A mansion in West Seattle - Ronnie's lost her brother and has decided to gamble and buy this spooky house where everyone who tends to own it dies. But she doesn't care. She just wants to own something and she's tired of worrying about everything. She just wants a project, something to distract her from the fact she's lost her brother.

Ronnie has one main friend, Kate. She was her brother's fiance when he passed and they've stayed fast and good friends. In the midst of Ronnie working on updating the house, as soon as she's there she gets a fierce possessiveness over the house. It's hers. She's willing to live with the ghosts or anything else in here, as long as she gets to keep the house.

I thought this was an interesting mystery. It jumps back and forth, from the then to the now - giving just the smallest glimpse into those that died in the house before - especially the notorious family and their detective friend. I liked learning of the characters and I really liked Ronnie. But I didn't find the house to be terribly spooky, just an interesting mystery. It's an entertaining read, one that I definitely enjoyed.

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

This is my second book by this author and just as I said for the first one. They would both make amazing creepy movies. A chilling, character-driven haunted house story that blends grief, history, and supernatural suspense in all the right ways.

Cherie Priest’s It Was Her House First is a slow-burning gothic ghost story set in a decaying West Seattle mansion. Ronnie Mitchell is a grieving woman who buys the house on impulse, and quickly realizes she’s not alone. Told through multiple perspectives (including the ghosts!), the novel is rich with atmosphere, emotional weight, and creeping dread.

The house itself is practically a character. oppressive, eerie, and unforgettable. Priest balances haunting suspense with heartfelt themes of loss and guilt, giving the story real emotional depth.

Minor pacing dips aside, this is an original, unsettling, and beautifully written entry into modern ghost fiction.

Highly recommend for fans of character-driven horror and gothic suspense.

The mansion of silent film star Venita Rost has sat empty since the last man who attempted to fix it up died in an upstairs bedroom and literally rotted through the hardwood floors. Ronnie Mitchell isn't going to let the house's condition, or the fact that she knows darn well it has ghosts, intimidate her. Despite the weird smells and sketchy wiring, she's moved in with an inflatable mattress and plans to restore it to its former glory. I don't think I'd describe it as scary, but I absolutely loved this book. It's got a different tone from most of the haunted house novels I've read and goes in some unique directions.

The ghosts in this house have a lot to say, and a lot of opinions about who is allowed to exist within it.

Ronnie buys a dilapidated mansion with her brother's life insurance money with the intention of renovating it, and brings her brother's fiancee along for the ride. There's rumors the mansion is haunted, maybe even cursed, but that doesn't bother Ronnie.

Until it does.

Ronnie has a lot going on in her head - her currently untreated OCD, guilt about her brother's death, guilt about Kate's role in her life, fear and frustration with the house project, and an interloper who keeps lying to her about his interest in the house, and no one believes her when his red flags are waving so obviously.

Not to mention, the ghosts are very real, and they are caught in their own traps and dark emotions.

While there are a few unnerving moments, this was less scary than I was expecting for a book with so many strange, dark plotlines, although it is really tragic in so many ways. A great romp through a very cool house.

CW: child loss, sibling loss, decaying bodies

This was a really fun take on the haunted house genre and a really enjoyable read. Part noir mystery and part ghost story, with a dash of cosmic horror and HGTV. The different viewpoints were all really well done - each interesting in their own right with distinct style and voice. I thought Ronnie was a fun, witty protagonist; and the ghosts & crumbling house created a perfectly eerie atmosphere. If anything, I wanted a little more creeping dread caused by our antagonists, but it was entertaining as is.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

Yesssss this was exactly the book I needed to read. I simply cannot resist a story that takes place in a gothic mansion - it’s my weakness. and It Was Her House First was exactly the gothic, creepy ghost story I needed it to be.

Paranormal stories are so hard to get right so I love when they’re done in unique ways. This book reminded me a little bit of The September House where the main character has a funny, resolved attitude and just accepts that she’s living amongst ghosts.

I absolutely loved the story of Venita, told through her diary entries. My only improvement on this book would’ve been a few more of those chapters. I loved the perspective from Bart Sloan, one of the resident ghosts. I loved Ronnie in every way. Just chefs kiss - perfection.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
It was Her House First by Cherie Priest

Ronnie is still struggling with her grief from the loss of her brother, Ben. She recently bought a grand house in Seattle, sight unseen, using the money she got from his life insurance policy. She has big plans to restore it to its former glory. The house was owned by a Hollywood starlet almost 100 years ago. She lived there with her husband and daughter. All three perished, along with a family friend. Not to mention, the most recent owner passing away in the house. Even after hearing all the stories, Ronnie is still happy with her purchase. Her almost sister-in-law Kate thinks she is off her rocker, literally. And true, she's off her medication, but she is managing her anxiety just fine. Ronnie begins the process of cleaning up the house, getting estimates, and starting the repairs. She joked about the house being haunted, but she thinks she might have been right. When a stranger "befriends" Ronnie and Kate, the spirits in the house really seem to wake up. Can Ronnie figure out what the stranger is really after and figure out what truly happened to all the previous owners? Or will she end up with a similar fate?

I previously read Grave Reservations by this author and loved it, so I jumped at the chance to get an ARC of this one. The first part of the book is slower paced, but we do get a vivid description of the house, so it's worth it. It's my goal in life to buy an extremely old, decrepit, haunted house, so I really liked the descriptors. The second half is where all the action happens, and it is truly a thrill ride piecing everything together.

I received an ARC of this book, but these opinions are my own. I would like to thank the author, Cherie Priest, Poisoned Pen Press, and Net Galley for allowing me the privilege of reading her work. ❤️

Cherie Priest's "It Was Her House First" delivers a wonderfully atmospheric and genuinely unsettling read that kept me engrossed from beginning to end. Priest is a master of creating a sense of place, and the house itself becomes a character, imbued with a history and presence that is both captivating and chilling.

The premise is intriguing, and the author skillfully builds tension, slowly peeling back layers of mystery and dread. The pacing is deliberate, allowing the reader to fully immerse themselves in the eerie setting and the protagonist's growing unease. I particularly appreciated the way the supernatural elements were woven into the narrative, feeling organic and deeply rooted in the story's emotional landscape rather than simply being jump scares.

The characters, especially the protagonist, are well-developed and relatable. Their reactions to the escalating strangeness feel authentic, making it easy to empathize with their predicament. Priest's prose is evocative, painting vivid pictures without resorting to excessive description, and her dialogue is sharp and natural.

While the ending felt a tiny bit rushed compared to the meticulous build-up, it still provided a satisfying resolution to the central mystery. This is a book that excels in its ability to create a pervasive sense of dread and a truly memorable haunted house experience. Fans of gothic horror and supernatural thrillers will find much to enjoy here. "It Was Her House First" is a compelling and well-crafted ghost story that lingers long after the final page.

4.5 stars. This book was nearly perfect for me—if not for a couple of small things, it would’ve been a full five stars. I loved the ghost’s point of view; it added a unique depth that I don’t usually find in paranormal books. I also appreciated that we got multiple perspectives—not just Ronnie’s and the ghost’s, but also Venita’s diary entries.

That said, my two small critiques both relate to the diary entries. I wish they had been shorter and more evenly spaced throughout the story, rather than presented in long blocks that occasionally slowed the pacing and disrupted the suspense. I also felt that Venita’s character could have been given more depth. We learn quite a bit about Bartholomew, which only highlighted how underdeveloped Venita felt in comparison.

Still, I absolutely adored this book and will definitely be recommending it!

This was a solid haunted house book! I liked the premise, and it was a quick read between the heavier/more literary fiction I've been reading lately. It's dual timeline, so if you like that structure in your haunted house horror so you can see how the past unfolded and ties to the present, you'll love this one!

Depressed Detectives, Ghostly Starlets, & Crazed Super-fans!

Cherie Priest's It Was Her House First is a campy horror with some exciting thrills and chills. The characters are vibrant and full of life (even if some are ghostly). There is rich characterization and a dynamic setting that make for a fantastic story that I could not put down. The mystery within this story is unique. They are all little interconnected pieces that are openly connected from the start, but the nuance of each mystery doesn't take significance until it is time to be revealed. Cherie Priest just proves once again that she can write a story that readers will love!

The ghosts in this story are one of the most interesting components. The main ghost we hear from is the erstwhile detective who is trying to atone for his sins. He knows he did wrong, but he has no avenue for correction (this isn't a spoiler). However, watching him beg and plead with the lady of the house to get involved just made for such a fun storytelling. It is humorous, it is desperate, and it makes for such a fun mystery. WHY do these ghosts act the way that they do, and where is the lady of the house throughout this story? Ronnie, our main character, has a touch of the ability to commune with them the longer she stays in the house, and as this ability develops, so does the humor that she finds (and the terror and suspense build).

Readers are in for a treat as everything leads to a resounding and definite conclusion. It is action-packed, devious, and had me on the edge of my seat. Check this story out!

Perfect for fans of Johanna Van Veen, Sylvia Moreno-Garcia, and Grady Hendrix!

This was a great supernatural, ghost story which is told in a unique way since we get to read from the POV of the ghost! Set in 1932 (for parts of it) we learn about Bartholomew Sloan and Venita Rost’s origins in the house. Venita was the first owner of the house but a tragedy occurred which changed the trajectory of her and her husband’s life and she only has one person to blame, Mr. Sloan.

Now in the present, we learn of Ronnie who has purchased Venita’s house and has moved in to try to renovate it however there is so much damage to the house that it will require a lot of work. She has her friend, Kate, with her to help her and keep her company. Soon after she moves in there is a strange man name Coty that expresses too much interest in the house and Mr. Sloan and Ronnie is very suspicious of him.

As the story progresses, Ronnie encounters some supernatural apparitions and sounds and she isn’t sure if they are malicious or not. It seems that the more time that she spends in the house starts to take a toll on her but in a way that makes her want to stay in the house. She is captivated by it even with the presence of ghosts.

What I loved about the book is reading from the POV of the ghost. We get to learn what truly happened back in 1932 from his POV and we also learn Venita’s version of things through a journal that is discovered.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a great supernatural book!
Thank you Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press. All opinions are my own.

A short, unspoilered review:

This book started very slow and stayed slow until 70% into the book. It was interesting enough to keep reading, yet only really started showing the haunted house of this... haunted house story in the last 30% of the book. The book had some sentences that sounded very awkward and felt forced—ending oddly or having weird follow-ups. I originally wanted to give this book 2.5 stars, but the last 30% pulled it up to a 3.

==========================

A longer review with spoilers:

Seeing a lot of reviews being 4 stars or higher makes me feel like I'm looking at this way too critically... and I am aware that what I read is an ARC, so it might include some mistakes, etc. But I just know this book would've benefited from another round of editing before it was put out there. This is a 3-star review though, and not a 1-star review... so let's start with the things I did like.
I feel like this book had a decently accurate portrayal of anxiety, showing the spiraling and how aware she is that it is happening—yet it being hard to get out of it sometimes. That is something I could very much relate to. I also really liked the mystery around the house and what happened to the main character's brother. How did the kid die in the house? What happened with the mirror? How did her brother die, and why does she feel responsible? Those questions really kept me reading. You slowly learned what happened, but it felt too slow?
Which brings us to what I didn't like in the book. Like I said in the shorter review, it had some sentences that felt very awkward, forced, and had odd follow-ups. To give a few examples:

||'The drink shattered there, but the mirror itself did not break— it only shuddered on the wall, and only dripped, and only dropped a piece of paper. The paper was folded several times. It fluttered to the ground.'||
||'My fingers fluttered at my sides as if they were searching for something, and I suppose they were. I’m not sure what.'||
||'I oriented myself to the layout on the paper. Something about it felt almost familiar, though I couldn’t have explained it in a thousand years.'||
||'Except, when I settled in that night, once everybody was gone, I found myself alone with Venita’s diary again and something about my reading… vibed with me?'||

In one of the chapters, there also was something that seemed like it was meant to be taken out? I'm not sure—there is nothing before or after it that makes it fit in the chapter. There were a lot of words in the book that I didn't fully understand, and when I looked them up, it felt like the words didn't really fit in the context? Example:

||'I don’t have those qualifications, but I often helped out—and I **osmosed** enough practical information to be pretty useful on a jobsite in a pinch.'||

Overall, I did enjoy my time with this book, but it was very slow, and it took a long time to finally make the plot happen. I also went into this book thinking it was a haunted house story, but I'd personally say it's really more of a mystery... house story? The haunting doesn't show itself until later, and even then, it isn't the main focus of the plot.

This book really could've benefited from another round of editing. It wasn't bad, but not great either. It's one of those books that is,,,just a book.

Cherie Priest always delivers excellent pacing and characters. This was a great and easy read, feeling light while actually being suspenseful as well. I loved that we got a ghost POV to round things out as well. Any lovers of haunted house and ghost stories could really enjoy this one.

Note: ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley for access to a review copy.

I really enjoy Cherie Priest's steampunk stories so I was interested in seeing here work in a different genre. It Was Her House First is a haunted house story that I really enjoyed.

A grieving Ronnie buys a rundown mansion with a sad history that includes a lot of death. And some of those deaths have resulted in ghosts. The story unfolds in both the past and present and we even have a ghost POV. Ronnie faces threats in both the corporeal and spiritual realms. She is also working through trauma of her own.

I think this will appeal to anyone who likes a ghost story.

4.5 stars

It Was Her House First by Cherie Priest is a ghost story about a woman who buys a house to fix up, and discovers that she is not alone.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Poisoned Pen Press, and the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.




My Synopsis:    (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
Ronnie, using the funds left to her from her brother's insurance,   purchased an old house in need of repair. Her brothers girlfriend Kate tries to be the voice of reason.

The house has a checkered past.  Originally owned by silent film star Venita Rost and her husband Oscar, they lived there quite happily with their daughter Priscilla.  PI Bartholomew Sloan often stayed over.  But things went downhill.  Priscilla died under mysterious circumstances and Venita blamed Bartholomew, who was then banned from the house.  When Oscar took his friend's side, Venita planned her revenge.  This worked marvelously.  But both Bartholomew and Venita continued to haunt the house.

The next owner was Hugh Crawford, who was a big fan of Venita's.  But he died in the house too, and also haunts it.

Now Ronnie, although she senses she is not alone, is intent in returning the house to it's former glory.  Kate thinks Ronnie is losing the plot.

When Coty comes knocking on the door, saying he is the great-nephew of Bartholomew, Ronnie reluctantly lets him in.  Kate thinks he is fine, but Ronnie doesn't trust him.  Ronnie gains some rather unexpected alliances.

 

My Opinions:
First, I loved it, but I love most haunted house stories.  I loved the overall twist in this one, with the living and the dead having a common goal.

The story is told from both Ronnie and Bartholomew's viewpoints, with the addition of Venita and her journal.  This was done very well, and helped the story unfold naturally with no blurring between the timelines.

I loved the characters, both living and dead.  For some reason the only one that grated on me was Kate.  The  relationship between Ronnie and Kate was odd.

It was a very atmospheric read.  Yes, it was a ghost story, but it felt like a fun and light read.  This doesn't mean it lacked suspense, because it was definitely  intriguing and kept me glued to the story.

I think my only complaint was some grammatical errors which I hope get corrected in the final draft (ie "When me and Kate got out of the car", or "when me and him worked..")

2.5 rounded to 3 stars. "It Was Her House First" gave me some trouble, especially at the beginning, but overall it wasn't all that bad, and ultimately I enjoyed it. It was far cozier and tamer than I expected, and it much stronger thriller vibes than I'm comfortable with. It's supposed to be a haunted house story, but it turned out to be too much on the nose as far as the supernatural is concerned: the ghosts are just invisible and intangible people, otherwise fully aware of what's going on, practically immaterial prisoners in the house. There's nothing scary about them, on the contrary I felt sorry for them. In fact, their whole purpose seemed to me to be to pass information to the reader which otherwise would remain inaccesible. So I felt rather tricked. But the central character is quite interesting, and though psychologically a bit unbelievable (she never feels she should leave the house, for example, or check who's behind the door before she opens it), she's fun to follow. The first third of the book is essentially a series of smartly placed infodumps, to set up the massive revelations of the second third; the last third brings the whole cast together for some chasing around the house in an adventurous spirit, though in the end it felt more like a party than anything else! If you like cozy haunted house stories, or enjoy books in the style of paranormal romance, then this is the book for you.

"Old houses never forget… and in this one, revenge is part of the renovation."
⭐️ 3.5 to 4 stars

After losing her brother, Ronnie uses his life insurance money to buy a crumbling old mansion—hoping that restoring the house will also help her rebuild her life. But the house has other plans. Strange sounds, chilling sensations, and a growing sense of unease suggest Ronnie isn’t alone… and the house itself might be holding a grudge.

The story moves between Ronnie’s present-day experiences and eerie journal entries from the 1930s, gradually revealing a tragic Hollywood-era tale full of heartbreak, jealousy, and long-buried secrets. I loved the dual timeline—it gave the haunting real weight and let the mystery unfold in layered, satisfying ways. The “oh no” dread builds slowly but steadily, and the ending? Haunting, sharp, and so worth the wait.

If you like ghost stories that simmer before they scream—full of grief, revenge, and unraveling history—this is a solid, spooky pick. It's more psychological than jump-scare, and the emotional undercurrents give it staying power. Stick with the slow start, and you’ll be rewarded with a chilling, thoughtful read.

‼️ Book Review: ARC
It Was Her House First by Cherie Priest

This one?
Creeped. Me. Out.
In the BEST possible way.

A chilling Southern gothic ghost story with a sharp feminist edge, It Was Her House First is all about power, possession, and the ways women are told to stay quiet - even after death. 👻

Cherie Priest builds tension like no one else slow, unsettling, and rooted in real fear.
It’s not just about ghosts. It’s about the kind of trauma that lingers.

💥 The pacing? Perfectly unnerving.
💥 The ending? OOF. It stays with you.

If you’re into haunted houses with teeth, complex characters, and a story that makes you question who the real monster is, then this one’s for you.
& fair warning: the house always wins. 🖤🏚️

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
#ThrillerReads #GhostStory #BookReview #ItWasHerHouseFirst #CheriePriest #SpookyReads #BookstagramThriller #CreepyReads #WomenWhoHaunt

A clever horror story about a house haunted by, among others, a vengeful ghost. Ronnie should have paid more attention what wasn't being said when she was looking at the run down house she eventually buys. Turns out Vernita is a very angry (with good reason but really, she's held on to it for a long time) ghost. She's managed to snare others into the house and they're ghosts now too. I found this a bit challenging to keep safe at first but then, suddenly, all the strands pulled together for me. No spoilers but know that the dual time line is key. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.