The Last House on Needless Street

I really don't know how Catriona Ward manages to balance the languid sadness and unrelenting tension so well.

Ward's profound empathy for every single character, no matter how flawed, is what twists your heart. At the same time, you feel as though you're on a roller coaster barreling at breakneck speed through pitch-black tunnels.

I wasn't always sure I understood what was going on from moment to moment, and that seems very much by design because, wow, what a twist! And the deeply felt depiction of the characters never made me feel like I was truly lost. I will indulge… show more.

I love books about serial killers, and when you first dig into this one, that's what you think you're getting, but the story slowly reveals itself to be something much deeper.

Suspenseful and dark, this one has a reveal that Ward builds up to masterfully, and you won't see it coming until it hits you straight in the feels.

I'm pretty sure I cried more than once, and when you can say that about a horror novel, you know it's something special.

This book completely rocked me, I couldn’t stop thinking about it for ages afterwards. I can’t talk about it without giving away a huge twist but it started out being one thing and then became something else entirely as the reality of the situation was slowly revealed. It’s horrifying, beautiful, violent and tender all at the same time. The why is the twist. I want to say more but I can’t…fans of this book need a secret group so we can discuss without giving away spoilers!! The author’s note at the end explains the research she undertook during the writing… show more.

A lonely man lives in a shabby house with his cat (who narrates part of the story) and is visited by a young girl who might be his daughter (or is she?) and recalls his mother (who’s not very maternal). Creepy, atmospheric, tragic, and at times confusing, this book will keep you up at night wondering what the next plot twist will bring. 

This book is a masterpiece of psychological fiction. It's brilliantly written and stunning. The weirdness of it is *chef's kiss* perfect and adds to the depth of the madness within. 

It is a bit strange, and the way it's written threw me for a loop. Especially when I came to Olivia, the cat. I had so many questions but stick with it and you will see the light in the end. This author does a perfect job of twisting small details you may or may not catch into questions that you the reader will be asking, even turning back to… show more.

The Last House on Needless Street gets my recommendation because of the deeply unsettling house where most of the story takes place. Located at the end of the street, on the edge of a dark forest with boarded-up windows and falling into disrepair, this house is the ultimate in creepiness. The story of a serial killer, a child who has been kidnapped, a very disturbed protagonist who is haunted by his horrible mother and a black cat imprisoned in the terrifying house. Each page is creepier than the next and the ending shocked me speechless.  

This is a “hard to describe without giving it away” book! I think it’s one of the most uniquely told stories I’ve read. It opens on the eleventh anniversary of a missing girl, and we learn that Ted, who lives with his daughter and his cat in the last house on Needless Street, had been questioned when it first happened. Slowly, in a clever and intriguing way, we come to realise things aren’t how they seem. There are secrets buried in the forest at the end of the street, waiting to be unearthed. I really enjoyed trying to figure out… show more.

The less I say about Ward’s mind-bending book, the better… This is one of those novels that you have to take on faith as a must-read. Trust me: You’ll thank yourself for knowing as little as humanly possible. That said, this thrilling book pokes and prods around the mental dividing line between neighbors, asking where does one character’s property end and the other begin. We all remember a house like the one at the center of this book. As kids, we’re told never to snoop around… and for good, good reason.