I had a really hard time getting into this one.

It's not very creepy in my opinion, and it was really hard to follow. I polled hundreds of people on Instagram if I should keep going and a large percentage were DNFs, but I still decided to stick it through because I was told the ending would be worth it.

I had actually figured out really early on what was happening, and was hoping I was wrong. When the "twist" was revealed it was pretty disappointing because it's a trope I'm not a fan of - as I think it's just been done too much -and I think its casts harmful assumptions, stereotypes and misrepresentations.

I will admit it, this book definitely got me. I had very little idea what exactly was going on as I read through the book, though I was creeped out and uneasy through much of it to the author's credit, and when everything started clicking together I had to take a moment and reflect on pretty much the entire book to get a handle on how I felt about it. A must for patient thriller fans!

I also just want to say that for me, the major stumbling block was the cat. Hearing the cat's point of view stopped me cold for a bit, it was just very jarring and while that is intentional I was thrown for such a loop that it was initially very difficult to get back into the story. After I got over that, I was pretty much along for the ride.

Reading the Afterword is highly recommended, because before I read it I was hovering around a 3.5 rating before I fully understood what kind of thinking went into writing the book and its characters, and after reading through that section my more lasting doubts I had about the whole thing were more or less definitively settled. .

I did not like this book at all. I hate unreliable narrators, and this book had the most unreliable narrator of all. How the author was able to take something so inherently fascinating and make it fairly boring is impressive. Didn't like this at all.

I'll warn you up front: The Last House on Needless Street is not an enjoyable book. And it doesn't try to be. Overall, it's an unsettling read. Anxiety and uneasiness spread across every page as Ward spins her claustrophobic tale through the haunted eyes and emotionally damaged minds of a succession of unreliable narrators. The tension mounts throughout because the reader never experiences the sensation of standing on solid narrative ground, the fiction equivalent of spotting something creepy out of the corner of your eye. And no matter how fast you look, whatever you thought you saw remains a disturbing mystery yet somehow manages to crawl under your skin. While The Last House on Needless Street reads like a haunted house novel, it's really a story of haunted lives.

BLOG REVIEW: http://www.passarella.com/blog/686/the-last-house-on-needless-street-catriona-ward-review/

TWITTER MENTION w/ REVIEW LINK: https://twitter.com/JohnPassarella/status/1416805086500696071

This Kindle book was sent to me by Netgalley for review. I was able to discern who the characters were early on…it is a difficult read, and I did not like reading the voice of the “cat”. Too outlandish for me. This book will be interesting to those who want to read about multiple personalities.

This book is creepy, breathtaking, chilling and heart breaking. Just when I was convinced I had everything figured out, I found out I didn't, not at all. This book will stay with you long after you've finished.

The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward is a superb book with an engrossing plot and well drawn characters. Well worth the read!

Unusual story but not bad. I didn't think I could even get into it. I pushed myself and it turned out not bad. Some characters I wasn't crazy about. I did expect more from all the 'stellar' reviews though.

An interesting and suspenseful read that would be ruined by any further explanation on the plot.

I found it to be more mystery than thriller or horror, but it was still entertaining.

Olivia was my absolute favorite part and my reason to continue.

Thank you Tor Nightfire and Netgalley for a review copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

At around 50% through this book I almost DNF'D it. I was so freaking close to just closing the book, and walking away. In the end I decided to give it another chapter or two and I ended up finishing the rest of it in one sitting.

As you can guess from my earlier contemplation of continuing to read or not, there was clearly something that just wasn't working for me. At first I was into the story, then I became very bored. I was especially bored during the chapters from the cat's point of view. I really dislike animal narrators and I couldn't see this book going anywhere interesting. As far as I was concerned the book was boring, predictable and I had a lot of other things I could read rather than waste my time.

But then something happened.. and I won't say what but it convinced me to keep going. And then one thing lead to another and next thing I knew I had consumed the entire book and was wrong about everything.

This was a really good book. I really enjoyed it. I loved being wrong the most because this was way better than I thought it was going to be.

I started reading this book, but didn't think I'd have the time to read it physically, so I got the audiobook. Great book. Had no idea where it was going.

Wow. I went into reading this for a good horror novel that was recommended by Stephen King and I came away with so much more.

The Last House on Needless Street is a tightly wound story about a lonely man named Ted, his Bible reading cat, his disabled daughter, and the secrets they all keep. It’s also about a missing girl and her sister who is determined to find her.

Simultaneously terrifying and heartwarming, Catriona Ward intricately weaves a unique, fast paced story that keeps the reader guessing until the very end. A must read for fans of horror and murder mysteries.

4.5 stars

Huge thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this digital advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review.

I will probably simmer on this book and come back with some more coherent thoughts but right off the bat I do have this to say.

1. I flew through this book. Ward wrote in such a way that had me wanting to stay up way too late to finish.

2. The twist was... lackluster for me. Even if it went on the track that I was expecting it would still be completely unexpected and feel fresh. Possibly being shelved in my brain as one of those weird books. Instead it went more towards traditional tropes when it comes to thrillers. I know we can't reinvent the wheel HOWEVER it feels like a cope out to use the 'it's all in their head' trope.

