Malice House

Malice Compendium #1

by Megan Shepherd

From New York Times bestselling author Megan Shepherd comes a complex tale of dark magic, family secrets, and monsters that don’t stay on the page.

“A propulsively charming nightmare, pooling like spilled ink across your imagination.” — Kiersten White, New York Times bestselling author of Hide

“Haunting and beautifully written . . . an exploration of the mysterious power of stories.” —Megan Miranda, New York Times bestselling author of All the Missing Girls and The Last to Vanish

“One step away from our world lies a land of violent fantasies, of sharp-toothed delights. . . .”

Of all the things aspiring artist Haven Marbury expected to find while clearing out her late father’s remote seaside house, Bedtime Stories for Monsters was not on the list. This secret handwritten manuscript is disturbingly different from his Pulitzer-winning its interweaving short stories crawl with horrific monsters and enigmatic humans that exist somewhere between this world and the next. The stories unsettle but also entice Haven, practically compelling her to illustrate them while she stays in the house that her father warned her was haunted. Clearly just dementia whispering in his ear . . . right?

Reeling from a failed marriage, Haven hopes an illustrated Bedtime Stories can be the lucrative posthumous father-daughter collaboration she desperately needs to jump-start her art career. However, everyone in the nearby vacation town wants a piece of the her father’s obsessive literary salon members, the Ink Drinkers; her mysterious yet charming neighbor, who has a tendency toward three a.m. bonfires; a young barista with a literary forgery business; and of course, whoever keeps trying to break into her house. But when a monstrous creature appears under Haven’s bed right as grisly deaths are reported in the nearby woods, she must race to uncover dark, otherworldly family secrets—completely rewriting everything she ever knew about herself in the process.

Genres: Horror, Fantasy, Fiction, Mystery, Thriller, Paranormal, Gothic

400 pages, Paperback

First published October 4, 2022

About the author

New York Times bestselling author Megan Shepherd grew up in her family’s independent bookstore in the Blue Ridge Mountains. She is the author of several young adult and middle grade novels. She now lives and writes on a 125-year-old farm outside Asheville, North Carolina, with her husband, two cats, and an especially scruffy dog.

Reviews

[Nilufer Ozmekik · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to this gothic, horrific, spine-tingling, nightmarish book within a book, I’ll be suffering from night terrors and sleeping with the lights on for weeks!

Wow! What a tremendously bleak and terrifyingly wild ride!

The plot is captivating: Haven Marbury, an aspiring artist, inherits her Pulitzer-winning father’s house, which he believed was haunted. She’s financially struggling, barely making ends meet by writing movie reviews, and the house is all she has left after paying off her father’s debts.

While cleaning out her father’s belongings at Malice House (a fitting name), she discovers a secret manuscript filled with terrifying stories written by him. This could be a goldmine, as she’d never heard of this mysterious book before. The monsters described in it inspire her to create her own illustrations, giving her a chance to join creative forces with her father and pay tribute to his memory.

But others want a piece of this secret manuscript, and the house may indeed be haunted, as unexplained scratching sounds come from within the walls. The whispers she hears aren’t just products of her sleep-deprived mind—there may truly be a monster lurking under her bed or a giant creature ready to bite her ankle.

What if the illustrations she creates come to life and start chasing her?

Have I grabbed your attention? This is the moment to decide if you’re ready for this heart-pounding journey! If you’re not up for the scare or hate horror stories, you may want to skip this book. But if you’re a devoted fan of supernatural, gothic horror, mystery, and have a fascination with monsters, this book is a perfect match for your quirky tastes!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Hyperion Avenue for providing this incredible digital review copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

[megs_bookrack · Rating 3 out of 5]

After a very successful start, Malice House dropped off a cliff for me around 75% of the way in. It's unfortunate, I hate to say it, but it happens...



This story follows an artist named Haven Marbury. Haven's father, a very famous author, has recently passed away. Because of this, Haven travels from her home in New York City to his property on the West Coast. She has inherited his possibly haunted house and everything in it.

Having recently suffered through a very traumatic break-up, with barely two pennies to rub together, the idea of having a place of her own, far from her ex, is actually a blessing.



Once at the house, Haven meets with her father's 0ld-caregiver, a rather disturbing woman in her own right. A woman that in the past has refused to spend one single night at the property.

Unusual happenings begin pretty much right away. It's a big house and definitely spooky. Additionally, it's bringing up a lot of mixed feelings for Haven.



Sifting through her father's belongings, Haven discovers an unpublished manuscript called Bedtime Stories for Monsters, which is quite different from his previous works.

It's dark and twisted, right up Haven's alley. She has an epiphany. She needs money. Her father's name on a cover will sell any book. She's an artist. She'll illustrate this book and pitch it to publishers as a father-daughter posthumous collaboration.



Unfortunately, a local group of bibliophiles that her father was a part of, the Ink Drinkers, start continuously trying to insert themselves into the process of deciding what to do with the unpublished manuscript. Haven probably should have kept that discovery to herself.

After that, things start to get really weird. Haven feels like they're crazy, she wants them to stay the heck away from her. It's her father's work. They have no say over what she does with it, or do they?



There's an attractive, though suspicious, neighbor. There's potential poltergeist activity at the house. There are monsters coming to life and attacking. There are crazy locals and a dark, ill-feeling atmosphere.

As mentioned above, I was super intrigued by this in the beginning. I love the idea of fictional stories pulling through into real life. Monsters jumping off the pages and wrecking havoc. Are you kidding?! That's amazing!



There were a few fun twists and as it began to come together as to what was happening, I lifted an eyebrow. Okay, Megan Shepherd. I see you. You are a Horror Girlie. Me too!

At some point though, it kept going and went too far. It got so convoluted that it was hard to follow. I'm not sure what could have improved, I'm not claiming to be an author here, but it completely lost me by the conclusion.



