So when the King of Suspense, Stephen King, highly recommends (and raves) about a novel, you buy it, correct? Yes! Yes! Yes!

The Last House On Needless Street has all key components of a blockbuster novel. This book is made for the big screen!

This is the first time I have read a book by Catriona Ward but I can promise you, it will not be my last.

I had been looking for a haunting novel to kick off the month of September, when I stumbled upon The Last House on Needless Street. I had seen many people raving and excitedly sharing their anticipation for this novel and right then, I knew I had to get my hands on a copy!

A missing girl? A mentally ill man? and wait for it...... A cat that reads the bible!!!!

If you are anything like me, this might have made you think of either Sabrina the Teenage Witch, but I promise you this is not a YA type of book.

I absolutely loved and adored every bit of this book and I know this is one I will continue to reread every year around the Fall/Spooky season .

Gothic horror is having a moment in the sun right now, much to my delight. There have been some gorgeous modern takes on the genre from many excellent writers, but this one just took my breath away. It’s dazzling and dark and achingly beautiful- everything my goth heart longs for.
Ted Bannerman is a strange recluse living in a dilapidated house that is haunted by alcoholism and fractured memories. Though those may not be the only things Ted has been keeping secret. Dee is a woman on a mission to find out who kidnapped her little sister more than a decade ago- eventually deciding that Ted Bannerman is the one who took her, and in the process ripped Dee’s life into nothing but loss and obsession. These two sad, broken lives erupt when Dee moves next door, hoping to find proof.
This story is a twisting nest of ghosts and gut-wrenching revelations. The writing is sparse and poetic, with an ethereal quality that fits the gothic nature of the book perfectly. I am already tracking down Ward’s other novels with glee.

When I read the blurb about the book, I thought I was getting into a spooky horror story which is completely up my alley (think haunted house). While it was both of those things, I did not realize it dealt with kidnapped children and serial killers which is not my thing. So just a disclaimer for others like me but no spoilers of course. I guessed a small bit of the twist but certainly not even close to all of it! It was pretty slow for me for at least half the book though knowing the twist I look at it differently. The ending was definitely refreshing and completely different! I don’t know that it was one of the best of this genre that I’ve read but it was definitely different and that is hard to do!

Wow! What did I just read!? I'm still reeling over this book. First off, huge round of applause to Catriona Ward! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 This book will take you for a spin. What you think you know, you don't really know. What you should know, you will be far from it. This is the best psychological thriller I have read this year! Hands down, the best! The characters, the plot, the plot twists, the heart ache, and the whole shebang is just outstanding! Y'all have GOT to read this book! Whew! I feel like I've been on one big mind f**k, and I LOVE IT!

I can now totally understand why others found it hard to review this book without giving anything away. So I’m going to keep it brief because 1. I don’t want to spoil anything and 2. It’s kind of hard to really summarize this one.

When I first started reading this book I felt like I was in a fog, a constant state of confusion. I had no idea where this was going and i’ll be honest, I wasn’t totally feeling it. But this was also one of my most anticipated reads and I needed to know. This book starts off weird, like talking cat weird. But I am also a fan of weird and this book definitely intrigued me and I liked the writing. The Last House on Needless Street is the type of book that will force you to think outside the box and question everything that you’re reading. I also needed frequent brain breaks. After about the half way mark I made it out of the fog and started to finally see more clearly. And I think that’s when the magic happened. This is a pretty solid read that just pulls the rug right from under you. A cleverly crafted story that will sort of break your heart a little. I know some have struggled with this one and I can understand why, but I’m really happy I read it. Again I think it’s worth it to go in blind with no expectations and just let the story carry you away.

This book is a MUST READ for this spooky season. So well executed. I could not put this book down, and I double checked my locks about 5 times more than normal. Readers who like to get a bit spooked should not miss this!

The Last House on Needless Street, by Catriona Ward, is a definite page-turner! Just when I thought I had things figured out, new information proved me wrong. Reinforces that adult actions can really have seriously negative effects on children. If you are a Stephen King fan, you will enjoy this book.

I am clearly in the minority here but I had to give up at 75%. I kept pushing myself to continue reading and kept saying "It will make sense soon." Well I have to give up because I'm struggling to continue now.

A talking cat who reads the Bible. An odd little girl who gives me the feelings that she is a victim. Ted who is clearly crazy.

Throughout this book, I had trouble following along. The book jumps around a lot and the flow just wasn't right to me. It's confusing.

Everything about this book is crazy and I tried really hard to wait for the big AHA moment but its taking me forever. Maybe a little break away from it and I'll come back to it later.

I needed a moment to sit with this story before writing this review. There is a lot to absorb at the end of this book. The author did a wonderful job of weaving details throughout the story and it is interesting to go back through it all in your head and think about the small things that you missed or you might look at differently in the end.

I will not go into the details of the story in my review at all. It is too easy to give something away and this story is one that is best gone into without any spoilers. You may figure out some of what is going on as you read, but it is likely there will still be some surprises in store for you.

What I will say is that the writing is excellent. The story is excellent. The details are excellent. I did not feel that I was tricked at the end, but felt included by the story, as if I was let in. This happens when you are about 80% of the way through the story, but the last 20% is still interesting enough to keep you wanting to read and know what happens.

I had both the ebook and audio version of this book. The audio, narrated by Christopher Ragland, was very well done. You almost feel like there are multiple narrators and always know exactly which character is narrating the story. The only disadvantage to the audio is that there is an author's note at the end of the ebook that was not included in the audio version. The author's note is very interesting and worth reading.

This is the first book I have read by Catriona Ward. I will definitely be looking into more of this author's work. 4.5★

4.5 stars, rounding down only because 5 stars are reserved for only my favorite books of all time and I’m not totally sure this makes that list even though I LOVED IT. This novel was a big wow for me. I’ll admit that when I first started it I was a bit skeptical and it was slow to start.

“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 totally walked into this novel expecting that I had already figured out the ending. There are enough hints dropped throughout early chapters to allude to part of what’s to come. And you think, yeah this isn’t new, this isn’t groundbreaking. But you’re wrong. I was wrong.

The story is billed as horror but it’s not horror in the classical sense. There is horror in the experiences of the characters. It was hard to read sometimes and there is sensitive content. I mean, it’s about a missing child and the surviving sister of that child looking for vengeance. It’s about a murderer terrorizing families. It’s about an unusual recluse who has a secret and maybe a violent side.

But it’s about more than that – and there’s a reason that most of the people who have read this book won’t or can’t say what that is. That’s the hard part in reviewing a mystery / thriller, especially one like this. There is so much to say about this book, but it will only ruin the journey and ultimate reveal for other readers.

The beginning is a little confusing, but things start to come together pretty quickly, building to an ending that, frankly, I never ever saw coming. The prose is stunning. It’s beautifully written and incredibly descriptive without being over the top and losing steam.

I saw another reviewer use the word brilliant. And that’s the word. Brilliant.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Really interesting book! It was a little slow at first but after a few chapters I was hooked! Really kept me guessing until the end. Would definitely recommend to fans of thrillers.

A thrilling ride that takes you to unexpected places, very clever with a great twist. I am usually ready for a book to end once the crisis is resolved but this one kept me fully engaged through to the end, a fascinating read. I don't want to say too much to avoid any possible spoilers, I encourage you to go into this one knowing very little about the story, but I can say this has total creep vibes with a fascinating resolution. I don't think you will be disappointed! I am definitely keeping me eye on this author for future reads.

This novel is an extremely twisty and intense reading experience. Having read and loved one of her other novels, The Girl From Rawblood, I can say this one is of very similar caliber, if not a bit better in terms of pacing and building tension. There is no "big reveal", but a successive unfolding of narrative layers that I found consistently shocking. It's as graphic as Rawblood, with similar triggers.

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I've been hearing a lot of buzz about this novel lately. It deserves it. I went in knowing almost nothing and I think that is how a reader should go in. This novel was instantly engaging, hard to read a times and constantly kept me guessing about what was happening. The audiobook narrator is FANTASTIC. I can't state that strongly enough. This book was horror but also a mystery but also really emotional at times. If you want some thing new and different, read it.

I can't get into why without spoiling it, but I cannot believe that this is the same book that's been getting so much attention pre-release. So kudos to the author for constructing the book in a way where I'd be a jerk for saying why I absolutely hated it.

It's trite, repetitive, and awful. I haven't been this angry at a book in a long time.

THE LAST HOUSE ON NEEDLESS STREET is a suspenseful horror novel that follows a man, his daughter, and his cat, but it has a fair amount of twists, turns, and reveals that sometimes hit and sometimes don't. In terms of what I did like, I really liked how Ward gave different and unique voices to all of her characters, from the mysterious and strange Ted to angry and haphazard Lauren to the delightfully snarky and aloof but also loving cat Olivia. All of their perspectives felt well thought out and actualized, and I liked how unreliable they all were in their different ways. I also enjoyed the chapters that followed Dee, the new neighbor who believes that Ted was involved in her sister Lulu's disappearance a number of years ago, and how that strange and unsettling mystery ties into the other mysterious elements of the novel. That said, while a few of the twists and reveals legitimately caught me off guard, what I imagine was the very big reveal wasn't as shocking as it was meant to be. And on top of that, it's a reveal that we have seen done before, and it's a trope that hasn't really aged very well as time has gone on. But that is all I will say, as I don't want to spoil anything.

THE LAST HOUSE ON NEEDLESS STREET has interesting elements and well crafted characters, but there were elements that didn't work as well for me. But that being said, I am very eager to read what Catriona Ward has in store for future horror stories, as her writing is really well done.

Usually, I start my reviews off with a brief synopsis but Last House on Needless Street is not your average book. I would suggest going into this book with no expectations. The less you know the better. In fact, you may want to stop reading this review!
This is a book that takes risks and defies genres. I saw it was classified as gothic horror so I went in expecting something different, which at first made me not enjoy the book as much. I can see this as neo-gothic, perhaps taking up the lineage of Joyce Carol Oates or Shirley Jackson, but definitely leaving its own unique mark. I enjoy genre fiction but I really enjoy books that take risks and are completely their own thing too. I think labeling this book as gothic horror limits it.
As I was reading Last House I felt strong emotions, not but not always in a good way. I found that I could not put this book down. I thought I knew where the story was going and it irked me because I assumed the author was using a common horror trope that I dislike. At first, it came across as a true-crime thriller, but then something completely different happened that completely redeemed the story.
I have a few quibbles. Some of the side characters were undeveloped and their story arcs were unsatisfying. However, the main storyline was both edge-of-your-seat gripping as well as redeeming at the end. It reminded me of the movie Split as well as The Lovely Bones. The ending was so refreshing and unexpected! I highly recommend this book.

The Last House on Needless Street was amazing. It has a lot of hype, which was a little daunting going into it with high expectations, but it was worth every bit. Absolutely stunning.

It was so unique and strange and not at all what I thought it would be. Every time I thought I had it figured out, I realized how wrong I was. I loved the subject matter and how the story unfolded. Fair warning, it started a bit.. I don’t want to say slow because it’s not the right word, but kind of strange. It was weird, but still compelling and I’m glad I kept going.

It’s hard to write a review without sharing too much and I feel like I enjoyed it best without having any idea what to expect. I especially enjoyed the afterword where the author gave us some insight into how the story became what it was. It was incredible and I highly recommend.

I was extremely impressed by Ward's novel. I was immediately drawn in by the crime fiction/mystery elements but was still pleasantly surprised when they turned out not to be the ultimate focus of the book. Ward outdoes herself by coming up with a narration device that is more clever than any plot twist. Using multiple unreliable narrators, Ward unspools small pieces of information that show her incredible attention to detail and the care she takes in plotting her story. I was also impressed by how emotionally engaged I was with the story and how many emotions Ward's characters solicited. I'm so excited to read her other books!

the trick to life is, if you don't like what is happening, go back to sleep until it stops. ~ Olivia

The Last House on Needless Street has many layers to the story, like Russian dolls that nestle inside each other.

The story follows Ted Bannerman who lives in a run down house at the end of Needless street. In the first few chapters you start to realize there is something not quite right in Ted's house.

The nearby lake has had kids go missing over the years. Who is The Murderer? Where is the Little Girl with The Popsicle. What goes on in the forest next to Tom's house?

The story is very hard to describe without giving away any spoilers. Good news, this book has been picked up to be made into a movie. The big screen will put it over the edge into a real horror movie. For me this story did not tip the scales to horror genre, more of a creepy psychological thriller mystery. This mystery slowly unfolds with the ending that wraps up all the breadcrumbs scattered throughout the story. I give it 5 stars because I wanted to re-read as soon as I finished the book.

I listened to the audiobook while reading. The narrator did great job with the different POVs. I think my favorite was the narration of Olivia.

Don't miss reading Ward's afterward!