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The House That Horror Built
A single mother working in the gothic mansion of a reclusive horror director stumbles upon terrifying secrets.
Harry Adams loves horror movies, so it’s no coincidence that she accepted a job cleaning house for horror-movie director Javier Castillo. His forbidding gray-stone Chicago mansion, Bright Horses, is filled from top to bottom with terrifying props and costumes as well as glittering awards from his career making movies that thrilled audiences—until family tragedy and scandal forced him to vanish from the industry.
Javier values discretion, and Harry always tries to keep the house immaculate, her head down, and her job safe. Then she hears noises from behind a locked door, noises that sound remarkably like a human voice calling for help. Harry knows not asking questions is a vital part of keeping her job, but she soon discovers that the house may be home to secrets she can’t ignore.
Harry Adams loves horror movies, so it’s no coincidence that she accepted a job cleaning house for horror-movie director Javier Castillo. His forbidding gray-stone Chicago mansion, Bright Horses, is filled from top to bottom with terrifying props and costumes as well as glittering awards from his career making movies that thrilled audiences—until family tragedy and scandal forced him to vanish from the industry.
Javier values discretion, and Harry always tries to keep the house immaculate, her head down, and her job safe. Then she hears noises from behind a locked door, noises that sound remarkably like a human voice calling for help. Harry knows not asking questions is a vital part of keeping her job, but she soon discovers that the house may be home to secrets she can’t ignore.
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First published May 14, 2024
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About the author
Christina Henry
60 books8,477 followersChristina Henry is a horror and dark fantasy author whose works include GOOD GIRLS DON'T DIE, HORSEMAN, NEAR THE BONE, THE GHOST TREE, LOOKING GLASS, THE GIRL IN RED, THE MERMAID, LOST BOY, RED QUEEN, ALICE, and the seven book urban fantasy BLACK WINGS series.
Her short stories have been featured in the anthologies ELEMENTAL FORCES, CURSED, TWICE CURSED, GIVING THE DEVIL HIS DUE and KICKING IT.
She enjoys running long distances, reading anything she can get her hands on and watching movies with samurai, zombies and/or subtitles in her spare time. She lives in Chicago with her husband and son.
You can visit her on the web at
www.christinahenry.net
Facebook: authorChristinaHenry
Threads: authorChristinaHenry
Instagram: authorChristinaHenry
Goodreads: goodreads.com/CHenryAuthor
Her short stories have been featured in the anthologies ELEMENTAL FORCES, CURSED, TWICE CURSED, GIVING THE DEVIL HIS DUE and KICKING IT.
She enjoys running long distances, reading anything she can get her hands on and watching movies with samurai, zombies and/or subtitles in her spare time. She lives in Chicago with her husband and son.
You can visit her on the web at
www.christinahenry.net
Facebook: authorChristinaHenry
Threads: authorChristinaHenry
Instagram: authorChristinaHenry
Goodreads: goodreads.com/CHenryAuthor
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,490 reviews
September 7, 2025
Well, this is a chilling, gripping, and riveting Gothic paranormal horror story that you can devour in one sitting, thanks to its compelling pacing and captivating chapters that entice you to unravel the big mystery and discover what is truly happening in the Graystone Chicago mansion, "Bright Horses."
The gripping mystery centers around Harry, a single mother and housemaid (though not the Millie the maid type from Freida McFaden's tales). She lost her job in a restaurant during the pandemic and considers herself fortunate to find work in a mansion, cleaning terrifying costumes and props related to horror movies. As a film enthusiast and cinephile, Harry, who found strength in horror stories and films to break free from her dogmatic family in her youth, is now raising her fourteen-year-old gifted son, Gabe. They face the risk of eviction from their highly affordable apartment due to the latest gentrification project.
Enter Javier Castillo, a renowned horror filmmaker for whom Harry works. He has chosen a secluded life surrounded by the artifacts of his art, created after his son Michael became involved in a murder and disappeared with his beloved wife. Despite his seemingly strange and reclusive nature, Javier suffers from loneliness. Learning about Harry's son, he invites them to dinner to get to know young Gabriel better.
Harry reluctantly observes the special bond forming between her son and Javier. Simultaneously, she notices logically unexplainable occurrences in the house, such as a woman's voice screaming for help and a moving mask with clawing hands, posing potential threats. She realizes she's not the only one witnessing these events. As she races to finish cleaning the house and secure another job, mysterious entities intensify their threats. Slowly, she becomes entangled in the mysteries of the mansion, understanding that she must find a way out to protect her son as the truth begins to unveil itself.
I would rate it between 3.5 to 4 stars. It's an easy and gripping horror novel. However, I wish there were an epilogue, and the ending didn't feel so abrupt, leaving some aspects unexplained about the surviving characters.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for providing me with a digital reviewer copy of this riveting book in exchange for my honest opinions.
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The gripping mystery centers around Harry, a single mother and housemaid (though not the Millie the maid type from Freida McFaden's tales). She lost her job in a restaurant during the pandemic and considers herself fortunate to find work in a mansion, cleaning terrifying costumes and props related to horror movies. As a film enthusiast and cinephile, Harry, who found strength in horror stories and films to break free from her dogmatic family in her youth, is now raising her fourteen-year-old gifted son, Gabe. They face the risk of eviction from their highly affordable apartment due to the latest gentrification project.
Enter Javier Castillo, a renowned horror filmmaker for whom Harry works. He has chosen a secluded life surrounded by the artifacts of his art, created after his son Michael became involved in a murder and disappeared with his beloved wife. Despite his seemingly strange and reclusive nature, Javier suffers from loneliness. Learning about Harry's son, he invites them to dinner to get to know young Gabriel better.
Harry reluctantly observes the special bond forming between her son and Javier. Simultaneously, she notices logically unexplainable occurrences in the house, such as a woman's voice screaming for help and a moving mask with clawing hands, posing potential threats. She realizes she's not the only one witnessing these events. As she races to finish cleaning the house and secure another job, mysterious entities intensify their threats. Slowly, she becomes entangled in the mysteries of the mansion, understanding that she must find a way out to protect her son as the truth begins to unveil itself.
