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The Haunted
The Perry family's new house is perfect - except for the weird behavior of the neighbors, and that odd smell coming from a dark corner in the basement. Pity no one warned the family about the house. Now it's too late. Because the darkness at the bottom of the basement stairs is rising.
©2012 Bentley Little (P)2012 AudioGO
©2012 Bentley Little (P)2012 AudioGO
Audiobook
First published April 3, 2012
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8811 people want to read
About the author
Bentley Little
135 books2,569 followersBentley Little is an American author of horror fiction. Publishing an average of a novel a year since 1990, Little avoids publicity and rarely does promotional work or interviews for his writing.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,388 reviews
October 14, 2020
Honestly I don't know what to say. Did I like it? Yea I enjoyed it. Would I read it again? ABSOLUTELY NOT! There were times I was so bored I had to force myself through it because I didn't want to finish it. I expected this book to have a lot of thrilling and horror aspects to it and while it did have some it read like a contemporary novel most of the time. There are some triggers in this book for suicide, cutting, and talk/threatening of rape. This book also has really weird sex scenes that don't really have a rhyme or reason, no explanation and are just kinda there. I gave it 3 stars because I enjoyed it slightly more then I disliked it and I mostly just hated the ending, but considering it was mostly the ending that through me off I feel like it still deserved a 3 stars because like I said I did actually enjoy some of the book. I loved the characters and loved how it bounced from the point of view of the parents and children in a very easy way to follow. The writing was also very well done and when it wasn't boring this book was pretty easy and quick to get through.
October 28, 2015
I must have read a different book than anyone who gave this book anything more than two stars (Even that rating is being extremely generous) because this book was shit. I wish I could give it zero stars. It wasn’t scary or have any kind of suspense. Haunted was an awful attempt at a novel.
After about 200 pages I started skimming and even skipping some passages. Trust me, you won’t miss anything important. The writing was so bleak and uninteresting. The author added flashbacks of the town, but even that didn’t add anything to the story.
Every sex scene made me physically cringe-- they were so lame, awkward, and horribly written. I don’t understand why the author chose to write so many of them or why they were even necessary. ”Oh, I heard the basement door slam. No wait, let me suck my sleeping husband’s dick and masturbate until I fall asleep instead of checking on my children.”
I hate this book. I hate that I wasted my time on it. I want to yell at whoever gave it to me. Fuck this book.
After about 200 pages I started skimming and even skipping some passages. Trust me, you won’t miss anything important. The writing was so bleak and uninteresting. The author added flashbacks of the town, but even that didn’t add anything to the story.
Every sex scene made me physically cringe-- they were so lame, awkward, and horribly written. I don’t understand why the author chose to write so many of them or why they were even necessary. ”Oh, I heard the basement door slam. No wait, let me suck my sleeping husband’s dick and masturbate until I fall asleep instead of checking on my children.”
I hate this book. I hate that I wasted my time on it. I want to yell at whoever gave it to me. Fuck this book.
May 28, 2012
Despite its bleakness, Bentley Little's newest, The Haunted, was a lot of fun to read. Although Little is known for his sense of humor, I warn you to not look for that here. This is a book that is dark, bleak, and full of despair as the Perry family loses control of their average, every day lives.
The story is about an innocent family haunted by their new house, but it reminded me of self-abuse spinning out of control, the unknown anger and angst of adolescence, the fear and desperation of a child stuck in a family haunted by its past and current abuses. And this is without any of those subjects taking center stage.
We start off with the Perry family looking to move out of what they feel is becoming a bad neighborhood. Had they known what they were in for, perhaps they would have stayed and put up with the bully kids, the ones who use the Perry family's driveway for skate board practice without permission. Now that they have moved, however, they're trapped in debt and stuck with a ghost, or maybe it's some other entity, that's physically abusive and life threatening.
This book is about the love and hate of a family (that innocent family with the average lives I mentioned earlier), invaded by unknown forces. It's a book about what's not in your control, and how what's good and average can turn to bad and abnormal at any time.
As this is a haunted house book, there's nothing really new here. Yet, the haunted house book has been written regularly for close to two hundred years now, so what are you looking for? Something groundbreaking?
I don't think so.
Give The Haunted a try. Its got some real creepy moments that's excluded from a lot of other horror novels. I highly recommend it.
The story is about an innocent family haunted by their new house, but it reminded me of self-abuse spinning out of control, the unknown anger and angst of adolescence, the fear and desperation of a child stuck in a family haunted by its past and current abuses. And this is without any of those subjects taking center stage.
We start off with the Perry family looking to move out of what they feel is becoming a bad neighborhood. Had they known what they were in for, perhaps they would have stayed and put up with the bully kids, the ones who use the Perry family's driveway for skate board practice without permission. Now that they have moved, however, they're trapped in debt and stuck with a ghost, or maybe it's some other entity, that's physically abusive and life threatening.
This book is about the love and hate of a family (that innocent family with the average lives I mentioned earlier), invaded by unknown forces. It's a book about what's not in your control, and how what's good and average can turn to bad and abnormal at any time.
As this is a haunted house book, there's nothing really new here. Yet, the haunted house book has been written regularly for close to two hundred years now, so what are you looking for? Something groundbreaking?
I don't think so.
Give The Haunted a try. Its got some real creepy moments that's excluded from a lot of other horror novels. I highly recommend it.
February 27, 2021
The woman had already strung up two of her children. They hung from ropes attached to a beam on the wraparound porch, twisting slightly in opposite directions, eyes bulging and mouths open in dark purplish faces
No, The Haunted is not for the faint of heart!
The Haunted is my first Bentley Little novel and it reminds me of the horror I grew up on. The writing is smooth and the atmosphere is chilling.
Julian and Claire move to a new house along with their children. It doesn't take long to realize they're not alone. There is an evil residing in the house and it won't be thwarted until it infects everything in its path. Horror ensues as each family member experiences the malicious entity in their own distinctive way. They are manipulated, abused, and terrorized all for the enjoyment of the reader.
The narrative is over all intense and several moments are legitimately frightening.
I'm excited to have found this author, and can't wait to dive into more of his disturbing work.
No, The Haunted is not for the faint of heart!
The Haunted is my first Bentley Little novel and it reminds me of the horror I grew up on. The writing is smooth and the atmosphere is chilling.
Julian and Claire move to a new house along with their children. It doesn't take long to realize they're not alone. There is an evil residing in the house and it won't be thwarted until it infects everything in its path. Horror ensues as each family member experiences the malicious entity in their own distinctive way. They are manipulated, abused, and terrorized all for the enjoyment of the reader.
The narrative is over all intense and several moments are legitimately frightening.
I'm excited to have found this author, and can't wait to dive into more of his disturbing work.
March 9, 2025
I don’t write reviews.
What a roller coaster! (That’s not a compliment…) I was enjoying the story at first, then the haunting starting texting its victims and being bombastically out in the open. I mean, it made an appearance at the house-warming party, for crying out loud. The “adults” were ridiculously poor communicators and decision-makers. Honestly, god forgive me, I wasn’t surprised to find out that their stupidity and negligence got their first child killed.
Then, out of nowhere, the audience is provided with the historical background of the region. Somehow, a history teacher, who doesn’t believe in the supernatural, is simultaneously an enthusiast of a specialized curriculum about the locale that seems to center on the fact that the town is haunted, evil land. The female main character is a lawyer, who is defending the teacher in a lawsuit and just happens to find the information, which concerns her and her family. Ugh. But I really liked the historical bits! The story made more sense as an unidentified, malevolence that turns people crazy and encourages suicide instead of ghost business.
That high didn’t last. Down we speed again, around the corner, onto the straightaway and the mess of an ending, after a heap of bad choices and more silly technological interference. Do they leave? No. Knowing the evil could affect them outside of the property, do they try going FARTHER AWAY? No. Dad makes the ultimate of dumb decisions because… I’m not sure why actually. Let’s just say, if humanity, in general, had such a lack of survival instinct as these people, the species would be long extinct.
Book 1 - Just a Little Bit More: Reading Through the Bentley Little Catalog
What a roller coaster! (That’s not a compliment…) I was enjoying the story at first, then the haunting starting texting its victims and being bombastically out in the open. I mean, it made an appearance at the house-warming party, for crying out loud. The “adults” were ridiculously poor communicators and decision-makers. Honestly, god forgive me, I wasn’t surprised to find out that their stupidity and negligence got their first child killed.
Then, out of nowhere, the audience is provided with the historical background of the region. Somehow, a history teacher, who doesn’t believe in the supernatural, is simultaneously an enthusiast of a specialized curriculum about the locale that seems to center on the fact that the town is haunted, evil land. The female main character is a lawyer, who is defending the teacher in a lawsuit and just happens to find the information, which concerns her and her family. Ugh. But I really liked the historical bits! The story made more sense as an unidentified, malevolence that turns people crazy and encourages suicide instead of ghost business.
That high didn’t last. Down we speed again, around the corner, onto the straightaway and the mess of an ending, after a heap of bad choices and more silly technological interference. Do they leave? No. Knowing the evil could affect them outside of the property, do they try going FARTHER AWAY? No. Dad makes the ultimate of dumb decisions because… I’m not sure why actually. Let’s just say, if humanity, in general, had such a lack of survival instinct as these people, the species would be long extinct.
Book 1 - Just a Little Bit More: Reading Through the Bentley Little Catalog
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 24, 2022
2.5 stars… I guess? It was kinda entertaining but also kinda awful?
March 10, 2014
The next morning, [he] found a bobcat skeleton in the dirt.
I’ve been meaning to start reading Bentley Little for some time now.
I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from The Haunted; not only is it one of Little’s newest novels, it also received some fairly polarised reviews.
She stopped, stared, her heart pounding.
I’m fairly sure that this isn’t the best place to begin reading Little, but it was the only one I had close at hand. Haunted house mysteries are nothing new, and taking the evolution of fiction into account, it’s no real surprise if authors push the boundaries a bit. That said, this wasn’t overly gory by any means.
Something that seems to be a point of discussion is the sexual behaviour depicted in, or psycho-sexual aspect of, the novel. Even though it makes for potentially uneasy reading, I completely understand the inclusion as part of the story progression and to show the affect that the house has on its occupants. Fortunately Little steers clear of too much graphic detail.
So why did she feel as if she wasn’t alone?
Because she wasn’t.
Something that I found quite enjoyable is the author’s penchant to interrupt himself when something shocking happens. Sentences and character thoughts are often left incomplete to deal with danger; it gives the events an immediacy that can be lacking in some horror stories.
“I was in the room where things grow old.”
Another common criticism seems to be the fact that not everything in this novel makes sense. But I’m not sure whether it’s supposed to. The Haunted is from that surreal school of horror that spawned the likes of A Nightmare on Elm Street. The haunting depicted here is anything but subtle.
The irrational lethargic behaviour of both the house occupants and the neighbours (given the obvious nature of the threat) is explained to some extent, but will still strike most readers as odd.
This wasn’t a situation where the choices were self-evident.
For all its (apparent) shortcomings, The Haunted is still an engaging read. There are moments of genuine creepiness and even though it wasn’t as flat out scary as I’d hoped it still has more than enough to offer. There are some layers here that rate a second look. I’m certainly keen to check out some Little classics like The Store and The Mailman.
[He] reached under the coffee table for the flashlight he kept on the shelf there in case of blackouts. His searching fingers couldn’t find it, but seconds later, a lamp atop the end table opposite the couch switched on, bathing the area in a weak yellowish glow.
He was not alone in the living room.
I’ve been meaning to start reading Bentley Little for some time now.
I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from The Haunted; not only is it one of Little’s newest novels, it also received some fairly polarised reviews.
She stopped, stared, her heart pounding.
I’m fairly sure that this isn’t the best place to begin reading Little, but it was the only one I had close at hand. Haunted house mysteries are nothing new, and taking the evolution of fiction into account, it’s no real surprise if authors push the boundaries a bit. That said, this wasn’t overly gory by any means.
Something that seems to be a point of discussion is the sexual behaviour depicted in, or psycho-sexual aspect of, the novel. Even though it makes for potentially uneasy reading, I completely understand the inclusion as part of the story progression and to show the affect that the house has on its occupants. Fortunately Little steers clear of too much graphic detail.
So why did she feel as if she wasn’t alone?
Because she wasn’t.
Something that I found quite enjoyable is the author’s penchant to interrupt himself when something shocking happens. Sentences and character thoughts are often left incomplete to deal with danger; it gives the events an immediacy that can be lacking in some horror stories.
“I was in the room where things grow old.”
Another common criticism seems to be the fact that not everything in this novel makes sense. But I’m not sure whether it’s supposed to. The Haunted is from that surreal school of horror that spawned the likes of A Nightmare on Elm Street. The haunting depicted here is anything but subtle.
The irrational lethargic behaviour of both the house occupants and the neighbours (given the obvious nature of the threat) is explained to some extent, but will still strike most readers as odd.
This wasn’t a situation where the choices were self-evident.
For all its (apparent) shortcomings, The Haunted is still an engaging read. There are moments of genuine creepiness and even though it wasn’t as flat out scary as I’d hoped it still has more than enough to offer. There are some layers here that rate a second look. I’m certainly keen to check out some Little classics like The Store and The Mailman.
[He] reached under the coffee table for the flashlight he kept on the shelf there in case of blackouts. His searching fingers couldn’t find it, but seconds later, a lamp atop the end table opposite the couch switched on, bathing the area in a weak yellowish glow.
He was not alone in the living room.
April 23, 2020
3.5 Stars
At times, this book felt more like a contemporary, focusing on the mundane details of family life, real estate and politics. However, this book also contained some very explicit sex scenes, which were quite unexpected in this seemingly quiet haunted house story. The psychological sexual effects were easily the most disturbing aspects of this novel. Although I enjoyed this psychosomatic effect, these scenes could be too graphic for more sensitive readers. Also, trigger warnings for cutting. Despite the family drama, this is a fairly enjoyable haunted house story with a few surprisingly creepy moments.
At times, this book felt more like a contemporary, focusing on the mundane details of family life, real estate and politics. However, this book also contained some very explicit sex scenes, which were quite unexpected in this seemingly quiet haunted house story. The psychological sexual effects were easily the most disturbing aspects of this novel. Although I enjoyed this psychosomatic effect, these scenes could be too graphic for more sensitive readers. Also, trigger warnings for cutting. Despite the family drama, this is a fairly enjoyable haunted house story with a few surprisingly creepy moments.
April 3, 2021
Good grief, there goes hours of my life I'll never get back.☹ Can't believe I even finished it. I didn't get attached to any of the characters, the story drug on and was not creepy but eye-rolling bad, and the sex scenes? SO SO bad. I'm all for a good and steamy well-told sex scene, but, #1, these were FAR from that and, #2, they added absolutely NO value to this storyline. Ugh, cringeworthy, to say the least.😖🤮 So glad to be moving on...
July 18, 2018
Not one of Little’s creepier stories, but it is still a good read.
February 14, 2017
This book started out a little slow, then picked up speed to where it became a little spooky. It slowed down a little part way through the book but only because it gave past history about why the house was haunted. The speed picked back up the last part of the book, but things started happening more with the house. One of the characters disappears completely but to me that is not a cliff hanger as with any horror story sometimes it could be that the house "ate" them.
