Do Not Go in That House by Ruth Anna Evans


Do Not Go in That House
Title : Do Not Go in That House
Author :
Rating :
ISBN : -
Language : English
Format Type : ebook
Number of Pages : 105
Publication : Published October 29, 2023

When a true-crime podcaster uncovers the cold case of a child murder, she thinks sheโ€™s found her next big story. But the gruesome tale triggers a bipolar episode, and Maggie just canโ€™t stay away from the house where the heinous crime took place. A few bad decisions later, Maggie finds herself trapped at the scene of the crime, hallucinating the murdered childโ€™s ghost. It may not just be her mania keeping her there, though. It may be something truly evil.


Do Not Go in That House Reviews


  • Leeanne ๐Ÿฅ€ The Book Whor3 ๐Ÿฅ€

    Maggie Bennett works in a warehouse by day, but by night, she has a podcast called โ€˜Scary Real Storiesโ€™.
    Her latest podcast is about a house with a bloody past, in which a young boy called Ezekiel Carlson was eviscerated while in bed, one night.

    While investigating the house, which is โ€˜For Saleโ€™, Maggie decides, during a Bipolar episode, to purchase the house, despite warnings from her friend, and Ezekielโ€™s brother. As Maggie plunges deeper into psychosis, with erratic behaviour, hallucinations, and sleepless nights, she has one thing on her mind which stops her from abandoning this evil houseโ€ฆmaybe her podcast will go viral!!!

    This is a creepy haunted house story, which sees the MC, battling her mental health, and the chance of being famous.

    4 โญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธ

  • Stitching Ghost

    I really enjoyed this one, I liked that the pacing was very snappy and Maggie's progression, it felt like she could have been a real person. While I would have liked to get a little more about the house I think it might actually be better that we didn't get it and that much of the house's backstory was left for the reader to wonder about, it made Maggie's journey more anxiogenic and effective.

    4.5 rounded up.

  • destiny โ™ก howling libraries

    This was another fantastic story from Ruth Anna Evans that reminded me of how well she can keep me entertained and wreck me emotionally.

    Do Not Go in That House follows a podcaster named Maggie who desperately wants to go viral and thinks she might have found her ticket when she has the opportunity to dive into a cold case about a terrible, brutal child death from a decade earlier.

    The premise is worrisome enough on its own, but we quickly learn that Maggie has been off of her mental health medications for a bit and mania is setting in hard. Not only does her mental illness add a layer of complexity to Maggie's character, but her mania symptoms and history also go a long way in helping us to understand why she powers through red flags that many people might have ran screaming from.

    (As a side note, I don't have bipolar disorder and don't experience mania the way Maggie does, but I have numerous other mental health disorders and a lot of experience with close loved ones' experiences with unmedicated bipolar disorder; for what it's worth, I thought Ruth Anna Evans handled the portrayal very lovingly and honestly!)

    All in all, I really enjoyed this story โ€” it might even be my favorite of this author's works so far! The setting was truly unsettling and I enjoyed Maggie as a character. No spoilers, but this story ran my heart through the wringer in the best way, and I can't wait to read more from this author soon!

    Thank you to the author for the review copy! All thoughts are honest and my own.

    โœจ Representation: Maggie has bipolar disorder

    โœจ Content warnings for:

    โ€”โ€”โ€”

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  • Bookaholic__Reviews

    Are you looking for your next fast-paced, anxiety inducing and nail-biting book that will have you yelling at the MC to "do not go in that house"? Well, today is your lucky day because it has arrived!


    Content Warning: This book focuses heavily on the death of a child and has detailed descriptions of mania and mental illness, including psychosis, suicidal ideation, and self-harm.


    'Do not go in that house' is a fast-paced, bloody, and anxiety inducing novella that is set to release just in time for Halloween.

    There are so many things that I love about this novella, but let's start with its gorgeous cover art. Not only is Evans a force to be reckoned with when it comes to her ability to write, but she is also a phenomenal artist.ย  I greatly enjoyed how this story combines supernatural elements, an unsolved crime, podcasts, and mental health into one haunting package.

    Multiple times throughout this story, I not only yelled at the MC to "stop," but I found myself questioning what was truly happening. The further I read the further, I found myself spiraling into the madness right alongside Maggie.

    Overall, I loved this story and really have no real complaints about it.
    The only thing I struggled with was the ending.ย  Was I happy with it? Yes and no. I liked the ending and how things resolved, but I also wanted more. Was it truly something supernatural? Had Maggie completely separated from reality? It seems that I won't ever truly know, and instead, I am left with questions and doubts, so this won't be something I forget anytime soon!

    I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.

  • Diana Richie (Indie Book Addict)

    Maggie runs a true crime podcast, and the latest case involves a child murder. She really feels this will be the story that makes her go viral. As she digs deeper into the story, she starts to have a bipolar episode which starts a whole string of events, some of which could have serious consequences.

    Evans wastes no time tossing the reader into the chaos that is Maggieโ€™s world. Everything unfolds rather quickly, which I enjoyed because it really pulls you in. When we first entered the house, I got some unsettling vibes. Just like her followers, I wanted Maggie to explore further to see what the house was hiding and what she might uncover. Evans did a fabulous job setting this up. The description of the house, the struggles that Maggie was having and, of course, Maggie herself. She was an interesting character. Watching her spiral was a bit tough at times, but Evans presented it well.

    If you havenโ€™t read anything by Ruth Anna, you really should. Iโ€™ve enjoyed each book of hers Iโ€™ve read, and they just keep getting better. Sheโ€™s a pro when it comes to snatching the reader up and planting them right inside the book.

    โ€œThis way lies madness.โ€

  • Jeff O'Brien

    Masterfully done. Brilliant pace and creepy, seamless flow. I just finished this in one sitting and it blew me away. It easily tops my list of the best horror of 2023. I want more. The Linden Street house could spawn many sequels.

  • Kate Victoria RescueandReading

    โ€œTimothy, lay rigid on the bottom bunk, staring up at a mattress soaked with still-dripping blood. His five-year-old face was wet with streaks of crimson.โ€

    Holy $#%+! That escalated quickly!! For such a short story, itโ€™s a constant whirlwind of horror and action.

    I felt torn about Maggieโ€™s character. Simultaneously pitying her and annoyed with her. Iโ€™ve had BP friends and when they are manic, itโ€™s hard to be around. You can get caught in their whirlwind and end up dealing with the consequences theyโ€™ve been to high in the clouds to pay attention to. Then, you get the โ€œgoodbyeโ€ messages out of the blue and have to stop everything to pick the person back up.

    Honestly, reading this story and the details of Maggieโ€™s psychotic episode gave me flashbacks and anxiety of some tough times with friends Iโ€™ve had to sever ties with for my own mental health.

    Soโ€ฆ it was hard to read those parts. In fact, the brutal haunting/murder parts were the happier moments for me to read.

    I wouldโ€™ve loved more info on the house itself and the family that lived there before. I felt these pages were more opening chapters to the rest of the story! Maybe Tasha solves the mystery?

    Whatโ€™s fact is that Ruth Anna Evans sure does write a compelling story! The reader is immediately sucked into the tale and along for the ride with the characters!

  • Sarah McKnight

    I accidentally read this in one sitting. Seriously. I fully intended to split it over two nights because I was tired. This fast-paced thriller will make you feel like you're falling into a manic episode right along with Maggie. The insights into mental health were phenomenal, as well as the realistic portrayal of how people often deal with their symptoms. The horror aspect was also top-notch. This reads like the kind of movie I would absolutely love to watch, and I was completely engrossed in the story. While I wish there had been more info on the background of the house, at the same time, I'm glad there wasn't. It leaves readers to guess, form their own theories...and maybe start a podcast.