I liked Haven as a character and enjoyed watching her discover some fairly significant family secrets. I just wish the pace could have been more even. The monstrous elements did build steadily, but they didn't stop at a coherent point. It just devolved into chaos.

The more I think about this, as I am writing this review, the more disappointed I get. I am serious when I say, I really enjoyed the beginning. There are so many elements in this to love, especially if you are a fan of Dark Fiction. Unfortunately, it just wasn't pulled through to a solid conclusion in my opinion.



With this being said, just because I wasn't crazy about the ending doesn't mean you won't be. If the synopsis sounds intriguing to you, absolutely give it a shot. You could find a new favorite read within these pages.

Thank you to the publisher, Hyperion Avenue, for providing me with a copy to read and review. Even though this one didn't blow me away, I would definitely pick up more Megan Shepherd novels.

[Jasmine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Malice House is a well-written dark mystery where things go bump in the night.

After leaving her marriage, with nowhere else to go, Haven Marbury moves into her late father’s house. She wants to see if there’s anything she can sell to scrounge up some sorely-needed cash. Haven’s father was a prolific author with an adoring fan base, so she’s sure there ought to be something of value.

As she’s sifting through items in the attic, she discovers a yellowing unpublished manuscript called Bedtime Stories for Monsters. It’s unlike any of her father’s previous works, but Haven is positive any publisher would jump at the chance of getting it into the hands of readers. And if Haven could attach her name and illustrations to the manuscript, it could be the break she needs to jump-start her career as an artist.

While Haven is figuring out these details, dead bodies turn up near her property, and inexplicable terrors begin to occur in her old house.

This horror/mystery solely follows Haven’s perspective. Initially, I found it engaging, but it started to lag around the middle. But then the conclusion picked up at a break-neck speed with so many things happening seemingly at once.

Since this is a horror story, there are many dark and gruesome themes throughout that may not be for everyone. The author did a stellar job creating an ominous and disorienting atmosphere.

All-in-all, Malice House is a great read for the spooky season.

3.5.

Thank you to Hyperion Avenue for granting my wish via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

https://booksandwheels.com

[Chantel · Rating 1 out of 5]

It is important to note that the majority of the themes explored in this book deal with sensitive subject matters. My review, therefore, touches on these topics as well. Many people might find the subject matters of the book & those detailed in my review overwhelming. I would suggest you steer clear of both if this is the case. Please note that from this point forward I will be writing about matters that contain reflections on substance abuse, gore, graphic descriptions of body mutilation, suicide, death of an animal, physical abuse of a minor, parental neglect, dementia, domestic abuse, & others.

Haven has been the person in whom all her father’s original dreams grew to fruition, though she never got the opportunity to hear him say as much. Coming back to Malice House after the passing of her famed author-father, Amory Marbury, Haven finds herself at an impasse. Does she believe that the fantom corpse of a despicably grotesque crab is living under the bed or was her father elapsing into paranoid delusion brought on by his deteriorating mental state as a consequence of his Dementia?

Is one able to fully grasp the absurdity of the physical form of the demons that plague us or do these beings necessitate a place in reality for us to believe them to be true?

I have a very low opinion of this book because I did not enjoy the story. The following review will detail my reasons for not enjoying a story that I thought was going to be something that it was not. I believe, wholeheartedly, that this book requires the enjoyment of a niche reader for, the subject matter succumbs to the Fantasy genre with greater gusto than I was led to believe, or more sore, with greater gusto than I chose to acknowledge as a probability.

Objectively, this story would have done well had it been described as a Dark Fantasy—something that resides in the Magical Realism leaflets of literature. Presenting this book as being a clean-cut Horror stripped it of its ability to find its reader. There are, certainly, aspects of the genre that are absurdly morose & decadently incomprehensible. Monsters that come to life due to a bizarre family curse dating back into a lineage, unexplored; wherein a sole member of said family has discovered her powers of striking an image from the page transforming it into reality & in which an entire town acknowledges this superhuman ability as being a real occurrence; falters awkwardly within the Horror genre in which it has been set.

The sheer number of times I questioned what the intent was behind this story was enumerable. I continue to question the reasons for which any of what was done in this book took place.

Did Haven have to be a secretive idiot who walked into darkened houses in search of what she assumed was a violent predator? No, she did not.

Did there need to be a sidekick sister character who brought nothing to the plot due to her lack of desire to pose relevant & insightful questions? No, there did not.

Did there need to be repeated scenes of characters slurping their lips raw from hard liquor sprints? No, there did not.

In Haven the reader is presented with a character who lacks a great deal of self-awareness & is incredibly inauthentic. There are rarely characters whose attempts at distinguishing themselves from others read as well-structured in a plot that writes them as being the exact character they seek to revoke.

Haven is a girl who is not like other girls, she’s not like anyone ever on this planet to date; so quirky & undone in the very best haphazard ways, Haven wanders through life unafraid of anything. She can watch scary movies & not feel fear, she can draw gruesome pictures because she likes ‘dark’ art—unlike anyone else ever in the history of humankind—& she can mosey at her leisure unharmed because a man is behind the scenes protecting her.

What truly drives home the point that Shepard is trying to highlight concerning Haven is that she will act & do things that no one in their right mind would do but, she does them because she isn’t in her right mind, according to non-fiction standards.

Haven has a special ability, one that was passed down to her through some inconsequential genetic mutation, that allows her family to bring to life the things that they do in art. At face value, this is a very intriguing concept & I highlight, again, that it would fit well into the Fantasy genre. What causes a rift within this logic is that Haven is not a biological descendant of her father’s lineage at all, she is a drawing brought to life.

