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!

I listened to the audiobook but highly recommend reading this one in the physical format. There are some clues you would miss hidden in the pages from the physical copy!

I don’t normally gravitate towards horror books but this book is incredible! My mind is blown by all the twists and moving parts. I still do not know what to make of the ending! I don’t want to share too many details but I highly recommend it if you are looking for a horror lite, psychological suspense, wild and crazy mystery.

I am so anxious for the Netflix adaptation and can’t wait to see certain scenes play out!

This story has SO many wild theories on reddit - I finished this a couple of weeks ago and am still going back and rethinking pieces.

What just happened?! This book is an absolute masterpiece of horror! As someone who can usually read or watch anything without flinching, I was honestly blown away by how intense this was. My heart rarely races with horror these days, but this story got under my skin and had me feeling genuine dread. From start to finish, it was a pulse-pounding experience.

The pacing is pitch-perfect, drawing you in slowly but with a relentless build of tension. You can sense what’s coming, but even then, the way the twists hit you feels unexpected and unsettling. This is the kind of horror that sticks with you long after you’ve finished reading, the kind that leaves you looking over your shoulder and reevaluating how much you trust strangers. It taps into that primal fear of the unknown, the threat lurking just out of sight, and does so in a way that’s both psychological and visceral.

I was on the edge of my seat the entire time, gripping the pages like my life depended on it. This book does what so many aspire to but few achieve—it keeps you hooked, scared, and desperate for more. The hype around it is not only justified but necessary because this is the type of horror that reminds us why we love the genre so much.

I would say that this isn’t just a must-read for horror fans—it’s a masterclass in horror writing. Any aspiring horror writer should take notes because this is how it’s done. The balance of atmosphere, character, and tension is immaculate. It’s one of those stories that doesn't just scare you in the moment; it lingers, clawing its way into your mind long after you've turned the last page.

one of my new faves! this was SO creepy and has one of the scariest scenes I've ever read. I loved the addition of the mixed media elements and the morse code at the end of the chapters. it made for such a fun & immersive read. the ambiguous ending won't work for everyone but it really did for me!

While the premise was nice, the writing was... not what I expected. I wanted more from the characters because I felt that what was on the front cover and the front flap was not what we were given.

Now that's a debut novel. The interludes between chapters gave me the same spine tingling sensation that I got from watching the DHARMA videos on the television show Lost. Kliewer creates a very compelling world of mystery that is based in reality, but there is constantly something sinister bubbling underneath. I can't wait to see what Kliewer comes up with next.

Wasn't the right kind of mystery/thriller for me. The characters made very frustrating decisions against their better judgement immediately in the book and it just kept going. I do think that a lot of people would enjoy this mystery/thriller though. The mystery itself is well done and there's a lot to unpack from the book that I think it would really draw in readers who like to solve the mystery along with the book and find small clues to unpack after the fact.

This book was not what I expected-yet exactly what I expected. If that makes sense. A truly creepy book but beyond that-only confusing. Nothing AT ALL is explained. It’s all just a mind fuck?! Okay. So…what? Why? When? How?

This was a thriller that I couldn’t put down. I think it was original and entertaining. I will definitely recommend this book.

I really enjoyed this! We follow Eve and what she experiences after buying a new home and having strangers knock on her door in the middle of a snowstorm saying they used to live there and would like to let their children look around. This gave me House of Leaves vibes a bit, which made me enjoy it more. There was morse code to decipher, and lots of theories online if you check Reddit. Reading about the theories and hearing booktubers discuss the book definitely added to my enjoyment and made me think about things in different ways. I look forward to the next thing Marcus Kliewer writes...and I think I saw somewhere that there might be a sequel!

Marcus Kliewer’s We Used to Live Here is a chilling and atmospheric psychological thriller that masterfully blends suspense with a creeping sense of dread. Based on a viral Reddit NoSleep story, the novel expands on its eerie premise: a couple’s quiet life is disrupted when a group of strangers arrives at their doorstep, claiming they used to live in their house—and refusing to leave.

Kliewer’s writing is immersive, drawing readers into a slow-burning horror that builds tension with every page. The claustrophobic setting and unsettling interactions between the characters create an unnerving experience, making it difficult to put the book down. The psychological elements are particularly well done, blurring the lines between reality and paranoia in a way that keeps the reader guessing.

While the story is gripping, some moments feel stretched, and a few plot points could have been developed further to enhance the emotional stakes. The ending, while effective, may not satisfy everyone, but it certainly leaves a lasting impression.

Overall, We Used to Live Here is a compelling and eerie thriller that fans of psychological horror will appreciate. Kliewer proves himself to be a strong storyteller, delivering a novel that is both unsettling and addictive.

The book was a fun read! It started slow but once it picked up I was hooked and by the end I wanted more! If there was a prequel to this I would read it.

I loved this book! It was uber creepy the entire time with page turning quick chapters that made me not want to put it down. It had a John Marrs vibe. I look forward to next book from this author.

Thank you NetGalley for the Advance copy, all opinions are my own.

I was sucked into the story by the potential... and then the wheels fell off. The ending leaves you with more questions than answers, and while I can support a spooky/supernatural/mystery i do not think the execution was done well enough to be considered a good book.

This book was not for me. But I would pick up something else from this author to test the waters again.

1 Star

This was my favorite spooky book of 2024!! Everything about this book was so good. I loved the little puzzles and hidden information and was even more excited when I found the Reddit page and was able to dive deeper into the book. I didn’t want it to end at all! I am very much looking forward to this world potentially expanding and am still reading the new “old house” information whenever I see something new come up. This will be a book that sticks with me for a long time

This one was so trippy! I really enjoyed it! I didn't really care about the characters, which I'm used to with horror books. I loved the Morse code mixed in this book and it actually made the story even more creepy! The twists were fun and I would love to see this as a tv show!

This book started out strong for me with vivid imagery and a plot that drew me in. At some point the storyline was no longer doing it for me though. I know this book got a ton of hype and I can see why; but it just didn't do it for me.

*We Used to Live Here* is a chilling psychological thriller that grips readers from the first page and doesn't let go. The novel centers around Charlie and Eve, a young, queer couple who’ve just secured an incredible deal on a fixer-upper in an idyllic neighborhood. As they begin restoring the house, an unexpected visitor knocks on their door—an unfamiliar man with his family, claiming they once lived in the house. Eve, ever the people-pleaser, allows them inside, unaware of the nightmare they’re about to step into.

From the moment the family enters, strange and unsettling occurrences begin to unfold. The youngest child goes missing, and a ghostly presence materializes in the basement. But the eeriest part of the situation is that the visiting family doesn’t seem to acknowledge any of the oddities happening around them—nor do they seem eager to leave. As the disturbances grow more intense, Charlie disappears, and Eve begins to question her own sanity. Is the house truly haunted, or is she spiraling into madness?

What makes *We Used to Live Here* so unnerving is its atmosphere—an ominous sense of dread seeps into every corner, and the line between reality and illusion blurs. The house itself becomes a character, its dark secrets slowly unraveling as Eve's grip on reality slips away. The tension mounts in such a way that readers will find themselves held captive by the story, desperate to know what happens next.

This novel is a masterclass in slow-building horror, and it’s impossible to put down once you start. Its unsettling premise will linger long after you've read the final page, haunting your thoughts. If you’re a fan of psychological thrillers with a supernatural twist, *We Used to Live Here* is a must-read that will leave you questioning what’s real and what’s not.