Grab this book and get ready for a creepy and compelling story. I was sucked right into this book on page one. The family seems so mysterious and you have to wonder what dreadful secret they are hiding. The house is dark and unwelcoming, as befits it's name, I had forgotten what a spite house is, but the author was kind enough to remind us all. It's a small building meant to block a view or irritate others in some fashion. This place is a twisted mess that just keeps pilling onto Eric, the father and hero of the story. I enjoyed learning about Eric and his family as much as I loved the spooky happenings at the house. I highly recommend this book to any one who loves haunted house stories.

Spooky and spinetingling. i lovedit.
Many thanks toMacmillan-Tor/forge and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me an advance reader copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.

Whoa! I was not expecting such a thrilling book that would actually give me chills while reading! When a horror/ghost novel has that affect....you should read it now! Sometimes I feel more jaded towards "scary" books as I get older, but this one reminded me of reading Stephen King as a youngster on a stormy afternoon! It had that kind of lasting impact! Looking forward to more books by Johnny Compton!


Description
A terrifying Gothic thriller about grief and death and the depths of a father's love, Johnny Compton's The Spite House is a stunning debut by a horror master in the making—The Babadook meets A Head Full of Ghosts in Texas Hill Country.

Eric Ross is on the run from a mysterious past with his two daughters in tow. Having left his wife, his house, his whole life behind in Maryland, he's desperate for money—it's not easy to find steady, safe work when you can't provide references, you can't stay in one place for long, and you're paranoid that your past is creeping back up on you.

When he comes across the strange ad for the Masson House in Degener, Texas, Eric thinks they may have finally caught a lucky break. The Masson property, notorious for being one of the most haunted places in Texas, needs a caretaker of sorts. The owner is looking for proof of paranormal activity. All they need to do is stay in the house and keep a detailed record of everything that happens there. Provided the house’s horrors don’t drive them all mad, like the caretakers before them.

The job calls to Eric, not just because there's a huge payout if they can make it through, but because he wants to explore the secrets of the spite house. If it is indeed haunted, maybe it'll help him understand the uncanny power that clings to his family, driving them from town to town, making them afraid to stop running.

I liked this one, it was very well written and would be perfect for spooky season and all year round story about a familia who moves into a haunted house due to financial hardship. Well done for a debut novel and love, love, love the cover.

Alright, I LOVED this one! I wasn't sure what to expect, but it blew me away. I enjoyed all of our narrators--particularly Eric himself and his older daughter. The characters felt compelling, and I was VERY intrigued by the direction the story was taking. I guessed some things before the end, but I never felt like that spoiled the journey.

It was a very spooky, atmospheric book, laced with commentary on social issues. The history angle--and the story of why the spite house was built--was very well done, and very interesting.

There are some loose ends, at the close, if that's something that might put off readers, but it didn't bother me. I think it worked well with the narrative, and I frankly like to be left wondering sometimes.

Tragic, atmospheric, spooky, and character-driven--these are all things I enjoy in a horror novel. Highly recommended, and I'll be watching for more of Compton's writing.

Give me a haunted house story any day! I love something atmospheric and scary with a creeping sense of dread, and The Spite House delivers. There's also complex family relationships, mental/emotional struggle, and real world challenges that serve to anchor the supernatural components of the plot. I like that each character has distinct chapters, and that the characters are developed - it really helps to have someone(s) to care about as you are reading. Plot is great, but it can only take you so far. Thank you to the publisher and to Netgalley for allowing me to read this novel in advance. I did end up buying a physical copy, as well.

⭐⭐⭐.5 -- A well-designed cover that provides some hints about the genre, style or themes of the book.

The Spite House by Johnny Compton is a gripping Gothic thriller that revolves around Eric Ross, who is on the run with his two daughters. In search of money and a safe place to stay, they find an ad for the Masson House in Degener, Texas, which is reported to be one of the most haunted places in Texas. The job requires them to stay in Spite House and document any paranormal activity. What could go wrong?! 😉

I love a good haunted house story. That aspect was thoroughly enjoyable and kept me invested in the story. Compton’s writing style is also excellent, and he expertly weaves together multiple points of view throughout the story. That said, there were so many perspectives that the plot became a bit bogged down, and that made the pacing of the story inconsistent. It also felt a bit drawn out in the final chapters.

The major issue I had with this one was that there were unanswered questions, which left me feeling a little unsatisfied with how things ended. But overall, for a debut author, Compton delivered a solid read filled with intriguing characters and heart-pumping horror. If you’re a fan of horror, ghosts, and haunted houses, then this book is definitely worth checking out!

**ARC Via NetGalley**

This gothic thriller involves a haunted house and the people living around it. I had an off and on again relationship with this book and at times struggled to keep going. In the end, the twists and the way the multiple points of views pulled together this ended up being a strong four star read for me. It is not often that I don't see a twist coming but this one definitely caught me off guard and the ending was a complete surprise.

I feel like 3 star books get overlooked because they aren't necessarily amazing, but I think this is a solidly good book. If you read a lot of horror type books you may not LOVE this book, but I think there's a good chance you will enjoy it. My issue with it was that I found it a bit repetitive and not very horror-inducing.

The Spite House by Johnny Compton
⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to Netgalley and MacMillan-Tor/Forge for the eARC to read and review!

Eric Ross is on his way to a new home with his two girls, finding odd jobs here and there to make some money on the way. When he comes across an ad for a caretaker position at Masson House in Texas, he applies. This job is worth a lot of money, but Eric will have to live in a haunted house and survive in order to get paid. The question is, will he make it?

This was a haunted house story that fits well around the spooky season. I read it in April, but it's still a spooky read! I enjoyed the story and the concept, and Eric and his two girls, Stacey and Dess. But the story jumped through six to seven different points of view, so at times, it felt a little jarring to switch perspectives so much.

I understand switching perspectives helps us see the full story of what happened in the past and present, but maybe changing it from seven to four would have been a better fit.

There was a major plotline around Stacey, and toward the end of the book, we get more on why they are going to a new place. I felt like when we heard about the story behind Stacey, it was a unique idea, but it left me confused and wanting to know more at the end.

The entire story felt thought out, and I enjoyed it. But the ending wasn't my favorite, I didn't feel like we got much of what their mother thought about Stacy at the end of the story and I wanted more about that part and what their mother thought. I can't say more because it's a major spoiler if I elaborate. I also wanted more about the ending. I can't say what I want without spoiling it, so what I will say is I was left a little confused because I was under the impression that if Eric helped "them" he would be free of The Spite House. That's all I'm going to say on that.

I enjoyed this book for the unique idea around it, but it didn't work for me as much as I had hoped. Although it wasn't really for me, I would still recommend this book to anyone who likes a haunted house story!

I was drawn to The Spite House by the eery cover, and I am a sucker for a good haunted house story. A haunted spite house was a fresh take on the typical old Victorian haunted house. Johnny Compton wrote an enthralling horror story full of family drama, a father's love, ghostly encounters, and pure terror. The story kept you guessing, and the ending was both horrifying and sad. I enjoyed reading about the Spite House.

Daaaamn! This was like The Conjuring level creepy that plays out like NetFlix's The Haunting of Hill House. A father and his two daughters are in hiding. Once in Texas the father in desperate need of a job any job applies for a paranormal documenter. Where they can stay and get paid for staying in this creepy haunted spite house as long as they keep record of everything. The house, the land, the people of the town, especially the old lady who hires him, there is just something off about the whole thing, but then again the dad and his two daughters have a secret of their own.0
A satisfyingly creepy story.

I loved the premise of a desperate dad on the run with his two daughters. He becomes the caretaker of the most haunted house in Texas. The job pays well and all he needs to do is record any strange occurrences. He is concerned that has no idea why the house is so haunted or why this spite house was built in the first place.

While our main character has several legit questions, they won't compare to the amount of head-scratchers that pile up as you read this book with more POVs than one novel needs. I'll avoid mentioning the spoilerish questions in case you're reading this, or plan to.

I really wanted to enjoy The Spite House. Author Johnny Compton is a capable writer but the unanswered questions will drive you to madness faster than spending the night in a haunted Texas spite house.

‘The Spite House’ is one of the strongest horror debuts I have read in a long time, if not ever. The structure and narrative are so well crafted, and the atmosphere is almost reminiscent of the slow-build dread of horror classics like ‘The Grudge,’ ‘The Wicker Man,’ or ‘The Elementals.’ Compton expertly builds his story’s foundation with a deliberate, character-driven mystery before pulling the rug from under readers’ feet the moment the anticipation of the nightmare-inducing haunting reaches a boiling point. This is as good as southern gothic and haunted house horror get. Not to mention the emotionally fraught themes of how far a parent will go to protect his children— from threats both alien and familiar— and the way traumas can continue to haunt us long after we think we’ve escaped them.

If you have trouble committing to a slow build but love a good haunted house, I very much recommend the audio version of this novel. Adam Lazarre-White’s narration infuses the pace with an emotional suspense that might draw in readers more accustomed to an early hook. However, if you love a well executed slow burn horror with an incredible and harrowing payoff that will stick with you long after closing the back cover, any format will suit you more than fine. ‘The Spite House is one hell of a debut and Johnny Compton has immediately become an instant-read author for me.

Thank you so so much to Netgalley, Johnny Compton, Macmillan Audio, Macmillan-Tor/Forge, and Tor Nightfire for the opportunity to experience both an advanced e-galley and an advanced listening copy of ‘The Spite House’ in exchange for an honest review.

What a debut! THE SPITE HOUSE is a totally uniquely spin on the haunted house trope and I loved every minute of it! Compton’s prose gives the best feeling of impending dread and I’m so happy the gothic horror renaissance is going strong!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge as well as the author for this ARC. It was perfect!
#NetGalley #TorNightfire #JohnnyCompton #TheSpiteHouse
The concept of a “spite” house is new and fascinating to me. How has this never been done?! A spite house is a building that is built out of spite. Usually as a result of a property dispute. Johnny Compton has written a book that is built around that concept. This is an absolutely perfect setting for a horror novel. This is a nearly flawless ghost story and I can’t say enough good things here. Eric Ross is running from something. He and his two daughters need money and anonymity so when Eric comes across a job posting that promises both, he jumps on it. The job is simple. Eric is to prove that this “spite house” is haunted. Masson House has a long and angry history. How can it not be haunted?
This book manages to be both very original and, simultaneously, doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel, as they say. This is the first time I’ve heard the term spite house and I’m fascinated. How could a house built just to be contentious not be haunted by both those who built it and those were its victims. This book is described as a “terrifying gothic thriller”. While these three words are music to my ears, they don’t begin to describe this ghost story. This is a haunting and gut-wrenching, gothic horror story that promises grief and ghosts and more than delivers. It’s beautifully written with atmospheric imagery that made me as much a part of the story as Eric, his daughters, and his employers. As this slow burn progresses, we are shown that, in addition to money and safety, Eric has other, more personal reasons, for wanting to delve into this haunting. This is how a slow burn is done. I will definitely keep my eye on this author.
There are a few things that can be improved upon. Firstly, the chapters that are written from the point of views of the minor characters could be edited out. They weren’t bad, just unnecessary and caused the sense of dread as well as the plot to slow down. Lastly, I would have liked to have a little more in the way of explanations for some of the plot points.
All in all, this book is wonderful and I highly recommend it.

This was pretty much a perfect book for me and I absolutely loved it! I thought the setting was eerie and very unsettling from the opening pages and the pacing was spot on to keep the tension high throughout without ever burning out. The relationship between Eric, Dess and Stacy was beautiful and I thought Johnny Compton did a fabulous job of showing the love of an older sister for her younger sibling. The writing was fantastic with several sentences stopping me in my tracks with how well they encompassed a particular mood or feeling. Best of all, this book was genuinely creepy throughout and actually pretty scary in places! Overall, I cannot overstate how blown away by this book I was and will be seeking out anything Johnny Compton writes from now on.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Tor Nightfire for a copy of the eArc of The Spite House by Johnny Compton. This book had everything I love about gothic horror. A creepy house, a town with a sinister past, a family fleeing something unknown. The prose was great, and the changing viewpoints (chapter-to-chapter) helped deliver the back story and the creepy scenes. Compton excelled at passing over writing some scenes allowing the reader to imagine what is happening, and leaving the true horror to detailed descriptions. 5/5 highly recommended.

This was a gothic, creepy book. I wasn’t familiar with what a spite house was so I found that to be an interesting premise. It was a bit slower for me but very well written.

This book was so good. I loved how well balanced all the mysteries were, and there were multiple mysteries going on. I kept wanting to read to find them all out and how all were connected. The horror elements were done well for me. There was also the touch of real life horrors that come from being a black person in America. Just unsettling enough and were paced well. I love a dark unexpected ending. Each character had a strong voice and motive so the multiple POV worked really well.