Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for my early copy of The Spite House by debut author Johnny Compton!

A Black Southern Gothic horror following a family in modern-day Texas. Right from the start we are following The Ross family running from their past that have pushed them to erase their online existence, become unemployed, leave their mom behind and flee the city they came from. The dad, Eric, accepts the position to become the caretaker of the Masson House, only having to record the happenings of the supposed paranormal activity. The generous pay for this work would create a financially secure future for his family but as time goes on, is the payout worth the danger his daughters, Dess and Stacy, are being put in? How far does a father’s love go to protect his baby girls?

Reading this by myself late at night within the dark walls of my house, gave me the spooks! I wouldn’t categorize this as a scary horror, it more has a paranormal twist with creepy moments. As the Ross Family settled in the first night upon job acceptance- unexplained events, mind boggling dreams and unforeseen forces making doors open and close envelop the reader within the walls of The Spite House from the beginning.

The Spite House gave me MAJOR The Marsten House vibes from ‘Salem's Lot- the house upon a hill overlooking the town radiating an evil presence. Adam Lazarre-White’s voice brought this eerie story to life exactly how I wanted. I will be seeing what other works he’s narrated! When we found out why the Ross Family was on the run, I was instantly hooked! Although, I wanted more explanation regarding that- if you know, you know.

I wasn't the biggest fan of the various side character POV's, instead I wanted to keep within the minds of The Ross Family. By the end of this novel, I was left with many unanswered questions and I think that’s due to the random tidbits of useless information we were being given but never led to anything. I enjoyed my time reading this but will probably forget about this novel in a few weeks.

I was today years old when I found out that the term ‘spite house’, is an actual thing! I encourage everyone to Google the term and scroll through the Google Images because some of the spite houses people have built just to aggravate their neighbors had me cackling!

Overall, I’m settling on a 2/5 stars for this debut novel!

Who doesn't like a story about a family that moves into a haunted house?

Eric Ross saw an ad for a caretaker position at Masson House in Degener, Texas. A promise of high six figures salary to live and document occurrences inside the house for the owner is hard to pass up. He uprooted himself from Maryland with his two daughters for this opportunity to make good money.

I love Southern stories and when I saw this is a "terrifying Gothic thriller", I immediately want to read it. Unfortunately, I didn't get the gothic atmosphere I hoped for. The house and its interior were well described but I wish I was transported there. The plot is intriguing and I like the title. There are terrifying moments in the end, the kind that makes me shiver but it was slow to get there. My problem simply comes down to too many perspectives that slow the pace. I thought the ending was clever, not necessarily the kind I like if you know what I mean.

The audiobook read by Adam Lazarre-White was terrific. He's one of the main reasons I requested this book to review.

Creepy vibes from beginning to end. The voice of Adam Lazarre-White absolutely brought this story to life, and what a great debut novel for Johnny Compton. I just had to grab this one because 1. it’s about a haunted house; 2. it’s set in middle-of-nowhere Texas, and 3. the gothic-thriller atmosphere. The title is perfect to describe what this mysterious house is all about. It’s malicious, petty, and contains a desire to consume. We see just how far a father and sister’s love will go — all with disturbing secrets unraveling. The modern-day setting and black male lead were a refreshing take on the gothic haunted house setting. The different POVs were done well, and the characters were unique and complex. I thought the ending was clever. The author gives us just enough without spelling everything out — keeping that strange level max.

This book is big fun if you're a horror fan. This is one of those reads that doesn't scare you outright, but makes you feel solidly uneasy.

The Spite House seems at first to be a story of a man with 2 daughters who has fallen into some trouble. In order to earn a good chunk of cash he's willing to live (with the daughters) in a certainly haunted house, to engage with the spirits within it, and report back to the rich lady who owns it.

Now, aside from the money, why might a man think that dealing with paranormal goings on was up his family's alley? Now that's a fun question, and that intersection is where things go from creepy to a lil bit of crazytown.

The end got a little too twisty for me maybe, because I actually went back and listened to those last chapters again, thinking I was misunderstanding. So would say it didn't tie up cleanly for me.

Adam Lazarre-White has the most stunning Southern drawl, he was perfection in this audiobook.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for sending me an early audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

*3.25 stars*

A solid haunted house story. Good atmosphere and creepiness. This was a really interesting take on anger and generational trauma.

There was a little too much repeating exposition for me. I would have appreciated learning about the history more organically through the interactions with the house and it’s ghosts and not having to have it repeated at several different points of view.

I felt like the pacing was a little off. The beginning started out really promising and then the middle just kind of lagged until the last couple chapters.

I would recommend this to someone who really loves a more cerebral and historical horror. I would definitely recommend the audiobook as the narrator does a really great job.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this work. All opinions in this review are my own.

The Spite House is a slow burn gothic horror haunted house story.

