Just Like Home

Vera Crowder returns to her childhood home at her dying mother's request, despite having avoided the house for decades. The property holds dark memories of her father, a notorious serial killer whose gruesome crimes were discovered when Vera was a teenager. As Vera settles back into her old room, she begins to notice strange occurrences throughout the house. The line between past and present blurs as she confronts both supernatural disturbances and the resurfacing of long-buried family secrets. Reality and memory intertwine in this horror-thriller hybrid that examines the nature of home, family bonds, and inherited trauma. The novel shifts between Vera's present-day experiences and flashbacks to her childhood, revealing the complex relationship she shared with her father before his crimes came to light. This gothic meditation on home and belonging challenges conventional ideas about good and evil, while exploring how physical spaces can hold and transmit generational pain. The narrative raises questions about what we choose to remember and what we're forced to forget.

Readers found this gothic horror novel slower-paced than expected, focusing more on psychological tension than traditional scares. Many appreciated the deep character study of the protagonist's trauma and complex relationship with her father. Liked: - Unique blend of haunted house and true crime elements - LGBTQ+ representation through main character - Vivid descriptions and atmosphere - Original take on serial killer narratives Disliked: - Slow first half - Confusing supernatural elements - Unsatisfying ending - Marketing misrepresented it as more horror-focused Reader quote: "The book promised horror but delivered literary fiction with spooky elements" - Goodreads reviewer Ratings: Goodreads: 3.5/5 (13,000+ ratings) Amazon: 3.7/5 (1,200+ ratings) StoryGraph: 3.75/5 Many readers noted the book works better when approached as psychological fiction rather than traditional horror, with expectations adjusted accordingly.

The Return by Rachel Harrison A woman returns to her childhood home to confront supernatural forces connected to her mother and a dark family legacy.

White Smoke by Tiffany D. Jackson A family's fresh start in a new house reveals sinister secrets buried within its walls and the town's disturbing history.

The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James A woman investigates her aunt's disappearance at a haunted motel, uncovering parallel timelines and murderous ghosts.

The Good House by Tananarive Due A woman inherits her grandmother's house and must face the consequences of generations of family magic and darkness.

Plain Bad Heroines by Emily M. Danforth Multiple timelines connect through a cursed book, a haunted girls' school, and the horror movie being made about its deadly history.

🏠 Sarah Gailey wrote Just Like Home while living in a house that they believed was haunted, which directly influenced the atmospheric elements of the novel. 🔍 The book explores the complex legacy of serial killers' families, a subject that has garnered increased attention since the success of true crime documentaries featuring killers' children. 💌 The author intentionally blurs genre lines, combining elements of horror, gothic fiction, and psychological thriller to create what they call "domestic horror." 🏗️ The architectural elements in the book, including the hidden passages and secret rooms, were inspired by Winchester Mystery House in San Jose, California. 🖋️ Gailey, who uses they/them pronouns, has won the Hugo Award and is known for challenging traditional gender roles and family dynamics in their work across multiple genres.