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Cold Empty Rooms
Not yet published
Expected 10 Nov 26Win a free kindle copy of this book!
8 days and 22:58:51
100 copies available
U.S. only
From the dark imagination of underground horror sensation Andy Marino comes a haunted house story like you've never read before…
“The most brilliant and terrifying haunted house novel I've ever read.” – Keith Rosson, author of Coffin Moon
"Marino's work is unlike any others in the genre – horrifying, complex, fascinating, and utterly unique." – Hannah Whitten, New York Times bestselling author
Deep in the woods, on the side of a mountain, there sits an old, sprawling manor. Only those who truly need it will find it.
Mara and Soren are the latest residents. The two are broke, deeply in love, and desperate for a home.
But something is wrong with the house. Soren begins to receive messages from a nameless entity that he has dubbed The Great Other. The first direction is Invite more to this home. The Relieve them of their sorrow.
Mara, too, hears this otherworldly voice. She has been running from her past for a long time. The Great Other offers her the solace she seeks, if she has the courage to walk the home’s shadowed halls.
Soon more wanderers begin to a collection of outcasts, drawn in by Soren’s magnetic ideology.
Within the shifting walls of this ancient house, something darkly miraculous is unfolding.
Wounds have been suffered in this place. Wounds that are. Wounds that will be.
"Like reading something you were not meant to read. Dark and genuinely upsetting, good vibes curdle and good intentions warp while you get a front row seat to watch a commune fester into a cult!" – Bitter Karella, author of Moonflow
“The most brilliant and terrifying haunted house novel I've ever read.” – Keith Rosson, author of Coffin Moon
"Marino's work is unlike any others in the genre – horrifying, complex, fascinating, and utterly unique." – Hannah Whitten, New York Times bestselling author
Deep in the woods, on the side of a mountain, there sits an old, sprawling manor. Only those who truly need it will find it.
Mara and Soren are the latest residents. The two are broke, deeply in love, and desperate for a home.
But something is wrong with the house. Soren begins to receive messages from a nameless entity that he has dubbed The Great Other. The first direction is Invite more to this home. The Relieve them of their sorrow.
Mara, too, hears this otherworldly voice. She has been running from her past for a long time. The Great Other offers her the solace she seeks, if she has the courage to walk the home’s shadowed halls.
Soon more wanderers begin to a collection of outcasts, drawn in by Soren’s magnetic ideology.
Within the shifting walls of this ancient house, something darkly miraculous is unfolding.
Wounds have been suffered in this place. Wounds that are. Wounds that will be.
"Like reading something you were not meant to read. Dark and genuinely upsetting, good vibes curdle and good intentions warp while you get a front row seat to watch a commune fester into a cult!" – Bitter Karella, author of Moonflow
Audible Audio
Expected publication November 10, 2026
About the author
Andy Marino
26 books271 followersAndy Marino was born in upstate New York, spent half his life in New York City, and now lives in the Hudson Valley. He is the author of seven novels for young readers, most recently THE PLOT TO KILL HITLER trilogy.
THE SEVEN VISITATIONS OF SYDNEY BURGESS is his first novel for adults.
THE SEVEN VISITATIONS OF SYDNEY BURGESS is his first novel for adults.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
To say this book was a slow burn would be a vast understatement.
It was, at best, difficult.
The writing is very good, the characters are well-fleshed, and the pacing moves.
I don't have to like all the characters in order to like a story, but it's best to like a few of them, and I can't say that I liked even one of these. (Possibly the cat because she just wandered into the room and wandered back out without saying much.)
Cosmic.
Difficult to follow in some places.
I found myself not enjoying being in the minds of most of these characters, and that's where the brunt of the story lands us.
The nicest thing I can say is that this is how a cult leader is born and made and his slow descent was a story in itself. Perhaps not the author's intention, but how it read to my mind. It was a deep, murky soup of how a man reacts when he feels he's being lead by something bigger than himself, and the people who follow him, sometimes unwillingly, but follow just the same.
Honestly, my expectations weren't met. I expected more of a haunted house book, when I actually found myself in the mind of a haunted individual. Dark, in every sense of the word.
My thanks to NetGalley and Orbit Books/Run For It for allowing me to read before the publication date.
It was, at best, difficult.
The writing is very good, the characters are well-fleshed, and the pacing moves.
I don't have to like all the characters in order to like a story, but it's best to like a few of them, and I can't say that I liked even one of these. (Possibly the cat because she just wandered into the room and wandered back out without saying much.)
Cosmic.
Difficult to follow in some places.
I found myself not enjoying being in the minds of most of these characters, and that's where the brunt of the story lands us.
