PERFECTLY CREEPTASTIC for this time of year! Loved listening to this one and having the hair stand up on the back of my neck. There are some major triggers here for some readers but I thought the book was well done.

I liked ... No, wait.  I didn't like... No, wait.  I'm confused, but I understand. Too much.

I hate him. I love him. My heart is breaking. I feel so much sorrow.

I'm elated! I see. So scary. So much pain.

On the surface, this mystery is so confusing, until it's not.  Under the surface, my god! This is utterly terrifying, heartbreaking and has left me emotionally battered.

My mind wandered to so many conclusions through this reading and I didn't come close to getting it right.  Not even close.

Days later I'm still emotional when I think of this book. At the beginning, I really wasn't a fan and it felt like work to keep picking up this audiobook.  By the middle, I was so confused and was contemplating a DNF. By the end, it has taken hold of me and now won't let go and I'm so happy that I stuck it out to the end.

All of the story that was unwritten between the lines, especially the last 20% of the book, has seeped into my brain and heart and left me saddened, yet hopeful.  This one will stay with me for a long, long time.  And I'm ok with that.

The narrator was fantastic! He did so many voices and I'm so impressed.

Thank you to #MacmillanAudio and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

🌟 "If one thing comes to light, others follow. They are like that, secrets, they move in flocks like birds." 🌟

If I had to describe The House on Needless Street in one word, I think I would go with “weird.” I mean, one of the main POV’s is that of a cat who’s obsessed with the Bible. And that’s just the tip of the weirdness iceberg. Luckily, I quite enjoy peculiar books, so this one was right in my wheelhouse. I can see how it might be polarizing among readers; especially if you’re able to figure out what’s happening early on. Thankfully, I was oblivious until the very end, which allowed me to have that “oh my God!” moment that I’m always looking for in horrors and thrillers. And let me tell you, that moment absolutely did not disappoint.

Let me start off by discussing what I liked. First off, I really enjoyed the tone. I’m a huge fan of stories that juxtapose an almost comical narrative style with a disturbing, disquieting setting and/or plot. It’s jarring and uncomfortable, but in the best way. Additionally, each character had their own distinct voice. With horror and thriller novels especially, character work seems to fall by the wayside. That was not the case here. I felt like each character was fleshed out and that I understood who they were and the motivation behind their actions. Finally, I loved how the story wrapped up. I refuse to give anything away, because seeing how everything masterfully comes together at the end is the most satisfying part of the novel What I will say is that many authors have attempted something similar, but most are not nearly as successful.

Fortunately, I don’t have too many qualms to talk about. The one thing that really turned me off was the cruelty to animals. I actually considered DNF’ing this one after the first incident, which takes place early on in the book. Though I think I understood the author’s intentions, it still felt a little gratuitous to me. Then again, it’s one of my biggest triggers, so I might have just been extra sensitive to it. Speaking of early on in the book, this one isn’t the easiest to get into. You’re really thrown into the story without much of an introduction or explanation. Because of that, you don’t really know what’s going on or who’s who. The timeline of events is also difficult to grasp at first. I didn’t mind this too much, as I was simply along for the ride. But I could see how it might be off-putting to some readers.

FINAL RATING:
🌟🌟🌟🌟 & 1/2 STARS

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Macmillan Audio, for sending me this book in exchange for an honest and fair review.

This was not for me. I knew very early on what was going on and the plot device used. Even if I had not figured it out, I'm not a fan.

This is probably a case of it's me, not the book. However, I did very much enjoy the audiobook narrator.

The last house on Needless Street would likely be the house you’d skip during trick-or-treat night. It’s boarded up, and its inhabitants--a middle aged man who drinks too much, a teenage girl with violent tendencies, and a quirky cat who can recite the Bible by heart--are not the type to host a friendly neighborhood barbeque.

Dee moves onto Needless Street determined to find answers about her 6-year-old sister’s disappearance more than a decade ago. She’s convinced the man in the last house is somehow involved.

There isn’t any major “reveal” but instead there are complex, continual layers being peeled back until we reach the end of the book. Even if you pride yourself on figuring out where a book is headed before you get there, I bet this one will surprise you. I’m actually (usually) not a fan of one of the biggest plot devices used in this book, but it really worked for me here. I guess the execution was just better than most in the genre!

It’s hard for me to nail down an exact genre here, but it’s definitely suspenseful, with some horror, and almost gothic vibes mixed in. Despite the heavy content, you may find yourself laughing at the clever storytelling.

Narrator Christopher Ragland did a great job of tackling all the characters in this story. I think having a single narrator versus multiple despite many POVs was a good choice. The audiobook is about 11.5 hours and I listened at 2.0x via NetGalley Shelf. Thanks to MacMillan Audio for an ALC!

There are lots of potential content warnings, including:
Child death, child abuse, animal abuse

The Last House on Needless Street was one crazy ride! I honestly wasn’t sure what I was listening too for about the first half and then when I thought I had it all figured out- nope! Not at all. This was such a unique story and like nothing I’ve listened to before.
I would go into this one without knowing too much what it’s about. I think it’s best that way. I also highly recommend this one on audio. The narrator was excellent!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook for an honest review.

The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward is just what I needed to start the spooky season. It is a book that grips you from page one and doesn’t let go until the last page.

This dark, twisted tale has multiple POVs that allows readers to really see how many layers there are to this story. Just when I thought I knew where the story was headed, I was completely wrong.

We follow Ted, a man who is a loner with a boarded up house. He lives with his cat and a daughter occasionally, but does not interact with many other people.

Dee thinks Ted has something to do with her sisters disappearance so she moves onto Needless Street to catch Ted or find her sister.

Catriona Ward does a fantastic job setting the scene for a story that leaves you uneasy, creeped out and overall fascinated by the events taking place.

The audiobook narrator also did a fantastic job giving voice to the characters while staying with the vibe of the book. I think I was even more spooked and creeped out listening to the audiobook then if I read it on my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this copy in exchange for an honest review.

Ted is a creepy man that lives on Needless Street in a creepy boarded up house with his religious cat, Olivia. I am not a huge cat lover and this narrating cat weirded me out from the very beginning along with everything else - but I had to get over it and roll with it! His daughter, Lauren, is there sometimes. Dee, who had a little sister that was kidnapped while at a lake with her family, moves in next door because she is convinced he had something to do it - even though he had an alibi. I listened to this book and the narrator is wonderful! Now I must read a hard copy of this dark, twisting, chilling story that messes with your mind from the beginning! By the way Olivia the cat became one of my favorite characters! Bravo to the author's written words and the narrator's voice to make them come alive! 4.5 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to review this book.

My head is spinning. The Last House on Needless Street sure is full of surprises.

A mind-bending story told from multiple POVs and one of the voices is certainly unexpected. Ted is a reclusive person, the kind that boarded up his windows as not to be seen from the outside. His new neighbor on Needless Street is Dee who moved to this street with a purpose. Their lives are intertwined, which I initially thought were pretty "basic". BUT, dang was I so wrong! I'm still confused, maybe I need therapy. 😵

You'll want to enjoy it while going into it blind. Just listen and relish this bizarre story! The audio is superb.

I really enjoyed this horror novel about a cat. It is a unique perspective and I found it a delightful change in this genre. I received this book via the publishers and Netgalley, but this has not affected my review.

I'm sorry but I will not be finishing or rating this book. The scene with the birds was bad enough i skipped it then got to the part about the cat in the freezer. (4%) i turned it off then because animals usually don't fare well in horror. Thank you for the opportunity to listen tot his one, I've seen a lot of people recommending it but I don't think it's for me.

Wow, this book was not at all what I expected but was such an inventive story it really kept my interest. I was really impressed by the audiobook narrator's range and listening to audio for this particular book rather than reading in print really helped to differentiate and bring to life the many characters that are introduced.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for a free audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book is a crazy ride! I absolutely loved this audio. Bravo to Christopher Ragland!! He should win an award for all the voices in this audiobook. I know people loved this as a physical read, too, but the audio is exceptional.

I'm not even going to try to explain this book. But it's better to have the people on Needless Street do it for you - Ted, his daughter Lauren, his cat Olivia, and the next-door neighbor Dee. The story is narrated from 4 POVs. Yes, the cat, in all its meowing glory, tells part of this story. And Olivia is religious, deeply religious (yes, the cat). Among the tension on Needless Street, Olivia provided a bit of humor.

However, the longer I listened, the more I questioned. What is really going on? Is this a dream? Did this actually happen? Who's the victim? Who’s the perpetrator? Ward’s twists and turns could cause whiplash, major whiplash! As the layers come undone, the story becomes so tense and claustrophobic that you just can't stop listening. And now, I want to listen to it again!

Pick this one up if you…
⭐️ Love cats
⭐️ Need a creepy fall read
⭐️ Need the perfect audio book narrator!

I want to start off by saying Christopher Ragland was the PERFECT narrator for this book. Absolutely made this audio book!

There is something VERY strange going on in the creepy old house at the end of the street. Ted, his teenage daughter Lauren, and a cat that reads the Bible. A child is missing, and her sister will do anything to find her.

You will be so confused and maybe thing you’ve lost your mind with this one, but keep going. This book is a mixture of mystery, thriller, and horror - great spooky read for October. It really won’t make sense until the end, this is a book that will slowly give you its secrets! SO many secrets that will knock your socks off.

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for this ARC!

Wow! I spent the first half of this book trying to figure out exactly what was going on and I had plenty of guesses. I was wrong on almost every count. My head was spinning with all of the twists and turns and I couldn’t stop listening. I am so glad that I took a chance and decided to give this book a try.

