The story within these pages at first seems to be fairly straightforward but completely veers off in very unexpected directions. I found my feelings about Ted shifted throughout the book. The ending was a nice surprise. I won't say more than that because I don't want to spoil the book for other readers.

WOW. I truly do not know how else to describe how I felt after finishing this book. Gothic horror, kidnapping, child abuse, insanity.. it has it all but that is not the heart of the book. There are not twists so much as huge surprises. HUGE. Anymore and I would ruin all the surprises. I highly recommend for fans of Stephen King, Dean Koontz, Bentley Little, Stephen Graham Jones, Joe Hill, Richard Chizmar.. you get the picture.

Wow. Pay close attention when you're reading this one. There are so many twists and turns you'll find yourself flipping back to re-read parts again and again. Definitely takes you to dark places with a unique story.

“‘There’s a monster inside each of us,’ he says. 'If you let yours out, Ted, it might not eat you.’”

At the end of a street in a quiet neighborhood, there is a house where Ted Bannerman lives with his daughter and his cat. Many years ago, children went missing in this town, and one of those investigations led to the house on Needless Street. That’s why Dee has taken up watch in the abandoned house next door, convinced that Bannerman had something to do with her sister’s disappearance. It might be true. It might be worse than she thinks, and what’s buried in the woods behind the house might change Dee and Ted forever. I received a free e-ARC through NetGalley from the publishers at Macmillan-Tor/Forge. Trigger warning: character death, parent/child death, animal death, abuse/abusive households, torture, stitches/needles, broken bones, violence, some gore/blood, severe injury, hospitals. (Note: I’m skipping a couple trigger warnings because they’re spoilery. I’ll include them after the spoiler mark with the rest. Feel free to ask about specific ones!)

An approximation of my experience reading this book:

50%: I have no idea what’s going on.
55%: OMG I KNOW WHAT’S GOING ON AND IT’S SO MUCH WORSE THAN I THOUGHT. 😱😭
100%, at my past self: Lol girl you didn’t know shit.

In short, The Last House on Needless Street is a mindfuck from beginning to end, and I’m so here for it. This is pretty much everything I ask for out of a horror novel, plus some things that the genre usually doesn’t come through on. I’ll explain in detail after the spoilers, but I actually recommend that you don’t read them if there’s ever a chance of you reading this novel. I had a hard time even describing it without giving things away, and it’s 100% one of those stories where it’s better to go in cold. Don’t ruin this book for yourself. It’s so much better to just experience it.

This is one of the best examples of unreliable narrator that I’ve ever read. From the beginning, we know that we can’t fully trust Ted’s point of view, since he tells us right from the start that he has trouble knowing when something is happening. (“I don’t always get tenses right. Everything always feels like it’s happening now and sometimes I forget it actually happened then.”) The other most common narrator is Ted’s cat, Olivia, who for some reason seems far more reliable than Ted despite the fact that she’s not human, but it also becomes clear over time that Olivia, as a cat, doesn’t understand everything she sees. She’s limited to her experiences in the house, and we very rarely see what’s strange about our everyday lives.

And that’s one of my favorite things about this book. There are so many strange little details, most of them not all that noticeable at first, but the more they pile up, the more we get the sense that there is something terribly, terribly wrong in Ted’s house. Why do things that are broken keep turning up unbroken? Is the timeline not linear? Is the rug by the door orange or blue? Dee’s is the only perspective outside the house, but rather than provide clarity, it only further muddies the waters. (Possibly the one thing I don’t like about the book is the rather abrupt ending to her chapters; for all the closure we get for the other characters, there’s almost none for her.) All of it adds to the sense of confusion and unreality that permeates the book, but Ward is expertly weaving together the layers of the mystery, dropping hints that won’t make sense until suddenly they do, and the picture is so much more horrifying than I’d guessed. It’s the kind of book I wanted to start over again immediately to see what I’d missed, and I’m already looking forward to reading it again (and again). I liked the beginning and middle, but it took the end to push it into love. Be prepared to hear me screaming about this one for a while.

SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS. TURN BACK BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE.

Trigger warnings: mental illness, dissociative identity disorder.

I love the way this book managed to convince me that Ted is a monster who tortures children, precisely because this is the kind of tasteless horror trope that often gets pinned on the mentally ill in fiction. It’s so easy to look at something we don’t understand from the outside and decide we know what’s real, but the truth is that Ted is the victim, not the monster. And people with mental illnesses are far more likely to be victims of violent crime than they are to be perpetrators. I love the way the novel sticks with him even after the reveal, which is less shock value than it is cultural critique aimed at our own biases (and those of the horror genre in general). It takes great care in showing us that Ted is a person, an innocent person who had terrible things done to him, and that he’s deserving of care and friendship. It’s a far from typical ending to a horror story, offering a surprising bit of hope and optimism that makes the book all the more powerful.

I review regularly at brightbeautifulthings.tumblr.com.

I’d like to begin by saying thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan-Tor/forge for the ARC of The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward.

I went into this book expecting horror and suspense. What I found was a roller coaster. A true psychological thriller. I thought I knew what had happened several times throughout this book. As I kept reading, I would read something that threw me for a loop. I’m awful about reading ahead when the suspense got to me. I tried to do that in this book and was still left not knowing what had happened. It wasn’t until the last few pages that everything fell into place with the rest of the book. In a good way! Catriona kept me hooked until the very end.

I loved the slow build of the narrative and the horror adjacent elements. The multiple perspectives were engaging and the writing was all encompassing. Really enjoyed this!

Propulsive and mind-blowing, The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward is a novel that might challenge even the best puzzlers and most jaded mystery fans. Narrated by several characters, the basic premise is to figure out the circumstances surrounding a young girl’s disappearance eleven years ago. Ward pulls her willing readers along for a very curvy ride. Some may experience a sense of exhilaration while others might just end up feeling dizzy. Certainly, most will turn back to page one and reread it with greater understanding. No more can be said without spoiling The Last House on Needless Street. Do yourself a favor—stop reading reviews now and go read this book. The less you know going in, the better.

Thanks to the author, Viper and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

Full disclosure, I almost DNF this book. It was hard for me to connect with the different character's POV and experience. But it did have my curiosity and I pushed through. I AM SO GLAD I DID! At the 40% mark is where things started to connect for me and then I blew through the rest. If you are someone who enjoys the feeling of... "What? WHAT? WHAT?" meaning some twists and turns, this book is for you!

I also really appreciated the afterwards from the author. It humanized the book and was touching

This was one very weird book, in a good way. I spent a good portion of the book trying to figure out what the heck was going on and what was going to happen. Ted Bannerman lives a reclusive live at the end of Needless Street, very close to a large forest. His daughter Lauren and cat Olivia are his companions. Ted obtains a variety of medication from the bug man, a guy Ted thinks looks like a bug. The medicine and overindulgence of alcohol are Ted's escape from reality. All the windows in the house are boarded over after Ted had been wrongly accused in the disappearance of a young girl and people found out where he lived and threw rocks through the windows. Ted takes solace in feeding birds in his backyard, only to discover one morning that someone has killed the majority of them. Ted is the main voice, though we also hear from his daughter Lauren and his cat Olivia on their perspectives. The young girl that Ted had been accused of kidnapping, Lulu, has an older sister who has never forgiven herself after the day Lulu went missing and becomes fixated on Ted to the point of moving into the house next to him and watching his every movement, breaking into his house to look for Lulu. The story moves along at a steady pace though as I mentioned, it was not always easy to figure out what was going on, the clues are revealed like peeling an onion, introducing child abuse/neglect and mental health issues. Overall I enjoyed the book and would recommend. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I sat down and read this book in one sitting. I was driven to finish this book because I wanted to know what it was about. While I had a serial killer/cult/supernatural idea at first, the real reveal was too far in for me to either care or not be irritated for being confused about what was happening.

Clearly, this wasn't for me, but I admit that the characters were very diverse and different and did hold my attention; it's why I wanted the plot to be my first guess.

When you think you’ve figured it out, keep reading because I guarantee you’re wrong.

Also, don’t let the horror tag scare you away if that’s not your thing - it’s much more of a psychological thriller with some horror crossover themes.

This is a book that defies description or genre. I guess I'd consider it a psychological mystery, but it encompasses so much more. It begins as a typical missing child/serial killer story, then goes off in unexpected directions, touching on deep emotions. Even after I suspected where it was going, it was gratifying to see it unfold. This will be an easy book to recommend to a wide variety of readers. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

"I am made with pain, for it, of it. I don’t have any other purpose, except to die."

This is a book that I've been hearing a lot about. Readers kept saying that this book will shock and scare everyone who reads it. That it'll make you uneasy in all the best horror-filled ways. Then I noticed that Stephen King had a mini-review on the cover. I was definitely sold after that. After reading this book, I feel as if I have been duped.

