This novel was another recommendation from Goodreads’ Horror Afficionados. It won the poll in March of this year, but it’s taken me that long to get hold of a copy from the library. For me, a big plus of requesting books that are picked by Horror Afficionados is that I have no idea what I’m in for. I don’t read a blurb or any sort of tease like that until the book is physically in my hand. Similarly, I knew nothing about the author either. Everything I’ve since learnt came from the author bio page in the book.
We Used To Live Here is the debut novel by Marcus Kliewer (pronounced CLEAVER). It began life in a serialised short story form on the subreddit NoSleep, where it won the Scariest Story of 2021. Netflix have acquired the film rights (The likes of Sydney Sweeney and Blake Lively have been rumoured to be attached), and Kliewer landed himself a publishing deal before it was extended into a novel.
Eve is a new homeowner, along with her girlfriend, Charlie. Eve is home alone one night when there’s a knock at the door. She answers it, and there’s a strange family on the doorstep. The father claims that he used to live there when he was a child, and he asks if they can come in so he can give his family a tour of the place. Something feels off, and Eve knows she shouldn’t be letting them into the house. But she is a people-pleaser, to a fault, and she ends up letting them in. Little does she know how she will regret that one decision for the rest of her life.
Interspersed between some of the chapters are pages that are made to look like official documents, which have been heavily redacted. Missing person reports, pages from medical journals, transcripts from police interviews. While there’s not a place for things like this in every book, sometimes it can be a welcome addition that adds a layer of authenticity to the story.
From start to finish, I loved this book. It is overflowing with creepiness. It first presents itself as a haunted house novel. But as the book unfolds, it asks deeper questions like can people be haunted in the same way as houses? It also tackles themes of questioning one’s identity. Questioning their reality. The thrilling conclusion has a twist worthy of Shutter Island. Hopefully, that doesn’t give away too much.
My Goodreads rating: ★★★★☆ (4 stars)
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