"As twisty as it is heartfelt!" THE SAME HOUSE is perfect for fans of John Marrs's KEEP IT IN THE FAMILY and Freida McFadden's THE HOUSEMAID!
Eight Houses. Eight Years. One Brewing Storm...
Following a traumatic break-in, single dad, Andrew Walters will do anything to keep his son, Thomas, safe. (Not excluding moving into a new house...every single year.)
This year, the two of them are moving into the house on Buena Vista Boulevard where the schools are great, the neighbors are kind, and all signs point to a great year ahead. Only, they discover the biggest storm of the year is expected to arrive at the end of their first week. As Thomas and Andrew prepare for the worst, strange things begin occurring in the home--chairs moving on their own, homework disappearing, and a teddy bear that wants to be Thomas's new mother?
Will Andrew and Thomas survive the week, or will the storm they've spent the last eight years running from finally catch up to them?
Cody Wayne Morris is an administrator in medical education by day, but by night, he's onstage performing in local theater, writing chilling tales, or enjoying TV marathons with his husband, their cat, and their corgi. Online, he shares his creative journey on YouTube as CodyTheWriter, where he posts writing vlogs, advice, and hosts live writing sprints!
I couldn’t wait to dive into this one, and I ATE IT UP. This is one of those page-turning thrillers that you will not want to stop reading. I read it in one day and went to sleep last night with my thriller heart so satisfied.
This is the story of Andrew and Thomas and their life of moving from house to house. I don’t want to give too much away because this is definitely a story that is better experienced without knowing too much going in.
This is the perfect spooky season read. It made me want to curl up under a cozy blanket, shut everything else out, and keep reading until I finished. It has spooky vibes, twists I did not see coming, and more than one moment that made me say, “WHAT?!”
If you love thrillers that completely suck you in and make you not want to put them down, this one is for you. I had such a fun time reading this!
eARC • Review of advance copy received by the author.
”In a way, I think our lives are like houses. Friends and family come and go, leaving dings in the walls, tracking dirt on the floors. And it’s our job to fix what we can, and let the rest tell a story.”
This was such a good read! The way my jaw dropped at all the twists - and that ending?! LOVED IT.
The story follows Andrew and his son Thomas who due to a traumatic break-in have to move every year. Now at their last house, they start to encounter strange occurrences and a sinister object - all this while a storm is approaching.
This was evocative and even emotional which is uncommon for a thriller. The fact that these things can and do happen makes the story even more eerie.
This story delivers a powerful truth: houses aren't merely pieces of real estate. They often serve as horror movie starter packs sprinkled with existential dread. Take that charming Victorian, for instance; chances are it’s haunted. If you're in the mood for some spine-tingling neighborhood drama wrapped in a creepy house narrative, this is the perfect pick. And let's just take a moment to appreciate the chilling cover! You can feel the mystery, isolation, and danger just by looking at it.
The story unfolds in six parts, presented through multiple points of view: Andrew, Thomas, Emily, Sandra, and Noah. It begins innocently enough. If you know me, I skip reading blurbs. We meet Andrew, a single dad who craves control over his life, and his son, Thomas, who loves his dad yet feels a nagging loneliness due to their yearly relocations. Each year, Andrew insists on relocating after a break-in, believing it's the best way to ensure Thomas's safety. At such a young age, Thomas is remarkably mature, learning not to get too attached to places or people because another move is always on the horizon. However, when he discovers an old teddy bear, he becomes deeply attached, and that's when the strangeness in the house begins to unfold.
I can personally relate to this story. As a military family, we often move, and those relationships rarely last. By the time you finally settle in, it’s time to pack up and leave again. Moving every three years is tough enough; I can’t imagine doing it every year. It’s not a lifestyle suited for everyone, and it certainly gets lonely, as the repetitive cycle of starting over takes its toll. I strongly empathized with Thomas, as I could feel his struggles in my heart and bones.
The author masterfully sets the mood, painting this home as ordinary while hiding extraordinary secrets. The story takes an eerie turn swiftly, with horror lurking beneath the surface, signaling that things will shift from normal to sinister in no time. I managed to anticipate several twists early on, but that didn’t detract from my overall enjoyment. I found myself eagerly awaiting the final twist, knowing that many elements were in play but unsure of their true connections.
This narrative builds at a slow pace, but when it reaches the climax, it's a whirlwind experience that leaves you reeling! The ending is unexpected and bizarre, and I absolutely loved it! So, if you’re in the mood for something eerie, suspenseful, and tense this spooky season, don’t hesitate to pick this one up! It invites you to explore secrets and lies, grief, hidden lives, and domestic unease while making you feel as though someone is watching you the entire time. Every house has its story, and some of those tales should remain locked away, as not everyone can handle the skeletons lurking in the basement or attic. Ha!
Available on Kindle Unlimited.
Thank you, Cody, for the gifted DRC copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Summary: Following a traumatic event 8 years ago where he had to protect his son against an intruder, Andrew does not stay in one house more than a year. 8 houses later, the current house seems to be perfect - apart from odd happenings such as doors opening, chairs mysteriously ending up on tables and a teddy bear that promises his son a new mother...
Review: This is a very clever book, I did not see those twists coming! It came together brilliantly, and made me feel all the emotions! On top of this, there is a spooky, tense atmosphere that builds throughout the book, which makes it really hard to put the book down! Really good book, recommend this a lot!
This book follows Andrew and his son Thomas who moves every year due to a traumatic break in. In there new home a sinister object and some strange occurrences start happening all the while a storm is heading towards them. You'll have to read to find out more. The twists in this book, I never saw coming. This was such a fast paced page turner for me. The sinister object truly is what made this book stand out in the psychological horror genre for me. This thriller truly shocked me everytime you thought you had it figured out the author would yank the curtain to reveal you were entirely wrong the whole time. If you love a fast paced thriller thats unique with characters who show emotional depth then this is the read for you. Highly Recommend!
**4.5 out of 5 stars*** The Same House by Cody Wayne Morris is an absolute must-read for psychological thriller fans. If you love lightning-fast pacing and endings that completely reshape the story, this book will keep you reading late into the night.The story follows a single father, Andrew, and his ten-year-old son, Thomas, who move to a new house every single year to escape the trauma of a past home invasion. When they settle into their eighth house, quiet unease quickly spirals into claustrophobic dread.What makes this book stand out is its impeccable pacing. Morris expertly builds a slow-burning domestic tension that explodes into a relentless, fast-paced game of cat and mouse. The alternating perspectives between father and son add great depth, making the unfolding mystery feel deeply personal. Plus, the inclusion of a genuinely creepy, seemingly sentient teddy bear adds a fantastic layer of psychological horror.And then, there is the twist. Just when you think you have the mystery mapped out, Morris pulls the rug out from under you with a spectacular, well-earned ending that leaves your jaw on the floor.The only reason it misses a perfect 5-star rating is that the very early chapters rely on familiar thriller tropes. However, once the story breaks away into its unique, unhinged final acts, it becomes entirely its own gripping beast. Balancing dark trauma with touches of unexpected humor, this is a phenomenal, high-stakes ride. Highly recommended!Thank you to the author and BookFunnel for providing an advanced reader copy (ARC) of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Suspenseful, twisty, and emotional—a wonderful entry into the Cody Wayne Morris thriller universe! Kept having to put the book down because I was getting scared (can you tell I’m not normally a thriller reader? 😅)
Full disclosure, the author is a friend and gave me an advanced copy, but with no expectation of a review!
I read The Same House by author Cody Wayne Morris.
Moving every year, for 8 years. Different cities, counties, trying to keep his 10 year old son Thomas safe. That is what Andrew has done since ptsd has consumed him following a life changing home invasion that occurred while they were at home when Thomas was only 2.
Now they have moved into a place that feels good, for this coming school year anyway. Thomas likes the house. A good school is close by. Andrew can work from home.
Thomas even found a left behind stuffed teddy bear in the closet to keep him company.
The odd noises must be from “old house settling”. And Andrew just doesn’t remember he left that light on, or that door open, or that chair not pushed in.
This weekend quite a rain and wind storm coming. Streets will likely be flooded and power may go out. What could possibly go wrong?
WTF did I just read?? What?? This is a read straight through, bunch of numbered pages that pulled me right in and kept me guessing the entire time, that’s what this was. These were some well developed characters, quick to attach to, dealing with some pretty creepy spooky stuff, that’s what this was. This was like being at an awesome concert with two curtain calls, heck yes. This was a book that when it’s made into a streaming show I’ll watch it right away but know I’ll still be saying “it was good.. but you have to read the book!”
That’s what this all was.
Ya got me. I did not see it coming. Bravo author.
Definitely recommend.
I received an advanced reader copy from the author. This is my voluntary and honest review.
This book was alot of fun. The story we are following a father and son who move into a new house, and Thomas (the son) stumbles across a teddy bear that he can't let go of. Weird disturbances are happening throughout the house that are causing Andrew, the dad to feel that something sinister is going on
This is an indie author, thank you so much for the arc, you should be sure to add this to your TBR for spooky season especially as it's quite addictive
I had the pleasure of being getting an ARC of this book! It’s a fun and easy read. I enjoyed the twists and felt like it had really good pacing. Def add to your TBR for spooky season!!
Same House invited me in from the prologue and never really let me go. The writing is beautifully immersive, the chapters are short, and the pacing made this incredibly easy to devour; I finished it in a day.
I connected with Andrew almost immediately. Beneath everything unsettling happening around him is a father carrying an enormous amount of responsibility, pain, and fear while trying desperately to protect his son. His love and devotion to Thomas give the story an emotional weight I wasn’t expecting, and that became one of my favorite aspects of the book.
The dual POV between Andrew and Thomas was especially well done. Moving from a father’s complicated adult perspective into Thomas’s childhood innocence and humor gave the story such an interesting contrast. And when additional perspectives began appearing...well, that’s where I’m going to stop talking. There are discoveries here that are much better experienced without warning.
And the eeriness? So good. There’s a creeping wrongness woven throughout the house that genuinely made my skin crawl. Every strange occurrence, reaction, and new piece of information had me reconsidering what I thought was happening. I formed my theories. I felt pretty confident about them.
I was completely wrong.
The final stretch gave me several genuine WHAT?! moments, and that ending was an absolute head spinner. I love when a story manages to take everything I’ve assumed, turn it sideways, and somehow land somewhere even better than I imagined.
Emotional, raw, creepy, clever, and completely mind bending. Same House surprised me in the best possible way, and I absolutely loved it.
Thank you to the author for the incredible opportunity to read this ahead of its release.
** eArc Read ** A definite page-turner! The paranormal mystery/thriller elements were woven throughout the entire story, and I constantly found myself wanting to keep reading between I needed answers. Every time I thought I was starting to figure out what waa happening, I wanted to know why it was happening and how everything was going to come together.
This book delivers a creative and unpredictable plot that grabs your attention from the very beginning. Just when you think you know what’s going to happen, the twist changes everything! The story keeps the suspense high with nonstop attention-grabbers, shocking surprises, and unexpected turns that make it difficult to put down. Each chapter adds something new, keeping the reader curious about what will happen next. Overall, it’s an exciting and cleverly written story that keeps you guessing until the very end.
This book hooked me within the first few pages. It has so many twists and turns; it is creepy. It is a fantastic read.
Thank you so much, Cody Wayne Morris, for the opportunity to read your book for an honest review.
This book is about a father and son who move eight times in eight years after an incident occurs. It is told from the POVs of Andrew, the father, and Thomas, the son.
After Andrew and Thomas move into a new house, Thomas finds a creepy teddy bear. Soon, objects start moving and strange noises echo through the home. It will keep you guessing until the end!
I read it in one sitting start to finish in a few hours. I feel like August has been a great month for me and my reading journey. 🖤
Andrew and Thomas have moved 8 times over 8 years after an incident that took place one night. Andrew’s realtor has found a perfect home for them each year, and the new house is no different.
Upon move in, Thomas finds a creepy teddy bear in his closet. Weird things start to happen in the new house with doors opening themselves, lights being left on, furniture moving, and more.
This novel had my attention from the start, and I did not anticipate the major twist once it hit. My jaw was on the floor. And I find dolls and stuffed animals at this point so creepy.
Release Date: September 29th, 2026
Thank you to the author Cody Wayne Morris for the opportunity to read this eARC for an honest review!
A father and son who move every year, a creepy teddy bear, things move in the house when no one is there, and I suspect the father did something to his wife many year ago and add in a slimey real estate agent for some comedy.
Those were my thoughts after the first few chapters and I was hooked! The story is told from Andrew, the father, and Thomas, the son’s POV. We know Andrew loves his son and will do anything to protect him but we don’t know anything about his past. The story is fast paced and makes you double think everything. A fabulous book!!
The Thomas POV absolutely made this book for me. I loved his character, and every time we were in his perspective I was completely hooked.
There were definitely characters I side eyed from the beginning, and the dad annoyed me almost immediately 😂 but the actual reveal? Did NOT see it coming. At all. And considering how many thrillers I read and how often I convince myself I've figured everything out, that is always a massive win.
The atmosphere was genuinely unsettling too. Not “thriller scary.” Actually scary. There were moments where I was reading thinking, why am I doing this to myself?! 😂
And that ending had me in an absolute chokehold.
This is one of those books that gave me the very specific author feeling of: damn, I wish I'd written this.
Dark, creepy, unpredictable and ridiculously hard to put down. An easy 4.5 stars from me.
eARC Review of Advanced Copy received by author: may contain spoilers!!
3.5 ⭐️- Overall I absolutely loved the premise and found the twist pretty unique and unpredictable. This was a quick read with an easy flowing writing style and definitely a great choice for thriller readers!
Things that kept me from rating higher:
a handful of consistency/feasibility errors that I felt stole my attention (probably more than they should have 😅) the main one being the sheer amount of things that a stressed out, exhausted father was able to complete in an hour’s time
Some ideas were a very solid concept but didn’t develop as fully as I felt they could have or should have and I felt that the story would have been just as good without the paranormal elements.
If it hadn’t have been expressly written that the child is 10, I would have assumed them to be much younger given the dialogue and personality.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend to those who love mysteries and thrillers.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Andrew and his son Thomas never live in the same house for more than 1 year. They bounce around California to different rental houses and after 365 days, it’s off to the next one. Andrew will do anything to protect his son like he has had to before.
Soon after moving into the most recent house on Buena Vista Blvd, Andrew and Thomas begin noticing strange things happening in their house - noises, lights turned on when they shouldn’t be, the laptop open when it was shut closed, doors standing wide open after they’ve been locked, just to name a few.
With a huge impending storm about to hit, all of the strange happenings in the new house take a turn for the worse.
Okay, this book was so close to a perfect thriller for me! The spooky vibes associated with haunted houses were giving me anxiety and I said wtf?! out loud quite a few times reading this one. There is also a deeper storyline intertwined in the haunted house plot line that builds the entire book and reveals itself wonderfully after all of the suspense. The author’s chosen ending was honestly perfect to me - and how many times can you say that about a thriller?
The book is a dual POV between Andrew and Thomas and Thomas’s POV was the star of the show. I have a few small complaints about minor character reactions to certain events that held back my last 0.25 of a star, but I was really impressed with this spooky, psychological thriller. This book is also only 265 pages and I read it in two days, what more can you ask for? Pick this one up!
What an outstanding debut novel!! It was a wild ride that never slowed down. I repeatedly asked myself what the heck is going on!!??!!?? I never saw the twist coming! And what a shocking ending!!! It is perfect for spooky season with the haunting eerie vibes! You’ll be guessing up until the very end!! Bravo 👏🏻
So happy I got to read this before publish date!! Took me less than a day to read. Could not put it down. The father moves his son 8 times in 8 years to protect him, to keep him safe. Is this house haunted? Who is the black figure in the shadows? This book had my mouth drop a couple of times and the twists were great.
How far would you go to protect your child? Andrew moves his son once a year to keep him safe, but when the house starts making him question his sanity, he questions if this was the right house to move his son to. Following Andrews story as a storm rolls in, you start to question, is the house haunted? Or is Andrew genuinely loosing his mind? I can 100% say I did not see the plot twists coming! This book is easy to follow and hard to put down! 5 stars ⭐️. If you like fast paced thrillers this book is for you. Can’t wait until it’s released to have my friends read it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
The Same House is a story about Andrew and his son Thomas. 8 years before, there was a break in that ended in Andrew killing a man to protect his son. Ever since then, he has moved them around every year praying it keeps them safe. This year, the house they move to will bring the past back to haunt them. Such a good book that has lots of mystery elements and twists that keep you trying to figure out the end. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Wow! "The Same House" was such a good book! After a traumatic break-in, Thomas begins to move him and his son every year to a new house in a new neighborhood. This year, what starts looking like their dream house becomes a nightmare with all the strange things that occur. The unexpected twists that this book took had my jaw on the floor!
I won this book from Goodreads. I would like to thank the author and Goodreads for the opportunity to read this book.
Eight different houses in eight years? That's the extreme that single father Andrew takes in protecting his son. Andrew’s wife died giving birth. Two years later he almost lost his son Thomas. Eight years have passed, and they're now settling into their new home, but some strange things are going on. Thomas finds an old teddy bear in the closet, which surprises him by speaking. There's a “bad man" in the attic, plus your typical haunted house things: bangs and moving furniture.
Despite all this, the absolutely best part of this book is the ending. Just when you think you know who the bad guys are - think again! The Same House by Cody Wayne Morris is a five-star read you won't want to miss.
Thank you to the author and goodreads giveaways for an ARC kindle edition of this book. I enjoyed this quick read and can see the similarities to Frieda McFadden’s writing style. I did guess the twist, but still was fully engaged till the end as I needed to know how it unfolded. I think this author has a ton of potential and hope he keeps writing.
I received an eARC of The Same House as an advance copy from the author.
I really enjoyed this one! It had such a creepy, unsettling feeling that kept me wanting to know what was really going on. The mystery and slow-building tension pulled me in, and I loved trying to figure things out along the way. Definitely a page-turner for me!
We meet Andrew, a loving father who is very protective of his son Thomas. So protective that he moves every single year. The new house they move into has great schools, great neighborhood, and even a neighbor whom Andrew is OK with being friendly with. She also is the owner of the house they are renting. Over the course of a week, strange things start happening in the house, and Thomas is not acting like himself. Why do they move so much? Is Andrew hiding something....is it about to catch up to him?
With creepy vibes and twists that actually make sense. I loved this book, and I have a feeling you will too.