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The Housemate
Not yet published
Expected 13 Apr 27A cozy horror following a young woman on the heels of a major breakup who finds the perfect flatshare—only to discover there’s an unwanted tenant haunting the building who will stop at nothing to reclaim the house for herself.
Becks had forgotten how much she hated apartment-hunting. After years of living with her picture-perfect girlfriend in their picture-perfect flat, Becks is single again and far too old for the couch-surfing of her early twenties. The flatshare in the Peckham Victorian on Windrush Avenue seems perfect; it’s basically in her budget, and, most importantly, it’s a room of her own free from her ex’s disapproving gaze. Plus, her new flatmates seem Cress is the sort of glamorous straight girl Becks would have had a crisis over in middle school, and Niall buys Becks a pint on FIFA nights. And then there’s Jamie—shockingly nice, charming Jamie—with his long, black hair and taut, muscular forearms.
The new apartment offers Becks the fresh start she’s been craving, but she can’t help but feel as though there’s something…off about her new digs. She chalks up her pre-sleep paralysis to late-onset night terrors, but it’s harder to explain away the frigid cold and the weird, scratching noises that seem to be coming from the boarded-up fireplace in her bedroom. And then, there are the splotches of black mold on the wall that look an awful lot like handprints…
Turns out, there’s a bit of a problem with the previous tenants. Broke and dealing with an unsympathetic landlord, Becks and Jamie must push aside their fears—and their growing feelings for each other—to take down the vengeful spirit haunting their apartment before it’s too late.
Swoony and scary in equal measure, The Housemate is a page-turning, spine-tingling read, where the only thing scarier than a cursed apartment is the looming deadline of next month’s rent.
Becks had forgotten how much she hated apartment-hunting. After years of living with her picture-perfect girlfriend in their picture-perfect flat, Becks is single again and far too old for the couch-surfing of her early twenties. The flatshare in the Peckham Victorian on Windrush Avenue seems perfect; it’s basically in her budget, and, most importantly, it’s a room of her own free from her ex’s disapproving gaze. Plus, her new flatmates seem Cress is the sort of glamorous straight girl Becks would have had a crisis over in middle school, and Niall buys Becks a pint on FIFA nights. And then there’s Jamie—shockingly nice, charming Jamie—with his long, black hair and taut, muscular forearms.
The new apartment offers Becks the fresh start she’s been craving, but she can’t help but feel as though there’s something…off about her new digs. She chalks up her pre-sleep paralysis to late-onset night terrors, but it’s harder to explain away the frigid cold and the weird, scratching noises that seem to be coming from the boarded-up fireplace in her bedroom. And then, there are the splotches of black mold on the wall that look an awful lot like handprints…
Turns out, there’s a bit of a problem with the previous tenants. Broke and dealing with an unsympathetic landlord, Becks and Jamie must push aside their fears—and their growing feelings for each other—to take down the vengeful spirit haunting their apartment before it’s too late.
Swoony and scary in equal measure, The Housemate is a page-turning, spine-tingling read, where the only thing scarier than a cursed apartment is the looming deadline of next month’s rent.
Kindle Edition
Expected publication April 13, 2027
About the author
J.J.A. Harwood
5 books341 followersJJA Harwood is an author, editor and blogger. She grew up in Norfolk, read History at the University of Warwick and eventually found her way to London, which is still something of a shock for somebody used to so many fields.
When not writing, she can be found learning languages, cooking with more enthusiasm than skill, wandering off into clearly haunted houses and making friends with stray cats. THE SHADOW IN THE GLASS is her debut novel.
When not writing, she can be found learning languages, cooking with more enthusiasm than skill, wandering off into clearly haunted houses and making friends with stray cats. THE SHADOW IN THE GLASS is her debut novel.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
There’s something so special about a book that can make you feel completely at home while simultaneously making you question every strange noise coming from the other room.
The Housemate was such an unexpectedly fun read. It perfectly balances the cozy with the creepy, giving you a haunting that genuinely keeps you on edge while still leaving plenty of room for a swoony romance and the messy reality of starting over.
I really loved Becks as a protagonist. She’s entering a completely different chapter of her life after a breakup, and watching her navigate that uncertainty while trying to create a new sense of home for herself made her journey feel incredibly relatable. Her new flat is supposed to be a fresh start, but between the strange noises, unexplained cold, and something very clearly lurking within the walls… it quickly becomes anything but peaceful.
The horror elements were one of my favorite parts. There’s an unsettling quality woven throughout the story that made me want to keep turning the pages, but it never overwhelmed the more intimate parts of the book. Instead, the haunting becomes part of a larger story about home, belonging, grief, and what happens when you refuse to let the past dictate your future.
And then there’s Jamie. 🫠 The chemistry between him and Becks added exactly the right amount of warmth to all the spooky moments. Their relationship develops naturally, and I loved watching their growing feelings complicate an already very complicated situation.
What makes The Housemate stand out is how effortlessly it blends genres. It’s spooky without being relentlessly scary, romantic without losing its edge, and cozy without feeling predictable.
If you’re looking for a book that feels like a rainy night, an old Victorian flat, questionable noises behind the walls, and a romance you’ll be rooting for, add this one to your fall TBR.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½
Perfect for readers who love:
👻 Cozy horror
🏠 Haunted houses & creepy old buildings
💕 Slow-burn romance
🔥 Forced proximity
💔 Fresh starts after heartbreak
🫶 Finding home in unexpected places
✨ Spooky atmosphere with plenty of heart
The Housemate was such an unexpectedly fun read. It perfectly balances the cozy with the creepy, giving you a haunting that genuinely keeps you on edge while still leaving plenty of room for a swoony romance and the messy reality of starting over.
I really loved Becks as a protagonist. She’s entering a completely different chapter of her life after a breakup, and watching her navigate that uncertainty while trying to create a new sense of home for herself made her journey feel incredibly relatable. Her new flat is supposed to be a fresh start, but between the strange noises, unexplained cold, and something very clearly lurking within the walls… it quickly becomes anything but peaceful.
The horror elements were one of my favorite parts. There’s an unsettling quality woven throughout the story that made me want to keep turning the pages, but it never overwhelmed the more intimate parts of the book. Instead, the haunting becomes part of a larger story about home, belonging, grief, and what happens when you refuse to let the past dictate your future.
And then there’s Jamie. 🫠 The chemistry between him and Becks added exactly the right amount of warmth to all the spooky moments. Their relationship develops naturally, and I loved watching their growing feelings complicate an already very complicated situation.
What makes The Housemate stand out is how effortlessly it blends genres. It’s spooky without being relentlessly scary, romantic without losing its edge, and cozy without feeling predictable.
If you’re looking for a book that feels like a rainy night, an old Victorian flat, questionable noises behind the walls, and a romance you’ll be rooting for, add this one to your fall TBR.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½
Perfect for readers who love:
👻 Cozy horror
🏠 Haunted houses & creepy old buildings
💕 Slow-burn romance
🔥 Forced proximity
💔 Fresh starts after heartbreak
🫶 Finding home in unexpected places
✨ Spooky atmosphere with plenty of heart
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
**Thank you to Harper Perennial for gifting me a free eARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.**
This book had all the ingredients for a perfect ghost story and boy did it deliver!
The prose is descriptive and works perfectly to set the scene of the haunted house (which almost becomes a character in and of itself), the development of the ghost lore is well paced and leaves you eagerly turning pages. And if all this wasn’t enough? This is one of the best endings I’ve read in a long, long time.
You’re hooked in with the promise of a mystery slash ghost story, and somehow delivered all of that plus a cozy found family side plot on a silver platter. To be quite honest, romance plots involving men don’t normally do anything for me, but I didn’t mind the straight presenting (bi for bi) romance at all in this story. The relationship was well developed, justified, and added to the story perfectly. This is a testament to JJA Harwood’s stellar character writing. Each character introduced in this book felt so unique and real and I wanted to be in the flat right along with them (before the ghost shenanigans started). While this portion of the book and the roommate characters really brought the homey, cozy vibes, JJA is also great at developing characters in the unsettling opposite direction. Every time Becks interacted with Tori I felt my skin crawl, Tori’s abusive behavior and gaslighting dialogue was almost more terrifying than the ghostly activity.
The ending, though? JJA, you’ve outdone yourself, I love every bit of this. Absolute perfection.
At risk of inadvertently spoiling the whole book by yammering on about the clever twist ending for too long—it’s the perfect pay off for what is already an incredibly strong book. I absolutely love when shitty men get what’s coming to them. I believe in women’s rights AND wrongs.
What a cool book. JJA Harwood has made a reader out of me forever. Definitely worth a read if you’re a horror fan!
This book had all the ingredients for a perfect ghost story and boy did it deliver!
The prose is descriptive and works perfectly to set the scene of the haunted house (which almost becomes a character in and of itself), the development of the ghost lore is well paced and leaves you eagerly turning pages. And if all this wasn’t enough? This is one of the best endings I’ve read in a long, long time.
You’re hooked in with the promise of a mystery slash ghost story, and somehow delivered all of that plus a cozy found family side plot on a silver platter. To be quite honest, romance plots involving men don’t normally do anything for me, but I didn’t mind the straight presenting (bi for bi) romance at all in this story. The relationship was well developed, justified, and added to the story perfectly. This is a testament to JJA Harwood’s stellar character writing. Each character introduced in this book felt so unique and real and I wanted to be in the flat right along with them (before the ghost shenanigans started). While this portion of the book and the roommate characters really brought the homey, cozy vibes, JJA is also great at developing characters in the unsettling opposite direction. Every time Becks interacted with Tori I felt my skin crawl, Tori’s abusive behavior and gaslighting dialogue was almost more terrifying than the ghostly activity.
The ending, though? JJA, you’ve outdone yourself, I love every bit of this. Absolute perfection.
At risk of inadvertently spoiling the whole book by yammering on about the clever twist ending for too long—it’s the perfect pay off for what is already an incredibly strong book. I absolutely love when shitty men get what’s coming to them. I believe in women’s rights AND wrongs.
What a cool book. JJA Harwood has made a reader out of me forever. Definitely worth a read if you’re a horror fan!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley, J.J.A Harwood, and Harper Perennial for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Oh, I had such a good time with The Housemate! This was my first book by J.J.A. Harwood, and it absolutely will not be my last.
After a breakup leaves Becky needing somewhere to live, she moves into a house that hasn’t been occupied in decades. A sealed basement, windows painted shut, strange noises coming from inside the walls, mysterious mold that refuses to disappear, and a fireplace hiding something it definitely shouldn’t…Uhmmm yes, please! I was immediately invested.
What I loved most was the atmosphere. The house feels like a character of its own, and as Becky and her housemates begin experiencing the same unexplained noises, odors, cold drafts, and increasingly creepy occurrences, I couldn’t wait to find out what was actually happening. And Danny, the property manager….
There are some genuinely eerie and haunting moments, but I also loved the unexpected humor sprinkled throughout. It gave the story personality without taking away from the creepy atmosphere. The mystery surrounding Violet, the history of the house, and even whether they were living at the address they thought they were living at kept adding new layers to the story.
This was exactly my kind of haunted-house read: creepy, mysterious, atmospheric, a little funny, and filled with enough “WHAT is happening in this house?!” moments to keep me turning the pages. I highly recommend adding this to your TBR if you love a great haunted-house read!
J.J.A. Harwood is a new-to-me author, and after The Housemate, I can’t wait to read more of their work!
Oh, I had such a good time with The Housemate! This was my first book by J.J.A. Harwood, and it absolutely will not be my last.
After a breakup leaves Becky needing somewhere to live, she moves into a house that hasn’t been occupied in decades. A sealed basement, windows painted shut, strange noises coming from inside the walls, mysterious mold that refuses to disappear, and a fireplace hiding something it definitely shouldn’t…Uhmmm yes, please! I was immediately invested.
What I loved most was the atmosphere. The house feels like a character of its own, and as Becky and her housemates begin experiencing the same unexplained noises, odors, cold drafts, and increasingly creepy occurrences, I couldn’t wait to find out what was actually happening. And Danny, the property manager….
There are some genuinely eerie and haunting moments, but I also loved the unexpected humor sprinkled throughout. It gave the story personality without taking away from the creepy atmosphere. The mystery surrounding Violet, the history of the house, and even whether they were living at the address they thought they were living at kept adding new layers to the story.
This was exactly my kind of haunted-house read: creepy, mysterious, atmospheric, a little funny, and filled with enough “WHAT is happening in this house?!” moments to keep me turning the pages. I highly recommend adding this to your TBR if you love a great haunted-house read!
J.J.A. Harwood is a new-to-me author, and after The Housemate, I can’t wait to read more of their work!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I loved this book. It’s not easy to incorporate a romance into a horror, but Harwood does it with elegance. Harwood also has a knack for descriptions and the way they described the paranormal effects on the house was *chefs kiss*.
Becks needs out: of her suffocating relationship, of her financial struggles, and of being forced to be someone she is not. When she finally leaves her ex-girlfriend of six years, she is not only leaving a relationship, but any financial stability she previously had. The little money Beck’s has goes into a flat share with three other roommates in an old, but modernized Victorian house. But quickly things go downhill. There is scratching in the fireplace, a crushing physical presence on her chest when the lights are out, and a rotting odor penetrating the house. And why are there dark hand prints around the fireplace? What is trying to get in?
I had such a good time with this one. I felt so panicked because of Beck’s financial situation. I think this really showed the entrapment one can experience when renting as well the power that landlords can have over tenants. The romance in the novel was not rushed and didn’t overshadow the story at all, but added to it. The writing is so atmospheric and I felt like I was there experiencing the horror.
Thank you, Netgalley and Harper Perennial and Paperbacks , for an E-Arc of The Housemate in exchange for an honest review!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Pub Date: Apr 13 2027
Becks needs out: of her suffocating relationship, of her financial struggles, and of being forced to be someone she is not. When she finally leaves her ex-girlfriend of six years, she is not only leaving a relationship, but any financial stability she previously had. The little money Beck’s has goes into a flat share with three other roommates in an old, but modernized Victorian house. But quickly things go downhill. There is scratching in the fireplace, a crushing physical presence on her chest when the lights are out, and a rotting odor penetrating the house. And why are there dark hand prints around the fireplace? What is trying to get in?
I had such a good time with this one. I felt so panicked because of Beck’s financial situation. I think this really showed the entrapment one can experience when renting as well the power that landlords can have over tenants. The romance in the novel was not rushed and didn’t overshadow the story at all, but added to it. The writing is so atmospheric and I felt like I was there experiencing the horror.
Thank you, Netgalley and Harper Perennial and Paperbacks , for an E-Arc of The Housemate in exchange for an honest review!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Pub Date: Apr 13 2027
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The Housemate is exactly the kind of cozy horror I love. A breakup, a new flat, questionable roommates, a little romance, and oh yeah, a pissed-off ghost living in the walls. What could possibly go wrong?
I loved watching Becks settle into her new life and slowly realize that her fresh start might not be quite as fresh as she thought. The creepy noises, the cold, the sleep paralysis, and those black mold handprints had me side-eyeing the walls.
And Jamie? Okay, I see you. The romance was just the right amount of swoony without taking away from the horror.
It’s spooky, fun, a little weird, and has that cozy haunted-house feeling that makes you want to curl up and keep reading while also thinking maybe I should not be living alone. The Housemate was such a fun read, and honestly, the idea of a cursed apartment is scary enough, but add rent prices and I’m done.
I loved watching Becks settle into her new life and slowly realize that her fresh start might not be quite as fresh as she thought. The creepy noises, the cold, the sleep paralysis, and those black mold handprints had me side-eyeing the walls.
And Jamie? Okay, I see you. The romance was just the right amount of swoony without taking away from the horror.
It’s spooky, fun, a little weird, and has that cozy haunted-house feeling that makes you want to curl up and keep reading while also thinking maybe I should not be living alone. The Housemate was such a fun read, and honestly, the idea of a cursed apartment is scary enough, but add rent prices and I’m done.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book! This book was a surprise- it’s not often a book catches you off guard with its creepy-levels, but this one did it. And I really enjoyed it! There were some really great moments of tension and anxiety in this moment that kept me both hooked and also wondering if I needed to take a break. The romance portion wasn’t fully for me but I think it was balanced out well. Overall, this was great, definitely would recommend to a friend.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was a really enjoyable and surprisingly unique read. While I found a few plot points somewhat predictable, it never took away from the experience because the story itself was engaging and well executed. The dialogue and banter between the characters felt natural, and there were multiple moments that genuinely creeped me out, I definitely found myself looking over my shoulder a time or two.
The mystery unfolded at a satisfying pace, and the atmosphere was one of the book's strongest qualities. If you enjoy haunted house stories with compelling characters and a healthy dose of suspense, this is one I'd recommend.
The mystery unfolded at a satisfying pace, and the atmosphere was one of the book's strongest qualities. If you enjoy haunted house stories with compelling characters and a healthy dose of suspense, this is one I'd recommend.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Netgalley for the arc review!
I enjoyed this one quite a bit! It was a fun, almost cozy like, thriller that kept me intrigued and entertained all throughout the book.
A great read for sure!
I enjoyed this one quite a bit! It was a fun, almost cozy like, thriller that kept me intrigued and entertained all throughout the book.
A great read for sure!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Spooky, creative fun!!! My only critique is the fact that the author used the phrase ‘caught in the back of my throat’ every two or three pages and I’m not kidding.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews