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Hampton Heights: One Harrowing Night in the Most Haunted Neighborhood in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
From the author of the Washington Post notable novel Vintage Contemporaries, something completely a hair-raising and rollicking adventure set on one night in 1987, when six paperboys must confront a slew of monsters as well as their own personal demons in a haunted Midwestern neighborhood.
On a cold winter’s evening in 1987, six middle-school paperboys wander an unfamiliar Milwaukee neighborhood, selling newspaper subscriptions, fueled by their manager Kevin’s promises of cash bonuses and dinner at Burger King. But the freaks come out at night in Hampton Heights. Sent out into the neighborhood in pairs, the boys will encounter a host of primordial monsters—and triumph over them.
Sigmone, who is bussed to a white school, is stuck with Joel, a white kid who idolizes Black culture. Mark, who's wrestling with his sexuality, joins his secret crush, Ryan. Nishu and Al are outsiders; one is a second-generation immigrant, the other a poor kid in a rich school. Over the course of one eventful evening, the three pairs will encounter the wild things of Hampton Heights—werewolves, witches with a centuries-old story to tell, and a creepy, ancient monster who feeds on memories. Meanwhile, Kevin is having an adventure of his own, seducing a beautiful woman in the neighborhood’s tavern . . . but who is actually in control? As the night nears its end, everyone will reunite for a cataclysmic finale.
Funny, thrilling, outrageous, and sneakily beautiful, Dan Kois’s Hampton Heights captures without sentimentality the dreams and fears of teenage boys in a tender horror-comedy about camaraderie, bravery, vulnerability, and the terrifying prospect of growing up.
On a cold winter’s evening in 1987, six middle-school paperboys wander an unfamiliar Milwaukee neighborhood, selling newspaper subscriptions, fueled by their manager Kevin’s promises of cash bonuses and dinner at Burger King. But the freaks come out at night in Hampton Heights. Sent out into the neighborhood in pairs, the boys will encounter a host of primordial monsters—and triumph over them.
Sigmone, who is bussed to a white school, is stuck with Joel, a white kid who idolizes Black culture. Mark, who's wrestling with his sexuality, joins his secret crush, Ryan. Nishu and Al are outsiders; one is a second-generation immigrant, the other a poor kid in a rich school. Over the course of one eventful evening, the three pairs will encounter the wild things of Hampton Heights—werewolves, witches with a centuries-old story to tell, and a creepy, ancient monster who feeds on memories. Meanwhile, Kevin is having an adventure of his own, seducing a beautiful woman in the neighborhood’s tavern . . . but who is actually in control? As the night nears its end, everyone will reunite for a cataclysmic finale.
Funny, thrilling, outrageous, and sneakily beautiful, Dan Kois’s Hampton Heights captures without sentimentality the dreams and fears of teenage boys in a tender horror-comedy about camaraderie, bravery, vulnerability, and the terrifying prospect of growing up.
208 pages, Paperback
First published September 17, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 424 reviews
March 14, 2024
This is a very weird book, you guys. But it's weird in a good way, not weird in a “I can't believe I suffered through this nonsense” sort of way. There are succubi and trolls and witches and werewolves and Burger King (one of these is not like the others), and it is a wild and entertaining ride.
Hampton Heights focuses on a group of paperboys (and their irresponsible boss, Kevin) who are sent out into Milwaukee's most bizarre neighborhood to sell newspaper subscriptions. When the boys are split up into pairs in order to canvass the neighborhood, this novel essentially becomes a series of interconnected short stories. Each pair (plus Kevin) have their own separate supernatural experiences while exploring Hampton Heights, and they don't meet up again until the very end.
My favorite story of the bunch was probably Ryan and Mark's adventure with the witches. There's something about it that's so magical and fairy tale-ish and perhaps even a little heartwarming. I'm just ever so slightly surprised that the witches' cottage wasn't made of gingerbread, because it seems like it should be that sort of tale.
Al and Nishu's experience with the troll is also a tremendously entertaining read – it's funnier and more lighthearted than the other chapters. What do you do when a troll is giving you problems? You trap it upside down in a backpack, of course!
Really, all of the boys' adventures are quite amusing and there wasn't a one of them that I didn't enjoy. And Kevin? Well, let's just say that Kevin should never be left alone in charge of children ever again and leave it at that. I mean, this book is set the 80s and I can say from first-hand experience that parents were a little more lax when it came to the quality of their kids' adult supervision back then, but I'm pretty sure that even my parents wouldn't have approved of Kevin's shenanigans.
