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The House That Eats the Dead
Win a free print copy of this book!
12 days and 11:19:42
25 copies available
U.S. only
A family moves into their dream home—only to discover that it hides an insatiable hunger—in this dread-laced and darkly outrageous domestic horror novel.
The new house is a fresh start for Claire and her family. It's a move away from the cityscape of a declining San Francisco and towards the quiet suburban life she has craved since her turbulent childhood; a step up the corporate ladder for her husband, Tom; and a safe haven for their two children.
Yet as they unpack their boxes, she senses something is wrong. Fresh flowers dry up, store-bought eggs are inexplicably hollow, and her daughter's favorite toy disappears. Claire soon confronts a series of impossible The house is hungry. It's devouring anything that was once alive. And only Claire and Tom, the owners of the house, will remember that this "food" ever existed.
When Claire exploits the house's power in a moment of weakness, she and the house forge a fragile bond. But as its hunger intensifies and Claire loses control, she fears who else might be drawn to her home—and what sinister appetites they’ll bring.
The new house is a fresh start for Claire and her family. It's a move away from the cityscape of a declining San Francisco and towards the quiet suburban life she has craved since her turbulent childhood; a step up the corporate ladder for her husband, Tom; and a safe haven for their two children.
Yet as they unpack their boxes, she senses something is wrong. Fresh flowers dry up, store-bought eggs are inexplicably hollow, and her daughter's favorite toy disappears. Claire soon confronts a series of impossible The house is hungry. It's devouring anything that was once alive. And only Claire and Tom, the owners of the house, will remember that this "food" ever existed.
When Claire exploits the house's power in a moment of weakness, she and the house forge a fragile bond. But as its hunger intensifies and Claire loses control, she fears who else might be drawn to her home—and what sinister appetites they’ll bring.
Hardcover
First published August 18, 2026
About the author
Max Doty
6 books88 followersMax Doty is a veteran game-writer who served as the Head of Content for Choices: Stories You Play and Surviving High School for which he also wrote two spin-off novels. His screenplay “Almost Kings” won Netflix’s inaugural “Find Your Voice” award and was made into a feature film.
Max regularly contributes to reddit’s NoSleep forum as scarymaxx, where his works often appear at the top of the charts.
He holds a BA and an MA from Stanford University as well as an MFA from Arizona State University.
His debut horror novel The House that Eats the Dead will be published by Tor Nightfire in the UK and by Bantam in the US in August 2026.
Max regularly contributes to reddit’s NoSleep forum as scarymaxx, where his works often appear at the top of the charts.
He holds a BA and an MA from Stanford University as well as an MFA from Arizona State University.
His debut horror novel The House that Eats the Dead will be published by Tor Nightfire in the UK and by Bantam in the US in August 2026.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 650 reviews
September 12, 2026
I'm a sucker for a sentient house story and this one did indeed check all my boxes. Because even though this is a horror novel with the house eating dead things and emitting a creepy vibe in general, it was actually kind of wholesome to me. Plenty of people died, but still. It all starts when Claire and Tom buy a new house and move in with their two children. It's expensive and not exactly their dream home, but it's huge and located in a safe neighborhood. But the safe and quiet life is not meant to be, because the house just has one too many quirks. The temperature is strange throughout, there are plenty of unknown scratching noises, food goes bad very quickly and random things keep disappearing. And by disappearing I mean that they are erased from the memory of everyone except for Claire and Tom, the new owners of the house. Of course they are freaked out and try to sell the house again almost immediately after they moved in, but they soon realize that it's very handy to own a house that makes dead things disappear without a trace. The house was very dear to me. It was just a hungry little guy, gobbling up whatever it could find without ever hurting anyone. It was hilarious to me when Claire started to train it like a dog and I wish the story would have fully embraced the wackadoodleness of it all. Instead the tone was kind of all-over-the-place. We went from fun to tragedy in an instant and these huge emotional moments never really hit the way that they were supposed to. Life-altering tragedies would happen and then they were fast-forwarded and everyone moved on immediately. I was so upset about the animal death for instance, but Claire as the main character felt quite emotionless in moments like this one to me. But maybe that's what happens when you live in a reality-altering house that's the solution to all your problems. Things got quite tense in the end and I was closely watching the family unravel bit by bit. Or should I say bite by bite? All the characters lost themselves with every object and memory that the house was eating, and it was interesting to see what would be left of them in the end. I was thoroughly entertained while reading this book and I would definitely recommend it if you're looking for a fast-paced, unusual horror thriller.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine / Bantam for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine / Bantam for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.
August 18, 2026
The dog died. I knew it was going to happen but it pissed me off so happy 1 star.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 13, 2026
This book was bizarre, creepy, addictive, and a helluva lot of fun.
Claire, Tom, and their two kids, Derek and Grace, move into a house, which has basically “chosen” them. A big, beautiful house, which has simply fallen into their laps, with a price tag, too good to be true. Things soon start disappearing…food brought that day, is getting gobbled up, and any drink or food left on a glass or plate, or fallen crumbs on the floor immediately start to disappear before their very eyes…it’s as though the house is hungry!!! Things eventually take a sinister turn, and the family start to change, becoming shadows of their former selves.
I really enjoyed this and would have finished it a lot sooner, but life gets busy and got in the way. I love the relationship between the “house” and Claire, who tries to train the house to suit her needs, and eventually forms a close bond. It all sounds crazy written down, but you will understand more, when you start reading it. It’s an unusual haunted house story, because the house really wants to look after it’s family, and receive the same in return. This is quite a difficult book to review, compared to others, but I loved the house, though I wouldn’t have gone as far as Claire and Tom to satisfy its hunger!!
4 ⭐️
Thanks to Max Doty, Bantam, and NetGalley, for providing me with this free ARC, with which I leave a voluntary review.