Basically in this story the house manipulates its surroundings which reminded me of the house in the movie "Rose Red" by Stephen King. The house does things to the characters in the book almost driving them to madness. Giving it five stars for taking me on a roller coaster ride of horror.
Basically in this story the house manipulates its surroundings which reminded me of the house in the movie "Rose Red" by Stephen King. The house does things to the characters in the book almost driving them to madness. Giving it five stars for taking me on a roller coaster ride of horror.
February 17, 2017
THE HAUNTED, by Bentley Little, really started out well for me. After the initial introduction to the main characters, we quickly find our way to "the house". The Perry family are moving due to the corruption of their original neighborhood, and of course, the house they find seems almost "too good to be true" at the time. (In horror, always the giveaway that something is horribly wrong).
The tension in this one is really done masterfully. Several "isolated" incidents among the individual family members were genuinely scary! Not only did these serve to show the reader what was "wrong', but it had the additional leverage of dividing the people--of course, they were all either in disbelief, or too scared to tell anyone else about what they had encountered.
Approximately half way through, we get a series of flashbacks to the town hundreds of years ago. These were done--again--in such a way that they added to the story, as opposed to taking us out of it completely. There were enough little twists that changed the course of the book to where I wasn't able to predict the ending, which is also an added bonus.
My only complaint here was that the ending DID seem overly simplistic in comparison to the fantastic build-up of the book. It ended in more of a "whimper" instead of a "bang". With a heavier-edged conclusion, this book had the potential to be a five star read for me.
Still, an overall great read.
Recommended!
The tension in this one is really done masterfully. Several "isolated" incidents among the individual family members were genuinely scary! Not only did these serve to show the reader what was "wrong', but it had the additional leverage of dividing the people--of course, they were all either in disbelief, or too scared to tell anyone else about what they had encountered.
Approximately half way through, we get a series of flashbacks to the town hundreds of years ago. These were done--again--in such a way that they added to the story, as opposed to taking us out of it completely. There were enough little twists that changed the course of the book to where I wasn't able to predict the ending, which is also an added bonus.
My only complaint here was that the ending DID seem overly simplistic in comparison to the fantastic build-up of the book. It ended in more of a "whimper" instead of a "bang". With a heavier-edged conclusion, this book had the potential to be a five star read for me.
Still, an overall great read.
Recommended!
February 26, 2013
Legitimate scares in this beast. I had given up on BL after a few books that were too formulaic for my tastes but he earned his Stoker nomination with this one.
Just when I thought the haunted house story was no longer a formidable venue for the horror genre...
Just when I thought the haunted house story was no longer a formidable venue for the horror genre...
November 30, 2025
"It lurked next to the fireplace, a formless, undulating darkness..it carried with it scents of sadness and loss, not recognizable odors but smells that corresponded to nothing, chimerical fragrances able to evoke melancholic memories."
4.5✨
4.5✨
September 14, 2023
Cold. Bleak. Depressing. This is an evil house. I imagine this is how a true haunted house would be. Not just some old ghosts flitting around going “boo”, but rather a black hole sucking away at your soul.
January 12, 2022
A creepy haunted house tale with a gradual escalation in horror. Told using multiple perspectives, The Haunted harks back to Spielberg’s Poltergeist - where a very old and very malignant force is hell bent on on taking one in the family for its own.
I’m not a huge horror reader since leaving my teenage years, but this is the kind of horror I enjoy - well written, plausible (within the context of the world offered) and relying more on the horrors within the everyday world, rather than gore or other world horror.
I’m not a huge horror reader since leaving my teenage years, but this is the kind of horror I enjoy - well written, plausible (within the context of the world offered) and relying more on the horrors within the everyday world, rather than gore or other world horror.
February 24, 2017
This was a great haunted house story. It was filled with tension and literally gave me goosebumps at times. The last part of the book was a little bit scattered and didn't hold up to the rest of the book.
I had never read this author before, but would definitely check out some of his other works.
A recommended read for anyone who loves a scary haunted house.
I had never read this author before, but would definitely check out some of his other works.
A recommended read for anyone who loves a scary haunted house.
June 25, 2023
Meh.. the whole time I had the feeling I've read this before. Nothing new.
October 17, 2013
Phwah!
I finished.
I'm glad.
It's October and, as so many of us have, I found myself with a hankering for scary stories. I wanted a ghost story and I wanted to try someone I'd never read. Bentley Little has a decent reputation so I gave this book a shot.
It wasn't to my taste.
To me, this seemed like a remade, updated version of "Poltergeist" with some themes coming scarily close - family moves into new house () and weird things happen ; dad rescuing son from the muddy swimming pool hole/dad rescuing son from deep hole in dirt. You know. That sort of thing.
My sister and I discuss "Poltergeist" often; the thing that makes it scary even into adulthood is that it seems like something that could happen. Even if it really can't, it seems like it could what with the spirit world threatening the whole family, focusing on the children, tearing apart the house and NO ONE BELIEVES YOU except for the weird ghost hunters.
I never felt that with this book. I didn't get that, "OMG, what would I do if this did happen?" feeling, I never got that "We're alone in here" feeling (mostly because it seems everyone in the 'hood knows about the haunted nature of this house) Instead, I wondered why this family was so terrible at communication, something they'd apparently been fostering for years and years. It was almost like a parable: If you can't have earnest, heartfelt talks when you're married and you can't do so with your children, there's a good chance you're going to move somewhere and have your asses haunted and you STILL won't learn how to communicate and PEOPLE WILL DIE! Only there was no epiphany where the family learned how to work together and be a family. So I guess it would be a fairly lame parable.
In addition to not being scared, I was confused by the evil spirit. It seems this particular presence can break all corporeal boundaries but has a serious respect for emotional and psychological lines. Because here's the thing: If I were this evil spirit, there's no way I'd tailor my terrorizing to appropriate age groups. No, because I'm evil. I want to scare the crap out of every family member in the most horrific ways possible. I'm not going to be Casper The Pervy Ghost (Rated R) in the marital chamber but then text the teen girl to "take off your pants" (Rated PG13)and then give the even younger boy strange urges that have nothing to do with sex (Rated G). No, it's going to be equal all across the board. I'm going to put awful perversions in all their minds and watch them act it all out because I don't care who gets hurt. I AM EVIL, remember?
This entity, though, despite making people do some questionable things in the past, is fairly tame in this day and age. Also, it knows how to use modern communication devices, which is pretty hip. It's more like a rowdy teenage boy who has a little too much freedom than an ancient and terrible force full of mayhem and horror.
I think what I'm taking up way too many words to say is: I found the whole haunting situation to be a tad silly. And that's probably why it didn't scare me.
That's not what dropped it down to the two-star rating, though.
There was one message, one aspect of this story that really bothered me. It took me awhile to suss it out but I finally realized what made me so uncomfortable with this tale: SEX
I put that in all-caps because it's a popular word and gets a lot of attention.
I think the quick-n-dirty sex moments were so not-in-line with the rest of the story that they grabbed my attention more than they would have. It's almost as if there were multiple spirits in the house, a malicious one, a pervy one, a teenage boy one, a old-fashioned spooky one that leaves random and scary messages...and in a way, I suppose that was true but it's not like the reader ever really finds that out.
I dunno. I sort of felt like I'd been in marriage counseling and learned that it's important to communicate open and honestly, not hide things from the spouse, and also, only loving, tender sexual relations are healthy. Everything else is demonic.
And on the ending:
Like I said, this just wasn't my cup of tea.
I finished.
I'm glad.
It's October and, as so many of us have, I found myself with a hankering for scary stories. I wanted a ghost story and I wanted to try someone I'd never read. Bentley Little has a decent reputation so I gave this book a shot.
It wasn't to my taste.
To me, this seemed like a remade, updated version of "Poltergeist" with some themes coming scarily close - family moves into new house () and weird things happen ; dad rescuing son from the muddy swimming pool hole/dad rescuing son from deep hole in dirt. You know. That sort of thing.
My sister and I discuss "Poltergeist" often; the thing that makes it scary even into adulthood is that it seems like something that could happen. Even if it really can't, it seems like it could what with the spirit world threatening the whole family, focusing on the children, tearing apart the house and NO ONE BELIEVES YOU except for the weird ghost hunters.
I never felt that with this book. I didn't get that, "OMG, what would I do if this did happen?" feeling, I never got that "We're alone in here" feeling (mostly because it seems everyone in the 'hood knows about the haunted nature of this house) Instead, I wondered why this family was so terrible at communication, something they'd apparently been fostering for years and years. It was almost like a parable: If you can't have earnest, heartfelt talks when you're married and you can't do so with your children, there's a good chance you're going to move somewhere and have your asses haunted and you STILL won't learn how to communicate and PEOPLE WILL DIE! Only there was no epiphany where the family learned how to work together and be a family. So I guess it would be a fairly lame parable.
In addition to not being scared, I was confused by the evil spirit. It seems this particular presence can break all corporeal boundaries but has a serious respect for emotional and psychological lines. Because here's the thing: If I were this evil spirit, there's no way I'd tailor my terrorizing to appropriate age groups. No, because I'm evil. I want to scare the crap out of every family member in the most horrific ways possible. I'm not going to be Casper The Pervy Ghost (Rated R) in the marital chamber but then text the teen girl to "take off your pants" (Rated PG13)and then give the even younger boy strange urges that have nothing to do with sex (Rated G). No, it's going to be equal all across the board. I'm going to put awful perversions in all their minds and watch them act it all out because I don't care who gets hurt. I AM EVIL, remember?
This entity, though, despite making people do some questionable things in the past, is fairly tame in this day and age. Also, it knows how to use modern communication devices, which is pretty hip. It's more like a rowdy teenage boy who has a little too much freedom than an ancient and terrible force full of mayhem and horror.
I think what I'm taking up way too many words to say is: I found the whole haunting situation to be a tad silly. And that's probably why it didn't scare me.
That's not what dropped it down to the two-star rating, though.
There was one message, one aspect of this story that really bothered me. It took me awhile to suss it out but I finally realized what made me so uncomfortable with this tale: SEX
I put that in all-caps because it's a popular word and gets a lot of attention.
