An atmospheric horror!
I enjoyed the majority of the book, it was slow-paced and the mystery kept me glued until the very end. Told in 3rd person with different well done POVs and timelines. It had some really creepy moments.
Where it lost me?
There was very little character development. Not many things were answered and I feel the ending was more fantasy than anything else, I could not take it seriously at all. The build up was good but not so much the delivery.
It’s more of a 3.5 rounded up to 4 since I did enjoy the majority of it. Like always, opinion is my own so do give it a try if the premise interests you!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Thank you to @netgalley and @poisonedpenpress for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this ARC.

Have you ever heard of a housewreck? 🤯🤯 Me neither, but the premise of a creepy house washing ashore and a missing childhood friend was enough of a hook to draw me into the creepy world of "The Drowning House."

At the start of "The Drowning House," we find three childhood friends who have slowly drifted apart. Simon cares for his elderly grandmother, who is full of mystery and secrets. One day a house washes up on shore and Simon goes missing. His two childhood friends rush back to Marrowstone Island to join the search.

I am a sucker for small-town thrillers and horror novels. This whole book made me feel soaked to the bone. I could smell the ocean, feel the dampness of the houses, and sense the impending doom circling this small town.

Plus, the story was incredible. I loved how little clues from the past would start popping up in the middle of the plot, reeling you deeper and deeper into this town's sinister backstory.

If you do not like gore, there is a specific scene that is pretty graphic, but it does not depict actual violence but alludes to it. Overall, if you are looking for the perfect summer thriller that will give you goosebumps, try "The Drowning House."

My rating: 4.5⭐

Creepy and dark, the Drowning House begins with a storm.
The storm brings up a house - a house-wreck which sets a series of events in motion...

Simon Culpepper disappears after the storm and the death of his grandmother leaving his childhood friends to return to find him and explore the home. Melissa and Leo begin to search and dredge up lost memories and old grudges as they do. There's paranormal, there's horror, and there is the wonderful framing of a story via childhood hurts and friendships.

A slow burn to horror, but very enjoyable and original!
#poisonedpenpress #thedrowninghouse #cheriepriest

3.5 stars. The Drowning House is a very atmospheric horror novel. If you just want to read about one creepy setting after another, this book is it. I loved the atmosphere of the house wreck and the basement of the Culpepper house. Cherie Priest did a fantastic job writing a horror novel without the scary parts feeling completely cheesy.

Where this book lost me was the story line. This book is all over the place when it comes to the supernatural. Anything you can think of from a horror movie or book is in this besides aliens. Towards the end things really got wild. Some parts weren't ever really explained either, it's like scary things happened just to make the book scary without any really reason behind it.

Overall, I enjoyed the book. I love mid-century modern decor and abandoned homes, so that was right up my alley.

Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

This was a really interesting concept, but at the same time, it was executed in a really unique and slightly odd way. I found the concept great because it followed this kind of Lovecraftian eldritch path with the 'housewreck' and the mysterious storyline that followed from there. Usually, I am a huge fan of any kind of horror novel, but this one didn't quite hit the mark that I was hoping for.

I didn't connect really well with the characters, and I didn't think they were particularly likable. There was definitely some development missing for me, and I just felt like the ending as well was a little odd and convoluted. I think this whole novel would have been a little better if it had been focused on more of the mystery and the origin of the mysterious happenings, and less so on the politics between the characters.

With that said, I did see something of a good concept in this book, and the writing in places was certainly great, particularly when it referred to elements of description. I think I'd enjoy a more refined version of this novel, or perhaps anything else the author may have put together.

DNF at 30%
I was gripped by the premise and beginning. However, as the story progressed, I really struggled to feel connected to the characters and content. The character dialogue between Leo, Melissa and Simon was quite shallow, casual and uninteresting, not lending to the progress of the story. I wanted to feel thrilled and immersed in the atmosphere of the creepy beached decrepit house, but something was missing. Unfortunately, it was difficult to continue. Perhaps a slow burn better suited to another reader.

Thank you to Netgalley, Cherie Priest and Poisoned Pen Press for this advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

Simon, Melissa and Leo were lifelong friends beginning by spending their summers together. Mrs Culpepper, Simon’s grandmother, seemed to be their caretaker most of the time. Going back and forth between timelines and POV’s Cherie Priest is able to build the characters, their connections and backstory beautifully. Mystery, horror and a little bit of a sci fi thriller - and maybe a touch of nautical or maritime history or folklore make the perfect blend for a very vivid novel - especially for fans of Josh Malerman and Michael McDowell.

The characters are well-developed and all very convincing; the environment creates a wonderful and natural backdrop for the drama to unfold. The premise is captivating and seems plausible. You are immediately thrust into the action because to the excellent writing, which works in tandem with the story, characters, and environment. Even doubters will find the supernatural components of the narrative so compellingly presented that they will be able to accept it.

The synopsis of this book sounded very creepy and intriguing; After seeing a strange house that has washed ashore during a storm, on an island off the Washington coast, Charlotte Culpepper dies of fright. Her grandson Simon, who was looking after her, sends a message to his lifelong friend Melissa to come to the island asap. But when Melissa and Simon's other friend Leo arrive at the island, Simon is nowhere to be found and what's with the creepy house washed up on the beach?

Although the premise sounded great, unfortunately I found the book to be very slow paced. It had a few creepy mysterious aspects to it, but I couldn't get invested in any of the characters. They all seemed one-dimensional to me. The storyline fell flat and I found myself skimming parts to get to the end.

Unfortunately, I'm unable to recommend this book to anyone.

Thanks to Netgalley for the arc. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

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.

The Drowning House by Cherie Priest drew me in because of the cover!!! I instantly knew I had to read it. The story begins like an opening scene of a scary movie where something tragic happens and then it cuts to the past. The first scene sets the tone for the rest of the book. We are introduced to Mrs. Culpepper who sees something so terrifying on the beach that she dies instantly. Her grandson, Simon, who was living with her at the time then goes missing.

Afterwards Simon's childhood friends, Melissa and Leo, are introduced. The story goes back and forth from past to present with POV of Melissa and Leo. In the past setting we learn more about how their childhood friendship developed. It was great to learn how their friendship grew through each of their POV.

In the present time, they both go back to Simon's home to try to find out what happened to him. While they are there they are shocked to learn of the house that surfaced at the beach. They explore that house as well as Mrs. Culpepper's house and uncover a lot of secrets. They are on a mission to find their friend and they work together despite the rivalry that they had over Simon's friendship.

What I liked about this story is that it has a setting of isolation that just draws you in. It is mainly Melissa and Leo isolated on the beach while trying to find clues as to where Simon could be. There are also some supernatural elements to the story which i enjoyed.

I have mixed feelings about the ending but won't go into spoilers here. I recommend this book for anyone who likes books with isolated settings with a touch of supernatural.

Thank you Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press. All opinions are my own.

Cherie Priest's "The Drowning House" is a mesmerizing tale of mystery, horror, and the enduring bonds of friendship. Set against the backdrop of a rural Pacific Northwest island, this atmospheric thriller grips readers from the very first page and refuses to let go until its haunting conclusion.

The story begins with a violent storm that washes a mysterious house onto the island's beach, triggering a chain of events that will change the lives of its inhabitants forever. When Melissa, the only woman who knows the true significance of the house, tragically passes away, her grandson Simon Culpepper vanishes without a trace. Left behind are Melissa's childhood friends, Melissa and Leo, who must set aside old grievances and join forces to uncover the truth behind Simon's disappearance.

Priest's prose is richly atmospheric, evoking the eerie beauty of the island and the sense of foreboding that hangs heavy in the air. As Melissa and Leo delve deeper into the island's secrets, they uncover a tangled web of lies, deceit, and ancient evil that threatens to consume them all. With each twist and turn, the tension mounts, keeping readers on the edge of their seats until the very end.

