When Stephen King started raving about Catriona Ward's new novel, The Last House on Needless Street, Book Twitter went absolutely crazy as everybody wanted to get their hands on a copy. So I just have to give a huge thank you to Viper Books for approving my NetGalley request so that I could read this amazing book.

This is perhaps the most difficult book to review EVER. Less really is more when it comes to talking about The Last House on Needless Street so I'm going to completely avoid mentioning the plot other than to say it's mind-blowing. I can't even talk about the characters for fear of accidentally releasing a spoiler.

Just take my word for it, this book is absolutely brilliant. I did think it was a little weird at first, but that's not a surprise as Stephen King loved it and he's the King of Weirdness, however, once I got used to the strange characters the story flowed beautifully and I couldn't read it fast enough.

Beautifully written, quirky and haunting, I can't stop thinking about The Last House on Needless Street and without doubt this book is going to be huge when it's released on 18 March 2021. I can totally see this being book of the year and we're not even in 2021 yet - it really is THAT good. An absolute must-read, make sure you buy a copy and prepare to be amazed.

All opinions in this review are my own.

I sat and read this book straight through, so completely absorbed that I screamed out loud when a delivery driver tapped on my window!

Ward has crafted a book with elements of the thriller, the gothic, the fantastical, and in doing so creates a atmosphere of dread and confusion, pierced through with shards of hope.

The story starts like many others; a missing child, her sister's pursuit of men who could he responsible, the interior world of a damaged lonely man. In Ward's hands everything you think you know about this scenario is skewed.

To say much would be wrong, as this is a book that readers need to go into without spoilers, but I cared deeply for the characters, I was utterly gripped by the doubt cast over who was good or bad or even who they said they were, the reveals were clever, and the resolution at the end had me wanting to return to the beginning and start over.

I'll be buying a copy in March!

Thank you so much to @viper.books for sending me this proof copy, this was one of my highly anticipated reads and let me tell you it didn’t disappoint at all!.

I equally wanted to read it quickly because I was enjoying it and gripped by it so much but also on the flip side of that I wanted to go slower because I didn’t want it to end. And that to me is the true proof of an absolutely brilliant read!

The writing here is just incredible, the way the different characters voices are so distinct and so well thought through and executed,so so clever and just so much left to think about once the story comes to an end. Also reading the authors note at the end just added such a layer to it all too, the research and the work that went into this is so evident.

This had everything I want from a Thriller/Horror read, it has bags of atmosphere, it had me feeling tense in so many situations were playing out, with it’a vivid and detailed descriptions of everything it’s as if I was watching everything leap off the page and play out in front of my eyes. You can’t ask for more than that honestly. This author had me from the first page and didn’t let me go till the very end.

Such a brilliantly clever story, and one that had me guessing so many times but delivered many twists and turns along the way, pulling the rug out from you non stop. It’s uncomfortable at times, it’s gory, it’s mind bending and it’s at its core very heartbreaking too. It packs a huge punch and I am SO happy that this excelled all my hopes.

This is without any doubt an easy 5 ⭐️ for me, and it’s very easily secured a spot in my Top 10 of the year. Can’t recommend it highly enough! 👀. 🎉 Publishes March ‘21

5 Stars from me

I hope everyone who reads this book gets to do so without a single spoiler.

This is such a clever, confusion, brilliant, addictive, horrible, brilliant book!

I can't praise Catriona Ward highly enough - her publishers must have literally leapt for joy when this landed on their desk! The Last House on Needless Street has it all - it is such a compelling read, I was utterly drawn in.

There should be a pact with books like this, along with the purchase you MUST promise NEVER to divulge the storyline to another!

I really enjoyed reading this - not sure I captured every single nuance but I don't care, I loved it!

I am not sure I’ve read anything *quite* like this. It starts as one thing, turns to another, let’s you think you’ve figured it out then royally mind f*cks you in the best way possible.

This is genre-defying, cleverly written and very addictive to read.

I applaud Catriona for writing this. It is clearly very well researched and also feels very well edited. There is nothing surplus to requirement in this book and it left me wanting more. There is so much atmosphere and so much dark suspense. The change in POV adds massively to the books credit and I think it challenges misconceptions about many things.

Triggers 👇🏻












** TW **

Emotional and physical abuse of a child, self harm, suicide, alcohol(ism), murder, kidnap, snakes, abandonment, mistreatment, lying, hallucinations, poor medical care, stroke, death, entrapment, burns (mostly chemical).

Catriona Ward’s latest doesn’t disappoint. A complex, layered, spine-chilling thriller where some things are what they seem but not all. A missing girl. A lost family. A broken sister. The lonely sad figure of Ted, his daughter and his beloved cat.

These elements converge on the edge of Needless Street, bringing fear, anguish and finally a truth but not the one I was suspecting.

The execution of Needless Street is new, inventive – even ground-breaking, with alternating chapters from all the key players. A brave, challenging piece where Ward’s superior writing skills shine through like a beacon in an already crowded thriller market.

Wow, what a thrill-ride of a novel, dark, twisty, smart and ultimately compassionate. I was so hooked by this story and I'm sure many others will be too. One to watch!

Wow, wow, wow! What a journey this book takes you on. A unique, cleverly plotted and compelling read that left me lost for words. Dark, disturbing, devastating. You'll want everyone you know to read this book just so you can talk about it.

Although THE LAST HOUSE ON NEEDLE STREET tested my patience, it was not without its merits and I'm sure will pick up many fans. It was also a fascinating change of pace for an author better known for period gothic horror. Although this book has elements of horror, it is better described as a dark thriller. And although I figured out most of the twists, it did have a beauty I did not see coming.

However, this boom is nigh on possible to review without giving spoilers - one is never entirely sure what is going on, who the voice is, unreliable narrator or not, with decent sections of the book being narrated by a pet cat!

The plot revolves around the story of a missing child and the house at the end of Needless Street where a weird guy called Ted lives. Most of the plot is set some years later and it seems too obvious that Ted is the killer, but as no other suspects are put forward, the reader presumes he is, but nothing is quite what it seems, I found the various voices to be disjointed and slightly frustrating, however, it kept me on the hook to figure out what was going on.

There are a lot of clues dropped along the way and the sister of the disappeared girl begins to play a bigger part in the story as events move on and she was one of one of several unlikable characters. I failed to engage (or like) any of the characters very much and found myself drawn to the cat more than any of the others! Sure it was inventive, but it was not as clever as it thought it was and I found it slightly frustrating.

A twisty, compulsive read that was hard to put down. Sometimes the story was confusing, the narrative threads almost slipping out of the reader’s grasp but it was always entertaining and I just had to keep reading until the end. Sad, horrific with characters that demand to be heard. This is a story that, when it ends, you’ll want to go straight back to the beginning and read it again.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC.

So first up I wouldn't classify this as 'horror - or perhaps it is but only in the way I think of Shirley Jackson's work as horror which is a huge compliment to the author. Brilliantly researched and constructed, a heartbreaking portrait of trauma, grief, abuse and loss. It's hard to write about the plot without giving things away but suffice to say, it keeps you gripped throughout and offers and fascinating insight into a broken mind.

My Review:

This is one of those books that reviewers will LOVE but HATE because it’s almost impossible to review without spoilers and believe me, you need to read this with absolutely NO idea what it’s about except there’s a serial killer, a talking cat and a sister who’s determined to track down her little sisters abductor.

The Last House of Needless Street is so cleverly plotted and beautifully written that the reader becomes so entangled in the lives of the main narrators that it’s impossible to put this book down.

We have 3 intriguing and compelling main narrators and each one has such an important part to play in the story. Ted is our first narrator, a simple man who views the world in a slightly off-balanced way and throughout the chapters we learn more about him and his upbringing and why he now lives in a boarded up house, isolated from the world with only his daughter, Lauren and cat, Olivia for company.

Dee is the older sister of Lulu, who was abducted when she was 6 following a spate of child abductions and has spent the past 11 years trying to find her. When one of her sources leads her to Ted, she tracks him down and moves into the house next door determined to find her sister.

I honestly can’t say anymore, because it’s unfair and you will hate me.. so I will say nothing is as it seems and this book puts a twist on twists and takes the reader on an unforgettable journey.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is a book that is virtually impossible to review without giving spoilers - the whole basis for it is inventive and unusual and the whole plot is one tangle of revelations and twists and surprises. I'll do my best to avoid giving anything away!

This is a thriller based around the story of a missing child and the house at the end of Needless Street where Ted lives. The house is next to a forest where strange things occur and buried secrets threaten to come to the surface.

The story is told by a range of narrators, some of which are incredibly unconventional choices. Through this device, stories can be compared and events of the past uncovered - there are a lot of clues dropped along the way, not that I picked up on any of them! The ending came as a complete surprise to me, The whole plot seems built on shifting sands and there is a constant question in the reader's mind about what is the truth of the story.

However, I didn't find this an easy read. Although I love crime fiction, I found this story quite dark and disturbing because of some of the themes. I also found the narration a bit confusing at times and it did break up the thread of the story for me - I did not find this book an immersive experience and found it a little difficult to engage with some of the characters.

Overall, I would say that this is a very clever and inventive book, It's well-written, ingeniously plotted and will definitely keep you on your toes. It wasn't really for me, personally, but I can understand why some readers will love this intriguing tale.

This is a clever book that approaches its plot from a unique angle with unusual narrators. The first time I tried to read it, I couldn't get the hang of it and gave up at 30%. I thought the writing was very good and other readers would find it captivating, but I couldn't settle into it. I had an inkling what was going on, but something didn't quite fit and I was thrown. However, I was sufficiently intrigued to pick it up again (after I'd posted my initial DNF review). Everything clicked at the mid-point and I eagerly read on. My first inkling proved correct although there was much in between to challenge my assumptions.
This is a book that it's worth sticking with. For me it proved a memorable read at my second attempt..
Thank you to the author, the publishers and Net Galley for giving me the opportunity to read an early copy.

The last house on needless street is a true enigma of a read. This is a novel that entwines together the ribbons of several genres. There’s a plait of human horror, gothic fiction and the bow of thoughtful literary fiction, one that lies a shapeless lesson and a shocking truth. Catriona plants a concept, one that as the novel begins to develop, a horrific yet tender storyline blooms, one created with such atmospheric, thoughtful and moving writing. I became lost amongst the words, I not only fell into the pages demanding more but I also fell in love with Catriona’s writing. The psychological overlay of the novel will have you bitting at your nails and have you needing all your book friends reading so you can discuss the nature of the story that lurks below the surface. The Last House on Needless Street is a disturbing, with a sprinkling of sympathy laced through and layers of delicious complexity. This book is fantastic, it’s not quite like anything i have read before and if it doesn’t win many awards next year, I will be shocked! It’s excellent, read it!

This is one of the twisting turning thrillers which pull the rug out from under your feet when you think you've worked it out. Told through multiple narrators some of whom may or may not be reliable, telling us the reader about a 6 year old girl who goes missing on a family outing to a beach years previously, her now adult sister has her suspicions and so moves into a house next door to the man she suspects of taking her sister. A complex tale which will trick you at every turn of the page.

I'm not sure what I've just read, but I liked it and couldn't put it down! This is a Russian doll of a book in so many ways - lulling the reader into accepting the story is one thing, before realising it was merely hiding another thing underneath. It's a dark and foggy story - hard to discern until you get right up close to the end but it's worth it. If you're a fan of Stephen King, or thrillers and horror with an inventive twist, you'll love it.

Where do I begin? Well, first of all a massive thank you to Serpents Tail and Viper Books for granting one of my biggest wishes of this year and accepting my request through NetGalley.

This is an absolutely astonishing book. I finished it on Saturday and I am still thinking about it. It will definitely be on my ‘To Be Read Again’ pile that’s for sure.

Catriona Ward has written a suspenseful masterpiece and I was gripped from page one. The character jumped off the page and I had to remind myself that I was reading a book and that I wasn’t there witnessing the events unfolding!

Very cleverly plotted and the author has taken a sensitive situation and done an outstanding job in portraying it to her readers. I can’t praise this enough.

Wow. I finished this book a couple of days ago and I thought if I gave myself some time, I'd be able to figure out how to review it properly. I don't think I have though but I'm going to do it anyway because I can't stop thinking about this book.

I've never read anything like this. Reading Needless Street is like reading 3 or 4 different books in one. And the way I felt kept changing.
I'm going to read this again because it will definitely stand up to re reading.... I want to see all the clues I missed.
Thanks to netgalley and Catriona Ward, what a brilliant book!