A huge thank you to Netgalley and Pushkin Press for allowing me to read this masterpiece written by Uketsu early in exchange for an honest review.

I've read this in one sitting because there was absolutely no way I could put it down.

Strange Houses is another brilliantly unsettling mystery from Uketsu, and I think it’s official: they’re now officially an auto-buy author for me. Like Strange Pictures, it starts with something seemingly ordinary (in this case a floor plan that just feels a little off) and slowly reveals more and more disturbing details the more you look into it.

That’s something I LOVE about both of Uketsu’s books: they’re all about the act of seeing. You notice something strange, and as you start analysing it, the real horror quietly unfolds. It’s such a unique kind of storytelling!

Told in a semi-documentary, interview-style format with floor plans and other evidence woven into the narrative, the story feels interactive just as much as Strange Pictures did. It's like you're helping the characters puzzle it out in real time. The tension builds quietly but relentlessly. It’s eerie rather than outright scary, but it lingers. (I would call it quiet unsettling horror!)

The central mystery is more linear than in Strange Pictures, but nonetheless gripping.
It’s clever, disturbing, and SO readable. The ambiguity at the end left me with questions (the good kind), and now I’m counting down the days until we get more from Uketsy.

If you like minimalist horror, architectural mysteries, or stories that mess with your head in the best way, then I urge you to read this!

After reading ‘Strange Pictures’ in a night, I was very excited to see we were getting a second book.

Following an authors journey, we explore the evil and mystery of humanity, with a side helping of floor plans to paw over to try and get to the bottom of things.

I think the book tells a little too much, with some explanations being things that seem to come from left field, but that being said, it’s a very enjoyable story full of mystery and intrigue!

Thank you so much for the ARC, and a fuller review will be on my website for release day!

This wasn't what I usually like, and to be frank I don't think I enjoyed it, but I really like how well-thought out and carefully crafted the narrative was. Having stumbled on an interview by the author, they mentioned that their intention to write more is to make people around the world happy through horror stories. A strange way to do it, but so far it's going well according to the statistics of book sales so while this is not my kind of book, I'm glad that this was written with such a sweet intention and tenderness underneath it all. I just don't think I enjoy mystery novels and stories very much, but I can imagine it'd appeal to a different reader. Regardless of all of my thoughts on the book, I'm quite curious to read the author's other books anyway. Maybe there's one in their body of work for me and I just haven't read it yet.

"At first glance, it probably looks totally normal, like a house anyone might live in. But if you look very closely, you might notice things here and there that seem somehow... off. Those 'off' details pile up and link together to lead to one inescapable truth. A truth so terrifying, you won't want to believe it."

Uketsu's novel is about a writer who is fascinated by the macabre and is approached by an acquaintance who is considering purchasing a second-hand house in Tokyo. The home seems perfect. But looking closer, the building’s floor plan reveals a mysterious "dead space” hidden between the walls. Seeking a second opinion, the writer shares the floor plan with an architect friend only to discover more “strange spaces” dotted across the house. He asks his architect friend to help him solve the mystery behind the strange spaces which will lead them to a truth they could not have imagined.

I remember reading "Strange Pictures" and enjoying the mystery solving aspect of the story. The reader is included in trying to connect the dots between what is going on. In the same vein, this novel does exactly that through floor pans for a home that was built for something sinister.

As the puzzles and clues come together you can't help but become engrossed and determined to reach that truth much like the characters. There are plot twists after plot twists and the ending is one I could not have called. Even though we reach a conclusion there are questions that can be fairly raised as to the weight behind the secrets that are discovered.

Overall I really enjoyed reading this and it was easy to do in one go.

Thank you to Uketsu, Pushkin Press | Pushkin Vertigo, and NetGalley for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

A very interesting concept executed fairly well. The graphics were especially engaging. I’m unsure if the translation is at fault, but the sentence structure doesn’t read well and the speech feels unrealistic.

Thank you to Netgalley and Puschkin Press for the ARC!

Personal rating: 5/5 stars.

'Strange Houses' is about a character named (or labeled, I could say?) 'author' and the story begun with the 'author' recieves a strange floor plan from his friend that want to moved to the house with the said floor plan. The friend expressed concern about the floor plan, saying it made him feel discomfort and something about the floor plan was strange to him. The 'auhor' character later brought this topic up to his architect friend named Kurihara (a guy) to discuss the floor plan with him. So, the story and the mysteries involving the house is revealed one by one since then.

This book was everything! I really enjoyed this. Not gonna lie, the first 3o percent of this book was eerie and daunting :) The build-up for the plot was so good in that part. Also, this book is using a very-telling (not showing) writing style in more like film scenario-format rather than a novel. But otherwise, that doesn't negate the thing I say earlier.

I must say, this book ending is really up to the reader to interpret. Typical mystery book, in my opinion. For me whose English is a third language, the translation is perfect. Can't wait to read other translation by Jim Rion!

A clever page-turning murder mystery, with a unique format which makes it all the more immersive, Strange Houses is a real treat. A complex but well-explained oplot fleshed out with witty dialogue, Uketsu manages to build a real rapport between the reader and the characters, and you really feel like you're solving the puzzle alongside them. I'd have liked perhaps a little more detail, it could have been a little longer to give us more time to get our heads around the convoluted family tree and unusual relationships laid bare in the latter section of the novel. However it was still and engrossing read and I enjoyed the novelty.

I've never spent so much time looking at floor plans before - 4*

What an intriguing setup for a book! I've not read anything but I am itching to read the previous in this series - Strange Pictures. I read this at such a speed because I was so desperate to understand the weird and twisted reasons for the setup of the house.

I would never have truly guessed this. NEVER.

This was a short read which started off ok, I soon found going backwards and forwards to look at the pictures on my kindle wasn’t ideal. This would have been much better read in book format.

The storyline was good but towards the end and the solution there were so many new different names thrown around that I lost track and ended up very confused by the end of the book.

Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC of this ebook in exchange for my honest review.

Actual Rating: 4.5⭐

Strange Houses is the kind of book that pulls you in and refuses to let go.
It’s a fast-paced mystery thriller packed with dark secrets, an eerie vibe that gave me chills, and a really unique format—between the odd house plans and the interview-style storytelling, it makes for an interactive reading experience that kept me completely hooked!!

The blueprints sprinkled throughout the book ? A total lifesaver.
They made it so much easier to follow along with what the characters were saying about the houses. Honestly, without them, things would’ve been a lot harder to piece together!

I had a million questions while reading, and when the truth behind those bizarre house blueprints finally came out—mind blown!!
I never saw it coming. It was wild and honestly kind of unsettling to think about in a real-world context.

Overall, this was such a fun, gripping read—one of those books you can easily devour in a single sitting. And that ambiguous ending ? It just left me with even more questions, making me wonder if there’s another layer to the story we still haven’t uncovered.

This book has been huge in Indonesia, and I’ve had it on my wishlist forever.
I’m beyond grateful for receiving the ARC of the English version—totally worth the hype!

⚠️ 𝐓𝐖: murder, death, child death, child abuse, gore, confinement, brief mention of infidelity, incest, car accident

This book was amazing; despite my aversion to horror novels, I surprisingly enjoyed this very much. The story kept me engaged from start to finish, and I completed this page-turner in almost a single sitting. If you are a fan of mysteries and plot twists galore, I would highly recommend Strange Houses by Uketsu, as it is all that and even more. It was eerie and shocking but in the best ways, and I was not bored for a single second. Additionally, there is apparently manga from Uketsu, so I will definitely be checking that out next.

Strange Houses is very fast-paced read which keeps the reader intrigued whilst simultaneously feeling creeped out! The vibes in this book felt even more creepy than Strange Pictures, which I absolutely loved.

I did feel a little confused towards the end, but I know that there are multiple Strange Houses books (which I do intend in the future to read if my Japanese skills improve or if they are published in English!) so I didn’t let this affect my feelings towards the story too much.

I absolutely adore Uketsu’s ability to conjure consistently intriguing and macabre stories. I genuinely think the creepy vibes he is able to create in his books transcend language, which is one of my favourite things about these books! I do favour Strange Pictures over Strange Houses, but I still firmly enjoyed this book regardless and will continue to pick up any Uketsu book that is published in English in the future.

Thank you very much for the opportunity to read an ARC from an author who is very quickly becoming one of my favourites! 🖤

my rating: ☆☆☆☆

I think that reading this via Netgalley made it trickier to get into and that if I had had a physical copy that I might have found it more engaging. The floor plans did not really translate well to an e-reader format so although I tried to puzzle them out as was clearly intended, it was a lot more difficult for me to do so. The background story felt rather blank in that regard and has faded from mind fairly quickly. I can see that telling a story through the medium of floor plans was innovative but unfortunately it did not quite take off for me.

This was a wonderful read, full of intrigue, far-fetched ideologies brought to stark relief against the backdrop of indoctrination and the complications of family hierarchies.

This book was soooooo good. This is the second book I have read by the author so I went in with high hopes because I loved Strange Pictures and it didn't disappoint.
The author writes books with a formula quite unlike anything I have ever read before and they are so interesting to read, I would highly recommend

I really loved Strange Pictures, so I was eager to figure out the mystery of Strange Houses.
This novel had the same format as the strange pictures, with the layouts. The first 75% was so engaging when it came to the end was bit wacky. It was definitely a better read. I thank netgalley and pushkinpress for eARC copy.

This book was fast, fun, and a little bit wild! I really enjoyed the visual element of the floor plans and was so intrigued by the mystery. A few leaps are made, but I just went with it and found myself liking the craziness of the reveal in the end. Had this story been traditionally told, I’m not sure it would stick with me—the actual prose isn’t anything to write home about and feels a little stilted—but the visual format elevates it for me. It's probably more like a 3.5 than a 3!

Reading *Strange Houses* felt like slipping into a nightmare you can’t—and don’t want to—wake from. Uketsu’s genius lies not just in his ability to unsettle, but in how he makes you complicit in the dread. The story begins innocently enough: a house with an odd layout. But what follows is a slow, brilliant descent into a world where logic bends and history weighs heavy in the walls.

The floor plans, the meticulous details, the subtle horror—they all build a sense of creeping unease that stayed with me long after I closed the book. Uketsu doesn’t rely on jump scares or gore. His horror is quieter, more psychological, the kind that burrows into your mind.

What struck me most was how personal the fear becomes. It's not just a haunted house story; it’s about inheritance, memory, and the way trauma gets passed through space as much as blood. I didn’t expect to feel so haunted—or so moved. *Strange Houses* isn’t just one of the best horror novels I’ve read recently—it’s one of the most original. An unforgettable experience.

I absolutely loved Strange Pictures, so I had high hopes for Strange Houses. The concept was definitely intriguing, but the story didn’t grip me the same way. The plot felt a bit too unbelievable—especially when one character proposed a wild explanation for the strange house layout. It just didn’t land! I was rolling my eyes, hoping it was a bizarre red herring 😅
The ARC also had some issues: broken images and untranslated text disrupted the experience a bit. Hopefully those will be fixed in the final version.
It was a strange ride, for sure. Strange and dark! 😬 Still, if you love unsettling family stories and mysterious house layouts, this might be your vibe!

4.0 out of five stars
I was actually familiar with both the manga as well as the live-action movie that released in 2024, so this book was at a disadvantage here--I was not walking into reading this entirely blind, and I was quite familiar with the source material as well. to avoid spoilers, I will refrain from commenting on the plot points, and concern myself with the writing styles entirely.

this being said, it still managed to surprise me.

the novel begins in medias res- cutting through layers of exposition that would have otherwise brought the narrative down. even so the actions of the characters remain understandable, and the plot moves fast enough for the reader to not grow tired of their inaction.

what took me out of the narrative was the repeated switching of writing styles- from a screenplay style to a descriptive one, disoriented me for a moment, and I found myself repeatedly tracing back my steps and rereading a page.

overall, the pacing and the plot twist were excellent, and although I had some issues with the writing style, it did not impact overall reading experience.

thank you to netgalley and pushkin vertigo for providing an earc in exchange for an honest review