Leanne Olson

by Sarah Gailey

Releasing July 19, 2022 from Tor Books

Just Like Home is a delightfully weird horror novel that I adored. I love that I knew so little about this one going in — I thought it was going to be a Southern Gothic haunted house story, or serial killer novel, or something in between. It was both, and also a lot more.

Vera’s mother calls her and tells her that she’s dying. Vera must return to her family home, a home built by her serial killer father, to pack up her childhood and tend to her mother, a woman who hates her. At night in her childhood bedroom, Vera hears sounds that make her think she’s not alone.

I loved Gailey’s writing in this book. It’s quiet but immersive. At first, the hard look at mortality in the form of Vera’s mother almost turned me off the book, but the dual timeline showing Vera’s childhood completely hooked me. Vera’s a fascinating character and as we learn more about her, the book keeps getting better.

Horror readers who love atmosphere and quiet dread but also enjoy a bit of body horror and a lot of weirdness will love Just Like Home. Moments made me think of works by T. Kingfisher, Kristi Demeester, and Silvia Moreno-Garcia, but nothing about this book is derivative.

This was my first Sarah Gailey novel and I’m looking forward to picking up more of her work.

Thank you to Tor Books and Netgalley for my review copy of this book.