This was an arc I received from NetGalley. It was really good. It was giving haunted house vibes which is one of my favorites. This manor estate was built around the civil war and a new family moved in and tries to renovate it and a bunch of creepy stuff end up happening. If this sounds like something you are into, I would check this out.

What an amazing horror book. It checked all the boxes for me! Haunted houses, ghosts, karma! Wow…it started off with a bang with the first set of home owners of the house called Meoria Grange. The story starts in 1985 but it does progress further through the years and we find out what happens each time that home has new owners. Throughout the book we follow the life of the real estate agent named David who ends up being responsible for selling the house each time it goes up for sale.

What I loved about this book is that it started off with the horror from the beginning. The ending really got to me and I cried which is normally not a feeling i get when reading a horror book. I 100% recommend this book! Thank you Netgalley and BooksGoSocial for this great book. All opinions are my own.

The book was such an enigma. It wasn't purely horror, it had multiple glimpses of different genres. Although the main focus was the creepy haunted house, it wasn't a constant stream of terrifying occurrences.
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The parts with the families who occupied the house through the duration of the book were absolutely gripping. They all had horrific endings, but you couldn't say they were all the same. For instance, the author's attention to social norms and generational differences in speak and fashion was fantastic. Each family had their interests and plans for decorating the manor, but apart from the couple who were allowed to fix the problems of the old building, the manor didn't allow any changes in the original decor.
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Another part that truly fascinated me was the characters. I haven't read such consistent and rich characters like the ones in this book before. It felt like the author wrote characters from his own life, he had the finesse of writing characters who were consistent in nature but also evolving with time. He portrayed the day-to-day life from the 80's to the early 2000's spectacularly. I literally stopped reading several times to absorb the writing and pure talent.
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The sequence was done well in general, but I would've loved if the parts of David's relationship with Kate were a bit shorter. They lasted longer than needed and kind of cut the flow of the storyline.
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I had to say the founders of the agency David worked in and David's colleagues were my favorite characters. I would go as far as saying I loved Charlie more than David. Their friendship was just beautiful.
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I did find the backstory of the manor and its connection to David flimsy and underwhelming, it didn't explain how it started and what kept it going. Also, why David specifically. It didn't give me any closure.
However, after all was said and done, I really enjoyed it. 100% recommend.
*I received an ARC of this book through netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

(Be aware - spoilers to follow)

Let’s start by saying that the premise of Caveat Emptor is really quite brilliant. A real estate agent stuck with a dangerously haunted house on his books is a great concept, with room for humour, heartbreak, and, of course, horror.

And author Devon De’Ath (see what he did there?) does horror well - and thank goodness for that. There’s some genuinely gruesome set pieces at play here, and a flair for writing encroaching dread that had me continuing to read even when other elements had me wanting to consign this one to the DNF pile. I, unlike reluctant agent David, was all too eager to return to Meoria Grange, and see what horrors awaited its next owners.

But, of course, there are those aforementioned other elements - prose that leans too heavily on contemporary references to evoke time periods, a cartoonishly evil ex-wife, and a teenage daughter written in such an overtly sexualised way that it left me deeply uncomfortable.

I might have written Caveat Emptor off as a serviceable horror prior to Kate and Amanda buying Meoria Grange. The writing wasn’t particularly to my taste, but the scares were solid - as I said, De’Ath nails the horror sequences - and the concept felt too good to pass up. But, just as prospective buyers (read: prospective victims) entered Meoria Grange and sealed their fates, so too did Caveat Emptor seal its own.

I feel like this book evolved as I read it. I wanted a good meaty haunted house novel to read and was excited to sink my teeth into this one. It started creepily enough. The short first chapter snagged me right away and I happily settled down for a weekend of reading.

But the book was so much more than a horror/haunted house novel. The author drew the plot out over decades - even longer if you count the dreams David was having. We meet David as a young single man and follow his life through to his death. Along the way, historic real-life events are added...Live Aid (which I loved hearing about since I was there!), 9/11, the tearing down of the Berlin Wall. It just added a touch of history to the overall story. It's also a simple tale of the human condition. When Kate comes into the picture, we see immediately what sort of person she is and we have an idea of how (or how we hope) it will end.

And then finally in the end, it turned into a tender love story of sorts, with me rooting for the bad guy (the evil forces driving the house to do what it does). Very unexpected, but thoroughly enjoyed.

"Caveat Emptor" offers a thought-provoking and unconventional take on the connection between individuals and the places they inhabit. Devon De'ath's narrative prowess shines through in the well-crafted character of David Holmes and the historical context that enriches the story. While it may not align with traditional horror or thriller genres, the novel provides a unique and engaging exploration of life, love, and the inexplicable harmony between pure love and abject horror.

“ Caveat Emptor” by the marvelously imaginative named Devon De’ath is a hoot novel to be savored. Imaginative, well paced and scary as , well, the Devil. No, he-it- isnot in the house, but something surely is, and it kills.
David Holmes is a new hire at a real estate agency in Dorset, England. On of the properties on the company’s listings is Meoria Manor , a 300 year old manor house, has been for sale for a number of years. A grand house with a great view, the house has a certain appeal to a wealthy buyer with pretensions of grandeur. When David finds a buyer, it is a coup, and marks him as a go- getter with the firm.
But as the new buyers soon learn, Meroria Manor is not very welcoming. There is already a tenant, and that tenant does not approve of the new owners’ renovations. When they spend a day tearing off some dark paneling in the bathroom, they awake the next morning to find it back in place. A spectral voice warns them “ to leave the house now!” By the next day, both are dead.
Over the following years every buyer of the house suffer the same fate. Every time David Holmes, finds a buyer, their stay at the house is fatal. Yet, David Holmes’ strange attraction to Meoria Manor continues, until it dominates his life. Something in the house calls to him. And if he answers, will, it destroy him, too? Get the book read it , feel,the chill of the other, and enjoy atHe chill of a very good horror thriller.
I really enjoyed the book. I do not usually read much horror fiction. Steven King leaves me cold. But “ Caveat Emptor” captured my imagination and locked me in the darkly menacing pages. Highly recommended.
Cautions: violent death. Some sexuality .
Easily earns the full 5⭐️ rating..

a very spooky book with atmospheric writing and fantastic ambiance. i liked the story a lot and highly recommend for thriller lovers

The cover is awesome and I really wanted to read this but I can’t get through it as my Kindle copy is messed up. I’m adding it to a list of books to buy so I can get it properly formatted and read it that way.

This is the first book I have read by Devon De'Ath and it won't be the last. I love books about old homes, legends, history and the paranormal. This book delivers all of these things and more. If your looking for a quick thriller read then this book is for you. I would highly recommend this book!


Thank you NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for allowing me to read this ARC for my honest opinion.

A new take on the haunted house. Enjoyable and quick read. Well developed story and characters.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and author Devon De’ath for the opportunity to read and review an advanced copy of this book.

I was completely absorbed in the eerie world of Meoria Grange, a mansion with a mind of its own. David's haunted past and his inexplicable connection to the house had me on edge, wondering what would happen next. The way the author wove together themes of love, loss, and the human condition left me reflecting on my own mortality. I loved how the story spanned decades, allowing me to grow alongside the characters. David's tumultuous relationship with Kate felt all too relatable, and Marina George's enigmatic presence kept me guessing. This book is a masterful blend of horror, mystery, and coming-of-age - a true page-turner that will haunt me for a long time. I can't recommend it enough for anyone looking for a thought-provoking, spine-tingling read!

Superb! An outstanding horror / supernatural thriller revolving around an estate agent, David, and a manor house. This isn't so much a haunted house but rather a house possessed. Possessed by what ... you'll have to read it to find out! The story is creepy, scary, gruesome (some scenes are quite descriptive) and, at the same time, just follows David's life as he goes about his business trying to sell this house. Really good!

Great book! Very spooky. I would read more books by this author, for sure. It really held my attention.

This was a good ghostly story. I felt the author made very good use of the house as a sinister setting, and creating an eerie atmosphere. It was very spooky, and difficult to stop turning the pages once I started. I'd say that this is light enough to read in one sitting, depending on the kind of reader you are. If you find it as spooky as I did, you might not be able to put it down.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a free copy to review.

fun read that delighted me and made me a bit sad all at once. Past lives, self-repairing rooms and spirits from before modernity populate this story.

A House with a soul?! This was not exactly what I thought it would be, but never the less I enjoyed it not your average "Haunted House" book. I received this from Netgallery and have voluntarily choose to reveiw

Completely gripping with an original and bittersweet twist to the haunted house story. Loved the unique perspective and would highly recommend this book to all horror readers and fans.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the digital ARC!

Caveat Emptor- Buyer Beware! What a great title.
If you like Stephen King and James Herbert horror you will love this.
A creepy mansion with a mind of its own. Various owners across the years, most come to a sticky end. A young estate agent forms a bond of sorts with the house. This is his story. I'm going to look out for this authors other books. 5 ⭐️ from me.

This book is everything a haunted house book should be.

Spanning several decades, “Caveat Emptor” tells the story of a house and the real estate agent in charge of selling it. It’s creepy, violent, and impossible to put down.