Horror Book Spotlight: The Caretaker by Marcus Kliewer

 

Isn’t it every author’s dream to have their book adapted into a movie? Author Marcus Kliewer already has two movie adaptations in the works. 

The first adaptation is based on his debut novel WE USED TO LIVE HERE, for which the rights were sold to Netflix. 

And now we have THE CARETAKER, a novel that was not even officially released before the movie rights were sold. 

As per the latest news, Sydney Sweeney will produce and star in this film.

The Caretaker was released in April 2026 and received positive reviews so far, with the only negative review being about the protagonist, who wasn’t very likable. 

THE CARETAKER PLOT

After a string of failed interviews, Macy Mullins turns to Craigslist for jobs and finds one that she thinks may be doable. 

It’s for the role of a caretaker. Only for three days. Competitive pay. 

Macy Mullins applies for it and receives an instant callback. When she lands the gig, she soon realizes that it is more of a nightmare than she had thought at first. 

She has to follow certain rites and soon realizes that she may be the only one standing between incomprehensible evil and the rest of humanity. 

THE CARETAKER My Take on the Sample

Instead of a prologue, we get a FOLLOW THE RITES section. We meet David Carnswel, who is up in the middle of the night while his wife, Grace, is asleep. 

He needs to follow the footsteps that lead into the dark woods, a rule that he must follow as humanity depends on him. We briefly learn that David suspects he either has dementia or is losing it based on a vision he had at a supermarket, where he heard voices that integrated into his thoughts. 

The thoughts seem like they were always there, reminding him of the consequences of not following the rites. 

And so, at midnight, he follows the footsteps and comes across The Visitor, who is suggested to resemble David’s deceased son Caleb, who committed suicide. 

David breaks a rule with The Visitor, and towards the end of the chapter, it is heavily implied that he may be in trouble. 

In the first chapter, we meet Macy Mullins, who is remembering her father’s teachings and dealing with interview rejections. She believes it’s because she looks angry all the time. 

She manages to find a decent job post at Craigslist for a caretaker and applies to it. The reply for the interview is from Grace. Now, if you remember, Grace was David’s wife. So if she is looking for a caretaker, then it has something to do with following rites and The Visitors. 

Unsuspecting Macy makes her way to Brooksview Heights and needs to take a bus. There is an incident with a male passenger who boards the bus but has no ticket. He asks Macy for help, and she barely has enough to cover her transit, much less pay for his. So she avoids looking at him until he is warned off the bus by the driver. 

Apparently, Brooksview Heights is a place for wealthy families, and Macy is intrigued by the new scenery. 

The sample ends before we can learn more about how and when Macy gets the job. 

READ OR SKIP?

The prologue doesn’t really capture you immediately. It’s about David having to follow the footsteps, but instead of it being intriguing, there is too much information thrust at once. David was careful not to wake up his wife, Grace. David is having a migraine at the supermarket. The thoughts that tell him about the rites that he must absolutely follow. 

The story doesn’t begin to flow well until the first chapter. The prologue is supposed to be the introduction to the terrors the story is about to offer, and yet what it does is confusing. Perhaps it is deliberate, but the impact of the horror scene is definitely diminished as the last line in the chapter comes up. 

This ambiguity would probably work in a visual medium, but it is not as effective in a novel. 

While the readers have complained about Macy’s character, she doesn’t seem as insufferable…yet. She’s struggling like a lot of us, and being judged while scraping the bottom of the barrel is common. If anything, she seems relatable, dealing with grief, responsibility, and a job search. 

No complaints about Macy yet. 

So, is this a read or skip?

It’s going to be adapted into a movie, and who doesn’t like spoilers? Besides, Sydney Sweeney is set to star in it, taking on a role that is reminiscent of The Housemaid. 

If you want spoilers for a story before the movie comes out, then THE CARETAKER is definitely a READ. 

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