We follow Eric Ross and his two daughters, Dess and Stacy, who are on the run. The family is constantly on the move looking for their next paycheck and avoiding local law enforcement. Eric comes across an Ad that appears too good to be true but desperate for some stability for his family he decides to take the job, Eric becomes the caretaker of an old derelict Spite House in the state of Texas. The Masson House is notoriously one of the most haunted places in the state and Eric's job is to document whatever paranormal activity might be occurring inside for Eunice, the houses owner. Simple right? but Eunice and Eric and the house are hiding secrets about their past that can endanger them all.

I loved the Spite House. It was the perfect creepy slow burn book to read during these cold January days in the PNW.
Johnny Compton does a fantastic job in creating a rich and layered story with compelling characters and a gothic setting. There are so many secrets and a large cast of characters. I loved how it all came together at the end as Compton began to peel back the layers and weave the separate narratives together.

I'd recommend this book to people who like slow burn suspense, great characters and a gothic setting.

I would highly recommend to pick up the audiobook for this one. It is narrated by Adam Lazarre-White. His voice is so captivating.

TW: I would be remiss to not mention this specially with all the recent events in the U.S but there is potential hostage/active shooter situation in the book.

When Eric and his two daughters flea Maryland they stay in different hotel rooms on the way to Texas. He wants to make it there to the place he spent summers with his grandparents but there’s another reason. When they get close to their destination he season add four a house they say is haunted and to him it seems like an answer to a prayer. If they stay there a certain amount of time and report what happens he’ll get enough money to purchase his grandparents home and he and his daughters will have a safe place to live. After a quick interview with the homeowner he Stacy and Desi move in in the strangeness begins immediately but that isn’t the only thing they have to contend with. Not only are they still dealing with the reasons they fled Maryland but a reporter and a crazy man will have something to say about them staying in the haunted house. I found this book more interesting than spooky but I still enjoyed it very much. I also thought the narrator did an awesome job. I listen to headphone audio and half using the Kindle burden and I think I enjoyed the audio version with the narrator much better. That isn’t always the case but was the case this time. I would definitely highly recommend this book I have come to learn either you love or hate this book and I loved it. And highly recommend it. I received this book from NetGalley and McMillan audio but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forget any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio!

A mystery within a mystery!

This book in the beginning leaves you with so many unanswered questions that it naturally forces you to want to keep reading! The Spite House started off with a bang and was initially very spooky. However, as I continued to read it started to lose the spookiness and the spark that it started with. I still loved this book and found it very intriguing and loved its natural ability to draw me in.... Kind of like The Spite House itself.

Watch out The House is Hungry.

One of the best horror novels I've read in a long time! So creepy and full of suspense. Eric is on the run with his 2 daughters in tow. He has to take jobs that pay by the day, cash, so that they can remain off the radar. Very mysterious. We find out why soon enough.
The owner of the Spite House, Eunice, is a tech billionaire, who wants proof that something supernatural is happening in that house. She hires Eric and his girls to record their findings in a journal. Right away, things start to go awry. The narrator is stellar!
This was hard to put down and I finished it in one day. Absolutely chilling. Hope to hear more from Johnny Compton.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this audio e-arc.*

If The Spite House isn’t yet on your #tbr, add it right now. This book was PHENOMENAL.

At first, it reminded me of HIDE only because the moment you begin, you get the sense that there’s so much more going on that we can’t even guess at yet. From the history of each character to what’s transpired in the past.

I felt like the reason behind Eric volunteering to stay at the spite house was unique and didn’t ring false. I think it’s also due to his personality. He never second-guesses what he or his daughters experience.

I also loved how Compton blended the paranormal aspects so seamlessly. I listened to this a lot while at the gym, and one moment I’m listening to a character go about their business and the next there’s creepy children whispering in my ear. Very well done, chill-down your spine creepy. Adam Lazarre-White is a phenomenal narrator 👏 I think this is the first narration of his that I’ve listened to and my new goal is to find more of his work.

The plot is incredibly layered right until the end. It takes unexpected turns and has one of my favorite kind of endings. Everything wrapped up nicely but I think there’s other aspects we did dive into that could make for a great second book in this world. Or maybe I just want more ghost stories from Compton.

The Spite House comes out February 7th, a truly great pub-day (IYKYK), and this should be one of the first books you grab for a really spooky season 🖤

I would like to thank Macmillan Audio & Netgalley for allowing me to listen to this book in exchange for an honest review

5 out of 5 stars


I was so excited to get this book as an ARC as I kept hearing about it from the booktubers that I love to watch. Many of them had this on their most excited about books for 2023!

Let me start by saying that Adam Lazarre-White was a fantastic narrator that really embodied Eric. This book offered me everything I was looking for! We have a family on the run from something mysterious, an interesting and small town full of secrets and a haunted house. So it was a perfect Southern gothic novel. I was hooked and listened to it in one night because I just couldn't put it down. Johnny Compton is an amazing writer!

I loved the characters and I just wanted to see how the story would play out. Let me say that there is a twist in this that will surely shock you in the very best way!! Pick this up as soon as you can

What a phenomenal debut book. This is hands down one of the better haunted house books I’ve read in awhile. I am looking forward to reading more books by Johnny Compton in the future. I also loved the narrator.

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced reading copy of The Spite House by Johnny Compton.

Johnny Compton’s debut is a Black Southern Gothic horror novel set in modern day Texas. Similar to Shirley Jackson’s 1959 classic, The Haunting of Hill House. The majority of the narration follows Eric Ross. A father of two who after the unexpected happens finds himself on the run from a mysterious past with his two daughters, eighteen year old Dess and seven year old Stacy. With something to hide and after leaving everything behind they find themselves desperate and short on money. Eric finds himself in the strange position of accepting a job living in the Masson House in Degener, Texas. This house is recognized as one of the most haunted houses in Texas. His job is to be the caretaker of the house and record proof of paranormal activity.

What a phenomenal debut! This is Southern Gothic horror at it's best. There are some pacing issues and their are a lot of POVs - but I found that the POVs worked, and the pacing left a lot of room for tension.

There are truly so many layers to this story that I know that I missed things. I can definitely see myself picking this one back up again.

My only complaint about the audiobook is I wish there had been multiple narrators as there are so many different POVs, however the narrator did do a great job.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook.

YES!!!!!!! The Spite house was amazing... dare I give it 5 stars???? I am... however it is a solid 4.5 in my opinion. However, Adam Lazarre-White voice pushed it to th efull 5.

Great story... creepy....suspense... wanting to know more!!! This hit all my marks! Ending got a bit confusing.. BUT still worth it!!

YES!!!!!!!! We need more from Johnny Compton!!!!!!!

A father, who has two daughters and a dark secret, agrees to spend time in an allegedly haunted house for enough money to keep the family safe. His secret isn't the only one, leaving him unprepared for the power that resides there. There are twists to the ghost lore and plot, but think of it as more layers than shocks. These and explorations of racism, trauma, and the sins of towns and families add depth to all the favorite ghostly tropes. I listened to this as an audiobook and the narration was fantastic.

I really enjoyed this book. This was the 1st Horror book I think I've read when the characters know what they are walking into but do it anyways because .. well... they need to. I think the narrator also did a great job at keeping the story going. I was so excited to be able to review this and I will certainly be getting myself a copy for my library because of its overall performance!

I do not gravitate towards the Gothic/Horror genre, but when I was selected by Netgalley to review the audiobook I was committed. For me there were too many POV's in the story, which were easy enough to follow, but it was a little overwhelming. I'm not a big believer in ghosts so the story just wasn't for me.

The Spite House by Johnny Compton is a book you don't want to put down. It follows a family that has its own secrets as they answer an ad to live in the Spite House. The house has a shaded past and secrects of its own. Stacy who is the younget of Eric's children can see and communicate with the ghosts that are trapped in the house. In order to get Stacy out of the house Eric will sacrfice his own soul or part of it. This one will keep you up all night and make you wonder if the bumps you hear in the night are real.

If you saw an ad offering a six figure sum in exchange for a living in a haunted house for a month, would you do it? That’s the proposition that Eric, the main character in Johnny Compton’s thrilling debut novel The Spite House, decides to accept. Since this wouldn’t be published as a horror story if living in the house was a peaceful experience, it’s not a spoiler to say that Eric learns he’s made a bad choice. What makes it even worse is that his two daughters, ages 18 and seven, move into the house with him. Big mistake.

Now there were valid reasons why Eric is so desperate to earn a lot of money and fast. In the beginning chapters, the reader learns Eric and his daughters have been moving from town to town, staying in cheap hotels and lying about their names and their past. They’ve cut ties with absolutely everyone who knew them from before they started life on the run. Suspense builds as we slowly understand more about the shocking reason they’re starting a new life with different identities.

The fast pace of the narrative kept me engaged and I finished the book in a few days. I loved the smooth, deep voice of the narrator Adam Lazarre-White.

I also liked the insights into family heritage that Compton deftly wove into the plotline. Eric is an introspective man and his musings on his Grandfather’s philosophy of life and how it differed from his father’s and his own, blended naturally into the main horror story. As he draws upon memories of his ancestors, Eric is able to access his inner power for the first time and use it to protect his daughter from the haunted house.

Towards the end, the intensity of the book fizzled out for me. I was hoping for a different conclusion, so I felt mildly disappointed with the outcome.

I won’t say anything more about the evil that lurks in the spite house, and the historical background of its haunting, but I will warn you that it is really scary! If you enjoy reading something that gives you the chills, I recommend this book for you.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the free Audio ARC in exchange for my honest review.