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Housebroken
"It was a kidnapping, but in all the wrong ways. No ransom, no demands; there was nothing they wanted--other than to observe."
When Blake Crochet and his family are taken hostage in their own home, they are forced to act out their everyday lives under the observance of two psychotic kidnappers. Each moment Blake must pit the decision to follow their captors' rules against the potential catastrophe of a failed escape.
He soon learns that the consequences of both action and inaction are more terrifying than he imagined. As Blake's life erodes beneath him, secrets come to light that threaten to destroy his family before their kidnappers have a chance.
Secrets carry consequences too.
As the motives behind the kidnapping are revealed, Blake must sacrifice everything to hold on to the ever-shifting definition of what his family has become. In his battle for survival, he will face the ultimate consequence: for to fight a devil, you may have to become one yourself.
When Blake Crochet and his family are taken hostage in their own home, they are forced to act out their everyday lives under the observance of two psychotic kidnappers. Each moment Blake must pit the decision to follow their captors' rules against the potential catastrophe of a failed escape.
He soon learns that the consequences of both action and inaction are more terrifying than he imagined. As Blake's life erodes beneath him, secrets come to light that threaten to destroy his family before their kidnappers have a chance.
Secrets carry consequences too.
As the motives behind the kidnapping are revealed, Blake must sacrifice everything to hold on to the ever-shifting definition of what his family has become. In his battle for survival, he will face the ultimate consequence: for to fight a devil, you may have to become one yourself.
318 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 1, 2015
70 people are currently reading
752 people want to read
About the author
The Behrg
13 books152 followersMy writing career began in the third grade when tasked with an assignment to write about rain. I opted to tell the story of a raindrop who decided life wasn't worth living and leapt to his death only to discover that really he was being reborn. (You know that whole life-cycle thing).
Yeah, I was a little twisted even back then. Thankfully my teacher encouraged my writing rather than send me for a psych evaluation... (that came later). Let's see...
I was a child actor and starred in recurring roles in Dynasty and Highway to Heaven, and was even in an episode of The Twilight Zone.
I dropped out of college to join a rockband.
I was kicked out of the Peter Pan ride at Disneyland for lobbing rocks onto toy houses.
I have a grave in my backya ...
Oh wait, this is a BIO not a CONFESSIONAL.
Bottom line: I love to write. Thankfully, my family puts up with it. The very act of creating something that might be slightly askew keeps me going. I'm drawn to dark fiction where I find an appreciation for the light. Horror, thrillers, suspense. Things that make you question your own reality or open your mind to look at the world a little differently than you might have before.
I'm grateful to all those who give an independent author like myself a chance.
Seriously. Thank you.
For more about me, my works, (my rants), and upcoming projects, please stop by: my website. I promise I don't bite.
(See, there's a reason they keep me muzzled).
Yeah, I was a little twisted even back then. Thankfully my teacher encouraged my writing rather than send me for a psych evaluation... (that came later). Let's see...
I was a child actor and starred in recurring roles in Dynasty and Highway to Heaven, and was even in an episode of The Twilight Zone.
I dropped out of college to join a rockband.
I was kicked out of the Peter Pan ride at Disneyland for lobbing rocks onto toy houses.
I have a grave in my backya ...
Oh wait, this is a BIO not a CONFESSIONAL.
Bottom line: I love to write. Thankfully, my family puts up with it. The very act of creating something that might be slightly askew keeps me going. I'm drawn to dark fiction where I find an appreciation for the light. Horror, thrillers, suspense. Things that make you question your own reality or open your mind to look at the world a little differently than you might have before.
I'm grateful to all those who give an independent author like myself a chance.
Seriously. Thank you.
For more about me, my works, (my rants), and upcoming projects, please stop by: my website. I promise I don't bite.
(See, there's a reason they keep me muzzled).
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 81 reviews
September 4, 2017
Housebroken by The Behrg is one of the worst books I have read. If someone wants to read just torture and cruelty, this is your book. No plot, flat characters, and inhuman atrocities. Two guys invade home. Hold family captive to observe them. Any of them break their rules they are violently punished. Violent is not even a strong enough word. They burn the dog up, set the wife on fire...and so much more. Yeah, this kind of book. No plot. You never find out why the guys are there. You find out a little background of one of the guys but that's it. The family characters are not even developed. Maybe it is a good thing we don't get to know them and they are just cardboard characters since they suffer so much. This is just a book for someone to write bloodthirsty things down. I can't believe people are giving this 5 stars! Really? Where is the plot? There is suspense, you don't know what is going to be written next but you don't care about the people so much because we don't know them, just want to see what horrible thing is going to be written. Sick. I wanted to quit reading but if I did, I couldn't review it. I wanted to review this book to warn anyone else like me that just picks it up and sees a dog burn to death! There is worse in here too. Don't go here. Hated this book.
October 29, 2019
Well, well, well...
What a heartwarming, family friendly story about family ties. What movie does this book bring to mind? Hmm...have you seen IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE?
Like that, only the opposite.
Cue the speed-metal!
This story was in your face. No, I don't think you got it. In your FACE! The author went for full-frontal extreme, the way this story was meant to be told.
Want a comparison?
It's like grabbing a four year old girl by the ears and screaming in her face: SANTA DOESN'T EXIST! NEITHER DOES THE EASTER BUNNY! OR UNICORNS!!
or
Like a mother grabbing her son's erection he wakes up with and threatening to cut it off.
shiverrrrrrr
And just to give the ladies some perspective, it doesn't even have to be a young son, the trauma will be there. Hell, a few nights ago my wife did it with me. It's not like you have any control over poking it THERE while you are sleeping. For the record - THERE refers to the kidney area, you pervs!
It put such a fright in me, I tied my weener to my right leg with a shoelace. Only problem - I accidentally kicked her out of the bed that night!
Okay, so maybe I'm exaggerating a bit. She got angry about my snoring. And maybe she didn't threaten to cut it off, but the word 'vasectomy' was thrown out there. I haven't slept since. I'm actually quite tired right now.
But I digress...back to the story.
This is a different take on a home invasion. The story becomes fairly complex, but I have to give kudos to the author - he never lost me in the story.
And, people, for fuck's sake, this story goes extreme real quick and it stays there all the way through.
However, there are two negative aspects I have to mention.
The first is that the story begins with day 6, and then it jumps back to the beginning. While I'm fine with that, the fact that you know the main character survives until day six takes away from those moments where you would have thought - will he survive this??
The second, and this is a personal thing which the people who follow my reviews will know, there was a scene of animal cruelty, which I can't handle well. To give the author credit, he didn't dwell on it or over-describe it, but I found that scene rather upsetting. So, to all those people who share this feeling with me - it is round about the 100 pages mark, if I'm not mistaken - avoid it if you can.
Overall, it was a very impressive book, but it pushes the limits of how extreme people like to go, so be warned.
What a heartwarming, family friendly story about family ties. What movie does this book bring to mind? Hmm...have you seen IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE?
Like that, only the opposite.
Cue the speed-metal!
This story was in your face. No, I don't think you got it. In your FACE! The author went for full-frontal extreme, the way this story was meant to be told.
Want a comparison?
It's like grabbing a four year old girl by the ears and screaming in her face: SANTA DOESN'T EXIST! NEITHER DOES THE EASTER BUNNY! OR UNICORNS!!
or
Like a mother grabbing her son's erection he wakes up with and threatening to cut it off.
shiverrrrrrr
And just to give the ladies some perspective, it doesn't even have to be a young son, the trauma will be there. Hell, a few nights ago my wife did it with me. It's not like you have any control over poking it THERE while you are sleeping. For the record - THERE refers to the kidney area, you pervs!
It put such a fright in me, I tied my weener to my right leg with a shoelace. Only problem - I accidentally kicked her out of the bed that night!
Okay, so maybe I'm exaggerating a bit. She got angry about my snoring. And maybe she didn't threaten to cut it off, but the word 'vasectomy' was thrown out there. I haven't slept since. I'm actually quite tired right now.
But I digress...back to the story.
This is a different take on a home invasion. The story becomes fairly complex, but I have to give kudos to the author - he never lost me in the story.
And, people, for fuck's sake, this story goes extreme real quick and it stays there all the way through.
However, there are two negative aspects I have to mention.
The first is that the story begins with day 6, and then it jumps back to the beginning. While I'm fine with that, the fact that you know the main character survives until day six takes away from those moments where you would have thought - will he survive this??
The second, and this is a personal thing which the people who follow my reviews will know, there was a scene of animal cruelty, which I can't handle well. To give the author credit, he didn't dwell on it or over-describe it, but I found that scene rather upsetting. So, to all those people who share this feeling with me - it is round about the 100 pages mark, if I'm not mistaken - avoid it if you can.
Overall, it was a very impressive book, but it pushes the limits of how extreme people like to go, so be warned.
September 5, 2018
You know you love a book when you start it and before you blink you are nearly at the end of the book. The world might have vanished whilst you read it but you HAD to read to the end. This is one of those books. How to express how much I loved this book? Let's give it a go...
The pace in this book is cracking! Once it grabs on to you it does not shake you off, it's not a book I needed to put down at anytime. It was a fascination with a really interesting and brilliant plot, some outstanding characters that were unforgettable, thrills and shivers and brilliant writing.
This debut novel from the talented author The Behrg (not his real name, if I told you that I would have to kill you.)
So what do we have here?
When Blake Crochet and his family are taken hostage in their own home, they are forced to act out their everyday lives under the observance of two psychotic kidnappers. Each moment Blake must pit the decision to follow their captors' rules against the potential catastrophe of a failed escape.
He soon learns that the consequences of both action and inaction are more terrifying than he imagined. As Blake's life erodes beneath him, secrets come to light that threaten to destroy his family before their kidnappers have a chance.
Secrets carry consequences too.
This book is like words that have been soaked in Red Bull and taken off! From the minute the bad guys enter the scene you KNOW you are onto a good book, you just get spidey-senses going all over. Hell yeah. These are very, very bad men, there is no light and dark, just pitch black in their hearts and souls and they are in Blake's family home, you DO NOT want this to happen to you and your family.
Held hostage but not for any reason that you might be able to think of until you read this book. Darn it was good! It's a woo-hoo of a plot! Some scenes in this book are difficult, I will warn you, there is violence and heavy scenes in places BUT it would not be the great book it is without them. You have probably seen worse on the nightly news anyway so don't worry.
As Blake and his family find themselves in their own person hell, the characters really start to come into their own. Both the "good guys" (oh yeah?) and the "baddies" (hmmm...). I say no more, my lips are sealed. They are complex characters, each playing their part like a really scary sit-com that's just not funny anymore. (Do they exist?). You will be on edge for many a scene in this book, I think I held my breath and yelled at the book quite a few times. Oh my Lord I was stressed at times.
Look I could rave all day, all the way. It's just one of the best books I have read in 2015, it's one of the few that has been a constant page turner for me. It had everything I wanted and more. It's a complete stand-out and how on earth the author has a couple of 1 and 2 star ratings (with no review!) is beyond me. Were they even reading the right book?
Don't miss this one, let it take you on a journey into Blake's home and the heads of everybody in it. Just who is going to come out trumps in the scariest game of hide and seek and cat and mouse ever played. But this is no game, this is survive or die. Freaking awesome people!
Booklover Catlady easily gives this one five paw prints and am happy to recommend it to anyone. Some of you might think this is a horror novel, as in pure horror, it's not - to me it's a mix of psychological thriller/action thriller/crime and then the horror.. It's a very entertaining read.
For more of my reviews, book chat, giveaways and cat fun go to:
https://www.facebook.com/BookloverCat...
Note: I was given this book to read and review by The Behrg, loved it and ended up promoting it in its early days via my book publicity company. It's one of my stand out reads of 2015.
The pace in this book is cracking! Once it grabs on to you it does not shake you off, it's not a book I needed to put down at anytime. It was a fascination with a really interesting and brilliant plot, some outstanding characters that were unforgettable, thrills and shivers and brilliant writing.
This debut novel from the talented author The Behrg (not his real name, if I told you that I would have to kill you.)
So what do we have here?
When Blake Crochet and his family are taken hostage in their own home, they are forced to act out their everyday lives under the observance of two psychotic kidnappers. Each moment Blake must pit the decision to follow their captors' rules against the potential catastrophe of a failed escape.
He soon learns that the consequences of both action and inaction are more terrifying than he imagined. As Blake's life erodes beneath him, secrets come to light that threaten to destroy his family before their kidnappers have a chance.
Secrets carry consequences too.
This book is like words that have been soaked in Red Bull and taken off! From the minute the bad guys enter the scene you KNOW you are onto a good book, you just get spidey-senses going all over. Hell yeah. These are very, very bad men, there is no light and dark, just pitch black in their hearts and souls and they are in Blake's family home, you DO NOT want this to happen to you and your family.
Held hostage but not for any reason that you might be able to think of until you read this book. Darn it was good! It's a woo-hoo of a plot! Some scenes in this book are difficult, I will warn you, there is violence and heavy scenes in places BUT it would not be the great book it is without them. You have probably seen worse on the nightly news anyway so don't worry.
As Blake and his family find themselves in their own person hell, the characters really start to come into their own. Both the "good guys" (oh yeah?) and the "baddies" (hmmm...). I say no more, my lips are sealed. They are complex characters, each playing their part like a really scary sit-com that's just not funny anymore. (Do they exist?). You will be on edge for many a scene in this book, I think I held my breath and yelled at the book quite a few times. Oh my Lord I was stressed at times.
Look I could rave all day, all the way. It's just one of the best books I have read in 2015, it's one of the few that has been a constant page turner for me. It had everything I wanted and more. It's a complete stand-out and how on earth the author has a couple of 1 and 2 star ratings (with no review!) is beyond me. Were they even reading the right book?
Don't miss this one, let it take you on a journey into Blake's home and the heads of everybody in it. Just who is going to come out trumps in the scariest game of hide and seek and cat and mouse ever played. But this is no game, this is survive or die. Freaking awesome people!
Booklover Catlady easily gives this one five paw prints and am happy to recommend it to anyone. Some of you might think this is a horror novel, as in pure horror, it's not - to me it's a mix of psychological thriller/action thriller/crime and then the horror.. It's a very entertaining read.
For more of my reviews, book chat, giveaways and cat fun go to:
https://www.facebook.com/BookloverCat...
Note: I was given this book to read and review by The Behrg, loved it and ended up promoting it in its early days via my book publicity company. It's one of my stand out reads of 2015.
November 13, 2016
. . . with time, even the most grotesque of horrors could become commonplace.
Meet Joje, a young man with orange-ish hair, freckles, a speech disorder straight out of Looney Tunes land (think Elmer Fudd), with the muscles of his face crawling with tics and twitches. Lest you begin to grin, stop it. He is in your house, and he is a psychopath. On the upside, he promises his stay is for one week only and that he is only there to "observe". Your family is on the line here, and all you have to do to keep them safe and intact is to follow Joje's rules. There are only three of them, but there will be no exceptions. The denouement is a crazy carousel careening off the tracks in a mirrored funhouse.
The title is perfect, full of meanings figurative as well as literal. For readers who are well-seasoned in reading this genre, no greenies. I read a lot of horror, and Housebroken had this old soul cringing more than once. Triggers - extreme violence, scene of an animal's death.
Meet Joje, a young man with orange-ish hair, freckles, a speech disorder straight out of Looney Tunes land (think Elmer Fudd), with the muscles of his face crawling with tics and twitches. Lest you begin to grin, stop it. He is in your house, and he is a psychopath. On the upside, he promises his stay is for one week only and that he is only there to "observe". Your family is on the line here, and all you have to do to keep them safe and intact is to follow Joje's rules. There are only three of them, but there will be no exceptions. The denouement is a crazy carousel careening off the tracks in a mirrored funhouse.
The title is perfect, full of meanings figurative as well as literal. For readers who are well-seasoned in reading this genre, no greenies. I read a lot of horror, and Housebroken had this old soul cringing more than once. Triggers - extreme violence, scene of an animal's death.
July 28, 2015
4.5 stars, rounded up.
HOUSEBROKEN is the first novel written by The Behrg. this book was terrifying not only for some of its horrendous scenes, but even more so because of the psychological aspect to it.
Blake Crochet, his wife, Jenna, and son, Adam are taken prisoner in their own home–forced to go about their everyday routines as if psychopaths weren’t watching their every…single…move at ALL times. The violence was quite brutal at points, but what was even worse was the mental and emotional abuse present.
The characterization in this novel was fantastic! I felt I “knew” each individual in the story, and was easily transported along with them in their horrifying ordeal. I’ll even admit to getting actual shivers a time or two. Even the more far-fetched scenes here were believable after reading the chilling things the captors were capable of.
Be prepared to finish this novel in one or two sittings, as it was nearly impossible to find a point in the story to “disengage” from the characters’ plight. Even when not reading, I found myself constantly thinking back to their situation.
And yes, I did get up to double check the locks more than a few times . . .
An emotionally brutal read from beginning to end–I’m really looking forward to what this author comes up with in the future.
Highly recommended!
HOUSEBROKEN is the first novel written by The Behrg. this book was terrifying not only for some of its horrendous scenes, but even more so because of the psychological aspect to it.
Blake Crochet, his wife, Jenna, and son, Adam are taken prisoner in their own home–forced to go about their everyday routines as if psychopaths weren’t watching their every…single…move at ALL times. The violence was quite brutal at points, but what was even worse was the mental and emotional abuse present.
The characterization in this novel was fantastic! I felt I “knew” each individual in the story, and was easily transported along with them in their horrifying ordeal. I’ll even admit to getting actual shivers a time or two. Even the more far-fetched scenes here were believable after reading the chilling things the captors were capable of.
Be prepared to finish this novel in one or two sittings, as it was nearly impossible to find a point in the story to “disengage” from the characters’ plight. Even when not reading, I found myself constantly thinking back to their situation.
And yes, I did get up to double check the locks more than a few times . . .
An emotionally brutal read from beginning to end–I’m really looking forward to what this author comes up with in the future.
Highly recommended!
March 23, 2020
4.5/5 stars!
A home invasion story which differs in the fact that in this case, the invaders are actually moving in for a week or so.
I've been wanting to read something from The Behrg, and since I pre-ordered his latest book, I was eligible for a free download of one of his previous books-I chose HOUSEBROKEN, and here we are.
This story had so many twists and turns I had a hard time keeping up. This villain stood apart from the many hundreds of villains I've read about previously-that and the extremely fast pace had me hanging on until the final words were spoken.
Other than perhaps being a bit too long, this book was excellent. The narrator wasn't very skilled with female voices in my opinion, but his voicing of the villain was very good.
Recommended!
A home invasion story which differs in the fact that in this case, the invaders are actually moving in for a week or so.
I've been wanting to read something from The Behrg, and since I pre-ordered his latest book, I was eligible for a free download of one of his previous books-I chose HOUSEBROKEN, and here we are.
This story had so many twists and turns I had a hard time keeping up. This villain stood apart from the many hundreds of villains I've read about previously-that and the extremely fast pace had me hanging on until the final words were spoken.
Other than perhaps being a bit too long, this book was excellent. The narrator wasn't very skilled with female voices in my opinion, but his voicing of the villain was very good.
Recommended!
February 16, 2016
Hours after finishing this book my brain is still trying to figure out what I just read...what a ride!!!
I'm not going to burden you with what this book is about as I think the synopsis does a great job of wetting your appetite, and I'm not sure how I can get into too much more without revealing spoilers. What I will do is share a bit of my experience about how this book will make you feel, and how to get the most out of this ride.
The first thing I quickly realized is that this is one of those books where you have to leave reality at the door...just leave it and don't look back. There are scenes and storylines that are a bit far-fetched that if you allow reality to invade, it will definitely take away from your enjoyment of this book. As you can see by my rating, I don't view this as a bad thing! Like any good movie, I love when a book can take you to another place, allowing for a bit of an escape for awhile even if you know it's not real.
Secondly, I had to come to terms with some of the descriptive, violent acts that take place throughout..especially the scene I have to actually give credit to the author for stretching the boundaries and introducing me to new ways someone can mess with the human psyche, whether psychological or physically. If you are squeamish, this isn't the book for you. If you can get past it, there is a really good storyline behind it all.
And last, while there wasn't one single character that I liked in this story, I can tell you that I won't be forgetting the protagonist anytime soon, nor will I be able to look at someone with a lisp in the same way!!
A solid 4 stars, and I will absolutely be looking out for other work from this author.
My thanks to Booklover Catlady Publicity for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I'm not going to burden you with what this book is about as I think the synopsis does a great job of wetting your appetite, and I'm not sure how I can get into too much more without revealing spoilers. What I will do is share a bit of my experience about how this book will make you feel, and how to get the most out of this ride.
The first thing I quickly realized is that this is one of those books where you have to leave reality at the door...just leave it and don't look back. There are scenes and storylines that are a bit far-fetched that if you allow reality to invade, it will definitely take away from your enjoyment of this book. As you can see by my rating, I don't view this as a bad thing! Like any good movie, I love when a book can take you to another place, allowing for a bit of an escape for awhile even if you know it's not real.
Secondly, I had to come to terms with some of the descriptive, violent acts that take place throughout..especially the scene I have to actually give credit to the author for stretching the boundaries and introducing me to new ways someone can mess with the human psyche, whether psychological or physically. If you are squeamish, this isn't the book for you. If you can get past it, there is a really good storyline behind it all.
And last, while there wasn't one single character that I liked in this story, I can tell you that I won't be forgetting the protagonist anytime soon, nor will I be able to look at someone with a lisp in the same way!!
A solid 4 stars, and I will absolutely be looking out for other work from this author.
My thanks to Booklover Catlady Publicity for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
January 27, 2016
Thrillers can be a dime a dozen. I’ve read so many over the years that I hesitate half the time to start a new one, fearing it will be the same old rehash as the last one. Housebroken looked different enough to be promising, holding something fresh and twisted, so I hopped on it with hope, and let me say that I’m glad I did, because I haven’t read anything quite like this one.
It almost feels like a lifetime is covered in this novel, so much happens in so little time, yet it doesn’t quite cross the boundary of being overwhelming. So, pacing? A big thumbs-up.
Even though the plot is event filled, it’s a character driven book as it focuses more on psychological torment and jabbing than anything else. Blake is a …strange lead. I liked him well enough at first, even if he didn’t stand out in any unique light, but for some reason ended up turning against him later. There’s just something weak and unlikeable about the man. There’s no telling what tragedy and stress will bring out of people, but with him it was always there, just shown more clearly when faced in these situations.
Adam interested me the most out of the family of victims. He had enough about him that was different to keep from being too mainstream, his edginess helped push the story forward as they battled their captors. All three had strong personalities but with their own focuses – Blake’s was his drive in business and his intellect, his capacity for technology and advancement; Jenna’s seems to be her motivation to ignore the bad to survive the present, to come out on top somehow and someway; Adam just left me fascinated as he didn’t always act the way most would.
Overall this was a great book that was hard to put down and, despite all that was happening, the pace kept up with the busy story. The family goes through hell as the blazingly violent psychos go as far as they threaten to go when rules are broken. Several surprising twists in store for the family kept me on my toes, and there are mysteries here that the reader doesn’t even know are supposed to be mysteries until later on.
I would have thrown in the five star rating, but I wasn’t completely happy with the very ending. Small squabbles aside, this book is highly recommended.
I received this for review from Maxine at Booklover Catlady Book Reviews & Publicity
November 24, 2015
Housebroken is an action packed horror thriller about a family who are held hostage in their own home, and much, much more!
I found this book so hard to put down, eager to find out what was going to happen next. It was tense, very tense, scary, sometimes terrifying, occasionally graphic and most certainly claustrophobic at times. While my own mind was desperate to get out of this book, my hands refused to let go of my Kindle.
You know that on edge feeling that horror films in the 80s and 90s used to give you, when you’re left with a feeling that it’s not quite over yet. This book has left me with that feeling. I've been feeling on edge since finishing this book yesterday morning, and keep jumping when I hear unexpected sounds inside or outside my house.
Just be careful how you treat someone who tries to sell you something on your doorstep. The last person to try sell me something at my door was a dodgy bloke pretending to be ex-military selling for a military charity. I got suspicious when I mentioned my own husband is in the military, and he went quiet. Upon looking up the supposed charity online, they do not have injured ex-soldiers selling on doorsteps. I am so glad I read this book after that and not before. I honestly think that the next time someone tries to sell me something on my doorstep, I may go into a state of panic!
I would like to thank Booklover Catlady Publicity for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, and wish the author great success with this book.
I found this book so hard to put down, eager to find out what was going to happen next. It was tense, very tense, scary, sometimes terrifying, occasionally graphic and most certainly claustrophobic at times. While my own mind was desperate to get out of this book, my hands refused to let go of my Kindle.
You know that on edge feeling that horror films in the 80s and 90s used to give you, when you’re left with a feeling that it’s not quite over yet. This book has left me with that feeling. I've been feeling on edge since finishing this book yesterday morning, and keep jumping when I hear unexpected sounds inside or outside my house.
Just be careful how you treat someone who tries to sell you something on your doorstep. The last person to try sell me something at my door was a dodgy bloke pretending to be ex-military selling for a military charity. I got suspicious when I mentioned my own husband is in the military, and he went quiet. Upon looking up the supposed charity online, they do not have injured ex-soldiers selling on doorsteps. I am so glad I read this book after that and not before. I honestly think that the next time someone tries to sell me something on my doorstep, I may go into a state of panic!
I would like to thank Booklover Catlady Publicity for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, and wish the author great success with this book.
September 28, 2015
Rating 5 Stars!
Wow!! This book definitely deserves a resounding (and clichéd) WOW! I LOVED this book, it had me at by the end of the first page and I couldn't put it down. Really one the best books I have read in awhile. Housebroken is the debut novel from The Behrg. It is a unique take on a classic plot: a family is kidnapped. Nothing about this book is predictable ! Just when I thought all the plot twists had been revealed, WHAM! I was hit with another one. This is certainly an edge of your seat thriller and I find it so hard to believe that this is a DEBUT novel!
The Plot
"It was a kidnapping but in all the wrong ways. No ransom, no demands; there was nothing they wanted - other than to observe."
Blake Crochet and his family are taken hostage my a pair of kidnappers who claim they want to do nothing more than observe the family living out there normal routines for one week. To say much more would be to give something away, and I so don't want to do that. This book is a ride the reader should take from start to finish on their own.
My only suggestion is get in and strap your safety belt, because you are in for a hell of a ride!!
The blurb doesn't even almost do this book justice. My suggestion: READ it!!, No, I mean now, get a copy of this book. You won't be disappointed!!!!
Much Thanks to Maxine and Booklover Catlady Publicity, and author The Behrg for the opportunity to read and review this book!!
Wow!! This book definitely deserves a resounding (and clichéd) WOW! I LOVED this book, it had me at by the end of the first page and I couldn't put it down. Really one the best books I have read in awhile. Housebroken is the debut novel from The Behrg. It is a unique take on a classic plot: a family is kidnapped. Nothing about this book is predictable ! Just when I thought all the plot twists had been revealed, WHAM! I was hit with another one. This is certainly an edge of your seat thriller and I find it so hard to believe that this is a DEBUT novel!
The Plot
"It was a kidnapping but in all the wrong ways. No ransom, no demands; there was nothing they wanted - other than to observe."
Blake Crochet and his family are taken hostage my a pair of kidnappers who claim they want to do nothing more than observe the family living out there normal routines for one week. To say much more would be to give something away, and I so don't want to do that. This book is a ride the reader should take from start to finish on their own.
My only suggestion is get in and strap your safety belt, because you are in for a hell of a ride!!
The blurb doesn't even almost do this book justice. My suggestion: READ it!!, No, I mean now, get a copy of this book. You won't be disappointed!!!!
Much Thanks to Maxine and Booklover Catlady Publicity, and author The Behrg for the opportunity to read and review this book!!
July 22, 2015
“Better be the devil you know than the devil you don't.”
----Jack Heath, an Award-winning Australian author
The Behrg, an American author, pens his debut thriller, Housebroken that accounts the story of a family who are taken hostage by two psycho kidnappers who only wanted one thing from that family- observe the normal daily routine of that family for a week. Sounds weird as well as thoroughly creepy!
Warning: This book is not for those who have a faint/weak heart that can't handle too much creepy and dark violence and horror! Look Away...
Synopsis:
It was a kidnapping, but in all the wrong ways. No ransom, no demands; there was nothing they wanted--other than to observe."
When Blake Crochet and his family are taken hostage in their own home, they are forced to act out their everyday lives under the observance of two psychotic kidnappers. Each moment Blake must pit the decision to follow their captors' rules against the potential catastrophe of a failed escape.
He soon learns that the consequences of both action and inaction are more terrifying than he imagined. As Blake's life erodes beneath him, secrets come to light that threaten to destroy his family before their kidnappers have a chance.
Secrets carry consequences too.
As the motives behind the kidnapping are revealed, Blake must sacrifice everything to hold on to the ever-shifting definition of what his family has become. In his battle for survival, he will face the ultimate consequence: for to fight a devil, you may have to become one yourself.
Okay, honestly The Behrg is like a diamond in the rough, yeah a rare gem found in the ocean of self-published authors. This book is one of a kind where words will fall short to describe the bone-chilling horror that I felt while reading it, in fact I literally had to shut my eyes in order to stop visualizing those keenly described scenes. Anyhow, I was engaged as well as engrossed to this skillfully-crafted as well as captivating story till the very last page. This book is an example of talent, intelligence and brilliant imaginative skill of the author. Because how come, I'm still so horrified as well as terrified with the very thought of those two psycho kidnappers?
The Crochet family has just moved to their plush and expensive house in California. Blake Crochet had no idea that he and his family would have to taste hell when he shrugged off a magazine subscription seller. Because the next moment, he and his family are taken as hostages by that very same man, who had a speech problem and thus called himself Joje instead of George, along with his brother. What did they want? Just to keep an eye or rather say careful observation of the whole family's normal day-to-day activities. Just follow the kidnappers' rule and if you fail, you will be subjected to maximum torture that is even beyond your imagination.
The writing style is top class, polished, thoroughly gripping with the usage of crisp and engaging narrative style that only kept me hooked on to the heart of the story. The pacing is very fast because there are tons of action-filled scenes.
The mystery is layered into the plot right from the start. The story opens like any normal story but once the house arrest, I had to put my viewpoint differently and take this book as something really compelling not with it's gravity of suspense but with it's gravity of darkness and horror. Well, there are lots of edgy twists and mind-numbing turns in the story which either will make you look like a fool in anticipating things before hand or will throw you off your seat.
The themes that the author managed to bring up with this story are the level of darkness hiding behind a regular human soul and at what depths it can go to either choose a evil path or a path of goodness. Yeah kind of provoked my thoughts as well as forced to shift my perspective about a human soul.
Let's talk about those enlightening, perfect and really good characters! I'm sorry, they are nowhere close to good or perfect or enlightening- they all have one fatal flaw- darkness in their soul. Yes, the author have thorough grip over his psychologically challenged and flawed characters that are described strikingly and opens up their soul along with the flow of the story, which gives us a better depth to their mindset. Even the villains will make you love to hate them and even the perfect ones will make you hate to love them. And yes they undoubtedly leave an impressionistic mark after the end of this great story and maybe they will even make you think about them for a while.
Anyways, I can't stop raving and ranting about this intriguing psycho-thriller. So if you have liked my review and somehow I have managed to make you believe that this book is worth a read, then do grab a copy of this book now. Otherwise, if you want to read and review this book, you can always contact the very lovely publicist-cum-my-friend, Maxine, who is very sweet and nice woman, for a review copy of the book.
Verdict: A must read for everyone and especially for those Stephen King fans!
Courtesy: Thanks Maxine for the review copy and for introducing me with such a great author!
----Jack Heath, an Award-winning Australian author
The Behrg, an American author, pens his debut thriller, Housebroken that accounts the story of a family who are taken hostage by two psycho kidnappers who only wanted one thing from that family- observe the normal daily routine of that family for a week. Sounds weird as well as thoroughly creepy!
Warning: This book is not for those who have a faint/weak heart that can't handle too much creepy and dark violence and horror! Look Away...
Synopsis:
It was a kidnapping, but in all the wrong ways. No ransom, no demands; there was nothing they wanted--other than to observe."
When Blake Crochet and his family are taken hostage in their own home, they are forced to act out their everyday lives under the observance of two psychotic kidnappers. Each moment Blake must pit the decision to follow their captors' rules against the potential catastrophe of a failed escape.
He soon learns that the consequences of both action and inaction are more terrifying than he imagined. As Blake's life erodes beneath him, secrets come to light that threaten to destroy his family before their kidnappers have a chance.
Secrets carry consequences too.
As the motives behind the kidnapping are revealed, Blake must sacrifice everything to hold on to the ever-shifting definition of what his family has become. In his battle for survival, he will face the ultimate consequence: for to fight a devil, you may have to become one yourself.
Okay, honestly The Behrg is like a diamond in the rough, yeah a rare gem found in the ocean of self-published authors. This book is one of a kind where words will fall short to describe the bone-chilling horror that I felt while reading it, in fact I literally had to shut my eyes in order to stop visualizing those keenly described scenes. Anyhow, I was engaged as well as engrossed to this skillfully-crafted as well as captivating story till the very last page. This book is an example of talent, intelligence and brilliant imaginative skill of the author. Because how come, I'm still so horrified as well as terrified with the very thought of those two psycho kidnappers?
The Crochet family has just moved to their plush and expensive house in California. Blake Crochet had no idea that he and his family would have to taste hell when he shrugged off a magazine subscription seller. Because the next moment, he and his family are taken as hostages by that very same man, who had a speech problem and thus called himself Joje instead of George, along with his brother. What did they want? Just to keep an eye or rather say careful observation of the whole family's normal day-to-day activities. Just follow the kidnappers' rule and if you fail, you will be subjected to maximum torture that is even beyond your imagination.
The writing style is top class, polished, thoroughly gripping with the usage of crisp and engaging narrative style that only kept me hooked on to the heart of the story. The pacing is very fast because there are tons of action-filled scenes.
The mystery is layered into the plot right from the start. The story opens like any normal story but once the house arrest, I had to put my viewpoint differently and take this book as something really compelling not with it's gravity of suspense but with it's gravity of darkness and horror. Well, there are lots of edgy twists and mind-numbing turns in the story which either will make you look like a fool in anticipating things before hand or will throw you off your seat.
The themes that the author managed to bring up with this story are the level of darkness hiding behind a regular human soul and at what depths it can go to either choose a evil path or a path of goodness. Yeah kind of provoked my thoughts as well as forced to shift my perspective about a human soul.
Let's talk about those enlightening, perfect and really good characters! I'm sorry, they are nowhere close to good or perfect or enlightening- they all have one fatal flaw- darkness in their soul. Yes, the author have thorough grip over his psychologically challenged and flawed characters that are described strikingly and opens up their soul along with the flow of the story, which gives us a better depth to their mindset. Even the villains will make you love to hate them and even the perfect ones will make you hate to love them. And yes they undoubtedly leave an impressionistic mark after the end of this great story and maybe they will even make you think about them for a while.
Anyways, I can't stop raving and ranting about this intriguing psycho-thriller. So if you have liked my review and somehow I have managed to make you believe that this book is worth a read, then do grab a copy of this book now. Otherwise, if you want to read and review this book, you can always contact the very lovely publicist-cum-my-friend, Maxine, who is very sweet and nice woman, for a review copy of the book.
Verdict: A must read for everyone and especially for those Stephen King fans!
Courtesy: Thanks Maxine for the review copy and for introducing me with such a great author!
January 6, 2016
This is not your average home invasion and kidnapping story. Not by a long shot. It is pure 100% “cwaziness.” 1 family. 2 psychos. 3 rules.
The Behrg did a very good job building a palpable sense of tension and dread in this one. There is a lot going on and it would have been easy to get lost in all the action, but somehow it all held together and flowed smooth.
Very well done. Solid 4+ Stars and Highly Recommended!
The Behrg did a very good job building a palpable sense of tension and dread in this one. There is a lot going on and it would have been easy to get lost in all the action, but somehow it all held together and flowed smooth.
Very well done. Solid 4+ Stars and Highly Recommended!
August 15, 2015
Blake Crochet was a very successful business man. Crochet and his family were taken prisoner at their own home. The two kidnappers wanted the Crochet family to follow there daily routine, so they could observe them. The kidnappers had a set of rules and you better not break them. Blake and his family broke a few of these rules and they paid dearly. The violence was very brutal at time and the emotional abuse that the family was put through was unbelievable. This Psychological/Thriller was jammed packed with plenty of action and I did not want to put it down. I was hooked from page one until the end. There were some twists and turns at the end of the book that I did not see coming. The way the author developed his characters was just unbelievable. This help to make the story even stronger.. If you are looking for a book that is scary, chilling and terrifying, Housebroken is the book you must read! I plan to checkout other works by this author. I highly recommend this book!
July 15, 2015
Housebroken is a horrifyingly excellent fast paced thriller, dealing with a uniquely styled home invasion and with tension that never lets up.
Gripping from the very first page, it is relentless in it's descriptive prose and utterly engaging - with a nop notch "bad guy" some elements of family drama and a seriously evil ironic edge to the writing style. I was completely enthralled from beginning to end. I literally couldn't look away.
Yes there is a high level of violence here - if you are senstive to that kind of thing then be prepared - but at no point is it gratuitious or overly unlikely, if anything it adds to the huge amount of tension the author builds slowly into the plot, making this an uncompromising read where anything could happen. The sense that this one may not have a happy ending is there from the start which make it all the more of a page turner.
One thing that makes Housebroken a favourite for me is the psychological depth the author brings to the characters - especially Adam who COMPLETELY fascinated me - and the emotionally charged atmosphere captured within the narrative. The best thrillers are the ones that can walk the line between character development and thrilling events without compromising either - something that this author has managed very well.
It is slightly insane as things move towards the finale - and the ending itself is superbly crafted - I almost wish there would be a sequel. Oh what am I saying I'd LOVE a sequel, but as a single, beautifully created standalone thrill ride Housebroken is pretty perfect.
Highly Recommended for fans of thrillers with bite.
Happy Reading Folks!
Gripping from the very first page, it is relentless in it's descriptive prose and utterly engaging - with a nop notch "bad guy" some elements of family drama and a seriously evil ironic edge to the writing style. I was completely enthralled from beginning to end. I literally couldn't look away.
Yes there is a high level of violence here - if you are senstive to that kind of thing then be prepared - but at no point is it gratuitious or overly unlikely, if anything it adds to the huge amount of tension the author builds slowly into the plot, making this an uncompromising read where anything could happen. The sense that this one may not have a happy ending is there from the start which make it all the more of a page turner.
One thing that makes Housebroken a favourite for me is the psychological depth the author brings to the characters - especially Adam who COMPLETELY fascinated me - and the emotionally charged atmosphere captured within the narrative. The best thrillers are the ones that can walk the line between character development and thrilling events without compromising either - something that this author has managed very well.
It is slightly insane as things move towards the finale - and the ending itself is superbly crafted - I almost wish there would be a sequel. Oh what am I saying I'd LOVE a sequel, but as a single, beautifully created standalone thrill ride Housebroken is pretty perfect.
Highly Recommended for fans of thrillers with bite.
Happy Reading Folks!
January 28, 2018
This book was horribly disturbing in the best kind of way. A story of domestic terror when a family is kidnapped in their own home, forced to do unthinkable things. It makes one think about how far one would go to protect his family.
The characters were good and the action non stop. It was hard to put this one down. There was a psychological tension that kept me on edge. Lots of WTF moments.
A must read for those who like it over the top.
The characters were good and the action non stop. It was hard to put this one down. There was a psychological tension that kept me on edge. Lots of WTF moments.
A must read for those who like it over the top.
October 12, 2020
This is a book that is absolutely not for everyone. Honesty, I feared it wasn’t for me because I have a weak spot when it comes to animals being harmed but I kept going because my friends' reviews convinced me not to be a quitter. I’m going to warn you though if you cannot handle please be very careful when picking this up. I nearly put the audio down forever after a certain scene because it was graphic and it hurt me to the very core.
With that said, this book turned out to be a very surprising and brutal, horrific thriller. It is not for the squeamish but if you can handle the rougher stuff you might not be sorry you read it.
Blake is a wealthy guy who has started a new job and relocated his family to Malibu. He gets up one morning and steps in dog poo. The poor dog is a little out of sorts with the move but Blake, being the awful person he is, rubs the dog's nose in it and leaves the poop sitting there on the floor for his wife to clean up! FOR HIS WIFE TO CLEAN UP!!. AFTER HE STEPPED IN IT! I apologize for screaming but damn what a jerk! He is totally deserving of death from the get-go. I hoped it would happen soon but then there wouldn’t be much of a story then, I suppose. Soon after a stranger rings the doorbell asking for an interview and everything goes sideways from that moment on.
This book takes some wild and unexpected turns and no one here is exactly as they present and I liked that best about this story. The characterization and tension are so well done. It kept me guessing and it has some secrets! It’s violent and cruel and it will make you cringe. It gave me some major Funny Games vibes at times and trust me there is nothing funny about that movie! As I listened, I kept thinking “why am I doing this to myself?” and I still cannot answer that question properly. In the end, I would not reread this book but it was a compelling and horrifying story that surprised me and I’m glad I saw it through to the very end.
As for the audio? The narration was absolutely excellent and spot-on when it came to the men but oh sweet Satan the lady voice! The lady voice will send shivers down your spine with its unidentifiable accent and piercing falsetto but it does break up the tension, so there’s that.
I’m going with a four here, I think. I hate number ratings but they’re a necessary evil. Read this story only if you want to give all bell ringing people a hard side-eye for the rest of your life.
With that said, this book turned out to be a very surprising and brutal, horrific thriller. It is not for the squeamish but if you can handle the rougher stuff you might not be sorry you read it.
Blake is a wealthy guy who has started a new job and relocated his family to Malibu. He gets up one morning and steps in dog poo. The poor dog is a little out of sorts with the move but Blake, being the awful person he is, rubs the dog's nose in it and leaves the poop sitting there on the floor for his wife to clean up! FOR HIS WIFE TO CLEAN UP!!. AFTER HE STEPPED IN IT! I apologize for screaming but damn what a jerk! He is totally deserving of death from the get-go. I hoped it would happen soon but then there wouldn’t be much of a story then, I suppose. Soon after a stranger rings the doorbell asking for an interview and everything goes sideways from that moment on.
This book takes some wild and unexpected turns and no one here is exactly as they present and I liked that best about this story. The characterization and tension are so well done. It kept me guessing and it has some secrets! It’s violent and cruel and it will make you cringe. It gave me some major Funny Games vibes at times and trust me there is nothing funny about that movie! As I listened, I kept thinking “why am I doing this to myself?” and I still cannot answer that question properly. In the end, I would not reread this book but it was a compelling and horrifying story that surprised me and I’m glad I saw it through to the very end.
As for the audio? The narration was absolutely excellent and spot-on when it came to the men but oh sweet Satan the lady voice! The lady voice will send shivers down your spine with its unidentifiable accent and piercing falsetto but it does break up the tension, so there’s that.
I’m going with a four here, I think. I hate number ratings but they’re a necessary evil. Read this story only if you want to give all bell ringing people a hard side-eye for the rest of your life.
July 14, 2015
Loved this amazing book. Could not put it down. A page turning, addictive, action packed thriller, this book burrows into your imagination, takes it captive. I could see events as they unfolded, participate in the horror. I was taken captive along with the Crochet family and felt every emotion personally. Scary, terrifying, chilling , amazing. This is so much more than just a story, it is an experience. Loved it, although I emerged more than a little shaky at the end. Please read this. A wonderful book.
August 23, 2015
“If God created Earth in seven days, Joje had learned to destroy it in six.”
*edit* I found myself thinking a lot about this book. While it's flaws stand, after time has passed, I feel comfortable giving it five stars. Nothing is perfect, and we shouldn't expect things to be.
Thank you to the author and the publicist for this copy and the chance to provide an honest review of the novel.
Housebroken is an incredibly well-written and fast-paced horror/thriller that will continually surprise and disturb you. The premise is simple—a well-to-do family experiences a break-in and is held hostage by their captors—but the plot itself is a complicated web of connections and breathtaking scenes that help elevate Housebroken above others in the genre.
The synopsis is fairly easy to find, so rather than rehash what has already been said and provided by the author, The Behrg, let’s get into what worked for me, and what didn’t.
What worked:
The writing: The Behrg is a hell of a writer. He has an excellent flow and command of words. There were many passages in this novel that I read and couldn’t help but smile they were so good. The writing is polished to a professional degree, and it strikes a perfect balance between describing too much and describing not enough at all.
The plot: Home invasion stories usually start strong and then inevitably lose steam in the second act. The tension dissipates as we become familiar with our villains and their methods. We’re often forced to endure cruelty for a finale we’ve already guessed, a finale which, sometimes, wasn’t really worth the journey to begin with. Housebroken is different. Housebroken has a rich universe and backstory for us to plunge into, one which, when you’ve reached the end, you look back upon and go “Oh, that makes perfect sense! Now I see why he wrote that the way he did. I totally missed that.”
And we leave the house. I don’t know how often that happens in home invasion stories, but I loved that aspect of it. (I also found it problematic, but more on that later).
(Also, I really loved the twists).
The characters: Like the rest of us, these are not perfect characters living out perfect lives. They are flawed and, often times, not particularly easy to root for. They’re complicated and make poor choices because they’ve convinced themselves that, in the end, it’s the right thing to do. They’re frustrating, absolutely, but they should be: In a situation like this, they ought to be flawed, they ought to make mistakes. Because what happens to the Crochet’s isn’t something you can prepare for yourself for.
The project: The project is the villains’ reported motivation for doing what they’re doing. It’s twisted and, in a deranged sort of way, makes sense. It did a good job being the glue that held the story together, and I loved how it exposed to the Crochet’s their strange way of living. I mean, they already knew their family had issues, but the issues seemed so much more severe when brought into the light by strangers.
The violence: What? How can violence be a good thing? All debates on the necessity of violence of aside, violence is important in a story like this. If we perceive our villains of being incapable, of all talk, then it doesn’t make sense for our protagonists to put up with their behavior. Violence keeps the story believable, and it keeps the audience on edge, making sure they don’t get too comfortable, which, in a lot of cases, ultimately leads to boredom. Being a capable writer, The Behrg is able to write violence well. While there are some shocking and disturbing scenes, I never found any of them over the top.
What didn’t work:
Complacency: A lot of this story is contingent upon Blake, our main character more or less, being a total pushover. Granted, it’s a character flaw, but when there are so many scenarios put in front of him where in which he can act and doesn’t … it’s almost too much sometimes.
The pacing: Huh? But the pacing is awesome! It is awesome, but at the same time, it gets bogged down by too many things happening. The scenes were most familiar with from other stories—the capture, the torture—are the weakest, in my opinion, because while written, there’s too many of them, and the justification for their existence doesn’t come until far too late into the book. It doesn’t take much for us to get the point, and by trimming some of those scenes, it would’ve allowed the novel to breathe elsewhere, which would’ve been great, because this is a novel with a lot to say.
The characters: I don’t like Blake. No big deal. I don’t have to. But as a main character, he was kind of tiresome. The feeble father who, despite everything, can’t protect his family. I found myself much more interested in Jenna and Adam. Speaking of Adam, I feel there’s potential in this character. While I’m not sure it would be for the best, it would have really made Housebroken something else if it were solely from his point of view.
Closing thoughts:
Housebroken is worth your time. The Behrg is a writer to look out for in the future. It’s not an easy read in regard to its graphic content, but you should read it nonetheless, because it’ll stick with you long after you’ve finished that final page. I look forward to reading more from The Behrg.
*edit* I found myself thinking a lot about this book. While it's flaws stand, after time has passed, I feel comfortable giving it five stars. Nothing is perfect, and we shouldn't expect things to be.
Thank you to the author and the publicist for this copy and the chance to provide an honest review of the novel.
Housebroken is an incredibly well-written and fast-paced horror/thriller that will continually surprise and disturb you. The premise is simple—a well-to-do family experiences a break-in and is held hostage by their captors—but the plot itself is a complicated web of connections and breathtaking scenes that help elevate Housebroken above others in the genre.
The synopsis is fairly easy to find, so rather than rehash what has already been said and provided by the author, The Behrg, let’s get into what worked for me, and what didn’t.
What worked:
The writing: The Behrg is a hell of a writer. He has an excellent flow and command of words. There were many passages in this novel that I read and couldn’t help but smile they were so good. The writing is polished to a professional degree, and it strikes a perfect balance between describing too much and describing not enough at all.
The plot: Home invasion stories usually start strong and then inevitably lose steam in the second act. The tension dissipates as we become familiar with our villains and their methods. We’re often forced to endure cruelty for a finale we’ve already guessed, a finale which, sometimes, wasn’t really worth the journey to begin with. Housebroken is different. Housebroken has a rich universe and backstory for us to plunge into, one which, when you’ve reached the end, you look back upon and go “Oh, that makes perfect sense! Now I see why he wrote that the way he did. I totally missed that.”
And we leave the house. I don’t know how often that happens in home invasion stories, but I loved that aspect of it. (I also found it problematic, but more on that later).
(Also, I really loved the twists).
The characters: Like the rest of us, these are not perfect characters living out perfect lives. They are flawed and, often times, not particularly easy to root for. They’re complicated and make poor choices because they’ve convinced themselves that, in the end, it’s the right thing to do. They’re frustrating, absolutely, but they should be: In a situation like this, they ought to be flawed, they ought to make mistakes. Because what happens to the Crochet’s isn’t something you can prepare for yourself for.
The project: The project is the villains’ reported motivation for doing what they’re doing. It’s twisted and, in a deranged sort of way, makes sense. It did a good job being the glue that held the story together, and I loved how it exposed to the Crochet’s their strange way of living. I mean, they already knew their family had issues, but the issues seemed so much more severe when brought into the light by strangers.
The violence: What? How can violence be a good thing? All debates on the necessity of violence of aside, violence is important in a story like this. If we perceive our villains of being incapable, of all talk, then it doesn’t make sense for our protagonists to put up with their behavior. Violence keeps the story believable, and it keeps the audience on edge, making sure they don’t get too comfortable, which, in a lot of cases, ultimately leads to boredom. Being a capable writer, The Behrg is able to write violence well. While there are some shocking and disturbing scenes, I never found any of them over the top.
What didn’t work:
Complacency: A lot of this story is contingent upon Blake, our main character more or less, being a total pushover. Granted, it’s a character flaw, but when there are so many scenarios put in front of him where in which he can act and doesn’t … it’s almost too much sometimes.
The pacing: Huh? But the pacing is awesome! It is awesome, but at the same time, it gets bogged down by too many things happening. The scenes were most familiar with from other stories—the capture, the torture—are the weakest, in my opinion, because while written, there’s too many of them, and the justification for their existence doesn’t come until far too late into the book. It doesn’t take much for us to get the point, and by trimming some of those scenes, it would’ve allowed the novel to breathe elsewhere, which would’ve been great, because this is a novel with a lot to say.
The characters: I don’t like Blake. No big deal. I don’t have to. But as a main character, he was kind of tiresome. The feeble father who, despite everything, can’t protect his family. I found myself much more interested in Jenna and Adam. Speaking of Adam, I feel there’s potential in this character. While I’m not sure it would be for the best, it would have really made Housebroken something else if it were solely from his point of view.
Closing thoughts:
Housebroken is worth your time. The Behrg is a writer to look out for in the future. It’s not an easy read in regard to its graphic content, but you should read it nonetheless, because it’ll stick with you long after you’ve finished that final page. I look forward to reading more from The Behrg.
July 18, 2015
I received a free copy from the author and his publicist in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, The Behrg!
This book is not recommended for people who read while their spouses sleep. The bags under my hubby's eyes can only be explained by an inordinate amount of yelling, gasping and almost jumping out of my skin. It begins as the kidnapping of a whole family inside their own house, but it is so much more. All the twists and turns are just unexpected and very well thought out. Nothing is what it seems. My biggest pet peeve is when characters do stupid things, and at first I thought that this was going to be one of those books, but then it is clear that, whatever the Crochet family does, there are no good options. The characters are so well written that you can hear their voices in your head, and even start predicting how they will act (well, not ALL the characters - some are just so unpredictable they are scary). The hero is so flawed it should be hard to root for him but, somehow, his plight is heartbreaking, especially after you learn all his back-story. Reading some parts made me feel like I had been punched in the stomach. If you're looking to have a good time, this may not be the book for you. Housebroken will make you anxious and scared and very uncomfortable. I "wowy" that I may have to start sleeping with a hunting knife under my pillow.
This book is not recommended for people who read while their spouses sleep. The bags under my hubby's eyes can only be explained by an inordinate amount of yelling, gasping and almost jumping out of my skin. It begins as the kidnapping of a whole family inside their own house, but it is so much more. All the twists and turns are just unexpected and very well thought out. Nothing is what it seems. My biggest pet peeve is when characters do stupid things, and at first I thought that this was going to be one of those books, but then it is clear that, whatever the Crochet family does, there are no good options. The characters are so well written that you can hear their voices in your head, and even start predicting how they will act (well, not ALL the characters - some are just so unpredictable they are scary). The hero is so flawed it should be hard to root for him but, somehow, his plight is heartbreaking, especially after you learn all his back-story. Reading some parts made me feel like I had been punched in the stomach. If you're looking to have a good time, this may not be the book for you. Housebroken will make you anxious and scared and very uncomfortable. I "wowy" that I may have to start sleeping with a hunting knife under my pillow.
March 20, 2015
I will never look at a person selling door to door magazine subscriptions in the same way again! This was a horrifying home invasion tale with plenty of twists that keeps you guessing until the end.
I got this free through the Kindle Scout program after having been selected for publication. Recommended for horror fans.
I got this free through the Kindle Scout program after having been selected for publication. Recommended for horror fans.
April 4, 2016
This book was so very awesome. Stirred a lot of emotions in me. The characters were pretty vivid, except the ones it was scarier to know in less depth. Lots of unexpected twists and turns. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a thriller!
May 20, 2017
I read a lot, and impressing me is not easy. I read this book in two sittings reading until 2am (there's symmetry for you). I hadn't felt such a compulsion to finish a book for some time. It was particularly refreshing after reading a few books recently that were slogs to get through, including a novel by one of the world's most famous authors.
Housebroken by The Behrg is controversial. It has many great reviews. Also some that warn of cruelty, toxic scenes, and people who stopped reading before the end. You know what? When something polarises opinions it interests me more. If something only gets five star reviews I am suspicious of either manipulation, or of the fact that a thing that pleases everyone can only do so by aiming at the lowest common denominator. I don't want bland books; I read to feel things.
So I'll review the book. And occasionally digress into talk of writing in general. Then I'll include an interview I did with the author. I hope you'll enjoy this combination.
The Review Of Housebroken
Notes I made on a pad before I was halfway through the book:
- Currently reading a horrible but brilliantly-plotted novel that surprises me (and sometimes sickens me).
- Every word earns its place.
- Straddles the fine line between restrained and gratuitous. Horrible and riveting.
Notes I made on a pad when I was near the end:
- Characters peeled back, surprise me but believable.
- Ha! Not what I expected!
The first thing I need to get out of the way: Housebroken seems like a nasty home invasion story. That's not false marketing, because it is one, up to a point: but also more. Don't worry, the story doesn't go loopy, it always makes meticulous sense, but - like many of the best things - it is more than it first seems. It has layers and can change. The plot is happy to take you in new directions. So up to halfway you expect it to collapse into torture porn (the easy way out for sensationalist writers who can't generate interest via decent character and plot) but this novel doesn't do that; instead it is willing to switch to elements of technothriller and industrial espionage, replacing terror with excitement. A good conjuring trick. In fact, it is a classic trick, often used in films – horrible stuff shown at the start so you expect it all the time, never relax, but then the writer/director doesn't need to go there again and nothing is as bad as you expected. A few times I dreaded where I thought the story was going but the author pulled back. They'd achieved the effect they wanted, no need to then really go there. And thus it's not gratuitous, it's carefully controlled. So don't be put off by the trappings at the start. If you've ever enjoyed the tension and compulsiveness (whether well-written or not) of Dean Koontz or Dan Brown, you will enjoy this. Stick with it even if you have a weak stomach – it would be worse to stop during the most distressing scenes, because then those are what would be forever stuck in your mind with no resolution. Better to be strong, push through, see the story change, gain some hope, overcome the fear, and in the process dissipate the distress. In other words, endure what the protagonist endures.
This is a bleak/hopeful tale. Like The Road but rather than unconnected vignettes, it is more of a traditional tightly-plotted thriller. Unlike many mainstream thrillers where I find it hard to care about the characters, this also allows transformation and depth so you do come to care, more than just the inevitable sympathy for the victim of violence. It's relevant though. I wrote a guest article recently about why people should read horror. I gave three reasons. Up to the halfway point this book reminded me of a fourth: to close a book and be thankful for what you have. Not the possessions, but the freedom, the health, and - most important - the loved ones. To remember that nothing else matters as much as those last three. Appreciate them now: don't wait until their birthday, don't wait until Christmas, don't wait until they're ill. Do it now.
The book is expertly plotted. As an author I can appreciate the careful placing of every reveal and every twist, each foreshadowed element. I respect the ability to do that so consistently. In fact, that does enough to stop this just being a book in an often-tired and cheap genre (the house invasion); it manages to take it, polish it, and make it stand out as an impressive example of this particular fear, at the top of the pile. That takes a rare gift. Two of my books are built around continuous drama, must-read-on-to-find-what-happens-next plots (Turner and Harvest Festival), but if I attempted Housebroken's story I am pretty sure I couldn't have pulled it off as successfully as The Behrg. It takes some effort to say that, but it is only fair to do so. When I encounter another writer that impresses me I am happy to doff my hat in their direction. Particularly as it is difficult for me to read a book as a reader - I can't help but analyse the dialogue, the effects, the structuring, the flow, the style. For at least some of the time this book distracted me from those workman evaluations and pulled me back to the story. That's a laurel wreath right there.
(An aside on the plotting: only one scene in the whole book didn't fully convince me. It's an incredibly tense scene, sickening too - the nastiest thing in the book. I don't want to give spoilers so, for those who have read Housebroken, if I say net, pool, running on air, you'll know what I mean. My issue was that, plotwise, the author wanted the scene to be a dramatic reveal - but really the character would have woken not to silence, but to screaming; intended dramatic effect over-rode realism. The discrepancy could have been solved with heavy gagging. For this to be my only issue is actually praise for the novel.)
Well-crafted writing often has depth, by which I mean there can be multiple references from the same word/image/motif. The worst stories and novels have only one layer, the surface. You can still enjoy some of them if they do the surface layer well, but depth and multiple layers are better. For example, The Road's surface layer is the journey and the destination, but that's hardly what the book is about. It is layered with familial love and duty, questions of what a good person is, responsibility, how to act, the environment, our current values, and more. The road that is walked, but also the one that us lived. For all my praise of Housebroken I am not saying it has all those layers; a book aimed at such a designed experience can't. But it is nonetheless well-crafted. For example, at first it seems like just a random home invasion but it's not. Like all aspects of the plot, other things are going on below the surface, and it is all connected satisfyingly. There are layers concerned with:
- corporations and greed
- technology and possessions versus the important values
- getting at the core of your personality
- psychological control and playing a role and using words (one of the themes of my first novel Turner)
- a game of "What if?", where you ponder what you would do (and visualised in an extended metaphor near the novel's end)
- entertainment (of the reader - don't underestimate the importance of this)
Multiple levels, multiple meanings. That statement is made with the book's title, which implies home invasion, but also dog training (with a particular item that doubles as a final and central stripping-away of the protagonist's old psyche as he is “trained” and transformed too via being broken). [Note - that's not a spoiler, since the prologue gives part of this away on the first page.] Likewise the destruction of the house room by room is a metaphor for the deconstruction of a life; both are destroyed in tandem.
I want to talk about settings. It is important to have a variety. It's very hard to keep a book compelling if all scenes are set in one (or a few) locations. It was a criticism I had of two books I read recently. In many ways this is why books about being on the run, or a journey, are popular, and have been ever since The Odyssey (the more entertaining sibling of The Iliad, partly because of the variety and changes). You'd think with a book that seems to be about a home invasion this would be a real problem, mostly set in one house, maybe a few rooms. But this is where I was again impressed by the author. Scenes take place all over the house and grounds, and even when a room is repeated the context changes, and the decor changes as a result of past scenes. It's cleverly tied to the theme - by letting the story spread through each room it also takes chaos with it, destroying what was there before, the past, the possessions, and seeing what is left when the layers are peeled back. Scenes later go even further afield, to other surprising and interesting locations (see, I said it isn't just a home invasion story). There is never a sense of "seen it", of the tedium of confinement that so many authors would have fallen into, thinking it helps with empathy when really it only makes the reader's eyes glaze over. When we read a book we want to let go; we want to trust the author to take us on an exciting journey but not crash the car; to conjure and perform magic tricks and not drop the ball. Yep, I felt that security here, and could sink into the story.
In the end? A well-written, superbly plotted novel. The Behrg always has an eye on the reader and their experience, carefully controlling and manipulating and foiling expectations. I don't feel like there's a word wasted in this story. The author doesn't over-explain, or do the reader's work for them in this tale (partly) of redemption. I think this book does a LOT right when it comes to pace and plot twists. It's not for the faint of heart, yet it is also cleverer than I anticipated. If you feel like being challenged and also going on an emotional rollercoaster, give it a go. It's horrible in parts, an uneasy read, but I'm impressed.
(Warning: some people can't read a book where an animal suffers, so I have to warn you that there is one scene of that in this book.)
Interview With The Behrg
Karl: Please don't tell me Housebroken was your first novel. Or at least tell me it was your first published one, but you wrote another fifteen first and had to trash them. It wouldn't be fair if you got so much right on the first attempt!
The Behrg: It was actually my first, though I'm no novice to writing. Previously I spent my time writing and studying screenplays. As I transitioned to a more narrative structure I was surprised at the similarities, though really I shouldn't have been. What I really enjoyed, however, was the freedom it opened up to explore these characters, without the need to hit a certain "plot-point" by XX amount of pages.
Karl: Okay, I feel better. Even though I know screenplays and novels are different disciplines, I imagine there is a lot of overlap from the fact that they both aim to tell an interesting story, concisely.
This may seem weird, but bear with me - I sometimes imagine how great it would be to be able to somehow sit in readers' heads as they read one of my books, seeing the exact points where they were excited, bored, confused, scared, tense, pleased and so on. Although you can't shape everything to the demands of others, because then you'd end up fitting everything to the same template like a malignant focus group, it's still good to have an awareness of what King's "dear reader" might feel at each point, because then you can lead them round and satisfy or frustrate their expectations. So few authors genuinely consider what the reader is thinking during each scene, instead often falling back on self-indulgence, just writing what they want. But while I was reading Housebroken it often felt like you'd really considered and guessed at what the reader would be thinking and expecting at each point, controlling their reading experience like a Hannibal Lecter of words. Were you conscious of doing that as you wrote, or maybe earlier when you plotted?
The Behrg: Not weird at all -- I think every author would love to know especially where things stop working for a reader. For me it comes down to not forcing the characters but rather trusting them and their decisions. It often leads to darker places than I'm comfortable with, but not following them down those paths would eliminate the authenticity I feel we, as authors, seek.
Love your article on Linda's Book Bag btw, exactly how I feel about horror. Too many people think it's just the cheap slasher / gore splashing everywhere / no character development type of garbage that B-movies are made of. My idea of "horror" is much broader. Well executed "argument" you had there.
Karl: Thanks. Just curious, what was Housebroken's word count? I knew it was a Kindle Single and for some reason thought they were all novellas and expected Housebroken to be a quick read. It was, in that I ploughed through it in two nights, but not quick in sense of feeling short. If anything, every time I felt I'd had my money's worth, you threw another twist into my trolley, as if you wanted to give not 90% value, but 150% value. Which makes me wonder if part of it was my expectations to do with length.
The Behrg: Actually Housebroken wasn't a Kindle Single but was rather one of the first books selected in Amazon's new "reader-powered publishing platform," Kindle Scout. As far as the twists in the novel go, most were uncovered through the writing process, rather than pre-plotted. I honestly expected a much different ending to the story than where it eventually led.
Karl: Apologies for my mistake about the Kindle scheme, I probably got the Single mixed up with Scout's requirement for 50,000 words or more (and skimmed the "or more"). Writers, eh, never trust them to be able to read as well.
Penultimate question: your craziest writing experience, experiment or method. Ever co-wrote with someone else? Written to a time limit? Written while drunk? Gone through an experience of a character so you could write about it more truthfully (e.g. climbing into a dog cage)? I can't list many more, since I don't know what I don't know, but an answer might seem obvious to you.
The Behrg: My craziest writing experience? Like writing under water or while standing on hot coals? Or maybe the short story I penned while sky-diving? :) While it often feels I've got a gun to my head when writing (metaphorically, of course), I can't say I've done anything too crazy. I let most of that insanity onto the page rather than into my own life. That being said, I do try to challenge myself by switching things up, whether that be trying to write a novel longhand or blurring the lines of genres, etc.
Karl: Something off-topic. I'm not going to ask ask about your name, since I saw you'd covered it on your site - no doubt a question you got tired of! So instead, music. Lead guitar, or rhythm, or both? Do you sing and play? What style and songs? I'm still a beginner in many ways (my nemesis is the F chord, well named; or maybe having to stretch my fingers across 5 mid-neck frets for Revolution by the Beatles). So: any guitar or general music tip, something that you wished you'd known and might help me or others?
