We Used to Live Here

April 1, 2024
A young couple’s house-flipping hobby turns dangerous in Kliewer’s devilish debut. Eve Palmer is alone in the remote Pacific Northwest mansion she and her girlfriend, Charlie, are renovating, when she hears a knock on the door. She opens it to find the Faust family: patriarch Thomas; his wife, Paige; and their three severe-looking children. Thomas explains to Eve that he used to live in the house and would like to show his family around. Despite her misgivings, Eve invites them in, privately hoping the more forthright Charlie will arrive and interrupt the nostalgia tour. When Charlie does show up, a heavy snowstorm follows her, stranding everyone. What begins as mildly uncomfortable grows full-tilt terrifying as one of the Faust children goes missing, Thomas starts calling Eve “Emma,” and Charlie seems to transform into a different person entirely. Kliewer nods to the book’s origin as a series of Reddit posts by supplementing the main narrative with “documents” examining the paranormal “Old House” phenomenon (which posits certain abandoned buildings connect to a paranormal force), transcripts from subjects who’ve experienced it, and internet conspiracy theories about its legitimacy. Stringing the whole thing together is Kliewer’s gift for atmosphere and wicked sense of humor. This is a winner. Agent: Liz Parker, Verve Talent & Literary.

May 15, 2024
Mysterious guests overstay their welcome in this fresh take on the haunted house trope. Eve Palmer makes the biggest mistake of her life when there's a knock on the door from a man who says he grew up in her house. Against her better instincts she invites him and his family inside, but a 15-minute look around turns into a world of trouble when she can't get them to leave. First the Faust family's young daughter disappears in the basement; then a storm hits and the roads are blocked, giving them no choice but to spend the night. Soon rooms appear altered, strange odors waft through the house, and a toy chimp from Eve's childhood seems to be sending her a warning: "Once they're in, they never leave." Kliewer's original and extremely scary story gathers elements inspired by authors like Shirley Jackson and classic horror films including Invasion of the Body Snatchers. He's created a can't-look-away imaginary world in which people and places aren't what they appear. Readers will be as shaken as Eve, who fears she's suffering from delusions when an apparition warns her that the Fausts--and even her partner, Charlie--aren't who they say they are. Inserted between the book's chapters are "documents" that lay out evidence collected by conspiracy theorists who believe what's happening to Eve has nothing to do with delusions. This alternate storyline, written in the style of Reddit--Kliewer's novel grew out of a novella he posted there--feels jarring at times, as we're reluctantly pulled away from Eve's gripping tale. The conspiracy theorists' creepy posts aren't quite as hypnotic, but they solidify the plot's premise and neatly tie up Eve's predicament. Fans of the surging horror genre will think twice about opening the door when somebody knocks. A frighteningly good debut.

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June 1, 2024
Eve and her partner Charlie buy a dilapidated house to fix up and sell. They've only just moved in when a man appears on the doorstep with his family, claiming to have lived in the house during his childhood. He wants to take a quick look around for old time's sake. Charlie's not home, and Eve is hesitant to let strangers in without her there, but she relents. From the moment the family enters the house, things begin to go wrong. Eve hears voices and sees shadows that no one else can, her dog begins to act strangely, and the worst part: the family will not leave. Kliewer's debut is an atmospheric nightmare in all the best ways. The pace is pulse-pounding, but the horror aspects are deliciously dragged out. The endless pathways Eve travels in the house and the palpable sense of menace will give readers a blurred, uneasy feeling throughout. Currently being adapted into a Netflix film starring Blake Lively, this is recommended for fans of intricately plotted psychological novels, such as those by Stephen King, Ruth Ware, and Sarah Pinborough.

COPYRIGHT(2024) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.