I'm so sadly disappointed! All Hallows and Road of Bones are two of my favorite horrors from the last few years (and I highly recommend those, especially Road of Bones, which made me feel cold on a warm day because it was so good at building atmosphere).
In this novel, an obnoxious, self-absorbed couple (Tommy and Kate) move to Italy to live in a cheap house. They can't figure out why their friends in America can't give up their lives there to do the same thing. There are earthquakes and rats and other signs that things are at least weird.
In the end, we see more selfish actions and Tommy and Kate don't even seem to trust each other. Not that I cared much about them and their relationship at that point.
The most glaring example to me: a friend is badly injured and Kate leaves him to get help for her husband. She gets the friend's husband to come help but doesn't bother mentioning that the friend is injured.
It was readable and passably interesting, and I'm excited to see what Golden does next.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this

“The darkness breathed down here. It had a heartbeat.”

Christopher Golden’s The House of the Last Resort is the perfect novel for horror fans: creepy, atmospheric, and most important of all, REALLY SCARY.

Tommy and Kate want to escape the rat race that is the American way of living. When they get the opportunity to buy a home in the village in Italy where Tommy’s family is originally from, they jump at the chance to start a new page of their lives together. Their move is made possible by a new tourism campaign to drive people back to the town of Becchina. But as the red flags begin (from looks of fear from those in their community to the bumps in the night), Tommy and Kate begin to unravel the truth about their home, their place in the community, and what lies beneath the facade of Becchina. I won’t give anything away past that :)

As a horror fan, this one checked all the boxes for me. This book transports you across the world and into a world of tension, unease, and chills.

Golden creates a couple in Tommy and Kate that we want to root for. Their honeymoon phase is evident by the way Golden showcases their interactions and this creates a level of connection between the reader and the characters, and makes their perspectives believable as they navigate some wild events. They bring this tale back to earth.

I appreciated Golden’s direct, precise writing. His way of storytelling really engages you as a reader and keeps the action briskly moving along, while also managing to create a tension that grips you and does not let go. He is selective with his words, never over-embellishing but always providing just enough to create that sense of unease. It’s clear that Golden knows horror and for me, it brought to mind the feeling and tension of some of my favourite horror films, so it was nostalgic in a sense and successful overall.

With horror books, I’m always inclined to compare them to movies when they give a similar feeling. Read this one if you’re a fan of movies like The Conjuring, As Above So Below, and The Nun.

I don't want to say too much about the plot of The House of Last Resort, because I found the reveals to be the most rewarding part of the reading experience. So, briefly, this novel is about a young American couple who seize once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to move to Sicily, but their new home has a dark past that begins to threaten their present.

Christopher Golden is one of my go-to horror writers, but his latest offering left me feeling somewhat ambivalent. Although the plot has a lot of promise, some pacing and characterization issues made The House of Last Resort a less compelling read than it could have been.

I loved the setting: the sun-drenched island of Sicily, where the constant threat of earthquakes is at odds with the peaceful Mediterranean lifestyle. Golden imbues the town of Becchina with rich atmosphere; I almost felt like I was strolling down its narrow cobbled streets myself, inhaling the smell of bread from a sidewalk bakery and flowers from the window boxes on every row house. (It should be noted that Italy is number one on my vacation destinations list, so it doesn't take much to get me there mentally, but Golden still does a great job of setting the scene.) He contrasts the brighter parts of Becchina with its more sinister aspects: an aging population and dying tourist trade, a malevolent home with an ominous moniker, and crumbling, closed-off catacombs underneath a Catholic church. In short, it's the perfect setting for a horror novel and I was here for it.

