Misery Place

by Molly Garcia

When the Barnes family inherit a beautiful cottage in the small village of Misery, they can’t wait to leave city life behind them.
It doesn’t take long for things to fall apart, and the family start to realise they may have inherited more than just the house.

Genres: Audiobook, Horror, Thriller

290 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 1, 2024

About the author

I live in Spain with my partner of over 30 years and we have two grown-up children. I have worked in social care and the NHS since 1991 and use my experiences in that field to create complex and realistic characters and backgrounds.

I hope my readers enjoy the stories I write but I would also like them to address social inequality and raise people's awareness.

Reviews

[Shana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fantastic read from Molly Garcia.

Kirsty inherits a house, but not is all it seems from the house itself. The neighbours are strange, and her husband starts behaving oddly.

I listened via Audible, Narrator was Grant Love. Again, he smashed it 👌🏻

The sound effects will stay with me in my nightmares. I can tell you that 🤣😳

Would highly recommend to any thriller, suspense junkie. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Onto to another of Mollys books 📚

[LJ🥀👻 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this a lot more than what I expected to. The ending was a bit predictable, at least for me. But it was a great read nonetheless!

[C. A. Deegan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Things that scratch in the night!!

Loved it!  A great horror yarn with characters you root for. 

When Kirsty’s struggling family inherits her great aunt’s cottage, it seems that for once their luck has changed.  Moving out to the country, it’s an idyllic new start for all of them.  However, things soon start to turn sour.  Nasty neighbours, bullies at school, and her once-loving husband obsession with their cellar.  Foul smells precede horrible changes to both the boys in Kirsty’s life.  And when a series of murders happen in the sleepy village, Kirsty realizes she is the only one who can do something about it.  That or lose everything she loves.  But the thing in the cellar has other ideas…

Fast paced and brilliantly written, this is a well-crafted horror story that will keep you turning the pages.  I was up until the early hours over two nights, as I needed to know what happened.  It’s that good.  Get it, you won’t be disappointed.

[Sue Fenwick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love a good haunted house story, and Misery Place doesn’t disappoint. The plot quickly drew me in, as what appears to be an idyllic situation turns into a nightmare. The author does a fantastic job of slowly building the tension and creating a deepening sense of dread. I highly recommend listening to the audio version of this book, as the narrator adds additional depth with some great sound effects.

[Rachel Browning · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great horror story! Kirsty inherits a house and moves her family in there with dreams of a wonderful life. Shortly after they move in many things go wrong around the town. There are mysterious murders taking place and the town is not welcoming of the new family. It’s a good, suspenseful story that kept me on the edge of my seat. Home is where the nightmares start!

[Harmony Kent · Rating 4 out of 5]

OVERALL 🌟🌟🌟🌟
PERFORMANCE 🌟🌟🌟🌟
STORY 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Brilliant narrator and storyline

I didn’t love all the sound effects, such as ringing door bells and—worse still—ringing phones, which went in too long and too loud, thus obscuring the narration. This also means if you’re getting sleepy, it won’t be long before one of the jarring jangles jumps you straight into alertness. So, not a nighttime listen, which is a shame because both the plot and the narration are gripping and soothing at the same time.

I’ve never heard a male narrator do female voices so well and am incredibly impressed with them.

The characters felt realistic and relatable, and I look forward to listening to more by Molly Garcia and the narrator, Grant Love. If not for the annoying-to-me sound effects this would be a solid 5-star listen, and I recommend it highly.

Many thanks to Grant Love for a free arc of this audiobook.


***

NOTE ON RATINGS: I consider a 3-star rating a positive review. Picky about which books I give 5 stars to, I reserve this highest rating for the stories I find stunning and which moved me.


5 STARS: IT WAS AMAZING! I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN! — Highly Recommended.

4 STARS: I WOULD PULL AN ALL-NIGHTER — Go read this book.

3 STARS: IT WAS GOOD! — An okay read. Didn’t love it. Didn’t hate it.

2 STARS: I MAY HAVE LIKED A FEW THINGS —Lacking in some areas: writing, characterisation, and/or problematic plot lines.

1 STAR: NOT MY CUP OF TEA —Lots of issues with this book.

[Ali O · Rating 5 out of 5]

Misery Place by Molly Garcia
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
This is a fantastic horror/thriller story! It’s a super intense and exciting read. Kirsty and her family are gifted her great grandmas old house after she passed, and once they move in, strange things start to happen. Everyone in the village has a strong opinion of them living there.
I couldn’t wait to find out what would happen in each chapter! This is an entertaining and spooky book, with great character development and is very well written.

Thank you to Molly Garcia for an arc of this excellent book!
This book comes out September 1st and is one to check out!

[Mariel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Misery Place
By Molly Garcia
Narrated by Grant Love

I received a complimentary copy and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Molly Garcia's "Misery Place," narrated by the exceptional Grant Love, is an absolute triumph in the thriller/horror genre.

The story begins innocently enough with Kirsty and Sam Barnes, a loving couple living a modest but happy life with their son, Adam. Their world takes an exciting turn when Kirsty unexpectedly inherits a substantial sum of money along with property. It seems like a dream come true—a spacious home in a picturesque village, offering the promise of a better life for their family. But as the name of the village, "Misery," ominously suggests, their idyllic dream quickly morphs into a chilling nightmare.

Molly Garcia masterfully weaves a story that keeps you on the edge of your seat. The gradual descent from hope to horror is handled with such skill that every twist feels like a revelation, and every eerie moment leaves your heart pounding. The house itself becomes a character, its oppressive and malevolent atmosphere creeping into every corner of the story.

What elevates this book even further is Grant Love’s mesmerizing narration. His voice captures every nuance of fear, desperation, and tension, pulling you deeper into the darkness of Misery. The addition of sound effects adds an extra layer of immersion, making it impossible to listen without feeling the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end.

As a fan of this incredible duo, I had high expectations, and I am thrilled to say they exceeded them. The pacing is flawless, the characters are compelling, and the haunting twists left me completely hooked from start to finish.

If you’re looking for a thriller that will chill you to the bone and keep you listening late into the night, Misery Place is a must. Molly Garcia and Grant Love have delivered yet another hit that you won’t want to miss!

[Amanda Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kirsty and Sam Barnes have the cutest little life. A quaint apartment, their young son, Adam, friends, and a city to explore. They are happy and enjoying the life they are building together. What they didn’t know they wanted was a house in the country with space to spread out and grow together, and when Kirsty’s Aunt Phyllis passes away and leaves them her place in Misery, they cannot pass up the opportunity. As they get settled into their new place, Sam discovers a hidden room in the cellar. As the days go on, Kirsty starts to notice a change in Sam. He is obsessed with being downstairs. His kind and loving demeanor begins to change. Even her son, Adam, starts to feed off the negative energy. Kirsty can’t sleep. The village has not been welcoming and is circling the wagons. Perhaps Kirsty inherited more than just the house, and she’s not sure if she is living her dream, or her nightmare.

Molly Garcia weaves a tale no adult wants to experience. Reading from Kirsty’s perspective gives every wife and mother multiple chills and feels. I loved how the tense storyline builds with the emotions of the characters and comes to a huge climax at the end. There are some “language” barriers from an American’s perspective because it is written in UK English, but nothing that cannot be determined from context clues. Overall, this is a great horror story that should not be read right before you move to a new home.

[Mandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Misery Place by Molly Garcia masterfully weaves together psychological suspense with eerie horror. From the moment the Barnes family inherits a charming cottage in the quiet village of Misery, an unsettling tension slowly creeps in. What starts as a peaceful escape from city life quickly spirals into a chilling nightmare, as the family’s new home becomes the epicenter of terror.

Garcia creates an atmosphere thick with dread, expertly building the suspense with every turn of the page. The characters are deeply engaging, and their growing realization that they’ve inherited more than just a house pulls you into their unraveling world. The village itself is hauntingly alive with secrets, adding to the story's ever-increasing tension.

The pacing is flawless, with each twist tightening the suspense until you're holding your breath. Just when you think you've figured it out, Garcia hits you with a jaw-dropping revelation that leaves you stunned. This is one of those books that sticks with you long after you’ve finished it.

For fans of thrillers that mix domestic tension with supernatural horror, Misery Place is an absolute must-read. Molly Garcia has crafted a dark and immersive story that keeps you hooked from start to finish!

[Lori Peterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Received as an audio copy to review by the narrator, this is an honest review. With a stellar performance by Grant Love, author's Molly Garcia Misery Place comes to life with harrowing affect. Losing her aunt had been rough for Kirsty but she inherited her aunt's cottage and allowing Kirsty and her family to move from them noisy city to a small village that should have been the beginning of better times. It first it was problems with a crum bum of a neighbor Kristy and her husband thought they could sort out on their own and move on... only it was start of trouble coming from the neighborhood. When the murders of those harassing the family begin to turn up, finding any peace in the town is slipping away; and something is happening to everyone within the old home that Kirsty can no longer ignore. A dark supernatural entity calls Misery Place its own and wants to consume their sanity as Kirsty and the friends she has left works out full proof plan to finally deliver that piece of devil shit back to wherever it come from and reclaim her family from its dark claws.


Highly recommended.

[Bob Fendt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review of, Misery Place.
Author, Molly Garcia.

When Kirsty Barnes inherits her great grandma Phyllis's cottage in Misery Place after her death from an heart attack, Kirsty, her husband Sam and son Adam move in from there too small home in the city looking forward to a quiet comfortable life in their new home.
But the expected tranquility of village life turns out to be anything but, there is the hostile welcome from some of the neighbours, and the cottage hosts an evil entity that takes a control over Sam who has become obsessed with the cellar.
Events of bullying, murder and and accusations against the Barnes start happening, Sam takes on an uncharacteristic abusive personality. Kirsty has to find a way out of this horror place.
Thoroughly enjoyed this thrilling horror story by the amazing author Molly Garcia.
I found Misery Place to be a real page turner, a must-read read book, that I have now read twice, I think it's that good.
5 stars 🌟 from me.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoy Molly Garcia writing style. It’s conversational and makes time go by fast. I wanted to like the characters so much but could not find one single thing to like about them, especially the male main character. I know this was intentional and does play an important role in the story. But, it still made it hard to read. The tension could be felt in my bones. There were many twists, much I didn’t see coming. Though the big twist was very predictable. Overall, I didn’t love the story but I think people who like more horror based books (I’m not a gore fan) will really enjoy it. I will definitely be reading more by this author as her writing style really sucked me in.

