Horror Book Review: House of Thorns by Lee Mountford
This week’s Horror Book of the Week is House of Thorns by Lee Mountford.
This book was published in February 2025 and is the number one bestseller in the British Horror Fiction category.
House of Thorns has received positive reviews so far with readers praising the book for its writing, pace, and the horror scenes. While some did not like the twist in the story, others found the book to be absolutely enthralling.
House of Thorns begins with a prologue of a now adult Emily Harper coming to Erimus House, the house she had been sent to when she was eleven and had lost her parents in an accident.
Emily thinks back to the fire on a particular night but now, thirty years later, notices that the house appears intact. She thinks about Eleanore, the woman who was in her fifties and who took care of her and the three other children: Ollie, Daniel and Lucy.
We then take a trip in the past. Emily is with a social worker, Mrs Clement who is dropping her at Erimus house. Emily is a bundle of nerves and grief at this point. She misses her parents terribly but wants to appear brave in front of the people she has just met.
She understands that the three kids in the house have gone through a similar situation as her, which makes this transition into a new house, somewhat easier for her.
The next few chapters deal with Eleanore showing Emily around the house, and the story being told from the little girl’s perspective. She learns about Jasper Graves who was the benefactor of the house but who died before any of the children came here. Apparently, he was always keen to help children.
The story then moves ahead and we learn that Daniel has reservations about the house, particularly at night. He confides in Ollie about how Eleanore would walk around the house at night, opening doors for some mysterious reason.
To Read or Not to Read?
The book summary suggests that Emily, Lucy, Daniel, and Ollie meet again as adults so that they can keep a promise to their guardian Eleanore. However, something in the house pulls them deeper into the darkness and they will be forced to face horrors beyond their own comprehension.
House of Thorns is a delightful read with the first few chapters filled with poignant moments.
We meet an eleven-year-old girl who is suddenly an orphan and must now cope with a life without her parents. She knows she must be brave but she is still a child who finds it hard to suppress her sorrow.
The characters do seem kind, and the sudden turn of events, where Eleanore is revealed to be eccentric in her nightly habits, makes you intrigued.
Erimus is supposed to be a house for the children who have lost their parents. It’s their second chance at getting a family. So how do things go so wrong? And what of the fire “that” night?
House of Thorns is no doubt a comfortable reading experience. There is never a dull moment and the characters are well-etched.
I would love to continue reading more and explore the secrets Erimus House contains.
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