The Tenant: A Novella

by Odella Howe

Marvin Hoeff never thought he was a selfish bastard. Unfortunately for him, the universe begs to differ.

After surveying the grim aftermath of tenant Colette Finch’s death, all petty, miserly landlord Marvin Hoeff wants is his evening takeout and a long, hot shower. The problem is, something has followed him home… something sopping wet, sharp-tongued, and absolutely furious with him.

Before he can say “lease violation,” Marvin finds himself the newest guinea pig of a cosmic bureaucracy’s experimental reformation method. Colette claims the purgatorial punishments are all for his “character development,” which would be easier to believe if she didn’t look so delighted at his misery.

But as her relentless haunting begins peeling back the rot he’s spent a lifetime ignoring, Marvin can’t help but

What if she’s not trying to destroy him… but save whatever’s left?



Twisting together dark comedy, supernatural suspense, and a sharply absurdist edge, The Tenant delivers a haunting that’s as unsettling as it is unexpectedly heartwarming. Perfect for readers who enjoy morbidly funny horror stories with a philosophical twist, morally gray heroes, and ghost stories wrapped in social commentary, this thought-provoking satire offers a fresh take on the paranormal—equal parts eerie, bizarre, and delightfully human.

136 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication April 4, 2026

Reviews

[Abhijeet Kumar · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I don't want to be stuck with you any more than you want to be stuck with me," admitted Colette. "But maybe we deserve each other."

The Tenant by Odella Howe is a psychological horror built around a greedy landlord and a ghostly tenant. It’s probably more dark comedy than horror, but it’s creepy nevertheless. Received an ARC from the author, and here goes my review.

In the story, Marvin Hoeff is a miserly landlord, perennially indifferent to other humans. And Colette Finch is a deceased tenant. But Marvin is just thinking of all the monetary expenses he would incur (for maintenance and repairs), inconsiderate of the death. That night, the “dead” reappears.

What ensues is a joyride with the ghost... through some darkest of supernatural experiences. The story is both exciting and unsettling. The haunting sequences are equal parts eerie and absurd. And Marvin is truly pain-in-the-aff-unlikable.

The story is fast-paced and engaging throughout. It has quite some jumpscares. And the ghost Collette’s punishments for Marvin keep on going one after another. I found her cheeky and endearing. Always in the mood to play with her toy (i.e., Marvin).

The writing, though, is more emotional than scary. It has a calm, thoughtful tone, as if dead-set on Marvin’s reformation. It’s simple, direct and occasionally pun-ny.

My only disappointment with The Tenant is that it didn’t turn out to be an intense, skin-crawling horror. The book isn’t heavy on supernatural elements.

The ghost clinging to someone would have been scary in usual situations. But in this novella, you start rooting for the ghost. The story is focused on character change. Even though it has some violence and implied gore, it’s minimal.

Recommended for fans of quirky, psychological horror. But keep in mind that The Tenant isn’t pure horror. Although it did feel like a thriller in the beginning, it’s more like a refreshingly beautiful, feel-good horror.

[Alison Faichney · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m a sucker for dope covers and loved the simplicity combined with the surreal nature of the artwork used for The Tenant. The Tenant is a supernatural novella about an incredibly apathetic landlord, Martin. When one of his tenants, Colette, dies by suicide in her tub, Martin’s only concerns are how he will cover the costly repairs to his property. But Colette isn’t quite finished with him yet. I’ve had my share of bad landlords + narcissistic men over the years so I definitely could picture Martin.

I vibed with the first half of this one. Loved the surrealist hell he becomes intertwined with, and getting to see some of his misdeeds coming back as reformation chambers was well executed (pun intended). I liked Colette as well but never got to learn much about her own life. The first half was fairly dark and as I got further through the book it almost felt like one author started the book and another finished. The tone just seemed to shift. The entire story is very cinematic and has some dope visuals, but for the last bit I kept expecting the other shoe to drop and it never did. It felt a bit disjointed from the time in the reformation chambers. There’s a certain literary character mentioned several times and ultimately this book felt like a remake of that exact story. If you vibe with shorter horror that has gore but tends to be a bit lighter in tone overall, this might be a great read for you. It’s an accessible novella that introduces some very unique perspectives of karmic retribution which I know many readers will appreciate.