First off, this book was nothing like I expected it to be; so don’t go in thinking this is a traditional horror book – or mystery – it isn’t. I've not read any of this author’s other works, so I was going in a bit blind here. I saw it on NetGalley and it looked interesting, and so I requested it. I think perhaps I might not have been the right audience for this book, or perhaps I just wasn’t reading it at the right time. I definitely didn’t love it the way that other people have. There are some aspects of it that make it stand out – but I do suggest when you finish the book that you read the Author’s Note. I tend to skip those, but I felt that it was important to this book and understanding/resolving the thematic elements of this book.

There are a lot of people who loved this book way more than me, so I feel a bit like the odd one out!

So, first off, I felt that the book presented what happened in an interesting way. There were lots of moments in which you’re shown one POV, only to go back in a later chapter and be shown another. Sometimes all the characters can be a little confusing, but my only advice is to pay close attention. There are lots of little clues spread out through the book that will have you guessing and wondering what is going to happen next.

The characters felt distinct, and Olivia was definitely one of my favorite characters. The writing itself helped distinguish each character from the next.

I'm not sure what to say about this book without talking about spoilers; because once I’ve finished it is hard to go back and think of the rest of the book now knowing the ending.

Overall, I think the book was a good one. I gave it three stars because it was interesting and it was definitely a mystery, but not in the way the summary makes you think. This isn’t like a Stephen King horror or even like a Riley Sager, it reads more as a commentary on the horror genre itself, so bear that in mind when you’re reading this book.

There are some topics this book covers such as child abuse, murder, assault, mental issues, and various other darker topics that some people may find triggering. Just be aware that these are all important aspects of the book, but may make it difficult for some to read.

Ok I had a REALLY hard time getting into this book in the beginning. It seemed very...strange... and not in the way I had expected. I kept wondering why this was likened to Stephen King.. or why he had apparently enjoyed it so much. By the end, I got it. This was a very King-esque book. I was guilty of thinking I had figured out what was happening in this book, and then being wrong. Then I thought I had it again. Wrong again. I really do enjoy it when I find a book that I can't figure out. This was that book. Very well done.

What an unusual book! I kept having the feeling that things were not as they seemed but I would never have anticipated the story's final outcome. Three characters narrate: Ted Bannerman, Olivia the cat, and Lauren, a young girl. While Ted's behavior is extremely alarming, it was Lauren I was most concerned about. Ted calls Lauren his daughter, but she isn't there all of the time and no mention is made of her mother.

The mood is threatening and sinister throughout. I was naturally rooting for a better living situation for Lauren but had no idea how this might happen.

The Last House on Needless Street is compelling. Ted's explanations about his former job, living situation, and daughter just don't add up. I had to keep reading to find out why.

I recommend this book. I can't think of another book like it. Even if I could, I wouldn't name it because doing so would wreck the ending for other readers. Ms. Ward has obviously worked hard to structure the book as she did. I'd like others to be as surprised as I was.

I really had to think about this story even though I stayed up until 1:00 A.M. to finish it. So I suppose you could say I lost sleep over it. I’m only partially joking as the story is crafted so expertly that I completely miscalculated where it was headed. I really thought I knew where it was going; but where it could’ve gone after the set-up was nothing—and I do mean nothing—like how it eventually unfolded.

I can’t say too much without tipping author Catriona Ward’s hand, and it would be criminal to do so. There’s a house at the end of a street 🗹, there’s a horrible disappearance that sets the story in motion 🗹, there’s a weary detective who cannot bring closure to the family of the disappeared 🗹 , and there’s a lake and some woods 🗹. None of that tells you anything at all.

I won’t compare Ward to other writers, or this book to anyone else’s. I find that an annoying but necessary marketing evil, and in my opinion it’s not as flattering as it may seem for either party. I will say she is at the top of her game and whomever your favorite writer is, she will no doubt sit alongside them on your bookshelf—after you’ve lost sleep over it.

gorgeous, intricate, confusing. the writing is poetic and every sentence is powerful.

i’m still reeling at what i’ve just read and digesting it. this isn’t a book for the faint. there’s death, blood, and abuse of the worst kind. but it’s impactful and beautifully told.

thank you very much to the publisher and netgalley for my ARC.

I could give this book 5 stars for the atmosphere alone. But it also deserves 5 stars for the writing and characters. This unsettling story drew me in from the first chapter and had me hooked.

There are two main twists- I kind of saw the first one coming, but the second one had me audibly yelling at this book because I was so shook. And the way it was revealed was perfect.

If you’re in the mood for a twisty, creepy, gothic story with some chapters told through the POV of a Jesus-loving cat, pick this one up when it comes out!

Utterly unputdownable.
So rich in description, elaborate characters, layers, more layers!
It’s a shocking read, quite dark, and as the story (stories) thicken (and oh boy, do they thicken!), you can’t stop. You need to know more.
The author weaves such intricate detail, you feel like you are there, inside Ted’s house… with the boards, the Little Girl with Popsicle, the cat, even with Mommy, and the … oh, I can’t tell you that.
It drips with the humid weight of the surrounding forest and if your need to figure this out.

Gothic thriller, bordering on horror, glimmering with hope. Seriously, I never thought I’d say those words in the same review.
And while you’re there, after you’ve put it down, in all of your astonishment, stop back, later. Pick it up and read the Afterword by the author.
This is a new author for me and I’m glad to have had this introduction so I may read her previous works, and look forward to her next!
Thank you to the author, Macmillan/Tor Nightfire, and NetGalley for an advanced reading copy. My opinions and review are my own.