Haunted by the past, she finds the ghost is real.

PLOT SUMMARY:

After a heart-wrenching breakup with her girlfriend and a shocking incident at her job, Cassie flees her life as an overworked assistant in New York for her hometown in New Jersey, along the Delaware. There, she reconnects with her high school best friend, Eli, now a widowed father of two. Their bond reignites, and within a few short months, Cassie is married to Eli, living in his house in the woods, homeschooling the kids, and getting to know her reserved neighbor, Joan.

But Cassie’s fresh start is less idyllic than she’d hoped. She grapples with harm OCD, her mind haunted by gory, graphic images. And she’s afraid that she’ll never measure up to Eli’s late spouse, who was a committed homemaker and traditional wife. No matter what Cassie does, Beth’s shadow still permeates every corner of their home.

Soon, Cassie starts hearing a voice narrating the house’s secrets. As she listens, the voice grows stronger, guiding Cassie down a path to uncover the truth about Beth’s untimely death.

GRADE: B-

REVIEW:

Kerry Cullen’s House of Beth offers a fresh and compelling twist on the ghost story genre, blending elements of gothic mystery with psychological depth. The novel follows Cassie Jackson, a bisexual woman grappling with obsessive-compulsive disorder, who returns to her New Jersey hometown after a traumatic event in New York. There, she reconnects with her high school best friend, Eli, now a widowed father of two. As their relationship deepens, Cassie becomes entangled in the lingering presence of Eli’s late wife, Beth, whose ghost seems to haunt their home and Cassie’s psyche.

Cullen’s portrayal of Cassie’s internal struggles is poignant and evocative, capturing the complexities of identity, grief, and the search for belonging. The narrative’s dual perspectives—Cassie’s and Beth’s—add layers of intrigue and ambiguity, blurring the lines between reality and the supernatural. The atmospheric setting and the gradual revelation of Beth’s story create a hauntingly immersive experience.

However, as the novel progresses, some readers may find the plot’s developments increasingly implausible and disjointed. The introduction of late-stage twists can feel abrupt, detracting from the story’s earlier emotional resonance. Despite these narrative shifts, House of Beth remains a thought-provoking exploration of the boundaries between the living and the dead, and the stories we inherit and create.

*Thank you so much to NetGalley & Simon & Schuster for a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

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