Mouse Trap is a paranormal horror novella by Caryn Larrinaga. It follows Dakota Scott and her family’s torrent of grief around the death of Dakota’s youngest brother, Kai, as a child and now her adult brother, Lennox. These horrors are tied to their childhood home, and Dakota finds herself in the house’s clutches as its new owner.

The horror is, as the author describes it, quiet. While the book’s central antagonistic force is terrifying, its effect is subtle. The terror does ratchet up in the few final chapters, and this is where Larrinaga’s writing shines—or rather fades into the background of the story.

Larrinaga’s writing is capable, but I was aware of it almost the whole time. The mousetrap metaphor is multilayered and apt, though I do wish it had been introduced sooner in such a short novel.

In general, this story lacks *something* for me. The characters and plot are just underdone enough to be noticeable. Also, I do prefer faster-paced novels, and this one is slower, as it happens largely the on the psychological plane. We witness the story as Dakota perceives it, and her realizations and memories drive the story.

I think this novella would appeal to fans of Darcy Coates who are looking for something shorter. Personally, I would be willing to try other titles from Larrinaga in the future.

This is a great discussion of grief and how trauma makes it so you cannot fully process your emotions. How that holds you back and makes you feel more worthless everyday.
I enjoyed this book, but it was not enrapturing-- I could put it down and come back to it, which is not a bad thing. It discusses interesting topics all wound up in a supernatural bow.

This was the best quick horror read I’ve ever jumped into. I found myself legitimately scared while reading this. If you’ve ever been scared of the dark you know the power it has over you! Knowing there’s something sinister hiding within that darkness just made my skin crawl! I knocked this out in a matter of hours. I couldn’t get to the end fast enough.

Good middle of the road horror story, definitely worth looking into. Cool premise done decently and it ends up being a pretty quick read.

I really enjoyed this read! I found it spooky without being too cliche and I thought that the writing style was really easy to follow along. I would recommend this author and read more of their work.

Mouse Trap is an atmospheric ghostly tale. Dakota returns to her family home when her older brother passes away. The home has a painful history and it is not long before Dakota feels a strange pull to the home and its presence. I enjoyed the writing, the characters, and the set-up of this book. The haunted house trope feels original as the writing largely focuses on the emotional experience of the main character as she deals with the grief and trauma associated with the house. The main criticism I have with this book is that the climax and subsequent falling action feel as though they happen too quickly. I was invested in Dakota’s experience and could have spent some more time there.

Mouse trap was a really fun story. The plot was fast paced and fun. I loved how the author played with present and past events. The information was given to the reader in the perfect pace. The characters were interesting and fun. Tho they might have lacked a little dept. The relationships filled a little forced. Yet the story did make sense. I didn’t feel the scares I usually like. But I did liked how how it embodied the relationships and how they could change. The mixture between child play and adult life was an interesting concept. Overall a fun book to read.

Thank you net galley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A good, quick horror read that seemed like it couldn’t decide whether to be more psychological thriller or true horror at times. The tension builds at the perfect pace for the length leaving you scared just enough to want to keep reading.

4.5 stars*

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It’s really short, just over 100 pages on my e-reader but was fully developed with a fair amount of backstory. My one wish for this book, and the reason I cannot give 5 stars, is the fact that the author didn’t make the jump to full horror which could have added so much to the story.. Overall, a great read.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

***

This is another quick read. Despite only being a hundred or so pages, it's a full story with a developed plot and main character. I was impressed with the amount of detail the author was able to work into the book.

It's mildly creepy but a great little tale of overcoming awful things and leaving stronger.

Mouse trap was a super quick read at only about 100 pages. I loved the creepy vibe, however, I wish it had made the leap into a true horror story. Overall, It is definitely worth a read.

This was a decent, quick read but it felt like it was lacking in any real horror or suspense elements. I liked the board game element but at the end it didn’t felt like it really came together into anything too memorable.

I really enjoyed the pace of this. We get a decent amount of backstory on Dakota and Lennox without a lot of filler. I loved how quickly it got spooky and once we get to that part it never lets up. The ending was satisfying and this was overall a delightfully creepy read.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced e-reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

Dakota and her adoptive parents return to their former home to settle affairs and pack up belongings after her brother's sudden death in the house. They all knew he did not like to go out but his funeral drives that point home when the attendees are people he only ever knew from the internet.

Dakota and her parents have never recovered from the first death in the home 20 years ago. The house was meant to be a place full of love and laughter. They had planned to adopt many more children, adding on bedrooms as needed. After the death of their toddler staying in the home became unbearable, and the thought of more children was just too painful. Everyone eventually went their separate ways and only Lennox stayed behind, never wanting to leave the house.

Dakota is wracked with guilt over not having visited Lennox more, and when she learns the reason why he never left the house it's all the more heartbreaking.

Mouse Trap is more a story of grief and loss than the scares I was expecting.
It's heavy with guilt and regret, loneliness and despair. I would recommend it for fans of more subtle horror with a dose of family drama as opposed to anyone looking for chills.

I was ambivalent about this until the big reveal of the "mouse trap" which I loved! So the spookiness wasn't at the level I'd usually like but the plotting was really well crafted and thoughtful.

“You’re nothing more than a frightened child. You won’t find me down here. You must find me in the stars. Look for me from the rooftops.”

When her brother Lennox dies after a long period of self isolation his sister Dakota comes to Oregon to deal with their childhood home. Once their lethargy overtakes her. She can’t decide if she should stay in this house or sell it. The house cares her, and comforts her too. What Dakota does not realize is that the thoughts that pop into her head are not her own. The Whisper Lady of her childhood is still there….in this house. Lennox is dead and now The Whisper Lady is seeking a new meal ticket and Dakota is the perfect host.

What if the monster we feared from childhood was not our imagination? Suppose there really WAS a demon in the basement? Suppose it’s still there and it’s hungry.?

I sat down with “Mouse Trap” and read it in one sitting. This is a page turner and things move right along at a brisk pace. Character development is complete without having excessive pages going into the Scott family’s history. We get the family story as it pertains to these immediate events. This helps the book proceed without any lag time and my interest never strayed. Dakota and the surrounding characters are people to care about. Yes. I recommend this quick thriller to anyone who like a creepy tale. Thank you #netgalley and TimberGhostPress for approving me to read and review #MouseTrap. I enjoyed it!

A solid horror. Right length, right pacing, feels real enough ... but the horror elements and reveal were underwhelming and more or less ordinary. I did like the rather cute use of a board game, but I didn't quite get how it was used for the, ahem, unexpected purpose. We don't get enough of the Whispering Lady. Things happen and realizations are had, but many are sudden and lean on leaps in logic. If you like horror or are in the mood, you'll enjoy this one, but it doesn't offer anything new and the "horror" leaves much to be desired.

Mousetrap had me on the edge of my seat! The Scott family has been plagued by loss and grief for Dakota’s entire life. It’s not until she returns home to Portland, to settle her brother’s affairs, that she realizes just how completely it has devoured her family.
Caryn Larrinaga had my full attention page after page. I couldn’t put it down. The characters are delivered with such clarity, there’s no way you can abandon them in this suspense filled, creative novella. It would be like the power going out in the middle of your favorite horror movie.

Rating: 4.5 stars

I am such an immense fan of horror that explores topics of grief, family trauma, and the guilt that comes with sudden loss - and Caryn Larrinaga's novella "Mouse Trap" examines it in a way that beautifully personifies that feeling of despair that seems to endlessly pull you downward into its shadow. "Grief. Guilt. Shame." It really does seem to haunt you.

I look forward to reading more work from Larrinaga in the future - she is now on my list of authors to watch!

I highly recommend this to fans of horror novels such as "This Thing Between Us" by Gus Moreno and "Crossroads" by Laurel Hightower. If you haven't read these other selections and enjoyed this novella, I highly recommend checking them out!

What to do when your agoraphobic brother dies in your family home, the second death in the house in some twenty years? Well - head on home of course! Cue gut-wrenching grief, dark secrets & general spookiness.
The characters and relationships are well crafted by author Caryn Larrinaga.

It gives off Gothic vibes of Shirley Jackson & Silvia Moreno-Garcia.
This very creepy novella is a fantastic read for any horror fan stuck in a reading slump!

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC of Mouse Trap by Caryn Larrinaga.