Open House

by Nico Bell

Realtor Caleb Birch is on the precipice of earning everything he’s ever a partner position at his prestigious realty firm, financial stability that would make his mother proud, and a respectable professional reputation amongst Los Angeles’s wealthy and elite. All he has to do is nail his open house and secure a contract. Enter a mysterious woman with an air of familiarity claiming to be the perfect buyer. Her ruse dissolves revealing nefarious intentions and a twisted game that Caleb must win to survive the night. But she isn’t the only threat lurking behind closed doors. There are skeletons in the closet, and they’re coming out to play.

Genres: Horror

61 pages, Paperback

Published May 31, 2023

About the author

Nico Bell is the author of Beyond the Creek, Food Fright, Open House, and Static. She is the co-editor of Diet Riot: A Fatterpunk Anthology and Mine. When she isn't writing or reading, she's usually stress baking something gooey or playing with her dog, Egg.

Reviews

[Damien Casey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Houses that people don’t live in sorta creep me out if I’m being honest. I don’t know where that even comes from. Open House made that a bit worse. Now I’m not afraid of just ghosts hanging out, but other stuff I won’t say because I don’t do ~*spoilers*~ Nico Bell has to be one of the most well paced story tellers writing today. Her books don’t just feed you everything in a chunk and let it play out. She writes stories that build as you turn the page. Open House is the perfect blueprint of that(HA! A house pun!). As with her other books, this story focuses on the human condition in an outlandish situation. Her characters are always at the front of the story. Nico Bell does not rely on the supernatural to keep you invested. Another banger of a book from a fantastic writer. K thx.

[Yolanda Sfetsos · Rating 5 out of 5]

After a super busy month, I wanted to start February with a bit of reading. And this novelette was the perfect choice because I read it in one sitting.

Caleb is an ambitious realtor in LA who's trying to sell a modern high-tech mansion to establish himself professionally and financially. But during an open house, he meets a mysterious woman who sends him down a twisted path he wasn't expecting...

Yikes. This is such an intense story! I was hooked from the start and loved that the twists and turns took me in directions I wasn't expecting. It's quite the roller-coaster ride that slowly unravels and doesn't let go until the very end.

I love stories that take a well-worn trope (which I can't mention because it's a spoiler) and turn it upside down. And that's exactly what happens here. Just when you think you know what's happening and where it's going, you run into a new surprise.

I REALLY enjoyed this fast-paced story!

[Meredith Morgenstern · Rating 5 out of 5]

More twists and turns than a roller coaster!

[Rebecca White · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, that certainly went a different way I didn’t think it would go.

This was a quick paced novella that grabs you right from the start. Perfect for in-between your other reads.

[Kristina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review to come

[Sally · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nico Bell is a new author for me, and I will absolutely be seeking out more of her work. Open House was a tension filled story about an up and coming real estate agent named Caleb Birch. Caleb is trying to move up in his firm, and he's hoping the open house and sale of a tricked-out Smart Home will be his ticket to making partner. He has one more potential buyer at closing time, and this buyer knows more than she lets on.

What starts as a cat and mouse chase, turns into a twisty survival thriller. The reader is led in one direction, only to be shocked as the story goes in a completely different one. You don't know if there is something paranormal happening, or if Caleb is just losing his mind. The journey to find out is an absolute blast. This short story was filled with tension, dread, and a few downright scary moments.

Highly recommend if you're looking for a quick, scary read that has a couple of twists that will make your jaw drop!

[Azzurra Nox · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novella was an action-packed supernatural thriller/horror. It begins with Caleb who is showing off a home that he’s certain if he sells will pretty much settle him into a rich life. Only things go awry when the potential buyer locks him in the Smart Home he was too eager to sell to her. Soon, the novella becomes a cat and mouse chase, as the protagonist tries to survive the night in the Smart Home. There are creepy supernatural elements to this story as well as real-life issues, and they both weave seamlessly well together. I loved how fast paced the novella was and how I wasn’t able to anticipate anything that would happen, which I love when that happens cause I can be just as surprised as the characters when something does happen.

I recommend this novella if you want a short read that is action-packed and filled with some seriously creepy thrills.

[Sarah Huntington · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book gave me another reason to dislike advanced technology! The story for me was part thriller, part mystery, and part horror, and those genres mixed brilliantly. I couldn't guess what was going to happen next because the brutal twists kept me on my toes. I kept thinking, 'Wait, what?'
This was a really clever read too, and honestly, that ending cannot be guessed. A brilliantly plotted out book and never will I get even close to a smart house.

[Ambur B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always forget how much I love spooky books. Then I read one like Open House and I’m hooked again.

This book was good from start to finish, great suspense and a twist I really didn’t see coming. The ending was honestly perfect. No spoilers you have to read it yourself…but seriously do it cause it’s good.

[Kylie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Caleb is a elite realtor that just wants to make it big in his company. When a strange lady comes in for a open house all hell breaks lose. He’s wrapped into a insane game of cat and mouse but little does he know all his darkest secrets will come to light by the end of the game. What an intense thriller, I really enjoyed it.

[Anthony Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novella! While reading, I thought I knew where the story was going but I was proven wrong. I loved how this author made me doubt which character to trust (& for most of the novella, it was all of them).

I look forward to reading more from this author.

[RatedHforHorror · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed where this story went. The story for the most part stays at the home that is for sale and the more you find out the more you question people intentions. I really enjoyed how this one ended.

[Gabbie Frulla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast paced, twisty, and unpredictable. You don’t know who to trust from the beginning, which instantly makes it a page turner. It’s a unique, short tale of what goes on behind closed doors in the realty world. Truly unlike any other book I’ve ever read.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun fast spooky book! Cool twist!

[Norman Miller]

Really fun, short read. Ghosts, technology, revenge! All in one!

[Terry and dog · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very fast, absorbing and surprising little story. I tried to imagine where this tale was going and I was waaay wrong. Delighted with the whole thing and very satisfied. Good stuff.

[Alise · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the twist in this one!

[N.J. Gallegos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beware the smart house. And the realtor. And the client. Beware all.

[H. Everend · Rating 5 out of 5]

[4.5 / 5]

Wow! This story was entertaining from its intriguing beginning to its 😳😳 end! Bell is one of those rare individuals that knows how to add suspense with her pacing and the choice of words to make otherwise mundane scenes, creepier. I don't want to spoil anything but there are definitely twists and characters I didn't see coming! That male protagonist *shakes head*.It's a super quick read, and you won't be disappointed!