This book came out of left field for me, in the best way possible. I was completely engrossed in it, even if I didn't fully understand what was going on. It definitely comes together in the end, but it is a wild ride before that.

While reading it, you will be confused. And you will think some things don't make sense and think other things are so out of left field. But trust the process. It all comes together in the end, and it is worth it.

I will. be picking up a copy on release day.

This was a surprisingly twisted read! I wasn't sure initially what the catch would be but WOW! I definitely didn't see it coming!! The audio performance was creepy with terrific acting. It was a chilling gothic tale about a missing child. What happened to her on that fateful day she disappeared from the beach? This was a psychological mystery that kept me wondering and guessing. Very tense at times. Would recommend the audiobook to readers looking for a suspenseful, atmospheric, horror thriller.

Going into this book you basically have NO idea what its about which i appreciate. This read like a gothic horror and the atmosphere was fantastic. I absolutely loved the performance from the narrator they did an amazing job. As for the story itself I did enjoy it but coming up to the twists I had already figured them out.

Incredibly suspenseful and eerie atmosphere.

I’m very conflicted about this one, and I think this is more of a 3.5 star review. Ward’s writing was suspenseful throughout and I felt like it was a very beautiful exploration of the idea of memory. It’s definitely a binge worthy book with amazing atmosphere that hooks you in. If you’re a fan of settings where everything is just a little (if not a lot) off, then this book is for you! I’m thinking specifically of Iain Reid’s I’m Thinking of Ending Things’ as a prime comparative.
That being said, I found that the big twist everyone is raving about was extremely obvious (like within the first few chapters kind of obvious) and it make it difficult to make it through certain characters’ narratives. I persevered hoping that perhaps there was a bigger twist and I was a bit let down. Definitely some interesting information arises, but if you’re aware of the twist early on, none of the events in the book will shock you. It’s probably best to go into this book with an open mind and not try to figure out the twist like I did.

Christopher Ragland was a superb narrator with an incredible range of voices.

Thank you to MacMillan Audio and NetGalley for the Advanced Listening Copy!

You will probably find plot descriptions of this book rather vague, for good reason. The less you know the better. We start off learning about Ted, his cat Olivia and his daughter. We can tell that Ted has some...issues, but it's not clear what they are. We also learn about a young girl that goes missing at a lake near Ted's house, and that he was briefly a suspect in her disappearance. From there we get different snapshots from Ted, Olivia, Ted's daughter Lauren, and the sister of the missing girl. Bit by bit, we learn things that make us think we know what's happening, but we're probably not right.

This was one of the more original books I've read in a long time and it was just the right mix of creepy, sad, suspenseful, and occasionally funny. It was also a little horrific at times. I think there will be a lot of buzz around this book and it will be interesting to see how it's received.

A special mention needs to go to the narrator of the audiobook, Christopher Ragland. He has to win an award for the narration of this book. It took me until about halfway through to realize it was one narrator. The range of voices he did was so impressive, I had to keep looking it up to check that there wasn't a second female narrator.

This is probably the best-executed book I have read so far this year. I'm not sure how to review it in its entirety without spoilers, so I will keep my thoughts brief on public forums and invite everyone who's read it to my blog post (coming soon) for a spoiler discussion.

Thank you to @netgalley and @macmillan.audio for an ALC of this incredible audiobook. I loved the story, but the audio production made it ten times better. I can't believe this is all one narrator! Often, I'm not a fan of male narrators trying to do female voices, but Christopher Ragland did an incredible job of matching all the different characters. Five-star audio production, and five-star book.

This story is about Ted, a recluse suspected of a child's abduction. The perspectives switch between Ted, the sister of the abducted child, and that of Ted's cat. The cat chapters were a little kooky (who knew cats were Christian!), but such a creative way to describe Ted from another point of view.

Looking back from the end of the book, I'm amazed at how well-executed this story was. I feel like I need to re-read this book in order to catch all the clues I missed!

TW: child abuse

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the arc audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

This was really trippy! The audiobook production was done really well. For the different characters, the narrator used different dialects and tones which helped listening to conversations during scenes. This was super easy to listen to and enjoyable! I finished this 11hour audiobook in 2-3 days which says a lot on how much I liked it.

As for the story, it's about a young girl who ends up missing and her older sister trying to figure out what happened to her. There are multiple storylines, characters and timelines in this. One character I enjoyed her perspective the most and loved how the author humanized her (don't want to say too much in case it's a spoiler). I went into this completely unknowing of the plot and what it was about--and I'm so glad I did because the different reveals were all shocking and fun.

Towards the end of the book, things get SUPER crazy and VERY deep--so pay attention if you are listening to the book! There were a few moments I went, "huh" and had to relisten because I was confused or a little lost. But I did like how it ended and again, the reveal was a surprise to me.

This book has strong messages and themes of mental health, family dynamics, hidden secrets and how people function under stressful situations. This is my first Catriona Ward book and wow..I can't wait to read more by this author.

4/5

Someone is abducting children and Dee, whose little sister Lulu was taken, needs to know who. Her hunt for who took her sister will take her down a long, dark tunnel of mental illness and family secrets and make her face her own fears and regrets.

I was steered in so many directions in this book and never quite put it all together until the very end. Each chapter is told from the point of view of one of four characters - 1. Ted, the overweight, simple recluse who suffered abuse as a child, has some mental and developmental illnesses, 2. Ted's cat, Olivia, who reads the Bible and tries to be a help to Ted, 3. Lauren, Ted's daughter, who has some mental or developmental issues and can't walk, but we're not sure why, and 4. Dee, whose little sister, Lulu, was abducted as a child and was never found, and who also suffers from some mental illness, perhaps depression, because of the incident. Yes, there are four unreliable narrators.

There are so many twists and turns in this book that I never really put it all together until the very end. I did enjoy it but I'm not sure I "liked" it. It was twisted, dark, creepy, and held my attention to the end. I would recommend this to anyone who likes really dark psychological thrillers. The audiobook is very well narrated.

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

Such great narration! I particularly loved the cat sounds. I had read the text already (5 stars) but the audiobook really brought the story to life. I have zero notes and criticisms.

I saw this book along with bookish package from Tor all over instagram and requested it right away when I saw the ALC. I went in blindly without reading the synopsis!

My initial thoughts while reading - ok, I think I have figured out the plot, this guy Ted did something bad and is not willing to accept it. He is hiding behind his childhood.

My thoughts after reading - WTF just happened. How did the story curve from one thing to another?! So this new character is responsible for Ted’s situation? No wait, let me read the synopsis. (After reading the synopsis and grasping what I listened) WOW so the author has rolled mental health, an abduction, sister love, perspective of an animal and multiple personality disorder all into a chilling serial-killer type story that was confusing at first, but is crystal at the end?! 🤯

There are still a few moments I believe I need clarification on, so I’m giving this well narrated ALC 4/5 ⭐️

Wow. I just finished this book and have been rendered speechless which never happens. I have no words. However, I have to write this review while everything is fresh in my head so here goes....
This is the type of book that is so hard to review without spoilers so, I am going to try to make this as concise as possible.
I did not want this book to end. A character-driven novel, I did not want to say goodbye to any of the POV's and this book is told in several. Through the multiple POV's I drew close to the characters and was invested in them fully especially, Olivia, the cat.
I would call this book disturbing but, not particularly horrifying. Well, maybe psychologically horrifying. I was moved, disgusted, angry, sad, and a little freaked throughout the reading journey.
Catriona Ward has written an immaculate novel. As disturbing as this book is it is equally as beautiful. Ward is an author I will be keeping my eye on. I already heard Andy Serkis' (Gollum/Smeagol) production company has optioned filmed rights to adapt this book.

The narration was brilliant and highly recommend listening to the audiobook.

This book got me out of yet another reading slump. Until this one, only novellas could hold my attention. This one grabbed my attention almost right away. I was so curious and knew it was a totally different kind of book when one of the POVs was a cat. But it all came together to make sense in the ned. There were several twists that I wasn't expecting and I really enjoyed it.

Wow okay so I went into this not knowing anything about the synopsis so I think that’s definitely the best way to go into it. It doesn’t make much sense at first and you don’t really know what’s going on in the beginning. I thought I guessed what was going on but I only guessed half of it so that was a pleasant surprise.

This book is very slowly drawn out but it works out well, usually I hate that type of story but this did a great job in being creepy and wrapping everything up together. I thought the narrator did a really great job bringing the characters to life as well.

Thanks so much to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced audiobook copy!

It's so hard to accurately talk about this book without spoiling it, but I really had a fun time with Catriona Ward's The Last House on Needless Street ! The story focuses on several— central characters—Ted, a lonely man who lives with his cat Olivia. Ted lives a very quiet life, but becomes more vibrant and excited when his extroverted daughter Lauren arrives.

We also meet Dee, a young woman obsessed with finding her missing sister Lulu. Dee's obsession with Lulu's disappearance leads her to suspect that Ted has something to do with it, but after being cleared of all suspicion, Dee begins to investigate herself. What happens from here on out is a character driven, atmospheric telling of all the characters as they navigate the central conflict of the story. I CAN'T SAY ANY MORE, LEAVE ME BE! If you're confused, you're on the right path because I surely was during this story (in a good way). It took me a week to finish this book, when I can usually read 2-4 books in the same time.

I did suspect some aspects of the story early on, but Catriona Ward's beautiful storytelling immersed me regardless and that's what ultimately has me holding such a light for this book. I alternated between the audiobook and the physical written copy, and it did not disappoint. This light horror novel just oozed suspense throughout the story, from the creepy and a bit gory start, to the beautifully gothic imagery by the end. This is my first venture into Catriona Ward's writing, but surely won't be my last. I think the story places a bit too much emphasis on twists, but luckily the author provides them with respect to the story. Unlike many novels that have been published in a post-Gone Girl era of thrillers. The ending is actually what sold it to me in the end and has cemented this book as one of my favorites for 2021. Wow...I think this book will be getting EVERYONE talking.

This is a story about the monsters we contain, and the monsters who contain us.

So, I’m not sure how to rate this one. It was very unsettling, and I appreciated the writing & atmospheric story telling. That being said, it had one of my least favorite story telling mechanism & I felt meh about the end.

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️. 💫 rounded to 4.

TW: animal abuse, child abuse
Yoooooooooo. This book had NO business being that good.
There were so many moments where I had to stop listening because of the content. Even thought those moments were happening, I still didn’t want to stop listening though.
This is a type of book that gradually reveals itself throughout the story, and it definitely keeps you on your toes and keeps you guessing the entire time. Just when you think you have it figured out, you don’t.
This book is right up my alley and I loved it. I probably won’t be able to stop thinking about it for a while.

This book is extremely hard for me to review.

I liked this book, however, I am still not certain that I followed it 100%. So many times was I ready to stop and put it down, but I finished it and the twist was shocking. I could not believe the ending! It was a definite surprise as far as the reality of what happened.

I just still feel like I missed a LOT of what was happening, and this was not due to the author's writing at all. I just believe this story was so deep and the tale was so twisted with different characters, different times, etc that I simply took the easiest path through the book to the end.

The Last House on Needless Street is possibly one of the most perplexing stories I’ve ever read. I was confused. Then I put the pieces together, quite quickly I might add, only to realize I was very wrong. I was confused again. Who is Ted? Who is the girl with the popsicle? Why are we hearing from a cat? In the end, it all makes sense. As the story goes on, we learn more and more about each of the characters and how (and why) they fit together. Each character has interdependencies that I didn’t truly understand until the end of the book. Ward paints such detailed pictures of the characters, and has put together a plot that it makes you really invested in the outcome. I definitely want to re-read this.

The Short Version: An engrossing briar patch of a novel that keeps you questioning your own sanity up until the ultimate conclusion.

The Long Version: Dang! The last house on needless street is the first book in a while that made me go “Haven’t seen that in a while”. By that I mean the book kept me twisting in the wind, guessing, then re-guessing what the truth underlying everything was right up until the author resolved it all.

The author had a very unique take on this thriller/mystery including a delightful cat narrating her life (seems weird at first, but was delightful and I would totally listen to an entire book about her).

The book would have been a five out of five if not for the third act. The author so masterfully created a tangled story that’s near impossible to unravel through the first two acts but because of that, there was a lot of info dumping in the third act to resolve everything. I’m not sure there was a more deft way to handle it but after such a tense thrill ride through the first three quarters of the book it got stuck in the mud at the end and felt like a let down

Overall I still would recommend this book very highly if you’re willing to live with the self doubting madness that ensues.

Component Ratings
Idea/Concept: 5 out of 5
Characters: 4.5 out of 5
Character Development: 4 out of 5
Plot: 5 out of 5
Prose: 4 out of 5
Pacing: 4.5 out of 5
Ending (Third Act): 2.5 out of 5

Thanks #netgallery. I cannot say enough good things about this book. It's hard to write a review without giving away details. I couldn't put it down and it kept my mind guessing the entire time. Great read.