Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), THE LAST HOUSE ON NEEDLESS STREET by Catriona Ward Review, I have never seen a real icicle before this winter. Publication date 16 Sep 2021. I wish I could wax lyrical about what twists I liked best and the clues I missed, but I have no intention of explaining the ending. Now, youve given me a totally different perspective.it almost sounds like this novel is more one of those violent thrillers instead of a horror novel thats designed to be scary, but also makes you laugh nervously because its fun to be scared. Synopsis This is the story of a serial killer. Im usually unable to figure things out so perhaps Im also the perfect reader. This is a book thats oppressive and disturbing, sometimes nearly overwhelming in its sadness, but one that comes from a place of real humanity and caring. Please dont ask me how because that would involve at least a hundred spoilers. WebHer next gothic thriller, The Last House on Needless Street, was published through Viper Books (an imprint of Serpent's Tail) in March 2021, and Tor Nightfire in the US, in Winston also sings a few verses from "I'll Fly Away" to Ellie on the first night they meet in the tree house on page 277. Plot Summary. I can hardly wait to read Catriona Wards next book! Revenge. A fantastic readathon running this year, check it out here:The 2021 SFF Badge Collection, Dramatic, curly-haired wannabe writer from a nowhere town in Somerset. But remember, everything in this book is setup for a shocking twist. What does it represent in each timeline? Pages and Tea recently postedBook Review: Later by Stephen King. This isnt a spoiler. Oct 12, 2021 | Book Reviews, Horror, mystery, Thriller | 12 comments. At the half way point I couldn't justify spending any more time with it and refunded it. This adds to the atmosphere of desperation and the knife edge feeling that something explosive could occur at any moment. This horror fiction-related article is a stub. I didnt care for it either. The Last House on Needless Streetis a masterclass in twists and turns. Ted knows he isnt well, and he sees a therapist he calls the bug man, but the guy is just a quack who only cares about the book he claims to be writing. This is a place to discuss horror literature. Revenge. The main story takes place eleven years after a six-year old girl named Lulu went missing down by the lake. The other device the author uses is that she shows the same events from two different perspectives. Hi, I'm Cara and welcome to my bookish world. Carolyn is a librarian and book addict with an MA in Creative Writing with aspirations to one day be a published author. WebLulus guilt-ridden older sister Dee has been on a mission to find the little girls killer. Im not generally someone who reads horror, as I tend to suffer from nightmares, but this review sounds really tempting. You know from the outset theres a lot more to this than the characters are showing you, but its so carefully written you cant quite figure out what theyre hiding. ISBN10 1788166183. Sign up to get the download as well as an email sent once a month with links to my latest reviews, information on my online book club, and other bookish announcements. This is the story of a murderer. These little bits of information eventually reveal what actually happenedor do they? by Catriona Ward. the characters are, since they never seem to agree on what they see or experience. Death. All Rights Reserved. I mean wow, what a book! WebSummary Excerpt Reading Guide Book Summary A community's past sins rise to the surface in New York Times bestselling author Diane Chamberlain's The Last House on the Street when two women, a generation apart, find themselves bound by tragedy and an unsolved, decades-old mystery. I really cant say a lot more without giving away major plot secrets, youve got to just enjoy the ride for The Last House On Needless Street, the intrigue is blinding in this one and the ending is nothing short of incredible. I get why people like it, but I'm certainly not in a rush to pick up any of the author's other work. Revenge. Death. Press J to jump to the feed. Edition Statement Main. If The Last House succeeds at anything, its in Wards deep empathy for her subject. Your review has just cemented my wish to get it sooner. Ellie frequently leads her fellow SCOPE volunteers and supporters in song during protests. The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward is one of those rare novels I read that kept me on the edge of my seat from the moment I started. Theyre all complex and driven by completely different pain and fears. By using The StoryGraph, you agree to our use of cookies.We use a small number of cookies to provide you with a great experience. From the outside, she appears to be a woman who is still mourning her sister, and now that she seems to have proof that Ted might have been involved, shes filled with rage and a thirst for revenge. There are a few elements of the plot that build suspense; not knowing what happened that day that Lulu disappeared, how much of Teds ramblings we can truly believe, Dees vigilante efforts, and the remarkably creepy yet vague memories of Teds life with his parents. Time is not always linear in this story, so flashbacks of Dee and Teds childhood interrupt the suspenseful present-day plotline, while other times its unclear whether someone is recalling a memory or creating one. As you can probably tell from the lack of plot details, Im doing all I can to avoid spoilers. Wow, that's so awesome to hear you loved it this much and for sure, it's definitely re-readable! She built up the setting well, characters that are relatable, and makes it so once this ride was over, youll be completely blown away once you start to put all the pieces together. If good intentions made for great novels, Id be only too happy to join the chorus of praise. To her infinite credit, Catriona Ward has taken seriously her responsibility to do justice to a condition that is suffered by a great many deeply traumatized people and present it in a way that is compassionate and, despite the horrors that unfold in the story, hopeful. He seems to be obsessed with his dead mother, who he refers to as Mommy. Even more unsettling is his relationship with his daughter, Lauren. WebDescription. Like I could handle the Ted/Lauren/Olivia twist because they would conceivably be so fucked up they are actually be narrating as honestly as they are able. Experience is not what happens to you; it's what you do with what happens to you. But I think Ward could have given poor Ted a mother who fit that trope, if thats the trope she really needed to utilize, without going overboard into making the woman into some kind of Resident Evil villain performing devilish medical experiments on missing children. Thats where youre wrong. For Kayla, her house is a constant reminder of the loss of her husband and the life they could have shared there. Moreover, it becomes evident as you read that Ward does not establish anything at all in her story that she doesnt plan to completely overturn with an M. Night Shyamalan-style twist. Author Find books by time period, setting & theme, Read-alike suggestions by book and author. For Ellie, her house is a reminder of her tragic loss and familial betrayal. For example, Reverend Filburn and the Northern students did not initially welcome Ellie because she was from the South, and the people in Round Hill opposed the SCOPE program because "Yankee" outsiders were coming in to "tell us how we should be runnin' things," as Buddy says in chapter 6. He loses time and makes frequent, nighttime trips to the nearby woods. It appears Dee had some responsibility for the death and disappearance of her sister and the subsequent destruction of her family. I had no idea what would transpire at the end and when it did WOW! Ted lives alone behind boarded-up windows, hiding from the prying eyes of his neighbours. If you read it for its mood, for its sense of dread, if you enjoy being surprised and you dont care to think too closely about the choices the writer is making and why theyre making them, then yes, The Last House on Needless Street is a novel that can have a profound emotional impact. Ted was abused by his psychopathic and murderous mother for years, which led him to develop dissociative identity disorder. Excerpt| Ive seen this everywhere lately, definitely going to have to pick it up! And I am glad you had such a great time with it! Kayla and Ellie both suffer the loss of the man they love. Growing up in the well-to-do town of Round Hill, North Carolina, Ellie Hockley was raised to be a proper Southern lady. You think youve read this story before. This is where the story begins to go wrong. Hasini @ Bibliosini recently postedDoes Having a Positive Message Automatically Make a Book Good? In a boarded-up house on a dead-end street at the edge of the wild Washington woods lives a family of three. A teenage girl who isnt allowed outside, not after last time. A man who drinks alone in front of his TV, trying to ignore the gaps in his memory. And a house cat who loves napping and reading the Bible. There are too many plot contrivances that ask us to be extremely generous with our willing suspension of disbelief, too many supporting characters who seem like exaggerated and even cartoonish caricatures. You'll have to update us on if Sundial is as good! All these things are true. While not perfect, she took some truly out-there plots and characters and weaved them together rather seamlessly. Change). I certainly didnt, which I guess makes me the perfect reader! Ward does a great job of creating an ominous atmosphere, especially surrounding Ted, his house, and Olivia and Lauren. All these things are true. It also made me cry, and I can't say that about too many horror novels. A man who drinks alone in front of his TV, trying to ignore the gaps in his memory. Would you look for excuses to extend your solitary visit with this possible pervert child murderer in his own house by asking things like Can I use the bathroom? and Could I have a drink of water? Would you spy on his movements and follow him, all by yourself, when you see him walking into the forest at night with a shovel? I strongly agree that the sister should have been a reliable narrator. This is a psychological horror story that leads you to believe certain things, but then pulls the rug out from under you late in the story. The Last House on Needless Street follows Ted, who lives with his daughter Lauren and his cat Olivia in an ordinary house at the end of an ordinary street. In what ways does the society that the characters were born into impact who they become? What is the house haunted by, if not supernatural beings? Submitted by users as part of their reviews. Buy This Book. Its definitely more psychological horror, if thats something you enjoy. ** This title earned me the Animal Companion badge in the Spells & Spaceships SFF collection! Ted and Olivia live mostly in the dark because hes boarded up the windows with plywood. This was my first book of the year but I sadly set it aside because I could tell my brain wasnt in the right mindset for it, but I am so glad you reviewed this book so well and I am excited to pick it up when the mood is right! Yes: 65% | It's complicated: 30% | No: 3%, It's complicated: 59% | No: 25% | Yes: 13%, No: 35% | It's complicated: 32% | Yes: 28% | N/A: 4%, Yes: 82% | It's complicated: 14% | No: 1%. What is the significance of that decision? LoL I understand and yeah, I can see what you mean as I also wanted more from the ending, but either way, her writing style and pacing were top-notch. After finishing it, I wouldnt describe it as that; its more of a gothic psychological thriller. It was a genuine surprise and just made me love this novel even more, even though I wanted more with the ending, still thought it was an excellent reading adventure. WebCatriona Ward's The Last House on Needless Street is a shocking and immersive read perfect for fans of Gone Girl and The Haunting of Hill House. It all just struck me as so much unnecessary red herring. I wont drop a massive spoiler and say what Teds condition is, but it shouldnt be too hard to figure out unless you yourself have been living in a boarded-up house all your life. Now, lets talk about the characters and the big reveal. But its not what you think. They take no pride or care in themselves, just forcing their way through each day furthering their own agenda. I certainly didnt, which I guess makes me the perfect reader! The nerve-shredding tension and creeping unease comes with you having to work things out at the characters pace. His only companion is a cat named Olivia, who has her own chapters in which she is the first-person viewpoint narrator, suggesting that Olivia is either a very special cat indeed or maybe not a cat at all. awesome review, Tammy. And speaking of Olivia, what a unique character! Oh yes, "Sundial" is on my TBR and I'll get to it soon I'm sure, she's an amazing writer! Any page references refer to a USA edition of the book, usually the trade paperback version, and may vary in other editions. The main story takes place eleven years after a six-year old girl named Lulu went missing down by the lake. And yet I read one other review of this book and put the audio version on hold. I have been lied to in the best possible way and I enjoyed every single moment. 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