance and survival. This is not for the faint of heart. It's a very disturbing tale-- I felt guilty by association when just reading this at times. It may also manage to surprise even the most experienced thriller reader and leave you with a greater sense of optimism than you might think possible in a book like this.

If you want something out-of-the-box, something dark, or something to challenge your preconceptions --Ward does an amazing job of playing on our expectations and biases--then pick this up. It might not be for everyone, but I am certain this one will stay with me for a long time.

Thank you Netgalley, author, and the publishers for allowing me the opportunity to read this e-arc.

Ted is a recluse living in an old, dilapidated home with boarded windows on a dead end street. He shares this home with his daughter, Lauren and his cat, Olivia. This small family is a bit odd to say the least. Lauren is never allowed to leave the house, the cat reads the bible (yes, I said the cat reads the bible), and Ted is drinking away his troubles and trying to ignore his many memory lapses.

Years before, Ted was associated with the disappearance of a young girl named Lulu. His name was in the newspaper as a suspect and although Ted did have an alibi for this crime, not everyone was convinced that he was completely innocent. Was Ted responsible for the disappearance of Lulu?

This was a very interesting book and something completely different for me. Catriona Ward is masterful at weaving this story together bit by bit. Try to avoid any spoilers before reading, as this one will leave you guessing. If you are looking for a book that is different and will put you out of your comfort zone, you found it!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This review will be posted to my Instagram Blog (@coffee.break.book.reviews) on September 24, 2021.

Thank you to netgalley for providing an e-galley for review. "The Last House on Needless Street" by Catriona Ward was one of those books that kept the reader off balance the whole time. Told in alternate chapters from the point of view of a cat, a missing girl, a mentally challenged adult, and the missing girl's sister, they story unfolds in a surprising and heartbreaking manner. Every character is sympathetic and flawed and layered. I couldn't put it down.

“The Last House on Needless Street” is a dark, creepy, and heartbreaking edge-of-your-seat psychological thriller by Catriona Ward. This book is about a missing girl and a sister who is trying to find her. A man who drinks too much that is getting by the best he can. A girl who cannot go outside. And a cat who loves to read the bible.

The characters are written so well with thoughts so deep, you get entrenched in these lives. It’s dark, and twisty and beautiful. It breaks your heart into tiny little pieces. I will be thinking about this book for a very long time.

Thank you to NetGalley, Catriona Ward, and Macmillan-Tor/Forge, Tor Nightfire for the ARC in exchange for my honest review! ❤️️

This is a haunting novel. The characters, their circumstances and their environments all combine to create an atmospheric book that is not only dark and disturbing, but ultimately a book about survival. I couldn't figure out if this was a book about a serial killer, a horror novel or maybe a thriller. By the time I finished it, I realized none of these descriptions fit, or maybe they all fit. All I know is that I was mesmerized by the story and how artfully it was told.

Meet Ted Bannerman and his cat Olivia. They live in a decrepit house whose windows are boarded up because people keep throwing rocks and breaking the glass. Why? Well, eleven years ago a child went missing a short distance from Ted's house and the police, suspecting Ted, ransacked his house in their search for the girl, Lulu.. The events of the day LuLu disappeared are recounted by her big sister Dee who, eleven years after Lulu's disappearance has become Ted's new neighbor in her ongoing search for her missing sister. Told initially from these three character's points of view, the past and present collide and the result is anything but straightforward.

I found myself mesmerized by the characters and pulled along the story path by the exception writing. This is a finely crafted story about the extent of psychological damage a twisted mind can cause. Do not be fooled into thinking this is just a thriller or a horror story; it is so much more. The reveals and pacing are perfectly timed to keep one immersed in the character's situations and invested in the outcome from start to finish.

Thank you NetGalley and McMillan-Tor/Forge for an advance copy of this book. The publication date is September 28, 2021.

“How many times can someone bend before they break forever? You have to take care, dealing with broken things; sometimes they give way, and break others in their turn.”

This is the story of a serial killer. A stolen child. Death. The forest. And a boarded up house at the end of an ordinary street. All of these things are true. And yet…they are all lies.

“Hope is the last thing to die.”

I was drawn to this book by the cover (I mean 🤩), and boy am I grateful for that #coverbuy (or request, as it were) feeling. This book is just brilliant! Brilliant I tell ya! Wow. The gothic/horror genre is not my go to genre, so giving this one five stars is HUGE! I don’t want to say too much about the book itself because I think the less you know the more enjoyment you’ll get out of it. It is dark and disturbing, creepy and crawly, and just so perfectly executed. I am certain my mouth quite literally dropped open at certain revelations in this story; those wtf moments where you’re like HOW DID I MISS THAT?! And yet, you didn’t actually miss that. You were just properly fooled. I read this one slowwwwwly so that I could fully absorb the brilliance that is this plot line and story. Even if you are not a horror reader, I challenge you to give this one a chance. I predict this book will stay with me for some time.

