this story surprised me, it was a slow‑burn supernatural thriller about two teens, Billy and Spivey, who uncover an ancient evil on a remote island. What starts as a summer of curiosity turns into a dark tale of rituals, secrets, and survival. Barker’s writing is atmospheric and tense, with the island itself feeling like a character. Perfect for fans of eerie, character driven horror with an occult twist. In short: a haunted island, teenage friendship, and a creeping evil that refuses to stay buried. I liked the ending because the long build‑up made the final reveal hit harder, showing that some truths are best left undiscovered.

This one started off strong but quickly unraveled. The characters deteriorated rather than developed, and the effects of the (apparently) "evil" house came out of nowhere. It was hard to follow the thread of why characters were doing what they were doing.

Reading *Something I Keep Upstairs* felt like stepping into a foggy, haunted summer where something is always watching from the shadows. The mystery unfolds slowly, but it pulls you in with just enough unease and curiosity to keep turning the pages. I loved the eerie atmosphere—an isolated island, a pristine house that feels *too* untouched, and the creeping sense that something isn’t right.

It’s not just a ghost story—it’s about friendship, fear, and how quickly things can spiral when you dig into the past. The narration added to the experience, keeping the tension simmering. It wasn’t the most emotionally gripping in terms of character connection, but the vibe? Creepy and immersive in the best way. Definitely a story that sticks with you.

Selecting this book seemed like an easy choice, a state to check off my read across America list and read by Crouch. I didn't realize it was considered a YA novel, but now looking back at the style of writing this might be correct. I was not drawn into the novel, starting and stopping several times and never remembering what I just listened to, not a great start to what should be a scary haunted house/island novel. I listened to the audiobook while visiting Alcatraz, hoping that the two would be "similar" in the creepiness. Sadly, here I am, finished. No nothing. Bummer!

Thanks to Hampton Street Press, J.D. Barker and Netgalley for this ALC and allowing me to review.

Something I Keep Upstairs by J.D. Barker is a captivating audiobook that delivers a chilling and immersive experience. This gripping horror-thriller masterfully blends psychological suspense with supernatural elements, keeping listeners on edge through its unpredictable twists and haunting atmosphere. The story, centered on Billy and Spivey’s unsettling journey on a remote island, is both emotionally resonant and genuinely unnerving. The narration is exceptional, skillfully amplifying the tension and bringing depth to each character. The audio production is seamless, enhancing the eerie mood perfectly. Highly recommended for fans of intense, atmospheric thrillers. My sincere thanks to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster, and Recorded Books for providing this ALC.

I found this to be a decent read. I was curious the entire time and was looking forward to reading it when I was unable to. Definitely a solid read.

I received both audio and ebook versions of Something I Keep Upstairs by J.D Barker from netgalley. I listened to the audiobook, so that is what my review is based on.

I think the narration was so well done. I'm not sure if this book is supposed to be YA, but the narrator, characters, and story all give YA feel. HOWEVER, that's not a bad thing as I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

The characters and setting are very descriptive. There's mystery after mystery, keeping me on my toes.

Definitely recommend!

Tagline: For a haunted house to be born, someone has to die.

We are in a coastal town in New Hampshire. Billy Hasler is recent high school graduate and 17 years old. Billy's best friend, Dave Spivey, has just inherited his grandmother's house, which is out on an island. Billy, Dave and friends decide to spend the summer before leaving for college out on the island. There will be no parents. There are no police. They can do whatever they want.

Things are not always what they appear, specifically when it comes to this creepy, large house. Nightmarish things keep happening, or do they?

This book was incredibly creepy. It just felt very long. Definitely a haunting story.

Narration was incredible and I rated it 3.5 out of 5 stars, in part due to the incredible narration.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Creepy, Gripping, and Full of Chills

Something I Keep Upstairs is another chilling win from J.D. Barker. Right from the beginning, the atmosphere is unsettling in the best way—it creeps under your skin and keeps you on edge. Barker knows how to build suspense slowly, with just enough detail to make you feel like something is always lurking around the corner.

The storyline was original and gripping, with twists that genuinely surprised me. The psychological elements and eerie pacing gave the book a haunting quality that stayed with me even after I finished. It was one of those books I couldn’t stop thinking about while reading.

I’m giving it four stars because there were a few moments that felt a little drawn out, and I wanted just a bit more depth with some of the side characters. But overall, this was a smart, suspenseful read that thriller fans will absolutely devour.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC in audiobook format.

