The Visitors is one of the most disturbing books I read this year. Marion and John's twisted relationship was interesting and compelling. I was so frustrated with Marion for being so weak and subservient...imagine my surprise as the story unfolded. Hated the parts about the dogs, though.

Yikes! This definitely delivered on creepy character driven psychological thriller. Reminded me a lot of Eileen by Otessa Moshfegh or a Ruth Rendell standalone with a bit of rough. Not sure I’m glad I read it but it was very well done.

<b>The Short of It:</b>

Once you figure out who the “visitors” are, you quickly realize how horrible the situation is.

<b>The Rest of It:</b>

Marion lives with her older brother John. She’s a spinster and the two live a somewhat quiet life. Mostly because John is not the most social of people. Together, they live in a run-down mansion and although Marion sometimes dreams of life outside its walls, she is too self-conscious of herself to make any friends of her own and why bother anyway? No one would care to know her the way she looks. She’s plain, old and completely uninteresting.

But the real reason she stays close to home is because her brother John is different. Disturbed, I should say. He doesn’t approve of her having any friends and he is unable to make any of his own given his harshness and lack of manners.

Things change when The Visitors come.

Without giving the secret away, the entire book focuses on The Visitors and how they’ve come to inhabit Marion and John’s house. There are dark things going on within the house and it takes Marion a really long time to figure them out. This was rather infuriating to me as a reader but it was
interesting too because Marion’s reaction to it all is not what you’d expect.

Catherine Burns does a decent job of “keeping the secret” and I found myself pretty absorbed by Marion and John’s situation but ultimately the ending was a little rushed. It’s being compared to Room and I can see that comparison but the tension is not as high in this one.

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Ok, I am giving this book 3 stars only because it had a really good beginning and an interesting twist at the end. After establishing that Marion was obviously in an abusive family and could justify almost any action or lack thereof, I had to start skimming. The middle just dragged horribly. I do have to admit that the ending was interesting, and I didn't see it coming, so it almost made it worth it.

Thank you to the publisher for allowing me to review this book.

*Thank you to NetGalley for a digital copy of this book!*

This novel was creepy, very dark, and disturbing. I would not call it a thriller because there was no mystery for me. It was more of a character study. Most of the book was spent getting into the character's heads, partially through flashbacks.

I did not find either character likeable, but still interesting enough to read the book. Marion is a woman in her 50's who lives with her older brother John in their family home. Marion is socially stunted, naive, and childlike. She still stays in her childhood attic bedroom and collects stuffed animals. John is intelligent, but cruel. Flashbacks to their childhood provide the context for their characters.

The story is told by Marion from her point of view. She spends all her time watcing tv, eating, and daydreaming, and hearing her mother criticize her in her head. And ignoring John's visitors in the cellar.

I'm not entirely sure what the author was going for. For me, it was clear from very early on what the situation with the visitors was. Marion's complete lack of awareness, and her complete denial got irritating. The published description says that John has a heart attack, which forces Marion to confront the visitors, but this doesn't happen until the last 1/4 of the book.

However, the twists were not expected, and I did have a shiver up my spine at the end of the book.

The Visitors is one of those stories that makes you believe that human beings are truly awful to each other, and surprisingly willing to turn a blind eye to disturbances caused by family members. When confronted with the awful things their family members have done, they can turn into even worse monsters than said family member.
The Visitors is one case where the constant flashbacks experienced by the narrator do a nice job of fleshing out a woman who is otherwise totally forgettable. Once she is forced to deal with the exact nature of her brother's evil, she turns out to be an even worse human being than him.
Creepy and bizarre, but not as scary as the blurb let me to believe.

For three days I have been trying to figure out what to say in this review. This is an odd and fairly disturbing book. I think my biggest problem with it is I can't figure out what the point is in it. Especially given that the blurb gives away that the brother gets ill and yet that doesn't happen until almost the very end of the novel.
Perhaps as a short story this might work. It could still hold the creep factor without being so drawn out.

The Premise
This is not a pleasant book. Be warned. It's clear from the beginning that the 'visitors' are being held captive. That the brother is the one doing it and his unintelligent sister is (mostly) a passive bystander. Both siblings are rich by inheritance so there is none of the usual issue with getting a job or being concerned about funds. This may help to distance the average person even further from the sister (whom the story perspective is written from); but for me this doesn't make any of the things she does more acceptable or less horrific.

Pity Party?
I think Catherine Burns intends to make us feel badly for our lead gal (the sister) at points. She's a 50+ virgin with no friends or true relationships (except for her brother). She has a low IQ and some large mental health issues. But being less intelligent doesn't (generally) mean you are less morale. It just means you are not as clever. And this is where I don't like the way she is portrayed; as though her lesser IQ is an excuse for many things she does or doesn't do. I don't believe that IQ indicates a person's morality or capability to feel emotions. The traits of a sociopath are available to any intelligence level and, perhaps ironically, often to those more intelligent than the average.

Nothing to see here
I honestly feel like I want to use the force to wave my hand and say there's "nothing to see here" because there really isn't. If you want to read horrific literature just because you like crazy creepy and terrifying things happening to others then sure maybe The Visitors is for you. But go in knowing it's not a horror novel; it's a literary novel that has horrifying things happen in it. And maybe that's what's most odd of all; the writing is good and the characters themselves are well developed, it's just there is no substance of plot here except to maybe say that the sister is naive or chooses to be blind to her circumstances. I'd love to hear what Burns has to say about why she wrote this book.

But does it turn out okay?
Some who have read this novel may say "oh but there's a sort-of happy ending". I disagree there is absolutely nothing happy about this ending. In fact the ending may be more unsettling than the obvious horrifying things due to its skewed perspective.

Unless you are obsessed with serial killers or kidnappers then I just can't see a reason to pick The Visitors up.
I generally like creepy, smart thrillers (although not my primary genre choice); but neither smart nor creepy are really present here. Instead it's just flat out horrifying because it could be real (has been all too real to some real-life women) and seems to provide no context that allows the reader to 'get something' out of the book (other than perhaps a sick to your stomach feeling).

This book is, at it's root, an in-depth look at the character of two abused children who grow up to be adults. Marion is child-like and anxious, having internalized that she was clumsy, stupid, and ugly. John is a tyrannical monster, raging at Marion over small slights in the childhood home they still share after the deaths of their parents. They live there, surrounded by garbage and rotting food, wearing thread-bare clothing, and something odd in the basement. Burns does an amazing job telling the story from Marion's point of view and I found her endlessly sympathetic. With denial as her primary coping mechanism, Marion refuses to acknowledge "the visitors" John brings to the basement. When she is forced to confront the truth we get to see another side of Marion. Often the ending of a suspense novel can either make or break the book. Not only did this book carry itself just on the characterization of Marion and John but the ending blew me away entirely. Marion is a character I still think about months later...and she still gives me the chills.

Timid, downtrodden Marion Zetland has led a wasted life, living in the shadow of her deeply disturbed older brother John, who is literally the only person she has in the world. Marion exists in a dream world, watching soap operas and romances, weaving fairy tales about herself and the people she encounters. She manages to cope with John’s behaviour by shutting her eyes to the unspeakable thing that is happening in her own home; but is she really the harmless, childlike woman we think she is or does she have her own chamber of horrors lurking behind her dowdy facade?

As they say, I was ‘gripped’ by The Visitors. It was a cruel, bleak and dark read in places but still very enjoyable.

Many thanks to the Legend Press, to Catherine Burns and to NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book

I totally agree with the blurb for this book that says "bizarrely unsettling". It was definitely that. The main character and voice of this book is Marion Zetland around 60 years of age. She lives in a house that has been in her family for generations. She lives in this huge house with her brother, John. They of the appearance of Grey Gardens in the movie with the same name. That's what this house looks like. Trash everywhere. Piles of just stuff, throughout the house.

This was a very strange read with VERY strange characters.

I really enjoyed reading this which is bizarrely unsettling. However, Marion was a character that blew my mind and I had to just keep reading.

Thanks to Gallery, Threshold, Pocket Books and Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

The Visitors was such a strange, and unsettling book...but in a good way. Throughout the novel, you get the feeling that something just isn't right and as the plot progresses, all the creepy, weird things about all the characters are revealed.

Marion Zetland is a late middle aged woman who has been isolated from the world first by her parents and then by her older brother John with whom she lives. This has left Marion, with her collection of teddies, strangely childlike and very meek. The only escape she has being her innocent, yet slightly twisted, day dreams. All this is done in an effort to forget about the Visitors. The people that her brother John spends his time with in the basement. However, when John becomes ill it is up to Marion to face exactly what is in the basement and confront the visitors.

Firstly, I need to make everyone aware that this isn’t a romance. At all. Nor is it a story of redemption or happiness or any of that good stuff, not really. But this book managed to provoke so many emotions in me and even now days after finishing it I can’t stop thinking about it. It was fantastic albeit in a disturbing way and I guarantee you won’t finish this book without some level of what-the-hell.

This is Burns debut, not that you could tell there was no clumsiness and it was written perfectly from Marion’s point of view, you really immersed yourself into her character and the book wouldn’t have been such an experience if it was written in third person. And Marion and her character was the focus of this book. This wasn’t a fast paced thriller, it was steady moving story going through key event sin Marion’s life and demonstrating how she has become the almost pitiable character that she is in present day. You can’t help but feel empathy for her and when she says something nasty or not quite right…who can blame her? Her life hasn’t been an easy one.

As we learn more though an insidious tension weaves its way through the book as John suddenly becomes a figure to fear. It isn’t out-right terror, more like a low level hum of wariness that you can’t shake off and that builds up as the book goes on. This is what makes the book so brilliant. Burns expertly feeds us knowledge as we look back on Marion’s memories not quite telling us what to think but making sure there’s only one conclusion we can reach. I was completely drawn in.

Then there are the visitors. You don’t know exactly who or what they are. If they’re real or not. But every time they are mentioned the tension in the book sky rockets. All you know is, whatever is going on in that basement, whatever it is that secretly horrifies Marion it isn’t good.

I don’t want to spoil this book for anyone so I am not going to say more. But, the story doesn’t end as you would expect and it leaves you with the what-the-hell feeling I mentioned at the beginning of the book. Loved it, the strange and unhealthy relationship between John and Marion was perfectly executed and Burns made this whole book creepy without any cheesy and overused horror/thriller devices, all she needed was human nature. Whatever Burns brings out next I am definitely going to be reading.

Dysfunctional parents produce dysfunctional children is pretty much what this book is all about. Brother and Sister, John and Marion, grew up with a overbearing mother. John grows up and has "visitors" that come and stay in the cellar while Marion pretends they are there to get an education. When John becomes ill and has to go to the hospital for a lengthy time Marion has to face what is really happening down in the cellar. Will she do as John request? Or will she do things her own way?

Very eerie, this book brings on some slow, crawling dread. Don't read this book if you are craving a fast-paced, action-packed mystery-thriller with twists and turns. The Visitors gives up it's secrets very early on in the story, but it makes it even more enjoyable in a way.

The creep factor in this book sneaks up on you, but stays with you. Disturbing.

When I first saw the synopsis for The Visitors, the debut novel by Catherine Burns, I was so excited. I am such a sucker for a “serial killer in disguise” type thriller. From books like You to Normal to Perfect Days, I am always intrigued to read stories about the twisted things that happen in regular neighbourhoods. This one seemed like a book that would fit into that category.

Now that I have finished the book, I am a little disappointed to report that this book ended up being completely different from what I was expecting.

The novel opens with the introduction of Marion, a timid spinster, who lives with her brother, John. Marion knows that John does things in the cellar. Things that she doesn’t want to necessarily spend time thinking about. However, when John has a heart attack and is hospitalized, Marion is forced to go down into the cellar to face what she has been avoiding and, perhaps, to discover her own dark side.

