The Sisters of Crimson House

by Melissa Anderson Sweazy

For fans of Starling House, Play Nice, and Practical Magic comes a biting, layered, and haunting debut following one woman from a long line of psychics who will do anything to save her family legacy and the haunted house she grew up in from an entity threatening to destroy everything she's built.

Every house has its secrets.

Charley Bryde is miserable in a house filled with magic. The only woman in a long line of famous psychics to not inherit the family gift, she spends her days inside Crimson House, the coveted family mansion in Memphis, Tennessee, living in the shadows of her talented older sister, Miranda. But when a shocking tragedy scatters the Brydes across the globe, Charley is forced to grow up on her own, and fast. As the money runs dry and Charley's ownership of Crimson House is put at risk, she's left with no other option; turn the manor into a haunted attraction and start representing the family brand with lies, cons, and expertly read tarot cards to make ends meet. 

When a skeptic starts targeting Charley for the fraud that she is, she'll stop at nothing to save the family legacy. But the skeptics' arrival cracks something open in Charley that the Brydes wanted to remain buried. Deep. And when Miranda shows up unannounced after eight years away, the two will come to realize that Crimson House, and their own family, hold secrets even the greatest psychics couldn't foresee. Secrets that will threaten to destroy them.

Genres: Horror, Paranormal, Mystery, Gothic, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Ghosts

416 pages, Paperback

Expected publication September 29, 2026

About the author

Melissa Anderson Sweazy is a screenwriter, podcaster, and filmmaker based in Memphis, Tennessee. Her creative sweet spot is haunted houses and haunted people, best evidenced by YOU CAN SEE ME IN THE DARK, her monthly true ghost story podcast with listeners around the globe. The Sisters of Crimson House is her debut novel.

source: Amazon

Reviews

[Caz (Underlined) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve just finished The Sisters of Crimson House by Melissa Anderson Sweazy and I don’t really know what I just read, but I can’t stop thinking about it.



It’s a gothic mystery / dark family drama set around Crimson House, which is basically an old, unsettling house packed with secrets, tension, and generations of things nobody ever bothered to say out loud. From the start, everything feels slightly off in that “this family definitely needed therapy decades ago” kind of way.



The story follows the sisters connected to the house, and it’s just messy in a very deliberate way. Secrets, strained relationships, buried truths, and that constant feeling that no one is being fully honest with anyone else. Every time I thought I had a handle on what was going on, the story shifted again and I just had to go with it.



The atmosphere is easily one of the strongest parts. It’s so vivid and heavy that it practically clings to everything. I found myself getting properly immersed in the gloom of Crimson House, to the point where even normal house noises started feeling slightly suspicious. Probably fine. Probably.



The sisters themselves are brilliantly complicated. I kept changing my mind about them the whole way through. One moment I’d sympathise with one of them, the next I’d question everything they’d ever said. It felt like being stuck in a group chat where everyone is typing “it’s fine :)” and you absolutely know it is not fine at all.



Melissa Anderson’s writing is incredibly atmospheric and sharp. It’s beautiful in places, tense in others, and constantly shifting between emotional and unsettling without ever feeling forced. It really pulls you in and refuses to let the tone stay comfortable for too long.



Overall, I finished this feeling slightly unsettled, impressed, and still turning parts of it over in my head.



Thank you NetGalley, Sourcebooks, and the author Melissa Anderson for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.



Publishing date: September 26th 2026

[Erin Craig · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dripping with Southern Gothic horror, magic, and searing wit, THE SISTERS OF CRIMSON HOUSE grabbed my hand and would not let go. I fell in love with the tragic Bryde family and know you will too— but be sure to read with *all* the lights turned on!

[Christina C · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’d give The Sisters of Crimson House 3.5 stars. The story follows the Bryde family, a psychic and magical family brought together largely because of their grandmother’s influence and legacy. The family dynamics were easily the most interesting part of the book, especially since nearly everyone has some kind of unique talent — except for Charley, who often feels like the outsider among them.

The beginning was definitely slow, and it took a while for the story to really pull me in. There’s a lot of setup with the family history and relationships, which made the pacing drag at first. However, once the plot started moving, the story became much more engaging. The mystery, magic, and family tension all started to come together in a way that kept me interested.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read with an intriguing magical family at its center, even if it took some patience to get there. If you like stories about complicated families, hidden abilities, and supernatural elements, this one is worth checking out.

[Kristi]

I blurbed this one!

A twisting, turning saga full of deeply buried secrets, magic born of blood, and the extent we’ll go to in the name of family. I found myself immersed.

[Yuna (taylor's version) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 💫

This. This.
Charley Bryde is a daughter in a magical, supernatural family, with one slight issue: she has no powers.

I loved the supernatural stories, links to different spiritual elements, and, of course, the ghost stories. I will definitely be rereading this on a dark Halloween night.
If you like magical realism, ghost stories, and willow by taylor swift, you should read this!

thank you to netgalley and sourcebooks for the e-arc!

[Faith Steele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sisters of Crimson House was the perfect blend of southern gothic horror and Practical Magic-eque family drama, magical realism and supernatural elements.

