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Liar: Memoir of a Haunting
Who doesn’t crave a little escape? Dreaming of small town life and rural charm, Alex and Rainey find a deal on an old rustic home they can’t resist. But soon after Rainey moves, her preoccupation with weird local history and the complications of living alone in the woods take a toll. Alex worries that the long nights and growing isolation are driving her stir crazy. When the Sugar House is damaged and Rainey goes missing, Alex doesn’t know where to turn. Was it a storm, vandals, or something worse? What happened at the Sugar House? The only thing worse than wondering is finding out.
142 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 23, 2021
234 people want to read
About the author
E.F. Schraeder
38 books34 followersActive member of the Horror Writer's Association
Member of Science Fiction Poetry Association
E.F. Schraeder writes poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. In addition to anthologies, recent creative work has appeared in a number of journals including Mobius: The Journal of Social Change, The NonBinary Review, Strange Horizons, and others. Schraeder's short non-fiction has appeared in Vastarien: A Literary Journal (Vol. 4.1), Bloody Women, and other venues.
Member of Science Fiction Poetry Association
E.F. Schraeder writes poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. In addition to anthologies, recent creative work has appeared in a number of journals including Mobius: The Journal of Social Change, The NonBinary Review, Strange Horizons, and others. Schraeder's short non-fiction has appeared in Vastarien: A Literary Journal (Vol. 4.1), Bloody Women, and other venues.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
March 18, 2021
E,F Schrader’s first novella, ‘Liar: Memoir of a Haunting’ is a challenging book. A slow-burn gothic horror, its pace is slow, its reveals are subtle and its answers are not freely given, but it is a book that rewards those willing to give themselves over to a story that delivers something that gets under your skin and quietly disturbs without overreliance on big action or violent set-pieces.
Alex and Rainey are looking for a change. Tiring of their life in the city they are looking to escape to somewhere a little more tranquil, where they can live off-grid in a place that offers them the tolerance and acceptance they are yet to find. They soon find Sugar House, picturesque and secluded, located in rural Vermont, it seems too good to be true.
When Alex is forced to stay behind to care for her ailing mother, leaving Rainey alone in their new home, she becomes obsessed with the local history and the challenges of living a whole new life start to impact her mental health. As Rainey starts to suspect something sinister may be going on at Sugar House, the couple is forced to confront the fact that their new home may not have been the fresh new start they had hoped for.
This was a book I would have enjoyed regardless, but it hit home for me all the more given we are, at the time of writing this, in the midst of a pandemic. The themes of isolation and the gradual deterioration of one’s mental health is something that is far more relatable to a greater number of people than it perhaps would have been had the book come out at a different time. It made for some uncomfortable reading at times, heightened by Schraeder’s delicate and understated approach which deftly avoids overt generalisations and willingness to let her readers piece together the subtle hints and clues about what is really going on at Sugar House.
With little in the way of major events or encounters, there is a lot riding on how the readers connect with the books leads and Alex and Rainey are both strong and memorable characters who are given plenty of space to develop and change as the book goes on. Sugar House itself also acts as a character in its own right, offering the couple a happy new life at first and gradually proving to be the wedge driving them apart. It has been great to read more diverse representation in horror recently and the strong characterisation of Alex and Rainey is hopefully a positive sign of things to come in terms of LGBTQ portrayals in the genre.
Liar may not be a book to suit everyone’s tastes. It is a book that requires patience and careful reading, but also one that offers a genuinely unsettling, uncomfortably relatable story for those willing to persevere. Those who do will discover a character-driven, thoughtful and disturbing story all the more scary for how relevant it is for us all at this moment.
You can read more reviews of new and upcoming horror releases at www.myindiemuse.com/category/genre/ho...
I also promote indie horror via Twitter - @RickReadsHorror
Alex and Rainey are looking for a change. Tiring of their life in the city they are looking to escape to somewhere a little more tranquil, where they can live off-grid in a place that offers them the tolerance and acceptance they are yet to find. They soon find Sugar House, picturesque and secluded, located in rural Vermont, it seems too good to be true.
When Alex is forced to stay behind to care for her ailing mother, leaving Rainey alone in their new home, she becomes obsessed with the local history and the challenges of living a whole new life start to impact her mental health. As Rainey starts to suspect something sinister may be going on at Sugar House, the couple is forced to confront the fact that their new home may not have been the fresh new start they had hoped for.
This was a book I would have enjoyed regardless, but it hit home for me all the more given we are, at the time of writing this, in the midst of a pandemic. The themes of isolation and the gradual deterioration of one’s mental health is something that is far more relatable to a greater number of people than it perhaps would have been had the book come out at a different time. It made for some uncomfortable reading at times, heightened by Schraeder’s delicate and understated approach which deftly avoids overt generalisations and willingness to let her readers piece together the subtle hints and clues about what is really going on at Sugar House.
With little in the way of major events or encounters, there is a lot riding on how the readers connect with the books leads and Alex and Rainey are both strong and memorable characters who are given plenty of space to develop and change as the book goes on. Sugar House itself also acts as a character in its own right, offering the couple a happy new life at first and gradually proving to be the wedge driving them apart. It has been great to read more diverse representation in horror recently and the strong characterisation of Alex and Rainey is hopefully a positive sign of things to come in terms of LGBTQ portrayals in the genre.
Liar may not be a book to suit everyone’s tastes. It is a book that requires patience and careful reading, but also one that offers a genuinely unsettling, uncomfortably relatable story for those willing to persevere. Those who do will discover a character-driven, thoughtful and disturbing story all the more scary for how relevant it is for us all at this moment.
You can read more reviews of new and upcoming horror releases at www.myindiemuse.com/category/genre/ho...
I also promote indie horror via Twitter - @RickReadsHorror
February 20, 2022
Pretty far outside of my comfort zone
SAPPHIC BOOK BINGO: established couple, out of your comfort zone, not a romance; UNICORN: therapy
For fans of horror and dark fiction, do not use my review.
I've avoided this genre - mostly because I've never enjoyed being in that frame of mind. The story was like The Shining, but in a house, with mostly one person, and it happened in Vermont. (I only saw the movie, so I don't know what the book was like.) The house seemed to suck the soul out of the character, and the author did a good job of showing her progressive breakdown. The writing style isn't one that I enjoy, either. That didn't make it a bad book, it just wasn't my thing. I feel that the book would be most appreciated by horror/dark fiction fans.
SAPPHIC BOOK BINGO: established couple, out of your comfort zone, not a romance; UNICORN: therapy
For fans of horror and dark fiction, do not use my review.
I've avoided this genre - mostly because I've never enjoyed being in that frame of mind. The story was like The Shining, but in a house, with mostly one person, and it happened in Vermont. (I only saw the movie, so I don't know what the book was like.) The house seemed to suck the soul out of the character, and the author did a good job of showing her progressive breakdown. The writing style isn't one that I enjoy, either. That didn't make it a bad book, it just wasn't my thing. I feel that the book would be most appreciated by horror/dark fiction fans.
February 1, 2021
Liar reads like a lesbian gothic that tosses the romantic notion of an isolated artist living off the grid on its ass. This book scared the shit out of me! Schraeder’s gripping prose takes readers on a spiral of dread that investigates the meaning of home, particularly for an LGBTQ person, and takes us into one of the scariest hauntings of all—the mind.
June 1, 2021
“Liar” by EF Schraeder is a chilling account of the events that happen to a young woman that moves to an off-grid cabin in the woods in the heart of Vermont with her partner. Having a deep desire to escape the city and the judging looks of neighbors and strangers alike solely based on their lifestyle choices, they begin looking to move to a more rural area. A welcoming small town where they can be accepted, and live and work in peace.
Rainey Winter is an online college professor that works remotely and her partner, Alex, travels most of the time for work, neither of them need to be tied to any one city or state. As they begin looking for houses and towns, Vermont begins to pop up again and again, so their house hunting takes them to the lush, green mountains and forest of New England.
When they finally come across “Sugar House” set back in a valley by itself, surrounded by forest and a grove of Aspens, they both feel the pull of the house, the welcoming vibe, the charm of the cabin and soon an offer is made.
Rainey only desires to be left alone to work in peace, to live with her partner and to finally feel at home in her environment. Sugar House is perfect. They get settled in, learn how to run the home from its off-grid set up including an independent solar grid and begin acclimating themselves to their new home. But no one prepared Rainey for the silence, once Alex leaves for work and family obligations. No one told Rainey how the Aspens seem to speak in a language all their own, whispering in the shadows, telling secrets that only Sugar House knows.
Rainey finds a hidden journal and begins to read the ramblings of someone from long ago, someone that speaks of something hidden between worlds, a world within a world, a doorway where none should be. Isolation, fear and paranoia begin to set in as Rainey reads more and struggles more with the loneliness. A chain of events unfold that Rainey and Alex both are left struggling to understand or explain, but something exists within Sugar House, something haunting.
This was a slow burn full of anticipation and mystery. I really enjoyed the pacing and the build-up of this story and thought that it was really well-written. The characters are full of emotions, quirks, and insecurities that anyone can relate to and they each deal with their issues in their own way. I am giving this 4 out of 5 stars.
Rainey Winter is an online college professor that works remotely and her partner, Alex, travels most of the time for work, neither of them need to be tied to any one city or state. As they begin looking for houses and towns, Vermont begins to pop up again and again, so their house hunting takes them to the lush, green mountains and forest of New England.
When they finally come across “Sugar House” set back in a valley by itself, surrounded by forest and a grove of Aspens, they both feel the pull of the house, the welcoming vibe, the charm of the cabin and soon an offer is made.
Rainey only desires to be left alone to work in peace, to live with her partner and to finally feel at home in her environment. Sugar House is perfect. They get settled in, learn how to run the home from its off-grid set up including an independent solar grid and begin acclimating themselves to their new home. But no one prepared Rainey for the silence, once Alex leaves for work and family obligations. No one told Rainey how the Aspens seem to speak in a language all their own, whispering in the shadows, telling secrets that only Sugar House knows.
Rainey finds a hidden journal and begins to read the ramblings of someone from long ago, someone that speaks of something hidden between worlds, a world within a world, a doorway where none should be. Isolation, fear and paranoia begin to set in as Rainey reads more and struggles more with the loneliness. A chain of events unfold that Rainey and Alex both are left struggling to understand or explain, but something exists within Sugar House, something haunting.
This was a slow burn full of anticipation and mystery. I really enjoyed the pacing and the build-up of this story and thought that it was really well-written. The characters are full of emotions, quirks, and insecurities that anyone can relate to and they each deal with their issues in their own way. I am giving this 4 out of 5 stars.
March 21, 2021
The author has delivered an incredible story. The timeline is complex and the deep dives into the characters sink you into the horror in a way that I'd compare to Carrie by Stephen King. There's a real slipping of reality as you read. You start out so hopeful for this beautiful couple, but soon you realize there are cracks in the world and our final girl just might fall through and never come back. The atmosphere is stunning. The characters are so real. Brilliant read!
March 3, 2021
Smart, scary, and unnerving.
February 3, 2022
Reviewers on Liar: Memoir of a Haunting
"The author has an unrelenting grip on the types of subtexts that resonate in emotion, through and through. We’ve all felt alone. We’ve all felt despair. Schraeder prompts us not only to find these fears once again but face them head on, in a collision surely to inspire more than a few sleepless nights in your near future." Dave Gammon at Horror News
https://horrornews.net/171711/book-re...
"As for the titular haunting, it's a very personal one; instead of the creaking doors and mysterious apparitions you might picture when someone says they've been haunted, this is instead an exploration of Rainey's mind, and how it's affected by a number of factors, from discrimination to self-doubt and more." https://gingernutsofhorror.com/fictio...
"Liar is a disquieting slow burn tale, full of small town superstition and guardedness, and a startling study of isolation and otherness. Highly recommended.” -Five Time Stoker Finalist, Lee Murray, Lee's Mini Reviews: https://www.leemurray.info/post/lee-s...
"genuinely unsettling, uncomfortably relatable..." -IndieMuse (Richard Martin): https://www.myindiemuse.com/4406/liar...
