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    Starter House: A Novel
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    Starter House: A Novel
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    Starter House: A Novel
    Ebook406 pages6 hours

    Starter House: A Novel

    By Sonja Condit

    3.5/5

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    About this ebook

    Promising talent Sonja Condit makes her debut with Starter House, an eerie and mesmerizing tale about a young couple whose new house holds deadly secrets from the past, sure to appeal to fans of Heart-Shaped Box and The Thirteenth Tale.

    From the moment Lacey sees the house with the beautiful wood staircase, she knows she’s found her dream home. Growing up rootless with her flighty mother, Ella Dane, a self-proclaimed psychic, Lacey is determined to give her unborn baby the stability she never had.

    But shortly after she and her husband, Eric, move in, the warm and welcoming house becomes cold and dark. There is something malevolent within these walls that wants to hurt her unborn child—a terrifying presence that only she can sense. And there is Drew, a demanding and temperamental little boy who mysteriously appears when Lacey is alone.

    To protect her unborn child and save her family, Lacy must discover the truth about her dream house and the troubled Drew—a decades-old mystery involving secrets, violence, and guilt—and confront an evil that has lingered in wait for years.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperCollins
    Release dateDec 31, 2013
    ISBN9780062283061
    Author

    Sonja Condit

    Sonja Condit received her MFA from Converse College, where she studied with Robert Olmstead, Leslie Pietrzyk, R. T. Smith, and Marlin Barton. Her short fiction has appeared in Shenandoah magazine, among other publications. She plays principal bassoon in the Hendersonville Symphony Orchestra and the Greater Anderson Musical Arts Consortium. She teaches at the South Carolina Governor's School for the Arts and Humanities.

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    Reviews for Starter House

    3.5/5

    11 ratings20 reviews

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    • 4/5
      I need to begin this review by admitting that I LOVE A GOOD GHOST STORY! Ghost stories are the oldest and best form of entertainment there is. Huddled around a campfire, hanging at a bar or ancient man in a cave; we told ghost stories. Right now, in the literary market, there are too few good ones to go around. What there are instead are far too many - teenage girl who is a sophomore in high school so she is so wise finds something odd in the old house and yes its a dead teenage boy and he's soooooo cute and they find that love that is forbidden but soooooo romantic and....crap, crap, crap. The Starter House by Sonja Condit is an old school ghost story with a twist at the end that is as novel as it is groundbreaking. Sonja Condit did not just write another haunted house story, she wrote her own haunted house story. It is unique and refreshing in a stale genre."...Is there something wrong with the house?" Eric asked again. Lacey wished he wouldn't. The house was obviously perfect. They could deal with anything-termites, mold, radon-but they could never make an ugly house their true home. "Yes," Harry said to CarolAnna, "is there?" "CarolAnna licked her lips, then wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. She looked at the bathtub on the porch and said to it, "People died here." "People die everywhere," Lacey said, though the words gave her a shiver. Poor house no wonder it was lonely..." Eric and Lacey are a young couple beginning their lives together and starting a family. Lacey is pregnant and waiting to have their baby as Eric takes a job working in a law firm for his uncle. Money is very tight and that is something Eric is not used to. They find a home that Lacey loves and Eric thinks is a steal. It is their Starter House. Soon after moving in Lacey meets a troubled young boy. It is only in time that she realizes, no one else can see him. She begins to research the history of the boy and the house and finds out that more than one instance of death has been associated with her new home. And that there is something even more troubling about the deaths."...I'm pregnant, Lacey said. "Twenty-nine weeks." "How've you kept it so long?" This question took Lacey's breath away. Greeley went on, " I did some research on the house after we moved. There hasn't been a live baby born in that house since 1972. He doesn't like babies." Madison Grey had known the truth. It eats babies, she'd said. That meant Drew, when he was angry. Lacey saw Ella Dane's room smashed. That could be her baby's room, six months from now. Stuffed animals shredded, cardboard books exploded in confetti, slats of the crib driven like spears into the walls. The corner of a blue blanket showing under the overturned body of the crib-blue satin turning red. And silence..." Lacey begins to track down all the past residents of her home and one truth is shared by all. The young boy Lacey has met is haunting her house and will not share his new family with any other children. He wants Lacey to be his new mother. There is so much more to this novel than my brief synopsis will tell but to add more to it would be spoiling the enjoyment of reading Starter House and coming upon them yourselves. Condit starts the tale off slowly and builds and builds, carefully twisting and turning so that what you think is coming is not. What you think is happening is not until she reveals it all toward the end. Wonderfully crafted and a thoroughly enjoyable read.
    • 3/5
      This is a unique and nicely written haunted house story, if a somewhat predictable one, and rushed at the end. As a blend of literary family drama, mystery, and horror, it brings together a number of different subplots with grace. The downside to this blending is that the book is harder to hold together, particularly since it cycles between focusing on two main characters who have very different concerns. This disjointed nature is hard to move beyond at first--Lacey is concerned with a haunting, and her husband Eric is concerned with money and work. The third focus on one of Eric's clients, and for much of the book, all sections that don't deal with Lacey come across as an entirely separate work from the haunted house story that likely brought readers in, and which also drives all of the suspense. Adding to this disconnection is the fact that most of the characters are somewhat one-dimensional, and difficult to relate to in more than minor ways--it took most of the book for me to really become engaged with any of them, as opposed to the mystery of the story and the writing. For most of the book, I found Lacey incredibly unlikable...and in all truth, I really couldn't bring myself to care about her or her relationship at any point, particularly since there was never any chemistry shown between the two main characters (I never could tell why they got married and helped to support each other through different phases of their careers--love/relationship discussion was always tied into money).On the whole, this is an interesting and engaging work, but readers who go into it looking for a focused haunted house or horror story (as I did) will be disappointed, as would readers who went in looking for a reality-based family drama. For most of the book, there's no telling whether any one chapter will bring comedy, suspense/horror, or simply drama, and as a result, the book ends up being far less creepy or engaging than it might be otherwise. Simply, there's no time for any one mood or quality to be maintained because of the novel's style. On the upside, unless you're pregnant and about to move into a new house, I can't imagine this will give you nightmares.Recommended for readers who enjoy literary fiction AND stories about hauntings...which aren't creepy enough to keep them up at night.
    • 4/5
      I love a good ghost story, but I'm also very picky. It has to at least make me uncomfortable. It can't rely on obvious tricks. It has to be well-written. It has to meet the standard of Shirley Jackson's The Haunting of Hill House - a very high bar. Most ghost stories just can't quite get there. Starter House, however, gets very close.Lacey is pregnant and she and her husband, Eric, have purchased their dream house - the place where they will start their lives together and start their family. Yes, things are a little unsettling and yes, their realtor wasn't too keen on even showing them the house, but the price is right and they're in. Like all good ghost stories, once they're in it all starts getting creepier and creepier - in small fits and starts until it's all just full throttle terror.All Lacey ever wanted was to be a Real Mother (in contrast to her own vagabond of a mother who followed no discernable rules). When her dream house turns into a nightmare, she must come to turns with her past and make some difficult choices to save her family. Complete with creaking floorboards and a truly scary little boy, Starter House will keep you reading long past your bedtime.
    • 2/5
      This really wasn't my type of ghost story. It wasn't scary or suspenseful. It started out just so obvious and improbable. I like things to be a little more subtle and then work up to scary. I also did not really like Lacey. She just sort of annoyed me at the beginning and then I couldn't warm up to her. Or Eric. This is a quick read and it might be light enough for people that don't like to be frightened.
    • 3/5
      The Good Stuff Author fabulous at setting a mood. It felt dark and creepy Fast paced, it kept me reading even thought I disliked most of the characters Unique idea for a haunting Good mystery kept me turning the pages just to find out what happenedThe Not So Good Stuff Disliked the main characters. Felt Eric was a self-righteous, self-involved jerk. Lacey was also just plain stupid. Sorta wished both characters had died and the baby would be born and immediately taken to a more worthwhile couple No Chemistry between the characters - so when it all ends all happy and loving I was irritated Last 1/4 story felt rushed, confusing and than a happy ending Felt like this could have been a better story with a bit more character development and characters that quite frankly were even remotely likeableFavorite Quotes/Passages"Lex well knew what evidence was. It was what they showed in court, to tell the things you did and make a story of it. The lawyers told the story to each other until the thing that really happened disappeared. When you try to remember, only the story was left, until in the end you told the story yourself, the same story everybody else was telling. Evidence they called it.""The night had taken a turn into a different kind of time, bubbling out of itself into a circle of nameless hours between three and four."2.75 Dewey'sI received this from William Morrow in exchange for an honest review
    • 3/5
      Old houses and hauntings seem to be something that goes hand in hand these days. It is a new norm that society has accepted and newer generations have grown to expect. It is no longer a freakish accident that stands in the corner of every town, but the treasured exhibit during Halloween season. This story is about another old home with its’ own ghost. A ghost so twisted that it eats unborn babies and kills the mothers in turn. It is a spirit that can drift in a home like the wind and appear like a child. A husband and a wife move into this hell house, but it is the wife that sees the ghost. It is she, Lacey, a pregnant woman, who befriends the spirit. In return things begin to change for her. Her husband soon begins to distance himself, Lacey herself begins to act strange, her baby is nearly lost, and she soon obsesses over a childlike spirit only she can see. Is it the motherly instincts that are driving her to protect and mother the ghost like child? Is the spirit really what it seems? Why is there a ghost of a child haunting her? Will she survive her pregnancy and will her baby live? When I first started this book it was very interesting. By the tenth chapter it started to taper off for me. I want to stress that it was not the story, but the main character of the book. I did not like Lacey at all or her husband. I found both of these people to be incredibly annoying and whining. I found her husband to be a control freak with no backbone and Lacey herself to be childish. I really pushed myself to read this book as far as I could and could only get to page 183. I just could not finish it. I found the plot to be good and the ghost was really interesting. However, Lacey drove me crazy. Thank God she is not a real person! As for recommending this book I don’t see why not. If you like ghost stories than you should give this a try. There might be others that actually have no problem with the main character, but as for me I am just going to have to pass on this one. Sorry.
    • 4/5
      I always like a good ghost story. So I was excited to read this book. Overall its a pretty good plot. The atmosphere was a bit dark and creepy. The book builds slowly and it kept me reading to find out the mystery behind the haunting of this house.What I did not care for so much were the characters. Lacey seemed pretty naive and a pushover. Her husband Eric, seemed like a loser to me. Very whiny and took a lot of abuse about his wife at work from his boss. I found it hard to believe that a boss/relative would speak about a newlywed couple in just a condescending way.Drew is the boy that haunts the house. His character was needy, mysterious and at times, abusive.I liked the buildup with in the story, but then the ending felt fast and very rushed the last few pages.However, I did really enjoy reading this book and recommend it to those that also like a good haunting.I received a complimentary copy as part of the Librarything Early Reviewers.
    • 4/5
      When Lacey and Eric purchase a beautiful mansion for a really great price, they can't believe their luck. Even before they move in, however, Lacey begins to see Drew, a little boy who insists that their house belongs to him. Although he seems like a regular little boy who needs a lot of attention, Drew has a terrible temper and quickly becomes jealous and destructive in his rage. With time, Lacey comes to understand that Drew is a ghost who is tied to the house and the people who own it and that many people have met with tragedy and accidental deaths while living in the home. As Lacey's pregnancy progresses, it becomes clear that Lacey's baby is in grave danger from Drew, as no baby has been able to live in the home since 1971. As Eric struggled to believe that their home is haunted, Drew takes more control over their actions. It is a race against time to see if Lacey and Eric are able to defy the odds to get Drew out of their home and out of their lives before their baby is born.I thought this story was pretty farfetched but interesting and suspensful. The author covered her bases to make sure that it made sense why the characters seemed to act logically in their actions (rather than running screaming from the house- never to return). The pace of the story picked up quickly as the book progressed. Overall, a pretty good ghost story with some interesting twists.
    • 4/5
      By the time I had read only two pages I hated the two main characters, Lacey and her husband Eric. He seemed like a jerk and she was just plain annoying. I kept reading the book to see if they changed any. At first they didn't, but then slowly I began to like Lacey and feel sorry for her. Pretty much I ended up not liking most of the characters when they were first introduced but then grew to really like some of them (especially Lacey's mother).This book isn't really a haunting of a house yet a haunting of the family that lives in the house. This book could get a bit spooky at times and I ended up reading a majority of it at night so I was freaking out from time to time. I thought the twist at the end about the haunting was good and was definitely a surprise.There were times when I felt that I wanted to give up on this book (mostly because of my annoyance with the charcters) but I stuck with it and am really glad that I did. This was a really good debut by Sonja Condit and I would be interested in reading any of her future work.(I received this book from a Librarything Early Reviewers giveaway. The content of my review is not affected by that in any way.)
    • 4/5
      Lacey, pregnant with her first child, and her husband Eric are looking for a house. Their first house. When Lacey sees the house, she suddenly has a vision of her future life there. Why, then, does the real estate agent try to dissuade her from buying it? The owner, Harry, lives next door, and he's ready to see at a good price. We all know what that means. This is a rather unusual twist on the ghost story. And although I could see where it was going, once I knew who the ghost was, I could not figure out who it was going to be resolved. It's a fascinating idea, this ghost of hers. I enjoyed it.
    • 4/5
      Lacey and her husband have found their dream home or so it seems. As soon as the pregnant Lacey moves in things start to happen and she is seeing a strange little boy. Soon she is in a struggle to save her baby and her marriage.I enjoyed this book. It has a nice creep factor and an unusual story for the source of the ghosts. Or at least this ghost. However, the start was a bit slow and there were a lot of characters for this type of story, You spend a lot of time in the characters heads so there is not so much action. Lacey grew on me and her husband is pathetically sweet in his inability to communicate. Definitely will read more from this author.
    • 4/5
      Note: My review of this book is based on an uncorrected digital copy sent to me through Edelweiss.When I read the first short review of this book in Booklist, two phrases caught my eye: "creepy" and "haunted house." Well, that was it. Had to read it.A young couple moves into a beautiful house that the wife HAS to have...almost as if the house is calling to her. (Never a good sign.) The neighbors and the realtor are nice, but they seem to be hiding something about the house's history. (Also never a good sign.)And then Lacey, the young wife, meets Drew, an eight year old boy who claims to live in her house. She knows that Drew is not a normal boy, and she also knows that Drew doesn't like to share attention. Which is a problem, because Lacey's about to have a baby, and no woman has carried a baby to term since 1971...Okay, so a modern take on a classic horror theme, and in most respects, this book succeeds. It brings the ghostly horror into the twenty-first century and contrasts it with the frightening aspects of marriage, impending motherhood, complicated pregnancies...in some respects, these domestic subplots compelled me more than the paranormal elements, which lacked consistency on occasion. The combination of all these elements creates a slow and gradual build-up of horror that's well maintained throughout the novel.The characters are complex and well-rounded, especially Lacey's free spirit of a mother, who wavers between quirky and intentionally naive, but never straying into full-on annoying. This is a quality I look for more and more in new horror & suspense fiction. It's not enough to just aim for the dramatic scare...there have to be compelling characters as well.I also enjoyed the subtle mystery elements at play, which seems to be a common theme in today's horror lit. Maybe a way of creating more crossover appeal outside of the genre? At any rate, I do enjoy a good mystery, and I found Lacey's investigation to be particularly compelling.On the whole, this was a well-written, suspenseful novel that I'm happy to add to my list of noteworthy titles from 2013. While it doesn't have the compelling storyline of, say, John Searles's "Help for the Haunted" or the nasty bite of Justin Evans's "The White Devil," it had a compelling uniqueness all its own, and I will definitely suggest this title for purchase at the library where I work.Readalikes:If you're looking for a ghost story that takes place in the present day, you might try:The White Devil - Justin EvansThe Good House - Tananarive DueThe Unseen - Alexandra SokoloffFloating Staircase - Ronald MalfiIf you enjoy your horror mixed with mystery elements, you might try:The Dead Path - Stephen IrwinHelp for the Haunted - John Searles (more mystery/suspense than horror)Also worth noting that most of the suggestions listed for modern ghost stories also include elements of mystery to some degree or another.
    • 4/5
      And starting off the 2014 reading year is..... Sonja Condit's debut novel - Starter House. I have to say right off the bat - I like scary movies (not gory) and scary books. So the premise of Condit's novel immediately appealed to me..... A young couple expecting their first child are house hunting. After 108 viewings, Lacey knows the house on Forrester Lane is the one. The realtor's comments to a neighbour are a bit odd, but the price is right and their offer is accepted. But right from the beginning, there is an annoying young boy who seems to be hanging around their property.....but it's only Lacey that can seem him....and talk to him....and she quickly begins to sense that something is not quite right with their dream home.... Oh, dark, snowy night, pot of tea, and a solitary reading lamp set the tone for enjoying this modern day twist of a ghost tale. Condit is not subtle about her haunting. It starts from the first few pages and builds momentum as the story quickly progresses. I found Starter House hard to put down - I really wanted to know what the final pages would reveal. Condit's characters are a bit cliched - the husband Eric was somewhat predictable as the voice of reason and the disbeliever. But there has to be a non-believer in every ghost tale. I quite enjoyed Lacey's Mom - new age proponent Ella Dane. Her faith in her own beliefs was consistent and convincing. Supporting characters such as Eric's boss and secretary were predictable. I'm torn on Lacey - I thought her views as a teacher were spot on. Suspended disbelief is necessary to go along with her acceptance of the boy Drew and what he can do. But, of course we must - it's a ghost story! So without overthinking it too much, I just kept turning pages. Glimpses of the past provide clues to the secrets of the house on Forrester Lane - and the final reveal. Starter House was a good debut and a fine way to start off my 2014 reading list. If you have an older house, Starter House will make you wonder about the history of your house. (Mine is 135 years old and I've had great fun researching who has lived in it and their stories.)
    • 3/5
      Lacy and Eric Miszlak are house hunting in the recently published novel, Starter House: A Novel by Sonja Condit. The couple has a limited budget, and very strict criteria for the woman showing them available homes. After showing them many homes in the specified area, they accidentally end up with their realtor n front of a home that is clearly undergoing renovations. Lacey has fallen in love with the place, and is sure that it is meant to be where hew family would live and grow, but Eric isn't so sure. He has no time, no energy and no money for a fixer upper.The owner of the home happens to live next door. He is a seemingly nice man, but he also seems very anxious to sell. Even though their agent tries to discourage them, all she will say is that people died in that home. Lacey rationalizes that people die everywhere, and any house that has been standing for a while, probably has had a death. When an offer that they really can't refuse comes from the seller, along with a handy excuse regarding why he is willing to let it go so cheaply, that seals the deal. Before the Miszlak are even moved in, the house begins to affect the young couple. Or to be more specific, Drew... a child on a bike appears. He does actually appear, but only Lacey sees him. It takes Lacey a while to realize that she is the only one who sees him. From her first contact with the boy, things begin to go wrong. Frighteningly wrong. Especially frightening, because Lacey is pregnant with their first child.She begins to investigate the history of the home, and finds out that there have indeed been deaths there. Not only have children died, but families have been torn apart. Eric becomes concerned when Lacy continues to insist that she sees a ghost, one that appears to her not just in the home, but in other places as well. The temperamental Drew is able to do more than just appear. He causes damage to the home, and is threatening toward Lacey. Eric becomes increasingly concerned with his wife, but also irritated. He calls in his "flakey" mother-in-law Ella Dane to help him watch over his wife. She arrives with her little dog and prepared to do spiritual cleansing and watch over her daughter. Problems only increase. A good solid read, not too "spooky", just about right for those who enjoy a light read.
    • 2/5
      I'll give a little bit of credit: the whole teacher/child thing, underused and half-baked as it comes off here, was a refreshing idea for a twist on a haunting. For that reason alone, I give it more than a bottom mark. But if you're going to allow your book to be blurbed as "for fans of Heart-Shaped Box", you better bring the juju - and Condit doesn't even come close. I'm not even sure she brought the final draft. It's just an unpleasant mess full of stupid people - nobody should have to shout at the book they're reading as often as I did.

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    • 4/5
      A scintillating first novel by Sonja Condit. This is the type of book that stays with you even when you aren't reading it. A 'haunting' story with a twist.Lacy and Eric are looking for their first house. Lacy is pregnant and the plan is to live in the house about 5 years then move on to something bigger and better. She falls in love with the house and, although Eric isn't thrilled, he makes an offer that the seller accepts immediately. Once Lacy is in the house she realizes that something is wrong. There is a darkness at the top of the stairs. Her neighbor, who sold Eric and Lacy the house claims nothing is wrong. Yes, people died there but everything is ok. Suddenly a young boy appears. It's the same boy she saw earlier riding his bike near the house, only now he is inside her home, claiming it is his home. And he wants Lacy to be his mother. As Lacy delves into the house's past she discovers the horror that took place within the walls of her dream home. And she realizes that the little boy that 'haunts' her home will not allow her baby to live.
    • 4/5
      Dragged a little in places but very good on whole. Haunting/possession had good plot twists and while not quite scary, was freaky. Backdrop of the central character's family, why they moved around so much and grandpa made this a rounded read.
    • 4/5
      This is one of those books that starts out a bit slow, but you should definitely stick with it, because it picks up quickly, and from there you won't be able to put it down. Part ghost story, part mystery, and all psychological, [Starter House] tells the story of a young couple, expecting a child, who move into a house with a dark history. The ending twist is one I never saw coming, and the book is really well-written as well.
    • 4/5
      Lacey and her husband, Eric are house hunting. Lacey finds the perfect house. This house has a history, It is known as a murder house. It is evil. Everyone one that has lived here prior has moved. They all have one thing in common. All the women who lived in the house never gave birth to a child. The house feeds on them. Lacey soon realizes why when she meets Drew. Drew is a ghost in the house. He starts to get violent towards Lacey to the point that she fears for her unborn baby's life. She must figure out what happened to Drew before she becomes the house's next victim. If you are looking for a really good book to read, then you don't need to look any further than Sonja Condit's Starter House. I instantly became enthralled by this book. While I enjoyed everyone who was featured in this book, my favorite parts were involving Lacey and Drew. These scenes were haunting and exciting to read. I was trying to figure out Drew's story before Lacey. I kind of had a clue but had not fully put all the pieces together before she did.I have to give it up to Lacey however as I don't know I would have stayed in the house as long as she did with a ghost that wanted to harm my baby. Plus you know things are crazy when your mom, who is a bit of a kook herself does not believe you when you tell her that you are just playing a game of chutes and ladders with a ghost. Starter House will have you thinking twice before purchasing a home without knowing its past history.
    • 2/5
      The horror elements in this novel were excellent. The dark, black masses, poltergeist activity, strange dreams, and possession all played a role in the story. It all came together to paint a horrific picture of terror, despair, and murder. The author uses the ghost elements tied in with other dark aspects of her story like murder/suicide, miscarriage, and tension in her character’s relationships to create a truly gripping horror scenario.The story, for the most part, was engaging. I found myself reading chapter after chapter, intrigued to find out where the story would eventually end up. But I gotta say that some of the elements were predictable. I saw the roll Lex, Thea, and Harry would play pretty early on. And at times the narrative dragged in quite a bit of characterization scenarios and description. Scenes establishing our character’s backgrounds and personalities were drawn out and seemed almost to serve as filler.The characters were a mixed bag. I think my favorite was Ella Dane. She was your fluffy hippie mom, but I saw some steel in there, especially in one scene where she’s facing a Drew-possessed Lacey. This woman made some tough decisions to protect her child, and I respected her for them. Everyone else, though? Meh… Either I could forget them or ended up irritated by them. Lacey was a weak idiot, Eric was an asshole, and Harry was a manipulative shit. Even the huge, descriptive characterization scenes couldn't save this lot…In the end, I have mixed feelings for this novel. I finished it, so it kept me engaged enough. I liked the horror elements and some of the unique supernatural twists. But the characters, predictable story, and unevenly paced narrative leave me a bit cold. I’d look elsewhere if you’re looking for a good horror story or a good story period, really.