How To Write A Haunted House Story 🤌

Omg my feels! I'm more of a slasher girl so this was quite the unconventional read for me and I wasn't sure how I would feel about it. But man, Grady Hendrix pulls it off terrifically! And delivers a punch in my gut at the same time.

The author has skillfully woven an emotional story about family, secrets, grief, loss, trauma and memory into the heart of this horror novel. I found myself yo-yoing a lot between Louise and Mark at the start, feeling annoyed with one and then the other with each revelation. But the character development is so well done that I was firmly rooting for them in no time.

There's gore, there's dark humor, and I love how this book examines our attachment (and sometimes obsession) to our possessions. Then there's the simply perfect ending, from the final scene right down to the last few sentences.

Oh and I miss Pupkin already.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

While I own a couple of other books by this author, this is the first one I’ve actually read, and it made me want to go and pick those others up. I was expecting a fun little horror romp with a haunted house and some family dysfunction- I did not expect to end this book in tears. Or to laugh as much as I did (mostly courtesy of Aunt Honey, Mercy, and Barb, who were all excellent supporting characters).

There were times I had to set the book aside when I saw things coming that I needed to prepare for (this is a horror book, after all), but overall I really enjoyed the ride. Now, where did I put those other Grady Hendrix books I own?

Grady Hendrix once again masterfully blends in humor, camp, and real human catharsis in a haunted house story built with elements both classic and creative. When Louise receives a call that her parents have died in a car accident, she is tasked with doing what every child dreads: handling her dead parents' affairs. She doesn't anticipate much support for her ne'er-do-well brother, Mark, who she hasn't gotten along with since she was 14.

When Louise and Mark step foot in the house they grew up with, there’s no denying that it’s eerie, but not just because their parents are gone. There’s evidence of a struggle, a boarded up attic, and the gaze of her mother’s dolls and puppets …everywhere. Once horrifying, bizarre, and inexplicable things begin to happen, they realize that they have a much bigger adversary in getting the house sold than their issues with one another.

In their journey to exorcise what’s haunting their family’s house, Mark and Louise find they have cast out their own personal demons and dig up things that their family long kept buried.

The wild and imaginative ways in which this house is haunted makes it worth a read alone, but the characters, their recognizable interpersonal struggles, and their subsequent development is what makes the story have staying power.

A terrifying triumph.

I have been a Grady Hendrix fan since Horrorstör, and his latest is every bit as funny and terrifying as his first bestseller. "Every childhood home is haunted and each of us are possessed by our parents." I was hooked from the tagline alone. Throw in a dysfunctional family and some super creepy puppets and you've got the makings of another bestseller. They say you can't go home again. If your childhood home is anything like this one--or your parents are rabid puppet collectors--you shouldn't even try.

You can always count on Grady Hendrix for a scary entertaining time. I was pulled in right from the start by this multi-layered story with nods to Trilogy of Terror, Cat’s Eye, a bit of Chucky-esqueness. And a Baby Jesus Taxidermy Squirrel... need I say more?

Though How to Sell a Haunted House didn't land personally for me, I do think it's a book many Hendrix fans (and first-timers) will enjoy. I came to Hendrix through Southern Book Club's Guide and Horrorstor, so Haunted House has been a little bit of a departure from those styles. Since I loved those styles, it was ... a bit of a miss for me personally, but I think it's still a well-written book. However, unlike Hendrix's other two that I've read, I think Haunted House isn't paced efficiently. It's too long and it drags too many times.

Also ... I don't like puppets. Like, I *really* don't like them. If I had gotten an inkling that this was about puppets, I may not have requested it in the first place.

Grady freaking Hendrix has done it once again. I cannot even begin to explain how much I adore this man’s writing, but a good place to start is his depiction of grief and family trauma. The way the sibling relationship is as shown was so incredibly accurate it felt like I was watching people I knew myself. Oh, and the creepy dolls? They scared the absolute shit out of me. 10/10 recommend solely for the murderous squirrels.

Meh for a highly anticipated Hendrix. I left this story and came back numerous times then just decided to give up :/

I will read just about any haunted house book, and I was intrigued by the premise of a house haunted by creepy dolls, puppets, and imaginary creatures. It's also a nice change to see a haunted house in a suburban, "normal" house as opposed to a creepy Victorian that is hundreds of years old. Unfortunately, I don't think that Hendrix did an adequate job of creating a creepy atmosphere. There were certainly scary moments, and Hendrix isn't afraid to get into graphic detail of violent moments, which is what some people want in horror. I thought that this book was a little unbalanced in terms of nuance/atmosphere vs. action/dialogue. I didn't find it to be particularly surprising at any point. I think in the end it was a bit too long and repetitive. It was an interesting concept but I didn't find the writing or the story to be particularly compelling by the end. Not Hendrix's best effort.

#HowtoSellaHauntedHouse #NetGalley Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this novel. I encourage you to check this one out! Really excellent read.

This book surprised me and was entirely unique to anything I've ever read! It was a page-turner, unsettling, and perfectly creepy. Would recommend and read again!

Fans of Grady Hendrix will enjoy this. next horror-Esque novel. A campy and fun book, definitely more creepy than scary. Full of fun moments.

First a huge thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for providing me with a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.

If there is one thing Grady Hendrix does well it is campy horror and How to Sell a Haunted House is no exception. When Louise must return to her childhood home after the unexpected death of her parents, she finds herself reluctant to go ready the home to place it on the market when it means she'll have to cross paths with her brother. A suspenseful and at time frustrating horror read filled with creepy puppets, family angst, and one big haunted house.

The pacing was a little drawn out in the beginning and didn't truly pick up until about halfway through, but this title is without a doubt another fantastic addition to Hendrix's works that horror fans will enjoy.

When Louise’s parents die suddenly, she finds herself flying to Charleston for their funeral. The next step after grieving their death is to put their house on the market, but her and her enemy of a brother Mark will discover that not all houses want to be sold.

Grady Hendrix’s THE FINAL GIRL SUPPORT GROUP gave me actual nightmares…but this one didn’t even come close.

HOW TO SELL A HAUNTED HOUSE is campy with some cringe-worthy gore, and a whole lotta puppets. I’ve spent some time really thinking about my thoughts after finishing this book because I have a TON of mixed feelings, so let’s get into the nitty gritty.

First off, I found this book to just be way too long. I was drudging my way through it. The characters aren’t very likable (furthermore making me not care when shit started hitting the fan), and I just never really felt scared.

However, once I hit the last 20 percent of the book, it really seemed to pick up the pace and I enjoyed reading it. Hendrix wove the characters’ pasts into the story, which really brought everything together, even if it still had me questioning what exactly I was reading.

I think there will be fans of this one and others who will be as underwhelmed as I was after picking this one up.

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Publication Date: January 17, 2023

Funny, frustrating, horrifying. The latest Grady Hendrix book has it all.

Louise must return home after the unexpected death of her parents. Her reluctance to go back home is tied directly to her "loser" brother. Louise finds much more than she expected on her return. A haunted house, family secrets, and so much more.

This novel was at times fascinating and well written, and other times felt juvenile and quickly put together. I did however love it on the whole.. it was a fast read and a decent ghost story!

A very cathartic read turned bonkers. I love Grady Hendrix so much. His blend of camp and dense emotional stakes are 10/10 for me every time.

Louise Joyner is heartbroken to learn that her parents passed away in a terrible car accident. She must travel from San Francisco back to her hometown in South Carolina for the funeral and deal with her parent's estate with her estranged brother Mark. Upon entry into her childhood home, something feels wrong. Not only is the attic nailed shit shut and there are newspapers taped over the windows but the eyes of her mother's doll and puppet collection seem to follow her everywhere she goes.

The King of macabre is back!
As a longtime Grady Hendrix reader, I was ecstatic to read How To Sell A Haunted House! Prior to reading this one, I expected more of a traditional haunted house story. But I should have known better since it was written by Grady Hendrix. I don't want to give anything away but I will say that this book is nothing like I've ever read before! This story features a puppet named Pupkin who makes Annabelle look like an angel, taxidermy squirrels who attack, and so many more ghastly things!

How To Sell A Haunted House had me biting my nails, sitting on the edge of my seat, laughing until I was crying, and anxiously checking over my shoulder. But How To Sell A Haunted House is not just a horror story with dark comedy, it's a story about dysfunctional families and the secrets we carry to protect each other. It's also a story about how the memories we retain may be subjective and not always accurate.

How To Sell A Haunted House is the 7th book that I've read by Grady Hendrix and it did not disappoint! I've been excited to read this one for so long and I'm thrillers to say that it exceeded all of my high expectations. Grady Hendrix is one of my all-time favorite authors and this book solidified that. I cannot wait to see what Grady’s brilliant mind writes in the future! Along with all of Grady’s prior works, I highly recommend How To Sell A Haunted house! Readers who have enjoyed any of his prior works will especially enjoy this one!

How To Sell A Haunted House will be available on January 17, 2023. A massive thanks to Berkley Publishing and Netgalley for the advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review!

I received a free digital ARC from Berkley Publishing Group via NetGalley. Louise’s parents tragically pass and she goes back home to help her brother sell the family house. Her and Mark have never gotten along well, but the drama brought on by selling the house is quite heated between them and not to mention things in the house just feel uncomfortable.

This may be my favorite Grady Hendrix to date. I always find his books unique and entertaining. This was just the right amount of creepy and campy, which is my favorite mix when done right. It wasn’t what I expected, but I was drawn into the sibling rivalry, the family issues and all the scary things that go bumping through the walls. I’m glad I sought this out, it read quick and I was anxious to finish it.

Short Review: If Chucky met Cujo and said let's ride. This one has all the classic horror vibes.

"Being loved didn't mean you were alive...being alive meant something else."

Long Review: This book is the culmination of all my nightmares. Hendrix was channeling his inner King with this one. I had to pull up my big girl scaredy pants to finish it because it made my stomach clench into squeamish knots. Yikes.

It would be a perfect horror movie (which I could never watch in a million years because it would scare the crap out of me and I wouldn't be able to sleep for a month). Netflix are you listening?