Review: The Underhistory by Kaaron Warren
Last Updated on March 5, 2025
Kaaron Warren brings Gothic horror to a contemporary Australian setting in her latest novel, The Underhistory. The protagonist, Pera Sinclair, was only nine years old when her family’s mansion was destroyed by a plane crash. As the sole survivor, Pera was determined to rebuild her family home as a perfect replica from her childhood, also serving as a monument to everyone who perished inside.
The novel alternates between the World War II-era backstory of the Sinclair family and the modern-day setting of the reconstructed Sinclair House. Present-day Pera has made a living giving tours of her purportedly haunted home. Each room of the Sinclair House has its own quirky name and a unique story to tell, especially the cellar known as the Underhistory.
Visitors to the Sinclar House are captivated by the mansion’s history of death, and Pera is more than happy to oblige her guests’ desires to hear a good ghost story. Indeed, Pera’s storytelling abilities are one of the highlights of The Underhistory.
But Pera’s final haunted house tour of the season brings a group of suspicious and probably dangerous men. With these unscrupulous men threatening her home, Pera must use her storytelling prowess and some psychological manipulation to remain safe, lest death claim the last remaining member of the Sinclair family.
The Underhistory has a very interesting premise, and Kaaron Warren excels at creating a quirky yet foreboding atmosphere. However, for all the talk of paranormal activity, the horror aspects of the novel never build up to a truly satisfying level of terror. The story also suffers from too many time jumps, which give The Underhistory an overly disjointed feel.
Nevertheless, readers looking for a new twist on the classic haunted house horror will find a lot to love in this casually quirky yet deeply atmospheric novel, which rewards the patient reader with many layers of psychological depth. Kaaron Warren has been one of my favorite horror authors since her brilliant short story collection, Dead Sea Fruit, and I look forward to reading more from her in the future.
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