Format: ARC, eBook
Beneath the Stairs reminded me of another book I had read. Where something happens in a house, and the protagonist comes back to face it. I kept feeling as if I had read a similar story before. It drove me crazy the entire book as I was trying to figure out what book.
At the core this book is about Clare, who has returned to her hometown of Sumner’s Mills, after a childhood friend, Abby, attempted suicide inside Octagon House. The creepy house they entered in their youth with friends. A house that shattered their lives.
There is a mystery here – why is Octogon house so creepy? It has a dark history, but is it haunted? What happened when the girls went in the basement? What is with the door on it? Will Clare ever get answers? Why wont the owner sell the house?
While I enjoyed this mystery, I felt that the book could have used a little more editing. It felt a little long at times. I did like how she shows the girls, their curiosity, the thrill of doing something dangerous – going into a creepy house that is shrouded in tragedy. Wanting to do what you are told you should not do. Then having something happens, that stays with you. It’s an intriguing premise.
I also bought how a shared past can bring you back together even if you haven’t spoken in years. That worked for me in this book. As the book progresses, we do learn more about the house, it’s history and…..
I feel the author is off to a good start with this debut. As other reviewers mentioned there are some loose ends at the end. I wondered if this was deliberate or if things were overlooked? Either way, enjoyable and I look forward to more of this author’s books.