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Little Girls
From Bram Stoker Award nominee Ronald Malfi comes a brilliantly chilling novel of childhood revisited, memories resurrected, and fears reborn…
When Laurie was a little girl, she was forbidden to enter the room at the top of the stairs. It was one of many rules imposed by her cold, distant father. Now, in a final act of desperation, her father has exorcised his demons. But when Laurie returns to claim the estate with her husband and ten-year-old daughter, it’s as if the past refuses to die. She feels it lurking in the broken moldings, sees it staring from an empty picture frame, hears it laughing in the moldy greenhouse deep in the woods…
At first, Laurie thinks she’s imagining things. But when she meets her daughter’s new playmate, Abigail, she can’t help but notice her uncanny resemblance to another little girl who used to live next door. Who died next door. With each passing day, Laurie’s uneasiness grows stronger, her thoughts more disturbing. Like her father, is she slowly losing her mind? Or is something truly unspeakable happening to those sweet little girls?
When Laurie was a little girl, she was forbidden to enter the room at the top of the stairs. It was one of many rules imposed by her cold, distant father. Now, in a final act of desperation, her father has exorcised his demons. But when Laurie returns to claim the estate with her husband and ten-year-old daughter, it’s as if the past refuses to die. She feels it lurking in the broken moldings, sees it staring from an empty picture frame, hears it laughing in the moldy greenhouse deep in the woods…
At first, Laurie thinks she’s imagining things. But when she meets her daughter’s new playmate, Abigail, she can’t help but notice her uncanny resemblance to another little girl who used to live next door. Who died next door. With each passing day, Laurie’s uneasiness grows stronger, her thoughts more disturbing. Like her father, is she slowly losing her mind? Or is something truly unspeakable happening to those sweet little girls?
331 pages, Paperback
First published June 30, 2015
269 people are currently reading
7854 people want to read
About the author
Ronald Malfi
74 books3,760 followersRonald Malfi is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling, award-winning author of many novels and novellas in the horror, mystery, and thriller genres. In 2011, his novel, Floating Staircase, was nominated for a Bram Stoker Award for best novel by the Horror Writers Association, and also won a gold IPPY award. In 2024, he was presented with the prestigious William G. Wilson Award for Adult Fiction by the Maryland Library Association. Perhaps his most well-received novel, Come with Me (2021), about a man who learns a dark secret about his wife after she's killed, has received stellar reviews, including a starred review from BookPage, and Publishers Weekly has said, "Malfi impresses in this taut, supernaturally tinged mystery... and sticks the landing with a powerful denouement. There’s plenty here to enjoy."
His most recent novels include Senseless (2025) and Small Town Horror (2024), both of which received favorable reviews and saw Malfi stretch his authorial voice.
Come with Me (2021) and Black Mouth (2022), tackle themes of grief and loss, and of the effects of childhood trauma and alcoholism, respectively. Both books have been critically praised, with Publishers Weekly calling Black Mouth a "standout" book of the year. These novels were followed by Ghostwritten (2022), a collection of four subtly-linked novellas about haunted books and the power of the written word. Ghostwritten received a starred review from Publishers Weekly, which called the book a "wonderfully meta collection...vibrantly imagined," and that "Malfi makes reading about the perils of reading a terrifying delight."
Among his most popular works is December Park, a coming-of-age thriller set in the '90s, wherein five teenage boys take up the hunt for a child murderer in their hometown of Harting Farms, Maryland. In interviews, Malfi has expressed that this is his most autobiographical book to date. In 2015, this novel was awarded the Beverly Hills International Book Award for best suspense novel. It has been optioned several times for film.
Bone White (2017), about a man searching for his lost twin brother in a haunted Alaskan mining town, was touted as "an elegant, twisted, gripping slow-burn of a novel that burrows under the skin and nestles deep," by RT Book Reviews, and has also been optioned for television by Fox21/Disney and Amazon Studios.
His novels Little Girls (2015) and The Night Parade (2016) explore broken families forced to endure horrific and extraordinary circumstances, which has become the hallmark for Malfi's brand of intimate, lyrical horror fiction.
His earlier works, such as Via Dolorosa (2007) and Passenger (2008) explored characters with lost or confused identities, wherein Malfi experimented with the ultimate unreliable narrators. He maintained this trend in his award-winning novel, Floating Staircase (2011), which the author has suggested contains "multiple endings for the astute reader."
His more "monstery" novels, such as Snow (2010) and The Narrows (2012) still resonate with his inimitable brand of literary cadence and focus on character and story over plot. Both books were highly regarded by fans and reviewers in the genre.
A bit of a departure, Malfi published the crime drama Shamrock Alley in 2009, based on the true exploits of his own father, a former Secret Service agent. The book was optioned several times for film.
Ronald Malfi was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1977, the eldest of four children, and eventually relocated to Maryland, where he currently resides along the Chesapeake Bay.
When he's not writing, he's performing with the rock band VEER, who can be found at veerband.net and wherever you stream your music.
Visit
His most recent novels include Senseless (2025) and Small Town Horror (2024), both of which received favorable reviews and saw Malfi stretch his authorial voice.
Come with Me (2021) and Black Mouth (2022), tackle themes of grief and loss, and of the effects of childhood trauma and alcoholism, respectively. Both books have been critically praised, with Publishers Weekly calling Black Mouth a "standout" book of the year. These novels were followed by Ghostwritten (2022), a collection of four subtly-linked novellas about haunted books and the power of the written word. Ghostwritten received a starred review from Publishers Weekly, which called the book a "wonderfully meta collection...vibrantly imagined," and that "Malfi makes reading about the perils of reading a terrifying delight."
Among his most popular works is December Park, a coming-of-age thriller set in the '90s, wherein five teenage boys take up the hunt for a child murderer in their hometown of Harting Farms, Maryland. In interviews, Malfi has expressed that this is his most autobiographical book to date. In 2015, this novel was awarded the Beverly Hills International Book Award for best suspense novel. It has been optioned several times for film.
Bone White (2017), about a man searching for his lost twin brother in a haunted Alaskan mining town, was touted as "an elegant, twisted, gripping slow-burn of a novel that burrows under the skin and nestles deep," by RT Book Reviews, and has also been optioned for television by Fox21/Disney and Amazon Studios.
His novels Little Girls (2015) and The Night Parade (2016) explore broken families forced to endure horrific and extraordinary circumstances, which has become the hallmark for Malfi's brand of intimate, lyrical horror fiction.
His earlier works, such as Via Dolorosa (2007) and Passenger (2008) explored characters with lost or confused identities, wherein Malfi experimented with the ultimate unreliable narrators. He maintained this trend in his award-winning novel, Floating Staircase (2011), which the author has suggested contains "multiple endings for the astute reader."
His more "monstery" novels, such as Snow (2010) and The Narrows (2012) still resonate with his inimitable brand of literary cadence and focus on character and story over plot. Both books were highly regarded by fans and reviewers in the genre.
A bit of a departure, Malfi published the crime drama Shamrock Alley in 2009, based on the true exploits of his own father, a former Secret Service agent. The book was optioned several times for film.
Ronald Malfi was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1977, the eldest of four children, and eventually relocated to Maryland, where he currently resides along the Chesapeake Bay.
When he's not writing, he's performing with the rock band VEER, who can be found at veerband.net and wherever you stream your music.
Visit
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 771 reviews
July 31, 2024
‘The world she knew suddenly was full of innocent little girls turned mad.’
Little Girls by Ronald Malfi is a psychological horror that delivers a chilling exploration of childhood trauma, grief, and the lingering effects of the past.
The story follows Laurie Genarro, who returns to her childhood home after her estranged father's death. The house, steeped in memories and shadows of the past, becomes the setting for a series of eerie and unsettling occurrences.
Malfi delves into themes of memory, loss, and the impact of childhood experiences on adult life. The novel explores how unresolved trauma can resurface and affect one's present, and how confronting the past is sometimes the only way to move forward. The theme of haunted houses is used metaphorically to represent the characters' inner turmoil and unresolved issues.
Malfi's writing is atmospheric and evocative, creating a sense of unease that permeates the entire novel. His descriptions of the decaying house and its ominous surroundings are vivid and haunting, immersing readers in the story's eerie setting. Malfi expertly builds tension and suspense, making the novel a page turner that keeps readers on edge until the very end.
If you're looking for a horror novel that goes beyond the usual scares to delve into the complexities of the human psyche, Little Girls is definitely worth a read.
I Highly Recommend.
Little Girls by Ronald Malfi is a psychological horror that delivers a chilling exploration of childhood trauma, grief, and the lingering effects of the past.
The story follows Laurie Genarro, who returns to her childhood home after her estranged father's death. The house, steeped in memories and shadows of the past, becomes the setting for a series of eerie and unsettling occurrences.
Malfi delves into themes of memory, loss, and the impact of childhood experiences on adult life. The novel explores how unresolved trauma can resurface and affect one's present, and how confronting the past is sometimes the only way to move forward. The theme of haunted houses is used metaphorically to represent the characters' inner turmoil and unresolved issues.
Malfi's writing is atmospheric and evocative, creating a sense of unease that permeates the entire novel. His descriptions of the decaying house and its ominous surroundings are vivid and haunting, immersing readers in the story's eerie setting. Malfi expertly builds tension and suspense, making the novel a page turner that keeps readers on edge until the very end.
If you're looking for a horror novel that goes beyond the usual scares to delve into the complexities of the human psyche, Little Girls is definitely worth a read.
I Highly Recommend.
June 30, 2015
I keep saying that little girls scare the crap outta me. Once they become teenagers there is no return.
Laurie's dad has died. Well, he committed suicide after suffering from dementia for years. So Laurie, her daughter Susan and husband go to his house to get rid of his stuff and put the house up for sale.
Then stuff starts to go a bit wonky. Laurie is hearing noises in the house. There is a room that she wasn't allowed into when she was a little girl that is still locked. Come to find out that's where her dad died at....So is the house haunted?
I think I know this house as well as I know my own after reading this book. The author did like going all descriptive.
"The woodwork is handmade. Do you see the detailing in the balustrade?" They were in the foyer now, with Ms. Canton pointing at the stairwell banister. This was their second lap around the house and the woman had yet to make any notes in her little black binder. "The spindles look hand-carved. Do you see the variants in each spindle? Do you?"
Once I woke up from that boring shit the book actually wasn't too bad.
You do have a well on the property that gets things threw down and "wishes" made.
Then their is little Abigail from next door that look so much like a little girl that died when Laurie was a young girl.
Laurie's dad has died. Well, he committed suicide after suffering from dementia for years. So Laurie, her daughter Susan and husband go to his house to get rid of his stuff and put the house up for sale.
Then stuff starts to go a bit wonky. Laurie is hearing noises in the house. There is a room that she wasn't allowed into when she was a little girl that is still locked. Come to find out that's where her dad died at....So is the house haunted?
I think I know this house as well as I know my own after reading this book. The author did like going all descriptive.
"The woodwork is handmade. Do you see the detailing in the balustrade?" They were in the foyer now, with Ms. Canton pointing at the stairwell banister. This was their second lap around the house and the woman had yet to make any notes in her little black binder. "The spindles look hand-carved. Do you see the variants in each spindle? Do you?"
Once I woke up from that boring shit the book actually wasn't too bad.
You do have a well on the property that gets things threw down and "wishes" made.
Then their is little Abigail from next door that look so much like a little girl that died when Laurie was a young girl.
March 6, 2022
Laurie returns home in the wake of her father's death with her husband and ten-year-old daughter Susan. In his end days, he suffered from dementia and flung himself from the window upstairs to his death. Staying in her childhood home to settle his affairs, old memories start coming back. One day, she sees her daughter playing with a little girl from next door. Laurie is horrified at the little girl's resemblance to her old friend Sadie, who tragically died when they were little in an accident. Not only does the little girl look like Sadie, she acts like her also. Before long, Laurie is hearing strange noises in the house, items are missing, and that child next door is demonic.
This was a serious slow burn. Sloths could move faster. Nothing much started happening until about 70% in. I am glad I stuck it out. I was about to DNF a few times. This is definitely a thriller book, not horror. Also, I feel the need to add a trigger warning of child molestation.
This was a serious slow burn. Sloths could move faster. Nothing much started happening until about 70% in. I am glad I stuck it out. I was about to DNF a few times. This is definitely a thriller book, not horror. Also, I feel the need to add a trigger warning of child molestation.
September 6, 2020
2.5 "I saw it coming ...I saw all of it coming" stars !!
This was my 2016 Halloween read and all I kept thinking were two things:
" When is this going to get scary ?" It did get scary after 47 percent of the book !
"Gawd I am guessing this so perfectly. I know every single twist and surprise !"
I appreciate the tone and theme that Mr. Malfi was trying to get across and with some major editing and reworking this could have been a very good horror/mystery combination but instead it came out very predictable and only half-decent. I did not regret reading it but felt a pretty good plot could have been executed and written in a much more scary and horrific manner.
I will leave you with a quote :
"Children were the problem, little girls were what terrified her. They constantly stared wit the slack, insensate faces of dullards. Dried food on their cheeks and mouths, mealy crust in their eyes, rogue bulbs of snot yo-yoing in and out of narrow little nostrils, bright orange vegetation sprouting sporelike from ear canals... It was children she feared, with their thin, probing paws, fingernails ground to nubby scales tinged in dried blood...."
Hmmm is your kid that cute ??
This was my 2016 Halloween read and all I kept thinking were two things:
" When is this going to get scary ?" It did get scary after 47 percent of the book !
"Gawd I am guessing this so perfectly. I know every single twist and surprise !"
I appreciate the tone and theme that Mr. Malfi was trying to get across and with some major editing and reworking this could have been a very good horror/mystery combination but instead it came out very predictable and only half-decent. I did not regret reading it but felt a pretty good plot could have been executed and written in a much more scary and horrific manner.
I will leave you with a quote :
"Children were the problem, little girls were what terrified her. They constantly stared wit the slack, insensate faces of dullards. Dried food on their cheeks and mouths, mealy crust in their eyes, rogue bulbs of snot yo-yoing in and out of narrow little nostrils, bright orange vegetation sprouting sporelike from ear canals... It was children she feared, with their thin, probing paws, fingernails ground to nubby scales tinged in dried blood...."
Hmmm is your kid that cute ??
June 23, 2015
Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
Dear Magic 8 Ball, What are the chances of me really writing a rave review of a book that I read over a month ago . . .
That’s what I figured.
When I saw “Bram Stoker Award Nominee” combined with the premise of a woman returning to her potentially haunted childhood home I was all over getting my hands on a copy of Little Girls. Unfortunately, when a book tells me it’s going to be about creepy maybe dead girls, my mind wants the story to go right for the gusto . . .
What can I say? I’m a fan of the stabby stabby. If that’s what you’re looking for too, then save Little Girls for another day. Now, if you’re interested in more of a paranormal mystery than edge of your seat terror, this might be the book for you. This is a story that really moseys along at a leisurely pace investing lots of page space on details. It is very clear the house is a main character. If you’re a fan of the ol’ “Antiques Roadshow” and love to hear about the beauty of Chippendale dressers (mind out of the gutter, Jeff) and whatnot, you’ll probably eat this right up . . .
However, if you are like me and sometimes find your attention span waning while you’re getting bogged down in description, again this one might not be for you. Of course, you could always turn it into a drinking game a la “Frasier” . . .
A final note is that although I knew some of what was happening right away, it took me quite a while to figure out exactly where the story would wrap up. I will also say the twist isn’t something not all readers will be comfortable with . . .
All in all I found Little Girls to be a solid 3 Star selection.
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, NetGalley!
Dear Magic 8 Ball, What are the chances of me really writing a rave review of a book that I read over a month ago . . .
That’s what I figured.
When I saw “Bram Stoker Award Nominee” combined with the premise of a woman returning to her potentially haunted childhood home I was all over getting my hands on a copy of Little Girls. Unfortunately, when a book tells me it’s going to be about creepy maybe dead girls, my mind wants the story to go right for the gusto . . .
What can I say? I’m a fan of the stabby stabby. If that’s what you’re looking for too, then save Little Girls for another day. Now, if you’re interested in more of a paranormal mystery than edge of your seat terror, this might be the book for you. This is a story that really moseys along at a leisurely pace investing lots of page space on details. It is very clear the house is a main character. If you’re a fan of the ol’ “Antiques Roadshow” and love to hear about the beauty of Chippendale dressers (mind out of the gutter, Jeff) and whatnot, you’ll probably eat this right up . . .
However, if you are like me and sometimes find your attention span waning while you’re getting bogged down in description, again this one might not be for you. Of course, you could always turn it into a drinking game a la “Frasier” . . .
