After reading a few Grady Hendrix books I had my expectations let high and this one let me down. It definitely delivered on multiple scary moments but unfortunately I got to a point where I was just ready for the book to be over.
The characters in this were the main factor for my dislike. They never had a consistent goal and I was never rooting for them to succeed.
I feel like if you’re a Grady Hendrix fan like myself this book will probably be a let down in comparison to his previous novels.

The Christian puppet ministry puppets and dolls that Louise and Mark's mother left behind after her death consume the siblings as they attempt to prepare to sell her house. Louise and Mark's parents die in a car accident and they are left to manage the estate in a South Carolina community. The brother and sister have a difficult relationship full of jealousy and rivalry, yet try to get along because each needs they money available to them after the property sale. Author Grady Hendrix's novel is a long story about southern culture and families intermixed with a spooky tale of creepy puppets.

Oh goodie. Puppets.
To be honest, I always get a little annoyed about halfway through any one of Hendrix's books because anger is how I deal with fear. Admittedly, his books have a way of sticking with me for months, or even years, after reading. How to Sell a Haunted House is not the first Hendrix horror novel for me, nor will it be the last (hopefully). This story has a way of keeping you on your toes, giving false hopes, and making you realize how precious our connections with other people are to keeping ourselves sane. An excellent read for horror fans!

I really enjoyed reading this book. Louise and Mark's parents have died and they have inherited their house. Their mother was a puppeteer and as they get it ready to sell the puppets and dolls who live there are not happy. The story is creepy and scary but there are also spots of humor. The author did a great job with the scares and twists and turns. It kept me up way to late turning the pages. Enjoy

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

I am a big fan of Grady Hendrix & was not disappointed by his latest! This one had all the elements needed for a scary story:
** Mysterious Deaths
** A potentially Haunted House
** Creepy Dolls & Puppets!
** a sense of nostalgia

Will certainly be recommending (& displaying) this title around Halloween and all year long!

Description
New York Times bestselling author Grady Hendrix takes on the haunted house in a thrilling new novel that explores the way your past—and your family—can haunt you like nothing else.

When Louise finds out her parents have died, she dreads going home. She doesn’t want to leave her daughter with her ex and fly to Charleston. She doesn’t want to deal with her family home, stuffed to the rafters with the remnants of her father’s academic career and her mother’s lifelong obsession with puppets and dolls. She doesn’t want to learn how to live without the two people who knew and loved her best in the world.

Most of all, she doesn’t want to deal with her brother, Mark, who never left their hometown, gets fired from one job after another, and resents her success. Unfortunately, she’ll need his help to get the house ready for sale because it’ll take more than some new paint on the walls and clearing out a lifetime of memories to get this place on the market.

But some houses don’t want to be sold, and their home has other plans for both of them…

Like his novels The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires and The Final Girl Support Group, How to Sell a Haunted House is classic Hendrix: equal parts heartfelt and terrifying—a gripping new read from “the horror master” (USA Today).

How to Sell a Haunted House is a wild, funny, and terrifying read that will stay with you long after you finish it. The novel follows Louise and Mark, siblings who are forced to return to their childhood home after their parents' deaths. The house is haunted, and Louise and Mark must find a way to sell it before it's too late. The novel is full of humor, suspense, pure camp, and family drama. Hendrix does a great job of balancing these elements, creating a story that is both entertaining and thought-provoking.

If you are a fan of FUN horror novels, then you will definitely enjoy How to Sell a Haunted House. It is a fresh and original take on the genre that I really enjoyed!

Thank you Berkley Pub & NetGalley for gifting me an ebook! I also listened to this book via Audible.
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This is my second Grady Hendrix novel and I can see now why Hendrix has a staunch fan following.
While this is every bit of a spooky story as the title suggests, I actually enjoyed the story more for how Hendrix unpacked the complicated relationships between siblings, parent and offspring, and exes, and how sometimes they are all intertwined with life events that unfold.

Louise had moved far away from her life in Charleston but is pulled right back in when her parents die. Louise and her brother, Mark, do not see eye to eye with anything but now they’re forced to confront each other with their parents’ wills as well as dealing with their ancestral home. Needless to say, the siblings do not handle it well at all.

But Louise and Mark have to salvage their relationship and reckon with ghosts of their pasts when they realize that their house is unsellable because it is in fact…haunted.

Their mother, who was a puppet creator all her life, has left behind hundreds of puppets, and they soon realize, these puppets are alive. One puppet in particular, Pupkin, is the leader of the pack, the same puppet that Louise hated all her life. I think it’s safe for me to assume that once you’ve read this book, you’ll never look at puppets or dolls the same way again. Pupkin is both endearing as well as creepy. In many ways, Pupkin reminds me of Chucky but maybe a less ominous version? I loved the ending of the book as it resolved all the questions readers get of Louise’s dysfunctional family as well as why the house is haunted.

