This book is full of broken people who make really questionable decisions.

I liked the first 80%. The story was rolling along, a little confusing, as we learned about the characters. Until we got to the end. Then there was a giant information dump that changed how we looked at things. Too much information all at once. It's as if the author wanted to end the story but couldn't figure out how, so they just told us a bunch of stuff to finish things.

Ted. I really hated him. At the end, are we supposed to feel sympathy for him? Maybe we are, but at that point it is really hard not to dislike him. Dee. She obviously has her share of mental problems too. But she is mostly sympathetic. I am confused about how I feel towards both of them.

I guess this story has a lot to say about mental illness. And how you never know what is lurking inside someone. It was definitely an interesting read. It left me thinking about the ending for days.

I received a free copy from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Beautifully unsettling.

Rarely do I pick up a book that has me sucked in within the first few lines, but this book did that.
Captivating and unsettling, Last House was like a boat ride on rocky seas- there was never a moment when I felt like the earth was securely below my feet. At any moment, I could teeter and fall, unable to trust each new step forward. Ward did this masterfully, keeping me hooked and stumped as she twisted and turned through the story.
Each character was well written and executed.
Ted’s story, in particular, was told with such an elegant literary style that I found myself rereading lines and passages for the sheer art and beauty.
The ending was both heart-rending and haunting, and I look forward to rereading this book for all the qualities above.
I’ve read some reviews that say this is not true horror, but horror is so multifaceted and immense. There are sub-categories of horror that most overlook. On that note, I’ll leave you with this one thought-
Not all horror is blood and gore, demons and monsters. Sometimes, the most frightening monsters of all are human.

I thought this was a very well done book. It kept me guessing until the end. I enjoyed the thoughtful subversion of traditional horror tropes. The author took a very thoughtful approach to her characters.

The Last House on Needless Street is about a serial killer, a missing child, and the sister looking for the girl who went missing a decade ago. I don't really want to say any more than that when it comes to the plot. I went into this book knowing very little about the story and I think my experience was better for it.

The brief synopsis given might read like a thriller, but this book didn't feel like a thriller at ALL to me. I definitely felt horror vibes the whole way through. It was unsettling and creepy and made me feel sick to my stomach at certain points. This book was so well written. I can't remember the last time I read something that kept me completely unaware of my surroundings. I felt like I was inside that house with Ted. I spent a portion of the book with my hand over my mouth and my eyebrows furrowed. It was just.... a really intense experience.

I wouldn't go into this looking for a fun, twisty thriller. But if you are interested in horror, I would highly recommend.

Wow! I am an avid reader of thriller/suspense and this one knocked it out of the park. What a dark, twisted tale with one of the best twists I have ever read! Excellent book that I will (and already have) recommend to anyone who likes mystery and suspense. Fantastic read!

This is one of those books that right from the beginning you think you have it all figured out. And then you start to doubt yourself and think that maybe something else is going on (it is) and all of a sudden realize you have no idea the who, what, or where of anything.

There are three main narrators in The Last House on Needless Street... Ted, Dee, and Ted's cat Olivia. (yes, you read that right). Later on, there will be another POV introduced, but those are the main three. When they were all introduced I thought that maybe this book wasn't for me, Ted is childlike and I felt weird reading the POV of a cat, but I am so glad I stuck with it. The ending has this twist that I did not see coming, but capped off this unique, layered horror novel perfectly.

Great read. Recommend.

This book was told from a few different perspectives. Some were harder follow than others. The story of a missing girl and the strange neighbor is a solid storyline. This story is so much more than that.

It is a look at guilt, love, and mental health. Villains can be both monster and victim. Victims are not always guilt free. This hovel is unique and will keep you guessing.

I wasn't able to finish this one. It didn't grab me. I loved the concept, but being inside the mind of an adult man stuck at the age he was abused by gave me the heebie jeebies in an unpleasant way. Maybe i'll try it again close to halloween!

Shoutout to Netgalley and Macmillan for providing a free ARC in exchange for an honest review! This book will be hitting the shelves this September.

In short: We’ve got a handful of unreliable narrators who are more than what they seem: Ted, a reclusive, grossly unhygienic oddball who may or may not be a psychopathic kidnapper; a cat named Olivia who's on a mission from God to rescue Ted; a little girl (age unknown) with anger issues who may or may not be the little lost girl from the lake: and then there's Dee, the new next-door neighbor who's on a quest to avenge her missing sister.

What I liked: First of all, this cover is nothing short of masterful! I'm a sucker for haunted houses and cats, so count me in! Aside from that, this book is definitely a departure from anything else I've read in the horror genre. I was in a constant state of disorientation and had no idea where the story was going until I reached the final chapters and got pummeled with a flurry of bombshells. I can't say anything more without giving away spoilers, but I will say that you will be deceived…multiple times. So yeah, if you love those M. Night Shyamalan plot twists, this book's for you.

What I didn't like: I, for one, do NOT like being deceived. I'm sorry, y'all, but I didn't much care for the big "this isn't so scary" surprise ending of "The Sixth Sense." Don’t even get me started on "The Village." So yeah, I'm not all too jazzed about how this book shaped out when the hundreds of questions finally got answered. When I pick up a horror paperback, I expect the author to deliver on the promise that it will indeed be a scary story. To be fair, there were some scary elements weaved into this psychological thriller--Ted's childhood flashbacks, in particular. His mother was downright terrifying. And then there's the creepy vibe happening in the woods, where "The Gods" are always watching. To be fair, there's a lot of spooky buildup, so readers are likely to get creeped out...well until they get slapped in the face with the big reveal.

Character development: All of the characters, cat included, were indeed complex with fascinating backstories, but here's the problem: they are all unreliable and strange. I want to feel a connection with at least one character, but that's impossible when there's clearly something very off and you don't get the full story.

Overall: I think this is one of those books readers either love or hate. Judging by all the glowing reviews, this book is a big hit, so maybe give it a go and see what you think. This unreliable narrator stuff just isn't for me, but it seems to be a growing trend and a clever way for authors to pull the rug out from under you with a big ol' "FOOLED YA!" at the very end. Nope, not my cup of tea.

All - the hype is real on this one. I had a hard time reviewing this book because frankly, it’s unlike anything I’ve ever read. It’s creepy and thrilling, heartbreaking and sinister. I love books where I can’t figure out the ending until THE END so I was addicted to this one until the last word. Honestly, it’s dark fiction at its best. It keeps you guessing and forces your brain to reanalyze everything you thought you knew with every uncovered secret. I was confused at some parts just because so much was happening at once but...overall brilliant book.

When I started The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward, I thought I knew exactly what I was in for but as it turns out, I. Knew. Nothing.

There’s a lot to be said about the characters in this book – a hair-pulling misbehaved child, a bible reading cat, an awkward loner and a woman looking for her sister gone missing long ago. We hear from all of them and each voice is rich and descriptive giving their perspective of the events going on around them both past and present. But how do they all tie together? This, my friends, is the absolute beauty – and horror – of the story.

The storyline, ah, the storyline … just when I thought I’d read it all, the author stunned me with this brilliant piece of work. Dark and atmospheric, this twisty tale is an eerie psychological thriller that surprised the tar out of me and crushed my soul. Although the events are horrific, I’m not really sure I’d describe this as horror but more a really deep dive into the realm of psychological suspense that hits every nerve on the way down.

This is a short review but I don’t want to reveal any spoilers! My advice is to go into this book with only the synopsis and experience it from there.

Narration: Christopher Ragland narrates and does a stellar job moving between the characters seamlessly! He presented each character’s individuality and distinctive nuances beautifully! A joy to listen to.

Thank you to @TorNightfire and @Macmillan.Audio for the DRC and ALC

CW: Child abuse, Gore

I am OBSESSED with this book. People are going to love this. I know I will be seeing this all over bookstagram soon enough. This was amazing. I will definitely read whatever the author comes out with next!

When she was 6 years old, Lulu disappeared from the crowded lake one hot summer day never to be seen again...her sister Dee has her life upended that day and spends her life looking for answers. To Ted, she is the girl with the popsicle; the police once searched his house in connection with the case.
Years later, on the anniversary of Lulu's disappearance, Ted awakes to find that someone has set a cruel trap for the birds that feed in his backyard at dawn.
The way this story unfolded really kept you on the edge of your seat. We learn about Ted from his own narration, narration from his cat, the perspective of Dee, and through the eyes of his daughter Lauren. The reader is constantly left wondering what his going on, what is as it seems and what isn't, what happened to Lulu, what's the deal with Mommy, etc. A really great psychological thriller that will leave the reader wanting more.

