Welcome back to Books With Cause. Let’s dive straight into my latest review.
One of the things I love the most about doing this is discovering authors that I might not have otherwise heard about. When Horror Afficionados select two books every month, I try to get my hands on a copy of each book without any opinion or prejudice or anything like that. I’m a blank canvas.
I think there’s also a cliché that horror fiction is only written by American men. And I don’t mean that as a dig. Stephen King got me into this mess, and if all I did was read his books for the rest of my life, you wouldn’t hear a peep out of me. But I do like variety. And the likes of CJ Tudor and Gemma Amor are certainly having their say if we’re talking about British women in horror. And finding this book also resulted in finding another new name to add to that list. Sarah Pinborough.
We Live Here Now focuses on Emily and Freddie. A young married couple who leave behind their lives in London and seek a new life in Devon. Before the story starts, Emily has spent a considerable amount of time in hospital, recovering from a nasty accident and a threatening case of sepsis. On the surface, Larkin Lodge appears to be the perfect fresh start for the pair of them. They’re surrounded by greenery and nature instead of the concrete and fumes of London. But what starts off as a dream might be about to become a nightmare.
This book is told in chapters that alternate between Emily’s and Freddie’s points of view. Their opinions and experiences within the house differ. Of course, we would expect two different human beings to have differing experiences. In this instance, as a reader, it might leave us not knowing who to trust. But as we delve further into this book, we realise that both Emily and Freddie are keeping a secret from each other. And each of their secrets could threaten to rip their marriage apart. And the house itself seems to be hiding secrets. Emily believes the house is haunted. There are times as the reader that you will believe that too.
For me, We Live Here Now wasn’t just a book. It was an experience that was creepy and gripping throughout. As well as Emily and Freddie, there are a cast of characters who play their part. And that includes the house itself. Despite being implied that the house has three floors, it can also create a claustrophobic feeling too. There were twists and turns that kept me reading, while I also didn’t want it to end. But when it did end, I came away with a new favourite author added to my list. Sarah Pinborough, bravo. I’ll definitely be trying to get my hands on anything and everything that I see her name on.
My Goodreads Rating: ★★★★☆(4 stars)
