Incidents Around the House

Bookseller recommendation

“The first time I told Mommy and Daddo about Other Mommy they laughed. It was good-night time and I told Mommy good night and then I said it again and Mommy said, 'Why did you say that twice, Bela?' And I said, 'I was saying good night to Other Mommy.' Enter Josh Malerman’s Incidents Around the House, narrated by 8-year-old Bela as she is stalked by the malevolent entity she calls Other Mommy. Other Mommy is tall and thin with dark hair on the backs of her arms, and sometimes she has trouble with forming her face so the eyes end up on the chin, and every day she asks Bela, 'Can I go into your heart?' Once upon a time, Bela thought Other Mommy was her friend. Recent events have proven that to not be the case, and suddenly Bela is terrified and she doesn’t want Other Mommy to hang around anymore. Still, Other Mommy remains, asking 'Can I go into your heart?' Luckily for Bela, her real Mommy and Daddo actually believe her. They’ve seen Other Mommy with their own eyes, and they are doing their best to get rid of Other Mommy but will their efforts be enough? Will they save Bela before she breaks down and answers Other Mommy’s question, 'Can I go into your heart?' Josh Malerman continues to prove that he is a master of Horror, and Incidents Around the House might just be his scariest book yet. Brace yourselves, this book will go into your heart. ”

— Ryan • Gibson's Bookstore

Bookseller recommendation

“What would you do if your eight-year-old daughter began talking to an invisible friend that she called "Other Mommy"? What would you do if that invisible friend was no longer invisible? Bela's parents are about to find out. This book quickly moves from mildly creepy to downright terrifying. "Other Mommy" is not her friend, and after a while, she is no longer contained to Bela's room or her house. If you are a horror baby, this book is best read in the light of day.”

— Suzanne • Underground Books

Bookseller recommendation

“I’m a big horror lover and no book has ever scared me as much as this did! As I read it (and even long after) I was terrified that Other Mommy would come and get me. Which to me says that Josh Malerman crafted the best horror book of the year. ”

— Bella • Cream & Amber

Bookseller recommendation

“This. Fricking. Audiobook. What an INCREDIBLE narrator - an unparalleled listening experience. When someone called Other Mommy, who doesn't actually look like your mommy at all, asks you 'Can I go into your heart?' you might assume you'd never be tempted to say yes. But things aren't so simple for Bela, who is lonely and surrounded by secrets. Friends aren't supposed to trick you, are they? So maybe Other Mommy isn't the friend she says she is. But what if your parents, the people you rely on the most, aren't telling you the truth either? This book is sinister, terrifying, and so, so good.”

— Frederick • Oblong Books

Bookseller recommendation

“From the author who gave us "Bird Box," Josh Malerman brought another fantastic horror novel. This is a MUST-LISTEN novel. "Incidents Around the House" is told from the perspective of 8-year-old Bela, whose family is her whole world: Mommy, Daddo and Grandma Ruth. But there's another family member only Bela knows about: Other Mommy, and Other Mommy is getting restless. The family's futile attempts to escape Other Mommy reveals the cracks in Bela's beloved family and slowly start to crack Bela's safe world. Roxy cannot recommend this book and audiobook enough for fans of gripping and terrifying horror. ”

— Roxy • Dog-Eared Books

Bookseller recommendation

“The writing style is what makes this a phenomenal horror read. The bounce between perspectives creates tension that leaves you screaming at the characters to pay attention.”

— Raven's End Books • Raven's End Books: The Horror Bookshop

Bookseller recommendation

“Exactly the dread and horror I have been looking for this year. Captures the fear you feel as a kid when you learn that your parents can't save you from everything. It Follows meets Poltergeist. ”

— Kyle • Beldame Books

Bookseller recommendation

“A truly enjoyable and creepy haunting that will leave you with a creeping sense of dread as you wonder… will it be enough to save her?”

— Keeley • Ink Drinkers Anonymous

Bookseller recommendation

“Other Mommy is scary as hell. I have been having trouble sleeping for days, a trend which I'm sure will continue for at least another week. The monster design is incredible. The set up for the scares is so dread inducing, I had to curl myself up into my husband's lap to make myself keep listening.”

— CJ • Page 1 Books