A classic gothic horror - this novel has it all; stormy weather, a spooky old house, strange rituals, and a slowly uncovered mystery. It is very cleverly written with regard to the language used which builds the creeping sense of things not being what they should. The main character is a write of gothic horror stories and a little of his final version appears at the beginning of each chapter, with the chapters encompassing different timelines. If Gothic horror is your thing, you should like this one. This is my voluntary review of a free copy of the book. Thanks to the author and Netgalley.

Eloquently written from start to finish but a bit of a slow start. The magazine Brad works for is called Southern Gothic and that completely describes the genre of this book. Unsettling town and a house straight out of Shirley Jackson's Haunting of Hill House. There was a twist about halfway through that I didn't see coming but enjoyed. I didn't really need the last chapter w/Brads article for SG as it felt Broyle's just copy and pasted the highlights from the book into 1 chapter. But otherwise a good read.

I am in two minds with this book.

There were elements that I really enjoyed, at times I found it really creepy and atmospheric.

I found the way the story was constructed confusing and I think that took away the overall creepiness of this thriller.

Entertaining and atmospheric this was a fun read but an underwhelming conclusion and too many unanswered questions kept it from being really great. I don't mind being confused while reading as long as by the end things make sense or are at least somewhat explained or tied together. I loved how things progressed and there was definitely a bunch of cool and original stuff happening, cool cult stuff and weird small town creepiness aplenty but when I read the last page there were big things that happened that were totally abandoned and left hanging and it was hard to square all the rest with those threads unresolved.

I want to thank Netgalley, Inkshares, and Noah Broyles for the review copy of this. Opinions are my own.

Rated just shy of a full 5, but rounded up to a 5/5.

Two persons dealing with loss, grief, and guilt over situations out of their control end up at the same old plantation house in rural Tennessee. One of them is Brad, a writer who chronicles true crime cases for a magazine called Southern Gothic. Purely by chance, he ends up in the small town of Three Summers in the 2010s, and instead of going through with his plan to end his own life, he is intrigued by the strange cult vibes that the town gives off.

The other is a former prostitute called Missy, who arrives at the same house half a century earlier together with her fiancee, who is working on the ownership dispute for the mine that will fuel the town's economy for the rest of the century. Missy tries her best to feel as though this house will be their forever home, but her past haunts her.

This book. _This book._

I needed a little while to think about this, and the more I think about it, the more I like it. It started out a little slow, and the whole "are these two characters seeing each other or are they in different times" thing that went on through the first maybe 50 pages (?), was unnecessary in my opinion. But then, the plot took a leap forward and I was hooked. A slow start turned into an almost frantic page-turner, and did I love the ride this book took me on.

If you're looking for a typical gothic horror, with a possibly haunted house, a cult born from angel worship, two unreliable but relatable narrators, and the constant questioning of 'is there an actual supernatural force at work here, or are the narrating characters just so mentally unstable that it seems that way', this is the book you need to read this coming October.

This is definitely my favorite read of the year so far, and I will definitely keep an eye out for this author in the future.

This book is a good debut by the author in horror and thriller genre!

Synopsis:

Brad, is a depressed reporter with his fiancee, Jeniffer comes to the town of Three Summers to find an exciting story for his magazine “ Southern Gothic”. But, little do they know that the the town had a disturbed past. The town beings believe in worshipping “Adamah”, an angel. They think that Adamah helps them in getting rid of their bitter past.

I found the book a little confusing at some points and I truly wanted it to get more scarier than it did.

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc of this book.

Dark and creeping mystery in the dirty south.

There is a small forgotten town called Three Summers, Tennessee. On the outskirts of town sits a plantation house with a long history, and waiting for the next occupants. There are dual stories told, one of Brad the struggling crime writer, and of Missy the former prostitute. They both discover there is more going on to this house, to the town, to the community.

The way this book is constructed is pretty confusing, it was difficult to establish the canter, and just who and what is going on in relation to time. I am sure that this confusion was supposed to add another layer of depth to the mystery, but it almost made me want to give up on it. I was concentrating so heavily on the puzzle pieces, that the creepy bits didn't have as great of an impact as they could have.