  • Horror Bookworm Reviews

    A Horror Bookworm Recommendation
    Do Not Go In That House by Ruth Anna Evans

    https://horrorbookwormreviews.com/

    Maggie is purchasing a suburban two-story house that is for sale. Nothing out of the ordinary, except this particular piece of real estate has a very dark and gruesome past. She is infatuated by her true-crime podcast and the violent misdeeds that took place years ago within the home. She begins to investigate the truth behind the cold case but the house is intent on keeping its secret safe and sound. What she uncovers is something not only beyond explanation but also unmasks a sinister existence that still remains.

    Do Not Go In That House is not only a psychological thriller but also a confrontation of complete pure evil. Author Ruth Anna Evans lays a haunting foundation of creepiness by introducing a brutal murder of a little boy and its impact on the family. This component is an immediate result that will affect the readerโ€™s mind (and hearts) with a genuine fear.

    Evanโ€™s undertaking of combining true-crime with paranormal horror is an effective Amityville vibe that lies within the abandoned house on Linden Street. Add cold spots, slamming doors as well as blood splatters and you have a found footage atmosphere with an unforgettable Gloom House Publishing reading experience.

    Ruth Anna Evans takes the term โ€œthereโ€™s no place like homeโ€ and turns the trope into an eerie โ€œstranger than fictionโ€encounter with the unknown. Thereโ€™s nothing more fascinating and unsettling as a real haunted house ghost story and Evans takes the reader to all those forbidden spooky territories. Thereโ€™s no shortage of creaks, whispers and groans in this bring-you-to-the-edge-of-your-seat book. A spectral Horror Bookworm Recommendation

  • Lisa Lee

    Bibliophilia Templum Review

    https://bibliophiliatemplum.wordpress.com/2023/10/30/do-not-go-in-that-house/

    Do Not Go in That House by Ruth Anna Evans is the haunted house story no one else would dare to write. This genre blurring psychological-thriller-supernatural-horror is a brilliantly messed-up story, and I donโ€™t know if I am shocked or in awe. It chilled me to my bones.

    This is an intense story that encompasses an ominous house, the mystery of the death that occurred there, the struggles of neuro-mental illness, and the societal obsession with social media popularity. It sounds like a lot, but Evans weaves these things together seamlessly and masterfully into a riveting tale that flows with suspense and emotion and dread. I could not put it down, even when it freaked me out.

    Evansโ€™s unapologetic portrayal of bipolar is so impactful it should come with a warning label. Maggie is a complex and vivid character you find yourself speaking loud to because you connect with herโ€”and seriously, do not go in that house! But beware, her social mirroring is like a sucker punch.

    The story itself grabs you in an uncomfortable place and holds you to it. The synopsis does not do it justice at all. The synopsis is simple and straightforward (and not wrong), but the story itself is complex and suspenseful and brutally evocative. It has some truly horrifying imagery, some nail-biting sequences, and a twist that will keep you up at night.

    Do Not Go in That House is a solid 5-star recommendation, a shelf-worthy read, and Ruth Anna Evans is truly an author to watch.

  • Milt Theo

    I burned through this novella in one sitting. In fact, once news of it started dropping left and right, I was super-excited to check it out. Finishing the book I felt in awe of the authorโ€™s talent. Ruth Anna Evans' work never disappoints, but this work of hers shows a maturity and a control of her story that left me shaken and quite impressed.

    On the surface, the novella appears to be an easy read, with Maggie, an engaging female podcaster as the main character, who undertakes an investigation into a very nasty house; the quasi-found footage/true crime atmosphere of the story's presentation was perfect, and enhanced Maggie's realistic descent into a madness seemingly of her own making. However, as the story developed, and the haunted house trope took more and more center stage in the narrative, mental health issues kept surfacing in an unexpected but very intense, tension-building way; when the big scares came up, the novella had taken on page-turner quality and demanded to be read through to the end.

    And the ending! What a trip. The mental and the supernatural blended so seamlessly into each other, Maggie's hurdles (and Kitty's, her girl cat) made me wonder whether the tale was actually based on a true story; and if not, whether I'd like it to be real! The answer is yes: for better or worse, I'd have followed Maggie into that monstrous house, and joined her investigation. Who knows, perhaps the ending would have been different then. In any case, don't hesitate to pick this up and follow Evans into this super enjoyable, chilling story! Highly recommended!

    Many thanks to the author and the publisher for the chance to read this ahead of publication!


  • Stephanie Manning

    Thank you to the author for providing a review copy.

    Remember yesterday when I posted that Against Medical Advice was my new favorite Ruth Anna Evans book? Yeah, I hadn't read this one yet. I went in blind, and it hit a little close to home, as I am intimately familiar with the thought process (such as it is) involved in manic episodes. Evans has such a way of building up dread, then the whole thing just explodes. I'll be thinking about the ending of this one for quite awhile, I think. 5 stars

  • Aiden Messer

    This book is fast-paced and anxiety-provoking. We really get inside the main character's head, and like her, we wonder where the truth lies. A very good haunted house story

  • Samantha Hawkins

    "Do Not Go In That House" by Ruth Anna Evans. I was sent my copy in exchange for an honest review.

    Maggie Bennett is a warehouse worker with a podcast in search of her next big story. After discovering a cold case of an old child murder she has no doubt that this story will be the one that rockets her towards success. What Maggie didn't expect was for this gruesome tale of terror to send her reeling into a bipolar episode. Several unnerving occurrences later, Maggie begins to question what's really going on in her life. Is this really mania? Is this true evil? You'll have to read to find out.

    Maggie was a character that I really empathized with. I understood a lot of her feelings in regards to mental health, and I also really related to that sense of pursuing something larger than yourself, the need to be recognized for your hard work. Since finishing this story, I've wondered many times what actually happened to Maggie. Was the house truly evil? Were all of these occurrences simply manic episodes? Was the child Maggie was investigating truly murdered by his family, or was his death caused by something more sinister? I still have no idea. What I do know, though, is that this story was well written and kept me on the edge of my seat, and the ending was perfectly horrifying.

  • The Yeti Reads and Reviews

    Maggie is a true crime podcaster. She becomes completely obsessed with the story of a child's murder that was never solved. She becomes so engrossed in the story that she purchases the house where the murder occurred. Determined to become relevant on the internet, she ignores the warnings about the house and sets out to find out the truth of the incident, no matter what.


    What a wild ride. Expertly paced, intense, and haunting. I devoured it in one sitting. Ruth Anna Evans is a stellar storyteller, and I look forward to reading more of her work. If you haven't read her stuff yet, you should. You won't be disappointed. Check it out!


    5 severed fingers out of 5

  • ํฌ๋ฆฌ์Šคํ‹ฐ (Kristy)

    Quick read with a good hook and an interesting take on a haunted house.

  • Jennifer Horgan

    Book review of DO NOT GO IN THAT HOUSE by Ruth Anna Evans

    If you are looking for a beautifully-written and deliciously terrifying novella, this is the book for you! The author grabs you by the throat on the very first page and doesn't let go. This wonderfully horrific story will continue to torture your mind well after the final page is turned.

    You can pick up your copy at
    https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CKC3KF9Y/

    It is my pleasure to share with you my 5-skull review.

    ๐Ÿ’€ ๐Ÿ’€ ๐Ÿ’€ ๐Ÿ’€ ๐Ÿ’€

    Meet Maggie Bennett. A young lady working in a dead-end warehouse job and estranged from her family because of her past questionable behavior related to her undiagnosed bipolar disorder. It doesn't seem to matter to them that Maggie is now seeing a doctor and has been placed on the medications needed to manage her mental illness. After leaving her hometown to make a fresh start, the only family member who never gave up on her was her beloved grandfather, who Maggie kept in contact with until the day he unexpectedly died and left her a bit of money in his will.

    Maggie's social circle is made up of her fluffy, white cat, Kitty, and her online friend, Tasha, although they've never met in person. In her spare time, Maggie hosts a podcast based on scary true crime stories, with dreams of her program going viral. So when Maggie's research leads her to a cold case involving the horrific murder of a seven year old boy, Maggie hopes that this will be the story that finally earns her the viewers and subscribers she so desperately seeks. In fact, she finds it nearly impossible to focus on anything else, especially since she's missed taking her medication for a few days.

