The House Where Death Lives

May 27, 2024
In this speculative fiction anthology, which spans genres and cultural traditions, Brown (Damned If You Do), who also contributes, gathers 16 horror writers—including Traci Chee, Rosiee Thor, and Justine Pucella Winans—to tell grisly tales about a haunted house from the perspectives of residents and visitors alike. Selections are set in individual areas of the house and grounds—love frees a ghost from an attic purgatory in Courtney Gould’s gripping “Good Morning, Georgia.” In Sandra Proudman’s futuristic, escape room–esque tale “Smartmonster,” which takes place on the second floor, strangers struggle for survival in a deadly AI-controlled gauntlet that leads them through myriad hidden passageways. Downstairs, sisters sacrifice greatly to save each other in Liz Hull’s aching “After Midnight,” while “Mirror, Mirror” by Nora Elghazzawi, also set on the second floor, follows a djinn that preys on vanity from the mirror it’s trapped in. Themes of love, loss, and transition are woven throughout simmering romances and expansive adventures, which come together to build a collection of Haunting of Hill House–inspired tales that is cohesive, reflective, and satisfying. Ages 14–up. Agent: Renee Nyen, KT Literary.