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The Underhistory
People come to visit my home and I love to show them around. It's not the original house of course. That was destroyed the day my entire family died. But I don't think their ghosts know the difference.
Pera Sinclair was nine the day the pilot intentionally crashed his plane into her family's grand home, killing everyone inside. She was the girl who survived the tragedy, a sympathetic oddity, growing stranger by the day. Over the decades she rebuilt the huge and rambling building on the original site, recreating what she had lost, each room telling a piece of the story of her life and that of the many people who died there, both before and after the disaster. Her sister, murdered a hundred miles away. The soldier, broken by war. Death follows Pera, and she welcomes it in as an old friend. And while she doesn't believe in ghosts, she's not above telling a ghost story or two to those who come to visit Sinclair House.
As Pera shows a young family around her home on the last haunted house tour of the season, an unexpected group of men arrive. One she recognises, but the others are strangers. But she knows their type all too well. Dangerous men, who will hurt the family without a second thought, and who will keep an old woman alive only so long as she is useful. But as she begins to show them around her home and reveal its secrets, the dangerous men will learn that she is far from helpless. After all, death seems to follow her wherever she goes...
Sinister and lyrical, The Underhistory is a haunting tale of loss, self-preservation and the darkness beneath.
Pera Sinclair was nine the day the pilot intentionally crashed his plane into her family's grand home, killing everyone inside. She was the girl who survived the tragedy, a sympathetic oddity, growing stranger by the day. Over the decades she rebuilt the huge and rambling building on the original site, recreating what she had lost, each room telling a piece of the story of her life and that of the many people who died there, both before and after the disaster. Her sister, murdered a hundred miles away. The soldier, broken by war. Death follows Pera, and she welcomes it in as an old friend. And while she doesn't believe in ghosts, she's not above telling a ghost story or two to those who come to visit Sinclair House.
As Pera shows a young family around her home on the last haunted house tour of the season, an unexpected group of men arrive. One she recognises, but the others are strangers. But she knows their type all too well. Dangerous men, who will hurt the family without a second thought, and who will keep an old woman alive only so long as she is useful. But as she begins to show them around her home and reveal its secrets, the dangerous men will learn that she is far from helpless. After all, death seems to follow her wherever she goes...
Sinister and lyrical, The Underhistory is a haunting tale of loss, self-preservation and the darkness beneath.
385 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 11, 2024
33 people are currently reading
1092 people want to read
About the author
Kaaron Warren
150 books190 followersI wanted to be a writer from a very young age, and wrote my first proper short story at 14. I also wrote a novel that year, called “Skin Deep”‘, which I really need to type up.
I started sending stories out when I was about 23, and sold my first one, “White Bed”", in 1993. Since then I’ve sold about 150 short stories, seven short story collections and six novels.
I’m an avid and broad reader but I also like reality TV so don’t always expect intelligent conversation from me.
I started sending stories out when I was about 23, and sold my first one, “White Bed”", in 1993. Since then I’ve sold about 150 short stories, seven short story collections and six novels.
I’m an avid and broad reader but I also like reality TV so don’t always expect intelligent conversation from me.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
March 5, 2025
My review of The Underhistory is published at Grimdark Magazine.
Kaaron Warren brings Gothic horror to a contemporary Australian setting in her latest novel, The Underhistory. The protagonist, Pera Sinclair, was only nine years old when her family’s mansion was destroyed by a plane crash. As the sole survivor, Pera was determined to rebuild her family home as a perfect replica from her childhood, also serving as a monument to everyone who perished inside.
The novel alternates between the World War II-era backstory of the Sinclair family and the modern-day setting of the reconstructed Sinclair House. Present-day Pera has made a living giving tours of her purportedly haunted home. Each room of the Sinclair House has its own quirky name and a unique story to tell, especially the cellar known as the Underhistory.
Visitors to the Sinclar House are captivated by the mansion’s history of death, and Pera is more than happy to oblige her guests’ desires to hear a good ghost story. Indeed, Pera’s storytelling abilities are one of the highlights of The Underhistory.
But Pera’s final haunted house tour of the season brings a group of suspicious and probably dangerous men. With these unscrupulous men threatening her home, Pera must use her storytelling prowess and some psychological manipulation to remain safe, lest death claim the last remaining member of the Sinclair family.
The Underhistory has a very interesting premise, and Kaaron Warren excels at creating a quirky yet foreboding atmosphere. However, for all the talk of paranormal activity, the horror aspects of the novel never build up to a truly satisfying level of terror. The story also suffers from too many time jumps, which give The Underhistory an overly disjointed feel.
Nevertheless, readers looking for a new twist on the classic haunted house horror will find a lot to love in this casually quirky yet deeply atmospheric novel, which rewards the patient reader with many layers of psychological depth. Kaaron Warren has been one of my favorite horror authors since her brilliant short story collection, Dead Sea Fruit, and I look forward to reading more from her in the future.
Kaaron Warren brings Gothic horror to a contemporary Australian setting in her latest novel, The Underhistory. The protagonist, Pera Sinclair, was only nine years old when her family’s mansion was destroyed by a plane crash. As the sole survivor, Pera was determined to rebuild her family home as a perfect replica from her childhood, also serving as a monument to everyone who perished inside.
The novel alternates between the World War II-era backstory of the Sinclair family and the modern-day setting of the reconstructed Sinclair House. Present-day Pera has made a living giving tours of her purportedly haunted home. Each room of the Sinclair House has its own quirky name and a unique story to tell, especially the cellar known as the Underhistory.
Visitors to the Sinclar House are captivated by the mansion’s history of death, and Pera is more than happy to oblige her guests’ desires to hear a good ghost story. Indeed, Pera’s storytelling abilities are one of the highlights of The Underhistory.
But Pera’s final haunted house tour of the season brings a group of suspicious and probably dangerous men. With these unscrupulous men threatening her home, Pera must use her storytelling prowess and some psychological manipulation to remain safe, lest death claim the last remaining member of the Sinclair family.
The Underhistory has a very interesting premise, and Kaaron Warren excels at creating a quirky yet foreboding atmosphere. However, for all the talk of paranormal activity, the horror aspects of the novel never build up to a truly satisfying level of terror. The story also suffers from too many time jumps, which give The Underhistory an overly disjointed feel.
Nevertheless, readers looking for a new twist on the classic haunted house horror will find a lot to love in this casually quirky yet deeply atmospheric novel, which rewards the patient reader with many layers of psychological depth. Kaaron Warren has been one of my favorite horror authors since her brilliant short story collection, Dead Sea Fruit, and I look forward to reading more from her in the future.
July 15, 2024
This book is not a horror book.
If it had been labelled as drama and thriller, I'd have gone in with the right headspace and probably been able to give it a 3.
Unfotunately though, I went in with the idea this was going to be a horror book and was expecting Pera to use supernatural forces that were in the house to defeat these men. The idea of angry entities helping an old lady teach some horrible men a lesson sounded very fun.
The truth is of course, that over three quarters of the book is Pera leading the tour group made up of these shitty criminals, one family and one fella from room to room of this big house and we learn of terrible events, stretches of time that were full of grief but also actually sometimes fonder memories of Pera's past.
I do feel like the way the criminals started acting I'd think someone while maybe not being brave enough to call out the men's behaviour would certainly notice it much more clearly. It just didn't seem particularly true to a reality I know that say you were on a guided tour of a place then halfway through a group of rough looking fellas showed up and sneered and swore the entire time, showing no interest in anything while rifling through everything possible and even past a certain point made no point to veil or hide their intentions.
That's my biggest issue in terms of the whole plot.
My biggest issue overall is of course as I mentioned, the book has a horror label. I thought I'd get revenge filled ghosts and the like. Instead there is no such thing as ghosts or the paranormal, everything 'paranormal' about the house is all tricks Pera puts into place to improve the tourist's experiences and boost the possibility of future visits. Repainting fake bloodstains, playing taped recordings, burning hay earlier in the week to give the idea you can smell smoke and a hundred or more little haunted house tricks.
It is Pera and Pera alone who kills all of these fucking horrendous men, using entirely her own wits to get herself out of the dangerous situation.
There is nothing wrong with that being the way things play out! I don't believe in a single thing to do with the paranormal so it isn't as if I feel slighted or irritated by the fact nothing spooky has any part of the story.
BUT-
Because I was expecting horror, I found myself bored after a while. I kept wondering when the 'horror' was going to kick in.
This is 100% a book that tells of real life horrors, the aeroplane accident, so many deaths through the entire story especially the discovery behind the locked door, spousal abuse and of course the acts and attitudes of the criminals. But entirely fitting with the label of dramatic fiction, not horror.
It is a drama with a pinch of thriller for the majority of the pages then suddenly ramps up into thriller 100% for the very last sliver.
If it hadn't been marketed as a horror book things probably would have been different for me!
If it had been labelled as drama and thriller, I'd have gone in with the right headspace and probably been able to give it a 3.
Unfotunately though, I went in with the idea this was going to be a horror book and was expecting Pera to use supernatural forces that were in the house to defeat these men. The idea of angry entities helping an old lady teach some horrible men a lesson sounded very fun.
The truth is of course, that over three quarters of the book is Pera leading the tour group made up of these shitty criminals, one family and one fella from room to room of this big house and we learn of terrible events, stretches of time that were full of grief but also actually sometimes fonder memories of Pera's past.
I do feel like the way the criminals started acting I'd think someone while maybe not being brave enough to call out the men's behaviour would certainly notice it much more clearly. It just didn't seem particularly true to a reality I know that say you were on a guided tour of a place then halfway through a group of rough looking fellas showed up and sneered and swore the entire time, showing no interest in anything while rifling through everything possible and even past a certain point made no point to veil or hide their intentions.
That's my biggest issue in terms of the whole plot.
My biggest issue overall is of course as I mentioned, the book has a horror label. I thought I'd get revenge filled ghosts and the like. Instead there is no such thing as ghosts or the paranormal, everything 'paranormal' about the house is all tricks Pera puts into place to improve the tourist's experiences and boost the possibility of future visits. Repainting fake bloodstains, playing taped recordings, burning hay earlier in the week to give the idea you can smell smoke and a hundred or more little haunted house tricks.
It is Pera and Pera alone who kills all of these fucking horrendous men, using entirely her own wits to get herself out of the dangerous situation.
There is nothing wrong with that being the way things play out! I don't believe in a single thing to do with the paranormal so it isn't as if I feel slighted or irritated by the fact nothing spooky has any part of the story.
BUT-
Because I was expecting horror, I found myself bored after a while. I kept wondering when the 'horror' was going to kick in.
This is 100% a book that tells of real life horrors, the aeroplane accident, so many deaths through the entire story especially the discovery behind the locked door, spousal abuse and of course the acts and attitudes of the criminals. But entirely fitting with the label of dramatic fiction, not horror.
It is a drama with a pinch of thriller for the majority of the pages then suddenly ramps up into thriller 100% for the very last sliver.
If it hadn't been marketed as a horror book things probably would have been different for me!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 22, 2024
Pera is the most perfect storyteller. She knows exactly what it takes to draw people in, and she had my attention from the very beginning. It felt as if I’d joined the tour of her home, listening intently to what she was saying while absorbing all the fascinating rooms. Rooms she recreated after the original house was destroyed and her entire family perished when Pera was only nine years old. Each room has its own story, its own history, maybe even its own ghosts.
During her last tour of the season, an unexpected group of men arrive. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out what they want. Pera is good at reading people, and she knows her best bet here is to somehow outwit these men. Because she isn’t at all as helpless as they think.
There is quite an underlying chilling vibe to this story. A looming kind of threat that doesn’t just come from the men with bad intentions. As dangerous as they might be, I found I couldn’t quite take them seriously all the time. They felt a tad over the top to me, and maybe if their apparent evilness had been toned down somewhat, they might have had a bigger impact.
The house, in all its historical glory, almost feels like a character all on its own. So much history, so much tragedy is hiding behind its walls. As Pera guides her guests around, her life’s story is revealed. It is often a sad story, full of grief and guilt.
I’m finding it tough to review ‘The Underhistory’, as it's so different. In a good way, though.. It is wonderfully written, and an entirely unique and refreshing way to tell, what is essentially, a crime tragedy story. Sort of. Pera is a formidable protagonist, definitely someone to root for, yet also flawed and not averse to telling a lie or two. For the longest time, I wasn’t really sure where this tale was heading, and it almost felt as if nothing much was happening. Yet at the same time, the tension could be cut with a knife and there was this constant sense of anticipation. I was so engrossed, absorbed into Pera’s past, and intrigued by the stories behind the various rooms that the waiting for someone to snap didn’t bother me. It was worth it and as it happens, I thought the conclusion was delightfully satisfactory.
This debut by Kaaron Warren is original, full of suspense, dark, haunting and deeply atmospheric. I look forward to seeing what’s next.
During her last tour of the season, an unexpected group of men arrive. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out what they want. Pera is good at reading people, and she knows her best bet here is to somehow outwit these men. Because she isn’t at all as helpless as they think.
There is quite an underlying chilling vibe to this story. A looming kind of threat that doesn’t just come from the men with bad intentions. As dangerous as they might be, I found I couldn’t quite take them seriously all the time. They felt a tad over the top to me, and maybe if their apparent evilness had been toned down somewhat, they might have had a bigger impact.
The house, in all its historical glory, almost feels like a character all on its own. So much history, so much tragedy is hiding behind its walls. As Pera guides her guests around, her life’s story is revealed. It is often a sad story, full of grief and guilt.
I’m finding it tough to review ‘The Underhistory’, as it's so different. In a good way, though.. It is wonderfully written, and an entirely unique and refreshing way to tell, what is essentially, a crime tragedy story. Sort of. Pera is a formidable protagonist, definitely someone to root for, yet also flawed and not averse to telling a lie or two. For the longest time, I wasn’t really sure where this tale was heading, and it almost felt as if nothing much was happening. Yet at the same time, the tension could be cut with a knife and there was this constant sense of anticipation. I was so engrossed, absorbed into Pera’s past, and intrigued by the stories behind the various rooms that the waiting for someone to snap didn’t bother me. It was worth it and as it happens, I thought the conclusion was delightfully satisfactory.
This debut by Kaaron Warren is original, full of suspense, dark, haunting and deeply atmospheric. I look forward to seeing what’s next.
November 21, 2024
Ok, full disclosure I requested this on NetGalley assuming it was the full title, however after a bit of back and forth assuming the file was corrupted, it is infact a short audio sample (approx 25 min run time) The publisher has since updated the description on NetGalley. it’s quite hypocritical of me to offer a review as I’ve stated in the past that I don’t really see the point in reviewing an extract, however here we are……..
I really have no idea what to write if I’m honest, the book sounds like something I’d like to read, and I felt I’d get along well with the narration.
Thanks to NetGalley and Profile Audio books for the extract, I look forward to being able to review the full ALC should it become available.
I really have no idea what to write if I’m honest, the book sounds like something I’d like to read, and I felt I’d get along well with the narration.
Thanks to NetGalley and Profile Audio books for the extract, I look forward to being able to review the full ALC should it become available.
November 20, 2024
High quality audio sampler. It set the scene well and left me hunger for more. The characters are intriguing and sets the scene well.As it states sampler I am assuming it only 4 tracks please release the rest as I want more. This screams mystery would do well at Halloween and us pwrfect for cold winter nights.
Thank you so much netgallery and publisher and author and narrator for this sampler. A more detailed review would golliw if released more
Thank you so much netgallery and publisher and author and narrator for this sampler. A more detailed review would golliw if released more
September 28, 2024
Well, it's Spooky Season, and I've been in the mood for a good, creepy, gothic, haunted-house horror novel. There's just something about the haunted house trope this time of year that sets my tinglers all a-tingle with tingling. So, of course, when I came across The Underhistory by Kaaron Warren, I had to toss it in my cart. I mean ... take a second to read the synopsis. I'll wait.
(Tapping fingers)
You done? Sounds like it would be really really good, doesn't it?
Well, spoiler alert. It's not.
I'll admit that it's basically what the synopsis says it is -- Pera, the 60-something-year-old sole survivor of a tragedy involving a plane crashing into her home when she was nine, has spent much of the latter part of her life giving "haunted house" tours of the property she has spent years painfully reconstructing. One night, during the final tour of the day, a group of escaped convicts (murderers and rapists all) arrives with the intent on robbing Pera blind. Pera has to use all of her wits and resources to keep herself and the touring family alive long enough to be able to take matters into own house... er ... hands.
The plot is nonlinear, hopping back and forth between the novel's present (1993) and Pera's past from the night of the plane crash forward. As Pera, in the present, escorts her visitors throughout the house, each room they enter triggers one or more stories from her past. They're all very tragic, and Pera uses this to weave into her stories the supposed hauntings that draw her clientele.
And I'll be the first to say that if I were on Pera's haunted house tour, I would probably make it about halfway through before I had to flee back to my car screaming...
... from boredom!
Seriously! Pera herself dozes off multiple times during her own stupid tour, and it's probably because she can't muster enough interest in her own bullshit to keep herself alert. It took me six days to get through this 374-page bottle of melatonin. I mean, you'd think that when the convicts finally show up, things would start to get interesting, but no. They just casually join in the tour, occasionally tossing things to the floor and pocketing trinkets here and there, all the while the paying tour guests react like they're a bunch of cardboard cutouts -- smiling and staring at the rooms they enter as if they're completely oblivious to the threat in their midst. And none of it seems to serve any purpose other than as a frame for Pera's life story, because literally nothing happens for the first 281 pages other than the tour and the forays into Pera's past.
I will give Kaaron Warren some credit for picking up the pace in the third act, where the tour guests are out of the way and it's just Pera and the convicts. With no more trips into the past constantly interrupting the narrative, Pera can finally get down to the business of taking care of her remaining guests. But by this time, the damage has already been done. I was too angry at being dragged all the way to this point and wondering what purpose the first 281 pages served. If you're familiar with Freytag's plot pyramid (which we all learned by the 7th grade), then you'll know what I mean when I say this book is 281 pages of exposition, and 93 pages of rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution.
This could have easily been a novella, or even an unusually-long short story, and it probably would have been great, because Warren does have a firm grip on developing her themes. There's something here about the weight of survivor's guilt and our obligations to those we outlive, and its interwoven remarkably well through subtle symbolism, interior monologue, and irony, and its because of this that I gave the book two stars.
But man, it really needs some balance because it's so backstory heavy that it's title could very well refer to where its plot is buried. Under history. A ton of it.
(Tapping fingers)
You done? Sounds like it would be really really good, doesn't it?
Well, spoiler alert. It's not.
I'll admit that it's basically what the synopsis says it is -- Pera, the 60-something-year-old sole survivor of a tragedy involving a plane crashing into her home when she was nine, has spent much of the latter part of her life giving "haunted house" tours of the property she has spent years painfully reconstructing. One night, during the final tour of the day, a group of escaped convicts (murderers and rapists all) arrives with the intent on robbing Pera blind. Pera has to use all of her wits and resources to keep herself and the touring family alive long enough to be able to take matters into own house... er ... hands.
The plot is nonlinear, hopping back and forth between the novel's present (1993) and Pera's past from the night of the plane crash forward. As Pera, in the present, escorts her visitors throughout the house, each room they enter triggers one or more stories from her past. They're all very tragic, and Pera uses this to weave into her stories the supposed hauntings that draw her clientele.
And I'll be the first to say that if I were on Pera's haunted house tour, I would probably make it about halfway through before I had to flee back to my car screaming...
... from boredom!
Seriously! Pera herself dozes off multiple times during her own stupid tour, and it's probably because she can't muster enough interest in her own bullshit to keep herself alert. It took me six days to get through this 374-page bottle of melatonin. I mean, you'd think that when the convicts finally show up, things would start to get interesting, but no. They just casually join in the tour, occasionally tossing things to the floor and pocketing trinkets here and there, all the while the paying tour guests react like they're a bunch of cardboard cutouts -- smiling and staring at the rooms they enter as if they're completely oblivious to the threat in their midst. And none of it seems to serve any purpose other than as a frame for Pera's life story, because literally nothing happens for the first 281 pages other than the tour and the forays into Pera's past.
I will give Kaaron Warren some credit for picking up the pace in the third act, where the tour guests are out of the way and it's just Pera and the convicts. With no more trips into the past constantly interrupting the narrative, Pera can finally get down to the business of taking care of her remaining guests. But by this time, the damage has already been done. I was too angry at being dragged all the way to this point and wondering what purpose the first 281 pages served. If you're familiar with Freytag's plot pyramid (which we all learned by the 7th grade), then you'll know what I mean when I say this book is 281 pages of exposition, and 93 pages of rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution.
This could have easily been a novella, or even an unusually-long short story, and it probably would have been great, because Warren does have a firm grip on developing her themes. There's something here about the weight of survivor's guilt and our obligations to those we outlive, and its interwoven remarkably well through subtle symbolism, interior monologue, and irony, and its because of this that I gave the book two stars.
But man, it really needs some balance because it's so backstory heavy that it's title could very well refer to where its plot is buried. Under history. A ton of it.
May 10, 2024
The story:
In 1941, when Pera Sinclair was 9 years old, a pilot purposely flew his plane into her grand family house, destroying her home and killing her family. In the years that follow, Pera rebuilds a replica Sinclair House on its original foundations, against the backdrop of her fame as ‘the only survivor’.
Now in her 60s, Pera shows tours of the curious around her home, spinning tales of the ghosts that live there. Because death is a constant in Pera’s life, both before the disastrous loss of her family and after. But one day, a group of desperate and dangerous men arrive for the last tour of the season. And these men are looking for more than ghosts…
My thoughts:
“The Underhistory”, by Kaaron Warren, is a highly original and darkly twisting story, which is not quite like anything I’ve read before.
Set in a small town in Australia, but really in Sinclair House, the book tells the story of Pera (short for Temperance) and her life, gradually revealed as she guides a tour group around her rambling home — a home she has rebuilt after its destruction in 1941. Now 1993, Pera is in her early 60s, but very much plays up to a ‘little old lady’ persona.
The ‘undershistory’ of the title is a reference to the Sinclair family’s pet names for each of the rooms in their house (‘home of the range’ for the kitchen, ‘the free spirit room’ for the bar…), and in this case means the cellar. But Pera’s life also has an ‘underhistory’, and as she guides her unusual tour group around her unusual home, we gradually learn the story of her past — one filled with death and tragedy, but what has made her into the woman she is today.
The tour group is made up of both expected guests (a young family with a tragedy of their own, and a man with a Sinclair House fascination), plus a group of men who arrive out of the blue with dangerous pasts and who Pera is intent on protecting her guests from. How she goes about this weaves into the story of her past, and the narrative moves back and forth in time as we learn about the events of her life.
Part historical fiction, part thriller, with gothic tones throughout, this is an original and darkly engrossing story that leads the reader on the same twisting path as the visitors to Sinclair House!
In 1941, when Pera Sinclair was 9 years old, a pilot purposely flew his plane into her grand family house, destroying her home and killing her family. In the years that follow, Pera rebuilds a replica Sinclair House on its original foundations, against the backdrop of her fame as ‘the only survivor’.
Now in her 60s, Pera shows tours of the curious around her home, spinning tales of the ghosts that live there. Because death is a constant in Pera’s life, both before the disastrous loss of her family and after. But one day, a group of desperate and dangerous men arrive for the last tour of the season. And these men are looking for more than ghosts…
My thoughts:
“The Underhistory”, by Kaaron Warren, is a highly original and darkly twisting story, which is not quite like anything I’ve read before.
Set in a small town in Australia, but really in Sinclair House, the book tells the story of Pera (short for Temperance) and her life, gradually revealed as she guides a tour group around her rambling home — a home she has rebuilt after its destruction in 1941. Now 1993, Pera is in her early 60s, but very much plays up to a ‘little old lady’ persona.
The ‘undershistory’ of the title is a reference to the Sinclair family’s pet names for each of the rooms in their house (‘home of the range’ for the kitchen, ‘the free spirit room’ for the bar…), and in this case means the cellar. But Pera’s life also has an ‘underhistory’, and as she guides her unusual tour group around her unusual home, we gradually learn the story of her past — one filled with death and tragedy, but what has made her into the woman she is today.
The tour group is made up of both expected guests (a young family with a tragedy of their own, and a man with a Sinclair House fascination), plus a group of men who arrive out of the blue with dangerous pasts and who Pera is intent on protecting her guests from. How she goes about this weaves into the story of her past, and the narrative moves back and forth in time as we learn about the events of her life.
Part historical fiction, part thriller, with gothic tones throughout, this is an original and darkly engrossing story that leads the reader on the same twisting path as the visitors to Sinclair House!
April 4, 2025
This story is told solely from the pov of Pera Sinclair. She is the daughter of a wealthy man who worked for the Prime Minister in the 1940s. Tragedy struck when a plane crashed into their family home, and nine year-old Pera was the only survivor. Inheriting her entire families fortune, a grown-up, Pera rebuilds the house she grew up in. She now holds haunted tours about death and tales about ghosts. On her last tour before her holiday, a group of dangerous men turned up. Pera knows these types of men, and she knows death follows her.
The Underhistory is split into two parts. Part one follows Pera as she hosts her last tour of the season, showing around a family and a lone man. Each chapter flits between past and present. Telling a story of Pera's life in the past as well as the story of the ghosts who haunt the house now. Pera comes across as an eccentric old woman. I got the impression that she liked to embellish a lot of things, and I never quite believed some of the stories she was telling.
When the group of men arrive, they are seen as violent and dangerous, but they just join in with the tour. You do see a bit of their nasty side, but I felt it a little too unrealistic that they would do this.
Part two felt like I was reading a completely different book. It changed to just the present. It is in this part that we get to see what these men are all about. Their story about how they got to Pera's house is an unpleasant read. It's violent and quite graphic in places. It made me feel uncomfortable reading it.
I enjoyed the latter part more than the rest. I felt this was more enjoyable to read and flowed better for me. We also got to see what Pera is all about. Showing that there's more to her that little old lady.
Part one was a bit long winded, it made up around 3/4s of the story. I found myself struggling to stick with it and putting it down a lot. It was very slow.
Overall, there were parts that were all a bit odd and repetitive. I loved Pera! She was eccentric, clever, and very cunning. It had a mixture of dark, disturbing, haunting, and horrifying parts.
Thank you, Viper, for my copy of this book.
The Underhistory is split into two parts. Part one follows Pera as she hosts her last tour of the season, showing around a family and a lone man. Each chapter flits between past and present. Telling a story of Pera's life in the past as well as the story of the ghosts who haunt the house now. Pera comes across as an eccentric old woman. I got the impression that she liked to embellish a lot of things, and I never quite believed some of the stories she was telling.
When the group of men arrive, they are seen as violent and dangerous, but they just join in with the tour. You do see a bit of their nasty side, but I felt it a little too unrealistic that they would do this.
Part two felt like I was reading a completely different book. It changed to just the present. It is in this part that we get to see what these men are all about. Their story about how they got to Pera's house is an unpleasant read. It's violent and quite graphic in places. It made me feel uncomfortable reading it.
I enjoyed the latter part more than the rest. I felt this was more enjoyable to read and flowed better for me. We also got to see what Pera is all about. Showing that there's more to her that little old lady.
Part one was a bit long winded, it made up around 3/4s of the story. I found myself struggling to stick with it and putting it down a lot. It was very slow.
Overall, there were parts that were all a bit odd and repetitive. I loved Pera! She was eccentric, clever, and very cunning. It had a mixture of dark, disturbing, haunting, and horrifying parts.
Thank you, Viper, for my copy of this book.
July 25, 2025
This was a strange little book and I’m not quite sure what to make of it.
On the one hand, it felt unlike anything else I’ve read, and it’s uniqueness was part of what kept me reading – I just couldn’t figure this book out! Its premise was intriguing, and Pera was a fascinating character. On the other hand, I didn’t really like the writing style, which felt like it kept everything at an emotional distance – even when Pera was describing the horrible events that befell her family, it felt dry and emotionless.
This had a tinge of gothic horror, but despite that, and all of Pera’s talk of ghosts and hauntings, it didn’t feel like a horror novel overall. I am curious to read more from Kaaron Warren, and she has written several other books and novellas, so I’ll see if maybe this was just a case of this particular book not grabbing me.
On the one hand, it felt unlike anything else I’ve read, and it’s uniqueness was part of what kept me reading – I just couldn’t figure this book out! Its premise was intriguing, and Pera was a fascinating character. On the other hand, I didn’t really like the writing style, which felt like it kept everything at an emotional distance – even when Pera was describing the horrible events that befell her family, it felt dry and emotionless.
This had a tinge of gothic horror, but despite that, and all of Pera’s talk of ghosts and hauntings, it didn’t feel like a horror novel overall. I am curious to read more from Kaaron Warren, and she has written several other books and novellas, so I’ll see if maybe this was just a case of this particular book not grabbing me.
September 16, 2023
Totally unique, I haven’t read anything like this for a long time, not since the heady days of Iain Banks’ unpredictably dark novels. The sinister suspense that builds up as elderly Pera takes us on a tour of her ghostly family home is masterful. This book will stay with me for a long time.
June 11, 2025
*1.5
This one left me scratching my head—not in a fun way, but in a “what exactly is this trying to be?” kind of way. It was trying so hard to be gothic and unsettling but didn’t fully commit. I honestly kept reading out of sheer curiosity, hoping it would reveal a twist. Honestly, I think this could’ve worked way better if it had leaned into absurdity or gone full dark comedy. As it stands, it just didn’t land for me.
Dougal’s review: “Not enough treats. Not enough plot.” 🐾
This one left me scratching my head—not in a fun way, but in a “what exactly is this trying to be?” kind of way. It was trying so hard to be gothic and unsettling but didn’t fully commit. I honestly kept reading out of sheer curiosity, hoping it would reveal a twist. Honestly, I think this could’ve worked way better if it had leaned into absurdity or gone full dark comedy. As it stands, it just didn’t land for me.
Dougal’s review: “Not enough treats. Not enough plot.” 🐾
March 2, 2025
Pera is an old woman doing ghost tours of her house to make ends meet. She's the only survivor of a long ago tragedy that claimed her entire family. Her last tour of the day is gatecrashed by a group of men who've escaped from prison and have only malice on their minds. Slow burning, this novel gently cranks up the tension until you're taut and waiting for something bad to happen. Great ending.
November 7, 2024
A bit weird, and I had no idea where it was going, but it was strangely addictive and I had a great time with it.
February 12, 2025
Sadly nothing was spooky and nothing made sense.
August 23, 2024
An atmospheric, original and compelling novel. Great for fans of historical fiction, historical thrillers, and fans of the gothic (is Australian gothic a thing? I want more of it!).
Read
November 28, 20242/5. Not for me.
June 9, 2024
“She’d seen her dad do this in order to look at something up close. She closed one eye and saw the aeroplane, large now, but it was lower, too, far lower, and she clicked her finger in the button again and again as the plane veered down and into the roof of her house. Time… stopped.”
————-
Pera is now an older lady who makes her living by giving people guided tours of her haunted house; a mansion that many years ago saw everyone in it killed when a plane crashed into it. She’s now going to have to lean heavily on her abilities as a guide and knowledge of the house if she’s going to make it out alive; a group of escaped convicts have joined the tour with the intent of robbing her for the rumored riches of the house and they’re not just going to let her live so she can inform the authorities of their whereabouts.
This unconventional haunted house-story features an older woman (Pera), but she’s by no means frail. The owner of a rebuilt mansion, she leads people on guided tours of the supposedly haunted house where she tells the story of her family. Years back saw the original house and all who were in it killed when a plane crashed into it. Our elderly protagonist, then only a child, was the sole survivor who had to string her life together after the tragedy. As she guides people from room to room, she’ll tell a story and as such you get to learn more about her background and what really happened all those years ago. There’s possibly one room the would-be robbers should stay away from, and that is the Underhistory. Unfortunately for them, that’s going to be far easier said than done.
I adored this story. The ghosts take a backseat to the memories haunting Pera. I found myself forgetting it was sold to me as a ghost story and didn’t mind in the slightest. There’s not enough books featuring protagonists of a certain age but this goes to show that they work; and we need more of them. I actually handed this to my mom because I wanted her to have a story featuring someone closer to her age that wasn’t a victim or less than a minor character. It’s now been a while since I read this, but I find myself mentally returning to the story. For example: I’d love to see or hear more about the old postcards that inspired the story. This is my 2nd Warren book and I’ve loved them both. She has a way of dealing with loss that is something quite special and makes for some reads that won’t leave you unaffected by the end of it. If you haven’t read any Warren yet, this is a good place to start.
————-
Pera is now an older lady who makes her living by giving people guided tours of her haunted house; a mansion that many years ago saw everyone in it killed when a plane crashed into it. She’s now going to have to lean heavily on her abilities as a guide and knowledge of the house if she’s going to make it out alive; a group of escaped convicts have joined the tour with the intent of robbing her for the rumored riches of the house and they’re not just going to let her live so she can inform the authorities of their whereabouts.
This unconventional haunted house-story features an older woman (Pera), but she’s by no means frail. The owner of a rebuilt mansion, she leads people on guided tours of the supposedly haunted house where she tells the story of her family. Years back saw the original house and all who were in it killed when a plane crashed into it. Our elderly protagonist, then only a child, was the sole survivor who had to string her life together after the tragedy. As she guides people from room to room, she’ll tell a story and as such you get to learn more about her background and what really happened all those years ago. There’s possibly one room the would-be robbers should stay away from, and that is the Underhistory. Unfortunately for them, that’s going to be far easier said than done.
I adored this story. The ghosts take a backseat to the memories haunting Pera. I found myself forgetting it was sold to me as a ghost story and didn’t mind in the slightest. There’s not enough books featuring protagonists of a certain age but this goes to show that they work; and we need more of them. I actually handed this to my mom because I wanted her to have a story featuring someone closer to her age that wasn’t a victim or less than a minor character. It’s now been a while since I read this, but I find myself mentally returning to the story. For example: I’d love to see or hear more about the old postcards that inspired the story. This is my 2nd Warren book and I’ve loved them both. She has a way of dealing with loss that is something quite special and makes for some reads that won’t leave you unaffected by the end of it. If you haven’t read any Warren yet, this is a good place to start.
September 12, 2024
All my reviews can be found at damppebbles.com
Pera Sinclair isn’t frightened of death. As a young child Pera was the sole survivor of a terrible tragedy which killed her entire family. Her family home, Sinclair House, was also destroyed. But over the years Pera has rebuilt the house from the ground up, restoring the rooms and decorating them with treasures and oddities from her travels. She dedicates each room to a family member or one of the many other people who died when the plane intentionally crashed into the house. And as she guides curious tourists around the maze of her home, she tells them stories about the ghosts that reside there. It’s approaching the end of the season and Pera, now in her sixties, is keen to have a break. She’s partway through the last tour when a group of men arrive, letting themselves into the house. Pera immediately knows the men are trouble and are there to steal her most precious belongings, and perhaps more. Goodness knows what they will do to the young family she is escorting around the house. In a bid to keep herself and her guests safe, Pera encourages the men to join the tour. But there’s more to Pera than meets the eye. And the small group of men are about to find out that they’ve underestimated Pera Sinclair…
The Underhistory is one of a kind. It’s the most unique and intriguing piece of fiction I have read in a long, long time. Pera is a sublime character. Shaped and moulded by her own personal tragedy at a young age. Bearing the almost suffocating burden of survivor’s guilt whilst her entire family (and it was a large family with many sisters) perished. All the while knowing that she would have been killed too had she not been behaving like a petulant, spoilt child (I’m sure every nine-year-old has their moments!). However, Pera’s dance with tragedy began several years before her entire family were wiped out with the murder of her older sister, Hazel, in 1936. As the blurb says, death seems to follow Pera wherever she goes. She’s no longer scared of dying or death. Death has been present at every twist and turn of her life, and she’s managed to avoid it. So far…
Would I recommend this book? I would, yes. The Underhistory is a very different book to everything else that’s currently available out there. With such well-drawn, believable characters, a setting that is as much a part of the story as Pera is herself, and with an ever-prevalent, pressing sense of threat, plus a truly satisfying conclusion, it’s definitely one to add to your bookshelf. The reader gets a sense that something is very wrong from the moment the men arrive at the house. From then on, you can feel the aggression simmering. The balance of power has been disturbed and you can never be sure how things are going to go. I didn’t have a clue as to which direction the author was going to take the story but I was delighted with the ending. All in all, The Underhistory is a slow-burn tale that transports the reader to the heart of Sinclair House and its many dark and deadly secrets. The more I got to know Pera, the more I liked her and wanted her to succeed in her plight to save both the young family and the house she had so lovingly restored. This is the first book I have read by Kaaron Warren but I’m going to make sure it’s not the last. Also, I loved that the book is Australian. Regular visitors to the blog may be aware that I’m pretty obsessed with Australian books and authors so that was a lovely unexpected surprise and just made me like the book even more. Recommended.
Pera Sinclair isn’t frightened of death. As a young child Pera was the sole survivor of a terrible tragedy which killed her entire family. Her family home, Sinclair House, was also destroyed. But over the years Pera has rebuilt the house from the ground up, restoring the rooms and decorating them with treasures and oddities from her travels. She dedicates each room to a family member or one of the many other people who died when the plane intentionally crashed into the house. And as she guides curious tourists around the maze of her home, she tells them stories about the ghosts that reside there. It’s approaching the end of the season and Pera, now in her sixties, is keen to have a break. She’s partway through the last tour when a group of men arrive, letting themselves into the house. Pera immediately knows the men are trouble and are there to steal her most precious belongings, and perhaps more. Goodness knows what they will do to the young family she is escorting around the house. In a bid to keep herself and her guests safe, Pera encourages the men to join the tour. But there’s more to Pera than meets the eye. And the small group of men are about to find out that they’ve underestimated Pera Sinclair…
The Underhistory is one of a kind. It’s the most unique and intriguing piece of fiction I have read in a long, long time. Pera is a sublime character. Shaped and moulded by her own personal tragedy at a young age. Bearing the almost suffocating burden of survivor’s guilt whilst her entire family (and it was a large family with many sisters) perished. All the while knowing that she would have been killed too had she not been behaving like a petulant, spoilt child (I’m sure every nine-year-old has their moments!). However, Pera’s dance with tragedy began several years before her entire family were wiped out with the murder of her older sister, Hazel, in 1936. As the blurb says, death seems to follow Pera wherever she goes. She’s no longer scared of dying or death. Death has been present at every twist and turn of her life, and she’s managed to avoid it. So far…
Would I recommend this book? I would, yes. The Underhistory is a very different book to everything else that’s currently available out there. With such well-drawn, believable characters, a setting that is as much a part of the story as Pera is herself, and with an ever-prevalent, pressing sense of threat, plus a truly satisfying conclusion, it’s definitely one to add to your bookshelf. The reader gets a sense that something is very wrong from the moment the men arrive at the house. From then on, you can feel the aggression simmering. The balance of power has been disturbed and you can never be sure how things are going to go. I didn’t have a clue as to which direction the author was going to take the story but I was delighted with the ending. All in all, The Underhistory is a slow-burn tale that transports the reader to the heart of Sinclair House and its many dark and deadly secrets. The more I got to know Pera, the more I liked her and wanted her to succeed in her plight to save both the young family and the house she had so lovingly restored. This is the first book I have read by Kaaron Warren but I’m going to make sure it’s not the last. Also, I loved that the book is Australian. Regular visitors to the blog may be aware that I’m pretty obsessed with Australian books and authors so that was a lovely unexpected surprise and just made me like the book even more. Recommended.
December 4, 2024
5 Twisted Gothic Stars for The Underhistory
I had this review almost written when it disappeared (I am really thinking about going back to handwriting them since this had happened entirely too often, but I digress.) I know I had started with wishing I could remember how this book had come onto my radar - I would definitely love more reads like this one.
I love a good twist to a gothic story - I love a good gothic tale in general, especially ones that lean more into the sprawling manse than the romance. This one has a few twists that turned out to be delightful. I won't go into most as they go quickly into spoiler territory, but I was a bit concerned that the star of this (the rambling old house is always the star for me. I had put it much more eloquently in the first review, but it was probably unnecessary. ) was fairly newly built, or rather, rebuilt. These fears proved to be unfounded as throughout the book the past and present were beautifully weaved together, with many unexpected twists, and a somewhat unreliable narrator through memories of childhood and the ravages of old age.
I had to look at the blurb again to see what I could say to stay spoiler free. At 9, Pera witnessed an unbelievable tragedy at her family home, minutes after she had pouted her way out of going back inside with her family and their guests. The story is told going back and forth from that day to the present, telling Pera's story of survival, the rebuilding of the house, and how she began to give ghost tours of the infamous site. How boring that summary of it sounds! Trust me when I say it is anything but!
As is true of many gothic tales, it begins a bit slowly I suppose. Though I absolutely despise a slow burn movie, it is somewhat necessary to provide the basis for a book, especially a gothic tale. For whatever reason, this one truly never felt slow to me. I was intrigued with the author's style and was soon invested in knowing all there was to know about Temperance Sinclair. The blurb says something about the woman whom death follows and each one of those is truly fascinating and sometimes flat out bizarre. The pacing of unveiling the pieces is perfect. I don't know enough about Australian history and politics to know how much that plays into the story but that certainly took nothing away from my investment in the story.
Another reason I need to start handwriting these is so I can make notes to myself to remind me of some of the spoiler material as I have found in reading my past reviews they have too often been to vague for me to really remember what I had read - this is one I don't think I'll forget (but I'm sure I have thought that before as well.) Keywords just for me in that vein - prime minister, pilot, the Bees, sister Hazel and her killer, "haunted house" tours, old lady badass.
I know some people are not fond of books that travel back and forth in time, but it works so very well for this story AND it is done very clearly. That's always my biggest pet peeve about this form of storytelling and I am guessing that is generally the reason for the hate. This story told start to finish would still be interesting, but it would lose so much of its punch.
I truly can't say anything negative about this one (maybe something about the clocks/time if I was pushed - still some questions about that - again, strictly note to self) and it gets my highest recommendations. If any of my friends happen to read this review and have read this book, please message me - there's so much I would love to discuss!
I had this review almost written when it disappeared (I am really thinking about going back to handwriting them since this had happened entirely too often, but I digress.) I know I had started with wishing I could remember how this book had come onto my radar - I would definitely love more reads like this one.
I love a good twist to a gothic story - I love a good gothic tale in general, especially ones that lean more into the sprawling manse than the romance. This one has a few twists that turned out to be delightful. I won't go into most as they go quickly into spoiler territory, but I was a bit concerned that the star of this (the rambling old house is always the star for me. I had put it much more eloquently in the first review, but it was probably unnecessary. ) was fairly newly built, or rather, rebuilt. These fears proved to be unfounded as throughout the book the past and present were beautifully weaved together, with many unexpected twists, and a somewhat unreliable narrator through memories of childhood and the ravages of old age.
I had to look at the blurb again to see what I could say to stay spoiler free. At 9, Pera witnessed an unbelievable tragedy at her family home, minutes after she had pouted her way out of going back inside with her family and their guests. The story is told going back and forth from that day to the present, telling Pera's story of survival, the rebuilding of the house, and how she began to give ghost tours of the infamous site. How boring that summary of it sounds! Trust me when I say it is anything but!
As is true of many gothic tales, it begins a bit slowly I suppose. Though I absolutely despise a slow burn movie, it is somewhat necessary to provide the basis for a book, especially a gothic tale. For whatever reason, this one truly never felt slow to me. I was intrigued with the author's style and was soon invested in knowing all there was to know about Temperance Sinclair. The blurb says something about the woman whom death follows and each one of those is truly fascinating and sometimes flat out bizarre. The pacing of unveiling the pieces is perfect. I don't know enough about Australian history and politics to know how much that plays into the story but that certainly took nothing away from my investment in the story.
Another reason I need to start handwriting these is so I can make notes to myself to remind me of some of the spoiler material as I have found in reading my past reviews they have too often been to vague for me to really remember what I had read - this is one I don't think I'll forget (but I'm sure I have thought that before as well.) Keywords just for me in that vein - prime minister, pilot, the Bees, sister Hazel and her killer, "haunted house" tours, old lady badass.
I know some people are not fond of books that travel back and forth in time, but it works so very well for this story AND it is done very clearly. That's always my biggest pet peeve about this form of storytelling and I am guessing that is generally the reason for the hate. This story told start to finish would still be interesting, but it would lose so much of its punch.
I truly can't say anything negative about this one (maybe something about the clocks/time if I was pushed - still some questions about that - again, strictly note to self) and it gets my highest recommendations. If any of my friends happen to read this review and have read this book, please message me - there's so much I would love to discuss!
April 14, 2024
Nine-year-old Pera Sinclair was the only survivor of a tragedy which claimed the lives of her entire family & everyone else in the house at the time. As she grows up, Pera inherits the house & the family fortune & spends it rebuilding over the top of the burnt remains of the first house. Now in her sixties, Pera gives tours through the labyrinthine house which has a room dedicated to each person who died there & which supposedly houses their spirits. This particular day Pera has one tour left before she is taking a month's break - she has let everyone in the nearby village know that she plans to go away (although she is actually staying put), & the staff are on holiday. The tour starts out as usual but partway through it is gatecrashed by a gang of criminals who have escaped from the local prison & are here to collect whatever valuables they can. Pera may be getting on in years now but she has no intention of letting them walk away with her family's mementoes.
Told by the main character, Pera, both in the present (well, sort of present as it is set in the 1990s) & the past (1940s & 1950s) with the past sections filling in aspects of Pera's life including meeting her husband & their travelling. The present concentrates on the tour of the different rooms, all of which have strange names, hidden compartments, & 'treasures'. Once the escaped prisoners join the tour, it becomes a battle of wits between them & Pera, but I didn't find it realistic as, given their backgrounds, I feel that at least one would have soon grown tired of the prevarication & used violence to get what they wanted. I also found the pacing a little uneven: the first third of the book was riveting but it then slows down & the meandering through the rooms of the house starts to become a little samey, & it's not until near the final third that anything really starts to happens. It is one of the more unusual books I've read though & I was reminded a bit of a mash-up of 'Arsenic & Old Lace' & 'The Ladykillers'. 3.5 stars (rounded up)
TWs: death, animal death, bad language, racial slurs, homophobia, misogyny, ageism.
My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Serpent's Tail/Viper/Profile Books, for the opportunity to read an ARC.
Told by the main character, Pera, both in the present (well, sort of present as it is set in the 1990s) & the past (1940s & 1950s) with the past sections filling in aspects of Pera's life including meeting her husband & their travelling. The present concentrates on the tour of the different rooms, all of which have strange names, hidden compartments, & 'treasures'. Once the escaped prisoners join the tour, it becomes a battle of wits between them & Pera, but I didn't find it realistic as, given their backgrounds, I feel that at least one would have soon grown tired of the prevarication & used violence to get what they wanted. I also found the pacing a little uneven: the first third of the book was riveting but it then slows down & the meandering through the rooms of the house starts to become a little samey, & it's not until near the final third that anything really starts to happens. It is one of the more unusual books I've read though & I was reminded a bit of a mash-up of 'Arsenic & Old Lace' & 'The Ladykillers'. 3.5 stars (rounded up)
TWs: death, animal death, bad language, racial slurs, homophobia, misogyny, ageism.
My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Serpent's Tail/Viper/Profile Books, for the opportunity to read an ARC.
Read
June 6, 2024I shouldn’t need to convince anyone who enjoys high-quality fiction to read a new novel by Kaaron Warren. She’s one of the best contemporary writers of horror, not just in Australia but internationally, as evidenced by her winning several major genre prizes, including The World Fantasy and Shirley Jackson awards. Warren’s latest novel, The Underhistory, is, in my humble opinion, her finest work. Which is saying something.
It’s 1941, and 10-year-old Temperance “Pera” Sinclair watches a plane crash into her house. It kills her family and their friends, including the visiting Prime Minister and his wife.* Fifty-two years later, Pera Sinclair has spent most of her inheritance re-building the family home: the Sinclair House. Now, she runs tours through the apparently haunted house, each room a memorial to a member of Pera’s deceased family, including her husband. But while the house might not actually be haunted — despite the games Pera plays on her guests — it does hold secrets. And when, unexpectedly, five escaped prisoners invade the house, those family secrets emerge. Violently.
While The Underhistory isn’t a haunted house novel (no ghosts or weird temporal and spatial anomalies, ala, The Haunting of Hill House), it has a similar texture and shape. Because what are ghosts if not the memories, the joy and trauma, soaked into the walls and rooms of a house. To emphasise this, Warren structures the novel around each room within the residence. It’s an effective way of peeling back, revealing Pera’s troubled, traumatic history — one that she seems all too willing to revisit, a crusty but poorly healed wound that she’s constantly scratching. It makes for a complex portrait of a woman shaped by tragedy.
We see Warren at her very best in the last third. I’ll hold back on the spoilers, but Pera’s confrontation with the escaped convicts is tense, gory and brilliant. This might be literary horror, but it’s literary horror with a sharp bite. The Underhistory is likely to be one of my books of the year.
*It’s worth noting that the novel is set in Australia. Neither Menzies nor Curtin (the Prime Minister in 1941) died in such horrific circumstances. This is really the novel’s only “speculative” element.
It’s 1941, and 10-year-old Temperance “Pera” Sinclair watches a plane crash into her house. It kills her family and their friends, including the visiting Prime Minister and his wife.* Fifty-two years later, Pera Sinclair has spent most of her inheritance re-building the family home: the Sinclair House. Now, she runs tours through the apparently haunted house, each room a memorial to a member of Pera’s deceased family, including her husband. But while the house might not actually be haunted — despite the games Pera plays on her guests — it does hold secrets. And when, unexpectedly, five escaped prisoners invade the house, those family secrets emerge. Violently.
While The Underhistory isn’t a haunted house novel (no ghosts or weird temporal and spatial anomalies, ala, The Haunting of Hill House), it has a similar texture and shape. Because what are ghosts if not the memories, the joy and trauma, soaked into the walls and rooms of a house. To emphasise this, Warren structures the novel around each room within the residence. It’s an effective way of peeling back, revealing Pera’s troubled, traumatic history — one that she seems all too willing to revisit, a crusty but poorly healed wound that she’s constantly scratching. It makes for a complex portrait of a woman shaped by tragedy.
We see Warren at her very best in the last third. I’ll hold back on the spoilers, but Pera’s confrontation with the escaped convicts is tense, gory and brilliant. This might be literary horror, but it’s literary horror with a sharp bite. The Underhistory is likely to be one of my books of the year.
*It’s worth noting that the novel is set in Australia. Neither Menzies nor Curtin (the Prime Minister in 1941) died in such horrific circumstances. This is really the novel’s only “speculative” element.
August 23, 2025
A woman faces a different kind of foe after a lifetime of tragedy, and she has to dig into her past to survive in The Underhistory. An elderly woman protagonist is a refreshing change to read and I loved getting to know Pera's life, especially the way she rose every time she faced a setback. After a horrendous tragedy at home, she grew up being cared for by different people, struggling to move on while wanting to return to the place she had always known as home. There are a few scenes that were spot on emotionally, like her relationship with her troubled cousin. When she decides to turn her house into a museum, it finally feels right for her to live in the house with the ghosts of her past. Even though it felt like I was reading someone's memoir where things get more and more outrageous (the story about her husband stretches credulity), I like how Pera's life is linked to the rooms in her house.
That said, to me, the story falters significantly when the focus moves on to the criminals in her house. Their characters felt like caricatures, and their POVs were unnecessary as they lessen the suspense. I found it hard to believe that the other guests could not tell that these were dangerous men, and Pera's action didn't convey the urgency of the situation. I think if the book had been more concise and we only got Pera's POV, I would have felt the weight of the danger more. While the ending is brilliantly dark, it wasn't great enough to make up for the journey that came before.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for a review copy.
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That said, to me, the story falters significantly when the focus moves on to the criminals in her house. Their characters felt like caricatures, and their POVs were unnecessary as they lessen the suspense. I found it hard to believe that the other guests could not tell that these were dangerous men, and Pera's action didn't convey the urgency of the situation. I think if the book had been more concise and we only got Pera's POV, I would have felt the weight of the danger more. While the ending is brilliantly dark, it wasn't great enough to make up for the journey that came before.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for a review copy.
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June 11, 2024
Esperaba más extravagancia y puede que mas juego con lo sobrenatural en el meollo de la historia, y menos viaje al pasado.
Me gusta que la narración siempre sea un poco incierta, estamos en la cabeza de Pera que nos cuenta su historia y poco a poco nos va dejando más y mas claro que no es una pobrecita desgraciada sino que es un peligro en si misma.
Hace insistencia en algunos detalles a lo largo de la historia que no tienen después resolución o al menos a mi se me han pasado, lo que me da rabia porque son toques muy interesantes como los relojes o las sesiones de espiritismo o la pintura...
Tambien es que esperaba algo parecido al cuarteto de la muerte con una casa embrujada y solo en el último tramo nos encontramos algo remotamente parecido solo que con mucho menos humor.
Justo al final da un giro a lo violento e intenso, como si se hubiera quedado sin tiempo de pronto y me ha dado la sensación de entrar en un libro diferente de pronto. Son dos historias emparentadas pero claramente distintas, no sé que ha pasado ahí, la verdad.
A pesar de todas esas pegas me han gustado bastante las batallitas de Pera y su casa laberíntica.
Me gusta que la narración siempre sea un poco incierta, estamos en la cabeza de Pera que nos cuenta su historia y poco a poco nos va dejando más y mas claro que no es una pobrecita desgraciada sino que es un peligro en si misma.
Hace insistencia en algunos detalles a lo largo de la historia que no tienen después resolución o al menos a mi se me han pasado, lo que me da rabia porque son toques muy interesantes como los relojes o las sesiones de espiritismo o la pintura...
Tambien es que esperaba algo parecido al cuarteto de la muerte con una casa embrujada y solo en el último tramo nos encontramos algo remotamente parecido solo que con mucho menos humor.
Justo al final da un giro a lo violento e intenso, como si se hubiera quedado sin tiempo de pronto y me ha dado la sensación de entrar en un libro diferente de pronto. Son dos historias emparentadas pero claramente distintas, no sé que ha pasado ahí, la verdad.
A pesar de todas esas pegas me han gustado bastante las batallitas de Pera y su casa laberíntica.
June 30, 2024
Whew! I finished this book in one sitting!
For fans of: The Haunting of Hill House, We Have Always Lived in The Castle, Mexican Gothica.
I love the type of books that have me turning page after page, never noticing how time moves in the real world.
I went into this book knowing nothing about the plot—just saw it on a “best new horror” list.
This was a great atmospheric read—I told my husband I was settling in for a ghost story.
The thing I liked most about the book was our main character’s voice. Within a few pages, I understood who Pera was, what her motivations were, and how she thought. I loved seeing everything unfold from her POV. And even though Pera is 20 years older than me, I found much of what she says about older women being invisible, younger women not being listened to, and women in general being underestimated, really resonated with things I feel now.
For fans of: The Haunting of Hill House, We Have Always Lived in The Castle, Mexican Gothica.
I love the type of books that have me turning page after page, never noticing how time moves in the real world.
I went into this book knowing nothing about the plot—just saw it on a “best new horror” list.
This was a great atmospheric read—I told my husband I was settling in for a ghost story.
The thing I liked most about the book was our main character’s voice. Within a few pages, I understood who Pera was, what her motivations were, and how she thought. I loved seeing everything unfold from her POV. And even though Pera is 20 years older than me, I found much of what she says about older women being invisible, younger women not being listened to, and women in general being underestimated, really resonated with things I feel now.
August 5, 2024
What a whirlwind full of menace, intrigue and suspense.
I was glued to The Underhistory from the first page and it was one of those reading sessions where I was so in deep, my husband started questioning if I’d ever surface.
Absorbing and immersive, I was completely taken by Petra and her house full of mystery. The components for what makes a house ‘haunted’ were explored intricately, handling themes and experiences of love, loss and grief with delicacy. The different timelines played out well to explore these themes in depth.
The sense of danger throughout was tantalising. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. At times it did feel like a fever dream and it did go off in a totally different direction than I was expecting but it was a wild ride and I’d highly recommend for an edgy gothic thriller.
I was glued to The Underhistory from the first page and it was one of those reading sessions where I was so in deep, my husband started questioning if I’d ever surface.
Absorbing and immersive, I was completely taken by Petra and her house full of mystery. The components for what makes a house ‘haunted’ were explored intricately, handling themes and experiences of love, loss and grief with delicacy. The different timelines played out well to explore these themes in depth.
The sense of danger throughout was tantalising. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. At times it did feel like a fever dream and it did go off in a totally different direction than I was expecting but it was a wild ride and I’d highly recommend for an edgy gothic thriller.
May 19, 2024
This book was not at all what I expected and was all the more gripping for it. I had no idea what was going to happen and then when I figured out I found myself totally engrossed and cheering on the antiheroine right to the perfect conclusion. It was written in chapters based on the rooms of the mansion each scene occured in which I thought was a great idea and very original.
I really enjoyed this book, it's a contemporary gothic novel with some dark moments and a bit of grit, told exceptionally well, with characters who are realistic, and a plot that's authentic, creating a page-turning story.
I really enjoyed this book, it's a contemporary gothic novel with some dark moments and a bit of grit, told exceptionally well, with characters who are realistic, and a plot that's authentic, creating a page-turning story.
July 28, 2024
It is such a good idea for a book. I just didn’t like it believe in it or connect with it. Anyway it was way too long, actually unbearably long towards the end. Five hard-core criminals escape from prison and are then content to have very long conversations and drinking sessions with an elderly lady, in a huge mansion on the off chance that she might tell them where her treasure is, it just went on too long. The hardened criminals would’ve slit her throat and ransack the place after about an hour so no it didn’t fall right. The only thing that made me interested was Pera‘s life which had been so very complicated and challenging perhaps just a book about that might have been better reading.
January 2, 2025
Storytelling becomes an act of vengeance and catharsis in this novel, as the hackneyed haunted-house tour that its protagonist leads takes on life-and-death stakes. Warren finds a wonderful balance between exploring her protagonist's psyche and the claustrophobic tension of the story's finale, managing the difficult task of moving between flashbacks and the present day without losing narrative momentum.
As some other reviews point out, this isn't quite a horror novel, and isn't a ghost story except in a metaphorical sense. But I'd only planned to read a few chapters of Warren's novel tonight, and ended up finishing the entire thing, which hopefully gives a sense of how thrilling it is.
As some other reviews point out, this isn't quite a horror novel, and isn't a ghost story except in a metaphorical sense. But I'd only planned to read a few chapters of Warren's novel tonight, and ended up finishing the entire thing, which hopefully gives a sense of how thrilling it is.
December 4, 2023
This novel is something different and that's always good, it's also a really great read with an excellent central character plus more atmosphere than you can shake a stick at.
The tension runs throughout the narrative but it is also quirky and kind of heart warming in places despite the fact that tragedy is the theme of the day.
I really enjoyed it. Some excellent writing and some classically haunting storytelling.
The tension runs throughout the narrative but it is also quirky and kind of heart warming in places despite the fact that tragedy is the theme of the day.
I really enjoyed it. Some excellent writing and some classically haunting storytelling.
March 8, 2024
Possible spoilers
An interesting one.... Full of atmosphere and tension.
Pera is either the luckiest or unluckiest person going, as bodies seem to litter her past... yet I couldn't help but be charmed by her as she took us through a tour of her enormous haunted house.
This is a book where the house feels like a character itself.
I stayed up very late one night to finish it, and I consider it time well spent!
An interesting one.... Full of atmosphere and tension.
Pera is either the luckiest or unluckiest person going, as bodies seem to litter her past... yet I couldn't help but be charmed by her as she took us through a tour of her enormous haunted house.
This is a book where the house feels like a character itself.
I stayed up very late one night to finish it, and I consider it time well spent!
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