I liked this book, mostly because I thought it was beautifully written, a rarity in the horror genre. It's in first-person, with the author being a well-to-do women, Colquitte, in her thirties. She's a calm, logical person living a sedate life with her husband (no kids) somewhere "in the South" with a hint of New England thrown in. Of course, she spends her time working at a small PR agency, gardening, reading The New Yorker, and playing with her two cats, all the while casually commenting on her beautiful house in a beautiful neighborhood. It's the kind of place where the neighbors all know each other and stop over casually for drinks on the back patio, where Colquitte  quickly throws together expert gin and tonics paired with leftover homemade cheese quiches. Because don't we all have that just lying around the house in case someone stops by?

Of course, her world starts to change when The House Next Door is built, but the writing stays beautiful and flowy, even while Colquitte describes the horrors going on around her. The ending/non-ending is abrupt yet apt, alluded to throughout the story enough that I was somewhat expecting it and was not disappointed.

Still, I couldn't put this book down. It was a good one to read as the weather turns to fall and thoughts turn to Halloween. If you're wanting a good, mild haunted house story without the theatrics and drama of Stephen King, I would recommend it.