A final note is that although I knew some of what was happening right away, it took me quite a while to figure out exactly where the story would wrap up. I will also say the twist isn’t something not all readers will be comfortable with . . .
All in all I found Little Girls to be a solid 3 Star selection.
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, NetGalley!
August 24, 2021
OMG Omg OMG, this for me is a 'hide behind the sofa' 'bite your nails' kind of read.
Its GREAT makes your heart pound, makes your put your hands over your eyes and peep through the crack of your fingers, well, it did me
I don't read much horror, I'm a scaredy cat. I don't much like things that go "bump in the night" I end up with nightmares, but to some, this book may be mild, but for me, I jump at Jaws [the film] when I first watched it years ago.
Laurie has to return home to reclaim her estate left by her parents. Except, although her father had exorcised his demons, I don't think he did it right, because things start to happen.
Laurie has a little girl of her own.
Its like the house is alive the walls have ears and as for that attic upstairs.........
Is she loosing her mind like her father before her?
Just what sinister happenings are going on, is there a logic to them or are there really ghosts? Are there evil spirits, are there people from the past that can come back to haunt you?
I never had long nails in the first place, and I certainly don't have them now!
No wonder this author was nominated for an award.
Thoroughly breath taking.
** Thank you to Kensington Books via Net Galley for my copy**
December 31, 2021
Laurie Genaro returns to her childhood home after her estranged father dies unexpectedly. Suffering from dementia, he threw himself out of a window. However, all is not as it seems. Was he just confused? Haunted by a ghost? Or was he murdered?
While Laurie attempts to get her father’s estate ready for sale, her ten year old daughter, Susan, befriends an odd neighbor girl named Abigail. She greatly resembles a mean girl from Laurie’s childhood, who died in a tragic accident. When Laurie begins to investigate her father’s death, she uncovers buried secrets that threaten to harm her and her family.
Ronald Malfi is a new author to me. I recently read Come with Me and was so impressed, that I couldn’t wait to read more from him. I listened to the audiobook, which is read by Cassandra Campbell. She is one of the best audiobook readers that I have come across so far, so I was eager to listen to it! Campbell does not disappoint, as she delivers a haunting performance of a creepy thriller.
While the first 50% of this book is a very slow burn, the second half moves at lightning speed. Malfi’s writing keeps the reader interested and engaged all the way through. I did figure out the plot twists, but it didn’t effect my enjoyment. This book is very creepy and might be triggering for some.
I will definitely be reading more thrillers from Ronald Malfi. His books seem to be floating under the radar, and deserve more publicity! Thriller and gothic fiction fans, please check out this author.
3.5/5 stars rounded up
While Laurie attempts to get her father’s estate ready for sale, her ten year old daughter, Susan, befriends an odd neighbor girl named Abigail. She greatly resembles a mean girl from Laurie’s childhood, who died in a tragic accident. When Laurie begins to investigate her father’s death, she uncovers buried secrets that threaten to harm her and her family.
Ronald Malfi is a new author to me. I recently read Come with Me and was so impressed, that I couldn’t wait to read more from him. I listened to the audiobook, which is read by Cassandra Campbell. She is one of the best audiobook readers that I have come across so far, so I was eager to listen to it! Campbell does not disappoint, as she delivers a haunting performance of a creepy thriller.
While the first 50% of this book is a very slow burn, the second half moves at lightning speed. Malfi’s writing keeps the reader interested and engaged all the way through. I did figure out the plot twists, but it didn’t effect my enjoyment. This book is very creepy and might be triggering for some.
I will definitely be reading more thrillers from Ronald Malfi. His books seem to be floating under the radar, and deserve more publicity! Thriller and gothic fiction fans, please check out this author.
3.5/5 stars rounded up
September 26, 2025
Prologue - each night I get up and crave a drink of my Ocean Spray Cranberry drink. It's a habit now and habits are hard to break. God forbid I have to move around during the witching hour but if I have to well, you gotta do what you gotta do. So my trusty Fenix flashlight lays in front of my clock on the night stand. I use it to see where I'm going as stepping into any of my cat Luna's potential furballs is oh so gross. I turn my Fenix on almost immediately and bring it across my dresser. It illuminates several knives on it which are there for protection and to deal with any possible intruder. As my Fenix illuminates my new Ulysse Nardin Black Toro it brings a smile to my face. My new toy that I have had for a few weeks. I have several high end watches but this is special, it's a gmt perpetual meaning if it keeps running I never have to touch any dial. I get day, month, date, and even year. The watch will keep track of everything on its own including leap years etc. And my ego is stroked knowing it is prized by Russian mobsters. So I make my way to the kitchen and here I turn on the lights though I dim them as Luna my prized pampered and anti social kitty should not be disturbed. As I turn on the light I see an outline of a child. WTF!! I immediately rub my eyes so that I can refocus but the outline is there a second or two longer before disappearing. Again, holy crap. I saw no detail really, just a silhouette shape of a child.
Chapters - Well that winded prologue relates to Ronald Malfi's Little Girls "A Ghost Story". You see the ghost in question is an eleven year old girl who died when our main character was also eleven. They were friends and neighbours. So Malfi says a lot more in what he doesn't write in my opinion. He lets what he writes seep into your thoughts and this is how I rationalize what I saw that night a few nights ago. Clearly I have quite the imagination :) but I saw what I saw and I have seen weirder and it doesn't really bother me - what can I really do about a crazy overactive imagination? So our main character Laurie Genarro last saw her dad when she was 11. Her parents divorced. She is now in her 30's married (to Ted) and has a daughter Susan who is ten. Her father had dementia and was believed to have killed himself by jumping out a house window. Laurie and her family are back at her old home in Maryland to deal with the estate. She and Ted now reside in Hartford.
Laurie is troubled by both her old home as well as her father. They both bring back memories to her last year there. Her best friend had changed radically that year to the point where Laurie had come to hate Sadie Russ. Malfi gets really disturbing when he talks about their relationship and how it deteriorated. Quite sick actually. Yet why did Sadie change from a good friend to basically a spiteful enemy? It really didn't matter though as Sadie fell from a tree when she climbed it to look into Laurie's dad's glass green house. The glass shredded her to pieces and the green house was never used again by her father.
While at her father's estate we are introduced to a new neighbour known as Abigail. She is the niece of her dad's neighbour, Liz. She is the spitting image of Sadie and she befriends Laurie's daughter Susan. How creepy is that? Laurie is naturally suspicious of Abigail/Sadie and believes they in fact are one in the same. Clearly this novel deals with aspects of mental illness but is it mental illness or in fact a ghost of Sadie's past that is troubling Laurie?
As everything starts to overwhelm Laurie the strain of it all starts to stress out her relationship with her husband. Ted is a play write who has a huge project on the go and a side project which may be an even bigger financial reward. He goes back to their home in Hartford on bad terms with Laurie to tend to a meeting with regard to both parts of his career.
Once at the meeting Ted has a bad feeling about what may be occurring back at Laurie's father's home. He bolts the meeting to get back to Laurie. Well Malfi slowly but surely all along painted an ever increasing level of suspense. It was a little slow at times but yet oh so good as well. Mixed in is the reason why Sadie became the monster she did. Mixed in is the fact that her dad was a monster as well. In the end Laurie confirms that Sadie is an evil ghost hell bent on making Laurie pay for her part of everything. Sadie (in Laurie's mind) confirmed that she killed Laurie's father and is giving Laurie a choice to kill herself and if she doesn't Sadie will take Laurie's daughter Susan as compensation. Laurie clearly decides to take her own life and is not that successful at it but is in hospital when Ted finally arrives. Ted tells Laurie a white lie to show Laurie that what she believes is far from the truth and rather a mental health issue. Malfi keeps you hanging till the very end whether this is a ghost issue or a mental health issue. Yet Malfi weaves an excellent ending and though Malfi doesn't really confirm that ending in actual writing there can be no denying what happens. Suffice it to say that the Genarro family will never be the same. The cost of Ted's actions would have me contemplating suicide daily if I was him.
Epilogue-This was a kind of hard review for me. I didn't want to spoil much but it is well written and a lot more straight forward than my review makes it out to be. This is my second book by Malfi and has been in my TBR library for about five years. I should read him more. He doesn't always come out and show how disturbed he is but I'll give an example. Laurie has a vision of Ted "copulating" (Malfi's words) with Sadie. So are you telling me Laurie is seeing an eleven year old girl having sex with her husband? Now that is quite sick. Again, Malfi is quick to allude to things and will take his time confirming them. I was pretty much on the mark very early with what happened but I was kept in suspense the whole way through. Malfi is quite excellent in building layer upon layer of suspense. This was an easy four star review. I need to read more of Malfi!
Chapters - Well that winded prologue relates to Ronald Malfi's Little Girls "A Ghost Story". You see the ghost in question is an eleven year old girl who died when our main character was also eleven. They were friends and neighbours. So Malfi says a lot more in what he doesn't write in my opinion. He lets what he writes seep into your thoughts and this is how I rationalize what I saw that night a few nights ago. Clearly I have quite the imagination :) but I saw what I saw and I have seen weirder and it doesn't really bother me - what can I really do about a crazy overactive imagination? So our main character Laurie Genarro last saw her dad when she was 11. Her parents divorced. She is now in her 30's married (to Ted) and has a daughter Susan who is ten. Her father had dementia and was believed to have killed himself by jumping out a house window. Laurie and her family are back at her old home in Maryland to deal with the estate. She and Ted now reside in Hartford.
Laurie is troubled by both her old home as well as her father. They both bring back memories to her last year there. Her best friend had changed radically that year to the point where Laurie had come to hate Sadie Russ. Malfi gets really disturbing when he talks about their relationship and how it deteriorated. Quite sick actually. Yet why did Sadie change from a good friend to basically a spiteful enemy? It really didn't matter though as Sadie fell from a tree when she climbed it to look into Laurie's dad's glass green house. The glass shredded her to pieces and the green house was never used again by her father.
While at her father's estate we are introduced to a new neighbour known as Abigail. She is the niece of her dad's neighbour, Liz. She is the spitting image of Sadie and she befriends Laurie's daughter Susan. How creepy is that? Laurie is naturally suspicious of Abigail/Sadie and believes they in fact are one in the same. Clearly this novel deals with aspects of mental illness but is it mental illness or in fact a ghost of Sadie's past that is troubling Laurie?
As everything starts to overwhelm Laurie the strain of it all starts to stress out her relationship with her husband. Ted is a play write who has a huge project on the go and a side project which may be an even bigger financial reward. He goes back to their home in Hartford on bad terms with Laurie to tend to a meeting with regard to both parts of his career.
Once at the meeting Ted has a bad feeling about what may be occurring back at Laurie's father's home. He bolts the meeting to get back to Laurie. Well Malfi slowly but surely all along painted an ever increasing level of suspense. It was a little slow at times but yet oh so good as well. Mixed in is the reason why Sadie became the monster she did. Mixed in is the fact that her dad was a monster as well. In the end Laurie confirms that Sadie is an evil ghost hell bent on making Laurie pay for her part of everything. Sadie (in Laurie's mind) confirmed that she killed Laurie's father and is giving Laurie a choice to kill herself and if she doesn't Sadie will take Laurie's daughter Susan as compensation. Laurie clearly decides to take her own life and is not that successful at it but is in hospital when Ted finally arrives. Ted tells Laurie a white lie to show Laurie that what she believes is far from the truth and rather a mental health issue. Malfi keeps you hanging till the very end whether this is a ghost issue or a mental health issue. Yet Malfi weaves an excellent ending and though Malfi doesn't really confirm that ending in actual writing there can be no denying what happens. Suffice it to say that the Genarro family will never be the same. The cost of Ted's actions would have me contemplating suicide daily if I was him.
Epilogue-This was a kind of hard review for me. I didn't want to spoil much but it is well written and a lot more straight forward than my review makes it out to be. This is my second book by Malfi and has been in my TBR library for about five years. I should read him more. He doesn't always come out and show how disturbed he is but I'll give an example. Laurie has a vision of Ted "copulating" (Malfi's words) with Sadie. So are you telling me Laurie is seeing an eleven year old girl having sex with her husband? Now that is quite sick. Again, Malfi is quick to allude to things and will take his time confirming them. I was pretty much on the mark very early with what happened but I was kept in suspense the whole way through. Malfi is quite excellent in building layer upon layer of suspense. This was an easy four star review. I need to read more of Malfi!
June 27, 2015
4.5 stars!
LITTLE GIRLS is an atmospheric, supernatural, gothic-style read that flowed perfectly for me from beginning to end. From the very start, when Laurie Genarro, with her husband. Ted. and daughter, Susan, travel to Laurie's father's estate after his apparent suicide, you can feel that nothing is what it seems on the surface. Laurie's unease continues to build--whether from the memory of a childhood friend's death, or her own mental issues--the tension relentlessly ratchets up. There were quite a few twists to the story; some of which I suspected, and others that came as a complete surprise.
Malfi keeps on adding to the suspense with small occurences that hint at a much deeper significance, and his incredibly descriptive prose. In one scene, Laurie comes upon a small greenhouse that her father used to tend: "The smell coming from the structure was rank enough to transcend olfaction; it was as if all of her five senses were capable of being brutalized by the horrific odor of rotting vegetation."
If you're looking for a quick blood-drenched massacre, you won't find that here. What you will find is a quiet, stealthy horror that will have you holding your breath until the final page. In terms of atmospheric dread and fear, Malfi is one of the best authors around today that consistently delivers.
Highly recommended!
*I received an advance e-copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
LITTLE GIRLS is an atmospheric, supernatural, gothic-style read that flowed perfectly for me from beginning to end. From the very start, when Laurie Genarro, with her husband. Ted. and daughter, Susan, travel to Laurie's father's estate after his apparent suicide, you can feel that nothing is what it seems on the surface. Laurie's unease continues to build--whether from the memory of a childhood friend's death, or her own mental issues--the tension relentlessly ratchets up. There were quite a few twists to the story; some of which I suspected, and others that came as a complete surprise.
Malfi keeps on adding to the suspense with small occurences that hint at a much deeper significance, and his incredibly descriptive prose. In one scene, Laurie comes upon a small greenhouse that her father used to tend: "The smell coming from the structure was rank enough to transcend olfaction; it was as if all of her five senses were capable of being brutalized by the horrific odor of rotting vegetation."
If you're looking for a quick blood-drenched massacre, you won't find that here. What you will find is a quiet, stealthy horror that will have you holding your breath until the final page. In terms of atmospheric dread and fear, Malfi is one of the best authors around today that consistently delivers.
Highly recommended!
*I received an advance e-copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
August 15, 2017
I have discovered one of my favorite authors. Malfi creates his characters brilliantly. He maintains a consistent voice for each throughout, making it seem as if they are real people. This is an integral part of immersion for me. When I become invested in the characters and begin to care about them, the suspense, tension and ratcheting up of the action draws me in more completely. For me, reading is an escape- a release into an alternate world regardless of who or what is around me. The more skilled the author, the more complete the escape.
This author transported me time and time again to the family of three- the mother with a dementia ridden father, a suicide, and childhood memories haunting her in the background like a shadow.
The child's voice, Susan, is consistent and endearing. The imagery is ominous, foreboding and effective. For example, the flowers aptly named after the child in the wave in silent recognition of some of the plot elements that are revealed later in the novel.
The characters are well rounded, flawed and all too human which makes them even more likeable. It's hard to imagine a creepier setting than this old house with all of it's memories.
The author isolates characters well which creates a shrewd tightening of the plot and suspense, putting specific characters in interactions with others that allows their personalities to emerge more clearly. For example, Susan is juxtaposed with the little girl next door, Abigail, as well as Laura's childhood self and perhaps even Sadie, the little girl who died in a horrible manner many years ago. The plot has the feel of a noose gradually tightening as the characters work the spiraling way around one another to the end of the story.
I felt the pace pick up as the novel progressed. One of the marks of a great writer, in my opinion, is the ability to end well. This author used pacing techniques and dramatic irony to accelerate the story as it neared the end. I couldn't put it down. I know I have a book I really enjoy when I find myself wanting to read it right away in the morning and it was the last thing I read when I went to sleep.
Great book, excellent author, and I hope his other books are this solid. 5 stars.
This author transported me time and time again to the family of three- the mother with a dementia ridden father, a suicide, and childhood memories haunting her in the background like a shadow.
The child's voice, Susan, is consistent and endearing. The imagery is ominous, foreboding and effective. For example, the flowers aptly named after the child in the wave in silent recognition of some of the plot elements that are revealed later in the novel.
The characters are well rounded, flawed and all too human which makes them even more likeable. It's hard to imagine a creepier setting than this old house with all of it's memories.
The author isolates characters well which creates a shrewd tightening of the plot and suspense, putting specific characters in interactions with others that allows their personalities to emerge more clearly. For example, Susan is juxtaposed with the little girl next door, Abigail, as well as Laura's childhood self and perhaps even Sadie, the little girl who died in a horrible manner many years ago. The plot has the feel of a noose gradually tightening as the characters work the spiraling way around one another to the end of the story.
I felt the pace pick up as the novel progressed. One of the marks of a great writer, in my opinion, is the ability to end well. This author used pacing techniques and dramatic irony to accelerate the story as it neared the end. I couldn't put it down. I know I have a book I really enjoy when I find myself wanting to read it right away in the morning and it was the last thing I read when I went to sleep.
Great book, excellent author, and I hope his other books are this solid. 5 stars.
December 2, 2022
This is my first introduction to this author and I won't stop here, BUT
I'm caught in a quandary. The technicalities for this book are FINE. It is readable and perfectly standard for a modern horror, but it suffers from a slight problem.
What is it? *you ask, biting your nails*
It's boring. 4/5ths of the novel suffers from a regrettable cont-C/cont-P with WAY too many thrillers today. Just leave a few precise details to the mad-libs genre to chance, throw a family into a new, probably temporary house, have the middle-aged female's mental health decline as she prefers to be blind to everything going on around her, and let her fail to solve her many problems.
That's the core. Of course, I've been reading way too many novels that CC this, but wait! It gets better! Her husband will always have a fidelity problem. Check. There's something wrong with the kid. Check. Family history is totally F***ED. Check. No one believes her. Check. Bonus round! Sexual abuse. Check!
So we must ask ourselves, does this sound like something you've read before?
I'll give you ten points if you've read 5 in the last 5 years. I'll give you 100 points if you've read 15 in the last 5 years. I'll give you a 1000 (!!!) points if you've read 50 JUST LIKE THIS in the last 5 years.
Do you know why I can give you so many points?
I'VE ALREADY EARNED THEM. I'm more than happy to give them away!
Please, give me something new. I don't need another clueless mentally ill housewife thriller.
Yes, dear reader, this is what sour grapes taste like. If you're not a rabid reader, you may never have to experience this. Books like this might remain perfectly kosher.
And that's why I'll only give you 5 points.
I'm caught in a quandary. The technicalities for this book are FINE. It is readable and perfectly standard for a modern horror, but it suffers from a slight problem.
What is it? *you ask, biting your nails*
It's boring. 4/5ths of the novel suffers from a regrettable cont-C/cont-P with WAY too many thrillers today. Just leave a few precise details to the mad-libs genre to chance, throw a family into a new, probably temporary house, have the middle-aged female's mental health decline as she prefers to be blind to everything going on around her, and let her fail to solve her many problems.
That's the core. Of course, I've been reading way too many novels that CC this, but wait! It gets better! Her husband will always have a fidelity problem. Check. There's something wrong with the kid. Check. Family history is totally F***ED. Check. No one believes her. Check. Bonus round! Sexual abuse. Check!
So we must ask ourselves, does this sound like something you've read before?
I'll give you ten points if you've read 5 in the last 5 years. I'll give you 100 points if you've read 15 in the last 5 years. I'll give you a 1000 (!!!) points if you've read 50 JUST LIKE THIS in the last 5 years.
Do you know why I can give you so many points?
I'VE ALREADY EARNED THEM. I'm more than happy to give them away!
Please, give me something new. I don't need another clueless mentally ill housewife thriller.
Yes, dear reader, this is what sour grapes taste like. If you're not a rabid reader, you may never have to experience this. Books like this might remain perfectly kosher.
And that's why I'll only give you 5 points.
June 17, 2015
When Laurie Genarro’s father commits suicide, she returns to the childhood home she has inherited to hopefully sell the house and contents and get back to her life. Her husband Ted is a writer and has financial problems, especially since Laurie gave up teaching, and is obviously impressed by the large – if somewhat creepy – old house. Daughter Susan, ten, is at first deeply unhappy at having to leave her home, and friends, for the summer, but is soon all too willing to stay in the house that Laurie has spent most of her life trying to forget about.
There are unanswered questions about how Laurie’s father died – seemingly throwing himself from a locked room at the top of the house. Laurie finds the belvedere room securely padlocked and sets about trying to locate the key, as well as clearing out the house. Meanwhile, Susan has found a new playmate – a little girl called Abigail, who reminds Laurie of her old neighbour, Sadie Russ. However, Sadie is long dead…
This is an interesting and creepy novel, with a good setting. The unsettling neighbour, the odd characters Laurie meets connected with her father’s last days, a malevolent house full of shifting shadows and muffled thumps, old secrets and awakened memories. I really enjoyed this and would certainly read more by this author. Lastly, I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, for review.
There are unanswered questions about how Laurie’s father died – seemingly throwing himself from a locked room at the top of the house. Laurie finds the belvedere room securely padlocked and sets about trying to locate the key, as well as clearing out the house. Meanwhile, Susan has found a new playmate – a little girl called Abigail, who reminds Laurie of her old neighbour, Sadie Russ. However, Sadie is long dead…
This is an interesting and creepy novel, with a good setting. The unsettling neighbour, the odd characters Laurie meets connected with her father’s last days, a malevolent house full of shifting shadows and muffled thumps, old secrets and awakened memories. I really enjoyed this and would certainly read more by this author. Lastly, I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, for review.
December 13, 2015
This is one of those wonderfully creepy books that draws you in as it goes along, captivating and enthralling you, making the hairs prickle on the back of your neck.
Laurie returns to her family home after years of estrangement from her demented father to dispose of the estate following his suicide.
Bringing her husband and daughter with her, Laurie feels unsettled: a feeling that only intensifies when she meets Abigail, the little girl next door. The little girl who is a dead ringer for the little girl who lived next door when she was a child; who bullied and manipulated her; and who died a violent death. A little girl who taunts her and whispers things to her that she should not know.
With each passing day, Laurie’s uneasiness grows stronger, her thoughts more disturbing. Like her father, is she slowly losing her mind? Or is something truly unspeakable happening?
Thank you to NetGalley, Kensington Books and author Ronald Malfi for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Laurie returns to her family home after years of estrangement from her demented father to dispose of the estate following his suicide.
Bringing her husband and daughter with her, Laurie feels unsettled: a feeling that only intensifies when she meets Abigail, the little girl next door. The little girl who is a dead ringer for the little girl who lived next door when she was a child; who bullied and manipulated her; and who died a violent death. A little girl who taunts her and whispers things to her that she should not know.
With each passing day, Laurie’s uneasiness grows stronger, her thoughts more disturbing. Like her father, is she slowly losing her mind? Or is something truly unspeakable happening?
Thank you to NetGalley, Kensington Books and author Ronald Malfi for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
November 10, 2020
This was a slow burn haunting!
A little backstory:
Laurie Genarro along with her husband Ted and young daughter Susan make their way out to a house that Laurie has inherited from her father. Her father that she hasn't seen in many years fell to his death in what some believe to be a suicide. Laurie remembers things that happened in the past in that house and she also remembers the little girl (Sadie) that lived next door at that time. They use to be playmates.
When Laurie and her family decide to stay in the house temporarily there are some cold drafts in the house and noises through the house. The neighbor next door has a young girl that has an uncanny resemblance to Laurie's old playmate. The more Laurie stays in the house the more she remembers of things that not only happened there but also things that happened with Sadie and she has a feeling of dread that overtakes her soul. As Sadie was not a sweet little girl and things were not what they seemed for the memories of the past have come back to haunt Laurie.
Thoughts:
The story was a very slow burn and I was waiting for the house along with the little girl to start getting spooky. The book was more of a mystery than a "chilling ghost story" as I have read books that will "send shivers down your spine" and that have "creepy atmospheres that seep into your being", but this book did not have those ingredients at all and not once did I feel the spooky chills. Usually a ghost story about creepy children would be a recipe for disaster, but that was not the case here. Giving this story two "unimpressed" stars.
A little backstory:
Laurie Genarro along with her husband Ted and young daughter Susan make their way out to a house that Laurie has inherited from her father. Her father that she hasn't seen in many years fell to his death in what some believe to be a suicide. Laurie remembers things that happened in the past in that house and she also remembers the little girl (Sadie) that lived next door at that time. They use to be playmates.
When Laurie and her family decide to stay in the house temporarily there are some cold drafts in the house and noises through the house. The neighbor next door has a young girl that has an uncanny resemblance to Laurie's old playmate. The more Laurie stays in the house the more she remembers of things that not only happened there but also things that happened with Sadie and she has a feeling of dread that overtakes her soul. As Sadie was not a sweet little girl and things were not what they seemed for the memories of the past have come back to haunt Laurie.
Thoughts:
The story was a very slow burn and I was waiting for the house along with the little girl to start getting spooky. The book was more of a mystery than a "chilling ghost story" as I have read books that will "send shivers down your spine" and that have "creepy atmospheres that seep into your being", but this book did not have those ingredients at all and not once did I feel the spooky chills. Usually a ghost story about creepy children would be a recipe for disaster, but that was not the case here. Giving this story two "unimpressed" stars.
June 11, 2015
This creepy ghosty story is a slow burner of a read that draws you in and intrigues you as to what is going on. Laurie and her husband Ted, together with their 10 year old daughter Susan are on a trip to the town Laurie grew up in. Her father has recently died in mysterious circumstances, assumed to have committed suicide, and she has to settle his affairs. We have a very sinister unwelcoming sounding house, complete with a belvedere that is locked up with no key provided and an extremely creepy little girl, Abigail, who lives next door and who befriends Susan. There are things buried away in Laurie’s past that her memory has squashed down and which her husband certainly doesn’t know about, but these memories are about to be triggered in a read that will certainly have you checking the locks on your doors and windows before you go to sleep. There were times when the book was really gripping and every so often a little twist would come along which meant that on the whole the book was a lot less predictable than I was expecting. Having said that I just KNEW what was going to happen on the last page of the book. Not a bad read at all. Thanks to the publishers for the review copy.
August 2, 2015
[I received a copy through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.]
An idea that seemed creepy and interesting, but that just fell flat for me.
The beginning was rather slow, with descriptions that quickly became too tedious to go through, and often the dialogues felt useless and too on the "daily conversation" side. It worked at first, to establish the normalcy of the situation (as normal as it could be considering the circumstances); however, after a while, breakfast banter and the likes didn't bring anything to the story, and were tiring to go through. I skimmed some of those parts, hoping to get to the next creepy bit, since creepy is what I wanted.
Too many of the characters' actions and thoughts were told, rather than shown. Although it's never easy when dealing with psychological aspects, as obviously a lot is internalised and cannot necessarily be "shown", here I never felt close to the characters, as if I was meant to stand remote, and watch them without "feeling" anything for them—especially when flashbacks were concerned. At times, they would come out of nowhere, at length, and then mentioned again later to other characters, almost in passing: maybe it would've worked better for me if I could have read them at those moments, when they were more relevant, and not at some random point in the first chapters. When Laurie's secrets started surfacing (what Sadie did to her, for instance), I couldn't bother caring anymore. I could muster neither much interest nor compassion for Laurie or Ted—who had a knack also for coming up with his own crap when it wasn't needed. (Seriously? You really had to tell ease your guilt by telling your wife, when clearly she was going through her father's death and potentially getting crazy?)
The ending was frustrating. It hinted at a specific event, but without spelling it, and echoed in this way the fact that no answer was given as to whether Laurie was actually crazy or not. I still don't know now if she imagined everything, was just stressed out, was haunted by an actual ghost, was plain crazy... In this regard, a more definite ending would have been more satisfying for me. It seemed to me that there wasn't that much of a plot, and that the "ghost" didn't do much for most of the story except just be there. Not to mention the twist about Laurie's father, coming when I didn't care anymore. I admit I finished reading because I expected an answer... and I never really got one.
I liked the setting, though: the creepy house with its old furniture, the well and the dilapidated glass house that were clearly a catastrophe in the making, the photographs of little girls kept in an album, what Laurie discovered in the garage. Still, it wasn't enough to sell me on this novel. 1.5 stars.
An idea that seemed creepy and interesting, but that just fell flat for me.
The beginning was rather slow, with descriptions that quickly became too tedious to go through, and often the dialogues felt useless and too on the "daily conversation" side. It worked at first, to establish the normalcy of the situation (as normal as it could be considering the circumstances); however, after a while, breakfast banter and the likes didn't bring anything to the story, and were tiring to go through. I skimmed some of those parts, hoping to get to the next creepy bit, since creepy is what I wanted.
Too many of the characters' actions and thoughts were told, rather than shown. Although it's never easy when dealing with psychological aspects, as obviously a lot is internalised and cannot necessarily be "shown", here I never felt close to the characters, as if I was meant to stand remote, and watch them without "feeling" anything for them—especially when flashbacks were concerned. At times, they would come out of nowhere, at length, and then mentioned again later to other characters, almost in passing: maybe it would've worked better for me if I could have read them at those moments, when they were more relevant, and not at some random point in the first chapters. When Laurie's secrets started surfacing (what Sadie did to her, for instance), I couldn't bother caring anymore. I could muster neither much interest nor compassion for Laurie or Ted—who had a knack also for coming up with his own crap when it wasn't needed. (Seriously? You really had to tell ease your guilt by telling your wife, when clearly she was going through her father's death and potentially getting crazy?)
The ending was frustrating. It hinted at a specific event, but without spelling it, and echoed in this way the fact that no answer was given as to whether Laurie was actually crazy or not. I still don't know now if she imagined everything, was just stressed out, was haunted by an actual ghost, was plain crazy... In this regard, a more definite ending would have been more satisfying for me. It seemed to me that there wasn't that much of a plot, and that the "ghost" didn't do much for most of the story except just be there. Not to mention the twist about Laurie's father, coming when I didn't care anymore. I admit I finished reading because I expected an answer... and I never really got one.
I liked the setting, though: the creepy house with its old furniture, the well and the dilapidated glass house that were clearly a catastrophe in the making, the photographs of little girls kept in an album, what Laurie discovered in the garage. Still, it wasn't enough to sell me on this novel. 1.5 stars.
July 2, 2015
Thank you Kennsington for allowing me the opportunity and Ronald Malfi to read this fabulous book. I read it all in one sitting. The house had a very creepy vibe the reminded me of in the movie "The Others" with Nicole Kidman. The story however is nothing like it.
Laurie's father recently died by apparent suicide by his illness of dementia. So she has to take her family back to her family home to square away matters with the house and assets. She is not looking forward to this. She has no pleasant memories of her childhood home. Her father was cold and distant.
as they stay in the home unsettling things start to happen. Laurie starts to question how her father really died...the help does not want to really say all that much. Her daughter becomes friends with a girl named Abigail and its an uncanny resemblance to her own childhood friend that was awful to her and she wonders could that be a ghost of her childhood friend.
Laurie starts to hear things in the house. Little girls talking, doors slamming...the ending was petrifying but I loved this book. because I love a good ghost story and this is surely it. Highly recommend it. There is some 9 a few) strong violent incidents that happen in the book but not many to throw this book to the curb.
Laurie's father recently died by apparent suicide by his illness of dementia. So she has to take her family back to her family home to square away matters with the house and assets. She is not looking forward to this. She has no pleasant memories of her childhood home. Her father was cold and distant.
as they stay in the home unsettling things start to happen. Laurie starts to question how her father really died...the help does not want to really say all that much. Her daughter becomes friends with a girl named Abigail and its an uncanny resemblance to her own childhood friend that was awful to her and she wonders could that be a ghost of her childhood friend.
Laurie starts to hear things in the house. Little girls talking, doors slamming...the ending was petrifying but I loved this book. because I love a good ghost story and this is surely it. Highly recommend it. There is some 9 a few) strong violent incidents that happen in the book but not many to throw this book to the curb.
May 18, 2015
When a man in the grips of dementia apparently commits suicide, his estranged daughter returns home to pick up the pieces, only to discover that the shadows of the past have unfinished business with her and her family.
This creepy tale of family secrets and their repercussions leaves readers with more questions than answers.....questions that will keep them up long into the night, leading to answers that will fuel more than a few nightmares.
This was an eARC from Netgalley.
This creepy tale of family secrets and their repercussions leaves readers with more questions than answers.....questions that will keep them up long into the night, leading to answers that will fuel more than a few nightmares.
This was an eARC from Netgalley.
February 7, 2017
Other reviewers have already summarized the plot, so I am focusing strictly on the pros and cons of this book as a reading experience.
This is the first novel I've read by Ronald Malfi, and I find myself torn.
On one hand, the prose was excellent and highly readable. The book sets the mood perfectly, and the pages fly by, even when not much at all is happening. Malfi excels at description, and the settings he constructs are vivid and real as are the characters, for the most part.
On the other, the first two-thirds of the book was essentially filler. Pleasant to read, but fluff nonetheless.
Plotting was the primary problem I had with this book, and unexpected revelations by several characters during the latter portion severely undermined the care taken to make them real during the placid first two-thirds of the story. Deus ex machina to the extreme.
Upon even slight reflection it is readily apparent that the plot (when it finally emerges) hinges on a series of highly unlikely, severely unrealistic events that neatly unfold one after the other with precision timing, dominoes set to topple.
These distracting plotting devices would likely pass by unnoticed if the story was being presented on film, but in a book you have the luxury of stopping and considering the words just read. At one point the coincidental timing of occurrences became so ludicrous that I almost abandoned the book, but the prose was so pleasant I decided to continue on to the end. Despite the contortions of logic required to arrive at the final page, Malfi succeeds in wrapping the tale in perfectly satisfying fashion.
Ronald Malfi is clearly a writer of considerable skill, and I will for certain give his work another look in the future (Floating Staircase is up next).
3.5 Stars for a beautifully written but flawed ghost story.
This is the first novel I've read by Ronald Malfi, and I find myself torn.
On one hand, the prose was excellent and highly readable. The book sets the mood perfectly, and the pages fly by, even when not much at all is happening. Malfi excels at description, and the settings he constructs are vivid and real as are the characters, for the most part.
On the other, the first two-thirds of the book was essentially filler. Pleasant to read, but fluff nonetheless.
Plotting was the primary problem I had with this book, and unexpected revelations by several characters during the latter portion severely undermined the care taken to make them real during the placid first two-thirds of the story. Deus ex machina to the extreme.
Upon even slight reflection it is readily apparent that the plot (when it finally emerges) hinges on a series of highly unlikely, severely unrealistic events that neatly unfold one after the other with precision timing, dominoes set to topple.
These distracting plotting devices would likely pass by unnoticed if the story was being presented on film, but in a book you have the luxury of stopping and considering the words just read. At one point the coincidental timing of occurrences became so ludicrous that I almost abandoned the book, but the prose was so pleasant I decided to continue on to the end. Despite the contortions of logic required to arrive at the final page, Malfi succeeds in wrapping the tale in perfectly satisfying fashion.
Ronald Malfi is clearly a writer of considerable skill, and I will for certain give his work another look in the future (Floating Staircase is up next).
3.5 Stars for a beautifully written but flawed ghost story.
September 2, 2015
Laurie Gennaro née Brashear feels frankly uneasy returning to her childhood home. After the divorce, Laurie drew apart from her emotionally distant dad, Myles Brashear, and she hadn’t even spoken to her now dementia-addled father in six months. Now that he has committed suicide, Laurie leaves her home in Hartford, Connecticut, to Greater Annapolis to settle her father’s affairs, tidy up, and sell the rambling house.
Accompanied by her husband Ted and 10-year-old daughter Susan, Laurie returns to the house to find that the girl next door bears an uncanny resemblance to a frighteningly cruel girl she knew who died nearly 30 years ago.
To tell any more would be to spoil a story that starts out at a stroll but gradually turns into a heart-thumping race toward a completely unexpected conclusion. I read the second half of the novel in just a few hours; I just couldn’t put it down, as cliché as that sounds. And the horror of Ronald Malfi’s Little Girls will stay with me for a long, long time. Don’t miss it.
In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley and Kensington Books in exchange for an honest review.
Accompanied by her husband Ted and 10-year-old daughter Susan, Laurie returns to the house to find that the girl next door bears an uncanny resemblance to a frighteningly cruel girl she knew who died nearly 30 years ago.
To tell any more would be to spoil a story that starts out at a stroll but gradually turns into a heart-thumping race toward a completely unexpected conclusion. I read the second half of the novel in just a few hours; I just couldn’t put it down, as cliché as that sounds. And the horror of Ronald Malfi’s Little Girls will stay with me for a long, long time. Don’t miss it.
In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley and Kensington Books in exchange for an honest review.
May 4, 2015
I would like to thank Netgalley and Kensington books for an ARC reading of this book.
I have read a few of this author's books and they are just creepy.
I was thinking this book was going to be about little girls creeping around which would have freaked me out because anything with little kids in horror books just gives me the heebie jeebies. That being said, there is really only one creepy little girl in this book. Who is she really? She reminds Laura of a little girl from her childhood that was wackadoo. But... there is a real reason for her being that way, which I'm not going to tell you!
Laura, Ted and their 10 year-old daughter Susan move temporarily into Laura's father's house when he commits suicide. Laura just wants to get in there, get stuff sold and get the house sold.
A creepy little girl named Abigail starts creeping around to play with their daughter Susan. Laura doesn't like this one bit but Ted, the all knowing man, thinks it's just fine. Goes to show what he knows at the end of the book, but I digress!
So all of this really bad stuff comes to light when Laura finds some things in the well on their property. Lets just say, I never saw that coming.
This is a well thought out book with a good storyline. I look forward to reading more from this author and reading some of his older stuff.
www.melissa413readsalot.blogspot.com
I have read a few of this author's books and they are just creepy.
I was thinking this book was going to be about little girls creeping around which would have freaked me out because anything with little kids in horror books just gives me the heebie jeebies. That being said, there is really only one creepy little girl in this book. Who is she really? She reminds Laura of a little girl from her childhood that was wackadoo. But... there is a real reason for her being that way, which I'm not going to tell you!
Laura, Ted and their 10 year-old daughter Susan move temporarily into Laura's father's house when he commits suicide. Laura just wants to get in there, get stuff sold and get the house sold.
A creepy little girl named Abigail starts creeping around to play with their daughter Susan. Laura doesn't like this one bit but Ted, the all knowing man, thinks it's just fine. Goes to show what he knows at the end of the book, but I digress!
So all of this really bad stuff comes to light when Laura finds some things in the well on their property. Lets just say, I never saw that coming.
This is a well thought out book with a good storyline. I look forward to reading more from this author and reading some of his older stuff.
www.melissa413readsalot.blogspot.com
March 15, 2022
It gave me chills, and that's not easy for "The Ghost Story Junkie". The primary theme of the book is about Laurie and her family returning home after her father passed away. When she was a child, there was a room upstairs that always stayed closed, and she was not allowed to enter. Being back in the house brought back a lot of memories for her and the reader began to see that things were coming back for her that would have maybe been better to have remained buried along with her father. She also began to remember her childhood that included her friend who was her next-door neighbor. Then she started feeling as if someone was watching her while she was in the house. I found that there are really two stories going on here. The first is the paranormal element which seems to have plagued Lauri's father. This same malevolent spirit seems to be focused on Laurie, and her daughter, Susan now. The second revolves around the relationship between Laurie and her husband Ted, whose relationship seems to be spiraling out of their control. The psychological elements involved in this book were amazing. It created the twists of who is haunting Laurie and why. Once the plot of the book started to build with Laurie’s memories, the book became even more interesting because of her development. She went from thinking her father was one person to someone completely different. It began to seem as if Laurie knew bits and pieces of what her father was doing, but only recently was she getting the entire picture of who her father was. It was all weaved together smoothly and was intriguing once the truth was revealed.
November 12, 2015
This book wasn't quite what I expected it to be. It had a creepy factor, but not as creepy as I had hoped. It was actually really descriptive and it felt more like a mystery than horror much of the time.
You are brought to Laurie's childhood home after her father dies. Her father reportedly died by jumping out of a window while suffering some paranoia due to dementia. Then, you are given information that makes you question whether he really jumped or if he was pushed. Also, is it paranoia or is something else going on in that house?
Laurie begins to see certain things and you begin to question her sanity. Is there really something going on with the kid next door or is she seeing things and becoming paranoid herself?
Then you get to the ending.....and.....it's open-ended. I believe that it is meant to be interpreted a certain way, but others have commented that it can actually be interpreted another way and maybe the ending I think happened didn't really happen. So, don't expect any real closure at the end. Also, to me, the end was too quick. I guess I just expected a bit more out of it.
If you like a horror story that is a little suspenseful, with lots of questions throughout, lots of details, and an open-ending, then this is the story for you. Personally, I thought it was ok, but would have preferred the author make the ending more definitive.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free e-copy for review.
You are brought to Laurie's childhood home after her father dies. Her father reportedly died by jumping out of a window while suffering some paranoia due to dementia. Then, you are given information that makes you question whether he really jumped or if he was pushed. Also, is it paranoia or is something else going on in that house?
