It Was Her House First is an absolutely captivating read. I loved experiencing Ronnie’s perspective and backstory, and the addition of the detective ghost’s point of view was brilliant. The silent movie star’s story added another layer of intrigue. All the characters are complex and fascinating, and the story is so well-crafted that I couldn’t put it down. I was hooked on finding out what happened to Ronnie and uncovering the mysteries of the past, involving the movie star, her family, and the detective.

The ending was perfect—Cherie Priest nailed it. That final line? So satisfying. Between this and The Drowned House, I’ve found a new favorite author. I can’t wait to dive into Grave Reservations next. It Was Her House First is a fantastic ghost story and will definitely be on my list of top books this year.

Venita Rost was a silent film star. Now her malevolent spirit lurks in her cliffside mansion, a home that is in serious disrepair. Those who have lived there since have all met a gruesome end. That includes Inspector Bartholomew Sloan who has watched along all these years as Venita acts upon her wrath.

Now the house has another new owner. This time it's Ronnie Mitchell, a grieving woman who desires to renovate the house. When a young man comes knocking something besides dust and mold is stirred up.

This is a different type of haunted house story from anything I've read before. I think this is supposed to be a horror novel but I didn't find it scary at all. It's sad at times but I actually found it kind of cozy. This might be due to the main character who is not your typical heroine.

We get chapters from Ronnie's perspective and Bartholomew Sloan who is watching from the shadows. We also get to read Venita's diary. All of the perspectives were enjoyable to read.

I don't feel the blurb is completely accurate. I feel I was missing some answers to things Bartholomew Sloan brought up. While I enjoyed the ending I was slightly underwhelmed. That being said I did enjoy It Was Her House First. I recommend it to readers who love ghost stories.

3.5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this ARC!

I have been looking for a good haunted house book for a while. They are one of my favorite genres, while gothic tales are some of my least favorites. This one checked all my haunted house boxes.

It has a great mystery, the characters were likeable (even the ghosts!) and I had a really fun time reading this.

It was more lighthearted than other haunted house books but that's what made it unique. It's like HGTV with ghosts. I would call this The September House but less dark.

My only reason for knocking off a half star (4.5/5.0) is I wanted to know more about the mirror. That would have finished this off perfectly.

Overall, highly recommend!

Thanks to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for providing me with this e-arc.

I didn't really read the whole synopsis, all I know is that a haunted house is involved, then a mystery that was set in the past. I'll be say I'm glad I didn't, because I'll be even more disappointed if I read it. Especially this part: "Venita's fury awakens, and a deadly game unfolds." Venita's fury wasn't really seen until the end and the deadly game is not entirely missing, but again present in the last chapters. I'll try to break the synopsis down.

THE BEAUTIFUL HOME. I'll start with this one because I almost DNF'd this one because all of the talk of rotting wood, broken pipes, and needing renovation. The first 20% of this book just bored me to depth. There's nothing eye-catchy, nothing really interesting. I skimmed the first few chapters so I didn't really know, how beautiful the house is... the writing didn't really do it for me.

RONNIE, THE GRIEVING WOMAN. Our main character is Ronnie and aside from the background story that she's grieving, she wasn't really fleshed out that well. She's just became an investigator of the the book's mystery (by mostly reading a diary) and a bit of a skeptic. But she didn't really grieve that much, the person she's grieving wasn't even mentioned that much or became the topic of the conversation, except for the initial one. She even withheld this info by the 12% mark, because she's not ready to talk about it, and later revealed it (to us the readers) on the 20% mark. That's just 8% of withheld revelation and if I remember correctly she didn't talk about it in depth again.

VENITA, THE "FURY". As a furious ghost, the paranormal things that happened is pretty much mild, There's no strong hallucinations of torture or death, no jumpscaring our characters, no flinging objects, etc. She just appears here and there. And also there's a cat. Her story was told in a diary.

THE DIARY. This one is something I really don't get that much. It was a super detailed look at Venita's POV including several dialogue, which as a reader, doesn't really make sense aside from a switch-in-format gimmick. My question is, why is it THAT detailed, probably because it serves as a medium to relay the exact events of the past from Venita's POV to both the readers and Ronnie. And that makes it boring. There's no red herrings or potential lies by Venita and it's too detailed that the readers and Ronnie couldn't really form theories what happened in between, question why things are omitted, or even question if the diary is indeed true. It's just a straightforward flashback and that's one of the disappointing things.

