I’m not sure how I missed getting this review posted the beginning of the month, so here it is a little on the delayed side!
Thanks to Tor Nightfire for the free copy in exchange for my honest review
THE LAST HOUSE ON NEEDLESS STREET – Catriona Ward (Released September 28th, 2021)
Book Description:
Catriona Ward’s The Last House on Needless Street is a shocking and immersive read perfect for fans of Gone Girl and The Haunting of Hill House.
In a boarded-up house on a dead-end street at the edge of the wild Washington woods lives a family of three.
A teenage girl who isn’t allowed outside, not after last time.
A man who drinks alone in front of his TV, trying to ignore the gaps in his memory.
And a house cat who loves napping and reading the Bible.
An unspeakable secret binds them together, but when a new neighbor moves in next door, what is buried out among the birch trees may come back to haunt them all.
My Thoughts: 4/5 stars
Before starting this one, I’m glad that my friend and trusted reviewer, had warned me that this one is weird but so worth finishing. Chandra wasn’t wrong – it is a very odd story BUT so worth continuing to get to that ending! THE LAST HOUSE ON NEEDLESS STREET is my first book by Catriona Ward and I plan to pick up more of her books in the future. This is a great horror read for this time of year and I have to admit, having a POV from a Bible reading cat? Considering me intrigued.
I really don’t want to go into too much detail and potentially ruin some surprises. I’ll stick with the basics. Ted is somewhat of a recluse and deals with gap in his memory, his daughter Lauren is a bit of a wildcard, and then his cat Olivia makes an appearance as a narrator as well. Ted’s life continues on without interruption to his routine in his boarded up house on Needless Street until a new neighbor, Dee, moves in. Bizarre things begin to happen and you might think you know how it’s going to end, but I’m telling you now, you definitely won’t be able to figure it out.
As other reviewers have said, this is such an intriguing novel and I think the marketing was done perfectly. Not a ton of information in the synopsis or on the dust jacket, no comparisons to other novels, and it allowed you to go into this with almost no set expectations. Unique, creepy, and unsettling at times, I highly recommend picking this up and make sure you continue to the Author’s Note at the end!
Jessicamap Reviews 