Starred review from July 3, 2023
If P.G. Wodehouse had written The Amityville Horror, the result might have approximated Orlando’s equally charming and spooky debut. Middle-aged, matter-of-fact, and stubborn, narrator Margaret Hartman has no intention of abandoning her Victorian dream home, even if her stolid housekeeper was in fact axe-murdered more than 100 years ago and the walls drip blood every September. (“It was going to be a long month. But that’s just the way of things.”) Margaret’s husband, unable to face another autumn of ghastly incursions, has left without word, and her daughter, Katherine, is about to visit for the first time, to search for him. Margaret must hide the haunted truths of her household from Katherine if she wants to avoid being bullied into moving—even if the facade of normalcy requires opening the dreaded basement door. As her neighbor Edie sighs, “Oh, Margaret, you’re in a real pickle.” That direct, practical voice is central to the pleasure of Orlando’s storytelling. While horror tropes abound, there are no screaming teens or action heroes—the ghosts are tactile and verbal, the neighbors know about the problem and pitch in, and, when push comes to shove, it’s a hard-won combination of biological and found family that unites to confront the supernatural threat. This utterly original haunted house tale is a joy. Agent: Katherine Odom-Tomch, Folio Literary.
Starred review from June 10, 2024
Orlando's masterful debut follows Margaret and her husband, Hal, who discover their dream house is haunted--but only during the month of September. The month is full of gory, ghostly manifestations, but Margaret and Hal soothe themselves by remembering that there will be 11 normal months after that. Margaret approaches life with determined practicality and a quirky inner voice that immediately charms. Kimberly Farr embodies her to perfection. Her depiction of Margaret epitomizes the unflappable American mother found in many a sitcom, perfectly balancing her against the story's gruesome autumnal backdrop. Farr follows Orlando's layered story, believably depicting each new development as the story moves from horror to tragedy to triumph. Although the book lures listeners in with humor, it soon becomes a moving exploration of the hidden costs of resilience and survival. As the novel nears its end, listeners may find themselves poking at the tender parts of their own lives. They will also likely spend that final half hour barricading the door against intrusions as they're caught up in the marvelous finale. VERDICT This perfect synergy of author and narrator will have broad appeal. For fans of Rachel Harrison and Grady Hendrix and anyone seeking a unique haunted-house story.--Matthew Galloway
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