It did have some pretty spine-chilling moments though. If I compare it to popular reads like Hex or Heart-Shaped Box, I thought this one had more to offer as far as that goes. Overall, I did enjoy this story, the mystery, the Southern atmosphere, the deep depression, the regrets... I just wish it was laid out in a way that was easier to digest.

Big thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing this free copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book had so many elements that called to me: mystery, small town intrigue, catchy beginning, and it had been a while since I had read a gothic horror novel. But, the catchy beginning devolved into a slow burn and confusing narrative that, I think, traveled back in the timeline of the story. I kept having to look back in the book to remember certain details. Then I lost interest and picked up another book and haven't gone back. I'm afraid after 25% I am calling it and I hate not finishing a book. Authors work so hard, sweating every detail, pouring their heart and soul into their work and publishing a debut has got to be a nail biting experience for anyone.

The House of Dust is a southern gothic/ horror debut, and it has creepy vibes written all over its premise. I am a huge fan of slow burn novels, and southern gothic, but for me, The House of Dust fell flat. While I thought it was well written, I failed to engage with the characters or the plot. It is written in a disjointed manner, but I didn't have any difficulties following the storyline - I just did not end up caring. There were some elements in the novel that should have absolutely creeped me out, but I didn't find them very disturbing. I also found the "summary" at the end unnecessary. A disappointing read, but I am sure Broyles will be back with another promising novel.

Thank you to Inkshares and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Very odd book. I enjoyed the plot, a historical mystery ordeal that kind of sucks you in. However the writing was disjointed and often difficult to follow.

I received my copy from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I really really enjoyed this reading this book. It was creepy and really did manage yo freak me out through nearly most of it.
I am a sucker for Gothic horror books and this book easily quenched my thirst for it.
It started on a very melancholic tone where crime writer is burdened by the shadows of his past and wants to end his life. I would totally recommend this one.

The House of Dust by Noah Broyles was a very different book or at least for me it was different. I had a hard time getting into the story to start with because of the character and time jumping which all comes together at the end of the story. That is the main reason for this book being only three stars.
Overall, I did enjoy the book. It was dark with lots of twists and turns that left me trying to figure out what in the world was going on not only with this house but with the people in the nearby town of Three Summers, Tennessee. The story includes lots of folklores which helped me to keep reading and not just give up due to the jumps.

From the start, I was intrigued by this book. Something about secrets in small towns in the south always bring with it a spooky atmosphere. The House of Dust did not disappoint with that. It was full of great twists and turns and always kept me on my toes. Some parts were hard to follow, but it did not take away from the overall story. I’m always searching for a unique horror story to recommend at work, and this one is definitely going to be added to that.

Bradly Ellison decides to commit suicide but ends up not doing it. Instead he and Jennifer go to rural Tennessee and get off an exit ending up in a small town called Three Summers. They find it strange that the stores are all closed and no one on the sidewalks. They end up going to an island to discover an empty house. The community is caught up in a cult that has a strange and dark history. They worship an angel called Adamah. He is a fallen angel who is buried very deep under the town. The cult is led by a “Queen of Hearts” who is usually a female outsider. Jennifer will be this outsider and is somewhat horrified by it. Adamah offers peace of mind but to get this Adamah must have a strange ritual of human sacrifice. The sacrifice is burying a live human to satisfy him. Jennifer is trying to become clean. Her addiction is hard to fight, but Adamah gives her peace. There are two separate timelines in this novel that at times I found to be confusing. I then happily found at the end of the novel, he tells his story in the timeline he is in.

This is a horror novel that at Tim’s I found confusing however I kept reading and I suddenly realizing I was reading another timeline. I must admit though that I would had liked a cleaner introduction to the other timeline. In spite of that, the mystery and secrets of the town and the cult kept me intrigued. I did look up the word Adamah and found it meant soil. I find that to be quite curious. I do recommend reading it but be warned that this is a long novel — the print version is over 400 pages.

Holy! By the first paragraph, I was sucked in. Excellent dialogue 👏🏻 poetically vivid language 👏🏻 amazing tie in of biblical imagery 👏🏻 spooky AF 👏🏻

Even only a quarter of the way in, I was mourning that this book would ever end. Broyles’ writing is pure magic. He perfectly captures the darkest part of depression and everything that comes with it. And the solace and destruction that comes with finding a partner who’s just as dark as you. In hopes of them keeping you afloat with their understanding or sinking right along with you. Oy this one is dark but so, so good.

