i have a new favorite cherie priest. melissa and leo return to the island where they spent their childhood summers playing with simon at his grandmother house. the grandmother, mrs culpepper, has just died and simon is missing. in trying to find him, melissa and leo find themselves caught up in a battle with dark forces, a battle they vaguely glimpsed but never understood during those youthful summers. a real 80s stephen king feel to this one.

OMG this was even better than I expected and I knew I was going to love this. It starts out normal, with a near drowning, but then just normal. Three best friends are supposed to reunite when one of their grandmothers dies. They always played at her house in the summers. But when the friends arrive the grandson is missing. It gets stranger and stranger as the story goes. You will love this one! It is everything!

I was really drawn into this book when I started reading, however the pace eventually did me in. The backstory with the back and forth from past the present was intriguing. I really felt that the characters were just not drawn out and I had no reason to really care about either one of them which made the last quarter of the book not fun. Thanks for the ARC, NetGalley.

Two childhood friends return to their hometown upon hearing of the death of their beloved Mrs. Culpepper. Weirdly, the third of their trio, who had been the one to call and inform them of the old woman's passing, has now mysteriously disappeared. And an old house has washed up on the beach! The fright is undoubtedly what killed Mrs. Culpepper, but the history of the house wreck and the circumstances surrounding its shocking reappearance is even stranger and scarier. The Drowning House starts strong with a storm-tossed mystery, and the childhood flashbacks add intrigue, weaving a connection between the house and a dark past. However, the characters, despite their history, felt flat, and the suspense didn't quite hold throughout. I generally really enjoy Cherie Priest's stories, but this one, even with its unique premise, didn't work for me.

This book reminded of 80s horror books, especially in the structure and the way the supernatural element was used. It's a book that relies on character and atmosphere, rather than blood and shock value, and that made me think of John Saul and, to a lesser degree, James Herbert. But a very strong John Saul vibe with this creepy tale. Also, this had me thinking of Jennifer McMahon, especially with the characterisations in the book. Like Jennifer McMahon, Cherie Priest has a knack for writing believable children and teenage characters. And that adds a lot of realism into a story.

A slow burn and atmospheric horror, this won't appeal to every reader. I think many readers expect modern horror to be in your face and fast paced. It's as if many readers refuse to be patient now, and I find that perplexing. I enjoy a well told slow-burn tale, especially one that builds up atmosphere with setting and characters. And this book does a commendable job in doing just that. The isolation of the house on the sparsely populated island, the feeling that help will be a long time arriving when needed. In addition, this book opens up with questions - questions that demand answers. Where's Simon? What happened to him? How did the usually dependable Simon vanish and why? That question chilled me in this book. It felt real. It also felt like I didn't want to know the answer.

The two protagonists, Melissa and Leo, are well-crafted and genuine. What makes them remarkable is the way the author injects different coping mechanisms into the characters. They fall back on old traits, and have a few new to add the mix. But it's their reactions that add to the atmosphere of this story.

A chilling supernatural tale. It makes me now want to research old rules and Nordic folk tales!

A link to a video review will be added soon.

A chilling, suspense-filled horror novel that tightens its grip with every chapter. Priest starts the story with a bang, or rather a storm, a death, a disappearance, and the appearance of a house on the beach, and from that point on, we just go deeper into darkness and mystery. I loved how past and present are woven together here as the lives of three friends - childhood and adulthood - are tied together with the mysteries of an old house, old magic, and terrible deeds.

The Drowning House follows Leo and Melissa who after hearing of the death of their childhood friend Simon's grandmother return to the island they once spent summers together. Once they arrive, Simon is nowhere to be seen and a storm has washed up a mysterious house onto the beach.

I will never turn down a book about a haunted house and this was no exception. I was hooked from the very first page.

I loved following along with the characters to find out the truth behind Simon's disappearance and the secrets surrounding the house. I had such great fun reading this.

This was my first book of this author's and it will certainly not be my last.

Thank you to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for providing me with this ARC. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

2.5 Stars.

THE DROWNING HOUSE, by Cherie Priest, caught me right from the start with the synopsis. When Tidebury House suddenly washed ashore in the middle of a raging storm--a full HOUSE--I was excited to read more. Just past it was Thornbury House, home to Mrs. Culpepper and her grandson, Simon. When Mrs. Culpepper races out into the storm--Simon after her--everything got "dark".

Unfortunately, the novel took a turn into the "tell", not "show" direction after that. We go back and forth from the past, where a young Simon and his two friends--Melissa and Leo--played each summer, and the present, where Melissa and Leo go back to the small town. Mrs. Culpepper died of a heart attack on the beach before the washed up, derelict house, and Simon has mysteriously vanished.

From this point on, despite the glimpses into the past of Simon and his Grandmother, the story is Leo and Melissa's. They were characters I just honestly could NOT like; squabbling like petty children, both still crushing over Simon (although they're in their 40's now), and constantly trying to one-up each other as to who was closer to the missing man. After what seemed like an eternity of this, we finally got back to the mysterious, washed up house. Things DID improve at that point, and I was really interested in the history, the man who built it, and another aspect that was later revealed.

Overall, the story had a great beginning, and an interesting premise. Sadly, the interesting parts were overshadowed by the main characters I couldn't identify with, and somehow felt secondary to the Melissa/Leo scenes. I honestly feel that if the story had focused on THAT, or even a prequel where we see all the events that occurred BEFORE Tidebury house was washed out to the sea, we could have had a great novel. For myself, the dynamic of the two remaining characters just took the enjoyment out of the story, and the ending felt very "rushed", while it could have been something much more.

