This week’s Horror Book Recommendation is LITTLE RED HOUSE By Liv Andersson.
The novel was published in December 2022 and is on the bestseller list for Domestic Thrillers.
Published by Crooked Lane Books, LITTLE RED HOUSE has been well-received by critics who commend the author’s ability to craft a diabolically twisted tale that has a flawlessly executed final twist.
The readers who bought this book found it to be well-written and thought that the plot was compelling and thougthought-provokinght provoking. The book is also described as dark and gritty. Some of the readers thought the author wasn’t able to keep up the pace and the characters and timeline got confusing.
However, the readers did believe that the ending was unpredictable and enjoyed the twist.
Quick Review of LITTE RED HOUSE based on the Sample
The book starts off with a character called Kelsey Foster who is clearly a captive in a demented and abusive man’s cellar. It is disturbing to read about the abuse she has to endure. However, she does intend to escape someday and may already have a plan in motion.
We then meet Constance Foster in the present day. She is clearly broke and looking for one-night stands who can be her roof over the head and meal tickets for one night.
When her sister Lisa calls, Constance is shocked to find that her mother Eve has died. It is implied that they have had a falling out and Constance doesn’t believe Eve is even dead.
The timeline changes once again and we meet Eve in 1997 who is looking for her daughter Kelsey. She is in New Mexico and is desperate to reunite with her daughter whom the cops believe has runaway. After a one-night stand, the bartender is finally ready to reveal to her that he did indeed see her daughter but that she went off with a man called Antonio.
The timeline changes once again and we find Eve back home and meeting with Lisa and the lawyer who informs them about the will Eve left behind. Astonishingly, Constance finds that her mother Eve is just as cruel dead as when she was alive.
The will stipulates that Lisa pretty much gets everything but Constance gets a house in New Mexico and a stipend of $5000. Lisa offers to share her half but the will disallows her to be generous and Constance realizes she cannot jeopardize Lisa’s share of the assets. She decides to leave for New Mexico. At least she has a house, right?
In the past, Eve has tracked down Antonio’s house but finds his mother who is reluctant to give out details of her son.
The story does have a lot of timelines but they are carefully differentiated by the usage of separate chapters and descriptions. The plot is disturbing and the characters’ helplessness is palpable through their actions.
It can be disturbing to read about the characters as they endure heartbreaking hardships in order to finally get what they want. The author has created conflicted and strong characters that are able to shoulder the story and move the plot ahead.
LITTLE RED HOUSE does seem like one of those books you would not want to put down until you learned every little detail about the characters and read the final page.
The Plot (Taken from Amazon.com)
In 1997, Eve Foster’s daughter, Kelsey, runs away to New Mexico and vanishes without a trace. Eve is convinced that she’s the victim of a serial killer who’s been hunting women in the region—but Kelsey’s body is never found.
Years later, Eve dies, leaving everything to her adopted twin daughters. The majority of the wealthy estate in Vermont goes to Lisa, the “good daughter,” while Connie inherits only a small stipend and a property in New Mexico. Connie, often the target of Eve's cruelty, suspects this was another of her mother's vindictive games.
Connie arrives in New Mexico to find a small, dilapidated red house in the desert, and the home’s mysterious caretaker, Jet Montgomery, living in a shack on the property. She learns there's been a string of women murdered in the area—murders that no one will talk about.
Before Connie can get to the truth, her mother’s sadistic mind games come creeping back from the grave—and now the danger becomes all too real. With a serial killer on the loose and a trove of deadly secrets coming to the surface, Connie is in a desperate race to save herself and what little is left of her shattered family.
Little Red House is available on Amazon Kindle, Audiobook, and Hardcover.
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