The Behrg: Ah, the name thing! :) It is an odd one and yes, I wrote a blog article about the decision, but no one's EVER asked me about playing music, so kudos for the original question. I picked up the guitar when I was fourteen after a rock-climbing accident where I shattered my femur bone two weeks before summer vacation began. With nothing to do but watch endless loops of The Price Is Right, it was a great way for me to invest my time and has become a huge part of who I am. Funny how the tragedies in life often carry us down paths we would have otherwise never ventured. I've played in various different groups from wedding bands to originals, and at one point even had a production contract that came close to "making it," I suppose. I'm a big believer that everyone should play a musical instrument. It's like learning a second language - it expands your mind, gives you an opportunity to lose yourself in something creative, and is a far more productive use of time than playing some absurd app on your phone. As far as advice, I'd just say play the music you love. Stick with it because it does get easier. Don't be afraid of making mistakes or changing what someone else has written in the way you play it. That's the beauty of music, is that it's never finished. Never complete. It's always a work in progress. The same could be said of writing, to some degree.
Karl: I agree so much. I wish I'd started learning years ago. Actually I did have a few lessons as a kid (guitar and violin) but didn't enjoy it. I only started to understand the pleasure when I began making music with friends. Now one of my favourite evenings is when we get together and have a crack at playing songs - one drummer, me on lead guitar, one singer, and a fourth either playing bass, keyboard, or tambourine. It's social, it's creative, and we laugh a lot. I have sometimes altered and simplified songs to bring them down to my skill level, so I'm glad I needn't feel too bad about that. In fact, I'm tempted to go do some finger picking practice now. Thanks for your time!
Housebroken by The Behrg is controversial. It has many great reviews. Also some that warn of cruelty, toxic scenes, and people who stopped reading before the end. You know what? When something polarises opinions it interests me more. If something only gets five star reviews I am suspicious of either manipulation, or of the fact that a thing that pleases everyone can only do so by aiming at the lowest common denominator. I don't want bland books; I read to feel things.
So I'll review the book. And occasionally digress into talk of writing in general. Then I'll include an interview I did with the author. I hope you'll enjoy this combination.
The Review Of Housebroken
Notes I made on a pad before I was halfway through the book:
- Currently reading a horrible but brilliantly-plotted novel that surprises me (and sometimes sickens me).
- Every word earns its place.
- Straddles the fine line between restrained and gratuitous. Horrible and riveting.
Notes I made on a pad when I was near the end:
- Characters peeled back, surprise me but believable.
- Ha! Not what I expected!
The first thing I need to get out of the way: Housebroken seems like a nasty home invasion story. That's not false marketing, because it is one, up to a point: but also more. Don't worry, the story doesn't go loopy, it always makes meticulous sense, but - like many of the best things - it is more than it first seems. It has layers and can change. The plot is happy to take you in new directions. So up to halfway you expect it to collapse into torture porn (the easy way out for sensationalist writers who can't generate interest via decent character and plot) but this novel doesn't do that; instead it is willing to switch to elements of technothriller and industrial espionage, replacing terror with excitement. A good conjuring trick. In fact, it is a classic trick, often used in films – horrible stuff shown at the start so you expect it all the time, never relax, but then the writer/director doesn't need to go there again and nothing is as bad as you expected. A few times I dreaded where I thought the story was going but the author pulled back. They'd achieved the effect they wanted, no need to then really go there. And thus it's not gratuitous, it's carefully controlled. So don't be put off by the trappings at the start. If you've ever enjoyed the tension and compulsiveness (whether well-written or not) of Dean Koontz or Dan Brown, you will enjoy this. Stick with it even if you have a weak stomach – it would be worse to stop during the most distressing scenes, because then those are what would be forever stuck in your mind with no resolution. Better to be strong, push through, see the story change, gain some hope, overcome the fear, and in the process dissipate the distress. In other words, endure what the protagonist endures.
This is a bleak/hopeful tale. Like The Road but rather than unconnected vignettes, it is more of a traditional tightly-plotted thriller. Unlike many mainstream thrillers where I find it hard to care about the characters, this also allows transformation and depth so you do come to care, more than just the inevitable sympathy for the victim of violence. It's relevant though. I wrote a guest article recently about why people should read horror. I gave three reasons. Up to the halfway point this book reminded me of a fourth: to close a book and be thankful for what you have. Not the possessions, but the freedom, the health, and - most important - the loved ones. To remember that nothing else matters as much as those last three. Appreciate them now: don't wait until their birthday, don't wait until Christmas, don't wait until they're ill. Do it now.
The book is expertly plotted. As an author I can appreciate the careful placing of every reveal and every twist, each foreshadowed element. I respect the ability to do that so consistently. In fact, that does enough to stop this just being a book in an often-tired and cheap genre (the house invasion); it manages to take it, polish it, and make it stand out as an impressive example of this particular fear, at the top of the pile. That takes a rare gift. Two of my books are built around continuous drama, must-read-on-to-find-what-happens-next plots (Turner and Harvest Festival), but if I attempted Housebroken's story I am pretty sure I couldn't have pulled it off as successfully as The Behrg. It takes some effort to say that, but it is only fair to do so. When I encounter another writer that impresses me I am happy to doff my hat in their direction. Particularly as it is difficult for me to read a book as a reader - I can't help but analyse the dialogue, the effects, the structuring, the flow, the style. For at least some of the time this book distracted me from those workman evaluations and pulled me back to the story. That's a laurel wreath right there.
(An aside on the plotting: only one scene in the whole book didn't fully convince me. It's an incredibly tense scene, sickening too - the nastiest thing in the book. I don't want to give spoilers so, for those who have read Housebroken, if I say net, pool, running on air, you'll know what I mean. My issue was that, plotwise, the author wanted the scene to be a dramatic reveal - but really the character would have woken not to silence, but to screaming; intended dramatic effect over-rode realism. The discrepancy could have been solved with heavy gagging. For this to be my only issue is actually praise for the novel.)
Well-crafted writing often has depth, by which I mean there can be multiple references from the same word/image/motif. The worst stories and novels have only one layer, the surface. You can still enjoy some of them if they do the surface layer well, but depth and multiple layers are better. For example, The Road's surface layer is the journey and the destination, but that's hardly what the book is about. It is layered with familial love and duty, questions of what a good person is, responsibility, how to act, the environment, our current values, and more. The road that is walked, but also the one that us lived. For all my praise of Housebroken I am not saying it has all those layers; a book aimed at such a designed experience can't. But it is nonetheless well-crafted. For example, at first it seems like just a random home invasion but it's not. Like all aspects of the plot, other things are going on below the surface, and it is all connected satisfyingly. There are layers concerned with:
- corporations and greed
- technology and possessions versus the important values
- getting at the core of your personality
- psychological control and playing a role and using words (one of the themes of my first novel Turner)
- a game of "What if?", where you ponder what you would do (and visualised in an extended metaphor near the novel's end)
- entertainment (of the reader - don't underestimate the importance of this)
Multiple levels, multiple meanings. That statement is made with the book's title, which implies home invasion, but also dog training (with a particular item that doubles as a final and central stripping-away of the protagonist's old psyche as he is “trained” and transformed too via being broken). [Note - that's not a spoiler, since the prologue gives part of this away on the first page.] Likewise the destruction of the house room by room is a metaphor for the deconstruction of a life; both are destroyed in tandem.
I want to talk about settings. It is important to have a variety. It's very hard to keep a book compelling if all scenes are set in one (or a few) locations. It was a criticism I had of two books I read recently. In many ways this is why books about being on the run, or a journey, are popular, and have been ever since The Odyssey (the more entertaining sibling of The Iliad, partly because of the variety and changes). You'd think with a book that seems to be about a home invasion this would be a real problem, mostly set in one house, maybe a few rooms. But this is where I was again impressed by the author. Scenes take place all over the house and grounds, and even when a room is repeated the context changes, and the decor changes as a result of past scenes. It's cleverly tied to the theme - by letting the story spread through each room it also takes chaos with it, destroying what was there before, the past, the possessions, and seeing what is left when the layers are peeled back. Scenes later go even further afield, to other surprising and interesting locations (see, I said it isn't just a home invasion story). There is never a sense of "seen it", of the tedium of confinement that so many authors would have fallen into, thinking it helps with empathy when really it only makes the reader's eyes glaze over. When we read a book we want to let go; we want to trust the author to take us on an exciting journey but not crash the car; to conjure and perform magic tricks and not drop the ball. Yep, I felt that security here, and could sink into the story.
In the end? A well-written, superbly plotted novel. The Behrg always has an eye on the reader and their experience, carefully controlling and manipulating and foiling expectations. I don't feel like there's a word wasted in this story. The author doesn't over-explain, or do the reader's work for them in this tale (partly) of redemption. I think this book does a LOT right when it comes to pace and plot twists. It's not for the faint of heart, yet it is also cleverer than I anticipated. If you feel like being challenged and also going on an emotional rollercoaster, give it a go. It's horrible in parts, an uneasy read, but I'm impressed.
(Warning: some people can't read a book where an animal suffers, so I have to warn you that there is one scene of that in this book.)
Interview With The Behrg
Karl: Please don't tell me Housebroken was your first novel. Or at least tell me it was your first published one, but you wrote another fifteen first and had to trash them. It wouldn't be fair if you got so much right on the first attempt!
The Behrg: It was actually my first, though I'm no novice to writing. Previously I spent my time writing and studying screenplays. As I transitioned to a more narrative structure I was surprised at the similarities, though really I shouldn't have been. What I really enjoyed, however, was the freedom it opened up to explore these characters, without the need to hit a certain "plot-point" by XX amount of pages.
Karl: Okay, I feel better. Even though I know screenplays and novels are different disciplines, I imagine there is a lot of overlap from the fact that they both aim to tell an interesting story, concisely.
This may seem weird, but bear with me - I sometimes imagine how great it would be to be able to somehow sit in readers' heads as they read one of my books, seeing the exact points where they were excited, bored, confused, scared, tense, pleased and so on. Although you can't shape everything to the demands of others, because then you'd end up fitting everything to the same template like a malignant focus group, it's still good to have an awareness of what King's "dear reader" might feel at each point, because then you can lead them round and satisfy or frustrate their expectations. So few authors genuinely consider what the reader is thinking during each scene, instead often falling back on self-indulgence, just writing what they want. But while I was reading Housebroken it often felt like you'd really considered and guessed at what the reader would be thinking and expecting at each point, controlling their reading experience like a Hannibal Lecter of words. Were you conscious of doing that as you wrote, or maybe earlier when you plotted?
The Behrg: Not weird at all -- I think every author would love to know especially where things stop working for a reader. For me it comes down to not forcing the characters but rather trusting them and their decisions. It often leads to darker places than I'm comfortable with, but not following them down those paths would eliminate the authenticity I feel we, as authors, seek.
Love your article on Linda's Book Bag btw, exactly how I feel about horror. Too many people think it's just the cheap slasher / gore splashing everywhere / no character development type of garbage that B-movies are made of. My idea of "horror" is much broader. Well executed "argument" you had there.
Karl: Thanks. Just curious, what was Housebroken's word count? I knew it was a Kindle Single and for some reason thought they were all novellas and expected Housebroken to be a quick read. It was, in that I ploughed through it in two nights, but not quick in sense of feeling short. If anything, every time I felt I'd had my money's worth, you threw another twist into my trolley, as if you wanted to give not 90% value, but 150% value. Which makes me wonder if part of it was my expectations to do with length.
The Behrg: Actually Housebroken wasn't a Kindle Single but was rather one of the first books selected in Amazon's new "reader-powered publishing platform," Kindle Scout. As far as the twists in the novel go, most were uncovered through the writing process, rather than pre-plotted. I honestly expected a much different ending to the story than where it eventually led.
Karl: Apologies for my mistake about the Kindle scheme, I probably got the Single mixed up with Scout's requirement for 50,000 words or more (and skimmed the "or more"). Writers, eh, never trust them to be able to read as well.
Penultimate question: your craziest writing experience, experiment or method. Ever co-wrote with someone else? Written to a time limit? Written while drunk? Gone through an experience of a character so you could write about it more truthfully (e.g. climbing into a dog cage)? I can't list many more, since I don't know what I don't know, but an answer might seem obvious to you.
The Behrg: My craziest writing experience? Like writing under water or while standing on hot coals? Or maybe the short story I penned while sky-diving? :) While it often feels I've got a gun to my head when writing (metaphorically, of course), I can't say I've done anything too crazy. I let most of that insanity onto the page rather than into my own life. That being said, I do try to challenge myself by switching things up, whether that be trying to write a novel longhand or blurring the lines of genres, etc.
Karl: Something off-topic. I'm not going to ask ask about your name, since I saw you'd covered it on your site - no doubt a question you got tired of! So instead, music. Lead guitar, or rhythm, or both? Do you sing and play? What style and songs? I'm still a beginner in many ways (my nemesis is the F chord, well named; or maybe having to stretch my fingers across 5 mid-neck frets for Revolution by the Beatles). So: any guitar or general music tip, something that you wished you'd known and might help me or others?
The Behrg: Ah, the name thing! :) It is an odd one and yes, I wrote a blog article about the decision, but no one's EVER asked me about playing music, so kudos for the original question. I picked up the guitar when I was fourteen after a rock-climbing accident where I shattered my femur bone two weeks before summer vacation began. With nothing to do but watch endless loops of The Price Is Right, it was a great way for me to invest my time and has become a huge part of who I am. Funny how the tragedies in life often carry us down paths we would have otherwise never ventured. I've played in various different groups from wedding bands to originals, and at one point even had a production contract that came close to "making it," I suppose. I'm a big believer that everyone should play a musical instrument. It's like learning a second language - it expands your mind, gives you an opportunity to lose yourself in something creative, and is a far more productive use of time than playing some absurd app on your phone. As far as advice, I'd just say play the music you love. Stick with it because it does get easier. Don't be afraid of making mistakes or changing what someone else has written in the way you play it. That's the beauty of music, is that it's never finished. Never complete. It's always a work in progress. The same could be said of writing, to some degree.
Karl: I agree so much. I wish I'd started learning years ago. Actually I did have a few lessons as a kid (guitar and violin) but didn't enjoy it. I only started to understand the pleasure when I began making music with friends. Now one of my favourite evenings is when we get together and have a crack at playing songs - one drummer, me on lead guitar, one singer, and a fourth either playing bass, keyboard, or tambourine. It's social, it's creative, and we laugh a lot. I have sometimes altered and simplified songs to bring them down to my skill level, so I'm glad I needn't feel too bad about that. In fact, I'm tempted to go do some finger picking practice now. Thanks for your time!
May 15, 2016
Review: HOUSEBROKEN by The Bergh
When I was a kid, I was scared of a lot of irrational things; my constant consumption of horror fiction, "true supernatural," and B-grade horror films I'm sure didn't help. Then I grew up and switched my focus to serial killers, both fictional and real, and to studying the psychology of human nature. Now at my advanced age, I don't worry about axe murderers or serial killers lurking in the hedges; other than asteroids, meteors, and EMP' s, my one remaining phobia is home invasion. Then I decide to read HOUSEBROKEN, a novel whose villains make Dick Hickock and Perry Smith (1959 murderers of the Cutter family in Kansas, immortalized in the non-fiction novel IN COLD BLOOD) look like avatars of Mary Poppins. Despite the truly and persistently terrifying focus, I couldn't stop reading--I was compelled to keep turning those pages. [and I'm still terrified]. HOUSEBROKEN is, incredibly, a debut novel, and what a novel it is. Just don't read at night, if you are alone. I did--.
When I was a kid, I was scared of a lot of irrational things; my constant consumption of horror fiction, "true supernatural," and B-grade horror films I'm sure didn't help. Then I grew up and switched my focus to serial killers, both fictional and real, and to studying the psychology of human nature. Now at my advanced age, I don't worry about axe murderers or serial killers lurking in the hedges; other than asteroids, meteors, and EMP' s, my one remaining phobia is home invasion. Then I decide to read HOUSEBROKEN, a novel whose villains make Dick Hickock and Perry Smith (1959 murderers of the Cutter family in Kansas, immortalized in the non-fiction novel IN COLD BLOOD) look like avatars of Mary Poppins. Despite the truly and persistently terrifying focus, I couldn't stop reading--I was compelled to keep turning those pages. [and I'm still terrified]. HOUSEBROKEN is, incredibly, a debut novel, and what a novel it is. Just don't read at night, if you are alone. I did--.
July 20, 2015
Many thanks to Maxine for a free copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.
So quite an entertaining read. Like other reviews this reads like a film and is jam packed with violence, torture, tension and twists and turns. Keeps you turning the page though for me it dragged a wee bit in the middle, like there was just a little too much packed into it which made it lose a bit of its shock value, however the story did pick up again towards the end. Whilst I get the driver of the book, it relied heavily on naivety and unconditional commitment to family and I think it could have become really interesting if games of mistrust were explored between each of the family characters (more suspense rather than just action). The back story definitely had scope to set this up and think it still could have have played out to the end. However all in all, definitely would recommend as a a great holiday read if you are wanting to dip into an action packed ride far from the mundane routine of the day to day ...four stars :).
So quite an entertaining read. Like other reviews this reads like a film and is jam packed with violence, torture, tension and twists and turns. Keeps you turning the page though for me it dragged a wee bit in the middle, like there was just a little too much packed into it which made it lose a bit of its shock value, however the story did pick up again towards the end. Whilst I get the driver of the book, it relied heavily on naivety and unconditional commitment to family and I think it could have become really interesting if games of mistrust were explored between each of the family characters (more suspense rather than just action). The back story definitely had scope to set this up and think it still could have have played out to the end. However all in all, definitely would recommend as a a great holiday read if you are wanting to dip into an action packed ride far from the mundane routine of the day to day ...four stars :).
February 1, 2016
WOW!! This is definitely probably 1 of the best books I've read this year definitely in my top 10 list & definitely one of my favorites now. There was sooo much action & suspense & twists & turns!! IMO there wasn't a dull moment in the book & it keep you on the edge of your seat mouth open the whole time. The characters were great & very believable. The story is just intense & scary & as the book goes on the more detail it gets into. There are so many twists & turns that it makes you want to go back instantly & read through it again to see certain things & understand certain parts a little more. The last few chapters & ending is just wild the things that go on & happen. This book was a very good read & i will definitely be picking up more books from this author. If you like a horror book that has crime & suspense & is just a roller coaster going down faster & faster with "wtf's" & "OMG" moments than definitely pick this up you will love it guaranteed!!
July 22, 2015
Blake Crochet is a successful business consultant who has just moved to Malibu and is about to start a new job when his family is held by a couple of interlopers in their own home, who are brutal and violent. However, it's not clear what these men want and Blake has to do as he is told if he doesn't want his wife, Jenna and son, Adam harmed.
Fast-paced and full of action this mystery thriller kept me glued to its pages until the early hours of the morning. There are twists and turns you won't see coming but there are also some diabolical scenes that will stay with you after you have finished this hugely chilling read.
Fast-paced and full of action this mystery thriller kept me glued to its pages until the early hours of the morning. There are twists and turns you won't see coming but there are also some diabolical scenes that will stay with you after you have finished this hugely chilling read.
August 2, 2015
Housebroken is a gets you thinking thriller. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The characters were written with such depth that you had sympathy for Blake's family. This book takes you through every family's worst nightmare with numerous psychological twists and turns. A great read.
June 8, 2016
Finished reading: May 31st 2016
"I guess in the end our lives are nothing more than dates and numbers on a scrap of paper," Joje said. "All that blank space on the page? The details of our lives between the numbers? No one remembers that. They're just locked up in some forgotten vault."
*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***
P.S. Find more of my reviews here.
July 22, 2015
Another new author to me .. another author to watch for in the future.
A family is taken hostage in their own home. But there is no ransom to be demanded. The hostage takers have their own agenda and the family will soon learn that no matter what .. there are always consequences for your actions .. or inactions.
First ... the good things. It started out really good! Made me want to forget everything I had scheduled and just sit and read. (which I did). And then it kind of bogged down for me temporarily.
One of the antagonists talks with a lisp .. and to be honest, it annoyed me after the first 5 minutes. I had to overlook what was being said and wait for the author to translate.
Another thing that I had a problem with ... I am not a techie! I do not have a smart phone. I do not have a lap top. So I found myself skipping through the boring (to me) spots when discussing his new PWOJECT.
The storyline itself was good ... creepy good. Makes me wonder what's running through the author's mind. :-)
I did not like the characters ... they had no redeeming qualities as far as I could see. It takes a good author to breathe life into characters that are so filled with flaws and issues and attitudes that it is impossible to see them in a good light.
I would give it 3.5 stars ... much better than a 3, but not reaching that 4th star for me.
I received a free copy from the author and his publicist in exchange for an honest review.
A family is taken hostage in their own home. But there is no ransom to be demanded. The hostage takers have their own agenda and the family will soon learn that no matter what .. there are always consequences for your actions .. or inactions.
First ... the good things. It started out really good! Made me want to forget everything I had scheduled and just sit and read. (which I did). And then it kind of bogged down for me temporarily.
One of the antagonists talks with a lisp .. and to be honest, it annoyed me after the first 5 minutes. I had to overlook what was being said and wait for the author to translate.
Another thing that I had a problem with ... I am not a techie! I do not have a smart phone. I do not have a lap top. So I found myself skipping through the boring (to me) spots when discussing his new PWOJECT.
The storyline itself was good ... creepy good. Makes me wonder what's running through the author's mind. :-)
I did not like the characters ... they had no redeeming qualities as far as I could see. It takes a good author to breathe life into characters that are so filled with flaws and issues and attitudes that it is impossible to see them in a good light.
I would give it 3.5 stars ... much better than a 3, but not reaching that 4th star for me.
I received a free copy from the author and his publicist in exchange for an honest review.
July 27, 2015
This is not a book I would normally have picked up but was intrigued by the synopsis. Day one and 30%+ through speaks for itself. I have to confess I cried at one point- there are a few scenes not for the feint hearted. So well described that nothing is left in doubt. That said this is a beguiling book. The characters are a little thin in the beginning but develop as the plot develops and it hooks you in from the start. There are twists and turns that you don’t see coming and I found it hard to put down.
I am always a stickler for a good ending and this had a good one- with a final twist.
A recommended read for a crime book with a difference.
I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for a review.
I am always a stickler for a good ending and this had a good one- with a final twist.
A recommended read for a crime book with a difference.
I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for a review.
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