Frustrating one this. It started slowly, but I persevered and ended up very much enjoying the middle section, where things escalate and there’s a strong sense of rising terror. But the final act is pretty underwhelming and doesn’t really stand up to much interrogation at all. Almost brilliant, but ultimately falls short.

I have very mixed feelings about Incidents Around the House! On the one hand, I think the horror itself is fantastic. The various descriptions of the creepy entity known as Other Mommy are SO well done and truly made me a little fearful at night. I also loved how the story ended. But on the other hand, I found the narration of eight-year-old Bela to be insufferable. She reads more like she’s five, and yet her parents go off on philosophical monologues to her every so often. It all just felt a bit forced—and irritating—to me.

I think I could have really enjoyed this book if Bela was written to sound older. But as it stands, I think the brilliant terror of Other Mommy is dragged down by the narration style.

I only just realised this book was actually released in 2024 when I was coming to write the review!

This was a really interesting read for me in terms of the formatting, child perspective and the absence of speech marks during dialogue.
For that reason I found it hard to follow at times but it didn’t make it any less intense or addictive- it was fast paced horror chaos.
Kids will never not be one of the scariest horror tropes.
I did struggle to picture what other mother looked like - being described as being hairy and her eyeballs changing position it was hard to imagine anything other than Krum from “Aghh real monsters”.
I think the bit that disturbed me and scared me / distressed me the most was when the parents were drunk and mocking the entity- never ends well.

Thanks NetGalley for a copy of the book!

I LOVED incidents around the house! This unnerving gem is out on 27 March. It’s written from the perspective of a little girl who had grabbed the attention of an entity she calls Other Mommy who lives in her closet. It’s beautifully creepy from the first page and just gets increasingly intense. Absolute flew through it. Definitely worth a read, especially if you’re not a massive fan of sleeping…

This was one of my most anticipated reads of recent months and sadly it ended up being one of the most disappointing. It was 'fine' is all I really want to say. I am actually really sad at how disappointed I am. Sorry.

3.5 stars
This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year, so when I managed to get a copy I read it immediately.
First off, I found this story was told in a very unique way (solely from the POV of an eight year old child Bela) which I loved. I liked the characters and was invested in them and I found the plot to be interesting. I was hooked on the story throughout.
However, I have to say that I didn't find this book to be creepy or scary at all.
In fact having finished it, I can't help but feel a little disappointed.
I just wanted so much more from this story. More chills, thrills and more action.
But, for the most part I did enjoy this. I liked the writing and I found it to be a unique read that I will remember and I do recommend reading this is one setting as it definitely adds to the tension if you do.

I was drawn in by the blurb and the other Mummy that keeps a skin to enter a child’s heart. However, the book didn’t work for me. I liked that the narrative was written from the voice of the child. However, it became a bit same ish and I didn’t feel connected to the either the characters or the plot. I found myself skipping large parts of it. It wasn’t for me but fans of the haunted house genre should enjoy it.

I think this book is an incredibly unique book. Told from the perspective of a child, the writing style does really well at having the sort of flitting and flowing of a child’s thoughts. It does make it difficult to get into though which I’m sure you’ve had feedback mentioning previously. I completely get why it’s written that way and I think it’s a really great feature to have, but it did mean that I was unable to fully connect with it and therefore didn’t finish it. I really appreciated being given the opportunity to read it, and I just know that there are people out there that will adore this book. I’m rating it a 5⭐️ on here, purely on the basis that I think this book needs to be found by the right people (even though on this occasion I am not one of those people). I do hope I get the opportunity to read more from this author/publisher.
✨Important Note: I have recently (this time yesterday) gone through a very close family bereavement. This has the potential to impact my views on a book although I have made a particular effort for it not to do so✨

This was written in a very unique way that I found surprisingly easy to get used to. I wasnt a fan of the ending, I have to say. The writer managed to create a real sense of dread throughout the novel- I'm jumping at shadows a little bit!

An eerie and uncomfortable read, Josh Mallerman takes us on a journey through the eyes of Bela - a child with a sinister secret, an 'other' mother who may or may not live in her closet.

Told from the perspective of a child, I thought the book was a clever and different take on the 'haunted house' style. All though the themes did remind me of several other novels, this brought a more sinister edge than others told from a child's viewpoint that I have read in the past.

The adults, not including Grandma Ruth, who I did actually like felt a bit one dimensional, and fell flat for me in terms of any real character development, but alas I found myself intrigued as to where the book would lead.

I did feel slightly disappointed by the ending, but I understand why Mallerman went with this approach and would read other works by this author.

Thank you to the publisher for granting me free access to this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Told from the viewpoint of a young girl, Bela, Incidents Around the House certainly delivers as a supernatural thriller, offering plenty of disturbing scenes and scares along the way.

The use of Bela as the main narrator worked very well, for me, with this adding a much needed dynamic to the story. The 'other mother' definitely offers enough malevolence to create an atmospheric and fear-inducing tale, but the supporting characters felt a bit too contrived for me. Some of the talks directed at Bela by her parents felt, at times, less believable than the entity of unknown origins. I also felt there was too much focus on logistics and not quite enough horror,

Having said that, this did keep me entertained and wondering how things would pan out, and whilst the ending felt very abrupt, I did enjoy this, just not quite as much as I'd hoped.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for an ARC of this book!

Thank you for my free ARC. I'm a massive horror fan but this didn't really do it for me, unfortunately. It was very slow and repetitive and personally, I didn't find it scary. Perhaps because i read all the horror greats as a teenager, and they're hard to replicate. However, it was well written and I read to the end, so they are both positives. Also love the title and cover.

Well this was a horror! I know that's obvious and I don't know why I read books like this but it was very very creepy and very good but I am now scared of being alone when its dark. My mind is well, unsettled.

Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman is an eerie, slow-burning horror novel that thrives on atmosphere and psychological tension. From the very first page, Malerman crafts an unsettling sense of dread, pulling readers into a story where the boundaries between reality and the supernatural blur. The creeping suspense builds gradually, making for a haunting read that lingers long after the final page.

The protagonist’s experience is deeply immersive, and Malerman excels at capturing the fear of the unknown. The novel’s unsettling moments are subtle rather than overt, relying more on suggestion and unease than outright scares. However, while the buildup is effective, some sections of the book feel repetitive, and a few key plot points could have been developed further to heighten the impact of the reveals.

Despite some pacing issues, Incidents Around the House is a chilling and thought-provoking horror novel that delivers plenty of psychological unease. Malerman’s signature style shines through, even if the story doesn’t always maintain its momentum. A solid 3.5 stars—an intriguing, atmospheric read that will appeal to fans of slow-burn horror and creeping dread.

I don’t know if I’m over analysing this book but I feel like it was trying to hard.
As a book this ticks a lot of my boxes of supernatural horror. I live and breathe the paranormal, the demonic and the terror it can bring but this felt flat to me.

I appreciate what the narration was trying to achieve but I don’t think we were connected enough to Bela to care what she did.
The real demon in this was the attempt to make the mother the entire issue in the family that’s clearly been dysfunctional from the very beginning.

At times it was creepy. But I was skipping lots of the dialogue trying to get to the creepy parts again.

I just wanted more.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to access a free copy of this book. This is my honest opinion.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for approving me to read this, I’m rating it 3.75 - 4.0 stars.

This book had so much atmosphere, it had me hooked. I’m not too sold on the ending because it feels so open ended for me and 99% of the time I like a solid conclusion especially where horror/thriller is concerned.

This thoroughly creeped me out and I was on edge, it gave me a little Coraline vibes but darker. I highly recommend this for anyone wanting a book that is full of anticipation keeping you tense throughout, it felt like waiting for a snake to strike and even when it does you keep wondering when it will happen again, and the fear doesn't decrease in any way,

Creepy or what?!

I raced through this page-turner even though it gave me goosebumps more than once. For reals. The storytelling through Bela's POV was so unique, authentic and compelling. I was hooked from start to end.

The ominousness, the dread, the suspense...! It just builds and builds and kept me wondering what would happen next or how it would all unfold. The book also navigates some very interesting themes with flair and subtlety. Masterful execution, truly.

Not sure how I feel about the ending even now... but damn.

Josh Malerman, you master of horror you.

While I expected more from the ending and the way the story wrapped up, I thoroughly enjoyed everything else. This was creepy and it had some deliciously tense moments. It also had some hard-hitting moments I thought were very well-written and reflective. I really liked this book and what it did from the perspective of a child, which isn't usually a POV I enjoy, but this one was done super well, IMO.

Thank you to the authors and publishers for allowing me an ARC via NetGalley!

This book was a really different read for me, and I haven’t really dabbled in too many horrors, but having seen Bird Box, I knew the author would give us something interesting. The writing style is unique, and I feel as though it really emphasises the innocent youth of the narrator (who is a young girl). It’s creepy, eerie, and will have you thinking about the book after you’ve finished. I just know that if my future kids have imaginary friends, I’m gonna think about this book!
It can sometimes become repetitive and hard to follow, and there are a few gaps here and there where some loose ends weren’t tied up. It isn’t a book I would re-read but it caught my interest enough that I’ll probably follow the author’s future publications.

Rating: 3/5 stars (⭐️⭐️⭐️/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

Josh Malerman's "Incidents Around the House" is an engrossing horror novel narrated by eight-year-old Bela, whose life takes a dark turn with the arrival of a sinister entity called "Other Mommy." Initially friendly, Other Mommy becomes increasingly threatening as it repeatedly demands Bela to let it into her heart, endangering her family if she doesn't comply. This unfolds amidst the backdrop of her family's internal struggles, particularly the strain on her parents' marriage, intensifying the sense of vulnerability and fear.

Bela's journey is both terrifying and emotionally charged as she deals with complex family dynamics while facing the supernatural threat. Her character development is impressive, demonstrating a deep understanding of the world around her despite her young age. Supporting characters like Mommy, Daddo, and Grandma Ruth add depth to the story, each contributing to the tension and emotional conflict.

The novel explores themes of family, vulnerability, and the fragility of adult authority. It shows how societal issues like marital conflict can amplify feelings of insecurity, particularly in children.

Malerman's writing style is masterful, using Bela's narrative voice to create immediacy and fear. The language is simple yet impactful, and the tone remains tense, making readers feel the dread that engulfs Bela's world.

Personally, I found the book to be deeply unsettling, evoking a sense of unease that lingered long after finishing it. The way Malerman weaves together the supernatural elements with real-world family struggles is both captivating and terrifying. One area for improvement could be in providing more resolution or closure, as the ending feels somewhat abrupt.

This novel distinguishes itself within the horror genre through its unique perspective and ability to evoke fear without relying on gore or explicit violence. It compares favorably to Malerman's previous works, like "Bird Box," in its ability to create a sense of claustrophobic terror.

Overall, "Incidents Around the House" is a chilling tale that encourages readers to reflect on the fragility of family bonds and the resilience needed to confront the unknown.