The House That Eats the Dead

by Max Doty

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.

Genres: Horror, Thriller, Paranormal, Haunted House, Fiction, Adult, Audiobook

Hardcover

First published August 18, 2026

About the author

Max 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.

Reviews

[Ricarda · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Ashley O'Donnell · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ Finally - A Goosebumps for adults. For better and worse, horror as a genre has grown up in recent years. Writers are now restricted with the content they can create - no longer can a horror just be meaningless scares and over the top violence - horror has to be deep, thoughtful and powerful.

Author Max Doty clearly didn't get that memo - this is not what a modern horror should be - it has nothing interesting to say on race, identity, gender or politics - it's not a horror that will change your perspective on anything. It's a horror that has only one purpose - to entertain you. And honestly - it succeeds.

This novel was a lot of fun - and it's something this genre has been crying out for. I could have easily read this in a day - and would have done, had I not been preoccupied with housing my partner's father for a few days (forgot he was staying - that's why I entered the bathroom without knocking - and the image of a 65 year old man using a loofah so viciously on his backside will forever haunt me.)

The novel takes a rather unique twist on the familiar haunted house premise. Instead of the usual bumps in the night - our characters are instead haunted by a home that quite literally eats and devours everything that crosses its path - including inanimate objects and people. The story is as far-fetched as they come, it's incredibly silly and ridiculous - but still, so entertaining.

Credit to the author, Max Doty has made this a very accessible and easy read - it's incredibly well written and fast paced from start to finish.

While I respect horrors that require patience and I do enjoy horrors that talk about difficult subject matters - it is such a welcoming relief to just read a story that requires little brain power. It felt nice to just switch off and enjoy (and momentarily made me forget about my possible future father in law violating that loofah - I don't even own a loofah - what kind of psychopath plans an overnight stay and brings a loofah?)

I think a 4 star rating is fair, and deserving. ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ I'm not going to pretend it's a classic horror story or one of this year's best novels, because it ain't. 
It has a few minor negative qualities - some people may be left frustrated with the story having a couple of plot holes. Other readers may wish that there was more depth with the characters who are honestly written a bit thin.

But for readers looking for an escape from reality and an escape from real world issues - this book ticks all the boxes. It's fun and it's one story that you can get lost in - and what better way to pass a few hours. I highly recommend it. ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

[Holly Hearts Books · Rating 1 out of 5]

The dog died. I knew it was going to happen but it pissed me off so happy 1 star.

[The Pastel Bookshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5⭐️

[DianaRose · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

firstly, thank you to the publisher for an arc!

minus a couple of stars because of the trigger warning/spoiler alert below so don’t read unless you want to know!

i enjoyed continuing my spooky tbr as i race against the spooky season clock... and max doty's the house that eats the dead was the perfect addition to my spooky reads.

this haunted house novel follows a family that moves into their dream home, only for them to discover that it hides an insatiable hunger... it starts off with our fmc clarie believing that her husband and children are playing pranks on her after they move into their beautiful new home: favorite stuffed animals go missing, brand new cold cults and cheeses and snacks are eaten as soon as they are put on the counter, things that claire can brush off as forgetful or silly. but claire begins to suspect something is up and conducts tests with the house she is slowly realizing is sentient.

i had my suspicions about how this horror novel would end, and my idea was slightly different from doty’s ending.

overall, this was a great haunted house novel, minus some of the unnecessary cruelties i list in my spoiler below, so beware if you don’t want to be spoiled.

i also listened to the audiobook and the narrator did a great job!


SPOILER — the dog dies and in my opinion, it was completely unnecessary and cruel. claire’s nephew also dies, and her and her husband feed it to the house; i thought this was also extremely cruel to do to her sister and children.

[Mya Joan Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed The House That Eats the Dead by Max Doty. It’s the kind of eerie, imaginative horror story that pulls you in quickly and keeps you curious about what might be hiding inside that unsettling house. I loved the strange, creeping atmosphere and the feeling that the house itself had a sinister personality.

I especially liked how the story slowly reveals its mysteries. The tension builds in a way that made it hard for me to stop reading, and I kept wanting to know what disturbing thing might happen next. The imagery is vivid and eerie, making the house feel like a living, breathing place filled with dark history.

I do wish a few parts had gone a little deeper, especially with some of the characters, but I still found the story incredibly entertaining and unique. I finished it feeling impressed by how imaginative and unsettling the concept was.

If you enjoy inventive haunted house stories with a creepy vibe and plenty of intrigue, I definitely recommend giving this one a try. It’s a fun, chilling read!

[Laura · Rating 4.25 out of 5]

this is the spooky version of Monster House. I loved it.

[Lady MacDeath 🌒🌕🌘 · Rating 4 out of 5]

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

[Logana · Rating 2.75 out of 5]

Książka została zakwalifikowana jako horror, a to sprawia, że mam problem z oceną książki. Dla mnie był to thriller psychologiczny, oparty na tematyce zjawisk paranormalnych. Główną bohaterką jest Cla­ire, żona prawnika, matka dwójki dzieci. Rodzina wprowadza się do wymarzonego starego domu na wzgórzu, w sąsiedztwie luksusowych posiadłości. Od początku dzieją się dziwne rzeczy, znikają przedmioty — ciastka, miś, kartony. Szybko okazuje się, że dom zjada wszystko, co organiczne, a to, co zostaje pochłonięte, znika z ludzkiej pamięci, jakby nigdy nie istniało. Jedynie prawni właściciele domu mają świadomość, co się dzieje, jednak ta świadomość wpływa na ich psychikę, zmienia ich charakter, postrzeganie świata, priorytety, poczucie moralności i etyki.
"Teraz miesz­ka­li­śmy w Domu Przy­pusz­czeń. W Domu Nie­pa­mię­ci."

Nie jest to krwawa historia, w której trup ściele się gęsto. Powieść nie wywołała dreszczyku niepokoju, nie wspominając już o silniejszych emocjach. Fabuła płynie w statecznym tempie, nieco się dłuży. Najbardziej niepokojące jest to, co siedzi w ludziach i jak daleko mogą się posunąć, gdy wiedzą, że nie czekają ich żadne konsekwencje, "tak jakby wska­zów­ka prze­su­nę­ła się z „dla­cze­go?” na „dla­cze­go nie?”."

Chi­me­rycz­na Cla­ire, jak ją w dzieciństwie nazywała siostra, nie potrzebowała żadnej motywacji. W niej to siedziało od zawsze, a dom wybierał takich mieszkańców. Zaczęła traktować dom jak pupila. Karmiła go, tresowała, dbała o niego. Kochała. Brzmi dziwnie? No właśnie... Personifikacja domu, nielogiczne zachowania mieszkańców były ciężkie do przyswojenia. Sama Cla­ire podejrzewa, że traci rozum, nie może pojąć, jak to się stało, że dzieciom ktoś wyczyścił pamięć, a mimo wszystko rodzina tkwi w domu i uważa go za najwspanialszy. Claire przechodzi przez głowę, że powinni się wyprowadzić, ale nadal jedynie rozpakowuje rzeczy ze stosów po kartonach, które zostały zjedzone.
"Sama nie wiem dla­cze­go, ale nie mo­głam prze­stać się roz­pa­ko­wy­wać, choć już zde­cy­do­wa­li­śmy, że się wy­pro­wa­dzi­my. Pro­duk­tyw­ność za­wsze była moją ulu­bio­ną me­to­dą walki z eg­zy­sten­cjal­nym lę­kiem."

Niemniej książka jest napisana przyjemnym stylem. Mogę jedynie poradzić, żeby dać się porwać nieskomplikowanej historii bez analizowania zachowania domu i bohaterów.