I loved the general concept and found myself completely drawn into the story. Marion, as a character, was really interesting to read. I couldn’t help but ask myself continuously about how naive she actually was or what type of Stockholm Syndrome was allowing her to behave in such an avoiding manner. It was a really interesting portrayal of the human psyche and loyalty.

However, as much as the plot and the lead character intrigued me, as the story unfolded, I found myself a little underwhelmed. I felt like the author could have done so much more with the plot. There were so many things that I found myself wanting more of or that I was waiting to be further developed. There was so much potential for this to be a really creepily satisfying read but it just fell flat.

I still enjoyed the read and the author's writing style but I felt like the plot was lacking.

An aged brother and sister live in their large, but squalid, family home. Neither of them have ever married or had children, their parents have passed, and they have no one but each other. Both of them are strange, having experienced a very cold and isolated childhood. But really, strange doesn’t even begin to cover it. John spends most of his time in the basement and Marion ignores the terrible things he does down there. Until the day John has a heart attack and she is forced to deal with it.

This book had so much promise. The concept sounded intriguing. I was expecting a bit of a gothic horror maybe, something intense and shocking at least. But no. It was slow paced and often a bit boring. I knew from the onset what was going on in the basement, and Marion’s solution to the issue was no surprise either. Oddly, I actually did find myself hoping she’d manage her “escape” in the end despite feeling strongly she didn’t really deserve it and not liking her in the least. The ending didn’t go off as I would have liked either.

Ultimately, I was disappointed (partially because I had been rather psyched to read this). No gothic, no horror, no shocking reveals, no tension, and no real mystery. I didn’t hate it, but I can hardly recommend it.

Have you ever been in a really creepy basement in an old house? One that was chilly and damp and dark and made your skin crawl? That’s the visual you need to hold in your mind while you are reading Catherine Burns’ debut novel The Visitors. Who are these visitors you may ask? They are the nucleus around which this bizarre horror story revolves. Marion Zetland is a friendless spinster who never had a chance. She is raised by a father who is likely a monster and a mother who is a hopeless neurotic and as the story opens we find this seemingly sympathetic character living with her older brother in genteel squalor. If being a monster is hereditary, then John Zetland has likely inherited his tendencies from his father, but with a twist. While John’s father kept his nature fairly well-hidden, John just can’t help being himself and letting his demons occasionally run free. There isn’t any telling how long this less than idyllic life would have gone on had it not been for John’s sudden illness and lengthy hospital stay which put Marion in charge of her home and her destiny. As the book moves toward an unexpected ending you will be yelling “You go, girl!” to this pathetic woman just before you catch yourself and say “What am I thinking?” This is the point where I’m going to leave off telling the story because this is the point where things get really weird and macabre and I wouldn’t want any spoilers to come between those of you who chose to read about The Visitors and this tale that would make Edgar Allan Poe proud — quoth the raven.

Despite the fact that I have been writing my review with a somewhat tongue-in-cheek approach, there is nothing funny about The Visitors. This book is all about the characters, their deeds, and misdeeds and I don’t think you will find any of them relatable or likable except for Marion’s Aunt Agnes who quickly becomes estranged from her dysfunctional family because she has the nerve to call them out on their weirdness. The Visitors is a well-written and creative debut novel. I recommend it to lovers of horror with strong stomachs. It will help you understand why your mother taught you not to talk to strangers. If the book description appeals to you, you have a chance to read it for free because Goodreads has a GIVEAWAY of The Visitors going on through October 6, 2017.

Wickedly twisty and delightful. I was really glad that I wasn't able to figure out every single aspect of the mystery or story until the end. I had to re-read a few parts because I felt like I missed something.

The Visitors is not what you may be expecting: a heart-thumping, fast-paced thriller. It isn't really a thriller at all. In fact, it's hard to grasp what, if anything, it is offering. The outcome is a slightly creepy novel with a thin storyline and unlikeable characters.