The September House

Bookseller recommendation

“Humans really can normalize anything, regardless of whether or not it’s healthy for them to do so. The September House is a masterpiece in Horror, and you know that I do not say that lightly. Margaret has found her dream home, and it’s absolutely perfect. Okay, sure, every September the walls start bleeding and the ghost children return, but it’s her dream home, and it’s not so bad, really. You see, Margaret has learned the rules, and so long as you follow the rules, everything will be fine… (Reader, everything will not be fine). I cannot recommend this book highly enough. There were moments where I sat frozen in fear simply from the anticipation of what might happen next in the novel (and it is incredibly difficult to scare me). There were other moments where I was laughing so hard, tears were running down my face. And then there were the moments where my heart truly broke as I grappled with the horrors of humanity that haunt these pages. The September House was a blistering journey of emotion that I was wholly unprepared for, and of which I loved every second. On the surface, The September House is a haunted house book perfect for fans of Grady Hendrix, where the main character has simply accepted the hauntings. Scratch that surface, however, and it is a deeply moving and tender novel about humanity's (and women in particular) ability/tendency to normalize things that should never be normalized. This is one of the best Horror novels of the year. ”

— Ryan • Gibson's Bookstore

Bookseller recommendation

“With fall almost upon us, The September House is a great listen for spooky season! Unique take on the haunted house, with a VERY satisfying needing, 5 stars!”

— Katie • Whitelam Books

Bookseller recommendation

“There is blood running down the walls again. It must be September I have so much to say about this book! Is Margaret's house really haunted or is she mentally ill, as her daughter suspects? Who knows? This is a macabre yet darkly funny story that I could not put down. Gory ghosts, bloody walls, dead children and a missing husband, nothing is off limits once September rolls around and Margaret is down for it! Her house may be haunted but it's her home and she's not going anywhere! This book will definitely be on my TBR every September! ”

— Suzanne • Underground Books

Bookseller recommendation

“We fancy ourselves connoisseurs of the ghost story here, but this one flattened us. What the narrator sees is horrific; how people react is infuriating; the unfolding truth about the living family that doesn't really live in the house is... why am I laughing? Why do I keep laughing? Because scene after scene, Kimberly Farr delivers the narrator's hilariously unbelievable lines with enough dry wit to evaporate the Great Lakes. I'm still shuddering, and still laughing, a week later! ”

— Nialle • The Haunted Bookshop

Bookseller recommendation

“Margaret and her husband Hal buy her dream home at a great price! But the beautiful old Victorian harbors a darkness. Every September, the walls drip with blood and the ghosts of past inhabitants appear. Then Hal suddenly disappears. Most people would sell the house and run, but not Margaret. This is HER house and she’s not going anywhere. “The September House” by Carissa Orlando has it all: spookies, unreliable narrator, hilarious dialogue and so many secrets! You HAVE to experience “The September House” as an audiobook. Kimberly Farr’s narration is phenomenal and captures Margaret’s frantic thoughts and exasperation at the ghosts and people around her to perfection!! ”

— Roxy • Dog-Eared Books