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House of Souls #3
The Withering
A string of kidnappings has the village of Buffalo Grove, Illinois on edge. Longtime resident Edgar August thinks he knows who's behind it. Edgar has a secret. In his spare time, he enjoys looking into his neighbors' windows, observing their private lives. The old doctor who lives behind him has been acting strangely as of late, and witnessing his erratic behaviors over the course of weeks, Edgar begins to suspect that the retired physician, Marcel Dubois, is the kidnapper. Marcel is indeed up to something—but that something, it turns out, is more horrifying than a mere kidnapping. The Withering is the third novel in the House of Souls series.
157 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 27, 2019
99 people are currently reading
187 people want to read
About the author
Ambrose Ibsen
58 books660 followersOnce upon a time, a young Ambrose Ibsen discovered a collection of ghost stories on his father's bookshelf. He was never the same again.
Apart from horror fiction, he enjoys good coffee, brewed strong.
Apart from horror fiction, he enjoys good coffee, brewed strong.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
December 9, 2021
Great
Amazing and scary as always!!!!! I love how he writes! One of The best horror novelists around
Waiting for more books from Ambrose Ibsen!
Amazing and scary as always!!!!! I love how he writes! One of The best horror novelists around
Waiting for more books from Ambrose Ibsen!
January 12, 2021
I'm struggling with this read and my rating. I feel like Ambrose's writing is always 4-5. He is one of the top independent horror writers now in my opinion for just your extraordinary supernatural entities and flat out chillingly haunting reads! I look forward to every single book.
The thing here is, this one did not bore me by any means, but it did not grip me as the others did. It's odd bc I loved reading it, but it was a slow burner with a sparingly few parts that I felt were masterfully terrifying. Maybe i was expecting more action or more haunting activity. I think this rating is all on me. My latest supernatural reads have been leaning more to the extreme side with more gory episodes, so I think I want to wait and read these last two books again after a bit.
The tension usually builds with expert precision during one such Ibsen reading jaunt, as he is brilliant at doing this! However; I'm not sure i was in the state to appreciate it or let it build properly. Another thing was that it had been a long time since I read the last book.
This rating is a reflection of how i liked the book this first time going in cold after reading a bunch of mostly gory, fast, action thrillers and horror stories. I think it's important to realize ratings can be influenced by external things and by your before and after reads. This year i want to consider these things very carefully.
The thing here is, this one did not bore me by any means, but it did not grip me as the others did. It's odd bc I loved reading it, but it was a slow burner with a sparingly few parts that I felt were masterfully terrifying. Maybe i was expecting more action or more haunting activity. I think this rating is all on me. My latest supernatural reads have been leaning more to the extreme side with more gory episodes, so I think I want to wait and read these last two books again after a bit.
The tension usually builds with expert precision during one such Ibsen reading jaunt, as he is brilliant at doing this! However; I'm not sure i was in the state to appreciate it or let it build properly. Another thing was that it had been a long time since I read the last book.
This rating is a reflection of how i liked the book this first time going in cold after reading a bunch of mostly gory, fast, action thrillers and horror stories. I think it's important to realize ratings can be influenced by external things and by your before and after reads. This year i want to consider these things very carefully.
June 7, 2021
This was so good! 3rd book in the series so might want to read the other 2 first as they are referenced in this one. Also I love this narrator!
March 27, 2021
Interesting
Ambrose your book Is good writing maybe just a tad too long but good!tell you what you keep writing them and ill keep reading them sincerely Christine Dunne Harlingen Texas
Ambrose your book Is good writing maybe just a tad too long but good!tell you what you keep writing them and ill keep reading them sincerely Christine Dunne Harlingen Texas
December 19, 2024
Dang it. I loved the first one, the second one didn’t live up to expectations and this one just down right disappointed me.
November 13, 2025
I enjoyed the house of souls trilogy and it certainly scratched the spooky itch for Halloween. I must say though the ending feels bitter sweet. I can’t lie I did like the ending but also felt the story of Fiona Weiss had so much more to be unravelled. Maybe Ibsen will continue this story at some point, highly recommend this series for horror fans.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 31, 2022
A good story, but the author should land the plane
This is the third book in the series. In my view, the author has gotten much better as the series has gone on, in terms of the quality of writing. The best way I would describe the story is insidious. Indeed, this work, I think, is the most suspenseful out of all of them in the series so far. It feels eerie, creepy, and gives me the heebie-jeebies. I didn’t want to put this book down when I started to read it. The author also made chapters small, which made things flow a lot easier for me.
