I felt like this book did the backflip but didn't stick the landing. I enjoyed the first part of the book, and it had me hooked and entertained, but then it started to go downhill fairly quickly towards the end.

After an accident, and being blamed for the disappearance of a classmate, 14-year-old Richard is sent to live with relatives. Richard is adamant that Richard was sucked through a phonebooth. Shockingly, no one believes him. When a second classmate goes missing, Richard must clear his name.

The first part of the book had a very YA horror feel, which I tend to love. That is what drew me in. It then got a little too weird for my taste, and I pretty quickly couldn't determine whether Richard was an unreliable narrator or not. It is hard to explain the last part of the book without giving away spoilers.

I would say that I rated the first part 4 stars, the second part 3 and the last part 2 stars, so I settled on 3 overall.

[Reviewers Note: I don't include plot point spoilers in my review but, in this case, revealing the structure of the book itself might be considered a spoiler.]

In retrospect, I should have paid more attention to the last line of The Night House description. Like many other novels, Jo Nesbo's novel is structured in three parts, but where The Night House differs is that each part is almost a different book (and different genre) unto itself, with recurring character names throughout, but not always playing the same characters.

The first part of The Night House presents as a YA horror novel, and my first impression was that the viewpoint — or rather, the intended audience — was probably younger than the young adult stories that generally appeal to me, basically middle grade YA. This is in regard to the dialogue, situations, and behavior of the characters. Nonetheless, the horror premise (inciting incident, at least) of a phone swallowing someone whole had me intrigued. So, I hung in there seeing where the story would go. To my surprise, after part one, there is a complete reset, a fast forward of approximately ten years, the story settling into New Adult category at this point. We learn that a lot of what transpired in the first part didn't really happen as we were led to believe, which might seem obvious, but genre readers have a strong ability to suspend disbelief and go with the unnatural flow. Finally, in the third part of the novel, the genre (or rather, category) switches again, to mainstream YA fiction in a way I won't give away.

I revealed the three part structure mainly to explain my reaction to the novel. It's a clever device, with a satisfying ending, and a lot of readers will appreciate the author's structural legerdemain. And yet, it also feels like three different moods via three different novellas, and it was hard to get totally invested in any of the three before the structural switch to the next part. Of the three parts, my favorite was the middle section, which I thought had the creepiest potential.

Not too scary - read more like YA horror, which is totally fine! It was enjoyable and I would read another Jo Nesbo, hoping he stays in the horror realm instead of the detective realm (which is less my personal preference).

Full disclosure, this is my first Nesbo so I am not familiar with his other work. Told in three parts and with one POV. This was a good kind of spooky for someone new to the Horror genre or wanting something that isn’t too gory. It had the ominous vibes right from the beginning and did not let up until the end.

I always find stories told within stories interesting and usually it works. The premise of this was smart and I appreciated the 90s vibes. I did think Richard was, for lack of a better word, an asshole, in the beginning but you eventually get where Nesbo was going with it.

I did however guess the twist right away. I thought this was fine, but it just wasn’t my favorite. I got RL Stine vibes without the RL Stine if that makes sense lol I will say that the cover gets major points and was definitely a factor in me purchasing this. Thank you Netgalley for my copy!

The Night House is the latest from Jo Nesbo and is perfect if you’re looking for a short and scary book for the Halloween season.

It’s a stand-alone work and is very different from his Harry Hole series, more akin to a classic Stephen King story rather than a Norwegian crime novel, but it still manages to capture Nesbo’s signature unsettling vibes.

The first chapter immediately sucks you in (iykyk) and from there, the action unfolds in a way that will have you questioning what is true and what isn’t. If you’re a fan of stories that play with the perception of time and perspective this is definitely one to check out.

One warning though…the protagonist is extremely unlikable. It’s established early on that he’s quite a bully and Nesbo doesn’t shy away from showing how poorly the main character treats others. I’m not usually someone who is turned off by unlikeable characters, but this was a little challenging to get through.

The Night House is out now. Thanks to Knopf and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Enjoyed this creepy audiobook - narrated by Michael Crouch.
Two kids use a payphone for prank calls. One is eaten by the phone. Ummm yes! I'm in!
When Richard details the events, the Sheriff is not convinced. The page is gone from the phone book; the payphone shows no evidence. Determined to find the truth, the Sheriff keeps Richard in his sights.
Richard tells the story to his classmates. Quickly releasing a patient from an asylum lurks in the town, Richard is desperate to prove the nightmare exists!

Thank you NetGalley and Knopf for this ARC! I’ve seen Jo’s books floating around the internet for a while, but this was my first read by him. I was drawn in by the cover and I stayed for the interesting plot-line!

I really enjoyed all 3 parts of this story and how they all connected, it was done incredibly well. Nesbø’s writing is top notch and some parts truly scared or creeped me out!

When Richard Alphons parents died in a fire he was sent to live with his aunt Jenny and uncle Frank. Richard was a bully and a troublemaker and although he seem to hate everyone he did appreciate his friendship with the popular girl named Karen. he had a friend named Tommy but after Tommy went missing due to strange circumstances and a story that no one believed and the town thought he did it, this didn’t stop him from making fun of his new friend Jack who he called fatso. It’s when Jack goes missing that the inspector and local police doesn’t know what to do with him but have no proof of this guilt but decide to send him away anyway. Richard believes since the police will not believe him, therefore not investigate he is going to find EMO Yanson himself. EMO Jansen is the guy Richard forced Tommy to prank call by opening up the phone book for valentine then finding a random name and told Tommy to tell him he is going to hell and he will see him there but the joke was on Richard and especially Tommy because this is win the phone sucked Tommy up. Things only get stranger after Richard and his new friend Jack go and search of Imo‘s house soon after Jack will go missing and Richard will be sent to a corrections facility unfortunately being sent away did not free Richard from being haunted by the things he saw and email himself he learns that not only did email get sent to the facility but strange things happen there this is one of the reasons Richard decide he is going to solve it himself especially after he has a nightmare where Imo called him on the phone and told him Karen Wilburn. I am not doing this book justice this was an awesome book not only the description of the house where Imo live with the way the boys went missing and even when poor Richard goes away he is still not free and clear of the strange man’s taunts and tricks. Not only did this author write a great book he has a very talented way of writing to get you engrossed in the story and keeps you turning the pages can Richard solve the case of his missing friends improve what a Tara emo Jansen is or will he and or Karen be the next victims? I also want to say I don’t know if they were supposed to but those twins gave me the creeps I don’t know if it was because it was twins in a horror story because they were creepy I couldn’t decide but either way this is an awesome book and a book I highly recommend. I want to thank Knoph and pantheon and net Galley for my free arc copy please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

What a wild ride! Omg my brain didn't even know what to think from the halfway mark on. The first half is very Stephen King-esque, supernatural forces at work that only the young can see. That story alone was so interesting but then the real insanity starts. I don't want to say much and spoil anything so just know that it will all make sense in the end and is a fabulous story perfect for fans of horror and psychological thrillers.

3-3.5

This was the first book I’ve read by this author. I absolutely loved the cover art; it’s really what sold me on reading this story. The writing is top-notch, immersive, and descriptive. He did a great job of bringing me into this world and meeting the characters.

There are three parts to this story, and each part feels like its own short story. They all do weave together, and things make sense by the time we get to the end, but while reading each part, it did feel a bit disjointed and clunky. They didn’t seamlessly flow together, which took me out of the story as I had to acclimate to each section because they were jarringly different.

With the first part, it felt like a middle grade R.L. Stine horror story, which I enjoyed. I grew up reading R.L. Stine and Christopher Pike back in the late 80s and early 90s, and the first part of the story felt really nostalgic. However, I thought the horror scenes would keep building on top of each other and continuously get more gruesome or scarier, but unfortunately, they didn’t, which was disappointing. I wanted a lot more horror than what we got. But, it did keep my interest because I kept wanting to know what was going to happen next and get explanations of all the strange things going on.

But then, once I got to the second part of the book, it really started to go downhill for me. It felt flat and began to lose my interest. There are scenes toward the end of part two that felt like a fever dream where I was just confused and ready for the book to be over. But I still wanted to know what was truly going on and get the explanations that I had been wanting since the beginning.

Then I got to the final part of the story where everything was brought together and explained. It wasn’t what I was expecting and was a bit of a letdown. It reminded me of a few movies I’ve seen with similar plots, but I can’t give titles or it would ruin this book. It did have an uplifting, satisfying ending, but I wish the road to get there was a bit bumpier, scarier, and more thrilling. I wish we got more horror than mystery.

Overall, it was a decent story. I am interested in reading more from this author, but I don’t know if I would recommend this book to everyone, maybe to some people.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. These are my own thoughts and opinions.

I was in the mood for something a little scary - October, right? This sounded like it could be just the thing and the cover definitely drew me in. However right from the start I struggled with the book and the character’s perspective we are thrown into. I gave it a little while to see if it would get better but it really just didn’t work for me. Thank you to the publisher, Netgalley and PRH audio for the free copies to review.

The Night House by Jo Nesbo

Short Take: Jaw, this is Floor. Floor, this is Jaw. But I see you’ve already met.

(*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*)

Hello my beloved nerdlings! It’s been a crazy week, but lately, it kind of seems like they all are. There’s a staggering amount of insanity all over the news, all the time, and then a seemingly endless series of stuff coming up in Nerd World. Nothing super note-worthy, but just a sort of constant, low-level drumbeat of deadlines and events and tasks and goals and all of it set against the screaming loudness of the madness in the headlines.

It’s exhausting, you know? My attention span is practically nonexistent at the moment, but Jo Nesbo knows how to metaphorically grab me by the face and keep my eyeballs engaged. And if my brain’s a little melted afterward, well, I can live with that.

In The Night House, fifteen year old Richard Elauved is having a tough time of it. His parents have died tragically, causing him to have to move to a new town to live with his aunt and uncle. He doesn’t get along with the kids at school, and well, he’s kind of a little turd. A bully to his classmates, a thief, rude and dismissive to the adults trying to care for him, a liar…. You get the idea. So when a boy in his class disappears when hanging out with Richard, of course the police suspect him. Even though Richard has a perfectly reasonable explanation for the bizarre death he witnessed and totally played no part in. And then it happens again.

Duckies, what’s the word for when you feel like you’re inside a kaleidoscope, and at every turn, everything gets shaken around and resettled into something new and surprising? This book is that. I was at about the halfway point, and thinking I was reading a certain type of book that I generally avoid & won’t name for spoiler reasons, but then everything I thought I knew was both confirmed and denied. And then the story kept spinning out into chaos, then settling back into a tight sensible circle, until the final heartbreaking truth.

I’ll admit that it took me a little while to really warm up to this one, though. It’s hard to engage with Richard, as he’s an extremely unpleasant narrator for much of the book. The early chapters (after the first big shocker) move slowly, and so many of the characters feel one-dimensional. But ohhhhhh once that first big twist happens, I dare you to keep your face from falling open.

The Nerd’s Rating: FOUR HAPPY NEURONS (and a few deep breaths. We all need that right now.)

Okay this book had me thinking WTF!! I went into this booking thinking it was a paranormal thriller/horror but that was not what i got. The storyline if this book was really interesting and had me gasping at the ending because the plot twist was 🤯

This is one I can’t decide where I land! It’s somewhere between 3.5-4. This story ended up being surprisingly sad! However the ride to get to the ‘sad’ ending was absolutely bonkers. I really enjoyed this and read it start to finish in one sitting!

I enjoyed the first half of this book. It was fun, creepy, imaginative, and kept my attention.

Then, the timeline changed to 15 years later, and it turned into some messed up fever dream that lost my interest.

In the end, a twist finally helped bring the story together. Still, I would rather have had the book continue in its original direction, so I was a bit disappointed all together.

This is my first book by this author. I would definitely give his other books a try.

I gave this 3.5 stars rounded down to 3⭐️.

My thanks and appreciation to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an advanced ebook copy of this book.

Although I did not love this book, I did enjoy the twists and turns a good bit. I also was delighted to read something so eerie and horror-ful in October- it definitely helped set the mood for Halloween! I have not actually read Jo Nesbo's Harry Hole books and although I did not love the Night House, now I definitely want to check out his other novels! I'm more of a mystery than horror person anyways. Three and a half stars, rounding up because the aggravating writing in the first section is very intentional. Keep going! All will be revealed.

First things first: don't go into The Night House expecting it to be in any way like Jo Nesbø's Harry Hole crime series. The (freaking incredible) cover of this book is not lying: This is, in fact, a horror novel about a kid-eating payphone. Or is it?

