My Five Word TL:DR Review: Dysfunctional family and puppet hell

This is only my second read by Grady Hendrix, so take what I say next with a pinch of salt, but I’m beginning to associate this author with the clear phrase ‘expect the unexpected’.  With a title such as this, yes I expected apparitions and entities, I don’t think I ever quite considered evil puppets, possession, squirrels from hell and imaginary demon dogs that invisibly stalk the house.  Sounds a bit crazy and to be honest, it is.  This is your basic modern-style horror that manages to combine horror, mystery, mayhem, dysfunctional family dynamics brimming over with sibling rivalry and secrets buried long in the past and a chaos that spills over into dark humour.

When Louise receives an unexpected call from her estranged brother to say their parents have died in a terrible car crash she immediately makes her way back to the family home.  When she arrives she’s in for a number of surprises, none of them pleasant.  The attic has been nailed shut, the car accident seems a little suspicious, things keep going bump in the night, the house is unsaleable with it’s current bad vibes and brother and sister can’t agree on anything.  And that’s only scratching the surface because things are about to get much worse.

I’m really trying not to give away too much about this book.  I really enjoyed reading it, it’s strangely fun, it’s absolutely compelling, the characterisation is great.  It’s a perfect demonstration of how there are two sides to every conversation and that memory can be a trickster.  On top of this it’s a great look at families and the strange hierarchies that we perceive that are perhaps more imaginary than real.  I also love the whole idea that we’re haunted by family both past and present.

One thing for sure I really enjoy this author’s style.  He has a sort of tongue firmly planted in cheek way of writing that makes his horror funny even if it shouldn’t be and that makes me think he enjoys the writing as much as I enjoy the reading.

On the whole a wickedly imaginative story with a good dollop of horror and quite frankly the most atrociously creepy puppet ever.

I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks.  The above is my own opinion.

My rating 4 of 5 stars