Something I Keep Upstairs by J.D. Barker, narrated by Michael Crouch

J.D. Barker’s Something I Keep Upstairs is a slow-burning supernatural chiller that trades jump scares for psychological unease—and in audio form, it’s a creeping dread you can’t turn down. Set on a secluded island off the coast of New Castle, New Hampshire, the story follows seventeen-year-old Billy Hasler and his best friend David Spivey, who inherits a mysterious house with a set of rules that feel more like warnings than guidelines.

Michael Crouch’s narration is a perfect match for Barker’s atmospheric storytelling. His voice captures Billy’s youthful curiosity and growing terror with a subtlety that makes the horror feel personal. Crouch doesn’t overplay the fear—he lets it seep in, like fog rolling off the Atlantic. His pacing is deliberate, allowing the island’s secrets to unfold with a sense of inevitability that’s more chilling than any scream.

The novel’s strength lies in its restraint. Barker leans into folklore, isolation, and the fragile bonds of teenage friendship to build tension. The rules of the house—don’t lock the doors, don’t answer the phone, feed Emerson—are delivered with such eerie normalcy that they become talismans of dread. And as the boys uncover the island’s dark past, the line between myth and memory begins to blur.

This isn’t a story of gore or spectacle—it’s a character-driven descent into the uncanny. Barker explores themes of sacrifice, legacy, and the seductive pull of the unknown. And Crouch, with his nuanced performance, ensures that every whispered secret and creaking floorboard lands with maximum impact.

This book started off strong—David Spivey inherits an island and a mysterious house, and it sets the stage for what felt like a creepy, intriguing setup. His friends join him to explore and stay for a summer adventure before college, and at first, I was curious to see where it would go.

But then... things took a strange turn. A girl is kidnapped, and it’s revealed they’ve basically offered themselves to the house as some kind of sacrifice. From there, the story just got weird. It lost the suspense and direction that the beginning promised, and I found myself pushing through just to finish it—not because I was hooked.

It had potential, but the second half was off-putting. Definitely not the story I expected, and unfortunately, not one I’d recommend.

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

What a spooky, creepy read! Great haunted house vibes,
eerie, and had some darker elements involved.

The characters were complex, in my case it was either you loved or hated them but there was a deep dive into them where you did connect, whether it was a good or bad connection.

This was a rather long audiobook, very descriptive writing in some areas of the book so if you are into that, this book has it. His writing is wonderful so despite the length, I enjoyed the read.

Thank you to NetGalley and RBMedia for the ALC.

I love J.D. Barker’s Sam Porter series so I will continue to read them, although this wasn’t necessarily my typical cup of tea.

I'm so glad I got the audiobook for this one. I would have DNF this book after a couple of chapters if I had the physical version. Why? Because teenagers are often immature, following their train of thought would have been a real trial for me.
All of the previous problems got resolved with the audiobook. The teenager's mind got so much easier to navigate by listening to it. Even though the train of thought was still very immature, I could grasp more things through the tones of voice and their interactions.
At the end of the day, it was a good experience. I hope to read more from the author, and I hope to listen to more audiobooks from this narrator.

This book was overall a good read. It was a little different but enjoyable.

There wasn’t much of a mystery as to figure out more of figuring out what was going on with the island.

The characters were described pretty well and gave a good bit of information on them.
I did have a few issues with the back and forth in time periods. Maybe because it was an audiobook it was a little harder to keep track.

Overall a good book, would recommend

Thank you NetGalley for the copy

what an entertaining read this was!

in the quiet coastal town of new castle, new hampshire, seventeen-year-old billy hasler is looking forward to one last carefree summer. when his best friend, david spivey, inherits an old house on a nearby island, it feels like the perfect escape before heading off to college.
but as the boys begin to uncover the island's dark secrets, they unknowingly stir an ancient force that has haunted the area for generations. what starts as a fun summer getaway soon unravels into a nightmare.

the last book that i read by j.d. barker was a bit of a disappointment (we don't talk about emma), but i'm so glad i gave this author another chance - this one definitely did not disappoint!

the way the story's universe was created, with all the unique paranormal touches and vivid location details, made everything super easy to picture. at times, i could imagine myself right there with the characters, which really added to my reading experience. honestly, it was quite impressive.
the description of the house was done so well - it was detailed, eerie and atmospheric. i loved the isolated island setting.

