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The Exorcist's House #2
Genesis
In chasing devils, all roads lead to Hell.
1967: A brutal murder occurs at the Weston State Hospital in West Virginia. To amateur exorcist, Merle Blatty, this shocking story rings of the occult. Fueled by a desire to avenge the deaths of his wife and son, Merle investigates the case, unknowingly stepping into a sinister web spanning decades.
1997: It’s been three years since the Hill family left the nightmares of the farm behind them. Alice is off to college while Daniel and Nora are closer than ever, living in Ohio and raising their three-year-old daughter, Maren. Their high hopes for the future are quickly extinguished when they receive a call, learning of a plan by Adam, Daniel’s brother, to purchase the exorcist's former property and stage an Amityville-inspired haunting to profit from the story.
By alternating past and present narratives, The Exorcist’s House: Genesis is a multi-generational odyssey through Hell, giving birth to a new breed of horror.
1967: A brutal murder occurs at the Weston State Hospital in West Virginia. To amateur exorcist, Merle Blatty, this shocking story rings of the occult. Fueled by a desire to avenge the deaths of his wife and son, Merle investigates the case, unknowingly stepping into a sinister web spanning decades.
1997: It’s been three years since the Hill family left the nightmares of the farm behind them. Alice is off to college while Daniel and Nora are closer than ever, living in Ohio and raising their three-year-old daughter, Maren. Their high hopes for the future are quickly extinguished when they receive a call, learning of a plan by Adam, Daniel’s brother, to purchase the exorcist's former property and stage an Amityville-inspired haunting to profit from the story.
By alternating past and present narratives, The Exorcist’s House: Genesis is a multi-generational odyssey through Hell, giving birth to a new breed of horror.
320 pages, Paperback
Published September 13, 2024
1151 people are currently reading
4808 people want to read
About the author
Nick Roberts
31 books2,442 followersNick Roberts is a native West Virginian and a doctoral graduate of Marshall University. He is an active member of the Horror Writers Association and the Horror Authors Guild. His works include Anathema, The Exorcist's House, It Haunts the Mind & Other Stories, and Mean Spirited. He currently resides in South Carolina with his family and is an advocate for people in recovery from substance use disorder.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 654 reviews
September 13, 2024
“The Exorcist's House: Genesis” by Nick Roberts is one of the best horror novels I have read in 2024. It was such a magnificent read that I could not put it down and finished it in a single day because it completely blew my mind! I knew I’d likely love the sequel to “The Exorcist’s House” since it was a perfect 5-star read for me back in March 2023, but this surpassed even my wildest expectations.
Before I begin my review, here are the trigger warnings I found while reading…
- Violence against kids (but they’re demonic)
- Violence against dogs (they’re demonic, too)
- Suicide
- Violent dog attacks
- Kidnapping
If any of these trigger you, please do not read this novel. I have read several novels by Roberts over the years, and he continues to impress me with his unique and refreshing take on horror, especially the evil kind. My goodness, he did not hold back at all in this sequel.
Presented in a dual timeline of the past and present, it helped fill in much of what I was curious about with the origins of the exorcist’s house. It was fantastic to get that backstory since everything finally came together. As always with Roberts, he throws in a lot of excellent horror references, which always brings a smile to my face. Everything from Psycho, Alfred Hitchcock, The Amityville Horror, Ed and Lorraine Warren, Rosemary’s Baby, and even The Omen.
Roberts has a knack for making memorable characters that you will always remember. It was nice to finally learn more about Merle Blatty and why he’s such a pivotal character. I was so glad to reconnect with the Hill family again after the original novel's wild events. Daniel, Nora, Alice, and, of course, Buck… BEST. DOG. EVER. <3
For those of you who have read “The Exorcist’s House” and remember the insane demonic horror, you have no idea what awaits you in this sequel. I could not believe what I was even reading most of the time. The demonic horror here is kicked up to levels I didn’t even think were possible. I was astounded by how Roberts took things to another level and pushed the envelope, and that was just 10 pages in. Numerous times, I said “WOW!” out loud. My horror heart was gleaming the entire time I was reading.
During several horror scenes, I made many weird faces, and I immediately knew this would be one hell of a rollercoaster ride. This is the kind of horror I love reading that doesn’t have any fluff, nonsense, endless dialogue, or any of that.
I started this book during my lunch break on Thursday and couldn’t wait to finish work at around 7 PM to continue reading. From what I initially read while eating lunch, I couldn’t stop laughing at what Adam, Daniel’s brother, was about to get into involving the exorcist’s house. I was shaking my head, knowing the hell this fool was about to unleash and how much fun this would be. I stopped reading there since I had to go back to work, but I knew it would be great.
I couldn’t stop reading this for anything once I got back into it, and ironically, I finished it deep into the night, heading into Friday the 13th. What perfect timing, eh? I was hooked, especially with all the gore, bloodshed, and chaos.
Besides all that creepy jaw-on-the-floor demonic horror, the story is excellent. You truly feel for all the characters, especially the children. The demonic possessions here sent chills down my spine. They were so evil and atmospheric that I could literally smell the sulfur in some of these demonic encounters due to how immersive it was.
All the suspense, tension, and dread made this a powerhouse of a read. I was completely and utterly blown away, and I will recommend both these books to any horror reader who wants some of the best demonic horror I’ve ever read. I rarely read an entire novel in a single day, and “The Exorcist's House: Genesis” was beyond worth it.
I loved all the plot twists, big reveals, and insane ending. Don’t worry, I would never spoil anything for you but yeah, that was such an emotionally intense and terrifying ending. I felt that in my bones since the final 20% of this novel was epic, especially what led to quite the showdown.
I give “The Exorcist's House: Genesis” by Nick Roberts a perfect 5/5. This is a demonic horror masterpiece and will be a novel I will never forget. I am still shocked at how extraordinary this was, and I wish the legendary Shirley Jackson (RIP) were still alive to have read this. This particular horror subgenre is tough to get right, and I bet if she could see the foundation and platinum standard she set for haunted house stories with “The Haunting of Hill House” taken to even scarier and more evil heights, she would smile.
Thank you to Nick Roberts and Crystal Lake Publishing for this ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in exchange for an honest review!
The Spider was here.
Before I begin my review, here are the trigger warnings I found while reading…
- Violence against kids (but they’re demonic)
- Violence against dogs (they’re demonic, too)
- Suicide
- Violent dog attacks
- Kidnapping
If any of these trigger you, please do not read this novel. I have read several novels by Roberts over the years, and he continues to impress me with his unique and refreshing take on horror, especially the evil kind. My goodness, he did not hold back at all in this sequel.
Presented in a dual timeline of the past and present, it helped fill in much of what I was curious about with the origins of the exorcist’s house. It was fantastic to get that backstory since everything finally came together. As always with Roberts, he throws in a lot of excellent horror references, which always brings a smile to my face. Everything from Psycho, Alfred Hitchcock, The Amityville Horror, Ed and Lorraine Warren, Rosemary’s Baby, and even The Omen.
Roberts has a knack for making memorable characters that you will always remember. It was nice to finally learn more about Merle Blatty and why he’s such a pivotal character. I was so glad to reconnect with the Hill family again after the original novel's wild events. Daniel, Nora, Alice, and, of course, Buck… BEST. DOG. EVER. <3
For those of you who have read “The Exorcist’s House” and remember the insane demonic horror, you have no idea what awaits you in this sequel. I could not believe what I was even reading most of the time. The demonic horror here is kicked up to levels I didn’t even think were possible. I was astounded by how Roberts took things to another level and pushed the envelope, and that was just 10 pages in. Numerous times, I said “WOW!” out loud. My horror heart was gleaming the entire time I was reading.
During several horror scenes, I made many weird faces, and I immediately knew this would be one hell of a rollercoaster ride. This is the kind of horror I love reading that doesn’t have any fluff, nonsense, endless dialogue, or any of that.
I started this book during my lunch break on Thursday and couldn’t wait to finish work at around 7 PM to continue reading. From what I initially read while eating lunch, I couldn’t stop laughing at what Adam, Daniel’s brother, was about to get into involving the exorcist’s house. I was shaking my head, knowing the hell this fool was about to unleash and how much fun this would be. I stopped reading there since I had to go back to work, but I knew it would be great.
I couldn’t stop reading this for anything once I got back into it, and ironically, I finished it deep into the night, heading into Friday the 13th. What perfect timing, eh? I was hooked, especially with all the gore, bloodshed, and chaos.
Besides all that creepy jaw-on-the-floor demonic horror, the story is excellent. You truly feel for all the characters, especially the children. The demonic possessions here sent chills down my spine. They were so evil and atmospheric that I could literally smell the sulfur in some of these demonic encounters due to how immersive it was.
All the suspense, tension, and dread made this a powerhouse of a read. I was completely and utterly blown away, and I will recommend both these books to any horror reader who wants some of the best demonic horror I’ve ever read. I rarely read an entire novel in a single day, and “The Exorcist's House: Genesis” was beyond worth it.
I loved all the plot twists, big reveals, and insane ending. Don’t worry, I would never spoil anything for you but yeah, that was such an emotionally intense and terrifying ending. I felt that in my bones since the final 20% of this novel was epic, especially what led to quite the showdown.
I give “The Exorcist's House: Genesis” by Nick Roberts a perfect 5/5. This is a demonic horror masterpiece and will be a novel I will never forget. I am still shocked at how extraordinary this was, and I wish the legendary Shirley Jackson (RIP) were still alive to have read this. This particular horror subgenre is tough to get right, and I bet if she could see the foundation and platinum standard she set for haunted house stories with “The Haunting of Hill House” taken to even scarier and more evil heights, she would smile.
Thank you to Nick Roberts and Crystal Lake Publishing for this ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in exchange for an honest review!
The Spider was here.
December 4, 2024
Wow. Genesis scared the hell out me. The ending does leave lots of potential for continuing the series. Oh, well. All good things must come to an end. Many thanks for all the hours of horror filled good times, Nick. Good stuff.
July 10, 2024
Easily my new favorite Nick Roberts novel. Damn! What a story. The Spider is one of the coolest antagonists in recent memory. With Genesis, Nick does what the best sequels do, which is build upon the strengths of the original while doing something entirely new. From the opening scene until the last page, I was hooked on every word. The way this book ties everything together so nicely with Anathema is just the icing on the cake. This book is going to be a massive hit!
October 1, 2024
Spooky Terror!
Small backstory:
Timelines 1967 and 1997:
1967
Merle Blatty who was just starting out to be an exorcist goes through scary situations as he tries to investigate a murder that happened in West Virginia but in the meantime paranormal things start happening to him at his home as the forces of evil invade his life.
1997:
Daniel and Nora Hill are finally getting their lives back together after having to endure what they experienced on the farm and house that belonged to Merle Blatty, but when Daniel's brother Adam gets a wild idea to buy the house on a whim to get rich is when things go south as the demons and the occult come rising back into all their lives sending them all into the terror zone!
That is about all I can hand out with a small backstory so if you want to know more then go read this book!
Thoughts:
This was a great sequel to the first book and the creepiness and terror of the story just seeped back under my skin. The story moves at a fast pace and has lots of atmospheric dread that soaks into the story. I had a feeling that this book was going to be creepier than the first book and I was right.
Another great book by this author and I see there is another book that is tied into this story so will be reading it soon. Giving this book five "Spooky Scared" stars!
Small backstory:
Timelines 1967 and 1997:
1967
Merle Blatty who was just starting out to be an exorcist goes through scary situations as he tries to investigate a murder that happened in West Virginia but in the meantime paranormal things start happening to him at his home as the forces of evil invade his life.
1997:
Daniel and Nora Hill are finally getting their lives back together after having to endure what they experienced on the farm and house that belonged to Merle Blatty, but when Daniel's brother Adam gets a wild idea to buy the house on a whim to get rich is when things go south as the demons and the occult come rising back into all their lives sending them all into the terror zone!
That is about all I can hand out with a small backstory so if you want to know more then go read this book!
Thoughts:
This was a great sequel to the first book and the creepiness and terror of the story just seeped back under my skin. The story moves at a fast pace and has lots of atmospheric dread that soaks into the story. I had a feeling that this book was going to be creepier than the first book and I was right.
Another great book by this author and I see there is another book that is tied into this story so will be reading it soon. Giving this book five "Spooky Scared" stars!
September 17, 2024
This one wasn't nearly as good as the first one. I found his choice of descriptors a bit lacking. especially "dog farts" "swamp ass" and "fell over like a limp dick." Things I image a 12 year old would write. There is also way too much exposition, so much could have been edited down. Like the driving scenes, far more detail went into the act of driving a car than was necessary. I think I've felt this way about some of his other works. Having read Anathema already, I had an idea of how things would go in regards to Maren. I think this would have been better if it was solely about Merle and his early adventures as an exorcist.
January 13, 2025
wow wow wow this was crazier than the last one. the epilogue had my jaw on the floor. i knew everything ended a bit too easily and the epilogue basically confirmed it. rip to some of the og characters. idk why i had high hopes for their survival, but it makes sense honestly. despite everything that’s happened, i’m going to imagine that buck is still alive somewhere to keep from falling to my knees in despair.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
October 29, 2024dnf 😴
September 13, 2024
“I’m not a demon. I’m The Spider. And this is just the first strand.”
Wow. I am devastated. I have chewed off most of my fingernails, I have twirled my hair into spirals, and I have cried, oh how I’ve cried. This is Nick Roberts’ best, and most terrifying, work yet. Once again, I am left with haunting visuals—Roberts is one of the most talented verbal artists I’ve had the pleasure to read. I’m TEHG, we are thrown into some of the darkest depictions of possession and mind-control imaginable. We get to see, first-hand, how Merle Blatty came to face the most despicable and haunting entity yet. Fear not, every emotion under the sun is evoked in this tale, just as with his other work. There is death, there is defeat, and there is a seemingly never-ending spiral of horror throughout. The Hill family is going on with their lives, starting new chapters, when suddenly family ties become much stronger and tested beyond belief. A relative of The Hill family decides to try to cash in on the possibly lucrative opportunity at hand… Will everyone make it out alive? Will anyone make it out alive? Definitely recommend—this will break your heart, your soul, your faith.
Wow. I am devastated. I have chewed off most of my fingernails, I have twirled my hair into spirals, and I have cried, oh how I’ve cried. This is Nick Roberts’ best, and most terrifying, work yet. Once again, I am left with haunting visuals—Roberts is one of the most talented verbal artists I’ve had the pleasure to read. I’m TEHG, we are thrown into some of the darkest depictions of possession and mind-control imaginable. We get to see, first-hand, how Merle Blatty came to face the most despicable and haunting entity yet. Fear not, every emotion under the sun is evoked in this tale, just as with his other work. There is death, there is defeat, and there is a seemingly never-ending spiral of horror throughout. The Hill family is going on with their lives, starting new chapters, when suddenly family ties become much stronger and tested beyond belief. A relative of The Hill family decides to try to cash in on the possibly lucrative opportunity at hand… Will everyone make it out alive? Will anyone make it out alive? Definitely recommend—this will break your heart, your soul, your faith.
September 19, 2024
Fans of Nick Roberts’ previous works will be BLOWN AWAY by “The Exorcist’s House: Genesis”.
“This is just the first strand.”
Journey back to the creepy farmhouse situated over a portal to hell. Reunite with characters and places familiar to readers of “Anathema” and “The Exorcist’s House”. You’ll have chills while getting sucked deep into the demonic pages and prose of this book. Truly, there was one point where I was waiting for my hubby outside in the car while he made a late night stop at the hardware store. Alone, in the dark and deserted parking lot I made a choice to read some of this story and quickly became very unnerved- making sure the doors were locked, checking behind me to make sure no creepy Maren-like figures were lurking.
““I’m behind you,” the child said from outside the window.”
The author can tell a damn good story, you’d say it even haunts the mind. I’ll be thinking about this recent entry into the horrifying world Nick has written into existence for a long while. Dive in for a thrilling and truly evil supernatural tale with new foes, scares, and team-ups to fight the forces of darkness.
“This is just the first strand.”
Journey back to the creepy farmhouse situated over a portal to hell. Reunite with characters and places familiar to readers of “Anathema” and “The Exorcist’s House”. You’ll have chills while getting sucked deep into the demonic pages and prose of this book. Truly, there was one point where I was waiting for my hubby outside in the car while he made a late night stop at the hardware store. Alone, in the dark and deserted parking lot I made a choice to read some of this story and quickly became very unnerved- making sure the doors were locked, checking behind me to make sure no creepy Maren-like figures were lurking.
““I’m behind you,” the child said from outside the window.”
The author can tell a damn good story, you’d say it even haunts the mind. I’ll be thinking about this recent entry into the horrifying world Nick has written into existence for a long while. Dive in for a thrilling and truly evil supernatural tale with new foes, scares, and team-ups to fight the forces of darkness.
February 5, 2025
Whew. Y’all I prayed so many times during this book because of the blasphemy I was reading 😳 So good but really, REALLY dark. Nick Roberts can do a horror novel and horror duology like no other. Worth the read but bring Jesus with you! Whew!!
July 14, 2024
"𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈'𝐯𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐭'𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐤𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐥𝐞𝐝𝐠𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐥. 𝐖𝐡𝐲? 𝐈𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐭𝐨𝐨 𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐝 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬?"
The sequel I've been waiting for, and it far exceeded my expectations. An incredibly gifted storyteller with an eye for detail and keen insight into universal fears, this book kept me reading far past my bedtime, only stopping because the cats went into another room and I was too scared to read alone.
This story stretches over the span of 30 years, which is no easy feat for a writer to pull off in just over 300 pages, but Roberts did it with ease. Woven together are strands of Merle's story and the demons he's battled over the years, along with the Hill family and what life has been life since they fled the farmhouse after sealing up the well in the basement.
Storylines with demonic entities scare me sh*tless when they're done well, and this one was brilliantly executed. I know from a childhood growing up in a Southern Baptist church and from watching every episode of Supernatural multiple times that demons lie. But my God, the main antagonist in this book, dubbed The Spider, was truly something that inspired genuine fear. It took things that were sacred and revered and turned them into reprehensible mockeries. A wedding song, a treasured memory with a child or spouse--nothing was off limits.
I was incredibly tense the entire time I was reading this because I know that while this author is still relatively new, he's not afraid to take risks. I was terrified for these fictional characters, and I was absolutely gutted in some places. This book is about so much more than just exorcisms and demons. It's about faith, redemption, family, and the knowledge that while there may be awful things that walk this earth, there is also goodness, compassion, and forgiveness.
Thank you so much to the author for my place on his ARC team and for this early copy that is set to publish September 13, 2024.
The sequel I've been waiting for, and it far exceeded my expectations. An incredibly gifted storyteller with an eye for detail and keen insight into universal fears, this book kept me reading far past my bedtime, only stopping because the cats went into another room and I was too scared to read alone.
This story stretches over the span of 30 years, which is no easy feat for a writer to pull off in just over 300 pages, but Roberts did it with ease. Woven together are strands of Merle's story and the demons he's battled over the years, along with the Hill family and what life has been life since they fled the farmhouse after sealing up the well in the basement.
Storylines with demonic entities scare me sh*tless when they're done well, and this one was brilliantly executed. I know from a childhood growing up in a Southern Baptist church and from watching every episode of Supernatural multiple times that demons lie. But my God, the main antagonist in this book, dubbed The Spider, was truly something that inspired genuine fear. It took things that were sacred and revered and turned them into reprehensible mockeries. A wedding song, a treasured memory with a child or spouse--nothing was off limits.
I was incredibly tense the entire time I was reading this because I know that while this author is still relatively new, he's not afraid to take risks. I was terrified for these fictional characters, and I was absolutely gutted in some places. This book is about so much more than just exorcisms and demons. It's about faith, redemption, family, and the knowledge that while there may be awful things that walk this earth, there is also goodness, compassion, and forgiveness.
Thank you so much to the author for my place on his ARC team and for this early copy that is set to publish September 13, 2024.
April 10, 2025
I inhaled this book—so creepy, so good! There was a scene in book 1 that had me so mad, and I was so relieved it got brought up again here. Daniel and Nora did NOT make the same mistake, thank you very much! I loved the dual timelines—Merle’s story added a whole new level of creepy, and the way everything connected? Chef’s kiss. Nick Roberts nailed it again. I need book 3 yesterday.
September 29, 2024
Boooooooooooooooo. I should never bother with sequels* [*the exception being fantasy series]. The beginning was SO promising, particularly with how rad the ending of the first was. This one promised more Merle (the semi-professional exorcist) in his past too. And then after the first third… it dropped off completely. I suspect it’s because this one wanted to establish more to the demons’ lore instead of just letting them be unknowably terrifying and partially hidden most the story. There were two genuinely scary moments at the beginning (which, again, made the first part seem promising), and then never again. To know more about your haunter, is to be a less scared hauntee. Also there were several super immature moments from a grown ass man……… keep that to yourself, authors. The first “Exorcist House” is definitely a spooky season rec, and this one is definitely not worth your precious time.
February 26, 2025
This book picks up 3 years after the end of the first book. Daniel and Nora have moved from country house and had another child. Daniel’s brother purchases the old exorcist house hoping to turn it into a profit making attraction/ horror book inspired. The story jumps back in time with Merle, the original owner, giving us more detail on his experiences with the house and demons. Overall great story with many demonic encounters.
April 11, 2025
Nick Roberts sure knows how the scare the living soul out of you!
September 17, 2025
dear holy jesus, i’ve been exorcised ✝︎
March 19, 2025
The Exorcist’s House: Genesis is the sequel in the Exorcist House series by Nick Roberts and is told on dual timeline narratives. One narrative set in 1967, following the backwoods exorcist Merle Blatty as he investigates and hunts down a sinister reoccurring demon who calls himself “The Spider”.
The second narrative follows the Hill family several years after the events after the first book. Alice is off to college and we finally meet the 3 year old Maren, who was yet to be born in the first book. We also meet Daniel’s brother, Adam, who has a more creative side than Daniel Hill but also isn’t as financially successful. One night in a drunken stupor, Daniel tells Adam about the old farmhouse in West Virginia that almost took his family and Adam gets a secret plan to buy the house and create a horror movie based on his brother’s story.
I really enjoyed the first in this series, the characters were a bit annoying in the first one but I thought the Hill family was more enjoyable in this round and I’m glad that they brought back Buck. I actually enjoyed Merle’s backstory more in this one although it was just really there to introduce the demon. I’d prefer if the author does another just to tell a story of Merle’s adventures for hunting down demons. Overall, if you’re looking for a demon Halloween book, then definitely give this one a go if you enjoyed the first.
The second narrative follows the Hill family several years after the events after the first book. Alice is off to college and we finally meet the 3 year old Maren, who was yet to be born in the first book. We also meet Daniel’s brother, Adam, who has a more creative side than Daniel Hill but also isn’t as financially successful. One night in a drunken stupor, Daniel tells Adam about the old farmhouse in West Virginia that almost took his family and Adam gets a secret plan to buy the house and create a horror movie based on his brother’s story.
I really enjoyed the first in this series, the characters were a bit annoying in the first one but I thought the Hill family was more enjoyable in this round and I’m glad that they brought back Buck. I actually enjoyed Merle’s backstory more in this one although it was just really there to introduce the demon. I’d prefer if the author does another just to tell a story of Merle’s adventures for hunting down demons. Overall, if you’re looking for a demon Halloween book, then definitely give this one a go if you enjoyed the first.
April 20, 2025
I really liked this one too! The pacing was great, the horror was top tier, and I was locked into this creepy ride from start to finish. I loved getting multiple POVs and seeing Merle’s side of things as the Spider came to be — what a wicked antagonist. The demonic element even gave me flashes of my favorite parts of the 1998 movie Fallen, which just made me love it more. The ending leaves things open, and honestly, I’m hoping we aren’t done yet.
July 9, 2024
Nick Roberts is back at it again with another fantastic work of art! In this book we get a better understanding of how Merle came to be which kept me on the edge of my seat! The creepiness of the spider will live with me for a long time!
Read
September 29, 2024DNF at 51%
This was chaotic. Too many plots. Too many ideas that made no sense. Pacing was way off. It had moments where I thought I would love it but honestly it just didn't make any sense and I wasn't interested enough to keep going.
This was chaotic. Too many plots. Too many ideas that made no sense. Pacing was way off. It had moments where I thought I would love it but honestly it just didn't make any sense and I wasn't interested enough to keep going.
April 11, 2025
I liked “The Exorcist’s House” because it was a bit tropey, a bit corny, but ultimately a fun, well-written exorcism story. In “Genesis”, Roberts is not afraid to burn the whole fucking house down. No one is safe. Nothing is sacred. And evil never dies.
January 19, 2025
4,0 ✨✨✨
(Audiobook)
(Audiobook)
July 10, 2024
Nick Roberts - The Exorcist's House: Genesis
When I first started the Creepy Bat Book Reviews page, my original thought was to lead off with a review of this and one of the first reviews I did which was the original Exorcist's House, but in re-reading what I wrote, I absolutely hated it. I feel like I've improved greatly since the beginning.
And so has Nick Roberts. The difference is that he was already an amazing writer.
As soon as people finished reading the original, requests came up to add to the mythology. There were many that wanted that sequel, to find out what became of our beloved Hill family. There were those that wanted more of Merle, and the demons that he's fought over the years.
And Nick did it perfectly. He gave us both, and he did it in such a masterful way that no matter what chapter I was on, I was sad when it ended, but then immediately caught up in whatever thread of the story that followed it. For a story that stretches 30 years, there isn't a single missed piece or stone left unturned, which could not have been easy. In the hands of a lesser writer, this could have devolved into a convoluted mess. Instead, it's paced and plotted so perfectly that I had to pace myself because all I wanted to do was sit and devour this until it was finished.
For those that have explored his earlier works, and know how distinctively his stories are voiced, this should hold nothing but joy for you, even when his goal is to crush your heart. He writes like someone that has spent their entire lives perfecting the art, and having just finished this, I already cannot wait to delve into his next project. Over the last year, The Exorcist's House has been one of my most recommended novels, and I can state with zero hesitation that this one will be right beside of it. This is nothing short of a masterclass in horror, and a solid exercise in fear, and it absolutely will have you giving your cellar door a wider berth late at night.
Go get this book the day it comes out. If you don't already have the original, get that too. Pick up every book that you can by Nick Roberts. His name is destined to be written in blood in the book of Horror Greats, and there is no reason not to get in now, before he becomes a household name, because if he continues to crank out brilliance such as this, it's only a matter of time.
When I first started the Creepy Bat Book Reviews page, my original thought was to lead off with a review of this and one of the first reviews I did which was the original Exorcist's House, but in re-reading what I wrote, I absolutely hated it. I feel like I've improved greatly since the beginning.
And so has Nick Roberts. The difference is that he was already an amazing writer.
As soon as people finished reading the original, requests came up to add to the mythology. There were many that wanted that sequel, to find out what became of our beloved Hill family. There were those that wanted more of Merle, and the demons that he's fought over the years.
And Nick did it perfectly. He gave us both, and he did it in such a masterful way that no matter what chapter I was on, I was sad when it ended, but then immediately caught up in whatever thread of the story that followed it. For a story that stretches 30 years, there isn't a single missed piece or stone left unturned, which could not have been easy. In the hands of a lesser writer, this could have devolved into a convoluted mess. Instead, it's paced and plotted so perfectly that I had to pace myself because all I wanted to do was sit and devour this until it was finished.
For those that have explored his earlier works, and know how distinctively his stories are voiced, this should hold nothing but joy for you, even when his goal is to crush your heart. He writes like someone that has spent their entire lives perfecting the art, and having just finished this, I already cannot wait to delve into his next project. Over the last year, The Exorcist's House has been one of my most recommended novels, and I can state with zero hesitation that this one will be right beside of it. This is nothing short of a masterclass in horror, and a solid exercise in fear, and it absolutely will have you giving your cellar door a wider berth late at night.
Go get this book the day it comes out. If you don't already have the original, get that too. Pick up every book that you can by Nick Roberts. His name is destined to be written in blood in the book of Horror Greats, and there is no reason not to get in now, before he becomes a household name, because if he continues to crank out brilliance such as this, it's only a matter of time.
September 14, 2025
They say You Always Hurt The One You Love, but do you have what it takes to save them?
The Exorcist's House Genesis takes us back to where it all began, with Merle Blatty fighting the forces of evil with nothing more than some holy water, a Bible, and his belief that everything will work out okay. Getting his back story brought so much to this book and the rest of this series, and I'm so glad we got to see things from his point of view throughout the book. I loved getting to know more about his character since we don't see too much of him in the original The Exorcist's House.
But that's not all, readers! We also get to see what the Hill family has been up to since the day they fled the farmhouse after sealing the well and defeating the devil...or so they thought. Through rotating povs we see what's still lurking at the old house when Daniel's brother Adam decides to buy the house to turn a profit. Adam may have gotten more than he bargained for, though, as the events leading to the climax of this book threaten to destroy everything and everyone in their path.
I say this with every Nick Roberts book I read, but this has to be his best work yet. I have a soft spot for possession/exorcism books, as they are probably my favorite trope (thanks religious trauma), but I can genuinely say that this book didn't hold its punches and sent me on a rollercoaster of emotions. It's all killer, no filler. All the Easter eggs were fun to find, and I enjoyed every minute of it. I'm not sure how Nick is going to top this one, but I look forward to whatever he writes next! Thank you Nick for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
The Exorcist's House Genesis takes us back to where it all began, with Merle Blatty fighting the forces of evil with nothing more than some holy water, a Bible, and his belief that everything will work out okay. Getting his back story brought so much to this book and the rest of this series, and I'm so glad we got to see things from his point of view throughout the book. I loved getting to know more about his character since we don't see too much of him in the original The Exorcist's House.
But that's not all, readers! We also get to see what the Hill family has been up to since the day they fled the farmhouse after sealing the well and defeating the devil...or so they thought. Through rotating povs we see what's still lurking at the old house when Daniel's brother Adam decides to buy the house to turn a profit. Adam may have gotten more than he bargained for, though, as the events leading to the climax of this book threaten to destroy everything and everyone in their path.
I say this with every Nick Roberts book I read, but this has to be his best work yet. I have a soft spot for possession/exorcism books, as they are probably my favorite trope (thanks religious trauma), but I can genuinely say that this book didn't hold its punches and sent me on a rollercoaster of emotions. It's all killer, no filler. All the Easter eggs were fun to find, and I enjoyed every minute of it. I'm not sure how Nick is going to top this one, but I look forward to whatever he writes next! Thank you Nick for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
November 25, 2024
Alright, next up…Genesis.
This story just keeps on giving, doesn’t it? And by "giving," I mean nightmares! As a parent of a two-year-old, this one hit me hard. It was tough enough reading The Exorcist’s House with Alice’s storyline at 15, but Maren in this book is only 3, which is a lot closer to my son’s age.
Horror stories feel so much more intense when there’s a child involved, don’t they?
I love how Nick Roberts keeps the momentum going in this novel while seamlessly weaving in the Anathema storyline. You could technically read these books separately, but trust me, it’s a real treat to follow the recommended order. If this series were a song, Genesis would be the crescendo, building up to Legacy being the epic guitar solo and I absolutely can’t wait for it.
The dual timelines in this story, switching between Merle’s past and Daniel Hill’s present, were so well done. I’ll admit, Daniel’s brother Adam is an absolute idiot… but then again, every story needs an idiot, and Adam fills that role perfectly. On the flip side, the emotional depth of Merle’s storyline with his son really got to me. Nick does such a beautiful job portraying the love between father and child in this book… both with Merle and Daniel.
After finishing all three books, I’m beyond excited to dive into Anathema: Legacy. I feel so privileged to read it as an ARC and I CANNOT wait to see how this plays out.
Stay tuned for my review for Anathema: Legacy & the wrap up of this incredible journey Nick Roberts has sent me on.
This story just keeps on giving, doesn’t it? And by "giving," I mean nightmares! As a parent of a two-year-old, this one hit me hard. It was tough enough reading The Exorcist’s House with Alice’s storyline at 15, but Maren in this book is only 3, which is a lot closer to my son’s age.
Horror stories feel so much more intense when there’s a child involved, don’t they?
I love how Nick Roberts keeps the momentum going in this novel while seamlessly weaving in the Anathema storyline. You could technically read these books separately, but trust me, it’s a real treat to follow the recommended order. If this series were a song, Genesis would be the crescendo, building up to Legacy being the epic guitar solo and I absolutely can’t wait for it.
The dual timelines in this story, switching between Merle’s past and Daniel Hill’s present, were so well done. I’ll admit, Daniel’s brother Adam is an absolute idiot… but then again, every story needs an idiot, and Adam fills that role perfectly. On the flip side, the emotional depth of Merle’s storyline with his son really got to me. Nick does such a beautiful job portraying the love between father and child in this book… both with Merle and Daniel.
After finishing all three books, I’m beyond excited to dive into Anathema: Legacy. I feel so privileged to read it as an ARC and I CANNOT wait to see how this plays out.
Stay tuned for my review for Anathema: Legacy & the wrap up of this incredible journey Nick Roberts has sent me on.
February 24, 2025
“You always hurt the one you love, the one you shouldn’t hurt at all”
Very fast paced book with some heavily descriptive scenes and non stop gore. Loved the first book in the series and the sequel did not disappoint! This book was frankly unhinged and by the time one horrifying thing happened another situation was right around the corner. I could barely keep up! Nick Robert’s is one of my favorite horror writers of all time and this book only solidifies that. The way he writes about the paranormal is top tier🙌🏼
Very fast paced book with some heavily descriptive scenes and non stop gore. Loved the first book in the series and the sequel did not disappoint! This book was frankly unhinged and by the time one horrifying thing happened another situation was right around the corner. I could barely keep up! Nick Robert’s is one of my favorite horror writers of all time and this book only solidifies that. The way he writes about the paranormal is top tier🙌🏼
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August 29, 2024THANK YOU to Crystal Lake Publishing, for graciously providing a free copy of this book to read and review. All thoughts and opinions discussed below are my own and are subjective to myself as a reader.
The first book in this series, THE EXORCIST'S HOUSE, is one of my most favorite books that blends the haunted house trope with the possession trope. As soon as I had the ARC for the sequel dangled in front of me, I move things around so that I could read it as soon as possible.
Sadly, for me at least, this book did not meet expectations and I finally gave up hope that it would somehow redeem itself at the 59% mark, resulting in a DNF and subsequently no star rating assigned since I only rate books I finish.
Told in a dual timeline, readers are treated to the events that occurred after Merle Blatty sealed the well in his farmhouse that led to the conclusion we learn about in the first book. These events begin in 1967 and this was exactly what I was looking for in this novel.
It's the other timeline that killed the enjoyment for me. It's 1997, three years after the Hill family fled the farmhouse and the old horrors resurface when they discover that Daniel's brother has purchased the old house. The entity that calls itself "The Spider" just didn't land for me. I was expecting the same seriousness, horror and mystery that permeated the pages in the first book and what I got felt campy. Horror requires some suspension of belief, to be sure, but there were some jumps that just felt a little too much for me to accept. The first book - that one had me enthralled and it made sense, which is what made it so terrifyingly good.
I still have MEAN SPIRITED on hand by Nick to try, so here's hoping that one lands for me!
A heartfelt thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for their support towards my enthusiasm for reading and reviewing!
Special thanks to my highest level Patrons: Ev, Amanda L., Andrew, Star, Kate, Gail, Amanda F., Tara, John, Ann, Chad K., & Ashley E.
The first book in this series, THE EXORCIST'S HOUSE, is one of my most favorite books that blends the haunted house trope with the possession trope. As soon as I had the ARC for the sequel dangled in front of me, I move things around so that I could read it as soon as possible.
Sadly, for me at least, this book did not meet expectations and I finally gave up hope that it would somehow redeem itself at the 59% mark, resulting in a DNF and subsequently no star rating assigned since I only rate books I finish.
Told in a dual timeline, readers are treated to the events that occurred after Merle Blatty sealed the well in his farmhouse that led to the conclusion we learn about in the first book. These events begin in 1967 and this was exactly what I was looking for in this novel.
It's the other timeline that killed the enjoyment for me. It's 1997, three years after the Hill family fled the farmhouse and the old horrors resurface when they discover that Daniel's brother has purchased the old house. The entity that calls itself "The Spider" just didn't land for me. I was expecting the same seriousness, horror and mystery that permeated the pages in the first book and what I got felt campy. Horror requires some suspension of belief, to be sure, but there were some jumps that just felt a little too much for me to accept. The first book - that one had me enthralled and it made sense, which is what made it so terrifyingly good.
I still have MEAN SPIRITED on hand by Nick to try, so here's hoping that one lands for me!
A heartfelt thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for their support towards my enthusiasm for reading and reviewing!
Special thanks to my highest level Patrons: Ev, Amanda L., Andrew, Star, Kate, Gail, Amanda F., Tara, John, Ann, Chad K., & Ashley E.
August 11, 2025
the first book was not incredible but the story was interesting enough that I wanted to read the second, and it wasn't worth the time. the writing is rough in both books. dumb things like using the same word twice in a sentence (eg "she looked deeply into his eyes and sighed deeply") and some pretty pathetic comparisons (as another reviewer wrote, swamp ass and limp dick? he's going for humor here but it just comes across as immature). the plot didn't make sense and felt very much back written so that it would fit with the first book. the very end hints at an interesting third book with Maren but honestly I don't think I can do another of these.
January 20, 2025
The first book was really good, but this one was batshit crazy. There are plenty of scenes in this that are terrifying. It was a truly scary book and I’ll absolutely be reading more of this author’s stories. Solid 5/5 stars, and I don’t give those out often!
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