If you are looking for a creepy read that centers around a mysterious and possibly deadly haunted house, this is for you! This is an atmospheric debut that was entertaining and very intriguing. Why is the house an obsession? What secrets are waiting to be revealed about the strange Octagon House? The past comes back with a vengence proving that you can run, but you can't hide! Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for my copy.

So I really don't even know how to rate this one. I needed to know what happened but it's like the thriller that never ends!!!! Lol I feel this book could have been like 100+ pages shorter. Also I feel like a lot was left unanswered. Who doesn't tell the police they just stumbled upon a graveyard of bodies? Who could live with knowing that and never saying anything?

This was an enjoyable read. I don’t know how I truly felt about Clare, but I really enjoyed the mystery and spook factor of the story. I felt like I did have some trouble fully understanding what happened in the past and did not like the switching of perspectives for this piece. However, Beneath the Stairs had an overall great atmosphere and kept my turning the pages.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishing house for an advanced copy.

Enjoyment: 3.5
Total rating: 3.71

I enjoyed Fawcett's writing, even though I feel that the plot itself was a little scrambled. Considering Beneath the Stairs is her debut novel, I am optimistic she will only get better at planning the story and tying up loose ends.

Beneath the Stairs slowly builds up to its third act tension and pace. The house itself evokes a mysterious, eerie and claustrophobic atmosphere. Some of the timelines are more interesting than others, but they all collectively serve the same purpose.

I am interested in reading her next book.


Disclaimer: In exchange for an honest review, I am thankful to the publisher and NetGalley for providing a copy of Beneath the Stairs.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for gifting me a digital ARC of the debut novel by Jennifer Fawcett - 4.5 stars rounded up!

When Clare and Abby were teenagers, they went into an abandoned and rumored haunted house buried deep in the woods known as the Octagon House. Neither came out the same. The house was the scene of a multiple murder years ago, where a man was convicted of killing his entire family. Clare finally left her upstate NY hometown but came back twenty years later after receiving word that Abby had gone back into the house and was now in a coma. But Clare can't deny she feels the same pull to go back into the house.

What a gripping debut! There are multiple points of view as well as different timelines but the author seamlessly made all the transitions. This was part horror, part mystery, part thriller all wrapped up in a book that I couldn't put down. I really liked all the characters (well, most of them!) and could feel their emotions, plus the creepy woods vibe added to the story! Extra points for a setting and author from Upstate NY where I live! Can't wait to read more from this author.

DNF. Unfortunately, this was a book I started multiple times but could just not get into. I appreciate having the opportunity to read this book, it was just not a good fit for me as a reader. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my gifted review copy.

LOVED this book. I was hooked from the beginning and couldnt put this one down. Highly recommend this to anyone.

A chilling read, that really makes sure to use atmospheric type chills! Written phenomenally, fast paced and in a manner that really kept my attention! Lots of fun twisty turns, chills, thrills, and shocks! Would definitely highly recommend this to my fellow thrill seekers!

Beneath the Stairs

Genre: Thriller/Mystery
Pub Date: 2.22.2022
Star Rating: ☆☆☆

Review:

I started this book before bed one night, and as soon as the Octagon House made its appearance, I had to shut the book and pick it up in the daylight. The beginning was challenging as it was a lot slower than I anticipated, but that was mainly due to the author setting the backstory for the house and its previous occupants. While it took me a bit to get into the story, I anxiously awaited the chapters centered around the Octagon House as they were terrifying.

There were aspects to the story that I didn’t love: The ‘mean girl’ vibe from the chapters from 1998 was over the top and made me roll my eyes, but they were a relatively accurate representation of just how terrible girls can be. Then there was the storyline involving the main character Clare and her husband Josh — in my opinion, it’s a backstory that I see too often in thrillers.

🕰 Multiple timelines (1936, 1965, 1998, present)
🏚 Terrifying house with all kinds of secrets
🐌 Slow to start
🙃 Predictable, but interesting ending

❌- Domestic violence, cancer, graphic miscarriage (probably one of the worst I’ve read)

Overall, it was an exciting story that kept my attention and gave me lots of goosebumps – especially when it came to the creepy Octagon House.

If you discovered a sealed door in an abandoned house, would you try to open it? Absolutely not; Beneath the Stairs is precisely why I wouldn’t. In fact, I think I’d leave the whole house alone and never come back.

The characters are difficult to get attached to. The twist of this story just was not climactic and not really surprising . Got bored in the middle of the book.

I was very impressed by this book and I see why it is being raved about so much! This book actually scared me at times and that is hard to do! I really enjoyed it.

I wanted to be spooked and I got it! This is one of the best thrillers I have read lately. I will most definitely look back for Fawcett’s work!!

I enjoyed this book, but had a really hard time keeping my attention focused on it. My interest just wasn't strong enough.
The story could have been so much more if the author had dug into the "strays" who went missing, but I liked the characters, for the most part. My favorite aspect was the reestablishment of the friendship between Clare and Lori. It seems to me that this alone led to more character growth for Clare than anything else that happened in the story.
The book itself is eerie, but not really creepy or scary in any way. I would consider reading more by this author.

