(3.5 stars) haunted house & descent into madness tropes; unlikeable characters; gore; body horror; was really into this for the first half but then it felt like it was dragging on a bit; not a fan of the lore aspect; enjoyed the overall pace & the way the ending played out; a lot of great suspense build up; would make an awesome movie!

Special thank you to Saga Press and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Nick Cutter is the king of body horror. It’s hard to gross me out but I found myself cringing throughout this jaw-dropping novel. I loved the backstory and especially enjoyed that the ending wasn’t tied up in a neat little bow where everyone lives happily ever after. A near perfect horror read.

AHHHHHHHHH! That's a genuine reaction.

This was my first Nick Cutter book, and it definitely won't be my last. I just finished this baby in less than 24 hours and holy friggin moly. Suppose you liked The Haunting of Hill House. In that case, you'll enjoy this one because The Handyman Method is essentially the love child of Mike Flanagan's adaptation of The Haunting of Hill House and Monster House, with themes of the horrors of being a first-time homeowner. WAPOW.

The not-so-happy couple, Trent and Rita, are new homeowners of a FIXER-UPPER and have decided to leave their old life behind to start new with their young son, Milo. Not only does this house need a paint job and some other repairs, but it's also housing a few residents that weren't able to leave, paranormally speaking.

Trent, who's been previously "gently let go" from his previous job, has all the time in the world to jump on some of these home improvements and finds just the handyman guru on YouTube to guide him through these fixes. When Handyman Hank seems to be getting in his head and suggesting he do things not home improvement-related, Trent keeps sipping the Kool-aid, spiraling deeper into a trancelike state, OBSESSED with renovating his new home.

How far will he go to have the perfect home? Will the safety of his son and wife come into harm's way, or is the house harboring an ages old curse that leaves no survivors? I won't spoil the end, because holy mole, it was AMAZING, and I ain't no ending spoiler.

The Handyman Method is set to hit shelves on August 8, 2023, and I'm so thankful to Nick Cutter, Andrew F. Sullivan, Gallery Books/Saga Press, and NetGalley for granting me both a physical copy and digital access to this PERFECT haunted house book.

I brought this book with me to get tattooed and I had to set it aside because it was making me, a seasoned horror reader uncomfortably squirmy!

The Handyman Method made me laugh in recognition (men all want to DIY and hang out at Home Depot am I right?!🤣), feel violently ill from the gore and feel tenderly towards Milo the kid. Truly a bit for everyone!

These authors shine on their own, but really have something special together! Sullivan's twisted mind and Cutter's demented gross out scenes are so so good together!

Very visceral in thrills and chills and basically a manual of "what not to do" in home renovations and marriages!

If you want to be disturbed try The Handyman Method and if you're fine afterwards you're probably dead.

Okay Big TW: Animal Death. Beyond that, this is a very engrossing novel that left me feeling very unsettled. I absolutely loved the use of the creepy/haunted youtube videos to help propel the plot. A fantastic horror read!

The Handyman Method by this duo is a fast paced, detailed, and a terrifyingly fun read.
Cutter's writing is dark, razor-sharp thoughts and images.
He brilliantly sets the scene and had me on the edge the entire time.
Exciting and gripping from beginning to end, I couldn’t stop reading.
A devious, suspenseful mystery you will not be able to put down.
My first time reading his work and I’m so glad to say that I’ll definitely be checking out his previous titles.
This phenomenal duo writes a heart pounding story that totally consumed me.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Thank You NetGalley and Gallery/Saga Press for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

I wasn't quite sure what to expect from the book but I was curious enough to give it a shot. This was actually really good! It's not the best book Nick Cutter has worked on but it was still a solid read.
Horror is really hard for me to review because I can't exactly explain what I like in horror I just know it when I see it. This book wasn't quite there but it was really really close. All of the pieces were there to make this the perfect horror but they just weren't quite right. I don't really know how else to explain it other than that.
This book is definitely worth a read cause it is really good. Its a solid horror and has some great bits in it.

After being put on leave due to an incident at work, Trent and his family relocate a bit out from the city into a brand new home. But everything isn’t as it appears (it never is!). There’s a gigantic crack in the wall that Trent decides to have a hand at repairing with the help of YouTube fix-it man Hank the Handyman. But his problems are just beginning, and they’re only going to get so much worse.

What I really loved:
- All the classic Nick Cutter that we’ve come to know (especially in the vein of The Troop and The Deep). He’s the king at imagery - I could see, smell, and hear everything. It was grotesque, and I loved it.
- The premise itself is built off of a good ol’ haunted house story but with its own special flavor. I love a good “something is wrong with this house” story, but I appreciate them even more when they’re well written!
- I didn’t expect to really enjoy the role that electronics seemed to have in this story, but I was pleasantly surprised! The YouTube personalities were a different angle that I ended up really enjoying.
- The story was delivered in such a way that once I was in it, I couldn’t put it down. I wanted to read as everything continued to fall apart around Trent — I wanted to know how the dust was all going to settle. (I read this in one sitting!)

What I didn’t love:
- There were a few aspects of the storyline that didn’t seem to be fully explained to me by the time I got to the end. I could’ve missed something, or those details might’ve meant to be somewhat abstract and maybe more difficult to string together, but I wish those answers had made themselves more clear. (But the story still stands as a solid one — it shouldn’t deter anyone from picking it up even if left with a few questions!)
- I didn’t mind it personally, but I could see other readers seeing the profanity as an obstacle. If you know horror and you read it, you’ll get it and the intention there. It’s abrasive and it adds to what we know of the characters and what seems to be happening to them and changing them. That said, I could see some readers being put off by that (to which I would say, maybe this kind if horror isn’t so much their thing?)

Overall, this was a great story delivered by one of my favorite writers in horror right now and alongside a co-author that I now need to look into! I definitely recommend the read!

Very interesting, dark and brooding horror novel. I love creepy houses so much and this delivered on that front. The writing was pretty good. I'll be recommending this to lovers and readers of all things spooky and unnerving.

3.25

It started quite rough. The character building was a little disjointed at first. However, once I was in the story (about 15-20% in) it took off! A little bit of an Amityville vibe.
This was so different from the previous Nick Cutter books I have read. There was still a bit of gore but not nearly as much as The Troop.
There are quite a few run-on sentences that made reading a bit difficult at times, as I had to reread them.

I’m not entirely sure if I really liked this novel or not. The premise was good and the pacing was fast. However, I felt like there was a lot that was repetitive and the characters never really came to full development.

Thank you for an ARC of The Handyman Method.

I love haunted house stories. Well, I love haunted anything, so I was eager to read The Handyman Method.

If you're squeamish and the type to turn away from the scary parts in horror movies, this book isn't for you.

A young couple and their son move into a new home in a up and coming community. But all is not what is appears to be.

I like the authors' horror spin on toxic masculinity; how society tell men not to emote, that it's not manly, to be tough, fixing the house is a manly responsibility, and how imparting such dangerous lessons to their young, impressionable children can be deadly.

I loved the reason behind the haunting, a different take on a haunted house's origins, but I wished there had been more exposition.

Who or what was this entity that made the first bargain with the wife's ancestor? A demon? An ancient and malevolent god?

Character development was lacking, especially for Rita, who is by far the most interesting character.

We know about her husband, his cowardly actions, his descent into madness, but what about Rita?

How does she compartmentalize her responsibility to this entity? How does she survive day by day knowing she has a horrendous task to do?

There's no exposition on her maternal family line; does every woman in her generation sacrifice a husband to this thing?

I wished the ending had been darker; Rita leaves her husband behind and she escapes with her son.

I didn't believe in the love between Rita and her husband so it was hard to believe she cared about him.

He didn't seem to be much of a husband or a dad, and his actions up to that point were selfish, cowardly, and reprehensible. But maybe that's just the demon talking.

First, thank you Gallery Books and Netgalley for an early advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

4 1/2 stars!!!

Fair warning: must have a strong stomach to continue forward with this novel of horrors. Even if you're a teeny bit squeamish, keep moving....you will not be able to continue with this one. But, if you want a haunted house book of sorts with more meat to the bones or a possible car wreck you're unable to look away from....you've come to the right place!

We follow Trent, Rita and Milo to a new housing development and a new home. Once there, they begin their journey with a few family secrets....but unexplainable things begin to occur. Without giving too much away, I agree with the comparison to Amityville Horror but with The Shining sprinkled in for good measure.

A very intense, nail biting, wicked and fast paced horror ride. I just wish there was more with the scenes of the different levels because it was like the fun house mirrors of extreme proportions. I really liked that. There's a lot to love about this story and plenty to love to hate. This was such a raw nerve of a read that I may need to read a few feel good light hearted stories now to slow my heart rate a bit. With that being said, this will be a slam dunk choice for horror readers, highly recommended!

Cutter is a well known writer of literate horror and his newest, is, I believe, his best. Always known for picking creepy setting, this time Cutter sets his characters, a young family, in an unfinished housing development. It becomes obvious almost from day one, that the house has plenty of structural problems. Of course everyone knows you can learn to do anything online, but the DIY instructions they get from the mysterious poster have deeper, more frightening implications for the family. A haunted house story for the 21st century, where you can indeed find out how to do ANYTHING online

Heart pounding thriller that left me on the edge of my seat. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this one. Definitely one of the best books this year.