"When reluctant sellout Alex and his family move to Harlan Drive, they soon discover that their idyllic suburban house is not the safe haven it first seems. In fact, there’s nothing safe about The House On Harlan at all…
In this thrilling new novella from Mike Salt, author of The Valley and Damned to Hell , you are invited to step inside the House on Harlan – a house where the things that go bump in the night come out in force. A house that is hungry for blood. A house that will haunt you.
A house with a little black door in the cellar…
A door that opens both ways. And, as Alex is about to find out, the things that come through aren’t all there is to fear in this house. No, the real danger is waiting for him on the other side…"
Blood Rites Horror is proud to kick off the countdown to Halloween with a brand-new novella from Mike Salt. The House On Harlan is a thrilling masterpiece in horror that takes some truly unexpected and subgenre-hopping turns and develops an entirely new layer of Salt's growing literary universe. A family-centred story with tonnes of heart, even more blood, and a shocking new take on some of our favourite folklores, this is one you won't want to miss.
After moving his family into a new house, Alex notices an odd small door in his basement. When increasingly creepy and frightening events begin to happen, Alex finds himself going through the door and into the unknown in an attempt to save his family from certain doom.
Salt knows how to write a freaking story, folks. Action, humor, heart, and plenty of scares, this story rocks from start to finish. The fast pace makes this one a real page-turner, and the lore and world he's built is original and intriguing. As a fan of his novel THE VALLEY, I enjoyed how he connected his stories together.
This was an awesome novella with an ending that left me speechless. Well done, Mr. Salt. You packed a punch with this one.
"Alex took a step down the island and felt a knot climb down his throat and land in his belly. Something felt off. He looked down at his stomach and lifted his shirt. Right above his belly button, something moved."
Okay, so I take back what I said about cliffhangers in my last review. I have been reading this series of what appeared to be unconnected stories that all ended on cliffhangers which annoyed the hell out of me. However, having read this one and coming across a character from the previous book, it has become clear that they are connected so I'm hoping some questions will be answered at some point. I did get a little sneak peak of the fourth book (my next read) and saw a character from the first book mentioned, so I'm pinning my hopes on that one. As for this book, like the previous two, it was fast paced and filled with enough unease to make me feel uncomfortable. I loved the story, but also hated it for making me feel so completely on edge.
"The House on Harlan" was my first taste of Mike Salt's writing, and I was not disappointed. With a fast-paced, to-the-point writing style, I never once found myself bored - I was immediately engaged with the story, and the characters were very likeable. What this book does is puts readers in the shoes of this average family, who is put in insidious peril. There is a sense of unease throughout the earlier pages of this book. It gets under your skin as it gets under Alex's. Even as someone without kids, it was easy to feel terror for this family as things begin to unravel - you should feel that your family is safe inside your home, but what happens when the terror that haunts you comes from within your home? It's unsettling, and the stakes were high. Something else I really appreciated about this book was the casual reversal of societal gender roles - they were not present, and it made the family much more real that way, without ever seeming like it was forced into the narration. Only one instance threw me off, ever so slightly, was the very last scene - but perhaps it means I need to give it another read to dive into anything that may have slipped through the cracks during my read. The connections to other books by this author were spot on, making me curious to check out more of their work.
This book surprised me, in a great way. It’s a fun ride and I would recommend it.
The book sets up as a fairly standard haunted house story with a tormented family adjusting to a new home. However, it goes in a completely wild, imaginative direction which I found entertaining. I won’t spoil it for you, but the ending leaves open a world of possibilities but without making the reader frustrated and feeling a lack of satisfaction. That’s a thin line to walk and Mr. Salt does it with aplomb.
I would have liked a bit more character development. Also, I would have liked more development and description of the neighborhood early in the story to help me better visualize the final act, but these are minor issues.
Go get a copy or two via your Amazon Smile account, or independent bookseller.
Loved this book itbhas been my favourite in the series so far, the charatcters are awesome likeable etc, the whole narrative was great and super creepy, I have just bought 4 so can not wait to read that one.
Dit was niet echt mijn ding. Teveel sci-fiction voor mij en het verhaal was heel langdradig. Het begin was spannend en veelbelovend maar het vervolg was zeer teleurstellend met fictie wezens en gewoon teveel ongelovigheid. Heel jammer!
I tore through The House on Harlan in one sitting, and it was an afternoon well spent. Salt does a masterful job of ratcheting up the tension, and deftly explores what it means to face true horror: your loved ones in imminent danger. Highly recommend this engrossing novella.
The 3rd book in the Linkville Horror Series is THE HOUSE ON HARLAN and I think it's my favorite! This one covers a lot of different emotions and its a twist on a subgenre I enjoy: haunted houses. It goes in SUCH a direction I couldn't foresee and I think it is totally unique. I couldn't believe it was over as I looked down and saw my % almost hitting 100. It reads so fast and you are engaged the entire time. This is shorter than the last book and I think one of the things lacking is some of the characterizations and development, but then again, the house is kind of its own character, too, and more time was given there.
This story was interesting. While reading I kind of got the vibe of “Signs” with “US” mixed together just coming out of the basement. I enjoyed this book much more.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I loved this book! It gave me the creeps in all the right ways. I really love the way this author writes. He writes in a way that gives you the creeps and makes you feel uneasy. I enjoyed the throwback to the valley. It was nice to see Patrick again. Only thing... i want more!
My first read by this author and will definitely be reading more! Loved the characters, fast-paced and jumped right into it! So much unease reading about everything this family went through! Creepy, quick read! You won't be disappointed!
A wild and terrifying ride that grips you in its claws as soon as you start consuming.
Boxes in a basement, the contents unknown, left by previous owners.
A small black door in the wall of the same basement.
Both appear at the start of the story, and both had me wanting to know more.
As Alex, husband and father, explores both of these things within the house that he's moved into with his wife and young children, things get crazy. Events unfold quickly, and the reader is taken on a wild ride full of unexpected things.
The door is much more than the reader expects, which is terrifying and intriguing at the same time. As we follow Alex on his journey to save his family from the unknown terrors, the reader is pulled in deeper and deeper until there is no going back.
I loved the journey. I enjoyed the tiny hints left along the way, allowing me to try and put the pieces together, only to be surprised.
I was left still questioning the contents of the box, amongst other things, however, I hear there is more from this author to come.
I will be staying tuned and can't wait to read more.
This is a horror story that actually made me feel uneasy. It focused on a few things that just get to me, don’t want to spoil it by saying what exactly but well done to Mike for making me regrets reading this before bed!
I was really kept on my toes with this story, I honestly couldn’t have guessed what direction it was going to go in, which is just fantastic!
Again I’m trying not to spoil anything but let’s just there’s some references to previous Mike Salt stories and I loved it! I’m hoping this theme continues in future works.
I also feel like the ending is what I’m now going to describe as a typical Mike Salt ending, I have so many questions!!!
Now I want it to be known I’m a big fan of Mike Salt, not just his books but him as a person, so I very much encourage you to go read one of his books!
I’ve always been a bit intimidated to read something by Mike Salt. He just comes across as so cool on social media - where he’s funny, honest, and pretty damned inspirational - and even his name is badass. But, I finally took the plunge with this spooky novella and, well folks, I had myself a lovely time. It packs in so much in so few pages; body swapping, possession, blackouts, other worlds and a quite crushing climax. Yes please!
I am so sad I finished this series already and can't wait for more!! Mike connected all of these stories so brilliantly.
The House on Harlan took one of my greatest fears and made it supernatural and even scarier! I am literally questioning if my family is actually just a bunch of scary monster creatures and probably won't be able to sleep tonight LOL. If I hear my husband listening to "Good Vibrations" I'll definitely know he's an imposter!
The first 1/3 of the book is fantastic. Once he finds the graves in the backyard and never calls the police then gets home and the monsters are there and never calls the police my eyes just rolled. Plus the creatures are just dumb. Grey blobs that drink blood and replicate.
5/5 for first third of the book, 0 for the rest, no half star reviews so 2. Such a let down for something that started so strong.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
A chilling story of a family and the evil living just beyond a little door in the basement. The House on Harlan kept me on my toes wanting more. It was filled with terrifying imagery and compelling characters. Here’s hoping there’s a follow up! My first Mike Salt story will not be my last!
Shout out to Mike for allowing to have an ARC of his latest novella out this September, I had so much fun reading it. I think I finished the entire thing in 6 hours, so you know this is good stuff right away.
The House of Harlan is a family centred story following house husband and artist Alex as he tries to balance raising two kids while supporting his wife, Lauren, who works at the local hospital. His life is controlled chaos, a never ending battle of spinning plates that turns upside down when he discovers a small black door behind their move-in-boxes in his basement studio. At first the door appears to have a supernatural quality to it as Alex discovers it’s influence allows him to trance out while painting, giving the author a chance to explore the euphoric state of creating something. While these thoughts are linked to the art Alex paints you get a sense that they apply to all forms of creativity and they are written with a finesse that reminded me of Stephen King’s Duma Key when his protagonist would have similar contemplations. These were some of my favourite sections in the story.
The first half runs with an Invasion of the Body Snatchers vibe as the small door turns out to have more insidious qualities than the family first think. It’s here that readers, at least veteran horror ones, will be expecting some sort of possession element to come into play, and it does, but Mike twists it into something new. The second half plays out at break neck speed, providing several twists that keep the reader for engaged and guessing until a devastating finale.
Brilliant work!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Three days after finishing the book, and I still don't know what to say about it! It's weird, dude.
Alex and his family move into a charming new home to find a small door hidden behind some moving boxes in their basement. What lurks behind the door..... oh dear.
Pros: -fast paced novella -couldn't put it down -likable characters (which is a tricky thing to happen in a novella!) -the use of at-home security cameras was a nice touch -a cliffhanger with serious bite
Cons -the "bad guys" were sometimes hard to visualize -It didn't feel as "haunted house-y" as I would have preferred. (this is more of a ME thing than an actual ding on the book, though. Personal preference and whatnot).
Why I only gave it 3 stars: at about 2/3rds of the way in, things shift from haunted house/home invasion vibes to....well, WEIRD vibes. Not exactly cosmic, but just...weird? It was a unique choice, but honestly it just lost me.
Nonetheless: I am looking forward to giving other books by Mike Salt a shot! There was enough *COOL* stuff that happened in the first half to give it another go. I personally just don't really dig bizarre horror.
I'm actually gutted I couldn't give this a higher rating. The first 2/3 of the story were excellent - super creepy, great build up, and I started to get a bit anxious while reading it in bed at night! I went in blind, so I had no idea what sort of horror this would turn out to be, and I was not disappointed to start off with - it feels like a classic home invasion, but then things get weird. There is great use of tech for extra creepiness as well, with home security systems and such given some great set pieces. I also love any time that art pops up in a horror story and becomes woven into the plot. However, about 2/3 in, things sort of jump the shark. As soon as the main character it just lost me. It was such an odd choice and didn't really seem to relate to the rest of the story. I sort of checked out for the final section of the book, although the creepy vibes come back for a brief section it never returns to how excellent it was. I wish I could have given this a 4, but if you enjoy home invasion, give it go.
I swear, this series gets better and better as it progresses.
Alex, his wife Lauren, and his two young children move into a suburban house on Harlan Street in Linkville, Oregon, as Lauren has accepted a job as a nurse at the local hospital, and they needed to relocate. Alex is an artist and a stay at home dad, taking care of the majority of responsibilities for their children.
As they become more familiar with their new home, Alex notices a strange door in the basement. It's just a little one that, according to the layout of the rest of the house, shouldn't lead to anything at all. The moment that he discovers this door, Alex's life and that of his family gets completely turned upside down. He starts losing hours of his day, unknowingly incorporating the door into his artwork. They start hearing strange noises at night, start believing that people are trying to get into their house. And that's just the start of their nightmare.
So far, this is my favorite in the Linkville Horror series. I know that you don't need to read them in order, but I absolutely recommend that you do to catch the easter eggs from previous books.
Mike Salt's *The House on Harlan* is a gripping novella that masterfully blends suburban tranquility with relentless terror. When Alex and his family move into their seemingly perfect new home, they quickly learn that appearances can be deceiving. The true menace lies within the walls of their house, particularly behind a mysterious black door in the cellar that harbors unspeakable horrors.
Salt's storytelling is superb, capturing the reader's attention from the first page with a taut, suspenseful narrative. The atmosphere is richly eerie, making you feel the lurking dread in every corner. Characters are well-developed, and Alex’s journey from skepticism to sheer terror is both believable and riveting.
If you’re a fan of horror that keeps you on the edge of your seat, *The House on Harlan* is a must-read. Its perfect blend of psychological and supernatural elements makes it a standout in the genre. I couldn’t put it down and highly recommend it to anyone looking for a chilling thrill.
[4.5 rounded up] This is definitely my favorite Salt book, and I think I've read them all except the House that Burns, which is part of a series written by a variety of authors. There was a setting change late into the story I felt a little iffy about at times and I would have preferred a little more clarity regarding what happened to the main cast in the end, but I'm assuming they return elsewhere. This book is clearly connected to his others, like The Valley (which is directly mentioned a few times). For me, this story was at its best when Alex was becoming a man possessed with his art while weird things happened around the house. I was sucked in by that and the amping suspense as things quickly spiraled out of control. I feel like this was a much more developed and fast-paced story than his others, which is why I had such a thrill reading it over the course of a couple days during my breaks at work.