Something Bad Happened Here: A chilling horror novella

An okay read. But with 12 wasteful chapters in hand, I do not think this book can earn my five stars. I cannot think of anything worse than reading 12 full quiet, uneventful chapters before finally being guided to the gradual tension from the ghost in Carmen’s new house.

A grieving woman moving into a cheap haunted house with a dark history is a beginner friendly horror premise. It offers so much room for execution and escalation. It is disappointing to see that this flexibility and potential are not used properly here.

The tension could have risen after five chapters that covered Carmen’s grief and moving process. The encounters with the ghost could have been structured from the mildest disturbances to the most disturbing ones. The inability to fall asleep should not have been repeated without any variation or development.

One thing to keep in mind is that readers are impatient. Do not waste their time. Do not overextend introductory chapters. Give them emotional weight to carry from the very beginning.