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Hudson House

by J.T. Warren (Goodreads Author)

3.81 of 5 stars 3.81 · rating details · 21 ratings · 7 reviews

Hudson House . . . Teenagers Eric, Tommy, and Ed never should have entered . . . but once they did, they unleashed a power impossible to control, an evil presence intent on destroying everything they know. They are not the first to suffer in the house at the corner of Mangle Lane and Jackson Drive. Not the first to discover its unholy promise . . . or the first to know its...more

Paperback, 352 pages

Published September 17th 2010 by Createspace (first published August 19th 2010)

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The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson

Ghost Stories

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Best Haunted House Fiction That Isn't 'The Shining'

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Jul 05, 2011 Vone Savan rated it 3 of 5 stars

I love Halloween (it’s my second favorite Holiday) and I love haunted houses, so when you put the two together in a book, it’s hard for me to resist reading the story. HUDSON HOUSE by J.T. Warren takes these two ideas and morphs them into an entertaining—and sometimes chilling—thriller that was a lot of fun to read.

It’s 1984, a few days before Halloween, and best friends Eric Hunter, Tommy Pomeroy and Ed Forlure, are daring themselves into Hudson House, the most haunted house around their neigh...more I love Halloween (it’s my second favorite Holiday) and I love haunted houses, so when you put the two together in a book, it’s hard for me to resist reading the story. HUDSON HOUSE by J.T. Warren takes these two ideas and morphs them into an entertaining—and sometimes chilling—thriller that was a lot of fun to read.

It’s 1984, a few days before Halloween, and best friends Eric Hunter, Tommy Pomeroy and Ed Forlure, are daring themselves into Hudson House, the most haunted house around their neighborhood—if not the entire town. After entering Hudson House, the boys experienced some strange sightings and a few scares, before they finally escaped, but not completely unscathed.

As Eric, the protagonist, runs home in a state of fright, anticipating the comfort and familiarity of his house, he was instead, greeted by his dying mother who laid on the kitchen floor; a wound in her head was gushing blood. Soon after this traumatic scene, Eric’s mother passes, which then prompts Eric to blame himself, linking her death to his invasion of Hudson House.

As I mentioned before, this was a fun read for me. The novel was a combination of a mature version of Gil Kenan’s Monster House and a much lighter version of Clive Barker’s Hellraiser. The plot was thoughtful, the characters were well-developed, and the pace was fluid. The novel itself was divided into three different parts to better illustrate the time frame of Eric’s life—and it worked great. This book was very easy to follow.

Reading the book also brought on nostalgia since it took place in the eighties. Though I was very young, the references were still pleasant to read about. Warren mentioned the likes of Metallica, Michael Jackson’s “Thriller,” and even Skeletor from the iconic eighties cartoon, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe. Awesome, dude!

But my favorite part of this novel had nothing to do with the plot. Instead, I was smitten with Warren’s prose. It was clean, succinct, fluid, fast, articulate—and great! I loved it. The writing even compelled me to read when I wanted to stop, just so I could continue to admire the prose even more. In his bio, Warren states that he’s a literary school teacher, and it shows. He’s super talented and I’m glad that he’s passing his skills on to his students.

Now some grips about the novel.

Though the writing was great, the content vacillated between YA horror and adult horror (that’s why the reference to Monster House and Hellraiser). And typically, I don’t mind this back and forth tethering, but for a reason that I still can’t pinpoint, this particular quality of the book bothered me. Maybe it was because the core of the novel felt juvenile and young, but that certain contrived and graphic ideas were thrown in as an attempt to elevate the material to something more mature. I’m not positive, but something about the discrepancy irked me.

I also had issues with the majority of the characters in that I disliked them—including Eric. This saddened me. Almost all the characters displayed some brooding, obnoxious, self-loathing trait that I understood, but didn’t respond to; at least, not on any emotional or visceral level. In addition, I didn’t enjoy the last few chapters of the novel because the reveals didn’t have the impact that I think Warren had hoped for. Maybe part of it was because of my apathy towards the characters. I'm still not sure about this either. But, when all is said and done, I still felt like the reveals lacked the necessary emotional punch that I desperately wanted in the end—and that’s too bad.

Overall, I still recommend HUDSON HOUSE—especially if you’re a fan of fun thrillers with a harder edge. The campfire ghost story feel mixed with certain adult themes can be jarring at times, but the moments of thrill compensates for these flaws. Plus, the writing is too good to deny. Read this book—and have fun doing it!
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Jan 06, 2012 Misty Baker rated it 5 of 5 stars

Well… let me start by saying, “Hi! I’m back.” I’m sorry y’all have been fending for yourselves in the “to read or not to read” department for the last week and a half, but good news… I am finally well enough to focus, which… by default means that the book which I have been trying to read for a week has finally come to an end. (Whew.. that was a tough one)

Now, on a different note: last Friday I uploaded a YouTube episode about horror cliches that actually work in books, and be damned if I wasn’t...more Well… let me start by saying, “Hi! I’m back.” I’m sorry y’all have been fending for yourselves in the “to read or not to read” department for the last week and a half, but good news… I am finally well enough to focus, which… by default means that the book which I have been trying to read for a week has finally come to an end. (Whew.. that was a tough one)

Now, on a different note: last Friday I uploaded a YouTube episode about horror cliches that actually work in books, and be damned if I wasn’t right. “Hudson House” incorporated 4 of the 5 cliches I listed, and guess what, this book was killer. (<– sorry I had to, puns are fun)

Ed, Tommy and Eric are typical 13 year old boys… they don’t listen to their parents, they call each other hurtful names just for the hell of it, and a good game of “guilt or dare” is always welcome. But when the three friends decide to enter a well known haunted house in their neighborhood; everything suddenly changes. Loved ones turn up dead, people suddenly avoid eye contact, and there seems to be a boat load of evil around every corner, but all of this pales in comparison to what is really going on. Does Hudson House really hold the key to a powerful future if it’s evil can be harnessed? Who is the lady in white that keeps popping up, and will all 3 boys make it out alive or will the house claim them one by one?

I’m not gonna lie… I was like a little kid in a candy store when I first started reading this book. There is nothing better than a book that surprises you (a kid who carries around skull fragments) or just generally creeps you out (a pillowcase full of knives.) The adrenaline that comes with reading a horror novel is undeniable, and if your imagination is a wild as mine tends to be, the whole book is playing out in your head like some really warped version “Monster House.” The most interesting thing however, the thing that had my brain buzzing like bees on crack, was Warren’s writing techniques. It is important (in all books) that characters grow, that’s what keeps the story flowing, but this “growth” is usually limited to emotional or intellectual. Warren, on the other hand, started his story when his characters were pre-pubesent versions of themselves, and then continued to build his plot as they grew older and developed defined personalities. I (for one) see this as a brilliant technique in development, and helps the reader to experience the action on several different levels (child fear to teenage determination.) Now, does this mean you get so wrapped up in the players that you miss the game? Never. As artfully crafted as his characters are, his plot was even more spectacular, painting vivid pictures around every corner, and even writing “smells” into his already frightening plot. (Thanks by the way… I’m never gonna be able to eat candy apples again.)

So what’s the vote? Well… that’s obvious. It’s horror all around, and just in time for Halloween.

Happy reading my fellow Kindle-ites and remember: When a librarian kicks you out of the library for doing research, beware… there’s obviously something fishy going on.(less)

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Nov 12, 2010 Lady Rogue rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This book began with 3 boys (Eric, Tommy, Ed), who in thier young teen wisdom dared to enter the Hudson House. They knew the stories, teenagers gone missing and people turning up dead. They knew the house was believed to be evil and haunted. Yet, the pressure to be accepted among friends was a very powerful and realistic emotion. The author did an amazing job in producing them through Eric. The boys actions took Eric and his friends on a path of no return. Soon after, Eric began to learn, his pa...more

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Apr 30, 2012 Kelly Truelove rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Fans of supernatural horror and haunted house stories

This was an awesome read! I read this one over the weekend while driving back from TX, and I was very impressed. It reminded me of Dan Simmons' Summer of Night and Winter Haunting, two of my favorites. It was suspenseful and held my attention from start to finish. I love it when a book grabs me right from page one and won't let go. For me, this was such a book. When I had to take a break, I couldn't wait to get back to it. Once I finished, I immediately went looking for more books by this author...more

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Apr 24, 2011 Kimberly rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Horror, Suspense, Mystery. I read the preview of this book and was hooked within the first few pages. Immediately I felt the main character's fear! Once I reached the end of the preview I wasted no time in purchasing it.

I couldn't put this book down...contemplated ditching work to read. Although, I didn't.

This reminded me of the animated movie 'Monster House'. However, it's nothing like it.
"Something worse than demons."

Definitely not a book for younger readers. Very morbid, and graphic.

I haven...more

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May 21, 2011 Chris DiLeo rated it 5 of 5 stars

I'm biased, of course, because I wrote this book, but it has been well received since its publication last year and has sold several hundred ebook copies. The reader response has been resoundingly positive, which is why I'm giving away a paperback copy. One blogger said the book is a cross between Stand By Me and Monster House, only with a lot more blood. I hope you take the chance to get the free copy and maybe even download the ebook in the meantime--it's $0.99 for a limited time only.

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May 28, 2011 Saewod Tice added it

Originally finding this story on [...], I started the teasing chapters. By the time I got to the last chapter posted I was drooling for more. Thankfully I saw the book was published and available for Kindle. Whew!

Sick of the supernatural stories overcrowding the virtual and physical book shelves? Well, then this will be a nice change of paragraphs for you.

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Jun 08, 2013 Brian Deegan marked it as to-read · review of another edition

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May 30, 2013 Mallory Anne-Marie Forbes rated it 5 of 5 stars

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About J.T. Warren

Horror aficionado, lover of Halloween, author of the upcoming young adult horror novel, HUDSON HOUSE, available in print and ebook formats.

J.T. Warren was born on Halloween, a few months after his mother saw Jaws at the movies. His affinity for horror can be traced to an early age when he built a coffin out of cardboard and pretended to be a corpse, much to the concern of his parents. He can still...more

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