I strongly recommend listening to this book via audio as Jay & Mikhaila Aaseng brought the characters, particularly Pupkin, to life with their narration.

I have to admit I could not finish this book. I didn't find it up to par with Grady Hendrix's past books.

I really wish I could have gotten into it, maybe at another point in time I would be able to.

I’m new to the Grady Hendrix fan club, this is my second novel from Grady and boy what did I just read???? My reading experience through out this book included the whole spectrum of reactions/emotions. It was such a unique premise and even though we were talking about a haunted house, the other “things” took it to another level of crazy. I absolutely loved it.

This was definitely a spooky book! If you’re freaked out by dolls, then this is definitely something that will keep you up at night. It was an enjoyable read.

I knew there was a reason I hated dolls/puppets/stuffed animals

Holy hell that was good !
Grady does it again

KILLER PUPPET HAUNTS FAMILY count me in!

First , I'm a fan of how he writes female characters and he does these side characters SO WELL!

I started reading this book at night and slowly it spooked me that I stopped. I felt I was being watched and instantly brought me back to my aunties house . She collected dolls and had them in living room we were not allowed in, not that any of us ever wanted to be around those dolls. He described the feeling of being in a room with those dolls to perfection. It's exactly how we felt .

I am forever haunted by this puppet!
Bravo , Grady

Too bad this was the first book I read by this author, it was just ok. I think the comic-horror feel of it wasn’t for me. It was easy to read but I just wasn’t engaged enough.

I really enjoyed this book as much as I have the rest of Grady Hendrix's books. This story holds true to classic, creepy horror. I was genuinely kept awake at night from some of the imagery of this book. I enjoyed the deeper meaning of family bonds and sacrifice as well.

After being abruptly informed of her parents death, Louise flies back to her childhood home in Charleston to make arrangements for their funeral. Things don't feel quite right in her old house which is full of her mothers handmade puppets; various sized dolls that Louise and her brother want nothing to do with. But cleaning out their parents house proves to be far more difficult than either of them could imagine.

This book was separated into five sections, one for each stage of grief which was an interesting way to divide the book and it worked really well. The story was compelling and exciting from start to finish and always kept me wanting to read more. There was a great mixture of horror and humor. The character development was also very interesting and well done. Mark's story reminded me of my favorite part of Hell House by Richard Matheson and I greatly appreciated that concept. This was overall a really well done haunted house novel. I loved it and highly recommend this book!!!

as much as i dont like scary movies about dolls/puppets (as i think they are pretty silly), this one had me sucked in; it reminded me of Goosebumps' Night of the Living Puppet meets Annabelle meets Child's Play, a really good mix i may add. i liked how it crossed familial secrets, repressed trauma and possessed objects to make a really fun yet creepy haunted house story

First and foremost, this book has solidified my phobia of puppets and dolls. I will never be the same after reading this. It was a creepy, deeply atmospheric novel. If you have enjoyed Hendrix books and writing in the past, you will not be disappointed. I look forward to what is next!

Creepy, weird, but an interesting characters, and an over-all good read. If you weren’t already afraid of puppets or spooky dolls, you will be after this.

***Louise finds out her parents have died, and she dreads going home. She doesn’t want to leave her daughter. She doesn’t want to deal with her family home, stuffed to the rafters with the remnants of her father’s academic career and her mother’s lifelong obsession with puppets and dolls

Most of all, she doesn’t want to deal with her brother, Mark. Unfortunately, she’ll need his help to get the house ready for sale because it’ll take more than some new paint on the walls and clearing out a lifetime of memories to get this place on the market.

But some houses don’t want to be sold, and their home has other plans for both of them…****

This is the second book I've read by Grady Hendrix he certainly has some crazy imagination. His books are never those ones you know there's a perfectly normal explanation for all the weird going ons. His books are just plain ghostly and supernatural.
Maybe it was the puppet vibe in this book I didn't like or that the story was so far-fetched. (Yes I know its not real)
During the first 3/4 of the book I struggled to get into it, I found it slow and repetitive and it took me a while to read it. The last 100 pages are where all the action is and I read it in one sitting, but I was glad it was finally over!

It's Spooky and hits all those childhood fears of creepy puppets and imaginary friends this one just wasn't for me!

How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix is a fast-paced, entertaining read that combines horror and comedy in a unique and enjoyable way. The book follows a brother-sister combo tasked with selling their parent's (haunted) house, and the creepy events that unfold as they attempt to do so. Hendrix's signature blend of horror and humor is on full display here, with plenty of spooky moments balanced out by witty dialogue and humorous asides. The characters are likable and relatable, and the audiobook narration is top-notch. As a bonus, hearing Grady Hendrix's insights on the book and his writing process on the Libro.fm podcast adds another layer of appreciation for the story. Overall, How to Sell a Haunted House is a fun and satisfying read that will delight horror fans and comedy lovers alike.

Louise returns home after her family dies - well this one will haunt you as the house haunts Louise - I don’t want to give to much away - but it’s a fast excellent read