I think the quick-n-dirty sex moments were so not-in-line with the rest of the story that they grabbed my attention more than they would have. It's almost as if there were multiple spirits in the house, a malicious one, a pervy one, a teenage boy one, a old-fashioned spooky one that leaves random and scary messages...and in a way, I suppose that was true but it's not like the reader ever really finds that out.
I dunno. I sort of felt like I'd been in marriage counseling and learned that it's important to communicate open and honestly, not hide things from the spouse, and also, only loving, tender sexual relations are healthy. Everything else is demonic.
And on the ending:
Like I said, this just wasn't my cup of tea.
April 16, 2025
This book kind of got torn up in the reviews, but I honestly enjoyed it. I mean, you go into it reading a haunted house book; I'm not sure why so many people expected it to reinvent the genre. It's not pretending to be anything other than what it is.
The characters were well done, and the "entity" had all the right elements of creep.
The sex scenes were weird, but they were supposed to be debasing. It was supposed to be an extra element of corruption of the soul and show how out of character things are and the level at which the entity could encroach upon their very being.
It felt a lot like Amityville Horror if an entire family was infected.
The end was the worst part. I get that the author went in that direction, but it could have been a much more powerful and horrific punch in a different direction. In a way, it kind of felt like the author originally did and then was told to rewrite the ending. If so, whoever pushed for that was wrong.
A Quote that made me laugh
"Are you shitting me?"
"Yes I am, you are emerging from my asshole as we speak."
4 Stars.
The characters were well done, and the "entity" had all the right elements of creep.
The sex scenes were weird, but they were supposed to be debasing. It was supposed to be an extra element of corruption of the soul and show how out of character things are and the level at which the entity could encroach upon their very being.
It felt a lot like Amityville Horror if an entire family was infected.
The end was the worst part. I get that the author went in that direction, but it could have been a much more powerful and horrific punch in a different direction. In a way, it kind of felt like the author originally did and then was told to rewrite the ending. If so, whoever pushed for that was wrong.
A Quote that made me laugh
"Are you shitting me?"
"Yes I am, you are emerging from my asshole as we speak."
4 Stars.
October 27, 2020
Couple and their children relocate to a new house after multiple bouts of trouble in their old neighborhood. Each family member starts dealing with different issues the house conjures up. Things start to get odd, then scary, then blow out of control- as in, the author had no idea what he was doing.
We now bring you to, worthless points in regards to this worthless novel.
*The author gets into numerous outbursts political jargon, I signed up for haunted houses.
*The author keeps sharing little tidbits of info like it's fact, not the person's opinion.
*There is no real depth or feeling, just lengthy descriptions. I feel I'm reading a high school paper, where someone is trying to convey facts, (not make up a tale of a haunted house) without any evidence.
*As I'm reading this I realized again why I prefer women authors. The maturity level is seriously lacking, and we're only at 36%! Yippie!
*Again with the politics....
*When Claire says, 'We're getting a little off track here', I thought of the author- and his ongoing political rants throughout this novel. Way offtrack.
*And now he's mansplaining every single thing.
*I almost forgot this book was so bad. Almost. BTW, the word 'almost' was used 57 times in this book. Thank you Libby app for counting them.
*Okay, 'Jean shorts that no longer fit her'?
'Megan did not become promiscuous'???
How is that relevant? Oh wait, a guy wrote this. #misogyny101
*Thinking (several times throughout) this book could have been cut in half.
*Completely skipping paragraphs at this point to just get to the end....
Awful. Just awful. I do not recommend. Glad it was only an available book for checkout at my library and I didn't actually purchase it.
We now bring you to, worthless points in regards to this worthless novel.
*The author gets into numerous outbursts political jargon, I signed up for haunted houses.
*The author keeps sharing little tidbits of info like it's fact, not the person's opinion.
*There is no real depth or feeling, just lengthy descriptions. I feel I'm reading a high school paper, where someone is trying to convey facts, (not make up a tale of a haunted house) without any evidence.
*As I'm reading this I realized again why I prefer women authors. The maturity level is seriously lacking, and we're only at 36%! Yippie!
*Again with the politics....
*When Claire says, 'We're getting a little off track here', I thought of the author- and his ongoing political rants throughout this novel. Way offtrack.
*And now he's mansplaining every single thing.
*I almost forgot this book was so bad. Almost. BTW, the word 'almost' was used 57 times in this book. Thank you Libby app for counting them.
*Okay, 'Jean shorts that no longer fit her'?
'Megan did not become promiscuous'???
How is that relevant? Oh wait, a guy wrote this. #misogyny101
*Thinking (several times throughout) this book could have been cut in half.
*Completely skipping paragraphs at this point to just get to the end....
Awful. Just awful. I do not recommend. Glad it was only an available book for checkout at my library and I didn't actually purchase it.
September 26, 2025
i did not expect to like this as much as i did
June 7, 2012
I know, I know...I probably should wait to do this post - let the story sink in more - but I'd rather do it when emotions run high.
