As a child, one of my deepest desires was to move into a house with a secret room. A secret staircase, a secret library. It hasn’t happened (YET) but the fantasy continues to play out throughout my dreams.
Reading Sick Houses reminded me of these dreams. Leila Taylor calls back to my nostalgic fear of the dark hallways of my childhood homes while also discussing fantastical homes that definitely have secret rooms. This book traces the origins of haunted houses from fiction to real life, from grotesquely oversized to miniature. Sick Houses is exquisitely well-researched while maintaining an fun, engaging tone that draws you ever deeper.
I enjoyed the author’s personal commentary throughout the book. For the record, we share the same opinion on surviving the apocalypse.
And one of my very favorite parts is that I finished this book feeling as though I had learned so much. I stopped every few pages to search for more information about the houses Taylor mentions.
I hope this book becomes a renowned work on haunted houses. It deserves it.

5/5 dollhouses

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to review this book!

4/5

This was a really fun and interesting look into various types of haunted houses. I liked the categorization of the homes, how we perceive what a haunted house is and all sorts of examples of each from books, movies, myths and other sources.

Some stories and homes I was familiar with, others not as much, and honestly the look into all of them was great. I also enjoyed the extra commentary by the author on how she herself perceives haunted homes and what makes a house.

Overall I enjoyed it a lot and will be using it as a great reference for various types of stories based on interesting homes.

Sick Houses by Leila Taylor is a nonfiction book that’s all about the spookiness of houses and how the horror genre often twists our idea of home. It starts by reminding us that every good horror story is rooted in a house, whether it's the infamous Amityville or the eerie Winchester.
Then it looks at different types of homes like old Victorian mansions, and cozy cottages and shows how they can be turned into scary settings in movies, TV shows, and books. It also highlights the idea of the "witch house" and the ‘fear’ surrounding older women living alone.

Overall, it takes a fresh and cool look at how horror uses the concept of the home against us. I thought it was a fun read, full of nostalgic tidbits about some of my favourite scary houses.

I'm not a big reader of non-fiction titles but one sure way to suck me in to give me a supernatural subject matter. When I saw this book pop up on Netgalley, I knew it was one I wanted to check out and I'm glad I did.

Sick Houses analyzes houses of all kinds. The chapters are broken down into specific categories and include American Houses, Dead Houses, Doll Houses, and Witch Houses to name a few. The author has definitely completed the necessary research and used examples and references from houses featured in horror movies, houses built by renowned (and sometimes odd) architects, houses lived in by famous killers and television shows such as The Twilight Zone. This was a definite plus for both a pop culture and true crime junkie like me. I learned a lot about what really makes a home evil and why haunted house intrigue so many of us. In fact, the author basically states that since our home is supposed to be our safe place and our second bodies, haunted house become the most intimate kind of horror.

My only complaint was at times this book read a little bit TOO much like a textbook. But even so, it was the best kind of textbook in my opinion (kind of the like the summer in college when I took Deviant Behavior and Abnormal Psychology back-to-back for four hours each morning and became good friends with the guy ranting about cutting his ex-girlfriend up into "itty bitty pieces." Don't worry, he was weird but harmless). Sick Houses contains photos and movie shots, and I added a few older movies I had never heard of but now want to see to my watchlist.

If topics like this interest you, then you definitely want to pick this book up. The author also has another book out Darkly: Black History and America's Gothic Soul that I also want to pick up eventually.

"Who does the house belong to—the family that just moved in, or the dead who never left?"

In just over 230 pages, Leila Taylor takes us on a journey through horror books and films, all connected by a common element: the house, in all its forms, as a constant presence.

What is a house—our house? It is supposed to be the place where we feel safest in the world, where we are at our most vulnerable, and having that sense of security ripped away is both traumatizing and terrifying. From this concept, the author explores how the house itself has shaped horror, from ancient times to modernity.

From architecture to history, we embark on a fascinating journey where myths and legends are deconstructed in a tone that occasionally made me laugh. I loved reading about Sarah Winchester and the true (non-haunted) history of her house.

"Ancient Egyptians couldn't possibly have built the Pyramids of Giza. Must have been aliens. A woman couldn't have conceived of a house like this on her own. She must have been insane."

Despite the constant spoilers about various horror films, I really enjoyed the way Leila Taylor approached the subject, her reflections, and how something as simple as miniature houses or bunkers can have such a profound impact on horror, becoming characters in their own right.

An excellent read for nonfiction fans, where cinema, horror, and architecture intertwine with plenty of good laughs along the way.

"When the aliens invade, when the poles shift, I'll be the first bitten, drowned, or plunged into a crevice in the earth. Ever since zombies started moving fast, that marked the end for me."

