A bi different from his other books, but still quite an enjoyable read. A short read, but jam-packed full of action and strange horror. Really well written and quite a satisfying ending. I really hope Mr. Nesbo writes some similar stories!

Very creepy just the way I like it. A bit far-fetched. One of my favorite authors. Thank you NetGalley and publisher for providing this book.

This was one weird, trippy horror story! From the first chapter it didn’t hold back on the creepy factor. The story was interesting, the descriptive writing was grotesque, and it’s definitely one thatll stuck in my memory a while!

This is actually my second Jo Nesbo book. Thanks to Netgalley I have a new author to read with a great catalog of books!

My first book was "Killing Moon" which was Harry Hole Novel #13. This book went in completely different direction, which I liked. It was moody, creepy and more of the horror genre. It made you wonder what was going on and want to read to the end to find out.

I feel like it is very different from his detective books which were grittier. Some people may like it and others won’t. I definitely liked it!

I enjoyed part one the most. I found the conversations around mental health to be quite reductive. Combined with the is it real or is it a dream trope, the book flopped for me. The only way to succeed with this trope would’ve been to have a healthy outlook on mental health, which this novel did not. Writing was great but felt wordy at times, perhaps due to translation.

Unfortunately this novel was not what I was hoping for from a writer I have grown to love.
His first foray into the horror genre was promising but ultimately disappointing. It is a little far-fetched and the execution doesn't build up suspense the way his thrillers have always done.
I would give another horror book by this author a chance--there was promise, but I think what made this not really work was the lack of character development and a plot that felt cohesive and crisp.

The Night House by Jo Nesbo was published October 3, 2023 and is an adult horror novel published by Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor. The novel is about a kid named Richard Elauved who has been sent to live with foster parents in Ballantyne after his biological parents were killed. Richard is an outcast and bully at his new school and becomes a suspect when a classmate named Tom goes missing. He tries to explain that Tom was sucked through a phone booth on the edge of the woods, but no one believes him. When another classmate goes missing, Richard is in serious trouble with the law.

Not having read any books by Jo Nesbo, I was intrigued by the synopsis and cover art of The Night House. I requested to receive an Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of this book from NetGalley. I was absolutely ecstatic that I was approved. I received a digital copy for free in exchange for my honest review. Please note that my review does contain spoilers.

Part one of The Night House seemed a little young as if it was targeting middle readers between the ages of eight and twelve. When Tom is sucked through the telephone and another character was turned into an insect, it seemed like it was something that would appear in a Goosebumps book by R.L. Stine. Then, the main character, Richard Elauved, was searching for a mysterious person that used to live in Ballantyne, which made me think of the book called The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. Part one concludes with Richard trying to kill a "soul" by setting it on fire, which is reminiscent of the Netflix show Stranger Things.

Part two opens up fifteen years later with Richard Elauved attending his high school reunion. This section seemed much more mature than part one, and it very much felt like It by Stephen King. There were plenty twists and turns through out this section that kept me guessing, and nothing was as it seemed. When this section concluded, it had elements like Desperation by Stephen King. At this point, I was very leery about the book because it felt like the author was sampling ideas from others.

Part three threw me for a loop. Like the previous section of the book, it was more mature than part one. It took me a moment to figure what was actually happening, and I was very disappointed because it was very much like the movie Shutter Island, which is based off the book of the same name by Dennis Lehane. I never read the book but did see the movie because it starred Leonardo DiCaprio.

Overall, I was disappointed in The Night House by Jo Nesbo because it didn't seem very original, and I hated the way the story ended. It did however keep me interested enough to read the entire novel to see what would happen. Three out of five stars.

"The Night House" by Jo Nesbo is a chilling and fresh take on the classic horror novel. The story follows fourteen-year-old Richard Elauved, who, after his parents' tragic deaths in a house fire, is sent to live with his aunt and uncle in the remote and insular town of Ballantyne.

Lesson learned: don't answer mysterious phone calls. This was my first read from this author, who I know has published much, and it was such a wild story! Part Haunted House, part creepy small town secrets, part unreliable narrator that all lends to a fever dream-type horror story that had me hooked until the last page!

A horrid hell ride that is reminiscent of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest only far more creepy. The twisting psychological conundrum of Richards story brings the reader to the brink of madness right alongside the character. A well written, mind-blowing read that deserves far more hype! Nesbo is a name the horror world won't soon forget and I'm here for it!

It was a little hard for me to get into at first. It was a new to me author and his style of writing took a little getting used to. I did like the creepiness to the tale and the different storyline.

I couldn't help but request the ARC of this book once I saw this cover! It was so intriguing and I couldn't stop thinking about it! This is my first Jo Nesbo book, and though it did not disappoint with the story, it didn't deliver quite the horror that I was hoping, especially from just looking at the cover.

We follow Richard along on a journey after his parents die. He befriends Tom, who soon disappears. No one believes the story Richard tells about when he last saw Tom, however, he is adamant about what happened.

I did thoroughly enjoy the story, and this is a solid 3.5 star read for me. I think it leans more into a YA genre, not at all Adult Horror, but it was still brilliantly written and a fun, quick read!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in return for an honest review.

THE NIGHT HOUSE by Jo Nesbo is a must-read if you're truly looking to get spooked. This novel was relatively short, but it draws you in from the first page to the last. A triumph within the horror genre!

What initially drew me to this book was the cover, I haven't delved too much in the world of horror so my expectations were for a slow paced book that would take a while to catch my interest. I was completely wrong about that.
The book kicks off with a YA horror vibe, reminiscent of the 1980s, featuring fourteen-year-old Richard Elauved in a small town plagued by mysterious disappearances. The first section reminds me of the Stranger Things vibe, the narrative takes a dramatic turn in part two, set fifteen years later. I don't want to give too much away but that was a completely unexpected change.
Part three is where Nesbo masterfully transforms the tale into something entirely different, leaving readers like me questioning if I truly grasped the intricate narrative. I found myself enjoying the latter half more than the beginning, revealing a preference for the unexpected and imaginative plot developments. I don't think that the story could have had any other conclusion, as confusing as it was it fit the entire plot line.
The book's division into three sections, each offering a different perspective from Richard's point of view, adds to the suspense. While the horror elements are inventive and the pacing keeps the storyline moving, there are times when the reader doesn't know what is real and what is not.
In conclusion, "The Night House" delivers a nostalgic, nightmarish horror adventure with a cleverly layered plot. Despite some reservations about character depth and narration, the book succeeds in providing a gripping and imaginative experience, for those seeking a unique horror ride with an unreliable narrator and a blend of reality and fiction, Jo Nesbo's venture into the supernatural is worth exploring.

Y’all this started off SO strong!
And then it just got weird and not in a good way.

Like I’m not even sure how to review a book I wasn’t sure I could rate.

I did end up liking it sort of because it gave me Goosebumps vibes (which from a nostalgia stand point you’d think I’d be all for but like only rewatching Goosebumps like Saturday morning cartoons feeling of nostalgia is what I love not something maybe trying to be it? Does that make sense)

It also felt like the book was trying to be 3 different things all at once and instead of it flowing and making sense I was utterly confused like I was reading the same book but 3 different versions of it at the same time and I was like wait what? What’s happening who’s who? What’s real what’s not? It just didn’t click for me.

This wasn’t what I was expecting at all and I’m kind of bummed about it. 😕
It’s getting a 3 and not a 2 because I really did like the beginning of the book a lot. Just the second half didn’t do it for me.

I really wanted to like this book more than I did. The cover is beautiful and the story seemed intriguing. Just didn't live up to the hype for me.

I’m a little late on this review. It took me a lot longer than intended to get through reading this book. I started off liking it until the weird turn it took had me set it down several times. I finally picked it back up and finished it.

I was very excited for the 1980s nostalgic horror feel that we’re immediately thrown in to in part one. I honestly feel like each of the three parts felt like three different books and maybe that’s why it threw me through such a loop. I enjoyed part one and part three but together? I’m not so sure.

I usually LOVE these type of twists but it was just too frustrating here.

I really liked this book! I love Jo Nesbo's books! This was a great scary book. Phone booths in the middle of nowhere, scary houses and more!

Eh this book just did not keep my attention. It lacked something for me and I just couldn’t not finish it.

I was very excited to read this story. And it did not disappoint. The plot and characters were just how I imagined them as I read the book. Definitely would be gifting copies to a few of my friends.