What do you think?
Rate this book
The Place Where They Buried Your Heart
A woman must confront the evil that has been terrorizing her street since she was a child in this gripping haunted house novel from the national bestselling author of The House That Horror Built and Good Girls Don’t Die.
On an otherwise ordinary street in Chicago, there is a house. An abandoned house where, once upon a time, terrible things happened. The children who live on this block are told by their parents to stay away from that house. But of course, children don’t listen. Children think it’s fun to be scared, to dare each other to go inside.
Jessie Campanelli did what many older sisters do and dared her little brother Paul. But unlike all the other kids who went inside that abandoned house, Paul didn’t return. His two friends, Jake and Richie, said that the house ate Paul. Of course adults didn’t believe that. Adults never believe what kids say. They thought someone kidnapped Paul, or otherwise hurt him. They thought Paul had disappeared in a way that was ordinary, explainable.
The disappearance of her little brother broke Jessie’s family apart in ways that would never be repaired. Jessie grew up, had a child of her own, kept living on the same street where the house that ate her brother sat, crouched and waiting. And darkness seemed to spread out from that house, a darkness that was alive—alive and hungry.
On an otherwise ordinary street in Chicago, there is a house. An abandoned house where, once upon a time, terrible things happened. The children who live on this block are told by their parents to stay away from that house. But of course, children don’t listen. Children think it’s fun to be scared, to dare each other to go inside.
Jessie Campanelli did what many older sisters do and dared her little brother Paul. But unlike all the other kids who went inside that abandoned house, Paul didn’t return. His two friends, Jake and Richie, said that the house ate Paul. Of course adults didn’t believe that. Adults never believe what kids say. They thought someone kidnapped Paul, or otherwise hurt him. They thought Paul had disappeared in a way that was ordinary, explainable.
The disappearance of her little brother broke Jessie’s family apart in ways that would never be repaired. Jessie grew up, had a child of her own, kept living on the same street where the house that ate her brother sat, crouched and waiting. And darkness seemed to spread out from that house, a darkness that was alive—alive and hungry.
Audible Audio
First published November 4, 2025
203 people are currently reading
18383 people want to read
About the author
Christina Henry
61 books8,518 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
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 496 reviews
July 28, 2025
I have a love-hate relationship with Christina Henry's novels. Well, maybe not “hate” exactly, but sometimes they wow me and sometimes I'm more ambivalent about what I've read. The Place Where They Buried Your Heart is definitely one of the “wow” books. I mean, it's a coming-of-age story involving a haunted house so there was very little chance that I was going to dislike it to begin with, but it was honestly so much better than I expected it to be. It's horror, for sure, but it's also about so much more than just the scary bits. I know I compare half the horror novels I review to Stephen King and it's kind of lazy, but this novel reminds me of It or The Body where horrifying things happen, but there's also a whole bildungsroman/found family/dysfunctional childhood thing going on at the same time. It's scary and heartwarming and sad in equal measures, and I enjoyed just about every minute of it.
I did find teenage Jessie to be much more interesting than adult Jessie — adult Jessie is a woman who doesn't have much identity other than “mom” and “watcher of the scary house down the street.” And, I mean, I guess that's kind of the point — the McIntyre house ruined her childhood and keeps her tied to the Chicago street where she grew up, and most of her attention is understandably focused on keeping her son safe from the child-eating house. Not that the house only eats children, mind you. It's an equal-opportunity people eater and adults are equally unsafe inside its walls, but it likes children best. (Which, eww. My kid's hands always feel like he's been squishing caterpillars and everything he touches winds up sticky and I guess you do you, evil house, but no thank you.)
There are lots of great horror-y bits in this book that go beyond the missing/eaten children, though. There's self-immolation and a house with a sordid history and ghosts-that-aren't-quite-ghosts and parental neglect and people nailing their spouses to walls and it's all kind of great in a horrific sort of way. I did find the climax to be a bit underwhelming — everything is over and done with in minutes and it all seems a little too simple — but overall I wasn't at all disappointed with the creepiness factor of this novel.
I did LOL (and cry a bit) when at one point it's mentioned that Ted's overnight job is wearing him down due to his age and he's 46. I'm 46 (and a total night owl) and I'm not quite ready for the nursing home yet, thank you very much.
But, anyway, The Place Where They Buried Your Heart might just be my new favorite Christina Henry novel. 4.25 stars, rounded down.
I did find teenage Jessie to be much more interesting than adult Jessie — adult Jessie is a woman who doesn't have much identity other than “mom” and “watcher of the scary house down the street.” And, I mean, I guess that's kind of the point — the McIntyre house ruined her childhood and keeps her tied to the Chicago street where she grew up, and most of her attention is understandably focused on keeping her son safe from the child-eating house. Not that the house only eats children, mind you. It's an equal-opportunity people eater and adults are equally unsafe inside its walls, but it likes children best. (Which, eww. My kid's hands always feel like he's been squishing caterpillars and everything he touches winds up sticky and I guess you do you, evil house, but no thank you.)
There are lots of great horror-y bits in this book that go beyond the missing/eaten children, though. There's self-immolation and a house with a sordid history and ghosts-that-aren't-quite-ghosts and parental neglect and people nailing their spouses to walls and it's all kind of great in a horrific sort of way. I did find the climax to be a bit underwhelming — everything is over and done with in minutes and it all seems a little too simple — but overall I wasn't at all disappointed with the creepiness factor of this novel.
I did LOL (and cry a bit) when at one point it's mentioned that Ted's overnight job is wearing him down due to his age and he's 46. I'm 46 (and a total night owl) and I'm not quite ready for the nursing home yet, thank you very much.