[E.J. Cook · Rating 5 out of 5]

Misery Place by Garcia is a great new horror read.

When Kirsty inherits a large house in the country she jumps at the chance to move from the city with hope for a better life for her family, but things don’t go to plan. Almost as soon as they arrive things start to go wrong. There’s something strange about the basement, her husband starts acting uncharacteristicly abusive and a string of murders all seem to point back to her family, did they make the wrong choice in moving to Misery Place?

This was a quick read, a real page turner. The perfect read for spooky season!

[John Hinchliffe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have listened to the audio version of this book.
This is a great horror story from the pen of Molly Garcia. Good characters and interesting plot. A family move in to a house they have inherited and find much more than they bargained for. Strange neighbours, strange noises and even stranger smells eminate from, to Kirsty's husband, a very alluring cellar! Grant Love does a superb job of the narration with plenty of dramatic music and in some cases very odd sound effects! LOL! A highly recommended listen.

[Samantha Troelsch · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was gifted the audiobook by the author - this is my honest review of the book.

Kirstie, Sam, and Adam were a picture perfect family. Reading about how the house Kirsties great aunt left them starts to muddy that picture kept me on the edge of my seat. The narration made the story more interesting in my pov and the pace did not really let up.

The only complaint I have is about the actual audiobook and that's because the sound effects made it harder to hear the narration. But that did not change my opinion of the story or the writing by any means.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

"When the Barnes family inherit a beautiful cottage in the small village of Misery, they can’t wait to leave city life behind them. It doesn’t take long for things to fall apart, and the family start to realise they may have inherited more than just the house." This book will keep your attention the whole way through such a wild ride, it will make you think about buying a house. Great characters and storyline. Love this authors books. I give this book 4 stars.

[Judy Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

New author for me. This book was a little slow at the beginning but by the 1/2 way point I just couldn't put it down . it sure was a thriller to me.

When I stopped to take a breather, it didn't take long for me to return to reading it again. Wow I just had to find out how it ended! And boy I was suprised!

Great book

[Shellyann Paape · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to this book and it was amazing. First audio book I’ve listened to that had sound effects that went along with the book. It added so much to the story line. I really enjoyed it. The book itself, I liked the story, plot, and ending and narration was fabulous. I’ll be reading more from this author & narrator

[Siobhan D · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the great narration of Grant Love, who brings out the drama, suspense and thrill.

When Kirsty and her family move into a house they have inherited. It is not as great as they believed it would be. Between the strange neighbours, noises and smells and then Kirsty's husband strange behaviour.

Wow those sounds effects, will make you listen in the day time.

[Haley Dwyer · Rating 1 out of 5]

I had to DNF this book. There were just so many typos that it kept taking me out of the story. I understand books will have one or two every now and then, but 20 pages in I'd probably seen a hundred, which confused me and took me out of the story entirely while I tried to figure out what was happening. The plot seemed really good but I just couldn't focus.

[Felecia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was definitely a different flow from the other releases. This is definitely a book that will have you reading wondering what's going on and reading with the light on.

[Kate L · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you like a spooky creepy read this one is for you. I enjoyed the horror story and how this played out. You feel the for the main character and the decisions she must make. What a nightmare!

[Legacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this one a while back, but I’m catching up on reviews now and wanted to share my thoughts. Misery Place follows a family who inherits a house. At first, they’re excited to move in, but once they do, unusual and unsettling things start happening. Since this is a horror story, i think Molly does well balancing the horror, I don’t think it is like other horror stories, but I personally really enjoyed it.

I gave this book 4 star. I listened to the audiobook, as I do with most of Molly Garcia’s and Grant’s works, and they both did a great job. Grant’s narration was engaging and easy to follow, and Molly’s storytelling pulled me right in. Her books are always pull me in, quick to read, and easy to get into.

I’m planning to read Misery Place or another of Molly’s horror books with my book club this October, and I’m looking forward to it. If you enjoy horror or horror thrillers, I definitely recommend this one!

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

As someone who typically avoids horror, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. While there are certainly eerie and suspenseful moments, the story doesn’t rely on jump scares or gore, making it accessible to readers who aren’t typically fans of the genre.

The author does a fantastic job of building tension, focusing on the psychological elements of the family's experience rather than relying on overt horror tropes. The gradual realization that they’ve inherited more than just the house kept me intrigued, and I found myself invested in the family dynamics as much as in the mystery surrounding the cottage.

Overall, this is a great read for those who enjoy suspense and psychological thrillers, even if they don’t typically gravitate toward horror.