I was expecting a different kind of spooky scary here. I went into reading this book blind, no synopsis, no reviews, nothing but vibes. Added this book to my tbr & read it off the strength that I’ve really enjoyed this authors other works, & although I was expecting a completely different kind of spooky scary, still ended up rating this book a solid 4 stars. Let’s review.
Home Before Dark by Riley Sager
- Category – Horror Mystery Thriller
- Length – 389 Pages
- Read Time – 2 Days
- GR Rating – 4 Stars
Alternating between both past & present povs, this story centers around Maggie Holt & in a way also her father Ewan. When Maggie was just 5 years old her parents, Ewan & Jess, bought a large Victorian era estate secluded in the Vermont woods, Baneberry Hall. Their living at Baneberry Hall didn’t last very long, & although Maggie doesn’t remember much of anything of that time, she does know the story very well. After leaving the home, quite suddenly, in the middle of the night, Ewan wrote a book about his families time living at Baneberry Hall. A book Maggie believes to be fully fabricated within his imagination, despite being marketed as a non-fiction retelling. Now her father has passed & she is the new owner of Baneberry Hall. Twenty-five years have past since her fathers book was published, to Maggies’ surprise having thought the property long since sold, she has inherited Baneberry Hall. Having created her career restoring older homes, & not a believer of the ghost story, she sees an opportunity to restore a beautiful home. Quickly moving into the house to begin her redesign & remodel process, but is there truth to her fathers story?
Soon after Maggies’ return to Baneberry Hall things start getting weird. Noises that aren’t actually there, suspicious shadows, shadowy figure manifesting in the closet?! Beginning to believe that maybe there is truth to her father story, due to all of the strange occurrences within the house, Maggie becomes determined to get to the bottom of it. Deciding to put her home remodeling project somewhat on hold & focus more into finding out the whole truth 1st, as the strange occurrences & suspicions become too much to casually dismiss or easily explain away. This is where the story really takes off. The strange activity happening around her in connection to the house seems to ramp up. Maggie’s mother is alarmed to find out she not only has inherited Baneberry Hall but has also moved in & is digging into the past.
What’s done in the dark will always come to light, but it is better sometimes to stay standing in the shadows? Something was definitely wrong within the walls of Baneberry Hall during the Holt families time living in the home, something that Maggie may not be ready to handle truly knowing. This book is part paranormal horror, part family drama thriller, part crime suspense & all perfect spooky season read.
Thank you for joining me for another review & happy spooky season reading!
Hasta la próxima – V
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