We Used To Live Here

Author: Marcus Kliewer
Genre: Horror Thriller/Psychological Thriller
312 pages
Publisher: Atria/Emily Bestler Books, 2024

Synopsis
Get Out meets Parasite in this eerily haunting debut and Reddit hit—soon to be a Netflix original movie starring Blake Lively—about two homeowners whose lives are turned upside down when the house’s previous residents unexpectedly visit.

As a young, queer couple who flip houses, Charlie and Eve can’t believe the killer deal they’ve just gotten on an old house in a picturesque neighborhood. As they’re working in the house one day, there’s a knock on the door. A man stands there with his family, claiming to have lived there years before and asking if it would be alright if he showed his kids around. People pleaser to a fault, Eve lets them in.

As soon as the strangers enter their home, uncanny and inexplicable things start happening, including the family’s youngest child going missing and a ghostly presence materializing in the basement. Even more weird, the family can’t seem to take the hint that their visit should be over. And when Charlie suddenly vanishes, Eve slowly loses her grip on reality. Something is terribly wrong with the house and with the visiting family—or is Eve just imagining things?

My review
We Used To Live Here is Marcus Kliewer’s debut psychological horror thriller. Since horror isn’t my usual genre, keep that in mind as you read my review. The premise intrigued me, so I was eager to dive into it over the weekend. It’s a short read, and Kliewer’s straightforward, accessible writing made it easy to finish in a day. I’m not sure why this book is compared to Get Out and Parasite, which focus more on social commentary—this one doesn’t. I found the imagery confusing at times, and not always in a positive way. In the end, I’d rate this novel a 3.75.

The premise starts off straightforward: Charlie and Eve are a house-flipping couple, thrilled with their latest find—a massive house that seems almost too good to be true. The first few chapters are strong, and the setup is compelling. However, as the story progressed, it began to unravel for me. I found the main character, Eve, frustrating and difficult to connect with. She consistently made the wrong choices at every turn, which I find irritating in any genre.

Unhinged characters and a descent into madness? I loved the concept—the hidden clues, the news articles and interviews woven in, and the gothic setting. Kliewer did a great job setting the stage for a creepy and captivating narrative. However, the execution didn’t quite work for me. The plot felt scattered, with choppy pacing, poor dialogue, and inconsistent character behavior. I understand the need for surrealism as the story progressed, but it started that way from the very beginning, making it hard to connect with any of the characters since they all seemed strange from the outset.

We Used To Live Here may resonate more with dedicated horror fans. One of the most intriguing elements is the ambiguity—is it a psychological descent into madness or a supernatural thriller with an underlying evil. Honestly, based on the clues scattered throughout, I could make a case for either interpretation. Someday, I might revisit the novel to see if I can unravel it further, but for now, I’m left in the dark with many unanswered questions. The open-ended nature of the story would make it a great pick for a book club discussion.

My recommendation: horror fans will likely enjoy it, but as a crime fiction fan, it didn’t quite hit the mark for me.