The nicest thing I can say is that this is how a cult leader is born and made and his slow descent was a story in itself. Perhaps not the author's intention, but how it read to my mind. It was a deep, murky soup of how a man reacts when he feels he's being lead by something bigger than himself, and the people who follow him, sometimes unwillingly, but follow just the same.
Honestly, my expectations weren't met. I expected more of a haunted house book, when I actually found myself in the mind of a haunted individual. Dark, in every sense of the word.
My thanks to NetGalley and Orbit Books/Run For It for allowing me to read before the publication date.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Went in blind based on recs from 2 of my favorite horror authors. And I mean blind because beyond some vague impression of it being a ‘haunted house book’ that’s all I knew.
It starts with Mara and Soren getting to a decrepit cabin where they’re I guess starting some kind of commune in the woods? Like, they invite anyone to join them, people start showing up, it’s not a religion or a cult exactly but kind of… IDK things are dirty and weird.
The subgenre is Vague Horror. Where unsettling things happen and it kind of just rambles on and on but then there are some cool scenes (like scenes from truly bonkers, horrific versions of FRIENDS and FRASIER - like, seriously, worth reading just for that) but it just feels all drugged-out and dirty and weird more than anything actually happening.
The last 20% though? Fucking great. It’s definitely a ‘me issue’ that prevents this from being a great book. I’m an idiot who likes propulsive, spoon-fed horror. The last part of the book is 5 stars though.
It starts with Mara and Soren getting to a decrepit cabin where they’re I guess starting some kind of commune in the woods? Like, they invite anyone to join them, people start showing up, it’s not a religion or a cult exactly but kind of… IDK things are dirty and weird.
The subgenre is Vague Horror. Where unsettling things happen and it kind of just rambles on and on but then there are some cool scenes (like scenes from truly bonkers, horrific versions of FRIENDS and FRASIER - like, seriously, worth reading just for that) but it just feels all drugged-out and dirty and weird more than anything actually happening.
The last 20% though? Fucking great. It’s definitely a ‘me issue’ that prevents this from being a great book. I’m an idiot who likes propulsive, spoon-fed horror. The last part of the book is 5 stars though.
July 25, 2026
First off, this has to be one of the weirdest books I’ve read. The writing is great and it held my attention.
Soren and Mara are the main characters and they set out to start some kind of commune in an old house. Weird things begin to happen when people start answering the flyers to stay. There are some interesting scenes in the book and it kept my attention, however it did seem to ramble on a bit. I will say the last 20% or so of the book were the best part! Thank you Netgalley and Orbit books US for the ARC.
Soren and Mara are the main characters and they set out to start some kind of commune in an old house. Weird things begin to happen when people start answering the flyers to stay. There are some interesting scenes in the book and it kept my attention, however it did seem to ramble on a bit. I will say the last 20% or so of the book were the best part! Thank you Netgalley and Orbit books US for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Andy Marino
Cold Empty Rooms
Publication Date: November 10
Ok, so...
A haunted house story that unfolds like a Darren Aronofsky film, steeped in the poetry of an Ani DiFranco song.
A creepy, unique, extremely dark, and uncomfortably raw and visceral horror novel. It drips in atmosphere with a dread that just ratchets up and up...
I loved everything about it.
5 Stars. No notes.
(Full Review on Publication Date)
**Thanks to NetGalley, Orbit Books, and Andy Marino for this advanced digital copy of the novel in exchange for honest and unbiased feedback.
Cold Empty Rooms
Publication Date: November 10
Ok, so...
A haunted house story that unfolds like a Darren Aronofsky film, steeped in the poetry of an Ani DiFranco song.
A creepy, unique, extremely dark, and uncomfortably raw and visceral horror novel. It drips in atmosphere with a dread that just ratchets up and up...
I loved everything about it.
5 Stars. No notes.
(Full Review on Publication Date)
**Thanks to NetGalley, Orbit Books, and Andy Marino for this advanced digital copy of the novel in exchange for honest and unbiased feedback.
Review of advance copy
My God, read this book. An absolute marvel of horror fiction, and the greatest haunted house story I've ever read in my life. And from a sentence-by-sentence standpoint, Marino's work is so dazzling and dread-inducing, the rest of us are just trying to catch up. A masterpiece, seriously.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Orbit and Netgalley for this ARC. I DNF'd this title 11 percent in to the story. I do not like his writing style at all. I also DNF'd one of his other titles. Andy Marino is not for me. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to try anyway.
Review of advance copy
Review submitted to Library Journal for potential professional publication.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews