★★★★★ 3
Exactly as advertised
Format: Hardcover
REVIEW: How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix
If you've enjoyed Grady Hendrix's previous books, you're probably going to like this one. It is Grady in typical form - witty, entertaining, slightly spooky, grounded characters who contrast over-the-top characters, and drenched in South Carolina charm. Now, if you're not the biggest Grady fan, I doubt this will be the book that converts you for the same reasons mentioned above.
I tend to fall in the middle. I enjoy his storytelling abilities and scenarios enough to keep reading his books, but there's nothing horrific about them, nor any lingering effects. To me, they are entry-level horror, and that's perfectly fine. There's a huge market for that as his success reflects. This book doesn't try to be anything other than what it is, and I respect that.
The story begins with Louise getting the news that her parents were killed in a car crash. She travels from California back to her hometown of Charleston, South Carolina where she reluctantly reunites with her cousins, aunt, and her brother, Mark. Louise and Mark resent one another, so they butt heads at every decision that needs to be made in light of the tragedy. Louise sees herself as the reasonable one and looks down on her brother as an embarrassment and a failure. While trying to come to terms with selling the house, the siblings soon realize that there's another presence in there with them, and it has something to do with their mom's homemade puppet collection.
Overall, this book was enjoyable. There was nothing groundbreaking about it, and I got exactly what I paid for. Check it out if you're into spooky stories about complicated families and southern settings.
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Reviewed in the United States on January 27, 2023


