The House of Last Resort follows an American couple who are Tom and Kate Puglisi. They have bought a dilapidated property in the town of Becchina in Italy for the price of one euro and in effort to breathe new life into this village. What happens when you learn that the house you bought has a sinister history and you start hearing strange noises or experience occurrences that cannot be explained. The plot of this book is intriguing and I was looking forward to reading this author's new book after reading Road of Bones and All Hallows but sadly I did not love this like I did the others. This book was written well and had interesting characters but I felt like the story took some time to get going. Overall I did enjoy this book and would recommend this to any reader who loves a good horror book. Thank you to NetGalley and St Martins Press for this book in exchange of my honest review of The House of Last Resort.

The House of Last Resort by Christopher Golden
3.75 stars

This one was hard for me to rate as I’m typically drawn to a character driven story and this one is definitely more setting and plot driven.

The set up being that an American couple takes advantage of a program to get a house in Italy for one euro. Which apparently is a real thing to try and help boost struggle economies. This happens to be the town where his grandparents are from so they move there with plans on starting a new life, as you can probably guess things do not go as planned when the locals start whispering about the house they’ve chosen.

I think Golden does an excellent job with the setting he really brings you into the house and the small town it’s in. The plot does take a minute to get going but it never felt like a slog because I was engrossed in the worldbuilding.

The characters are definitely the weakest part of this work in my opinion. They mostly felt like they were there to fill one exaggerated trait without a lot of dimension.

This would normally be a huge problem for me, but somehow I still found myself highly engaged in the story. I finished it in one day so that says something about it.

It’s really hard to say more without getting into spoilers, but if you you like atmospheric horror I’d say it’s worth reading just curb your expectations that it’s not to the level typically expected from Christopher Golden in my opinion.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this book early; I received this ARC in exchange for review, however this does not affect the outcome of my review in any way.

Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for the early read. I'm a Christopher Golden fan and after his last book (Road of Bones) I was nervous going into this one. This one too fell flat for me.....I wanted to like it from the synopsis but never really got there for me.
2.5 rounded up to 3

Thank you to Netgalley and St.Martin's Press for the eARC! This was an interesting conundrum for me. I adored the beautiful setting and scenery - great descriptions and atmosphere. Additionally, the final act was astoundingly engaging. Unfortunately, most of the book moved very slow. A slow burn isn't my favorite in a thriller or horror novel. I'm glad I stuck it out because it was worth it, but not my favorite. Very enjoyable though in the start and end.

I enjoy Golden’s books. They are always quick to read and atmospheric. This one drew me right in with the setting in Italy. I can’ imagine the house and all the creepy nooks and crannies within. I wasn’t blown away by the plot or characters, but I did enjoy the reading experience.

There is maybe nothing more relatable than ditching everything in your big city life, and going all in on a cheap house in a dream location. I can't even tell you the amount of real-estate listings for "abandoned summer camp," or "former schoolhouse," or "run-down church," that I've sent to my group chat in the hopes we can pool our limited funds together and start a commune. (I've also assigned everyone a job, in case you're curious, even if it doesn't relate to this review.)

So when Tommy and Kate get the opportunity to move to an idyllic town in Italy, a place that his family has roots in, it absolutely is a no-brainer decision. While the house needs work, lots of work, it's a huge space that they can grow into. But when Tommy's grandmother see's which house they've purchased, she refuses to step foot inside.

The house is making strange noises. Neighbours are unfriendly as soon as they see where Tommy and Kate live. And when a locked door suddenly pops open overnight, they discover an entire wing they didn't know the house contained. As they start to look into the history of the house they discover it's connection to the church, and a collection of bones that can only belong to the trouble youths that resided here many years before.

Some doors are best left closed.

This was such a fun possession story, and I really connected with the characters. I thought the story developed in such an eerie way, and it reminded me of classic exorcism horror. While I've seen people complain about the pacing, I personally couldn't put this book down. As someone who has reviewed a few Golden books now, this is definitely my favourite of his books.

Thank you to St Martin's Press for an arc of this title.

Christopher Golden is a recent fav thriller author and this latest haunted house story set in Sicily was creepy AF and I was totally here for it! Great on audio with an excellent backstory, super atmospheric and perfect for fans of authors like Jennifer McMahon or Simone St. James. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review. This would make an EXCELLENT Spooky season read for all the horror lovers out there!

This book was ok. I thought it might be spookier or more thriller like but it was ok.
It had a few jump scare Mike RX but I feel it lacked atmospheric impact and character development.

Christopher Golden is quickly becoming a favorite author.. I love his use of history in creating absolutely unsettling novels. I will definitely be recommending this. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy.

This was not it. This is, yet again, a prime example of why I don't read books, specifically horror books, written by male authors. The fact that the main female character was consistently described as wearing a thong, including when sleeping, is just a pain in the ass. I found myself heavily rolling my eyes.

That aside, it really was just bad. The dialogue was cringey, the couple was obnoxious, and I honestly can't tell you the point or message of this book. There was definitely some heavy anti-Catholic rederic that I wasn't expecting and actually started feeling a bit attacky which got uncomfortable.

The book was so boring for the first 80% of the book and then everything happened in the last 20%. It wasn't a good 20% though... Nothing was even remotely explained about what was actually going on and the ending was incredibly abrupt. This honestly just needed so much more thoughtful planning and for the first 80% of the book to not be wasted talking about thongs and focused on the setting.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.

The House of Last Resort by Christopher Golden is the story of an American couple who receive an online solicitation to participate in an Italian city’s (Becchina, Sicily) plan for rejuvenation, one that offers homes for sale at the price of 1 Euro in exchange for an agreement to live in the community for five years. Kate and Tommy Puglisi, beneficiaries of the work-at-home economy in America, decide to move to Becchina, Sicily in order to take advantage of the cheap housing and return to Tommy’s paternal ancestral village, where his grandparents still reside. Soon after moving in and joining the local community of bargain-minded expatriates, Kate and Tommy begin to discover things about their house and its history that cast a new light on their interactions with inhabitants (including Tommy’s family) of the town.

Kate and Tommy are initially excited at the prospect of saving (exploiting?) the town through tourism. They join with others to develop ideas related to promoting tourism of catacombs located beneath the local church. Kate and Tommy demonstrate a paternalistic approach to economic development of Becchina; in one passage told from Kate’s point-of-view (page 90): “Suddenly, this project was starting to become expensive, even just in her head. Fortunately, it would be up to the mayor to foot the bill.” This streak of self-interest (narcissism?) comes out repeatedly – and not only with regard to economics - as both Kate and Tommy interact with the townspeople, both locals and expatriates. On reflection after finishing the novel, I thought there may have been an intentional overarching theme of selfishness to better fit the denouement. Bottom line for me: Good old fashioned religious horror based in Catholic theology. Kate and Tommy are unattractive individuals that invite some schadenfreude, but who make for a good novel with a good ending.

First, I would like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me to read an ARC of this book.

I am a HUGE Christopher Golden fan, and have probably read all of his books, including the "Body of Evidence" series which is my personal favorite. This latest book, The House of Last Resort had me intrigued, as it seemed a bit different than some of his other works.

The House of Last Resort starts with a couple, Kate and Tommaso (Tommy), who have just moved to small-town Becchina, Italy to start a new chapter in their lives. Becchina's mayor, in an effort to revive the dying town, has offered abandoned houses for sale for a single Euro, to encourage people to move there; So for the 15-room house Kate and Tommy picked, it seemed like quite a steal! Additionally, Tommy has family in Becchina, his Nonno and Nonna, and a cousin, Marcello.

This is one of those times that if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. What are the odds that anything good can come out of buying a huge house for a single Euro? There's always a catch. It appears that the catch in this case, is that the house is haunted. And has a secret creepy chapel that was used for exorcisms (i.e. the last resort). And it was apparently built over some old catacombs, where there are hundreds or thousands of mummified corpses. And there's a rat problem (an understatement). And earthquakes. Things in the house (and Tommy & Kate's marriage) go from bad to worse when Tommy's Nonno dies. Tommy and Kate's plans to overhaul the town's tourist market by using the Catacombs as attraction are met with a lot of resistance, and the town has other ideas in mind.

This book will take you on a wild ride! It has everything you could want in a thriller: a creepy catacomb full of bodies, a haunted house, ghost priests, a swarm of ultra-intelligent rats, demonic possession, exorcisms, and more! It was dark and creepy, and there were so many twists and turns! I did not see that ending coming!! I definitely recommend this book!

If you are a fan of horror books/movies that involve exorcism, you will most definitely want to read this book. I am not a huge horror lover so this creeped me out. I could only read in small doses so I didn’t get nightmares! Oh and the rats! Ugh! So many scary aspects! And good twists and turns throughout!

Thank you to Net Galley and St. Martins Press for the gifted copy!

This has got to be my absolute favorite book that I have read this year so far! It’s truly terrifying and so beautifully written! The environment of Italy described was so well done and the horrors within their home were so creepy! This was such a quick and great read and it left me wanting so much more!

I'm a big fan of Christopher Golden; his horror and thrillers can always be relied up on to entertain. Sure, they might not be the best written or the best plotted, but his ideas are always interesting and his action sequences always deliver a good fright.

This was how I mostly felt about The House of Last Resort, a novel about a couple who move to Italy to live in a house that they got from economic program meant to bring life back to historical towns. But you know what they say: if it sounds too good to be true, it usually is. The couple soon find out the truth about their house, and it's much more than they bargained for.

Other than the unique setting and the intriguing premise, the end result read like a typical haunted house novel. The Italian backdrop did make for different kind of read and I liked how the local culture, history, and traditions were incorporated into certain elements of the plot. Pacin was a little uneven in places, especially a flagging second half. However, the finale was explosive and intense. Overall, it was an entertaining and quick read.

“𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥, 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭, 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐢𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐰. 𝐄𝐯𝐢𝐥. 𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥.”

After hearing lots about Christopher Golden’s All Hallows on Bookstagram (but not having read it yet), I was excited to be approved for his latest.

This was an overall interesting read - Golden does a really interesting juxtaposition of the bright setting of Becchina, a crumbling yet beautiful hilltop town, with the creepy vibes of a sudden earthquake, mysterious footsteps and a vanishing figure in the window of Tommy and Kate’s house, all in the first two chapters. There are a lot of unexplained happenings, including strange sounds at night, locked doors that suddenly are opened, and villagers who don’t want to talk about the history of the house. I loved the culturally rich and super vibrant setting that would make for such stunning visuals in an adaptation. Although the pacing seemed off in places (I found myself skim reading in parts), Golden’s prose mostly kept the tension building, centered by Tommy and Kate. I liked their relationship (it gives a sense of grounding to all that happens around them), alongside Tommy’s cousin, Marcello. I did feel the story would’ve been stronger if some of the other relationships (fellow Imports Rohaan and Patrick in particular) had been build further, which I also think would’ve helped the ending land with more of a punch - although it was appropriate for a horror novel, it didn’t quite work for me.

The House of Last Resort is a story of new beginnings, fear, superstitions, and demons. Although not my favourite read, there was enough that caught my attention that I do want to go back and read All Hallows. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC!

I thought this book was alright. The dive into being a religious horror wasn’t for me, there wasn’t enough character development for me to really feel a connection with the two main characters, and the dialogue felt very juvenile a lot of the time. The atmosphere is well done, and the slow burning tension is very effective.

I’m a bit conflicted when it aimed to my review for this book. On one hand, I really enjoyed the premise. I liked the setting, the creepy house vibes, and the chance for new beginnings. I enjoyed the characters and found them mostly believable.

What didn’t work so well for me was how drawn out the story was. I found that a lot of stuff was repeated. The author would have each character rehash things without really adding anything to the overall story. It got a little tedious by the end.

I have read from this author before and enjoyed his work. I think this was just a case of a book that didn’t hit a home run for me. I look forward to reading more of his books in the future.

Review:
In recent years, Christopher Golden has consistently delivered literary works that leave readers eagerly anticipating his next book. Although I joined the party a bit late, my introduction to his brilliance began with the captivating Ararat, a book that not only lived up to its promise but also paved the way for an exceptional sequel. Notably, Golden continued to enchant readers with gems like Road of Bones.

As we eagerly await the arrival of mid-January, the anticipation is justified with the imminent release of Golden's latest creation, The House of Last Resort. It's not merely another addition to his impressive repertoire; it's a phenomenal read that surpasses expectations. Pardon the clichés, but with each new release, Golden consistently proves himself as a literary maestro, weaving tales that captivate and resonate long after the final page is turned. The House of Last Resort is no exception, and Christopher Golden continues to solidify his place as a virtuoso in the realm of contemporary horror and thriller literature.

If you know me, you know I love gothic stories so very much. The House of Last Resort hits all those marks and expectations, and more.

I really enjoyed All Hallows by this author, so I was excited to receive an approval for this title.

The premise of this book was great. I remember seeing articles a few years ago about European towns offering very cheap homes to people willing to relocate, so I like how the author used that as the basis of this story. I thought there were some great creepy moments throughout, and I thought there was some good buildup, however overall I thought the story fell a little flat. I would have loved for it to be really creepy/scary, and it felt like it didn't get there until the end. I also wasn't crazy about the ending. I felt like the author could have chosen to go one of two ways with the ending, but somehow ended up in the middle, which was kind of underwhelming.

Overall, it certainly wasn't a bad book, and I did enjoy parts of it. I just didn't really love it.

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!