With a cover like this I expected some scares. Instead I got a completely bizarre sometimes nonsensical book that started out so strong and had me hooked, then grew gradually weaker until the end when I just kind of went, "...meh?"

When Richard is fourteen, his parents die in a house fire. He is sent to live with his aunt and uncle in a small town called Ballantyne. He is an outcast from the start, but manages to convince one kid to hang out with him. But when Tom disappears, everyone thinks Richard has tossed him in the river. No one believes him that they made a prank phone call from a telephone booth and then the receiver ate Tom right up. Richard begins seeing things and hearing voices, then a second classmate vanishes. Richard is unable to convince everyone that Fatso, as he was rudely nicknamed, morphed into a giant bug and flew away after having dinner at Richard's house one evening. Richard is sent away to a correctional facility, where strange events continue to happen.

I love love love unreliable narrators, but Richard was on a whole other level, to the point this just bordered on absurd. Richard was awful and unreliable, which is also not typically a deal-breaker because some of my favorite characters have been not-so-great people. They're just that well written. And it's not that Richard isn't well-written, he's just such a little jerk. He's mean and always looking for trouble, nevermind the homophobia and misogyny. He was just so mean that when everything started happening, it was hard to feel bad for him. I kept reminding myself his parents had died, but eventually I just did not care because he's unlikable and not in a fun way.

The first part of the book was the best and I was so into the story, had no idea where it could go. Part two is told with Richard as an adult. Not the worst, but the feel of the story shifted and I wasn't as into it. Part three...I don't even know. It felt like a big letdown but I can't even explain why because, spoilers.

Overall I can't say I really recommend it, unless you want a bizarre read that leaves you thinking, "...WHAT? OH. Oh. Well...eh."

The Night House starts strong, reminding me of an upgraded 90s era YA horror. Then, part 2 happens.

I was excited for a book that would help get me in the mood for spooky season! I fell in love with the cover, and I was familiar with the author but had never read any of his other books as they typically aren't in my preferred genres. All that being said, I was looking forward to this one.

The Night House started out strong with its unnerving horror hook and the nostalgic feel of a 80s coming-of-age story. It only gets more surreal and exciting as it works through the part 1.

And, unfortunately, this was the only part of the book that I really enjoyed. I only got more confused and lost in part 2, and disappointed by the 3rd and final part. I found the ending to be trite and cliche, and I was hoping for something a bit more fresh or shocking. The "twist" didn't really feel like a twist at all which makes for a highly anticlimactic experience.

All this being said, I didn't HATE this book, I just wish it had handled parts of the story differently.

I was really hesitant to read The Night House because I am such a huge fan of Jo Nesbo's crime and Police Procedural novels and I had heard a few negative reviews of this book which takes a completely different approach into a more horror / YA genre. In the end, I didn't hate it but I didn't quite love it either. Told in three parts I did think that the way the story was split was really interesting. I enjoyed Part 1 and was imagining it being a nod to Stephen King's IT, a coming of age story which uses horror to explore the challenges faced by the young characters. Then, when I started reading Part 2, I realised that this section of the book explains a lot of the things that happened in the beginning of the story. Then, Part 3 explains a lot of the unanswered questions from Part 2. Essentially it's a story which is layered to gradually reveal more and more of the plot. I thought Richard as the main protagonist was brilliant, obviously you need to suspend belief quite a bit if you want to really get into this story, but no matter what your opinions are of the story, I'm sure everyone would agree that Richard had a lot to deal with at such a young age and everything that happened to him was quite disturbing. The thing I didn't quite understand was who this book was aimed at - is it supposed to be an Adult Horror or is it aimed at a more YA audience? For me the tone of the story felt YA but there were some quite dark scenes and events that could be a major trigger for some people. Still, definitely worth a read for any 90's horror fans!

This book had an intriguing premise that drew me in and I was really liking it through part one. Parts two and three was where it lost me. I did not like the ending so it lowered my overall enjoyment of the book.

I was hoping for a little bit more when I picked up the book but unfortunately the plot was not for me. I love a good horror story and I hope other readers love it but I couldn’t get into it like I’d hoped.
Thank you for the arc!

This book just wasn't for me. I don't know if it was the writing style or what but injuts couldn't get into it. Leaving a 3/5 in fairness because it might just be me.

