The Spite House

4.5 stars, decided upon reflection to round to 4. As a parent what would risk for your children when you have little options? Eric, 18yo daughter Dess and 9yo daughter Stacy are on the run. Making their way to Texas, Eric sees an ad seeking people to live in the Masson House, a skinny house on top of a hill in Degener, Texas. The ad claims the house is a site of pronounced paranormal activity and serious candidates only, with a high six-figure payout after completion of the assignment. The house can't actually be haunted, right?

I wanted to pick this up because I really want to read Compton's 2024 release. A very strong 2023 debut IMO. It has a smidge of a slow start because of lot of family set up, but once the creepy/scary things kick off they don't stop with a lot of twists and reveals along the journey. I was worried the ending would fizzle but I was content. Great character work and I love that it's multi-POV of the family members and others too. The father reminded me of my own parents: “this next idea is going to be the one that solves all our problems.”

If you like haunted house movies/stories I 100% recommend this book. If you're looking for true horror, but don't want any gore or anything else extreme this could be for you. It might also be historical fiction because I think it lines up with the one American Civil War Texas fact I know, but there's no author's note. The book's structure reminded me of LaValle's the Changeling, as in a family story that turns horror, but an intergenerational family story with familial love nonetheless.