Thank you to Netgalley, Flatiron Books, and Macmillan Audio for a paperback advanced reading copy and an advanced listening copy provided for an honest review.

This story is told in first person by Olivia broken up by occasional chapters describing the massacre of a Native American village. Olivia suddenly received the gift of communing with spirits after the death of her sister under suspicious circumstances. As a paranormal investigator she has been consulted by the Brown Palace, a landmark Denver hotel where a girl is found dead in room 904 every few years. Olivia travels with a group of friends/colleagues to investigate the occurrences and encounters a surprise connection to her past.

For the most part, I really enjoyed this story. The plot, the setting, the characters all weaved together to set up an atmospheric ghost story that I found truly chilling. However, there were two major issues I had with it that kept me from enjoying it the way I would have liked. Olivia keeping silent while the press spun all sorts of wild speculation about her and her life is one thing, but I just couldn’t understand why none of the characters including Olivia, Alejandro or any of the fine detectives took so long to put two and two together with regards to the “burglary” and the search of the apartment. I spent too long shaking my head over this one while reading to not let it cloud my judgment about the rest of the story. Maybe if it had been less obvious…

Despite those instances, I did enjoy the rest. I primarily listened to the audio for this story while referencing a paperback advanced reading copy. I would recommend both formats. The audiobook is narrated by Ina Barrón. This was my first listen by this narrator and I thought she did a wonderful job portraying the characters and the suspenseful moments.

Limited recommendations to readers who enjoy ghost stories but don’t mind characters overly slow on making connections

3/5 Stars – Creepy Atmosphere, Uneven Execution

The Haunting of Room 904 sets up a chilling premise with a strong sense of place and an eerie, slow-burn vibe. Erika Wurth excels at building tension, and the supernatural elements are genuinely unsettling at times. The haunted room itself is a great focal point, full of dread and mystery.

That said, the story doesn’t always deliver on its promising setup. The pacing drags in spots, and some character arcs feel underdeveloped. The emotional stakes are there, but they don’t hit as hard as they could have. Still, Wurth’s writing style is compelling, and there are moments that really shine.

Overall, it’s an atmospheric read with a few standout scares, but it doesn’t quite rise to its full potential.

I was given an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my review.

4 out of 5 Stars

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

Years ago paranormal investigator Olivia Becente's younger sister Naiche diapered in the Brown Hotel during an investigation. Years later their Mother decides to go to the same hotel room that Naiche disappeared from. In order to save her Mother Olivia must confront her demons and go to the room.

This was a fun and spooky story that kept me on the edge of my seat. The narrator was great and the story well written.

Unfortunately this one was a miss for me. I found the story to be boring and it failed to draw me in. I didn’t feel connected to any of the characters or the storyline. I hate to leave a bad review but this one just wasn’t for me. I ended up DNFing it.
Thank you to NetGalley for this free ARC audiobook in exchange for my honest review..

I enjoyed The Haunting of Room 904—the story had a great premise and a solid dose of creep factor that kept me intrigued throughout. That said, I felt like certain parts could have used a bit more fine-tuning. There were a lot of moving pieces, and since I listened to the audiobook, it sometimes became difficult to follow all the threads clearly. Character wise - Olivia just didn't do it for me as a main character. I honestly have no idea why but could simply be due to the narration.

The eerie atmosphere was definitely there. I enjoyed the supernatural and cult vibes but just needed more from them. I think it could’ve easily been flushed out a bit more to really land with impact. Also, even though Ina Barrón is the narrator, she sounds so similar to who narrates Rouge by Mona Awad. While the two stories aren’t similar, I found it tough to separate them in my mind, thus hard to separate my feelings between the two. The voice connection made it harder for me to fully immerse myself in this particular story.

Still, it was an enjoyable listen overall, especially if you're into haunted hotel vibes and layered narratives that keep you guessing.

The Haunting of Room 904 is out now. Huge thank you to Flatiron & McMillan Audio for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion. If you liked this review, please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my:
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I’ll be honest, this was not a good book.

The premise was promising. An indigenous horror novel where paranormal investigation meets several indigenous belief systems and ceremonies to provide cleansing and healing as well as a haunted hotel room that ritualistically traps and kills women. I was so intrigued! But unfortunately it all fell so flat.

The storyline was so disjointed it became hard to follow and felt borderline nonsensical. Some scenes felt so over the top that they became comical (the golem, really?) And the super intelligent, sexy, powerful and holier than thou main character was so insufferable that I couldn’t bring myself to feel anything for her or her fate.

Overall an unfortunately disappointing read.

