This book is now my entire personality.

I went to Italy in October and explored the crypts and catacombs there, so when I saw this book took place in Italy, in the catacombs I was immediately sold. This book was the perfect horror novel. The setting, the dread, the ghosts, the old house, the dead. I mean. Just perfecto!

I was hooked from the first chapter, once I started this book I knew I wasn’t going to be able to put it down until I finished it. THE ENDING. just everyone do yourself a favor and add this to your tbr immediately!

Thank you @stmartinspress for the arc. This releases January 30th, mark those calendars!

This was such a fun and deeply creepy read. The tension and spooky things begin straight away, slowly building throughout the story. As every new piece of information about their home comes to light they each begin to experience more and more until we reach this pivotal moment of no return when at least for us as a reader things become absolutely real.
I loved the characters, and the setting really added to the atmosphere. While reading I felt like I was watching a scary movie and really loved that feeling. I loved the ending and the way everything was left and can't wait to see what Christopher Golden is going to come out with next.

This was such a good read! This was my first book by this author and there will definitely be more in the future. I was super excited for this book based on the premise alone and it did not disappoint! The story was so interesting that I didn’t mind that the story was slow to build. Trust me it pays off in the end.

This story is about a couple, Tommy and Kate, who move to Italy for a deal - buy an abandoned house for one euro. The only stipulations are that they must stay in the house for five years and invest 50,000 euros in fixing up their property. Excited for their new adventure, the couple soon realizes that this house may not be what they expected. Strange things start happening as they learn about the house’s history and how it got its name.

I loved the author’s descriptive writing style. The setting was set up perfectly in my mind with the house, the catacombs, and the chapel. It was all so delightfully creepy.

If you like stories with overall eerie vibes about haunted houses, ghosts and poltergeists, demon possession, and mysterious family secrets you should definitely check this one out.

The House of Last Resort by Christopher Golden is a creepy, unsettling tale. Tommy and Kate are a married couple who are moving to a small town in Italy called Becchina. Tommy’s family is from Becchina and his grandparents still live there. The mayor has been offering old abandoned houses for almost nothing with a few stipulations so that the town can grow their population. Tommy and Kate have bought one of the houses and are excited for this new chapter in their lives. Their new house is not what it seemed when they purchased it. There is a sinister presence overshadowing this new endeavor and they will come to regret their choices. This book had me so uncomfortable in places that I had to take a break from reading it. The freaking rats that populate the story are nightmare fuel alone, but add in all the other frightening elements and I was holding my breath in fear at times. I grew attached to Kate, Tommy, and some of their friends. I rooted for them, despite their savior complex. The story has such a atmospheric feel to it. It felt like watching a spine-tingling movie with jump scares. It moved along at a good pace. I liked how we left it, even though we don’t have all the answers. This is a 4/5 star read for me. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for allowing me access to an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Publication date January 30th, 2024. This review will be found on Instagram and Goodreads indefinitely.
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Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this book.

This was a first by this author for me and it will not be my last. I enjoyed this horror book more than I thought I would. Such a good story.

American couple Tommy and Kate have bought the Italian home of their dreams for a single Euro, the catch is they have to live in it for five years. They figure since they work remotely and the house is close to Tommy’s grandparents’, it will be fine. But things are off from the moment they move in.

There are so many rooms at the back of the house they didn’t know existed and the house makes strange noises. They are certain the people in town whisper about them. When they learn the secret, they aren’t sure they are going to make it five minutes, let alone five years.

This was a great gothic read. It was wonderfully atmospheric and delightfully creepy. I love a good, haunted house book and had high expectations because the last haunted house book I read was fantastic. This one didn’t quite live up to the expectations I had set, but it was still a great read. I loved learning about this house, it was interesting. I did get lost a little in the characters’ inner monologues. It was a bit much at times and not really necessary for the plot. The pacing on this one was on the slow side as most gothic reads are, however, it really picked up for about the last 20% or so of the book. I would consider this one more horror for the vibes not necessarily the content, though there were some intense scenes with rats – no thanks! I also wish the ending was tidier and less ambiguous. Overall, this was a decent read and I think haunted house fans will enjoy.