What sets "The Drowning House" apart is its exploration of the power of friendship and the lengths we'll go to protect those we love. Melissa and Leo's journey is as much about confronting their own demons as it is about uncovering the truth about the sinister house on the beach. Through their eyes, readers are drawn into a world where nothing is as it seems, and danger lurks around every corner.

In conclusion, "The Drowning House" is a gripping and atmospheric thriller that will leave readers breathless with anticipation. Cherie Priest's masterful storytelling and vivid imagination combine to create a tale that is as haunting as it is unforgettable. Prepare to be swept away by this chilling masterpiece of suspense and horror.

I have been a fan of Cherie Priest for a long time and was lucky enough to get an ARC from Poisoned Pen Press and Goodreads (thank you!!).

The beginning started slow, with key points revealed through flashbacks dispersed between chapters in the present day. The POV shifts between two friends who are called to search for their childhood friend who has mysteriously gone missing. The shifts in POV are seamless and don’t disrupt the narrative at all.

Though it starts slow, The Drowning House picks up about halfway through and is action packed through the finale. I found several bits of dialogue humorous and was glad of that shift in tone.

I thought several moments were creepy and the whole tone was very unsettling, but nothing was outright scary to me.

Overall, from the slow start and the fact that I wasn’t terribly invested in the characters, I’m giving this four stars. I loved it as an unsettling horror novel but there wasn’t enough to push it to five star perfection.

I was drawn into the book by its cover, and the author didn't disappoint. The book is a slow burner, as it takes time to set the scene for the Drowning House, with trips back into the past required to get to know both Mrs Culpepper and her grandson Simon better through the eyes of the main characters, Leo and Melissa.

Mrs Culpepper watches Simon, Melissa and Leo as children as they play together during the summers on Marrowstone Island. As they get older, Leo and Melissa move away, but are drawn back when Simon calls Melissa to let her know Mrs Culpepper has died. When the duo arrive, Simon is missing, but a mysterious house has appeared, washed up on the beach.

Things go downhill quickly for the duo, who struggle to work together to find Simon whilst learning Mrs Culpepper was more than she seemed at first glance. All the whilst there is evil at hand...

Once things have been established, this horror/thriller (with an ode of fantasy too in my opinion) kicks off in earnest, and the book became unputdownable.

The author did a terrific job of not spoiling the plot and revealed key elements gradually throughout the novel, keeping suspense alive and the reader guessing.

I went for a 4* review here for two reasons:
1) I still had a few questions I wanted answered by the novel's conclusion
2) I found Leo and Melissa to be pretty unlikeable characters, even if they do come together as the book progresses

But overall, this is still a very solid book that won't take long to finish once you get into it, the suspense just keeps you reading. As a bed-time reader primarily, I stayed up way too late a few nights in a row just to get this book done, and it was worth it. Very keen to read more from this author.

This was such an interesting story. Never read anything like this before and that made it even more griping because I didn't quite know what to expect

What was THAAAT. What waaaasss thaaaaat. I really liked this story. It was a ride I didn't expect to go on. Wowwww. Thank you Netgalley,

This book has supernatural elements that makes it work both as a horror and thriller.

A house washes up on shore and literally frightens Mrs. Culpepper to death. She is accompanied with her nephew on the shore but he disappears after reaching out to two of his best friends. It is now up to these two friends to figure out what happens.

The tension builds throughout the book as littles clues from the past come to light. If you are a fan of thrillers with a supernatural element this book is for you.

This was fantastic. I loved every second and couldn’t put it down. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC!

I was really sold on this book by its enticing premise: a "House-Wreck" that's awesome.

However while overall the story is fairly solid - with vivid settings, and good scary scene composition, the plotting was a little weird - let me explain.

The original premise is fairly strong. Simon acts as our "MacGuffin" driving the characters Leo and Melissa to return to the isle and investigate his disappearance. Missing persons are a fairly common horror trope, as it gives a good excuse to keep MCs from noping out of scary situations and creates a lot of suspense.

