This review will be posted on my IG on 02/09

In this supernatural thriller, Clare returns to her hometown after her childhood best friend was found unresponsive in the Octagon House, an abandoned home with a violent past in which Clare and her friend had a life-altering experience in as teenagers. Clare must unravel the mystery of the Octagon House, and figure out how to make things right and save her friend's, and her own, life.

As far as atmosphere, this was great. The Octagon House was really creepy and you definitely got the unnerving sense that the author was trying to evoke. The imagery of the dilapidated house and its features (notably the basement door) was very tangible and easy to imagine, which can be credited to the author's skill. I wouldn't necessarily say that I was ever scared, but I was creeped out and really invested in finding out what was happening.

While I enjoyed the fleshing out of certain characters, particularly Clare and Abby, as it made me emotionally invested in them, some of the flashback scenes in this book seemed unnecessary and like it was just serving to draw out the plot so that the ending might seem more suspenseful.

Speaking of the ending...I was underwhelmed. The climactic scene of the story didn't feel that high-stakes, and the 'twist' didn't quite work for me. Certain aspects of the story felt unresolved in the end, and this irresolution contradicted the emotional themes of moving on, finding closure, and facing things that you had previously left unspoken.

I still enjoyed reading this, and I genuinely think it is a strong debut novel. I think Jennifer Fawcett is an author to keep an eye on, and I'm excited to see what she'll do in the future. Much appreciation to Atria Books and NetGalley for providing me access to this in exchange for my unbiased review!

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for providing a digital advanced reader copy of this book. The opinions expressed below are my own and were not requested or required.
There is a theme of mental health (borderline personality disorder) and attempted suicide and could be disturbing for some readers
This is told mainly from Clare's POV present day and Clare's POV in 1998.
I was hooked from the beginning.
The Octagon House is a creepy, old, abandoned house, in a clearing in the middle of the woods.
4 girls go into the Octagon House the summer before their freshman year. Two go back.
Years later, one goes back and attempts suicide.
Clare gets a message from Abby's mom stating that Abby is in a medically induced coma, but before she went under, she said Clare's name. Abby was found locked in the basement of the Octagon House, possibly for 3 days before she was found. Clare goes back to Sumner's Mills to figure out what happened to Abby and why she went back.
Ben was convicted of killing his wife, 3-year-old daughter and the attempted murder of his 8-year-old daughter in 1965. Years later he is released from prison and is in a state run nursing home with stage 4 cancer. Ben doesn't remember what happened the night his family died, but he maintains his innocence.
Abby has been trying to figure out why she keeps getting lured back to the house. Now, Lori (one of the 4 girls from 1998) finds her stepdaughter is being pulled to the house.
Clare is determined to find out what Abby knew about that house and why certain people are drawn to it.
I found this to be a very good supernatural novel. Spooky at times. It shows how the supernatural can make you second guess yourself and others. The different timelines are not confusing at all.

Beneath The Stairs by Jennifer Fawcett

I sometimes struggle with supernatural thrillers. This one kept me engaged and spooked here and there, throughout.

My problem was with the timeline change. I normally love that but this one had me feeling excited then bored. I felt the whiplash from it and almost gave up.

In the end, this one was a miss for me. I hope others enjoy it!

Let me start by saying that this is one hell of a debut novel! I will read whatever Jennifer Fawcett writes from this point forward.

Now, does that mean this book was flawless? No. But, what book is ever flawless to every reader?

Ok, mild spoilers and TWs ahead...

Negatives,for me:
I was not prepared for a very real, very emotional miscarriage scene. There are few things that trigger me and while I have never read a book that contained a graphic miscarriage scene before, it truly triggered me. I was upset and frankly, angry. I didn't feel it was necessary for this type of novel, to feature this. I now understand, after finishing the story, how much the miscarriage affected the main character as a person (obviously as it would for many women). However, it was too damn graphic with the blood, clumps and the main character Clare's husband yelling at her, "Don't step on her!" I almost stopped reading at that point. It was too much, especially her husband saying that. I had to take a break and decide if I could, or should continue. I'm glad I chose to continue.
Also on the negative side: Clare did a hell of a lot of growing in this novel. She went through so much, emotionally and physically, especially since the book spanned around 20 years or more of her life. So, when she clung so desperately to Mitchell at the end, fearing at any moment she'd lose him, her paranoia became too much for me. After everything, I expected a bit more self confidence and self-reliance.
Lastly, I would've like to have read more about the tunnel and what really happened to George. I really wanted her to find his bones in that tunnel, like he died being in the house he built after all the terrible things he did, causing his ghost to remain in the basement. And I thought perhaps he should've been the reason for the family's brutal deaths that got blamed on the father Ben (having lured them into the basement). I think that he could've still been alive at that point.

Ok now the positives:
Everything else! Seriously! The relationships between the family members, the teens, then them as adults, the conversations, the growth of the characters, the understanding how women can feel that miscarriages are punishments or that they did something wrong (when it happens naturally much more often then we're told), the way the story behind the Octagon house unfolded throughout the book(without feeling like it was being drug out ). I cared about these characters. I wanted to know their stories. I wanted to know the house's secrets. I enjoyed the suspense and the genuine fear and spookiness. It was just (altogether) a fantastic novel. I would read it again (in fact, I really would like a physical copy of this book), I would recommend it to others (with the TW miscarriage), and I look forward to reading more books by this author.

5 ⭐

Loved the beginning and middle. The ending, not so much.

I like haunted house tales and I enjoyed this one a lot - up until the ending few pages. I don't know why the author chose to end this story the way she did but I was disappointed.

The story started off well, was told over multiple timelines with multiple characters, and had some spooky spots that I enjoyed. But the ending...blech.

Most of the book...5 stars. Ending of the book...1 star. I still rated the book 4 stars because I truly enjoyed most of it. Maybe the author will reconsider the ending because I'm not the only one who disliked it.

I received this book from Atria Books through Edelweiss and Net Galley in the hopes that I would read it and leave an unbiased review.

A haunted house! A creepy basement! A generational curse?

This was a chilling read and I was thoroughly creeped out!! It really felt like I was there and I really did not want to be!!

The Octagon House that sits outside the small town is HAUNTED and has interrupted generations of those who have stepped into it - always leaving questions and no answers.
Clare and Abby have gone in before as curious kids but a part of Abby never made it out. Twenty years later, Clare comes back to visit when she hears that Abby tried to go back into the house and ended up in a coma.

This spine-tingling slow burn with multiple POVs and jumping timelines cover grief, fears, and friendships. As Clare tries to piece together what might have happened, the gaps leave just enough space to insert our own fears, making it that much more haunting... are our real fears sometimes based on things that aren’t real at all?

I feel the entire story, not just the climax, was the true spooky dazzle of this book. I’m excited (& maybe slightly scared) for more from Jennifer Fawcett!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for my advanced copy of this title in exchange for an honest review!

I love a good ghost story and was super excited to receive this one. The synopsis did seem a bit similar to Home After Dark by Riley Sager but once I started reading, it was a lot different. This story had a lot of potential but it was just full of a lot of filler. Some characters got a lot of time but their stories could have been told in other ways. There were so many time jumps it did get a bit confusing and a lot of the time it just ended up being the same story over and over again.
There were no big twists which kept it difficult to keep going. Once it ended, I was left with so many questions. There didn't seem to be a deeper meaning.

Thank you to Netgalley, Atria Books, & Edelweiss for my copy in exchange for an honest review. Expect publication date 2/22/2022

Perfect for fans of "The Haunting of Hill House" and Riley Sager's "Home Before Dark," Jennifer Fawcett's "Beneath the Stairs" is a haunting, gripping debut about the sleepy town of Sumner's Mills and the so-called Octagon House that lies dormant in its deep woods.

Told primarily through the viewpoint of Clare, whose unexpected return to Sumner's Mills has her confronting not only the horror of the present, but the past as well, this is the story of how darkness settles into the bones of a place--and never quite leaves. Through various viewpoints that go back more than one generation, the story of the Octagon House and its inhabitants slowly unfolds as Clare comes to terms with the fact that the ghost stories of her childhood in Sumner's Mills may likely be so much more than that.

It's not often I find myself genuinely scared while reading, but this book scared me more than once. Fawcett's writing creeps near slow burn territory at times, but the story was so immersive and suspenseful that it kept me fully invested from beginning to end. If you're looking for an action-packed, explosive thriller, this might not be the book for you. If you're like me and love a well-written ghost story, this is the perfect read for you. "Beneath the Stairs" is layered and mysterious (some readers may find there to be too much mystery left even at the end) but its plausibility is what makes it truly haunting.

*Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for providing me with an advanced reading copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*

Just scary enough to not want to read before bed, but too good to not read before bed. I loved the mystery that was at the heart of this story. I love a good haunted house / ghost story and this did not disappoint! I really enjoyed all the characters and loved the ending and the closure all the characters got. Very good read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Atria Books for an E-ARC.

Jennifer Fawcett's debut, Beneath the Stairs is a well written novel. The book alternates between 3 separate timelines to tell the story of the Octagon House which has been tormenting the town of Sumner's Mills for 85 years. We meet George and his little sister Marion back in 1936, the Fischer Family in 1965 and Clare and Abby in the present.

Fawcett transitions between each of these timelines brilliantly and it's very easy for the reader to follow along without confusion. The publisher has labeled this book as general fiction but I consider it closer to a suspense novel with some ghostly elements.

The plot was well developed and engaging. It's based on a house affecting 3 different families and their experiences in the house.

The timelines that I most enjoyed were the flashbacks to 1936 and 1965 involving the Sumners (George and little Marion) and the Fischers. The sections in the book involving Clare and Abby in the present and back in 1998 tended to be drawn out and lowered my rating from a 5 star down to 3.75/4. Various plot moments in the book with Abby and Clare could've been edited out which added nothing to the plot. Those sections will be sent to the publisher directly on NetGalley.

Suspense and ghost lovers will find this book to be a 3-4 star on the spook factor. Scenes which involved characters exploring the house were creepy. I was impressed given that this is the author's first novel. The ending was a bit too fast for me. I would've preferred a little more time down in that deep, dark basement. Readers should not go into this book expecting a major twist like a thriller. Instead this is a well developed ghostly, suspense novel and the effects it has on major characters.

Clare and Abby went through a lot together, but what they saw in the Octagon House 20 years ago nearly broke them. And now, as Clare weathers her own personal tragedies, she finds that Abby may finally have succumbed. People were murdered in that house, but is it still taking lives? If Clare wants to sort out her own issues and save her friend, she'll need to go back to the beginning. This is a well-written thriller about one family's poisoned legacy and the lengths to which we will go in order to save our friends. And to save ourselves. And how those acts are not mutually exclusive. Tinged with nostalgia and weird architecture (the haunted house is octagonal...with an exceedingly out-of-place large steel basement door, with a mind of its own), Beneath the Stairs is vastly entertaining.

This book is perfect for those looking for a creepy, somewhat supernatural vibe. It had me scared, while reading in bed in the dark. The twist was a little lack luster for me. But I enjoyed the book and liked the atmosphere it portrayed.

There's something lurking in he basement of The Octagon House.. As teens Clare and her friends decided to explore the creepy house. But when Abby gets stuck in the basement for just a few seconds, it changes her life forever.
This was a really good book. Creepy as heck. After this you'll never go in a dark basement alone again! Thank you so much!

This was a really scary, really entertaining book. The Octagon House is hidden deep in the woods in a small town in upstate New York. The house was the scene of a terrible crime--in the 60s a man was convicted of killing his family. Many years later, Clare and Abby are 14 years old and best friends, and decide to brave the haunted Octagon House. It changes both of them forever, especially Abby. Twenty years later, Clare is drawn back to Summer's Mill because Abby has attempted suicide at the Octagon House. It's up to Clare to figure out why, and to save Abby, herself and the town from the menacing evil of the Octagon House.

I really enjoyed this book--there was a nice mix of gothic mystery, historical mystery and sleuthing, a redemptive arc for the protagonist and supernatural chiller. I would recommend this!

Thank you to Atria Books for my advanced copy of Beneath the Stairs in exchange for my honest review. This book was CREEPY in the best way. I love multiple povs and dual timelines and this book hit the mark.

Eerie and unsettling, this is a great story. Jennifer Fawcett captures teenage friendships—and the insecurities, bravado, and intimacy that go along with them—so well. And the Octagon house is truly terrifying. The large metal door that leads down to the basement is the stuff of nightmares, and the truth uncovered about the house’s history is even more disturbing. I loved it!

