I do really love a ghost story, and one that adds some additional themes like family strife, generational trauma, colorism, and racism is just going to be that much more interesting. I really enjoyed THIS CURSED HOUSE, which follows Jemma, a Black woman from Chicago in the early 60s who has been hired to work for a wealthy family in New Orleans. The Duchon Family is white passing and looks down upon Black people with dark complexions, but they need Jemma because they think that she is the person who can break a devastating family curse. As for Jemma, not only is she finding out some of the worst family secrets and dynamics, she's also seeing ghosts everywhere. This Southern Gothic ghost story isn't just about wandering spirits or curses, but also the way that American racism haunts this family, and how it haunts us all. It's a chilling read perfect for Halloween.

It’s 1962 and Jemma Barker is desperate to leave Chicago. When a letter arrives offering her a position in New Orleans working for a prominent family, she readily accepts — only to discover the Duchons aren’t what they seem. The family has been under a curse for 27 years and they believe Jemma is the one person who can break it.

Sounds FASCINATING, right? A Southern gothic novel, curses, family secrets that run deep. Everything about this book immediately appealed to me…until I started reading.

It feels like THIS CURSED HOUSE doesn’t know what it wants to be. Jemma’s speech and attitude felt modern (was ‘shitting bricks’ a common saying in the South in the 60s?), while the Duchons could have been pulled from a turn-of-the-century novel. Though trapped in their house, they do have access to the outside world through their television, phone, radio. Yet they came across as firmly rooted in the 1800s.

Tight editing (SO much drama and ¡PlOt TwIsTs!) could have helped this book immensely; 384 pages is far too long for what the story boiled down to. Major heads up to check out the content warnings before diving in — there are some extremely heavy and disturbing moments within these pages.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for the eARC!

A standout debut, Del Sandeen’s atmospheric novel, This Cursed House, manages to expertly encapsulate all things hauntingly Gothic. The year is 1962, and Jemma Barker finds herself taking a job in New Orleans as what she believes to be a tutor for the Duchon family. However, her arrival from Chicago proves to be a little more than she bargained for; the South in the 1960s looks much different, the heat is oppressive, and the Duchon family is peculiar, to say the least. As secrets are revealed, Jemma soon realizes the unfathomable truth of the Duchon family, and her role in their plight to break a years-long curse. Jemma’s story is one that is drenched in mystery, darkness, and intrigue, one that will linger long after the last page is turned.

This Cursed House is a novel that nails so many themes and feelings in ways that feel markedly natural to Jemma’s reckoning with the Duchon family. Most obvious of all is the setting of this story, 1960s New Orleans, a time and place marked by the struggle for equality and the end of segregation. New Orleans has always been home to ghostly tales of haunted houses and restless spirits, but Jemma’s circumstances within the Duchon home mirror that of the Civil Rights movement occurring in the city and, to some degree, within the confines of the Duchon’s isolated domain. Sandeen writes the members of the Duchon family with a flair of elitism given their lighter skin tone and their wicked attitude towards Jemma. There’s a great deal of inequality, a large amount of rage-inducing behavior, from the Duchons that adds to the simmering tension and wickedness of the already claustrophobic atmosphere crafted by Sandeen.

Perhaps most startling of all is the nature by which every page of this novel seems to reveal a deeper, darker secret. The sins of the past have festered long enough for the Duchon family, and we are privy to these reveals laced with drama right alongside Jemma. From the very first page, Sandeen’s writing instills a connection between the reader and Jemma, making these staggering secrets land with a notable punch. This also lends itself to making this a hard-to-put-down story with every death, every injury, and every misdeed ramping the stakes higher and higher.

Above all, This Cursed House is a story of reckoning, a tale drenched in moody atmosphere to deliver a unique environment for curses, ghosts, and the like to play freely. These various elements combine to deliver a meaningful message of atonement, of taking a look into the harsh mirror of the past and coming to terms with the damage done. Del Sandeen writes this story with ghosts and curses, but the true horrors can be attributed to very human hands, to the misdeeds of family, and to the rotten secrets of the past.

Thank you to NetGalley, PRH Audio and Berkley Publishing Group
for providing me with an advanced copy of this book and audiobook for free in exchange for my review! @prhaudio #PRHAudio #PRHAudioInfluencer
All opinions are my own.

I was expecting this book to be somewhat similar to Mexican Gothic, and after reading it, I have to say that I actually think I enjoyed This Cursed House EVEN MORE than I liked Mexican Gothic. Even though this book was billed as a horror novel, I thought it was more creepy than scary and there was only some parts of the book that I found a bit too intense for my taste.

For the audiobook portion, I thought Chante McCormick did a really great job and I loved how she voiced the different characters in the story. I was not familiar with her narration, but after listening to this story, I would definitely consider listening to more books narrated by her in the future!


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Many Thanks again to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this book in exchange for my honest review.

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Jenna Barker is heading south fromChicago for the muggy wilds of Louisiana. She has been hired to tutor the child of Duchon family. However, when she gets there, she finds the Duchons, but no child. No, they have hired Jemma for another purpose. they’ve hired them to break the curse that keeps the family from leaving their property. And dying, for 1 member of the family dies every 7 years.

This book is full of secrets, spirits, and good ole Southern Gothic charm. And a touch of voodoo. I’m so surprised this is a first novel for Sandeen. She skillfully weaves her tale of mystery with instances of colorism (the Duchon) family is light enough to pass as white, Jemma is not), betrayal, and death. Highly recommended. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to @berkleypub and @netgalley for the digital ARC of this novel. Opinions are my own.

In This Cursed House by Del Sandeen, the author has created a haunting Gothic tale that explores racism, colorism and how letting go of hate leads to acceptance. The author quickly leads you into the narrative as soon as you meet Jemma, with atmospheric writing and subtle hints of secrets as soon as Jemma enters New Orleans.
As Jemma works for the Duchon family, it is the secrets, the strangeness of the family that kept me intrigued as Jemma attempts to solve their curse. The layers of racism, the complexity of how they treat Jemma in their colorism and toxicity are slowly unpeeled to reach right to the heart of the horrors that have been endured in their house. And as those secrets are revealed, Jemma must decide if it is worth saving the family from their curse.
If you like novels that are exceptionally well written, haunting gothic tales, and novels that reveal the layers of racism and colorism that still exist in our world, then this is worth reading. The historical aspects make it compelling but the secrets of the family, the layers to the curse, will be what will haunt you as much as Jemma is haunted. It is a riveting story from beginning to end.

Southern gothic horror at its finest! In 1962, Jemma Barker leaves Chicago with the promise of a new job in New Orleans with the Duchon family. They are very vague on what it is exactly that Jemma will be doing for them, but Jemma agrees to the new salary and home as she has nowhere else to turn.
The Duchon family are very strange indeed and Jemma can feel the wrongness within the home. Seems Jemma was asked to come break a curse that will not allow the Duchons to leave their home and winds up killing one of them on Jemma's birthday every 7 years. Apparently, Jemma is a long-lost Duchon and because her mother was the one to curse the family, she must be the one to break the curse.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for this e-arc.*

Horror fans, snap this one up as soon as you can. The writing is tight and evocative, lending just the right amount of tension to the story. I was skeptical about whether the author could hold my attention in a story driven by a curse, but she managed it just fine. The story is imaginative and scary, held up by the fact the author is very skilled at her craft.

Thank you, Berkley and NetGalley, for my free copy for review:

When Jemma, nursing a broken heart and jobless, receives an irresistible offer in New Orleans, she finds herself swept into the enigmatic world of the Duchon family. Little does she know that she's about to uncover their dark secret and the pivotal role she's destined to play in breaking their curse.

As an avid fan of gothic novels from any era, I was instantly drawn into "This Cursed House," which transported me to the atmospheric setting of 1960s New Orleans. From the very beginning, I found myself deeply invested in Jemma's journey, eagerly following her every step.

The author masterfully paints a vivid picture of the isolated Duchon manor in St. Louis, creating an eerie small-town ambiance that sent chills down my spine. The house itself becomes a character, with its secretive inhabitants, a mysteriously mute housekeeper, and ghosts that only Jemma can see. These elements combined to keep me utterly captivated throughout the story.

What truly sets this novel apart is the author's skillful build-up of tension. As a reader, I felt compelled to uncover the hurried secrets alongside Jemma, an experience both chilling and harrowing. The central mystery of who cursed the family and the events of the distant past kept me engaged and guessing until the very end. It brought to mind the haunting quote, "The sins of the fathers are visited upon the children," which resonates deeply with the narrative's themes.

Despite their outward beauty, the Duchon family harbors an ugly core of hatred and racism. This juxtaposition adds a layer of complexity to the story, forcing us to confront uncomfortable truths about human nature. The novel doesn't shy away from touching on heavy themes such as slavery and racism, while also exploring the powerful concept of forgiveness.

Its blend of supernatural elements, historical context, and deeply human struggles creates a rich, multifaceted reading experience that I found both entertaining and profoundly moving. 'This Cursed House' is a haunting tale that will linger in your thoughts.

In the early 1960s, Jemma (from Chicago) has been hired by a family who live on a plantation just outside New Orleans. Jemma is a teacher and assumes that she will be tutoring. The Duchon family are all light-skinned Black people and although they say they are “proud coloured people”, they look down on Jemma’s darker skin. Jemma also has an ability to see ghosts, and there appear to be a few around this plantation. She is in for multiple surprises the longer she stays with the backwards Duchons, and only one of those surprises is what they have hired her for.

This was really good. I was pulled in early on, and the surprises continued to come. The Duchons are a piece of work, though I think the author does do a good job of showing multiple sides to a couple of them, and there are reasons why some of them are the way they are. Given the time period and place, there is some historical fiction thrown in to this horror/ghost story, as well, which I quite like.

This Cursed House is a fantastic debut and perfect for lovers of spooky historical fiction. If you loved The Reformatory by Tananarive Due, then definitely check this one out. This Cursed House is full of New Orleans history, creepy family drama, and racial and social justice commentary. Oh, and there are plenty of ghosts and a family curse to keep your hairs raised. Set in 1962-1963, the historical aspect recounts an era of modern history that is slowly fading away with time but must not be forgotten. The female MC, Jemma, is a force to be reckoned with. Bent but not broken by life's trials, she finds herself enmeshed in a family full of secrets that make her question her own identity and who her people really are. She is brave and opinionated and full of heartache...all the things that make her a character you can get behind.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

I have been waiting to get this novel in my hands ever since I saw the cover. I’m talking since way in April. But I was never good enough for Berkley lol So I was just begging on social media. And this time, it paid off.

Ok so I ended up getting an ARC of this from a friend of mine. And I can’t say how happy that made me. I LOVED this book. More than I thought it was since it was a gothic horror book. But I think it being gothic horror, combined with being set in the South, AND about people of color, made this book entirely everything what I wanted it to be.

Ok so the main character is Jemma. She takes a job in New Orleans after finding out some terrible news. Once she arrives she quickly realizes that something isn’t quite right. What she doesn’t realize is just how bad it’s about to get. The people who gave her the “job” are her family, but they don’t act like it. They brought her there to break a curse that’s been placed on the family. And they think Jemma can undo it.

I’m not usually a fan of gothic horror, but this was actually really enjoyable. It’s a slow burn scare, so don’t go in expecting jump scares or anything. But the hauntings, the ghosts, the seances, the curses, the house, and everything give you all the horror vibes. The actual curse has trapped the family in the house where they can’t go anywhere, even if they tried. It’s because of this that some of those content warnings appear. If you need some more info on that, email me and I’ll tell you what it is.

The characters are terrible. I mean literally all of them besides Jemma. Because Lordt let me tell you the way these people were is atrocious. As someone who is on the lighter side, I HATED reading this. I’m not as bright as they seem to have been, but my sister is. So basically we’ve heard all the jokes and we have seen the way people treat people with more melanin than them. But for them to act like they weren’t also Black was just weird. They deserved all that was coming to them.