I would rate it between 3.5 to 4 stars. It's an easy and gripping horror novel. However, I wish there were an epilogue, and the ending didn't feel so abrupt, leaving some aspects unexplained about the surviving characters.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for providing me with a digital reviewer copy of this riveting book in exchange for my honest opinions.
Follow me on medium.com to read my articles about books, movies, streaming series, astrology:
medium blog
April 27, 2024
I have super mixed feelings about this one, you guys. I generally enjoy Christina Henry's novels and thought that her previous book, Good Girls Don't Die, was fantastic. The House that Horror Built, on the other hand … I dunno. I enjoyed parts of it, but ultimately I think it just fell a little flat for me?
But let's start with the good, shall we? I love the premise, which is definitely original. I mean, obviously haunted house stories are nothing new, but I really like the idea of a reclusive horror film director with all of these creepy movie props in his urban gothic mansion. It's almost like the setting of, well … a horror flick, which I guess maybe is what Henry was going for? Really, the entire plot is rather movie-ish, which is kind of fun. The whole thing with the Sten costume is straight out of a low budget horror film and yet somehow it doesn't come across as too cheesy.
I also really liked Harry's backstory, as I am a sucker for any book/film that involves an escape from an obsessively religious-bordering-on-cultish family. The flashes back to her childhood were really well done and were some of my favorite parts of this novel.
Unfortunately, despite these really great ideas, there just wasn't a whole lot of suspense to be found, much less outright terror. The scary bits were way too few and far between, and I'm using the word “scary” very liberally here. The ending was also so, so, so very obvious from almost the beginning, so much that I was certain that there was going to be a big twist at the end that would leave me shocked. Nope. The Big Bad(s) is(are) exactly who you think, no surprises there. Sure, there were a few scenes that were unexpected (like the one involving the locked bedroom), but the overall plot had no real twists or turns. This isn't entirely a bad thing – sometimes you know who the villains are in a book or film from the very beginning by design – but I just kind of felt like the ending was supposed to be more than what it was? Like it was supposed to be this big surprise but fell short?
So, yeah. Great premise, interesting storylines, lackluster execution. I really wanted to like this one more than I did because it had so much potential, but in the end it was just kind of … okay. I have a feeling that others will enjoy this one much more than I did, though, so don't take my word for it. If you're a fan of Christina Henry and/or horror films and/or haunted house novels, definitely give it a read and decide for yourself.
Overall rating: 3.45 stars, rounded down.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review.
But let's start with the good, shall we? I love the premise, which is definitely original. I mean, obviously haunted house stories are nothing new, but I really like the idea of a reclusive horror film director with all of these creepy movie props in his urban gothic mansion. It's almost like the setting of, well … a horror flick, which I guess maybe is what Henry was going for? Really, the entire plot is rather movie-ish, which is kind of fun. The whole thing with the Sten costume is straight out of a low budget horror film and yet somehow it doesn't come across as too cheesy.
I also really liked Harry's backstory, as I am a sucker for any book/film that involves an escape from an obsessively religious-bordering-on-cultish family. The flashes back to her childhood were really well done and were some of my favorite parts of this novel.
Unfortunately, despite these really great ideas, there just wasn't a whole lot of suspense to be found, much less outright terror. The scary bits were way too few and far between, and I'm using the word “scary” very liberally here. The ending was also so, so, so very obvious from almost the beginning, so much that I was certain that there was going to be a big twist at the end that would leave me shocked. Nope. The Big Bad(s) is(are) exactly who you think, no surprises there. Sure, there were a few scenes that were unexpected (like the one involving the locked bedroom), but the overall plot had no real twists or turns. This isn't entirely a bad thing – sometimes you know who the villains are in a book or film from the very beginning by design – but I just kind of felt like the ending was supposed to be more than what it was? Like it was supposed to be this big surprise but fell short?
So, yeah. Great premise, interesting storylines, lackluster execution. I really wanted to like this one more than I did because it had so much potential, but in the end it was just kind of … okay. I have a feeling that others will enjoy this one much more than I did, though, so don't take my word for it. If you're a fan of Christina Henry and/or horror films and/or haunted house novels, definitely give it a read and decide for yourself.
Overall rating: 3.45 stars, rounded down.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review.
May 14, 2024
I was excited for a haunted house story that would give me chills. This one didn’t quite do it for me. The plot felt a bit messy, and the beginning and middle didn’t build up to the ending the way I hoped. It was entertaining, but just not what I was expecting.
June 3, 2024
I highly recommend NOT reading this book unless you want to read 300 pages of nothing happening just to get a rushed conclusion in 20 pages and nothing else :)
The House That Horror Built follows Harry, a single mother to her teen son trying to stay afloat in a post COVID world after being out of work. She finds a job housekeeping for Javier Castillo, a famous movie director. While on the job, Harry starts to hear strange noises, see strange things, and hear someone calling for help from the locked room she isn't allowed in... What is really going on with Javier Castillo?
But does Harry actually do anything about these strange noises and mysterious voice calling for help? lol nah... Harry could not care less. LIKE ACTUALLY she's like 'lol that's weird' and then moves on with her life anytime something happens.
Ms. Christina Henry, ma'am, where is the tension?!? the fear?!? the danger?!? the intrigue?!?
Then, after you slog through the boring, slow, predictable meat of the story - you get to the last 20 pages where shit actually starts to happen and everything is explained except it happens to be super dumb and then the book ends!
The only redeeming factor is Harry's son, Gabe, and the relationship the two of them have.
Overall, this book felt like a huge waste of time.
The House That Horror Built follows Harry, a single mother to her teen son trying to stay afloat in a post COVID world after being out of work. She finds a job housekeeping for Javier Castillo, a famous movie director. While on the job, Harry starts to hear strange noises, see strange things, and hear someone calling for help from the locked room she isn't allowed in... What is really going on with Javier Castillo?
But does Harry actually do anything about these strange noises and mysterious voice calling for help? lol nah... Harry could not care less. LIKE ACTUALLY she's like 'lol that's weird' and then moves on with her life anytime something happens.
Ms. Christina Henry, ma'am, where is the tension?!? the fear?!? the danger?!? the intrigue?!?