This one just really missed the mark for me. I've never read anything by this author before and when the word "fatso" showed up in the first chapter along with our main character making fun of another boy's stutter, I just knew I wasn't going to have the best time with this. I was hopeful that it would work itself out as I continued reading but it just left a bad taste in my mouth so the rest of the story was disappointing.

A horror novel that explores the eerie and unsettling experiences of a young boy, Richard, who moves to the remote town after his parents die tragically. Richard quickly becomes an outsider and is implicated when a classmate, Tom, mysteriously disappears. The town suspects Richard, but he insists that supernatural forces within a telephone booth are to blame, a claim supported only by Karen, another outsider who becomes his ally.
The two delve into the mystery, tracing clues to an abandoned house in the Black Mirror Wood, where Richard encounters terrifying visions and ominous voices that threaten the safety of those he loves. As the story unfolds, Richard's reliability as a narrator is questioned, adding layers of complexity to the chilling narrative. The novel combines classic horror elements with psychological twists, creating a tense atmosphere of suspense and fear

The cover for The Night House is what first drew me to it. This was such a creepy, unsettling read. I wasn’t sure what was real and what was in our main character’s head, which is just what I like in a psychological horror book. It kept me on my toes for the whole time and I was thoroughly entertained throughout.

Thank you to NetGalley, Knopf, and Jo Nesbo for an e-arc of The Night House in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This novel was quite the story! Told in 3 parts, it was the story of nefarious evil in the forest surrounding a small Norwegian town and our main character's attempts to vanquish it. The way that the story was told in 3 parts also did keep you on your toes, as at the conclusion of one part you thought one thing was going on, only to start the next part and what you thought was going on was totally wrong! It was an interesting way to structure the novel and I think it did well to promote a feeling of untrustworthiness in the main character, but did ultimately lead me to be very confused at the end of the novel. What story was true? Who was the narrator? Was this the "origin story" of the Night House? I NEED ANSWERS!!!!

Overall I really did enjoy this novel though and the horror elements that were included were well done. A short, engaging read that I would certainly recommend to my fellow horror lovers!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

The Night House by Jo Nesbo immediately grabbed my attention with its chilling and atmospheric storytelling. The plot revolves around a teenager named Richard who moves to a new town and discovers a mysterious house with a dark secret. From the very beginning, Nesbo creates an eerie, suspenseful vibe that kept me hooked.

What makes this book stand out is how Nesbo masterfully blends supernatural elements with psychological tension. Richard’s experiences in the nightmarish house are both terrifying and deeply unsettling, making it hard to distinguish between what’s real and what’s imagined. The character development is strong, and I found myself deeply invested in Richard’s journey.

The pacing is perfect, with just the right amount of twists and turns to keep me guessing. While the supernatural theme might seem familiar, Nesbo’s unique approach and gripping narrative make it feel fresh and exciting.

Overall, **The Night House** is a must-read for fans of horror and psychological thrillers. Jo Nesbo delivers a story that’s both haunting and thought-provoking, making it a memorable read.

Thank you, NetGalley, for this book. I’m a big fan of Jo Nesbo’s Harry Hole series, but I’ve never read anything outside of those. I know he writes other YA books, but when I found out he had a YA horror book, I knew I would be reading it.

What a fun book. Richard is a foster kid who tries to make friends. His first friend is eaten by a pay phone. His second friend turns into a cockroach. Clearly, something is going wrong in Richard’s world. No one believes him except his friend, Karen, who wants to help unravel the mystery. To say much more would contain major spoilers, but I will say the twists weren’t unique but they worked for me. I really enjoyed this book.

In "The Night House," renowned Norwegian crime novelist Jo Nesbo delves into the depths of dark horror.

In this spine-tingling tale, Richard Elauved, a troubled 14-year-old, embarks on a sinister journey that starts with bullying his classmates and leads to an encounter with a telephone booth and telephone book with eerie consequences. As the story unfolds, mysterious disappearances, unsettling transformations, and a web of twisted perceptions grip the reader in a relentless grip of fear. Fifteen years later, an adult Richard attends his class reunion. Now a successful author haunted by the horror that shaped his life so many years ago. Yet, as he seeks redemption for his past actions, he discovers that reality is far more elusive than fiction. Creepy occurrences abound, raising questions of truth and illusion, and leaving readers to ponder what is real and what is merely the product of a fevered mind.

With a cast of characters whose motives remain shrouded in darkness, including a fiendish figure offering cryptic advice and an ill-fated individual with a chilling ultimatum, the narrative twists and turns with macabre delight. "The Night House" delivers scares aplenty, inviting readers to question their perception of reality and leaving them wondering if the horrors within its pages will linger long after the final chapter.

OMG SO GOOD! Horror lovers with love this book. Set in the same town as the Lizzie Borden murders, the main character investigates the death of town prominent people because her brother is being accused of the murders.

The bigotry in this book wasn't done with the intention to show the problems with it, but to be offensive `cause. I couldn't enjoy any part of the book.

I appreciate Nordic Noirs, however, it was really hard to get into this Nordic Horror. It is definitely deep, and I love the references to Metamorphsis; however, it isn't my concept of "horror". This made the relatively short book, quite dense. The main character seems very neurotic, but not in a good way. I guess that kind of mirrors Kafka's Gregor Samsa. I am sure others will like this; but this was just not for me.

Part three gave Shutter Island vibes. Lots of people like this trope : person is in a mental institution, but does not know they are, until the big reveal. I do like the message that trauma can really impact someone, for years to come. But...I wanted more of a haunted house narrative than this one.

I feel like this one is probably going to polarize a bunch of people. Today in three different timelines, but always centering around the same group of characters. I loved the unreliable narrator, and I feel like some books play really well with that.

This one kind of lost control halfway through and ended up going into one of my pet peeve tropes that I’m not going to post here because spoilers, but if you really need to know it, just shoot me a message!

All in all, I liked this one but didn’t love it. The spooky vibes were perfect, and there’s some super cool set pieces, but it just didn’t stick the landing for me.

Richard Elauved, 14, moves to Ballantyne to live with an aunt and an uncle after the terrifying house fire that took the life of his parents. Richard isn't the friendliest of boys and he quickly gets a reputation at school and within the community as being a loner, a bully, and a trouble-maker.

One day Richard convinces another boy to join him and make a prank telephone call to a random number in the phone book. Using a phone booth at the edge of town (and dating the story) Richard pushes the boy (Tom) to make the call but is then horrified as Tom is slowly sucked into the phone, bloody and screaming.

Richard traces the number that was called to an old, abandoned house in the woods and, along with another frightened school boy, go off to investigate. But that boy is transformed into an insect and burrows into the dirt at Richard's feet.

Being the last person known to be with the missing boys, Richard is suspected of foul play by the police. But telling the truth does no good because no one will believe him. No one, that is, except for another school outcast, Karen, with whom Richard will need to investigate - even if it's just so that he can sleep again at night.

I am slightly familiar with author Jo Nesbo, having read a couple of his mysteries with detective Harry Hole (which I was only moderately interested in, but it was at a time before I really appreciated mysteries) and I could see that this was NOT one of the Harry Hole stories, so I thought it might be a good time to try this author again. What I was not expecting was that this was going to be a horror novel.

Fortunately I like horror novels.

This read like a classic 1980's/90's horror novel ala King, Straub, Etchison, or Coyne. You could almost feel the Stranger Things vibe, but without the likable characters.

Let me expound on that. I know I've written before about liking or not liking a book because of the 'likability' of a character. Richard is not a likable person, but we rally around him, despite his being someone that we wouldn't want hanging around us or with our children. We know the situation is not of his own making - he's a victim here, almost as much as the two boys who disappear/die.

Is he a reliable narrator? Hmm. The story is deeper than what I've summed up (there are two short parts to the book that take place years later as Richard is still trying to come to terms with what's happened. Or is he? Is this the story of an addled mind? The twists and turns, on top of the horror and fear really make this compelling.

Richard is likable in that we know that he's probably the only one who is going to make sense of what's going on and that probably he's going to be a changed person. Karen, and her strength, is also likable, and since she likes Richard, we tend to go along with her. But Karen is unlikely to be changed at the end of the story, at least not in the same way that Richard will be - or at least that's the impression we get as we read.

There are some suggestions of romance between Richard and Karen which is mostly subtle and very appropriate for the average school-age loner. Still, it slowed the story down and was completely unnecessary from this reader's point of view.

It still surprises me that this was a Jo Nesbo novel. The author of Scandinavian noir mysteries is the author of a dark, 80's-style horror novel? Did the galleys get mixed up at the publisher's office and this is really Stephen King or Grady Hendrix? I'm impressed and more interested in reading more Nesbo.

Looking for a good book? If you think Jo Nesbo only writes mysteries you're in for a surprise. His novel The Night House is a physical and psychological horror story. Fans of the genre will enjoy this.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.