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Sign up todayA House With Good Bones
Narrator
Mary Robinette Kowal
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Length
6 hours 52 minutes
Language
English
Bookseller recommendation
“I dabble into horror occasionally, this one is unique! Kingfisher has this knack of adding a touch of humor alongside the creepiest of situations. The characters are a riot and believable. I felt like I knew Sam...my grad school class perhaps... For me I loved this book for its squirmy grossness and quirky characters. ”
— Amy • Plumfield Books
Bookseller recommendation
“There's a touch of humor in this book which I found incredibly refreshing!”
— Garrett • Pinder's Pages
Bookseller recommendation
“Absolutely enthralling. I listened to the audio almost entirely in one sitting.”
— Rosie • Just One More Page Books
Bookseller recommendation
“I was pleasantly surprised at how quick and almost light this was despite the book discussing intergenerational trauma and abuse. This is really a credit to the wonderful narrator, Sam, and the comedic tone Kingfisher maintains even in the most perilous of moments. A love letter to mother/daughter relationships AND vultures.”
— Audrey • BookWoman
Bookseller recommendation
“An excellent addition to Kingfisher's adult horror novels, this one features her trademark witty, normal nerdy woman protagonist dealing with Spooky Shenanigans. Intergenerational Southern White Lady trauma/drama and pragmatic humor underpin this relatable protagonist and her unsettling deep dive into the horrors of her racist dead grandma's magicks. I listened to the audiobook, read with pitch-perfect Southern humor and great character insight by SF/F luminary Mary Robinette Kowal. ”
— Gretchen • A Room Of One's Own Bookstore
"...splendidly performed by Mary Robinette Kowal." - AudioFile Magazine
"Narrator Mary Robinette Kowal wonderfully conveys the wryly funny prose and the creeping horror of the story. Giving each character a distinct voice, Kowal deftly and consistently moves between them and superbly renders Sam’s voice."- Library Journal
A haunting Southern Gothic from an award-winning master of suspense, A House With Good Bones explores the dark, twisted roots lurking just beneath the veneer of a perfect home and family.
"Mom seems off."
Her brother's words echo in Sam Montgomery's ear as she turns onto the quiet North Carolina street where their mother lives alone.
She brushes the thought away as she climbs the front steps. Sam's excited for this rare extended visit, and looking forward to nights with just the two of them, drinking boxed wine, watching murder mystery shows, and guessing who the killer is long before the characters figure it out.
But stepping inside, she quickly realizes home isn’t what it used to be. Gone is the warm, cluttered charm her mom is known for; now the walls are painted a sterile white. Her mom jumps at the smallest noises and looks over her shoulder even when she’s the only person in the room. And when Sam steps out back to clear her head, she finds a jar of teeth hidden beneath the magazine-worthy rose bushes, and vultures are circling the garden from above.
To find out what’s got her mom so frightened in her own home, Sam will go digging for the truth. But some secrets are better left buried.
Also by T. Kingfisher
Nettle & Bone
What Moves the Dead
A Macmillan Audio production from Tor Nightfire.
T. KINGFISHER (she/her) writes fantasy, horror, and occasional oddities, including Nettle & Bone, What Moves the Dead, Thornhedge, A House with Good Bones, and A Sorceress Comes to Call. Under a pen name, she also writes bestselling children's books. She lives in North Carolina with her husband, dogs, and chickens who may or may not be possessed.
Mary Robinette Kowal is the author of the Hugo, Nebula, and Locus Award-winning alternate history novel, The Calculating Stars, the first book in the Lady Astronaut series. She is also the author of The Glamourist Histories series and Ghost Talkers and has received the Astounding Award for Best New Writer, four Hugo Awards, the Nebula, and Locus Awards. Her stories appear in Asimov’s, Uncanny, and several Year’s Best anthologies. Mary Robinette has also worked as a professional puppeteer, is a member of the Award-winning podcast Writing Excuses, and performs as a voice actor (SAG/AFTRA), recording fiction for authors including Seanan McGuire, Cory Doctorow, and Neal Stephenson. She lives in Tennessee with her husband Rob and over a dozen manual typewriters.
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Reviews
“T. Kingfisher's A House with Good Bones is (a) funny, (b) scary, and (c) charming. You will gulp this book down like sweet tea on a hot day.”—Charlaine Harris, New York Times bestselling author of the Sookie Stackhouse series
"A House With Good Bones grapples with a thorny family legacy with heart, wit, and creeping horror. I was compelled to read the book in one breathless, white-knuckled sitting. Vultures, ladybugs, and underground children, oh my!"—Paul Tremblay, author of A Head Full of Ghosts
“Wickedly witty and intensely scary, A House With Good Bones is a thoroughly modern take on the Southern Gothic, about thorny family secrets that refuse to stay buried. You'll be feverishly turning the pages, so engrossed you won't notice the vultures circling overhead. . .”—Rachel Harrison, author of Cackle
"This magical book somehow manages to be laugh-out-loud funny and completely terrifying at the same time—and I could not put it down! It's immersive and entertaining, and the cleverly imaginative storytelling mixed with an oh-so-memorable voice will have you racing through the pages. I absolutely loved this!"—Hank Phillippi Ryan, USA Today bestselling author of The House Guest
"Kingfisher goes Southern gothic (Waffle House visits included) in this hilarious and gruesome contemporary horror novel. Horror fans who like a little whimsy on the way to a chilling climax won’t want to miss this."—Publishers Weekly, STARRED review
"T. Kingfisher has mastered her own special blend of horror and snarky mundanity, wherein the not-so-dearly departed demand half-frozen ham, terrifying abominations hunger for blood, and the vacuum is full of ladybugs. A creepshow in taupe, with extra vultures. I loved it."—Travis Baldree, New York Times bestselling author of Legends & Lattes
“A House With Good Bones is a dark, eerie fantasy that creeps through your skull and covers your brain like rose vines, tightening with every strange reveal. Despite the looming dread, T. Kingfisher weaves incredible wit and humor through every passage, crafting a tale of mystery and horror well worth sinking into."—Chuck Tingle, author of Camp Damascus
"Highly recommended for lovers of Southern gothics, readers who like their horror to sneak up on them, and anyone who appreciates the voice of Kingfisher, no matter what genre she’s currently writing.”—Library Journal, STARRED review
"A House With Good Bones had me nodding and laughing in recognition at the family dynamics and eccentric Southern neighborhood and then full-out shrieking at the bugs and buried secrets. No one blends humor and creeping dread as satisfyingly as T. Kingfisher."—Gwenda Bond, New York Times bestselling author of Stranger Things: Suspicious Minds
“T. Kingfisher continues to establish herself as one of the freshest voices in horror! Samantha grounds this story in a normalcy that is so approachable and understandable that it only heightens the horror. You’ll be reading underneath a blanket with a flashlight!"—Katee Robert, New York Times bestselling author
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