The synopsis for this book intrigued me from the start, can houses or buildings where murders or other evils take place be 'infected' by the acts that takes place within? The author looks at several different types of buildings including tower blocks, shacks, dolls houses, & even miniature dioramas of crime scenes, using the medium of popular culture (tv, film, & books). Are these places 'haunted' or is just our imagination that supplies the feeling of wrongness when we know the history?

I really enjoyed the section on the crime scene 'Nutshell' dioramas created by Frances Glessner Lee who became known as the 'Mother of Forensics'. That sent me down a rabbit hole on the internet! I was not entirely convinced by the author using so many fictional places from films though, I find that real-life places are always more eerie to read about. Analysis was also rather surface rather than detailed, & overall although it was an illuminating read, I didn't find it as interesting as I initially thought I would. 3.25 stars (rounded down)

My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Repeater Books, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

Sick Houses: Haunted Homes and the Architecture of Dread by Leila Taylor was a fascinating look at infamous homes, both fictional and real. I absolutely loved this book! Her selection of architecturally interesting homes makes reading the book seem like time spent with a friend over drinks or brunch. She is informative without being stuffy. The photographs peppered throughout the text help contextualize the structures about which she is writing. The entire book kept me riveted and I especially enjoyed the final chapter about her own “sick house” experience. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing an ARC for this book in return for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this deep dive into different types of "unhomely" houses with chapters that explore everything from witch houses, to prepper bunkers, to serial killer's homes. This is well-researched and the author draws from a number of relevant classic and contemporary theoretical texts, especially in the setup chapter, to explore the meaning of "home" and how "home" is different from a house. At the same time, this does not read like a traditional academic text. The author uses a very conversational and accessible voice that is both entertaining and informative. I was familiar with most of the films and books referenced and it was nice to see some newer works like Piranesi and Hereditary covered. Surprisingly for me, my favourite sections were those that explored real world homes and art. The chapter exploring miniatures was especially interesting!

Thanks for the ARC!

Leila Taylor's Sick Houses is an engrossing dive into the way homes, usually symbols of safety, can turn into sources of unease and terror. She weaves together real-life examples-like the chilling history of the Unabomber's cabin-with classic haunted house narratives to explore how our domestic spaces can hold darker meanings. I especially appreciated her insight into the contradictions of the American Dream, showing how the ideal of homeownership can sometimes trap rather than free us. Taylor also touches on the societal perceptions of women living alone, which added an interesting layer to her argument. It's a smart, thought-provoking read for anyone fascinated by the darker corners of domestic life.

Leila Taylor’s Sick Houses is a thought-provoking exploration of the intersection between architecture, domestic spaces, and the horror genre. Equal parts cultural critique and haunted-house manifesto, this book dissects the unsettling ways in which homes—symbols of safety and comfort—become loci of fear, dread, and even evil.

Taylor’s thesis is simple yet striking: horror begins at home. Through an analysis of iconic locations like the Amityville Horror house, Gothic mansions, and even real-life spaces like the Unabomber’s cabin, Taylor reveals how architecture can reflect societal anxieties and personal traumas. The book blends academic rigor with an accessible narrative voice, making it as engaging as it is insightful.

What makes Sick Houses stand out is Taylor’s interdisciplinary approach. Drawing from film, television, literature, and even real-world events, she crafts a compelling narrative that examines how the very design and purpose of domestic spaces can be subverted to inspire terror. Whether it’s the suffocating corridors of a suburban home or the sprawling decay of a Gothic estate, Taylor unpacks why these spaces feel so deeply unsettling.

The book’s strength lies in its ability to connect the uncanny nature of haunted houses to broader themes of cultural history and psychology. Taylor delves into how societal expectations of the home as a “safe haven” are corrupted by horror narratives, forcing readers to confront the darker underbelly of domestic life. The analysis is as much about our collective fears as it is about the architecture itself, making the book resonate on multiple levels.

Taylor’s writing is sharp, evocative, and occasionally poetic, drawing readers into the eerie ambiance of the spaces she describes. The book is rich with examples from pop culture, such as The Haunting of Hill House and The Shining, making it a treasure trove for horror fans. However, Taylor also moves beyond fiction, addressing how real-life tragedies transform homes into symbols of horror, further blurring the line between reality and narrative.

Sick Houses is not just a book about haunted spaces—it’s a meditation on why we’re drawn to them, what they say about us, and how they force us to confront our deepest fears. For fans of horror, architecture, or cultural analysis, this is a must-read. Taylor has created a work that is as unsettling as it is illuminating, making us question whether the walls around us are truly as benign as they seem.

What is it about haunted houses that captures our imagination? Taylor examines this phenomenon through the lens of houses in popular media.

This was a really fascinating examination into what turns a home into a haunted house, from interior and exterior architecture, to landscape context, to the decay from lack of upkeep.

While it was really interesting reading descriptions of these houses, with photographs, I did find myself wishing that more time was spent on the real life examples that inspired stories rather than recounting the plot of the movie or tv show.