So far it looks like my opinion is in the minority, but this debut novel wasn’t for me. I tried to like it, even just parts of it, but overall I found it to be a very generic haunted house story.

There’s a house. It’s octagonal in shape. A group of girls went into it in the ‘90s, and one of them came out “changed”. This goes from present day, to the ‘90s, then the ’60s, then when you think there couldn’t possibly be more of the exact same story, to the ‘30s. In present day, the girl who came out of the house different than she went in has seemingly attempted suicide and is in a coma, so her old friend comes back to town to … hmm. I don’t really know what, I guess be there for someone she hasn’t seen in 20 years? I suppose if she hadn’t returned, there wouldn’t be a book. 🤷🏼‍♀️

There aren’t really spoilers, because nothing big happens. There isn’t a big twist. There was no deeper meaning (that I could see). The characters were boring and slightly interchangeable. It’s just about a haunted house with a creepy basement that has a creepy doll in it … unfortunately about as dull and cliché as it sounds. I feel awful to do it to a debut novel, but I’m going with two stars on this one. Towards the end, I was so ready for it to be over. Hopefully others will enjoy it more than I did.

(Thank you to Atria Books, Jennifer Fawcett, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review.)

I enjoyed this one! I love books with more than one timeline, and this had a few! The coming of age theme was well done and detailed enough that I found myself reflecting on my own processing of feelings and experiences at Clare and Abby's she in the 90s timeline. Chapter 17 was one of the best written chaotic scenes I have read where I was so stressed it felt like experiencing a thriller movie in the theatre. I did want a little more from the ending but overall really enjoyed it!

Beneath the Stairs is Jennifer Fawcett's debut novel. I really enjoy the writing style - it was easy to follow, concise and gripping. The story idea was interesting, and had so much potential. That being said, this novel was not my favorite. I did not enjoy the mental health representation and did not think it was done in a very respectful way. The characters treated suicide in such a blase or contemptuous manner, and they were so quick to label people as addicts. I felt that there were many parts of the story that were not clarified or tied up at the end, while others did come full circle. The atmosphere and descriptions were effectively creepy, and I really enjoyed the setting of the book. I do feel like perhaps too many issues (mental health, addiction, suicide, murder, miscarriage, etc.) going on on once that weighed the story down a bit. Overall, I enjoy the writing style, atmosphere and setting descriptions, but this particular story wasn't for me. I will not be sharing this review publicly, as I do not believe in sharing negative reviews.

If the Octagon House keeps calling to you, will you answer?

Best friends Clare and Abby find themselves haunted by the spooky geometric house where a man once murdered his family. After bravely visiting it together as teens, Abby has never been able to escape its persistent beckoning and, finally, as an adult, she returns, only to be found days later in the house’s basement after an overdose.

Clare returns to her hometown to support Abby’s family and discover the truth of the Octagon House once and for all.

This story started off well and I expected I’d come out on the other end with a higher rating. I really enjoyed the melancholic reflectiveness of Clare’s narrative and, although I did initially find the sudden switch to a third person narrative a bit jarring, I was able to ease into it. Those early scenes pertaining to the Octagon House were quite unsettling.

Jennifer Fawcett undoubtedly managed this complex story well. The aspects that frustrated or disappointed me were largely a reflection of my reading preferences. I didn’t care for the romantic aspect for reasons I won’t spoil here, I didn’t feel the reveal was especially exciting, and I disliked the tidiness of the ending. Although all of that was a matter of taste, I cannot deny that I was especially frustrated with the late entry of a Borderline Personality Disorder diagnosis. I felt the understanding of this disorder was superficial, both in how it manifests and how it is diagnosed. Plus, it wasn’t truly a necessary addition to the story.

Jennifer Fawcett shows great promise in this debut novel. It is rare that I find anything pertaining to a haunted house genuinely haunting so she has my highest praise with the creepiness she successfully illustrated. There are many early readers who’ve found the book, as a whole, worked better for them, and Sarah Langan, who wrote the amazing 2021 release Good Neighbors, has given Beneath the Stairs her seal of approval. Please don’t let my own dissatisfaction dissuade you, as this tale of friendship and terror might be your next five star read!


I am immensely grateful to Atria Books for my digital review copy through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Beneath the Stairs will be published on February 22, 2022.