In the traditional haunted house story, the tension usually comes from the fact the protagonist must stay within the house. Oftentimes, they’ve just purchased the place or inherited it. They are employed to caretake the house or are forced to live next door to it. The biggest scares in these stories may occur when the ghost pops out of the closet, but the true terror in these tales is that the characters are trapped. Yes, the Luntz’s could leave their home in Amityville to go to work on the grocery store, but every night they still came home to sleep beside their spectral roommates.

Joshua Hull ups the ante in his latest book, 8114 (out Aug. 26, 2025 from Clash Books), with a story where it’s not just a house that is haunted, it’s an entire town. Paul Early is an investigative podcaster whose bad-faith reporting has landed him in hot water just as he discovers terrible personal news. His childhood best friend has died by suicide inside Paul’s abandoned family home at the edge of town. Hungry for answers, Paul turns to the same podcasting skills that got him canceled to try to piece together what drove his friend to such an act. But there is something much more sinister lurking in this small Indiana town, and the closer Paul gets to the truth, the more lethal things become.

In a world of increasingly literary haunt novels, 8114 is a breath of fresh air. Readers are not left to wonder if the horrors Paul Early is facing are all in his head or a manifestation of trauma. Instead, Hull boldly makes his monsters real, visible, and threatening from moment one. Supernatural creatures burst from lacerations on skin, while demons lurk in the shadows of everyday locations. Dead friends drop by for a quick chat, while gangs of ghosts can be seen by more than one townsperson.

It’s this imagery that will stick with readers after they close 8114, and that comes as so surprise. Hull’s most recent success is as the script writer for the film Glorious, a cosmic horror-comedy about a man’s encounter with an eldritch god in a rest-stop bathroom. That cinematic eye is on full display here as characters see disturbing figures in one moment and then find them gone the next. Or, when a scene spirals into out-of-control body horror only for reality to snap back into focus and reveal none of these terrible events happened.

Horror movie fans will likely enjoy seeing this very film-centric technique explored on the page, but they may also lament the lack of rich internal life that comes with this approach. In film, we must understand the character’s feelings and motivations through their words and actions. While in books, we’re gifted the ability to dive deeply into their minds. Hull’s first-person novel certainly allows readers into Paul’s mind, but what they’ll find there is fairly surface. This is not a character with a rich internal life. His motivations are simple: untangle the mystery, save himself and his friends, and maybe get the girl in the end. The source of the haunting is revealed, but the reasons for it are basic. Even Paul’s belief that he is the reason so many lives have been ruined is discussed but never truly examined. What did he do on his podcast that was so uncouth? Why does his high school girlfriend consider him a fuck up?

But these questions and others are easily set aside as Hull lays out the track and sends readers on a fast-paced thrill ride they are sure to enjoy. 8114 is a refreshingly fun horror story sure to connect with horror hounds ready for a good old fashioned haunting.

Unfortunately, this book was a DNF for me. I made it about a third of the way through the book and just could not make myself keep going. While the overall plot sounds intriguing and I did enjoy the podcast elements of the story, the writing style and the characters fall flat.

This was an interesting novella, and I loved the idea of a true crime podcaster having to deal with someone who did not want to be found. The author did a fantastic job crafting the atmosphere and vibes with this one.

Whilst the cover for this book was intriguing and really cool, the writing was overall poor. I can understand what was being attempted here, and I think it could've been truly scary and worthy of finishing IF the development and strong author voice was there. I DNF this at 34%.

The author voice was incredibly flat and held no presence, instead it sounded like a stroppy teenager trying too hard to be edgy, ultimately making it hard to think it belonged to a forty old man - but then again, saying that, maybe that was actually quite realistic. The fact that 'sigh' was actually written in the book was an example of this, which occurred one too many times.

The characters were unrefined, the pacing rushed, with the book overall lacking any real writing finesse. The horror was incredibly underdeveloped, and spoon fed. The dialogue was also disjointed and did not flow naturally, instead sounding like a weird narration instead of being spoken by an actual person in the moment.

Overall, I was not able to finish this book due to the overwhelming problems I had whilst reading this.

Synopsis: A podcaster, Paul, starts a true crime series to find a missing man he knew when they were young, only to find that the man wasn't missing, and Paul has ruined his life. While struggling with the aftermath of this revelation, Paul is summoned back home. Only after his arrival does he find out that one of his friends has killed himself in Paul's childhood home. Paul is left to investigate whether his home is haunted, or it's generational trauma. And, if so, does that mean a person be haunted?

I struggled with finishing 8114. While I loved the podcast elements and found-footage vibe, I appreciated the bleak atmosphere, and the story hooked me immediately, the writing and lack of editing was distracting. Not only were there errors, but there were so many ellipses, multiple question marks in a row, and italicized *and* bold words (even in dialogue) that I felt a little like I was reading an r/nosleep story. While I love r/nosleep stories, they're short, and this book is over 218 pages. All of those things just became exhausting to read. I also felt like too many elements were at play, so I couldn't really get invested in the story.

But Joshua Hull does an amazing job at creating a haunting atmosphere and crafting creepy scenes, and my criticisms of 8114 are things that wouldn't necessarily bother everyone. I'd happily try another of Hull's books in the future and just hope it's a little more polished.

This book definitely gets scarier as you go, and I LOVED IT! 🤩 Lately, I've noticed a trend with the books I pick—they somehow all involve podcasts in the plot(Is this a hint that I should start my own book podcast?)👀 Now, back to the story. This one’s by @joshuathehull , an Indiana-based author with a solid background in screenwriting and filmmaking. Joshua Hull co-wrote the Academy Award-winning film Whiplash! 🔥🔥 His experience was really shown here because the story was well crafted.

Some scenes were seriously creepy and disturbing. If you’re squeamish about baby sacrifices, proceed with caution. Honestly, some parts were so vivid and unsettling they’re still stuck in my mind, which, for a horror book, is a major win because that’s exactly what great horror is supposed to do to you—it's supposed to linger with you.

If you’re new to the horror genre, this is a fantastic starting point. The characters feel real, and the writing flows with a laid-back vibe. Overall, it’s highly recommended for horror fans! 🔥

Thank you @netgalley for this digital arc. ❤️ Book will be out in Aug 2025 🤘🏻

A great read for horror fans.
I loved the classic story; of going back to your roots to uncover strange/ghost stories from the creepy house of your childhood
I really enjoyed the cultural references.
I found the description of the house/ghosts/murders shocking and scary. The author definitely doesn’t shy away from the shock factor.
The writing style definitely reminded me of Stephen King.
Much like SK, I did find there times of backstories, inner dialogue and descriptions that diverted from the story a bit much for me. I did find myself skimming through some sections.
I wasn’t a fan of the ‘podcast’ side of the story, I just wasn’t really invested in it. But found the whole main plot compelling.
Would definitely recommend to any horror fans, not for the faint hearted!

If you're a fan of dystopian fiction, science fiction, or psychological thrillers, then "8114" is an absolute must-read. Hull's writing is engaging, thought-provoking, and utterly captivating. Be prepared for a haunting and unforgettable reading experience!

8114 is a supernatural horror novel that had me gripping the pages from the very start. Written by Glorious screenwriter Joshua Hull, 8114 is a chilling and nightmarish tale filled with pop culture references and an unyielding atmosphere of dread.

After returning to his hometown, Paul, the beleaguered host of a small-time podcast, discovers a longtime friend committed suicide in the dilapidated ruins of Paul’s childhood home. Desperate to find answers, Paul interviews friends and locals hoping to find closure. He finds himself in a chilling downward spiral of his memories and the land he grew up on. Has his past caught up with him or is there something far more sinister at play?

Joshua Hull skillfull storytelling shines through in 8114 painting both the physical decay of Paul's home and the metaphorical decline of his mental state as he delves deeper into what is happening surrounding his childhood home. Hull crafts a supernatural horror that gets more horrific with each page turn that hooks us to the very end.

In 8114, Hull creates unlikable characters that I found myself liking in the end. Paul is portrayed not as your typical heroic protagonist but rather a flawed individual driven by desperation and curiosity. This complexity added a layer to his character, making him relatable despite his imperfections. As we follow Paul through his discussions with those back home, we see how each interaction reveals more about him than just the facts he's trying to gather.

The use of a true crime style podcast as a plot mover and thematic anchor adds to the story seldom seen in horror novels. While I have read my fair share of mystery thrillers where they have leaned on podcasts for storytelling momentum, reading this in a straight forward horror was refreshing. Podcasting in a novel is always a plus in my book, for obvious reasons.

The blend of horror with slight bit of humor did not go unnoticed either; peppered throughout are darkly humorous pop culture references that offer brief respites from tension without detracting from it. These moments allowed me to catch my breath a bit before powering on.

8114 by Joshua Hull is a psychological horror wrapped tightly around a supernatural core making it impossible to put down. The characters, location and overall atmosphere of dread made for one hell of a horror story. This is one that I read with the lights on and my back against the wall. Hull's ability to use his background of screenwriter to craft horror novels makes for a unique reading experience and cannot wait for more.

Thank you to NetGalley for my first ever ARC! I was really excited to read this and loved the premise. I did enjoy it and thought some scenes were super creepy and dark and I loved the homage it paid to some of my favourite horror movies.

I think the writing style knocked the couple of stars off for me - the narrators name was repeated in nearly every other piece of dialogue which was distracting and I think at points the plot moved too quickly so it was hard to follow. This could’ve easily been 4 or 5 stars for me if it was maybe 100 pages longer?

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7082302017

Unfortunately this was a DNF for me. I thought Joshua Hull was rushing and not taking the time to create suspense -so ultimately, when the scary moments arose, they fell flat. By the middle of the book, I realized I wasn't invested and had to stop.

TW for body gore and horror (though nothing horrifically graphic or super detailed).

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC of this book! While horror isn’t normally my area, I found myself wanting a spooky book to read around Halloween and boy was I not disappointed in this book. 8114 is creepy, scary, freaky and downright messed up, but what an amazing story to read and that it’s inspired by true events from the author really ups the scary vibes of the book. Truly a 4 star rating for me.

I was hooked right from the very beginning and I had no idea where this story would go throughout the entire book and I loved that; I loved not knowing how things would play out. And believe me, I didn’t. Between being thoroughly creeped and freaked out with every chapter, as the story progressed I found myself whispering and murmuring more and more “what the f*ck!?”’s as things played out, and I truly mean that as a compliment.

Joshua Hull has an incredible talent for writing spooky, creepy horror and I cannot recommend 8114 enough. It’s a paranormal(ish?) horror novel that revolves around the main character Paul Early returning to his childhood hometown and home and reliving his past horrors. Things progress from there in a relatively quick timeframe (without feeling rushed at all) and his past horrors are no longer in the past. I won’t go into further detail because 1. I don’t want to spoil anything and 2. I truly don’t know if I could describe the plot with some non-spoiler details and do it justice. Just, take my word for it, this book is an incredible read, and again, this comes from someone who isn’t an overly big horror genre fan. But I will emphasize this book is creepy, scary, freaky, terrifying, spooky… need I continue? But such a fantastic read.

Thanks again NetGalley!

8114 follows Paul who after having a major controversy with a podcast on a former schoolmate returns to his hometown after learning another childhood friend took his own life in his former home. As Paul begins to learn that his childhood home holds very dark secrets those around him begin to die leading up to a frightening experience of dread and suffering for the MC.

This books legitimately gave me an uneasy feeling in parts as if I was in the house myself and I love when a story puts me right in the shoes of an MC and makes me feel everything they are going through. This book was a big hit for me and I look forward to more releases from this author.

A disparaged podcaster, Paul, who ruined an old friend's life trying to cash in on a "true crime" story, returns to his home to a town at the request of one of his best friend's. It's discovered that his other best friend has died on the property by apparent suicide, a property steeped in weird happenings and dark history. Against the warnings of the Sheriff and those around him, he obviously decides to start a podcast to investigate why his friend, Kyle, died. Delving into the house and it's history he unravels more than just the story. With dark scenes of body and some psychological horror, this book deals with some heavy and dark themes interspersed with pop-culture and horror movie references. I enjoyed this novella, but I wish it had gone more into the background of the land and house, maybe slowly fleshing out the storied history a bit more would have added some more tension to make this an even creepier read.

Crime podcasts are all the rage and that does not stop Paul from recording his. The past comes back to haunt Paul, when his childhood friend takes his life in his childhood home. Darker forces are at play here and things are not as simple as they originally appeared.

This was a super interesting title! I found it to be super reminiscent of Mike Flanagan’s shows for Netflix. That being said, I think it would work better as a limited series or tv show. The concepts were there, but I truly thinking that a novel was not the format to make this story shine.

8114 by Joshua Hull

4 stars

Thank you to the author/Netgalley for the ARC copy of this book.

This was a fantastically creepy book to read. I just finished it and I'm sitting here a little stunned.

For me it started off a little slow, but that was definitely the slow burn this needed. Once it picked up it went full steam ahead all the way through the end. Also once it picked up I had a never ending sense of dread for what was going to come next, and somehow it just continued to get worse and worse and the ending really kept up that sense of impending doom and dread.

My only main complaint, and this is rare that I will say this, I kind of wish this book was a little longer. It felt a little too quick and maybe could have used a bit more fluff and filler, more back story, more dread leading into the climax of the story. But that's fairly minor for me, I just think it could have been closer to a five star read if it had had just a little more meat on its bones.

Also I almost never read the afterwords etc, but I did on this one. Interesting to know some of the lore/backstory/inspiration behind this story. Honestly all of that just made it creepier though haha.

Anyway, this is a great spooky time read. I read it in December 2024 as an arc read, but it would be a great September/October read, and that's when it is slated to be released next year which is excellent timing! Anyway, give this a shot if you want a quick, creepy, spooky read for Halloween (or just in general) especially if you like generational type horror stories or supernatural ones!

Vibes you’ll get from reading this:

-The Haunting of Hill House
-Sinister
-Smile

As my first horror read, this book has set the bar incredibly high! While I’ve always been a horror fanatic—consuming movies and shows like candy—I didn’t realize how much I needed to experience horror in book form until now. Huge thanks to #NetGallery and #ClashBooks for the ARC!

There’s so much I want to discuss, but I’ll keep this spoiler-free to nudge you into adding it to your TBR. Trust me—read it, form your own opinions, and then let's talk about all the things!

What I Loved:

- Chapter endings that hook you:
The author masterfully builds suspense throughout each chapter, only to deliver a burst of tension at the end that demands you keep reading.

- Narration style:
The story is told through the perspective of Paul Early, our main character. His thought process swings between eerie, terrifying observations and well-timed humor. Some readers might find the humor distracting, but as someone who cracks jokes when uncomfortable, I found it incredibly relatable and even more engaging.

- Meta vibes & pop culture references:
The meta commentary and pop culture nods made this so much fun. It’s the kind of book you can totally see being adapted into a movie—something fresh and creative that we desperately need in horror cinema right now.

- Podcast elements:
The inclusion of podcast scripts broke up the traditional prose in a fun, creative way. It added layers to the narrative and kept things dynamic.

- Imagery that sticks:
The vivid descriptions brought the horror to life—so much so that reading it at midnight might not be the best idea. I genuinely felt spooked, imagining things creeping in the dark. Was it my overactive imagination or the power of the story? Either way, I couldn’t put it down.

What I Wanted More Of:

- Clarity in the ending:
While the showdown was intense, I felt it could have been a bit more fleshed out for better understanding.

- Paul’s backstory:
I would’ve loved deeper insight into Paul’s history—it could have added even more depth to his character.

This book is a wild ride, and as soon as it releases, we need to have discussions about it! There’s so much to unpack, interpret!! And before I forget, don't forget to read the author note! you might get the chills.

Hands down this is the best horror book I’ve read this year.

Let's talk about 8114.

Paul gets the news that one of his best friends has passed and decides to go back to the town where he grew up for the funeral.
The same town where people are not happy with the podcast he has made about the disappearance of a kid he knew from school.

As if this was not complicated enough he soon finds out that the house he used to live in, hides a very dark secret, and why not use it. It's the perfect story for his next podcast.
Suddenly this story starts to take over his life and not only he starts seeing things that don't exist, the people he talks to start to pass away.

I have to say that even though the writing is quite laidback, and very funny sometimes (I loved all the name drop of horror characters), it's the first book that I read that actually made me feel uneasy and pondering whether or not to turn the light on.

So if there’s a horror book that you need to add to your 2025 tbr is definitely this one.

This book will be out in August next year and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that will have an audiobook edition. I think it would be a lot or fun.. or some sleepless nights...

Very suspenseful book. Perfect for spooky season. I did genuinely get scared a few times throughout the book. It was fast paced but at times I wasn’t sure if it was me or if I wasn’t following the whole story. Some things felt like there weren’t connecting but otherwise if you want a spooky read this is for you