One of the twists really got me. And Broyles expertly involves the reader in a way that truly spooked me at the end!

I want this to be a movie so, so badly!! How do I make that happen?!

The book does a narrative "trick" (being vague to avoid spoilers), which I thought didn't add anything to the story and was unfair to readers (I was confused, flipping back pages until I figured out what was going on). I also thought one of the characters, Jennifer, was a blank slate. I would have liked to get to know her better.

"The South is a ghost, and so am I"
The House of Dust by Noah Broyles introduced us to true crime writer Bradly, and his girlfriend Jennifer. During a mentally terrible time, Bradly stumbles into the town of Three Summer and discovers something is horribly amiss when he witnesses an old woman on the brink of death being buried alive. He decides to make Three Summers his next big story and moves himself and his girlfriend into the woman's big old house. The more time he spends in the town, the more he discovers it's history of cult activity and watches his girlfriend succumb to the house and the legend of The Queen of Hearts, which seems to be the root of the evil in this town.
I was so excited to read this book as the premise of the story gave me the creeps. To say I was disappointed might be an understatement. While the story itself had good bones, I feel the author spent too much time describing the scenes which led to the story feeling drawn out and missing excitement. The author may have intended it to be a slow burn, but the ending to me fell a bit flat as well.
⭐⭐/5
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!

The book was great. Great plot. Excellent character development. And most importantly the writing was fantastic.

HOUSE OF DUST by Noah Broyles is what you read when you don't want to sleep. A tense thriller, mixed with a creeping, unsettling horror, this novel is the equivalent of a car crash. You can't look away. Broyles keeps his hand on your throat and never lets go.

Many thanks to Net Galley, Inkshares, and the author for a chance to read and review this book. All opinions are expressed voluntarily.

"I got off the interstate to commit suicide."

An intriguing opening sentence that had me delving into this eerie and desolate tale of a southern town drenched with rituals and mysteries. The House Of Dust is a debut work by Noah Broyles and simply said, horror fiction fans have another author to watch out for!

Three Summers is a forgotten town and Angel’s Landing, the plantation house that presides over the town is equally forbidding. When Bradley Ellison stumbles upon a body in the garden in this godforsaken place, little did he think that his passion for dark and hidden stories is going to unravel something that is too horrific to even contemplate.

"Have you ever been loved? Really? In a way they’d die for you? Even from one person, it’s quite a thing. But dozens? Hundreds? It’s the light of hundred suns, but instead of burning, you bask. And they’re in love too, with their own devotion."

Noah Broyles’ writing effortlessly creates a creepy gothic feel that burns slowly into the minds of the reader. In fact, the first part of the book was too vague and probably deliberately kept obscure for an explosive revelation in the middle but readers by then would be put off by the time it takes to get to that meaty part of the story. The element of horror with the entire town raises the uneasiness and I was hooked into the story wanting to know what exactly is happening in this sleepy town and what kind of abomination or monster is slinking under the earth?

"Adamah. That name. That thing that seemed to touch all the other things. That presence lurking around the house in symbols and clinging to Three Summers in street and building names. What was Adamah?"

Once you begin reading this novel, there’s a sense of inevitable catastrophe that is layered throughout the story as Brad delves deeper into the mystery surrounding the town. Both Brad and Missy have no choice but to follow the path to destruction or should I say, to the dust, to decipher the quagmire they are mired in. There were parts of the story that kept on tenterhooks but equally, there were parts that became too confusing but the narrative style is unique and different that borders on heavy darkness with some exemplary writing that is gonna make you go even slower than usual to capture the entire depth of the story.

"The South is a ghost, and so am I. Wandering in the ways of the night, we return and return to find the place where we died. Walking circles, running cycles, never reaching beyond, never breaking free. Traveling through time orbiting a black star."

I am a huge fan of horror thrillers but there’s a sense of depressive bleakness, a melancholic thread in this story that I was not too happy about but for all those who love horror fiction with a solid classical touch, then this one is definitely the one to get under your skin!

4 stars for this amazing debut!

This review is published in my blog https://rainnbooks.com/, Goodreads, Amazon India, Facebook, and Twitter.