Not for me. I loved Jo Nesbo’s Harry Hole series. I just couldn’t get into this book. A little too woo-woo for my taste. Maybe I will just stick to his thrillers.
Thank you to the NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy in exchange for a honest opinion.
2.5⭐️

This book was a literal fever dream. It threw me around like a rag doll and definitely went in a direction I didn’t expect. For the most part I enjoyed the book. I think I was slightly disappointed that it wasn’t going in the direction I thought it was but it was an interesting and unique take.

I was confused quite a bit throughout the novel. At times I was wondering what was even going on. I absolutely loved part one of the book. It hooked me and I was engaged through the whole part. I disliked Richard but he was still an interesting main character.

When we got to part two is where the confusion began. It had me questioning what was even happening but still kept me hooked. The entire section of part two was insane and I was still really enjoying the story.

Then we get to part three. Part three has the big reveal and it definitely surprised me. Very unexpected and not at all the direction I thought this book was going towards. The last part was interesting and it was kinda cool to see how each character was connected in all parts. I think I might of enjoyed this book if it wasn’t for this last section. The ending felt kinda weak for me. Still a decent and quick read, perfect atmosphere for spooky season.

This is a pretty big departure from the usual books we see from Jo Nesbo, and I liked it a lot! Very creepy with a twisty plotline - it’s the perfect start to the Halloween season.

"The Night House" by Jo Nesbo is a chilling and atmospheric horror novel that takes readers on a spine-tingling journey into the eerie and supernatural. With its blend of classic horror elements and a fresh narrative twist, Nesbo delivers a suspenseful and unsettling tale that keeps readers hooked from beginning to end.

The story follows fourteen-year-old Richard Elauved, who is sent to live with his aunt and uncle in the remote town of Ballantyne after the tragic death of his parents in a house fire. Richard quickly becomes an outcast in the town, and suspicion falls on him when one of his classmates, Tom, goes missing under mysterious circumstances. Richard claims that a haunted telephone booth near the woods was responsible for Tom's disappearance, but his story is met with skepticism from everyone except Karen, another outsider in the town.

As the dark and supernatural forces in Ballantyne start to manifest, Richard becomes increasingly entangled in a web of mysteries and horrors. The author masterfully builds tension and suspense throughout the narrative, creating a sense of foreboding that permeates the entire story. Nesbo's vivid descriptions of the eerie setting and the unsettling events that unfold in Ballantyne add to the overall sense of dread.

One of the strengths of "The Night House" is the unreliable narrator, Richard, whose mental state is constantly in question. This uncertainty adds an extra layer of complexity to the story, as readers are left wondering whether the supernatural events are real or a product of Richard's traumatized mind.

The novel delves into themes of guilt, grief, and the supernatural, all while keeping readers on the edge of their seats. Nesbo's writing is both engaging and evocative, immersing readers in the eerie atmosphere of the town and its dark secrets.

While "The Night House" is a compelling and suspenseful read, some readers may find the plot's ambiguity and the unreliable narrator aspect a bit challenging to navigate. Additionally, the pacing may be slow for those who prefer faster-paced horror stories.

In conclusion, "The Night House" is a haunting and unsettling horror novel that will appeal to fans of classic horror as well as those looking for a fresh twist on the genre. Jo Nesbo's storytelling prowess shines through, making this a must-read for anyone seeking a spine-tingling and atmospheric tale of supernatural terror.

The Night House started off with a blast and never let up from beginning to end it had me in its claws racing to the end to see what it was all about and to see how it all would turn out.

The Night House is a very scary story that is sure to hit number one on the charts. The whole time I was reading it I kept thinking that this reminds me of a Stephen King book as it had the same atmospheric feel to it.

Fourteen-year-old Richard Elauved is sent to live with his aunt and uncle in a town called Ballantyne after the death of his parents in a house fire. Right from the beginning Richard is made an outcast by his classmates. The only friend he had was a girl Karen who is also an outsider.

When one of his classmates, Tom goes missing no one believes Richard when he tells them that Tom was sucked into the phone receiver in the phone booth out near the Mirror Forest.

Everyone believes that Richard must have something to do with his disappearance. Richard must investigate Tom’s disappearance on his own as it sure doesn’t appear that the police or anyone else is going to look into it.

In the meantime, another one of Richard’s classmates disappears. The same thing happens again. Everyone thinks Richard is responsible. No one will believe what he is telling them.

Richard knows he had nothing to do with their disappearance so must prove his innocence on his own. No, Karen believes him and will help him find out what happened to Tom and Jack. Can Richard and Karen find out what happened to both boys before it is too late?

