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The Spite House
A terrifying Gothic thriller about grief and death and the depths of a father's love, Johnny Compton's The Spite House is a stunning debut by a horror master in the making—The Babadook meets A Head Full of Ghosts in Texas Hill Country.
Eric Ross is on the run from a mysterious past with his two daughters in tow. Having left his wife, his house, his whole life behind in Maryland, he's desperate for money—it's not easy to find steady, safe work when you can't provide references, you can't stay in one place for long, and you're paranoid that your past is creeping back up on you.
When he comes across the strange ad for the Masson House in Degener, Texas, Eric thinks they may have finally caught a lucky break. The Masson property, notorious for being one of the most haunted places in Texas, needs a caretaker of sorts. The owner is looking for proof of paranormal activity. All they need to do is stay in the house and keep a detailed record of everything that happens there. Provided the house’s horrors don’t drive them all mad, like the caretakers before them.
The job calls to Eric, not just because there's a huge payout if they can make it through, but because he wants to explore the secrets of the spite house. If it is indeed haunted, maybe it'll help him understand the uncanny power that clings to his family, driving them from town to town, making them afraid to stop running.
Eric Ross is on the run from a mysterious past with his two daughters in tow. Having left his wife, his house, his whole life behind in Maryland, he's desperate for money—it's not easy to find steady, safe work when you can't provide references, you can't stay in one place for long, and you're paranoid that your past is creeping back up on you.
When he comes across the strange ad for the Masson House in Degener, Texas, Eric thinks they may have finally caught a lucky break. The Masson property, notorious for being one of the most haunted places in Texas, needs a caretaker of sorts. The owner is looking for proof of paranormal activity. All they need to do is stay in the house and keep a detailed record of everything that happens there. Provided the house’s horrors don’t drive them all mad, like the caretakers before them.
The job calls to Eric, not just because there's a huge payout if they can make it through, but because he wants to explore the secrets of the spite house. If it is indeed haunted, maybe it'll help him understand the uncanny power that clings to his family, driving them from town to town, making them afraid to stop running.
12 pages, Audible Audio
First published February 7, 2023
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November 15, 2025
**3.5-stars rounded up**
Wait, this is a debut?!
I seriously had no idea while reading this. Just now looking over the book details did I discover this fun fact, making what I read even more impressive.
Johnny Compton is one to watch...
The Spite House follows dedicated father, Eric, who is on the run with his two daughters, Dess and Stacy. Starting in Maryland, the family has made it to Texas without major incident, but will that luck hold?
The road isn't an easy place, with Eric only taking unreliable jobs paying cash where he can. It's unclear exactly what they're running from, but it is clear that it's imperative they don't get caught.
They're living in hotels, barely getting by, when Eric discovers an ad for a live-in position at the Masson House, in Degener, Texas. The pay is six-figures, the hazards...it's haunted. Reputedly, the most haunted house in Texas.
Haunted or not, Eric and his girls don't have a lot of choices. Eric is intrigued. All they have to do is live at the property and report to the owner any paranormal happenings they might observe.
The exciting pay rate is one thing, but Eric has his own additional reasons for wanting to explore the potentially supernatural nature of the house.
This story follows the perspectives of Eric, Dess and Stacy, in the days leading up to and including their time at the Masson House. There's a few other perspectives as well.
There's Eunice, the lady who hires them, Lafonda, Eunice's employee, Millie, Max, the children; there's actually a lot of different perspectives helping to build out this story. While I understand why the author chose to tell it this way, it was actually the story's biggest downfall for me personally.
It felt a little crowded. I'll admit to finding it hard to track in certain places. Never Eric, Dess or Stacy. They were clear and distinct throughout. I even really enjoyed having Eunice and Lafonda's insights, but for me personally, it could have ended there as far as perspectives were concerned.
The story itself was delightful in its sense of place. I loved the Southern vibe carried throughout, including the fantastic narration of the audiobook by Adam Lazarre-White.
Additionally, the themes and topics explored were unique and well-presented. The nature of the hauntings allowed Compton to build a sense of dread that really never let up. This was one of my favorite parts of this. It was eerie start-to-finish.
This includes Eric, Dess and Stacy's situation. You know something is going on there, but at first, it's not clear what it is. I liked how Compton chose to reveal that side of the story and it definitely helped to amplify the situation at Masson House.
I also found the history of the Masson House, and the property it sits on, fascinating. I love when land holds on to these sorts of generational traumas and carries it through to a modern-day perspective, or situation.
There's something unsettling about that. I think we've all been to places that hold a certain feeling and I love watching that play out in fiction. Considering what could be behind those vibes. It's so interesting to me.
Overall, I felt this was a unique and engaging story with a fabulously narrated audiobook. The Spite House should be on every Horror Lovers immediate TBR. You do not want to miss out on this one.
Thank you so much to the publisher, Tor Nightfire and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review.
I am so excited to read more from Johnny Compton in the future. If this book is any indication, he has a long and successful career ahead of him!
Wait, this is a debut?!
I seriously had no idea while reading this. Just now looking over the book details did I discover this fun fact, making what I read even more impressive.
Johnny Compton is one to watch...
The Spite House follows dedicated father, Eric, who is on the run with his two daughters, Dess and Stacy. Starting in Maryland, the family has made it to Texas without major incident, but will that luck hold?
The road isn't an easy place, with Eric only taking unreliable jobs paying cash where he can. It's unclear exactly what they're running from, but it is clear that it's imperative they don't get caught.
They're living in hotels, barely getting by, when Eric discovers an ad for a live-in position at the Masson House, in Degener, Texas. The pay is six-figures, the hazards...it's haunted. Reputedly, the most haunted house in Texas.
Haunted or not, Eric and his girls don't have a lot of choices. Eric is intrigued. All they have to do is live at the property and report to the owner any paranormal happenings they might observe.
The exciting pay rate is one thing, but Eric has his own additional reasons for wanting to explore the potentially supernatural nature of the house.
This story follows the perspectives of Eric, Dess and Stacy, in the days leading up to and including their time at the Masson House. There's a few other perspectives as well.
There's Eunice, the lady who hires them, Lafonda, Eunice's employee, Millie, Max, the children; there's actually a lot of different perspectives helping to build out this story. While I understand why the author chose to tell it this way, it was actually the story's biggest downfall for me personally.
It felt a little crowded. I'll admit to finding it hard to track in certain places. Never Eric, Dess or Stacy. They were clear and distinct throughout. I even really enjoyed having Eunice and Lafonda's insights, but for me personally, it could have ended there as far as perspectives were concerned.
The story itself was delightful in its sense of place. I loved the Southern vibe carried throughout, including the fantastic narration of the audiobook by Adam Lazarre-White.
Additionally, the themes and topics explored were unique and well-presented. The nature of the hauntings allowed Compton to build a sense of dread that really never let up. This was one of my favorite parts of this. It was eerie start-to-finish.
This includes Eric, Dess and Stacy's situation. You know something is going on there, but at first, it's not clear what it is. I liked how Compton chose to reveal that side of the story and it definitely helped to amplify the situation at Masson House.
I also found the history of the Masson House, and the property it sits on, fascinating. I love when land holds on to these sorts of generational traumas and carries it through to a modern-day perspective, or situation.
There's something unsettling about that. I think we've all been to places that hold a certain feeling and I love watching that play out in fiction. Considering what could be behind those vibes. It's so interesting to me.
Overall, I felt this was a unique and engaging story with a fabulously narrated audiobook. The Spite House should be on every Horror Lovers immediate TBR. You do not want to miss out on this one.
Thank you so much to the publisher, Tor Nightfire and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review.
I am so excited to read more from Johnny Compton in the future. If this book is any indication, he has a long and successful career ahead of him!
February 9, 2023
Who doesn't like a story about a family that moves into a haunted house?
Eric Ross saw an ad for a caretaker position at Masson House in Degener, Texas. A promise of high six figures salary to live and document occurrences inside the house for the owner is hard to pass up. He uprooted himself from Maryland with his two daughters for this opportunity to make good money.
I love Southern stories and when I saw this is a "terrifying Gothic thriller", I immediately want to read it. Unfortunately, I didn't get the gothic atmosphere I hoped for. The house and its interior were well described but I wish I was transported there. The plot is intriguing and I like the title. There are terrifying moments in the end, the kind that makes me shiver but it was slow to get there. My problem simply comes down to too many perspectives that slow the pace. I thought the ending was clever, not necessarily the kind I like if you know what I mean.
The audiobook read by Adam Lazarre-White was terrific. He's one of the main reasons I requested this book to review.
Thank you Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for this ALC.
Published Feb 7, 2023.
Eric Ross saw an ad for a caretaker position at Masson House in Degener, Texas. A promise of high six figures salary to live and document occurrences inside the house for the owner is hard to pass up. He uprooted himself from Maryland with his two daughters for this opportunity to make good money.
