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How To Sell A Haunted House

How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix (Berkley)

March 6, 2023

Hello Reading Family,

Happy Monday! Today I am kicking off the week with a book that falls a bit out of my comfort zone. Can you say HORROR???

So here is the scoop. Over the past few years, I have reintroduced the “horror” genre into my reading life.  The Sun Down Motel, The Whisper Man, Mexican Gothic, and Lock Ever Door are all Horror picks that have worked for me.   Grady Hendrix is a “new to me” author.  I know of his work but, for whatever reason, never got around to reading him until this year.  How to Sell a Haunted House was an excellent horror read.  Unlike some of the previous titles mentioned or the works of Stephen King or Catriona Ward, Hendrix’s latest book has a campy feel, which I loved. Don’t get me wrong, his puppets and dolls are the epitome of creepy, and the thought of a stuffed animal crawling up my bed to attack me has not left my head (and probably never will). However, his graphic scenes are exaggerated, and borderline absurd in the best possible way.  He made it possible to feel terrified while chuckling all at the same time.  My kind of horror.  Hendrix’s characters and storyline are believable, and I enjoyed the puppeteer’s backstory.  Die-hard Horror fans and newbies alike will enjoy his latest. The buzz in the online reading world led me to this book AND this author and I am now officially tackling his backlist books while waiting for his next release.  

Cheers to a fabulous new week!

xoxo,

Kelly

P.S. If you want to try another fun Horror story, CLICK HERE to read all about what I had to say about Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia.

Synopsis:

“When Louise finds out her parents have died, she dreads going home. She doesn’t want to leave her daughter with her ex and fly to Charleston. She doesn’t want to deal with her family home, stuffed to the rafters with the remnants of her father’s academic career and her mother’s lifelong obsession with puppets and dolls. She doesn’t want to learn how to live without the two people who knew and loved her best in the world. 

Most of all, she doesn’t want to deal with her brother, Mark, who never left their hometown, gets fired from one job after another, and resents her success. Unfortunately, she’ll need his help to get the house ready for sale because it’ll take more than some new paint on the walls and clearing out a lifetime of memories to get this place on the market. 

But some houses don’t want to be sold, and their home has other plans for both of them…”

Click on the book pic to purchase!

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Guest Writer~L.A. Detwiler

Photo Credit-L.A. Detwiler

Dear beautiful readers,

Today we are kicking off the 4th Dear Mr. Hemingway Guest Writer Series. This new series is focussing on Indie Authors (writers who choose to self publish) and it is inspiring, motivating and quite frankly…pretty phenomenal. I am over the moon to have USA TODAY Best Selling author, L.A. Detwiler on the blog today. Detwiler is the author of The Widow Next Door and several other chilling page-turners including A Tortured Soul, which I really enjoyed.

During her final year at Mount Aloysius College, Detwiler started writing her first fiction novel, which was published in 2015. She has also written articles that have appeared in several women’s publications and websites. Detwiler has experienced traditional publishing and the self publishing route, which makes her perfect for this series. In addition to her thriving career as a writer, Detwiler is also a high school English teacher from Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania. There is no denying that I am a big fan of her work. Her books can be terrifying at times, graphic in nature and a whole lot fun. I’ve been following Detwiler on her social media handles and her website for awhile now. I love how she shares her love of books and writing with all of her fans. She is extremely down to earth and relatable and is always sharing writing tips with fellow writers. Detwiler lives in her hometown with her husband, Chad. They have five cats and a new great dane puppy named Edmund.

I hope you enjoy her letter to Mr. H. Her spine-chilling Indie book recommendation is officially added to my TBR pile.

Happy reading!

Kelly

P.S. Be sure to check out L.A. Detwiler RIGHT HERE!

Dear Mr. Hemingway,

I will never look at a white transit van the same way again thanks to this book.

Sometimes a book just creeps into your soul and leaves a lasting mark—for better or worse. Turn the Other Way by Stuart James is a dark, creepy horror that caught me from page one and still hasn’t let me go. The story follows a couple as they are taken on a harrowing journey. When they see a horrific sight in the transit van in front of them in traffic, they make a split-second decision to follow it. This leads them to a farm of horrors where horrible things are happening.

I kept putting myself in Jess’s shoes throughout the story. I love her character development, and I was shouting for her so many times to… turn the other way. But when the person you love is in a precarious situation, how do you just leave? The moral questions stirred in this book really made me ask myself what I would do in the situation of the book.

The setting…wow, it’s a creepy one! The farm is a thing of nightmares, truly, and the things that happen there just add to the terribly scary atmosphere.

What I also really loved about this book besides the Stephen King feel, though, is how Stuart James works so many twists and turns into the plot. The ending is so well done! All of the different characters and storylines come together for a satisfying but really twisted ending.

I won’t give it away, but the ending scene of this book still creeps me out. All in all, Turn the Other Way is a sinister story of how our choices can lead us down dark paths. Stuart has so many other books that are equally as chilling. If you’re a fan of dark horror like Stephen King, you’ll want to also check out Stranded.

Stuart James also runs an amazing podcast full of all sorts of haunting stories and author interviews. It’s so amazing that he is so giving in the author and reader community. 

So if you want to know why I literally always think of Stuart James when I see a white van, check out Turn the Other Way or any of his amazing reads. Stuart James will be re-releasing Turn the Other Way, so be sure to look for  the newest edition soon!

All the best,

L.A. Detwiler

P.S.- If you enjoy a macabre story full of creepiness, be sure to check out my latest novel, The Redwood Asylum. It’s also got a dark setting, some twists, and will have you asking if that new job you’re taking is really a good idea…

Also, be sure to come follow me on Instagram for more creepy book recommendations @ladetwiler and give @stuartjamesauthor a follow too, for some fun updates on his podcast.

Click on this gorgeous picture to purchase Turn The Other Way by Stuart James. Photo credit-L.A. Detwiler

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