Thank you so much to St Martins Press @stmartinspress and Netgalley @netgalley for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

The house of last resort started out really strong for me and sucked me in immediately (no pun related to the house intended). I enjoyed getting to know Kate and Tommy but at times it felt like each of their characters could have been a bit more fleshed out. A couple of themes felt repetitive and there were characters that could have added so much more to the story. It was overall a quick, eerie read. Good for the Halloween season.

Atmospheric and unbearably creepy, the titular House is almost the main character in this horrific novel. Tommy and Kate buy it for one Euro and move to a ghost town in Sicily to start building their lives. The house is old and needs work, but it’s so beautiful that they are willing to put up with unexplained sounds and shadows moving in the dark. By the time they find out what happened there, it is too late. I love stories of haunted houses, and this one delivers in that way. The descriptions of the rooms, the furniture, the town and the neighbors go from quaint to spooky very slowly and this is why I ultimately didn’t love this book as much as I was expecting. The rhythm was too slow, with too many parts devoted to the characters’ inner monologues and not enough action for me. The history of the house is not revealed until almost halfway through, and the real action only starts in the final chapters. As much as I loved the supporting cast, Tommy’s family, an old priest and the other foreigners who moved there with the one-euro deal, I didn’t like or connect with the leads. The ending is amazing and readers who like character development will really enjoy this. I should have loved this novel but it was just too slow for me.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, #NetGalley/#St. Martin's Press.

If I didn’t like rats before I surely don’t like them now. Tommy and Kate travel to remote parts of Europe and unwillingly move into a house that the Vatican held exorcisms and buried the unsuccessful people in catacombs below their new home. A house of last resort. A good possession slash ghost story novel that keeps you guessing. Loved the story line and the characters. Another bestseller.

Thank you Netgalley for this arc

A young, optimistic American couple, Tommy and Kate, relocate to the Sicilian town where Tommy's grandparents live. To attract new residents, the mayor is offering abandoned home for 1 Euro if the buyer is willing to make the town their home. After arriving, they are greeted with an earthquake and anger from Tommy's grandmother who is upset that they have bought that particular house. As they work on renovating the home and discovering more about their new town, Tommy and Kate discover that their home was once owned by the Vatican and was known as the House of Last Resort. The history of the house and the town is slowly revealed by Golden as he also increases the sense of unease and dread. Tommy and Kate are in a battle against centuries of secrets for their very souls.
Readers will love this latest by Golden. It's a nice crossover title that will appeal to thriller fans who are open to horror. Recommended to fans of Danielle Trussoni's The Ancestor or even fans of La Hacienda by Isabel Cañas who liked the haunted house aspect of the book.

If the rat scene in Orwell's 1984 scared you, this novel probably isn't for you. If you won't watch The Exorcist, this novel probably isn't for you. If you're a grandmillenial stuck embroiled in capitalism and fantasizing about packing up and moving to a small Italian village for a change of pace (and probably need your mind changed about this fantasy) add this to your list immediately. This terrifyingly spooky novel is about Tommy and Kate, a young American couple who decide to move to the Italian village that is home to much of Tommy's family. They purchase and begin to renovate a beautiful old home, which they quickly realize has some surprises in store. This one actively kept me up at night.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

The House of Last Resort by Christopher Golden is a gripping horror novel that will keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. Golden's unique take on possessions sets this book apart from others in the genre, providing readers with a fresh perspective on a well-trodden topic. The story follows a group of individuals who are drawn to an isolated and mysterious mansion, known as the House of Last Resort. Soon after their arrival, strange and terrifying things begin to happen, causing them to question their own sanity and the true nature of the house.

I have always been a fan of Golden’s stories and was not disappointed with this one one bit.

Overall, The House of Last Resort is a fantastic read that will thrill and delight horror fans. The novel is a definite 5/5 stars and is highly recommended to anyone looking for a spooky and thrilling read.

