A little spooky with a dash of Hollywood glam and a splash of malevolent hijinks. What started out as a mildly inconvenient Seattle-home restoration project took a turn into a ghost story with hints of magic and other-worldly beings. The MC was a bit frazzled and an absolute beast at times, but she had her reasons and they were relatable so I really enjoyed her chapters. The ghosts and their historically romantic timelines, volatile histories, and unresolved angst were all unsettling yet charming, especially the cat…who doesn’t love an ethereal house pet spirit?

I did remove a star because a part of the story I was absolutely fascinated to understand more about was never really explained. I need an entire book about the sinister mirror incident, apparently.

Many thanks for the ARC, NetGalley. As always, Cherie Priest brings the haunts.

It Was Her House First is a chilling blend of psychological horror and supernatural suspense, weaving past and present into a tense, atmospheric narrative. The decaying house at its center hums with eerie energy, and the characters—both living and dead—are equally compelling. The execution is sharp, and the writing is rich with unsettling beauty. A gripping read for fans of haunted house stories with a psychological edge.

Well, this was a delightful haunted house story. I don't know if home restoration horror is its own microgenre, but it should be. Priest has now written two books (this one and the excellent The Family Plot) about hauntings in decaying houses being tackled by salvage crews/home restorers. It's such an excellent, logical premise for a haunted house story and the wealth of detail in her work reveals how much she's researched the profession.

It Was Her House First was a fun read, light on the scares and heavier on the mystery and hijinks. I enjoyed the homage to Golden Age detective fiction and, though I guessed some of the mystery, I still had a great time watching it unfold. I have some minor quibbles with the different narrators--the diary was great, the ghost-narrator a little corny for my taste-- but I had an excellent time reading this. It's definitely the perfect read if you're looking for a horror-lite romp through 1920s Seattle.

Thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for an early copy of this book.

It Was Her House First was absolutely fantastic! The author wrote a story that was so well written I found myself flying through the pages, unable to put the book down, pondering what would happen next. My favorite piece of this entire story was how believable the characters were.

The writing is clear and clean, and very immersive. The book hums along at a good clip, but the pacing makes sure we're given time to breathe between plot-intensifying moments. The story was absolutely engaging and the work that went into the settings was noticeable and superb. I felt absolutely transported and I'm so incredibly glad I was able to read an arc of this story.

Thank you Netgalley for this arc. I loved the story and plot of this book. Venita was a very likable character and it was overall creepy and a fun read.

Generally well written and interesting narrative concept. My only criticism is the pacing and world building. It took far to long for the actionable events and I was not satisfied with the explanation (or lack there of) of the supernatural events and plot resolution.

A ghost story like you've never seen before!
I had a great time reading this multi POV story of three very different characters one of which is the ghost!
The author did a fantastic job portraying multiple timelines as well as perspectives making for an overall thrilling read.
A great blend of psychological horror and supernatural suspense with an atmospheric house and setting will have you staying up late into the night to finish this!

It Was Her House First is a unique spin on the haunted house story that explores the long-term effects of grief and loss. Cherie Priest is one of my favorite authors, so I was very excited to see she was writing a new book; and I thoroughly enjoyed this story.

When Ronnie buys a dilapidated mansion to try to cope with the loss of her brother, she expects to face renovations; but she doesn’t expect to encounter ghosts. Though several ghosts haunt the halls of her new home, one is the most frightening and powerful: Venita, a former silent film star who suffered terrible loss in this home and is intent on getting her revenge even from beyond the grave. Ronnie will have to fight through her own grief to claim her home- and possibly to save her soul.

Told through multiple POVs, this story paid homage to the classic haunted house genre while creating a story that felt fresh and new. Cherie Priest is a queen of atmosphere, and her talent was fully displayed in this book; what could be more atmospheric than a haunted house? While there are definitely creepy moments, I would say this book is more gothic than horror; the painful, potentially destructive nature of grief is the key theme throughout the story rather than things that go bump in the night (although there are plenty of those). The realistic portrayal of grief and loss grounds the reader in a setting that feels very real, making the creepy parts of the story more impactful. I also loved that one of the POVs was from a ghost; I don’t remember reading anything like that before, and I really enjoyed the twist on the genre. While The Drowning House is still my favorite Cherie Priest book, It Was Her House First is another great addition to her work, and I can’t wait to see what she writes next!

I would recommend this book to readers who love ghost stories, gothic vibes, and creepy, atmospheric houses.

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the arc! All thoughts & opinions in the review are my own.

This book has great prose, and it definitely made me feel, which is what I go into writing for. I think I got too excited about the idea of Priest’s books and this one was just not for me. It’ll definitely be for someone.

I have always been a fan of Cherie and all her books have been great. I only wish she didn't wait so long with new material. I loved The Toll and this one was just as good. Officially creeped out.

I never thought I'd say I found a story about a haunted house a fun read, but that was before I read It Was Her House First by Cherie Priest. It Was Her House First is a story about a haunted house with all the requisite chills and thrills that come with that. But, it is also the story of how two very different women in different times cope with their grief over the unexpected and tragic loss of a loved one and how that grief can make you do things you never thought possible.

It Was Your House First gives us the unique perspectives of three very different people who have inhabited the aforementioned house of the title. The first point of view is Ronnie Mitchell, a grieving woman in the present day who buys the run-down mansion with the intent to renovate it to its former glory. The second point of view is Bartholomew Sloan, an investigator and friend of the original owners. Bartholomew has a complicated relationship with the owners and dies in the house in the 1930s. His death was ruled a suicide, but was it? Finally, we get the perspective of the house's original owner Venita Rost. Venita was a beautiful and glamourous old Hollywood silent film star who lovingly built the house for her family. Tragically Venita's young daughter dies in the house under mysterious circumstances. In her grief, Venita is pushed over the edge and makes some highly questionable yet understandable decisions which lead to the haunting of the house. While Ronnie's and Bartholomew's perspectives are told in the first person, Venita's is told through her diary entries which Ronnie reads. This adds an interesting element and is a nice alternative perspective. I loved that the author told the story this way as it really allows the reader to experience the house's past and present and makes for a more well-rounded story.

Most of the story unfolds through Ronnie's perspective. This works well because Ronnie is a funny and smart narrator, even if she can be frustrating at times. Through Ronnie, we experience the "haunted" part of the house as she slowly realizes she just might not be the only inhabitant of her neglected mansion. Ronnie's chapters give us plenty of the chills you'd expect from a story about a haunted house and there are some truly tense moments throughout. Bartholomew's and Venita's chapters aren't nearly as fleshed out and I found myself wanting to hear more from them, particularly Venita. I enjoyed learning about Venita through her diary entries as they allow us to get an inside view of her true thoughts, feelings, and motivations for her actions following the death of her daughter. I felt that Bartholomew's chapters were the weakest, but they still added to the story, and he has a fairly large part to play in the satisfying conclusion to the story.

Overall, I enjoyed It Was Her House First. The author does an excellent job of seamlessly weaving together multiple perspectives, timelines, and stories that make for a satisfying and fun read that had me turning pages well into the night. Thank you to NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press and Cherie Priest for the opportunity to review this ARC.

i really had a good time with this story. i like a good super natural thriller with a ghost pov. with him tryng to talk but no one hears him.

I really enjoyed this one! Ronnie is trying to overload her anxieties and distract her mind from a very terrible thing that she feels responsible for, so she buys a decrepit house. Unbeknownst her the house is filled to the brim with ghosts. Venita, the silent film star who is one of the resident ghosts is a force to be reckoned with. I really liked the even pacing of this as well as how this story handles grief and anxiety.

I was immediately pulled into It Was Her House First by Cherie Priest. The opening chapters are dripping with atmosphere—moody, tense, and beautifully eerie. The setting was pitch-perfect, and the slow build of suspense had me totally hooked.

Unfortunately, that momentum didn’t last. As the story progressed, the tension began to fizzle, and the plot turned repetitive. The same beats kept hitting over and over, and what started as chilling and compelling slowly became a bit of a slog. I found myself skimming through sections, hoping things would pick up again—but they never quite did.

Overall, I think the book had a strong start and a lot of potential, but it lost its edge in the second half. Still, if you enjoy slow-burn horror with a rich sense of place, it might be worth checking out.

It Was Her House First is a refreshing and very interesting take on the well-trodden haunted house path. Along with Ronnie's POV as she discovers that she's not alone in her new home, we also get the ghosts' thoughts as well. It was creepy and atmospheric, and I found myself really looking forward to reading it each night in bed. It's a quick read--I finished in about 3 nights. I loved the PacNW setting and all of the details about this gorgeous, dilapidated, west Seattle home. Plus, extra points for a ghost cat.

Thanks so much to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

This is a very atmospheric haunted house story. It was entertaining and informative enjoyed it. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book

I absolutely loved this read! This book is what every haunted house movies dreams are made of. The multiple POVs was great. I could not put this book down. I found myself reading this every chance I got. Also, I wish I could see this house in person! It sounds beautiful!

This scared the bejeezus out of me and i loved it! It was so well done i couldn't put it down.
Kept me guessing until the very end.

Cherie Priest’s It Was Her House First is a fresh and chilling take on the haunted house trope. The story follows Ronnie, who buys an old home sight unseen, unaware of its dark history. Trapped by a snowstorm and eerie occurrences, she quickly realizes she’s not alone.

What sets this novel apart is its unique twist—giving us the ghost’s point of view, breaking the traditional mold of the genre. Priest masterfully builds tension, creating an atmosphere so unsettling it’s impossible to put down.

i really enjoyed this! i’m a sucker for a haunted house story. esp ones involving angry spirits, and a reminder that you can never trust a man 😤 this was creepy and very entertaining. the writing and format was interesting, couldn’t put it down. thank you to the publishers for the ARC.