Reviews with content warning for Murder - The September House

I’ve just recently started reading a few horror novels here and there (I always wanted to find one that was scary enough without being too scary) and I really enjoyed this one.

It’s narrated by Margaret, a woman who moves into her dream house with her husband, but every September, strange things begin to happen and last throughout the month. Eventually, her husband leaves and stops answering his phone, raising the suspicion of his and Margaret’s daughter, Katherine, who insists on a visit to the house during the month of September.

There were quite a few ghosts that made themselves known, and while their appearances were a bit creepy sounding and gruesome (they had their injuries that they died from), they weren’t really harmful. I really liked that Margaret had things handled at the house. She knew just how to deal with every ghost/presence. The ghosts were not particularly frightening (except for Master Vale), and I actually liked reading about Margaret’s interactions with them and her attempts to perform damage control. Fredricka was probably my favorite of the ghosts. I really liked how she and Margaret interacted. In addition, I was really cheering Margaret on in finding the courage to take on the one ghost who she was never able to fully handle on her own.

Originally I didn’t care much for Katherine, as I found her a bit bratty and harsh, both in the present point of view and in the scenes narrated by Margaret of Katherine’s teenage years. While I did like Margaret, I felt she was a bit too much of a pushover when it came to her daughter, but as the story went on and we learned more backstory and their relationship also became stronger, things seemed to balance out. They had also both been through quite a bit even before Margaret had moved into the house, so their behavior was stemming from that.

I liked the author’s writing style as well. A lot of the scenes I could picture clearly in my head like a movie.

Overall, this was a really enjoyable book and definitely a page turner. It was a bit gruesome/gory at times. I didn’t find it overly so, but other readers might want to use their discretion. I didn’t find it overly scary either but rather a comfortable amount and perfect for the beginning of Halloween season.

Content Warnings

ceruleanseas's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

While I found the plot extremely predictable, I enjoyed the book quite a bit. It's well-written and although the twists are mostly the common horror tropes, it wasn't boring.

Content Warnings

emstermeegs's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.5

The premise was interesting, however I wouldn't say the twists were surprising. I knew what happened to the husband from the start.
I could tell this was a debut - it was clunky in spots, repetitive. The gore was also repetitive and at times felt unnecessary. The relationships were weird, as was the fact that people stuck around for no good reason.

It had it's spooky moments and was quirky. The fact the main character refused to be afraid was also kind of fun, if not also frustrating.

All in all, it was an experience. I probably wouldn't recommend to many people, but certainly a book that gives Halloween vibes.

Content Warnings

whatkatyread87's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Content Warnings

tayreads10's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark funny lighthearted mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Horror/thriller/mystery/paranormal chaos! I don't like reading summaries of books before I start so I can grasp the plot on my own. This one was a chaotic, sometimes funny, sometimes gory ride! Not a book I would've thought I would like, but really enjoyed it!

Content Warnings

More...