The story started out well enough - scary, a bit perplexing, even a trifle bit of humor. The family is at the house and at first little things happen - a record player plays itself and a laundry basket seems to enjoy wandering around the house. There is an eeriness that keeps you on seat's edge but doesn't go so far as to seem horrifying. It is easy to like the children and even the parents though you can't help but roll your eyes at how all of them refuse to tell each other what they have experienced for fear of ridicule. I could see one or two of them being that way but all four? Doubtful.
I'm sure if I saw a monster in my room and I was a child, I would be screaming for my parents or, at the very least, running from the room. Each character played the typical ghost story roles - the husband is skeptic, the mother is sure it is her own forgetfulness, the daughter is sullen and the boy is terrified. It would have been nice if there had been some role reversal - let the wife, a lawyer, be the skeptic and the husband, who was the creative sort, be intimidated.
Sex scenes galore were a part of the story as well - it isn't that I oppose of them but they served no purpose other than to imply that the couple was acting different from they had when they lived elsewhere. I didn't need an anal sex scene to figure that one out.
Bentley didn't get around to explaining the history of the house until the middle of the book and then sprang things on us that was rather irritating. My writing teacher told me, and I'd have to agree, that no one likes things sprung on them when it is convenient for the character. Such as, don't make the wife a sudden crack shot with a rifle when the monster is coming at her without explaining earlier in the story that she was a sniper in the army when she was younger. I found this rather annoying.
Overall, the book was predictable and like dozens of other haunted stories I've read with the same ending as well. It was more than little disappointing. I give the book a C-.
The story started out well enough - scary, a bit perplexing, even a trifle bit of humor. The family is at the house and at first little things happen - a record player plays itself and a laundry basket seems to enjoy wandering around the house. There is an eeriness that keeps you on seat's edge but doesn't go so far as to seem horrifying. It is easy to like the children and even the parents though you can't help but roll your eyes at how all of them refuse to tell each other what they have experienced for fear of ridicule. I could see one or two of them being that way but all four? Doubtful.
I'm sure if I saw a monster in my room and I was a child, I would be screaming for my parents or, at the very least, running from the room. Each character played the typical ghost story roles - the husband is skeptic, the mother is sure it is her own forgetfulness, the daughter is sullen and the boy is terrified. It would have been nice if there had been some role reversal - let the wife, a lawyer, be the skeptic and the husband, who was the creative sort, be intimidated.
Sex scenes galore were a part of the story as well - it isn't that I oppose of them but they served no purpose other than to imply that the couple was acting different from they had when they lived elsewhere. I didn't need an anal sex scene to figure that one out.
Bentley didn't get around to explaining the history of the house until the middle of the book and then sprang things on us that was rather irritating. My writing teacher told me, and I'd have to agree, that no one likes things sprung on them when it is convenient for the character. Such as, don't make the wife a sudden crack shot with a rifle when the monster is coming at her without explaining earlier in the story that she was a sniper in the army when she was younger. I found this rather annoying.
Overall, the book was predictable and like dozens of other haunted stories I've read with the same ending as well. It was more than little disappointing. I give the book a C-.
August 15, 2021
2 stars
Easily skippable, a compilation of tired family-in-a-haunted-house clichés, The Haunted is boring and soulless, with its barely-articulated lore and recycled White American family dynamics that doesn't resonate.
While I love stories revolving around haunted places, there are a couple recurring tropes of the sub-genre I personally detest, and The Haunted somehow hits all of them:
1) The abrupt switch to 'haunted mode' (it was THE perfect house in every ways, then the occupants moved in, and BAM, immediately the hauntings go off — where are the buildup and foreshadowing?).
2) Over-reliance on spirit communicating through technology; I hate it when a supposedly ancient entity can send texts and type on computer threats and touts with contemporary word usage — it's a cheap trick and not really all that scary.
3) And lastly, having characters stubbornly remaining at the haunted location even though anyone with a sound mind would've already abandon ship.
Overall, The Haunted is painfully vanilla; not over-the-top or self-aware enough to be a guilty pleasure (particularly the self-sacrificing finale trying to pull at heartstrings, but comes across as a slew of baffling, idiotic character decisions.), and not emotionally sophisticated enough to be an immersive story about a family in peril. I've heard positive things about Bentley Little's horror novels (like The House), so I might have just unfortunately picked up a dud.
Easily skippable, a compilation of tired family-in-a-haunted-house clichés, The Haunted is boring and soulless, with its barely-articulated lore and recycled White American family dynamics that doesn't resonate.
While I love stories revolving around haunted places, there are a couple recurring tropes of the sub-genre I personally detest, and The Haunted somehow hits all of them:
1) The abrupt switch to 'haunted mode' (it was THE perfect house in every ways, then the occupants moved in, and BAM, immediately the hauntings go off — where are the buildup and foreshadowing?).
2) Over-reliance on spirit communicating through technology; I hate it when a supposedly ancient entity can send texts and type on computer threats and touts with contemporary word usage — it's a cheap trick and not really all that scary.
3) And lastly, having characters stubbornly remaining at the haunted location even though anyone with a sound mind would've already abandon ship.
Overall, The Haunted is painfully vanilla; not over-the-top or self-aware enough to be a guilty pleasure (particularly the self-sacrificing finale trying to pull at heartstrings, but comes across as a slew of baffling, idiotic character decisions.), and not emotionally sophisticated enough to be an immersive story about a family in peril. I've heard positive things about Bentley Little's horror novels (like The House), so I might have just unfortunately picked up a dud.
