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The Half Murders
"Enthralling, mysterious, and absolutely terrifying." —Felix Blackwell, bestselling author of Stolen Tongues
JEKYLL & HYDE meets THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE in this dark and twisting thriller from the author of Bad Parts.
Kelly O’Neill hates many things—her dead-end job, her passionless marriage, her strained relationship with her daughter—but none more than the month of September.
Each year, a sinister letter arrives in her mailbox, a chilling reminder of her past misdeeds sent by a grieving mother. But this year, as the message reaches Kelly, a nightmarish entity attacks her daughter Emma within an eerie abandoned house. Though physically unharmed, Emma is left unable to walk after the incident.
As Emma struggles to recover, Kelly ventures into the attic and is attacked by the same mysterious force that targeted Emma. When Kelly comes to, she's face-to-face with her doppelgänger—an exact replica of herself, with the same appearance, voice, and mannerisms.
Determined to understand her daughter’s worsening condition, Kelly captures the doppelgänger and demands answers. But instead of answers, she receives another vengeful letter in the mail. This time, the threat is clear—Kelly must confront her dark past or risk losing her daughter forever.
In a heart-pounding race against time, Kelly must navigate a treacherous alliance with her double and piece together the connection between the house, the letters, and their malevolent sender.
Don't miss this hauntingly suspenseful tale. Grab your copy of The Half Murders today!
JEKYLL & HYDE meets THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE in this dark and twisting thriller from the author of Bad Parts.
Kelly O’Neill hates many things—her dead-end job, her passionless marriage, her strained relationship with her daughter—but none more than the month of September.
Each year, a sinister letter arrives in her mailbox, a chilling reminder of her past misdeeds sent by a grieving mother. But this year, as the message reaches Kelly, a nightmarish entity attacks her daughter Emma within an eerie abandoned house. Though physically unharmed, Emma is left unable to walk after the incident.
As Emma struggles to recover, Kelly ventures into the attic and is attacked by the same mysterious force that targeted Emma. When Kelly comes to, she's face-to-face with her doppelgänger—an exact replica of herself, with the same appearance, voice, and mannerisms.
Determined to understand her daughter’s worsening condition, Kelly captures the doppelgänger and demands answers. But instead of answers, she receives another vengeful letter in the mail. This time, the threat is clear—Kelly must confront her dark past or risk losing her daughter forever.
In a heart-pounding race against time, Kelly must navigate a treacherous alliance with her double and piece together the connection between the house, the letters, and their malevolent sender.
Don't miss this hauntingly suspenseful tale. Grab your copy of The Half Murders today!
390 pages, Paperback
Published April 30, 2024
13 people are currently reading
115 people want to read
About the author
Brandon McNulty
10 books158 followersBrandon McNulty grew up loving monsters, demons, and the thrill of a great scare. Now he writes supernatural thrillers, horror, and other dark fiction. He is a graduate of Taos Toolbox Writers Workshop and a winner of both Pitch Wars and RevPit.
YOUTUBE CHANNEL: https://www.youtube.com/c/WriterBrand...
WEBSITE: https://brandonmcnulty.com/
YOUTUBE CHANNEL: https://www.youtube.com/c/WriterBrand...
WEBSITE: https://brandonmcnulty.com/
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
May 7, 2024
I met the author through his youtube channel where he offers a wide variety of writing advice. I also read his work in order to see his swiss-army-knife-technique in action.
Half Murders might be the weakest installment of Mcnulty’s ouvre in terms of enunciation, but plot-wise and thematically is eerie, ambitious and deeply touching. I hated the main character and I would have liked to hate her more before I started feeling compassion for her. I did like though how the author slowly cooked the unraveling of Kelly and K2 and the coming to terms. I would have liked more backstory on the haunting of Burned House. The witchy aspect of circus magicians, and burned-to-death squatters and creepy journals would have made a nice story inside of the story.
I don’t enjoy resolutions at the expense of shootouts, I prefer smart characters trying to manipulate each other. I did not like the super-mom angle. But I went crazy when Kelly had a date with Lance and then another character came in, seated and talked... Just talked about decaying relationships. I think Mcnulty should trust his down-to-earth dialogue. He is really good at the supernatural (his plots are evidence) but I would kill for more of his realist stuff in the future. It would make the supernatural shine brighter. Horror, in the end, it's only the atmosphere in which the human drama unfolds.
Last but not least, I do like that Mcnulty writes (conscious or not) page-turners. All in all, there’s nothing sweeter and more intoxicating than the addiction to a book. It renders everything meaningless and your only goal is to push forward and devour all those pages.
ps. I read "The Half Murders" during nightime and it's highly recommended.
Half Murders might be the weakest installment of Mcnulty’s ouvre in terms of enunciation, but plot-wise and thematically is eerie, ambitious and deeply touching. I hated the main character and I would have liked to hate her more before I started feeling compassion for her. I did like though how the author slowly cooked the unraveling of Kelly and K2 and the coming to terms. I would have liked more backstory on the haunting of Burned House. The witchy aspect of circus magicians, and burned-to-death squatters and creepy journals would have made a nice story inside of the story.
I don’t enjoy resolutions at the expense of shootouts, I prefer smart characters trying to manipulate each other. I did not like the super-mom angle. But I went crazy when Kelly had a date with Lance and then another character came in, seated and talked... Just talked about decaying relationships. I think Mcnulty should trust his down-to-earth dialogue. He is really good at the supernatural (his plots are evidence) but I would kill for more of his realist stuff in the future. It would make the supernatural shine brighter. Horror, in the end, it's only the atmosphere in which the human drama unfolds.
Last but not least, I do like that Mcnulty writes (conscious or not) page-turners. All in all, there’s nothing sweeter and more intoxicating than the addiction to a book. It renders everything meaningless and your only goal is to push forward and devour all those pages.
ps. I read "The Half Murders" during nightime and it's highly recommended.
October 22, 2024
Another Solid Offering
McNulty leans heavily into the supernatural in his works. I read Entry Wounds last year and, although the supernatural is hardly my thing, I enjoyed the story.
The same with The Half Murders. This time McNulty dives into the deep end and explores subconscious motives and deeply hidden desires. The psychological aspects are some of my favorite parts of this story. The idea of two identical individuals, one representing the Ego and the other the Id makes for great conflict to keep the pace moving.
I follow the author on YT due to the quality of his advice and find that he truly practices what he preaches.
McNulty leans heavily into the supernatural in his works. I read Entry Wounds last year and, although the supernatural is hardly my thing, I enjoyed the story.
The same with The Half Murders. This time McNulty dives into the deep end and explores subconscious motives and deeply hidden desires. The psychological aspects are some of my favorite parts of this story. The idea of two identical individuals, one representing the Ego and the other the Id makes for great conflict to keep the pace moving.
I follow the author on YT due to the quality of his advice and find that he truly practices what he preaches.
January 2, 2026
Pros:
- Easy read.
- Plenty of twists.
- Good pacing.
- Some good action scenes.
Cons:
- Writing is a bit simplistic.
- Some things are overexplained.
Comments:
Not a bad book for a quick read. The MC is the most unlikable character for about the first half of the story, and brings about a lot of the problems onto herself. For example with her doppelganger, .
I also would've liked to have seen more exploration of Emma and her dynamic with her doppelganger, but .
There isn't also a whole lot of explanation for why the doppelgangers . It's easy enough to come up with your own conclusions, but I was expecting a bit more told there.
Speaking of, the story tends to explain plot points and events in detail, and there's a fair bit of telling vs showing. Maybe it's because it's meant for mass marketing and to be easily digestible, but I was hoping for more of letting the reader figure certain things out. There are also a few moments where characters will plot dump information in a "well Kelly, as you may have forgotten, my great grandad was once a famous burger chef, known to have worked alongside Ronald McDonald..." fashion, which was a bit jarring. It would've been one thing if the dialogue felt more natural, but when these moments came up, it wasn't.
It's otherwise enjoyable. The origins and explanations of the Murder House are hinted at, but not explicitly spelled out which worked for me, since it wasn't that central to the story, and the pacing kept me going once we get past the slow start. It's a fun concept and mystery, and left me wondering what I would do if I had to contend with my own doppelganger. I'd definitely handle it better than Kelly.
- Easy read.
- Plenty of twists.
- Good pacing.
- Some good action scenes.
Cons:
- Writing is a bit simplistic.
- Some things are overexplained.
Comments:
Not a bad book for a quick read. The MC is the most unlikable character for about the first half of the story, and brings about a lot of the problems onto herself. For example with her doppelganger, .
I also would've liked to have seen more exploration of Emma and her dynamic with her doppelganger, but .
There isn't also a whole lot of explanation for why the doppelgangers . It's easy enough to come up with your own conclusions, but I was expecting a bit more told there.
Speaking of, the story tends to explain plot points and events in detail, and there's a fair bit of telling vs showing. Maybe it's because it's meant for mass marketing and to be easily digestible, but I was hoping for more of letting the reader figure certain things out. There are also a few moments where characters will plot dump information in a "well Kelly, as you may have forgotten, my great grandad was once a famous burger chef, known to have worked alongside Ronald McDonald..." fashion, which was a bit jarring. It would've been one thing if the dialogue felt more natural, but when these moments came up, it wasn't.
It's otherwise enjoyable. The origins and explanations of the Murder House are hinted at, but not explicitly spelled out which worked for me, since it wasn't that central to the story, and the pacing kept me going once we get past the slow start. It's a fun concept and mystery, and left me wondering what I would do if I had to contend with my own doppelganger. I'd definitely handle it better than Kelly.
October 29, 2024
I picked up The Half Murders after discovering Brandon McNulty’s YouTube channel, where he gives fantastic writing advice and explores the art of storytelling. His insights there sparked my curiosity, and this book did not disappoint! This supernatural horror-thriller is a quick, pulse-pounding read that had me eagerly turning each page to see where the mystery would lead.
McNulty expertly builds suspense with each chapter, weaving an eerie, atmospheric narrative that keeps readers hooked. The story’s blend of supernatural elements with desperately piecing the mystery together adds a unique intensity, making it a perfect pick for fans of horror and suspense. I’d highly recommend it to anyone who loves a fast-paced, chilling mystery with an other-worldly twist!
McNulty expertly builds suspense with each chapter, weaving an eerie, atmospheric narrative that keeps readers hooked. The story’s blend of supernatural elements with desperately piecing the mystery together adds a unique intensity, making it a perfect pick for fans of horror and suspense. I’d highly recommend it to anyone who loves a fast-paced, chilling mystery with an other-worldly twist!
July 26, 2025
I don't think I've ever enjoyed a story this much despite feeling kicked in the chest this hard.
I finished this book a while back, but a family tragedy made it too painful to dwell on the story elements as I would need to do for a thorough review.
That brings us to content warnings for child death and kidnapping, and for suicidal thoughts and behavior. Suicide was attempted in the past by multiple characters, and there's a nightmarish sequence that forces the main character Kelly to relive her darkest night of the soul. Proceed with caution but IMHO this trip is worth taking.
Okay, onward to the review:
The premise of The Half-Murders is freaky and compelling: one of the most deviously conceived haunted houses ever--a magician's Depression-era house with strange but consistent rules including how it can vanish and reappear--forces a cluster of suburban folks in Pennsylvania to confront their own doppelgangers and buried desires.
Their 'doubles' (and whoa, is it suspenseful trying to figure out who has a double and who doesn't!) tend to be more ruthless...except who's more ruthless gets debatable when it comes to the lone point of view character, suburban mom Kelly.
For context, Kelly's soccer champion dreams veered off course off course into teenage pregnancy with daughter Emma culminating in an amicable split where her ex kept custody. As the story opens Kelly has settled into marriage with a genial but repressed ex-soccer player and cute twin sons, and an aggravating customer service job. She tries to be a good wife and mother and not to flirt with the kids' charming soccer coach Lance, but he and her free-spirited (and wine spirited) friend Brittney from her college team days sometimes get her wistful about roads in life not taken.
I understand why other readers say they had a hard time warming up to Kelly, finding her manipulative and selfish as we get a front row seat to what she's thinking versus what she tells other people.
Yet the author brought me onto Team Kelly right away. It was his deftness in introducing the poison pen letters from her checkered past and her playful relationship with her husband despite their tendency to hide their scars--but most of all my empathy gushed for Kelly's yearning for more closeness with her estranged teenage daughter Emma and the lengths she was willing to go for her.
Emma and Kelly finding their way back to each other, letting the secrets and lies of omission between them fall away, are the beating heart of this story. No matter how weird and grotesque and zany the action gets. (The wildest part brings new meaning to the phrase "finger food" and I'll say no more about that.)
McNulty brings the horror vibe fiercely even if 'supernatural thriller' is probably the most apt categorizing. Not just by the eeriness, ratcheted suspense, occasional gore, and many sharp twists and turns wonderfully executed, but because right away Kelly sees her duplicate 'K2' as a threat and he makes her fears credible, really brings them home if you will. Her double could blow up her life with irresponsible antics, or worse replace her and deceive everyone she cares about especially her beloved young twins.
Kelly can hardly bear to let down her guard no matter how many times 'K2' insists she just wants to make the best of a weird situation where she has all the memories of a life she can't claim, and I found myself believing in K2's good intentions a lot more than her counterpart did.
Real talk though, Kelly's duplicate 'K2' was one of the most fun characters because she was so fantastic at calling out Kelly's BS and every thought and feeling she didn't want to admit, even if she was (IMHO) overly critical of DJ and too much of a party girl for comfort.
While I enjoyed the sinister mystery of the Half-Murders House and its secrets, and the unraveling of those poison pen letters plaguing Kelly all these years, it was pleasurable just getting to know other people in Kelly's life and how her relationships with them evolved to be more honest too. From her gruff and reliable ex-partner Rick the policeman to her goofy husband DJ to their lovable boys.
Teenage Emma was hardest for me to warm up to, secretive and selfish and impulsive. But I wouldn't say any of Emma's behavior was inappropriate (by that mean I mean unrealistic) for her age or came out of the blue given the emotional wringers she'd gone through.
Putting me through the emotional wringer is the only reason this gets 4 stars instead of 5. (My ratings reflect how much I felt enjoyment versus how much I felt troubled...everybody does their stars as they see fit and I'm not saying I don't want to feel troubled or challenged or uncomfortable or fearful when I read...because of course there's great value in all that as well as the uplifting takeaways.)
The ending confrontations were IMMENSELY SATISFYING to both the bright and dark chambers of my heart and I can't get into details without unacceptable spoilers (so I won't).
In closing, the macabre imagination, thrill ride, intense emotional journey, character relationships, fantastic dialogue, and growth moments (and the wryness and timing of the humor in McNulty's narration reminiscent of Stephen King) in The Half-Murders made any heartsickness on my part worth it.
These characters and their revelations will remain with me a long time, McNulty shows his knack for that yet again, and I can hardly wait to add his next book to my shelves.
WHEN A STORY SPLITS YOUR HEART, SPEAK UP--BOOST THE SIGNAL!
I finished this book a while back, but a family tragedy made it too painful to dwell on the story elements as I would need to do for a thorough review.
That brings us to content warnings for child death and kidnapping, and for suicidal thoughts and behavior. Suicide was attempted in the past by multiple characters, and there's a nightmarish sequence that forces the main character Kelly to relive her darkest night of the soul. Proceed with caution but IMHO this trip is worth taking.
Okay, onward to the review:
The premise of The Half-Murders is freaky and compelling: one of the most deviously conceived haunted houses ever--a magician's Depression-era house with strange but consistent rules including how it can vanish and reappear--forces a cluster of suburban folks in Pennsylvania to confront their own doppelgangers and buried desires.
Their 'doubles' (and whoa, is it suspenseful trying to figure out who has a double and who doesn't!) tend to be more ruthless...except who's more ruthless gets debatable when it comes to the lone point of view character, suburban mom Kelly.
For context, Kelly's soccer champion dreams veered off course off course into teenage pregnancy with daughter Emma culminating in an amicable split where her ex kept custody. As the story opens Kelly has settled into marriage with a genial but repressed ex-soccer player and cute twin sons, and an aggravating customer service job. She tries to be a good wife and mother and not to flirt with the kids' charming soccer coach Lance, but he and her free-spirited (and wine spirited) friend Brittney from her college team days sometimes get her wistful about roads in life not taken.
I understand why other readers say they had a hard time warming up to Kelly, finding her manipulative and selfish as we get a front row seat to what she's thinking versus what she tells other people.
Yet the author brought me onto Team Kelly right away. It was his deftness in introducing the poison pen letters from her checkered past and her playful relationship with her husband despite their tendency to hide their scars--but most of all my empathy gushed for Kelly's yearning for more closeness with her estranged teenage daughter Emma and the lengths she was willing to go for her.
Emma and Kelly finding their way back to each other, letting the secrets and lies of omission between them fall away, are the beating heart of this story. No matter how weird and grotesque and zany the action gets. (The wildest part brings new meaning to the phrase "finger food" and I'll say no more about that.)
McNulty brings the horror vibe fiercely even if 'supernatural thriller' is probably the most apt categorizing. Not just by the eeriness, ratcheted suspense, occasional gore, and many sharp twists and turns wonderfully executed, but because right away Kelly sees her duplicate 'K2' as a threat and he makes her fears credible, really brings them home if you will. Her double could blow up her life with irresponsible antics, or worse replace her and deceive everyone she cares about especially her beloved young twins.
Kelly can hardly bear to let down her guard no matter how many times 'K2' insists she just wants to make the best of a weird situation where she has all the memories of a life she can't claim, and I found myself believing in K2's good intentions a lot more than her counterpart did.
Real talk though, Kelly's duplicate 'K2' was one of the most fun characters because she was so fantastic at calling out Kelly's BS and every thought and feeling she didn't want to admit, even if she was (IMHO) overly critical of DJ and too much of a party girl for comfort.
While I enjoyed the sinister mystery of the Half-Murders House and its secrets, and the unraveling of those poison pen letters plaguing Kelly all these years, it was pleasurable just getting to know other people in Kelly's life and how her relationships with them evolved to be more honest too. From her gruff and reliable ex-partner Rick the policeman to her goofy husband DJ to their lovable boys.
Teenage Emma was hardest for me to warm up to, secretive and selfish and impulsive. But I wouldn't say any of Emma's behavior was inappropriate (by that mean I mean unrealistic) for her age or came out of the blue given the emotional wringers she'd gone through.
Putting me through the emotional wringer is the only reason this gets 4 stars instead of 5. (My ratings reflect how much I felt enjoyment versus how much I felt troubled...everybody does their stars as they see fit and I'm not saying I don't want to feel troubled or challenged or uncomfortable or fearful when I read...because of course there's great value in all that as well as the uplifting takeaways.)
The ending confrontations were IMMENSELY SATISFYING to both the bright and dark chambers of my heart and I can't get into details without unacceptable spoilers (so I won't).
In closing, the macabre imagination, thrill ride, intense emotional journey, character relationships, fantastic dialogue, and growth moments (and the wryness and timing of the humor in McNulty's narration reminiscent of Stephen King) in The Half-Murders made any heartsickness on my part worth it.
These characters and their revelations will remain with me a long time, McNulty shows his knack for that yet again, and I can hardly wait to add his next book to my shelves.
WHEN A STORY SPLITS YOUR HEART, SPEAK UP--BOOST THE SIGNAL!
September 20, 2024
The Half Murders, by Brandon McNulty, is a gripping thriller with a dark and twisted plot.
Kelly O’Neill receives a green envelope in the mail every September, a fact which we are introduced to immediately. This opening detail instantly hooked me, piquing my curiosity as to who was sending them.
Kelly’s life is far from perfect. At the start of the story, we see how disenchanted she has become with her everyday existence, from her job to her own marriage. When her daughter, Emma, calls her late one night, seeking a ride home, Kelly is forced to enter a mysterious house, one which becomes the primary focus of the story. From the moment she enters its walls her life changes forever, becoming more exciting but also far more dangerous. Before long, Kelly no longer knows who to trust. Plagued by a series of increasingly dark revelations, she is forced to make a terrible choice to save all that she holds dear.
~Other thoughts:
This was a deeply chilling read, which had me on the edge of my seat – excuse the pun – the whole way through. The story is set up well, with exposition naturally interspersed throughout the first few chapters. New revelations are unveiled at perfect points throughout the story, drawing the reader in further. Moreover, there were layers of mystery and thrill, making this a truly page-turning read.
Themes included family, secrets, loss, and embracing one’s true self.
Rated 5 stars. I would recommend this book to fans of thrillers with dark, supernatural undertones.
February 23, 2025
I like the author's YouTube channel and while I enjoyed some of his writing skills (good foreshadowing and symbolism) this book was a miss for me. I didn't like the protagonist as a person or a decision-maker so it was hard for me to sympathize or even find satisfaction in her victories. Some of the characters felt like plot devices more than people...basically I liked the antagonist best.
I would recommend this book to aspiring authors as a useful book to critique.
I would recommend this book to aspiring authors as a useful book to critique.
November 29, 2024
It could have been shorter.
October 22, 2025
a very interesting mystery story... gripping... thrilling... I love Brandon mcnulty as a youtuber, tried this and absolutely loved it.. 10/10 for me
May 1, 2024
Perhaps the most thrilling and terrifying is the self reflection of seeing the characters in yourself as you read/listen. McNulty’s latest delves into places I shudder to think about and I love it.
January 17, 2026
I really enjoyed this book! It is a very captivating horror novel but at the same time has a great sense of humor! There were many parts that were a good laugh, but there were also chilling parts that I was so immersed in, I had to take a break because I was frightened. I loved that it was set in a familiar setting. Reading about Scranton was fun. Can't wait for Brandon's next book!
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews