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Behind
When he was a little boy, there was a house behind Alex Lowry's house. Except he was the only one who could see it. Only he could hear the woman singing from within.
Decades later, after the pandemic costs Alex his corporate job, he picks up work delivering specialty items to homebound clientele and, against all odds, he realizes he enjoys his new life. His world is simpler. Quieter. Until he once more hears the tuneless, wordless song of the woman from the house behind. Until the cracks in the facade of his simple, quiet life begin to yawn, and a past he thought he had outrun begins to gain on him.
Until he finds himself slipping into the world behind.
BEHIND is Bentley Little at his best, a scathing, razor sharp terror of off kilter paranoia that examines the thin veneer of civilization and how quickly it can erode... and what lies behind it.
Decades later, after the pandemic costs Alex his corporate job, he picks up work delivering specialty items to homebound clientele and, against all odds, he realizes he enjoys his new life. His world is simpler. Quieter. Until he once more hears the tuneless, wordless song of the woman from the house behind. Until the cracks in the facade of his simple, quiet life begin to yawn, and a past he thought he had outrun begins to gain on him.
Until he finds himself slipping into the world behind.
BEHIND is Bentley Little at his best, a scathing, razor sharp terror of off kilter paranoia that examines the thin veneer of civilization and how quickly it can erode... and what lies behind it.
352 pages, Hardcover
Published July 16, 2024
110 people are currently reading
467 people want to read
About the author
Bentley Little
135 books2,570 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 65 reviews
February 25, 2025
Behind is another of Little's "more abstract" books, a bit more like Gloria or Dispatch than DMV. It's pretty ambitious, there are interesting themes that combine elements of the Covid pandemic and ideas about cities and buildings themselves. It's a novel specifically about LA during the lockdown, a quiet world with a different universe underneath that peaks out now and then. I just found a lot of this to be mysterious, there's a unique Americana to it. The Pasadena suburbs are melting and you only have your spouse and your work friend to keep you from floating away. It's funny too, and scary; full of the classic witty banter and food-eating nightmares the author is known for. This one and Gloria are some of his best stuff. Sure, the pace is non-existent and the ending is underwhelming, but it's almost like an Angeleno Ramsey Campbell novel.
December 22, 2024
If you see something and no one else sees it, is it truly there? Well, he is about to find out when the people he cares about the most start seeing the same vision he's been seeing his whole life; bad stuff starts happening—really bad stuff. No longer can he ignore it because everything that has happened behind him is making everything in front of him a living hell.
Right, I've read a handful of his books, and they can be very hit or miss; this was a big hit! It had some seriously scary moments, and the demon or devil lady, whoever she was, that woman was very well done, hair-raising. It was also a hit because I was intrigued by the main character's employment, an under-the-table delivery driver of illicit goods, that kind of kept the action moving. Recommend this; it was a great read.
Right, I've read a handful of his books, and they can be very hit or miss; this was a big hit! It had some seriously scary moments, and the demon or devil lady, whoever she was, that woman was very well done, hair-raising. It was also a hit because I was intrigued by the main character's employment, an under-the-table delivery driver of illicit goods, that kind of kept the action moving. Recommend this; it was a great read.
July 18, 2024
Growing up, there sat behind Alex's house another house. Not a neighbor's house behind his backyard, but another house altogether within his backyard, one that shifted and altered the landscape of the territory around it. It was a house that should not have been, but inexplicably was. It came and went on its own accord and, perhaps more troubling still, Alex was the only one that could see this other house.
As an adult, Alex has suddenly found himself laid off in the midst of corporate downsizing as everybody grapples with COVID-19 and the ensuing quarantine lockdowns. His former co-worker, Britta, has come up with a genius idea of starting her own personal delivery business akin to companies like DoorDash or GitHub but far more niche, specializing in the delivery of rare, hard-to-get items. To the dismay of his wife and in-laws, Alex jumps aboard as a partner and goes from rising-star capitalist to delivery boy. He finds himself loving the job, though, and it gives him a chance to see a side of his city he'd never noticed before, to become intimately acquainted with these strangers and their hobbies, their hidden loves and secret vices. As the pandemic progresses, though, the orders and deliveries grow ever stranger, the clientele increasingly odd.
And the house behind Alex's house has returned...along with its inhabitants.
Bentley Little's Behind is a slick, muscular little number, one you can't help but squeeze tight and ride on through late into the night. Unlike last year's satirical and increasingly goofy DMV, Little plays it straight and deadly serious here. It's an unexpected knife slash across the throat of a book, one that grows increasingly tense with each shifting of the landscape and each new oddball delivery order. Like Alex, the reader is never quite sure what they're going to be in for with each turn of the page and you can't help but try to peek around the corner to see what's coming up, hoping for the safety of something familiar and recognizable.
Little has crafted here one hell of a haunted house book with a truly unique take where it's not a ghost inhabiting a house that makes it haunted, but the house and its inhabitants themselves that do the haunting, taking over entire streets and towns, twisting and changing that which surrounds it. It's a brilliant and uncanny change from your traditional house of horrors, one that thematically echoes the state of America circa spring 2020 and the years beyond.
Behind presents Alex with a funhouse mirror of the city and the people he thought he knew, and he's confronted with these feelings of being displaced, of being a stranger in an increasingly strange land. Little echoes here a lot of what many of us white folk, once secure in our little bubbles and echo chambers, felt following Trump's election in 2016, of waking up the morning after the election to confront a country that we thought we knew and understood only to discover that it had radically shifted. People and places that had once been known and familiar had turned into nightmarish versions that no longer felt safe and welcoming, and grew worser still in the face of a global pandemic with the ignorance of anti-masking brigades turned proud of their anti-science stupidity. A land that once felt promising and safe was revealed to be populated by selfish, hate-filled monsters championing violence en masse. Alex is forced to confront these horrors as he's drawn ever deeper into their world and their threats to consume his home, his family, and his life. All that's missing are the stupid little red hats.
As an adult, Alex has suddenly found himself laid off in the midst of corporate downsizing as everybody grapples with COVID-19 and the ensuing quarantine lockdowns. His former co-worker, Britta, has come up with a genius idea of starting her own personal delivery business akin to companies like DoorDash or GitHub but far more niche, specializing in the delivery of rare, hard-to-get items. To the dismay of his wife and in-laws, Alex jumps aboard as a partner and goes from rising-star capitalist to delivery boy. He finds himself loving the job, though, and it gives him a chance to see a side of his city he'd never noticed before, to become intimately acquainted with these strangers and their hobbies, their hidden loves and secret vices. As the pandemic progresses, though, the orders and deliveries grow ever stranger, the clientele increasingly odd.
And the house behind Alex's house has returned...along with its inhabitants.
Bentley Little's Behind is a slick, muscular little number, one you can't help but squeeze tight and ride on through late into the night. Unlike last year's satirical and increasingly goofy DMV, Little plays it straight and deadly serious here. It's an unexpected knife slash across the throat of a book, one that grows increasingly tense with each shifting of the landscape and each new oddball delivery order. Like Alex, the reader is never quite sure what they're going to be in for with each turn of the page and you can't help but try to peek around the corner to see what's coming up, hoping for the safety of something familiar and recognizable.
Little has crafted here one hell of a haunted house book with a truly unique take where it's not a ghost inhabiting a house that makes it haunted, but the house and its inhabitants themselves that do the haunting, taking over entire streets and towns, twisting and changing that which surrounds it. It's a brilliant and uncanny change from your traditional house of horrors, one that thematically echoes the state of America circa spring 2020 and the years beyond.
Behind presents Alex with a funhouse mirror of the city and the people he thought he knew, and he's confronted with these feelings of being displaced, of being a stranger in an increasingly strange land. Little echoes here a lot of what many of us white folk, once secure in our little bubbles and echo chambers, felt following Trump's election in 2016, of waking up the morning after the election to confront a country that we thought we knew and understood only to discover that it had radically shifted. People and places that had once been known and familiar had turned into nightmarish versions that no longer felt safe and welcoming, and grew worser still in the face of a global pandemic with the ignorance of anti-masking brigades turned proud of their anti-science stupidity. A land that once felt promising and safe was revealed to be populated by selfish, hate-filled monsters championing violence en masse. Alex is forced to confront these horrors as he's drawn ever deeper into their world and their threats to consume his home, his family, and his life. All that's missing are the stupid little red hats.
July 2, 2024
Alex is a happily married man who tries not to think much about the past. He has never told anyone what he saw as a child, not even his wife Jennifer. He has given her the impression that he had a normal childhood. He may even have convinced himself that it's true. He never talks about the church, and only says that his parents passed away when he was young.
When Alex loses his job due to the pandemic, Jennifer thinks her father or his connections could be of some help. He's never gotten along well with his Father-in-law but complies with Jennifer's request to visit her parents. It is on this visit that the past catches up to him. There it stands. A house behind his in-laws' house. A house that should not be there in their suddenly too-big backyard. A house that's just a little bit wrong, with doors in the wrong place and not enough windows. The house where "she awaits."
I don't want to say anything else about the plot and spoil it for you. I will just say that if you have read Bentley Little before you know that his book titles that begin with "The" as in The Store, The Mailman, The Resort, etc tend to follow his usual formula. While those without, such as Dispatch, His Father's Son, Gloria, etc. tend to stray from that usual formula. Behind was not just my most anticipated read of the year, it is now among my favorites of all his books. I savored it slowly over the course of a week because I didn't want it to end.
Behind is delightfully dark and disturbing. The pervasive atmosphere of "wrongness" grew heavier with every page I turned. It takes a lot to scare me but this succeeded in appearing my nightmares.
My thanks to Dan Franklin and Cemetery Dance Publications.
When Alex loses his job due to the pandemic, Jennifer thinks her father or his connections could be of some help. He's never gotten along well with his Father-in-law but complies with Jennifer's request to visit her parents. It is on this visit that the past catches up to him. There it stands. A house behind his in-laws' house. A house that should not be there in their suddenly too-big backyard. A house that's just a little bit wrong, with doors in the wrong place and not enough windows. The house where "she awaits."
I don't want to say anything else about the plot and spoil it for you. I will just say that if you have read Bentley Little before you know that his book titles that begin with "The" as in The Store, The Mailman, The Resort, etc tend to follow his usual formula. While those without, such as Dispatch, His Father's Son, Gloria, etc. tend to stray from that usual formula. Behind was not just my most anticipated read of the year, it is now among my favorites of all his books. I savored it slowly over the course of a week because I didn't want it to end.
Behind is delightfully dark and disturbing. The pervasive atmosphere of "wrongness" grew heavier with every page I turned. It takes a lot to scare me but this succeeded in appearing my nightmares.
My thanks to Dan Franklin and Cemetery Dance Publications.
September 26, 2025
Behind – Bentley Little at His Creepiest (and Most Timely) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I’ve read a lot of haunted house stories, but I’ve never had one quite like Behind. Bentley Little takes what looks like a straightforward set-up — a boy sees a house in his backyard that no one else can see, grows up, and then the house comes back to claim him — and turns it into something weirdly intimate and timely.
Alex isn’t your standard horror protagonist. He’s a laid-off worker in the middle of COVID, hustling rare-item deliveries with a friend while trying to hold his family together. Those early chapters are full of the kinds of small details (awkward in-law dinners, petty deliveries, oddball customers) that made me nod and think, “yep, been there.” Which only makes it creepier when the “house behind the house” returns and starts to warp everything he thinks he knows.
This isn’t the tongue-in-cheek Bentley Little of "The Store" or "The DMV". Here he plays it straight, almost elegiac, and it works. The shifting house feels like a living metaphor for America during lockdown: familiar streets turning strange, neighbours you thought you knew becoming threats, a gnawing sense that the world has slipped its rails. It’s a haunted house story where the house itself is the predator, and Little wrings a lot of tension out of that simple inversion.
Why four stars instead of five? Because as much as I loved the ride, I did wish the ending had been as wild and layered as the middle sections promised. But honestly, that’s quibbling. Little’s prose is crisp, his dialogue snaps, and the concept of a “house behind” will stick with me whenever I look out at my own backyard at night.