At first, I didn't know where the story was taking me. So that made me more intrigued with the story and the characters. As I went to bed that night after reading a hundred pages or so, it finally dawned on me. I figured out what the big secret was. Well, I thought I figured it out, and let me say this... I like my ending better. The author took the soap opera way out and I hate that. It was some bullshit.

There's not much I can say because every little thing could spoil this for you. There were points of view from four characters and one is from a cat! A damn cat! That's what I enjoyed most about this book. The point of view from a cat who gets locked inside sometimes. Let's hear what the cat, Olivia, has to say! Everyone else bored me.

The Last House on Needless Street was a bullshit of a book. Everyone kept telling me how amazing this was and that I had to read it. I'm still wondering if we all read the same book? I feel as if I wasted my time with this because it wasn't worth it. Those secrets at the end were eye-rolling worthy. Ugh! I'm still angry about it.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing a review copy! This was a unique one! It was not at all what I expected…but in a good way! Many reviews mention the twist at the end. I do feel like this wasn’t as much of a big twist/surprise. I had an idea of what was coming but that didn’t take away from the story at all. I can’t write too much without giving away too much info! This book sould be enjoyable for fans of psychological thrillers. I’ve seen it classified as horror but I would call it more thriller than horror.


This review will be posted on my Goodreads page.

Still not sure how I feel about this! I thought the book was going in one direction, which I didn't care for, but the twist took it in a different direction entirely, which I'm not sure I care for either. It deals with a lot of heavy topics and I'm not sure how I ended up feeling about the book overall, especially with how it dealt with mental illness. Overall, it did hook me and was well-written.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book. I understand now, why Stephen King gave this such a good review. It really was a page turner from start to finish. When you thought you had things figured out, you really didn't. A family in crisis, a sister tormented with the kidnapping of her sister, Ted- one of the suspects in the kidnapping, and a serial killer! 11 years go by- be prepared to be WOWED by this story. Kudo's to the author, Catriona Ward- Well done!

THE LAST HOUSE ON NEEDLESS STREET, by Catriona Ward was unlike anything I have ever read before. I can honestly say that this book took turns that shocked me on many occasions. I can't give any specifics, because this is truly a book you have to simply read and experience for yourself.

I got to the point where I hated having to put it down, because everything I thought I learned made me want to read more.

There is an afterward, which brought the story home even more so--do NOT read this until the end. A fantastic, yet brutal, novel that I was GLAD I knew nothing about prior to reading.

Highly recommended.

"The Last House on Needless Street" is a dark and thrilling puzzle from beginning to end. Just when I thought I had it figured out, something unexpected would happen. The less you know going into this book, the better.

“The Last House on Needless Street” By Catriona Ward

Coming Soon…in September 2021

The Human Psyche is Scarier than Fear

Catriona Ward’s soon to be released “The Last House on Needless Street” is many things, but a horror story in the traditional sense it is not. It is not a screen-scratching bloody-knife holding boogey man trope where you're afraid to close your eyes at night. It's much more sophisticated and complex. This will leave you pondering long after the last page—and complete the novel—you must!

“The Last House” is a psychological excavation into the darkly buried mind-mansions in the deepest hidden interior shadow caverns of the soul. This novel mines new expository frontiers into literary fiction. Part fantasy, part scientific revelation and true humanistic torture—literal, mental and physical!

Be prepared because you're going on a thrill-ride. At times the novel feels like you're spinning through multiple people's psychedelic acid trips taken during a carnival distortion mirror tunnel. Fantastical and perhaps phantasmagorical—other times nutty, creepy and scary? Yeah, a little. But always, just bat hat crazy in a good way.

Throughout the novel, one of our primary protagonists, Ted, enjoys a nip or ten. Listen closely then because “in vino veritas.” That's when honesty and truth, perhaps, is heard from tortured spirits and captured souls pleading for release and plotting their escapes by killing their vengeful host.

“The Last House” is multiple stories and mysteries. It's the virtual conundrum wrapped in an enigma. It's a sleuthing expedition because only by resolving the initial problem can one finally see the end results. Patience is a virtue.

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The Book Maven’s Journal—Reviews for Word Connoisseurs
REVIEWER: J. Hunt
STAR RATING ⭐️⭐️⭐️

“The Last House on Needless Street”
By: Catriona Ward
General Fiction (Adult), Mysteries, Thrillers, Horror
Publication Date: 27 September 2021
Macmillan-Tor/Forge / Tor Nightlight

My Sincere Appreciation to NetGalley, Author Catriona Ward and Macmillan-Tor/Forge Tor Nightlight Publishing for Providing this Advance Reader's Copy for Review.

The nitty-gritty: A creepy, disturbing tale perfect for fans of twisty, psychological horror. I couldn't put it down!

All storytellers are liars, but Catriona Ward is a particularly good one. I have been lied to in the best possible way and I enjoyed every single moment. The Last House on Needless Street is surrounded by buzz and gushing blurbs from big name authors, and in my opinion all of it is well deserved. This is a psychological horror story that leads you to believe certain things, but then pulls the rug out from under you late in the story. I have to admit I was confused for quite a long time, but Ward does bury clues within her tale, and astute readers—or even readers who are well versed in thrillers—may be able to figure things out. I certainly didn’t, which I guess makes me the perfect reader!

To avoid spoilers, I’m only giving you the basic set up and will avoid talking about the plot too much. The story revolves around a handful of characters: Ted Bannerman is a single man who lives in a creepy, boarded up house on Needless Street. He has a black cat named Olivia who isn’t allowed outside the house, and a daughter named Lauren. The main story takes place eleven years after a six-year old girl named Lulu went missing down by the lake. Lulu was never found, nor was her body, so to this day her disappearance remains a mystery. Lulu’s older sister Dee is still upset by her sister’s disappearance and has continued to search for clues on her own, even after the authorities gave up. Now on the anniversary of her disappearance, Dee has tracked down a new lead, and that lead just happens to be Ted.

Dee moves into the vacant house next door to Ted and begins to spy on him, convinced that not only was Ted responsible for abducting Lulu, but that Lulu is still alive and being held inside Ted’s house. What follows is a mind-bending mystery where nothing is quite as it seems. 

Ward does a great job of creating an ominous atmosphere, especially surrounding Ted, his house, and Olivia and Lauren. Right away we see that things aren’t quite right with Ted. He “loses time” and makes frequent, nighttime trips to the nearby woods. He’s boarded up all his windows and can only see outside through the small peepholes he’s drilled into the boards. He seems to be obsessed with his dead mother, who he refers to as “Mommy.” Even more unsettling is his relationship with his daughter, Lauren. Whenever she misbehaves, Ted sends her away, leaving the reader with a lot of questions. From Ted’s first person narrative, we get the impression that he’s dealing with quite a few issues, although it’s not clear exactly what those issues are. But Ted has some endearing qualities as well: he loves animals, especially the wild birds that flock to his garden bird feeders, and of course, his beloved cat Olivia.

And speaking of Olivia, what a unique character! We’ve seen many stories told from an animal’s POV, but Olivia was something else. Olivia thinks she was sent to protect Ted by the LORD (always described in caps like that), and she occasionally knocks Ted’s Bible off the table in order to read a random Bible verse (if you’ve ever read the Bible, you’ll understand how unsettling some of it is). Olivia is in love with an outdoor cat that strolls by the window peephole, and she has an odd relationship with another cat named Night-time.

Then there is Dee, who is also shrouded in mystery. From the outside, she appears to be a woman who is still mourning her sister, and now that she seems to have proof that Ted might have been involved, she’s filled with rage and a thirst for revenge. Dee’s journey was surprisingly nightmarish—we learn she is afraid of snakes for example—and I thought her character added a nice dimension to the story. 

Ward dips back into the past at times and we learn more about Ted’s childhood, as well as the events at the lake the day Lulu disappeared. This is one of my favorite story devices and it works so well here. These little bits of information eventually reveal what actually happened—or do they? The other device the author uses is that she shows the same events from two different perspectives. You might have a chapter from Olivia’s point of view and what she’s observing from inside the house, and the next chapter might shift to Dee, who is in the house next door, watching the same event unfold. It’s another way to show how unreliable all of the characters are, since they never seem to agree on what they see or experience. And that is the beauty of this story—getting to the truth is a circuitous and uneven path, one I never grew tired of.

And there are even more mysteries to solve: who exactly is the Chihuahua Lady and how is she involved in all this? Why does the “bug man”—Ted’s therapist—seem so sinister? Who killed Ted’s songbirds? What really happened inside the freezer chest? And what exactly is Ted burying when he goes into the woods at night? By the end of the book you’ll have most of the answers, but not all, which I was OK with. The reveal at the end was sort of mind-blowing, and I loved the author’s Afterword where she gives some background on how the story came to be.

Overall, this was an excellent story, masterfully constructed and executed, and creepy as hell. I can hardly wait to read Catriona Ward’s next book!

Big thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy.