Book Review: INCIDENTS AROUND THE HOUSE by Josh Malerman

INCIDENTS AROUND THE HOUSE by Josh Malerman (Del Rey Books, June 25, 2024) Hardcover, 367 pages. ISBN #9780593723128 

Synopsis on the Goodreads website . . . . .

A chilling horror novel about a haunting told from the perspective of a young girl whose troubled family is targeted by an entity she calls “Other Mommy,” from the New York Times bestselling author of Bird Box

 

To eight-year-old Bela, her family is her world. There’s Mommy, Daddo, and Grandma Ruth. But there is also Other Mommy, a malevolent entity who asks her every day: “Can I go inside your heart?”  

 

When horrifying incidents around the house signal that Other Mommy is growing tired of asking Bela the same question, over and over . . . Bela understands that unless she says yes, soon her family must pay. 

 

Other Mommy is getting restless, stronger, bolder. Only the bonds of family can keep Bela safe but other incidents show cracks in her parents' marriage. The safety Bela relies on is on the brink of unraveling.  

 

But Other Mommy needs an answer. 

 

Incidents Around the House is a chilling, wholly unique tale of true horror told by the child Bela. A story about a family as haunted as their home.

My Four-Star Review on the Goodreads website . . . . .

     Every novel I've read by Josh Malerman has been different in writing style, tone, and themes - - and that's one of the things I appreciate about him and will keep on reading what he publishes. 

     INCIDENTS AROUND THE HOUSE is a story about a haunting but with several differences. It's told from the point-of-view of a young nine-year-old girl, and her perceptions are not always the same as adult perceptions and interpretations. Also, the haunting is not confined to a home. That's all I can share without spoiling too much.

     Many reviews write about how scary this book is, and when I imagine how this would appear to a young innocent I can agree with that conclusion. However, I think this is much more "creepy" as compared to "scary." In fact, it's super-creepy. The threat is well-realized and visualized just enough by Malerman to make it truly frightening. 

     This is a real page-turner, and if you like a heavy dose of suspense with your horror then you will not be disappointed.