While I did really enjoy parts of this story, overall I just don't think it was for me. I would say this book does a good job of keeping up the feelings of uncertainty, and suspicion, but I was thinking this was going to be a straight up horror, and it was more of a dark psychological thriller. The story its self is really compelling, and I wanted to finish it to see if we ever find out what happened to the popsicle girl. its also sad and deals with some complicated issues that can arrise from child abuse..

I definitely didn't see most of the twists and turns coming, and the reveals were quite surprising.. Although we are given plenty of clues that I just didn't pick up on.

This book follows multiple viewpoints and one of them in particular is of a cat named Olivia, which was super interesting seeing things from her side..

I think alot of people would really like this story, and I look forward to reading other books by this author

I am not entirely sure what kind of novel this is, and I hardly know how to describe “The Last House on Needless Street” without spoilers. There’s a man, Ted, and his daughter, Lauren, and his cat, Olivia. And visions and flashbacks of the Ted’s dead mother and father.

The use of unreliable narration is one of the first things I noticed, and it’s brilliantly done. Ted makes it clear that he is dealing with mental challenges, and warns the reader early that he gets the past and present messed up.

It’s left to the reader to try to piece together the weird accounts of the three characters/narrators to determine who is dead and alive; who is real and imaginary. There are ghostly green boys in the attic and many children disappeared nearby, including a little girl named Lulu who drowned. Her sister, Dee, turns up to investigate Ted’s possible connection with Lulu’s death.

Red herrings abound, and at the end there are two huge twists which make this an entirely different kind of book than you think it is. I love it when an author makes you say at the end, “ohhhh that’s right. She didn’t exactly say that. She just made me infer it, and my inference was way off and so I missed the vital clue.”

Overall the book is extremely well done, the horror angle is original, and the creep factor is off the charts. The denouement was overly long and it was too foggy with all of the various narrators for the reader to get a clear view of every plotline that was being all sewn up at the end.

What was needed: more artful use of Detective Karen, who is shoved offstage when she really needs to walk onstage and, in a completely clear, reliable narrative voice, lay out precisely what has taken place. This would have better accomplished what the author was trying to do and eased the confusion for the reader. It was a smash in England, to be adapted by Andy Serkis and I expect an adaptation in which Detective Karen plays a much larger role.

A very creepy and also sad story! I did not expect it to be such a psychological tale. Some parts broke my heart and others gave me nightmares. Overall, very good!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

A surprisingly sad and devastating horror novel. It had been a while since I picked up a horror novel, and this one was a great return to the genre. We primarily follow three characters, and Ward leaves the reader in ambiguity, leaving the reveals for the very end. I don't even want to touch on plot, this is definitely a book best read blind. However, I think this presents a nuanced character study and examination of grief and trauma against a backdrop of a suspenseful mystery/whodunnit.

All I can say is “wow”! This book is an amazing read. I kept me guessing till the last chapter. Ted’s character continually evolves. If you are a fan of Stephen King, horror, and thrillers you will love this book.

Wow wow wow. I don't even know how to review this without spoiling anything.

In the first half I was so confused about the book. Yes, it was giving me the creeps. It was detailed, gruesome, and I really thought had everything pin pointed - the evil guy, the victim, the plot, etc etc. I had nothing right. Nothing.

It really went deep into the characters, into their psyches, into the details of their feelings, their fears, their lives. It was interesting and fascinating. And as you read this, you're trying to solve the mystery of what happened to the missing girl. Who is she, is she really there still or are you missing something in this story.

I read the afterword, and without giving anything away it made me appreciate the story even more. And I'm a huge fan of this topic. So reading this book without knowing it was about *this topic* I was pleasantly surprised, especially on where and how the author delivered the ending.

I'm telling you - if you like creepy, this one is a must. Because the scary isn't what you think it is. I'm mind blown.

**Fair warning - this book involves a couple of scenes with snakes. They gave me chills.**

TW: Kidnapping, abuse, animal abuse, murder.

This was such an absolutely unexpected, pitch-perfectly surprising, harrowing, beautiful, scary and FUN read. JFC JFC JFC WOW.