While this book definitely has some horror elements, it's not scary at all. If you're not generally a horror fan, no worries – there's no blood or gore or jump scenes (can books have jump scenes?) or anything of the sort. There are monsters and supernatural occurrences, but they're more Hocus Pocus than A Nightmare on Elm Street, if that makes any sense.
So, yeah – this was a super fun and enjoyable read and I loved every minute of it. My overall rating: 4.55 stars, rounded up.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Perennial for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review.
Hampton Heights focuses on a group of paperboys (and their irresponsible boss, Kevin) who are sent out into Milwaukee's most bizarre neighborhood to sell newspaper subscriptions. When the boys are split up into pairs in order to canvass the neighborhood, this novel essentially becomes a series of interconnected short stories. Each pair (plus Kevin) have their own separate supernatural experiences while exploring Hampton Heights, and they don't meet up again until the very end.
My favorite story of the bunch was probably Ryan and Mark's adventure with the witches. There's something about it that's so magical and fairy tale-ish and perhaps even a little heartwarming. I'm just ever so slightly surprised that the witches' cottage wasn't made of gingerbread, because it seems like it should be that sort of tale.
Al and Nishu's experience with the troll is also a tremendously entertaining read – it's funnier and more lighthearted than the other chapters. What do you do when a troll is giving you problems? You trap it upside down in a backpack, of course!
Really, all of the boys' adventures are quite amusing and there wasn't a one of them that I didn't enjoy. And Kevin? Well, let's just say that Kevin should never be left alone in charge of children ever again and leave it at that. I mean, this book is set the 80s and I can say from first-hand experience that parents were a little more lax when it came to the quality of their kids' adult supervision back then, but I'm pretty sure that even my parents wouldn't have approved of Kevin's shenanigans.
While this book definitely has some horror elements, it's not scary at all. If you're not generally a horror fan, no worries – there's no blood or gore or jump scenes (can books have jump scenes?) or anything of the sort. There are monsters and supernatural occurrences, but they're more Hocus Pocus than A Nightmare on Elm Street, if that makes any sense.
So, yeah – this was a super fun and enjoyable read and I loved every minute of it. My overall rating: 4.55 stars, rounded up.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Perennial for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review.
October 7, 2024
In a dark, distant memory I'd just as soon forget, I once had to go door to door selling Girl Scout cookies. Though I was in my own neighborhood, it was pretty creepy knocking on the doors of homes where I did not know the residents. There were a few homes where you never, ever saw who lived inside. Curtains stayed drawn, the lawns were unkempt. These certainly didn't look like houses whose occupants would be happy to purchase some Do-si-Dos.
In this fun book, a group of six boys is dropped off in a strange neighborhood to sell newspaper subscriptions. As you can probably guess from the cover, the neighborhood turns out to be far stranger than any of them ever dreamed. And, what follows is an evening none of the participants will EVER forget.
Fans of Stranger Things , Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, and adults who miss reading Goosebumps books should eat this one up. The novel is divided into what is essentially short stories, as each character, or pairs of characters experience the joys of door-to-door selling.
My favorite section was Mark and Ryan's encounter with some witches, as there was a dreamy, fairy tale feel to the story.
This is VERY MILD horror that shouldn't keep anyone from enjoying a good night's sleep, though you may start looking at your neighbors a little more suspiciously.
In this fun book, a group of six boys is dropped off in a strange neighborhood to sell newspaper subscriptions. As you can probably guess from the cover, the neighborhood turns out to be far stranger than any of them ever dreamed. And, what follows is an evening none of the participants will EVER forget.
Fans of Stranger Things , Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, and adults who miss reading Goosebumps books should eat this one up. The novel is divided into what is essentially short stories, as each character, or pairs of characters experience the joys of door-to-door selling.
My favorite section was Mark and Ryan's encounter with some witches, as there was a dreamy, fairy tale feel to the story.
This is VERY MILD horror that shouldn't keep anyone from enjoying a good night's sleep, though you may start looking at your neighbors a little more suspiciously.
October 13, 2024
So the werewolves turf is the north side of Milwaukee and the vampires on the south side?!
Things sure have changed since I lived in Milwaukee.
Things sure have changed since I lived in Milwaukee.