Could one assume that because Haven has a deep disconnect with naturally felt human emotion, her time being drawn by Amory led her to be the character we saw ramble on in the pages of this book? Can one attribute her lack of connection in the human-born world to the reasons for which she made decisions that were both horrifically unsafe as well as being dense?

When Haven first meets Kylie she is quick to trust her—she is quick to trust everyone though she boasts of being able to read the room & withholding her seal of approval—why is that? The dialogue that Kylie is given reeks of a lack of depth. This is a secondary character who was attempting to make their way into the primary spot but was not granted enough dimensionality to merit further screen time.

Who in their right mind would think that a couple, meagre, hundred dollars would be the selling price for memorabilia from an internationally prized & award-winning author? This is an incredible lowball & the author sees fit to never revisit this. Are we to read into Kylie’s Crypto scheme that she is simply scamming her fellow man for the thrill of pulling the wool over their eyes or because she doesn’t understand the field in which she is attempting to make money?

What would lead Haven to trust Kylie? This is a person who is working in a bookstore whose theme is her father’s work yet, her singular brush-off, declaring she’s not a fan, is enough to satiate Haven. Why? Kylie is constantly out of her depth but is portrayed as a decent, diligent, person. She goes so far as to claim that the mutilations caused to Dahlia by her murderer had to have been committed while she was alive because there was blood on her body. That’s factually incorrect.

Correlated to the fact that Dahlia’s mutilations took place in quick succession one would need to study bruising & injury on her body to deduce whether or not one or both of her heels were snipped or if the claw reached for her wrists first; did she fall, resulting in her head being decapitated first? Also, given the rapidity of the events, it is not implausible to deduce that the body would bleed—as it does—within the short period in which these actions were taking place. This may appear to be a generally benign argument to make but, I present it to highlight that Kylie, along with many other people in this book, made unsubstantiated claims & no one questioned anything that was said.

Another example of this is Rafe giving Haven a useless response when she asks him how he got access to her property when the gate was locked. We later learn that it is possible to jump the fence but Haven never questions this answer. She has just been confirmed that people have casual access to her home, where she knows others have been attempting to enter & disregards this fact because she has a crush on the man with whom she’s talking.

I acknowledge a personal difficulty in the actions that are required of Haven to move this plot forward. Generally speaking, I find it inconceivable when a female character decides to pursue dangerous decisions without ever informing at least one other person of their whereabouts. This certainly happens in real life, which is probably why I have such a difficult time reading about it in fiction. When Haven is snipped by Pinchy she refuses to involve any first responders. Instead, she calls Kylie & is calmed by Kylie’s decision not to ask questions about anything. During this scene, Haven bemoans Baker, her ex-partner because he would ask her pertinent questions when or if she called for help. This is perhaps a hot take but, should someone be calling you with an emergency you’re going to want to know where they are & what happened—any details are helpful—so that you are prepared for what you are about to face & subsequently can be as helpful as possible.

The unreliability of Haven throughout the entire plot left me eagerly awaiting her demise. To my great humour, we read as she drives to a darkened house in the middle of the night where she assumes Kylie might be kept against her will.

There is a distinct monologue that transpires in which Haven declares that she couldn’t possibly call the police & must go into the house alone. This is stupid. I understand that a great number of people have had (shall we say) less than stellar experiences with judicial bodies as a whole but, wandering into a house where you think your friend is being held against their will & may probably be subjected to physical violence, on your own, is beyond moronic. This truly adds nothing to the plot, even though everyone conveniently ignores the existence of forensic science—or basic biology, if you will—the characters in this book always choose the road that is the most taxing.

Haven’s reason for not involving the police stems from her experience with them in the past; having been charged with domestic abuse against Baker. As someone who thrives off the horrific, Haven would have known that her motive of violence, though untrue, would have cushioned her in this instance.

Given that she was previously regarded as a domestic abuser against a male & that Kylie is someone who had DNA evidence from another person entirely & that Orion would not (save the fingerprints where she checked for a pulse) have her DNA on his body, there is no reason not to reach out for help, in this case.

Had Shepard pursued the original presentation of Haven’s character I would have appreciated her gusto. At the beginning of the story, Haven explores her father’s house without any fear. I suppose one might attribute her lack of fear while consuming Horror films to be due to her belief that those things, could not happen to her; though she acknowledges that the films succeed in the reality behind the outlandish.

Throughout much of the first part of the book, Haven is strong-willed & smart. She wants to believe in the best of those around her but quickly loses her cool when she decides to hate a group of people because they don’t adore her illustrations. Then we see her invite a strange man, Rafe, into her home because he smells good. I digress.

The narrative grows to showcase inconsistencies which might be read as shifts in the characters’ presentation & stature in reality but, they are also faults, nonetheless. For example, the entire novel states that Amory had dementia but while Haven is reading his journals, he writes about being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease.

Haven is said to be using her laptop to access Kylie’s ‘Find My Phone’ app but, it’s Kylie’s laptop that she is using. Another example is Haven telling the reader (herself) that she doesn’t need money so much as to trust the Ink Drinkers but, she is quick to trust a Crypto scheme which she knows nothing about.

I am confident that many readers will adore this book. I know that the story that has been presented will wiggle its way into the minds of those who are easy-going & eager to consume any book that might snuggle into the Horror genre. My personal preference for stories in this genre sees me longing to find the character who was unafraid while roaming the attic at night or who was experiencing lapses in time so suddenly after the passing of their parent.

I enjoy when stories have a basis in the non-fictional; this is very much a Fantasy with heavy undertones of Magical Realism that riddles in aspects of specific fear for those who might long to see the monsters that crept through their rooms at night, brought to life by the colourful words of an author.

