This was not for me. The main character was pretty awful to root for - don’t love fatphobia here. Also, I am so tired of the mental illness plot device in mystery/suspense/thrillers.

Thank you to NETGALLEY AND PUBLISHER for the gifted e-ARC. Jo Nesbo at its finest!! just in time for spooky season. Great read NESBO NEVER DISAPPOINTS!!

3.5 stars! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-arc!

13 year old Richard is new in town, moving to live with his aunt and uncle and get a fresh start. Richard isn’t popular and doesn’t have many friends, opting to mostly hang out with other outcasts that are in his same social level. One day, while hanging out with a new friend, Richard finds himself in some unbelievable trouble when he dares his friend to make a prank phone call in an old phone booth in the woods- only for his friend to be eaten by the telephone. Watching on in horror without being able to stop it, Richard then goes to the police to let them know what’s happened. Naturally, no one believes Richard’s wild tale about a telephone eating a boy, and he becomes a main suspect in the search for what really happened to Tom. As unbelievable things continue to happen, Richard has to try to solve the mystery behind these strange and terrible occurrences so that he can stop it.

First off, I want to say that I really enjoyed the author’s attention to detail and how certain things were thread to tie the entire story together. My one critique, however, is that I think maybe this book should have been a bit longer, so that readers had a better explanation for Richard’s experiences.. I unfortunately was left kind of unsatisfied at the end. It’s difficult to explain without any spoilers, but I felt like the third part of the book was a bit rushed, and I could have used more information.

This is my first Jo Nesbo book, and I definitely did enjoy the writing style! I would read this author again. I did have my concerns, as the first part of the book follows a 13 year old boy. I was worried I would have a hard time getting into the story, but I found myself interested right away. There were times that this book did seem a bit juvenile, given the main character’s young age, but I wouldn’t say it was enough to be bothersome.

Overall, this would be a good read if you’re looking for a quick, entertaining book for Halloween season. If you like Stephen King novels, you might want to pick up this similarly bizarre, twisted tale that will leave you wondering what was real and what was imagined.

It is never easy being the new kid. Fourteen year old Richard Elauved know. Shipped off to his aunt and uncle in the small town of Ballantyne, Richard knows his place as an unwelcome outcast (not that he’s done much to help dispel that reputation).

Things take a turn, however when he and his only friend Tom decide to make a prank call at a pay phone. Richard watches in horror as the phone swallows up Tom. But nobody in town believes the newcomer when he tells them that’s what happened to Tom.

It’s only when a second kid, last seen with Richard, goes missing, that he realizes there might be more that’s going on in Ballantyne. Somehow, it’s all tied to that house up on the hill…

This is my second ever Nesbø and what a thrill. The book is a perfect starter to spooky season and evokes vibes of 80s buddy movies & 80s horror movies. Although I’ve only read one other Nesbø book—I know this is a different genre for him and he does a great job here! I was completely engaged throughout and kept on reading just to know what was happening next.

I really enjoyed this one a lot it really had me spooked. I was hooked after the first chapter. Will be getting a physical copy of this one when it comes available. I highly recommend this to everyone looking for a spooky seasonal read.

The Night House by Jo Nesbo is broken into three parts. The first part of the book takes you on a wild horror filled ride as you read about 14 year old Richard. Richard moves in with his aunt and uncle after his parents pass away. Richard is an outcast and a bully in his class. He tries to make friends but they all go missing in very mysterious and spooky ways. The authorities don’t believe Richard and he must solve the mystery and put a stop to the evil forces.

The second and third part of the book will leave you questioning everything you read. Did this really happen? Was this made up by a child’s imagination? Or the ramblings of a man struggling with mental illness?

I enjoyed the first part of the book and wish it ended there. It was an interesting tale and reminded me of the show Stranger Things. The rest of the book makes you question the beginning and ruins the fun horror vibe that you get at the start of the book.

Overall it was an interesting read full of twists, turns and creepy moments. This horror book is perfect for spooky season!

The Night House by Jo Nesbø starts with a strange tale of 2 missing boys. This book is told in three parts, there are stories within stories and a book within a book. I liked the last part most of all because the horror is in everyday living. Go into this book blind and you might be rewarded with a tale that is more frightening than a boy being eaten by a telephone. Thanks to Jo Nesbø, translator Neil Smith, Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor and NetGalley for the ARC. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Good horror fiction is tough to find these days. Either their Stephen King clones or Stranger Things imitators. Jo Nesbo's horror fiction debut "The Night House" is neither a King Clone or a Stanger imitator instead brings a new spin on the classic horror theme which is the house with a dark past.

Richard Elauved is a teenage outsider who persuafea his friend, Tom, to make a prank phonecall. The call results in Tom's sudden disappearance. Richard is blamed for Tom going missing which causes him to be sent to reform school. RIchard escapes is joined by fellow outsider, Karen, to clear his name. Their investgation leads to the infamous night house which could lead to the answers they're looking for, but also can lead them to their own disappearances.

"Night" begins with a bang then never slows down. There are some genuine scares especially once they get to the house. Richard and Karen are both observant, sharp and smart. Each section of the book begins with a twist that knocked me for a loop.

I also appreciaed that Nesbo didn't relay on constant gory scenes. I don't mind gore, but I do mind when it's used to fill in the plotholes in the story.

"The Night House" reminded me of the great fun that I had reading horror fiction when I was a teen. It's fast, fun, and frighting which are the hallmarks of horror fiction.

My only hope is that I won't have to wait aa long to reccomend another horror novel.

Thank you Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor and Netgalley for this gifted e-read, in exchange for an honest review! The Night House is out October 3, 2023!!

This one was 100% a cover read, I mean look at it, stunning!! I was a little hesitant to read it after the synopsis, it sounded pretty strange and it was. 😄 The Night House was a 2/5 ⭐️ for me. It has come to my knowledge that I’m not a big fan of “a book within a book” trope. I just find them confusing, a little boring and repetitive. I also just wasn’t a fan of how it ended.

Synopsis: When several kids go missing, everyone expects the outcast and bully, Richard, has something to do with it. No one believes in the stories of blood thirsty telephones and people shrinking into bugs. Richard must protect his innocence and tries to understand the dark magic he is dealing with.

Richard is sent to live with his aunt and uncle after his parents die in a house fire. Richard is 14 and forced to move from the big city to a very small town. Richard is an outcast in Ballantyne. Even more so when he and Tom are seen together, and Tom never makes it home. Richard explains what happened but no one can believe his wild story. Richard is also last seen with fats. This is an equally strange story. Is something stange going on is Ballantye or is something going on with Richard. Strange story, but enjoyed it. Thanks netgalley.

Wow wow wow!!! So this was my first read by Jo Nesbø but it definitely won’t be my last!!! This was so creepy and cool!

This had some truly excellent horror, creepy haunted house vibes, ~creatures. Basically just everything I’m looking for in a good horror story *claps*

However. I know this will be a pretty divisive read because it does have two big twists that completely change up the story. Personally it worked for me but I doubt it will work for everyone. You do have to suspend some disbelief and take some pretty big leaps for it all to work out.

But I was fine with that? It’s the ~vibes that I enjoyed the most with this and taking some liberties was totally fine with me. I cannot stress how creepy and good part one was!

Part Two had me even more hooked than part one since I was so curious to see where this would go. And part three is where this will lose some people (since it is a bit overdone). But I personally thought it was handled well and I loved that this story came full circle! Small spoiler: I thought this was an excellent portrait of schizophrenia and that was handled really well. It also spoke a lot to how schizophrenia can be misperceived which I really appreciated. Even though "oh they were actually just crazy" has been used A LOT, I thought it was well done here and really appreciated the ending.

This was a short, quick read and absolutely perfect for those spooktober haunted house vibes! I am so glad to have read this and it will definitely be living in my head rent free. I’ll have to pick up a copy for my shelves and to reread in the future!!

Thank you so much to NetGalley & Knopf for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review!

This is my first book by Nesbø that I've read, and honestly, it's hard to rate. To say that the main character, Richard, is an unreliable narrator would be the understatement of the year. Nesbø really makes you work to discern what is real and what is not, and the writing is fantastic. To say much more I think would spoil the book. If you like unreliable narrators and plots that blur the line of reality, then this book is for you.

My thanks to Knopf, author Jo Nesbø, and NetGalley for gifting me a digital copy of this book. My opinions are my own.

This is one that's hard to rate and very hard to review without spoilers. The first part is meant to be a YA horror novel, and it very much feels like it. If you want to revisit your years with R. L. Stine and Christopher Pike, you should pick this up! If you have a young reader wanting scary but not too gory or realistic, this works *except* possibly one small section in part 3.

Overall, it is a campy exploration of the lines between reality, creativity, and madness. BUT we are missing a key part of this - the main character's actual manifestation of madness is never revealed. That's the part that falls flat for me, when it could have taken the book to another level instead of being an easy (lazy?) and quick resolution. So, read based on how you feel about campy early teenage horror.

The Night House was a wonderful read that kept me on the edge of my seat.

The book is split into three parts, following the story of a boy named Richard who is the new kid in a small town called Ballantyne. He is an outcast who becomes tied up with the disappearance of a boy...a boy who was last seen with him.

Part one was a slower build-up of the characters and the mystery that shrouds the whole town. As the story transitioned to parts two and three, I was consumed with nothing but confusion, fascination, horror, and then, back to confusion.

I enjoyed the twists and turns the story took because it kept me guessing what was actually happening from beginning to end. I will be looking forward to any new books that Jo Nesbo has in store for us in the future!

I’ve never read any of Jo Nesbo’s other books (probably because they were all crime thrillers). So if you are blindly choosing this book expecting it to be another crime thriller then you will be disappointed. This description sounded like a good horror novel (which I thought it was!). Horror novels don’t scare me anymore so it needs a good story and keep me interested and this book did that. I didn’t reread the book description when I started reading so I forget that it mentions an unrealizable narrator so I was surprised when I realized it. I thought this made the book more enjoyable. The story had a good pacing and was a pretty quick read that kept my interest. I won’t say anything about the ending except it wasn’t what I expected.

A nostalgic, nightmarish horror adventure, not only is The Night House an unusual output from Jo Nesbø (for whom I primarily associate with gritty crime thrillers), it also surprises me with how its overarching plot unfolds. Divided into 3 parts, the synopsis only encompasses the events in Part 1. If the premise sounds interesting, I would suggest going into it knowing very little for the best experience.

With its teen-led cast and small town setting, The Night House gives off major Are You Afraid of the Dark?, Goosebumps vibe; evidently it's catering towards adults with sentimental attachment on childhood horror medias they've consumed (similar to the approach of Stranger Things), through that lens, this novel is fully successful: the horror imagery grandiose and outlandish, and the wooded town atmosphere spot on. The main protagonist is intentionally unlikable (justified later on in the book), but worth pointing out if you don't enjoy reading from the perspective of a bully.

Where The Night House stumbles slightly is its lack of depth; while providing ample opportunities for bonkers, grotesque imagery, for me it doesn't have enough emotional grounding for readers to sympathize with its characters (particularly critical with what the narrative evolves into), so the terror comes across as mere spectacle, rather than something more symbolic and emotionally engaging.

Overall, The Night House over-delivers based on my initial skepticism (seeing less-than-positive reviews and an author writing outside his typical genre); it's nothing ground breaking (similar narrative arc has been done before), but with in the right mindset it's a quick, immersive horror ride—perfect for Halloween season.

What a fun book! A little bit horror, a little bit common of age, a little bit paranormal mystery, and a lot of weird! I had no idea where this story was going and that's partly due to our unreliable narrator, Richard, but also because of the twists that were woven into the story. A simple and enjoyable and strange read! Very original.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book.

Real Rating: 3.5 / 5 Stars

This book is a whole lot of fun, but not much substance.

And, I’m sorry to say, the ending is what lowered my rating so much.

The Night House is a great bit of twisty turn-y supernatural horror fun that straddles a really fine line between YA and NA. I personally don’t subscribe to censorship of reading materials for any age (that’s the way I was raised), but this is just the right amount of scary and creepy I would have loved when I was in my early teens and was inhaling Dean Koontz novels like they were candy.

The vibe going on in this book in the beginning is that whole, “F*ck around and find out” one we all know and love from some of the most tried and true urban legends and scary stories from campfire tales and our youths: don’t go and knock on the door of that old house, don’t prank call weird numbers in the phone book…you know the type. The vibe shifts and morphs as the story moves along, though, with this game of consequences and consequences (I said what I said) getting worse and worse and our main character, Richard, spiraling further and further downward into a horrible situation that feels like a quicksand pit he just keeps sinking further into.

I’m afraid I can’t say much more than that without spoiling the story, and this book would be easy to spoil. So let’s just say I enjoyed the story until the very last part of the book and leave it at that.

I was provided a copy of this title by NetGalley and the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.

File Under: Horror/Psychological Thriller/Supernatural Horror/Suspense Thriller

The Night House was different than any other Jo Nesbo story I have read. The detail of the horrifying elements of this novel allowed the reader to fully imaging the events. Although I should have seen the twist coming, I suspended all disbelief to go on this wild ride. Nesbo should continue reaching out of his comfort zone and experiment with more horror themes!

The Night House:

Y’all know when something is supposed to be scary or horrific and you just can’t stop laughing because it’s so freaking weird? Or, it seems problematic today that you have to think this is from the 90s? Hello, The Night House.

There’s a character he calls Fatso and says he’s going to lure him to dinner because fat people love food. Then yells incessantly “Jack the cockroach” like a 5 year old. The audio had me in tears because WTF. I loved listening but it really had me thinking this was a new YA horror. It honestly gave me Goosebumps type horror to where if I were younger, I’d be scared, but this was just entertaining. (But not like gripped scared entertaining)

The twist was actually disappointing. I felt it started so strong and then we try to push it on.. that? No. This is a joke right? The audio was amazing but the twist and the end was disappointing. Keep the first part, brand it middle grade horror, take out all the problematic stuff, find a good ending and voila this would be better.

Out 10/3.