A review by amy_alwaysreading
We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer

4.0

Many thanks to my friends at @atriabooks and @simon.audio for the free #gifted copies of this book. 

Gripping.  Terrifying.  WHAT DID I JUST READ???!!!  

There was a part of me that wanted to wait until “spooky season” officially started to read this book.  

But then FOMO took over.  All my friends were raving about this book.  So how could I, in good conscience, continue to put it off?  

➡️THANK GOODNESS I didn’t put it off until the dark and dreary months!

This turned out to be the best horror and psychological thriller combination.  I was on the edge of my seat fully engaged yet horrified at each turn of the page.  

I wanted to look away but couldn’t. I questioned everything.  I’m not even sure I understood all that happened.  

And those tiny details that felt so relatable—Where did I leave my phone? Am I not remembering that correctly?— those bits of everyday life woven in made the story feel so real. TOO REAL. 

Questions intermingled with truth yet brimming with uncertainty... therein lies the unsettling brilliance of this read.

This is a frightening debut reminiscent of the style of one of my favorite horror authors, Cat Ward.  A definitive spooky season must read!

🎧 As soon as I saw that @jercarparvo was the primary narrator for this book, it became necessary for me to grab the audiobook.  And what a treat it was.  Parker exuded the eeriness and uncertainty with every breath of her performance.  She became the very essence of Eve, embodied the complexity of the situation, and heightened the sense of atmosphere and dread that loomed large.  Mixed media sections were narrated by Corey Brill, adding a sinister and unsettling feel in between the primary narrative.  A winning listen all around.