At the beginning of the book we meet 14-year-old Richard Elauved, who has recently moved to live with his aunt and uncle in the town of Ballantyne after his parents' tragic deaths in a house fire. He quickly becomes an outcast at school, and he is the prime suspect when his classmate Tom goes missing. Because, you see, Richard was with Tom when he disappeared -- and no one believes him when he insists that Tom was eaten by payphone. When another classmate disappears in Richard's presence, Richard must set out to prove his innocence by any means necessary -- even if it means venturing into the Night House...and venturing deeper into his own mind.

Part I of this book reads like a love letter to vintage YA horror, reminding me strongly of R.L. Stine's Goosebumps series. It was silly and creepy and campy, and I was riveted and happy to just go along for the ride. In Parts II and III, things get very twisty and bizarre, and there is some genre-jumping. While I appreciated the twists and the unpredictability, the execution was a bit muddled. I also felt -- and maybe this was due to the translation -- that the writing was too much telling and not enough showing, which made the story lack tension for me. Even the sections where Richard is an adult read as very YA.

Ultimately, I'm not sure all three of the sections worked together as well as they could have. I had a different expectation in mind for this book, and the direction Nesbø took in Part III wasn't entirely satisfying for me.

If you're a fan of Catriona Ward's books, you'll probably enjoy The Night House as this has very similar vibes to her work. As for me, I think I enjoyed the idea of this book much more than its execution. Thanks to Knopf and NetGalley for the complimentary reading opportunity.

I've been a long time fan of Jo Nesbo but didn't know he also write in the horror genre as he's most known for his action thriller series. I'm glad I came across this novel because Nesbo is a VERY capable horror author. The horror spreads to every single page and you find yourself never wanting to put the book down. A very rewarding read.

This book is about a young malcontent named Richard Elauved in a town called Ballantine. And a phone booth that eats people. Well, it ate Tom, that’s for sure. And then things get a whole lot worse.

Honestly it’s hard to say a lot about this book without giving too much away. If you know anything about Jo Nesbo you know she is a clever writer and that is on display here. If you like horror and a good coming of age story, you’re probably going to find a fair amount to like here. Or maybe not. Some people won’t like it. I liked it.

Jo Nesbo has made a name for himself writing wildly successful dark crime thrillers. That’s not exactly my genre, but when I heard that he was taking a stab at a horror novel, and promising a unique twist, I made the leap.

And at first, I was pleasantly surprised.

The Night House opens with Richard, a first person narrator who would fit in alongside the narrators of The Wasp Factory or The Butcher Boy: dangerous, bullying, violent, and vulnerable. But Richard is immediately put off balance after he bullies another student into making a prank phone call and then watches the phone receiver (quite literally) eat the other boy in a scene that is incredibly well drawn and perfectly filtered through Richard’s very unique sensibilities.

Things get weirder from there. Another boy is transformed into a bug, and soon the police are involved, and all eyes are on Richard. Eventually he is shipped off to an institution.

Oh, and there’s a creepy old house in the woods that Richard believes is at the center of all of the strange goings on.

I was pleasantly engaged with this delightful batshittery, but then part one ends, and we shift into a new narrative in which all of part one is revealed to be the dark children’s book the now adult Richard has written, and we meet all of the characters from part one, but now in their supposedly “real” forms, as opposed to the way they have been artistically transformed through Rihard’s creative process.

I think that The Night House could have pulled this off, and there’s another version of this book that is a meditation on trauma and art, but Nesbo isn’t really interested.

Instead, this second story almost immediately goes off the rails, sliding into a kind of free-for-all of surreal horror. But unlike the horror of the first section, there doesn’t appear to be anything at stake. I’m no longer reading to find out what’s going on or if Richard is successful, but rather to see what trick the writer plays next.

The answer, unfortunately, is that the final trick is almost unforgivable, barely rising above the cliché of “It was all a dream,” and shockingly close to the classic I am the Cheese.

This is especially disappointing to me because there are genuinely great passages within The Night House, and Nesbo is clearly a capable writer, but in the end, this felt like horror written by someone with only a vague idea of what that designation might mean. In another situation, that blindness might make for something unique and fascinating. Unfortunately, here it’s a misfire.