What a drag…It’s Monday.

“wishing harder than she’d ever wished before that for just sixty seconds someone would hold her, but no one holds moms.” — Grady Hendrix, How To Sell A Haunted House

What’s up, friends — how are you this Monday? Don’t let my header bring you down, that’s just my sentiment about Monday.  I hope you’re enjoying the Fall weather and cooler temps. Don’t forget to check in with friends and family, and please stay hydrated, live well, and give yourself some grace.

I’ve been doing book review weekends, but since I started going back into the office, my body and mind need rest, so I’m back to posting my remaining book reviews on Monday to get caught up.  Today I’m reviewing …How to Sell A Haunted House by Grady Hendrix.  To listen to the podcast, check it out on Spotify.

The Review

Title | How To Sell A Haunted House
Author | Grady Hendrix
Format | Audiobook
Pages | 419
Published  | January, 2023
Genre |  Horror, Fiction, Thriller
GR Rating | 3.76
Purchase | Amazon

Synopsis

When Louise finds out her parents have died, she dreads going home. She doesn’t want to leave her daughter with her ex and fly to Charleston. She doesn’t want to deal with her family home, stuffed to the rafters with the remnants of her father’s academic career and her mother’s lifelong obsession with puppets and dolls. She doesn’t want to learn how to live without the two people who knew and loved her best in the world.

My Rating (4.00)

Before this book even premiered, it intrigued me and immediately got added to my TBR list.] I’ve read several of Hendrix’s novels, [Final Girls Support Group, My Best Friends Exorcism, The SGBCG to Slaying Vampires, and Horrorstor], and this is another one that I enjoyed. What’s not to love about a haunted house?

Louise [our protagonist] gets an unexpected call from her brother Mark. She hasn’t talked to Mark in several years, but she finds out in one fell swoop that her parents have died. Having a strained relationship with them, Louise also leaves her young daughter Poppy with her father and travels to Charleston, South Carolina.

Quote from How To Sell A Haunted House
“Time only moves in one direction no matter how hard we wish it wasn’t so.”

If memory serves, this is the 2nd or 3rd book by Hendrix that’s taken place in the South. [Which makes sense because he’s from Charleston] Louise is confused as she tries to process the death of her parents. She plans to be in Charleston for no more than two weeks to get things wrapped up, plan the funeral arrangements, and settle affairs.

Louise wouldn’t be the only one that’s left feeling neglected because her brother Mark stayed in their hometown to help the family and feels that Louise just left everything behind. There would be a continued sibling rivalry in this story as Mark and Louise have different ideas about what to do with their parent’s house.

Quote from How To Sell A Haunted House
“These are our parents!” Louise shouted the first time she’d shouted at an adult, maybe ever. “They’re not a doughnut! You don’t split them in half.”

Mark wants to clear everything out, sell all the stuff on eBay, and sell the house because the neighborhood is changing. Even though the house was falling into disrepair, he knew he could get good money for it.

Louise wants to go through things piece by piece because her mother was an artist who made puppets and dolls, and her father had an academic career, so between the two of them, the house was filled to the brim with things.

The puppets and dolls [however] were very special because it was with these dolls that Louise’s mother pulled the family out of financial trouble performing at church functions and other events. To Louise, these dolls and crafts were important, and she didn’t just want to give them [all] away.

Quote from How To Sell A Haunted House
“A haunting doesn’t necessarily indicate the survival of the human soul after bodily death,” he said, chewing. “There’s the stone tape theory of hauntings, which says that powerful emotional experiences leave permanent traces behind.”

Their mother even made life-sized dolls of the siblings [cause that’s not creepy at all]. Louise visited the house but noticed that something was off. Things didn’t seem right as the dolls were sitting front and center. Through this strange story, Louise and Mark would learn the truth behind her parents’ death, why these dolls were special, and the impact they had on the family.

Some of this made me chuckle because that’s the style of Grady Hendrix, and some events in the story would have me saying [oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no]. This novel really kept me on my toes, and I love the audiobook version. The narrator was engaging, I could listen to her without annoyance, and it performed well.

And I agree with the description …some houses don’t want to be sold.

My Good Reads Progress

I’ve constantly been adding to my 2024 book list, and I can’t wait to share them on the blog.  Share your most anticipated 2024 reads in the comments.

Thanks so much for visiting the blog today.  Don’t forget to follow and subscribe, as I really appreciate the support. — Peace

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