Basically, this is an excellent starting point for anyone getting interested in learning more about haunted houses.

Thanks to NetGalley and Repeater Books for this arc.

This book has some interesting arguments and conclusions. However, the vast majority of it is simply retelling the entire plot of dozens of movies. This format got boring really fast, which is why I gave it a low score.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC. This review contains my honest, unbiased opinion.

A fantastic read for the horror-obsessed, architecturally-inclined, or information sponges among us!

I greatly enjoyed Leila Taylor's exploration of the various kinds of "sick houses" we consider haunted in one way or another, from film favorites to real-life examples of the economic, social, and political horrors exacted upon marginalized communities through architecture, segregation, and seclusion. Including chapters on the archetype of the witch house (which I expected) to something as seemingly obscure as the dollhouse (which I didn't expect but found so rich and thoughtful), there's so much to explore and unpack here. Taylor weaves a bit of her personal narrative throughout each chapter, which I really liked.

Taylor's previous release, Darkly, has been on my TBR for quite a while, and I'm now quite eager to read that as well.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Repeater Books for the e-ARC.

I have been a fan of horror films for years so it was very interesting to explore haunted houses in this way that focuses on the architecture and different haunted houses.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for this advanced reader's copy and the opportunity to this early. Review has been posted on Waterstones and Amazon.

I was very excited about the premise of this book, as haunted houses (and the people within them) are as much my cup of tea as it gets. For the most part, Leila Taylor delivers. She covered most of the general topics I was anticipating while also expanding and covering topics I wouldn't have thought of. This is a good one for the movie buffs, but back cover claims of covering haunted literature were overpromised and under delivered.

Some of the negative reviews seem to have missed the point of Taylor's book. This isn't a book on the mechanics of spirits or "true" haunted houses, but an exploration of how humans project and respond to horror that occurs within buildings used as or replicating homes. While true crime is covered (one of the happy surprises), most of what Taylor discusses is how haunted homes operate in fiction. The synopsis and back cover make that pretty clear, so I'm confused why bad reviews seem to blame Taylor for their own misinterpretation.

I was left wanting a more satisfying conclusion, but what is there really to be concluded about the function of a huanted house? Taylor shows us how different types represent different fears and human ills, but there isn't a single answer for anything. And certainly no single answer regarding the existence of ghosts.

To my personal tastes, more literature would have been a big pro and likely earned a higher rating, but that's preference. I found this an entertaining, informative, and worthwhile read.

Thank you to NetGalley, Repeater books, and Leila Taylor for the advanced reader ebook.

A riveting nonfiction read for horror movie buffs, architecture aficionados, and haunted house enthusiasts. What renders Sick Houses so compelling is its insight and spine-tingling storytelling.

I liked this read a lot! Taylor makes a lot of really interesting thoughts & observations. Sick Houses balances both information & an interrogation of into the human condition in a way that made it a very rewarding read. A lot of other reviews touch on this, but this book's biggest fault is that some sections are much more thorough than others. The introduction is about the first third of the book, and it takes way too long to get to any actual "houses". The information was great and added a lot to the rest of what Taylor was talking about, but I think Sick Houses would've been better served if it could have been woven throughout instead of dumped up top. It got to the point where I felt that what Taylor really wanted to talk about were the politics of homeowning and the ways that that affects the American view of a "home", and that it would be better served in an essay format instead of a book like this. Once we got past that, however, I was able to appreciate the ways that the preface sets the reader up for the later sections; again, it just felt weird while reading. Despite that, this is well worth the read, and I definitely recommend if you're interested in haunted houses or horror at home.

Another 5 Star read for 2025! Gosh this was so well done! I really am becoming such a non-fic girlie.

I am very thankful to Leila Taylor, Repeater Books, and NetGalley for granting me advanced digital access before this spooky ooky baby hits shelves on February 11, 2025.

Sick Houses is written from such a cool angle, comparing homes portrayed in real life and in pop culture/literary instances to how dread resides over architecture in an impactful way! Made complete with photo references, Taylor takes readers on a journey through time and media to circumnavigate how haunted houses, uncanny spaces, and rooms subvert and corrupt the sanctity of home.

Hats off to this one!

I'm not 100% sure what I expected from this one, but it kind of missed for me. Despite being short I found some sections really repetitive, almost as if this were a dissertation that was cut down and revamped for consumers. I didn't feel terribly engaged when that happened, almost wondering if I somehow hit back on my kindle instead of forward.

I LOVE a haunted house story, be it on film, a novel...whatever and it was fun to read about some of my favorites in here from a different perspective. And while finding new stories to explore, there were also spoilers, so I foudn myself trying to skim parts, but still keep up.

Overall, I'm glad I found this one, but I felt like maybe it would have been better as a blog perhaps?

Thanks to Netgalley and the author for the ARC.