Thank you to Netgalley, Macmillan Audio, Tor Books, and the author for the ARC and ALC in exchange for an honest review.

This book is extremely hard to discuss because it's best read with zero spoilers whatsoever - I will say that it has a psychological horror frame and multiple narrators, and that all of these narrators are unreliable in one way or another. When you finish the book you almost have to sit for a few minutes in amazement that the author managed to pull THAT off. Truly unique and a book I've been recommending to everybody I know who could handle a lot of dread!

There’s only so much I can tell you about The Last House On Needless Street without giving too much away, so I’m going to tread lightly here. Just… know that I was a train wreck at the end of it.

The Last House On Needless Street is about a man named Ted, who lives in the titular house on the titular street with his daughter and a cat. He grew up there; when he was young, he lived there with his mother and father. He had a difficult childhood. He is an isolated adult. He sometimes loses time.

The Last House On Needless Street is about Olivia, a cat Ted found by the road and rescued. He took her home and nursed her back to health, and now she lives in the titular house on the titular street with Ted and his daughter. She’s very smart, and not just for cat.

The Last House On Needless Street is about Dee, whose sister, Lulu, went missing when they were both young. Now an adult, she has spent her life looking for her sister; she believes the man in the titular house on the titular street may be responsible for her disappearance.

The Last House On Needless Street is about Lauren, a teenage girl trapped in the titular house on the titular
street. She has been waiting for years for help to come.

And yet, The Last House On Needless Street is also about none of those things.

It is ultimately about trauma, and how we cope with it, and how we heal from it.

But that’s really all I should say about it for now.

Blog:
Every review I saw of this book before I requested it on NetGalley promised an amazing twist that cannot be revealed or it will spoil the book. What I can say after reading this is….there’s definitely a great twist that cannot be revealed or it will spoil the book. I thought I had the twist figured out and was all ready to be disappointed at it being not that great. Turns out I had not figured it out, and it is that great.

So what can I really say in this review without spoiling things? This book is not what it at first seems to be (or even second or third) so if you feel yourself thinking you know exactly what type of book this is going to be and you think you won’t like it, keep reading, because it’s not that type of book.

Olivia the cat is by far my favorite character. A cat who believes she has a calling from the LORD to take care of her owner. Who reads the Bible by knocking it off a table sometimes and then lets those verses guide her actions. Who calls dogs brouhahas. There aren’t enough words for how much I love Olivia the cat.

This book explores trauma and survival. There are therefore some elements that may be disturbing to some readers, but there is never gratuitous violence or sexual violence. There is some cruelty to birds in the first chapter. This is not a repeated plot device of the book, and a character spends a sizable chunk of the book investigating who did such a thing.

If you are intrigued by the last house on Needless Street and its occupants, pick this one up. And keep reading even if you think you know what type of story it’s going to be telling. It will certainly surprise you.

Instagram:
All of the reviews said I can’t tell you the amazing twist or I’ll ruin it - and they were right!
The Last House on Needless Street isn’t what it at first appears but what it actually is is so much more unique. What I can tell you is that the last house on needless street is Ted’s house. And in Ted’s house lives an angry little girl and a cat named Olivia who is devoted to the LORD. This is a delicious fall read.
I do warn there is some cruelty to birds in the first chapter but it is an anomalous event, and something other characters seek to solve and prevent from happening again.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy!

This is one of those books that most definitely isn’t for everyone, but those who can get into it will love it! I’ll keep this review short in an effort to avoid any spoilers.

This book bounces between multiple characters years after the disappearance of a six-year-old girl in the Pacific Northwest. This book was dark and creepy, but not in a way that I’m typically used to.

This was beautifully written with elements of dark humor. To some, it could come off a bit strange. Not in a negative way, more of a “what is even happening, but I’m invested” type of way. If you’re looking to try something new, but find yourself still in the mood for something in the thriller genre then pick this one up.

Don’t let me forget about the ending! Again, I’ll be short to stay spoiler-free- but damn was this such an unexpected and unique ending. Honestly, this is worth the read even just for the ending alone. I can easily get in a place where I don’t go outside my reading comfort zone, so I am so happy I branched out for this read!