Then, after you slog through the boring, slow, predictable meat of the story - you get to the last 20 pages where shit actually starts to happen and everything is explained except it happens to be super dumb and then the book ends!
The only redeeming factor is Harry's son, Gabe, and the relationship the two of them have.
Overall, this book felt like a huge waste of time.
June 2, 2024
3.5 Stars
Video Review https://youtu.be/KiqjtujWMfE
Christina Henry continues to write enjoyable stories. As a horror fan, it was easy to enjoy the setup of this premise. I wish the story had more of a foreboding tone, but instead made for an easy read.
I found myself disappointed by the ending which just missed the mark in my mind. It was one of those cases, where I read the ending and then had to reread it because it felt like my copy was missing pages. It seemed like the author didn't quite know how she wanted to end the story.
Overall an enjoyable read but not quite as memorable as I would have liked it to be.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
Video Review https://youtu.be/KiqjtujWMfE
Christina Henry continues to write enjoyable stories. As a horror fan, it was easy to enjoy the setup of this premise. I wish the story had more of a foreboding tone, but instead made for an easy read.
I found myself disappointed by the ending which just missed the mark in my mind. It was one of those cases, where I read the ending and then had to reread it because it felt like my copy was missing pages. It seemed like the author didn't quite know how she wanted to end the story.
Overall an enjoyable read but not quite as memorable as I would have liked it to be.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
May 31, 2024
I had a pair of jeans once that tried to push me down the stairs. It didn’t work though because I was much stronger den-im…
Sorry about that. It was the best I could come up with, but as stupid as that joke was, it was probably still better than this book. This book was like if average had a face, and that face looked constantly bored with a mouth hung open in slack-jawed slumber. I real didn’t like much about this.
Nothing made sense. The pieces didn’t fit together. The pacing was bad, with enough filler in the middle to stuff the world’s largest sopapilla, and then ended in a flurry of rushed plot vomit.
Character I Loved & Hated
Gabe was fine. He seemed like a good boy, or at least that’s what we were told over, and over, and over again. Every five pages.
Javier Castillo sucked, and there really wasn’t anything mysterious or redeeming about him at all.
Themes
I don’t know??? Don’t be broke because you’ll end up staying in a haunted mansion while an evil man tries to possess your son because he’s such a good, good boy?
One Thing I’ll walk away with
An image of haunted, sequenced costumes reaching out from beyond, desperate for someone, anyone to wear it. I don’t know why I saw it in my head as a sequenced costume. I just did ok?
Sorry about that. It was the best I could come up with, but as stupid as that joke was, it was probably still better than this book. This book was like if average had a face, and that face looked constantly bored with a mouth hung open in slack-jawed slumber. I real didn’t like much about this.
Nothing made sense. The pieces didn’t fit together. The pacing was bad, with enough filler in the middle to stuff the world’s largest sopapilla, and then ended in a flurry of rushed plot vomit.
Character I Loved & Hated
Gabe was fine. He seemed like a good boy, or at least that’s what we were told over, and over, and over again. Every five pages.
Javier Castillo sucked, and there really wasn’t anything mysterious or redeeming about him at all.
Themes
I don’t know??? Don’t be broke because you’ll end up staying in a haunted mansion while an evil man tries to possess your son because he’s such a good, good boy?
One Thing I’ll walk away with
An image of haunted, sequenced costumes reaching out from beyond, desperate for someone, anyone to wear it. I don’t know why I saw it in my head as a sequenced costume. I just did ok?
May 2, 2025
2.25⭐. I hate to see it, especially when I really loved Near the Bone so much. This was just not it. There was really nothing going on for the majority of the book. There was certainly nothing I found horrific or scary. Then in the last maybe 50 pages or so, things finally started happening, but it was very rushed. And the ending was so easy to predict, to the point that I thought I must be wrong because it was too obvious. I wasn't. It also ended so abruptly. I left feeling disappointed in the outcome and the reading experience overall. Luckily it was a short read.
February 9, 2024
Before I wind up deterring any of you from reading Christina Henry’s stuff, let me say that Alice, Lost Boy and The Girl in Red were all huge winners for me and I do not hesitate to recommend them to anyone looking for a dark retelling of a familiar tale. This reimagining of Rebecca, however????
What a mess.
ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
What a mess.
ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Read
October 29, 2024I am soft-DNFing this for now; back on the shelf she goes. I'm not meshing with it at the moment.
There's like some value-signaling stuff rubbing me the wrong way, and I just have too many other things to read right now...
May restart when I can get an audio copy. I have switched the dates to 1997, so it won't count towards my 2024-reading challenge
Original:
I feel like this could also be the title of my future memoir...
ARC received!!! Thank you so much, Berkley! This sounds so good. I know I am going to love this one!!
There's like some value-signaling stuff rubbing me the wrong way, and I just have too many other things to read right now...
May restart when I can get an audio copy. I have switched the dates to 1997, so it won't count towards my 2024-reading challenge
Original:
I feel like this could also be the title of my future memoir...
ARC received!!! Thank you so much, Berkley! This sounds so good. I know I am going to love this one!!
July 3, 2024
Coming off the high of loving Good Girls Don’t Die, I had huge expectations for The House That Horror Built. Perhaps that wasn't fair to the book or myself, but I felt a little let down. The premise is intriguing, Javier Castillo, a reclusive horror film director hires Harry Adams, a woman to clean his home. The woman is a horror film fan and looks forward to working there. It is one thing to love horror films but to work amongst the props that terrified filmgoers is another. Especially when Javier warns her not to enter one of the upstairs bedrooms....
Christina Henry does capture the gothic and atmospheric vibe nicely. Having said that, this book, for me, was not creepy or spooky at all. It did not deliver the chills or thrills that I was expecting. I put this in my liked not loved category.
I have enjoyed these books by Christina Henry: Near the Bone, Horseman: A Tale of Sleepy Hollow, and Good Girls Don’t Die. I highly recommend those. We can't love every book an author writes, and this was the case for this book.
Christina Henry does capture the gothic and atmospheric vibe nicely. Having said that, this book, for me, was not creepy or spooky at all. It did not deliver the chills or thrills that I was expecting. I put this in my liked not loved category.
I have enjoyed these books by Christina Henry: Near the Bone, Horseman: A Tale of Sleepy Hollow, and Good Girls Don’t Die. I highly recommend those. We can't love every book an author writes, and this was the case for this book.
May 9, 2024
The House that Horror Built is an atmospheric, paranormal horror story that's centered around a mystery. I really liked the main character Harry as well as the strong relationship she had with her son Gabe. There was a huge twist in one that completely blindsided me which I loved!
I found this one impossible to put down! This is my third read by Christina Henry (I've also read Alice and Good Girls Don’t Die) and I can't wait to see what she writes in the future as well as reading more of her backlist.
The House That Horror Built by Christina Henry will be available on May 14! Many thanks to Berkley Pub and Penguin Random House Audio for the gifted copies!
I found this one impossible to put down! This is my third read by Christina Henry (I've also read Alice and Good Girls Don’t Die) and I can't wait to see what she writes in the future as well as reading more of her backlist.
The House That Horror Built by Christina Henry will be available on May 14! Many thanks to Berkley Pub and Penguin Random House Audio for the gifted copies!
May 15, 2024
this lowkey almost felt like a goosebumps book. the horror element was barely there, i mean the scariest thing in it honestly was harry and her financial worries.
November 4, 2024
3.5 ⭐️
Quick, entertaining & atmospheric!
THE HOUSE THAT HORROR BUILT by CHRISTINA HENRY is an easy to follow and straightforward read that gave me just enough creep to keep me engaged right to the very end.
I really enjoyed the gothic atmospheric vibe and there was a slight supernatural undertone to the story that I quite enjoyed. I wouldn’t necessarily say that I was spooked or creeped out by what was happening but I was invested enough and sometimes that’s all I need from a story.
I did have a slight suspicion of what was going on but never guessed the motivation behind it though. So to me it had a surprising conclusion.
I would definitely recommend this one if you want to read a horror story that’s more on the milder and tamer side!
Thank you so much to Berkley Publishing, NetGalley, and Christina Henry for the opportunity to read an advanced digital copy of this book.
Quick, entertaining & atmospheric!
THE HOUSE THAT HORROR BUILT by CHRISTINA HENRY is an easy to follow and straightforward read that gave me just enough creep to keep me engaged right to the very end.
I really enjoyed the gothic atmospheric vibe and there was a slight supernatural undertone to the story that I quite enjoyed. I wouldn’t necessarily say that I was spooked or creeped out by what was happening but I was invested enough and sometimes that’s all I need from a story.
I did have a slight suspicion of what was going on but never guessed the motivation behind it though. So to me it had a surprising conclusion.
I would definitely recommend this one if you want to read a horror story that’s more on the milder and tamer side!
Thank you so much to Berkley Publishing, NetGalley, and Christina Henry for the opportunity to read an advanced digital copy of this book.
July 4, 2025
Stayed up late just to finish it, what an incredible journey.
The House That Horror Built follows Harry, a single mom who takes a cleaning job at the house of a retired horror movie producer, Mr. Castillo. Soon, strange things start happening, but Harry is too afraid to lose her job.
First off, I have to say the writing is gorgeous. Every now and then, you come across an author whose style is just so enjoyable to read, and for me, Christina Henry is definitely one of those.
The entire book was steeped in a creepy, eerie, and gothic atmosphere. I loved reading about the house itself, all the wild horror props, and the behind-the-scenes film talk. The alternating timelines between past and present worked really well and kept the intrigue going, while also offering a fascinating window into the past of both Harry and Mr. Castillo. Not to mention the relationship between Harry and her son, Gabe, was incredibly beautiful and well written.
I also wanna give my props to Christina Henry for including in this book a critique to how crazy jornalism can get and also about parasocial relationships (something that is becoming more and more common nowadays unfortunately).
My only criticism? The ending felt a bit rushed. I could have easily devoured 100 more pages of this story!
Now I just have to wait for the five other books I already ordered from her ❤️
The House That Horror Built follows Harry, a single mom who takes a cleaning job at the house of a retired horror movie producer, Mr. Castillo. Soon, strange things start happening, but Harry is too afraid to lose her job.
First off, I have to say the writing is gorgeous. Every now and then, you come across an author whose style is just so enjoyable to read, and for me, Christina Henry is definitely one of those.
The entire book was steeped in a creepy, eerie, and gothic atmosphere. I loved reading about the house itself, all the wild horror props, and the behind-the-scenes film talk. The alternating timelines between past and present worked really well and kept the intrigue going, while also offering a fascinating window into the past of both Harry and Mr. Castillo. Not to mention the relationship between Harry and her son, Gabe, was incredibly beautiful and well written.
I also wanna give my props to Christina Henry for including in this book a critique to how crazy jornalism can get and also about parasocial relationships (something that is becoming more and more common nowadays unfortunately).
My only criticism? The ending felt a bit rushed. I could have easily devoured 100 more pages of this story!
Now I just have to wait for the five other books I already ordered from her ❤️
July 4, 2024
This one was really just kind of a slow burn thriller with horror elements so I just waited and waited for the horror to happen and it never really did until the very end. My expectations were really not in the right place and that didn't help my enjoyment.
I really struggled to connect with Harry as a character, surprisingly because we have a lot in common (horror lovers, millennial single moms to a generally easy to parent gen Z kid...). The real horror in this book was one most people are too familiar with: the job market and how hard it is to find even a semi-decent rental.
I really struggled to connect with Harry as a character, surprisingly because we have a lot in common (horror lovers, millennial single moms to a generally easy to parent gen Z kid...). The real horror in this book was one most people are too familiar with: the job market and how hard it is to find even a semi-decent rental.
June 10, 2024
This got worse and worse for me as it went on. The number of times the author repeated information, like Harry’s financial situation, made this read like a child had written it. Also name dropping Chicago restaurants and neighborhoods was cringe to me.
I found Harry very annoying, Javier a massive douche and Gabe’s personality didn’t match a 14yos.
Also ….. this is a retelling of Rebecca???? You can’t just mention Manderley twice and claim you’ve got a retelling on your hands.
I found Harry very annoying, Javier a massive douche and Gabe’s personality didn’t match a 14yos.
Also ….. this is a retelling of Rebecca???? You can’t just mention Manderley twice and claim you’ve got a retelling on your hands.
May 6, 2024
The House That Horror Built by Christina Henry is a gothic paranormal horror story with an edge of mystery behind it. I would warn for those that want nothing to do with pandemic books that this one is set in the time of the pandemic but that plays only a small part of the set up of the story.
Harry Adams grew up with a horror movie obsession and now as an adult still appreciates the genre the most. After losing her job due to the pandemic Harry applies to work for the famous horror-movie director Javier Castillo cleaning his home where Javier has pretty much isolated himself since his wife and son’s disappearance.
With a boss like Javier who values nothing more than his own privacy Harry keeps to herself and does her work quietly and efficiently until the day she thinks she hears a voice from one of Javier’s rooms. After that moment each time Harry comes to clean something feels more and more off in the lonely old mansion but Harry tells herself it’s just the old creepy movie memorabilia and nothing more.
The House That Horror Built isn’t the first book I’ve read from author Christina Henry so I went in knowing her brand of horror before picking this up. When finished with this one I think it probably is my least favorite I’ve read so far though which was unfortunate. Still a solid horror novel that flew right by I was just left with wanting a bit more to it especially since the “twist” to the story seemed extremely obvious to me early on. Overall I rated this one at three and a half stars, totally solid rating for some but low for this particular author for me.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
Harry Adams grew up with a horror movie obsession and now as an adult still appreciates the genre the most. After losing her job due to the pandemic Harry applies to work for the famous horror-movie director Javier Castillo cleaning his home where Javier has pretty much isolated himself since his wife and son’s disappearance.
With a boss like Javier who values nothing more than his own privacy Harry keeps to herself and does her work quietly and efficiently until the day she thinks she hears a voice from one of Javier’s rooms. After that moment each time Harry comes to clean something feels more and more off in the lonely old mansion but Harry tells herself it’s just the old creepy movie memorabilia and nothing more.
The House That Horror Built isn’t the first book I’ve read from author Christina Henry so I went in knowing her brand of horror before picking this up. When finished with this one I think it probably is my least favorite I’ve read so far though which was unfortunate. Still a solid horror novel that flew right by I was just left with wanting a bit more to it especially since the “twist” to the story seemed extremely obvious to me early on. Overall I rated this one at three and a half stars, totally solid rating for some but low for this particular author for me.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
July 31, 2024
Harry loves horror films, so when she gets a job cleaning house for renowned horror director Javier Castillo, she can't believe her luck. Castillo’s Chicago mansion is filled with props, posters, and paraphernalia from all her favorite films, and she gets to spend her days taking care of these items. She should be having so much fun. She is also so very careful to respect Castillo’s privacy. She never asks him questions...especially not about the family scandal that forced him to leave Hollywood.
Then when Harry starts hearing voices in several totally empty rooms and seeing things move around by themselves...her thoughts can’t help going back to the whereabouts of Castillo’s missing family. The house has secrets, some dark and maybe dangerous...secrets that she can’t ignore...but exploring and uncovering them could result in her losing much more than just her job.
This book called to me from the library shelves, and I HAD to take it home with me. I really connected with Harry from the first. The story is told almost exclusively from her point-of-view and in the present, with the occasional short chapter about her past life. She came from a very strict and overly religious family who did not approve of her film choices or many of her other choices either. Several short chapters tell us about the house's scandal that Harry is only guessing about through most of the story. These three different perspectives really help to give insights into the Harry and Castillo characters.
Harry is A 30-something-year-old single mother with a teenage son, Gabe. She's trying to keep their heads above water in Chicago where work is hard to come by. Gabe is facing all the trials of high school with the richer kids and facing the painful truth that he can’t have everything that they have, and Harry really has no emotional support for herself. It’s a bleak existence made worse when her new landlord chooses to sell the house she lives in, meaning that she now also has to look for a new place to live. These financial pressures explain very well why Harry looked the other way ignoring the creepy things going on in the house... and why she puts up with all the strict rules she has to follow while working.
I believed from the first that the readers are meant to know who the true monster is in this story and that knowledge, along with a steady stream of supernatural incidents, raises the story’s tension about a 150%. It's a book you will find almost impossible to put down even though it has a much slower pace than other some other books of this genera that you might have read. My only criticism was that the ending was much too abrupt. After building a connection with the characters, I wanted to know how they coped after the ending. That was the only reason the book didn't get 5 stars.
Then when Harry starts hearing voices in several totally empty rooms and seeing things move around by themselves...her thoughts can’t help going back to the whereabouts of Castillo’s missing family. The house has secrets, some dark and maybe dangerous...secrets that she can’t ignore...but exploring and uncovering them could result in her losing much more than just her job.
This book called to me from the library shelves, and I HAD to take it home with me. I really connected with Harry from the first. The story is told almost exclusively from her point-of-view and in the present, with the occasional short chapter about her past life. She came from a very strict and overly religious family who did not approve of her film choices or many of her other choices either. Several short chapters tell us about the house's scandal that Harry is only guessing about through most of the story. These three different perspectives really help to give insights into the Harry and Castillo characters.
Harry is A 30-something-year-old single mother with a teenage son, Gabe. She's trying to keep their heads above water in Chicago where work is hard to come by. Gabe is facing all the trials of high school with the richer kids and facing the painful truth that he can’t have everything that they have, and Harry really has no emotional support for herself. It’s a bleak existence made worse when her new landlord chooses to sell the house she lives in, meaning that she now also has to look for a new place to live. These financial pressures explain very well why Harry looked the other way ignoring the creepy things going on in the house... and why she puts up with all the strict rules she has to follow while working.
I believed from the first that the readers are meant to know who the true monster is in this story and that knowledge, along with a steady stream of supernatural incidents, raises the story’s tension about a 150%. It's a book you will find almost impossible to put down even though it has a much slower pace than other some other books of this genera that you might have read. My only criticism was that the ending was much too abrupt. After building a connection with the characters, I wanted to know how they coped after the ending. That was the only reason the book didn't get 5 stars.
September 25, 2024
If Grady Hendrix and Riley Sager had a gothic horror love child, it would be this gem of a book. Absolutely loved my time with this one as it seamlessly combined elements of so many stories I’ve enjoyed in the past.
Huge thanks to Berkley and Christina Henry for my early review copy! Definitely recommend preordering this one for its release May 14th.
Huge thanks to Berkley and Christina Henry for my early review copy! Definitely recommend preordering this one for its release May 14th.
May 26, 2024
i haven't been this disappointed in a book in ages
this book was a hot mess. i'm actually kind of in shock and i'm also irritated because i kept holding out for better but it just kept getting worse? i probably should've dnf'd halfway through and just moved on but i was also in disbelief because near the bone by this author was one of the best books i've read! i still think about it!!! what happened here!!!! near the bone was full of an incredible amount of tension, and bite, i STILL remember it thinking about it years later. where was even 1% of that in this book? i'm genuinely confused.
the two main characters are ... nonsensical. you spend most of the time in harry's head, but her decisions and thoughts that you're privy to in the narration contradicts itself constantly, to a frustrating extent. she is completely at odds with herself. she LEAPS to conclusions, accepts them with no questions, handwaves difficult things, keeps carrying on with stuff that's clearly suspicious, but is also extremely wary and concerned and has this entire backstory that doesn't make sense in line with her behaviors at all? she was so frustrating to read from throughout the entire book because i felt like i was losing my mind. she's afraid and worried about all kinds of stuff but is also like "oh yeah i mean i guess that's a ghost but i don't care and don't need to talk to anyone about it" like girl huh??? leave???? what???????? she cares so much about her son and not giving her son the life she had, which is established so strongly, and yet ... she stays in these situations? and also just accepts things way too easily? like girl ... shit or get off the pot i'm tired.
harry bothers me on a lot of levels too because all of the backstory we're given about her is ... useless. builds to nothing. i didn't once feel her concern or worry for anything ghosty-related, but instead was way more worried about what happened/where we were going with her backstory of escaping a religious controlling family, or her worry about money, or her worry about housing ... which all amounted to nothing relating to the actual main plot in this story, so it was useless.
the other "mc", evil guillermo del toro, was useless. i never once got a sense of his desires, drive, reasoning, or even character itself. it was so hollow and flat. i don't understand why so much of the evil guillermo del toro character's backstory is given to us in pieces via flashback when the story went where it went. what was the fucking POINT!!!! what a waste of time.
the last 20% of the book was what i was expecting the entire book to be, and i'm not even joking, the other 80% is just harry cleaning the house and people eating dinner. you're WAITING for a shoe to drop and at 50% ONE plot event happens but you also aren't capable of caring or questioning it because you aren't there as the reader, and it's whisked away very quickly, and nothing is planted or hinted at except the obvious conclusion of who did it, which, spoiler, is who did it in the end. it's DEFLATING.
the ending was so painfully obvious it was actually irritating when we got to it. and the other plot points that the book is clearly leading to take INCREDIBLY LONG to actually get to. at the 30% mark the author drops something that you as the reader know it will turn into another action ... which doesn't happen until 80%! why! by the time it actually happened it's like ?? why did that take so long?? I'M JUST ANNOYED NOW.
other people have mentioned this but this was the opposite of horror. it was barely just a story. it wasn't even spooky even in the few moments it was trying to be. i wish it had been a mystery/thriller instead actually because i think inserting some faster paced plot issues would have made this more bearable. i don't think books need to be gorey to be horror, and i was expecting a gothic horror of some sort, but there was nothing even in that vein either. there's like 2 pages where they look up the history of the house and find nothing and are just like okay well that's nothing! moving on! GIRL WHAT. bUILD TENSION???? i wasn't even mildly interested let alone spooked. i'm actually offended this is shelved as horror.
i was hovering around 2 stars for a while while reading hoping it would pull smthn off but the ending just pissed me off so i'm giving it 1 because i actually can't think of anything i liked about it and i'm really upset because i was actually like highly anticipating this book. i was predisposed to love it, i love haunted house, horror films, and CHICAGO, WHERE I LIVE. i wanted this to be so good, i fucking loved near the bone so much and am truly at a loss as to what happened here.
this book was a hot mess. i'm actually kind of in shock and i'm also irritated because i kept holding out for better but it just kept getting worse? i probably should've dnf'd halfway through and just moved on but i was also in disbelief because near the bone by this author was one of the best books i've read! i still think about it!!! what happened here!!!! near the bone was full of an incredible amount of tension, and bite, i STILL remember it thinking about it years later. where was even 1% of that in this book? i'm genuinely confused.
the two main characters are ... nonsensical. you spend most of the time in harry's head, but her decisions and thoughts that you're privy to in the narration contradicts itself constantly, to a frustrating extent. she is completely at odds with herself. she LEAPS to conclusions, accepts them with no questions, handwaves difficult things, keeps carrying on with stuff that's clearly suspicious, but is also extremely wary and concerned and has this entire backstory that doesn't make sense in line with her behaviors at all? she was so frustrating to read from throughout the entire book because i felt like i was losing my mind. she's afraid and worried about all kinds of stuff but is also like "oh yeah i mean i guess that's a ghost but i don't care and don't need to talk to anyone about it" like girl huh??? leave???? what???????? she cares so much about her son and not giving her son the life she had, which is established so strongly, and yet ... she stays in these situations? and also just accepts things way too easily? like girl ... shit or get off the pot i'm tired.
harry bothers me on a lot of levels too because all of the backstory we're given about her is ... useless. builds to nothing. i didn't once feel her concern or worry for anything ghosty-related, but instead was way more worried about what happened/where we were going with her backstory of escaping a religious controlling family, or her worry about money, or her worry about housing ... which all amounted to nothing relating to the actual main plot in this story, so it was useless.
the other "mc", evil guillermo del toro, was useless. i never once got a sense of his desires, drive, reasoning, or even character itself. it was so hollow and flat. i don't understand why so much of the evil guillermo del toro character's backstory is given to us in pieces via flashback when the story went where it went. what was the fucking POINT!!!! what a waste of time.
the last 20% of the book was what i was expecting the entire book to be, and i'm not even joking, the other 80% is just harry cleaning the house and people eating dinner. you're WAITING for a shoe to drop and at 50% ONE plot event happens but you also aren't capable of caring or questioning it because you aren't there as the reader, and it's whisked away very quickly, and nothing is planted or hinted at except the obvious conclusion of who did it, which, spoiler, is who did it in the end. it's DEFLATING.
the ending was so painfully obvious it was actually irritating when we got to it. and the other plot points that the book is clearly leading to take INCREDIBLY LONG to actually get to. at the 30% mark the author drops something that you as the reader know it will turn into another action ... which doesn't happen until 80%! why! by the time it actually happened it's like ?? why did that take so long?? I'M JUST ANNOYED NOW.
other people have mentioned this but this was the opposite of horror. it was barely just a story. it wasn't even spooky even in the few moments it was trying to be. i wish it had been a mystery/thriller instead actually because i think inserting some faster paced plot issues would have made this more bearable. i don't think books need to be gorey to be horror, and i was expecting a gothic horror of some sort, but there was nothing even in that vein either. there's like 2 pages where they look up the history of the house and find nothing and are just like okay well that's nothing! moving on! GIRL WHAT. bUILD TENSION???? i wasn't even mildly interested let alone spooked. i'm actually offended this is shelved as horror.
i was hovering around 2 stars for a while while reading hoping it would pull smthn off but the ending just pissed me off so i'm giving it 1 because i actually can't think of anything i liked about it and i'm really upset because i was actually like highly anticipating this book. i was predisposed to love it, i love haunted house, horror films, and CHICAGO, WHERE I LIVE. i wanted this to be so good, i fucking loved near the bone so much and am truly at a loss as to what happened here.
November 15, 2024
Harry Adams takes a job as a housecleaner in the home of legendary horror filmmaker, Javier Castillo. Both Harry and her teenage son, Gabe, are avid horror movie fans and at first, Harry enjoys her work, surrounded by memorabilia and treasures from Castillo’s movie sets. But it isn’t too long before Harry starts seeing and hearing things, like statues moving and screams of “Help Me” coming from behind locked doors. Harry tries to ignore it, brushing it off as figments of her movie loving imagination, since she knows that asking questions will likely send her to the unemployment line. But Castillo is keeping big secrets- and they are desperate to be told.
“The House That Horror Built” by Christina Henry is fast-paced, pulse-pounding and engaging in every way. Harry is a single mother, estranged from her overly religious family who abandoned her, who found escape through the cinema. Now, she makes ends meet working for a horror movie director and of course, he lives in a reclusive, massive estate away from the general public. Although Henry is a new author (to me), I was instantly intrigued by the plot (and, yes, the cryptic book cover).
Harry is the protagonist and, for the most part, the story is told from her perspective in the current timeline. There are a few brief intermissions in the plot, where readers hear from both Harry and Javier and learn a little bit more about their upbringing and their individual histories.
There are a total of five characters throughout the novel, which is a refreshing change for a locked-in mystery (of sorts), and I got the chance to know each one of them. The paranormal component enhances the creep factor and the mystery, adding more suspects to the pile. Is the house haunted? Is something more sinister afoot? These are the two main questions that I was desperate to know the answer to and boy did Henry deliver. The ending managed to conclusively tie all the intricate plot lines together, while providing a satisfying, and terrifying, finale.
Henry is a horror author that I have somehow managed to overlook. “House” showcases her ability to create a spooky scene, leave readers at the edge of their seats, and solve a mystery, all at the same time. Add the extra benefits of a terrifyingly haunted house, a reclusive horror movie director with his own dark secrets, and the single mother caught in the middle, and Henry has made it impossible for me to ignore her again! I’ve got another author to look out for!
“The House That Horror Built” by Christina Henry is fast-paced, pulse-pounding and engaging in every way. Harry is a single mother, estranged from her overly religious family who abandoned her, who found escape through the cinema. Now, she makes ends meet working for a horror movie director and of course, he lives in a reclusive, massive estate away from the general public. Although Henry is a new author (to me), I was instantly intrigued by the plot (and, yes, the cryptic book cover).
Harry is the protagonist and, for the most part, the story is told from her perspective in the current timeline. There are a few brief intermissions in the plot, where readers hear from both Harry and Javier and learn a little bit more about their upbringing and their individual histories.
There are a total of five characters throughout the novel, which is a refreshing change for a locked-in mystery (of sorts), and I got the chance to know each one of them. The paranormal component enhances the creep factor and the mystery, adding more suspects to the pile. Is the house haunted? Is something more sinister afoot? These are the two main questions that I was desperate to know the answer to and boy did Henry deliver. The ending managed to conclusively tie all the intricate plot lines together, while providing a satisfying, and terrifying, finale.
Henry is a horror author that I have somehow managed to overlook. “House” showcases her ability to create a spooky scene, leave readers at the edge of their seats, and solve a mystery, all at the same time. Add the extra benefits of a terrifyingly haunted house, a reclusive horror movie director with his own dark secrets, and the single mother caught in the middle, and Henry has made it impossible for me to ignore her again! I’ve got another author to look out for!
October 26, 2024
This was the perfect rainy day fall read, I finished in a single sitting and really enjoyed the characters! I've yet to read a Christina Henry book I didn't enjoy!
This book is basically about parents who love their kids vs parents who don't love their kids.
Reading notes along the way...
60% I haven't taken a single note ... I've listened to the entire thing in a single sitting so far. The characters are interesting and endearing despite the plot itself being rather slow I haven't found that to matter at all. I like the writing itself, and I've enjoyed reading this.
88% okay I KINDA feel like this plot twist was a bit too abrupt. Harry has been way too rational of a character to just assume the absolute most insane answer.
100% okayyyyy wowwwww, was not expecting it to go there lol. The ending may have been a bit rushed/conveniently wrapped up, but it was entertaining and unpredictable!
Synopsis: Harry is a single mom living in an expensive city struggling to make a living and provide for her son. She gets a new job working for a famous reclusive horror director, Mr.Castillo, as his home cleaner. Soon after getting hired, she starts noticing very weird occurrences in the home, like some of the horror movie props moving on their own and an ominous knocking on the walls. Despite getting increasingly freaked out, she gets more and entrenched in Mr.Castillo's life and home and more unable to withdraw from it.
This book is basically about parents who love their kids vs parents who don't love their kids.
Reading notes along the way...
60% I haven't taken a single note ... I've listened to the entire thing in a single sitting so far. The characters are interesting and endearing despite the plot itself being rather slow I haven't found that to matter at all. I like the writing itself, and I've enjoyed reading this.
88% okay I KINDA feel like this plot twist was a bit too abrupt. Harry has been way too rational of a character to just assume the absolute most insane answer.
100% okayyyyy wowwwww, was not expecting it to go there lol. The ending may have been a bit rushed/conveniently wrapped up, but it was entertaining and unpredictable!
Synopsis: Harry is a single mom living in an expensive city struggling to make a living and provide for her son. She gets a new job working for a famous reclusive horror director, Mr.Castillo, as his home cleaner. Soon after getting hired, she starts noticing very weird occurrences in the home, like some of the horror movie props moving on their own and an ominous knocking on the walls. Despite getting increasingly freaked out, she gets more and entrenched in Mr.Castillo's life and home and more unable to withdraw from it.
February 9, 2024
It pains me to do this, but what was this book?
Read
October 29, 2024DNF @ 30%
This is the first time I've ever had to DNF a Christina Henry book due to boredom, and I'm pretty sad about it! I saw this receive a LOT of disappointed ratings from others who love her books, but I was still holding out hope that I'd enjoy it. Unfortunately, the story and characters felt super flat to me. It didn't feel like the passionate writing I'm accustomed to from Henry and it makes me wonder if the author's heart wasn't in this one, maybe? Either way, I'm still excited to read anything else she releases, but this one was a miss.
Thank you to the publisher for the gifted copy! All thoughts are honest and my own.
———
bookstagram | booktok | blog | storygraph | twitter/x
This is the first time I've ever had to DNF a Christina Henry book due to boredom, and I'm pretty sad about it! I saw this receive a LOT of disappointed ratings from others who love her books, but I was still holding out hope that I'd enjoy it. Unfortunately, the story and characters felt super flat to me. It didn't feel like the passionate writing I'm accustomed to from Henry and it makes me wonder if the author's heart wasn't in this one, maybe? Either way, I'm still excited to read anything else she releases, but this one was a miss.
Thank you to the publisher for the gifted copy! All thoughts are honest and my own.
———
bookstagram | booktok | blog | storygraph | twitter/x
June 8, 2024
being a single mom myself
- and having a young gabe of
my own - made me identify with
harry at javier's house of horrors:
what amazing readability, wow! ♡
- and having a young gabe of
my own - made me identify with
harry at javier's house of horrors:
what amazing readability, wow! ♡
May 19, 2024
I was very intrigued by the description of this one and when I saw Christina Henry was the author I knew I wanted to read it. Maybe I went in with too high of hopes but the book feel flat from where I hoped it would be. That isn’t to say it wasn’t a fun book it was. It wasn’t quite as creepy as I hoped it would be and it was pretty easy to figure out, but it was a fun read. The story is told in present tense and then there are chapters of both the main character Harry and Javier’s pasts. I liked the present tense the best and didn’t feel like the flashbacks added as much as I would have liked to the story. Harry is a single mother who lost her job in the pandemic but she is finally working again as a house cleaner for a very particular filmmaker. As her problems seem to increase so does her employer’s desire to get to know her better. Unfortunately she also starts to see impossible things that tell her all is not ok in her employers home and maybe not all of the horrors are leftover props. This book wasn’t bad and for a lighthearted haunting story it was ok. I think the idea just had potential to be a little more.
January 2, 2025
ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
I’m a little backlogged with my ARC’s but working diligently to get caught up. I really enjoyed the whole premise of this book! Being a horror movie fan myself, it was right up my alley and I completely understand the fandom and interest. Some parts were more predictable than others, and some I never saw coming and it made my head spin! I would definitely recommend to anyone who loves horror movies and books with mystery elements added in!
I’m a little backlogged with my ARC’s but working diligently to get caught up. I really enjoyed the whole premise of this book! Being a horror movie fan myself, it was right up my alley and I completely understand the fandom and interest. Some parts were more predictable than others, and some I never saw coming and it made my head spin! I would definitely recommend to anyone who loves horror movies and books with mystery elements added in!
May 31, 2024
Unfortunately, once again a Christina Henry book started out with a great premise, characters I cared about and a great first half. Then things slowly fell apart and the book turned out to be just ok. I felt the story was wrapped up too quickly.
May 23, 2024
The ending made up for the entire book. This is a slow burn horror, so slow you wonder if it is slotted as the right genre for the great majority of the book. It also came off as similar vibes to a slightly more advanced Goosebumps. You get a lot of Harry cleaning (for her job) and worrying about finding an apartment. The snaps to the past of Harry seemed unnecessary and didn't really add anything of value to the plot. The snaps to the past of Javier at least gave you more of an inside look of the mysterious filmmaker.
There were a few spooky things that happened but it quickly fell back to the mundane pace. I did appreciate the few horror references though. I was really excited for this release and it turned out to be such a let down.
Would not recommend.
There were a few spooky things that happened but it quickly fell back to the mundane pace. I did appreciate the few horror references though. I was really excited for this release and it turned out to be such a let down.
Would not recommend.
Read
May 22, 2024Christina Henry is one of several modern American horror authors (Paul Tremblay, Grady Hendrix etc.) who take established themes, tropes, and ideas—ones which have become cliche over the years—and do something fresh and fun with them, or even shows how they can be used to tell a different kind of story. The House That Horror Built is easily one of the best examples of this method being done to brilliant effect.
My full thoughts: https://booksandbao.com/modern-horror...
My full thoughts: https://booksandbao.com/modern-horror...
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