Laurie begins to see certain things and you begin to question her sanity. Is there really something going on with the kid next door or is she seeing things and becoming paranoid herself?
Then you get to the ending.....and.....it's open-ended. I believe that it is meant to be interpreted a certain way, but others have commented that it can actually be interpreted another way and maybe the ending I think happened didn't really happen. So, don't expect any real closure at the end. Also, to me, the end was too quick. I guess I just expected a bit more out of it.
If you like a horror story that is a little suspenseful, with lots of questions throughout, lots of details, and an open-ending, then this is the story for you. Personally, I thought it was ok, but would have preferred the author make the ending more definitive.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free e-copy for review.
March 17, 2024
I’m an in awe of Ronald Malfi. After having read his third book (in my time line of reading not the authors of writing) Little Girls, he has delivered thrice and has me wanting for more.
Little Girls starts out as a simple case of inheritance. Estranged daughter returns to the house she spent her youth in. She hopes to sell it and with it the fears and bad memories still haunting her. But the complexity of the story, the characters increases as we read on. It does so slowly without us quite realizing so. Events and characters initially appear innocuous, holding no mystery, then as we progress, we make connections but view them as merely coincidental. Then, finally, a murderous truth takes shape where nothing and nobody remains innocent or coincidental.
It says on the cover that this is a ghost story. And it may well be, if you interpret events in the traditional haunted sense. I, however, saw nothing that could not be explained by the terrible things our own and mind can do to us when we have reached a cracking point.
In sum, this is a great work of fiction, I would recommend without reservation to any lover of plots that expose our human nature with brutal honesty that can produce deep-seating emotions with the subtle but powerful tools of literature and archetypical fears. Recommended
Little Girls starts out as a simple case of inheritance. Estranged daughter returns to the house she spent her youth in. She hopes to sell it and with it the fears and bad memories still haunting her. But the complexity of the story, the characters increases as we read on. It does so slowly without us quite realizing so. Events and characters initially appear innocuous, holding no mystery, then as we progress, we make connections but view them as merely coincidental. Then, finally, a murderous truth takes shape where nothing and nobody remains innocent or coincidental.
It says on the cover that this is a ghost story. And it may well be, if you interpret events in the traditional haunted sense. I, however, saw nothing that could not be explained by the terrible things our own and mind can do to us when we have reached a cracking point.
In sum, this is a great work of fiction, I would recommend without reservation to any lover of plots that expose our human nature with brutal honesty that can produce deep-seating emotions with the subtle but powerful tools of literature and archetypical fears. Recommended
June 4, 2015
*Kensington was generous enough to send me a copy for review*
Laurie doesn't seem to remember much about her childhood and the home she once lived in. But with the death of her estranged father who had been suffering from dementia, Laurie is forced to go to the one place that holds memories that are best forgotten.
As days pass by Laurie questions her sanity and her past as she begins to think her daughter's playmate is a little girl she used to know. A girl who wasn't so nice to Laurie, a girl who has a secret that she's no longer content to keep to herself. But first, she needs Laurie to remember.
A slow and steady read that is sure to raise a few hairs.
Laurie doesn't seem to remember much about her childhood and the home she once lived in. But with the death of her estranged father who had been suffering from dementia, Laurie is forced to go to the one place that holds memories that are best forgotten.
As days pass by Laurie questions her sanity and her past as she begins to think her daughter's playmate is a little girl she used to know. A girl who wasn't so nice to Laurie, a girl who has a secret that she's no longer content to keep to herself. But first, she needs Laurie to remember.
A slow and steady read that is sure to raise a few hairs.
September 12, 2023
Insert Mal Reynolds speechless gif. Hoooooo buddy this was a ride and a half. Won't lie was going to give it 3 stars but after ruminating on it for a few days, yeah it's eliciting more excitement than 3 stars. 🤔🙌
November 9, 2020
Laurie's father had recently died of an apparent suicide. Laurie and her family are traveling back to the house she once had lived in. Laurie and her father did not have a good relationship, he was always cold and distant. Laurie and her family decide to stay in the house, instead of a hotel. Laurie's memories starts to haunt her, as she remember bits and pieces from her childhood days and the time that she lived with her father. Laurie's daughter Susan, finds a new playmate who lives next store. There is something familiar about this little girl but she cannot put her finger on it. Finally Laurie realizes that Susan new friend Abigail, looks a lot like Sadie Russ. Sadie Russ was Laurie's childhood friend, who died almost 30 years ago. This a haunting tale with many twists and turns. The ending was somewhat of a surprise to me. This is one of the best books that I have read for 2015. Ronald Malfi is an excellent writer and a very good storyteller. I highly recommend this book.
July 2, 2024
I’ll start by saying I’m a huge Ronald Malfi fan. Everything I’ve read of his has been something I’ve adored and held in the highest regard. He is among my favorite authors. Period. But, I’m sorry Mr Malfi, this ain’t it for me. I found it to be a slow-burn that never really moves an inch, which is obviously the worst type of burn because you know… that hurts.
The story was confusing, the characters were pitiful, the scares were invisible, the tension was absent. I was mostly just bored and ready to be done. Hey, you can’t win ‘em all. Even the greats only get on base one-third of the time. There will be plenty more at-bats
The story was confusing, the characters were pitiful, the scares were invisible, the tension was absent. I was mostly just bored and ready to be done. Hey, you can’t win ‘em all. Even the greats only get on base one-third of the time. There will be plenty more at-bats
January 5, 2017
This was a huge disappointment.
Laurie is an awful person. A rock has more personality than she did. Teddy is a man-child. And their daughter, Susan, seemed way younger than a ten year old.
Both Susan and Laurie had very childish dialogue. I actually got the two mixed up on occasion.
The story was very, very wordy. It honestly felt like half the book was dedicated to minute detail explaining step by step what the character was doing. Like when Laurie decided to go to the park, it explained her walking up the stairs, changing clothes, taking medicine, getting her shoes, etc. There was a lot of telling instead of showing.
Most of the book was filled with useless details. Not to mention the unending whining from Laurie and Teddy (who calls himself Teddy-biscuit, seriously?) the book felt like it dragged on forever.
By the time it got to the "shocking" and supposedly "scary" parts, I just didn't care anymore.
The ending was terrible. Lazy. Completely ambiguous. It didn't answer a single question or explain anything, nothing about the "haunting" or Abigail's connection was touched on. All of it was pretty much dismissed. Most of the plot and background that was squeezed between run on dialogue about what they were doing minute by minute was pretty much thrown out of the window at the end.
I'm so disappointed that I wasted money and time reading this.
Laurie is an awful person. A rock has more personality than she did. Teddy is a man-child. And their daughter, Susan, seemed way younger than a ten year old.
Both Susan and Laurie had very childish dialogue. I actually got the two mixed up on occasion.
The story was very, very wordy. It honestly felt like half the book was dedicated to minute detail explaining step by step what the character was doing. Like when Laurie decided to go to the park, it explained her walking up the stairs, changing clothes, taking medicine, getting her shoes, etc. There was a lot of telling instead of showing.
Most of the book was filled with useless details. Not to mention the unending whining from Laurie and Teddy (who calls himself Teddy-biscuit, seriously?) the book felt like it dragged on forever.
By the time it got to the "shocking" and supposedly "scary" parts, I just didn't care anymore.
The ending was terrible. Lazy. Completely ambiguous. It didn't answer a single question or explain anything, nothing about the "haunting" or Abigail's connection was touched on. All of it was pretty much dismissed. Most of the plot and background that was squeezed between run on dialogue about what they were doing minute by minute was pretty much thrown out of the window at the end.
I'm so disappointed that I wasted money and time reading this.
May 6, 2016
This 12+ hour audio book is in need of a serious abridgment. Malfi married the setting and the plot just right in THE NARROWS, but LITTLE GIRLS was just too bogged down by the details and filler dialogue. The setting was done up rather nicely, but I didn't connect with any of the characters. First of all, any man who calls himself "Teddy Biscuit" deserves to be kicked where the sun doesn't shine. Lori has the personality of a flat tire. Susan is also a rather boring stick figure. I knew where the story was headed long before it picked up its walking stick and started s-l-o-w-l-y trudging in that direction. There was one scene where Lori was off to find out what was behind door number X and we follow her car literally through every stop light and turn. That part -- which should've been exciting-- was like reading Mapquest directions. Eek. I did listen until the very end, but only because another book by this author, THE NARROWS, was a five star read.
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