I'm a fan of Grady Hendrix in general, and this was a light read from him set in the same universe as a couple of his other novels. The characters didn't grab me like some of his others did; in fact, I found both main characters to be extremely grating, which really detracted from my reading experience. There are some gruesome moments, but I wouldn't call any part of this book truly scary, unless you have an extreme phobia of dolls or puppets. An easy read, but I definitely wouldn't recommend this one first out of all of the rest of his books.

It's hard to properly describe this. There's family drama and intense, crazy shit with possessed dolls. This is also an incredibly sad story about family secrets and cathartic obsession. Anyone who's been through loss will find this hard to get through in some parts. Louise and Mark have a very difficult relationship but they have to work together to get through the death of their parents and the evil in their parent's house. Mark's description of his college experience was excruciating to get through--painfully boring and irritating. We all need someone like Barb in our lives-comic relief and no-nonsense faith.

It is amazing how gut-wrenching and painful the relationships of these characters are - they are flawed and funny and real in a way that I never expect in comedy/horror fiction - and it is more amazing that stress I felt felt for their drama perfectly matches that of the actual horror. Beautiful, growing elements of spook, creep, and a scratch of body horror. I really fell for the sibling dynamics, together as well as within the large family. it's a wonderfully crafted story. I've said it before but I mean it now: this is my favourite Grady Hendrix.

Hendrix knows how to use horror (and humor) to tell stories with serious themes. This one includes family secrets, generational trauma, sibling rivalry, creepy dolls, and more - all told in a rapid-fire, sometimes rollicking story. Some sour notes - the chapters covering Mark's time in Boston was necessary to the story, but clunky and somehow dull, despite what was being revealed.

Also - at least two instances where "discrete" was used when it should be "discreet".

Thank you for the early copy! I’ve been salivating over the description since the book announcement and Pupkin and all his creepy cohorts did not disappoint! I’ve already been raving about it at a bunch of book events!

This book didn't end up being what I expected at all, but because Grady is such a thoughtful writer and reverent horror fan, it was still a fun, campy nailbiter. I really appreciated how wildly Mark swung in my esteem over the course of the book, and I think the family dynamics were as interesting as the scary stuff.

And I'm just gonna say it: Grady writes women better than any man writing horror, full stop. It's not like he deserves a cookie for portraying women as people or anything, but I do think it's worth highlighting that I'm never stressed that something misogynistic is gonna happen, or that the story will hinge on gendered violence. It's one element he doesn't borrow from 80's pulp horror, for which I am grateful.

To me, this book spiritually has more in common with My Best Friend's Exorcism and, to a lesser extent, Grady's other earlier books. Fans of Southern Book Club or Final Girl Support Group are, I think, going to find some of the absurdist mega-80s aspects of this book a little silly. But that's kind of what I love about it.

When Louise's parents die suddenly, part of settling the estate is dealing with her puppeteer mother's giant collection of handmade puppets. She and her brother, Mark, are in conflict with each other and eventually, with one puppet in particular. When the puppet, Pupkin, attaches itself to her daughter, Louise and Mark must work together to save her. More than just a scary story about a haunted house or a possessed puppet, How to Sell A Haunted House is a touching story about family and forgiveness, but with plenty of surprising scares and twists. The story feels grounded and believable, even with supernatural elements that a lesser author might not be able to sell to the reader. Another slam dunk from a giant of the genre. I will recommend to fans of Nick Cutter and Joe Hill.
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for a digital review copy.

Louise and Mark, estranged siblings, have lost their mother and father and have been targeted by the forces of darkness. Specifically those inhabiting their mother's creepy puppet. Y'all, I came into this with a healthy fear of puppets and dolls and I'm walking away with an unhealthy terror. This book does a fantastic job of exploring family dynamics and trauma while also giving us animated dolls and attack squirrels. Scary and goofy and touching. 10/10, maybe the best book I've read all year.



I read this as an ARC from Netgalley.

I requested a digital copy in order to sample the prose on my phone (since I don't have a eReader) before requesting a physical copy for review. My review will be based on the physical ARC I read (if I qualify)

Only Grady Hendrix could make puppets so scary and sad at the same time. He nails grief, the difficult of sibling relationships, and generational trauma in a way both fresh and nostalgic (my childhood nightmares of R L Stine's Slappy from "Night of the Living Dummy' are BACK).

Grady Hendrix, again, proves he is a force when it comes to writing a gripping,even silly, ghost story.
This book begins fairly benignly and has a subtle crescendo into full blown action about 1/3 of the way into the story.
While I enjoyed most of the book and I thoroughly enjoy Hendrix's writing style I must admit that this one ran a little long for my liking. (at least by 100 pages)
However, there is always the appropriately placed sarcastic comment or funny situation to keep a reader invested.
Worth a read if you are a fan.
A solid 3 stars

3.5 stars

Grady Hendrix is one of my favorite campy, horror writers. How to Sell a Haunted House started off strong and I connected to the characters almost immediately. I liked learning about the family dynamics and getting creepy tours of the house in the beginning. But then the story got really boring and slow and I almost gave up at 80%. I'm glad I didn't because it picked up again but the ending felt simultaneously rushed and like it would never end. Overall, as always, Hendrix does a really awesome job with characterization and dry humor and I will be recommending this one to patrons.

Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC.

I want you to know that this is not your typical haunted house story and I don’t want people to be disappointed that it’s not. This was a wild ride and I loved it. I just don’t think it’s what people are going to think it’s going to be about.

Grady Hendrix has become an instant read; I don't know how it's possible that he can instill so much creep into his stories but also make them incredibly enjoyable and funny at times. He oozes creativity and talent, I am in awe of his voice and style as a writer. A+. 11/10.

I received an ARC of this via the independent bookstore I work at as well as a digital copy from NetGalley :)

If you don't like puppets or dolls, this may not be the books for you. Though since it's horror, maybe it is if you want to spend 400 pages in abject terror. I didn't think it was possible to detail a journey of grief through puppet horror, but Grady Hendrix sure proved me wrong. I was uncomfortable. I was oddly amused, and in the end, my heart hurt. House to Sell a Haunted House was an odd and quirky book and delightfully unexpected.

WOW. This book was so personally relatable, and also completely terrifying. Louise seems like she has it all together- successful career in the San Fransisco tech world, an adorable (and adored) five-year-old daughter, and a solid relationship with her parents. When her parents are killed in a car accident, Louise must go home to Charleston bury them and settle their estate, not expecting any significant help from her loser little brother. Things get weird as soon as Louise lands in Charleston, and don't let up until the gripping end of this novel. Along the way Louise has to grapple with her relationship with her brother, her extended family, and the effects of generational trauma which coalesce into a nightmare scenario she'll be lucky to survive. A true exploration of the intimate ties that bind families together- for better and for worse.

Louise loves her family, but she likes to love them from several states away. When Louise finds out that her parents have died in a horrible accident, she dreads going back to Charleston. She doesn't want to deal with her parents house that's stuffed to the gills with her father's research and her mother's collection/hoard of handmade puppets and dolls. She also doesn't want to deal with her brother, Mark, who she's never been close to and resents. Louise especially doesn't want to step foot in her childhood home, it's REALLY not good for her mental health.
Grady Hendrix has a talent for somehow, dealing with emotional/mental health issues and also dealing with very VERY creepy supernatural things. I freaking love it! I began reading this novel on a Monday and had it finished by Tuesday evening....and by the end of it I remembered why I find puppets and porcelain dolls so shudder worthy. My good lord Mr. Hendrix, I have always found puppets creepy but after reading this book, I don't think I'm ever going to look one in the eye ever again! The imagry written in this book changes so effortlessly from nearly claustrophobic inside the home to so open outside that anything could be coming from anywhere! I will leave a warning for readers who may have issues with body horror, there is some mild to moderate body horror descriptions in the second half of the book. It really isn't too bad, but if you're not a fan of needles or power tools, maybe skip this one.
Great novel that successfully gave me chills and made me want to make everyone read it too!

**Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars

I keep trying to write a detailed review, but really this is what sums up my feelings: This is great, funny, good, happy, has excellent horror, hard to put down. Read it!

Also, I really appreciate how Grady Hendrix writes people. Both Louise and Mark have many layers to them. They are solid, complete humans. Their families have secrets and those secrets affect how they interact with the world in real ways. While this is a really fun real, there is also depth, which is what takes this book from good to great.

If you haven't ready Grady Hendrix yet, you really should. This or My Best Friend's Exorcism are great places to start.

Annabelle meets Child’s Play concept blended in dysfunctional family drama and unresolved problems of siblings with perfect dark sense of humor!

I can honestly say this is the TENSEST, MOST NERVE BENDING, CREEPIEST horror/ dark comedy story I’ve lately read! I chuckled a lot and mostly gave my loudest hysterical laughs! Especially the last third of the book: things get out of control and escalate to a new level of bat shit craziness! You tell yourself “no freaking way it can happen” but eventually things happen beyond your imagination and so many jaw dropping, shocking moments later you let your screams so loud! ( I don’t recommend you to read this book at public places not getting too much unnecessary attention)

The squirrel nativity attacks, avenging scary dolls popping out their eyes and a very dangerous puppet trying to posses you! Yes! So many unbelievably scary things happening in this book and if you like haunted house theme, buckle up and enjoy the fun from front seat.

Louise, single mother, 39, living in San Francisco, focusing on her career and her little girl Poppy, estranged with her parents and her troublesome brother Mark. One night she gets a phone call from the same brother who informs her their parents died in a car accident and he waited for nearly 2 days to mention it!

Louise reluctantly flies to Charleston to go to her childhood house she’s left years ago. A house filled with weirdest Annabelle styled dolls, hundreds of puppets her mother made and literally gave life by attending Christian puppet ministry, giving performances with her puppets at churches for years. And let’s not forget lots of taxidermies shelved among the puppets.

Louise wants to get rid of everything, going back to her life in SF, hugging her daughter, forgetting everything else about her house. But her brother keeps pushing her buttons. If the house will be sold, she may get rid of financial problems and she finds herself fighting with her brother for the inheritance. Finally she gives up but even though she plans to run away again the house has no intention to let her go.

Louise and Mark realize there’s something truly threatening about the place and it’s more than a bad energy, a powerful curse, something scary, something very dangerous giving life to vengeful puppets, avenging squirrels! There’s something in their house is so angry and it has no intention to go anywhere without taking more lives!

This book is heart throbbing and so scary! In the middle of the book, I screamed so lot and hid into a closet, imagining to get chased by puppets! After I gathered my courage, I pushed myself wear big girl’s pants and adult diaper to read the rest of it!

I adored Louise and Mark’s sibling relationship dynamics and how their unreliable perspectives affected their lives. Both of their memories are so subjective. We realize nothing as it seems and both of them flawed characters who learn to give themselves second chances!

I think I’ll have Pupkin-full nightmares for months but it’s truly worth it!

If you are okay with family drama and scariest haunted doll house them: this book is perfect match for your needs!

Giving my 5 puppet masters! (It’s impossible to give a Grady Hendrix work less than five stars)

Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.

What did I just read? This is not your ordinary haunted house story - this is one wild, messed up ride! First of all, there are dolls and puppets involved - creepy weird dolls and puppets. Then there are lots of visuals involved which will make you shudder. There are some descriptions in this book which made me think, ok, too much - but I couldn't stop reading. All in all, this is a super creepy, super weird haunted house book that will give you the heebee jeebies and make you never want to see another puppet show again. Highly recommend. Now if I can only get the thought of Pupkin out of my head.... thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy.