I enjoyed this book. I only wish I would have waited until spooky season to read it. It was creepy and would have made the perfect Halloween read. The only fault I found in this book was the "parts." Really, it could have ended at part 1 and been great, but it kept going for the creep factor. I was fond of part 3 when it all came together and you found the truth of the story and Richard's life.

Thank you NetGalley for the early access!

This isn’t Harry Hole. This isn’t Dr Proctor. This is something completely new for me. Having read the Harry Hole Novels I was amazed at how deftly Jo Nesbo shifted genres. I was dragged into “The Night House” from the first sentence, “Y-y-y-you’re crazy,” Tom said, and I could tell he was scared, seeing as how he stammered one more time than he usually does. I can’t say much about the plot line without giving away to much of what happens. Needless to say Jo Nesbo has found another niche that he can fill.

The main character is complex seeing has how his entire world isn’t what it seems to be. The supporting characters have a depth of flavor because of Jo Nesbo’s ability to make you want to believe in everyone.

I would highly recommend “The Night House” to Jo Nesbo fans, to horror fans, or for those who love well built sentences, paragraphs, and chapters.

I was given this book by NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

3.75 but rounding up to 4 stars

This book was scary-ish but not quite what I’d expect from a horror novel. Overall, the storyline was interesting, there were several plot twists I didn’t see coming, and the ending was nothing like what I thought it would be.

For my first Nesbo novel, I’m pretty happy with what I’ve read. I’ll definitely be checking out more from this author.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy for my honest opinion.

I'm going to be fair, I wasn't sure I wasn't going to like this book at the first 30%, and then it takes some wild turns, and it's amazing. I didn't know who Jo Nesbø was before reading this, even though I had watched The Snowman. I went into this completely blind, and I think any horror fan should go into it blind. It reads like early Stephen King, but with the twists and turns of his son, Joe Hill.

The story is about a teenager named Richard who has come to live in a rural town (I'm going to assume it's in Norway, but it's never specified) after his parents pass away. He's part of the "Piranha" caste at his school (a teenager's flubbing of the word "pariah") and struggles to fit in. That's where The Night House and all of its weirdness comes into play and Richard finds himself at the center of an investigation regarding two friends of his where both disappeared and Richard was the only one with them when it happened.

This book is all of that and none of it. You can't possibly predict where all of this is going.

I really, really loved this book. I think I'm a Jo Nesbø fan now.

I love horror, both novels and movies, so I was really excited when I read the synopsis of The Night House. It sounds so creepy, like it would be right up my alley, and the cover art is amazing. Alas, it fell short of my expectations. It wasn't as creepy or scary as I thought it would be. The storyline moves a little slow, the "villain" is just meh, and the twist was frustrating. I also was surprised to see the Magical Negro trope utilized. Although that character was probably the most likable one in the book, it just seemed really random. Thanks to NetGalley and Knopf for the ARC.

The Night House started off strong.

There are horrific occurrences happening to the children in Ballantyne. Richard seems to be the one link to these happenings. Investigators don’t believe him and he starts to feel trapped in his own mind.

Once “Part 2” started I was lost. I was enjoying the first setting but all the sudden I was ripped from it. Then “Part 3” felt like a different story all together.

3 stars for hooking me in the first half.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC!

How much did I love this book!!!! Jo Nesbo is one of my very favorite authors and this book goes in a totally different direction than any other book that he has ever written! It's a cross between Nesbo, Stephen King and Chuck Wendig...all my favs! It's a quick read, horrifying, frightening and shocking!!! at the same time. Congrats on a terrific story!! Your prose, Mr. Nesbo, is brilliant. You draw pictures with your words, in this case….horrible and scary pictures!

Such a good spooky book. It gave me the creeps and it was just amazing. It was well written. It messes with your head which is so fun in books. When it leaves you questioning everything. The MC was kinda unlikeable and got on my nerves but I think he was written right for the age.

Good Rec for a spooky night

The vibes: young adult horror, Stephen King vibes, a classic horror story and a twist that I loved! The setting and atmosphere was absolutely perfect.

This was so good and definitely perfect for a spooky October night 🖤 a really fun read. I’m so glad I read this one!

Release date: October 3rd - I can’t wait to get my hands on a physical copy!

After his parents die in a house fire, Richard Elauved is sent to live in Ballatyne with his aunt and uncle. Richard becomes an outcast amongst his classmates though it’s fair to say that he doesn’t help himself. When fellow student Tom goes missing no one believes the strange and horrifying tale that Richard tells, except for Karen. This is just the start of some dark and destructive happenings with Richard become increasingly desperate to prove his innocence.
This novel has everything you would want from a horror story, from dark forests to local legends to creepy haunted houses. There are some gruesome incidents in places with a spooky and evil tone which induces fear. I love the way the author keeps you guessing right to the end with the final twist and the rest is up to you.

Overall, this is a very well written and compelling novel that has the reader asking a multitude of questions with themselves.

This book will mess with your head! I could not put it down! From the first few pages, where a boy gets eaten by a telephone (a truly horrifying scene!) to the many surprising and other frightening/spooky events, this is a truly engrossing tale that should be read and then discussed. To say more would be spoilers, but I will add that I loved the literary references and the fact that the author kept me guessing through the entire book. I've read some of Nesbo's mysteries, but this one is in a class by itself. For readers looking for something different, for readers who love psychological drama, for horror readers. It's certainly not for everyone, but I loved it.

I wanted to love this book; great premise, awesome cover..... the story starts out strong but doesn't quite deliver on the horror or suspense. Unevenly paced. Overall it wasn't a terrible read, but it didn't knock my socks off either.

This is the first book I've read from author Jo Nesbø and while it was good, it didn't quite deliver on the horror that this book is aiming towards. For me it didn't work since most of the plot devices used I've already read before, and seen them done better. Also while the main character was not very likeable it took me awhile before I started to root for him. I think with a few minor changes it would be better suited as a YA horror book.

I was pretty excited going into this book, but in the end just didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would. Everything felt very rushed and I feel like there was no real character development. The twist at the end didn't even really surprise me or make me feel anything. I think this book is great for some people, but obviously just wasn't the right fit for me

Thanks to NetGalley for an Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 out of 4 stars.

Richard goes to live with his uncle Frank and aunt Jenny after the death of his parents. He is angry and despite knowing he is being a bully deep down, he can't stop from lashing out at those around him. One night, while loafing around town with another boy, they stop at a phone booth where Richard convinces the boy, Tom, to prank call a name he pulled from the phone book - Imu J.

Then the phone proceeds to eat Tom.

Richard runs home screaming and Frank and Jenny take him to the police station but the police chief is certain that Richard has hurt or killed Tom and is making up a wild story to cover it up.

Richard tells all of this to his one friend, Karen, who writes in her notebook the whole time they are talking, but she seems genuinely interested in what he is saying, and believes that he believes that is what happened.

Richard convinces another boy, Jack, to go with him up to the house where the alleged Imu lives. The house is dilapidated. A tree grows through it, and a swarm of what Jack calls magicicadas hovers above the house. Before running from the swarm screaming, because he hates insects, Richard sees the face of a man in the window of the house.

Richard and Jack go back to Richard's house for dinner and afterward, Richard is yelling at Jack because he doesn't want Jack telling anyone how he ran screaming from some insects, and while he is screaming, Jack begins to shrink and shrink...until he is a magicicada himself.

Despite feeling guilty, Richard is afraid, so he goes to stomp on the bug, which eludes his bully foot and flies out the window.

Desperate to prove his innocence, Richard and Karen do some investigating, which leads them to the library, and some very interesting discoveries, but in the end, Richard is sent to Ballantyne - not quite a prison, not quite an asylum, it has been posited to his aunt and uncle as the place to send wayward children who need some help.

I feel if I go too much further, I would give away the rest of the story. There were three parts, this is all part one. I was really into part one, then part two came along and kind of felt like the rug was pulled out from under me, then part three came around and I was even more confused and was almost getting angry because I felt like I had been duped, but then by the time I came around to the ending, I could see the circular sense to the story, and was rather impressed with how the author made it all work.

This was my first read by Jo Nesbø. I thought he was more of a thriller writer, but this was horror, and reminded me a little of Joe Hill and Ania Ahlborn, though I may have to borrow some of this other works from my sister-in-law to see if he is an author I would pursue.

The Night House is an intriguing story full of twists and surprises. Richard is sent away to live with his aunt and uncle after his parents die in a house fire. Once Richard gets to his new town weird things start happening and people go missing. Richard is the main suspect and he must find a way to prove his innocence. This story was a very quick read as I couldn't get enough. It kept me entertained and surprised the whole time.

4.5 Stars! The Night House has such an amazing story unlike any other I have read, the writing reminds me of Stephen King with such great storytelling, nicknames, and detail. The spooky plot begins with a boy who gets his friend eaten by a phone, turns another into a cicada and then has to save them. However, once you think you have the book figured out there is a plot twist that brings everything back together in an unexpected way! I would absolutely recommend this book to my fellow readers who like spooky, horror, dark forest stories!

Thank you to NetGalley, the Publishers, and Jo Nesbø for an ARC of The Night House. I honestly thoroughly enjoyed this. It was my first book of Jo’s and will not be my last. I did find it a little gruesome (probably not when I was younger), but it was such a fascinating horror read. It was the perfect spooky read I needed to get into spooky season. I found his writing so enticing and it was the perfect length and didn’t drag on.

Eh…

Sometimes you really, really, really want to like a book. And you really, really, really don’t like it. This, unfortunately, is that book.

I’m not sure what I expected here. The first part reads like middle grade fiction, but instead of starring a plucky kid you like, you get…Richard. And Richard should have a certain four-letter nickname to match his personality. It’s also RL Stine level horror without enough camp.

In the 2nd part, we realize that Richard at least knows he was a (insert that four-letter word here), but he’s still irritating and what happens in this section manages to mix bizarre with boring – and that’s hard to do.

Finally, we have section 3 in which the author basically tells us that sections 1 and 2 were a complete waste of your time and you wonder why you even read this.

Most definitely not for me.

• ARC via Publisher

2.5 stars. I’ve not read this author before, but I know his books are very popular. I was intrigued to explore his foray into horror. The horror was more gross-out than scary and the antagonist was silly. Despite a few dramatic twists, this fell flat for me. I at first attributed the amateurish writing to the age/immaturity of the narrator, but it continued throughout the book. Further, nothing about this smacked of reality, from the stilted dialogue to the consistently ridiculous way every character behaved. A story within a story…within a story…is all well and good, but make something/someone relatable and realistic.