Rounded down from 4.5 stars on The Storygraph.

We Used to Live Here is an unsettling, mind-bending read that is perfect for those who enjoy the style of storytelling and subject matter that directors like Ti West (Pearl), Jordan Peele (Us), and David Bruckner (The Ritual) utilize in their films.

As the story unfolds, a somewhat unsuspecting start loaded with a compelling eeriness gives way to an edge-of-your-seat haunting horror. Through the progression of the plot, the reader navigates a compounding sense of vulnerability and violation. All the while, it feels as if we understand less and less of what we’re witnessing, leaving us to wonder who and/or what we can trust, or if anything can be trusted at all.

With such a plethora of books on the market- between traditional and indie work - I have great appreciation for the titles that set themselves apart by bringing the reader into the story with an interactive aspect. Marcus Kliewer does this really well by including various “documents” throughout the story. In addition to these "documents", the novel comes to a satisfying end with the completion of the hidden message that the reader is fed one coded word at a time. Whether the message confirms how you interpret what you’ve read or makes you question it all, it provides a sense of finality to the story. These details create a depth to We Used to Live Here, bringing us into Eve’s world to experience the events as she does. The formatting Kliewer uses to incorporate these aspects also has a notable impact on pacing, working to keep readers engaged throughout the book.

The characters make for a fairly standard thriller cast - an unreliable and increasingly unstable main character, a logical and mostly absent/distanced partner, some side characters here and there to carry the plot, and our deeply suspicious but seemingly “normal” antagonist(s). Could they have been more complex, individualized, and memorable? Certainly. However, Kliewer does not lean heavily on the characters to carry the story, making their level of development sufficient. Our main character is not without her humanity, though. Readers who experience anxiety and/or struggle with people-pleasing tendencies will likely find that they connect to Eve’s character (which might make the book all the more unnerving).

From the graphic designer side of my brain: Bonus points on a cover design that perfectly captures the book’s concept in such a subtle yet holistic way.

A huge thank-you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the opportunity to read and review this ebook. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I am obsessed! This read was so unsettling, creepy & fascinating! If you are looking for a straight forward read with finite answers you won't find that here. This story has so many layers and clues to find! I find myself looking back through now to decipher everything. If you, like me, are a fan of things pertaining to the multiverse, Mandela effect, cryptids, codes, & puzzles I highly recommend this read. I have been chasing the feel of Terry Miles- Rabbits since I read it years ago & this is along the same lines of that book in its exploration of the strange & unexplainable. On the surface we have the Story of Emma Eve & her partner who are renovation a house when a family comes to call & things only get strange from there. With twist & intertwinings the story slowly weaves together things tying in some things a lose thread not quite lining up. It the kind of horror story where it leaves you thinking this could be happening right now & you wouldn't know it. Like a iceberg there is the surface story but a whole lot more under the surface to explore. The ending was good left a little open & I would love to delve more into this world & story!!

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing me with an eARC.

This book very much had the creepy vibe it promised for sure but it would have been even better if there was a balance struck between the eeriness and ambiguity. I do like books where the narrator is descending slowly (or rapidly) into insanity but I like it better when it has a more logical flow to it. The documents made no sense in the flow until probably the very end which was somewhat disconcerting. Overall, it's a pretty decent horror book if you go by the setting and not necessarily for a well-developed plot.

Thank you, NetGalley and the Atria Books for allowing me to read this book early. The opinion in this review is my own.

Wow! What a fun book. It was so compelling and mind bending. I couldn't put it down and when I wasn't reading it I was thinking about it. It was something I had to slow down so I wouldn't miss anything.

This was creepy and confusing in the best possible way. I was hesitant to start this because I'm sensitive to scary things but this was worth the creepy feelings.

I love books that are as interactive as this. This has you literally solving codes and looking for Easter eggs throughout. The mixed media portions were a great way to break up the main story but also add intrigue. You can enjoy the story without doing the extra bits but it's a ton of fun if you do. I was using multiple apps and sites to crack the clues and I was so invested. There were a few I still couldn't understand. In many ways this reminded me of House of Leaves with all the mixed media. I haven't finished HOL so That comparison might end with that.

I highly recommend this book. I want to immediately re-read this after knowing the ending. This is definitely one of my favorite books of the year.

I’ve been sitting on this book for a little while now and unfortunately for me it’s something I think about a lot. We follow Eve who has just gotten a killer deal on a house with her partner Charlie. Eve is surprised when a family knocks on her door asking to look around for a bit because “we used to like here”. Eve’s life and sanity begin to spiral as strange and unexplainable things start to happen once the family is let into her home.

This book was so scary to me. At multiple times near the end I had to put the book down and take a break because my anxiety was running rampant. Watching Eve lose her mind and question reality was written so well.

I loved the characters. The family that comes to the house is so eerie and unsettling from the get go. It starts off very subtle and grows to this overt all-consuming unease. The old house in was such a good and classic setting and I thought it was interesting that it wasn’t isolated. The house felt like its own character and I loved the ambiance it gave to the book.

I do not want to spoil anything, so I will just say that the last 50-100 pages of this book are wild. I was so confused and disoriented that it was literally terrifying to me. I also really liked that we don’t get a clear ending. That gives my brain the ability to run with it even weeks after reading (help).

Overall I would highly recommend this book if you are looking for a good unsettling horror novel that is not gore-heavy. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this and the story is something that has stuck with me weeks after finishing.

There are some books that stick with you long after you’ve finished reading them. This will be one of those books.

The plot centers around a queer couple tasked with flipping an old house in the Pacific Northwest. When a family arrives at the front door claiming to have previously lived there and asking to come inside to relive old memories, TMC Eve is reluctant to let them inside.

She eventually acquiesces and soon after all hell begins to break loose.

Equal parts haunted house horror, psychological thriller and mind-bending mystery- the eerie and unsettling tone of this book will linger in your psyche, even after you put it down.

It was refreshingly original and if the author does engage a sequel I would be one of the first to devour it.

A film adaptation is also in the works with Blake Lively 👏🏻 👏🏻 👏🏻

Many thanks to Atria and NetGalley for providing this in exchange for my honest feedback.

This book made me antsy and unsettled in the best way possible.
I kept asking myself why in the world our MC couldn't make the Faust family leave, or more importantly, why she would let them in in the first place.

As this book goes on, there's an unease that continuously grows at every opportunity Eve has to get that family out of her house. The author does a very good job as the book goes on to grow the anxiety in his readers.

This is a book you'll want to read in a single sitting to really experience what the author is doing. He makes you question the reliability of Eve, the trustworthiness of Charlie, and the intentions of the Faust family all while making you want Eve to succeed, Charlie to get a clue, and the Faust family to GTFO.

The ending of the book (or perhaps the last third) is a mind twist. You, as the reader, start to question everything, including yourself and what it was your read to begin with. If you've ever wanted to read a book that left you sitting, staring at the wall afterward, this is the book for you.

I genuinely enjoyed this book. It was creepy and dark and it kept me hooked the entire time. It’s definitely a mind-bending book and I feel like I needed more at the end; I was left feeling “what the hell just happened?” - I’ll definitely be reading more by this author!

If you love discussing conspiracy theories, this book is ABSOLUTELY for you. There is an entire Reddit forum waiting for you to deep dive into once you have completed the book. The more you think about the book the more it will leave your mind reeling.

The author, Marcus Kliewer is incredibly talented and the way his mind operates is nothing short of a genius. Seriously, how this man was able to write a book with such intricate characters and multiple alternate universes is mind blowing.

I have soooo many questions .after this one ... I've seen people say this is a horror, but it felt very much like a psychological thriller. I was really intrigued by the premise and found myself theorizing where the story will go, despite this I still have so many things I'm wondering about. The ending just felt really anti-climactic for me, and I wish we learned more about why things unfolded the way that they did.

I've been a big thriller reader for years now and finding a story that actually shocks me at the end has been hard to find. I tend to let my mind wander and wonder what is going to happen or what the ending will actually be instead of being present in the story. We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer was exactly what I needed.

Eve and Charlie move in to an older home with their dog Shylo and immediately a family shows up and never truly leaves. Weird things happen that can't be explained. In between chapters, different "documents" and evidence is discussed but you never really know why until the end.

This was the perfect 5 out of 5 read and I highly recommend this to everyone! Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for the Advanced Reader Copy!

I don't know what made me request this book. I don't read horror novels, but here we are. That being said, I read it in a few hours, and stupid me, read it at night and then didn't sleep well. I understand the book is going to be Netflix movie. I hope they do it right, if they do, it will be absolutely terrifying. I'm not sure if I read it quickly to get it over with, or just because it was so absorbing. Probably a little of both.

However, it left me with some questions and maybe they can be addressed in the screenplay, but I won't be watching it. So because of those questions, and because it really isn't my genre, I'm rounding my 3 stars up to 3.5, instead of 4 stars.

Don't read this at night. Don't read it while sleep deprived. It's probably safest to read it outside in broad daylight far away from your house.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the chance to read and review this digital copy. I will stick to my normal genres, though, thank you very much.

Atmospheric. Intriguing. Thrilling and all too eerie. I was along for the spooky ride and didn’t quite expect the twist which was a jaw dropper for me. I’m not providing a summary so as to not disclose the thriller plot— I suggest going into this blind and be ready for a wild ride. Also, I will now think twice about inviting strangers into my home after knocking on my door and claiming to be previous residents visitors... Just. Don’t. Do. It. 4.25 stars

I absolutely LOVE this cover! This book was so creepy! This was my first time dipping into the horror genre. It had great character development, however I didn’t trust anyone. Typical horror I guess haha. Everyone in my book club has been raving about this book! I was so excited to get around to reading it! The ending left me with so many questions!! I can’t wait to read more books from this author!