June 16, 2024
This is marketed as adult horror, but it reads more like a middle-grade novel with f-bombs. It was definitely entertaining and I enjoyed the boys’ adventures, but it wasn’t what I expected. There were elements of both fantasy and horror, but this is mostly a mild adventure story about paper boys running into trouble in a strange neighborhood after dark. It’s fun and funny with 1980s vibes, but it’s never scary.
May 17, 2025
3.25 stars ...
Weird
Weird
September 16, 2024
It is a foggy, winter’s night in Hampton Heights, Wisconsin. Soon it will be getting dark, casting shadows in a neighborhood totally alien to the six paperboys roaming its streets. It is an odd time of day—and year—to be tasked with selling subscriptions. Kevin—their newspaper delivery manager—says it is mandatory. The young entrepreneurs are promised $20 to the highest sellers, and dinner at Burger King. For these boys, it is their Holy Grail.
Kevin divides the boys into three groups of two (warning: this action will send you into the horror genre! Never split up!). Al and Nishu head north; Ryan and Mark: south; Joel and Sigmone set off west; and Kevin heads off to a tavern. With instructions to return to the van by 8:30, the boys trudge through snow with their lists of names and addresses, while Kevin orders a beer. What ordeals will they encounter? Will Kevin get lucky?
After this introduction, each of the three groups and Kevin are given their own story lines. A drunk Kevin goes to the home of a women he meets at the bar. Sigmone and Joel run into the former’s grandfather. Ryan and Mark meet a friendly, grandmotherly woman. Al and Nishu get a run of luck. But Hampton Heights—and one’s experience there—are not what they may seem to appear. You may run into a troll, werewolf, or witch. And then there is Kevin and....
At only 208 pages, this is a quick and enjoyable read; the title is almost longer than the book itself (Hampton Heights One Harrowing Night in the Most Haunted Neighborhood in Milwaukee, Wisconsin). The main narrative of selling newspaper subscriptions serves as the frame for the four stories contained within the book. The stories have flavors of mystery, horror, and fairy tale.
It is horror-lite, a cozy horror novel filled with humor and insight. Dan Kois is an experienced writer; he writes for and edits Slate, and has written other books, fiction and non-fiction. This book is well written. I highly recommend this book.
I would like to thank Harper Collins and NetGalley for introducing me to a new author, and to read and review this book.
Kevin divides the boys into three groups of two (warning: this action will send you into the horror genre! Never split up!). Al and Nishu head north; Ryan and Mark: south; Joel and Sigmone set off west; and Kevin heads off to a tavern. With instructions to return to the van by 8:30, the boys trudge through snow with their lists of names and addresses, while Kevin orders a beer. What ordeals will they encounter? Will Kevin get lucky?
After this introduction, each of the three groups and Kevin are given their own story lines. A drunk Kevin goes to the home of a women he meets at the bar. Sigmone and Joel run into the former’s grandfather. Ryan and Mark meet a friendly, grandmotherly woman. Al and Nishu get a run of luck. But Hampton Heights—and one’s experience there—are not what they may seem to appear. You may run into a troll, werewolf, or witch. And then there is Kevin and....
At only 208 pages, this is a quick and enjoyable read; the title is almost longer than the book itself (Hampton Heights One Harrowing Night in the Most Haunted Neighborhood in Milwaukee, Wisconsin). The main narrative of selling newspaper subscriptions serves as the frame for the four stories contained within the book. The stories have flavors of mystery, horror, and fairy tale.
It is horror-lite, a cozy horror novel filled with humor and insight. Dan Kois is an experienced writer; he writes for and edits Slate, and has written other books, fiction and non-fiction. This book is well written. I highly recommend this book.
I would like to thank Harper Collins and NetGalley for introducing me to a new author, and to read and review this book.
Read
October 22, 2024No rating, because I could not finish this.
I got to the part where Kevin—thoroughly unlikeable Kevin—peed in a bathroom and turned into, apparently, a lawn sprinkler.
The book doesn't know whether it wants to be YA or not. It reads YA, but then there's a reasonably explicit sex scene. And...repetition. SO much repetition. I don't ever want to read about Burger King this much ever again.
Like, seriously, did the author get a kickback from the burger chain?
Just no.
I got to the part where Kevin—thoroughly unlikeable Kevin—peed in a bathroom and turned into, apparently, a lawn sprinkler.
The book doesn't know whether it wants to be YA or not. It reads YA, but then there's a reasonably explicit sex scene. And...repetition. SO much repetition. I don't ever want to read about Burger King this much ever again.
Like, seriously, did the author get a kickback from the burger chain?
Just no.
February 18, 2025
Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic copy of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
“Hampton Heights: One Harrowing Night in the Most Haunted Neighborhood in Milwaukee, Wisconsin” by Dan Kois has a “Stand by Me” vibe, where stories within a story intersect to create a haunting, coming-of-age tale that would make Stephen King proud.
It is a cold winter’s evening in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1987. Six middle school boys have gathered together with one aim in mind- to go door-to-door and sell newspaper subscriptions. The pair that sells the most will be rewarded with a meal from Burger King, which is what brings Sigmone, Mark, Joel, Ryan, Nishu and Al to the “most haunted neighbourhood” in Milwaukee. As the boys pair off, they all begin to have paranormal experiences that will have them forgetting all about their newspaper and just trying to survive the night.
“Hampton” starts off with all of the boys, and their manager, a young adult named Kevin, meeting at Kevin’s van, where they discuss their sales plans and pair off, each group heading to a specific part of the neighbourhood. After this, each pair gets their own (rather lengthy) chapter, where their experiences in their section of the community are as varied as they are terrifying. Kois’ writing talent is evident in the multiple interconnected stories, which are not only spooky and haunting, but also manage to flow together with a connected plot and ending. This is most definitely not an easy feat to do and Kois does it with style.
All six of the boys, three groups of two, are very different, not only in their economic backgrounds but also their schools and friendships groups. They are innocent and awkward but likable and their pairings are perfectly matched to their personalities. Readers learn who the boys are as they form friendships with each other, rallying around a common goal. There is a coming-of-age aspect to “Hampton” that was completely endearing.
“Hampton” has werewolves, witches, trolls and a wide selection of other creepy, paranormal ghouls and ghosts. Each chapter deals with one of these, and as much as I enjoy the paranormal, I was unable to pick a favourite. “Hampton” will remind readers of Paul Tremblay or Grady Hendrix, as well as the aforementioned King, with the writing style showing similarities to Stranger Things or The Twilight Zone. That being said though, Kois stands out as an individual and deserves all the accolades. “Haunting” is an unpredictable and delightful read that I did not expect to enjoy as much as I did.
“Hampton Heights: One Harrowing Night in the Most Haunted Neighborhood in Milwaukee, Wisconsin” by Dan Kois has a “Stand by Me” vibe, where stories within a story intersect to create a haunting, coming-of-age tale that would make Stephen King proud.
It is a cold winter’s evening in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1987. Six middle school boys have gathered together with one aim in mind- to go door-to-door and sell newspaper subscriptions. The pair that sells the most will be rewarded with a meal from Burger King, which is what brings Sigmone, Mark, Joel, Ryan, Nishu and Al to the “most haunted neighbourhood” in Milwaukee. As the boys pair off, they all begin to have paranormal experiences that will have them forgetting all about their newspaper and just trying to survive the night.
“Hampton” starts off with all of the boys, and their manager, a young adult named Kevin, meeting at Kevin’s van, where they discuss their sales plans and pair off, each group heading to a specific part of the neighbourhood. After this, each pair gets their own (rather lengthy) chapter, where their experiences in their section of the community are as varied as they are terrifying. Kois’ writing talent is evident in the multiple interconnected stories, which are not only spooky and haunting, but also manage to flow together with a connected plot and ending. This is most definitely not an easy feat to do and Kois does it with style.
All six of the boys, three groups of two, are very different, not only in their economic backgrounds but also their schools and friendships groups. They are innocent and awkward but likable and their pairings are perfectly matched to their personalities. Readers learn who the boys are as they form friendships with each other, rallying around a common goal. There is a coming-of-age aspect to “Hampton” that was completely endearing.
“Hampton” has werewolves, witches, trolls and a wide selection of other creepy, paranormal ghouls and ghosts. Each chapter deals with one of these, and as much as I enjoy the paranormal, I was unable to pick a favourite. “Hampton” will remind readers of Paul Tremblay or Grady Hendrix, as well as the aforementioned King, with the writing style showing similarities to Stranger Things or The Twilight Zone. That being said though, Kois stands out as an individual and deserves all the accolades. “Haunting” is an unpredictable and delightful read that I did not expect to enjoy as much as I did.
