The House of Last Resort

by Christopher Golden

[Quirky Cat]

Summary:

Tommy and Kate Puglisi have made the tough decision to pick up their lives and move to a remote town in Italy. There are several good reasons for doing this. One, they're taking advantage of the $1 house sale. Two, they're closer to Tommy's ailing parents.

Unfortunately, there are a few negatives that they were only made aware of once it was too late. For example, their new home has many problems – not least of which are the hidden rooms. It seems as if the more they dig into the past, the more the past consumes them.

Review:

Huh. I've got to say, I've never read anything quite like The House of Last Resort. It's dark and twisted, sure. It starts out feeling more like a mystery or thriller, but as we get further into the story, the paranormal elements begin to seep it.

Usually, I love it when a book goes this route. So I was thrilled - at first. I don't know. Maybe this book did a good job getting under my skin? But the ending of The House of Last Resort felt so...unsatisfying. And I get it – not all horror novels end satisfyingly...

The problem is that, once again, I've found a thriller that had me completely hooked for about eighty percent of the book (maybe even ninety percent). Unfortunately, the ending didn't live up to the rest of the novel, leaving me disappointed.

Highlights:
Paranormal Horror
Mystery/Thriller
Secret Tunnels & Rooms
Digging up the past

Trigger Warnings:
Death of a parent
Gaslighting/Toxic relationships

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