[Pauline · Rating 5 out of 5]

A recurring problem I have with a lot of novellas I read is that I want MORE. And I mean this in the best possible way, because the story has grabbed me and won't let me go and now I want to read more of it. That's definitely the case here with "The Tenant." Marvin is no doubt a shitty person and a slumlord with little care for people other than himself, making him well-deserving of a haunting/reckoning. Enter Colette, his recently diseased tenant; a cosmic bureaucracy experimenting with different methods for reformation; and 100 or so pages of figuring out whether Marvin can be fixed.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story. While this is more than just a ghost story, there were still some genuinely creepy parts, especially when Colette's ghost is first shown. The introduction of the cosmic bureaucracy captured the going-through-the-motions vibes perfectly. And the characters had surprising depth. While at first I was not only prepared, but excited to see Marvin get his comeuppance, Howe eventually whittled away at my skepticism, to the point where I was actually happy about how the story turned out. Again, my only real complaint is that I want to read more about the bureaucracy, more about Marvin and Colette (and Thor/Loki), and more about the world that's been created!

I received an advance review copy for free from the author and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Lauryn Rohl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I Enjoyed this So Much

So many references to Christmas Movies and Cheshire the Cat.
Her writing was Perfect.

This is Christmas Carol vibe but with A Very Selfish Landlord being the Plot of the story. A dark humor with a Bit of Horror as well.

Marvin and Colette's banter, and oh the visuals I could see. I made so many annotations, so many Haha's and You Tell him moments


Marvin is the Grumpy, Self-centered Landlord Ass- hole, We all have meet in our time, who doesn't see his Tenants issues as him own. He is greedy and spiteful. Always wanting to get more and do less work. Money is all he cares about.

Collette is his Jiminy Cricket, and she helps him on his way to be better. She is Not to be played with, and She has him all figured out.
She can show him through his selfish ways to look within himself as to Why, and Where it happened.

The people you meet in life their is purpose, and Everyone around us needs help.

This is an ARC Read for me and I want to thank the Author and Publishing for allowing me to read it.

[Armando Ramirez · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Tenant by Odella Howe was such an amazing little novella to read, especially on a Friday the 13th! While it’s rooted in the horror genre, I was struck by how much it reminded me of A Christmas Carol with its haunting presence guiding Marvin through moments of his past and encounters with people who shaped his life. Rather than pure terror, the story leans into emotional resonance, offering a profound reflection on guilt, memory, and redemption.The only reason this wasn’t a full five stars for me is that I expected more of a “scare-you-to-pieces” experience. Instead, it delivered something more poignant and heartfelt. Still, it’s a wonderfully written and memorable story, especially compelling because it draws from real-life experiences many of us can relate to. A perfect, thought-provoking read for a quiet, eerie evening.

[Eloise Clayton · Rating 5 out of 5]

A tense, quietly unsettling read, The Tenant: A Novella by Odella Howe delivers more atmosphere than its slim length might suggest. Howe builds a slow burning sense of unease through sharp, observant prose and a protagonist whose grip on reality feels increasingly fragile. The confined setting works brilliantly, turning ordinary domestic details into something ominous and claustrophobic.

While the pacing may feel a bit deliberate for readers looking for immediate thrills, the payoff lies in the creeping psychological tension and ambiguity that lingers after the final page. It’s the kind of story that invites interpretation rather than handing you clear answers.

A haunting, compact novella that’s perfect for fans of subtle, character driven suspense!!

[Püppët · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨”It’s not about what you have, it’s about how you make those around you feel”✨

This novella really caught my attention, with its A Christmas Carol feel. The story follows Marvin, a landlord that doesn’t care about anyone but himself and his money. He soon finds out that there is more to life with the help of Colette, a ghost that needs some redemption of her own. Although it is meant to be somewhat of a horror novel, it is more of a feel-good read with some horror elements. It definitely does not disappoint!

[A. M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the joy of getting to read this early through and ARC, and my goodness—this novella is worth the wait! I'm not a huge horror reader, but I still couldn't put this book down! It captured my attention immediately and had me breathless until the final pages. It's a wonderful blend of heart-pounding horror with deep thought-provoking topics and several light-hearted moments that had me laughing out loud. It's one of those stories that sticks with you long after you close the book. 10/10!

[Krystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all I want to thank Odella for reaching out and allowing me to read this heartwarming story. At first I thought it would be another scary story but it surprised me in the best way. I devoured this.

Definitely perfect for readers who enjoy paranormal ghost stories mixed with funny horror.

[Gisela Marengo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was given to me as an ARC here is my honest and voluntarily review. I finish this book in one sitting i couldn’t put it down so good it gave the Christmas Carol vibes . The story follows Marvin Hoeff, a selfish and miserly landlord who believes he’s done nothing wrong until a ghost comes for him Colette Finch a ex tenant. I loved it will recommend this book 📕

[Morana Bylur · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read for the author to do a quote pull

Gave very "Christmas Carol but make it horror" vibes. Perfect for spooky babes!