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How to Build a Haunted House: Strange, Unsettling, and Unforgettable Tales
Have you ever tried to build a haunted house?
Bestselling author Travis Brown returns with a new collection taking readers on a journey into dark rooms filled with the creepy, weird, and unexplained.
The sundown is tinted green, a wind blows in from the west, and the walls between our world and all others grow thin enough to slip through. Invisible nightmares walk among us, some more dangerous than others. Make sure when that happens, you’re somewhere secret and safe…
Bestselling author Travis Brown returns with a new collection taking readers on a journey into dark rooms filled with the creepy, weird, and unexplained.
The sundown is tinted green, a wind blows in from the west, and the walls between our world and all others grow thin enough to slip through. Invisible nightmares walk among us, some more dangerous than others. Make sure when that happens, you’re somewhere secret and safe…
203 pages, Hardcover
Published May 4, 2022
48 people are currently reading
148 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
June 11, 2022
Beware of the Goatman!
I've read a lot of Travis' stories on Reddit where he posts as Grand Theft Motto. He always delivers there and he has done so in this anthology as well. I loved the story that included the Goatman because that was a local legend in the town that I grew up in. Ressurection.exe also stood out with it's imaginative take on bringing people back from the dead and the problems it might present. If this is any indication Brown has a lot of great stories left in him to tell, looking forward to seeing more!
I've read a lot of Travis' stories on Reddit where he posts as Grand Theft Motto. He always delivers there and he has done so in this anthology as well. I loved the story that included the Goatman because that was a local legend in the town that I grew up in. Ressurection.exe also stood out with it's imaginative take on bringing people back from the dead and the problems it might present. If this is any indication Brown has a lot of great stories left in him to tell, looking forward to seeing more!
July 13, 2022
Frightful and Funny
The variety of the types of stories in this book had me intrigued each time I started a new one. Some of the stories tie together with each other and give us the perspectives from different characters involved in the same basic story at different points and it's a great way to present that particular world. The descriptions are top notch whether they are haunting, poetic, or, as is the case with a few, delightfully funny. This is a great collection of the various facets of the author's styles. Awesome read.
The variety of the types of stories in this book had me intrigued each time I started a new one. Some of the stories tie together with each other and give us the perspectives from different characters involved in the same basic story at different points and it's a great way to present that particular world. The descriptions are top notch whether they are haunting, poetic, or, as is the case with a few, delightfully funny. This is a great collection of the various facets of the author's styles. Awesome read.
January 7, 2023
Good book
Hate having to write 20 words just to leave a review saying I liked a book but the book was good so here is at least 20 words
Hate having to write 20 words just to leave a review saying I liked a book but the book was good so here is at least 20 words
September 16, 2024
I was initially hesitant to pick this up considering my lukewarm opinion on House with One Hundred Doors. This is another collection of short horror fiction - sometimes a story lasting little over a page - liberally culled from Brown's r/nosleep fiction.
It was a step up, for sure. The title story "How to Build a Haunted House" is unfortunately one of the shortest pieces, and turned out to be more allegorical than expected. However, it is only one of several pieces, and this time they landed more often than not. A few major standouts being "A Ship Called Lighthouse", "Against the West Wind" and "The Amateur Exorcist" - which, for that third one? I would totally read a full-length novel starring that character. I was INVESTED.
It also does something smart over the course of the book, and has many stories sprinkled through that tie together into a connected universe. Eyes really took a beating in this book.
The biggest issue I have is that - by the very nature of the stories - we never really get any sort of a sense of closure, and the story arc regarding the eye transplants does seem to end rather abruptly. I would've expected the last story in the volume to be the closer on that arc - but instead we got the excellent Amateur Exorcist tale.
Seriously. That one deserves a book-book.
My only other real criticism is that the editor needs to slow down and pay a bit more attention. There were a fair few typos/grammatical errors.
It was a step up, for sure. The title story "How to Build a Haunted House" is unfortunately one of the shortest pieces, and turned out to be more allegorical than expected. However, it is only one of several pieces, and this time they landed more often than not. A few major standouts being "A Ship Called Lighthouse", "Against the West Wind" and "The Amateur Exorcist" - which, for that third one? I would totally read a full-length novel starring that character. I was INVESTED.
It also does something smart over the course of the book, and has many stories sprinkled through that tie together into a connected universe. Eyes really took a beating in this book.
The biggest issue I have is that - by the very nature of the stories - we never really get any sort of a sense of closure, and the story arc regarding the eye transplants does seem to end rather abruptly. I would've expected the last story in the volume to be the closer on that arc - but instead we got the excellent Amateur Exorcist tale.
Seriously. That one deserves a book-book.
My only other real criticism is that the editor needs to slow down and pay a bit more attention. There were a fair few typos/grammatical errors.
April 24, 2023
It's the best horror anthology I have read so far. To not say it's perfect, I took issue with the sexorcist short because I don't think it could reach the other shorts. The Sapphire saint also is kind of just okay, but all the rest? Every short works on its own, but when they cross each other? When the author mixes and matches them?
This book got be dumbfounded, awestruck. I just. Can't recommend it enough.
This book got be dumbfounded, awestruck. I just. Can't recommend it enough.
March 26, 2025
Some stories in this collection are stronger than others and it’s not quite as strong as the previous collection but this author, The House with 100 Rooms, but there are several that definitely make the entire collection. Also like the other collection, this author really excels at building dread so it that’s your thing, this is for you
May 26, 2025
Review of your book
Omg, this book is good, maybe even better than the last one, boy I think King & Koontz are at the top but boy u r on your way up there. I’m so happy I found your work, it’s brilliant!!!
Omg, this book is good, maybe even better than the last one, boy I think King & Koontz are at the top but boy u r on your way up there. I’m so happy I found your work, it’s brilliant!!!
October 11, 2023
Enjoyed this book in the dark
I usually read my books in the dark. Enjoyed this one because its well written. Especially enjoyed very last story. Thank you for writing.
I usually read my books in the dark. Enjoyed this one because its well written. Especially enjoyed very last story. Thank you for writing.
May 15, 2025
Originally gave 4 stars but the more this book marinaded, I had to come back and give 5.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews