Reviews

Nightmare Tenant by Richard Holliday

claires_loveofbooks2020's review

Go to review page

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense fast-paced

5.0

Wow! What a creepy but very intriguing book. I couldn't put this down and read it in one go. I loved the characters and would totally relate to all of them if I was ever put into this situation (which I hope never happens). Loved the plot as well just brill.

gracehawk's review against another edition

Go to review page

5.0

Great, short read that packs in plenty of terror into an interesting new setting!

connorjdaley's review

Go to review page

challenging dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.0

This is another author that I met through bookstagram that very very kindly offered me a copy of his book for an honest review. 


This is an enjoyable entry into a supernatural world. It has both thrills and chills, and will make you think twice about moving into any old, remodeled buildings. At about 180 pages, it gets right to it, not pulling any punches even right from the prologue. 

The inclusion of the effected tenants hearing music that drew them upstairs made me think more than once to the music going off upstairs in Home Before Dark, and the flute-like music luring people in Little Heaven, which gave me that same creep factor while picturing it (even though VERY different things are going on in the different stories). 

I think if this was written into a longer novel, or seeing that there is also a prequel novella maybe we could see a sequel, the author could really amp up the trapped feeling, and this would hit as a spectacular claustrophobic-horror series. 

What would you do if the place you called home turned against you, hostile? Wouldn’t let you leave? Wanted you to stay…forever?


I will say that this is a good horror for someone that is typically really scared of horror, because it wears a lot of itself on its sleeve. It doesn’t cloak what’s happening with jump scares or ambiguity. It gets right into the meat of the story and tells you exactly what’s happening. This might be at the cost of overall spookiness, but I think it’ll translate very well for the same reason.

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

hannahpalmer42's review against another edition

Go to review page

5.0

If you're in the market for a High Rise inspired, Dr Who-esque horror tale, this may well be the story for you! Loads of characters, amazing concept and some pretty Final Destination style goings-on, Nightmare Tenant is nothing if not a fun, quirky spin on the haunted house trope you think you know so well.
More...