I love Southern stories and when I saw this is a "terrifying Gothic thriller", I immediately want to read it. Unfortunately, I didn't get the gothic atmosphere I hoped for. The house and its interior were well described but I wish I was transported there. The plot is intriguing and I like the title. There are terrifying moments in the end, the kind that makes me shiver but it was slow to get there. My problem simply comes down to too many perspectives that slow the pace. I thought the ending was clever, not necessarily the kind I like if you know what I mean.
The audiobook read by Adam Lazarre-White was terrific. He's one of the main reasons I requested this book to review.
Thank you Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for this ALC.
Published Feb 7, 2023.
May 30, 2024
My complete review is published at Grimdark Magazine.
Ghosts of the past haunt a family on the run in Johnny Compton’s extraordinary debut novel, The Spite House, a Black Southern Gothic horror set in modern-day Texas.
Spite houses are buildings constructed for the sole purpose of aggravating neighbors, for example, to obstruct their view or to create an eyesore adjoining their property. Spite houses are dotted across the United States, in many cases becoming tourist attractions due to their unusual designs, which are meant specifically for irritation rather than inhabitation.
In Johnny Compton’s novel, the titular structure is the Masson House, a menacing four-story home with a bizarre architectural design built adjacent to an orphanage in Degener, Texas. The Masson House practically seethes with spite and is believed to be one of the most haunted buildings in the state.
As the novel opens, an unemployed single father, Eric Ross, arrives in Degener with his two daughters, eighteen-year-old Dess and seven-year-old Stacy. The Ross family is living a peripatetic existence, hopping among seedy motels, on the run from a mysterious past.
Eric’s arrival in Degener presents him with a unique job opportunity: to become caretaker of the Masson House and record an objective account of its supposed paranormal activities. The generous pay for this work would create a financially secure future for his family, but is it worth the danger to him and his girls?
The setup for The Spite House mirrors that of Shirley Jackson’s 1959 classic, The Haunting of Hill House, which also features a main character investigating a notorious haunted home. Johnny Compton provides a modern update of the haunted house trope, while also mining new depths of horror beyond that of Jackson’s classic.
The supernatural elements in The Spite House reflect specters of the Civil War, pitting neighbor against neighbor on both national and local levels. The Masson House is the incarnation of spite itself, unable to contain the evil that constitutes its very existence. Its paranormal activity is accompanied by an unbearable, paralyzing coldness, plunging the nearby temperature close to absolute zero.
Johnny Compton builds layers of complexity throughout the first two-thirds of The Spite House and then expertly ties it all together in the final part of the book. The Spite House features several unexpected plot twists, including a major reveal that left me completely blindsided. I also found the modern setting to be a refreshing change from the usual Victorian or Edwardian settings of traditional Gothic horror.
Eric Ross is a highly compelling, multi-layered main character, a fundamentally good, hard-working father who cares deeply about his family and will risk his own safety to ensure their livelihoods. Johnny Compton did an excellent job balancing the mysteries of Eric’s past with his present-day efforts to secure a better future for his daughters.
I also enjoyed reading from the viewpoints of Dess and Stacy. However, I felt that too many chapters were told from the perspective of minor side characters, and the story would have been stronger if told exclusively from the viewpoint of the Ross family.
Overall, The Spite House is an exhilarating debut that will both warm your heart and leave you chilled to the bone. I look forward to reading more from Johnny Compton in the future.
Ghosts of the past haunt a family on the run in Johnny Compton’s extraordinary debut novel, The Spite House, a Black Southern Gothic horror set in modern-day Texas.
Spite houses are buildings constructed for the sole purpose of aggravating neighbors, for example, to obstruct their view or to create an eyesore adjoining their property. Spite houses are dotted across the United States, in many cases becoming tourist attractions due to their unusual designs, which are meant specifically for irritation rather than inhabitation.
In Johnny Compton’s novel, the titular structure is the Masson House, a menacing four-story home with a bizarre architectural design built adjacent to an orphanage in Degener, Texas. The Masson House practically seethes with spite and is believed to be one of the most haunted buildings in the state.
As the novel opens, an unemployed single father, Eric Ross, arrives in Degener with his two daughters, eighteen-year-old Dess and seven-year-old Stacy. The Ross family is living a peripatetic existence, hopping among seedy motels, on the run from a mysterious past.
Eric’s arrival in Degener presents him with a unique job opportunity: to become caretaker of the Masson House and record an objective account of its supposed paranormal activities. The generous pay for this work would create a financially secure future for his family, but is it worth the danger to him and his girls?
The setup for The Spite House mirrors that of Shirley Jackson’s 1959 classic, The Haunting of Hill House, which also features a main character investigating a notorious haunted home. Johnny Compton provides a modern update of the haunted house trope, while also mining new depths of horror beyond that of Jackson’s classic.
The supernatural elements in The Spite House reflect specters of the Civil War, pitting neighbor against neighbor on both national and local levels. The Masson House is the incarnation of spite itself, unable to contain the evil that constitutes its very existence. Its paranormal activity is accompanied by an unbearable, paralyzing coldness, plunging the nearby temperature close to absolute zero.
Johnny Compton builds layers of complexity throughout the first two-thirds of The Spite House and then expertly ties it all together in the final part of the book. The Spite House features several unexpected plot twists, including a major reveal that left me completely blindsided. I also found the modern setting to be a refreshing change from the usual Victorian or Edwardian settings of traditional Gothic horror.
Eric Ross is a highly compelling, multi-layered main character, a fundamentally good, hard-working father who cares deeply about his family and will risk his own safety to ensure their livelihoods. Johnny Compton did an excellent job balancing the mysteries of Eric’s past with his present-day efforts to secure a better future for his daughters.
I also enjoyed reading from the viewpoints of Dess and Stacy. However, I felt that too many chapters were told from the perspective of minor side characters, and the story would have been stronger if told exclusively from the viewpoint of the Ross family.
Overall, The Spite House is an exhilarating debut that will both warm your heart and leave you chilled to the bone. I look forward to reading more from Johnny Compton in the future.
November 4, 2022
3.5 stars
Now I know what a Spite House is. I had never heard of one before. You learn something new every day. Eric Ross is on the run with his two daughters, Dess and Stacy. Readers are left wondering what they were running from and why. Don't worry, eventually you will find out. Looking for money and wanting to come to terms with his past, Eric accepts a job living in the Masson House in Degener, Texas. It has a past and is considered the most haunted house in Texas. The owner wants documented proof of paranormal activity in the house.
The ad and the house call to Eric for many reasons but is he fully prepared to live there with his daughters?
This book does have a Gothic feel to it, and I love a good, haunted house story. I was invested in the story and wanting to learn more. Although I enjoyed this, I was left with questions and feel like I must have missed a few things. A lot happens in the end, and I found I wanted more clarification on them.
*This was a buddy read with Brenda Traveling Sisters book reviews. Please check out her review as well.
Thank you to Macmillan-Tor/Forge, Tor Nightfire and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
Now I know what a Spite House is. I had never heard of one before. You learn something new every day. Eric Ross is on the run with his two daughters, Dess and Stacy. Readers are left wondering what they were running from and why. Don't worry, eventually you will find out. Looking for money and wanting to come to terms with his past, Eric accepts a job living in the Masson House in Degener, Texas. It has a past and is considered the most haunted house in Texas. The owner wants documented proof of paranormal activity in the house.
The ad and the house call to Eric for many reasons but is he fully prepared to live there with his daughters?
This book does have a Gothic feel to it, and I love a good, haunted house story. I was invested in the story and wanting to learn more. Although I enjoyed this, I was left with questions and feel like I must have missed a few things. A lot happens in the end, and I found I wanted more clarification on them.
*This was a buddy read with Brenda Traveling Sisters book reviews. Please check out her review as well.
Thank you to Macmillan-Tor/Forge, Tor Nightfire and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
August 29, 2024
Can I Get a Reality Check on Aisle 9 Please?...
THE SPITE HOUSE
by Johnny Compton
No spoilers. 2 1/2 stars. Whew!! DNF. I stopped reading at 93% because I was bored out of my skull and after sticking with it until almost the end...
I could see that the payoff was going to be somewhat lame with many loose ends dangling in outer space...
I'm not going to attempt a synopsis because this story was all over the place...
Reading some of the reviews (especially of the 4 and 5 star variety), I was in shock and awe at the people with such low expectations for their horror...
Speaking of horror... it was virtually nonexistent, and no scares were to be had here, but it had an overabundance of the unexplained...
I agree with some reviews that complained about too many POVs, which became very tedious...
Side note...
I questioned the author's choice to casually write about the 18 year old daughter making extra money by running drugs for other teens in the park...
Also...
Reality check on aisle 9 please: when writing about someone returning from the dead, undertaking preparations (such as embalming and closing eyes and orifices) must be addressed in the storytelling as well as how one goes from being buried six feet under to walking among us! Reference PET SEMETARY by Stephen King...
Summing up, this novel needed more work before going to print, IMO.
THE SPITE HOUSE
by Johnny Compton
No spoilers. 2 1/2 stars. Whew!! DNF. I stopped reading at 93% because I was bored out of my skull and after sticking with it until almost the end...
I could see that the payoff was going to be somewhat lame with many loose ends dangling in outer space...
I'm not going to attempt a synopsis because this story was all over the place...
Reading some of the reviews (especially of the 4 and 5 star variety), I was in shock and awe at the people with such low expectations for their horror...
Speaking of horror... it was virtually nonexistent, and no scares were to be had here, but it had an overabundance of the unexplained...
I agree with some reviews that complained about too many POVs, which became very tedious...
Side note...
I questioned the author's choice to casually write about the 18 year old daughter making extra money by running drugs for other teens in the park...
Also...
Reality check on aisle 9 please: when writing about someone returning from the dead, undertaking preparations (such as embalming and closing eyes and orifices) must be addressed in the storytelling as well as how one goes from being buried six feet under to walking among us! Reference PET SEMETARY by Stephen King...
Summing up, this novel needed more work before going to print, IMO.
March 12, 2023
4.0 Stars
Haunted house stories are not normally my preferred subgenre so it takes a special one to become a new favourite. I really loved the family centric setup to this one, with the compelling question of why they left in the first place.
Southern Gothic is also not normally my thing but I found this one to be wonderfully modern with universal themes that didn't require a geographical connection. I really appreciated the ownvoices black representation that wove some gentle social commentary into the narrative. The ending was fine but admittedly not to my personal tastes.
I would recommend this one to readers who love slower burning horror with well developed complex characters.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
I review books on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@TheShadesofOrange
Haunted house stories are not normally my preferred subgenre so it takes a special one to become a new favourite. I really loved the family centric setup to this one, with the compelling question of why they left in the first place.
Southern Gothic is also not normally my thing but I found this one to be wonderfully modern with universal themes that didn't require a geographical connection. I really appreciated the ownvoices black representation that wove some gentle social commentary into the narrative. The ending was fine but admittedly not to my personal tastes.
I would recommend this one to readers who love slower burning horror with well developed complex characters.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
I review books on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@TheShadesofOrange
February 26, 2023
Eric Ross and his two daughters Dess and Stacey are on the run from people who could cause irreparable harm to their family and now they are quickly running out of money. When Eric happens upon a strange employment advertisement that sounds too good to be true but he calls and sets up an immediate interview. The owner of The Masson house in Degener, Texas is looking for a caretaker (of sorts) to live in the most haunted house in Texas so they can document any and all paranormal activity within the house and when the owner is satisfied the payout will be enough for Eric's family to stop running and settle down since the girls have been emotionally suffering although they never voice their negative thoughts out loud. Apparently the house is so haunted that none of the people who were hired previously lasted more than a few days before they left except for the last couple who were supposed to be paranormal investigators who stayed for a couple of weeks but something horrible happened to them. The wife seemed to lose her mind and had to be hospitalized and the husband didn't fare too much better and they were never able to tell about their experiences so now it's time for Eric to take over this haunted horror known as "The Spite House". Will this be the lifesaving venture that will save Eric's family or will this become the worst mistake of their lives and doom the family forever?
This book had all the makings of a great horror story although it just didn't really work for me. There were many spooky elements which sounded very good but when they came together there were too many pieces of the puzzle missing and I was left with so many questions that were never answered and that was a major disappointment for me. There was wonderful atmospheric and many creepy stories surrounding the house which really had all the makings for a good haunting maybe too many scares promised and not enough frights delivered. There were several multilayered stories in the background which sounded great but they never followed all the way through. I loved the characters of Dess and Stacey but I didn't care for most of the others even the father (Eric). I appreciated how much Eric loved his daughters but I felt he was impulsive and immature and put his children at risk especially with this house. There was a major story about Stacey that was good and very creepy but when I finally found out the backstory there was never any resolution to what, why and how her story came to pass and I felt very let down. Although this book didn't work for me I would still encourage readers to give it a try since I noticed many people really enjoyed this book.
I want to thank the publisher "Macmillan Tor/Forge" and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this digital copy and any thoughts or opinions expressed are unbiased and mine alone!
I have given this horror book a rating of 2 1/2 QUESTIONABLE PLOT 🌟🌟🌠 STARS!!
This book had all the makings of a great horror story although it just didn't really work for me. There were many spooky elements which sounded very good but when they came together there were too many pieces of the puzzle missing and I was left with so many questions that were never answered and that was a major disappointment for me. There was wonderful atmospheric and many creepy stories surrounding the house which really had all the makings for a good haunting maybe too many scares promised and not enough frights delivered. There were several multilayered stories in the background which sounded great but they never followed all the way through. I loved the characters of Dess and Stacey but I didn't care for most of the others even the father (Eric). I appreciated how much Eric loved his daughters but I felt he was impulsive and immature and put his children at risk especially with this house. There was a major story about Stacey that was good and very creepy but when I finally found out the backstory there was never any resolution to what, why and how her story came to pass and I felt very let down. Although this book didn't work for me I would still encourage readers to give it a try since I noticed many people really enjoyed this book.
I want to thank the publisher "Macmillan Tor/Forge" and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this digital copy and any thoughts or opinions expressed are unbiased and mine alone!
I have given this horror book a rating of 2 1/2 QUESTIONABLE PLOT 🌟🌟🌠 STARS!!
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February 18, 2023THE SPITE HOUSE by Johnny Compton
Release Date: February 7th, 2023
General Genre: Adult Horror, Paranormal
Subgenre/Themes: Gothic, Historical Fiction, Haunted House, Human Monsters, Mind-Bender, Mystery, Strong Women
Writing Style: Brisk & Slow pacing, Multiple POVs
What You Need to Know: Early expectations, the comps from the publisher are: The Babadook meets A Head Full of Ghosts and I think those both miss the mark. This is more in step with Shirley Jackson's, The Haunting of Hill House.
This story has a lot going on in 272 pages. Multiple POVs with character names as chapter titles and the reader is asked to keep tabs on several storylines almost like the show LOST in the way that there is a *huge* cast of characters, they all have backstories and a connection to the main, present-day narrative and there are a lot of meandering threads that introduce new topics of interest but don't really get answered until much, much later. That's all I think readers need to know going into this one: a slow-burn setup typical of the Gothic style that eases into a classic trope: MC accepts the invitation to stay in a haunted house and report back to the owner.
My Reading Experience: I tell people all the time that I am the kind of reader that does not see the plot twists or big reveals coming. It's not that I'm not clever or intuitive, I am, it's just that my brain is busy trusting the author's storytelling as it is being told to me and I don't concern myself with what might be happening between the lines.
This one *really* stumped me. I had no idea what was going on for the duration of this novel. There is a very large cast of characters and they are not just stand-in people you don't need to concern yourself with, they have their own POV chapters! I struggled to keep track of everyone and remember who they were in relation to the present-day situation and their connection to the MCs. The MCs are Eric (father) and his two daughters (Stacy & Dess). I wish the story was contained to those three POVs. I felt like widening the circle to include POVs from literally everyone was too much, splintering the tone and atmosphere.
Here's what I did like: Johnny Compton has a strong storytelling voice that instantly feels unique to him. It's authoritative in sections of exposition and infused with emotions during scenes of dialogue. I liked that the chapters were short, these helped me stay invested and kept the pace moving along *after* the 30% mark. Prior to that, the pace was slow, and difficult for me to stay interested.
I liked the two young daughters, Dess and Stacy. Later, I enjoyed chapters with Eunice and Lafonda. So, I found Compton's understanding of how to write women of all ages pretty satisfying. I just didn't like the MC, Eric that much. As a dad with very clear and often communicated goals of protecting his daughters at all costs, he made some pretty counterintuitive decisions, but maybe I was missing something that factors in later.
Overall, the things I enjoyed evenly balanced out with the things I didn't enjoy landing The Spite House smack dab in the middle of the road for me.
Final Recommendation: I recommend this to competent readers who are quick to absorb details and find it easy to navigate through a complex, multi-layered story with a lot of POVs. Fans of alternative, unexpected twists on classic tropes, haunted house tales, father/daughter relationships, and historical elements will eat this right up.
Comps: The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson, film: The Conjuring, and the structure/format of the TV show, LOST.
Release Date: February 7th, 2023
General Genre: Adult Horror, Paranormal
Subgenre/Themes: Gothic, Historical Fiction, Haunted House, Human Monsters, Mind-Bender, Mystery, Strong Women
Writing Style: Brisk & Slow pacing, Multiple POVs
What You Need to Know: Early expectations, the comps from the publisher are: The Babadook meets A Head Full of Ghosts and I think those both miss the mark. This is more in step with Shirley Jackson's, The Haunting of Hill House.
This story has a lot going on in 272 pages. Multiple POVs with character names as chapter titles and the reader is asked to keep tabs on several storylines almost like the show LOST in the way that there is a *huge* cast of characters, they all have backstories and a connection to the main, present-day narrative and there are a lot of meandering threads that introduce new topics of interest but don't really get answered until much, much later. That's all I think readers need to know going into this one: a slow-burn setup typical of the Gothic style that eases into a classic trope: MC accepts the invitation to stay in a haunted house and report back to the owner.
My Reading Experience: I tell people all the time that I am the kind of reader that does not see the plot twists or big reveals coming. It's not that I'm not clever or intuitive, I am, it's just that my brain is busy trusting the author's storytelling as it is being told to me and I don't concern myself with what might be happening between the lines.
This one *really* stumped me. I had no idea what was going on for the duration of this novel. There is a very large cast of characters and they are not just stand-in people you don't need to concern yourself with, they have their own POV chapters! I struggled to keep track of everyone and remember who they were in relation to the present-day situation and their connection to the MCs. The MCs are Eric (father) and his two daughters (Stacy & Dess). I wish the story was contained to those three POVs. I felt like widening the circle to include POVs from literally everyone was too much, splintering the tone and atmosphere.
Here's what I did like: Johnny Compton has a strong storytelling voice that instantly feels unique to him. It's authoritative in sections of exposition and infused with emotions during scenes of dialogue. I liked that the chapters were short, these helped me stay invested and kept the pace moving along *after* the 30% mark. Prior to that, the pace was slow, and difficult for me to stay interested.
I liked the two young daughters, Dess and Stacy. Later, I enjoyed chapters with Eunice and Lafonda. So, I found Compton's understanding of how to write women of all ages pretty satisfying. I just didn't like the MC, Eric that much. As a dad with very clear and often communicated goals of protecting his daughters at all costs, he made some pretty counterintuitive decisions, but maybe I was missing something that factors in later.
Overall, the things I enjoyed evenly balanced out with the things I didn't enjoy landing The Spite House smack dab in the middle of the road for me.
Final Recommendation: I recommend this to competent readers who are quick to absorb details and find it easy to navigate through a complex, multi-layered story with a lot of POVs. Fans of alternative, unexpected twists on classic tropes, haunted house tales, father/daughter relationships, and historical elements will eat this right up.
Comps: The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson, film: The Conjuring, and the structure/format of the TV show, LOST.
November 21, 2022
What is going on between the covers
Eric Ross is on the run from a mysterious past with his two daughters. He takes on a well-paying job as a caretaker of Masson House, but there is a hook: the house is haunted. His job is really to find proof of paranormal activity and the secrets it holds that haunt the owner. It could also hold secrets to his past.
Setting
The Masson house is notorious for being one of the most haunted places in Texas. The house is built out of spite with its four-story bizarre design adjacent to an orphanage.
Brenda’s two cents
I loved how Johnny Compton used the haunted house trope as a spite house, giving the trope a fresh spin. The house is brought to life vividly, creating a sense of dread, danger, and foreboding that provokes fear.
There is a dark, tragic history that opens the door to see the effect social evils have on people, adding layers to the story. However, the characters tell us the history instead of in flashbacks that show us what happens. The history and motivations create a chilling, compelling ghost revenge story, but the suspense and tension are lost in the telling.
Every horror or supernatural thriller needs some drama to drive the story forward; however, the story here gets bogged down with too much going on, slowing down the pace. I loved the ghostly presents and their motivations, and I enjoyed the twists that surprised me, but the end got too busy, overcomplicating the story. I wondered if some of my questions were answered or if I had just missed something.
Overall I loved the elements of anger ghosts, social evils, and a creepy spiteful house filled with secrets.
Do I recommend it? Yes!
I received a copy from the publisher on NG
Eric Ross is on the run from a mysterious past with his two daughters. He takes on a well-paying job as a caretaker of Masson House, but there is a hook: the house is haunted. His job is really to find proof of paranormal activity and the secrets it holds that haunt the owner. It could also hold secrets to his past.
Setting
The Masson house is notorious for being one of the most haunted places in Texas. The house is built out of spite with its four-story bizarre design adjacent to an orphanage.
Brenda’s two cents
I loved how Johnny Compton used the haunted house trope as a spite house, giving the trope a fresh spin. The house is brought to life vividly, creating a sense of dread, danger, and foreboding that provokes fear.
There is a dark, tragic history that opens the door to see the effect social evils have on people, adding layers to the story. However, the characters tell us the history instead of in flashbacks that show us what happens. The history and motivations create a chilling, compelling ghost revenge story, but the suspense and tension are lost in the telling.
Every horror or supernatural thriller needs some drama to drive the story forward; however, the story here gets bogged down with too much going on, slowing down the pace. I loved the ghostly presents and their motivations, and I enjoyed the twists that surprised me, but the end got too busy, overcomplicating the story. I wondered if some of my questions were answered or if I had just missed something.
Overall I loved the elements of anger ghosts, social evils, and a creepy spiteful house filled with secrets.
Do I recommend it? Yes!
I received a copy from the publisher on NG
February 19, 2023
Patrick Swayze is not coming to help you……
Book Information
The Spite House was written by Johnny Compton. The book was published on February 7, 2023 and is 261 pages. The audio version is 11 hours and 16 minutes and is narrated by Adam Lazarre-White. Compton is a San Antonio based author whose short stories have appeared in several publications since 2006, including Pseudopod, Strange Horizons and The No Sleep Podcast. The Spite House is his debut novel. Thanks to Macmillan Audio for providing me with an advanced reader copy for review.
Summary
Eric Ross is running from something. He and his two daughters sneak from town to town trying not to be noticed. They live out of motels and he takes jobs where he can be paid under the table.
They believe they may get a few months of reprieve when he sees an advertisement seeking someone to live in a strange house. It’s a spite house—one built solely to irritate (spite) neighbors. This particular house is rumored to be haunted and the owner is seemingly trying to record paranormal activity through the people she pays to live there.
This seems to be a great opportunity. His family will have a place to live. They won’t need to worry about money. The final payout will set them up for a very long time. And Eric’s family has a history that might be further explained by what he may discover in the spite house.
The house, however, might have other ideas……
My Thoughts
The spite house is a creative twist on the haunted house story. It’s very well written, deeply layered, and will keep you engaged from the first word to the last.
Compton is able to build tension throughout the story. He makes you wonder what’s really going on by doling out bits and pieces of backstory, tiny glimpses into each character, all working toward a solid conclusion. Each chapter is dedicated largely to a single character's perspective, experiences, and memories which either build upon what we have already learned or set the stage for revelations yet to come. I found myself wanting to know more—or thinking perhaps I missed something—but the book's pacing kept me reading.
The book is a balancing act between love and hate, honesty and deception, peace and horror. A comparison between characters who will do anything to protect others and those that have only their own benefit in mind. A contrast between the love holding a family together and the hate that results when love, and compassion don’t exist.
It spans the gap between mystery and horror and does so very skillfully. Compton is an author to watch.
I listened to the audiobook. Adam Lazarre-White is, without a doubt, the perfect voice to bring this story to life. His deep, rich tone lends both the love and terror required for various parts of the book. It’s not often that I immediately identify the voice with the story—in this case, it was perfect casting. Well done.
Recommendation
If you like a fresh take on a haunted house, family-driven narratives, spooky stories, a father's love, and the pure terror that can drive some to madness---The Spite House is the perfect pick.
Highly recommended.
Rating
4 Spiteful Stars
Book Information
The Spite House was written by Johnny Compton. The book was published on February 7, 2023 and is 261 pages. The audio version is 11 hours and 16 minutes and is narrated by Adam Lazarre-White. Compton is a San Antonio based author whose short stories have appeared in several publications since 2006, including Pseudopod, Strange Horizons and The No Sleep Podcast. The Spite House is his debut novel. Thanks to Macmillan Audio for providing me with an advanced reader copy for review.
Summary
Eric Ross is running from something. He and his two daughters sneak from town to town trying not to be noticed. They live out of motels and he takes jobs where he can be paid under the table.
They believe they may get a few months of reprieve when he sees an advertisement seeking someone to live in a strange house. It’s a spite house—one built solely to irritate (spite) neighbors. This particular house is rumored to be haunted and the owner is seemingly trying to record paranormal activity through the people she pays to live there.
This seems to be a great opportunity. His family will have a place to live. They won’t need to worry about money. The final payout will set them up for a very long time. And Eric’s family has a history that might be further explained by what he may discover in the spite house.
The house, however, might have other ideas……
My Thoughts
The spite house is a creative twist on the haunted house story. It’s very well written, deeply layered, and will keep you engaged from the first word to the last.
Compton is able to build tension throughout the story. He makes you wonder what’s really going on by doling out bits and pieces of backstory, tiny glimpses into each character, all working toward a solid conclusion. Each chapter is dedicated largely to a single character's perspective, experiences, and memories which either build upon what we have already learned or set the stage for revelations yet to come. I found myself wanting to know more—or thinking perhaps I missed something—but the book's pacing kept me reading.
The book is a balancing act between love and hate, honesty and deception, peace and horror. A comparison between characters who will do anything to protect others and those that have only their own benefit in mind. A contrast between the love holding a family together and the hate that results when love, and compassion don’t exist.
It spans the gap between mystery and horror and does so very skillfully. Compton is an author to watch.
I listened to the audiobook. Adam Lazarre-White is, without a doubt, the perfect voice to bring this story to life. His deep, rich tone lends both the love and terror required for various parts of the book. It’s not often that I immediately identify the voice with the story—in this case, it was perfect casting. Well done.
Recommendation
If you like a fresh take on a haunted house, family-driven narratives, spooky stories, a father's love, and the pure terror that can drive some to madness---The Spite House is the perfect pick.
Highly recommended.
Rating
4 Spiteful Stars
May 29, 2023
The Masson Property
Despite the numerous creepy stories surrounding the house and its haunting potential, the promised scares were not fully delivered. The book hinted at multilayered stories in the background, but they never reached their full potential or received a satisfying resolution.
One aspect I did enjoy was the characters of Dess and Stacey. They had depth and complexity which made it worth the effort. Eric just kept on doing the wrong things.
I would still encourage readers to give it a try, it's one of those personal feels: "hit-or-miss" books.
Despite the numerous creepy stories surrounding the house and its haunting potential, the promised scares were not fully delivered. The book hinted at multilayered stories in the background, but they never reached their full potential or received a satisfying resolution.
One aspect I did enjoy was the characters of Dess and Stacey. They had depth and complexity which made it worth the effort. Eric just kept on doing the wrong things.
I would still encourage readers to give it a try, it's one of those personal feels: "hit-or-miss" books.
January 10, 2023
What initially made me want to read The Spite House, was it’s creepy cover! This book is also labeled as southern gothic horror, and I was ready for a good, scary, creepy read. However, after reading this book, I think The Spite House may be marketed wrong. Instead of southern, gothic horror- I think this book should be labeled as southern fiction with a paranormal/gothic twist.
In this book, we start off with Eric Ross on the run with his two daughters, Dess and Stacy. The three of them are living out of motels, and Eric has been looking for ways to make money and stay under the radar. Lucky for Eric, he one day finds an ad in the newspaper for a caretaker of a spite house in Degener, Texas. This spite house is known to be haunted, but if Eric can stay the duration and make it out alive he will be paid a substantial amount of money to provide for himself and daughters. It’s an opportunity he can’t refuse!
While Eric is staying at the spite house (also called the Masson House), he learns a great deal about the history of the house and why it was built. He also learns who built this house, and why they built on this particular piece of land. There was a lot of history to be learned about the residents of the spite house and those surrounding it, both past and present. However, there are still many questions that I feel are left unanswered. Many issues did not seem to get resolved for me…
I want to commend the author as this is his debut novel. The writing is very good, the storyline is decent, but unfortunately this missed the mark for me in being a horror novel.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Macmillan-Tor/Forge, and the author for an ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. Publication date is: February 7, 2023.
In this book, we start off with Eric Ross on the run with his two daughters, Dess and Stacy. The three of them are living out of motels, and Eric has been looking for ways to make money and stay under the radar. Lucky for Eric, he one day finds an ad in the newspaper for a caretaker of a spite house in Degener, Texas. This spite house is known to be haunted, but if Eric can stay the duration and make it out alive he will be paid a substantial amount of money to provide for himself and daughters. It’s an opportunity he can’t refuse!
While Eric is staying at the spite house (also called the Masson House), he learns a great deal about the history of the house and why it was built. He also learns who built this house, and why they built on this particular piece of land. There was a lot of history to be learned about the residents of the spite house and those surrounding it, both past and present. However, there are still many questions that I feel are left unanswered. Many issues did not seem to get resolved for me…
I want to commend the author as this is his debut novel. The writing is very good, the storyline is decent, but unfortunately this missed the mark for me in being a horror novel.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Macmillan-Tor/Forge, and the author for an ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. Publication date is: February 7, 2023.
April 14, 2023
This is a book about a desperate man named Eric and his two daughters who accept an offer to stay in a weird “Spite House” (yep, it was indeed built out of spite) and bring back proof of paranormal occurrences by some wacky rich woman. I mean, I wouldn’t turn down six fixtures either, but Eric has even more on the line . . .
“What harm could a ghost do? 👻
I had such high hopes for this one and it started out great but somewhere at the midway mark it lost its momentum for me and I had a real struggle staying focused and nearly called it quits at 70% because I was no longer having a good reading time. It tended to get bogged down with too many side stories and shied away from showing anything actually going on in the house to instead tell all of these other stories about the ghostbusters, Eunice, the reporter, and the past. It was too over-stuffed for my liking. I guess I was only there for the creepy house and a smaller story and that might be a me problem. I was really enjoying the tale of Eric and his daughters Stacy and Dess because they were all on the run from something that was surely terrible and I needed to know all the details but then the POV began bouncing around and everything started getting over-explained and sadly I lost interest.
Maybe it’s me. Who can say? Lots of people have enjoyed this book but I think from here on out I’m going to quit a book when I’m feeling this way because it rarely pans out in the end and that was definitely the case with this one. I was most disappointed with the resolution (or lack thereof) of one of the characters' stories that I was very invested in which felt incomplete in the end.
With that said, if you don’t mind a multi-threaded story, this one has some unique ideas and you might love it.
2.5 Stars
This is my personal reading experience. Yours may differ!
“What harm could a ghost do? 👻
I had such high hopes for this one and it started out great but somewhere at the midway mark it lost its momentum for me and I had a real struggle staying focused and nearly called it quits at 70% because I was no longer having a good reading time. It tended to get bogged down with too many side stories and shied away from showing anything actually going on in the house to instead tell all of these other stories about the ghostbusters, Eunice, the reporter, and the past. It was too over-stuffed for my liking. I guess I was only there for the creepy house and a smaller story and that might be a me problem. I was really enjoying the tale of Eric and his daughters Stacy and Dess because they were all on the run from something that was surely terrible and I needed to know all the details but then the POV began bouncing around and everything started getting over-explained and sadly I lost interest.
Maybe it’s me. Who can say? Lots of people have enjoyed this book but I think from here on out I’m going to quit a book when I’m feeling this way because it rarely pans out in the end and that was definitely the case with this one. I was most disappointed with the resolution (or lack thereof) of one of the characters' stories that I was very invested in which felt incomplete in the end.
With that said, if you don’t mind a multi-threaded story, this one has some unique ideas and you might love it.
2.5 Stars
This is my personal reading experience. Yours may differ!
September 19, 2024
I actually think this is a pretty decent book but it just didn't do it for me, I found myself bored within the first 50 or so pages and I just couldn't get into it. The reveals were slowly fed to the reader which made them a little less effective and for a fairly short book it was repetitive.
This took me much to long to get through, I don't know if I can completely blame the book for this, or whether I am in a slight slump, but I needed something with a bit more pace. There wasn't any brutality or body horror all the horror was paranormal and creepy. It did get creepy in places but I definitely won't be losing any sleep over this one.
I think I would try another book from this author but I would need to have a more compelling synopsis.
This took me much to long to get through, I don't know if I can completely blame the book for this, or whether I am in a slight slump, but I needed something with a bit more pace. There wasn't any brutality or body horror all the horror was paranormal and creepy. It did get creepy in places but I definitely won't be losing any sleep over this one.
I think I would try another book from this author but I would need to have a more compelling synopsis.
February 23, 2023
Johnny Compton crafts a solid haunted house story for his debut novel, but doesn't flesh out the more unique elements he brings to the table here as much as I would have hoped for.
Eric and his daughters, Dess and Stacy, are on the run. He's taking whatever work he can get, including agreeing to stay inside a haunted house for a billionaire hoping to discover the secrets of the afterlife. Offered an impossibly nice sum of money, Eric has no choice but to agree to move his family into the spite house, an architectural monstrosity built atop a hill overlooking Degener, TX. Deliberately crafted to be an eyesore by a distant relative of ultra-wealthy Eunice whose heart was filled with pure hate, the Masson House was built solely to spite those who live in the town beneath it. Over generations, it's built up quite a legacy -- dead children roam its halls, and those who go inside disappear entirely or leave permanently changed by the experience. But, the money Eunice is offering is just too good to pass up, and it's the sort of life-changing opportunity that could really turn things around for Eric and his girls. He'd be a fool to say no... Right?
The Spite House offers up some tantalizing promises that I wish Compton had more fully explored. Eric has an obsession with ghosts and during a phone interview with Eunice in the book's opening chapter describes his theory that "sometimes the past has sort of an echo that catches up to the present." It's an intriguing concept and once that I wish Compton had developed more fully beyond the typical haunts and scares of this particular horror sub-genre. Maybe I just had my expectations set too high, but once Eric's theory was laid out I was tantalized with promises of temporal anomalies and multi-dimensional gateways. We do get some of that via the dreams cum flashbacks Eric experiences once in the spite house, but it's never quite as intriguing or next-level as I had hoped for.
I was also disappointed that we didn't get a more direct through-line into Eric's experiences within the spite house. Instead, Compton gives us a shorthand look at what Eric is going through by couching it all under the experiences others have had within the spite house. Eunice had previously hired a husband-and-wife ghost-hunting team, but they largely feel extraneous to much of the larger happenings here, despite charging us into the book's climax when one of Eric's daughters is abducted. We get told a lot about what Eric should be experiencing, but we never really see it directly until very late in the book and through some subtle bits of self-reflection.
For as much as the spite house itself is built up to be this grand and frightening monolith of horrors, we never get to see enough of it to really buy into its fabled multi-generational legacy. Compton tells us a lot about its past, and while the Masson house is certainly rich in history, I really wanted to see more of its manipulations and damage wrought in the present. I wanted to see Eric and his daughters dealing with the confounding and inexplicable nature of the spite house, but we never get quite enough to truly satisfy.
The Spite House does have some intriguing angles to it, particularly the mystery of why Eric and his children are on the run. Compton serves up a truly wicked explanation that took me completely by surprise. Unfortunately, it's another element that is never really given a satisfactory explanation. It offers up some neat background but, given that we're ultimately expected to just go along with it, it also comes as a pretty big ask without more information to ground it.
Therein lies my biggest issues with The Spite House. Compton has some really terrific ideas, but they never really come together as fully as they should, nor are they mined deeply enough to exploit their fullest potential. If Compton had explored some of these ideas more attentively, the book would have been stronger for it. That said, I'm certainly curious to see what Compton does for his next book based solely on the promise he shows in this debut and the tantalizing ideas he brought forth here.
Eric and his daughters, Dess and Stacy, are on the run. He's taking whatever work he can get, including agreeing to stay inside a haunted house for a billionaire hoping to discover the secrets of the afterlife. Offered an impossibly nice sum of money, Eric has no choice but to agree to move his family into the spite house, an architectural monstrosity built atop a hill overlooking Degener, TX. Deliberately crafted to be an eyesore by a distant relative of ultra-wealthy Eunice whose heart was filled with pure hate, the Masson House was built solely to spite those who live in the town beneath it. Over generations, it's built up quite a legacy -- dead children roam its halls, and those who go inside disappear entirely or leave permanently changed by the experience. But, the money Eunice is offering is just too good to pass up, and it's the sort of life-changing opportunity that could really turn things around for Eric and his girls. He'd be a fool to say no... Right?
The Spite House offers up some tantalizing promises that I wish Compton had more fully explored. Eric has an obsession with ghosts and during a phone interview with Eunice in the book's opening chapter describes his theory that "sometimes the past has sort of an echo that catches up to the present." It's an intriguing concept and once that I wish Compton had developed more fully beyond the typical haunts and scares of this particular horror sub-genre. Maybe I just had my expectations set too high, but once Eric's theory was laid out I was tantalized with promises of temporal anomalies and multi-dimensional gateways. We do get some of that via the dreams cum flashbacks Eric experiences once in the spite house, but it's never quite as intriguing or next-level as I had hoped for.
I was also disappointed that we didn't get a more direct through-line into Eric's experiences within the spite house. Instead, Compton gives us a shorthand look at what Eric is going through by couching it all under the experiences others have had within the spite house. Eunice had previously hired a husband-and-wife ghost-hunting team, but they largely feel extraneous to much of the larger happenings here, despite charging us into the book's climax when one of Eric's daughters is abducted. We get told a lot about what Eric should be experiencing, but we never really see it directly until very late in the book and through some subtle bits of self-reflection.
For as much as the spite house itself is built up to be this grand and frightening monolith of horrors, we never get to see enough of it to really buy into its fabled multi-generational legacy. Compton tells us a lot about its past, and while the Masson house is certainly rich in history, I really wanted to see more of its manipulations and damage wrought in the present. I wanted to see Eric and his daughters dealing with the confounding and inexplicable nature of the spite house, but we never get quite enough to truly satisfy.
The Spite House does have some intriguing angles to it, particularly the mystery of why Eric and his children are on the run. Compton serves up a truly wicked explanation that took me completely by surprise. Unfortunately, it's another element that is never really given a satisfactory explanation. It offers up some neat background but, given that we're ultimately expected to just go along with it, it also comes as a pretty big ask without more information to ground it.
Therein lies my biggest issues with The Spite House. Compton has some really terrific ideas, but they never really come together as fully as they should, nor are they mined deeply enough to exploit their fullest potential. If Compton had explored some of these ideas more attentively, the book would have been stronger for it. That said, I'm certainly curious to see what Compton does for his next book based solely on the promise he shows in this debut and the tantalizing ideas he brought forth here.
February 8, 2023
“Something here…has taken part of me…and won’t give it back.”
In this paranormal, southern-gothic thriller, Eric Ross and his two daughters have spent weeks on the run. Readers are left in the dark about what exactly they are running from and why. The small family is bouncing from motel to motel, state to state, when Eric comes across an ad in the newspaper in search of a caretaker for the most haunted house in Texas. Seeing that the job pays more than enough money to take care of his girls, he inquires, is interviewed, and gets the job. All that is required is that he stay in the house and record any strange happenings that occur there. Simple enough! But Eric can’t ignore the alarm bells ringing in his head. Why is Masson House the most haunted house in Texas? Why was it built as a “spite house” (a structure built to aggravate its neighbors)? What is the wealthy owner of the property not telling him? And what happened to the previous caretakers hired?
As far as the plot is concerned, there was a lot going on and at times I struggled to keep track of just how much was happening. The deeper into the book I read, however, the dots started to connect, but not quite enough for all my lingering questions to be answered. I did have to suspend my disbelief in a few places (because let's be real, no Black man I know would ever step foot in a haunted house, let alone offer to LIVE in one with his children) and there were a few things I found a bit confusing...but overall these did not deter me from enjoying this book at all.
In fact...
I very much enjoyed the multi-perspective storytelling and strong bond between a father and his daughters. The Masson House itself felt disorienting in construction similarly to Shirley Jackson’s Hill House, and harboring a dark past like Stephen King’s Overlook Hotel in The Shining. I could sense the influence from both books as well as a hint of Richard Matheson’s Hell House. Yet, there was still a uniqueness to author Johnny Compton's story. Unlike Jackson, King, and Matheson's haunted building narratives, Compton's haunted house is much more of a backdrop for the haunted people that encounter it rather than the main event. This is a book about anger, loss, characters haunted by their harsh pasts, and what might happen when we inherit the transgressions of others.
If you’re a reader on the hunt for gothic fiction, haunted houses, intricate storytelling, and strong Black protagonists, be on the lookout for this amazing debut in February!
(Thank you to Tor Nightfire for this stunning early review copy!)
In this paranormal, southern-gothic thriller, Eric Ross and his two daughters have spent weeks on the run. Readers are left in the dark about what exactly they are running from and why. The small family is bouncing from motel to motel, state to state, when Eric comes across an ad in the newspaper in search of a caretaker for the most haunted house in Texas. Seeing that the job pays more than enough money to take care of his girls, he inquires, is interviewed, and gets the job. All that is required is that he stay in the house and record any strange happenings that occur there. Simple enough! But Eric can’t ignore the alarm bells ringing in his head. Why is Masson House the most haunted house in Texas? Why was it built as a “spite house” (a structure built to aggravate its neighbors)? What is the wealthy owner of the property not telling him? And what happened to the previous caretakers hired?
As far as the plot is concerned, there was a lot going on and at times I struggled to keep track of just how much was happening. The deeper into the book I read, however, the dots started to connect, but not quite enough for all my lingering questions to be answered. I did have to suspend my disbelief in a few places (because let's be real, no Black man I know would ever step foot in a haunted house, let alone offer to LIVE in one with his children) and there were a few things I found a bit confusing...but overall these did not deter me from enjoying this book at all.
In fact...
I very much enjoyed the multi-perspective storytelling and strong bond between a father and his daughters. The Masson House itself felt disorienting in construction similarly to Shirley Jackson’s Hill House, and harboring a dark past like Stephen King’s Overlook Hotel in The Shining. I could sense the influence from both books as well as a hint of Richard Matheson’s Hell House. Yet, there was still a uniqueness to author Johnny Compton's story. Unlike Jackson, King, and Matheson's haunted building narratives, Compton's haunted house is much more of a backdrop for the haunted people that encounter it rather than the main event. This is a book about anger, loss, characters haunted by their harsh pasts, and what might happen when we inherit the transgressions of others.
If you’re a reader on the hunt for gothic fiction, haunted houses, intricate storytelling, and strong Black protagonists, be on the lookout for this amazing debut in February!
(Thank you to Tor Nightfire for this stunning early review copy!)
January 6, 2023
3.5 stars - I thought this was a fresh angle on a haunted house story that was pretty successful and entertaining on the whole. I wish there hadn't been so many POVs... keeping it tightly to Eric, Dess, & Stacy would have been more suspenseful I think. Still, this felt genuinely creepy in a lot of places and I liked the ultimate progression of the reveals and scares
June 7, 2023
Better than I expected! An enjoyable haunted house novel
April 8, 2023
4.5 stars
A layered gothic horror with an old-school feel, The Spite House reminds me a lot of horror novels from the 80s, such as The Elementals by Michael McDowell, and Maynard's House by Herman Raucher, where the story starts out as a character-focused slowburn, then nosedives into a horror that's more psychological and fantastical (like a drug-induced nightmare rather than the typical ghosts and spirits). It also has a very consistent undercurrent of dread throughout, which is a tone mainstream horror literature has moved away from lately. Its departure from trends makes The Spite House a standout read.
The audiobook has noticeably elevated my overall experience; Johnny Compton's writing is sharp, but leans on the stoic side, which can make the story coming across like a news report, rather than a passionate telling. But Adam Lazarre-White's performance infuses a lot of humanity back into this material, and makes the characters come to life. If you find the physical read is too dry and clinical, I would highly recommend giving the audiobook a try.
The Spite House is surprisingly complex, with the integration of American history and architectural terminology (spite house is a real thing!), alongside the fictional familial drama (there are like 2–3 family histories we're following throughout). Even though nearing the end it does get a little convoluted trying to wrap everything up, I appreciate the effort in trying to compose something different, rather than just a straightforward haunted house story.
The lore of J-horror The Grudge is another work that comes to mind; playing with the theme of a place being 'cursed' by all the extreme emotions from the people who have resided there prior. The Spite House is an acquired taste — it's purposefully slow (but not aimless), constructing its horror upon an intangible concept, and vague on giving answers in its closure. Readers expecting a page turner might be taken aback by how much threads need to be untangled in this shortish book, but this is 100% a memorable read.
**This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Much appreciated!**
A layered gothic horror with an old-school feel, The Spite House reminds me a lot of horror novels from the 80s, such as The Elementals by Michael McDowell, and Maynard's House by Herman Raucher, where the story starts out as a character-focused slowburn, then nosedives into a horror that's more psychological and fantastical (like a drug-induced nightmare rather than the typical ghosts and spirits). It also has a very consistent undercurrent of dread throughout, which is a tone mainstream horror literature has moved away from lately. Its departure from trends makes The Spite House a standout read.
The audiobook has noticeably elevated my overall experience; Johnny Compton's writing is sharp, but leans on the stoic side, which can make the story coming across like a news report, rather than a passionate telling. But Adam Lazarre-White's performance infuses a lot of humanity back into this material, and makes the characters come to life. If you find the physical read is too dry and clinical, I would highly recommend giving the audiobook a try.
The Spite House is surprisingly complex, with the integration of American history and architectural terminology (spite house is a real thing!), alongside the fictional familial drama (there are like 2–3 family histories we're following throughout). Even though nearing the end it does get a little convoluted trying to wrap everything up, I appreciate the effort in trying to compose something different, rather than just a straightforward haunted house story.
The lore of J-horror The Grudge is another work that comes to mind; playing with the theme of a place being 'cursed' by all the extreme emotions from the people who have resided there prior. The Spite House is an acquired taste — it's purposefully slow (but not aimless), constructing its horror upon an intangible concept, and vague on giving answers in its closure. Readers expecting a page turner might be taken aback by how much threads need to be untangled in this shortish book, but this is 100% a memorable read.
**This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Much appreciated!**
November 1, 2023
4.5 ⭐️
Greed, Vengeance, Sacrifice, Fear, Hate, Love, Family and most importantly - Spite. Wow! Truly a haunting and captivating book. Multiple POVs, but still very easy to follow and binge. This book had me hooked from the jump and did a great job with the precise details allowing me to really feel immersed in what I was reading. Honestly, one night after I finished reading, I was convinced I was hearing things and seeing things in the shadows. Everything you want from a spooky read!!! What I loved the most about this novel was how it made me feel when I finished it. Without spoilers, I felt connected to the story and deeply saddened by the atrocities as if I had lived them myself. Yet- also deeply touched by the love that is within! This story would make an excellent movie, but do yourself a favor and read this book.
Greed, Vengeance, Sacrifice, Fear, Hate, Love, Family and most importantly - Spite. Wow! Truly a haunting and captivating book. Multiple POVs, but still very easy to follow and binge. This book had me hooked from the jump and did a great job with the precise details allowing me to really feel immersed in what I was reading. Honestly, one night after I finished reading, I was convinced I was hearing things and seeing things in the shadows. Everything you want from a spooky read!!! What I loved the most about this novel was how it made me feel when I finished it. Without spoilers, I felt connected to the story and deeply saddened by the atrocities as if I had lived them myself. Yet- also deeply touched by the love that is within! This story would make an excellent movie, but do yourself a favor and read this book.
February 3, 2023
Who loves a haunted house story?!
I listened to the audiobook as well as read the physical copy. It is has a Gothic, creepy feel to it. I love books with haunted houses and I enjoyed this one. I didn’t know what a spite house was until this book and then realized I drove past one for years.
Eric and his two daughters move into what is considered the most haunted house in Texas, the Masson House. Eric is desperate for money so he agrees to the owners demands. The owner wants proof that the house is haunted. Eric and his two girls are not prepared for what happens next.
The Spite House is available February 7, 2023.
Thank you to netgalley and macmillian audio fir this arc in exchange for my honest review.
I listened to the audiobook as well as read the physical copy. It is has a Gothic, creepy feel to it. I love books with haunted houses and I enjoyed this one. I didn’t know what a spite house was until this book and then realized I drove past one for years.
Eric and his two daughters move into what is considered the most haunted house in Texas, the Masson House. Eric is desperate for money so he agrees to the owners demands. The owner wants proof that the house is haunted. Eric and his two girls are not prepared for what happens next.
The Spite House is available February 7, 2023.
Thank you to netgalley and macmillian audio fir this arc in exchange for my honest review.
January 9, 2023
A strong debut from a new voice in southern gothic horror! The Spite House is a haunted house story, but it's also a novel about grief, anger, retribution, and fear of death.
Eric Ross and his two daughters are on the run, carrying a secret. But money is running out so he agrees to take a job staying in a haunted house to gather proof of the supernatural for the old woman who owns it. But this house will be more than they bargained for and will bring their own secrets to the surface, along with history long left buried.
I really liked this as a narrative-driven southern gothic with layers of thematic commentary that aren't the primary focus. There are some tense, creepy scenes and the house gives off an air of menace from the beginning. I do think this would have been a stronger book with more sustained tension if we got fewer perspectives. The heart of the story is Eric and his kids, and I would have liked to see the narrative remain more tightly focused on them. The other perspectives are interesting at times, but there were too many of them and the amount of page space they took up detracted from the tension and sense of dread that could have been kept at a heightened level.
That said, I think this is an exciting debut novel and I look forward to seeing more from Compton in the future. The audio narration is excellent. I received an audio review copy of this book via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
Eric Ross and his two daughters are on the run, carrying a secret. But money is running out so he agrees to take a job staying in a haunted house to gather proof of the supernatural for the old woman who owns it. But this house will be more than they bargained for and will bring their own secrets to the surface, along with history long left buried.
I really liked this as a narrative-driven southern gothic with layers of thematic commentary that aren't the primary focus. There are some tense, creepy scenes and the house gives off an air of menace from the beginning. I do think this would have been a stronger book with more sustained tension if we got fewer perspectives. The heart of the story is Eric and his kids, and I would have liked to see the narrative remain more tightly focused on them. The other perspectives are interesting at times, but there were too many of them and the amount of page space they took up detracted from the tension and sense of dread that could have been kept at a heightened level.
That said, I think this is an exciting debut novel and I look forward to seeing more from Compton in the future. The audio narration is excellent. I received an audio review copy of this book via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
dnf
July 8, 2025I'm choosing to DNF at 58%. I'm stubborn and want to finish everything I start. But I just can't with this book. I won't give away any spoilers for anyone who wants to read it. But in my opinion, this is not a great haunted house story. It isn't even a very good haunted house story. It addresses some important historical issues, which I applaud the author for undertaking. The beginning of the book shows a lot of promise of creepy, spooky things to come. But they never really come. I had this dark story built up in my mind, and it just wasn't. Maybe it comes later in the book, but I'm done waiting. I have other fish to fry and all those wonderful cliches!
On to my next read!
On to my next read!
June 15, 2023
I don't even know what to say about this book. I feel like you need to go into this not knowing much about it. Just know that this book isn't just about a haunted house. It's about grief and the power of letting go. The Spite House is genuinely scary. Johnny Compton is an author that I am looking forward to reading more from in the future. Black Horror has always existed but I'm happy that it's finally getting more shine.
I had some problems with this book, one being that I thought it was too short and two that I thought the ending was rushed. Other than that I really enjoyed this book, even though I wasn't in the mood to read something dark, I still had the desire to pick it up.
I highly recommend The Spite House to Horror lovers and non Horror lovers alike. I think most readers will find something in this story to like.
I had some problems with this book, one being that I thought it was too short and two that I thought the ending was rushed. Other than that I really enjoyed this book, even though I wasn't in the mood to read something dark, I still had the desire to pick it up.
I highly recommend The Spite House to Horror lovers and non Horror lovers alike. I think most readers will find something in this story to like.
January 23, 2023
3.5 stars rounded up to 4. This was a really solid haunted house story!
I personally enjoyed the first half with all of the build up and anticipation a bit more than the second half, but overall I had a really good time with this story. I really loved the family dynamics and following a father who would do anything (even willingly live in a haunted house) to protect his daughters.
There was also a really interesting reveal relating to a few of the characters, but I wish it would've been explored even more because it was one of my favorite parts!
There were more POVs in this story than I was expecting - you get POVs from nearly every character featured in the story - which I thought was a cool way to build the bigger picture of the story. I wish we could've also gotten journal entries from the previous tenants of this haunted house to add to the "creep factor."
This book also taught me what a "spite house" is, and I thought it worked out as a great device for a haunted house story.
Thank you to the publisher for granting me an ARC via NetGalley.
I personally enjoyed the first half with all of the build up and anticipation a bit more than the second half, but overall I had a really good time with this story. I really loved the family dynamics and following a father who would do anything (even willingly live in a haunted house) to protect his daughters.
There was also a really interesting reveal relating to a few of the characters, but I wish it would've been explored even more because it was one of my favorite parts!
There were more POVs in this story than I was expecting - you get POVs from nearly every character featured in the story - which I thought was a cool way to build the bigger picture of the story. I wish we could've also gotten journal entries from the previous tenants of this haunted house to add to the "creep factor."
This book also taught me what a "spite house" is, and I thought it worked out as a great device for a haunted house story.
Thank you to the publisher for granting me an ARC via NetGalley.
April 1, 2025
What harm could a ghost do? Answer: so much! I was hooked within 30 pages!
Eric and his two daughters are on the run and in need of some "under the table" income so naturally taking a contract to stay in the Masson House, the most haunted house in Texas, is the only logical answer.
The author brilliantly reinvents hauntings (I had never read a haunting of the sort) therefore I was captivated from the get-go! Mr. Compton's pacing was on point throughout the novel giving the reader 2 main storylines: the reason the family is on the run and the reason the Masson House is so haunted. It was the perfect amount of creepy and the breadcrumb trail of clues and foreshadowing kept me wanting to read more and more.
Hidden throughout this addictive paranormal thriller are life lessons: the reality that there are consequences to your actions, what can happen to your very being if you fester in hatred and negativity, and heartbreakingly, the weight and burden of the not so veiled racism that still exists today.
Where it loses a star for me is the ending. A lot happened and I'm not sure I quite grasped it in its entirety. I think it was layered and probably a metaphor for something but I'm not sure what. Maybe I should reread it to fully grasp its depth. There were also a few important plot holes (namely with one of the daughters) but overall is was a terrific read!
Eric and his two daughters are on the run and in need of some "under the table" income so naturally taking a contract to stay in the Masson House, the most haunted house in Texas, is the only logical answer.
The author brilliantly reinvents hauntings (I had never read a haunting of the sort) therefore I was captivated from the get-go! Mr. Compton's pacing was on point throughout the novel giving the reader 2 main storylines: the reason the family is on the run and the reason the Masson House is so haunted. It was the perfect amount of creepy and the breadcrumb trail of clues and foreshadowing kept me wanting to read more and more.
Hidden throughout this addictive paranormal thriller are life lessons: the reality that there are consequences to your actions, what can happen to your very being if you fester in hatred and negativity, and heartbreakingly, the weight and burden of the not so veiled racism that still exists today.
Where it loses a star for me is the ending. A lot happened and I'm not sure I quite grasped it in its entirety. I think it was layered and probably a metaphor for something but I'm not sure what. Maybe I should reread it to fully grasp its depth. There were also a few important plot holes (namely with one of the daughters) but overall is was a terrific read!
March 7, 2023
The Spite House was an interesting book. I love haunted house stories and this one had a great concept though the execution faltered at times.
December 19, 2022
When I saw the title for The Spite House, I was all in. A gothic haunted house? Yes please!
Unfortunately, this one didn’t work for me and left me wondering why it was being called “gothic.”
I can see the huge influence that the author took from The Haunting of Hill House. And I have to give it up for the way that the house/ghosts/hauntings manifested. That part was fantastic and I really did want more of the house itself.
However, gothic horror usually has a slow burning atmospheric build of spine chilling horror. I found the atmospheric build to be lacking with The Spite House.
This book contains multiple POV’s, which I usually enjoy. But I felt like in this case it really took away from the story. And I’m left with A LOT of questions and no answers.
The relationship between Dess and Stacy was fantastic and I thoroughly enjoyed their characters.
I think that if you’re new to horror, especially gothic horror, then this might make a decent entry book. But as a seasoned gothic reader, it just left me wanting more.
Thank you to the publisher for my arc!
Unfortunately, this one didn’t work for me and left me wondering why it was being called “gothic.”
I can see the huge influence that the author took from The Haunting of Hill House. And I have to give it up for the way that the house/ghosts/hauntings manifested. That part was fantastic and I really did want more of the house itself.
However, gothic horror usually has a slow burning atmospheric build of spine chilling horror. I found the atmospheric build to be lacking with The Spite House.
This book contains multiple POV’s, which I usually enjoy. But I felt like in this case it really took away from the story. And I’m left with A LOT of questions and no answers.
The relationship between Dess and Stacy was fantastic and I thoroughly enjoyed their characters.
I think that if you’re new to horror, especially gothic horror, then this might make a decent entry book. But as a seasoned gothic reader, it just left me wanting more.
Thank you to the publisher for my arc!
February 3, 2023
Please note that I received this book via NetGalley.
This was really a 3.5 star read to me. I think that the first part of the book was very interesting. But then it falls more and more flat as Compton tries to explain the "Spite House." I think some of the origins should have been left fuzzy to make the mystery better. I felt pretty letdown by the time we got to the end of the book. It just didn't go together with what we had read before.
"The Spite House" follows Eric Ross who is on the run with his two daughters, Dess and Stacy. We don't know why Eric is on the run, but he's desperate for work. When he sees an advertisement talking about him staying in the Masson House of Degener, Texas. The woman who owns the house wants someone to stay there and take notes. After beating out some "ghost hunters" Eric and his two girls stay there and things start happening. Because it appears that Eric and his daughters have "helped" wake up the house.
There are other characters in this one, besides Eric and his two girls. We also follow Eunice (the woman who owns the house), Dana (she works for Eunice and knows more than she is saying), Max Renner (part of a husband and wife team who stayed at the house before Eric and his daughters), Millie (a reporter), Masson (who is behind the house being built) and others. The book follows everyone through a present and past timeline. The book doesn't manage to jump back and forth swiftly enough for me. I felt lost a few times because there's no set-up for some of the people and you have to keep reading to realize their connection to the overall story. I honestly thought that Compton should have just focused on Eric and his daughters and that's it.
The setting of the house was great and used to great effect. I wish that Compton hadn't tried to over explain the house's origins as I said earlier. The first lines in the book were similar to "The Haunting of Hill House" so that made me eagerly anticipate what came next.
The ending as I said was a bit of a letdown.
This was really a 3.5 star read to me. I think that the first part of the book was very interesting. But then it falls more and more flat as Compton tries to explain the "Spite House." I think some of the origins should have been left fuzzy to make the mystery better. I felt pretty letdown by the time we got to the end of the book. It just didn't go together with what we had read before.
"The Spite House" follows Eric Ross who is on the run with his two daughters, Dess and Stacy. We don't know why Eric is on the run, but he's desperate for work. When he sees an advertisement talking about him staying in the Masson House of Degener, Texas. The woman who owns the house wants someone to stay there and take notes. After beating out some "ghost hunters" Eric and his two girls stay there and things start happening. Because it appears that Eric and his daughters have "helped" wake up the house.
There are other characters in this one, besides Eric and his two girls. We also follow Eunice (the woman who owns the house), Dana (she works for Eunice and knows more than she is saying), Max Renner (part of a husband and wife team who stayed at the house before Eric and his daughters), Millie (a reporter), Masson (who is behind the house being built) and others. The book follows everyone through a present and past timeline. The book doesn't manage to jump back and forth swiftly enough for me. I felt lost a few times because there's no set-up for some of the people and you have to keep reading to realize their connection to the overall story. I honestly thought that Compton should have just focused on Eric and his daughters and that's it.
The setting of the house was great and used to great effect. I wish that Compton hadn't tried to over explain the house's origins as I said earlier. The first lines in the book were similar to "The Haunting of Hill House" so that made me eagerly anticipate what came next.
The ending as I said was a bit of a letdown.
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