Thank you to NetGalley, Hyperion Avenue, & Megan Shepherd for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

[Chelsea Humphrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not sure how to review this, as I'm still trying to figure out what I just read. While this does classify as horror per se, it really fits more accurately under the fantasy umbrella. The idea behind this book is intriguing; an illustrator who can bring to life the drawings she creates? A small town full of dark secrets? The problem is there is very little world building along the way, and a major plot hole that I couldn't really get past with zero explanation. By the time I reached the ending, I felt like there wasn't enough closure or explanation to process what I had just consumed, but I'm wondering if this will be turned into a series based on my e-galley having a section titled SERIES: TBD in it? Either way, an entertaining story with some flaws, but would love to see more dark reads from this author.

*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.

[Erin Craig · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beyond phenomenal! This book scratched an itch I’ve had since reading NIGHT FILM years ago. I adored every second! Malice, and all its denizens, are going to linger with me for a very, very long time to come!

[Tammie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Malice House, a dark/mystery book, was a solid 3.5 star read.
The book centers around Haven, an aspiring book illustrator and the daughter of popular writer and Pulitzer winner, Armory Marbury. Before his passing, Armory had claimed that his house (named Malice House) was haunted, but everyone, including Haven, claimed that it was just his dementia and nothing more. Things take a more sinister turn when Haven inherits the home after Armory’s passing, and finds a secret manuscript filled with short horror stories. A book unlike anything her father has ever written before and now a much sought-after manuscript. Haven, who now begins to illustrate the manuscript as a father- daughter collaboration, begins to hear and see things in the house. Could Malice House really be haunted or is the manuscript messing with her mind?!
Malice House was an enjoyable book, with a lot going on. A creepy book with a full cast of characters, made Malice House a very interesting read. Highly recommend to fans of mystery, horror and fantasy books. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Debra - can't post any comments on site today grrr · Rating 3 out of 5]

You might not want to read a Bedtime story at night, especially if it is a Bedtime Story for Monsters. With a title like that you know you are in for a nightmare!

Haven Marbury is cleaning out her father's home when she comes across a manuscript titled "Bedtime Stories for Monsters” This is nothing like her father's other Pulitzer-winning work. This one is dark, creepy, and unsettling. Haven, an artist, decides to illustrate the manuscript. Why not make some money in the process? But there are others who want a piece of this literary pie as well.

While not illustrating, Haven is hearing things that go bump in the night, strange things are happening, someone is trying to get into the house. But why? Many children look under their beds before going to bed at some point, making sure they are tucked in safe and sound and that here isn't anything scary under the bed to get them. But Haven does have something scary under her bed!

The dead count is rising, Haven has an interesting neighbor and well, those bumps in the night make for an interesting read.

I found this to be an enjoyable book and a nice read for the Fall/Halloween season. There are twists and turns, unease, and tension.

This was my first book by Megan Shepherd, and I look forward to reading more of her books in the future.

Thank you to Hyperion Avenue and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5

Malice House is my first time reading a novel by Megan Shepherd and all I have to say is - hot damn!! I didn't go into this expecting to love it so much, so it was a pleasant surprise when I did. The story is thoroughly creepy and although I did spend some time wondering if the supernatural elements were actually happening, that probably just heightened my enjoyment of the book. Haven’s dad's house isn't what you would call an incredibly cozy place, and I loved how it felt a lot like a character on its own. Add in one mysterious next-door neighbor and some random murders that start happening and you really have yourself a story. Oh, and let's not forget about the Ink Drinkers, because they were also super interesting and verged on downright weird. Haven also appears to have somewhat of a checkered past, and I spent the whole time wondering what it was that she had done that she was running from.

The audiobook is just as amazing, and I loved the narrator Katie Schorr a whole freaking lot. She was absolutely perfect for Haven, and she brought all of the elements I need in a narrator to make the story even better. I would highly recommend listening to this one and I think it also helped make the book feel even more spine-chilling at times. I would have loved illustrations in the book of Haven's pictures and honestly, I would even watch a movie of this book! That being said, Shepherd did a wonderful job of using the right descriptive words to give me the ability to really see all of these creepy characters in Bedtime Stories. I also loved that each chapter started with an excerpt from one of the stories, and it created a nice book within a book situation. There were a lot of surprises, and I had no idea what was going to happen. I will clearly be reading more work by this author, and I will be purchasing myself a finished copy of Malice House!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[AFrolicInTheTomesXx · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy… yeah definitely don’t let this somewhat mundane looking cover fool you!

So a few things.
1.I absolutely loved this, and that’s such a pleasant surprise. 2. Someone said this was like an adult and also much better version of ‘the hazel wood’ by Melissa Albert and I fully agree (though I did like that one too). 3. I absolutely would not recommend this for everyone and I see why some don’t like it.

It has a really slow pace and it does take a while to really get going, coming across as more of a slow burning mystery. If I didn’t like slow burning mysteries I could see giving up on it. But I was really intrigued still, I think just by the characters that were being introduced, and to see how they led to the premise I was promised on the book flap. For me personally, I was NOT let down.

It swiftly goes from mystery to dark fantasy horror, with monsters, monsterous witches, hellhounds, weird crustacean like demon creatures, and a few other more human like but also dark characters. I don’t want to give away the magic of all of the characters completely because I feel that really takes the intrigue away. Just know some of my favorite characters ever were created here. Though the MC also didn’t always make the best decisions, I can definitely forgive her.

The characters from the “real world” were just as interesting as to their role in this book, and in some ways are just as dark/gray as the monsters but probably not in the way you would think. There leaves good conversation for motivation and what drives people to do what they do, imo, and is it excusable if you think that you’re morally right? This also leads to ally’s where you wouldn’t expect to find them in some ways.

There’s more discussion to be had, but again I don’t want to say too much.

The book within a book at the start of each chapter was really cool and added a touch of dark whimsy.

