A deliciously horrific tale for lovers of reading who relish curling up with a hot mug and blanket on a rainy eve. The sort of book that inspires readers to write and dream. The kind of story that leaves you begging for more,

Haven arrives in the Pacific Northwest to sort the affairs of her recently passed literary famous father. The discovery of a secret work he wrote and locked away, might be the key to saving Haven from financial ruin. But as her father’s friends close in on this nefarious manuscript, Haven hides it away with a paranoia which might be inherited, if not merited.

It was a interesting psychological supernatural read. If you like fantasy haunted house story this is for you.

This book is absolutely a great thriller. I fully enjoy the entire read. I thought the characters are really realistic and I really liked the setting as well. This is the perfect book to read on a rainy day!

I couldn’t wait to read this book and it didn’t disappoint. Spell bounding thriller with great characters and an even better plot. If you love a good thriller, look no further!

I loved this book! When Haven’s father passes away she moves into the home he believed was haunted. She finds a manuscript of short stories that he wrote that are gruesome, dark fairytales.

This book was so fun to read! I love dark fairytales, and I loved that the short stories centered on monsters only with no heroes. The writing was very rich and descriptive. It was easy for the story to come alive before my eyes.

Malice House was an absolutely insane read! The author certainly knows how to write a macabre story to send shivers down your spine and put a grimace on your face! Malice House follows Haven, the daughter of a famed novelist who discovers a secret manuscript that is much more sinister than it first appears to be. Malice House begins with a mystery of her father rambling off stories of monsters amidst his dementia ridden mind. It only goes down hill from there. We learn about the secret manuscript and its monsters, an unusual book compared to her fathers other works. The rest of the story gets absolutely wild. From illustrations bringing monsters to life, to mysteries surrounding her father's life, all while dealing with relationship problems and other mysteries...Haven starts to experience some wild happenings. I really enjoyed this story, I thought it was well written with some very intense build up. It was definitely a weird plot and storyline but it works for this book. Horror fans will eat Malice House up!

Haven has come to Malice House to tidy up her father’s loose ends following his death. Her father has made a name for himself as a famous author. Haven is an artist on the run from a bad breakup. She has no money and only her art supplies to keep her going.

Her father started going mad in the last months leading up to his death. He believe Malice House was haunted by demons. Had he truly lost his mind or were the demons real? Haven finds a manuscript for a collection of short stories titled “Bedtime Stories for Monsters.” The stories include terrifying monsters that live in a world of violence.

I really enjoyed this book. I was immediately interested after reading the synopsis. This is more than a haunted house book. It is about the power of our imagination. I would definitely read more from this author.

Haven is a great character. I love how she did horror movie recaps because I love scary movies! Also, have you noticed most main characters in scary books have no money? Is it a coincidence or do they make the best characters because they have nothing to lose?

I recommend reading Malice House if you are interested in haunted houses, monsters, and fantasy. Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this book. I have written this review voluntarily.

I remember reading The Madman's Daughter as a teenager and thinking that with time this would be an author I could really enjoy. I'm delighted to have had the chance to pick up another book by her as an adult, written for adults. This tale built a delightful level of suspense and managed to pleasantly surprise me quite a few times and I look forward to reading the fully edited copy and passing it off to patrons!

3.75 stars
This is a pretty average thriller. Medium/fast paced. Enough intrigue to keep me reading. Nothing too stand out-ish, but I dont regret reading it either. Did enjoyed my overall experience.

Although the premise was good this one fell somewhat flat for me. There were some really good twists but the overall pace of the book was a slow drag, I think someone who enjoys a nice slow burn would love this one but as a page turner lover, I found the pace painfully slow for my liking.

It is important to note that the majority of the themes explored in this book deal with sensitive subject matters. My review, therefore, touches on these topics as well. Many people might find the subject matters of the book as well as those detailed in my review overwhelming. I would suggest you steer clear of both if this is the case. Please note that from this point forward I will be writing about matters which contain reflections on substance abuse, gore, graphic descriptions of body mutilation, suicide, death of an animal, physical abuse of a minor, parental neglect, dementia, domestic abuse, & others.

