How to Sell a Haunted House - Puppets Are Terrifying
I received this book in my February 2023 Night Worms package with a super-cool puppet-themed signed bookplate by Grady Hendrix.
Man, do I ever love scary puppet/doll stories. This book entwines grief with creeping horror. The main characters, Louise and her brother Mark, are faced with having to deal with their deceased parents' estate. Their childhood home is filled with puppets and dolls that their Mother lovingly made by hand. With that kind of setup, how could something supernatural NOT be present in that house? As they begin to unravel what is occupying their parents' home, they find themselves pulling apart family secrets along the way.
I adored the freakiness of the main puppet, Pupkin, and the premise behind his animation. There is an incredible stretch of writing with topnotch imagery and weirdness where we learn about what happened to Mark in University and how Pupkin affected his life. This book takes you on a trip through the made-up land of Tickytoo Woods, the real world of Louise and Mark's childhood and adult experiences, and the creations of their Mother's lonely mind.
Another hit by Grady Hendrix, you'll want to get this puppet -- I mean, book, in hand.