But, anyway, The Place Where They Buried Your Heart might just be my new favorite Christina Henry novel. 4.25 stars, rounded down.
September 25, 2025
Christina Henry is in the house! Woohoo! She nailed it with The Place Where They Buried Your Heart!!!! This book is gripping, chilling, creepy, and addictive! I had a hard time putting this book down as I just wanted to bury myself in this book. Jessie Campanelli is such a great character - she's a sister, a daughter, a friend, and a mother. She is also a badass!
Every neighborhood has that one house, don't. The house that is creepy, maybe abandoned, or where a scary neighbor might live. It was the green house on the street where I grew up. Kids in the neighborhood quaked in fear of it because an old man lived there who would come out and chase kids with his broom. We would all muster our courage and ride our bikes as fast as we could past his house. His was the scary house, but he had nothing on the abandoned house on a quiet street in Chicago in The Place Where They Buried Your Heart.
Jessie Campanelli was watching her younger brother, Paul, when she dared him to enter the abandoned house. The scary house that all parents on their street warned their children to stay away from. Paul took the dare and went into the house and never came out! His friends said the house ate him, but no one believed them. I mean, come on, would you? A house that eats children? Jessie is left with the guilt of daring her brother and ultimately the demise of her family. She goes on to have a son who she loves with her whole being. She continues to live on the street she grew up on, the street with the house that ate her brother. But there are others on the street as well who are also watching, waiting, and hoping that whatever is in the house stays dormant....
I love a good horror book, and this one fit the bill. I loved the thoughts of a creepy and deadly house. Was it haunted? Was it possessed? What is going on???? Haunted Houses scare me almost as much as spiders do - almost! I enjoyed the dread, the spooky and creepy house, the way the neighborhood held their breath while watching and waiting for something horrific to happen yet again. There is something scary about bad things happening to children. It's horrible and traumatic. I felt that in this book. What I also felt in this book was its heart. Because this book is not just about the abandoned house - it's about the community on the street. It's about the friendships and found family of the street residents. They have built close bonds; they look out for each other and support each other. I cared about these characters and worried about their safety.
In short, this book had heart and soul mixed with thrills, chills, and horrific happenings. Christina Henry's wonderful writing sucked me and didn't let go until the last page! I did want a little bit more of a dramatic and hair rising scary ending but otherwise, I loved this book.
4.5 stars
Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group | Berkley and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com 📖
Every neighborhood has that one house, don't. The house that is creepy, maybe abandoned, or where a scary neighbor might live. It was the green house on the street where I grew up. Kids in the neighborhood quaked in fear of it because an old man lived there who would come out and chase kids with his broom. We would all muster our courage and ride our bikes as fast as we could past his house. His was the scary house, but he had nothing on the abandoned house on a quiet street in Chicago in The Place Where They Buried Your Heart.
Jessie Campanelli was watching her younger brother, Paul, when she dared him to enter the abandoned house. The scary house that all parents on their street warned their children to stay away from. Paul took the dare and went into the house and never came out! His friends said the house ate him, but no one believed them. I mean, come on, would you? A house that eats children? Jessie is left with the guilt of daring her brother and ultimately the demise of her family. She goes on to have a son who she loves with her whole being. She continues to live on the street she grew up on, the street with the house that ate her brother. But there are others on the street as well who are also watching, waiting, and hoping that whatever is in the house stays dormant....
I love a good horror book, and this one fit the bill. I loved the thoughts of a creepy and deadly house. Was it haunted? Was it possessed? What is going on???? Haunted Houses scare me almost as much as spiders do - almost! I enjoyed the dread, the spooky and creepy house, the way the neighborhood held their breath while watching and waiting for something horrific to happen yet again. There is something scary about bad things happening to children. It's horrible and traumatic. I felt that in this book. What I also felt in this book was its heart. Because this book is not just about the abandoned house - it's about the community on the street. It's about the friendships and found family of the street residents. They have built close bonds; they look out for each other and support each other. I cared about these characters and worried about their safety.
In short, this book had heart and soul mixed with thrills, chills, and horrific happenings. Christina Henry's wonderful writing sucked me and didn't let go until the last page! I did want a little bit more of a dramatic and hair rising scary ending but otherwise, I loved this book.
4.5 stars
Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group | Berkley and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com 📖
November 1, 2025
If you love Chuck Wendig’s Staircase in the Woods, classic small-town horror in the tradition of old-school Stephen King, and the chilling retellings this author is already known for, then this book is bound to hit every one of your expectations. It delivers on haunted house terror, slow-burn mystery, and that delicious sense of dread that keeps you turning the pages long into the night.
The story unfolds on an ordinary Chicago street, where the infamous McIntyre residence still stands. Once home to Glen McIntyre—an abusive patriarch whose brutality culminated in the massacre of his own family—the house has become a grim neighborhood legend. Children dare each other to enter its rotting halls, but when 13-year-old Jessie Campanelli, grounded for smoking, jokingly challenges her 8-year-old brother Paul to sneak inside, she never dreams he’ll take her seriously. He goes with friends Jake and Ritchie… but only Jake stumbles back out, missing an arm, while Ritchie emerges unharmed yet shattered. Paul vanishes forever. The boys claim the house has a mouth with razor-sharp teeth, one that devoured Paul whole. Could such horror be real? The police believe a hidden kidnapper lurked inside—but Paul is never found. And soon, the McIntyre house claims more victims.
Jessie’s world fractures in the aftermath. Her family unravels, her mother drifts away in apathy, and Jessie finds fragile connections in her neighbors—Sheila Riley, single dad Ted Dobrowski, his troubled son Alex (for whom Jessie feels a confusing crush), and Frances Pandini. Together, they form a makeshift family, united by one purpose: keeping everyone else out of that cursed house. Yet guilt hangs over them like a shroud. They live with the knowledge they couldn’t save the McIntyres, couldn’t save Paul. Still, none of them ever leave the neighborhood. Instead, they stay—almost as penance—as the house itself lurks like a living, breathing organism, waiting for the next soul to consume.
Years later, Jessie is a mother herself. Her little boy, E. F., is the same age Paul was when he disappeared, and uncannily resembles him. The house has its eyes on him now. Jessie has lost too many people already, and this time she is determined to fight back. But how can anyone defeat a house that resists fire, bulldozers, and every attempt to destroy it? How do you stop something that isn’t just haunted—but hungry?
Overall: I tore through this supernatural thriller with equal parts dread and delight. I loved its blend of haunted house chills, sibling bonds, found family, and motherhood themes. Fans of atmospheric, character-driven horror will be absolutely hooked.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for providing me with this gripping horror/paranormal mystery in exchange for my honest review.
medium.com
instagram
facebook
twitter<
The story unfolds on an ordinary Chicago street, where the infamous McIntyre residence still stands. Once home to Glen McIntyre—an abusive patriarch whose brutality culminated in the massacre of his own family—the house has become a grim neighborhood legend. Children dare each other to enter its rotting halls, but when 13-year-old Jessie Campanelli, grounded for smoking, jokingly challenges her 8-year-old brother Paul to sneak inside, she never dreams he’ll take her seriously. He goes with friends Jake and Ritchie… but only Jake stumbles back out, missing an arm, while Ritchie emerges unharmed yet shattered. Paul vanishes forever. The boys claim the house has a mouth with razor-sharp teeth, one that devoured Paul whole. Could such horror be real? The police believe a hidden kidnapper lurked inside—but Paul is never found. And soon, the McIntyre house claims more victims.
Jessie’s world fractures in the aftermath. Her family unravels, her mother drifts away in apathy, and Jessie finds fragile connections in her neighbors—Sheila Riley, single dad Ted Dobrowski, his troubled son Alex (for whom Jessie feels a confusing crush), and Frances Pandini. Together, they form a makeshift family, united by one purpose: keeping everyone else out of that cursed house. Yet guilt hangs over them like a shroud. They live with the knowledge they couldn’t save the McIntyres, couldn’t save Paul. Still, none of them ever leave the neighborhood. Instead, they stay—almost as penance—as the house itself lurks like a living, breathing organism, waiting for the next soul to consume.
Years later, Jessie is a mother herself. Her little boy, E. F., is the same age Paul was when he disappeared, and uncannily resembles him. The house has its eyes on him now. Jessie has lost too many people already, and this time she is determined to fight back. But how can anyone defeat a house that resists fire, bulldozers, and every attempt to destroy it? How do you stop something that isn’t just haunted—but hungry?
Overall: I tore through this supernatural thriller with equal parts dread and delight. I loved its blend of haunted house chills, sibling bonds, found family, and motherhood themes. Fans of atmospheric, character-driven horror will be absolutely hooked.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for providing me with this gripping horror/paranormal mystery in exchange for my honest review.
medium.com
twitter<
November 4, 2025
Creepy, emotionally charged, & deliciously unsettling!
From the moment I opened The Place Where They Buried Your Heart by Christina Henry, a quiet, creeping dread wrapped itself around me and wouldn’t let go. There’s a tension that makes your heart race even when nothing has happened yet. Jessie’s courage and her need to face the darkness felt raw and real, and I was completely absorbed the whole time.
This isn’t the kind of horror that jumps out at you, but it grabbed me in a quieter, deeper way. There’s a real heart to it, a tenderness underneath all the darkness, and it made Jessie’s story feel so alive and personal. The house isn’t just a setting, it’s the villain here, patient, relentless, and quietly terrifying in a way that gave me chills throughout.
🧠 Key Thoughts
📖 The pacing is perfect, slow and creeping until you feel every shadow
👀 Jessie’s strength and vulnerability made her impossible not to care about
💭 The story balances grief and fear in a way that feels real and human
🏡 The haunted house is vivid, ominous, and chillingly alive
🧩 Creepy, emotional, and completely immersive in a way that surprised me
This book was deeply affecting and definitely got under my skin. Christina Henry writes horror that understands both the heart and the fear inside a reader. I’m so glad I read it. 4.5 stars rounded up.
Thank you to Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for the digital copy.
From the moment I opened The Place Where They Buried Your Heart by Christina Henry, a quiet, creeping dread wrapped itself around me and wouldn’t let go. There’s a tension that makes your heart race even when nothing has happened yet. Jessie’s courage and her need to face the darkness felt raw and real, and I was completely absorbed the whole time.
This isn’t the kind of horror that jumps out at you, but it grabbed me in a quieter, deeper way. There’s a real heart to it, a tenderness underneath all the darkness, and it made Jessie’s story feel so alive and personal. The house isn’t just a setting, it’s the villain here, patient, relentless, and quietly terrifying in a way that gave me chills throughout.
🧠 Key Thoughts
📖 The pacing is perfect, slow and creeping until you feel every shadow
👀 Jessie’s strength and vulnerability made her impossible not to care about
💭 The story balances grief and fear in a way that feels real and human
🏡 The haunted house is vivid, ominous, and chillingly alive
🧩 Creepy, emotional, and completely immersive in a way that surprised me
This book was deeply affecting and definitely got under my skin. Christina Henry writes horror that understands both the heart and the fear inside a reader. I’m so glad I read it. 4.5 stars rounded up.
Thank you to Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for the digital copy.
October 25, 2025
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Haunted house books are a dime a dozen. Creating one that stands out amongst the glut of recycled, derivative, saturated masses is an impressive feat. Christina Henry does just that with The Place Where They Buried Your Heart.