the characters were very interesting, each with their own distinct personalities and flaws.
i enjoyed watching their development throughout the story - though not always in a good way. i had a bit of a hard time connecting with some of them - some of them were unlikeable, while others, like our protagonist billy, were easier to root for.

the story dives deep into themes of friendship and sacrifice. billy, spivey and the rest of the group's bond is tested as they start pushing boundaries and risking their lives for the sake of the entity.

i really enjoyed the writing style. the tension-building, especially around the supernatural elements, was well done - i genuinely felt the unease while listening.
while multiple pov's can sometimes be overwhelming for me, i actually really liked how they were used in this story. it was cool getting to see what was happening from different characters' perspectives, and the shifting pov's added a lot to the suspense.

the narrator - michael crouch - did a fantastic job, in my opinion. i'm definitely looking forward to listening to more books narrated by him. the audiobook was kind of long, but i had a great time with it the whole way through. it never felt like a chore to finish - i was fully hooked.
i honestly have no complaints and immensely enjoyed the ride.

i'd definitely recommend it to horror readers - the story has a creepy atmosphere, with a haunted house/isolated island setting and a great mix of supernatural elements.


*thanks to NetGalley, RBmedia, and J.D. Barker for providing me with an opportunity to review this ALC!*

J.D. Barker's Something I Keep Upstairs (audiobook) plunges listeners into a chilling tale where an inherited house on a secluded island promises a summer of freedom, but delivers a nightmare of ancient evil. Seventeen-year-old Billy Hasler and his best friend, David Spivey, envision an idyllic final summer before college at David's newly inherited home in New Castle, New Hampshire—a place free from parents, police, or responsibilities.

However, their innocent adventure quickly devolves into terror as they delve into the island's dark history, inadvertently awakening an ancient evil that has influenced generations. What begins as a dream escape morphs into a fight for survival against a malevolent force. Something I Keep Upstairs is a haunting and atmospheric exploration of friendship, sacrifice, and the sinister darkness that can lie just beyond our comprehension, making for a truly terrifying listen.

If J.D. Barker’s name is attached to a book, I’m going to see what it’s about! This time we have a haunted house on its own island in a real location called New Castle, New Hampshire. And we have YA characters too! Be sure to read the author’s note at the end of the novel. When I saw that Michael Crouch performed the narration, I just knew I had to listen to this novel. I have adored Michael Crouch in past books I have listened to: He is a perfect narrator for YA characters. And he helped to bring Billy to life telling the listener this story.

New Castle, New Hampshire is a small town and Barker really brings the reader/ listener into this world. Billy Hasler tells us this story: He and David Spivey have been friends since they were four years old. ‘Spivey’ as everyone calls him inherits his grandmother’s house that is on its own island. All the teens are ecstatic over this. But there are rules that are meant to be followed. Some of the rules are:

-Never lock the doors
-Don't answer the phone
-Anyone on the island at sunset must stay until sunrise
-No one under 16 can set foot on the island (Wait a minute, a teenage boy inherits an island with this rule!?!?)
-Don’t forget to feed Emerson.

These are some strange rules, especially for the teens. And who or what is Emerson???

What starts as adventure turns into a nightmare. Will these teens survive?

Barker did a great job with these characters. I felt like I go to know these characters over the course of the novel. We have witchcraft going on, ghosts, and plenty of supernatural. It is a character driven novel, so if you are looking for a novel to give you ‘jump scares’ this is not it. It does get creepy towards the end, but a lot of this is the journey that Billy, David, and friends go on.

I enjoyed it and thank the publisher for granting me a copy I could listen to and review.

Thank you to RBmedia, NetGalley & J.D. Barker for the audioARC in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 5 stars.
Genre(s): horror, mystery/thriller.

Overall impression: this is by far one of my favourite horror/thriller reads to date. I could tell how much time and energy went into this novel because it was complex, completely refreshing and executed perfectly. The storyline was multi-layered and detailed, spanning multiple generations and with a wide variety of POV's showing different perspectives. The world-building was so intriguing with all of the unique paranormal elements and thorough descriptions of core locations, making the scenes easy to visualise. The characters were really interesting and had such different personalities and flaws. They developed a lot as the story progressed and made difficult choices that altered the trajectory of the story. By the end, it was positively unsettling and we were left with a open-ended happy-for-now scenario - which is my favourite type of ending for horror novels. I strongly recommend listening to the audiobook version of this story - the narrator did a great job at conveying the emotions of the characters as they were faced with injury, death and unimaginable horror. I was absolutely hooked and now need to go read all of J.D. Barker's other books!

Tropes:
➵ Childhood friends
➵ High school sweethearts
➵ Flawed characters
➵ Inherited haunted island
➵ Not everything is as it seems
➵ Witches, ghosts & demons
➵ Seance, rituals & blood pact
➵ Human sacrifice
➵ Tell anyone and 💀
➵ There's something in the basement
➵ No service/wifi
➵ Secrets & betrayal
➵ Not everyone survives
➵ Police investigation
➵ Missing person case
➵ Creepy lawyer
➵ Set in isolated location
➵ Plot twists
➵ Happy-for-now (HFN)
➵ Cliffhanger ending

⤷ Plot:
I thought I knew what was happening for the first part of the story but it quickly spiralled out of control and there were so many twists and turns that it was hard to keep up. It went at a break-neck speed with an inheritance, weird house rules, out-of-control parties, generational pacts and secrets, rituals and human sacrifice, and a final escape for your life scene. Like other great horror books the ending was unsettling and not quite a happy-ever-after. It was left open and you know that the threat still persists somewhere, even if it no longer affects a particular location.

⤷ Characters:
The main characters were a tight-knit group of high school friends. They had vastly different personalities and flaws, and underwent extensive character development as the story progressed - though not always in the right direction. This created some uncomfortable scenes as characters started pushing moral boundaries and put their friends at risk, such as demanding blood pacts and sacrifices to the evil entity in the house. I liked that Billy (the main storyteller) was partially separated from the core group so we got to see the outside world perspective too, which contrasted with the horrors happening on the island vividly.

⤷ World-building:
The level of world-building was seriously impressive. I couldn't work out what was real life and what was an alternative reality where ghosts, rituals and evil beings were rife. It was positively creepy and I was really scared for the main characters the whole time they were on the island. The visual description of the house was really detailed and well done. I could picture the scenes clearly and it felt like I was there with the characters. It made the whole experience even more anxiety-inducing!

⤷ Writing:
I really enjoyed the writing style and I'll definitely pick up more of J.D. Barker's books in the future. Despite being quite complex in terms of plot and world-building, the story had a great flow and didn't feel too convoluted. It helped that multiple POVs were used to show events happening simultaneously and the POV switching back and forth during critical moments really kept me on the edge of my seat!

⤷ Everything else:
I listened to the RBmedia audiobook and thoroughly enjoyed it. The narrator sounded like the main character and conveyed the emotion of the story really well. I was able to distinguish between the different character voices without any effort, which helped me follow along even when I was busy or commuting. The world-building did well with this format too and I could vividly picture the scenes described, so it felt like I was watching a little movie in my mind. I would strongly recommend the audiobook to anyone interested in the blurb for these reasons! I'm not sure if I would have appreciated the urgency of the story or subtle emotions otherwise.

I am giving three stars because this book was really hard for me to finish because I was not actually a huge fan of the themes in the book and they were hard for me to keep up with. However, the book was amazingly written! If you are someone who is into other worldly, witchy, ghostly themes this book is perfect and easily a 4-5 star read! The other was great and I highly recommend listening to/readinf the authors notes once the book is finished! I usually do not but I am glad I did this time.

EXCERPT: My name is Billy Hasler.
When I was a kid, my best friend's name was David Spivey. I haven't said that name aloud in nearly eleven years. It's been at least nine since I'd last written it down, and I have mixed feelings about putting it on paper here. I've been told I should though, so there's that. They tell me it will be good for me, but I can't help but wonder if they really mean it will be good for them.
A lot of people want some kind of closure from me. Honestly, that's a big ask. I'm still waiting for my own closure to come.
I've been told that if I continue to keep all this to myself, bottled up inside, the pressure will build and one of these days I might just . . .
Kablooey!
Okay, that's silly. But that's what the doctors tell me.
That's what my mom tells me.
That's what my remaining friends tell me.
Most certainly the police. Their visits aren't as frequent as they used to be, but they still come around. Mundie gave up. Sandy Lomax has long since retired, but that's never stopped the latest fresh-faced officers on our small force from knocking on my door.
'Hey, I read the file and I was wondering if you could spare a few minutes to talk about Chief Whaley, those kids . . . '
I tell them enough to make them go away.
Just enough to make them understand that the sponge has been squeezed dry by many hands before them, and I have nothing left to give.