The Night House is the first book by Jo Nesbø that I have read but I sure hope that it will not be the last as I sorely enjoyed reading this one. The Night House had this scary Halloween, haunted house sort of feeling to it. The Night House drew me in with the summary and once I picked it up I couldn’t lay it down again until the last page was read.

I highly recommend The Night House to all horror fans and anyone who likes reading Stephen King novels. Be sure and grab your copy of The Night House today for a fun scary read!

Wow, Nesbo does it again. I started this and thought that it was just a bit too juvenile for a great horror story but I kept at it. Second part left me in a bit of a daze and the third part blew me out of my socks.
What a well turned story.
A young man goes to live with some folks after his parents die in a tragic fire….
And then his classmates begin to disappear. He is naturally suspect. I cannot go on because I don’t want to spoil it for you…let’s just say nothing is at it seems….
I do recommend.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me this ARC.

The Night House was a welcome surprise; I was hooked from the first chapter and it lived in my head even when I would put it down. I loved the combination of a classic horror novel with a little bit of Shutter Island and am still left with a little bit of unknown (which I love). The horror was done well and had me pulling the covers just a little bit tighter. Definitely not the typical detective novel as many. may be used to for Jo Nesbo but I think this is a welcome change and am looking forward to more!

When Richard’s parents die he is sent to live with his aunt and uncle. Having grown up in the city, small town life is quite the change. He’s not the most popular kid, in fact he has nearly zero friends. Then when he is actually out with a kid from school the craziest thing happens: upon making a crank phone call, Richard’s friend is ‘eaten’ by the phone. A short time later another ‘friend’ disappears (wait til you see what happens to him). With Richard as the prime suspect, he must figure out what is going on and prove his innocence. This is an absolutely wild, twisted tale. An excellent read to get you in the Halloween spirit. If you stop there...but then comes the twist, but I don't want to go into that to avoid some serious spoilers. Thanks so much to Knopf and NetGalley for the ARC.

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-night-house-jo-nesbo/1142954328?ean=9780593537169&bvnotificationId=c39ab3cf-6208-11ee-acb9-0a3c709a215f&bvmessageType=REVIEW_APPROVED&bvrecipientDomain=gmail.com#review/259078568

This short novel was completely surreal. I don't want to go too much into the plot because I really don't want to give anything away. But if you're a fan of the kind of round-robin story Pulp Fiction has, then this is book for you.
Richard Elauved is a 14 year-old boy who is living with his aunt and uncle in the small town of Ballantyne. His parents were killed in a horrific accident. It seems that every time Richard hangs out with a classmate, they disappear in strange ways. Tom is sucked through a public phone and Jack turns into a cicada and flies away. All of this is the fault of the mysterious Imu Jonassen. Of course, no one believes Richard and he ends up in a detention center. However, Richard may not be as reliable as we think.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Knopf for this e-arc.*

Richard lives with his aunt and uncle in the small town of Ballantyne after a horrific fire that killed both of his parents. Strange things are happening to Richard's friends, and the police think he's the culprit, as he was the last person seen with them. Richard insists that he's innocent...but is everything as it seems in this twisty, turny book about friendship, trust, and the horrors that exist in our minds?

This book leans heavily on a trope that is, today, pretty overused and makes you roll your eyes a bit. Everything's a dream! Part of Richard's active imagination! Or is it? Who knows. The scary parts are just shy of being truly terrifying. Overall, this was a good book to read at the beginning of spooky season as we dip our toes back into the terror and horror the season provides us. The characters probably could have used a bit more fleshing out, some of them are more tropes than people, but overall, this was a decent book, and if you're not into horror books that go into intense detail, if you like your blood n guts kept to a minimum, this is a book you'll want to read.

Fun book for the spooky season. I enjoyed the ridiculous of it all, though some parts were pretty horrifying. Thanks to NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for the ARC.

{3.5 stars}

Richard is a young teen who doesn't quite fit in. He has been orphaned by a tragic fire and is living in a new town with his aunt and uncle. There he struggles to connect with people his age and when he witnesses the strange, creepy disappearance of a classmate, he is stigmatized. The few kids that will interact with him have their own issues. As the police press him to tell the truth, the truth he knows will change the town forever. 

*Note: this review may be slightly spoilery - no specific details but I do comment on themes so please skip if you want to go in blind.

I'm really torn with my feelings on this one. It has some great horror scenes and an interesting structure. But it relies too closely on an unreliable narrator and mental health tropes that have been used to death. I sort of feel like someone pitched the idea of a horror novel to Nesbo and he just cobbled something together based on memorable moments from pieces he had read before. Told in three parts - the first part is great - it has all the Stephen King's 'It' vibes without being a rip off. I was all in for the start of the story. But part two jumps to the future and it felt a little too close to 'It' for me, it does take a different overall tact (and has a great gruesome scene in the middle) but I was starting to feel my interest wane. The third part is the reveal and it's a trope we've seen a million times and really bummed me out.

If you haven't read Stephen King or Ken Kesey, than this one will probably wow you but the similarities were a little too close to make this an all time favorite for me.

Thanks to Knopf for the gifted copy. All opinions above are my own.

A fairly quick and intentionally campy horror story. I both loved and hated the layerings and twists in this one. Not the usual Jo Nesbo content but an interesting departure for him.
I love the cover of this book!

Jo Nesbo is an amazing author, he not only gives you an amazing plot but throws so much energy in his characters that they come alive.
The Night House by Jo Nesbo is a well written, suspenseful and atmospheric novel, with an outstanding storyline and ample twists and turns.
Horror lovers will not be disappointed. The plot is filled with twists and turns timed so well that you just do not see them coming. This story was an action-packed, fast-paced story that I finished in just three sittings. You keep turning the pages and you keep looking for answers and the author delivers. The author cleverly makes you question everything and then neatly ties everything together that you are left in awe.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Thank You NetGalley and Knopf for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

Jo Nesbo is very well known for his Harry Hole series. He has proven many times that he can build a mystery that his readers will race through to find the reveal that he crafts so carefully that I've not managed to pick the right killer/ criminal mastermind before hand. So now, he's giving us a tale of such horror that it's a very good thing the book is not a long one. 14 yr old Richard has suffered a terrific blow, his parents died in a house fire, and has been sent to live with his aunt and uncle. They will provide him a new home in which to grieve and heal.......not.
The story line at this point becomes unique, where else could you find a pay phone in this age of cell phones? The pay phone becomes an instrument of death when those brave enough to call, disappear into the receiver. As the story twists wildly, Richard is drawn into the story when he is accused of the disappearances. Where we go from here is a secret you will have to read for yourself. But....just know that Jo Nesbo has some very big surprises woven into the story.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Jo Nesbo for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for The Night House coming out October 3, 2023. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Fourteen year-old Richard Elauved is forced to start over after his parents’ untimely deaths in a tragic house fire. He has been sent to live with his aunt and uncle in the isolated town of Ballantyne. Richard quickly becomes a loner. When a classmate named Tom goes missing, everyone suspects the new, angry outcast is responsible for his disappearance. No one believes him when he says the telephone booth out by the edge of the woods sucked Tom into the receiver like something out of a horror novel. No one, except Karen, a fascinating fellow outsider who encourages Richard to find clues when the police refuse. He traces the number that Tom prank-called from the phone booth to an abandoned house in the Mirror Forest. There he sees a frightening face in the window. And then the voices begin to whisper in his ear . . . 

She’s going to burn. The girl you love is going to burn. There’s nothing you can do about it.

When another classmate vanishes, Richard must find a way to prove his innocence—and preserve his sanity—as he struggles with the dark magic that has gripped Ballantyne.

Then again, Richard may not be the most reliable narrator of his own story . . .

This is a new author for me. This book was so fun! I loved it! It made me nostalgic of RL Stine, Christopher Pike and other horror writers from the 80s and 90s. I love this kind of creepy, weird horror where things aren’t as they appear. I thought the horror level could be directed toward the teen age range, but adults might find it interesting as well. It has a little something for everyone. I didn’t realize this book was a translation, but I definitely want to check out other books by this author.

I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys weird horror!

Strange spooky things are happening around Richard. One classmate is sucked into a telephone, another is turned into a cockroach. But no one believes Richard, who is considered the town bully. It is up to him, and a girl named Karen, to prove what is going on and save their town.

This book has so many layers it’s amazing. I can’t go into more detail without spoiling some extremely creative writing, but just know that when I thought I had something figured out, Nesbo proved me wrong in the next part. The twists were so good and so effective, and the scares were very scary. This is a great book for spooky season.

Huge huge fan of Jo Nesbo so I was really excited about this foray into horror especially with the retro 80s cover vibe. Unfortunately this one did not work for me - I detested the main character (bullying and fat jabs turned me off) and it felt very YA ish to me. Some folks might like it, interesting enough premise, it just did not work for me. Thanks to NetGalley for a chance to read and review this book.

This book is not for me and that is okay. There was nothing wrong with the book and I think other people will really enjoy it, just not my typical choice.

I was graciously given an advanced copy of this e-book by Net Galley. This was my first Jo Nesbo book and was an absolute page turner. His style deserves to be mentioned alongside Stephen King and Joe Hill. A must read thriller that I can already envision being a blockbuster film.