BART SLOAN, THE ETERNAL NEMESIS. We got the other side of the story/mystery from his perspective. Once again as a ghost, he's not really fleshed out. He's just a character that creates this mysterious atmosphere, until it's time for the revelation, where he reveals his side of the story. That's the one time that he's got some character, especially since his position is a complicated one. I would like some more scenes with him and Venita especially since he's described as the "Eternal Nemesis" but again nothing. I want to know what makes Venita's husband so infatuated with him that he chose to side with him and not understand her side, yeah paranormal stuff wasn't believable, but the tension between the best friend and the wife and the husband was an interesting one since it's the one the essentially started this story, again not much on that.

LOSS AND GRIEF, THE THEME?. The three characters, Ronnie, Venita, and Bart all experienced loss in some kind of way. I was expecting something about grief, them connecting about this, understanding that the need to heal or something that just relates to grief. Nothing. Because it's all about the mystery. The end, to be fair, has some kind of forgiveness, I think, but it's more like it's convenient and the one giving the "better" ending. I honestly didn't connect with the characters.

THE OTHER PRESENT DAY CHARACTERS. Kate is just bad and again not fleshed out, she could easily be just Friend #1. She's the one that creates tension for some stuffs to happen (a usual horror trope), like having NO suspicions on a stranger you've met ESPECIALLY since Ronnie has evidences of why he's untrustworthy. That's just so questionable, again horror trope. Coty is just the obvious villain, I even forgot to write about him in the original review. There's just no attempt in making him look good. I want to talk about Coty but he's similar to the others someone who creates tension/a piece of the past mystery

This haunted house novel is a good fun read with some clever takes on a ghost story.

Ronnie buys an old fixer upper house sight unseen at an auction. Her brother tragically died and left her his life insurance. Along with his girlfriend at the time of his death, they realize it's going to take a lot of time, work, and money to get it liveable.

And they also know the house has a tragic past. Everyone who's lived there has died and not always naturally. Several ghosts haunt the place and they slowly but surely make themselves known.

This novel is told from several perspectives, including the relationships of the ghosts in question. This gives us an insight into what happened to the original family where the horrific death of a young girl resulted in murder and revenge. The husband and husband's best friend were both targeted by the wife though perhaps neither was actually responsible for the death of the girl.

But now it's HER house and she doesn't suffer visitors lightly. What that means for Robbie and her brother's girlfriend you'll have to read about but it's not what you might be thinking.

I really loved those various perspectives as the stragic story unfolds. It gave this book that little extra which separates it from the traditional haunted house story.

Ronnie is a very straightforward but sympathetic character. She quit taking her anxiety medication and is trying to keep herself together as events unfold. Surrounded by her friend and another character who might not be who he says, along with the spirits, this story takes place in the house and gives it a claustrophobic atmosphere.

Ronnie finds the diary of the revenge seeking wife and becomes obsessed almost at the story which unfolds. But is that a good or bad thing?

All in all this is a really good haunted house novel which is scary enough for adults but could also be read by teens as well. There's not a lot of blood or gore, just a creepy atmosphere. I recommend it.

This book was so amazing. It was really intriguing, like something I haven't read before in the best way. The characters were really well written, and I loved the ghosts stories and backgrounds. The plot wasn't easily guessable, and I loved the ending with the ghosts.

Review of It Was Her House First by Cherie Priest

Cherie Priest delivers another eerie and atmospheric tale that kept me turning pages late into the night. It Was Her House First is a slow-burning haunted house story steeped in tension, grief, and ghostly revenge. The setting is vividly drawn—equal parts southern charm and creeping dread—and the characters feel raw and real, especially the protagonist grappling with her past and the house’s sinister secrets.

What really worked for me was the pacing: Priest knows how to let the horror build gradually, layering subtle chills before plunging you into full-on dread. The house itself is a character, looming and unforgettable, and Priest masterfully blends psychological tension with supernatural elements.

If you’re a fan of Shirley Jackson, Silvia Moreno-Garcia, or gothic fiction with a modern twist, this one’s for you. It’s unsettling in the best way.

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

After the loss of her brother, Ronnie Mitchell decides to buy a decrepit house to restore and work through her grief. The building not only comes with major repairs—ghosts of those who died there also haunt the house, including the silent film star Venita Rost and detective Bartholomew Sloan. As repairs commence, a stranger insisting he is a family member of the long-dead detective inserts himself in Ronnie’s life, bringing unease and stirring up the past. This paranormal thriller is told from the perspectives of Ronnie and Sloan, and is leisurely paced until the climactic ending.

Ever wondered what would happen if your dream house turned out to be a haunted nightmare? Cherie Priest's It Was Her House First takes you on that wild ride, with a grieving woman named Ronnie Mitchell who buys a rundown mansion only to discover some seriously spooky stuff happening inside.

Ronnie, hoping to find peace after a personal tragedy, unwittingly awakens the fury of a vengeful silent film star named Venita Rost, who haunts the house alongside the spirit of Inspector Bartholomew Sloan, trapped there by guilt and Venita's wrath. As Ronnie starts renovating the place, she gets caught up in a deadly game between the living and the dead.

The book's plot is centered on Ronnie's journey, as she transitions from seeking solace to fighting for her life. Her skepticism fades as she faces the supernatural head-on, showing her strength and resourcefulness. Through diary entries, we learn more about Venita Rost, a complex character whose actions are fueled by tragic loss. Inspector Sloan's chapters shed light on the house's history, though some may find his parts less captivating.

It Was Her House First tackles themes like grief, revenge, and the blurred boundaries between the living and the dead. The parallel between Ronnie's struggle with loss and Venita's experience creates a chilling echo. Priest explores the destructive consequences of unresolved grief and the dark side of seeking vengeance.

The story shifts between Ronnie, Venita, and Bartholomew's perspectives, and hops between the present and the past. This narrative style skillfully intertwines two stories that come together at the end. Priest's atmospheric writing is a strong point, painting a vivid picture of the haunted house and heightening the suspense. The language is easy to follow, and the tone mixes humor with horror to create an entertaining read.

It Was Her House First brings a spine-tingling sense of suspense, fusing classic haunted house vibes with gothic flair. As you witness Ronnie's terror and determination, along with the tragic pasts of Venita and Bartholomew, you'll experience an emotional rollercoaster. The book highlights how grief and loss can push people to unexpected actions.

The story shines with complex characters, a vivid setting, and a mix of horror and emotional depth.

One thing that could make the story even better would be to further develop the characters of Venita and Bartholomew, giving them the same depth as Ronnie. While the book has its eerie moments, amping up the scare factor in some scenes could make the story more chilling.

It Was Her House First is special because of its ability to mix traditional horror tropes with genuine emotional depth. The story speaks to the experience of grief and the search for healing, all while delivering chills and thrills. The book makes the reader think about the lasting effects of trauma and the ways the past can haunt the present.

This novel is engaging and mysterious with a haunting yet glamorous air about it. I think the writing is well done and as a whole the story is good. I fear I am not the target audience for this book so that is the reason for my 3 star review. I am not typically a fan of a haunted house type of book but every once in a while I give one a go just to see if my tastes have changed but sadly this one hasn't changed my mind. I did like the atmosphere of this book and having lived in the Seattle area for over a decade in my life, I understand the ominous feeling of this house and place but for me the story just didn't resonate very deeply. Again, I am likely not the target audience for this book so please take this review with a grain of salt.

Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book, but think having the right mindset going into it is important. This is NOT a horror ghost story, it’s much more of a ghost mystery story. Don’t expect poltergeist vibes and jump scares - this isn’t that book. Instead, expect an original haunted house story with dark humor, complex family relationships and very well-written characters (including the ghost!). Ronnie and Kate’s relationship added so much to the book. I love books with found stories, so reading Venita’s diary also added another layer to the book. There were a few things I wish had been cleared up more at the end, but nothing major that detracted from it feeling like a true ending to the book. Overall, I had fun with this one and would recommend it!

My fav reads are haunted house stories so right off the bat, I was excited for this one. And if the house itself is a character; even better. I love a multi POV read and having one from the ghost was such a unique twist. The sense of creepiness was heavy throughout and I loved the use of mixed media. I feel like it helps move a story along when authors incorporate that into their books.

Cherie Priest’s new novel, *It Was Her House First*, follows Ronnie Mitchell after she purchases a run-down historic Seattle home, sight unseen, after her brother’s passing. She soon discovers she isn’t alone in the house since the long-dead former inhabitants are still in residence. Besides dealing with threats from the living, she’s struggling to rebuild her life after her loss while battling anxiety and grief.
This book wasn’t your typical ghost story in that these were not mindless ghosts. The author told the story from three perspectives: Ronnie’s, Venita Rost’s, and Bartholomew Sloan’s. The latter two are the former residents who stuck around after their untimely deaths. Like Ronnie, the ghosts had trauma that perhaps kept them in the house. They all had something in common: they were all mourning loss and dealing with their own ghosts, so to speak.
I wish there had been more detail about Bartholomew and the deal he made. The deal was mentioned throughout the story, there were hints here and there, but I was disappointed that it wasnt explained in more detail.
I love ghost stories and mysteries, so this book was right up my alley. It was fast-paced, and the story was intriguing. Each character had a clear voice, which helped move the plot. I couldn’t stop reading. Cherie Priest’s other books are certainly going to be my next reads!

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the opportunity to read the eARC. All opinions are my own

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for letting me access this book!

I really enjoyed this. The mix of past and present was well done with slow reveals for readers to learn along with the main character. I also really appreciated the author’s description of clinical anxiety and the touch on OCD being more than just cleanliness-related. It reminded me in some ways of “haunt sweet home” and “just like home” (both great horror/mystery/thrillers) with endings that are happy enough for both the main character and their ghosts.

It Was Her House First by Sherry Priest, Ronnie recently bought an old Hollywood star‘s house in Seattle it is rundown her best friend Kate helps her move in and even though the second floor rains down on her blowup mattress as she sleeps she couldn’t love the house more. The house was once owned by Vanita a silent movie star who moved there when the house was new with her husband Oscar and daughter Priscilla. Many strange things happen including her sing the ghost of Bartholomew Jones, Oscar‘s best friend and someone who stayed quite frequently with the family. She also finds Venita‘s diary a ghost cat and much much more. Throughout the book we find out how the knee’s daughter died as well as Bonita herself and the famous PI Bartholomew Jones. which means a lot to Ronnie and Katie‘s new friend Cody. Bart was his uncle and he claims the only one from the family who did anything great with his life. I don’t know what else to put in this review because it’s truly was an awesome read not to mention a very funny one and oh how much did I love Ronnie she was so funny. Her dry sarcasm leaked off the page and I was loving all of it. much more than scary this book was totally entertaining I cannot think of one negative thing to say about it I loved it loved it loved it. I absolutely love that every time Bonita appeared her house was intact and the way it was in 1932IDKY but that totally thrilled me. I know this is a horrible review but OMG it was a great great read! #NetGalley, #TheBlindReviewer, #MyHonestReview,#SherryPriest, #ItWasHerHouseFirst,

It Was Her House First is a unique and entertaining gothic haunted house book. Ronnie buys a dilapidated century old house at auction and plans to renovate it. She moves right in, with ceilings dropping, poor water and electricity, and at least two ghosts who seem to still live there. Her friend Kate is there to help, however a sketchy young man starts imposing on their time in the house. The story is told from a few POVs, including Venita, the 1930s silent movie star who originally owned the house. If you like ghost stories you will enjoy this book! With thanks to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this ARC. My opinions are my own.

Don’t mess with the ghosts, especially when you enter their house and clean out their history. Living in the past and present, Ronnie’s future depends on the past events that took place in her new home.

It was a great concept, but I would have loved a little more horror. It seemed more of a meditation on the role of women, but it didn't quite pack the punch I was hoping for.

It Was Her House First is a creepy, slow-burn ghost story with a twist. The mix of perspectives—especially the ghost's—is really clever, and the atmosphere keeps you hooked. Perfect if you like eerie reads with emotional depth.

A bit cheesy. Not for me. Clearly the publisher thinks I’m inept and not capable of a review anyway.