This story is told from three different points of view. Ted, his cat Olivia, his daughter Lauren, and their new neighbor Dee. I have to say that the cat was my favorite of the group. Years ago, Ted was suspected of having some involvement in the disappearance of a little girl. That girl’s sister wants to see what Ted might know so she moves into the house next door. I wanted to know more about Ted, his housemates, and just what he might have done in his past. This was one of those books where you knew that there was more going on than it seemed.

Christopher Ragland did a phenomenal job with the narration of this book. I believe that this was my first experience listening to his work but I would say that I am a new fan. The voices that he used for each of the characters were distinctive and fit the personality of the characters perfectly. He added a lot of emotion and excitement into his reading which helped to bring the story to life.

I would recommend this book to others. I think that this is one of those books that it is best to go in as blindly as possible so I have kept my review brief. I look forward to reading my of Catriona Ward’s work in the future.

I received a digital review copy of this book and audiobook from Macmillan-Tor/Forge and Macmillan Audio via NetGalley.

I really wasn't a fan of this one. I did get into the story, but it did take some time and I was struggling most of the way through. A lot of the parts of this one were a little confusing and was wondering where things were going with the side topics discussed. That was a big part of my struggle with this one. I heard really good things and wanted to like it, but this really fell short for me.

THE LAST HOUSE ON NEEDLESS STREET is complex, heavy, creepy…. A perfect read for the upcoming spooky season! I was able to listen to an advanced copy and the narrators did a wonderful job at evoking the correct atmosphere for this book.

This book is told from three very different points of view. First, we have reclusive Ted: A single father who is…going through some things. Second, there is Dee, whose little sister went missing years before and she’s on the path to finding who took her. Third, oddly enough, is Olivia, Ted’s cat. My favorite storyline to follow was Dee’s. I think I connected to her most at the beginning, and her parts were easier to follow. Well at first at least.

This book is hard to discuss without feeling like you’re giving stuff away. This book will make you uncomfortable, will make you sad, will make you think you missed something. Once the final twist was delivered, I left the book alone for two days to process what I learned before finishing the last chapters.

While I did enjoy the audiobook, I do think I would have enjoyed reading this one a bit more to reread some of the more…confusing parts. That’s just a personal preference, though!

This book is for you if you want a slow burn, creepy read that takes you up down and all around! Many thanks to @tornightfire via @netgalley for my advanced listening copy!

You will spend most of this book wondering what you're reading. Every time you think you have it figured out, something will make you question if you're on the right track. It was one of the best, most intriguing books I've read in a very long time. The story stayed with me for a good while and made it hard to start another read right away. I highly recommend it!

The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward (Author), Christopher Ragland (Narrator)

Eleven years ago Dee and her six year old sister visit a lake with their parents. By the time they leave, the six year old is missing and Dee's family is shattered forever. But Dee is determined to find her sister. 

Now, or is it before...time is so twisted and confused and missing for Ted. He lives in the family home, with the windows covered with plywood, the house dusty, cluttered, dark, and falling apart. Ted loses time for hours or days and he can't remember names at all or anything else very well. He narrates things on an old cassette tape on an old cassette recorder because he knows he can't remember anything. He has a daughter who is out of control and a cat who is his only comfort. He tries not to think about his mother or father. He hides from the neighbors. He doesn't know how long he can go on like this but he also doesn't know how he has gone on like this. 

Not much more can be said about this strange, disturbing book. It's better to let Ted, Dee, and Olivia, the talking cat, tell the story. Be aware that there is massive amounts of abuse of people and animals. This story is suffocating, claustrophobic, and horrifying. The audio of this story is excellent and chilling and adds to everything that makes this story so frightening.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for this ARC.

What. A. Wild. Ride. This book was such a surprise to me. While reading thrillers/horror as regularly as I do, I'm not always super shocked by the big twist. However, this one had me. This one will have you wondering what is going on and then when you get to the twist, there's more following.

I started this book all kinds of confused. I had read a few vague reviews and of course the blurb and my brain immediately tried to make sense of what was going on and what the "secrets" were. I have a bad tendency to try to learn the twists as soon as I start reading the first page. I think this added to my confusion. After getting a ways through the first half I finally decided to stop trying and to just embrace the story. I think that is when I started to truly enjoy it. The way the characters are woven together and each have their own story that adds to twists throughout the book was so beautifully done. It's hard to not have empathy for all of the characters, including the ones that are the "bad" characters. I thought this book had a lot of heart and did a great job at addressing the different ways trauma and pain can manifest. It's not something you see put out there that often. I listened to this on audio and thought the narrators did a great job.

TW: Child abuse, death of animals, suicide, mental illness, physical and mental violence/abuse, alcoholism

Thank you Netgalley, Viper, and MacMillan Audio for the AAC for an honest review.