Horrid

by Katrina Leno

Overview

From the author of You Must Not Miss comes a haunting contemporary horror novel that explores themes of mental illness, rage, and grief, twisted with spine-chilling elements of Stephen King and Agatha Christie.



Following her father's death, Jane North-Robinson and her mom move from sunny California to the dreary, dilapidated old house in Maine where her mother grew up. All they want is a fresh start, but behind North Manor's doors lurks a history that leaves them feeling more alone . . . and more tormented.



As the cold New England autumn arrives, and Jane settles in to her new home, she finds solace in old books and memories of her dad. She steadily begins making new friends, but also faces bullying from the resident "bad seed," struggling to tamp down her own worst nature in response. Jane's mom also seems to be spiraling with the return of her childhood home, but she won't reveal why. Then Jane discovers that the "storage room" her mom has kept locked isn't for storage at all — it's a little girl's bedroom, left untouched for years and not quite as empty of inhabitants as it appears . . .



Is it grief? Mental illness? Or something more . . . horrid?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780316537247
Publisher:	Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication date:	09/15/2020
Pages:	336
Sales rank:	560,136
Product dimensions:	5.70(w) x 8.40(h) x 1.30(d)
Age Range:	14 - 18 Years

About the Author

Katrina Leno was born on the east coast and currently lives in Los Angeles. She is the author of five critically acclaimed novels: The Half Life of Molly Pierce, The Lost & Found, Everything All at Once, Summer of Salt, and You Must Not Miss. While she has never eaten an entire book, she admits to tasting a page or two. You can visit her online at katrinaleno.com.

Editorial Reviews

07/13/2020

Moving to Bells Hollow, Maine, from Los Angeles is a shock to Jane, but after her father dies and her mother reveals they are broke, North Manor, formerly home to Jane’s late grandmother, Emilia, is all they have left. Named “creep house” by the locals, North Manor has been shuttered for years, but its mysterious quirks (the pervasive smell of roses, doors opening on their own) are enough to unnerve Agatha Christie aficionado Jane. Despite new friends Alana and Susie, plus an after-school bookstore job, Jane is troubled by anger-fueled blackouts and out-of-body experiences, a high school bully who knows more about Jane’s family than she does, and a mother oblivious to North Manor’s peculiarities. Just as Jane starts to make peace with her home and new life, a shocking secret changes her. Leno (You Must Not Miss) permeates each scene with delicious frights: a piano plays by itself, unseen hands write words on a foggy mirror. Poetic descriptions create an uncanny atmosphere, and nods to cozy bookstores and classic mysteries will charm bibliophiles as Leno effectively mixes terror with grief. Ages 14–up. Agent: Wendy Schmalz, Wendy Schmalz Agency. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

Praise for Horrid:
Part of YALSA's 2021 Best Fiction for Young Adults List
 
"The author crafts spooky set pieces and an intriguing cast of supporting characters [...] serving up an explosive finale [...]. A deliberately paced thriller with a frightful twist."—Kirkus

"Leno evokes a Stephen King-like creepiness that draws readers deeper into the story with each turn of the page. [...] [A] great choice for those interested in a gripping but speedy read. [...] Hand this to teens who binge-watched Netflix's The Haunting of Hill House."—School Library Journal

"Leno (You Must Not Miss) permeates each scene with delicious frights [...] Poetic descriptions create an uncanny atmosphere, and nods to cozy bookstores and classic mysteries will charm bibliophiles as Leno effectively mixes terror with grief."—Publishers Weekly

"This is movie-ready Gothic horror, with a deliciously foreboding setting, an increasingly unreliable narrator, and a Mommie Dearest plotline that carefully and effectively straddles the line between campy and disturbing...the pacing strikes just the right rhythm, moving erratically as Jane becomes more upset but pausing on the truly terrifying elements...Jane may be a fan of Agatha Christie, but this will more likely please readers of Shirley Jackson."—BCCB

"Leno (You Must Not Miss, 2019) blends Agatha Christie and Shirley Jackson for a narrative that ranges from unsettling to genuinely terrifying. A sudden ending will leave readers gasping, and the deliberate descent through one girl's psyche is undeniably affecting."—Booklist

From the Publisher

07/01/2020

Gr 9 Up—Jane and her mother Ruth have just traveled from California to Maine following the sudden passing of Jane's father. Returning to Ruth's family home, North Manor, which she inherited after the passing of her parents, mother and daughter struggle to find their new normal. As they settle in, Jane starts to sense that something isn't quite right at North Manor. From a rosebush that thrives out of season to shadows lurking beneath doors, North Manor has secrets to tell and Jane is eager to learn them. Leno evokes a Stephen King–like creepiness that draws readers deeper into the story with each turn of the page. With less focus on character development and more on creating a rich atmosphere and sense of foreboding, this is a great choice for those interested in a gripping but speedy read. VERDICT Recommended for all libraries. Hand this to teens who binge-watched Netflix's The Haunting of Hill House.—Maryjean Riou, Hunterdon County Lib., Flemington, NJ

School Library Journal

2020-06-25
A spooky New England town gets a couple new residents.

Jane arrives in Bells Hollow, Maine, hoping to rebuild her life in the wake of her father’s unexpected death. After selling their California home to settle debts, Jane’s mother, Ruth, has relocated the small family to the childhood home left to her by her estranged parents. The house, North Manor, is the subject of whispers and rumor in the small town. Jane makes friends at school and gets an after-school job in a bookstore that contains a coffee shop, but all the while there’s a creeping dread in the back of her mind: Something is very wrong with this place, and her mother isn’t being completely honest with her. As Jane stumbles through anxiety, mystery readers will itch for the big reveal. The author crafts spooky set pieces and an intriguing cast of supporting characters, but Jane’s repetitive cycle of grief, dread, anxiety, repeat comes very close to wearing out its welcome. Luckily, just when it reaches the boiling point, secrets are revealed and twisted upon, serving up an explosive finale that reframes the slower bits and ends the book on a high note. Main characters are White; Jane’s school friend Susie and her boss, Will, are Black.

A deliberately paced thriller with a frightful twist. (Thriller. 13-17)

Kirkus Reviews