I am not going to even attempt a summary because there is no possible way to, but I will say this scared the absolute heck out of me and this is definitely a 5 star read for me. I Think? Who Knows? Reality Is a Lie!

Reading We Used to Live Here felt like falling down the stairs in a haunted IKEA. I had no idea what was happening most of the time, and yet I couldn’t stop flipping pages like I was looking for a hidden message in the chaos (spoiler: I wasn’t wrong?? Maybe??)

This book is SO unsettling and creepy in the most deliciously slow-burn, what-even-is-time kind of way. At one point I genuinely asked myself if I had once lived in the house. I’m still not sure. Marcus Kliewer owes me therapy and possibly a new grip on reality.

Also, shout-out to Eve for being the most relatable people-pleaser in the face of OBVIOUS RED FLAGS. “Sure, strange man, bring your suspiciously polite culty, demonic—I mean family—into my newly bought house! What could go wrong?” (Answer: Literally everything.)

Final verdict: I loved it. I’m confused. I’m scared. I would absolutely recommend it to everyone I know, especially if they enjoy books that make them question their own sanity...and everyone else’s. 10/10 would let this book gaslight me again.

Sidenote - If you like a nice, clean ending…youre not getting it with this book, but that was most of the fun of reading it!

*Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Atria/Emily Bestler Books, for sharing this eARC with me in exchange for my honest opinion. This review is based off of an uncorrected proof which did not sway my opinion either way.

This book was so much better than I expected. I was expecting a thriller but the horror aspects really sucked me into the book and didn’t let up until the end.

I was gasping out loud so many times and there were twists I never saw coming. This was a great read!

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC of this book. What in the world did I just read?! This was one heck of a ride and a scary one. This is one of those books that will take you a bit to get into but once you do, you're hooked! You must finish!! You must know what is going on here?
Suspense and creepiness at its best!! Highly recommend

The premise of this book was amazing! I really enjoyed it! The ending was a little weird, as it felt like it wasn't really the end. But given the plot of the rest of the book, not shocked by it! Great horror genre addition and I can foresee it being made into a movie!

We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer is an eerie, atmospheric novel that masterfully blends memory, reality, and the supernatural into a deeply unsettling experience. The story follows Charlie and Eve, a couple who believe they’ve found the perfect home to flip—until disturbing truths begin to surface, unraveling everything they thought they knew.

Knock, knock. Who’s there? One day, a family appears at Eve’s door, claiming they once lived in the house and simply want to look around for nostalgia’s sake. Intrigued, Eve allows them in—but their visit quickly turns from odd to deeply unnerving. As their presence lingers far beyond what’s reasonable, it becomes clear they are not just reminiscing; they are something far more sinister.

Kliewer expertly weaves past and present as the home’s dark history reveals itself to Eve. Reality itself begins to shift, and she soon realizes the house is more than just a structure—it holds secrets that refuse to stay buried. What starts as a slow burn quickly spirals into full-blown horror, with tension mounting as Eve’s unwelcome guests refuse to leave. The creeping dread is relentless, pulling the reader into Eve’s terrifying uncertainty with every turn of the page.

I went into this book nearly blind, without reading the full synopsis or reviews, and I’m so glad I did. What begins as a subtle, eerie tale rapidly evolves into something truly nightmarish. Some of the imagery in this novel has lingered in my mind long after finishing it—watch out for the basement! The plot took a turn I wasn’t expecting, and I was pleasantly surprised by the direction it ultimately took. The novel’s ability to evoke such vivid and lasting fear is a testament to Kliewer’s skill in crafting horror.

That said, there were a couple of moments during the spiral where the pacing dragged a little for me, but it wasn’t long before I was completely pulled back in. I also struggled with Charlie’s character—she felt more like an accessory than a fully realized presence. I understand her role in the larger story, but early on, she mostly annoyed me. Perhaps that was intentional?

Overall, I highly recommend We Used to Live Here for anyone who loves an unsettling, immersive horror novel. If you’re a fan of eerie, slow-burning dread with shocking twists, this one absolutely belongs on your reading list. Prepare for a truly haunting experience.

We Used to live Here by Marcus Kliewer is by far the scariest book I have read in a very long time! Charlie and Eve have just landed what they believe to be the ultimate home to flip. It is an old house in a perfect neighborhood. While working on the house, there is a knock on the door. Charlie and Eve meet a man with his family who claims this was his childhood home. As soon as these people enter the home, things start to go wrong--in every possible way. The family's youngest child goes missing, ghosts appear, and then Charlie suddenly disappears as well. I was not able to put down this book until I finished it. Scary and haunting, you won't soon forget this book!