[Gabby · Rating 2.5 out of 5]

I heard this being described as Goosebumps for adults, which really intrigued me because I loved those books when I was a kid. And while I do see the comparisons, this just didn't work for me. I thought the beginning was interesting and creepy and set up a great atmosphere with this spooky house. But then after 100 pages, I started to lose interest as it became obvious what was happening and things got explained more. It ended up being really cheesy, and I just didn't love the direction the story went in. I never really felt connected to any of the characters either. This kind of reminded me of Santa Clarita Diet, but far less interesting lol. (love that show)

[Crystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

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

[Nikki Lee (Nikkileethrillseeker) · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to Bantam and NetGalley for the gifted copies.

Amazing buddy read with Thrillerbrews

[Em · Rating 5 out of 5]

THTETD is the most original approach to haunted house themed horror genre novels that I have ever read. I am so impressed with this author. The book is a perfect blend of mystery, mayhem, and magically crafted horror that is subtle yet so potent that even now I can still hear the sounds of mastication, grinding, slurping...a monstrous feeding. The prose itself is so confident and self assured that it sucks readers right in. I loved the voice of the main protagonist, an artistic housewife and mother of two who once upon a time had been known as Chaos Claire. She is believably written and extremely likable. Most of the humor/comic relief comes through her perspective. I wish I had a bit more time to write a review that could do this novel justice--I simply cannot recommend it enough. The author has pulled off something completely unique here, and a lesser talent could not have done so. The premise--that the house consumes, sucks away, and tidies anything that isn't living--could so easily have been too riddled with sentiment and pathetic fallacy to have worked. Instead, the author carefully tempered his diction such that it is almost scientific in places, and the tones he employed balance smoothly. At no point, did I have the rest of the storyline figured out. The plot remained constantly surprising and engaging. And the imagery is so vivid that I will probably see it return again and again in my nightmares. This is simply a wonderfully well written book.

Trigger Warning: If you have recently lost a dog, you may want to put reading this one on hold for a few.

[Rebecca]

thanks 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***

[Stay · Rating 4 out of 5]

“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.

[Gareth Is Haunted · Rating 4 out of 5]

An Original, Slow-Burn Nightmare That Trades Cheap Jumpscares for Real Dread.

Instead of relying on the standard ghostly apparitions or restless spirits, the narrative introduces a far more unsettling concept: what if the physical house itself is the entity doing the haunting?

What really anchors this book is the character work. The narrative succeeds because each member of the family is so exceptionally well-drawn; you genuinely care about their survival when the world around them begins to unravel.
While the prose feels a bit mundane in certain stretches, the grounded, unpretentious writing ultimately works in the book's favour. Instead of trying to constantly woo the reader with over-the-top, spectacular horror, Doty relies on a realistic tone that makes the escalating nightmare far easier to connect with—and much harder to put down.

[Steph ✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this one. It gave me similar vibes that The Place Where They Buried Your Hearts by Christina Henry did.

[Ginny · Rating 4.25 out of 5]

“The house that eats the dead”…well it does exactly that.

Claire moves with her family in a new house and quickly realises that something is off. Food keeps disappearing, there are weird warm spots throughout the house and she keeps hearing scratching noises. As she is slowly settling in, she discovers, that things are not only disappearing, but are completely erased from existence.

The sentient house felt like a wild animal, that Claire tries to tame. Yes it’s hungry, yes it eats the dead but it’s also helpful (when it feels like it). It was kind of wholesome seeing Claire form a bond with the house.
The different members of the family all had their own quirks and struggles. I loved seeing how they interacted with each other and the house.

While I loved it for the most part, there are some questions left unanswered. I wished we learned more about the history of the house.

[Shae Bentley · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Steven · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Randi Himes · Rating 4.75 out of 5]

What the helly?!?

After a rough childhood, Claire seems to finally have the life she could only dream about : the perfect children, the big-time lawyer husband, and now, the home of their dreams... or maybe nightmares? Can you imagine moving into a sprawling suburban mansion, only to find out that it eats the dead? Literally consumes them, then erases them from memory? Where do you draw the line between basic clean-up and playing God?

