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The Dead House #1.5
The Naida Tapes
A digital short story from The Dead House author Dawn Kurtagich
There is a box. A box that should never have been discovered. And a warning beneath the lid.
This was for Kaitlyn. It was a mistake. Forget this box and leave the Isle. Don't look any further.
I'm begging you. N.C.D. 2005
After the inferno that swept through Elmbride High, claiming the lives of three teenagers and causing one student, Carly Johnson, to disappear, Naida Chounan-Dupre was locked away for the good of society.
But that wasn't the end of the story.
Because you can't play with the devil and not pay the price.
The chilling, psychological horror of The Dead House returns with never-before-seen footage of the Naida tapes.
There is a box. A box that should never have been discovered. And a warning beneath the lid.
This was for Kaitlyn. It was a mistake. Forget this box and leave the Isle. Don't look any further.
I'm begging you. N.C.D. 2005
After the inferno that swept through Elmbride High, claiming the lives of three teenagers and causing one student, Carly Johnson, to disappear, Naida Chounan-Dupre was locked away for the good of society.
But that wasn't the end of the story.
Because you can't play with the devil and not pay the price.
The chilling, psychological horror of The Dead House returns with never-before-seen footage of the Naida tapes.
119 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 1, 2016
11 people are currently reading
791 people want to read
About the author
Dawn Kurtagich
11 books1,642 followersDAWN KURTAGICH IS AN AWARD-WINNING HORROR AUTHOR.
Her debut novel, THE DEAD HOUSE, was a YALSA Top 10 Pick, An Audie Award Nominee and an Earphone Award Winner. It has been optioned for TV by Lime Productions. She is also the author of THE CREEPER MAN / AND THE TREES CREPT IN, NAIDA and TEETH IN THE MIST, and BLOOD ON THE WIND. Her adult debut novel, THE MADNESS, was pre-empted in a two book, six-figure deal and was published in August 2024. Her next adult novel, DEVIL’S THORN, was announced in 2024, another two-book, six-figure deal, forthcoming in 2025.
By the time she was eighteen, she had been to fifteen schools across two continents. The daughter of a British globe-trotter and single mother, she grew up all over the place, but her formative years were spent in Africa—on a mission, in the bush, in the city and in the desert.
She has been lucky enough to see an elephant stampede at close range, a giraffe tongue at very close range, and she once witnessed the stealing of her (and her friends’) underwear by very large, angry baboons. (This will most definitely end up in a book . . . ) While she has quite a few tales to tell about the jumping African baboon spider, she tends to save these for Halloween!
When she was sixteen, she thought she'd be an astronomer and writer at the same time, and did a month-long internship at Cambridge's prestigious Cavendish Laboratories. At the age of 25, she received a life-saving liver transplant. Her doctor’s still have no idea why her original liver (Leonard) failed. She is enjoying life with her new liver, Lucy.
She leaves her North Wales crypt after midnight during blood moons. The rest of the time she exists somewhere between mushrooms, maggots and mould.
Her debut novel, THE DEAD HOUSE, was a YALSA Top 10 Pick, An Audie Award Nominee and an Earphone Award Winner. It has been optioned for TV by Lime Productions. She is also the author of THE CREEPER MAN / AND THE TREES CREPT IN, NAIDA and TEETH IN THE MIST, and BLOOD ON THE WIND. Her adult debut novel, THE MADNESS, was pre-empted in a two book, six-figure deal and was published in August 2024. Her next adult novel, DEVIL’S THORN, was announced in 2024, another two-book, six-figure deal, forthcoming in 2025.
By the time she was eighteen, she had been to fifteen schools across two continents. The daughter of a British globe-trotter and single mother, she grew up all over the place, but her formative years were spent in Africa—on a mission, in the bush, in the city and in the desert.
She has been lucky enough to see an elephant stampede at close range, a giraffe tongue at very close range, and she once witnessed the stealing of her (and her friends’) underwear by very large, angry baboons. (This will most definitely end up in a book . . . ) While she has quite a few tales to tell about the jumping African baboon spider, she tends to save these for Halloween!
When she was sixteen, she thought she'd be an astronomer and writer at the same time, and did a month-long internship at Cambridge's prestigious Cavendish Laboratories. At the age of 25, she received a life-saving liver transplant. Her doctor’s still have no idea why her original liver (Leonard) failed. She is enjoying life with her new liver, Lucy.
She leaves her North Wales crypt after midnight during blood moons. The rest of the time she exists somewhere between mushrooms, maggots and mould.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
February 17, 2018
I feel like crying because of the ending of this book. I feel badly for Naida and what she went through. Jesus she went through so much and sacrificed so much. I mean no one will know what she did for the world and no one will remember her. Naida lost so many people and she was so brave. I loved the Novella but I think I'm super depressed because of this book. REAd Dead House!
April 7, 2019
to review tomorrow!
March 10, 2019
Actual Rating - 3.5
Feels more conclusive that the original full novel.
Feels more conclusive that the original full novel.
December 8, 2024
Mini blurb: Locked up in a high-security psychiatric hospital for conspiracy to harm, interference with a police investigation, and suspected aiding of an arsonist, 17 y.o. Naida knows she's the only thing that stands in a demon's way, and the sacrifice she's already made might not be enough to contain it...
***
If you go into this novella expecting closure about Kaitlyn/Carly, you're going to be disappointed (and it's OK - two of the reasons why The Dead House works so well are its ambiguity on the split-personality front and its potentially open ending). If you hope to be given an explanation for what Naida did after a certain ritual in the main book and to understand its ending better (though, as I said, it stays open), you're in the right place. I didn't expect the story to play out as it did, and to be more heartbreaking than horrific. Some incidents (so to speak) are a bit convenient, and since this is a very short novella, two major plot points happen offscreen or are rushed through; but if you enjoyed The Dead House, you'll find a lot to love here (including the mixed-media format).
P.S.: re.: cover: as a matter of fact, Naida has got curly hair...here we go again 🙄. Curly hair erasure...
Note: definitive review (I don't have enough to say to justify writing a full-length one later; also, due to time commitments, I've decided not to write full-length reviews anymore for short stories, novellas and anthologies, except in special cases or unless they're part of a series).
***
If you go into this novella expecting closure about Kaitlyn/Carly, you're going to be disappointed (and it's OK - two of the reasons why The Dead House works so well are its ambiguity on the split-personality front and its potentially open ending). If you hope to be given an explanation for what Naida did after a certain ritual in the main book and to understand its ending better (though, as I said, it stays open), you're in the right place. I didn't expect the story to play out as it did, and to be more heartbreaking than horrific. Some incidents (so to speak) are a bit convenient, and since this is a very short novella, two major plot points happen offscreen or are rushed through; but if you enjoyed The Dead House, you'll find a lot to love here (including the mixed-media format).
P.S.: re.: cover: as a matter of fact, Naida has got curly hair...here we go again 🙄. Curly hair erasure...
Note: definitive review (I don't have enough to say to justify writing a full-length one later; also, due to time commitments, I've decided not to write full-length reviews anymore for short stories, novellas and anthologies, except in special cases or unless they're part of a series).
September 30, 2018
What a terrible fate for Naida. I mourned for her loss, of what could have been, of what had been, mourned also for Kaitlyn, Carly, Brett, John, Haji, Scott, even loss Ari.
January 18, 2018
tw: homophobic slur, negative portrayal of mental health institutions
August 6, 2021
Rating: 4 stars
This was a sad story, not in a cry your eyes out way, just a sad story.
You can't help but feel for what Naida is going through and sympathize with her. Everything she did she tried to do for the right reasons but sometimes right and wrong aren't always so black and white.
The writing was something I loved and the story brought me back into the world of The Dead House and I enjoyed every minute of it. I honestly wish this had been a full length book in of itself instead of a short novella.
This was a sad story, not in a cry your eyes out way, just a sad story.
You can't help but feel for what Naida is going through and sympathize with her. Everything she did she tried to do for the right reasons but sometimes right and wrong aren't always so black and white.
The writing was something I loved and the story brought me back into the world of The Dead House and I enjoyed every minute of it. I honestly wish this had been a full length book in of itself instead of a short novella.
January 7, 2019
I’m not crying you’re crying
April 11, 2022
I picked this up as soon as I finished “The Dead House” and read it in basically one sitting. I’ve never felt the need to read the next book in a series right away so this is really saying something. While “The Dead House” is totally fine as a stand alone book that was wrapped up this companion novella did provide some additional answers. I did dock a star because I simply wanted more. This whole story just has me completely wrecked.
July 28, 2022
Oh, Naida. I recommend reading this as an immediate post-script to The Dead House, because even with only a few days' break in between I had to keep referring back to the original text to be sure I understood where various parts of the story occurred in relation to that timeline, but it's such a good supplement. Am also having a lot more feels about Scott and her relationship with him than I did before.
Only drawback to this is that by existing as a "digital-only" novella (BOO-URNS), it lacks the cool formatting that boosted The Dead House up to an above-average read.
Only drawback to this is that by existing as a "digital-only" novella (BOO-URNS), it lacks the cool formatting that boosted The Dead House up to an above-average read.
May 30, 2017
Not necessary
This novella was not needed as The Dead House was fine as a stand alone novel. I was bored reading it and it finished because I knew it was only a short novella.
This novella was not needed as The Dead House was fine as a stand alone novel. I was bored reading it and it finished because I knew it was only a short novella.
January 4, 2023
This novella is a follow up to The Dead House, which just so happens to be my favorite young adult horror. It is because of this that it is no surprise that I really enjoyed this creepy short story as well. I loved getting answers to some of the questions I was left with after reading The Dead House. This companion provided video accounts of what Naida went through, which was rather disturbing. This really was an excellent companion to The Dead House. If you loved as much as I did, you definitely need to check this out!
July 21, 2018
I loved theDead House audiobook so much I read this companion immediately after in about 1 sitting.... I loved Nadia as a character (although not until halfway through The Dead House). I’m teetering between 3 and 4 stars for this only because while a nice addition to the storyline something as just missing for me with the novella.
June 6, 2021
I read this in an attempt to get a better understanding of The Dead House - the novel for which this story is a companion.
Kurtagich has excellent ideas and writes great characters but her world building is weak and her plot twists often don't make sense.
I'd like to see what she writes in the future. With better editing, her books could be great.
Kurtagich has excellent ideas and writes great characters but her world building is weak and her plot twists often don't make sense.
I'd like to see what she writes in the future. With better editing, her books could be great.
February 15, 2022
Voodoo esk, Dark magic or witchcraft. Whatever you call it. I didn't know if I like a documentary style of a book. And also not knowing for certainty of what happened. Did Katelyn come into Karly's body when something tragic happened? Or was it two souls in one body all along? t was okay. I wouldn't recommend it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 15, 2025
This was such a great follow up to the first book! I loved seeing Naida's motivation for everything and wish that things would've went differently. This isn't a happy book or even bittersweet, it's just straight up sad all the way through. I wish that it would've been a full length novel or had more back story on Naida and Scott's relationship because they were really interesting!
March 9, 2021
Disturbingly creepy video accounts of what Naida went through, following the fire at Elmbridge High School. Answers some questions, explains what Kaitlyn was thinking, as well as touches on aspects of a few other characters lives.
June 25, 2017
A brilliant, disturbing, skin-crawly return to the terrifying world of The Dead House!
January 27, 2018
I wish it was longer
Pretty good follow up to The Dead House, I just wish it was longer! I wait to hear more of Naida's story. I feel like there is just so much more to tell.
Pretty good follow up to The Dead House, I just wish it was longer! I wait to hear more of Naida's story. I feel like there is just so much more to tell.
April 12, 2018
If you want to know what happens to Naida after Dead House be prepared. No punches are pulled.
January 24, 2019
This novella is so much more satisfying an ending than the actual novel. It wraps things up much better. Still not great but at least helps.
June 17, 2019
A must read!
Loved every minute of this novella. A creepy and fun read. I highly recommend it. Can't wait to read more by this amazing author.
Loved every minute of this novella. A creepy and fun read. I highly recommend it. Can't wait to read more by this amazing author.
August 21, 2019
3.5/5 stars. It felt a little jumbled up, but the ending hit pretty hard and also tied some things up from the book The Dead House, so that was good.
September 9, 2019
Book 2 was very short, still a good read but still short, I'll still be giving this one 5 stars because the author deserves it😋
May 12, 2020
Very Creepy
I loved The Dead House when I read it last year, and this was an excellent companion to the story. Love the ending, sad as it is. Will look for more from this author.
I loved The Dead House when I read it last year, and this was an excellent companion to the story. Love the ending, sad as it is. Will look for more from this author.
March 4, 2021
It was fun re-entering this world, but it made me want to reread The Dead House!!
November 15, 2021
Meh? I appreciated having a little more ending, but the end got super paranormal, which generally isn’t an attraction for me.
January 14, 2022
It was okay but not great
April 5, 2022
A good Novella if The Dead House which is also a good book
Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews