How to Sell a Haunted House

Grady Hendrix Read 2/13/2025-2/17/2025

As I sit down to write this, I find myself asking: What in the blue blazes did I just read?  I’ve never seriously considered DNF’ng a book before – although I have had a couple of close calls – but this one came close to pushing me over the edge.  While I admit that it has its strong points, it just didn’t hit the mark for me. That said, I’m fully aware that not every book is for everyone, and I can’t deny that there’s an audience for this one – it just wasn’t me.

When I saw the title and all the 5-star reviews, I jumped into the book expecting a wild ride of hauntings, ghosts, spooky mischief, death, and unexpected twists that would keep me on the edge of my seat from start to finish.  Unfortunately, I was sorely mistaken.  If I had taken the time to read the reviews or even the book’s blurb, I might have had a clearer idea of what I was getting into – but I chanced it and opted for the “go in blind” approach.  Let’s  just say it didn’t work out in my favor this time.

**The Pros:**

– The premise of the story has tremendous potential. Some parts were undeniably unique, and Hendrix crafted a solid foundation with a strongly built world and colorful, relatable characters.

– The twists and turns throughout the story kept it interesting enough to propel me, even when the pacing slowed to a crawl.

– The relationship between siblings, Mark and Louise, was a beautiful, chaotic mess that felt real and believable.   While their relationship was exhaustingly complicated at times, the emotional depth that it added to the story was incomparable.

**The Cons:**

– Parts of the story felt boring and drawn out with moments where I found myself completely distracted from the story.  It was as if I was in a dark abyss of nothingness on repeat. 

– While the twists and turns kept things intriguing, some felt exaggerated and over-the-top.  I’m all for a good plot twist, but some of these were a bit much for my taste.

– The relationship between Mark and Louise, though authentic in many ways, became frustratingly dramatic at times.  I found myself wanting to shake both of them more than once, which detracted from my enjoyment of their journey.

Overall, Hendrix gives How to Sell a Haunted House significant potential, but it left me wanting more. With a bit of refinement, I think this could be an exceptionally good read for a wider audience.

Please take the time to read other reviews before deciding whether this book is right for you. Had I taken the time to research it a little more, I might have approached it with a different mindset making it a more enjoyable read.

As always, all opinions and reviews are of my own volition.  I have not been promised any compensation by the author, present or future, for my review.

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