I realized quickly with this one that the writing was not working for me. I think it could be a decent read, but I don't feel like I need to read the rest to find out. I was hoping for a little more with this one, but what can you do. I may try to check out other new releases from this author in the future.

The House of Last Resort checks many boxes for me: haunted house, exotic locale, exorcism/possession... I went into reading this anticipating that I would like it, and it didn't disappoint. A highlight for me was the relationship between the protagonist couple - it was refreshing to see characters be self-aware and genuinely work at maintaining a healthy dynamic. My biggest criticism is that the story feels somewhat bloated. While I think the plot points were all there and made sense -- I feel like a lot could be cut or sped up and still maintain the integrity of the story.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance copy to read and review. All opinions are my own.

This was my first book by Christopher Golden and it fell a little flat. I was pretty intrigued at the beginning but not loving the oddly detached writing style, and once the horror got going I wasn't even scared - it just felt all a bit ridiculous. It is a very cool concept, but it just didn't work for me.

I don't know what it is about Christopher Golden - I get really excited for each read only for them to end up in the middle of the road for me (Ararat, All Hallows, etc.)

I liked the premise - couple takes advantage of a cheap housing deal to support repopulation/rejuvenation of a remote village in Sicily only to find the house the purchased was more than it seemed. Overall, it kept my interest - even if it was slightly underwhelming and felt like the pacing was a bit off.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Genre: Horror

The House of Last Resort follows the story of an American couple named Tommy and Kate Puglisi who purchase a dilapidated property in the Italian town of Becchina for the price of one euro. In an effort to breathe new life into the waning village, the municipality is making this bargain available to anyone who is prepared to settle there permanently for a period of at least five years and invest in repairs.

Tommy and Kate are thrilled to embark on this new journey together, but they are shocked to learn that the house they bought has a sinister past. It was previously owned by the Church, and there are persistent allegations that exorcisms and other occult rites were performed there in its heyday. Tommy and Kate begin to sense a malicious presence in the house at the same time as they begin to hear strange noises and experience occurrences that cannot be explained.

I won't go into more detail about the plot since I believe that readers get the most out of these kinds of stories when they find them on their own. The setting of the book in Sicily was one of my favorite aspects of it, and I believe the author did an excellent job bringing the setting to life through his vivid descriptions

Despite the fact that the story itself is intriguing, I was unable to connect with it as much as I hoped for. Having previously read and thoroughly loved the author's prior work, "Road of Bones," I am able to say that the atmosphere in this particular tale was lacking for me. I have the impression that quite a bit of improvement might be made to the atmosphere, and I believe the author is capable of doing so because the book that he had written before was really atmospheric.

Another problem of this story is that it takes quite some time to get going once it finally does. I prefer terrifying tales that go quickly over those that build suspense over time. All of these characteristics, however, are subjective and depend on the individual taste of the reader. If you find the synopsis interesting, you should give it a shot because there's a chance you'll enjoy it.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Solid 4.5 stars
This is a great horror story, grabbed me and totally gave me the creeps. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
This was a good but bizarre book. Well written and slightly creepy. Kate and Tom decide to move to a mostly vacant town in Italy and be closer to his grandparents. Lots of family secrets in here that are eventually revealed. I did not expect a lot of the events at the end and the parts certain characters played either.
It was an interesting horror read with a slightly strange ending.
I loved the setting of the mostly vacant town with the old church and catacombs. The house added to the atmosphere as well.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance readers copy of this book. My reviews never contain spoilers and are freely given.
Taking a cue from current programs to revitalize small towns in Italy, Christopher Golden turns the prospect into a perfect nightmare scenario. Kate and Tom (whose grandparents live in a small town in Sicily) purchase a home for one euro, agreeing to invest in refurbishment of the property. They soon find that the home is called the House of Last Resort and the reason becomes abundantly clear as the tale progresses. Do yourself a favor and don’t miss this one.