The Night House
Author: Jo Nesbo
Richard is only 14 years old when his parents are killed in a fire and he is sent to live with his aunt and uncle. He has a rough time with his new life, town and school. He doesn't really fit in and starts causing major trouble. Stealing, pranks...just being a juvenile asshole. So, when he ropes another local teen into joining in on a prank and the kid disappears, most people think Richard had something to do with it. Richard has a wild, horrific story about what happened to Tom, but nobody believes him.
Because really.....telephone booths at the edge of the woods don't make kids disappear, right? The logical explanation is that the weird, new kid pushed him in the river, or did something to him. Local law enforcement is pretty much convinced that Richard killed Tom.
So, he forms a friendship with another local outsider to follow clues and investigate what happened to Tom.
I have read a couple of Jo Nesbo's Harry Hole Detective novels and enjoyed them. When I saw he had written a horror novel, I had to give it a read. This book is completely a departure from the gritty investigative Harry Hole novels.
This story is bizarre, yet completely sucked me in. It wasn't really that scary, but I found myself wanting to know WTH was going on. Creepy more than scary. Can you imagine being an outsider, and having something so fantastical and horrific happen right in front of you....and nobody believes you. Yikes!
I hope he writes more horror. I really enjoyed this book! The story was so weird, but engaging.
I kept thinking as I read that the story would make a really good creepy movie. I'd watch it!!
**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Knopf. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**
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