Haven has been the person in whom all her father’s original dreams grew to fruition, though she never got the opportunity to hear him say as much. Coming back to Malice House after the passing of her famed author-father, Amory Marbury, Haven finds herself at an impasse. Does she believe that the fantom corpse of a despicably grotesque crab is living under the bed or was her father elapsing into paranoid delusion brought on by his deteriorating mental state in repercussion of his dementia? Is one able to fully grasp the absurdity of the physical form of the demons that plague us or do these beings necessitate a place in reality for us to believe them to be true?

I have a very low opinion of this book because I did not enjoy the story. The following review will detail my reasons for not enjoying a story that I thought was going to be something that it was not. I believe, full-heartedly, that this book requires the enjoyment of a niche reader for, the subject matter succumbs to the fantasy genre with greater gusto than I was led to believe, or probably chose to acknowledge as a possibility for this plot.

Objectively, this story would have done well had it been described as a fantasy book—something that resides in the magical realism feuillets of literature. Presenting this book as being a horror stripped it of its ability to find its reader. There are, certainly, aspects of horror that are absurdly morose & decadently incomprehensible. Monsters coming to life due to a bizarre family curse dating back into a lineage, unexplored; wherein a sole member of said family has discovered her powers of striking an image from the page into reality & in which an entire town acknowledges this superhuman ability as being a real occurrence; falters awkwardly within the genre in which it has been set.

The sheer number of times I questioned what the intent was behind this story was enumerable. I continue to question the reasons for which any of what was done in this book took place. Did Haven have to be a secretive idiot who walked into darkened houses in search of what she assumed was a violent predator? No, she did not. Did there need to be a sidekick sister character who brought nothing to the plot due to her lack of desire to pose relevant & insightful questions? No, there did not. Did there need to be repeated scenes of characters slurping their lips raw from hard liquor sprints? No, there did not.

In Haven the reader is presented with a character who lacks a great deal of self-awareness & is incredibly inauthentic. There are rarely characters whose attempts at distinguishing themselves from others read as well-structured in a plot that writes them as being the exact character they seek to revoke. Haven is a girl who is not like other girls, she’s not like anyone ever on this planet to date; so quirky & undone in the very best haphazard ways, Haven wanders through life unafraid of anything. She can watch scary movies & not feel fear, she can draw gruesome pictures because she likes ‘dark’ art—unlike anyone else ever in the history of humankind—& she can mosey at her leisure unharmed because a man is behind the scenes protecting her.

What truly drives home the point that Shepard is trying to highlight with regards to Haven is that she will act & do things that no one in their right mind would do but, she does them because she isn’t in her right mind, according to non-fiction standards. Haven has a special ability, one that was passed down to her through some inconsequential genetic mutation, that allows her family to bring to life the things that they do in art. At face value, this is a very intriguing concept & I highlight, again, that it would fit well into the fantasy genre. What causes a rift within this logic is that Haven is not a biological descendant of her father’s lineage at all, she is a drawing brought to life.

Could one assume that because Haven has a deep disconnect with naturally felt human emotion, her time being drawn by Amory led her to be the character we saw ramble on in the pages of this book? Can one attribute her lack of connection in the human-born world to the reasons for which she made decisions that were both horrifically unsafe as well as being dense?

When Haven first meets Kylie she is quick to trust her—she is quick to trust everyone though she boasts of being able to read the room & withholding her seal of approval—why is that? The dialogue that Kylie is given reeks of a lack of depth. This is a secondary character who was attempting to make their way into the primary spot but was not granted enough dimensionality to merit further screen time. Who in their right mind would think that a couple, meagre, hundred dollars would be the selling price for memorabilia from an internationally prized & award-winning author? This is an incredible low ball & the author sees fit to never revisit this again. Are we to read into Kylie’s Crypto scheme that she is simply scamming her fellow man for the thrill of pulling the wool over their eyes or because she doesn’t understand the field in which she is attempting to make money?

What would lead Haven to trust Kylie? This is a person who is working in a bookstore whose theme is her father’s work yet, her singular brush-off, declaring she’s not a fan, is enough to satiate Haven. Why? Kylie is constantly out of her depth but is portrayed as a decent, diligent, person. She goes so far as to claim that the mutilations caused to Dahlia by her murderer had to have been committed while she was alive because there was blood on her body. That’s factually incorrect. Correlated to the fact that Dahlia’s mutilations took place in quick succession one would need to study bruising & injury on her body to deduce whether or not one or both of her heels were snipped or if the claw reached for her wrists first; did she fall, resulting in her head being decapitated first? As well, given the rapidity of the events, it is not implausible to deduce that the body would bleed—as it does—within the short time period in which these actions were taking place.

This may appear to be a generally benign argument to make but, I present it with the purpose of highlighting that Kylie, along with many other people in this book, made unsubstantiated claims & no one questioned anything that was said. Another example of this is Rafe giving Haven a totally useless response when she asks him how he got access to her property when the gate was locked. We later learn that it is possible to jump the fence but Haven never questions this answer. She has just been confirmed that people have casual access to her home, where she knows others have been attempting to enter & disregards this fact because she has the hots for the man with whom she’s talking.

I acknowledge a personal difficulty in the actions that are required of Haven to move this plot forward. Generally speaking, I find it inconceivable when a female character decides to pursue dangerous decisions without ever informing at least one other person of their whereabouts. This certainly happens in real life, which is probably why I have such a difficult time reading about it in fiction. When Haven is snipped by Pinchy she refuses to involve any first responders. Instead, she calls Kylie & is calmed by Kylie’s decision not to ask questions about anything.

During this scene, Haven bemoans Baker, her ex-partner because he would ask her pertinent questions when or if she called for help. This is perhaps a hot take but, should someone be calling you with an emergency you’re going to want to know where they are & what happened—any details are helpful—so that you are prepared for what you are about to face & subsequently are able to be as helpful as possible. The unreliability of Haven throughout the entire plot left me eagerly awaiting her demise. To my great humour, we read as she drives to a darkened house in the middle of the night where she assumes Kylie might be kept against her will.

There is a distinct monologue that transpires in which Haven declares that she couldn’t possibly call the police & must go into the house alone. This is stupid. I understand that a great number of people have had (shall we say) less than stellar experiences with judicial bodies as a whole but, wandering into a house where you think your friend is being held against their will & may probably be subjected to physical violence, on your own, is beyond moronic. This truly adds nothing to the plot as, notwithstanding the fact that everyone conveniently ignores the existence of forensic science—or basic biology, if you will—the characters in this book always choose the road that is the most taxing.

Haven’s reason for not involving the police stem from her experience with them in the past; having been charged for domestic abuse against Baker. As someone who thrives off the horrific, Haven would have known that her motive of violence, though untrue, would have cushioned her in this instance. Given that she was previously being regarded as a domestic abuser against a male & that Kylie is someone who had DNA evidence from another person entirely & that Orion would not (save the fingerprints where she checked for a pulse) have her DNA on his body, there is no reason not to reach out for help, in this case.

Had Shepard pursued the original presentation of Haven’s character I would have appreciated her gusto. At the beginning of the story, Haven explores her father’s house without any fear. I suppose one might attribute her lack of fear while consuming horror films to be due to her belief that those things, could not happen to her; though she acknowledges that the films succeed in the reality behind the outlandish. Throughout much of the first part of the book, Haven is strong-willed & smart. She wants to believe in the best of those around her but quickly loses her cool when she decides to hate a group of people because they didn’t adore her illustrations. Then we see her invite a strange man, Rafe, into her home because he smells good…

The narrative grows to showcase inconsistencies which might be read as shifts in the characters’ presentation & stature in reality but, they are also faults, nonetheless. For example, the entire novel states that Amory had dementia but while Haven is reading his journals, he writes about being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease. Haven is said to be using her personal laptop to access Kylie’s ‘Find My Phone’ app but, it’s in fact Kylie’s laptop that she is using. Another example is Haven telling the reader (herself) that she doesn’t need money so much as to trust the Ink Drinkers but, she is quick to trust a Crypto scheme which she knows nothing about.

I am confident that many readers will adore this book. I know that the story that has been presented is one that will wiggle its way into the minds of those who are easy-going & eager to consume any book that might snuggle into the horror genre.

My personal preference for stories in this genre sees me longing to find the character that was unafraid while roaming the attic at night or who was experiencing lapses in time so suddenly after the passing of their parent. I enjoy when stories have a basis in the non-fictional; this is very much a magical realism fantasy that riddles in aspects of specific fear for those who might long to see the monsters that crept through their rooms at night, brought to life by the colourful words of an author.

Thank you to NetGalley, Hyperion Avenue & Megan Shepherd for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you to both #NetGalley and Hyperion Avenue for providing me an advance copy of Megan Shepherd’s latest thriller, Malice House, in exchange for an honest review.

#MaliceHouse is an engaging tale about the daughter of a famous writer that is set in the fictional town of Lundie Bay in Washington state. The novel spans several genres, including horror, suspense, magical realism, and domestic thriller, as well as touches upon several themes, such as grief, self-exploration, familial bonds, and most importantly, the power of storytelling. This is the first novel that I have read by the author and it certainly will not be my last.

Aspiring illustrator Haven Marbury has been overshadowed by her father’s illustrious writing career since she was a young girl. When the passing of her father and the imploding of her marriage prompt her to travel from #NYC to Lundie Bay, it results in a much more adventurous trip than she initially envisioned. Upon arriving at her father’s remote seaside mansion, she discovers an unpublished manuscript that not only sends the town residents into a frenzy, but also compels her to start illustrating her father’s words.

I rather not give away any more of the suspenseful details, so I will simply comment on the overall novel. #MaliceHouse is truly unique in its plotline, characters, and overall story arc. It is beautifully written, immediately dives into the action, and leaves room for interpretation (or a sequel, perhaps?) in its ending.

There were really only two negatives. The first was that there are one or two minor plot holes near the end that could have easily been resolved given the protagonist’s skills. The second is that it read more like YA horror at times, as opposed to adult. Not sure if that means the novel will be shelved as YA before it is released, or if certain passages will be amended to include more adult concepts and descriptions.

Overall, a truly, magical and enjoyable novel. I highly recommend it for anyone seeking an unusual read.

*ARC received from Hyperion Avenue and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

My wish was granted! I was so excited to receive this ARC and y'all... it absolutely did not disappoint. I'm rarely ever genuinely afraid while reading horror, but this book did it. I will now be sleeping with the lights on for a few nights.

"... I glimpsed the eaves of Malice House towering over the pines. The fog devoured everything in sight except for the structure. It looked like I'd wiped my hand over a fogged-up mirror and the house, in the center, was crystal clear, like it was the only real thing and we were all just walking dreams."

Malice House isn't just a gothic novel; it's an intense psychological thriller where the whole town seems like they know more than they're letting on and real creatures lurk in the night. I thought the story within a story, the unpublished manuscript "Bedtimes Stories for Monsters" was masterfully done, weaving an interesting and suspenseful story that literally jumps from the pages into the real world.

Malice House was scary, not just because of the ghouls, but because almost no one in this town is innocent. Haven can't even count on the respite of being in town, in public, in the daylight, because the more time she spends here, the less she feels like she can trust anyone. She definitely can't find respite in Malice House, where there may or may not be ghosts in the walls and something under the bed. I loved this book and finished it within 24 hours.

Solid 5 stars, such an amazing horror novel. This is the type of horror that stays with you well after you've read it.

This book was interesting to me. The premise was fantastic. A book about a movie about a book about a book? Love it. So meta. The execution was sometimes a little circular however, sort of like a cartoon chase where the characters keep passing the same background over and over on a loop. I DO feel like if I had had the time to sit down and binge read this one in one sitting I might have liked it a little more, and I will for sure recommend this book to customers!

I was absolutely enthralled in this book. So grateful to have the opportunity to read a digital advanced copy. I've read Megan's teen works and loved them. Her debut adult novel blew me out of the water.

#MaliceHouse #NetGalley
Megan Shepherd's first foray into adult fiction is a quick and fast read that will have you burning straight through the night. Great read.

My first book to read by this author but definitely not my last! Such a gripping novel that made it hard for me to put his book down once I started it. Highly recommend!!

5/5 stars. To be released October 2022.

In Megan Shepherd's first adult fiction novel, Malice House creates a perfect blend of a psychological and supernatural thriller. You never know who to trust, or even to trust who they say they are. Shepherd writes creepy, spine tingling scenes complete with characters that will make your stomach churn. You will always suspect something isn't exactly right and still be shocked by some of the twists the story presents.

Megan Shepherd definitely delivered all the goods in her latest novel, "Malice House". Great, fast read!

The book was haunting, atmospheric, and chilling. I read it entirely in one day. As the story progressed and little hints and reveals were teased, I couldn't stop until I reached the end!