The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward is insanely good. The book has a twist that will change you world and open yourself to a new way of thinking. This is one of the best well rounded stories that I have read in some time, everything fits and it does not feel forced. The big twist is explained and all the loose ends are tied up so well. What is cool about the big twist is if you pay attention and open your mind you can figure it out, I was back and forth on what was coming guessing some parts but not all. I'm going to be vague on my plot details because this book is best not knowing too much. This book will be compared to Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl because you get the big twist and still have a lot of book left to explain it. This book is a book that was hyped early for reviewers to read, and I'm glad to say it has earned it's hype. There are parts of this story that will stick with you for a while. It is being marketed as a Horror but is more of a psychological thriller with elements of horror, it leans to Thomas Harris's Silence of the Lambs in mixing genres. The story is great you will have a couple character's where you switch to loathing to loving them because they are so misunderstood. Trigger Warnings: child abuse. I was lucky to get selected to read The Last House on Needless Street early by Netgalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge, Tor Nightfire. The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward is published on September 28 2021, right before October which is the perfect reading month for this book.

The Plot: In a boarded up house on the end of Needless Street bordering the woods lives a large man Ted who is haunted by a controlling mother, Lauren his teenage daughter that goes away for weeks but no one ever sees leave, and Olivia the bible reading house cat that will not be messed with. live a quiet unobserved life until a new neighbor moves in with and agenda to get into the house and open up the secrets inside.

What I Liked: Olivia the bible reading cat has so much character i liked being in that character's head. The twist is pretty great I couldn't put everything together but it was a great twist that was explained really well. I love full circle story telling and this is a great example of how it works and every secret is revealed and all connected. The different perspective story telling we get the views of 6 to seven characters who are all unique and I was never confused as to who's head I was in. This story is dark but the humor which is mostly provided by Olivia the cat is great and served as a good break on the heavy. The afterword was interesting and unique since it went into detail how Catriona Ward came up with this story and how she made some choices. I was hooked from the start with this book because Ted the main perspective is so guarded. This story is dark but it has a lot of heart to it, there is a great I understand now moment.

What I Disliked: I did feel that the wait was too long to find out what went on with Ted and "the dates". I thought the book could have had better cover art, for how awesome this book was.

Recommendations: I haven't been this surprised by a novel in a long time. Do yourself a favor and check this book out. Stephen King says"The buzz...is real. I've read it and was blown away. It's a true nerve-shredder that keeps its mind-blowing secrets to the very end." I have a feeling this is going to be a book people will be buzzing about. I haven't liked a book this much in quite a while. The book is really fast paced and a great read. I rated The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward 5 out of 5 stars, I will definitely be checking out more books from this author.

With all the hype being blasted about this one, and the spookiness of the premise and cover I had to snag it. That being said, I'm in the minority as far as loving it.

It's not bad, but (for me) it's not all that great either. I knew almost right away what was playing out. That was disappointing. I was hoping for more in the twisty, I won't see it coming department, but alas not to happen.

However, it does fit perfectly for Spooktober and Fall reads as the creepy, psychological vibes are there. The writing is good and will keep readers engaged. If I didn't figure it out so early on I would have enjoyed it more.

Even though I am of the unpopular opinion on this one, I still say grab it and give it a go. Readers who enjoy psychological, gothic-esque reads will probably enjoy this one.

I sincerely appreciate the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a review copy. All opinions expressed herein are mine and mine alone.

Um, whoa. I'm going to keep this entirely spoiler free so forgive the incredibly vague summary and opinions. I do not want to ruin this for readers because it is creepy and unsettling specifically because you have no idea what's happening!

Ted lives in a boarded up house on Needless Street with his angry daughter Lauren and their religious cat Olivia.
Dee has been searching for her little sister who disappeared at the lake a decade ago and now finds herself living across the street from the strange man Ted. Ted values his privacy and isn’t happy with his new neighbor who seems to be taking an unhealthy interest in his schedule.
These worlds collide and you think you know what’s happening until Catriona Ward turns the entire story upside down and shakes you to your core! I have whiplash from these twists that just kept coming!

