“Kingfisher does horror in her own wonderful way. A House With Good Bones is a witty, clever, and fresh take on the haunted house sub-genre of horror. I especially loved Hermes, what a good boy!”
— Hannah Cloutier, The Bookery Manchester, Manchester, NH
A haunting Southern Gothic from an award-winning master of suspense, A House With Good Bones explores the dark, twisted roots lurking just beneath the veneer of a perfect home and family.
"Mom seems off."
Her brother's words echo in Sam Montgomery's ear as she turns onto the quiet North Carolina street where their mother lives alone.
She brushes the thought away as she climbs the front steps. Sam's excited for this rare extended visit, and looking forward to nights with just the two of them, drinking boxed wine, watching murder mystery shows, and guessing who the killer is long before the characters figure it out.
But stepping inside, she quickly realizes home isn’t what it used to be. Gone is the warm, cluttered charm her mom is known for; now the walls are painted a sterile white. Her mom jumps at the smallest noises and looks over her shoulder even when she’s the only person in the room. And when Sam steps out back to clear her head, she finds a jar of teeth hidden beneath the magazine-worthy rose bushes, and vultures are circling the garden from above.
To find out what’s got her mom so frightened in her own home, Sam will go digging for the truth. But some secrets are better left buried.
Also by T. Kingfisher
Nettle & Bone
What Moves the Dead
“T. Kingfisher's A House with Good Bones is (a) funny, (b) scary, and (c) charming. You will gulp this book down like sweet tea on a hot day.”—Charlaine Harris, New York Times bestselling author of the Sookie Stackhouse series
"A House With Good Bones grapples with a thorny family legacy with heart, wit, and creeping horror. I was compelled to read the book in one breathless, white-knuckled sitting. Vultures, ladybugs, and underground children, oh my!"—Paul Tremblay, author of A Head Full of Ghosts
"An eerie Southern gothic that still has Kingfisher's trademark humor."—Buzzfeed
"Impressively weird, nerve-wracking but still laugh-out-loud funny, A House With Good Bones is another horror hit from T. Kingfisher."—BookPage, STARRED review
“Wickedly witty and intensely scary, A House With Good Bones is a thoroughly modern take on the Southern Gothic, about thorny family secrets that refuse to stay buried. You'll be feverishly turning the pages, so engrossed you won't notice the vultures circling overhead. . .”—Rachel Harrison, author of Cackle
"This magical book somehow manages to be laugh-out-loud funny and completely terrifying at the same time—and I could not put it down! It's immersive and entertaining, and the cleverly imaginative storytelling mixed with an oh-so-memorable voice will have you racing through the pages. I absolutely loved this!"—Hank Phillippi Ryan, USA Today bestselling author of The House Guest
"Kingfisher goes Southern gothic (Waffle House visits included) in this hilarious and gruesome contemporary horror novel. Horror fans who like a little whimsy on the way to a chilling climax won’t want to miss this."—Publishers Weekly, STARRED review
"T. Kingfisher has mastered her own special blend of horror and snarky mundanity, wherein the not-so-dearly departed demand half-frozen ham, terrifying abominations hunger for blood, and the vacuum is full of ladybugs. A creepshow in taupe, with extra vultures. I loved it."—Travis Baldree, New York Times bestselling author of Legends & Lattes
“A House With Good Bones is a dark, eerie fantasy that creeps through your skull and covers your brain like rose vines, tightening with every strange reveal. Despite the looming dread, T. Kingfisher weaves incredible wit and humor through every passage, crafting a tale of mystery and horror well worth sinking into."—Chuck Tingle, author of Camp Damascus
"Highly recommended for lovers of Southern gothics, readers who like their horror to sneak up on them, and anyone who appreciates the voice of Kingfisher, no matter what genre she’s currently writing.”—Library Journal, STARRED review
"A House With Good Bones had me nodding and laughing in recognition at the family dynamics and eccentric Southern neighborhood and then full-out shrieking at the bugs and buried secrets. No one blends humor and creeping dread as satisfyingly as T. Kingfisher."—Gwenda Bond, New York Times bestselling author of Stranger Things: Suspicious Minds
“T. Kingfisher continues to establish herself as one of the freshest voices in horror! Samantha grounds this story in a normalcy that is so approachable and understandable that it only heightens the horror. You’ll be reading underneath a blanket with a flashlight!"—Katee Robert, New York Times bestselling author
“T. Kingfisher brings her trademark brand of humor and suspense to A House with Good Bones. . . . Quirky side characters, drily humorous narration and a ghoulish, gruesome climax should entertain horror and fantasy fans.”—Shelf Awareness, STARRED review
"For fans of stories that take the haunted-house trope and overlay occult themes with generational trauma, like The Good House, by Tananarive Due and How To Sell a Haunted House, by Grady Hendrix.”—Booklist