Unfortunately, while the horror elements are unsettling, it takes a while to get to them. Golden spends the first half of the book developing the characters and their relationships, and while I do think the relationship dynamics were interesting and thoughtful (particularly the relationship between Tommy and his grandfather), I didn't necessarily love the characters themselves; I found them to be bland and one-dimensional. The third act is stellar, with some surprising reveals and bold narrative choices, but even when bad things started happening to the characters, the effect was lessened because I didn't connect with them. I also think Golden could've gone a bit farther with certain horror aspects to make this a truly frightening read. Without being too specific, the horror trope at the center of this book is the only one in the genre that ever truly scares me -- but here it didn't frighten me at all, much to my disappointment.

The House of Last Resort had lots of potential, and while overall it was entertaining enough, I finished it feeling like there was a better book lurking somewhere inside its pages. Thanks to the publisher for the complimentary reading opportunity.

The House of Last Resort
By Christopher Golden
BOOK REVIEW📚📚📚
Do you enjoy creepy books with rats and demons and exorcisms and ghosts? Well look no further!!! This book had it all and I enjoyed every minute of it.
Now let me be clear…..I am of Sicilian descent, my father was born there so any book that takes place within that region I will be enthralled. This book covers some of the superstition’s that Sicilians take pretty seriously. In my family all the men wear the “Italian horn” to protect them from the Malocchio aka the “evil eye”. So this was a fun book for me to read!
I don’t want to give too much away. So just go read it and see!

Thank you @netgalley @stmartinspress @christopher_golden for the advanced copy.
Available Now!!

This book had such an interesting premise, but it was very long and drawn out and took a long time to get to the action. By the time things actually started happening I no longer really cared that much and found myself skimming to get the gist of the story and get to the end.

I wish I would have loved this book. I had high expectations, especially because the premise sounded so promising. However, it fell flat for me. I couldn’t get into the book and unfortunately skimmed through most of it.

Important things you need to know about the book:

Pace: Medium until the last few chapters, then it’s fast.

POV: 3rd person

There are scenes of dementia, anxiety & anxiety attacks, alcohol consumption, blood and gore scenes, dead bodies and body parts, death of a grandparent and parent, grief & loss, building collapse, cults, knife violence, attempted murder, physical assault, earthquakes, animal attack, animal death, demonic possession, and exorcisms (past and present). If any of these triggers you, I suggest not reading the book.

Language: There is moderate swearing in The House of Last Resort. There is also language used that could be offensive to some people.

Setting: The House of Last Resort is set in Becchina, Italy.

Plot Synopsis (as spoiler-free as I can get):

Tommy and Kate couldn’t believe their luck when they found out about a program to repopulate villages in Italy. For one Euro, they can buy a house with the only stipulation that they live there for five years and update the home. They were even more thrilled when they found a home in the same village where Tommy’s Nonna and Nonno live.

But, when they arrived, they felt something was off with the house. The door would open when closed, there is an annex to the house that wasn’t disclosed in the original plans, and people seem to be whispering about them and the home. Then Kate makes a discovery that appears to explain everything. Hoping to turn her discovery into a money maker, Kate sets about renovating the house against Tommy and some of the village’s wishes.

What secrets does this house have? Why are people so afraid of it? What Tommy and Kate find out is the tip of a conspiracy involving the Church and going back generations.

Characters:

The main characters in The House of Last Resort are Kate and Tommy. They were well-written and well-fleshed-out characters. I was surprised by the character growth that they both did—now, saying that I was not too fond of either of them.

Kate got on my one last nerve the entire book. She was rude, dismissed Nonna’s views of the house, and was out to make a buck on the house’s tragic past. In other words: She was your stereotypical American. But that alone didn’t make me like her (it did annoy me). Nope, it was her treatment of Tommy and her obsession with the catacombs. I thought her treatment of Tommy was horrible until the end of the book when her attitude did a 180. Who prevents their husband from visiting with their dying grandfather? Kate did. She just wasn’t likable. And that is why I found it very hard to believe her change in personality and treatment of Tommy towards the end of the book. It didn’t fit in with what I was presented with.

I pitied Tommy. But I also felt he was a pushover for most of the book. He had reservations about moving to Italy and the house. His inactions allowed Kate to become the way she was, and it was too late when he took action to reel her in. From the middle of the book, every decision he made directly contributed to the events at the end.

My review:

I was excited to read The House of Last Resort. The blurb had gotten my interest piqued. I mean, a book written about a house in Italy with a past with the Church? I was very interested in it. Then I read it, and it fell flat, which was disappointing.

The main storyline of The House of Last Resort centers around Kate and Tommy, their house, and the secrets they find out about it. That storyline was well written and did keep me tuned into the book. The author did have me guessing what would happen and why Kate and Tommy were picked out (explained at the book’s end). I was also surprised by what the house was used for in the past and its connection to Tommy’s family.

The storyline was a slow build. Everything that happened was written off as “Oh, the house is old” or “Oh, the house didn’t have residents in it for a long time.” But the book starts to build up speed when Kate finds the catacombs and the bodies. It was speeding along when the earthquake happened and when everything was revealed. I was horrified, and at the same time, I couldn’t put my darn Kindle down!!

The horror aspect of the book comes into focus when Nonno and Kate have that interaction. And even then, it was very understated. But then the author introduced the one animal I have a phobia of: rats. The author used the rats very interestingly, bolstering the storyline and making it even more creepy (Tommy’s trek through the other catacombs has been etched into my brain forever).

The end of The House of Last Restort did surprise me. I wasn’t expecting the book to end the way it did. It was a disturbing ending that made me feel for Tommy.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, NetGalley, and Christopher Golden for allowing me to read and review this ARC of The House of Last Resort. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

Christopher Golden novels can be hit or miss for me. I really liked this one. It starts off at a slower pace but has this mysterious/creepy vibe. The tension builds as the story develops to its terrifying conclusion.
If you are afraid of rats - beware!

The House of Last Resort
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Author: Christopher Golden

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

Synopsis: Across Italy, there are many half-empty towns, nearly abandoned by those who migrate to the coast or to cities. The beautiful, crumbling hilltop town of Becchina is among them, but its mayor has taken drastic measures to rebuild—selling abandoned homes to anyone in the world for a single Euro, as long as the buyer promises to live there for at least five years. It’s a no-brainer for American couple Tommy and Kate Puglisi. Both work remotely, and Becchina is the home of Tommy’s grandparents, his closest living relatives.

It feels like a romantic adventure, an opportunity the young couple would be crazy not to seize. But from the moment they move in, they both feel a shadow has fallen on them. Tommy’s grandmother is furious, even a little frightened, when she realizes which house they’ve bought.

There are rooms in an annex at the back of the house that they didn’t know were there. The place makes strange noises at night, locked doors are suddenly open, and when they go to a family gathering, they’re certain people are whispering about them, and about their house, which one neighbor refers to as The House of Last Resort. Soon, they learn that the home was owned for generations by the Church, but the real secret, and the true dread, is unlocked when they finally learn what the priests were doing in this house for all those long years…and how many people died in the strange chapel inside.

While down in the catacombs beneath Becchina…something stirs.

My Thoughts: Recently published! I am a fan of Golden’s method of writing. Sometimes things don’t make sense how they are presented until something else ties it up together. I will always read what he writes and will always recommend his work to others. So even if it does not make sense, I keep going as I know it will captivate me to the point of no return. We have Tommy and Kate moving to Italy as the price is extremely affordable, part of the country’s revitalization project. It feels like an opportunity they cannot pass up. However, the very first foot into the house, they can feel something ominous lurking, a shadow of sorts. After the remodel and remodeling the catacombs, a series of omnibus, creepy events happens, questioning their whole life in Italy. Will they be trapped with the evil lurking below or will they escape with their lives? A very creepy, dark, disturbing, captivating atmospheric, even claustrophobic, slow burn psychological thriller/horror. This follows haunted house and religious/demon tropes.

Kate and Tommy were American buying into the revitalization of Sicily, Italy. They really bought into this idea, so much so, that they wanted to remodel the catacombs to entice tourists. However, my thought process is how are the locals truly going to feel if two Americans come in and start barking orders on how to revitalize the area? I think this part would have been smoother delivered another way. Kate and Tommy then learn what their house was used previously for and a lot of things begin to lock into place for them. The characters were well developed with depth, mystery, were creative, and intriguing. The author’s writing style was complex, twisty, suspenseful, tense, and kept me invested, even with the slow burn. I do not want to give too much away about the plot as that is central line for this story, but it will keep you invested. The author does a phenomenal job with details, you could really feel like you were there in Italy, and even more so in the House of Last Resort. Sometimes half of the battle is in the details and Golden knocks it out of the park.

I found this to be horror and thriller rolled into one gruesome story with some suspension of belief required. The story is on the slower side for a little over halfway, then it gets tense, keeping you on the edge of your seat. A lot of haunted house stories tend to skip why the house is haunted making the story a D level story. This one not only explains it but gives some real creepy examples, bringing the creepy factor up a level. I highly recommend picking this up, or any of Golden works.

The House of Last Resort was an interesting read. The idea of moving to a new country and getting the home for an extremely low price as an incentive to do so is intriguing. However, like the saying goes, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
From the beginning there are eerie circumstances and encounters. It is an extremely slow burn to the climax of the story though and once it got there it wasn’t as spooky as I had hoped. I kept comparing the scenes with the rats to 1922 by Stephen King and, unfortunately, it didn’t come close to creeping me out as much as that novella did.

I received this widget via St Martin’s Press Influencer program.

I have posted this review on Amazon

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Oh yes, this was a clever and creepy read. When Tommy and Kate move from the United States to Italy to be closer to his extended family, they think the world is "their oyster." However, unbeknownst to both of them, the wonderful new home they purchased for a steal there has a shady past. So, it's not surprising that strange things start to happen. Naturally, Tommy and Kate initially find logical reasons to explain these occurrences away, but as they continue and the stories about their home surface, it becomes harder to ignore the strange sounds and rooms.

I really enjoyed this book. It was a very slow build to the crazy climax when all "heck" breaks loose. It's well done and quite brilliant in its simplicity.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to read and review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

"The House of Last Resort" by Christopher Golden is a chilling masterpiece that weaves together elements of horror and mystery, creating an atmospheric narrative that grips you from the very first page. A solid four stars for this high-concept horror novel that takes you on a journey through the haunting corridors of a once-abandoned Italian town.

Eerie Italian Setting: Golden masterfully paints the picture of Becchina, a half-empty town with a beautiful yet crumbling facade. The concept of selling homes for a single Euro to revive the town adds a unique layer to the story.

Couple in Peril: The protagonists, Tommy and Kate Puglisi, take center stage as they embrace what seems like a romantic adventure. However, from the moment they set foot in their ancestral home, a palpable shadow descends, setting the stage for an intense and mysterious experience.

Intriguing Secrets: Unraveling the mystery behind the house becomes an engrossing journey. Locked doors, strange noises, and whispers at family gatherings build a sense of unease. The revelation of the house's dark history, involving the Church and a hidden chapel, adds layers of suspense and dread.

Catacombs of Fear: As something stirs in the catacombs beneath Becchina, the tension escalates, keeping readers on the edge of their seats. The author skillfully combines the supernatural with the everyday, creating a narrative that is both unsettling and captivating.

Golden's Expertise: Christopher Golden's storytelling prowess shines through, delivering a horror experience that is not only spine-chilling but also rich in depth and detail. The exploration of generational secrets and the intersection of the mundane with the supernatural is executed with finesse.

In conclusion, "The House of Last Resort" is a must-read for horror enthusiasts who crave a blend of atmospheric setting, intricate storytelling, and spine-tingling suspense. Golden's latest venture into the shadows of the unknown cements his status as a master of the genre. Pick up this haunting tale and prepare to be enthralled.

Becchina, a tiny town in Sicily is offering a deal - buy an abandoned house for one Euro. Couples need only to stay five years and invest 50,000 euros in renovating their property. The mayor has come up with this plan to save the small dying town.

Tommy Puglisi and his wife Kate jump at the opportunity for this change. Tommy's grandparents live in the town so it's less of a risk. The house they have chosen, however, is not exactly what they had in mind. There are noises, locked doors, even shuddering of earthquake tremors. Kate is ready to leave but the pair need to stay on to support Tommy's grandma. The pair begin to do a little research on the town and the house they purchased and are shocked when they find out what "the last resort" really means. If you like a haunted house, love ghosts and poltergeists the House of Last Resort is for you!

What an addictive creepy read. I really appreciated the Sicilian setting and atmospheric vibe. Lots of secrets were uncovered which kept the pace at fast jaunt.

Thank you St. Martins Press for the complimentary copy.

It was overall a compelling, twisty thriller with an ending that I felt really suited it—and really ending up helping my feelings towards the novel overall. The concept, an American couple moving to the small Sicilian hometown of one of the characters' dads, really sets the stage for something interesting. But I feel like things dragged along when it came to the main characters, Kate and Tommy. They were likable enough but I found myself often frustrated while reading, irritated at this persistence that they were going to be the saviors of this small town—arrogance that ultimately fit, but felt overwrought to the point where it almost took away from what it was ultimately trying to do. Similarly I would have loved to see more about the whole underbelly of the Catholic Church and the sinister history of exorcisms versus as play by play on the updates to the house. But overall a fairly quick read and fun for people looking for something spooky,

This horror novel is about a couple that moves to a small Italian village to rehab an old house.

I absolutely love the premise - it's been a specific fantasy of mine to live in an old villa in the countryside, drinking wine and enjoying that Tuscan sun.

As in most horror novels, things go really wrong here though 😂

Catacombs under the church and oddly prescient rats kick off a really creepy and engaging story. I strongly recommend it!

3.75 stars! Very fun and creepy book! It was excellently paced and had some great plot twists, anyone who’s a fan of horror or wants to try horror would enjoy this book! The beginning was a little bit tough for me just bc my preference on writing, some of it was the characters just blatant stating stuff rather than allowing the actions to spell it out, some people enjoy that but I prefer actions being more underlying, once you get to the horror it’s super well written and very engaging! Starts off with Tommy and Kate moving to Italy to follow an incentive where they buy a house for €1 and renovate. Starts with their move and figuring out the house and renoing it when Tommy’s Nonna has a bad reaction to them buying the home. They ignore it and continue on their adventure, visiting family, and making friends when weird stuff starts happening in the home. They later find out the history behind the home and it uses, then the story really unfolds and a lot of plot twists happen that keep you on the edge of your seat! There is so much tension between the MCs at this point, the family, and town people and you are gripped into it while they figure out how to manage the info and work through the terrors! Definitely recommend for any newbies to horror or people who enjoy a good fast paced horror. I loved the historical aspect and the vibes you get from the town since Europe and the churches have such a deep history in real life, makes it feel more real when reading. The only thing I’d critique is I wish we had a little bit more detail on each plot twist/history, you get enough to make it intriguing and understand but even more depth would be fun! None the less it did help the pace and made it a great read so definitely recommend!

THAT ENDING. Omg
If you like horror movies about demonic possesion and weird ish that happens because of Catholic Church history, this is the book for you. It reads exactly like one of those films.
It starts out light and happy. A young couple move to a small Italian town that is trying to grow its population again by offering homes for one euro under the condition that they stay at least 5 years. Tommy has family in this town, so it makes it a bit easier of a decision for Tom and Kate. So they up and move to Italy, to their huge house that— surprise— holds a chilling secret.
Almost off the bat, weird stuff begins to happen and tensions rise. From the side glances that the couple get once its realized what house they live in, to the tight-lipped family members who only say that it is the House of Last Resort, the couple begins to have regrets about the move. Once the secrets of what’s behind the mystery door in the house get revealed, it turns full horror movie and the plot twists will have your mind blown. And again.. That ending.
Very good read!! Thank you St Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the arc.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press as well as Mr. Golden for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
#NetGalley #StMartinsPress #HouseofLastResort #ChristopherGolden
Title: The House of Last Resort
Author: Christopher Golden
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Publication Date: January 30, 2024
Themes: Family history/drama,demonic possession, small town, major life changes, Italian history, religious horror
Trigger Warnings: Demons, demonic possession, narcissism, family strife, major relocation, religion, claustrophobia, rats, ghosts, death of parent and grandparent

This is a great time. The House of Last Resort is only the second novel by Christopher Golden that I’ve read, the first being “All Hallows Eve”. I’m looking forward to reading more because Mr. Golden is quickly becoming an auto-buy author for me. He has a compelling command of the language and a real talent for story ideas. This book follows Tommy and Kate as they relocate from Boston to a small town in Sicily. Tommy’s paternal grandparents live there and he has fond memories of visiting them as a child. He hasn’t seen his grandparents due to a sudden conflict between his father and grandfather. Tommy feels the separation deeply and is so happy to reconnect with his Nonno and Nonna. Their new home is gorgeous but there are sounds that can’t be explained. There’s a small door at the end of a hallway that Kate doesn’t remember when they toured the house and she has certainly never seen it open before. Why does Nonna become so agitated when she finds out which house they bought? All these questions become disturbingly clear throughout the book.
One of the best things about this book is the picture that it painted in my mind. The small town of Becchina, Sicily. The word picture that the author painted in my mind was a pleasure to see. The portion of the house that Tommy and Kate called “the chapel” was a beautiful space that I could see myself making into a library. I just loved pretending I was renovating this gorgeous house, seeing what I would do with it. I loved imagining the yard and the tiny streets. It was a peaceful setting for some horrific events.
There were a lot of great things about this book. Some things I didn’t like though. I felt that some of the dialogue was a bit contrived. I had a lot of trouble connecting with the two protagonists. I felt that they could have been better established. They had some serious situations and I really felt they could have exhibited more emotion through action and better dialogue. There was a scene involving Tommy, Kate, and Tommy’s grandfather that should have been a huge fight or a huge something. It wasn’t. It was just mentioned a lot. I wanted to connect with them. I wanted to feel for them instead of being annoyed by some of their choices. I got very annoyed with how Tommy and, especially Kate, kept badgering their friends to move with them. I wanted a little more time taken to establish the characters and less time on mundane things. The story was great but it needed more fleshing out.
All in all, I’m a big fan of this author. His ideas are brilliant. This particular book had a lot of good things about it. It’s a fun read. I’m looking forward to others by Christopher Golden.

Another solid read from Christopher Golden! I’ve come to expect well written horror from this author and The House of Last Resort fits well within that vein. The story took a while to come together (although, ironically, I would’ve loved more world building of Becchina) but the ending gets pretty crazy.

There were some loose ends with this one I would’ve loved to see tied up. Some characters kind of disappeared without much commentary just after creating a major ruckus.

I didn’t feel there was anything super unique or memorable with this book, but did enjoy it. I don’t mind some implausibility with my horror, but how did they not notice the annex when purchasing the house?

Anyways, would recommend this to anyone looking for the demon vibe. I feel that if CG had trimmed down some of the renovation chapters and added in more about the history of the church’s role within the house, this could have been a really fantastic read. I loved the rustic Italian setting but felt it underutilized.

I received an advance review copy for free from NetGalley and I am leaving this review voluntarily.