If you’re after a horror novel that’s unsettling without being gory for gore’s sake, that manages to echo our pandemic-era anxieties while still delivering goosebumps, Behind is it. Just don’t be surprised if you start peeking nervously over your shoulder — or out the window — once you’re done.
I’ve read a lot of haunted house stories, but I’ve never had one quite like Behind. Bentley Little takes what looks like a straightforward set-up — a boy sees a house in his backyard that no one else can see, grows up, and then the house comes back to claim him — and turns it into something weirdly intimate and timely.
Alex isn’t your standard horror protagonist. He’s a laid-off worker in the middle of COVID, hustling rare-item deliveries with a friend while trying to hold his family together. Those early chapters are full of the kinds of small details (awkward in-law dinners, petty deliveries, oddball customers) that made me nod and think, “yep, been there.” Which only makes it creepier when the “house behind the house” returns and starts to warp everything he thinks he knows.
This isn’t the tongue-in-cheek Bentley Little of "The Store" or "The DMV". Here he plays it straight, almost elegiac, and it works. The shifting house feels like a living metaphor for America during lockdown: familiar streets turning strange, neighbours you thought you knew becoming threats, a gnawing sense that the world has slipped its rails. It’s a haunted house story where the house itself is the predator, and Little wrings a lot of tension out of that simple inversion.
Why four stars instead of five? Because as much as I loved the ride, I did wish the ending had been as wild and layered as the middle sections promised. But honestly, that’s quibbling. Little’s prose is crisp, his dialogue snaps, and the concept of a “house behind” will stick with me whenever I look out at my own backyard at night.
If you’re after a horror novel that’s unsettling without being gory for gore’s sake, that manages to echo our pandemic-era anxieties while still delivering goosebumps, Behind is it. Just don’t be surprised if you start peeking nervously over your shoulder — or out the window — once you’re done.
July 4, 2024
I’ve been wanting to read Bentley Little for quite some time but for whatever reason have found him somewhat inaccessible. None of my libraries carry his books which is shocking since he’s a well known voice in the horror world. So, Behind was my first foray into this author which the King himself recommends.
I really enjoyed this book. It’s one of those books where the sense of dread is palpable and only continues to grow as you turn the pages. There are some really dark side mentions within the business delivery aspect. The entire business model seemed like a wild liability, but it went places I didn’t even foresee and into some seriously terrifying places.
The behind/other worldly aspect was well done. Some of the times where Alex finds himself on unfamiliar ground were executed in the most creepy way.
My only issue with this book was I wanted more. I actually loved the ambiguity with the ending, but I had so many questions that went unanswered. There were some seriously sketch situations that are never really explained or justified. I would’ve happily read a 600pg version of this book that explained more.
Overall this is definitely an author I’d like to read more of in the future. Little does an excellent job at inserting terror into the mundane. The entire concept of “behind” is one I won’t forget for a while. I definitely recommend this book.
I really enjoyed this book. It’s one of those books where the sense of dread is palpable and only continues to grow as you turn the pages. There are some really dark side mentions within the business delivery aspect. The entire business model seemed like a wild liability, but it went places I didn’t even foresee and into some seriously terrifying places.
The behind/other worldly aspect was well done. Some of the times where Alex finds himself on unfamiliar ground were executed in the most creepy way.
My only issue with this book was I wanted more. I actually loved the ambiguity with the ending, but I had so many questions that went unanswered. There were some seriously sketch situations that are never really explained or justified. I would’ve happily read a 600pg version of this book that explained more.
Overall this is definitely an author I’d like to read more of in the future. Little does an excellent job at inserting terror into the mundane. The entire concept of “behind” is one I won’t forget for a while. I definitely recommend this book.
July 6, 2024
Behind
Bentley Little
4.25/5 Stars
ARC Review
I don't always remember to praise Bentley like I should, and I'm still always surprised when he releases a new book and I love it, and no clue why because I don't think he's released anything I don't like.
But once again he's taken something that seems normal and put his sinister spin on it.
First off I KNEW iceberg lettuce was evil, iykyk.
Second this is exactly what would happen to me if I tried to do Uber or something.
I spent the first half of the book trying to nail down exactly who I thought was the evil, or what even, he kept me guessing and little red herrings pulling me in othet directions.
Then the rest I spent on the edge of my seat and anxious. How can something like a home that's supposed to represent safety, become something so sinister. And true to Bentley, I never get too invested in a character, because you never know, but as usual he has me rooting, and hoping my people make it to the end.
I had this finished in a day and a half, and one of those days I had to work, so this was that good.
Bentley Little
4.25/5 Stars
ARC Review
I don't always remember to praise Bentley like I should, and I'm still always surprised when he releases a new book and I love it, and no clue why because I don't think he's released anything I don't like.
But once again he's taken something that seems normal and put his sinister spin on it.
First off I KNEW iceberg lettuce was evil, iykyk.
Second this is exactly what would happen to me if I tried to do Uber or something.
I spent the first half of the book trying to nail down exactly who I thought was the evil, or what even, he kept me guessing and little red herrings pulling me in othet directions.
Then the rest I spent on the edge of my seat and anxious. How can something like a home that's supposed to represent safety, become something so sinister. And true to Bentley, I never get too invested in a character, because you never know, but as usual he has me rooting, and hoping my people make it to the end.
I had this finished in a day and a half, and one of those days I had to work, so this was that good.
August 4, 2024
When Alex was a little boy, there was a house behind his house, and no one could see it but him. Inside the house there was a singing woman but she wasn't alone. Something dark, something evil lurked within its walls. Years later, the house is back, and so is the woman. Strange things start happening, and now it's impacting other people, too.
During the height of the pandemic, Alex is laid off from his job. He starts a business with a former coworker, delivering items directly to peoples homes. Over time, the requests take on strange and darker themes. Alex starts to see that behind the beautiful homes and their prestigious inhabitants, a wickedness lives. Behind everything normal was something that was…not.
This book was creepy and intense. It combined haunted house and cult religion tropes to make something that was truly unique. Every time our MC went to a new house, I found myself nervous to see just who was living there and what sort of darkness they hid from the world.