I really enjoyed this impressive debut novel. I love the elements that Fawcett weaves together to make a realistic - and spine-tinglingly spooky read! Clare is a young woman with baggage - but the book opens with her return to her childhood home in the wake of her childhood best friend being in the hospital. The book revolves around the Octagon House - a strange structure built in the woods - a cursed property. When young teens, Clare and Abby go to the house - along with two other friends, Lori and Monica - on a dare to explore the abandoned house. But something happens in the basement... leaving a lingering presence on both Clare and Abby's life.

With an eerie atmosphere and plenty of creepy imagery, the book also develops the characters well. It examines their grief, coping mechanisms and relationships. There are multiple narrators here - plus the book gives the dark history of the Octagon House. The sections from Clare's adolescence shine strongly here, too. Fawcett really captures these scenes really well. I think that readers who are fans of Jennifer McMahon's books will be equally captivated by this one - I know I certainly was! It's an impressive debut and I am excited to see what Fawcett will write next! Such a great read!

**3.5-stars rounded up**

Clare left her small hometown of Sumner's Mills, in upstate New York, behind many years ago. And it wasn't that she just left, she ran. After a chilling incident occurred one summer when she was just 14-years old, the town lost its sense of comfort for her. She couldn't wait to get out of there.

It seems a silly thing, tweens exploring a haunted house, but after that day, Clare and her best friend, Abby, were never the same. In fact, the incident was so traumatic, Abby's entire personality seemed to changed. Her parents moved the entire family from town to try to escape it. It was really a formative experience in Clare's life.

The girls eventually lost contact after Abby's move. That's why Clare is particularly surprised when Abby's mom reaches out to her twenty years later and asks her to return to Sumner's Mills. Abby, whose mental health has continued to be a challenge for her, is in the hospital, in a coma after an apparent overdose. She had returned to the haunted house.

Having just ended her long-term relationship, Clare is looking for an escape anyway. She decides she will head back to Sumner's Mills, lick her wounds for a bit and try to discover what could have possibly possessed Abby to go back to that house.

Once back in her childhood home, Clare is reacquainted with old friends and begins a deep dive into the history of the haunted house, known in town as the Octagon House for its peculiar shape.

Beneath the Stairs uses both past and present perspectives to weave together this truly haunting tale. I always enjoy that narrative format, so was excited to see it here. This book is definitely a slow burn, and while there's a lot going on, I feel like Fawcett did a great job weaving it all together in a way that felt fluid.

I enjoyed getting to know Clare as a character. She was strong-willed and pretty fearless. It is clear she had built walls up around herself after her childhood trauma. I felt for her. She was alone, both mentally and physically, through a lot of her struggles.

Over the course of the story, Clare comes into contact with a man who was sort of a first love for her. I was completely invested in the exploration of that relationship. I thought it was extremely realistic and very well done.

My only slight critiques for this story would be that it is quite slow, eventually toeing drawn-out territory. Also, towards the end, a few situations didn't quite make sense to me. I was left with questions. Overall though, this is a fun read. I am still thinking about it weeks later, so that's always a good sign.

I loved the, is it supernatural, is it not supernatural feel; generally an element I will look for when picking up haunting Thrillers. Fawcett definitely delivered those vibes; something I hope she continues to bring with future works.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Atria Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I enjoyed this a lot and look forward to picking up more from Jennifer Fawcett!

I really enjoyed it on audio! It was very easy to follow and kept me glued to it. I couldn’t stop listening to it. The narrator did a great job of making me feel the story.

I liked the story involving the haunted house and spookiness, as well as the mystery in and the dual time line.

This one released yesterday so if you like spooky mysteries pick it up!

Beneath the Stairs is creepy, in all the best ways. I was in the mood for a good ghost story, and I found it! Every detail is perfect, from the scary haunted house to to the frail old woman that owns it. Of course it's in the middle of nowhere, making it the perfect setting, and only certain people are affected by the strange happenings in the basement. It is so well written, and most of the answers are revealed, but without it being too "Scooby-Doo". In short, I loved it!

3.5

This was one of my most anticipated releases of 2022 and I’m sad to say I didn’t love it as much as I hoped.
It’s a very typical haunted house storyline and pretty predictable. It’s a plot I’ve seen many times that doesn’t really add anything new or unique to the mix.
The first half was a little too slow for my liking and I couldn’t seem to get sucked in by any of the characters or the plot.
The second half is much better, but still predictable.
I wish I had liked this more than I did, but it’s just not what I expected.
I will say the ending is very nice and satisfying.

Octagon House has a dark past. The original family that lived there met a horrible violent end. Now it sits empty. Venturing into this house ends up being a traumatic experience for Clare and Abby. Twenty years later, Abby is in a coma after going back into the house. Abby comes back to be with her friend and find out why she she would go back to Octagon House.

I really enjoyed the mix of thriller and horror elements. This was an engaging story with interesting characters that had just enough of the spooky atmosphere that I love. I really enjoyed learning more about the main characters lives as teens and adults as well as the history of the haunted house. This is a great story of overcoming fear and trauma. The house scenes felt very claustrophobic in the best creepy way. If you are looking for a thriller with some horror elements I would recommend giving Beneath the Stairs a read.

TW: This story deals with very serious topics such as miscarriage, attempted suicide, and mental illness.

The idea of this plot was great but I had such a difficult time getting into it. The main story lined seemed to be bogged down. The book could have been a bit shorter as the story seemed to drag on.

I received a free copy of this ebook from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All expressed opinions are my own and do not reflect any stance or position held by the author or publisher. This did not affect my rating or review in any way.