"a slow burn full of anticipation and mystery..." -Uncomfortably Dark (Candace Nola): https://www.uncomfortablydark.com/bla...
"The author has an unrelenting grip on the types of subtexts that resonate in emotion, through and through. We’ve all felt alone. We’ve all felt despair. Schraeder prompts us not only to find these fears once again but face them head on, in a collision surely to inspire more than a few sleepless nights in your near future." Dave Gammon at Horror News
https://horrornews.net/171711/book-re...
"As for the titular haunting, it's a very personal one; instead of the creaking doors and mysterious apparitions you might picture when someone says they've been haunted, this is instead an exploration of Rainey's mind, and how it's affected by a number of factors, from discrimination to self-doubt and more." https://gingernutsofhorror.com/fictio...
"Liar is a disquieting slow burn tale, full of small town superstition and guardedness, and a startling study of isolation and otherness. Highly recommended.” -Five Time Stoker Finalist, Lee Murray, Lee's Mini Reviews: https://www.leemurray.info/post/lee-s...
"genuinely unsettling, uncomfortably relatable..." -IndieMuse (Richard Martin): https://www.myindiemuse.com/4406/liar...
"a slow burn full of anticipation and mystery..." -Uncomfortably Dark (Candace Nola): https://www.uncomfortablydark.com/bla...
May 22, 2021
This story was gripping, I finished in a single read (which ran well past my bedtime). The characters are authentic and relatable. The relationship dynamics between Rainey and Alex, particularly when separated will be identifiable to those whose lives have required one to be separated from their partner, particularly in times of difficulty. Rainey's experience at the sugar house leaves the reader guessing where the line between madness and the supernatural lies, and on which side of it Rainey stands.
On top of this engaging story, the book leaves the reader thinking about issues of power, privilege, and being an outsider.
A truly wonderful read.
On top of this engaging story, the book leaves the reader thinking about issues of power, privilege, and being an outsider.
A truly wonderful read.
June 4, 2021
I found this read disquieting, insightful and compelling. What begins as a seemingly harmless desire for adventure and renewal in the form of relocation, turns into a study of the torments of long distance relationships, isolation and exclusion. The author communicates the stream of consciousness confusion and terror of the characters with realism and sensitivity and the text moves quickly, with suspense and clarity. I particularly appreciated its nontraditional interpretation of haunting. Take the time to read this one!
June 11, 2021
Lost: Memoir of a Haunting is a riveting, strong & forward-thinking perspective on life in the Midwest and beyond. This novella is a must read for those who are looking for a creepy and mysterious story that’s sure to capture and hold your interest. There are undertones of reality set in a fictional framework that provokes introspection and discernment. Perfect fit for a quick read start to finish, and shareable with a broad audience. Young adult friendly. Well suited for gift giving. Grab a copy today, you won’t regret it!
January 4, 2022
When I first read the blurb for Liar: Memoir of a Haunting, I was a little intrigued. I have read horror, and I have read LGBTQIA+. But, in all the years that I have been book blogging, I don’t think that I have ever read the two together. So, ultimately, that is why I decided to review Liar. I am glad I did, but I will warn, this book might not be for everyone.
The plotline for Liar: A Memoir of a Haunting is interesting. Rainey and Alex are a queer couple looking to move to a place that is more accepting of their lifestyle. They settle on Vermont, a state that has always been more accepting of alternative lifestyles. After seeing multiple houses, they are shown Sugar House. They fall in love with the house and the more laid-back lifestyle. But things aren’t what they seem at Sugar House. When Rainey finds a strange journal that has mad rambling about aspens and a space between the worlds, she slowly starts moving her mind. What happens to Rainey and Alex? Is Sugar House haunted, or is it all in Rainey’s head?
Liar: A Memoir of a Haunting is a slow-burn book. It starts off slow and keeps up the slow pace for 90% of the book. The plotline didn’t get going until Alex showed up at Sugar House after Rainey went missing. At that point, it did pick up and kept a steady, medium pace until the end of the book. I enjoyed it and I feel that the flow of the book would have been interrupted if it went any faster.
The book is told from a dual point of view, Rainey and Alex. The book’s primary focus is Rainey and her deteriorating mental health, but some chapters were told from Alex’s POV. I felt that those added some extra depth to both characters. I got to see what was going on with Rainey from some else’s perspective.
Mental health is a significant part of Liar: A Memoir of a Haunting. Rainey has issues that she is working on when she moves to Vermont. Those issues come to a head during her time at the house. At points, the author made me wonder if Rainey is haunted, or is it all in her head? By the end of the book, I was still wondering that.
The horror angle of Liar: A Memoir of a Haunting is very subtle and gradual. There were points in the book where I wondered if Rainey’s isolation was messing with her head or if something was going on. That is what made me like this book the most. You didn’t know. Tie in the mental health angle made for a fantastic read.
Also interwoven in Liar: A Memoir of a Haunting is the story of Rainey and Alex’s relationship. I thought they had a great relationship at the beginning of the book, but I knew by the middle that it was in trouble. I know how hard it is to have a partner who travels. My SO of 17 years travels all the time for work (3 days a week, every week), and it sucks. But I have three children and live in a populated area while Rainey was alone and living in isolation. That is a huge difference, showing Rainey’s worsening mental state.
The end of Liar: Memoir of a Haunting was interesting. The author wrapped the storyline so that I wondered what happened. It also wasn’t ended on a HEA. Instead, it ended with two people trying to find each other and figure out what happened at Sugar House.
I would recommend Liar: Memoir of a Haunting to anyone over 16. It is a clean book with very subtle scares. There is language, some mild violence, and some mild gore.
The plotline for Liar: A Memoir of a Haunting is interesting. Rainey and Alex are a queer couple looking to move to a place that is more accepting of their lifestyle. They settle on Vermont, a state that has always been more accepting of alternative lifestyles. After seeing multiple houses, they are shown Sugar House. They fall in love with the house and the more laid-back lifestyle. But things aren’t what they seem at Sugar House. When Rainey finds a strange journal that has mad rambling about aspens and a space between the worlds, she slowly starts moving her mind. What happens to Rainey and Alex? Is Sugar House haunted, or is it all in Rainey’s head?
Liar: A Memoir of a Haunting is a slow-burn book. It starts off slow and keeps up the slow pace for 90% of the book. The plotline didn’t get going until Alex showed up at Sugar House after Rainey went missing. At that point, it did pick up and kept a steady, medium pace until the end of the book. I enjoyed it and I feel that the flow of the book would have been interrupted if it went any faster.
The book is told from a dual point of view, Rainey and Alex. The book’s primary focus is Rainey and her deteriorating mental health, but some chapters were told from Alex’s POV. I felt that those added some extra depth to both characters. I got to see what was going on with Rainey from some else’s perspective.
Mental health is a significant part of Liar: A Memoir of a Haunting. Rainey has issues that she is working on when she moves to Vermont. Those issues come to a head during her time at the house. At points, the author made me wonder if Rainey is haunted, or is it all in her head? By the end of the book, I was still wondering that.
The horror angle of Liar: A Memoir of a Haunting is very subtle and gradual. There were points in the book where I wondered if Rainey’s isolation was messing with her head or if something was going on. That is what made me like this book the most. You didn’t know. Tie in the mental health angle made for a fantastic read.
Also interwoven in Liar: A Memoir of a Haunting is the story of Rainey and Alex’s relationship. I thought they had a great relationship at the beginning of the book, but I knew by the middle that it was in trouble. I know how hard it is to have a partner who travels. My SO of 17 years travels all the time for work (3 days a week, every week), and it sucks. But I have three children and live in a populated area while Rainey was alone and living in isolation. That is a huge difference, showing Rainey’s worsening mental state.
The end of Liar: Memoir of a Haunting was interesting. The author wrapped the storyline so that I wondered what happened. It also wasn’t ended on a HEA. Instead, it ended with two people trying to find each other and figure out what happened at Sugar House.
I would recommend Liar: Memoir of a Haunting to anyone over 16. It is a clean book with very subtle scares. There is language, some mild violence, and some mild gore.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews