I would like to thank Vintage for an advance copy of this novel in exchange for a fair and honest review

Publisher – Vintage

Published – out Now

Price – £9.99 paperback £0.99 Kinfle eBook

WHEN THE VOICES CALL, DON'T ANSWER...

In the wake of his parents' tragic deaths fourteen-year-old Richard Elauved has been sent to live with his aunt and uncle in the remote town of Ballantyne.

Richard quickly earns a reputation as an outcast, and when a classmate named Tom goes missing, no one believes him when he says the telephone booth out by the edge of the woods sucked Tom into the receiver like something out of a horror movie.

No one, that is, except the enigmatic Karen, who encourages Richard to pursue clues the police refuse to investigate. He traces the number to an abandoned house in the woods. There he catches a glimpse of a terrifying face in the window. And then the voices start.
When another classmate disappears, Richard grapples with the dark magic that's possessing Ballantyne to try and find them before it’s too late...

Horror stories do love putting children in dangerous situations. From the kids from Derry In It to the monster battlers in Stranger Things its often seeing a child in danger, never believed that adds a layer of danger to the tale – our instincts are to protect a child and also we know what it is like not to be believed when we see danger. Jo Nesbo uses children in danger in his uneasy horror novel The Night House (translated very ably by Neil Smith) where extremely strange things happen to a teenager and the kids around him but not everything adds up.

In the small Norwegian town of Ballantyne 14-year-old Richard Elauved is not happy to be staying with his aunt and uncle and is making everyone know it. Rude, sulky and enjoying getting into trouble he has stolen a Luke Skywalker toy with his not quite friend Tom and they play in the woods. Richard dares Tom to make a prank phone call in the woods but as Tom does this he gets squeezed and sucked into the phone…apparently killed. Richard tells the police but instead gets under suspicion. Further strange events occur, and Richard finds he is the prime suspect, but he also knows the mystery has to do with a strange abandoned place only now known as The Night House.

The Night House is an interesting mix of a very clever idea and just a touch of an overplayed hand. The first half set in Richard’s childhood starts very strongly and the events get weirder, but Nesbo also makes us see Richard is a very complicated character who loves to act out but also hides a more sensitive side. He feels an incredibly normal sulky child we often may find annoying especially as he picks on people that in many ways he is like. Events though throw him under the bus and the heart of the tale is Richard trying to do the right thing for the right reasons even if that puts him into danger. It slowly wins you over.

However, by design things get very strange indeed and seem less to follow horror story plotting and almost more dream logic. Things happen that make you go that wouldn’t happen and are not supernatural. Coincidence upon coincidence pile up that while is well written may make you feel getting restless. If I was not aware Jo Nesbo was a skilled thriller writer I may have given up as we approach halfway. Then the big reveal happens as we jump to Richard’s adulthood and return to Ballantyne and that explains a little of what we have been through and quickly itself has some strange turns that echo the previous tale in characters and certain motifs. This underlines again all is not quite right and a final version of the tale I told. This one is starkly non-supernatural, sobering and perhaps a little too neatly wraps everything up. Yes Gentle Reader this is  hard tale to discuss without delivering huge spoilers which I feel would wreck the ride for you so I’m being careful. But also this makes me question if the ride is worth taking.

For me the issue is the first half goes on too long and its inner reality as a story falls apart. A horror story needs limits and if you sense anything can happen then it feels an author running freestyle than tight plotting. A few pages less and a few less jumps in the story then I think the reveals that grow on top of things would have felt neater and packed more punch. For a relatively short novel under 300 pages instead it still feels a little overcooked for seasoned horror readers which is a shame as the wider storyline and in particular that final set of scenes do carry some emotional punch as wee find out a lot more about Richard and his issues regarding his sense of worth.

The Night House is an enjoyable horror story that does hold moments of horror, sadness and captures being a teenager well but just is where the landing is ok but its actual flight to get there which is bit too bumpy to make you really enjoy the ride. Interesting and could be a fun quick spooky winter read but perhaps you one to be prepared to raise your eyebrows at as well.