‘We Used to Live Here’ a dread-inducing title with rich layers of horror
Review by Chris Davis, Library Specialist
Book by Marcus Kliewer
I don’t think I’ll have the experience of reading this book and feeling the way it made me feel for the first time ever again. That was the first thought that crossed my mind the moment that I finished reading the final page of We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer. It is a horror story that enveloped me with every twist and turn that the foreboding Old House had to offer.
Having heard good things before starting the book, I went into this tale with the hope that it would truly crawl under my skin. It did, and left me with even more questions than answers. There are layers built into this supposedly simple tale of what happens if you open your door in the middle of the night to a family that claims to have lived there in the past. From the moment that our main character Eve cautiously welcomes them into her home, you can already feel her dread and anxiety sink into your soul.
The other layers of this story are carefully and patiently placed throughout not just the actual chapters, but in the documents spread between each one. There are secret messages buried in several of these. From Morse code, to typos, to referencing things that have occurred or haven’t yet come to pass, (Or maybe they never happened at all?). These little things made me want to know even more than what they provide.
As I reached the end of the story, I was left with the most infectious sense of dread. Having come to care for Eve, all I could hear in the back of my mind was Mitski’s “I Bet on Losing Dogs”. I am thoroughly of the mindset that I will recommend this novel to friends and others for years.
Once they’re in, they never leave…
Note: Starting in January 2025, we began publishing long-form book reviews written by GFPL staffers. The books are all available to check out at the Library, or from one of our Partner Libraries. We post a new review each month! Come back next month to find the next review.