Our story predominantly focuses on Charley — the daughter of a long line of skilled magical women, who has no power, Miranda, older sister to Charley who is gifted with the ability to be a conduit for spirits, good, and evil.

We’re introduced to the Bryde family on Halloween night, the night of the infamous and exclusive Spectacular, an annual event for those who dared to enter Crimson House to seek answers and entertainment from the talented Bryde women, however — tragically strikes and the family suffer a loss that unravel a series of tragic, painful events that lead Charley to uncover the deepest darkest secrets of her family and the hidden truth about her own power, while simultaneously trying to hold onto her families legacy.

Filled with wildly atmospheric, ninety’s era gothic, emotional, evocative storytelling, ‘Sisters of Crimson House’ will have you scared of the things that go bump in the night. Classic true supernatural horror with a rich, heartfelt yet haunting and unsettling story and an unexpected beautifully crafted love story twisted throughout.

It actually really read like a horror mini series it would be well adapted to screen!!

I am slowly recognising how much I enjoy very female focused stories, especially those of a generation nature. All in all — I really enjoyed this, it kicked up a notch in the middle and stayed incredibly interesting until the very end. I loved how the story weaved the past and the present together to create a fully immersive experience, especially in relation to the connections between certain characters. 4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Netty’s Nook · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Sisters of Crimson House is a southern gothic horror that dives into the occult and follows Charley, a woman from a family of psychics who harbor a legacy and a dark secret.

To say that I loved this novel would be an understatement.
If you're a fan of The September House and Practical Magic, THIS ONE'S FOR YOU.

The book starts at a pivotal moment in the story and if I'm being fully transparent, it took me a little while to adjust to the third person narrative. There is a bit of a dual timeline as well which caused me to backtrack just a bit. This would be the only reason to dock half a star of what would be for me, a five-star read.

The struggles that Charley goes through as the "black sheep" of the family, keeping the legacy and the family house afloat after the tragedy(ies) was something that I could understand and resonate with. Being a sister myself, the relationship between Charley and Miranda simply broke my heart in the best way. Their journey was something filled with unconditional love, and it reflected the complications of protecting the people who matter the most.

I absolutely loved the Crimson House and it haunts. It brought me back to my love of haunted houses and ghosts who roam around stuck in the in-between. This book will definitely leave you feeling uneasy, spooked and eager for more!

Overall, this was wonderfully written. You can tell this book was written from a place of love. As a debut novel, Melissa Sweazy did a fantastic job, and I would absolutely read any of her future work.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, SOURCEBOOKS Landmark and Melissa Anderson Sweazy for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[BookishKB]

🏚️🔮 The Sisters of Crimson House 🔮🏚️

📖 Bookish Thoughts

My full review will be shared closer to the publication date.

✨ What to Expect
• Southern Gothic Horror
• Haunted House
• Psychic Family
• Family Secrets
• Tarot Reading
• Supernatural Mystery
_ _ _ _

📅 Pub Date: September 29, 2026
Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for the advanced copy.

[Tilda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for offering me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Crimson House is fun. Well, not for its inhabitants, but definitely for me.

I was immediately interested in this book because of its marketing as a Southern Gothic novel full of magical revelry and paranormal mystery, all set in a haunted Victorian house. It felt like someone had cracked my brain open and decided to write a book about all the things that usually swim around in there.

Sweazy was very successful at conjuring up an incredibly entertaining and original story. I was glued to the pages as I tried to figure out what would happen next and how everything tied together, and I am glad to say I was very satisfied when the curtain was finally pulled back and we, along with Charley, finally understood what was really going on under the Bryde roof. I think the story was well constructed, and the reveals were handled in a convincing and entertaining way that felt earned by the end of the book.

The author was also very successful in creating a believable and interesting dysfunctional family dynamic for the Brydes. I found the relationship between Charley and Miranda really touching, despite its many hiccups - and despite the several times I wanted to punch Miranda in the throat.

Unfortunately, Sisters of the Crimson House was also far from a perfect read. Although the book is marketed as Southern Gothic, the only particularly Southern Gothic elements are that the story is set in Tennessee and that its main events are magical in nature and unfold in an old, dilapidated Victorian house. Beyond that, many of the stylistic features I would usually associate with Southern Gothic are not really present. Although this is not the author’s fault, since I imagine she has little control over how the book is marketed, it was disappointing to go into this read expecting the atmospheric, dark, unnerving qualities of the genre and instead find a thrilling but fairly sparsely written paranormal romp.

On the topic of the writing itself, I found its simplicity somewhat jarring, especially given the possibilities this type of story offered for really evocative, atmospheric prose. Because the book is marketed as an adult novel, I expected more complexity in both its themes and its writing. Instead, it often felt closer to reading a Young Adult novel which, again, is not inherently a bad thing. It was simply disappointing to feel that my expectations had not been met when the book was so openly publicised as one thing and turned out to be something quite different.

I also think a lot of the characters were unfortunately underdeveloped, which undermined what I believe Sweazy wanted to be one of the most important themes in the novel: found family. Astrid and Zavier are little more than set dressing in the narrative. They are portrayed as dependable and protective of their friend, whom they treat like family, but they do little beyond gravitate around Charley and throw in a few jokes here and there. There was a lot of potential in those relationships, but by the end it felt somewhat squandered. I could tell that the author wanted me to feel deeply about that found family, which is usually one of my favourite tropes in any type of fiction, but here it rang hollow from beginning to end.