December 25, 2024
I first saw Hampton Heights: One Harrowing Night in the Most Haunted Neighborhood in Milwaukee, Wisconsin by Dan Kois on #Bookstagram and despite the mixed reviews, I knew it was going to be right up my alley. I loved the premise of the six young paperboys out in the world of a haunted area, and it was a bit like reading a fairy tale with different parts. We get the manager’s viewpoint as well as the viewpoints of the young boys broken off into pairs as they canvas this creepy neighborhood, and I was both pleased and terrified by the things they found there.
I did choose to listen to the audiobook which is narrated by Gary Tiedemann and I loved him so much! I did feel like he brought something different to each of the viewpoints, and he was such a pleasure to listen to. We also have a story within a story, and while I was worried at first that it would drag, it didn’t at all for me and I loved it just as much as the rest of this coming-of-age story. I also couldn’t help but love all things Packers and Wisconsin throughout since my husband has family there. Read this if you are looking for a fun horror read, a couple of laughs, and some really weird shit but in the best possible way. 🤣
I did choose to listen to the audiobook which is narrated by Gary Tiedemann and I loved him so much! I did feel like he brought something different to each of the viewpoints, and he was such a pleasure to listen to. We also have a story within a story, and while I was worried at first that it would drag, it didn’t at all for me and I loved it just as much as the rest of this coming-of-age story. I also couldn’t help but love all things Packers and Wisconsin throughout since my husband has family there. Read this if you are looking for a fun horror read, a couple of laughs, and some really weird shit but in the best possible way. 🤣
April 12, 2025
It’s 1987. Six middle school aged paper boys are dropped off by their delivery manager, on a cold winter night, to canvas Hampton Heights Wisconsin to try to sell newspaper subscriptions. All it takes is the promise of twenty bucks and dinner at Burger King. Wackiness ensues.
The seven main characters break into four groups, each having their own unique adventure. This makes the story feel simultaneously like a short story anthology and a single cohesive narrative.
Kevin, the delivery manager, heads to a local bar to drown his sorrows while the boys do their thing. He goes home with a woman he meets there and… I will just say that there is a pissing scene in this chapter that had me rolling. I could have put the book down after this and been satisfied that my money was well spent. Poor Cujo.
Sigmone, a black boy who goes to an all white school, is paired with Joel, a rich kid, with the self awareness of a door knob and who’s main personality trait is his appropriation of black culture. Sigmone, learns his own family secrets while wondering the neighborhoods of Wisconsin’s most haunted town.
Ryan, whose feet are both firmly planted in the closet, is paired with his crush, Mark. This is a sort of twist on the “creepy house on the block” story that all the kids in the neighborhood know and fear… but it’s also a story about love, and confidence, and it’s incredibly sweet.
Nishu is the child of Indian immigrants. He’s portrayed as a typical first generation kid. Strict, over protective parents, studious… a goody two shoes. Al is a hustler. He’s a poor kid, with divorced parents, who goes to a rich school. From odd jobs, to “renting out” his most prized possession (a Playboy Magazine), to fudging his and Nishu’s subscription forms, he’s pretty singularly focused on making money.
This book is a coming of age story that takes place over the course of a few hours (sort of). But in that time each of the kids grows into themselves a bit more, learns a little something and form a bond.
Also… WITCHES, WEREWOLVES, TROLLS, MONSTERS AND MAGIC!
This was tons of fun. Lots of humor, nostalgia and old fashioned 1980’s craziness that would probably be considered child abuse by today’s standards. 🤣
Highly recommend.
The seven main characters break into four groups, each having their own unique adventure. This makes the story feel simultaneously like a short story anthology and a single cohesive narrative.
Kevin, the delivery manager, heads to a local bar to drown his sorrows while the boys do their thing. He goes home with a woman he meets there and… I will just say that there is a pissing scene in this chapter that had me rolling. I could have put the book down after this and been satisfied that my money was well spent. Poor Cujo.
Sigmone, a black boy who goes to an all white school, is paired with Joel, a rich kid, with the self awareness of a door knob and who’s main personality trait is his appropriation of black culture. Sigmone, learns his own family secrets while wondering the neighborhoods of Wisconsin’s most haunted town.
Ryan, whose feet are both firmly planted in the closet, is paired with his crush, Mark. This is a sort of twist on the “creepy house on the block” story that all the kids in the neighborhood know and fear… but it’s also a story about love, and confidence, and it’s incredibly sweet.