What makes this one special are the characters. It’s rare that a haunted house story puts this much effort into developing such rich characters, with multiple dimensions and nuanced qualities. Henry takes her time with allowing this story to unfold over decades, and I really felt connected with the people at its center as a result. Jessie, Jake and Ted are standouts, each being as lovable as they come.
This isn’t a scary book, but it doesn’t need to be. It’s heartfelt and genuine, nostalgic and sentimental. The house is the main villain, and its steadfast in its ominousness. It feels obdurate and unbeatable. It looms over the decades in which this story unfolds like a menacing, eternal entity.
Henry hit it out of the park with this one. I loved it…
Haunted house books are a dime a dozen. Creating one that stands out amongst the glut of recycled, derivative, saturated masses is an impressive feat. Christina Henry does just that with The Place Where They Buried Your Heart.
What makes this one special are the characters. It’s rare that a haunted house story puts this much effort into developing such rich characters, with multiple dimensions and nuanced qualities. Henry takes her time with allowing this story to unfold over decades, and I really felt connected with the people at its center as a result. Jessie, Jake and Ted are standouts, each being as lovable as they come.
This isn’t a scary book, but it doesn’t need to be. It’s heartfelt and genuine, nostalgic and sentimental. The house is the main villain, and its steadfast in its ominousness. It feels obdurate and unbeatable. It looms over the decades in which this story unfolds like a menacing, eternal entity.
Henry hit it out of the park with this one. I loved it…
October 20, 2025
Wow! This novel gave me all the horror vibes and I had chills while reading this! I could not put the book down, I had to know what was going to happen next. This is the first book that I had read by this author and now I am wanting to read all of them! This book was captivating, eerie, dark, mysterious and emotional. This is a medium to fast paced read that came with lovable characters. I really enjoyed how this story had a big build up, creating it to be very atmospheric.
This was more of a slow burn horror, with a haunted house theme. A lot of horror books don’t scare me, but this one got to me. I read a lot of books that are in the horror genre, so it takes a lot for something to really get to me. The way it was written captured my attention and imagination. It had me feeling very disturbed and anxious. The novel was thought provoking and came with effective visuals. It has a supernatural theme to it, comes with psychological horror and evilness. Be sure to read all of the content warnings before reading this book. This book impressed me and left me in shock! Overall, I give this book a 4.5 out of 5 stars rating!
Thank you to NetGalley, author Christina Henry and Berkley Publishing Group for this digital eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
This book is expected to be published on November 4, 2025!
This was more of a slow burn horror, with a haunted house theme. A lot of horror books don’t scare me, but this one got to me. I read a lot of books that are in the horror genre, so it takes a lot for something to really get to me. The way it was written captured my attention and imagination. It had me feeling very disturbed and anxious. The novel was thought provoking and came with effective visuals. It has a supernatural theme to it, comes with psychological horror and evilness. Be sure to read all of the content warnings before reading this book. This book impressed me and left me in shock! Overall, I give this book a 4.5 out of 5 stars rating!
Thank you to NetGalley, author Christina Henry and Berkley Publishing Group for this digital eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
This book is expected to be published on November 4, 2025!
January 11, 2026
Update:
I can't stop thinking about this, so my rating has gone up. With more pondering, it could go up again. 😝
Full review (still) to come...stay tuned!!!
Earlier:
This was a tough one for me to rate. I'm still not sure I got it right, so my rating could change. There were many aspects of this that I loved and appreciated, but a few others that I didn't care for. More specifically, the concluding portions felt too simplified in the resolution and quite anticlimactic after the great build.
Truly, a mixed bag. It's a heavy story, but I really liked the found family elements, and the atmosphere, mystery and descriptions of the house. The ending rubbed me the wrong way, but over all, a good read.
Full review to come...stay tuned!!!
**Original:**
ARC received! Thank you, Berkley!!
I can't stop thinking about this, so my rating has gone up. With more pondering, it could go up again. 😝
Full review (still) to come...stay tuned!!!
Earlier:
This was a tough one for me to rate. I'm still not sure I got it right, so my rating could change. There were many aspects of this that I loved and appreciated, but a few others that I didn't care for. More specifically, the concluding portions felt too simplified in the resolution and quite anticlimactic after the great build.
Truly, a mixed bag. It's a heavy story, but I really liked the found family elements, and the atmosphere, mystery and descriptions of the house. The ending rubbed me the wrong way, but over all, a good read.
Full review to come...stay tuned!!!
**Original:**
ARC received! Thank you, Berkley!!
November 13, 2025
Fun read, like a Lovecraftian Amityville. The kills are brutal. I really enjoyed it until the ending, which was way too rushed. I start side-eyeing when there's only 25 pages left and we haven't even reached the final fight yet, since that usually means it's going to be a letdown. And this one was definitely a letdown. With another 20 or 30 pages to let it breathe, it probably would have been fine.
Multiple characters wondered if the haunted house was possibly built over a burial ground, and it bugged me that they always referenced Pet Sematary when Poltergeist is the obvious one.
Multiple characters wondered if the haunted house was possibly built over a burial ground, and it bugged me that they always referenced Pet Sematary when Poltergeist is the obvious one.
December 9, 2025
Christina Henry, where have you been my whole life!? I have read this author's novels before, and enjoyed them, but THIS novel was different, THIS one simply blew me away!!
This book surprised me with how emotional it was. Yes, it’s a horror novel — and a creepy, unsettling one — but at its core, it’s also a coming-of-age story about a girl forced to grow up in the shadow of terrible loss. Jessie’s little brother vanishes inside the neighborhood’s infamous abandoned house when they’re kids, and the guilt of that moment becomes the defining force of her life.
