Review: A House at the Bottom of a Lake by Josh Malerman (Spoiler-Free)

'No hows,' James said into the helmet. 'No whys.'

This. This book. Someone needs to make it into an A24 movie immediately.

Let me start off by saying that this book isn't going to be for everyone. But it was for me. If you liked I'm Thinking of Ending Things or House of Leaves, it might be for you too. Also if you liked the writing style/themes of The Body by Stephen King.

This is the niche type of horror I love. Psychological, strange, unexplained, but fascinating. The kind you become obsessed with.

This book feels like the scenes its portraying. Like you're suspended in the murky waters of the third lake. Like you're floating on a current you can't resist, deep into the unknown, panic building in your chest. You're wearing gear, but it's so easy to forget that you can breathe.

I don't want to say any more. This book needs to be experienced without expectations other than the title. I'm certainly very curious to read some of Malerman's other works, because this was incredible.

❄️winterween ❄️

book one- near the bone

book two- five total strangers

book three- a house at the bottom of a lake

book four- the grownup