Historical fiction isn’t usually my favorite genre because I hate what comes with seeing people of color in these situations. So this was even worse, because it came from our own people. The historical aspect was also very accurate. Even if it was hurtful, it was accurate. Even her train ride to New Orleans and back.

The ending was cool and it has a open like ending. I hope this means there might be more in the future? Even if its through someone else. It was so full of secrets and scares, so I hope at the very least you pick this up to find out what I’m talking about!

I'm a sucker for a southern gothic and this was no exception, atmospheric and dripping with dread Sandeen has delivered a spooky historical fiction where the haunting power of the past resurfaces, far from just a supernatural foray this tackles heavy topics such as racism, colorism and slavery head on. The story slowly unravels as
secrets, lies and spirits are revealed, this was the definition of a page turner and I couldn't look away, despite the uncomfortable uneasy feeling that settled on my shoulders as soon as Jemma arrived in New Orleans.
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Similiar books: The Haunting of Hill House, The Haunting of Blackwood House, Burnt Offerings, Mexican Gothic
TV: AHS Murder House, Roanoke, Get Out, The Haunting of Bly Manor

(3.5⭐️) This book hit the southern gothic horror vibes perfectly. The setting was a good mix of grand and eerie, and I could easily picture the Duchon family estate; what could be better for a horror story than a big, old, creepy mansion?

I felt really conflicted about the characters in this story. I overall liked the MC Jemma, but there were also times where I wanted to shake some sense into her. However, given her life up until this point, I can see why she was the way she was. The Duchon family is a whooole other issue, and while it was very hard to like them, I could also see the complicated history behind their ways.

This book definitely felt like a slow burn. This helped build some tension and added to the spookiness of the setting, but there were times where things felt a little too slow, or got a little repetitive. However, I overall liked this book and was interested in seeing how the story unfolded, and how the characters evolved. I didn’t see some of the twists coming, and there were a few points where I was genuinely freaked out.

If you’re looking for a slower, vibes-heavy horror story, check this one out!

It’s 1962 and Jemma, a young Black woman with the ability to see ghosts, is watching her life fall apart. She assaulted her cheating boyfriend and lost her teaching job. Out of desperation, she accepts what she thinks is a tutoring position for a family in New Orleans. She didn’t ask questions about the position and, soon after arriving, realizes she misunderstood; she’s not tutoring, she’s working for a cursed family that needs her abilities to help free them.

This southern gothic novel is so beautifully written! I loved the character of Jemma, and enjoyed the twists and turns of her time with the Duchon family. This is also the first book I’ve read that deals with a generational curse, and I was glued to the pages as all the secrets unfolded.

I have a feeling there will be much buzz about this one! Thanks so much for the chance to read in advance!

A southern gothic novel blended with historical fiction that is chilling and haunting.
This story grabbed me from the beginning and didn’t loosen its hold until the very end. There are heavy topics, curses, ghosts, ancestral secrets and many unlikeable characters in the Duchon Family.
A perfect book for spooky season.

I like a southern gothic read. This was a slow burn but I enjoyed the story development and the action of the main character was very believable. It was a good book to start off spooky season.

A Southern Gothic historical horror. Need I say more? It gave me all the Mexican Gothic Vibes in fact it starts very similarly. It takes place in the 1960’s and a young black woman from Chicago receives a mysterious letter that she is wanted down south where a family resides in this big mansion and they need help and they think she can fix a problem there having. Spooky ghosts galore, a curse that needs breaking, it was really fun!

2.5 stars. I love a good Gothic horror. This wasn't heavy on the horror but the gothic elements were enjoyable. Jemma's motivation was difficult to understand an follow for wanting to be with this family. Too much repetition and too much racial content--very alienating. Still, a good book for the spooky season. Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC

Huge thank you @prhaudio @berkleypub and @netgalley for an advanced audiobook copy in exchange for an honest review.

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This one definitely put me in the spooky mood! Jemma is desperate to leave Chicago and finds her an escape when she is offered a job in New Orleans but nothing is as it seems! What a great gothic drama especially as October is here!
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