This was actually my first Bentley little novel, but I am eager now to go back and check out more of his titles.
I received a copy of this in exchange for an honest review.
During the height of the pandemic, Alex is laid off from his job. He starts a business with a former coworker, delivering items directly to peoples homes. Over time, the requests take on strange and darker themes. Alex starts to see that behind the beautiful homes and their prestigious inhabitants, a wickedness lives. Behind everything normal was something that was…not.
This book was creepy and intense. It combined haunted house and cult religion tropes to make something that was truly unique. Every time our MC went to a new house, I found myself nervous to see just who was living there and what sort of darkness they hid from the world.
This was actually my first Bentley little novel, but I am eager now to go back and check out more of his titles.
I received a copy of this in exchange for an honest review.
December 24, 2025
Was zu Beginn als Parabel auf die amerikanische Gesellschaft während der Pandemie gelesen werden könnte, entwickelt sich zu einem zähen erzählerischen Brei, der nicht nur für Alex, den Protagonisten, keinen Sinn ergibt, sondern auch mich als Leser zunehmend gelangweilt hat, bis am unausgegorenen Ende regelrecht Verärgerung aufkam. BEHIND ist Bentley Little at his worst, folgt erzählerisch seinen früheren Romane (vor allem HANDYMAN), ist jedoch am zähen Ende absolut enttäuschend.
Im Mittelteil gab es Szenen, die man sich verfilmt als schwarz/weiß-Epispden der Twilight Zone vorstellen konnte, und sie retten BEHIND vor dem 1-Stern-Desaster. Ansonsten ist bei mir der Eindruck entstanden, dass Little mit diesem Roman, der stoffmäßig nur eine aufgeblähte Erzählung ist, am Ende seines Lateins angekommen ist.
Im Mittelteil gab es Szenen, die man sich verfilmt als schwarz/weiß-Epispden der Twilight Zone vorstellen konnte, und sie retten BEHIND vor dem 1-Stern-Desaster. Ansonsten ist bei mir der Eindruck entstanden, dass Little mit diesem Roman, der stoffmäßig nur eine aufgeblähte Erzählung ist, am Ende seines Lateins angekommen ist.
March 8, 2025
3.5 rounded up. Weird, unhinged, creepy, and super well written. However, the last third loses momentum, and Little doesn't stick the ending.
July 22, 2024
Thank you to @cemeterydancepub for my advance copy! I have never read a book by Little before…I know *gasp*
This book is filled with dread, from the very beginning. The concept of the story and the “behind” world was extremely unique. It was almost like a classic haunted house story but the ghosts don’t do the haunting inside the house, they leave it. Alex is haunted everywhere he turns and the reader feels the claustrophobia.
I loved the setting of the LA area. It wasn’t all just Hollywood but cities surrounding downtown which was fun for me as I live near most of them. I thought starting this novel at the beginning of Covid added to the creep factor and the reactions and motives of all characters were pretty realistic. I am excited to continue my journey into Little and if you have a favorite, let me know!
This book is filled with dread, from the very beginning. The concept of the story and the “behind” world was extremely unique. It was almost like a classic haunted house story but the ghosts don’t do the haunting inside the house, they leave it. Alex is haunted everywhere he turns and the reader feels the claustrophobia.
I loved the setting of the LA area. It wasn’t all just Hollywood but cities surrounding downtown which was fun for me as I live near most of them. I thought starting this novel at the beginning of Covid added to the creep factor and the reactions and motives of all characters were pretty realistic. I am excited to continue my journey into Little and if you have a favorite, let me know!
July 25, 2024
I fell in love with this book from very early on, and had some trouble reaching the end - I wanted the story to go on and on, and develop into a sort of deranged looping geometry, skewering my life in ways akin to those described in the book itself. You see, for me Bentley Little's books taste like those disturbing short horror stories drenched in uncanny realism, the ones I love so much I'd rather they'd never finish! 'Behind' has all the characteristics of a short story idea which grows and grows, till it becomes a riveting, engrossing, detailed read you cannot give up on before the very last page!
The basic premise is both original and plain: a boy can see a house noone can see, a house right in his backyard; now a grown man, he has to deal once and for all with the repercussions of his discovery in adult life. Yet this solid idea slowly splinters into a thick maze of exciting twists, branching into a world "behind" ours, "behind" meant in so many complex ways - well, one of them is bound to stick with you and convince you to venture into the novel's strange backstage territories. The book provides glimpses aplenty into the uncharted, hidden, sinister background of ordinary life, without ever forgetting the pressures of daily life itself (the uncertainties of the pandemic, of finding yourself out of a job and starting a new one, of handling new settings and all the while taking care of your family).
Amidst all this, the story never lets up reminding the reader that what one sees everyday is seldom the entire truth (or even a truth at all) - there's always another reality right next door, a sickness behind the door, the curtain, the happy faces, the consistent politics, the demand of morality. Bentley takes this idea and makes fun of suburbia; fun, yes, till you realize the seriousness of his viewpoint: then the creepiness of his vision is revealed in all its glory, and you're on your own, finding your own place as a horror reader in this nightmarish world of Bentley-warped reality.
With crystal clear prose, amazing dialogue, and a satisfying ending, the book forces you to push your boundaries and entertain the unfamiliar.
This is not another haunted house story; far too much is hanging on one's understanding of what kind of a story it is. I for one would say that the real battle here is not that between good and evil, but between the familiar and the uncanny, the strange, and the bizarre, all growing out of familiarity itself.
Pick a side then. I dare you. Either way you'll have to face head on the American Shadowgod of the city, the street, the next-door house, the store, and the church. The reality behind the words. Beware.
The basic premise is both original and plain: a boy can see a house noone can see, a house right in his backyard; now a grown man, he has to deal once and for all with the repercussions of his discovery in adult life. Yet this solid idea slowly splinters into a thick maze of exciting twists, branching into a world "behind" ours, "behind" meant in so many complex ways - well, one of them is bound to stick with you and convince you to venture into the novel's strange backstage territories. The book provides glimpses aplenty into the uncharted, hidden, sinister background of ordinary life, without ever forgetting the pressures of daily life itself (the uncertainties of the pandemic, of finding yourself out of a job and starting a new one, of handling new settings and all the while taking care of your family).
Amidst all this, the story never lets up reminding the reader that what one sees everyday is seldom the entire truth (or even a truth at all) - there's always another reality right next door, a sickness behind the door, the curtain, the happy faces, the consistent politics, the demand of morality. Bentley takes this idea and makes fun of suburbia; fun, yes, till you realize the seriousness of his viewpoint: then the creepiness of his vision is revealed in all its glory, and you're on your own, finding your own place as a horror reader in this nightmarish world of Bentley-warped reality.
With crystal clear prose, amazing dialogue, and a satisfying ending, the book forces you to push your boundaries and entertain the unfamiliar.
This is not another haunted house story; far too much is hanging on one's understanding of what kind of a story it is. I for one would say that the real battle here is not that between good and evil, but between the familiar and the uncanny, the strange, and the bizarre, all growing out of familiarity itself.
Pick a side then. I dare you. Either way you'll have to face head on the American Shadowgod of the city, the street, the next-door house, the store, and the church. The reality behind the words. Beware.
July 7, 2024
When he was a little boy, there was a house behind Alex Lowry's house. Except he was the only one who could see it. Only he could hear the woman singing from within.
Decades later, after the pandemic costs Alex his corporate job, he picks up work delivering specialty items to homebound clientele and, against all odds, he realizes he enjoys his new life. His world is simpler. Quieter. Until he once more hears the tuneless, wordless song of the woman from the house behind. Until the cracks in the facade of his simple, quiet life begin to yawn, and a past he thought he had outrun begins to gain on him.
Until he finds himself slipping into the world behind.
This book is great. It is not your normal Bentley Little book which shows just how versatile he can be. This book is a must read for Little fans. For sure.
I would like to thank cemetery-dance lisa for the ARC. It was much appreciated.
Decades later, after the pandemic costs Alex his corporate job, he picks up work delivering specialty items to homebound clientele and, against all odds, he realizes he enjoys his new life. His world is simpler. Quieter. Until he once more hears the tuneless, wordless song of the woman from the house behind. Until the cracks in the facade of his simple, quiet life begin to yawn, and a past he thought he had outrun begins to gain on him.
Until he finds himself slipping into the world behind.
This book is great. It is not your normal Bentley Little book which shows just how versatile he can be. This book is a must read for Little fans. For sure.
I would like to thank cemetery-dance lisa for the ARC. It was much appreciated.
July 13, 2024
This is such an amazing book! The story sucked me in right from the beginning and didn’t let up at all. It is such an interesting and unique horror/thriller story. It had just enough creepiness to keep me tensed up while I read, and I didn’t want to put the book down. I love the premise of another world “behind” ours. It made for such a deep and dark storyline. There are so many twists within the story that I couldn’t figure out how this book was going to end.
When the main character, Alex, makes his home deliveries, I never knew what craziness he was going to find. It is a wild and exciting story!!
This is my first book from this author, but I can’t wait to read more from him!
*This book comes out July 19th!* It’s a must read!
Thank you to Cemetery Dance Publications for the arc copy of this fantastic book!
When the main character, Alex, makes his home deliveries, I never knew what craziness he was going to find. It is a wild and exciting story!!
This is my first book from this author, but I can’t wait to read more from him!
*This book comes out July 19th!* It’s a must read!
Thank you to Cemetery Dance Publications for the arc copy of this fantastic book!
July 13, 2024
4.3/5
I've been a fan of Bentley Little for over 20 years and I would probably rank this in my top 5 of his books!
The story starts out with Alex and his wife living normal lives and then things start to get weird, and if you have read Bentley Little before, you know how weird things can get. But, I have to say the events and characters in this story are some of his weirdest and strangest yet.
The pace of the book was easy as the writing painted great descriptions and scenes that made me want to not stop reading.
If you like Bentley Little, you will not be disappointed!
I've been a fan of Bentley Little for over 20 years and I would probably rank this in my top 5 of his books!
The story starts out with Alex and his wife living normal lives and then things start to get weird, and if you have read Bentley Little before, you know how weird things can get. But, I have to say the events and characters in this story are some of his weirdest and strangest yet.
The pace of the book was easy as the writing painted great descriptions and scenes that made me want to not stop reading.
If you like Bentley Little, you will not be disappointed!
September 14, 2024
Creepy, chilling, creepy, suspenseful, creepy, and maddeningly unfathomable (which adds to the creepiness), Behind is unlike anything I've read by Bentley Little. And, now, probably my favorite Little.
First, there's the title. Not the usual The "NOUN" format he uses, but a single ambiguous word (noun? verb? adjective?) that throws everything askew.
Second, the bizarre houses that appear behind other houses that only seem to be seen by some people, and not by others.
Finally, the questions left unanswered by this sleek, well-written chiller that have still have my head spinning.
I had the goosebumps the entire read, the kind that left my body cold with dread. I didn't want to pause my reading, but had to. That's powerful stuff.
At first, I thought that Little was using this novel as a political soapbox, but quickly realized that it was all related to the experience of Behind. In the end, it's about being forced to see things about the world we usually ignore as we try to make our way in life--things we can never unsee.
The vision that Little brings to this book is one that has probably been present in all his works, but never presented with such ferocity and (non) clarity.
A must for Little fans.
First, there's the title. Not the usual The "NOUN" format he uses, but a single ambiguous word (noun? verb? adjective?) that throws everything askew.
Second, the bizarre houses that appear behind other houses that only seem to be seen by some people, and not by others.
Finally, the questions left unanswered by this sleek, well-written chiller that have still have my head spinning.
I had the goosebumps the entire read, the kind that left my body cold with dread. I didn't want to pause my reading, but had to. That's powerful stuff.
At first, I thought that Little was using this novel as a political soapbox, but quickly realized that it was all related to the experience of Behind. In the end, it's about being forced to see things about the world we usually ignore as we try to make our way in life--things we can never unsee.
The vision that Little brings to this book is one that has probably been present in all his works, but never presented with such ferocity and (non) clarity.
A must for Little fans.
July 9, 2024
I just recently started reading Bentley Little books and I now just need and want them all. I love the twists and all the paranormal pieces. Behind was soooo good! I couldn't stop reading and wanted more. Behind #2 please!?
July 23, 2024
Alex has lost his job now he and a co-worker start a company. Alex sees strange things in his new job. But he has seen strange things his whole life. One being a house behind his house. This is not a normal house it disappears. It's occupents aren't normal either.
July 25, 2024
Bentley Little’s newest horror novel is his most bizarre to date.
Ever since he was a boy, Alex can see houses behind other houses - houses that aren’t supposed to be there, houses that could normally not even fit. This other universe is something that destroyed his childhood, but as an adult he has learned to live with it. Until it started coming after him, his family, and his friends.
This book contains one of the only triggers I have - animal abuse and death - and I almost stopped reading a few times, but this world that the author created was so interesting and weird that I had to keep reading to see what was going on and what was going to happen next.
If you like strange horror novels that will leave you with lots of questions and looking at your street a little differently, this one is for you. But, mind the trigger warnings because there are some rough scenes. I believe the book would not have lost any of the story if the excessive animal death was left out, and that’s why l gave it 3 stars.
- animal abuse and death
- child abuse
- suicide
- mass shooting
Ever since he was a boy, Alex can see houses behind other houses - houses that aren’t supposed to be there, houses that could normally not even fit. This other universe is something that destroyed his childhood, but as an adult he has learned to live with it. Until it started coming after him, his family, and his friends.
This book contains one of the only triggers I have - animal abuse and death - and I almost stopped reading a few times, but this world that the author created was so interesting and weird that I had to keep reading to see what was going on and what was going to happen next.
If you like strange horror novels that will leave you with lots of questions and looking at your street a little differently, this one is for you. But, mind the trigger warnings because there are some rough scenes. I believe the book would not have lost any of the story if the excessive animal death was left out, and that’s why l gave it 3 stars.
- animal abuse and death
- child abuse
- suicide
- mass shooting
September 23, 2024
"But beneath the public-facing façades were dark secrets and dead bodies, an entire world that regular people and ordinary society had no clue existed."
I'm a huge Bentley Little fan, but i , honestly, wasn't too impressed with the last couple of gooks he published. This one, however is right up there with, in my opinion his greatest book of alk time, 'The Store.'
"Through his tears, in a stray beam of moonlight, he saw a naked man, covered in blood, dancing wildly on the dusty wooden floor, mouth wide open in a silent scream."
It reminded me a little bit of 'Them' because Alex and Brittany are opened up to a world hidden in or existing behind ours. A dark world where Little's macabre imagination rules and runs wild.
Hang on tight because this is a wild ride that spirals into some seriously disturbing and chilling places and people.
I'm a huge Bentley Little fan, but i , honestly, wasn't too impressed with the last couple of gooks he published. This one, however is right up there with, in my opinion his greatest book of alk time, 'The Store.'
"Through his tears, in a stray beam of moonlight, he saw a naked man, covered in blood, dancing wildly on the dusty wooden floor, mouth wide open in a silent scream."
It reminded me a little bit of 'Them' because Alex and Brittany are opened up to a world hidden in or existing behind ours. A dark world where Little's macabre imagination rules and runs wild.
Hang on tight because this is a wild ride that spirals into some seriously disturbing and chilling places and people.
December 15, 2024
Bentley Little is a pet favorite of mine. He writes dark and twistedly funny (to me) horror stories involving seemingly innocuous things or parts of the world and turns them into evil and often supernatural conspiracies against the protagonists. None will ever be taught in English literature classes, but most are enjoyable and fast reads that are genuinely entertaining (once again, to me).
Behind doesn’t break this mold, and generally hits the notes where it needs to in order to be another feather in Little’s cap. Very reminiscent of Jordan Peele’s Us.
Behind doesn’t break this mold, and generally hits the notes where it needs to in order to be another feather in Little’s cap. Very reminiscent of Jordan Peele’s Us.
December 9, 2024
Another awesome book by Bentley Little. This one is a supernatural affair, steeped in paranoia. Very creepy slow burn of a book. Highly recommend this one.
July 18, 2024
When he was a child, Alex started seeing a house behind his house. Where he'd always seen his backyard before, there was now a building that looked somehow wrong—and Alex was the only one who could see it. Then, before long, he started to hear a woman singing inside...
As an adult, Alex has pushed these memories to the back of his mind. After losing his job following the pandemic, he starts a business with a former colleague, delivering specialty items to clients who are unable to go out, and finds himself enjoying a quieter and less pressured job. Then he begins hearing the singing again. The requests clients make start getting stranger and more violent—a vet who wants a constant stream of stray dogs, people ordering knives, rope, and a crossbow. Before long, Alex sees another house that should not exist, and the veil begins to lift between our reality and something else. Something behind.
"Behind everything normal was something that was...not."
This was my first time reading a Bentley Little book, and I was pleased to find a story that was very much to my tastes. On paper, the idea of a house that shouldn't be there feels almost trite, and there are countless horror stories told that take this concept in predictable directions. Behind, however, takes an almost Lynchian approach to how it views the city of Los Angeles—in the same way there is a previously unseen house behind his, Alex discovers there's another city lurking just out of sight of his own. His job opens his eyes to the seedy underbelly, to degeneracy, to violent and twisted individuals. What he doesn't know is how many of these people have always been there and how many have started appearing along with the house that only he can see?
One of the things that really gets under my skin is a sense of unreality, of wrongness. The idea of your home, your town, your world no longer being what you know is something that can really creep me out, and Little utilises it effectively. While I wouldn't call the book scary per se, there was one part towards the end that genuinely unnerved me.
I know a lot of people did not enjoy Stephen King's Holly, partly because of its references to political issues and COVID-19. If so, you're likely to feel the same here—the book begins as the first wave hits the US and continues from there, through the next year or so. It doesn't overwhelm the book, but it is a looming spectre throughout, often shaping character motivations and behaviour. Something to keep in mind if you're planning to pick it up.