ABOUT 'SOMETHING I KEEP IN THE ATTIC': For a haunted house to be born, somebody has to die.

In the sleepy coastal town of New Castle, New Hampshire, seventeen-year-old Billy Hasler's life is about to take a terrifying turn. When his best friend David Spivey inherits a mysterious house on a nearby island, it seems like the perfect place to spend their final summer before heading off to college. No parents. No police. No responsibilities.

As they dig into the island's dark past, they awaken an ancient evil that has influenced generations. What begins as an innocent summer adventure quickly descends into a nightmare.

MY THOUGHTS: Do the dead know they're dead?

That question is doing my head in, but it is an important question in the context of Something I Keep Upstairs by J.D. Barker.

The more I think about this read, the more I find to like about it. Initially I had trouble connecting with both the storyline and the characters - there's a very YA feel to it. The main characters are sixteen and seventeen years old - that's a long way back in my rear-view mirror. And not a lot happened in the first half of the book. I wasn't getting chills or tingles in my spine and, to be quite honest, I was feeling quite disappointed.

But after the halfway point, the tension ramps up quite considerably. I still didn't get the tingles and the hairs on the back of my neck were resolutely flat-lining, but it certainly became a whole lot more interesting. I knew that no matter how it ended, it wasn't going to be good (for the characters).

There are still some things I don't understand, and I am tempted, at some near point in the future, to give this a second read. Knowing what I now know, I think I will get a lot more out of this read and I will probably find the answers to those questions. This is also one of those very rare instances where I think I would have benefited from reading the author's note BEFORE I read the book.

I was extremely blessed to be able to combine reading with listening to Something I Keep Upstairs and I definitely preferred reading Something I Keep Upstairs to listening to it. This is no reflection on the narrator. Michael Crouch does a superb job of the narration, and I have no complaints on that front. I just think that more of the creep factor came through the written words.

As an aside, the next pet I get, I am going to name Emmerson, and there will be a note on my fridge which readsDon't forget to feed Emmerson.

⭐⭐⭐.7

#SomethingIKeepUpstairs #NetGalley

MEET THE AUTHOR: As a child I was always told the dark could not hurt me, that the shadows creeping in the corners of my room were nothing more than just that, shadows. The sounds nothing more than the settling of our old home, creaking as it found comfort in the earth only to move again when it became restless, if ever so slightly. I would never sleep without closing the closet door, oh no; the door had to be shut tight. The darkness lurking inside needed to be held at bay, the whispers silenced. Rest would only come after I checked under the bed at least twice and quickly wrapped myself in the safety of the sheets (which no monster could penetrate), pulling them tight over my head.

I would never go down to the basement.

Never.

I had seen enough movies to know better, I had read enough stories to know what happens to little boys who wandered off into dark, dismal places alone. And there were stories, so many stories.

Reading was my sanctuary, a place where I could disappear for hours at a time, lost in the pages of a good book. It didn’t take long before I felt the urge to create my own.

I first began to write as a child, spinning tales of ghosts and gremlins, mystical places and people. For most of us, that’s where it begins—as children we have such wonderful imaginations, some of us have simply found it hard to grow up. I’ve spent countless hours trying to explain to friends and family why I enjoy it, why I would rather lock myself in a quiet little room and put pen to paper for hours at a time than throw around a baseball or simply watch television. Don’t get me wrong, sometimes I want to do just that, sometimes I wish for it, but even then the need to write is always there in the back of my mind, the characters are impatiently tapping their feet, waiting their turn, wanting to be heard. I wake in the middle of the night and reach for the pad beside my bed, sometimes scrawling page after page of their words, their lives. Then they’re quiet, if only for a little while. To stop would mean madness, or even worse—the calm, numbing sanity I see in others as they slip through the day without purpose. They don’t know what it’s like, they don’t understand. Something as simple as a pencil can open the door to a new world, can create life or experience death. Writing can take you to places you’ve never been, introduce you to people you’ve never met, take you back to when you first saw those shadows in your room, when you first heard the sounds mumbling ever so softly from your closet, and it can show you what uttered them. It can scare the hell out of you, and that’s when you know it’s good.

Barker resides in coastal New Hampshire with his wife, Dayna, and their daughter, Ember.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Hampton Creek Press, Simon & Schuster for providing an e-ARC and RB Media for providing an audio ARC of Behind A Closed Door by J.D. Barker for review. Both formats were delivered via NetGalley. The audiobook is well-narrated by Michael Crouch. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.