At first the story seems like its going to be more character heavy, or at least is a slow burn on the horror elements and suspense - there are a lot of flashbacks, and for approximately 50% of the story we just follow the 2 MCs around doing relatively 'human/mainstream' actions: speaking to police and poking around the mysterious house.

There is nothing wrong with that, but I felt like the story transitioned to the supernatural horror and kind of just dropped the character elements? Or at least the character moments that remained felt kind of forced and just a bit irrelevant. For example at one point Melissa accuses Leo of wanting to abandon their search and the house(s) so he can sell them off as he is a real estate agent. He kind of jokingly reminds her that this isn't how life works just because he's an agent doesn't mean he can just randomly poach empty houses and the plot point doesn't really matter to the story. There are many just bickers a minor issues which create more of an awkward tension between the characters rather than anything dramatic. It was weird to me to reach the end of the story and realize I didn't really pick up anything about the characters other than getting entangled in this story.

Well that is other than Leo being fat? I didn't notice any mention of it beforehand but almost abruptly the narrator mentions that fat men have quite a lot of force in their movements and then Leo himself mentions how he's a "fat man" I don't think its meant to be funny exactly but I'm not really sure what its meant to be.

There are also very odd times when things happen that don't seem quite realistic (I don't mean the intentionally magic parts) there is a scene where the characters go to visit someone they'd just spoken to in a rest home are obliquely told the person passed away overnight - e.g. the staff gush about how talkative and positive the person had been before finally saying "oh they're dead" as if no-one might have immediately contacted the MCs or led with that info.

SPOILERS AHEAD

I can't speak to my final critiques without spoilers - there are a couple of really odd choices in the finale scenes of this book - one, is the MCs spend an inordinate amount of time discussing ways to make explosions. Not the worst use of page-time I suppose but it wasn't really relevant to anything significant to the development - e.g. most horror stories have an element of the characters need to resolve or change something about themselves to defeat the horrors - not just carefully plan their flammables.

Finally the supernatural stuff got a bit out of control by the end. After being relatively grounded for the first half - and then fairly well crafted ghosty the next 45%, the final scenes involve magical lightening throwing ghosts, and a TROLL of all things. It didn't really build up to that sort of thing.

Actually the final oddity for me is the decision to make the finishing scene a last flashback to the side-characters, perhaps explaining some of the mythos but again sacrificing page time to non character developed stuff.


Initially the book seemed to be like it was going to be about the potential traumas of youth and the pain of uncertainty when an old friend goes missing. A key example being Leo and Melissa struggle with how to deal with the conflict of hope and realism in searching for Simon. They want to be optimistic but also accept that he may be dead. Other than lamenting about this conflict however - this theme and others doesn't really develop further, its just page-time until the magic stuff happens!

It may seem like I didn't like The Drowing House - but it was a good read, just had some head scratching moments.

"The Drowning House" is a captivating and haunting horror-thriller that explores the lengths individuals will go to protect their loved ones.

Set against the backdrop of a violent storm that washes a mysterious house onto a remote Pacific Northwest beach, the story follows the heart-stopping event that leaves the only woman who understands its significance dead. With her grandson, Simon Culpepper, missing in the aftermath, two childhood friends, Melissa and Leo, reunite to search for answers on the isolated island.

Despite their strained relationship over the years, they are compelled to set aside old rivalries and grudges. In their quest to find and save Simon, they uncover chilling secrets about the sinister house and the man behind its creation, all while facing their demons on Marrowstone Island.

This gripping narrative weaves together elements of suspense, horror, friendship, and secrets.

Cherie Priest's writing style has a dark and profound quality, creating an atmosphere that is both eerie and immersive. As readers delve into this chilling world, they are immersed in a web of complex relationships and haunting circumstances.

While the pacing may starts slow, it builds up to a sudden rush of action that keeps readers on the edge of their seats.

"The Drowning House" promises an enthralling tale filled with suspense, mystery, and a hint of the supernatural.