*I was given an ARC of this novel through the publisher and Netgalley. This review is based solely on my own thoughts of it.*

Nothing better than a childhood bond that stands the test of time and brings them back together when one goes missing. Set on Marrowstone Island in Washington State it goes into the past and back to present day from multiple points of view. Highly recommend for fans of supernatural, paranormal, and horror fans who enjoy the nostalgia of childhood bonds.

Thank you so much to Poisoned Pen and NetGalley for my ARC!

I loved the supernatural elements of this book! I love that it was a little horror and thriller. It was the cover that first caught my eye but the book did not disappoint!

The number of times that this book made me gasp out loud (and disturb cats/ children) was...many. A slightly slow start, solid but not quite the creepy word-weaving that really hits its stride from about 1/4 of the way in. Fantastic creepy paranormal thriller- definitely worth reading!

This book had a really unique concept but the story itself fell a bit short for me. It centers on Melissa and Leo, childhood friends who travel to a remote island upon the death of the lady who looked after them in the summer as kids, and the subsequent disappearance of her grandson and their friend, Simon. While they are looking for Simon, they discover a mysterious house that seems to have washed into shore from the water. Further investigation leads to supernatural happenings and the uncovering of long buried secrets.

While the setting was atmospheric, I wanted more creepy abandoned house and less dialogue. Sometimes the characters explained the finding or explanation of a clue and I didn’t need that. The climactic action scene at the end went on a bit long for me and was kind of all over the place, bringing in aspects from various horror tropes- it was fantastical and didn’t necessarily match the rest of the story. The very end was interesting but I was also left with some unanswered questions.

Overall, this one didn’t totally hit the mark for me but I am a sucker for abandoned houses and I thought the setting was great. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The book is so mysterious and atmospheric. There were three childhood friends and they have a good bond but one day Simon vanishes and Mrs Culpepper, his grandmother dies on beach. There are rumours and myths about the house onto rural pacific northwest beach. Before the death of Simon’s grandmother, she was trying to warn him about something sinister. The house is mysterious, tragic and it has its own secrets with darkness that is consuming it. The last message Melissa received from Simon was that his grandmother is dead and since then he is missing. She and Leo tries to find him and in the midst of that she learns about the sinister secrets and mystery engulfing the house.

There were some reminiscing memories and the setting was creepy. I loved the characters development and writing is compelling. The vibe of the book is mysterious and atmospheric. The story is slow built and pace is good. The mystery of the Tidebury House completely gripped me.

Thanks to the Publisher and Author.

The Drowning House is an atmospheric, spooky tale, told in two timelines, by seasoned storyteller Cherie Priest. When a former childhood friend goes missing in mysterious circumstances on an island off the coast of Seattle, two friends reunite there to find out what has happened. Priest is an accomplished writer, and I think this could be a great read for those who don’t mind a slower-paced plot, but for me, it was just too slow to keep my attention, and I didn’t connect with any of the characters.

Two childhood friends return to their summer stomping grounds to tackle a small town mystery involving the disappearance of their other bestie, and that’s just where the story begins. Only 5% in and I’d already experienced a wide range of emotions. By 80% I was so far forward in my seat I was basically squatting.

I really enjoyed the balance between the dark family secrets, the learning to deal with change coming of age, and the absolute epic Nordic magic 👀 Melissa and Leo team up with ghosts to fight ghosts that have like 70 years of unfinished business—all while working through their own 30+ years of baggage and coming to terms with growing up and growing apart. Oh, and they’re doing all of this in the shadow of the creepiest house EVER.

This is another top read of 2024!

The premise was great but I didn’t care for the authors style of writing or the characters. Great cover. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher.

I was immediately drawn into this by the enticing synopsis and the eerie secluded setting, not to mention the whole premises of a house with an evil personality. I mean, what's not to love right? And while this book did have all of those things, something just didn't completely resonate with me. Maybe it was the characters, which sadly weren't all that likable, or maybe it was something else. Either way. while this was a good read and one I think horror fans will enjoy, it just wasn't quite for me.

I really wanted to like this one more. I’ve enjoyed other books by Priest, however, this one wasn’t for me.
I felt like the book didn’t know whether it wanted to be a drama around a group of friends with an unrequited love triangle or a Lovecraftian horror and the two aspects of the story didn’t mesh well, to me - I wasn’t able to invest in the characters fully and I didn’t feel like we got an adequate explanation for the spooky bits.
I also wish the book relied less on dialogue to move the plot forward. It’s cliche to say, but more showing less telling would have been an asset to the story.

Even though this one wasn’t a hit for me, personally, I am very appreciative to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for allowing me an advance e-copy to read!

This book is delightfully supernatural!

I had a few doubts at first. We started off a little slow, this book and I. But what was really happening was the build up of a roller coaster, you know the part where you are strapped in and slowly going up that first hill. You don’t really know what’s coming but as you get closer you can start to see the wildness that awaits you, and then suddenly you are just unleashed into one hell of a ride.

That’s this book. Once it hits that first drop, it’s a nonstop fun, wild, haunted, spooky, supernatural, sometimes horror filled ride. Strap in.

The Drowning House is an edge of your seat horror thriller about a mysterious house rolling up on the shore of a small beach. When one of three friends who grew up on this beach disappear, it's up to the other two to figure out what has happened. This book jumps right in and we are quickly introduced to the characters and situation. As we learn about what's happening, more questions arise and it is clear there is something sinister at work. With supernatural elements and an impending sense of dread, it is hard to put this book done until it's done.