Book Review: The House That Horror Built by Christina Henry

 received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.

The House That Horror Built by Christina Henry

Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Genre: Horror, Mystery

Series: Stand Alone

Publisher: Berkley (May 14, 2024)

Length: 320 pages

Author Information: Website

Christina Henry’s latest novel, The House That Horror Built, is perhaps her least unconventional in recent years. In spite of this, it worked for me. The story captures the tradition and spirit of the best horror movies, making this one of her more enjoyable books.

Set in Chicago amidst the pandemic, Harry Adams is struggling to get by with her fourteen-year-old son Gabe after all the restaurants closed in the city, taking away her waitressing job. Desperate for work, she applies to be a house cleaner three days a week at Bright Horses, a sprawling estate owned by Javier Castillo, a renowned horror film director. Secretly, Harry is a huge fan of his work, but decides to keep quiet to give the man his privacy. The filmmaker’s life has been plagued with scandal after his only son Michael became the main suspect in a young woman’s murder. However, before an arrest could occur, Michael vanished along with his mother. Abandoned by his family, Castillo chose to live in the mansion in solitude, away from the prying eyes of the media.

At first, the job goes well. Castillo may be a reticent and curt man, but as far as bosses go, he is fair and relatively undemanding. Harry’s primary duties are to keep the house immaculate and to clean his vast collection of horror movie props, which quickly becomes routine. But then, strange things begin to occur, especially surrounding a particular costume piece from Castillo’s most famous film. The costume’s mask seems to watch Harry with empty eyes, and sometimes she thinks she can see it move and hear voices. Afraid to lose her job, she keeps quiet, even though she suspects an otherworldly presence in the house and that her employer may be involved. But when Castillo begins to take an unsettling interest in Gabe, Harry’s protective instinct sets off every alarm system in her brain.

Unlike Henry’s more recent novels like her fairy tale retellings and over-the-top horror, The House That Horror Built feels more down-to-earth and familiar. For one, the setting and the characters’ pandemic reality is something that most of us can relate to—social distancing, financial woes, and emotional strain. In Harry’s case, she is struggling to find a job, pay her rent, and keep her son in school. Her troubles lend the story more authenticity, and while some may find all this a bummer, the rawness appealed to me because it helped ground the novel’s supernatural premise in the everyday.

I also observed how character development here was prioritized over heavy messaging (Good Girls Don’t Die, I’m looking at you). Everything about Harry’s personality from her no-nonsense determination to her resentfulness and mistrust is a product of her past—a strict and religious upbringing—revealed through flashbacks which enrich the narrative. On the other hand, things are a lot less clear when it comes to Javier Castillo. Questions surround the enigmatic director, leading the reader to wonder if there is more to his decision to live alone in a creepy old mansion surrounded by his weird horror movie props.

Last but not least, The House That Horror Built is equal parts horror and mystery, which is what I enjoyed most about the book. But while it may not be a 24/7 fright fest, there is still enough atmospheric tension to keep readers invested, and despite the classic haunted house motif, the plot invites readers to explore the genre beyond cheap thrills and simple scares.

Bottom line, I appreciated the fine balance between setting, character, and plot that I felt was lacking in the author’s last few novels. In The House that Horror Built, Christina Henry has managed to capture the energy behind the fascination for haunted house stories and the horror genre in general, and it’s a passion that feels genuine and fun.