    When Maggie discovers the house where the killing took place is for sale, she impulsively buys it and moves in. And that's when things begin to get really scary.

    By the time Maggie is warned to stay out of the house, that the house itself is somehow at least partially responsible for the little boy's murder by those with first-hand knowledge of the horrifying event, it's too late. Maggie starts seeing, hearing, and experiencing things that can't be real or explained.

    But Maggie is no stranger to psychotic symptoms, such as hallucinations and intrusive thoughts. Skipping her medications for a few days would easily explain the terrifying events Maggie is experiencing while inside the house, after all.

    Wouldn't it?

    And, besides, there's no such thing as a haunted house.

    Is there?

  • Carrie Shields

    ๐’๐ก๐ž ๐ฐ๐š๐ง๐ญ๐ž๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐›๐ž ๐ญ๐ก๐ž ๐จ๐ง๐ž ๐ญ๐จ ๐Ÿ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ฐ๐ก๐š๐ญ ๐ก๐š๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ž๐ง๐ž๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ญ๐ก๐š๐ญ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐ญ๐ฅ๐ž ๐›๐จ๐ฒ, ๐ญ๐ก๐ž ๐จ๐ง๐ž ๐ฐ๐ก๐จ ๐›๐ซ๐จ๐ฎ๐ ๐ก๐ญ ๐ฌ๐จ๐ฆ๐ž ๐œ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ž ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฌ๐จ๐ฆ๐ž๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐  ๐ฌ๐จ ๐ญ๐ž๐ซ๐ซ๐ข๐›๐ฅ๐ž. ๐„๐ฏ๐ž๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐จ๐ฎ๐ ๐ก ๐ฌ๐ก๐ž ๐ก๐š๐๐ง'๐ญ ๐ซ๐ž๐š๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐š๐œ๐œ๐จ๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐ข๐ฌ๐ก๐ž๐ ๐š๐ง๐ฒ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐  ๐ข๐ง ๐ก๐ž๐ซ ๐ฅ๐ข๐Ÿ๐ž, ๐ฌ๐ก๐ž ๐Ÿ๐ž๐ฅ๐ญ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ค๐ž ๐ฌ๐ก๐ž ๐ฆ๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ ๐š๐œ๐œ๐จ๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐ข๐ฌ๐ก ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ.

    My first read from this author, and it definitely won't be my last! I blew through this novella in just under an hour on Saturday night, fervently hoping that the noises I was hearing outside my closed bedroom door were the cats and not a dead little boy trying to get my attention.

    Maggie has dreams of being a big true crime podcaster. She obsesses over her stats, and each new follower or comment is a dopamine hit; however, both are few and far between lately. When she's in a manic episode after not taking her mood stabilizer for several days, she becomes obsessed with a grisly murder involving a young child.

    Either her mania or her desire to be a household name draw her to the scene of the crime, and before she knows is, she's purchased the home. To her delight, every live video draws in hundreds of comments, and the followers are pouring in. But there is something in that house, and it's not going to let Maggie leave.

    I was incredibly tense the entire time I was reading this, and I was so sad to see the story end. This story showed incredible talent and a storyteller skilled at creating atmosphere. The ending was absolutely perfect and reminded me of this timely quote from Terry Pratchett: โ€œ๐‘จ๐’๐’˜๐’‚๐’š๐’” ๐’“๐’†๐’Ž๐’†๐’Ž๐’ƒ๐’†๐’“ ๐’•๐’‰๐’‚๐’• ๐’•๐’‰๐’† ๐’„๐’“๐’๐’˜๐’… ๐’•๐’‰๐’‚๐’• ๐’‚๐’‘๐’‘๐’๐’‚๐’–๐’…๐’” ๐’š๐’๐’–๐’“ ๐’„๐’๐’“๐’๐’๐’‚๐’•๐’Š๐’๐’ ๐’Š๐’” ๐’•๐’‰๐’† ๐’”๐’‚๐’Ž๐’† ๐’„๐’“๐’๐’˜๐’… ๐’•๐’‰๐’‚๐’• ๐’˜๐’Š๐’๐’ ๐’‚๐’‘๐’‘๐’๐’‚๐’–๐’… ๐’š๐’๐’–๐’“ ๐’ƒ๐’†๐’‰๐’†๐’‚๐’…๐’Š๐’๐’ˆ. ๐‘ท๐’†๐’๐’‘๐’๐’† ๐’๐’Š๐’Œ๐’† ๐’‚ ๐’”๐’‰๐’๐’˜.โ€

    Many, many thanks to the author for offering me an early copy of this incredible novella. It is available now!

  • Jordan

    THANK YOU FOR NOT HURTING KITTY

    Do Not Go in That House is wild! Maggie has a podcast where she talks about cold cases. She wants nothing more than to go viral, and her mania brought her to the last thing that she needs: an obsession with the Carlson house. Be careful what you wish for...

    Ruth does such a great job of writing Maggie's character. Maggie's mania shows in obsession. She gets fixated on things and can't stop herself from obsessing and making her life all about that one thing until the mania breaks into severe depression. She knows that the decisions that she's making are not good for her and that things are going wrong, but she can't stop herself. It's horrifying to think about in all honesty; knowing you're spiraling but having no way to stop.

    I love the concept of an evil house. You're not really given a reason for why things happen the way they do, but I'm not mad about it. I'm glad that it was left a bit more ambiguous so I could draw my own conclusions and thoughts about what was happening.

    It was all very tragic in the end. Poetic, sure, but tragic. I really felt for Maggie despite all the poor decisions that she made. She was a lonely woman who just wanted to matter, even if it was just in a superficial way. Combined with her mental health struggles, she never stood a chance.

    Another great story by Ruth Anna Evans! Thank you so much for the ARC, you never disappoint!

  • Christina Eleanor

    Do Not Go In That House is an awesome tale of a haunted house with a lot of extra stuff going on at the same time. Maggie is a blogger who lives for the follows on her video blog and wonders how she can step up to the next level of going viral. She is intrigued by a story she comes across about a young boy killed in his home with the brother in the same room who is left alive. As she investigates, she goes deeper and deeper into the history of the house, the family, and the horror that occurred there.

    While this investigation goes on, Maggie is also dealing with her own inner demons. She battles severe depression and anxiety on a daily basis and has to take her meds to stay level headed. We get an intimate glimpse into what it is like to live with this condition including the mania swings, the compulsiveness, the anxiety, and fear of hallucinations. Ruth Anna Evans does a fantastic job taking us through those ups and downs Maggie goes through. I really hope this story helps both people who deal with this condition see what its like to cycle so quickly, and those that do not understand the condition, to give those with it a little more grace.

    This was a fast read that dealt with mental health in a spectacular way. The story also goes deeply into a childโ€™s death, so if that is a trigger for you, you might avoid this one. This book is coming out on October 29th from Gloom House Publishing and I highly recommend it!

  • Stefanie Duncan

    ๐Ÿ‘€๐Ÿ‘€๐Ÿ‘€

    This gave me anxiety to the max and this, Ladies and Gentlemen, is how you write a scary story! Absolutely fantastic Ruth Anna Evans! This was a wild ride, my BP was skyrocketing during it, and my mouth is dry. What a wild ride.

    Maggie Bennett is a podcaster with little success, a warehouse job, and she suffers from a crippling mental health disease. With no contact to her family, a small inheritance from her grandfather, an online best friend Tasha, and her cat Kitty, she tries to manage her life. She decides to investigate a local story for her podcast, and she spirals into an abyss with no floor to catch her. Insanely accurate written about mental health and the downward spiraling, mixed with an exceptionally good ghost story, this is what I am looking for in a truly scary ghost story.

  • David Slater

    I was given this book as an ARC - Here is my spoiler free review

    4.5/5

    This book was INTENSE.

    I'm as pleased as I am suprised that a story could be so full of dread and sadness but also fast paced and enjoyable.

    It's not a spoiler to say that mental health plays a big part of this story and it's not used in a trashy or gimmicky way, it just adds a layer to the horror that works beautifully.

    This one had me in mind of Last Days by Adam Nevill, which is high praise, because I LOVE that book.

    In her writers blurb Ruth mentions she likes to keep stories short, but I almost wish that wasn't the case, because I could have happily spent more time watching this story play out.

    Highly recommended!

  • Lylith

    I devoured this novella in one afternoon, being pulled in from the start, I just couldn't put it down. Do Not Go in That House isn't your typical haunted house story but one which also entwines mental health into the narrative. This did have me questioning the events Maggie was experiencing as hallucinatory the deeper that I was drawn into her manic spiral and supernatural visions. Being an avid watcher of paranormal YouTube content creators, I also loved the podcaster aspect of the story. It made me wonder how far someone might be willing to go for engagement, likes, and becoming a viral sensation. I found so much to this story that I could identify with, which made the paranormal aspects so much more believable. I highly recommend you pick up this chilling, thought-provoking taleโ€“itโ€™s so perfect for Halloween season. Final note: please do check out the trigger warnings as, although sensitively written, the content could be distressing to some readers.

  • Joshua Jonah

    I received this book in exchange for an honest review.

    This novella reads like a Haunted house B movie, and I mean that in the best way. With the quirks and familiarity this book makes for a quick read, doesnโ€™t re invent the wheel by any means, but held my attention. Where this book stutters is only in part of its length being only 80 pages, specifically being Maggieโ€™s best friend Tashaโ€™s both lack of appearance, development or deeper relationship. This isnโ€™t an issue as Maggie and her cat do plenty to carry the story. I also want to say this felt like Crime Junkie investigating Amityville, which if you think about it is pretty awesome.

  • Christopher Besonen

    Manic depression and a haunted house with a bloody past, what could go wrong? As a reader who sees the words play out scenes in my mind, the first chapter's brutality held me without hesitation. As it progressed, the momentum kept up and delivered an ending I was hoping for but didn't expect. This was my introduction to this author, but I'll be back for more Evans titles very soon! She also creates some great book covers, so be sure to give her designs a look too.

    As a writer myself, this line really hit home for me:

    "It always astounded her how sane she could sound in writing when her brain was spinning out."

  • Joan Smith

    Thank You Ruth Anna Evans

    This Creepy Cozy Novella is a very quick read. Ruth Anna Evans is so awesome with getting the readers attention from the first page. I always look forward to reading more of her books.

    The Cover for this Novella is Perfect.

    A True COLD Case Podcaster investigates a house that a child passes. What happened that night behind the closed bedroom door? Was it a Cain vs Abe situation or something so much more. Read this 5 star novella to find out.


    Mental Health
    Possessed House
    Trigger Points

  • Rachel

    Reading this was so stressful. Poor Maggie and Kitty :(

    Maggie is a true-crime podcaster. Her recent episodes have not received much attention, so when she discovers a case about a house in which a child was murdered, she is confident that talking about the case will make her go viral. Unfortunately the case triggers a manic episode, and she makes the impulsive decision to buy the house.

    Ruth Anna Evans is skilled at hooking the reader in, and I'd highly recommend this to anyone who wants a short, creepy and fast-paced novella.

  • Hayley Surabian

    This was a fast paced, gripping story that grabs you by the throat from the start and drags you through to the end! Maggie makes podcasts and writes stories of true crime online and her only wish is to some day go viral. This short story takes you on a rollercoaster through Maggie's manic depressive psychosis to all kinds of crazy stuff happening inside of the murder house that Maggie (in one of her manic states) decides to buy! Ruth Anna Evans has very quickly become one of my favorites!

  • Alexandra Nisneru

    I absolutely loved this short but fast-paced story, burned through it in one sitting. As a person struggling with depression, I could relate with the main character's struggles and I connected with her through it. It was a dark tale of despair and obsession, of wilingness to be seen and noticed at all costs, with an extra factor of creepyness, violent murder and haunted house. Thank you for the ARC!