Nishu is the child of Indian immigrants. He’s portrayed as a typical first generation kid. Strict, over protective parents, studious… a goody two shoes. Al is a hustler. He’s a poor kid, with divorced parents, who goes to a rich school. From odd jobs, to “renting out” his most prized possession (a Playboy Magazine), to fudging his and Nishu’s subscription forms, he’s pretty singularly focused on making money.
This book is a coming of age story that takes place over the course of a few hours (sort of). But in that time each of the kids grows into themselves a bit more, learns a little something and form a bond.
Also… WITCHES, WEREWOLVES, TROLLS, MONSTERS AND MAGIC!
This was tons of fun. Lots of humor, nostalgia and old fashioned 1980’s craziness that would probably be considered child abuse by today’s standards. 🤣
Highly recommend.
July 15, 2025
3 / 5 🌟
“i will remember
the wine on our tongue,
the candies and pies,
how it felt to be young.”
this book was…strange. however, the topics that were tackled were done with care, and i’m glad the women in this book were treated as more than a pair of tits. they had personalities and were so animated at times that it was like they were right next to me. i have noticed that men who write women can do so horribly, but dan did a pretty decent job of it in my opinion. the monsters and the atmosphere were both scary and fun. overall it was a solid book, i just found myself getting kind of bored at times.
“i will remember
the wine on our tongue,
the candies and pies,
how it felt to be young.”
this book was…strange. however, the topics that were tackled were done with care, and i’m glad the women in this book were treated as more than a pair of tits. they had personalities and were so animated at times that it was like they were right next to me. i have noticed that men who write women can do so horribly, but dan did a pretty decent job of it in my opinion. the monsters and the atmosphere were both scary and fun. overall it was a solid book, i just found myself getting kind of bored at times.
October 2, 2024
What a mess.
September 13, 2024
It’s 1987 on a cold winter evening in Milwaukee, WI and six middle-school paperboys are out selling newspaper subscriptions with the promise of Burger King at the end of it all. That night, they end up in the unfamiliar neighborhood of Hampton Heights where things are far from normal.
HAMPTON HEIGHTS by Dan Kois really leaned into the spooky creatures and tropes (with Milwaukee references galore!!)
I really loved that this story took place over the course of one evening and that, for the most part, none of the characters really knew one another at the start, making the ending really beautiful with a strong coming of age feel.
This book is broken up into different chapters following each set of characters as they’re broken up into pairs and, while I wasn’t a fan of every vignette, there were some strong standout ones and the imagery was really well done!
I do feel that the target audience for this book is ~the teenage boy~ with the fart jokes and playboys and overall sense of humor, but I enjoyed it regardless!
Thanks to Harper Perennial for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Publication Date: September 17
HAMPTON HEIGHTS by Dan Kois really leaned into the spooky creatures and tropes (with Milwaukee references galore!!)
I really loved that this story took place over the course of one evening and that, for the most part, none of the characters really knew one another at the start, making the ending really beautiful with a strong coming of age feel.
This book is broken up into different chapters following each set of characters as they’re broken up into pairs and, while I wasn’t a fan of every vignette, there were some strong standout ones and the imagery was really well done!
I do feel that the target audience for this book is ~the teenage boy~ with the fart jokes and playboys and overall sense of humor, but I enjoyed it regardless!
Thanks to Harper Perennial for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Publication Date: September 17
October 19, 2024
forever thinking about the difference in books about groups of adolescent boys vs groups of adolescent girls
November 4, 2025
This was a fun one!
Featuring an ensemble cast of characters and strong 1980s vibes, Hampton Heights is about a group of teenage paperboys on a subscription mission in Milwaukee’s most haunted neighborhood. During the course of one unforgettable night, the six boys will face things, together and separately, beyond their wildest imaginings.
Hampton Heights features werewolves and trolls, witches and succubi and an ancient, memory-stealing evil – but it isn’t a scary book. Rather, it’s strongly rooted in its coming-of-age elements, as the characters face their deepest secrets and darkest fears and come out better and stronger for it. And then celebrate with some Burger King.
I enjoyed the way the narrative was structured – following each pair of boys on their own adventure before switching to another pair – and the sweeping journey that the book took me on. It read like coming-of-age-horror-fantasy-magical-realism, and it was a quirky, entertaining adventure with lots of heart from beginning to end.
Featuring an ensemble cast of characters and strong 1980s vibes, Hampton Heights is about a group of teenage paperboys on a subscription mission in Milwaukee’s most haunted neighborhood. During the course of one unforgettable night, the six boys will face things, together and separately, beyond their wildest imaginings.
Hampton Heights features werewolves and trolls, witches and succubi and an ancient, memory-stealing evil – but it isn’t a scary book. Rather, it’s strongly rooted in its coming-of-age elements, as the characters face their deepest secrets and darkest fears and come out better and stronger for it. And then celebrate with some Burger King.
I enjoyed the way the narrative was structured – following each pair of boys on their own adventure before switching to another pair – and the sweeping journey that the book took me on. It read like coming-of-age-horror-fantasy-magical-realism, and it was a quirky, entertaining adventure with lots of heart from beginning to end.
April 24, 2025
i lied i just read it too fast and was like “,yeah that did it,” but no i finally processed my thoughts and it was interesting just in wtf kind of way
September 25, 2024
Beware the 12-year-old boy humor in this otherwise fun and campy horror adventure reminiscent of Stranger Things.
I generally like camp horror as long as it isn’t too gross, and this one is more fun than icky, and the ick of it is more about being trapped inside the minds of adolescent boys than anything too creepy or upsetting.
Milwaukee wouldn’t be my first choice for a setting for pretty much anything, but it works well here as the Anytown, USA locale where things aren’t quite what they seem as a group of kids attempt to sell newspaper subscriptions to earn the ultimate prize: 20 bucks and a trip to Burger King.
There’s not a lot here that we haven’t seen before, but it’s fun and funny and also sweet in a way, and a great horror lite read for spooky season.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
I generally like camp horror as long as it isn’t too gross, and this one is more fun than icky, and the ick of it is more about being trapped inside the minds of adolescent boys than anything too creepy or upsetting.
Milwaukee wouldn’t be my first choice for a setting for pretty much anything, but it works well here as the Anytown, USA locale where things aren’t quite what they seem as a group of kids attempt to sell newspaper subscriptions to earn the ultimate prize: 20 bucks and a trip to Burger King.
There’s not a lot here that we haven’t seen before, but it’s fun and funny and also sweet in a way, and a great horror lite read for spooky season.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
October 22, 2024
Hampton Heights is a series of interconnected stories about six paperboys and their manager on one cold night in 1987 Milwaukee. When the boys are gathered by their manager, Kevin, in his creepy white delivery van, they're sent out in pairs to canvass a neighborhood looking to sign up subscribers. But along those strange streets, all involved end up having their own adventures, some harrowing, some enlightening, before their promised reward of dinner at Burger King.
A cross somewhere in between "The Twilight Zone," "Tales from the Darkside" and "Amazing Stories," the individual tales range from all out horror to fantasy, with creatures both scary and mythical. The prose flows very smoothly, and each of the adventures is engrossing and entertaining.
A cross somewhere in between "The Twilight Zone," "Tales from the Darkside" and "Amazing Stories," the individual tales range from all out horror to fantasy, with creatures both scary and mythical. The prose flows very smoothly, and each of the adventures is engrossing and entertaining.
November 29, 2024
a weird and short read that was decently enjoyable!! like a weird coming of age in a town that exists outside of reality. it can get a bit confusing but it was a fun little read that i didn’t mind. the dialogue was very teenage boy at times and was sorta funny
December 18, 2024
2.5 To keep it simple, this bored me to no end.
February 13, 2025
Publishers need to have higher standards.
October 14, 2025
This is the exact plot of a movie Yorgos Lanthimos would make
January 14, 2025
weird as shit
October 7, 2024
I like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read this.
... Well. It's an interesting book, but what does it all mean? I like horror movies, and I love movies that have stories that have a wrap around beginning and ending. Think of the 2009 film Trick or Treat. Cult an pop-culture classic now (shown by merch in Halloween stores). The stories were simple, great, and wrapped together so well.
This? The stories are half-baked s0-and-so moments that just don't really hit to pay off the beginning and end of the book. Sure. Takes place in a town with a weird street that these boys have to push their newspaper subscription to. But, the pay-off is boring and feels lost in translation half the time. When the werewolf character showed up, it stopped feeling like a horror story and something like 'the joys of youth are lost to old age' stuff.
Blame it on me expecting something like Trick or Treat with a Goonies-esque vibe. This wasn't it.
... Well. It's an interesting book, but what does it all mean? I like horror movies, and I love movies that have stories that have a wrap around beginning and ending. Think of the 2009 film Trick or Treat. Cult an pop-culture classic now (shown by merch in Halloween stores). The stories were simple, great, and wrapped together so well.
This? The stories are half-baked s0-and-so moments that just don't really hit to pay off the beginning and end of the book. Sure. Takes place in a town with a weird street that these boys have to push their newspaper subscription to. But, the pay-off is boring and feels lost in translation half the time. When the werewolf character showed up, it stopped feeling like a horror story and something like 'the joys of youth are lost to old age' stuff.
Blame it on me expecting something like Trick or Treat with a Goonies-esque vibe. This wasn't it.
September 22, 2024
Thank you so much partner @bibliolifestyle @harperperennial for the gifted copy!
✨ Hampton Heights: One Harrowing Night in the Most Haunted Neighborhood in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
by Dan Koi’s
Published September 17, 2024
About the book 👇🏽
On a cold winter’s evening in 1987, six middle-school paperboys wander an unfamiliar Milwaukee neighborhood, selling newspaper subscriptions, fueled by their manager Kevin’s promises of cash bonuses and dinner at Burger King. But the freaks come out at night in Hampton Heights. Sent out into the neighborhood in pairs, the boys will encounter a host of primordial monsters—and triumph over them.
🍔 My thoughts:
Such a fun read!! It’s a quick one you’ll be able to read in one sitting and completely binge without regret. The adventures of these kids had aspects of both fantasy and horror but it was never terrifying and that’s not a bad thing! If cozy horror is a thing… this falls perfectly within that bracket. It was magical in a way I was not expecting and it even has witches. And it is witch week so this can also fall into a witch week read for me. This story is incredibly imaginative and the cover art fits the story perfectly. Hampton Heights is out now!!
Happy reading 📖 🐺🗞️✨🍔
✨ Hampton Heights: One Harrowing Night in the Most Haunted Neighborhood in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
by Dan Koi’s
Published September 17, 2024
About the book 👇🏽
On a cold winter’s evening in 1987, six middle-school paperboys wander an unfamiliar Milwaukee neighborhood, selling newspaper subscriptions, fueled by their manager Kevin’s promises of cash bonuses and dinner at Burger King. But the freaks come out at night in Hampton Heights. Sent out into the neighborhood in pairs, the boys will encounter a host of primordial monsters—and triumph over them.
🍔 My thoughts:
Such a fun read!! It’s a quick one you’ll be able to read in one sitting and completely binge without regret. The adventures of these kids had aspects of both fantasy and horror but it was never terrifying and that’s not a bad thing! If cozy horror is a thing… this falls perfectly within that bracket. It was magical in a way I was not expecting and it even has witches. And it is witch week so this can also fall into a witch week read for me. This story is incredibly imaginative and the cover art fits the story perfectly. Hampton Heights is out now!!
Happy reading 📖 🐺🗞️✨🍔
September 12, 2024
OMG this was fun. The author manages to capture 80s lightning in a bottle in this cross between Stranger Things, Stand By Me and Grimm's Fairy Tales. This novella tells the story of 6 boys and their boss selling newspaper subscriptions in a very peculiar neighborhood in Milwaukee late in the evening. The boys pair off in groups of 2 and run headfirst into the more unorthodox members of the neighborhood. As with many 80s movies, this story transforms all the anxieties that could not be spoken of at that time and transforms them into monsters that these young boys can grapple with and become a little more mature and powerful themselves. The characters are fantastic and the warmth is palpable. I love that the ending revolves around Burger King. I'm so glad I requested this book on NetGalley.
July 7, 2025
Pretty interesting read! Four very different horror stories featuring succubi, werewolves, witches, and trolls, as well as digging into issues of racism (Milwaukee being an incredibly segregated city) and alienation. As much as I liked the reincarnating lesbian witches, it did sort of feel like Mark and Ryan got shafted since Sigmone, Al, Rishu, and to a lesser extent Joel got much more time in the spotlight, but each duo was compelling in their own way.
November 15, 2024
Huh. So that was a thing. Found this quirky audiobook from my library, narrated for me by Gary Tiedemann. I'm honestly not sure how I feel about it overall, but I like how unserious it is. I guess...a 3.5 rounded up?
May 14, 2025
I'm so bummed I read this in May and not October for my annual spooky reads challenge - it would have been prefect. This book was so fun and it had a great ending.
June 30, 2025
Just so delightfully weird! Not really a horror, but a weird coming of age tale full of Wisconsin folklore.
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