Christina Henry does an amazing job with Jessie’s character development. You feel her pain, her fear, her resilience — all the layers of someone who never had the chance to heal. I really empathized with her; she’s been carrying so much loss for so long that you can’t help but root for her. And once her young son enters the picture, that emotional connection only intensifies. She becomes a mother who refuses to let history repeat itself, even when the same darkness from her childhood begins creeping back toward them, and boy does it ever!
The paranormal side of this novel is chilling in all the right ways - a brooding, sentient house that feeds on innocence to sustain its' darkness and continue breathing. Yet it's Jesse who makes the book unforgettable. Her evolution, her tenderness, and her hard-won courage give the story real heart. I was glued to the page as she fought her way inside, and the last scene in the house brought tears to my eyes!
If you like horror with real heart — stories about trauma, love, survival, and the places that never stop haunting us — this one is absolutely worth reading, and might just go down as my favorite horror novel of 2025!!
This book surprised me with how emotional it was. Yes, it’s a horror novel — and a creepy, unsettling one — but at its core, it’s also a coming-of-age story about a girl forced to grow up in the shadow of terrible loss. Jessie’s little brother vanishes inside the neighborhood’s infamous abandoned house when they’re kids, and the guilt of that moment becomes the defining force of her life.
Christina Henry does an amazing job with Jessie’s character development. You feel her pain, her fear, her resilience — all the layers of someone who never had the chance to heal. I really empathized with her; she’s been carrying so much loss for so long that you can’t help but root for her. And once her young son enters the picture, that emotional connection only intensifies. She becomes a mother who refuses to let history repeat itself, even when the same darkness from her childhood begins creeping back toward them, and boy does it ever!
The paranormal side of this novel is chilling in all the right ways - a brooding, sentient house that feeds on innocence to sustain its' darkness and continue breathing. Yet it's Jesse who makes the book unforgettable. Her evolution, her tenderness, and her hard-won courage give the story real heart. I was glued to the page as she fought her way inside, and the last scene in the house brought tears to my eyes!
If you like horror with real heart — stories about trauma, love, survival, and the places that never stop haunting us — this one is absolutely worth reading, and might just go down as my favorite horror novel of 2025!!
October 18, 2025
I LOVED this book! It’s one I won’t forget and the perfect read for spooky season. It was creepy, chilling, and completely unputdownable. This was my first Christina Henry book, and I loved her writing style and how well-developed all the characters were. I’ll definitely be checking out more of her work!
We follow Jessie Campanelli, who has been haunted her entire life by the disappearance of her younger brother, Paul, after she dared him to enter a local abandoned house rumored to be the site of a horrific family murder. Paul went in with two friends and never returned, leaving Jessie burdened with lifelong guilt.
The story blends cosmic horror with a coming-of-age tale, following Jessie as she grapples with her family’s fracture and the sinister pull of the house over the years. As Jessie grows up, becomes a mother, and continues living on the same street where the house that devoured her brother still stands, she realizes one terrifying truth: the house is alive and it’s hungry.
Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Publication date : Nov 4, 2025
We follow Jessie Campanelli, who has been haunted her entire life by the disappearance of her younger brother, Paul, after she dared him to enter a local abandoned house rumored to be the site of a horrific family murder. Paul went in with two friends and never returned, leaving Jessie burdened with lifelong guilt.
The story blends cosmic horror with a coming-of-age tale, following Jessie as she grapples with her family’s fracture and the sinister pull of the house over the years. As Jessie grows up, becomes a mother, and continues living on the same street where the house that devoured her brother still stands, she realizes one terrifying truth: the house is alive and it’s hungry.
Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Publication date : Nov 4, 2025
November 18, 2025
The characters weren’t memorable (except that the main character was unlikable) and the whole book felt juvenile to me. Maybe this is another YA novel that I didn’t have the good sense to screen out ahead of time.
Read
October 3, 2025LOVED this! Add to your TBR!
November 16, 2025
The ending ruined everything for me :/
October 22, 2025
Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
A house everyone avoids. Something bad happened there a long time ago and it’s remained abandoned ever since. Parents tell their children not to go there. But you know kids. Kids like to dare others to go into haunted houses.
That’s exactly what Jessie dared her younger brother Paul to do. Go in. Only problem was Paul didn’t come back out. His friends claimed the house ate him. But the adults don’t believe them. Why would they. Haunted houses aren’t real and they definitely don’t eat people.
Now, Jessie is all grown up with a child of her own. Still living on that same street with that house and she isn’t about to let anything happen to her child.
I love a good haunted house story and this one did not disappoint! The pacing is was absolutely perfect and there was just the right amount of horror. Absolutely could not put this one down!
A house everyone avoids. Something bad happened there a long time ago and it’s remained abandoned ever since. Parents tell their children not to go there. But you know kids. Kids like to dare others to go into haunted houses.
That’s exactly what Jessie dared her younger brother Paul to do. Go in. Only problem was Paul didn’t come back out. His friends claimed the house ate him. But the adults don’t believe them. Why would they. Haunted houses aren’t real and they definitely don’t eat people.
Now, Jessie is all grown up with a child of her own. Still living on that same street with that house and she isn’t about to let anything happen to her child.
I love a good haunted house story and this one did not disappoint! The pacing is was absolutely perfect and there was just the right amount of horror. Absolutely could not put this one down!
November 5, 2025
Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley for the pre-release copy of The Place Where They Buried Your Heart by Christina Henry. Below you'll find my honest review.
Yet again, I've loved a Christina Henry horror novel! That's quite a few in a row, which is putting her into my "automatically TBR" category of authors.
I was totally in the mood for more haunted house horror after reading my ARC of Play Nice by Rachel Harrison recently, also a Berkley novel, and then this one became available on Netgalley and I was ecstatic.
If you're a fan of Stephen King, this one was absolutely on par with some of his best works. It gives that King vibe, following a small group of people (and our MC) through a long period of life, with a danger in their area that grows over time in very Pennywise fashion, except in this case, it's a house and not a demonic space clown spider thing.
I don't want to spoil much, so I won't say more, but I highly recommend it for fans of Stephen King, Joe Hill, Rachel Harrison, or even Chuck Wendig's recent forays into horror.
Five stars. Perfect Halloween read.
Yet again, I've loved a Christina Henry horror novel! That's quite a few in a row, which is putting her into my "automatically TBR" category of authors.
I was totally in the mood for more haunted house horror after reading my ARC of Play Nice by Rachel Harrison recently, also a Berkley novel, and then this one became available on Netgalley and I was ecstatic.
If you're a fan of Stephen King, this one was absolutely on par with some of his best works. It gives that King vibe, following a small group of people (and our MC) through a long period of life, with a danger in their area that grows over time in very Pennywise fashion, except in this case, it's a house and not a demonic space clown spider thing.
I don't want to spoil much, so I won't say more, but I highly recommend it for fans of Stephen King, Joe Hill, Rachel Harrison, or even Chuck Wendig's recent forays into horror.
Five stars. Perfect Halloween read.
December 7, 2025
I loved The Girl in Red and had mixed feelings about The Ghost Tree and Good Girls Don’t Die so I was a little hesitant about reading The Place Where They Buried Your Heart. However, I read several glowing reviews, so I thought I’d take a chance because the premise sounded good.
Unfortunately, Jessie was thoroughly unlikable! She was awful to her little brother, leading to tragedy. She was awful to Alex, which certainly didn’t help him out. She was awful to her mom! I know her mother wasn’t the nicest to her, but she didn’t show one ounce of kindness or understanding that may have gone a long way toward mending fences! I have a hard time enjoying a story when I can’t stand the main character. Also, Jessie’s reasons for staying and then keeping the truth from her son were completely illogical and dangerous!
I will say that I did hang in there and finish because I wanted to find out how it all turned out. The ending was meh for me, too.
I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy courtesy of the publisher. These are my thoughts and opinions.
Unfortunately, Jessie was thoroughly unlikable! She was awful to her little brother, leading to tragedy. She was awful to Alex, which certainly didn’t help him out. She was awful to her mom! I know her mother wasn’t the nicest to her, but she didn’t show one ounce of kindness or understanding that may have gone a long way toward mending fences! I have a hard time enjoying a story when I can’t stand the main character. Also, Jessie’s reasons for staying and then keeping the truth from her son were completely illogical and dangerous!
I will say that I did hang in there and finish because I wanted to find out how it all turned out. The ending was meh for me, too.
I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy courtesy of the publisher. These are my thoughts and opinions.
November 4, 2025
The ambiance of this book is top tier. A sense of general unease manages to continually creep up and drive the plot forward. I enjoyed the timeline change in perspective from childhood to adulthood. The author did a great job with making both storylines believable. The characters are all distinct and were easy to remember. The story of a haunted house is a common enough trope, but I do think this material was creative and warrants a read. Overall, I highly recommend!
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
December 29, 2025
I enjoyed this novel so much! I read it mostly in one day because I literally could not put it down. I'd was creepy and haunting. It felt claustrophobic and the dread dripped from the story. I found myself gasping numerous times at things that happened.
This was my first book by this author and it's definitely not the last. I enjoyed the pacing and the way the multi timeline was done. I highly recommend picking this one up if you like haunted house stories.
Things to Love:
* Sufficiently creepy and sentient house
* Terrifying backstory
* Flashbacks that keep pacing level and were interesting
* Found family
Things to Question:
* Predictable in some areas
* Ending felt a little quick
Audiobook Stats:
⏰: 9 hours 35 minutes
🎤: Leiana Dooley
Publisher: Penguin Random House
Format: Multi Timeline
Was the narration good??
Dooley sold that narration. I really enjoyed the tempo and voice of the narrator. They lent a lot of emotion and grilled me really connect to the characters.
Disclaimer: I read this book as a gifted ALC from the Penguin Random House Influencer Program. All opinions are my own. This is my honest and voluntary review.
This was my first book by this author and it's definitely not the last. I enjoyed the pacing and the way the multi timeline was done. I highly recommend picking this one up if you like haunted house stories.
Things to Love:
* Sufficiently creepy and sentient house
* Terrifying backstory
* Flashbacks that keep pacing level and were interesting
* Found family
Things to Question:
* Predictable in some areas
* Ending felt a little quick
Audiobook Stats:
⏰: 9 hours 35 minutes
🎤: Leiana Dooley
Publisher: Penguin Random House
Format: Multi Timeline
Was the narration good??
Dooley sold that narration. I really enjoyed the tempo and voice of the narrator. They lent a lot of emotion and grilled me really connect to the characters.
Disclaimer: I read this book as a gifted ALC from the Penguin Random House Influencer Program. All opinions are my own. This is my honest and voluntary review.
November 16, 2025
A slow burn that starts out creepy and ends up creepier. I enjoyed this haunted house mystery thriller. Jessie was a solid main character and I really appreciated the Chicago setting, the surnames were perfect and lots of references to Chicago institutions.
I do think the concept would have worked better as a short story.
3.5/5
I do think the concept would have worked better as a short story.
3.5/5
November 5, 2025
Thank you to Titan Books for sending me an ARC of this book.
I really enjoyed this one. A creepy house that keeps eating people, mostly children. The story starts off with Jessie for us, and her brother Paul being the first victim of this house. However, the more digging Jessie does over the years, the more we find out about this house.
Christina pulled no punches with this book. I was straight into the story and I was in this books clutches from chapter 2 onwards. It was gory, bloody and brutal in places, but also heartwarming and the found family was beautiful to see in all this heartbreak, death and destruction. I really enjoyed the house as a character, it was gripping and alive and it made it hard to put the book down. Jessie wasn't too likeable but she was also very self aware which I appreciated.
I thoroughly enjoyed this and will definitely seek out more of Christina Henry's work in the future.
I really enjoyed this one. A creepy house that keeps eating people, mostly children. The story starts off with Jessie for us, and her brother Paul being the first victim of this house. However, the more digging Jessie does over the years, the more we find out about this house.
Christina pulled no punches with this book. I was straight into the story and I was in this books clutches from chapter 2 onwards. It was gory, bloody and brutal in places, but also heartwarming and the found family was beautiful to see in all this heartbreak, death and destruction. I really enjoyed the house as a character, it was gripping and alive and it made it hard to put the book down. Jessie wasn't too likeable but she was also very self aware which I appreciated.
I thoroughly enjoyed this and will definitely seek out more of Christina Henry's work in the future.
November 17, 2025
Chicago. 🌆
Un barrio tranquilo.
Una calle cualquiera.
Hasta que miras esa casa.
La Casa McIntyre 🏚️
Vieja.
Torcida.
A oscuras incluso bajo el sol.
Los vecinos la conocen.
La evitan.
La temen. 😨
Dicen que respira.
Dicen que observa.
Dicen que se tragó a un niño.
Y que sigue hambrienta.
Jessie Campanelli nunca se fue.
Atrapada.
Culpable.
La vigilante silenciosa del monstruo del vecindario. 👁️
Porque en este barrio de Chicago…
la oscuridad se derrama.
Corre por las aceras.
Se cuela en cada hogar. 🌑
Una comunidad marcada.
Amistades que se vuelven escudos.
Secretos que pesan.
Traumas que vuelven.
La "Casa McIntyre" espera.
Siempre.
Paciencia infinita.
Hambre eterna. 🩸
Christina Henry transforma una calle entera
en territorio maldito.
Terror lento.
Atmosférico.
Implacable.
"The Place Where They Buried Your Heart."
En este barrio de Chicago…
la casa embrujada no es un cliché.
Es un peligro.
Un corazón enterrado.
Un horror que no muere. 👻
Un barrio tranquilo.
Una calle cualquiera.
Hasta que miras esa casa.
La Casa McIntyre 🏚️
Vieja.
Torcida.
A oscuras incluso bajo el sol.
Los vecinos la conocen.
La evitan.
La temen. 😨
Dicen que respira.
Dicen que observa.
Dicen que se tragó a un niño.
Y que sigue hambrienta.
Jessie Campanelli nunca se fue.
Atrapada.
Culpable.
La vigilante silenciosa del monstruo del vecindario. 👁️
Porque en este barrio de Chicago…
la oscuridad se derrama.
Corre por las aceras.
Se cuela en cada hogar. 🌑
Una comunidad marcada.
Amistades que se vuelven escudos.
Secretos que pesan.
Traumas que vuelven.
La "Casa McIntyre" espera.
Siempre.
Paciencia infinita.
Hambre eterna. 🩸
Christina Henry transforma una calle entera
en territorio maldito.
Terror lento.
Atmosférico.
Implacable.
"The Place Where They Buried Your Heart."
En este barrio de Chicago…
la casa embrujada no es un cliché.
Es un peligro.
Un corazón enterrado.
Un horror que no muere. 👻
December 15, 2025
WORTH 👏🏻 THE 👏🏻 HYPE
I have been seeing rave reviews about this one all over Bookstagram, so I finally decided to pick it up and I’m so glad I did! This book HOOKED me from page one, it was creepy, heartbreaking, bingeable, and weird.
Going into this, I just envisioned the movie “Monster House” (an underrated Halloween movie classic if I do say so myself) and starting off, it really played into that, but then it got darker and darker and darker and I LOVED IT. If you are looking for a kind of out there haunted house book, pick this book up asap, you’ll love it!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/5
I have been seeing rave reviews about this one all over Bookstagram, so I finally decided to pick it up and I’m so glad I did! This book HOOKED me from page one, it was creepy, heartbreaking, bingeable, and weird.
Going into this, I just envisioned the movie “Monster House” (an underrated Halloween movie classic if I do say so myself) and starting off, it really played into that, but then it got darker and darker and darker and I LOVED IT. If you are looking for a kind of out there haunted house book, pick this book up asap, you’ll love it!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/5
January 7, 2026
“The house is watching."
There's a house in Jessie's neighborhood that just gives a bad vibe. It's the spooky house the kids dare each other to enter, the teens try to break in and whisper names in mirrors, that adults cross the street to avoid. After a horrific crime is committed in the house, it also becomes the house that people go missing in - on occasion.
When the story starts, Jessie is just a kid. She's grumpy, moody and, although she loves her little brother, she's a bit crappy to him too. But when she dares him to go into the house and then forgets about it, he becomes the next missing kid and those with him tell a horrible tale.
This was such a fun, dark, story with a terrible house. The story did a great job of really digging into tragedies, guilt, and even neighbor guilt for inaction. I loved the warm fuzzies of found family mixed in with the horror of the terrible things happening. But the ending left me scratching my head, a little, and wanting more. A fun haunted house story, I liked it!
There's a house in Jessie's neighborhood that just gives a bad vibe. It's the spooky house the kids dare each other to enter, the teens try to break in and whisper names in mirrors, that adults cross the street to avoid. After a horrific crime is committed in the house, it also becomes the house that people go missing in - on occasion.
When the story starts, Jessie is just a kid. She's grumpy, moody and, although she loves her little brother, she's a bit crappy to him too. But when she dares him to go into the house and then forgets about it, he becomes the next missing kid and those with him tell a horrible tale.
This was such a fun, dark, story with a terrible house. The story did a great job of really digging into tragedies, guilt, and even neighbor guilt for inaction. I loved the warm fuzzies of found family mixed in with the horror of the terrible things happening. But the ending left me scratching my head, a little, and wanting more. A fun haunted house story, I liked it!
December 25, 2025
The Place Where They Buried Your Heart by Christina Henry is an atmospheric, emotionally charged horror novel about Jessie Campanelli, a woman whose life is shaped and haunted by the mysterious disappearance of her younger brother Paul after he ventured into the abandoned McIntyre house on their Chicago street, a derelict home whispered about for decades and believed by children to eat people who step inside. As Paul never returns and survivors come back traumatized, Jessie’s family unravels, and the house’s evil presence continues to spread dread over the neighborhood, pulling Jessie back into its orbit years later when the darkness once again threatens her family and community.
What gripped me was how Henry uses a classic haunted‑house premise to explore guilt, trauma, and obsession as much as outright fear: the McIntyre house becomes almost a character itself, a malevolent force that thrives on pain and fear, and Jessie’s lifelong burden of guilt over Paul’s disappearance gives the horror real emotional depth that made my chest tighten in ways few supernatural stories ever have. The slow buildup of dread, eerie setting, and vivid moments of terror kept me hooked, and the way this darkness echoes through Jessie’s relationships, her fractured family, chosen surrogate connections, and her own child made it feel like the horror was as much about what we carry inside us as what lurks in the shadows.
Rating: 4 out of 5. I’m giving The Place Where They Buried Your Heart this score because it genuinely unsettled me with its creeping dread and also touched me with its exploration of grief and love, making it more than just a ghost story.
What gripped me was how Henry uses a classic haunted‑house premise to explore guilt, trauma, and obsession as much as outright fear: the McIntyre house becomes almost a character itself, a malevolent force that thrives on pain and fear, and Jessie’s lifelong burden of guilt over Paul’s disappearance gives the horror real emotional depth that made my chest tighten in ways few supernatural stories ever have. The slow buildup of dread, eerie setting, and vivid moments of terror kept me hooked, and the way this darkness echoes through Jessie’s relationships, her fractured family, chosen surrogate connections, and her own child made it feel like the horror was as much about what we carry inside us as what lurks in the shadows.
Rating: 4 out of 5. I’m giving The Place Where They Buried Your Heart this score because it genuinely unsettled me with its creeping dread and also touched me with its exploration of grief and love, making it more than just a ghost story.
November 17, 2025
3.0 Stars
This novel is clearly a love letter to the classic horror/coming of age stories in the vein of IT. At this point I have read so many of these inspirations that I need something fresh in order to love them.
I come to consider Christina Henry a favourite author of mine but I have been less enthusiastic about her last few novels. This one was objectively fine but didn't leave much of an impression on me.
I would primarily recommend this one to people who can't get enough of these types of plots.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
This novel is clearly a love letter to the classic horror/coming of age stories in the vein of IT. At this point I have read so many of these inspirations that I need something fresh in order to love them.
I come to consider Christina Henry a favourite author of mine but I have been less enthusiastic about her last few novels. This one was objectively fine but didn't leave much of an impression on me.
I would primarily recommend this one to people who can't get enough of these types of plots.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
December 8, 2025
5 fantastic stars.
January 15, 2026
i think i’d give this a 4.25
i like how it kinda had a similar vibe to monster house but in a much more horrific way and it also had similarities to IT as well (only from what ive seen in the movies)
i like how it kinda had a similar vibe to monster house but in a much more horrific way and it also had similarities to IT as well (only from what ive seen in the movies)
December 31, 2025
I was sooooooo excited to win The Place Where They Buried Your Heart on Goodreads (thank you!) and happy to close out the 2025 year reading it. This is the fourth book I’ve read from Christina Henry and it certainly didn’t disappoint. The Place Where They Buried Your Heart is a haunted house story that revolves around a young woman named Jessie and (of course) a sinister dilapidated house that is terrorizing the neighborhood by racking up victim after victim. No spoilers!
What I loved
-very well- developed characters, I actually came to care about them.
-a slow burn, but kept me interested throughout the entire book.
-Creepy and unsettling
What I didn’t love
-ending felt a little rushed
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. Highly recommended to horror fans that want to enjoy a good and creepy read. You won’t be disappointed.
What I loved
-very well- developed characters, I actually came to care about them.
-a slow burn, but kept me interested throughout the entire book.
-Creepy and unsettling
What I didn’t love
-ending felt a little rushed
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. Highly recommended to horror fans that want to enjoy a good and creepy read. You won’t be disappointed.
November 13, 2025
Paul is such a little brat — who complains that Paulie is a childish nickname? You could have grown up to be Paulie Walnuts from The Sopranos but you threw it all away.
December 26, 2025
I found the story a bit long and tedious for my taste, but nonetheless, it was both impressive and gruesome, maybe a little too gruesome for me at times! I really liked the overall plot and what was happening beneath the surface, but the storytelling itself didn’t quite pull me in. It felt more like a narration than an unfolding of events.
The second part was definitely stronger in that regard, with more momentum and atmosphere. Overall, it’s not exactly my kind of story, but I can still appreciate it as a well-crafted and chilling piece of horror.
The second part was definitely stronger in that regard, with more momentum and atmosphere. Overall, it’s not exactly my kind of story, but I can still appreciate it as a well-crafted and chilling piece of horror.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 496 reviews