This is exactly what I want out of a book that mixes art of any kind with horror/fantasy/ portal plots. It’s what I wanted out of ‘it rides a pale horse’ by Andy Marino in a lot of ways.

I was just so transported into this story for some reason, even at the “boring” parts.

And not to continue to compare it to other books, but it did remind me of one of my faves of last year “the watchers” by A.M. Shine, in the sense that it has what is now another one of my favorite characters of all time. Someone you know you maybe shouldn’t trust… but at the same time they have their moments so you also find yourself rooting for them anyway. Just….bravo.

There were definitely twists in this, and I did see a lot of them coming. But not so sure it was supposed to be a twisty book in general. The main twist (or at least what I think the main twist is), I did indeed not see coming. I guess it just depends on what you see as a twist too. But either way some of them were very well done!

This was just so fun and I really hope this author continues their writing career down this path! I’m so glad this was my first 5 star of the year!

TW: there is a character in here who gets off on assaulting people in various ways through manipulation. He’s not shown often, more so toward the end. But I just wanted to make that known.

[Meisha (ALittleReader) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the premise for this story. We hear from writers all the time that when they're writting, it's like they're pulling it from another world or dimension and Megan Shepherd brings that idea to life in this book. She actually talks about it a little bit in her notes after the book. So if you read this, I recommend reading the notes as well.
Although this is very much an adult book with adult topics, it reads very much like Young Adult. I think this would be a great book for people who enjoy YA horror but are interested in getting into adult horror. Or even just adult books in general. Because it did read younger for its target age, it was easy to read but also took me out of the book occasionally because the topics were so adult but I kept forgetting that the book and therefore the characters in this book were adult. So it would always shock me when something really traumatic happened and I had to remind myself "oh yeah, this isn't YA Neither are the characters."
While this was a bit of a downfall, as I said previously, it also made it a lot easier and mindless to read. The writing was easy to get through and the plot was so intriguing that it kept me flying through the pages. The characters weren't as flushed out as they could have been. But for this reason, I think this is a good book for plot based readers. Very faced passed, very interesting and had moments that were downright creepy and gore.
Speaking of gore, this does have some mild cases of body horror. So if that's something you don't like or that bothers you, I would advise you to maybe stay clear of this one. But if you think you can handle it, I think this is a really good horror book and very unique from anything I read. It's similar to a book within a book trope. But it takes that trope and flips it on its head, making it its own trope, story and idea. This was very cleverly well done! I'm excited to see future adult works by this author!
This was sent to me by the publishers via netgalley in exchange for an honest review. So thank you so much to them! All opinions are my own!

[Obsidian · Rating 2 out of 5]

Please note that I received this book via NetGalley. This did not affect my rating or review.

Trigger warning: Rape is discussed, but not shown.

The only reason why I am giving this two stars is that the stories within the big plot, “Bedtime Stories for Monsters” were fantastic. Frankly if this book had just been the stories from that unpublished manuscript I would have been happy. Because when you jump from those stories to the “plot” my whole head started to hurt. I wanted to publish my review before I take my trip and I am begging the book gods to give me a good book or maybe even two while I am on vacation. I have been hitting the worst streak that I have had in some time with regards to books. “Malice House” had poor characters, a nonsensical plot after a while, plot holes galore, terrible flow, and the ending was set up as I don’t even know? A sequel? I am going to stay far away from it anyway.

“Malice House” follows “artist” Haven Marbury. She returns to her dead father’s home in Washington state, called Malice House. Her father was a famous author, who eventually passed away from dementia and apparently had way too many debts and not much to leave Haven outside of the house. We quickly find out that Haven is running from something back in New York and an event that involved her ex (well not really) husband. When Haven starts to explore Malice House, she finds an unpublished manuscript that her father wrote called “Bedtime Stories for Monsters”. Haven cannot put it down and starts to draw/sketch the monsters her father has described within which include: The Harbinger, the Witch of Went, the Hellhound, Pinchy, the Decaylings, Uncle Arnold, the Kestrel, and the Robber Saints. When she asks her father’s old contacts/literary group called the Ink Drinkers for help in selling the manuscript along with her drawings, she is hurt when they pronounce her drawings terrible, but want their hands on the manuscript. And when Haven says no, things start to go bump in Malice House. Soon people are found dead and they appear to be killed in similar ways to her father’s works and in the unpublished manuscript.

So Haven is not a great character. Something comes out later that describes why she acts the way she does, but it felt like a neat little cheat. I think at one point I was wondering how she was conscious since she barely ate, but was just consuming a half bottle of Scotch it seemed like every five seconds. Not to mention coffee she suckered out of Kylie. She keeps doing so many dumb things that I stopped counting after a while. It just seemed that she had a lot of hatred for her father and then you find out why and it seems like it was more benign neglect than anything. He was obsessed with his writing, and she was angry he didn’t seem to make a bigger deal of her drawings. I just thought the book jumped around too much for you to get a handle on their relationship.

The other characters are really shallow outside of the little peeks we get into the stories within the book. It’s sad the monsters were written better than Haven and other characters like Kylie, Catherine, Ronan, and others. The whole Kylie thing still makes zero sense to me and I just don’t even want to dwell on it anymore.

The writing just seemed to double back and forth after a while. I just got tired of Haven for just obsessing about Rafe Kahn and then about the manuscript, Kylie, Catherine, etc. Then she was back to Rafe again and in between all of the mess would think about her ex-husband and the mysterious incident that happened in New York.

The setting of Lundie Bay seems weird to me. Malice House definitely has its secrets, but Lundie Bay just has dead bodies popping up and everyone seems like oh sure let’s ignore that. It felt a little too much like the families on Nightmare on Elm Street who just ignored what was going on on in Springwood, Ohio. The only reason why that worked and made sense for that movie was back then in a small town you could hide that kind of thing. Also you didn’t have the 24 hours news going on. In this day and age though, so many people popping up dead would have resulted in a media frenzy. It just felt a little too ridiculous to me after a while. Especially since there’s a mention of the rich who have second homes there. I guess there was a slight out with an aside being made that most have left for their homes back in California since the weather had gotten colder.

