Just Like Home – ARC Book Review

‘Come home.’ Vera’s mother called and Vera obeyed. In spite of their long estrangement, in spite of the memories – she’s come back to the home of a serial killer. Back to face the love she had for her father and the bodies he buried there, beneath the house he’d built for his family.

Coming home is hard enough for Vera, and to make things worse, she and her mother aren’t alone. A parasitic artist has moved into the guest house out back and is slowly stripping Vera’s childhood for spare parts. He insists that he isn’t the one leaving notes around the house in her father’s handwriting . . . but who else could it possibly be?

There are secrets yet undiscovered in the foundations of the notorious Crowder House. Vera must face them and find out for herself just how deep the rot goes.

This was actually a creepy thriller/horror book that I actually enjoyed reading so much!

Vera reluctantly returns back to her childhood home, known as The Crowder Hall built by her father. But the house itself holds a dark secret–the place where her father who is a notorious serial killer had killed and kept the bodies in the very same house as Vera is reminded of that secret. Meanwhile, her mother Daphne, with whom Vera has a strained relationship has invited a stranger named James Duvall as Daphne and Vera are facing financial difficulties…

I actually enjoyed reading this book. It was slow-paced but despite that, I was completely hooked into the story. Reading this book made me feel like I was watching a horror movie that will put me at the edge of the seat so the author has done a good job with that. There is a Stephen King vibe in this book as well as there are moments of horror stories coupled with the thriller in the book that would leave the reader feel intrigued. There wasn’t much gory scenes in the book but there are some parts in the book that completely grossed me out and was too disturbing to read at times. The ending was fantastic and unexpected and I actually did not expect that sort of ending at all! Besides from all the horrors and twisted thriller, this book also talk about strained relationship particularly between Vera and her mother, strained friendship between Vera and her friend Brandon and how Vera is still haunted by the house. The descriptions of the house certainly gives the reader a creepy vibe which will make the reader feel like they are reading a horror story.

If you are a fan of Stephen King, then this book will be the one for you–I give four stars!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Hodder and Stoughton for the ARC. The review is based on my opinion only.