While I enjoy the text, and I really enjoy the slow boil of the story, I neverthelessfeel crestfallen. The work has gotten better, but the author keeps going back to the well, so the overall story arc feels like much more of a reach into a river that’s already running dry. I have been with this author on the journey through these three books, but now after reading this third text, I feel like my loyalty is being taken for granted. As an author, you can’t just keep trying to tell different flavors of the same story over and over again, expecting the reader to just keep going. Sure, some will, but many readers will grow tired of not just the story, but an author’s willingness to repeat a formula. I have read other books by this author, and the challenge is he hits on her story and then gives different flavors of it. Some say Stephen King doesn’t know how to end a book. I think this author’s challenge is he doesn’t know how to end a series.
What I really wanted from this book is something that I have not been able to get yet. A meaningful conclusion. With every additional book in the series, I just feel as if it is merely the next installment of a slasher movie. You get a decent story, some very good imagery, but in the end, there is no end. Things just keep going and going and going. The author is tremendously talented, and does a very good job of keeping the reader engaged, creating an atmosphere that just envelops you. That is so very difficult to do. However, I think the author is resting too hard on nostalgia, refusing to let go. I don’t know how much more I can keep reading in that case.
It is my hope, that if this series continues, it continues once more and that’s it. I totally believe this author is incredibly capable of writing a tremendously fantastic ending, weaving together elements of all three previous books. I would buy that text today, tomorrow, and twice on Sundays. Otherwise, I am worried that the storyline will keep being just strung out even more, cheapening it.
This is the third book in the series. In my view, the author has gotten much better as the series has gone on, in terms of the quality of writing. The best way I would describe the story is insidious. Indeed, this work, I think, is the most suspenseful out of all of them in the series so far. It feels eerie, creepy, and gives me the heebie-jeebies. I didn’t want to put this book down when I started to read it. The author also made chapters small, which made things flow a lot easier for me.
While I enjoy the text, and I really enjoy the slow boil of the story, I neverthelessfeel crestfallen. The work has gotten better, but the author keeps going back to the well, so the overall story arc feels like much more of a reach into a river that’s already running dry. I have been with this author on the journey through these three books, but now after reading this third text, I feel like my loyalty is being taken for granted. As an author, you can’t just keep trying to tell different flavors of the same story over and over again, expecting the reader to just keep going. Sure, some will, but many readers will grow tired of not just the story, but an author’s willingness to repeat a formula. I have read other books by this author, and the challenge is he hits on her story and then gives different flavors of it. Some say Stephen King doesn’t know how to end a book. I think this author’s challenge is he doesn’t know how to end a series.
What I really wanted from this book is something that I have not been able to get yet. A meaningful conclusion. With every additional book in the series, I just feel as if it is merely the next installment of a slasher movie. You get a decent story, some very good imagery, but in the end, there is no end. Things just keep going and going and going. The author is tremendously talented, and does a very good job of keeping the reader engaged, creating an atmosphere that just envelops you. That is so very difficult to do. However, I think the author is resting too hard on nostalgia, refusing to let go. I don’t know how much more I can keep reading in that case.
It is my hope, that if this series continues, it continues once more and that’s it. I totally believe this author is incredibly capable of writing a tremendously fantastic ending, weaving together elements of all three previous books. I would buy that text today, tomorrow, and twice on Sundays. Otherwise, I am worried that the storyline will keep being just strung out even more, cheapening it.
May 1, 2021
Review originally published at: https://lomeraniel.com/book-review-th...
Edgar August has too much time in his hands thanks to having quite some money set aside. Equipped with a pair of binoculars, and with the excuse of watching birds, he knows all the ins and outs of his neighborhood. His girlfriend doesn’t understand this obsession, but Edgar must know all that happens in Buffalo Grove, as there have been some kidnappings in the last weeks and something tells him that his neighbor Marcel Dubois has something to do with it.
I enjoyed books one and two in this series, so I was curious what Ibsen had in store for us in this third book. We are already familiar with Marcel Dubois, but the story is from a completely different perspective. The book is connected with the previous ones, but it could be definitely read as a standalone. I think I expected a story that was a bit more related to the previous two books, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. The oppressing and intriguing atmosphere made this book impossible to put down, as Edgar gets closer and closer to his goal and his damnation.