Available: 18 August 2026
Claire, Tom, and their two kids, Derek and Grace, move into a house, which has basically “chosen” them. A big, beautiful house, which has simply fallen into their laps, with a price tag, too good to be true. Things soon start disappearing…food brought that day, is getting gobbled up, and any drink or food left on a glass or plate, or fallen crumbs on the floor immediately start to disappear before their very eyes…it’s as though the house is hungry!!! Things eventually take a sinister turn, and the family start to change, becoming shadows of their former selves.
I really enjoyed this and would have finished it a lot sooner, but life gets busy and got in the way. I love the relationship between the “house” and Claire, who tries to train the house to suit her needs, and eventually forms a close bond. It all sounds crazy written down, but you will understand more, when you start reading it. It’s an unusual haunted house story, because the house really wants to look after it’s family, and receive the same in return. This is quite a difficult book to review, compared to others, but I loved the house, though I wouldn’t have gone as far as Claire and Tom to satisfy its hunger!!
4 ⭐️
Thanks to Max Doty, Bantam, and NetGalley, for providing me with this free ARC, with which I leave a voluntary review.
Available: 18 August 2026
September 16, 2026
Not particularly scary for horror. An interesting read. I still have questions that I wish had been answered. Like what the heck the symbols were in the walls? Why was the house sentient in the first place? Annnnd (this happens close to the beginning so I don't consider it a spoiler) was it really necessary to kill the dog and have the house eat it? Poor doggo.
April 22, 2026
Claire and her family leave their urban condo life in San Francisco for a quieter life in the suburbs when they find a steal (of course, in the Bay Area, a “steal” still comes with a $4.5 million price tag) on a large, older home that seems perfect.
Everyone will have more space with a yard for her daughter to play in and a basement that her teenage son can use as a game room.
Shortly after moving in, the family realizes that things seem off.
Food and boxes disappear, food that was just prepared tastes spoiled, and the house is always immaculately clean, without a crumb or speck of dust anywhere.
I will admit that I don’t read a ton of horror, but this really didn’t feel like horror to me.
There were no gory details or scenes that may make one consider going to sleep with the lights on.
In fact, a couple of scenes kind of reminded me of the Netflix series The Santa Clarita Diet (if you’ve seen that show, you know that despite being categorized as horror, it isn’t scary at all).
So if horror isn’t typically your thing, don’t let that deter you from this one.
This book almost feels like it should be in its own category.
Not quite horror in the traditional sense, and despite a suspenseful ending, I wouldn’t call it a thriller either.
What I would call it is a very unique and fun read!
There was no part of this book where I was getting bored, or felt like things slowed down.
The pace was perfect from beginning to end.
It was interesting to see the personality and human qualities in something that is typically known to be an inanimate object.
The book also poses an ethical dilemma:
If you could kill someone, and with absolute certainty know that your house would destroy the evidence and erase the memory from everyone else’s minds (i.e., you’d definitely get away with it), would it alter your moral compass?
And would you use it for personal gain, as a way to help others, or neither?
I thoroughly enjoyed this and hope that Max Doty continues to write books like this!
Thanks to Ballentine Books for providing me with an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
Pub Date: August 18, 2026
Everyone will have more space with a yard for her daughter to play in and a basement that her teenage son can use as a game room.
Shortly after moving in, the family realizes that things seem off.
Food and boxes disappear, food that was just prepared tastes spoiled, and the house is always immaculately clean, without a crumb or speck of dust anywhere.
I will admit that I don’t read a ton of horror, but this really didn’t feel like horror to me.
There were no gory details or scenes that may make one consider going to sleep with the lights on.
In fact, a couple of scenes kind of reminded me of the Netflix series The Santa Clarita Diet (if you’ve seen that show, you know that despite being categorized as horror, it isn’t scary at all).
So if horror isn’t typically your thing, don’t let that deter you from this one.
This book almost feels like it should be in its own category.
Not quite horror in the traditional sense, and despite a suspenseful ending, I wouldn’t call it a thriller either.
What I would call it is a very unique and fun read!
There was no part of this book where I was getting bored, or felt like things slowed down.
The pace was perfect from beginning to end.
It was interesting to see the personality and human qualities in something that is typically known to be an inanimate object.
The book also poses an ethical dilemma:
If you could kill someone, and with absolute certainty know that your house would destroy the evidence and erase the memory from everyone else’s minds (i.e., you’d definitely get away with it), would it alter your moral compass?
And would you use it for personal gain, as a way to help others, or neither?
I thoroughly enjoyed this and hope that Max Doty continues to write books like this!
Thanks to Ballentine Books for providing me with an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
Pub Date: August 18, 2026
Want to Read
July 16, 2026thanks to Bantam & NetGalley for access to this ARC
***unfortunately my time with the arc ran out so I'll have to return to this one later***
***unfortunately my time with the arc ran out so I'll have to return to this one later***
July 24, 2026
“Can we at least open some wine?” he asked. “Well, yeah,” I said. “I’m not a monster.”
This book fell into my lap at a weird moment. I’m currently in the process of buying a property and now this is all I can think about. Maybe it’s haunted or likes to eat flesh. There’s no way to really tell until you move in…
I’m a little surprised something like this hasn’t been released before, so I was shocked when I started reading this and the most bizarre scenarios kept popping up. Parts were very creepy, while other parts were totally bizarre and it made this a really good read. You never knew what was around the corner, all you knew was that it was going to be good and maybe a little weird. Weird is always better in my book.
This book fell into my lap at a weird moment. I’m currently in the process of buying a property and now this is all I can think about. Maybe it’s haunted or likes to eat flesh. There’s no way to really tell until you move in…
I’m a little surprised something like this hasn’t been released before, so I was shocked when I started reading this and the most bizarre scenarios kept popping up. Parts were very creepy, while other parts were totally bizarre and it made this a really good read. You never knew what was around the corner, all you knew was that it was going to be good and maybe a little weird. Weird is always better in my book.
August 17, 2026
Pub Week Review
Huge thanks to @bantambooks for my gifted copy!!! Extremely grateful to have read it with @thrillerbrews!!!
Let me preface this by saying this was nothing like I expected at all. I mean, I read the synopsis a long time ago, but I didn’t remember once I picked it up. I thought it would be a traditional haunted house story. Nope!
A family of four has finally gotten out of San Francisco and headed for the suburbs. The house is a huge Victorian home. 4,000 ft.2. It’s over 100 years old. They all love it!
What they weren’t prepared for was its insatiable hunger. The Victorian has swallowed some deep dark secrets and they’re about to find out.
You will fall in love with this family. Each member has their own quirks and personalities. His character development is incredible! I felt drawn to everyone, with the exception of one character. @thrillerbrews and I couldn’t stop discussing our own theories.
Ultimately, the story asks one very important question. If you could choose to have traumatic memories removed….. an example… your father dies. But, the memory of him dies also…. Would you do it?
The House That Eats The Dead is truly about family and the memories we create with them. And just how savage you will go to protect the ones you love.
Guys, we both loved this book and hope you will too. Doty’s writing is spectacular! This is also available in hardback in the UK.
4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Huge thanks to @bantambooks for my gifted copy!!! Extremely grateful to have read it with @thrillerbrews!!!
Let me preface this by saying this was nothing like I expected at all. I mean, I read the synopsis a long time ago, but I didn’t remember once I picked it up. I thought it would be a traditional haunted house story. Nope!
A family of four has finally gotten out of San Francisco and headed for the suburbs. The house is a huge Victorian home. 4,000 ft.2. It’s over 100 years old. They all love it!
What they weren’t prepared for was its insatiable hunger. The Victorian has swallowed some deep dark secrets and they’re about to find out.
You will fall in love with this family. Each member has their own quirks and personalities. His character development is incredible! I felt drawn to everyone, with the exception of one character. @thrillerbrews and I couldn’t stop discussing our own theories.
Ultimately, the story asks one very important question. If you could choose to have traumatic memories removed….. an example… your father dies. But, the memory of him dies also…. Would you do it?
The House That Eats The Dead is truly about family and the memories we create with them. And just how savage you will go to protect the ones you love.
Guys, we both loved this book and hope you will too. Doty’s writing is spectacular! This is also available in hardback in the UK.
4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
August 1, 2026
4.5⭐️ - Oh, this was fun! I’m ALWAYS here for an unconventional haunted house story and The House That Eats the Dead had such a strange and fascinating premise. A house that literally eats things?? I was immediately intrigued. 😆 I loved watching Claire slowly figure out what the house was capable of and how its behaviour worked, because the more she discovered, the weirder and more disturbing things became. It starts off a little slower-paced and gradually gets darker and darker, and I was completely hooked once things started to escalate!
The house itself was easily my favourite part of the story. It feels like a character in its own right and I loved that it kinda behaved like a pet dog?! 😂 There are some genuinely disturbing moments, plenty of creepy imagery and a few things that made me very uncomfortable in the best possible way.
This also had a much more emotional side than I was expecting, particularly around grief and child loss. Those parts really got to me and made the story hit much harder than I anticipated.
I listened to the audiobook and thought the audio was fantastic. It really suited the atmosphere of the story and made all the creepy and unsettling moments even better. This was a really fun, weird and original take on haunted-house horror and definitely one I’d recommend!
Thank you so much to Libro.fm and Pan Macmillan UK for the ALC.
The house itself was easily my favourite part of the story. It feels like a character in its own right and I loved that it kinda behaved like a pet dog?! 😂 There are some genuinely disturbing moments, plenty of creepy imagery and a few things that made me very uncomfortable in the best possible way.
This also had a much more emotional side than I was expecting, particularly around grief and child loss. Those parts really got to me and made the story hit much harder than I anticipated.
I listened to the audiobook and thought the audio was fantastic. It really suited the atmosphere of the story and made all the creepy and unsettling moments even better. This was a really fun, weird and original take on haunted-house horror and definitely one I’d recommend!
Thank you so much to Libro.fm and Pan Macmillan UK for the ALC.
June 28, 2026
Thanks to Netgalley and Bantam for the pre-release copy of The House That Eats the Dead by Max Doty. Below is my honest review.
I love haunted house stories, and this is definitely haunted house adjacent. After the family moves in, the weirdest things start to happen and every member of the family begins to change.
I really enjoyed watching Claire grow to understand the house and its hunger. I felt like the pacing was on point, and I felt that the revelations along the way made total sense.
There were some really sad parts, especially due to the house's influence over the world after it eats.
I had to knock off a half a star because, well, Max Doty, you know what you did (hint: there is a dog in this book.)
All in all, a fantastic story. This is the second thing I've read this year that started as a reddit serial, the other being We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer, which was also top notch. Publishers take note, there are some badass writers on reddit and you guys should be stalking subreddits like "nosleep" and finding these gems.
Highly recommended for horror fans and haunted house (or haunted house adjacent!) stories. Four and a half stars, rounded down.
I love haunted house stories, and this is definitely haunted house adjacent. After the family moves in, the weirdest things start to happen and every member of the family begins to change.
I really enjoyed watching Claire grow to understand the house and its hunger. I felt like the pacing was on point, and I felt that the revelations along the way made total sense.
There were some really sad parts, especially due to the house's influence over the world after it eats.
I had to knock off a half a star because, well, Max Doty, you know what you did (hint: there is a dog in this book.)
All in all, a fantastic story. This is the second thing I've read this year that started as a reddit serial, the other being We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer, which was also top notch. Publishers take note, there are some badass writers on reddit and you guys should be stalking subreddits like "nosleep" and finding these gems.
Highly recommended for horror fans and haunted house (or haunted house adjacent!) stories. Four and a half stars, rounded down.
Want to Read
March 17, 2026A dream home with insatiable hunger.
As you can probably tell by my recent reads, I'm in my era of domestic horror.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Ballentine and the author, Max Doty for an early ARC.
Publication date: August 18, 2026
As you can probably tell by my recent reads, I'm in my era of domestic horror.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Ballentine and the author, Max Doty for an early ARC.
Publication date: August 18, 2026
August 18, 2026
Bloody brilliant, but mostly bloody :)
The House That Eats the Dead was such a fun and unique take on the haunted house story because this wasn’t your typical haunted house—the house was actually alive.
At first, things around the house started going missing, mostly food and other organic things that would eventually expire. Weird, but not exactly terrifying. Then the family dog died, and when they brought its body into the house, it simply disappeared. What made that even creepier was that afterward, the kids didn’t remember the dog had ever existed, while the adults still did. It became clear that the house didn’t just enjoy consuming organic things…it somehow erased their history along with them.
And, of course, it didn’t stop with the dog.
Once the bodies started piling up, the family got themselves in way deeper than they ever intended, and that was where things really took off for me. There was plenty of family drama mixed in with the suspense and horror, but my favorite part was that the house itself really felt like the main character. It had its own appetites, rules, and personality, and I loved slowly learning more about what it was capable of.
This was creepy, strange, dark, and honestly just so fun. I’ve read plenty of haunted house stories, but I’d never read one quite like this.
Thank you to the author and publisher, and to #Netgalley for the chance to read this in exchange for an honest review! I loved it!
The House That Eats the Dead was such a fun and unique take on the haunted house story because this wasn’t your typical haunted house—the house was actually alive.
At first, things around the house started going missing, mostly food and other organic things that would eventually expire. Weird, but not exactly terrifying. Then the family dog died, and when they brought its body into the house, it simply disappeared. What made that even creepier was that afterward, the kids didn’t remember the dog had ever existed, while the adults still did. It became clear that the house didn’t just enjoy consuming organic things…it somehow erased their history along with them.
And, of course, it didn’t stop with the dog.
Once the bodies started piling up, the family got themselves in way deeper than they ever intended, and that was where things really took off for me. There was plenty of family drama mixed in with the suspense and horror, but my favorite part was that the house itself really felt like the main character. It had its own appetites, rules, and personality, and I loved slowly learning more about what it was capable of.
This was creepy, strange, dark, and honestly just so fun. I’ve read plenty of haunted house stories, but I’d never read one quite like this.
Thank you to the author and publisher, and to #Netgalley for the chance to read this in exchange for an honest review! I loved it!
August 31, 2026
This was a lot of fun!
I’m always a sucker for unconventional haunted house horror, like The September House, and this one absolutely hit the spot. The premise is so unique and intriguing, and I completely ate this one up.
I didn’t care all that much about the human characters (maybe except Derek, because he’s a cool dude and a good son), but I loved following Claire as she slowly figures out the house and, essentially, “trains” it.
And honestly, who wouldn’t want a spotless house that behaves sort of like a dog?
Overall, a solid 4.5 stars, rounded up to 5 for me!
I’m always a sucker for unconventional haunted house horror, like The September House, and this one absolutely hit the spot. The premise is so unique and intriguing, and I completely ate this one up.
I didn’t care all that much about the human characters (maybe except Derek, because he’s a cool dude and a good son), but I loved following Claire as she slowly figures out the house and, essentially, “trains” it.
And honestly, who wouldn’t want a spotless house that behaves sort of like a dog?
Overall, a solid 4.5 stars, rounded up to 5 for me!
September 15, 2026
This book was very unique and I have never read something quite like this before. This book is a little spooky without being full on horror. This book would be great if someone wanted to try a little horror without being scared out of their mind. It was intriguing without being gross or terribly scary. It felt like a fever dream sometimes in the best possible way. I would definitely recommend.
August 11, 2026
Ohhh myyyyyy gawdd. The title and description of the book made me instantly request this novel. It was multi layered, and such a dark story. I absolutely love all of the morality questions this book poses such as “if you could erase the pain to save someone and yet they forget the memories, is it worth it? I had shivers down my body and this reminded me of the september house by carissa orlando. I couldnt stop reading this batshit story.
I was floored by the end and truly felt so seen by chaos claire.
This was spectacular, 5 ⭐️
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC, out next week!
I was floored by the end and truly felt so seen by chaos claire.
This was spectacular, 5 ⭐️
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC, out next week!
Want to Read
March 24, 2026🩸🕯️ The House That Eats the Dead by Max Doty 🕯️🩸
📖 Bookish Thoughts
I’ll be sharing my full review closer to publication date.
✨What to Expect
• Haunted house
• Suburban horror
• Family unraveling
• Psychological tension
• Morally gray MCs
• Disappearing memories
_ _ _ _
📅 Pub Date: August 18, 2026
📝 Thank you to Ballantine and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.
📖 Bookish Thoughts
I’ll be sharing my full review closer to publication date.
✨What to Expect
• Haunted house
• Suburban horror
• Family unraveling
• Psychological tension
• Morally gray MCs
• Disappearing memories
_ _ _ _
📅 Pub Date: August 18, 2026
📝 Thank you to Ballantine and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.
September 4, 2026
Recommending this as a connoisseur of the haunted house subgenre (I've read over 30 of them by now).
I'll start with a con, as it's chronologically at the beginning of the book. There are 2, for me (and they are very much based on preference).
The haunted house is a 4-5 million mansion an upper-class man (a high-paying lawyer) buys. That's it, that's my irk lol. I am just tired that in this economy we are still buying mansions in fiction. The plot would not change a lot if it was a flat.
The second one is that before the action truly starts, we are witnessing this picture-perfect family for about 10 percent of the book. There are small cracks, but it took me a leap of faith to get to the interesting stuff after reading about the existential crisis of a woman who has a loving husband, 2 children, a dog, and is now contemplating whether all her luxurious life was make-believe on her part. Sorry, too poor to empathize fully.
Now to the good part! The rest of the book.
The power of the house is explored cautiously, the way people in the real world would probably do it. It reveals its secrets slowly and you never know if you are truly safe within the walls. As usual for such a closed location, we are exploring a lot not through direct action, but through emotions and dynamics inside the family.
The thing about the haunting in this house is that you can say it's modern literature. A century ago the house was unexplained=scary=evil. Here the house is a subverted monster: while living inside, characters start to form different bonds with it, depending on their traits.
The heroine tries to befriend and compromise, her husband sees it as a tool to be used to his advantage, the teenage son is too clever to succumb to the illusion that the house is not expecting a payback, and the little girl creates a game with rules that seem reasonable for a 7-year-old.
That's the best part of well-written horror: it holds up a mirror to look at the monster.
I'll start with a con, as it's chronologically at the beginning of the book. There are 2, for me (and they are very much based on preference).
The haunted house is a 4-5 million mansion an upper-class man (a high-paying lawyer) buys. That's it, that's my irk lol. I am just tired that in this economy we are still buying mansions in fiction. The plot would not change a lot if it was a flat.
The second one is that before the action truly starts, we are witnessing this picture-perfect family for about 10 percent of the book. There are small cracks, but it took me a leap of faith to get to the interesting stuff after reading about the existential crisis of a woman who has a loving husband, 2 children, a dog, and is now contemplating whether all her luxurious life was make-believe on her part. Sorry, too poor to empathize fully.
Now to the good part! The rest of the book.
The power of the house is explored cautiously, the way people in the real world would probably do it. It reveals its secrets slowly and you never know if you are truly safe within the walls. As usual for such a closed location, we are exploring a lot not through direct action, but through emotions and dynamics inside the family.
The thing about the haunting in this house is that you can say it's modern literature. A century ago the house was unexplained=scary=evil. Here the house is a subverted monster: while living inside, characters start to form different bonds with it, depending on their traits.
The heroine tries to befriend and compromise, her husband sees it as a tool to be used to his advantage, the teenage son is too clever to succumb to the illusion that the house is not expecting a payback, and the little girl creates a game with rules that seem reasonable for a 7-year-old.
That's the best part of well-written horror: it holds up a mirror to look at the monster.
Did Not Finish
August 27, 2026The concept for this book was super creative and I wanted to love it SO much...
I made it to about 50 percent and I gave up and looked up spoilers to see how it ended. It pretty much went the way I expected, which might not necessarily mean it is predictable but I felt like the path
was fairly clear.
When I did a little more research, I learned two things that made the book make much more sense:
- The author has primarily written YA
- This book was initially conceptualized on the r/no sleep board on Reddit
If you aren't familiar, r/nosleep is an online community that shares original horror stories that are intended to be written in the first person as though they were true stories. Some people may relate this to the 2010s trend of creepypasta - a genre of internet horror fiction.
I could actually see the bones of this story being wildly successful as an online thread but I don't think it had enough to sustain an entire novel.
On the plus side, I really appreciate that the author didn't bother with the tired "Nobody believes me!" trope. We know from the start that there is a weird ass house that will eat anything that used to be alive - so glad he didn't try to add a hundred pages of hand-wringing to figure that out.
I think this will actually be quite liked by many fans of the genre. I just couldn't find anyone to root for and it felt like it should have been a short story.
I made it to about 50 percent and I gave up and looked up spoilers to see how it ended. It pretty much went the way I expected, which might not necessarily mean it is predictable but I felt like the path
was fairly clear.
When I did a little more research, I learned two things that made the book make much more sense:
- The author has primarily written YA
- This book was initially conceptualized on the r/no sleep board on Reddit
If you aren't familiar, r/nosleep is an online community that shares original horror stories that are intended to be written in the first person as though they were true stories. Some people may relate this to the 2010s trend of creepypasta - a genre of internet horror fiction.
I could actually see the bones of this story being wildly successful as an online thread but I don't think it had enough to sustain an entire novel.
On the plus side, I really appreciate that the author didn't bother with the tired "Nobody believes me!" trope. We know from the start that there is a weird ass house that will eat anything that used to be alive - so glad he didn't try to add a hundred pages of hand-wringing to figure that out.
I think this will actually be quite liked by many fans of the genre. I just couldn't find anyone to root for and it felt like it should have been a short story.
August 21, 2026
If you’re looking for books to add to your Fall TBR this should absolutely be on it. It has the spooky haunted house vibe mixed with magical elements and an old lady who knows more than she is letting on which I LOVE. I’m a sucker for an ominous elderly character.
I truly loved everything about this from start to finish. I loved the fact that when Claire noticed something was wrong, Tom immediately backed her up and told her he believed her. He didn’t tell her she was crazy or gaslight her in any way. It was so nice to see a woman be believed and supported. The bar is low but man, when it’s met it is so nice 🤣.
The house itself as a character was also very likable. Even though it’s meant to be a villain, I thought of it more as a pet and I wanted the house to “win” so to say.
I didn’t feel like anything was left open at the end, it was wrapped up so nicely and so well done. This is a must read and I’ll definitely add it to my Fall reread list.
✨Vibes✨
•Monster House
•Amityville
•Encanto
I truly loved everything about this from start to finish. I loved the fact that when Claire noticed something was wrong, Tom immediately backed her up and told her he believed her. He didn’t tell her she was crazy or gaslight her in any way. It was so nice to see a woman be believed and supported. The bar is low but man, when it’s met it is so nice 🤣.
The house itself as a character was also very likable. Even though it’s meant to be a villain, I thought of it more as a pet and I wanted the house to “win” so to say.
I didn’t feel like anything was left open at the end, it was wrapped up so nicely and so well done. This is a must read and I’ll definitely add it to my Fall reread list.
✨Vibes✨
•Monster House
•Amityville
•Encanto
August 15, 2026
5 stars. 5 beautiful stars. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
THIS is how you do a twist on a haunted house story! 👏🏻
This house isn’t just haunted, it eats! Organic things. Dead things. Memories. History. It changes the people living inside it.
There’s something deeply unsettling about a house that doesn’t simply want to scare you, it wants to consume you, alter you, and erase the evidence that you ever existed in the first place. This was creepy, atmospheric, disturbing, and genuinely such a fresh take on the haunted house trope. I went into this expecting a spooky house story and got something so much stranger and more unsettling!
And yes, I’m giving it ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ even though Max Doty committed the unforgivable act of hurting my feelings by killing a dog. 😭💔
---->🚨 TRIGGER WARNING: 🚨 Chapter 6 contains a dog death. If animal death is a hard no for you, please go in knowing that ahead of time.
But despite that heartbreak… FIVE STARS.
Add this one to your TBR IMMEDIATELY!
Huge thank you to NetGalley, Max Doty and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
THIS is how you do a twist on a haunted house story! 👏🏻
This house isn’t just haunted, it eats! Organic things. Dead things. Memories. History. It changes the people living inside it.
There’s something deeply unsettling about a house that doesn’t simply want to scare you, it wants to consume you, alter you, and erase the evidence that you ever existed in the first place. This was creepy, atmospheric, disturbing, and genuinely such a fresh take on the haunted house trope. I went into this expecting a spooky house story and got something so much stranger and more unsettling!
And yes, I’m giving it ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ even though Max Doty committed the unforgivable act of hurting my feelings by killing a dog. 😭💔
---->🚨 TRIGGER WARNING: 🚨 Chapter 6 contains a dog death. If animal death is a hard no for you, please go in knowing that ahead of time.
But despite that heartbreak… FIVE STARS.
Add this one to your TBR IMMEDIATELY!
Huge thank you to NetGalley, Max Doty and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
August 29, 2026
this was so much fun
Read
April 5, 2026DNF
I really wanted to like this one because the concept is genuinely interesting, a house driven by hunger is such a strong and unsettling idea. But the pacing completely lost me.
It felt uneven in a way that made it hard to stay engaged. Some parts rushed through moments that should have mattered, while others dragged to the point where I found myself bored and disconnected. I never fully got invested in the characters or the story, and that made it difficult to keep going.
I can see the potential in the premise, but the execution just didn’t work for me.
I really wanted to like this one because the concept is genuinely interesting, a house driven by hunger is such a strong and unsettling idea. But the pacing completely lost me.
It felt uneven in a way that made it hard to stay engaged. Some parts rushed through moments that should have mattered, while others dragged to the point where I found myself bored and disconnected. I never fully got invested in the characters or the story, and that made it difficult to keep going.
I can see the potential in the premise, but the execution just didn’t work for me.
July 21, 2026
The House That Eats the Dead by Max Doty was a fantastic read and one of the more refreshing haunted house novels I've come across in quite some time. Haunted house stories can sometimes start to feel familiar after you've read enough of them, but Doty manages to take the trope in a direction that feels genuinely original while still delivering the eerie atmosphere you'd expect from the genre.
What impressed me most was how unique the central concept was. The supernatural elements are certainly strange, but they never feel random or thrown in simply for shock value. Instead, the story establishes its own rules early on and remains remarkably consistent with them. No matter how bizarre things become, everything feels grounded within the reality Doty has created. That internal logic made it easy to suspend disbelief and become fully immersed in the story.
The writing is another major strength. Doty has a style that is both engaging and confident, making it easy to settle into the world while maintaining a constant sense of unease. The pacing kept me turning the pages, and the tension built naturally without relying on cheap scares or unnecessary twists.
The characters were equally well done. They felt like real people rather than simply vehicles to move the plot from one creepy encounter to the next. I found myself invested in what happened to them, which only made the horror elements more effective. A haunted house story is always stronger when you care about the people trapped inside it, and Doty succeeds on that front.
I also appreciated that the novel embraces its weirdness without ever losing sight of the story it's trying to tell. There are plenty of unsettling and imaginative moments, but they always feel purposeful. Even when the narrative ventures into the truly strange, it remains believable because the world has been so carefully constructed. That's not an easy balance to strike, but Doty pulls it off exceptionally well.
Thank you to NetGalley, Ballantine | Bantam, and Max Doty for granting me access to a digital ARC of this title.
What impressed me most was how unique the central concept was. The supernatural elements are certainly strange, but they never feel random or thrown in simply for shock value. Instead, the story establishes its own rules early on and remains remarkably consistent with them. No matter how bizarre things become, everything feels grounded within the reality Doty has created. That internal logic made it easy to suspend disbelief and become fully immersed in the story.
The writing is another major strength. Doty has a style that is both engaging and confident, making it easy to settle into the world while maintaining a constant sense of unease. The pacing kept me turning the pages, and the tension built naturally without relying on cheap scares or unnecessary twists.
The characters were equally well done. They felt like real people rather than simply vehicles to move the plot from one creepy encounter to the next. I found myself invested in what happened to them, which only made the horror elements more effective. A haunted house story is always stronger when you care about the people trapped inside it, and Doty succeeds on that front.
I also appreciated that the novel embraces its weirdness without ever losing sight of the story it's trying to tell. There are plenty of unsettling and imaginative moments, but they always feel purposeful. Even when the narrative ventures into the truly strange, it remains believable because the world has been so carefully constructed. That's not an easy balance to strike, but Doty pulls it off exceptionally well.
Thank you to NetGalley, Ballantine | Bantam, and Max Doty for granting me access to a digital ARC of this title.
August 18, 2026
The House That Eats the Dead 5⭐️
Many thanks to Ballantine/Bantam for this gifted ARC. I throughly enjoyed it!
It’s a strange combo to need trigger warnings for dark subjects such as pet and child deaths, but also finding myself going “Awww” during other parts. I got “We Live Here Now” and Encanto vibes. This is a bizarre haunted house that fully reveals itself to new owners, Claire and Tom, and only them. The house brings out the old “Chaos Claire” after years of becoming a softened housewife/mother. I loved her character’s depth. Sometimes I pictured her as a Disney princess interacting with her magical house and other times I watched her spiral with murderous fantasies.
I liked that this wasn’t just a “woman gone crazy” book where all the characters question her mental stability. I appreciated that her husband was along for the ride and didn’t question her sanity. They both learn that feeding the house comes at a cost and plan to remain a partnership when choosing to use the house’s power, but they find themselves having differing opinions regarding the trade off.
This is a great read heading into spooky season!
Many thanks to Ballantine/Bantam for this gifted ARC. I throughly enjoyed it!
It’s a strange combo to need trigger warnings for dark subjects such as pet and child deaths, but also finding myself going “Awww” during other parts. I got “We Live Here Now” and Encanto vibes. This is a bizarre haunted house that fully reveals itself to new owners, Claire and Tom, and only them. The house brings out the old “Chaos Claire” after years of becoming a softened housewife/mother. I loved her character’s depth. Sometimes I pictured her as a Disney princess interacting with her magical house and other times I watched her spiral with murderous fantasies.
I liked that this wasn’t just a “woman gone crazy” book where all the characters question her mental stability. I appreciated that her husband was along for the ride and didn’t question her sanity. They both learn that feeding the house comes at a cost and plan to remain a partnership when choosing to use the house’s power, but they find themselves having differing opinions regarding the trade off.
This is a great read heading into spooky season!
August 20, 2026
I love a good haunted house story so I was definitely excited for this one. I enjoyed the idea of the house eating organic matter and making you forget about it and seeing how that played out throughout the story. Claire did grow on me as a character and I loved her being a badass towards the end.
I did want more from the story though and felt with the long chapters that it made the story drag at times. It also was predictable and I definitely guessed the ending early on. Also a big thing that turned me off was there was an entire chapter on a dog death, which was so unnecessary.
Overall, this one was the middle of the road for me but I do think people who enjoyed Play Nice and Best Offer Wins will like this book!
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for my ARC in exchange for my honest review!
I did want more from the story though and felt with the long chapters that it made the story drag at times. It also was predictable and I definitely guessed the ending early on. Also a big thing that turned me off was there was an entire chapter on a dog death, which was so unnecessary.
Overall, this one was the middle of the road for me but I do think people who enjoyed Play Nice and Best Offer Wins will like this book!
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for my ARC in exchange for my honest review!
July 19, 2026
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️
Format: ebook
Honestly, I wasn’t expecting to love this book as much as I did, and there were a few moments when I cringed, thinking “this might not be for me,” but I ended up finding myself reading at midnight, skipping ahead a few pages, needing time to know what happens next.
Highlights:
⭐️ The plot. Super interesting and different! I decided to read this book solely because of the premise of the plot.
⭐️ The family - Claire, Tom, Derek, & Grace. We love a good horror novel with a normal everyday family!
⭐️ Tying the house’s background with our protagonist’s background. You see Claire’s history/trauma unfold and affect her decisions as a person but also how that builds a connection with the house.
⭐️ The ending! I had my suspicions of how the book was going to wrap up, but I was completely shocked.
Pitfalls:
❌None!
Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine Books for an ARC of this book for my honest opinion and review!
Format: ebook
Honestly, I wasn’t expecting to love this book as much as I did, and there were a few moments when I cringed, thinking “this might not be for me,” but I ended up finding myself reading at midnight, skipping ahead a few pages, needing time to know what happens next.
Highlights:
⭐️ The plot. Super interesting and different! I decided to read this book solely because of the premise of the plot.
⭐️ The family - Claire, Tom, Derek, & Grace. We love a good horror novel with a normal everyday family!
⭐️ Tying the house’s background with our protagonist’s background. You see Claire’s history/trauma unfold and affect her decisions as a person but also how that builds a connection with the house.
⭐️ The ending! I had my suspicions of how the book was going to wrap up, but I was completely shocked.
Pitfalls:
❌None!
Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine Books for an ARC of this book for my honest opinion and review!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you NetGalley and Ballentine for the eARC.
After some disheartening experiences in the city, Claire and Tom manage to snag a beautiful suburban home in the suburbs, perfect for them and their two kids. Things start out normal enough, but as soon as they move in, even before they’re unpacked, strange things happen. Food disappears. Food rots immediately. Claire notices, but is she the only one seeing this? Soon enough, both Claire and Tom realize their house is not like other houses, literally. Not only that, the house… changes people.
The story is literally the title of the book. It’s a house that eats anything that is not alive, anything deemed edible. That’s terrifying of course. But at the very least the living don’t have to worry, right? Wrong, of course. Every family member begins to change in one way or another, ranging from the mild changes to the more serious ones, like Tom. The house can help you clean up, so why not take advantage of it? Feed it… say, your problems?
While the premise is super interesting and is a fresh take on haunted houses, I could not connect with the characters. My favorite character was the son, who at least seemed careful and thoughtful. He was sensible. Claire and Tom, despite being the adults, were just completely reckless and kind of insufferable. Tom especially. The way they coddle their children really stressed me out. Their dog died and they think erasing his existence is better? Okay.
I finished it but there were times where I had to put it down because I was just annoyed. Either way, glad I read it!
After some disheartening experiences in the city, Claire and Tom manage to snag a beautiful suburban home in the suburbs, perfect for them and their two kids. Things start out normal enough, but as soon as they move in, even before they’re unpacked, strange things happen. Food disappears. Food rots immediately. Claire notices, but is she the only one seeing this? Soon enough, both Claire and Tom realize their house is not like other houses, literally. Not only that, the house… changes people.
The story is literally the title of the book. It’s a house that eats anything that is not alive, anything deemed edible. That’s terrifying of course. But at the very least the living don’t have to worry, right? Wrong, of course. Every family member begins to change in one way or another, ranging from the mild changes to the more serious ones, like Tom. The house can help you clean up, so why not take advantage of it? Feed it… say, your problems?
While the premise is super interesting and is a fresh take on haunted houses, I could not connect with the characters. My favorite character was the son, who at least seemed careful and thoughtful. He was sensible. Claire and Tom, despite being the adults, were just completely reckless and kind of insufferable. Tom especially. The way they coddle their children really stressed me out. Their dog died and they think erasing his existence is better? Okay.
I finished it but there were times where I had to put it down because I was just annoyed. Either way, glad I read it!
June 8, 2026
✨✨I’m going to be thinking about this one for a bit!!!!!!!!!!!!✨✨
I really enjoyed The House That Eats the Dead!!! I was surprised this one was almost like an adult Goosebumps book in a way. In the best way! It wasn’t scary or too gory or anything like that. I think it could be appealing even to people who aren’t usually into horror. For me it has more of an off putting, unsettling, and psychological tension type of vibe. It has a very classic haunted house feel, with a twist!
Honestly there were a few parts in the middle that did drag a bit for me, but it picked back up pretty quickly. Oh and I absolutely LOVE the ending!!! I really enjoyed this one!!! This is definitely a read that brings up some interesting questions too and makes you think about it long after you’ve finished it!!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a free ebook copy in exchange for an honest review. This book is expected to be released August 18, 2026 .
I really enjoyed The House That Eats the Dead!!! I was surprised this one was almost like an adult Goosebumps book in a way. In the best way! It wasn’t scary or too gory or anything like that. I think it could be appealing even to people who aren’t usually into horror. For me it has more of an off putting, unsettling, and psychological tension type of vibe. It has a very classic haunted house feel, with a twist!
Honestly there were a few parts in the middle that did drag a bit for me, but it picked back up pretty quickly. Oh and I absolutely LOVE the ending!!! I really enjoyed this one!!! This is definitely a read that brings up some interesting questions too and makes you think about it long after you’ve finished it!!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a free ebook copy in exchange for an honest review. This book is expected to be released August 18, 2026 .
August 18, 2026
One of the Most Disturbing Books of the Year!
The House That Eats the Dead by Max Doty is one of the bleakest books I've read all year, and I mean that as a compliment. Truly, it is bleak, but there is so much heart and hope, but this book just CONNECTED FOR ME. The story follows Claire Morgan, her husband Tom, and their children Derek and Grace as they leave San Francisco behind for their dream home in the suburbs. (Think a gorgeous $4M mansion). At first, the weirdness is almost mundane: flowers dry up overnight, eggs are hollow, toys vanish, and moving boxes simply cease to exist. The house is alive. Worse, it's hungry. It devours anything that was once living, and once it feeds, only Claire and Tom remember the thing ever existed. What starts as a haunted house story quickly transforms into something far darker as Claire realizes the horrifying possibilities hidden within the house's appetite. The premise is so simple, so wickedly brilliant, that I was hooked almost immediately. This story will blow your mind!
This book is the literary equivalent of a car crash you can't stop watching (and it is a 16-car pile-up)! There are moments that are genuinely difficult to read, losses that arrive suddenly and sometimes pass with shocking speed, but that's exactly the point. Doty is writing about memory, grief, trauma, complicity, and the seductive appeal of erasing pain altogether. What if you COULD forget all the trauma that comes with loss and the compounding grief? If the weight is removed immediately, does that make it better? The horror isn't just that the house can consume the dead. It's what that power does to the people living inside it. Every terrible decision builds naturally from the last until the entire story feels like one long moral freefall. I couldn't put it down. It's nasty, heartbreaking, darkly funny, and surprisingly thoughtful all at once. By the end, I was equal parts horrified and impressed by how spectacularly it all came together. Max Doty, you sold me over, and I cannot wait to read whatever you put out next!
The House That Eats the Dead by Max Doty is one of the bleakest books I've read all year, and I mean that as a compliment. Truly, it is bleak, but there is so much heart and hope, but this book just CONNECTED FOR ME. The story follows Claire Morgan, her husband Tom, and their children Derek and Grace as they leave San Francisco behind for their dream home in the suburbs. (Think a gorgeous $4M mansion). At first, the weirdness is almost mundane: flowers dry up overnight, eggs are hollow, toys vanish, and moving boxes simply cease to exist. The house is alive. Worse, it's hungry. It devours anything that was once living, and once it feeds, only Claire and Tom remember the thing ever existed. What starts as a haunted house story quickly transforms into something far darker as Claire realizes the horrifying possibilities hidden within the house's appetite. The premise is so simple, so wickedly brilliant, that I was hooked almost immediately. This story will blow your mind!
This book is the literary equivalent of a car crash you can't stop watching (and it is a 16-car pile-up)! There are moments that are genuinely difficult to read, losses that arrive suddenly and sometimes pass with shocking speed, but that's exactly the point. Doty is writing about memory, grief, trauma, complicity, and the seductive appeal of erasing pain altogether. What if you COULD forget all the trauma that comes with loss and the compounding grief? If the weight is removed immediately, does that make it better? The horror isn't just that the house can consume the dead. It's what that power does to the people living inside it. Every terrible decision builds naturally from the last until the entire story feels like one long moral freefall. I couldn't put it down. It's nasty, heartbreaking, darkly funny, and surprisingly thoughtful all at once. By the end, I was equal parts horrified and impressed by how spectacularly it all came together. Max Doty, you sold me over, and I cannot wait to read whatever you put out next!
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