"The Drowning House" by Cherie Priest

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"The Drowning House" by Cherie Priest is a dark paranormal horror novel. As a fan of haunted house stories, I was immediately drawn in by the premise. Haunted houses, ghosts, and ancient evil? Count me in! Unfortunately, it didn’t live up to my expectations.

When a mysterious house washes up on the Pacific Northwest beach near the home of Simon Culpepper and his grandmother, Mrs. Culpepper, she drops dead, and everything goes south. Simon sends a message to his two childhood friends, Leo and Melissa, asking for their help, and then disappears. When Leo and Melissa arrive on Marrowstone Island, there is no trace of him. The two must put their differences aside to find their dear friend, and what follows is nightmarish as the old rivals are thrown from one ordeal into the next.

I enjoyed the story overall, but it didn't keep me overly excited. The narrative is written in the third person, shifting between past and present, between Leo and Melissa. While I appreciated the dynamic and the strengthening of the friendship between the two, I didn't find myself caring for either of them. Melissa came across as abrasive, and Leo's plans to sell the house (he is a realtor) while his friend is still missing didn't reflect well on him. Moreover, some of their sniping was a bit exhausting. However, their backstories, as well as the tense atmosphere and the freaky supernatural aspect, added depth to the story.

I enjoyed the sections from the past and the way all the pieces fell into place. The author doesn't give us all the information at once; bit by bit, she uncovers more and more pieces from the past and connects the dots. I also appreciated the setting and the creepy atmosphere. The characterizations were interesting, and the suspense was nicely maintained until the great reveal at the end. The tense atmosphere of supernatural elements was excellently woven throughout the storyline, as well as the themes of grand struggle against supernatural evil forces, friendship, loyalty, and loss.

Unfortunately, the book fell a bit short in the execution department. I found the pace of the first half of the book too slow for my liking, although I did enjoy the sense of impending danger. It started well, lost momentum, and then picked up the pace in the second part of the tale. Although the book wasn't overwhelmingly scary, there were definitely some creepy parts. Despite the slow start, the story eventually grew on me. This is a slow-burning tale that builds up to an impressive crescendo. Therefore, I give it 3 out of 5 stars. I recommend the book to horror fans who love a bit of the supernatural thrown in and don't mind a slow-paced read.

* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc.  All opinions are my own.

* For more info about the book: "The Drowning House" by Cherie Priest