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The Haunting of Hacket House
Some places don’t let go….
Offered a lucrative job at the mysterious Hacket House, Jane agrees to travel across country to live at the mansion. After all, a fresh start is just what she needs. Besides, the remote house is a long way from the past she is still running from.
Arriving at her new home, she finds a strange red house set in a wood of red, gnarled trees. The same trees used to build the house and the grandfather clocks that haunt every room and dark corridor.
Jane quickly realises that there is something very wrong at Hacket House and the village of Bramley.
Why is there a graveyard in the garden of Hacket House? Who are the people in hoods who haunt the house at night? What are they doing with the old man in the bed? Why is somebody moving the grandfather clocks? Who is the strange woman no one will admit exists? What are the shadows that scoot across the walls like cockroaches? Who is Erazmus Nark whose grave nothing will touch?
As the sinister behaviour of the village escalates and her own past closes in around her, Jane learns that just because something is dead, doesn’t mean that it’s gone.
Offered a lucrative job at the mysterious Hacket House, Jane agrees to travel across country to live at the mansion. After all, a fresh start is just what she needs. Besides, the remote house is a long way from the past she is still running from.
Arriving at her new home, she finds a strange red house set in a wood of red, gnarled trees. The same trees used to build the house and the grandfather clocks that haunt every room and dark corridor.
Jane quickly realises that there is something very wrong at Hacket House and the village of Bramley.
Why is there a graveyard in the garden of Hacket House? Who are the people in hoods who haunt the house at night? What are they doing with the old man in the bed? Why is somebody moving the grandfather clocks? Who is the strange woman no one will admit exists? What are the shadows that scoot across the walls like cockroaches? Who is Erazmus Nark whose grave nothing will touch?
As the sinister behaviour of the village escalates and her own past closes in around her, Jane learns that just because something is dead, doesn’t mean that it’s gone.
140 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 23, 2020
76 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
November 20, 2020
“When the shit hits the fan, that’s when having a God to pray to or curse is really satisfying…”
No Hacket House or the town of Bramley showed up on the internet when Jane researched the offer for a live in caregiver, but the lucrative paycheck had her packing and moving. Maybe the lack of information should have been a warning?
There are clocks of every variety cluttering the house. What’s up with that? It made me think of my father in law. He loves tinkering with clocks and has them all over his house, but, they are not like these clocks.
The house sounds more like a mansion or museum, with twisting, turning hallways and hundreds of rooms.
Jane is running from someone and thought Hacket House would be a great place to hide. If she can’t find anything about the house and town, maybe nobody else could either. The reason she is running is even sadder than I anticipated.
The man she is there to take care of is in dire straits, uncommunicative. He has dementia (?), with hands like claws and his body stuck in the fetal position. Is it dementia? Is he being tormented? Haunted? And who…or what…is Nark?
As the secrets are revealed, I wonder about Jane and what will become of her. Looming clocks that seem to move on their own, shadows running from clock to clock, people in robes…
The Haunting of Hacket House is a creepy, deliciously spooky tale that kept getting creepier and creepier as I read. It would make a fantastic movie.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Haunting of Hacket House by Astrid Addams.
See more at fundinmental
No Hacket House or the town of Bramley showed up on the internet when Jane researched the offer for a live in caregiver, but the lucrative paycheck had her packing and moving. Maybe the lack of information should have been a warning?
There are clocks of every variety cluttering the house. What’s up with that? It made me think of my father in law. He loves tinkering with clocks and has them all over his house, but, they are not like these clocks.
The house sounds more like a mansion or museum, with twisting, turning hallways and hundreds of rooms.
Jane is running from someone and thought Hacket House would be a great place to hide. If she can’t find anything about the house and town, maybe nobody else could either. The reason she is running is even sadder than I anticipated.
The man she is there to take care of is in dire straits, uncommunicative. He has dementia (?), with hands like claws and his body stuck in the fetal position. Is it dementia? Is he being tormented? Haunted? And who…or what…is Nark?
As the secrets are revealed, I wonder about Jane and what will become of her. Looming clocks that seem to move on their own, shadows running from clock to clock, people in robes…
The Haunting of Hacket House is a creepy, deliciously spooky tale that kept getting creepier and creepier as I read. It would make a fantastic movie.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Haunting of Hacket House by Astrid Addams.
See more at fundinmental
November 19, 2020
Jane is a carer for the elderly who has worked in this sector for a number of years. When she hears of a job opportunity to care for an old dude in a big house in a quiet little village, it seems like the perfect excuse to get away from it all.
As the story unfolds we find out exactly what she wants to get away from, and why.
The setting of Hacket House was great, the descriptions really bringing the eeriness of the place to life (or death). Everything around and the house itself is tinged with a disturbing red colour. Hmmm, why is that?
The other staff who work in the house all seem a bit off with Jane, as though they’re hiding something (they are!). There are tales of the history of this old house whispered by the villagers; all seem very wary of what has gone on within its walls. And then there’s the huge numbers of monolithic clocks throughout the house that somehow seem alive. These clocks were a nice touch and gave the setting a real creepy, supernatural vibe.