I found the book well written and absorbing but I didn’t especially like Edgar. I think I would have enjoyed it more were I able to relate to him, but it didn’t happen. I’m not sure if this was because he’s a middle-aged man with a very different life from mine, or just because I was not sure of his motivations to find out about what was going on with Marcel Dubois. I guess he was just nosy and didn’t have better things to do with his life. I think I would have liked a character with some clearer goals in life and moral principles. This is just my personal opinion and it might differ from someone else’s.
Joe Hempel’s narration was absolutely sublime, as always. This is one of the cases where I would choose a book for his narrator, more than the story itself. I enjoy horror, but with the many books I have in my TBR pile, I wouldn’t probably have chosen this book if it weren’t narrated by Hempel. He delivered great character interpretations, steady rhythm, and a spotless audio production. Listening to a book narrated by Joe Hempel is always a great experience.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Edgar August has too much time in his hands thanks to having quite some money set aside. Equipped with a pair of binoculars, and with the excuse of watching birds, he knows all the ins and outs of his neighborhood. His girlfriend doesn’t understand this obsession, but Edgar must know all that happens in Buffalo Grove, as there have been some kidnappings in the last weeks and something tells him that his neighbor Marcel Dubois has something to do with it.
I enjoyed books one and two in this series, so I was curious what Ibsen had in store for us in this third book. We are already familiar with Marcel Dubois, but the story is from a completely different perspective. The book is connected with the previous ones, but it could be definitely read as a standalone. I think I expected a story that was a bit more related to the previous two books, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. The oppressing and intriguing atmosphere made this book impossible to put down, as Edgar gets closer and closer to his goal and his damnation.
I found the book well written and absorbing but I didn’t especially like Edgar. I think I would have enjoyed it more were I able to relate to him, but it didn’t happen. I’m not sure if this was because he’s a middle-aged man with a very different life from mine, or just because I was not sure of his motivations to find out about what was going on with Marcel Dubois. I guess he was just nosy and didn’t have better things to do with his life. I think I would have liked a character with some clearer goals in life and moral principles. This is just my personal opinion and it might differ from someone else’s.
Joe Hempel’s narration was absolutely sublime, as always. This is one of the cases where I would choose a book for his narrator, more than the story itself. I enjoy horror, but with the many books I have in my TBR pile, I wouldn’t probably have chosen this book if it weren’t narrated by Hempel. He delivered great character interpretations, steady rhythm, and a spotless audio production. Listening to a book narrated by Joe Hempel is always a great experience.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
March 21, 2021
Ambrose Ibsen /5 ✳️ again from Karrie's Kritiques!
I don't know why Mr. Ibsen isn't a much major player in the world of literature! I know he receives consistently good reviews from his fans, but this man should have many more readers! I see mediocre (at best) authors with thousands of ratings and find myself shaking my head in disbelief!
From the very first book of Ambrose Ibsen's, I was a huge fan. Patiently waiting for his big breakout. Maybe it is the genre because there are a couple of others I feel the same way about that the same pattern emerges.
This book was very well written, edited and the language flowed in a constant lyrical, tension-building drama! I don't know if another book will emerge in this series, it certainly is open-ended enough! (Maybe one in the total POV of the little girl who began the horror! Keep writing Ambrose and know I will be reading!
I don't know why Mr. Ibsen isn't a much major player in the world of literature! I know he receives consistently good reviews from his fans, but this man should have many more readers! I see mediocre (at best) authors with thousands of ratings and find myself shaking my head in disbelief!
From the very first book of Ambrose Ibsen's, I was a huge fan. Patiently waiting for his big breakout. Maybe it is the genre because there are a couple of others I feel the same way about that the same pattern emerges.
This book was very well written, edited and the language flowed in a constant lyrical, tension-building drama! I don't know if another book will emerge in this series, it certainly is open-ended enough! (Maybe one in the total POV of the little girl who began the horror! Keep writing Ambrose and know I will be reading!
July 7, 2023
I really enjoyed the other 2 books in this series but this one just fell short for me. I had a hard time getting invested into the story and usually when I read Ambrose Ibsen I am hooked after the first chapter. But for some reason this book didn't do that to me. I usually will finish one of his books in a day but I have found myself routinely putting this one down or falling asleep while reading it. And when I pick it back up again I have to skim through it to remind myself about the story.
I don't know why this one didn't grip me like most of hid other books but I just didn't like this one. The main character was kind of "meh," it wasn't that thrilling or scary and it just seemed to go on and on but not in the good way.
Maybe this one just wasn't for me. I have really enjoyed numerous books by Ambrose Ibsen and will still read more from him but this one wasn't it.
I don't know why this one didn't grip me like most of hid other books but I just didn't like this one. The main character was kind of "meh," it wasn't that thrilling or scary and it just seemed to go on and on but not in the good way.
Maybe this one just wasn't for me. I have really enjoyed numerous books by Ambrose Ibsen and will still read more from him but this one wasn't it.
June 18, 2025
After The House of Long Shadows and Malefic, I had high hopes for the finale. But The Withering drags – and I mean seriously drags. For a long time, basically nothing happens. Literally nothing!
And when things finally do start to happen, they seem oddly disconnected from the central mystery. It's like the narrative veers off course and forgets what it's supposed to be about. Pretty much all the key developments are packed into the second half – and even then, it feels scattered and vague.
I honestly considered DNF-ing more than once, ... he leans too heavily on what’s implied rather than actually explored. It ends up being more confusing than creepy.
I’m glad I pushed through, but I can’t shake the feeling that a big opportunity was missed. There was so much potential to dig deeper – instead, we get shadows without substance.
And when things finally do start to happen, they seem oddly disconnected from the central mystery. It's like the narrative veers off course and forgets what it's supposed to be about. Pretty much all the key developments are packed into the second half – and even then, it feels scattered and vague.
I honestly considered DNF-ing more than once, ... he leans too heavily on what’s implied rather than actually explored. It ends up being more confusing than creepy.
I’m glad I pushed through, but I can’t shake the feeling that a big opportunity was missed. There was so much potential to dig deeper – instead, we get shadows without substance.
December 15, 2020
Bleakly fantastic. As always the quality of writing is extremely high. Ambrose Ibsen has a talent for descriptions that boarder on poetry and creating characters that are sympathetic and likeable.
His novels are not ones you read to cheer yourself up. By starting any new release of his you go in knowing that a clean cut, happy ending is highly unlikely. No character is safe and no win is to be trusted. It's a strangely stressful journey to finish one of his stories.
It takes talent to make your readers care enough to feel that way.
I was surprised to find a number of typos/grammatical mistakes, that has never been a problem with his other works, but they were sparse enough to not take away from the story. I look forward to the next instalment with impatient dread.
His novels are not ones you read to cheer yourself up. By starting any new release of his you go in knowing that a clean cut, happy ending is highly unlikely. No character is safe and no win is to be trusted. It's a strangely stressful journey to finish one of his stories.
It takes talent to make your readers care enough to feel that way.
I was surprised to find a number of typos/grammatical mistakes, that has never been a problem with his other works, but they were sparse enough to not take away from the story. I look forward to the next instalment with impatient dread.
January 24, 2021
Another unsettling chapter in the saga
I usually don't like when stories remain unresolved. In this case, I think there was as much resolution as the author could give. Just as evil will never be fully eradicated in the world, the haunting in this particular world will never truly be defeated. I still wonder what would happen in she were trapped and burned. But I guess that she is too strong even then. The atmosphere of this book was eerie and tense. I found myself needing to take breaks from it because the tension never goes away. I would recommend this book and this series to fans of horror and hauntings and ghost stories.
I usually don't like when stories remain unresolved. In this case, I think there was as much resolution as the author could give. Just as evil will never be fully eradicated in the world, the haunting in this particular world will never truly be defeated. I still wonder what would happen in she were trapped and burned. But I guess that she is too strong even then. The atmosphere of this book was eerie and tense. I found myself needing to take breaks from it because the tension never goes away. I would recommend this book and this series to fans of horror and hauntings and ghost stories.
December 5, 2020
I was so excited to see this was finally released, and I was let down. The story was almost a stand alone story, not the final book in the trilogy. It didn’t connect for me. Then I had an issue with the dialogue. At one point our main character says, “there, there” to his girlfriend to comfort her. Who says that? I pictured him speaking with a pompous accent of a spoiled rich boy, which he pretty much is. Overall, disappointed I waited so long for this.
April 19, 2024
I'm in this series now because I feel like I have to finish it. I think it's done. I kinda hope it's done.
This installment follows the uncle back to his home after the events in "Malefic." You don't actually see much of the uncle, and it mostly involves a peeping tom sticking his nose where it doesn't belong.
The ending is underwhelming, and is pretty obvious from pages beforehand. After the climax? Meh. Save the cigarette.
This installment follows the uncle back to his home after the events in "Malefic." You don't actually see much of the uncle, and it mostly involves a peeping tom sticking his nose where it doesn't belong.
The ending is underwhelming, and is pretty obvious from pages beforehand. After the climax? Meh. Save the cigarette.
October 14, 2025
This was my least favorite of the House of Souls series. This is how you end it, really? I don't feel like we got any answers or any real conclusions. I wasn't a fan of the main character and the author went on entirely too long about peeping toms. A very unsatisfactory ending to this series that could have been left out entirely. It didn't fit with the flow of the first two books nor did it really offer anything of value to the original storyline.
May 29, 2021
audible:This book brings us to a man who peaks into his neighbors windows while bird watching with binoculars.No one believes what he sees. Is he crazy?What a story! Narration by Joe Hempel it was excellent!I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.'
October 15, 2021
A little dry
The storyline is very good, and should have held my interest. The writing itself though, was a little dry. I had a difficult time relating to the characters. I continued to read this book because I was invested in the story, but I did so in bits and spurts. Usually when the story is this good I don't put it down until I have read it all.
The storyline is very good, and should have held my interest. The writing itself though, was a little dry. I had a difficult time relating to the characters. I continued to read this book because I was invested in the story, but I did so in bits and spurts. Usually when the story is this good I don't put it down until I have read it all.
December 10, 2024
Good and creepy series. Glad I stumbled upon this book or I would have missed the ending to this trilogy. Hate how goodreads doesn't link all books in a series. This one looks like it's a stand alone but it's not. Part of house of souls books. Ending lacked for me or this would have been a 5 star read.
December 5, 2020
Scary as heck!!
Ambrose Ibsen you can put terror into a person like no other!! I LOVE all your books, you ARE for me the #1 horror author of all time. I’m anxiously awaiting your next book! In the meantime I’m still sleeping with the lights on!!
Ambrose Ibsen you can put terror into a person like no other!! I LOVE all your books, you ARE for me the #1 horror author of all time. I’m anxiously awaiting your next book! In the meantime I’m still sleeping with the lights on!!
December 15, 2020
This creepy sequel...
doesn't disappoint. A good protagonist although I do miss Marcel.😞 A bit of a surprise near the end but the Fiona entity is still on the loose so I'm looking forward to the next installment and whose life she'll ruin next.
doesn't disappoint. A good protagonist although I do miss Marcel.😞 A bit of a surprise near the end but the Fiona entity is still on the loose so I'm looking forward to the next installment and whose life she'll ruin next.
December 17, 2020
Awesome book!
Loved how this book kept raising the suspense! Oh my gosh it held my attention from beginning to end. The ending blew me away. Not sure if there will be another book of not. If so, I will be the first to buy it. Read this book series,you will not be disappointed!!!!
Loved how this book kept raising the suspense! Oh my gosh it held my attention from beginning to end. The ending blew me away. Not sure if there will be another book of not. If so, I will be the first to buy it. Read this book series,you will not be disappointed!!!!
May 24, 2021
Like watching paint dry....... TEDIOUS.
THIS DRAGGED ON AND ON AND ON.... good lord!! It was tedious to get through! Quite boring too. The first two books were good, this one was super slow, WAAAAAAY too wordy and not fun to read. This ruined the series fort me.
THIS DRAGGED ON AND ON AND ON.... good lord!! It was tedious to get through! Quite boring too. The first two books were good, this one was super slow, WAAAAAAY too wordy and not fun to read. This ruined the series fort me.
December 5, 2020
Engaging as ever but the climax left a little to be desired.
March 13, 2021
Overly Wrought!
I didn't care for the overly flowery language this story was written in....a more straight forward simple English would have been better.
I didn't care for the overly flowery language this story was written in....a more straight forward simple English would have been better.
June 1, 2022
I could barely get through this and I thoroughly enjoyed the first two books but this was just awful
August 3, 2024
Sad ending to the series and grim but well written. It continues with the doctor and I liked the new main character. Creepy as always. First half reminded me a bit of Rear Window.
January 29, 2025
love this author.
Ambrose is an excellent writer and even though his themes may be the same the stories are not. They are gripping and hard to put down. Many surprises are within.
Ambrose is an excellent writer and even though his themes may be the same the stories are not. They are gripping and hard to put down. Many surprises are within.
May 4, 2025
Draggy
Skip a lot of pages because it got draggy. Maybe someday I’ll read again and get to enjoy the story.
Skip a lot of pages because it got draggy. Maybe someday I’ll read again and get to enjoy the story.
July 14, 2025
Its ok.
Not as good as I thought it would be. I believe this book could of been better. It is ok I guess.
Not as good as I thought it would be. I believe this book could of been better. It is ok I guess.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews