THE NIGHT HOUSE

Release Date : 2023-10-03

Duration : 6 Hours 24 Mins

Publisher : Random House Canada

SYNOPSIS

This is the latest novel from Jo Nesbø, an acclaimed Norwegian writer, musician, former football player, and reporter.

Fourteen-year-old Richard is sent to live with his aunt and uncle in a remote town after his parents’ tragic deaths in a house fire. When Richard’s classmate Tom goes missing and Richard claims that the phone booth receiver ate Tom after he made a crank call, no one believes him, and he is watched closely by the townspeople. With the help of Karen and Jack, fellow outcasts in his class, Richard tracks down the address of the crank call and discovers an eerie abandoned house on the edge of the woods. When Jack suddenly disappears after leaving Richard’s house, Richard is assumed guilty and sent to a juvenile detention facility. What follows is a harrowing journey for Richard to prove his innocence and the shocking aftermath 15 years later.

REVIEW

The story is strange and creepy from the very first chapter and will have listeners wondering where this story could possibly be headed. Although the characters are mostly adolescents for much of the story, the dark themes and graphic scenes are definitely intended for an adult audience. Richard’s character is quite flawed and unlikeable, as his actions depict him as a bully, and his recollection of events often seems implausible and twisted.

Narrator Michael Crouch brings the drama to a whole new level with a deliciously twisted performance of Richard, masterfully acting out his outbursts and eerie visions. The overall story is definitely more horror than thriller and will likely delight fans of Nesbø’s previous works. The book is laid out in three parts, with each part bringing forth new revelations and unexpected twists. By the end of it all, listeners may be questioning everything they’ve heard and will likely either love or hate the story—there’s likely no in-between here! Being a shorter listen and having an extremely unique story, it’s definitely worth a listen!