This was so far from a "basic" haunted house story. So unique and intriguing! As I made my way through this fast-paced horror, I was waiting to see who took advantage of the gifts in the worst way. How Doty developed the characters, as well as the "ground rules" of the house, was amazing; he had me asking myself, a house really can't eat people... right? Because after this, I'm not fully convinced they can't. Great read!


Thank you to Bantam Publishing and NetGalley for the advanced copy, in exchange for an honest review
Publication Date : August 18, 2026

[liv stormborn ʚɞ · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

’We were living in the House of Maybe, now, the House of Forgetting’

The House That Eats the Dead is a haunted house horror following artist and stay-at-home-mum Claire, her husband Tom, and their two children Derek and Grace, after they move into their new home. What initially seems like the perfect place to continue raising their family quickly becomes sinister after they discover that the house is alive and always hungry, consuming whatever dead, organic matter it can find.

What I enjoyed the most about this story, was the way in which the titular haunted house was as much of a character as the actual human-beings residing inside it. It was not haunted by a ghost, a spirit, or a poltergeist, but instead was its own creature with its own personality and desires. It is such a unique take on what is an incredibly oversaturated genre, and made for some truly unsettling moments.

The characters were engaging, even if I can’t say I truly liked any of them. Both Claire and Tom were incredibly flawed characters, and I struggled to root for either of them throughout the story (particularly Tom - why must all husbands in horror be useless?). I think the exploration of how living in a house with such ‘gifts’ effected them in different ways was interesting, but I wish I had seen more of both of them developing a relationship with it, rather than everything centring on Claire and her relationship with the house. I found Claire’s relationship with her sister Amy to be the best in the book, but I am truly baffled by how quick Amy was to forgive Claire for her appalling actions and decision-making.

Overall, The House That Eats the Dead was a fun, fast-paced read that I did have fun with - I only wish its characters had been handled better. 3.5/5 stars rounded down to 3/5 stars for Netgalley, and Waterstones.

thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review! <3

[Liana Gold]

A 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

[Krissi · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for providing a e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to take someone or something that caused such grief in your life and feed them/it to a demented/hungry house that will completely devour it and make you forget they/it ever existed? No? Well welcome to this book. Though the ending was a little predictable once a certain element came to light, the plot was still interesting enough to keep you engaged and wanting to know more. I just wish the author could have delved more into the history of the house, but overall a decent read!

[Dr CG · Rating 5 out of 5]

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!

[Aleena · Rating 5 out of 5]

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!

[Lea · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 ⭐️ First off thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this eARC of the book. I didn't realize this had already been released by the time I got it. So it was right up my alley...what's not to love about a house that eats things...literally. Set in the burbs of San Francisco area a family moves into a house and things start disappearing and the kids have no recollection of it ever existing. The only people who remember are the mom and dad. There is some disturbing imagery and devastating moments so maybe check your trigger warnings. There's paranormal activity/haunted house situations, murder, pet death, child death, loss, grief, memory loss, eerie vibes, and more. Yeah I would recommend this especially with spooky season starting. This released 8/18/26.

[Ashley Sawyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

《4.5⭐️ rounded up to 5⭐️》

The whole concept of a house that literally eats anything that was once alive is creepy enough, but watching Claire slowly realize what her new home is capable of made this such a fun and unsettling read. What starts as a fresh beginning for Claire and her family quickly turns into something much darker as flowers disappear, eggs are found hollow, and things begin vanishing without a trace.

I really enjoyed watching Claire’s relationship with the house develop, especially as she starts to realize its hunger can actually be useful. But of course, nothing this strange comes without a price, and the more the house wants, the more unsettling everything becomes!

Weird, atmospheric, disturbing, and definitely not the kind of haunted house story I was expecting! If you like horror with bizarre premises and a house that is basically its own character, this one is worth checking out!

Thank you to NetGalley, Max Doty and Ballantine for this eARC!

[Rene Allen-Alonge · Rating 3 out of 5]

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.