This chilling story crosses several genres and makes you question everything you read all the way to the shocking conclusion!
The Last House on Needless Street is horror/psychological gothic thriller at its finest - you will either love it or hate it, I cannot imagine anything in between for this unsettling tale.

Thanks to Tor Nightmare for sending me a NetGalley ARC widget in exchange for an honest review. The Last House on Needless Street is scheduled for US release on September 28, 2021.

The Last House on Needless Street is one of those extraordinary books that tell a compelling story in the constant haze of uncertainty, with a gripping dark psychological intensity and fascinating characters that are cleverly blended with beautiful writing.

From the start, there is a dark and menacing atmosphere to the story, but you are not sure if you can automatically jump to the obvious conclusion. As the story continues, you wonder, is this a bluff, a double bluff, a triple bluff, a quadruple bluff? – I’m completely bluffed out – my head hurts. The psychologically damaged characters provide their perspective, including Ted, his visiting daughter Lauren and his religious cat Olivia. The other main character is Dee, the sister of a young girl Lulu, who went missing 11 years previously and whom she believes Ted was the abductor and possible murderer. She intends to prove his guilt and moves into Needless Street to follow his every move. Each character is an unreliable narrator, which adds brilliantly to the ambiguous levels of suspicion and deception.

Ted is a loner, living in the last house on Needless Street, beside a forest, with windows boarded up and minimal contact with his neighbours. He is a big guy, not to be messed with, and he is left well alone with an air of danger. Ted was a suspect at the time of Lulu’s disappearance, but having a solid alibi couldn’t be charged; however, Dee is convinced that he was the kidnapper. Olivia is an interesting character with a disassociative personality disorder when she becomes aggressive or needs to hunt for food. Her alternate personality of ‘Night-time’ deals with the more unpleasant aspects of hunting and killing.

The twisted psychological uncertainty of Ted takes us on an uneasy journey from horror to pity and back again. How well reality compares to Ted’s version of reality is the mystery. He affectionately refers to his daughter as ‘Kitten’, yet the forest is full of dead kittens. Never sure what the truth is, and constantly wondering where the guilt lies in this dark, mysterious, and menacing story is what distinguishes it. A lot can be said about this book, but too much detail risks giving away the twists and surprises that await.

The Last House on Needless Street will be one of the standout books of 2021, and I would highly recommend it. I was provided both the book and audiobook and had the great fortune of enjoying each as I progressed through the story. I want to thank Macmillan-Tor/Forge and NetGalley for providing me with a free ARC in return for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley, Tor Nightfire and the author for the digital ARC!

The Last House on Needless Street kept me guessing the whole way through. Things I thought were happening were not, and people who I thought I knew, I did not. I found the story very original, the characters unique, and the whole idea of the story a unique fresh take on a psychological thriller.

“𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘥𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘴, 𝘣𝘦𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘢 𝘴𝘬𝘪𝘯 𝘴𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘴𝘤𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩 𝘪𝘵 𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘯 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘪𝘭.”

The story’s foundation resides in the deep dark depths in the Last House on Needless Street, and is entwined in death, revenge and most of all lies.

“𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦’𝘴 𝘢 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘰𝘧 𝘶𝘴,” 𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘺𝘴. “𝘐𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘭𝘦𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴 𝘰𝘶𝘵, 𝘛𝘦𝘥, 𝘪𝘵 𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶.”

I give The Last House on Needless Street ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Last House on Needless Street is an extremely dark book about a crime from long ago that has never been resolved. The characters are realistic and damaged, it took me a bit to connect everyone, but in the second half things came together a bit more. Hard to tell much more about book w/o giving away spoilers, but overall a good book if you like psychological thrillers with a little horror thrown in.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for a honest review.

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A long ago crime is solved with a shocking ending.

This was an odd book. The author did a really good job of leading you down a rabbit hole that wasn't immediately apparent. The abuse depicted in the novel is both heartbreaking and very realistic.

I couldn't put this down. Read it all in one sitting. Pleasantly, horrifically captivated me. I don't think I have ever read a book that creeped me out until now.

SPOILER FREE

Ted lives on needless Street, a dead end with many stories to tell. He lives there with his cat Olivia who believes she has been sent by the Lord himself to be with Ted. Then there is Lauren, his teenage daughter that doesn't like to follow rules and never leaves the house. To keep the three company are some unique neighbors.

Dee moves in right next door to Ted. Years after her sister went missing. Talk of the town her sister Lulu is. Some how she ends up on Needless Street. The same place where posters are hung of a missing girl with a popsicle. Dee is what you would call paranoid and wants nothing more than to find the person responsible for taking her beloved sister.

She begins to follow Ted. He is weird, reserved and dangerous. How? Dee cannot figure it out. Not until she finds the tape. It has all the answers but she can't tell anyone because all of a sudden none of it is real!

I don't want to say more because I will spoil the story. It blew me away and this was truly a horror story. I honestly couldn't figure out what was up with Ted until the end. I put a few pieces together but most of them didn't fit correctly. I feel you are either going to guess right away or be left with more questions answers.

Hey all! I finished #thelasthouseonneedlessstreet by @catward66 while on vacation. I’m glad I finished the book, as I needed some encouragement from my fellow bookstapals after some brief animal neglect that was sitting poorly with me.
.
This book was so cool! It surrounded topics of mental illness, trauma, and coping, particularly dissociative identity disorder (previously called “split personality” disorder). I won’t really add to that so as not to ruin the book, but I really appreciate the amount of research and awareness Ward provided the reader regarding this interesting but disabling condition.
.
Otherwise, reading this book gave me a feeling of unease, confusion, and dread leading up to the climax, as it goes it felt more bleak and hopeless of an outcome lol. This was part horror, part psychological thriller, and I ate it up just needing to understand what was going on. The multiple POV’s helps put the full picture together so I enjoyed that, as I normally do. Also, lovely speculative prose throughout that helps the reader understand the introspection the characters experience.
.
If you want a book to put you in the October/spooky mood, I’d highly recommend! Thanks so much @netgalley and @tornightfire for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. The Last House on Needless Street is out 9/28/21 !
.
Rating: 4.5/5
.
.

Catriona Ward takes an unsettling angle on horror in her upcoming book, The Last House on Needless Street. (Expected publication date is September 28, 2021.) Ted is a loner to the extreme. He’s got partial custody of his daughter Lauren and enjoys the company of his cat, Olivia. Sounds like a typical dysfunctional family book, until the cat starts to talk. Ted also spends time in the woods with his “gods.” And it certainly gets weirder from there.

Early on, we also learn that police once suspected Ted of abducting a young girl from a nearby lake. The girl’s sister attempts to solve the case since police detectives closed it years ago. Ward writes short chapters from these various characters’ points of view, although Ted gets the majority of the time.

Ward keeps the atmosphere creepy, whether it’s the woods, the house, the neighborhood, or the few external locales. In its own way, the house is a character as well. Ward imbues it with pictures and knick-knacks that might possibly have lives of their own. Plus, Ted put plywood over all the windows to keep nosy journalists out. Now, all these years later, it’s still there. This means that, like most good horror books, we never know what hides in the dark corners.

This is a tough book to review without spoilers. But I will say one thing—all of the characters are clearly damaged in their own ways. Still, the author plays most underlying explanations close to the vest, so be prepared for some upfront confusion.

My conclusions
It took me half the book to fully connect with the characters. I think this is mostly due to Ward’s tendency to leave readers in the dark. However, more details appear in the second half. And then, when I thought I understood everything, Ward threw a couple of strong curveballs.

On the whole, Needless Street demands trigger warnings. It’s indubitably dark. The crux of the story is disturbing and quite sad. Like a good Stephen King book, the monsters here aren’t supernatural creatures. They’re humans with terrible tendencies. Ward draws readers along while concealing which humans are the worst.

My favorite character is definitely Olivia the cat. Including her gives the book a unique layer, and honestly, saved it for me. Olivia adds some humor, her feline way with language, and oh yes, that crush on the beautiful neighborhood female tabby. The other characters aren’t as warm and fuzzy, but ultimately Ward explains why.

In the meantime, this is a strong entry in the genre from a relatively new author. I recommend it for horror lovers who don’t mind a slow burn.

Acknowledgments
Many thanks to NetGalley, Macmillan-Tor/Forge, Tor Nightfire, and the author for a digital advanced reader’s copy in exchange for this honest review.

Short Review: Wow. Wow, Wow, Wow. Holy creeptastic mind trip!

Long Review: You know that feeling that you get on the on the back of your neck when you feel someone is watching you? When the hairs prickle on your arms and won't go down? That's this book.

Wow. Yeah, I know I already said that, but I just can't explain how freakin' awesome this book is without giving spoilers away. I'll just say nothing is what it seems. You just need to read it for yourself.

Oh but leave the lights on when you do. Pro tip.

A fantastic story that creeps into darker and more psychological paths as it goes. Told from several strong characters points of view, and I couldn't tell you who I enjoyed more. Reminiscent of Stephen King, Joe Hill, and the best horror built on great characters and delicious twists.

Ok. Wow! I did think I had it figured out, but there were still some surprises. And even more questions.
This book is tense. Really tense.The constant feeling of dread was palpable. I recommend reading it, as so many others have said, with as little knowledge of it as possible. Just prepare for a wild ride.
Well written, and I can't wait for what's next by thsi author.
Thank you to #netgalley for this #arc in exchange for an honest review

A child disappears during a lakeside day trip and the repercussions reverberate through several lives like the ripples radiating on the water's surface long after the stone has sunk to the bottom. Multiple perspectives will leave you guessing until the very last page. Great for fans of cerebral horror.

This is a riveting, standout and utterly unforgettable read that grabs you by the throat and never lets go until the final pages, a tale of terror, trauma, mental health issues, survival and hope. I have absolutely no doubt that this is going to be a book that will do amazingly well, a wonderful must read.

Oh my! This story is something else! I spent the first half of the book worrying I wasn’t going to be able go any further because of possible triggers and the second half hanging onto every word.

Very much worth sticking it out through the rough spots. Nothing is as it seems and could very nearly drive you mad.

This story is not for the feint of heart but is for the strongest of readers.

This was very interesting but I’m not sure I would classify it as horror but perhaps psychological drama. I had a hard time with it in the beginning and was more than half way through before I felt engaged with the characters and confident in the story line. By the end it had smoothed out and many things became clearer but I wasn’t thrilled with this. Thank you #netgalley and the publisher for this ebook of #thelasthouseonneedlessstreet to read and review

I'm not usually a big horror fan, and I struggled with this book at first. It started off in a disjointed, hard to follow manner, but as the story went on and the pieces dropped into place, the horror of the book became more and more apparent. There's not a bunch of supernatural (no ghosts, really, or monsters or the like) here - it's just all-to-human activities building into a story that will chill you. The book goes from (in my experience at least) confusing to horrifying to being at least slightly redemptive at the end. For a horror story, it has a reasonably happy ending, I thought! It's a great story and is well laid out, with twisty little bits of misdirection that make it an interesting read for anyone who likes horror and most who enjoy psychological thrillers or books like that.

The Last House on Needless Street
by Catroina Ward
Published Sept. 28 2021

This is the story of a serial killer. A stolen child. Revenge. Death. And an ordinary house at the end of an ordinary street.

All these things are true. And yet they are all lies...

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.
I loved this book! Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read it and share my opinions.
5 star