Thank you NetGalley for the ebook in exchange for an honest review!

I just want to start this review by saying that I really like this author. I enjoy following her on her social media accounts and I loved (LOVED) White Horse.

The Haunting of Room 904 had all the hype of White Horse and just did not bring the full magic to the table. I read a lot of reviews of this book trying to pinpoint what the issue was and landed on a couple of reviews that state that the editing could use a bit of a boost. I have a hard time giving criticism to authors that I really like, so bear with me. 3. 5 stars rounded up to 4, because I believe that where the author was going in this book is very important. It had vibes of Yellowface by R.F. Kuang, showing the dark retaliations, that one person's online opinion can produce. And the characters were flawed to reality. It touched on very real issues concerning diversity, cultural stereotyping and racism.

The premise of the supernatural was superb, but I swayed back and forth with how Olivia's paranormal ability fit in the world of the story. I would like to read more about the specific parameters of the low fantasy world that Erika has created.

All in all, I enjoyed the premise and the ending. I will be waiting to read the next story that Erika brings to life.

I really liked the cover for this book and the synopsis sounded perfect for me. I loved that the main character can see spirits and is a paranormal investigator. I thought this would be like a generic haunting but I thought this was a more modern take and entertaining. I don’t want to say too much without giving spoilers but definitely worth the read/listen.

With a chilling premise and a haunted hotel steeped in mystery, *The Haunting of Room 904* delivers a solid paranormal thriller that blends grief, suspense, and the supernatural. Olivia Becente didn’t ask for the gift of communicating with the dead, but when her sister Naiche dies mysteriously, Olivia inherits the burden—and a legacy she barely understands. As her latest case at Denver’s Brown Palace unfolds, strange deaths, buried secrets, and a tangled web of betrayals force her to confront more than just ghosts. Gritty and emotional, the story simmers with atmosphere, though its many threads don’t always fully come together. Still, a compelling ride for fans of moody, character-driven horror.

The horror antagonist of this story is white supremacy and colonization. It takes the real history of the Indigenous Denver massacre and those involved have generated generations of pure evil. First horror book of the year and I’m entirely satisfied. I’m on an ancestral power kick right now.

The Haunting of Room 904 had a fantastic premise, but unfortunately I struggled to connect with this novel. I made it roughly 40% in and did not feel engaged enough with the story or the characters to continue on past that point. The narrator was good.

I enjoyed the idea of this book. I’m rating three stars because I feel like there were a lot of different parts to keep up with. I found the character development to be intriguing. I loved that it gave slight 1408 vibes, which was a favorite horror movie of mine as a teen.

An engaging thriller/horror audiobook! The main character is a paranormal investigator with a psychology background. A string of haunted-object cases leads her to a much bigger case that gets very dangerous and very personal when she discovers that it all might be connected to her sister’s tragic death years ago. Meanwhile, an online gossip columnist is out to prove that our MC is a fake. Oh, yeah, and her ex-boyfriend is stalking her.

Lots of spooky sh*t and dRaMa here, and I ate it up, even if I did have a hard time figuring out exactly how all the pieces fit together. It was a bit challenging keeping track of some of the side characters, but I loved the main ones—and loved to hate the MC’s haters.

I did not have a print version of this book while listening, which is NOT my preference. I would rather listen AND have the text to refer to as needed. Still, Ina Barrón’s narration competently carried me through the experience of this book solo, and that’s saying something.

Full review posted on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7253072898

The Haunting of Room was 904 starts off with a supernatural bang and it rarely lets up. Taken to the famously haunted Brown hotel in Denver to investigate deaths that happen there, Olivia is soon deeply enmeshed a type of horror few could imagine mulch less experience. This book surprises and scares and provides a palpable and visceral fear for the reader to experience. Few books know how to really haunt…. This one nails it.

Everything about this audiobook is so well done. With such a large array of characters, narration could be tricky, but narrator, Ina Barron nails it- she gives each character a clear voice and perfectly portrays the encroaching fear and terror. Can’t wait to see what Wurth does next.
Thank you to @netgalley and @flatiron_books for this audio arc!

Thank you to @flatiron_books for the eARC and @macmillanaudio for the gifted audiobook!

What an interesting and twisty novel! I loved the supernatural aspects and the vivid characters. This book kept me entertained and engaged throughout. I loved the story of a sister fighting for answers for her beloved sister and the supernatural and practical mysteries to unravel. This was a great fast-paced read and I’m excited for Erika T. Wurth’s future work!

I was excited to read this book as I really enjoyed White Horse. I liked the concept but felt like the book was a bit all over the place at times. An interesting read,

"There is no escaping your bloodline."

THE HAUNTING OF ROOM 904 by @erikatwurth uncovers a mystery buried through history. Thank you to the author, @netgalley and the publisher @macmillan.audio for the audio-ARC. #macaudio2025

👻👻👻

Olivia, a paranormal investigator, has been hired to help solve the mystery at the Brown Palace hotel where a woman is found dead in Room 904 every 5 years. Olivia is highly motivated to crack the case since her sister was one of the victims of 904. The key to understanding the mystery lies within an ancient box cloaked in Jewish folklore. When Olivia realizes that the spirit locked in the box is a two-spirit Cheyenne killed long ago in a local massacre, she knows this is much bigger than her sister and those found dead in Room 904.

This book was filled to the brim with heritage, folklore, and the mistakes and cruelties of the past. The characters were fully formed and flawed and the setting is spooky and full of puzzles. The collision between the hotel and Olivia's own life was intriguing and there were so many important discussions regarding race, xenophobia, heritage, and white nonsense (great Karen vibes with the journalist harassing Olivia!).

There were two things I struggled with in this book. I didn't love the attraction/love interest between Olivia and Dorian, her sisters ex. There is nothing that will make a person immediately unattractive to me faster than knowing they have been with my siblings so this was hard to go with for me. I also wanted more about the cult Olivia's sister was involved in that lead to her early death. But these are personal gripes and certainly shouldn't keep you from checking out this interesting haunt.

The idea of this story is what made me excited to read it, however, I did not enjoy my time reading. It fell short of my expectations. There was a lot going on and many pieces of the story didn't feel connected. I did enjoy the narrator, as they did the best they could with the mediocre writing. This one wasn't for me.

Olivia Becente was never supposed to have the gift. The ability to commune with the dead was the specialty of her sister, Naiche. But when Naiche dies unexpectedly and under strange circumstances, somehow Olivia suddenly can’t stop seeing and hearing from spirits.

This audiobook was narrated by Ina Barron, who did a wonderful job. Her voice was clear and her characterizations never pulled me from the story.

While I did enjoy the story, I felt the pacing was a little off and there were places I simply lost interest.
I love any story that involves native Americans, and those that do not why away from the mistreatment of all Natives from the colonist who thought that had some claim or right to land. Adding that history and what should be obvious anger from the ancestors was a great premise for a haunted room story
I was able to feel and care for the main character, Olivia. I understood her pain and grief over her lost sister, but I'm not sure I could as calmly deal with those who were responsible, directly or indirectly.

The slow build is not what I usually like, and I did struggle with it but I won't condemn the book for that. Everyone likes a different level of horror and a more sedate pace then I do. Just be aware the build is slow.

Published date Mar 18, 2025
Thanks to @netgalley and MacMillan Audio for the opportunity to read this eArc in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

Thanks to Flatiron Books and NetGalley for this audiobook arc.

This is my first experience with the author, and I really enjoyed it. This is like a mix between ghost hunting and being a ghost medium, with Olivia having not only the sight, but abilities. She’s like a paranormal detective but also a kind of spirit weaver. The novel opens with her solving a few lesser incidents to get your blood flowing, but they all end up coming back in connection.

When hired to investigate room 904, Olivia is facing far more than just a simple haunting. The room is the place where her sister was last seen alive, before she took her own life, and it’s believed that this is directly linked to the haunting itself. Every year like clockwork a woman checks into the hotel, whether or not they try to lock up room 904 tight, without fail, three weeks later there’s another death. And Olivia’s investigation is hit with another layer of desperation when she finds out her mother has been to the hotel…

The in between is filled with a couple of repetitive beats, where she is struggling back and forth with solving the mystery. There are some shared locations that made it feel like similar things were happening. But I was a really big fan of these small sections at the beginning of chapters that served as little advertisements for different ghost hunting equipment. And as my version was narrated, it added almost a comedic beat to break things up. What was kind of strange to me though, was how much research must have gone into the equipment, when the items themselves take a serious backseat in the story. The author mentions that they are there, or that they are using them, but then it always defaulted to Olivia reaching out with her powers anyway.

The novel deals with indigenous mistreatment and culture erasure, not only in its past plot line of a massacre, but also in the way those around Olivia speak and treat her. There’s this incredibly nasty journalist after her, and she is a great example of the way people speak about American Indians in a way they feel they can claim is not a racial commentary. And I found this not only informational, but a good facsimile for readers of what people actually have to deal with. A solid first read for me.