However, I'm hard-pressed to find another reason why I wouldn't recommend it to someone. It won't tie up every question you have neatly by the end, but it does have a satisfying ending, and the story and strong writing combined to make it a book I couldn't put down. If you're a fan of uneasy, cosmic, or cult/religious horror, I think that there's a lot here for you.
August 9, 2024
15-20 years ago I read a slew of Bentley Little books and enjoyed them. Maybe I misremember the writing (I have "The Town" saved on my kindle to go revisit at some point), but the writing is...not great. There's a lot of exposition when dialogue between the characters would be better and grow the characters. And there's a lot of meaningless dialogue between characters that adds nothing except to force you to realize what terrible people these characters are.
And on that note somewhat, there's a lot (like ALOT) of political commentary here...I think anyway. There's a lot of talk about COVID and the vaccines, and I can't really tell what the point is. If it's to make fun of the pro-science people who weren't freaking out about the virus and were against the vaccine mandates for moral reasons, then why have these two teenage girl-like protagonists talk so judgmentally about it in such shallow ways? And if the point was to speak out against those who freaked out and wanted mandates, well that didn't really come across either since there was no presentation of the vast swathes of evidence available.
The actual story itself just seemed like it never worked together well. Like it was more stream of conscious than planned out. There were so many ret-con type passages and "Oops, I guess I better explain this real quick to make it work." Just was a dismal reading experience. And to top it off, the whole eerieness of the houses doesn't have any real depth of explanation. It's just kind of thrown together and hope you enjoyed the ride.
Unfortunately, there seems to be so little good horror anymore these days. I imagine it's becasue we've become so homogenous and boring in our culture. We've turned our country from infinitely different life experiences to pretty much the same wherever. If you grew up in the 80s and you met people at summer camp from California and New York (and you're from Texas) it was like you all lived completely different lives. Almost foreigners to each other. And in the same way, visiting different cities felt alien sometimes. All the different parks and restaurants and art. Now, visiting any other town just looks the same as all the others. Same Target with the Staples next to it and the La Madeleine in front. Same boxy brown strip malls with the same crappy chain restaurants. Maybe the horror authors will catch on and use that somehow. I remember reading SK and thinking how weird Maine felt as he described it. Or Pat Conroy or Anne Rivers Siddons regarding the South Carolina/Georgia areas. Or Michael and LA. Now, any horror book you pick up feels like it's in the same non-descript crappy suburb. This book is in LA, but outside of the sexual perversions, you'd never guess (and would be forgiven for thinking it was DC).
I guess I just want some uniqueness again. Perhaps that's a common feeling. And maybe that's why so many scandanavian or russian authors are popular again.
And on that note somewhat, there's a lot (like ALOT) of political commentary here...I think anyway. There's a lot of talk about COVID and the vaccines, and I can't really tell what the point is. If it's to make fun of the pro-science people who weren't freaking out about the virus and were against the vaccine mandates for moral reasons, then why have these two teenage girl-like protagonists talk so judgmentally about it in such shallow ways? And if the point was to speak out against those who freaked out and wanted mandates, well that didn't really come across either since there was no presentation of the vast swathes of evidence available.
The actual story itself just seemed like it never worked together well. Like it was more stream of conscious than planned out. There were so many ret-con type passages and "Oops, I guess I better explain this real quick to make it work." Just was a dismal reading experience. And to top it off, the whole eerieness of the houses doesn't have any real depth of explanation. It's just kind of thrown together and hope you enjoyed the ride.
Unfortunately, there seems to be so little good horror anymore these days. I imagine it's becasue we've become so homogenous and boring in our culture. We've turned our country from infinitely different life experiences to pretty much the same wherever. If you grew up in the 80s and you met people at summer camp from California and New York (and you're from Texas) it was like you all lived completely different lives. Almost foreigners to each other. And in the same way, visiting different cities felt alien sometimes. All the different parks and restaurants and art. Now, visiting any other town just looks the same as all the others. Same Target with the Staples next to it and the La Madeleine in front. Same boxy brown strip malls with the same crappy chain restaurants. Maybe the horror authors will catch on and use that somehow. I remember reading SK and thinking how weird Maine felt as he described it. Or Pat Conroy or Anne Rivers Siddons regarding the South Carolina/Georgia areas. Or Michael and LA. Now, any horror book you pick up feels like it's in the same non-descript crappy suburb. This book is in LA, but outside of the sexual perversions, you'd never guess (and would be forgiven for thinking it was DC).
I guess I just want some uniqueness again. Perhaps that's a common feeling. And maybe that's why so many scandanavian or russian authors are popular again.
September 10, 2024
Could have been good
This is a "and then, and then, and then," sort of book, instead of a "because this happened, this happened, because that happened,this happened." It started off with a great premise and I was truly excited to see where it went. There were soooo many ways to make this concept great, and somehow the author blew it. It's just a bunch of tacked on ideas that are never resolved and have no importance to anything whatsoever later on in the book. I only finished this book to see how he was going to tie all of this stuff together and literally nothing came of anything. I can't wrap my head around how bad of a book this really was. It was doubly bad, because the premise was so good and the author only had to use a little bit of their brain to come up with some connected story lines, a twist, a suitable ending, absolutely anything! While reading this l, I feel like the author had this one good idea, and was convinced he could just wing it, without diagramming, or pre planning a beginning middle and end, or developing characters, or a plot, or anything that would make the reader appreciate the time they spent reading it.
This is a "and then, and then, and then," sort of book, instead of a "because this happened, this happened, because that happened,this happened." It started off with a great premise and I was truly excited to see where it went. There were soooo many ways to make this concept great, and somehow the author blew it. It's just a bunch of tacked on ideas that are never resolved and have no importance to anything whatsoever later on in the book. I only finished this book to see how he was going to tie all of this stuff together and literally nothing came of anything. I can't wrap my head around how bad of a book this really was. It was doubly bad, because the premise was so good and the author only had to use a little bit of their brain to come up with some connected story lines, a twist, a suitable ending, absolutely anything! While reading this l, I feel like the author had this one good idea, and was convinced he could just wing it, without diagramming, or pre planning a beginning middle and end, or developing characters, or a plot, or anything that would make the reader appreciate the time they spent reading it.
April 21, 2024
Behind
By Bentley Little
I really had to take a moment and think on how I wanted to write this review, and how much to actually give away. I’ve settled on very very little. So without further ado:
Bentley Little has stepped outside of his normal satirical & formulaic writing with this one. This is dark, and had quite a few very creepy moments. While still being a fun book it is much deeper than anything else I’ve
read by him before.
Wouldn’t you know, I had an amazing quote, that summed up everything perfectly. Saved and ready to use, but I somehow deleted it, and now I can’t remember it, or where exactly in the book I read it 🤦🏼♀️
I am not going to misquote this master, so you’ll just have to trust me and read the book.
My final thoughts are, while I love everything I have read by Little so far, this is a different and darker side that I very much enjoyed and hope to see more of in the future.
Thank you so very much Dan Franklin & Cemetery Dance Publications for this amazing arc!
Book releases in July, add it to your ever growing tbr lists 🫶🏻
By Bentley Little
I really had to take a moment and think on how I wanted to write this review, and how much to actually give away. I’ve settled on very very little. So without further ado:
Bentley Little has stepped outside of his normal satirical & formulaic writing with this one. This is dark, and had quite a few very creepy moments. While still being a fun book it is much deeper than anything else I’ve
read by him before.
Wouldn’t you know, I had an amazing quote, that summed up everything perfectly. Saved and ready to use, but I somehow deleted it, and now I can’t remember it, or where exactly in the book I read it 🤦🏼♀️
I am not going to misquote this master, so you’ll just have to trust me and read the book.
My final thoughts are, while I love everything I have read by Little so far, this is a different and darker side that I very much enjoyed and hope to see more of in the future.
Thank you so very much Dan Franklin & Cemetery Dance Publications for this amazing arc!
Book releases in July, add it to your ever growing tbr lists 🫶🏻
July 30, 2024
Bentley Little’s latest novel, Behind, ought to keep his readers satiated in all the familiar trappings of Little’s brand of contemporary social satire and otherworldly, and often disturbing, weirdness. This time, he uses an LA backdrop fresh out of COVID lockdown where his suburban protagonist, Alex, is laid off from his corporate job only to join an ex-colleague, Britta, in her new delivery business, piggybacking on the success of such businesses as Prime Delivery and DoorDash. Their area of specialty is in delivering the more hard-to-find…and bizarre…items to the wealthy elites who require absolute discretion. Things only grow stranger for Alex as supernaturally surreal secrets from his past in the form of strange houses mysteriously appear behind the homes of those he cares about.
While the pacing tends to lag in spots and the climax fell a bit flat, Behind’s unsettling premise and Little’s familiar string of progressively shocking moments are a lot of (wildly perverse) fun. It’s an engaging read overall.
While the pacing tends to lag in spots and the climax fell a bit flat, Behind’s unsettling premise and Little’s familiar string of progressively shocking moments are a lot of (wildly perverse) fun. It’s an engaging read overall.
July 22, 2024
Every horror author seems to have their COVID novel. Ramsey Campbell did his with the excellent The Lonely Lands. Stephen King did his with Holly (and about half the stories in You Like it Darker, just quietly) and now ol' mate Bentley Little drops his corona jam.
And friends, it's a bloody weird one.
More experimental than a lot of Bentley's usual gear, Behind feels like a series of weird, disorienting dreams directed by David Lynch. It's extremely creepy and engaging (I tore through this book, with a slight fever, in two days), although perhaps not as skillfully plotted as Little's best work (for me The Association, The Walking and The House reign supreme) but certainly a more assured work than Gloria.
Probably not a great starter Bentley book (he offers even fewer explanations than usual!), but an absolutely compelling, unsettling page-turner for those who appreciate Little's inimitable style.
And friends, it's a bloody weird one.
More experimental than a lot of Bentley's usual gear, Behind feels like a series of weird, disorienting dreams directed by David Lynch. It's extremely creepy and engaging (I tore through this book, with a slight fever, in two days), although perhaps not as skillfully plotted as Little's best work (for me The Association, The Walking and The House reign supreme) but certainly a more assured work than Gloria.
Probably not a great starter Bentley book (he offers even fewer explanations than usual!), but an absolutely compelling, unsettling page-turner for those who appreciate Little's inimitable style.
July 28, 2024
While reading this book, I began to feel a little dread creeping upon me. I first started this book at night, what a mistake this was. As I read each of the chapters and read through the terror of changing areas it was clear that the reader must remain focused on the words of the page. I felt the paranoid feeling Alex felt as I tried to figure out where Alexis was as he either entered a different house or tried to find his way back. The constant shift in reality began to have an effect on my mind while reading this book. The descriptions of the ‘other’ people were quite disturbing. It was almost as if each time he looked further in the ‘other’ houses, Alex was being introduced to a world of decay. After each idea Alex and his group failed, I was beginning to wonder what the author expected from the reader. When Alexis finally understood what it would take to be free of ‘her’; I was shocked at how the end came. A truly mind bending read.
September 22, 2024
Behind is a haunting exploration of childhood fears resurfacing in adulthood. Alex Lowry’s seemingly quiet life is upended when he begins to hear a mysterious song from a house only he can see, drawing him back to unsettling memories from his past. Set against the backdrop of the Covid pandemic - which is no small task to take on for an author - it locks on to the isolation, fragility, and chaos of those early days.
One aspect I really enjoy about Little’s writing is his ability to turn seemingly everyday moments into sources of unease - making the reader question what lurks just beyond perception.
Little’s portrayal of Alex’s journey into a simpler, yet increasingly eerie existence reflects the struggles many faced during this period. And while the ending may not have fully convinced me, the buildup to it is well crafted, and engaging.
One aspect I really enjoy about Little’s writing is his ability to turn seemingly everyday moments into sources of unease - making the reader question what lurks just beyond perception.
Little’s portrayal of Alex’s journey into a simpler, yet increasingly eerie existence reflects the struggles many faced during this period. And while the ending may not have fully convinced me, the buildup to it is well crafted, and engaging.
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