Then there’s the old man, the patient who Jane is there to care for. This dude, although pretty much out of it for the whole story, still holds an invisible grip of fear over his new carer. Just what is the deal with him? His strange mutterings as he eats his spoon-fed slop and restlessly sleeps are pretty unnerving. There’s just something not right about this old house and all who reside there.
I felt this story at times had a little too much going on, though. I really wish some of the elements had been fleshed out. By the end there were so many details regarding the house, the village, the mysterious staff and their histories, the strange beast that lurks somewhere within the grounds of the place (oh yes, there’s one of those), an ancient cult and creepy spooks, that I had yet more questions.
I suppose leaving a little to the imagination is a good thing, increasing the suspense, as it were. But I just felt there was something missing, if you know what I mean. I’d have much preferred this as more of a meaty novel than a novella, one I could truly immerse myself in for a good long while.
Anyway, I’ll stop being negative because on the whole I had a great time reading this. It kept me guessing throughout; who is as they seem, what do they want with Jane? Small villages with secretive residents hiding a dark secret; this is all perfect for a good horror story.
If you like haunted house tales then add this one to your list, it’s definitely worth checking out!
As the story unfolds we find out exactly what she wants to get away from, and why.
The setting of Hacket House was great, the descriptions really bringing the eeriness of the place to life (or death). Everything around and the house itself is tinged with a disturbing red colour. Hmmm, why is that?
The other staff who work in the house all seem a bit off with Jane, as though they’re hiding something (they are!). There are tales of the history of this old house whispered by the villagers; all seem very wary of what has gone on within its walls. And then there’s the huge numbers of monolithic clocks throughout the house that somehow seem alive. These clocks were a nice touch and gave the setting a real creepy, supernatural vibe.
Then there’s the old man, the patient who Jane is there to care for. This dude, although pretty much out of it for the whole story, still holds an invisible grip of fear over his new carer. Just what is the deal with him? His strange mutterings as he eats his spoon-fed slop and restlessly sleeps are pretty unnerving. There’s just something not right about this old house and all who reside there.
I felt this story at times had a little too much going on, though. I really wish some of the elements had been fleshed out. By the end there were so many details regarding the house, the village, the mysterious staff and their histories, the strange beast that lurks somewhere within the grounds of the place (oh yes, there’s one of those), an ancient cult and creepy spooks, that I had yet more questions.
I suppose leaving a little to the imagination is a good thing, increasing the suspense, as it were. But I just felt there was something missing, if you know what I mean. I’d have much preferred this as more of a meaty novel than a novella, one I could truly immerse myself in for a good long while.
Anyway, I’ll stop being negative because on the whole I had a great time reading this. It kept me guessing throughout; who is as they seem, what do they want with Jane? Small villages with secretive residents hiding a dark secret; this is all perfect for a good horror story.
If you like haunted house tales then add this one to your list, it’s definitely worth checking out!
March 5, 2023
This was definitely weird and cultist.
I enjoyed reading the story & following Jane in the horrors of this Hacket House. Worth a read if you like weird, dark horror.
I enjoyed reading the story & following Jane in the horrors of this Hacket House. Worth a read if you like weird, dark horror.
January 29, 2021
A spooky house, strange things go bump in the night… sadly this didn’t end up to be a like for me.
The beginning was amazing. We see a man running for his life. Shadows stalking him. A man dead somewhere. And then we go to three years later and meet our MC, who is on her way to Hacket House to take care of an older man there who cannot do anything himself (btw I had my suspicions on who the old man was early on). The house was an immediate NOPE no thank you and with each day she stayed there I got more nope. There are creepy clocks everywhere, at night shadows come to play, there is some kind of weird woman walking through the corridors, the staff acts suspicious, the garden looks like a nightmare, and strange things happen at night. I would definitely NOT have stayed no matter how many books you would bribe me with. I am sorry. I would have left within a week. I would feel very sorry for the old man, but sorry, I don’t want to stay.
The village seemed strange from start but it got quickly disturbing and wtf and I wonder why anyone would want to live there.
There was a subplot (or at least it felt like that) about our MCs baby. About what her husband did. About why she is running. It came out of nowhere and felt really not well written. At times we would be deep into spooky things and suddenly BOOM Rowena talk again. In the end apparently this plot is important but it sadly never felt like this for me. It just felt forced and weirdly put in the story. It could have been so much better, more fluid, more like it belongs in the story.
I also wasn’t a fan of the MC. For more than one reason. One of the reasons would be the crazy thoughts she has in her head and that disturbed me greatly. Like when she got into the bakery and saw all the babies she contemplated taking one…. or when her friend talked about those babies and their parents and the bother they were as they just put their prams inside the stores, our MC is contemplating throwing her friend of a cliff. And later on she was pretty horrible towards someone she called friend. And I could probably go on for a few more examples, but you get the idea.
Around halfway point it just go weirder and weirder and I started to not have fun reading the book. My rating went from 3 (it was 4 in the beginning) to a 1. But boy, I wasn’t prepared for how weird it would go. For reals. As the ending and all that was building up came to be, HOLY CRAP. I can tell you honestly that I had an headache already… and that this book made it worse. WTF was that ending. Tentacles? Wooden clocks that fused together? Monsters? And it ended even weirder with the last few pages. In the end I am just weirded, grossed, and noped out.
Hilarious enough, I totally forgot about Clarissa being THAT Clarissa and didn’t figure it out until like mid-book when something was mentioned.
There were also a few spelling errors around and some parts could have done with editing (like for instance that subplot forced in).
It could have been so much more. Again, the beginning was great. Lots of creepiness and spooky things happened. It is just a shame of the rest of the things.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
The beginning was amazing. We see a man running for his life. Shadows stalking him. A man dead somewhere. And then we go to three years later and meet our MC, who is on her way to Hacket House to take care of an older man there who cannot do anything himself (btw I had my suspicions on who the old man was early on). The house was an immediate NOPE no thank you and with each day she stayed there I got more nope. There are creepy clocks everywhere, at night shadows come to play, there is some kind of weird woman walking through the corridors, the staff acts suspicious, the garden looks like a nightmare, and strange things happen at night. I would definitely NOT have stayed no matter how many books you would bribe me with. I am sorry. I would have left within a week. I would feel very sorry for the old man, but sorry, I don’t want to stay.
The village seemed strange from start but it got quickly disturbing and wtf and I wonder why anyone would want to live there.
There was a subplot (or at least it felt like that) about our MCs baby. About what her husband did. About why she is running. It came out of nowhere and felt really not well written. At times we would be deep into spooky things and suddenly BOOM Rowena talk again. In the end apparently this plot is important but it sadly never felt like this for me. It just felt forced and weirdly put in the story. It could have been so much better, more fluid, more like it belongs in the story.
I also wasn’t a fan of the MC. For more than one reason. One of the reasons would be the crazy thoughts she has in her head and that disturbed me greatly. Like when she got into the bakery and saw all the babies she contemplated taking one…. or when her friend talked about those babies and their parents and the bother they were as they just put their prams inside the stores, our MC is contemplating throwing her friend of a cliff. And later on she was pretty horrible towards someone she called friend. And I could probably go on for a few more examples, but you get the idea.
Around halfway point it just go weirder and weirder and I started to not have fun reading the book. My rating went from 3 (it was 4 in the beginning) to a 1. But boy, I wasn’t prepared for how weird it would go. For reals. As the ending and all that was building up came to be, HOLY CRAP. I can tell you honestly that I had an headache already… and that this book made it worse. WTF was that ending. Tentacles? Wooden clocks that fused together? Monsters? And it ended even weirder with the last few pages. In the end I am just weirded, grossed, and noped out.
Hilarious enough, I totally forgot about Clarissa being THAT Clarissa and didn’t figure it out until like mid-book when something was mentioned.
There were also a few spelling errors around and some parts could have done with editing (like for instance that subplot forced in).
It could have been so much more. Again, the beginning was great. Lots of creepiness and spooky things happened. It is just a shame of the rest of the things.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 2, 2020
** Edited as review is now live on Kendall Reviews! **
A few years back I read a book by Addams called ‘The Haunting of Hope House.’ In my review, I was both a total knob and brutal in my criticism (which is incredibly shameful when I look back at it) but also lamented the missed opportunity. Addams had the basis for one of the best haunted house stories I’d read in some time and I felt like it had been squandered.
Recently, Astrid reached out and asked if I’d be keen to review her newest release ‘The Haunting of Hacket House.’ The message conveyed that they’d worked really hard to release something that showed how much they’d improved their craft and I was hooked.
I will say this – the first copy I received was missing every single letter L. I chatted with Astrid and a new copy was sent and the glitch was gone! My initial unease replaced with a brutal prologue in no time at all.
What I liked: ‘The Haunting of Hacket House‘ follows a familiar narrative in that our main character Jane receives an offer to work in Hacket House. It is located in a village that was hard to find on a map and even harder to travel to. GPS and Wifi are spotty and once there Addams wastes no time giving us odd characters within a creepy setting.
One thing I will absolutely applaud here, is much like ‘… Hope House,’ Astrid is still willing to take risks and give us brutality when needed. There is no playing it safe and the story is elevated because of that.
What I didn’t like: I think for me, the beginning where we first start to meet the other workers in the house was a bit jumbled. The other workers have experience with the setting but do little to initiate or introduce Jane to the world she’s now entered. It’s hard to say much and stay spoiler-free.
Why you should buy this: Where I felt ‘The Haunting of Hope House‘ fell apart, Addams has shown that they can put it all together and ‘… Hacket House’ delivered on a previous promise. I really enjoyed this one and found Addams delivering some really eerie and creepy moments. Very happy that I took this one on and so happy to see Astrid has released such a great novel.
A few years back I read a book by Addams called ‘The Haunting of Hope House.’ In my review, I was both a total knob and brutal in my criticism (which is incredibly shameful when I look back at it) but also lamented the missed opportunity. Addams had the basis for one of the best haunted house stories I’d read in some time and I felt like it had been squandered.
Recently, Astrid reached out and asked if I’d be keen to review her newest release ‘The Haunting of Hacket House.’ The message conveyed that they’d worked really hard to release something that showed how much they’d improved their craft and I was hooked.
I will say this – the first copy I received was missing every single letter L. I chatted with Astrid and a new copy was sent and the glitch was gone! My initial unease replaced with a brutal prologue in no time at all.
What I liked: ‘The Haunting of Hacket House‘ follows a familiar narrative in that our main character Jane receives an offer to work in Hacket House. It is located in a village that was hard to find on a map and even harder to travel to. GPS and Wifi are spotty and once there Addams wastes no time giving us odd characters within a creepy setting.
One thing I will absolutely applaud here, is much like ‘… Hope House,’ Astrid is still willing to take risks and give us brutality when needed. There is no playing it safe and the story is elevated because of that.
What I didn’t like: I think for me, the beginning where we first start to meet the other workers in the house was a bit jumbled. The other workers have experience with the setting but do little to initiate or introduce Jane to the world she’s now entered. It’s hard to say much and stay spoiler-free.
Why you should buy this: Where I felt ‘The Haunting of Hope House‘ fell apart, Addams has shown that they can put it all together and ‘… Hacket House’ delivered on a previous promise. I really enjoyed this one and found Addams delivering some really eerie and creepy moments. Very happy that I took this one on and so happy to see Astrid has released such a great novel.
February 11, 2021
The Haunting of Hacket House by Astrid Addams is a good story, an entertaining story, an intense story. I’m glad I have it in paperback form for my library because it is a shelf-worthy book I will read again and again.
hauntinghackethouse1bbAddams builds her characters over the course of the story, revealing them through thought, word, and deed, much like a good movie. This adds perfectly to the building suspense and intrigue as the tale unfolds.
I love the creativity, the imagery, and that little bit left to the imagination in places so one’s mind can go as dark and gruesome as one can handle (or wants to handle). The ultimate reveal was not what I expected in spite of the foreshadowing. Nice twist. The ending was also unexpected as well as unexpectedly impactful in its message and meaning.
The one and only thing I did not like about this book was the scattered punctuation errors and typos. There’s not necessarily a lot, and all books have some, but it’s more than I am comfortable seeing in such a quality story. This is a 5 star story but minus 1 for errors. Addams’s writing deserves better editing because her stories are that good, but I remain a fan of her work nonetheless.
The Haunting of Hacket House is more than just a haunted house story, so brace yourself and be ready to be creeped out. The book is priced to buy, and the story is worth every penny.
hauntinghackethouse1bbAddams builds her characters over the course of the story, revealing them through thought, word, and deed, much like a good movie. This adds perfectly to the building suspense and intrigue as the tale unfolds.
I love the creativity, the imagery, and that little bit left to the imagination in places so one’s mind can go as dark and gruesome as one can handle (or wants to handle). The ultimate reveal was not what I expected in spite of the foreshadowing. Nice twist. The ending was also unexpected as well as unexpectedly impactful in its message and meaning.
The one and only thing I did not like about this book was the scattered punctuation errors and typos. There’s not necessarily a lot, and all books have some, but it’s more than I am comfortable seeing in such a quality story. This is a 5 star story but minus 1 for errors. Addams’s writing deserves better editing because her stories are that good, but I remain a fan of her work nonetheless.
The Haunting of Hacket House is more than just a haunted house story, so brace yourself and be ready to be creeped out. The book is priced to buy, and the story is worth every penny.
April 8, 2021
I loved this book. Jane is probably the best horror book protagonist I've ever come across. There is a scary monster near the hose? She makes it a doghouse. Strange cult followers are surrounding an old man? She tells them she needs to tend to the old man.
There is a lot of humor in the way she tries to rationalize all the weird things that are going on around her, but it's not to the point where it becomes annoying. That's why I'd love to read more about her in spooky situations and I hope this is not the last I'll be reading about her.
I had a blast reading this book, it's the best book I've read this year so far.
There is a lot of humor in the way she tries to rationalize all the weird things that are going on around her, but it's not to the point where it becomes annoying. That's why I'd love to read more about her in spooky situations and I hope this is not the last I'll be reading about her.
I had a blast reading this book, it's the best book I've read this year so far.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 3, 2021
I love a good haunted house story and this delivers with some new little twists where Astrid Addams has stamped her own little mark.
October 22, 2020
*I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
The Haunting of Hacket House follows a classic gothic storyline with some strange twists and turns to keep the reader on their toes. From a nurse to the elderly hired to look after a man suffering from dementia and night terrors in a stately home where nothing seems to grow, this is a novella with a familiar tone that quickly turns sour. The reader is also treated to possible ghosts, possible intruders, hundreds of clocks ticking night and day, some of them even having a strangely humanoid appearance, and rumours in the town of satan worshippers.
There is a lot going on in this novella. I was compelled by the main character of Jane the carer, however, she didn't seem to do a lot of caring. As the story progressed she did seem to be more of a boarder at the house than a member of the small staff there. The Haunting of Hacket House has a lot of mysteries, a lot of threads to follow that don't exactly fit the way you would imagine. By the end of the book I was a little confused as to where everything fit together, what was paranormal and what wasn't, what was real and what wasn't.
But the story is carried well by the character of Jane. The other characters of the story, Clarissa the house keeper of sorts who keeps herself very much to herself, Mr. Whiteley the maintenance man with an ominous past, and Dora the cook who is almost sickly sweet, have their own parts to play in the shadows of the story and though much is revealed by the end, not all of their actions and motives are thoroughly explained.
The Haunting of Hacket House is an enjoyable gothic horror novella, there are certainly some new elements to it that you are able to explore, along with the familiar gothic style and tropes.
The Haunting of Hacket House follows a classic gothic storyline with some strange twists and turns to keep the reader on their toes. From a nurse to the elderly hired to look after a man suffering from dementia and night terrors in a stately home where nothing seems to grow, this is a novella with a familiar tone that quickly turns sour. The reader is also treated to possible ghosts, possible intruders, hundreds of clocks ticking night and day, some of them even having a strangely humanoid appearance, and rumours in the town of satan worshippers.
There is a lot going on in this novella. I was compelled by the main character of Jane the carer, however, she didn't seem to do a lot of caring. As the story progressed she did seem to be more of a boarder at the house than a member of the small staff there. The Haunting of Hacket House has a lot of mysteries, a lot of threads to follow that don't exactly fit the way you would imagine. By the end of the book I was a little confused as to where everything fit together, what was paranormal and what wasn't, what was real and what wasn't.
But the story is carried well by the character of Jane. The other characters of the story, Clarissa the house keeper of sorts who keeps herself very much to herself, Mr. Whiteley the maintenance man with an ominous past, and Dora the cook who is almost sickly sweet, have their own parts to play in the shadows of the story and though much is revealed by the end, not all of their actions and motives are thoroughly explained.
The Haunting of Hacket House is an enjoyable gothic horror novella, there are certainly some new elements to it that you are able to explore, along with the familiar gothic style and tropes.
October 6, 2020
The Haunting of Hacket House by Astrid Addams is due to be released on October 23rd, but I was lucky enough to get a pre-release ARC from the author who also took the time to answer specific questions I had with regards to the novella.
Prologues are a time-honoured tradition in horror. At their best they are almost short stories complete in themselves that prepare us for one hell of a ride. I would respectfully suggest that the prologue at the start of The Haunting of Hacket House is of this type. I was pulled straight in and felt Clive’s terror as he ran like a rat through the maze of Hacket House.
Jane, the protagonist of the main story, engages the reader very quickly. Running from a painful past, she accepts a job as Mr Smithson’s carer at Hacket House. The house and grounds are red and black; its residents are strange and uncertain in number, and every room but one is filled with grandfather clocks.
“Here in the red walls of Hacket House, listening to the constant murmurs of the clocks and Mr Smithson’s screams, reason not only felt dead, but extinct.”
I love the way the ivy that grows unhindered up the exterior walls is described as
“exposed bone” holding “the house steady for her.”
A perhaps minor complaint are the frequent Harry Potter references, which feel uncomfortable in light of Rowling’s recent controversial statements, and I’m not sure why they are included unless it’s done to reveal Jane’s compulsive grip on her past – the childhood books and the single song she always listens to - “White Rabbit”.
I asked Addams about the Harry Potter references and she was kind enough to provide me with the following answer -
“There are various references to film, music, real life actors and literature in The Haunting of Hacket House. However I say that the main reference that runs throughout the book is Jefferson Airplane’s White Rabbit. With White Rabbit I wanted to create a sense of music and tone that reflected the story and its characters. The overall effect I was reaching for was to place my main character Jane in the real world and in a real world context. I wanted to give Jane a history, not just of what she had been through, but what she had liked and enjoyed and the sentimental memories she carried.
"I gave the Harry Potter books a place within Jane’s past because they have a place in my life as well as my family and the lives of billions of people world wide and it placed her among them. I suppose the theme running through White Rabbit and Harry Potter is leaving the world we all live in. I also feel that the use of White Rabbit and the Harry Potter books expresses Jane’s need to escape and the importance of memories, even tainted memories. Both the song White Rabbit and the Harry Potter books provoke tainted memories for Jane.
"I first wrote in the references to the Harry Potter books before J K Rowling had made offensive comments towards transgender people. I kept it in because I feel that the Harry Potter books influences on the pasts of billions of people cannot be altered even if the memories may now be tainted for many.”
To read my full conversation with Astrid Addams check out my blog - https://carmillavoiez.wixsite.com/car...
Prologues are a time-honoured tradition in horror. At their best they are almost short stories complete in themselves that prepare us for one hell of a ride. I would respectfully suggest that the prologue at the start of The Haunting of Hacket House is of this type. I was pulled straight in and felt Clive’s terror as he ran like a rat through the maze of Hacket House.
Jane, the protagonist of the main story, engages the reader very quickly. Running from a painful past, she accepts a job as Mr Smithson’s carer at Hacket House. The house and grounds are red and black; its residents are strange and uncertain in number, and every room but one is filled with grandfather clocks.
“Here in the red walls of Hacket House, listening to the constant murmurs of the clocks and Mr Smithson’s screams, reason not only felt dead, but extinct.”
I love the way the ivy that grows unhindered up the exterior walls is described as
“exposed bone” holding “the house steady for her.”
A perhaps minor complaint are the frequent Harry Potter references, which feel uncomfortable in light of Rowling’s recent controversial statements, and I’m not sure why they are included unless it’s done to reveal Jane’s compulsive grip on her past – the childhood books and the single song she always listens to - “White Rabbit”.
I asked Addams about the Harry Potter references and she was kind enough to provide me with the following answer -
“There are various references to film, music, real life actors and literature in The Haunting of Hacket House. However I say that the main reference that runs throughout the book is Jefferson Airplane’s White Rabbit. With White Rabbit I wanted to create a sense of music and tone that reflected the story and its characters. The overall effect I was reaching for was to place my main character Jane in the real world and in a real world context. I wanted to give Jane a history, not just of what she had been through, but what she had liked and enjoyed and the sentimental memories she carried.
"I gave the Harry Potter books a place within Jane’s past because they have a place in my life as well as my family and the lives of billions of people world wide and it placed her among them. I suppose the theme running through White Rabbit and Harry Potter is leaving the world we all live in. I also feel that the use of White Rabbit and the Harry Potter books expresses Jane’s need to escape and the importance of memories, even tainted memories. Both the song White Rabbit and the Harry Potter books provoke tainted memories for Jane.
"I first wrote in the references to the Harry Potter books before J K Rowling had made offensive comments towards transgender people. I kept it in because I feel that the Harry Potter books influences on the pasts of billions of people cannot be altered even if the memories may now be tainted for many.”
To read my full conversation with Astrid Addams check out my blog - https://carmillavoiez.wixsite.com/car...
October 11, 2020
Jane is a woman running from her past, which is why a well paid job at the mysterious Hacket House is perfect for her. She leaves behind her previous work and becomes responsible for the dying Mr. Smithson. As soon as she arrives at the house she can tell things are odd. There are clocks all over the home and the other inhabitants of the estate are extremely peculiar. Then there are the strange residents of the village surrounding the house that act as if Jane is a meddlesome outsider.
My review:
Astrid Addams kindly asked me to review her upcoming novella The Haunting of Hacket House, and I immediately said yes, as I love creepy and mysterious houses as a horror trope. The author did an excellent job in setting the scene for the novella and sucking the reader in with a compelling prologue.
The protagonist, Jane, is a well developed character, whom it is easy to connect with. The other characters also make a nice addition to the already sinister plot. The story is well written, and kept me engaged the entire time.
Thanks to the author for the review copy.
My review:
Astrid Addams kindly asked me to review her upcoming novella The Haunting of Hacket House, and I immediately said yes, as I love creepy and mysterious houses as a horror trope. The author did an excellent job in setting the scene for the novella and sucking the reader in with a compelling prologue.
The protagonist, Jane, is a well developed character, whom it is easy to connect with. The other characters also make a nice addition to the already sinister plot. The story is well written, and kept me engaged the entire time.
Thanks to the author for the review copy.
September 21, 2020
This is the first full-length work I’ve read by Astrid Addams and I was very impressed. The Haunting of Hacket House takes the haunted house sub-genre and manages to give the reader something new and unique. Skilfully written, the story is soaked with a sense of dread from the onset and filled with intrigue. As events unfold, we are presented with more mysteries which kept me engaged through to the end. The Haunting of Hacket House is genuinely creepy throughout – a highly recommended read.
August 12, 2022
The recent rains made me wish for a good ghost story. Something following the standard formula: a person ends up somewhere and strange things happen there. And so I tried this self-published book by Astrid Addams and... ladies and gentlemen, this wasn't a mistake! Do you hear the clocks ticking? Get used to that sound, it will haunt you even after finishing this book.
Don't you adore the cover? It promises a few well-spent evenings. This book was a pleasant surprise. The creepy and half-decaying place where the plot unravels is a wonderful setting for everything that has to come. It fits the beginning of the novel and the ending alike.
I have enjoyed the mysterious plot and I think this story is a good mix of haunting, body horror, and a fictional account of the horrors a crazed and brainwashed society can do. The reader is always slightly doubting... Is it just the people, is there truly something wrong with the house?
The creepy, haunting, and scary writing is well-seasoned with a bit of needed humor. While the reader feels glued to the page, expecting something strange to happen again, a short exchange or a description cause a smile or a short laugh, and reading this book becomes a much better experience.
The next thing that felt refreshing and pleasant to read was a mix of the old times and new technology. Jane ends up in an old house full of mechanical clocks. It all evokes a feeling of the past. This is further accentuated by the parts of the plot where the old history of the place unravels in front of the readers' eyes. But Jane and the other characters use the internet, social media, phones... This created a mix of mystery and nostalgia anchored in our relatable reality by a chat on the phone and Google research.
I truly appreciated the short realistic parts about lack of sleep and fatigue. The main character's job requires her to be awake and take care of an elderly patient several times during the night. This does not only provides opportunities for plot development. It also causes Jane natural tiredness and the consequent hallucinations and problems with perceiving reality. Are the moving things in the house truly signs of haunting? Or are they just products of a very tired brain? Or both?
Jane herself is a captivating character. I have appreciated the slow and even pace at which her past and its effects on her future got revealed. She starts as a rather ordinary character and quickly becomes more and more interesting. She is battling her own issues which, without a spoiler, are sadly realistic, well-crafted, and far from cheesy and plain. She is driven by something that does not feel like torn from a dumb empty romance book. Things like this happen also in the real life and Jane's fate is not far-fetched. It could serve as an example to be cautious in... well, in the situations Jane found herself in before the events of the book.
Jane's own problems before and during the story make her a wonderful unreliable narrator. She is also far from a pure innocent maiden. She is fierce and seasoned with life. And she is also scarred and flawed by her past which influences her character, actions, and decision. And I adored her competence when she worked and defended the interests of her client. Of course, the plot drives her to have a few weak points. That only further develops her originality and the realistic feel her character has.
What I see as a weakness of this book is that the author built up some issue or focused on a certain detail in the plot or world-building and then abandoned these in a favor of a rushed last third of the book.
The ending itself felt half-satisfying due to the upper-mentioned abandonment of story elements that could enrich the finale. And the ending not only lacked support of a richer plot, the final events would deserve more attention, details, and time to better sink in and make more impact. While the first half of the book feels much better handled, the second half and the ending feel like an unpolished draft. Still, I would not say the ending was bad. The events that did happen in the pages felt terrifying and held my full attention. I am just saying I would like to read more about it.
Another mildly disturbing thing was the writing itself. While there were parts full of witty and innovative sentence constructions, other parts of the text felt chaotic and unedited. There were also occasional typos. And some major info-dump could be much better incorporated into the story.
Except for these issues, I have really enjoyed this book and I am sure this was not my last book from this author.
Review published also here: https://glennsnest.com/2022/08/12/rev...
Don't you adore the cover? It promises a few well-spent evenings. This book was a pleasant surprise. The creepy and half-decaying place where the plot unravels is a wonderful setting for everything that has to come. It fits the beginning of the novel and the ending alike.
I have enjoyed the mysterious plot and I think this story is a good mix of haunting, body horror, and a fictional account of the horrors a crazed and brainwashed society can do. The reader is always slightly doubting... Is it just the people, is there truly something wrong with the house?
The creepy, haunting, and scary writing is well-seasoned with a bit of needed humor. While the reader feels glued to the page, expecting something strange to happen again, a short exchange or a description cause a smile or a short laugh, and reading this book becomes a much better experience.
The next thing that felt refreshing and pleasant to read was a mix of the old times and new technology. Jane ends up in an old house full of mechanical clocks. It all evokes a feeling of the past. This is further accentuated by the parts of the plot where the old history of the place unravels in front of the readers' eyes. But Jane and the other characters use the internet, social media, phones... This created a mix of mystery and nostalgia anchored in our relatable reality by a chat on the phone and Google research.
I truly appreciated the short realistic parts about lack of sleep and fatigue. The main character's job requires her to be awake and take care of an elderly patient several times during the night. This does not only provides opportunities for plot development. It also causes Jane natural tiredness and the consequent hallucinations and problems with perceiving reality. Are the moving things in the house truly signs of haunting? Or are they just products of a very tired brain? Or both?
Jane herself is a captivating character. I have appreciated the slow and even pace at which her past and its effects on her future got revealed. She starts as a rather ordinary character and quickly becomes more and more interesting. She is battling her own issues which, without a spoiler, are sadly realistic, well-crafted, and far from cheesy and plain. She is driven by something that does not feel like torn from a dumb empty romance book. Things like this happen also in the real life and Jane's fate is not far-fetched. It could serve as an example to be cautious in... well, in the situations Jane found herself in before the events of the book.
Jane's own problems before and during the story make her a wonderful unreliable narrator. She is also far from a pure innocent maiden. She is fierce and seasoned with life. And she is also scarred and flawed by her past which influences her character, actions, and decision. And I adored her competence when she worked and defended the interests of her client. Of course, the plot drives her to have a few weak points. That only further develops her originality and the realistic feel her character has.
What I see as a weakness of this book is that the author built up some issue or focused on a certain detail in the plot or world-building and then abandoned these in a favor of a rushed last third of the book.
The ending itself felt half-satisfying due to the upper-mentioned abandonment of story elements that could enrich the finale. And the ending not only lacked support of a richer plot, the final events would deserve more attention, details, and time to better sink in and make more impact. While the first half of the book feels much better handled, the second half and the ending feel like an unpolished draft. Still, I would not say the ending was bad. The events that did happen in the pages felt terrifying and held my full attention. I am just saying I would like to read more about it.
Another mildly disturbing thing was the writing itself. While there were parts full of witty and innovative sentence constructions, other parts of the text felt chaotic and unedited. There were also occasional typos. And some major info-dump could be much better incorporated into the story.
Except for these issues, I have really enjoyed this book and I am sure this was not my last book from this author.
Review published also here: https://glennsnest.com/2022/08/12/rev...
June 26, 2023
I'll have to preface this review by saying I'm not a fan of the haunted house genre.
HOWEVER Astrid Addams has managed to convert me somewhat! The Haunting of Hacket House is so much more than a "things go bump in the night" type of haunted house book. There's so much lore that she manages to organically weave through the story that you can't help but join Jane on her journey. And what a journey it is.
There's a dark mean streak that runs through the whole story and this is where Astrid shines. When she's showing you the darker parts of Jane's psyche (with good reason admittedly) and when the pay off finally happens - it's such a cathartic moment for both the character and the reader.
I really Astrid's writing style and the world building that she put into the story. Because of the books size, this is an absolute case of all killer no filler. I'd absolutely recommend this book to anyone who thinks they know the Haunted House genre - because Astrid will absolutely keep you on your toes the whole way through!
HOWEVER Astrid Addams has managed to convert me somewhat! The Haunting of Hacket House is so much more than a "things go bump in the night" type of haunted house book. There's so much lore that she manages to organically weave through the story that you can't help but join Jane on her journey. And what a journey it is.
There's a dark mean streak that runs through the whole story and this is where Astrid shines. When she's showing you the darker parts of Jane's psyche (with good reason admittedly) and when the pay off finally happens - it's such a cathartic moment for both the character and the reader.
I really Astrid's writing style and the world building that she put into the story. Because of the books size, this is an absolute case of all killer no filler. I'd absolutely recommend this book to anyone who thinks they know the Haunted House genre - because Astrid will absolutely keep you on your toes the whole way through!
October 29, 2023
(2.5 stars rounded up) The start of this was great. We're introduced to Clive and Clarissa and something happened to make Clive want to flee the house.
The story picks up three years later and the pace significantly slows down. The way this is written can be a bit confusing. Sometimes the MC will be thinking about something then she mentions a he who she doesn't want to find her. Then there are mentions of Rowena. The MCs background story wasn't blended into the story as seamlessly as it could have been.
I was also confused as to what exactly was happening in the house. The last few chapters just left me wondering if I'd missed something. How did Jane end up pregnant?? Then she says she doesn't know what the father is.
This had a good premise but overall it felt unfinished. It probably needed to be longer to really flesh out the characters and the supernatural elements.
The story picks up three years later and the pace significantly slows down. The way this is written can be a bit confusing. Sometimes the MC will be thinking about something then she mentions a he who she doesn't want to find her. Then there are mentions of Rowena. The MCs background story wasn't blended into the story as seamlessly as it could have been.
I was also confused as to what exactly was happening in the house. The last few chapters just left me wondering if I'd missed something. How did Jane end up pregnant?? Then she says she doesn't know what the father is.
This had a good premise but overall it felt unfinished. It probably needed to be longer to really flesh out the characters and the supernatural elements.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 6, 2022
I think this was Harry Potter fan fic. Maybe? I'm not sure, but HP was mentioned a bit too often.
The story went from past to present with absolutely no flow. All of a sudden Jane was talking about her ex and her child. Names were thrown into the story without the reader getting a clue to who they are. The beginning of the story refers to her ex husband as " he" or "him", then further into the book his name is suddenly Richard.
I had to re read way too many paragraphs to try and figure out what was happening. I felt like I was constantly missing something, only to re read a section and find out that nope, it just doesn't make sense.
The story went from past to present with absolutely no flow. All of a sudden Jane was talking about her ex and her child. Names were thrown into the story without the reader getting a clue to who they are. The beginning of the story refers to her ex husband as " he" or "him", then further into the book his name is suddenly Richard.
I had to re read way too many paragraphs to try and figure out what was happening. I felt like I was constantly missing something, only to re read a section and find out that nope, it just doesn't make sense.
November 1, 2023
Astrid Addams needs to attend some writing workshops before writing anything else. Did she even proofread her own book before self-publishing? Astrid, honey, you need to either read Writing for Dummies or take a few courses. Learn where to break a paragraph, organize your thoughts, and stay consistent. The name of the character in the prologue was changed from Clive to Colin by the end. Why? No explanation. Oversight? Good attempt with cliff hangers, but they need work. Please let some friends read your work before you publish next time. The story was compelling enough that I read the whole thing, so you definitely have potential.
November 26, 2025
Extract from review on Happy Goat Horror: "Prologues are a time-honoured tradition in horror. At their best they are almost short stories complete in themselves that prepare us for one hell of a ride. I would respectfully suggest that the prologue at the start of The Haunting of Hacket House is of this type. I was pulled straight in and felt Clive’s terror as he ran like a rat through the maze of Hacket House."
January 31, 2024
The premise is excellent. Lots of demons, ghosts, the whole shebang. The problem is that it doesn't make sense. The book doesn't seem to come together, properly. I still have a lot of questions about what happened to whom. Is Clarissa a ghost now? Or not? And what happened to all of the clocks? And what, exactly, were the clocks in the first place?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 8, 2024
A fun and creepy haunted house story with some interesting sub-plots and twists.
Jane is tipped off about a live in carer position with a salary than could help her make the changes to her life that she needs. Immediately upon arrival, Jane is overwhelmed by unease. The house and the land have the stench of something poisonous.
This was a unique and enjoyable read, but I wasn’t a fan of the widespread use of extended run-on paragraphs that mix multiple actions, thoughts and descriptions, this disrupted the flow and detracted somewhat from a great read.
There were perhaps too many sub-plots that, in a novella length work, would be difficult to resolve. Maybe there is a novel in here screaming to come out?!
Jane is tipped off about a live in carer position with a salary than could help her make the changes to her life that she needs. Immediately upon arrival, Jane is overwhelmed by unease. The house and the land have the stench of something poisonous.
This was a unique and enjoyable read, but I wasn’t a fan of the widespread use of extended run-on paragraphs that mix multiple actions, thoughts and descriptions, this disrupted the flow and detracted somewhat from a great read.
There were perhaps too many sub-plots that, in a novella length work, would be difficult to resolve. Maybe there is a novel in here screaming to come out?!
September 30, 2022
Well that was Something. Won't be returning to this, didn't enjoy it, won't be keeping my copy. (Also could have done without the constant HP references.)
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