I also found the main love interest’s motivations rather silly, despite Sy's importance in the eventual unravelling of the Bryde mystery. It bothers me how stories that deal with the struggle between paranormal believers and sceptics often feel the need to ascribe a special meaning to the sceptic’s scepticism. There always seems to need to be a tragic backstory that explains their refusal to acknowledge the supernatural, when in most cases sceptics are simply people who want to believe but need to be proved wrong first. They are people who value method and rationality, and I find that struggle infinitely more entertaining than “my mother tore through our finances because of psychics, and so now I am a staunch sceptic.”

There were also several issues with the editing, which I hope will be corrected before the final printing of the book and which may only be present because I read an Advance Copy. Some sections of the book felt noticeably underdeveloped, while others clearly seemed to have received more attention. There were also many spelling and grammar mistakes throughout, which often took me out of the narrative.

All in all, Sisters of the Crimson House is a fun book, and I would recommend it to YA readers who are looking for an engaging story with lots of interesting paranormal and mystery elements that will keep them on the edge of their seat. However, if you are looking for adult Southern Gothic, I fear this might not be for you.

[arielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Landmark and Netgalley for providing a free copy of The Sisters of Crimson House for review!

Vibes: 4
Skill: 3.5
Rec: yes
Reread: nah

The story centers are sisters Charley and Miranda, the youngest in a long matriarchal line of mystics. All of the Bryde women bear a five pointed star on their palm marking them as psychically gifted, all except Charley.
After a tragic Halloween the Bryde family is severed and Charley is left to care for their deteriorating home and reputation, until the incredibly gifted, beautiful, and aloof Miranda returns.
Charley is plagued by a skeptic determined to ruin her, bill collectors who just won't quit, and an angry violent entity out for destruction.

I really enjoyed this book, it has the same magical quirky vibe as things like Practical Magic and Starling House, so if you enjoy those you'll likely enjoy this as well. Charley is immediately an extremely sympathetic character, she is desperate to prove herself and she's ingenuitive enough to skate by.

The supporting friend cast is also very loveable, even though we don't get to know them very well.
Charley needs her found family, let me tell you, because her blood relatives suck. I know that we are supposed to feel frustrated with her family, but I think the author might make them too unlikeable. We get the impression the her family loves her, but that they treat her as an afterthought because she lacks any mystic ability. It's shown in several flashbacks that Charley is routinely cast aside, ignored, and demeaned because she lacks any special ability. Meanwhile her sister Miranda is doted on, spoiled and praised constantly for how incredible her ability is.

This is worsened by how needlessly mean Miranda is to Charley on a regular basis. The flashbacks of Miranda make her seem like an irredeemable beezy, so when she comes back under the pretense of "protecting" Charley it feels false. At times I think the author wants use to sympathize with Miranda but it's very difficult because she is almost never kind.

I enjoyed the mystery of Mr. tall, dark, and angry. I thought his part of the story was a good addition and it added a surprising layer of moral complexity and depth to the Bryde family.

Now for what I didn't like:
The writing is not bad at all, but there are some clunky moments, especially with some of the dialogue; it's not always clear who is communicating or what is happening.

The ending felt appropriate but also anticlimactic at the same time. I felt like the core mystery was never solved/resolved it just kind of... Went away.
I really wanted to hear the long sordid true history of the Bryde women and how they came to be mystics but (spoiler) the author never gives us any clear explanations.

I both like and dislike how things end up with Sy. It bums me out, but also feels completely appropriate.

This isn't really a critique, but I think the time frame should have been rescaled; I think the 'preaent day' should have beenaube 2000 or 2003 instead of 2008. But that's just a personal preference, not a critique on writing or story.


Overall I did really enjoy this one, it's a lot of fun, it's a witchy fun time, and makes me want to go watch Practical Magic for the 700th time.
If you're looking for a minimal spook factor, family drama, and quirky mysticism then this one might be for you!

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book feels like secrets, grief, and generational weight all tangled together inside one house that absolutely refuses to let the past stay buried.

Sisters of Crimson House is very character-driven, and the atmosphere does so much of the heavy lifting—but it’s the sisters and their fractured bond that really carry the emotional core.

At the heart of it, this is a story about family, but not in a soft or comforting way. It’s about how complicated love becomes when it’s mixed with resentment, history, and things that were never fully spoken out loud.

The FMC (and each sister’s perspective, depending on how you read their roles in the story) feels shaped by survival in different ways. None of them respond to the house or their shared past the same, which is what makes their dynamic so tense and so compelling.

They’re dealing with:

* unresolved grief that has been sitting for years, unprocessed
* the way family roles get assigned and then never questioned
* the pressure of returning to a place that remembers everything they’d rather forget

What I loved is that none of the sisters feel like “types.” Even when they clash, you understand *why* they are the way they are. Every one of them carries a different version of the same history.

And that’s where the tension really comes from.

Because this isn’t just about what happened in the past—it’s about:

* how differently each sister remembers it
* what each of them chose to carry and what they chose to bury
* and whether reconciliation is even possible when truth feels subjective

The house itself becomes almost like a character in the dynamic. It holds memory, guilt, and emotional weight in a way that constantly pressures the sisters back into old patterns.

The relationships are messy in a very real way:

* love that feels conditional at times
* loyalty that gets tested by silence and misunderstanding
* affection that exists alongside deep frustration

What I really liked is that the book doesn’t rush their healing. There are moments where they take steps forward and immediately fall back into old emotional habits, which makes everything feel much more authentic.

The emotional push and pull comes from:

* wanting connection but not knowing how to ask for it
* protecting yourself by shutting people out who are trying to get closer
* the fear that being honest might break what’s left of the family completely

The emotional core of the story is about:

* sisterhood that survives even when it’s fractured
* grief that reshapes relationships instead of just sitting quietly in the background
* the difficulty of returning home when “home” is also the source of pain
* learning that truth doesn’t always bring comfort, but it can bring clarity

If you like:

* gothic-leaning family dramas
* sibling dynamics full of tension and history
* atmospheric, emotional storytelling
* slow emotional unraveling instead of fast resolution
* stories about grief, memory, and reconciliation

this is such a gripping read.

It’s haunting in tone, heavy in emotion, and deeply focused on the way family can both wound and anchor you at the same time. The relationships are complicated in a way that feels painfully real—and that’s exactly what makes it stick.

[Mana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks so much to Landmark for the free book!



Memphis in this book is not a place of neon and blues; it is a humid, rotting stage for generational baggage. Melissa Anderson Sweazy uses The Sisters of Crimson House to examine the misery of being ordinary in an extraordinary family. We get Charley Bryde, the only non-psychic in a bloodline of mediums. She lives in a massive, decaying mansion. It smells of dust, old paper, and desperation. The mood is heavy with resentment. Sweazy avoids the whimsical charm of standard witch fiction. Instead, she goes straight for the commercialization of grief. Charley turns her family home into a fake haunted attraction, selling cheap parlor tricks to pay the taxes.

The story moves with an irregular, jerky momentum. Sweazy keeps the chapters focused on Charley's immediate panic, but the pacing stumbles when the supernatural elements force their way in. The transition from a gritty story about a female con artist to a literal ghost story feels clunky. Charley’s sudden discovery of hidden family secrets happens precisely when the plot requires a scare. The skeptic character who arrives to expose her fraud feels like a mechanical device, a simple tool to create conflict rather than a real person. The book is fast, but you can feel the author pushing the pieces across the board.

Beneath the gothic decorations, the book handles a very modern absurdity: the exhaustion of maintaining a personal brand. Charley has to perform a heritage she does not possess just to keep a roof over her head. It is a cynical look at how capitalism forces people to commodify their trauma. The family mansion is less of a sanctuary and more of a corporate asset that requires constant feeding.

This is a predictable piece of horror fiction that delivers a reliable dose of tension without changing the rules of the genre. The flaws stand out clearly; the long-lost sister Miranda returns with a predictable set of revelations, and the final confrontation relies on traditional spooky house tropes. Yet, the book has a sharp directness in its prose that keeps it from becoming sweet or sentimental. It functions well enough as a quick weekend read. You get a solid dose of Southern decay and sibling rivalry, and then the details leave your head before the book even hits the shelf.

A fast, cynical Southern Gothic tale for readers who prefer family resentment and fake tarot cards over gentle magic.

[eliza_s_diary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this novel.

I love a haunted house, and Crimson House is no exception. The only thing I love more than a haunted house is a family of kooky characters like the Bryde family.

This story is told mainly through the eyes of Charlotte, Charely, Bryde. The only woman in the long line of Bryde psychics not to inherit the family gift. Which, even at the young age we first meet her, is festering with feelings of inadequacy and resentment towards the women in her family, especially her golden-child older sister Miranda. But tragedy strikes, leaving Charely once again out in the cold, only this time taking care of Crimson House and the once great matriarch of the Bryde family, her grandmother, Sadie. Years later, Miranda is back, Crimson House is in complete disrepair, and something is coming for the Brydes, whether Charely has magic or not.

This story is told through multiple points in time, and at first, that would frustrate me a little because I wasn't getting why this was necessary, but it is, and the way Sweazy has every bit of information come together in the end was great! This is actually what I appreciated most about this novel: pretty much everything was in there and talked about for a reason. There was not a single point where I thought, "This could be cut, and the story would be the same." No, it is all very tightly planned, which I love in a story.

I think the only reason I did not give this book five stars was that I felt the pacing was lacking. There were moments when I felt the pace building toward something, only to be interrupted by a time jump. Of course, by the end, this stopped, and the last few chapters are really barreling towards the conclusion, which I prefer. I do also think that, in general, this book could have been shorter in the sense that i think, for dramatic effect, the conclusion could have happened on Halloween, rather than after.

I am in love with the Haunted South vibes of this book and if I could book a ghost tour of Crimson House I totally would!

[Leanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Sisters of Crimson House is Southern Gothic at its most intoxicating. Charley Bryde, the only woman in a long line of celebrated psychics to inherit nothing but disappointment, is such a compelling centre to the story. She’s prickly, vulnerable, quietly furious at the legacy she can’t live up to, and yet fiercely protective of the home that shaped her. Crimson House isn’t just a setting — it’s a pulse, a presence, a history that presses in on her from all sides.

The tragedy that fractures the Bryde family sends Charley spinning into adulthood far too quickly, and the novel captures that ache beautifully. The desperation of keeping the house afloat, the slow slide into cons and tarot readings she doesn’t believe in, the way she builds a persona because the truth has never been enough — it all feels painfully human. And when a skeptic begins circling her, threatening to expose everything, the tension sharpens into something electric.

But the real shift comes when Miranda returns. The sisters’ dynamic is layered with resentment, longing, and the kind of love that hurts because it’s been stretched too thin. Their reunion cracks open the past in ways neither of them is prepared for, and the secrets that spill out are the kind that stain.

The horror here is wonderfully atmospheric — creeping rather than lunging, rooted in family history, old wounds, and the house itself. Crimson House feels like it’s watching, waiting, remembering. And as Charley digs deeper, the story leans into that delicious blend of magic, menace, and generational hauntings that makes Southern Gothic so irresistible.

A rich, eerie, beautifully written tale about legacy, sisterhood, and the ghosts we inherit — both literal and otherwise. Perfect for readers who crave a haunted house story with heart, teeth, and a heroine fighting to claim a power she was never meant to have.

With thanks to Melissa Anderson Sweazy, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

I love a gothic mystery with sisters and a seemingly haunted house, so I was very excited to read this one. It was very spooky at times, with all the ghosts and channeling undead spirits and a curse laid on the family genuinely haunting and scary, but the pacing was all over the place, which definitely affected my enjoyment of this book.

Charley is the one female member of the Bryde family with no magical powers and is eternally jealous of her sister Miranda who is one of the most gifted mediums ever. However with the tragic death of their parents, the Crimson House is shuttered, Miranda and their aunt quickly abscond to Europe, and Charley is left holding the pieces and trying to both care for her now shut-in grandmother Sadie and somehow keep the house going even during the 2008 financial crisis. Charley's sudden development of powers however brings home both Miranda and spirits intent on ending the Bryde family, and both sisters have to unravel the family mystery to save themselves.

The mystery of the Bryde family is genuinely intriguing and had me rapidly flipping pages, but the constant flashbacks slowed down the present storyline without adding much to the mystery overall. The actual reveal was a bit abrupt and turned out to have nothing to do with the name Caroline in the first place, so what was the point of all that? Sy, Charley's love interest, turns out to be key to the plot, but I found most of her interactions with him very annoying.

The best thing about this book were the scenes between Charley and Miranda; they have a very complex relationship full of envy on both sides, but they genuinely also love each other and want the best for each other even as they are sniping and screaming at one another. I enjoyed the descriptions of the house as well, and overall I would say, this would be a good Halloween read if you're looking for some horror with some family mysteries.

[Lisa Denn · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Sisters Of Crimson House
Melissa Anderson Sweazy

After reading the book's details I was excited to have the opportunity to read and provide an honest review of The Sisters Of Crimson House by Melissa Anderson Sweazy from NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark. 

Frankly this has not been the easiest book to read. The plot is fairly simple. Two sisters, Miranda and Charley, born into a family having psychic abilities come together after many years of inner turmoil with each other to save their family's home and reputation as well as each other's lives. What seemed to be a "very straight forward" story turned out to be anything but that.

The story jumps between past and present timelines which are identifiable only by the Chapter headings with calendar dates. The dialogue was at times confusing with respect to which character was speaking and to whom. Focusing on dialogue to bring characters to life was a good choice especially in terms of relatability however I would have preferred both the characters and the plot unfold at the same time together.

For me Sweazy overused the secrecy aspect of her story. I believe I was two thirds into the book before any real mention began to reveal the mystery at the heart of the story. That's quite a bit of reading without knowing what's going on for my liking. I'm not an author but it seems common sense to me that you would want to give your readers an idea to your plot long before the closing chapters.

Struggling through the slow paced story when combined with a lack of significant details to push the story forward was a definite impediment to a satisfying reading experience. If not for my stubborn belief that there is always a purpose behind an author's choices I would have put The Sisters Of Crimson House in my "books I did not finish" pile.

I'm giving The Sisters Of Crimson House 2 stars

[Lisa Denn]

The Sisters Of Crimson House
Melissa Anderson Sweazy

After reading the book's details I was excited to have the opportunity to read and provide an honest review of The Sisters Of Crimson House by Melissa Anderson Sweazy from NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark.

Frankly this has not been the easiest book to read. The plot is fairly simple. Two sisters, Miranda and Charley, born into a family having psychic abilities come together after many years of inner turmoil with each other to save their family's home and reputation as well as each other's lives. What seemed to be a "very straight forward" story turned out to be anything but that.

The story jumps between past and present timelines which are identifiable only by the Chapter headings with calendar dates. The dialogue was at times confusing with respect to which character was speaking and to whom. Focusing on dialogue to bring characters to life was a good choice especially in terms of relatability however I would have preferred both the characters and the plot unfold at the same time together.

For me Sweazy overused the secrecy aspect of her story. I believe I was two thirds into the book before any real mention began to reveal the mystery at the heart of the story. That's quite a bit of reading without knowing what's going on for my liking. I'm not an author but it seems common sense to me that you would want to give your readers an idea to your plot long before the closing chapters.

Struggling through the slow paced story when combined with a lack of significant details to push the story forward was a definite impediment to a satisfying reading experience. If not for my stubborn belief that there is always a purpose behind an author's choices I would have put The Sisters Of Crimson House in my "books I did not finish" pile.

I'm giving The Sisters Of Crimson House 2 stars

[Savanha · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Sisters of Crimson House by Melissa Anderson Sweazy centers around the mysterious Bryde family, a family known for their psychic gifts and deep connection to Crimson House. What stood out most to me was the complicated family dynamic, especially the relationship between Charlie and her older sister Miranda. Charlie constantly feels like the outsider because she is the only Bryde who doesn’t appear to have any special abilities, which creates a lot of tension and insecurity throughout the story. The author did a great job showing how much the family’s legacy and expectations affect Charlie’s life, especially after tragedy causes the family to drift apart and leaves her alone to care for Crimson House. I also liked the eerie atmosphere surrounding the house and the supernatural elements woven into the family history.

The story does start off fairly slow because there is a lot of background information about the Bryde family and their past, so it took some time before I felt fully invested. However, once the mystery and magical elements began unfolding, the book became much more engaging. Watching Charlie struggle financially while turning Crimson House into a haunted attraction added an interesting layer to the story and made her character feel more relatable. The mix of psychic abilities, family secrets, sibling rivalry, and supernatural mystery kept me interested by the second half of the book. Overall, this was an enjoyable read with a unique magical family at its center, and I would recommend it to readers who enjoy stories about haunted houses, hidden powers, and complicated family relationships.

Special thanks to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for an advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Stéphanie Labonté · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an advanced copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I’m currently about halfway through this book, and I still have pretty mixed feelings so far.

What immediately drew me in was the atmosphere. Crimson House itself feels heavy with secrets, history, grief, and something unsettling hiding beneath the surface. The Southern Gothic vibe is probably my favorite part of the book so far, especially mixed with the psychic family legacy, tarot reading elements, ghost-tour setting, and the complicated relationship between Charley and Miranda.

I also genuinely like the core mystery surrounding the Bryde family. It feels like there’s something much darker buried in both the house and their past, and that underlying tension is honestly the main reason I want to keep reading. The story keeps hinting that everything happening now connects to older family secrets, and I’m curious to see what the final reveal will be.

That being said, I haven’t fully connected emotionally with the story yet. The pacing has felt slower than I expected, and the constant back-and-forth between the sisters, past memories, and family history sometimes became a little overwhelming for me personally. I kept waiting for that moment where I would suddenly become completely hooked and unable to stop reading, but halfway through I’m still waiting for that emotional pull.

I do think this could end up being one of those books where the ending and final revelations make the slower build worth it, especially because the mystery itself is strong enough to keep me interested.

I'll definitely give it another try later when perhaps my mood reading comes back for this story.
Please take my review with a grain of salt until I fully read this book.

[Kimberly Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars

Please please please make this a series. I need more time with these characters and the ghosts, the hauntings, the drama, all of it!

I'm a huge fan of ghosts and haunted houses and this book checked all my boxes, and then some. The way the author wove both blood family and found family into the main character Charley Bryde and her storyline was perfection. Both of Charley's families were so intriguing, with secrets and loyalties and ghostly abilities all their own. I loved every every minute.

The Crimson House was a character in and of itself, and the gothic vibes in modern times were beautifully creepy. The opening scenes at the Halloween Bryde family Spectactular described the costumed guests and the family of psychics, mediums, and tarot readers in a way that felt almost timeless. It could have been medieval times or the spiritualist movement of the 1800's, or a modern costume party. I loved that feeling of confusion it gave me, trying to anchor myself in a time.

From the beginning, the pace was fast, with short chapters moving you through the narrative. The main question around Charley, her family, and what was haunting them, or hunting them, became more interesting as things were revealed. I also really loved the way that Charley came into her own power, both paranormally and as a child becoming an adult. Everything is better when ghosts are involved, right?

The way things ended makes me extremely hopeful that we will have more of Charley. If you like haunted houses, ghosts, psychics, blood family secrets, found family, and creepy gothic vibes, this book is for you. It was definitely for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the eArc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Beatrice · Rating 4 out of 5]

I initially found this book a little confusing as Charley our entree into the story is also left in the dark about a great deal of the goings on at the Crimson House. Time jumps in the storyline didn't help matters, especially since I had to keep putting the book down to deal with life.

When I finally was able to carve out a chunk of time to really settle into reading this book, I found it more engaging and was satisfied with the ending.

Young Charlotte, called Charley, is the youngest member of the infamous Bryde family of women who for generations had special abilities allowing them to channel spirits, see ghosts, find lost and missing items or people, foresee death and so on, all except for her. She was also the only one since Beatrix Bryde to be born without the 'Seer's Star' scar in the palm of her hand. As such she feels invisible within her family, like she has no place amongst the special women who surround her.

One year, events at the family's annual Halloween Spectacular, events take a bewildering turn and within days, Charley has lost nearly everyone she loves.

How does Charley survive without family or skills when that's all she has known her whole life?

Years later we find a young adult Charley, scrappily getting by with the help of friends Zavier and Astrid and a self-taught ability to 'read' tarot cards for unsuspecting tourists and locals who still believe in the old Bryde family magic. The sudden unexpected return of older sister Miranda triggers a series of events that will once again completely change Charley's life, but this time maybe she'll get some answers first.

[bambi ‧₊˚❀༉‧₊˚. · Rating 4 out of 5]

the sisters of crimson house is a cozy little gothic supernatural mystery drenched in eerie family tension, buried secrets, and women carrying the weight of generations before them.

the bryde family are deeply entwined with psychic abilities and the supernatural, all living under the looming shadow of their grandmother’s legacy. i found the family dynamics far more compelling than the actual mystery at times, especially through charley, who constantly feels slightly out of step with the people around her. there’s a strong thread here about alienation, expectation, and trying to carve out your own identity within a family that already seems to have decided who you are.

the atmosphere is definitely where this shines most. old house energy, simmering resentments, strange happenings creeping around the edges, and that perfect autumnal vibe that makes you want to curl up under a blanket while the weather turns miserable outside.

i will say the pacing felt a little sluggish early on. there’s a heavy emphasis on backstory and laying out the complicated family web before the plot really kicks into gear, and it took me a while to fully settle into it. once the supernatural and mystery elements moved closer to centre stage though, i found myself much more invested.

🔮 gothic/witchy family drama with supernatural threads
🍂 strong spooky season atmosphere
🏚️ old house secrets and simmering tension
🖤 more focused on relationships and legacy than nonstop thrills

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 rounded up.

a really enjoyable seasonal read and absolutely one to pick up for nights in with a PSL this autumn 🎃

thank you very much for the ARC 🫶🏻

[Kera’s Always Reading · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Crimson House is home to the infamous Bryde family. They all posses some form of psychic ability... except Charlie, the youngest Bryde daughter. There is definitely a little sibling rivalry between Charlie and her older sister, Miranda who is incredibly gifted in her abilities. When tragedy strikes the Bryde family, those remaining drift away, leaving Charlie to take care of herself and Crimson House. Eight years later and she is at the end of her rope of struggles trying to keep the house, but she is practically broke. She and some friends have turned Crimson House into a gimmicky haunted house attraction to stay afloat using her family name.

Two people show up in Charlie's life around the same time. One is a man determined to expose her as a fraud, which considering she is the only member of her family who has no psychic abilities could be provable... and she cannot have that! She refuses to lose her family legacy, even if she has to do a few mildly shady things in the process. The other person is her sister Miranda, back after these past eight years. Charlie is so thrilled to have her sister back, but motives and secrets come to light and the Bryde sisters uncover truths about their family that are shocking to the core.

This was so enchanting, with a dark edge and amazing characters. The mystical aspects of this were so much fun. I love a good family mystery and this had some great, unexpected twists. I want to read more about the Bryde family! I definitely didn't want this to end.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great spooky story. I loved the duel timeline. It helped us understand the back story of our main character. While also following her present day struggles.
Charley was the only one in her family without any psychic abilities. She felt so left out and “normal” in a long line of famous psychics. All the Bryde women have a star imprinted on their hand. Charley does not. And the night of the families last Halloween spectacular, her parents die in a tragic unexplained accident in which they drown in their car, but her sister mysteriously survives. After that, the family all splits apart.
As an adult she starts to get her psychic abilities and the star starts forming on her palm. All of this is followed by her estranged sister now showing up. Her sister says it’s to protect her. Because Charley was never meant to have abilities. It made her invisible to the entity that’s hunting all the family members. The thing that killed her parents.
The mystery of the entity is so crazy. The twists and turns that happen as she gets pieces of the puzzle are so unpredictable. And the ones you think you saw coming…… were not what you thought. Her journey getting her powers and finally putting the family back together and at peace is a chilling tale. It’s a must read during spooky season….. or if you’re like me, it’s good any time.

[Terry Herres · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall: 3.4/5. solid story, would casually recommend as a book with a relatively novel premise, wouldn't reread. Could do with some further editing.

Pacing: 3/5 has moments that are desperately in need of trimming, but overall well paced. Resolution far too long.

Plot: 4.5/5 very original plot, compelling, well structured.

Characters: 3/5 some of the primary characters are phenomenally well made, and other primary characters are very flat and one dimensional (including the love interest!)

Setting: 3.5/5 no credit for exisiting city reference; however very good job relating the story to a specific space within an exisiting setting and making it feel natural. Certain pieces of the geography of the story were particularly confusing for people not from TN.

Climax: 4/5 the climax actually lost some impact with the buildup done so predictably; however, the climax itself was so strong that it mostly makes up for the telography.

Transitions: 2.5/5 certainly the area that needs the most work, some transitions were flawless, but the author seems to have trouble ending scenes in a way that isn't 'fade to black' or 'jump cut to 8 years ago'. Amost all the 'native' scene transitions were clunky or confusing.

I received this book as an ARC and am providing a fair and honest reciew.

[Casey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really enjoyable, slightly spooky read. It gave me Practical Magic vibes with the whole sisters and the house dynamic, but it leans more into psychic abilities than witchy elements. The story follows Charlotte (Charley) Bryde, who grows up in a well known family of female psychics. Each of them has their own unique ability, (finding the lost, healing, seeing the future, even possession), except for Charley. She’s the only one without the family’s signature star mark on her hand, the symbol of their gift. Watching her navigate life without powers, while still supporting her family, dealing with loss, and trying to keep their legacy alive, made her really easy to root for. There are plenty of eerie moments throughout, ghosts, visions, possession, and a touch of violence, which kept me a little on edge in a good way. The story is written in third person, which I haven’t read before, but it was done well and I still felt connected to Charley. There are also a few jumps back in time between chapters that add some helpful backstory without feeling confusing. The ending took me a quick re-read to fully wrap my head around, but it felt well paced overall, I never felt like the story dragged or was rushed. All up, I really enjoyed this one and would love to see a continuation to find out what’s next for Charley.

[Sarah Higginbottom · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a spooky, atmospheric mystery that really leaned into its eerie tone, which I particularly enjoyed. The setting and overall mood were well done, creating a strong sense of unease that carried through the story.

The mystery itself was engaging and kept me interested as I read. There was enough intrigue to keep me turning the pages, and I appreciated how the story gradually unfolded rather than rushing key reveals.

However, I did find the beginning a little overwhelming due to the number of characters introduced in a short space of time. It took me a while to keep track of who was who, which slightly affected my initial connection to the story.

The pacing was on the slower side, which fit the atmospheric style, but at times it felt a bit drawn out. That said, it still made for an enjoyable reading experience overall, even if it didn’t fully stay with me once finished.

Overall, this is a solid, atmospheric mystery with a strong spooky tone and an interesting premise, even if it didn’t become a particularly memorable read for me. A 4-star read.

📚I was able to read an advanced copy of title thanks to NetGalley, Melissa Anderson Sweazy and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark📚
📚All reviews and opinions are entirely my own📚

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one took me a minute to fully get into, but once it clicked, I was in.

Crimson House is exactly the kind of setting I love—moody, a little eerie, and full of history. It really felt like its own character, and I loved how much of the story was tied to the house itself and the Bryde family legacy.

Charley being the only non-psychic in a family known for their abilities was such a strong angle. It gave her this constant feeling of being on the outside, and I liked that she had to rely more on instinct (and honestly, a little bit of faking it) to hold everything together. The dynamic between her and Miranda added a lot too—it felt messy, complicated, and real in a way that worked really well with all the supernatural elements.

The beginning was a little slow and slightly disorienting with the timeline shifts and amount of characters, but once everything started to come together, the story really picked up. I liked the gradual unraveling of the family secrets, and there were definitely a few twists that caught me off guard.

Overall, this is a strong, atmospheric Southern Gothic with a really solid emotional core. It leans more into family, identity, and legacy than straight horror, which I personally enjoyed. I’d definitely read more from this author.

[Jade · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you Landmark & Netgalley for providing an early copy in exchange for an honest review! :)

🌟 2/5 Stars

I unfortunately did not enjoy this nearly as much as I was expecting to. I wouldn't even say that I disliked it but it was a rough read. I was bored out of my mind for majority of the book and I pushed through hoping it would get better and more interesting. It did... in like the last 8%, which doesn't help its case. I was speeding through books on the side while trying to get through this and it felt like a chore each time I decided to open it up and continue. Slooooow is an understatement, things are happening but it feels like it takes so much time to get anywhere meaningful. I already lost interest by the time it started doing anything interesting, which was past the halfway point. The constant switching timelines also made the already slow pacing feel even worse. I enjoyed the characters and Miranda and Charley's dynamic, I thought the conclusion was really nice. It's not a terrible debut and I would urge anyone who's really interested in this kind of book to give it a chance. Just because it didn't work for me doesn't necessarily mean it's bad, I did like what it was trying to do.

[Islay Hawthorn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! The story was interesting and new, and the layers of it were delectable! If you enjoy a good witchy book, this is a great one. This book asked some really interesting questions about family alongside some truly gruesome scenes. I will warn you, there is some body gore in this one, as well as suicide. Check the content warnings as I may have missed something important.

This is the story of a magical family, the Brydes, and the lengths they’ll go to in order to protect one of their own. It has a lot to say about sacrifice, hard work, and different kinds of loving someone. I loved the ending!

The one negative about this book, which is the reason I’m giving it 4 stars instead of 5, was that there were several points in the book that I wasn’t clear about what was happening or why because it took a stark turn away from the previous narrative. Sometimes I like that if the author is using it as a device, for example to make the reader feel off-kilter because the character is. I don’t think this was being used in that way, and I found it annoying.

All said, though, I really enjoyed this, and I’d happily recommend it to anyone who enjoys magical realism with a side of thriller vibes.