The House That Death Built

by Michaelbrent Collings

A HORROR NOVEL REVIEWS TOP TEN READ OF THE YEAR! One of the most popular horror writers around, #1 Amazon Horror Bestseller Michaelbrent Collings brings you a chilling read of dark vengeance...Getting in was easy. Getting out... will be another matter.It was supposed to be just one more in, out, and millions the richer."Collings takes us into a web of the most creative-and deadly-scenarios ever... Highest recommendation!" - Horror After DarkBut when four thieves break into THIS house, they discover the owners were ready. And waiting."The newest white-knuckle thriller from [Collings] is another one-sitting read, zooming right along at a take-no-prisoners pace." - The Horror Fiction ReviewNow, the thieves find themselves in a deadly maze of traps.Traps designed not only to steal their lives, but their sanity."Collings doesn't disappoint...this a brutally uncompromising moral center which is something that you won't fully grasp until the end." - Horror Drive-inThe only way out is the front door.The only way to get there is to survive."Michaelbrent Collings has another winner!" - Horror Novel ReviewsAnd the only way to survive is to be willing to do anything, to suffer all... and to lose everything in The House That Death Built.

*Top 10 of the Year at

Genres: Horror, Thriller, Fiction

224 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 20, 2016

About the author

One of the most versatile writers around, Michaelbrent Collings is an internationally bestselling novelist, produced screenwriter, and multiple Bram Stoker Award finalist. While he is best known for horror (and is one of the most successful indie horror authors in the United States), he has also written bestselling thriller, fantasy, science fiction, mystery, humor, young adult, and middle grade works, and Western Romance.

In addition to being a bestselling novelist, Michaelbrent has also received critical acclaim: he is the only person who has ever been a finalist for a Bram Stoker Award, a Dragon Award, a RONE Award, and a Whitney award: and he and his work have been reviewed and/or featured on everything from Publishers Weekly to Scream Magazine to NPR. He is also a frequent guest at comic cons and on writing podcasts like Six Figure Authors, The Creative Penn, and Writing Excuses.

Find more about him at his website, WrittenInsomnia.com, or sign up for his mailing list (and get a free book!) at http://writteninsomnia.com/michaelbre....

Reviews

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Michaelbrent Collings continues to impress me with the quality and range of originality in his novels. THE HOUSE THAT DEATH BUILT is no exception! He is able to incorporate a range of main characters, and flesh them out so well that the reader will feel they "know' each of them. When you combine this with a tale of bloody, horrific occurrences, keeping the characters distinct individuals--each with their own motivations and emotions--is not an easy feat.

We begin with a group of thieves that like to rob the very wealthy. They feel that they are "Things of the night. Things that feed on the refuse of others, and the rot of a dying world." " . . . the marauders come. The invaders. Us." Rob, the egocentric leader; Tommy, the muscle behind the group who thrives on violence; Kayla, Tommy's sociopath sister; and Aaron, the only one who doesn't want to be a part of them, but needs the money to pay for his beloved wife's cancer treatments. Although Rob is clearly the brains behind the operation, it was Kayla's character that really intrigued me: " . . . she suspected sometimes . . . that something inside her mind was broken in some basic way . . . she was free in a way that no one else who was "broken" could ever be."

One fateful night something goes horribly wrong.

Fast forward several years later, Rob is readying his group for what he feels will be their biggest score ever. Right from the start, Aaron--and soon, the others--are filled with a sense of unease . . . Then the games begin!

While continuing to evolve his characters, Collings takes us into a web of the most creative--and deadly--scenarios ever. At this point, it was a struggle to tear my eyes from the pages even for an instant! " . . . because the only thing worse than knowing would be not knowing." The emotions provoked and execution of scenes were simply brilliant, as were the interactions between the characters as things grew more complex. True colors began to show through, and the more I learned, the more I felt for each of them--even the worst of the group! Although there was gore and bloodshed enough to appease even the most die-hard horror fan, it was the steady build up of atmospheric tension--of what was going to come next--that made this a full five-star read for me. " . . . This was a trap--a series of traps--designed for specific prey."

One thing that I felt really resonated and magnified the idea behind this novel was a simple observation: " . . . once made a choice. Never understanding the ripples that such decisions make in the still waters of our lives."

Michaelbrent Collings remains on my list of "must-read" authors.

Highest recommendation!

[John Morris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Creepy and scary!

I suppose this tale was a fantasy horror. It was well written, with an explosive and totally unexpected ending. Three out of the four, amoral and sociopathic, thieves were totally devoid of pity or any sort of empathy towards fellow human beings. Greed and the love of violence their only emotion. The final member of the gang did have a conscience (of sorts) and had convinced himself that what he was engaged in was for a greater good. That, ultimately, sealed his fate.

[Audrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Four robbers — a psychopath, a sociopath, a jerk, and a spineless safecracker — end up a little too trigger-happy on a job. Some time later, they go on a new job, only the house’s residents seem to be prepared for them.



The first third of the book is building up these guys’ personalities. They are really despicable. You feel a little sympathy for the safecracker, but that’s about it. The house they end up in is filled with elaborate traps, and you’re torn between wanting poetic justice and not wanting to see some gruesome deaths. Most of the threats involve various stabbing and cutting implements. I don’t know if it’s just me who has a primal fear of getting stabbed or eaten or everyone, but Michaelbrent uses it to great effect.



Everything’s a bit odd and a lot creepy and plenty creative. It is horror, so expect some gore.

Language: Some occasional strong language
Sexual Content: Some implied sex
Violence: Lots of graphic violence
Harm to Animals: Four pit bulls eat several people but come to no harm themselves.
Harm to Children: A young girl is shot in the beginning but it turns out she survives. Two teens die.
Other (Triggers): Implied domestic violence.

[Tracey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just excellent

I started this book and didn't want to put it down. Now that I'm finished it, I'm sad I read it so fast lol.

[Ruth Fabiano · Rating 3 out of 5]

I generally like what I've read of MCB. Certainly interesting and not afraid of gore and grisly deaths.

I have some thoughts on this one.

First, this is reminiscent of the Strangers, another book by MCB.

I wanted to like it, truly. The problem here is the characters. NO ONE was likable except TJ.

Yes, a horrific and avoidable crime was perpetuated against the family. ALL of our sympathy was with them. Although its odd none of our heist crew saw that there was 3 survivors and witnesses.

Then, as they kill 3 totally innocent people, we're done here. All of the thieves, yes. They were irredeemable pieces of garbage. But they then killed 3 people that had nothing to do with the original crime. And in horrific ways. There was no one to root for. They were just 3 psychopaths killing 4.

NOW I would have liked if it was just a random house that was built to entrap and punish home invaders, that would have been more interesting to me than this GIANT game of chess. There were huge assumptions and coincidences here that were just silly. I realize the novel isnt super realistic, but cmon.

[Sean Flanagan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! A smorgasburg of crime and terror; of psychopathy, sociopathy, and good intentions that are entangled by greed and weakness.

I expect that I have read more than half of all MbC's fiction, so I realize that each will be a Stranger, even in a common genre. Nevertheless, this story has confused and intrigued me from the very beginning, and defied my efforts to understand and adjust myself to the behavior and intentions of the various characters–both prey and predictor.

As I got closer to the end, I felt I understood his story, and was puzzled how he would end it…or if it would even have a finish. However, I was unprepared for the denouement, and the ending left me with the challenge of getting my head around the elaborate hidden schematic.

I just marvel at how MbC weaves these yarns: truly exceptional prose and style, and carefully constructed character development as well as plot development leaves a reader always satisfied.

And sometimes unsettled.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve definitely read more gruesome books than this one, but there was something about this book. I had 30 pages left last night and I had to put it down, I actually felt sick to my stomach. I finished it this morning and I have to say I would definitely read more books by this author. Definitely a book that’s hard to put down (I read more than half of it in one night) but sometimes you have to for your own sanity (and for the sake of actually sleeping that night).

[Alex Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book contains more of Michaelbrent Collings' stellar writing skills, and visual prose. All of that said, the book took one too many leaps in logic to truly hit home like it could have. I mean I LOVE, the concept of a house as being a giant trap for the lead 4 criminals. That is genius and the amount of time it would take to actually build one was put into the story as well. That said, there are few things that don't quite make sense to me unless I'm missing subtext in the story. Firstly, the dogs, the dogs are described as being basically the size of ponies. Which I mean is a little extreme but I could kinda get behind that for a bit, but then I thought any big dog would be scary and not something you would wanna face down if they were in a pack. My other issue is that Rob, the leader of the criminals picks the job after hearing about it from a customer at the restaurant where he serves. But the guy is supposedly the father from a botched robbery years earlier and there is no mention of plastic surgery, yet Rob didn't recognize him. That just seemed like too big a plot hole used just to set up the story. Once we arrive at the house the book is really good, the middle of book is taut, and suspenseful and gruesome, Kayla's death was nasty and amazing. But the reason this book isn't rated higher is that the beginning featured a plot device that was so full of holes to start the story and towards the end it got mean. Now call me a wimp, i've said this before, when horror gets mean, it takes my enjoyment out of it. Don't get me wrong I wanted to see all those criminals get killed, even the nice guy Aaron. But when the violence began to involve people that the criminals knew like Rob's girlfriend who he abused, TJ, and Aaron's girlfriend Dee, who just survived cancer, it left a bit of a sour taste in my mouth. That said, the writing is great and it's readable and suspenseful, it's worth a go if you can manage through some meaner horror

[Karl Drinkwater · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a bit torn on this. I bought it because of the house-of-deathtraps concept, and it does deliver on that, even if a few of them felt slightly far-fetched to me at times. But that's part of the plot, with the slow reveal and cliffhanger chapter endings, so you'll probably already know if those are elements you'd like in a book. We have despicably unlikable characters (for the most part), gruesome deaths, tight time limits, and an omniscient threat. When you put it all in a pot and shake it is bound to lead to some good scenes and ideas.

My one and only issue with the book was really the writing, and the feeling that it hadn't been polished by a reliable set of eyes. Sometimes it was just a clunkiness of expression, such as when a man wakes in the night "body still pleasantly warm after some vigorous lovemaking with his wife" (I find it hard to believe that's how he'd think of it - it's more like a satire of Victorian expressions than a real trip into a mind - wouldn't he think of his wife by her name if he loves her so much?). Or "The man in the mask raised a hand. His arm turned to an upright square and then he slowly waved" (I couldn't work out what that meant, or visualise it).

More often it was a slight error that got overlooked. The waiter Robert calls a cab for the client Jason, but then the text says "Jason called the cab [...] then returned the ID to Jason" (the first "Jason" should actually be "Robert"). We are told a few times that the doors swing outward into the landing (instead of into the rooms): but then Tommy "pushed the door open a crack" from the landing side, even though he would have to pull, not push. Then a character inside one of the rooms pulled the door, remembered it opened out and he needed to push it "and then switched to pulling" (even though that was what he was already doing, and he just acknowledged it wouldn't work!) and he continues to pull it and wonder why it won't open. Likewise there is a part where Aaron grabs a note off a table; in the next paragraph he picks up the note; and below that he picked it up a third time. (At a later point someone falls to his knees, and then in the next paragraph sinks to his knees a second time, while he was already on his knees).

There are also a few typos or clunky phrases. "Most of the doors were all open" (which is it? "Most of the doors were open" or "The doors were all open"? In fact, at one point later it says they were all open, at another point it said they opened one, so it may be a lack of clarity in the conception that got missed in the edits). "A resounding thunk that Rob could feel in the souls of his feet" (soles). "But that that was enough to suspend the teen" (rep. of "that"). "Tommy's lowered his gun" (Tommy lowered his gun). "One of the huge dogs flew out of the night and quickly drag the body away" (dragged the body).

They're kind of minor, and not even in every chapter, so may not bother all readers (and certainly all are easy to fix so might get corrected in a later edition), but at present they can make a few scenes harder to follow. But then again it is a pacy book, and not everyone analyses the text as they read (something I can't help doing since I edit books too, but that means I am not normal and obviously spot things others might gloss over without effect). So this might not be relevant to you.

Overall a fast-paced and gruesome read that keeps you guessing, wrapped around a fun concept.

[Elusive · Rating 4 out of 5]

In 'The House That Death Built', four thieves are all geared up to break into yet another rich family's home. They've taken the time to plan everything but what they didn't anticipate is that the family is more than ready for a break-in. A series of traps lie between them and the exit. Will they manage to escape before it's too late?

I was engaged in this story right from the beginning, thanks to the fast pace that never let up and brilliant writing that brought the eerie atmosphere to life and delved into every character's backstory. From the moment the leader of the thieves, Rob set his sights on one particular home and led his accomplices to it, there was a sense of impending doom that made it impossible to stop reading. Once they set foot into the house, the story got more thrilling than ever.

The traps were well-thought-out, creative and chillingly sadistic. What made it terrifying was how ordinary everything appeared to be and how some traps were in plain sight, looking unthreatening. Needless to say, there was plenty of gore and pain throughout the story. Best of all, there were underlying emotions whether tied to the past or present, along with the feeling of confusion, fear, powerlessness and hopelessness.

The characters were distinguishable with their own personality. Rob was a strong and formidable leader who only cared about saving himself. Tommy was all muscle and violence, enjoying watching others suffer. His sister, Kayla was a sociopath who felt invincible. Aaron was the pro safecracker who actually had a shred of humanity in him. Their respective reactions and decisions were all very believable. Although they didn't like Aaron, he was the only reason they didn't die within the first few chapters.

There were a couple of twists revealed in the last few chapters that really took the story to a whole new level. Everything was there for a reason. The identity of the targeted family was mindblowing in itself. Being killed by the same family from years ago was a fitting punishment for the four thieves as they'd not only murdered an innocent boy but also ruined the lives of his loved ones. I couldn't think of a better ending for this.

Overall, 'The House That Death Built' was delightfully dark and suspenseful with careful attention to details that made it unforgettable.

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Michaelbrent Collings' work. His books are excellent and this one is no exception. I must make a disclaimer though: I am a horror fan, but my fandom is mainly limited to the supernatural. Ghosts, zombies, monsters. That's what I enjoy the most. I never have, nor will I ever, watch the SAW movies, I don't like slasher movies. This book is more in that category.
Mr. Collings really makes you hate the characters in this book. They are the worst kind of human scum. And I guess that makes their violent deaths more bearable. (Isn't that a little sick in itself?) It really makes you think about your choices and the consequenses of them. Often the worst mistakes are made for the "right" reasons.
I did enjoy this book, though, as I said before, it was definitely not my cup of tea, so to speak. For those reading these reviews, my recommendation is: know what you're getting into. If you like the slasher movies, you'll love this. If you're looking for paranormal, read Michaelbrent's "The Haunted," or the "Colony" series.
Keep up the good work Mr. Collings! I look forward to your next one!

[Jeff D. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another well written exciting book by this author. Only complaint ( and it just could be me and my neurotic tendencies to not let something go when I notice it) is that there were a lot of cut aways to Aaron reflecting back on Dee.. almost too many like it was beating a dead horse. Felt like every time action was building up there was a few sentences about Dee. Still would recommend this and the rest of the authors works ( especially Ride Along)

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn’t want it to end!

This book was a dark, twisted, sick adventure that I didn’t want to end! The characters went through some crazy stuff that makes me wonder how the author dreams it up, but I hope he continues to dream darkly for my reading pleasure! I couldn’t put it down! I highly recommend!

[Jana · Rating 3 out of 5]

High 3 Stars. It read like a horror movie a la Cube and Saw, so if you like these kind of movies you'll like this book. The book is really fast paced and the characters are interesting (but most of them are intentionally unlikable). Sometimes the writing didn't work for me and some parts felt a bit unrealistic but it still was a really quick and entertaining read!

[Elizabeth Berg · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG

What an incredible journey! This book is so intense so thrilling from cover to cover. I am just exhausted. This book will blow your mind!
I purchased all of MB Collings books and I don't referred a single purchase.

[robinn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Collings is one of the best writers I have ever experienced.

Fantastic read... Every book this man writes is fantastic...Keep on with your bad self...I love your works of art, wow...

[Eddie Garcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of his best!

Damn! I really enjoyed this one! It kept me at the edge of my seat the whole way through. It was super relentless and full of that fun gorry horror I love. This is the reason I started to read MBC’s books. Just awesomeness!!!

[James Wrye · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hey Netflix, there's something amazing here!

Hey Netflix, there's something amazing here! Seriously great read. Amazing plot twist. Super fun read that wilI definitely keep the pages turning. I highly recommend it.

[Brian Enoch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great story!

Wow, this book pulled me in from page 1 and I couldn't put it down, I read it in 1 day! So creepy, as you would expect from Michaelbrent Collings!

[Amy Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kept me turning the pages

Very absorbing...love horror houses that turn into justice traps...great read. Some people will find this a little gory... Would definitely recommend!

[Oxy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars.

The only complaint i have is that the thieves didn’t suffer enough. They got quick deaths which i think is not fair, apart from that i totally enjoyed this book.

[Natasha Isaacs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Freaking awesome

I really like this author and he pumps books out really fast. I don't read all his books but I do read most. This book was really good and easy to get into to.

[Trisha · Rating 3 out of 5]

With how many death trap house stories there are you really need to find a way to make them interesting. The traps in this were extremely basic but I enjoyed the characters.

[Tamera Marshall · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great book! Escaperoom meets the best revenge story ever! Highly recommend!

[kim wood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing !!

I was totally hooked on this book . Once again, I couldn't put it down ! Having so many sleepless nights reading Michaelbrent s books !! Compelling , well written , pulse racing .
Another brilliant story

[Jenn4Gators · Rating 3 out of 5]

The ultimate revenge. A group of thieves decide to do one more job together but it does not turn out at all how they planned. Instead of an easy in and out they end up in a house of horrors trying to solve puzzles to escape before they all end up dead. Gory and horrific, this was a good read.

[Star]

In THE HOUSE THAT DEATH BUILT, a group of thieves will learn there are consequences to their actions. Four thieves are looking for their last big score and the mastermind of their group, Rob, has found the perfect mark. Or so he thinks. When Rob, Aaron (the safecracker), Kayla (the sociopath), and Tommy (the muscle) break into the house, things seem to go wrong from the start. Little do they know they’re caught up in a deadly trap with only one objective – get out or die trying. Readers will easily experience schadenfreude as the thieves realize the truth about their circumstances. THE HOUSE THAT DEATH BUILT is macabre, deliciously thrilling, and a terrifying roller-coaster ride.

[David Yuan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! If this were a movie, I think it'd do very well as far as horror movies go. It was a quick read and a lot of fun. Although the overall story line was predictable, there were a few scattered surprises and every time I got to the end of a chapter I found myself thinking, "Just one more chapter. I need to know what happens next." If you ever watched and enjoyed the 1997 movie "Cube" in which different rooms were booby-trapped with various death traps, then you will love this book. This was the first book by Michaelbrent Collings that I've read and it will not be the last.