March 12, 2024
The Haunted is as you would expect a haunted house story and a very good one at that. I dont normally connect with haunted house stories very much but all the characters in this were so authentic and likeable I couldn't help enjoying this.
The house is making the occupants see, hear, feel and do things out of there control. It forces them to keep secrets and be deceptive and the real reason behind why it is occurring is full of history dating back to the foundation of America.
This has some great scary scenes of violence and some pretty full on sex scenes especially for Bentley Little. The ending was heartbreaking as well after becoming so attached for these characters.
The house is making the occupants see, hear, feel and do things out of there control. It forces them to keep secrets and be deceptive and the real reason behind why it is occurring is full of history dating back to the foundation of America.
This has some great scary scenes of violence and some pretty full on sex scenes especially for Bentley Little. The ending was heartbreaking as well after becoming so attached for these characters.
September 20, 2023
Very creepy, and potentially disturbing for more sensitive souls.
July 30, 2022
First off, I listened to the audio book of this. Was it slow at times? YES. I definitely enjoyed this though. It was not your "typical" haunted house story. It had its twists to it which made it better, in my opinion. I enjoy Little's style of writing as well. Was a decent choice for driving (that's when I listen to audio books.) But THE ENDING....ugh. Beyond aggravating. I would give this 3.5 stars if I could. If you like haunted house stories, definitely give this book a try. Don't give up on the slow parts..just stick with it.
July 27, 2022
I do believe this is my absolute favorite Bentley Little book I have read to date! Not only was this spooky it also was nostalgic for me especially with the ending it had. I actually cried! Without spoiling it for anyone, it made me think of my dad which is why it brought me to tears.
I have seen a few booktubers say that they didn't enjoy where the haunting was coming from or the back story to the origins of the home, however I truly enjoyed that part of the story. I love haunted storytelling from the 1800's & beyond. I enjoyed reading that part of the book where the town was being formed and the Spanish were coming onto the land to build a town. I loved the paranormal aspect of that time. The explanation that town folk turned to superstitions to answer what they could not explain, seems to hold very true in history.
Overall I loved my time reading this book, but the ending was really superb for me & it's what escalated my review to a 5 star!
I have seen a few booktubers say that they didn't enjoy where the haunting was coming from or the back story to the origins of the home, however I truly enjoyed that part of the story. I love haunted storytelling from the 1800's & beyond. I enjoyed reading that part of the book where the town was being formed and the Spanish were coming onto the land to build a town. I loved the paranormal aspect of that time. The explanation that town folk turned to superstitions to answer what they could not explain, seems to hold very true in history.
Overall I loved my time reading this book, but the ending was really superb for me & it's what escalated my review to a 5 star!
October 23, 2024
4.25 ⭐️
This was legitimately creepy and I could not stop reading it!One of the more sinister and unsettling haunted house stories I’ve ever read, hands down. Fair warning, there are multiple graphic/sexually explicit scenes but I feel they enhanced the overall sense of ominous doom.
This was legitimately creepy and I could not stop reading it!One of the more sinister and unsettling haunted house stories I’ve ever read, hands down. Fair warning, there are multiple graphic/sexually explicit scenes but I feel they enhanced the overall sense of ominous doom.
February 24, 2021
I honestly couldn't decide between 3 or 4 stars. This is when half-stars would come in really handy. It was good. I enjoyed the story and it was definitely creepy. There is a lot left open though about what it was and what it wanted and why it was there. Which was something I was really interested in learning.
I didn't like Julian at first. I thought he was a bit selfish and it bothered me that he kept things from his wife and sometimes only because he was too cowardly to deal with her disappointment in him keeping secrets in the first place. However, he did completely redeem himself. I still don't agree with all of his choices, but in the end, his choices were what was best for his family.
Megan and James had a real aggressive relationship at first and as someone who is close to her sister, it was a bit sad. Claire was actually pretty decent. I can't say I found anything particularly amazing about her personality, but she was likable enough.
It was a slow read but only because it was so scary. I could only read it when my husband was home AND when it was daytime. It was too scary to read alone and if I read it too late I had a harder time sleeping than I already do and I had nightmares. I mean it was a good thing as you are looking for a good scare when you read horror, but I like my thrills when I can still feel safe. Contradictory, I know.
I didn't like Julian at first. I thought he was a bit selfish and it bothered me that he kept things from his wife and sometimes only because he was too cowardly to deal with her disappointment in him keeping secrets in the first place. However, he did completely redeem himself. I still don't agree with all of his choices, but in the end, his choices were what was best for his family.
Megan and James had a real aggressive relationship at first and as someone who is close to her sister, it was a bit sad. Claire was actually pretty decent. I can't say I found anything particularly amazing about her personality, but she was likable enough.
It was a slow read but only because it was so scary. I could only read it when my husband was home AND when it was daytime. It was too scary to read alone and if I read it too late I had a harder time sleeping than I already do and I had nightmares. I mean it was a good thing as you are looking for a good scare when you read horror, but I like my thrills when I can still feel safe. Contradictory, I know.
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