On another note, I don’t know if adding illustrations of what Haven was seeing when reading through the manuscript and what she drew as a result could have made the book stronger, but since there’s a whole thing later about the written word and art, it seems like a missed opportunity.

The ending leaves things up in the air. I just sighed about it. The book could have ended in a darker way and I would have given it more stars. But it seems that Shepherd wanted to just leave things open ended.

[Jonann loves book talk❤♥️❤ · Rating 3 out of 5]

In Megan Sheperd's book Malice House, the atmosphere feels gothic and spooky. This book's genre is horror, mystery and thriller. It falls into that category, but it also has strong elements of delicious fantasy woven in.

Synopsis:
Haven Marbury's father, a renowned Pulitzer Prize-winning author, has passed away. Haven unexpectedly comes across an old manuscript written by her father that was never published, titled Bedtime Stories for Monsters. The short stories are set in an unknown world with very scary monsters. A treasure like this from her famous father seems like something to publish and share with the world. However, monsters begin to appear under Haven's bed and dead bodies are found in the woods next to the house. What dark secrets was her father hiding?

Malice House surprises readers with unexpected twists and turns. There is a brilliant premise to the storyline. To enjoy the book, you must suspend belief and let it unfold. While I loved many aspects of the plot, at times I found it a bit difficult to stay connected to the characters. While this was not my personal favorite of Megan Shepherd's work, it definitely has a strong audience for those who enjoy spooky gothic fantasy. It is a mind-bending tale with shocking plot twists.

Malice House by Megan Sheperd is available on October 4th.
(3.75 ⭐⭐⭐💫)

Thank you NetGalley and Hyperion Avenue, for sharing this nail-biting, check under the bed scary story with me! Your kindness is appreciated!

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

I finally finished Malice House. It started off strong and had me hooked but I really had to force myself to finish it. In the end it ended up being just ok for me.

Haven Maybury had no clue what she was walking into when she arrived at her recently deceased father’s house dubbed Malice House. Amongst the belongings she discovered an unpublished work by her famous author father.

This one entitled Bedtime Stories for Monsters is far from anything that her father previously wrote. It’s a collection of disturbing, terrifying stories about monsters and bizarre people that live between this world and the next. Haven thinks she can cash in on this book.
However, when a number of people are found murdered and a disgusting creature that lives under her begins to terrify her, Haven can’t help but wonder if the monsters from her father’s novel are more than just a work of fiction.

Malice House is available October 4,2022.

Will you enter Malice House this spooky season?


Thank you netgalley and hyperionavebooks for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

[Jenny Lawson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book inside of a book, with a very strong start and a pretty okay ending.

[Kelli W · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! Scary Horror Done Well!

5 "DO NOT LOOK UNDER THE BED" STARS!!

Eagerly looking forward to Megan Shepherd's next release.

[Stay Fetters · Rating 3 out of 5]

"There are some people who argue the world needs monsters to make heroes of humankind, but they don’t argue that for long. Not once a tentacle eases itself around their throat."

Spooky houses with mysterious and haunting histories are a huge part of why I love horror so much. It really makes me think of my life and what living in a haunted house was really like. But what happens when these things run your life and make you feel vulnerable?

Malice House is a sprawling house by the seaside that captures everyone's attention. It really is a site and causes all to stop, stare, and talk. Everyone wants a piece of it and they will stop at nothing to get their hands on it. It's owned by an award-winning author who passes away which brings his Daughter, Haven into the picture. Her being his only living heir, she sees this as the light at the end of a very dark tunnel. Her life hasn't gone to plan and is really in great need of a change. As she moves about town and through the estate, she finds something shocking hidden away. She finds a manuscript of a horror short story collection written by her father. After Haven discloses information about this manuscript to some people in town with publishing connections, everyone wants a piece of it and even the monsters come out to play. The real question... is Malice House really haunted?

This was a truly bizarre read. Things happened so fast that I wasn't sure what was going to happen next. This is exactly what I love about gothic books, the house is more unsettling than the rest of the story but here a lot of this was. Talk about hair-raising! The end was a little much. A lot happened all at once and it was hard to keep up. There were times when I felt a tad bit lost but I didn't miss a thing because it was just how this book was written. It was a really good story with lots of twists.

Malice House was a great read and one I didn't want to put down. This was full of insane characters that surprised you around every corner. You honestly never knew what extremes these characters would go to to get what they wanted. So if you love a mix of horror and fantasy with characters that should be in an institution, then this is the book for you.

Just be careful of what lurks in the night...

[David (on hiatus) · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Malice House" is written by author Megan Shepherd who has written several young adult and children's books. This is her first adult book which is always exciting and this is my first book by her.

Official synopsis: Haven Marbury is just getting out of a failed marriage and moves into her late fathers seaside house. Her father was a famous writer and while moving into his old house she stumbles upon a unwritten manuscript that is nothing like he has written before. Its horrific and scary and she instantly decides to publish it and do the illustrations herself in attempt to jumpstart her career. Of course there are people who want their hands on the manuscript and why is there monsters under her bed and people dying in the wood?

Ok, one thing I love is stuff totally creative and different and this book is it. Its beautifully written and has no clear genre. It's a mystery, thriller, and horror mashed into one. I was told to go into this one blind and that is the best advice. Just read it.

Pros: Another thing I love is batshit crazy characters and Haven definitely may be one of them. I think it's totally awesome that she just haphazardly breaks into people houses to find clues or just simply breaks into some one's truck and steals their shotgun even though she has never fired a gun in her life. The ending was also nails. Without spoiling anything it's basically a 40 page, fiery, bone crushing, violent, horrific, train wreck of a ending.

The book also has one of the most terrifying characters I think I have ever read. Again I can't give anything away but imagine someone who can force anyone to do anything he wanted just by asking. "Go and shoot that person and then kill yourself with the same gun" And then you can't help but do it......

I can't think of anything I didn't like about the book. Maybe too long? But I like my books around 300 pages and I can't think of anything to take points from. One of my favorite books of the year so far.

Advance Reader Copy given free for honest review.

[Rachelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

"One step away from our world, lies another. A land of violent fantasies, of sharp toothed delights."

If you are a lover of monsters and things that go bump in the night, this book is for you!

[Tory · Rating 1 out of 5]

**DISCLAIMER** I *was* reading an ARC, so maybe a lot of my nitpicky gripes below will be remedied in the final copy.

DNFed. My advice for the reader: skip the entire book and just read the "Bedtime Stories" at the start of each chapter. They're much more compelling, better-written, and actually a little spooky. The rest of the book is not worth the time. She's an annoying character and no one is fleshed out.



Notes from reading:
1) "I do children's book illustrations mostly."
7) "And thus far my art business had brought in exactly, well, zero dollars" Why call yourself a children's book illustrator when you've literally never illustrated a children's book

7) "a five-dollar used VHS player" Yes. In 2022, all tape players are used. -.-

9) "As I grabbed two bottles and turned back toward the stairs, I saw the pages. They were yellow and curled, tucked into a desk drawer that had warped from years of humidity. Though the drawer had a lock, a portion of its bottom had rotted away, revealing the sheets." So you're somehow seeing, from a standing vantage point, papers poking out the *bottom* of a desk drawer? Try to picture that. Then tell me it still works.

She stays up literally all night drinking scotch (multiple times) and is able to do any discernable work? Organizing all these pages and then reading them?

23) lmao NFTs

28) blah blah phone rings, "But it wasn't Baker's number, and I hadn't transferred any other contacts yet except for Dahlia. It was an area code I didn't recognize. Feeling a preternatural tingle..." Um yes, so literally the only person who has your phone number is the person calling you.

30) "Once I got the internet set up, I'd find some online reference photos to use ... Until then I had only the contents of my own imagination." "Carefully, I rested the yellowed pages ... over my laptop's keyboard." Why? You literally just said you can't use your laptop. Why have it out at all?

38 )"How about a coffee? On the house. Latte, right?" Nope, baristas would never call a latte a coffee. "How about a drink" instead.
"She began filling the espresso machine." Hahhahaa

43) GASP "I never told her I'd lived in NY." Girl you've been saying the whole time it's a small-ish town, and this is a cop. Folks know things.

45) "Aren't we meeting the other book club members -- sorry, literary salon members -- here?" Your convo never mentioned the "salon," just Catherine and her editor ex.
I don't think "library research departments" are archivists/would know different types of paper/their archival quality?

107) how is this encounter with Pinchy *not scary at all* -- and also it's SO POORLY WRITTEN

126) "I saw a sea turtle once without its shell. Terrifying." No you didn't. *Morbo voice* SEA TURTLES DO NOT WORK THAT WAY

I cannot get a read on her life. She's 30. She was married (or not) for three years; that puts her at 27. She went to RISD and I'll assume graduated in a "typical" four years? So that's 22. What the crap was she doing from 22 to 27? She continually says how she's never done anything with her art. Then even when she was being supported by her "husband", what was she DOING for those three years? Just twiddling her thumbs and watching some bootleg horror movies in secret?

133) She finally gets hold of $900. Gets wifi installed. "...I rediscovered the joys of online shopping. After splurging on my much-missed face creams and power bars, I searched for security cameras. ... Small, unnoticaeable cameras were expensive, but I bought three of them" -- ALL YOU HAVE IS $900. You're perpetually flat-broke. And as soon as you have wifi, you buy face cream??

174) why are all these dog tags *just* dog names? No phone numbers; no addresses; no owners' info? Who even makes dog tags like that anymore? (Even my cats have more relevant info on their tags.)

Finally DNFing at 220/373 pages. I just don't caaaaaare

[Trisha · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love looking over the 4 & 5 star reviews for this book. If this sounds like it's a story you'll love, give it a chance.

This story just didn't work for me. I didn't like Haven. To start, she just wasn't likable. I found her 2 dimensional and unrealistic. She was inconsistent and didn't make sense. The first half to three quarters of the story just felt like a set up for the last 25%.

But I loved the last 25%. Haven was finally on her 2 feet, consistent and with a backbone. The other aspects of the story were finally flushed out, giving depth where previously there had been barely wisps.

The other fun part of the story I loved were chapter headings - little tidbit paragraphs out of a fairytale type story her father wrote but didn't publish. Those helped round out the story and really give meaning to what her father had written and what Haven was working on.

This was so close to being a favorite of mine. If you think it sounds good, give it a shot, it just might be yours!

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

Megan Shepherd has written a seriously spooky mystery with plenty of red herrings, shocking twists and even a few scares, making it a chilling thriller with a totally immersive setting. At the same time, it is a deliciously dark fantasy that certainly shows the power of certain stories and the hold they can have on the reader. It's simply haunting, full of secrets and yet strangely charming. This horror/mystery solely follows Haven’s perspective. I found it engaging, but it started to lag a bit around the middle, but then the conclusion really picked up with so many things happening all at once. Haven made several unwise choices and ignored a slew of red flags, but it helped to make the story interesting and intriguing. Since this is a horror story, there are many dark and gruesome themes throughout that may not be to everyone's liking, however the author did a great job of creating an ominous and disorienting atmosphere. Overall... Malice House is a great read for lovers of horror stories and would be an excellent choice for the Halloween season.

[Heather ~*dread mushrooms*~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been thinking about this book since I finished it yesterday. The writing was sometimes a bit repetitive, and it was definitely a weird story, but I enjoyed it a lot.

6/12/25: Enjoyed this on my second reading too!

[Aliza · Rating 3 out of 5]

This made me think of a grown-up version of The Hazel Wood.

[Devi]

DNF at 60%. Not intriguing enough to keep struggling through this

[expertbooksmuggler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wild, twisty, and FUN!

I had *such* a good time reading this book. You never know what’s going to happen next and it’s just one wild ride after another. I love it.

[Kat (Katlovesbooks) Dietrich · Rating 5 out of 5]

Malice House by Megan Shepherd is a horror novel.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Hyperion Avenue (for granting my wish - sorry I'm late in my review)  and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.


My Synopsis:    (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
Haven Marbury has just inherited her father's estate.  Although an acclaimed novelist, Amory Marbury was broke, owing money to everyone.  All that is left for Haven is the rather run-down house, known as Malice House, which her father claimed was haunted, although his dementia may have been to blame for that.  However, it is somewhat perfect timing for Haven, because she and her abusive husband have just parted ways, and she is broke, with nowhere else to go.

When Haven finds a rather bizarre hand-written manuscript entitled Bedtime Stories for Monsters, she thinks she may have struck gold.   It is very different from the books that her father was known for.  These are short stories with strange creatures, witches and despicable humans. With ideas of publishing it with illustrations of her own, she meets with friends of her father's, who try to take over.  Everyone wants a piece of the manuscript, but Haven has become rather attached to the characters in the book, and feels she is the only one that can do the book justice.  If she can't illustrate it, no one can have it.

Haven meets Rafe, the handsome neighbour, who seems to be hiding something.  She also becomes friends with Kylie, the barista and wannabe author at the local bookstore.  Kylie, too, is hiding something.  But when Haven encounters the creature under the bed that attacks her, she starts to doubt her own mind, and trusting anyone becomes an issue.  It appears that her illustrations are coming to life, and Malice House may not be the safety she craves.


My Opinions:
I loved it.  It has a certain rhythm to it, and I didn't want to put it down.  Part of me wants a sequel. 

The chapters are told from Haven's perspective, with blurbs from "Bedtime Stories for Monsters",  so that eventually we are able to read the short stories.

The premise of the story was intriguing, and the twists were unexpected.   A couple of times I thought the book could end, and something else would happen to suck me back in.  It felt like a roller-coaster ride that knew no end.

It's a book of nightmares coming to life.  If, as a child, you thought there might be something under the bed, this will prove you right.  It was a fun, yet horror-driven, read.

It is also a book where the heroine learns she is not who she thought she was.  She is much braver, much deeper, much more talented than she ever thought she was.  She also learned that family can surprise you.

Overall, I just loved this book, and I'll be looking for more from this author.

For a more complete review of this book and others (including the reason I chose to read/review this book, author information and a favorite quotation or two from the book), please visit my blog: http://katlovesbooksblog.wordpress.com/

[Elena Linville-Abdo · Rating 2 out of 5]

Stars: 2 out of 5.

This book started so well. I was engaged and a little creeped out for the first 25% of the book. Then I was bored for the next 50% of so, because the book dragged its feet and bogged down in little insignificant things. Then it took a swan dive off the cliff and lost any goodwill I had left for the story. 

And now I'm sitting here, looking at raving 5 and 4 star reviews, and don't understand what other people found so great about it. The story is convoluted and full of plot holes, some of which I can't ignore no matter how much I suspend my disbelief.

First of all, I don't think the author ever had to try and survive with almost no money. I mean Haven gets paid maybe 300 dollars per movie summary she does. And as the story progresses, she does less and less of them. She mentions a couple times that her bank account is very close to the red. So how can she afford gas, electric, wi-fi when she install is, food, etc.? Why is her first impulse, when she gets 900 bucks for the typewriter, to go order expensive cameras from Amazon? She doesn't know what the meaning of frugal is to save her life.

Haven herself is an extremely unlikeable character who is so full of herself that assumes everything revolves around her. By the end of the book I seriously was rooting for the monsters. She is very judgmental and suspicious of other people for no particular reason. Her over the top reaction to the Ink Drinker's comment on her art was very telling in that regard. 

She also makes decisions that make no sense. Why the heck would you go digging in the woods behind your property in the middle of the night? When to do that you have to climb up a ladder and jump on the other side of the fence... with a hurt ankle? Why don't you take your cellphone with you?

Why would you basically commit breaking and entering when you go check on Kylie? AND steal her laptop? AND steal a weapon from the neighbors? Why won't you report the disappearance to the police??? Why do you decide that going into an isolated house to confront a possible murderer alone is a good idea? Yes, you have a stolen hunting riffle. Do you even know how to use it? The author told us several times how Haven never was an outdoorsy type. That she never went camping, yet alone hunting. How can she be sure she'll be able to load and fire that riffle? I an assure you it's not as easy as they show it in the movies. 

Also, who gives a total stranger her spare key just because she is attracted to him and he smells nice? Girl, you don't know anything about him or his past. You saw him burn something big in his backyard in the middle of the night, but sure, give him access to your home.

The only reason I gave this 2 stars instead of 1 is because the little snippets from Bedtime Stories for Monsters before each chapter are amazing. I would have gladly read a whole book just about that. They were weird and mesmerizing, and much better written than the rest of the book. 

PS: I received an advanced copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  

[Sunaro · Rating 1 out of 5]

SpongeBob done it better, actually. A lot scarier in the DoodleBob episode.

[Katrina · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5