Something I Keep Upstairs: A Chiller

I received an audio ARC through NetGalley for an honest review. Having not read Barker before, I was a little skeptical going in, but the immensely readable and absorbing prose and fantastic narration drew me in and got me hooked! A teen on the cusp of adulthood inherits a mansion on an island property off the coast of New England, which becomes party central and then something far more macabre as strange rules left by his dearly departed grandmother and a morbid fixation build to a disturbing finale. I had a really good time with this and genuinely found it hard to put down. The tone and quality of writing put me in mind of Stephen King. The slow build to the supernatural and mystery through the engaging teen drama were all really well done. My only complaint is that I found the finale and full reveal a little jarring and convaluted, which is what just pushed this from getting full marks from me.