It Was Her House First - Mystery Review

Goodreads: It Was Her House First by Cherie Priest

Rating: Liked It! (3.5 Stars)
Source:   Publisher

Description:   Ronnie doesn't know it yet, but her fate rests in the hands of the dead.
Silent film star Venita Rost's malevolent spirit lurks spider-like in her cliffside mansion, a once-beautiful home that's claimed countless unlucky souls. And she's not alone. Snared in her terrible web, Inspector Bartholomew Sloan—her eternal nemesis—watches her wreak havoc in helpless horror, shackled by his own guilt and Venita's unrelenting wrath.

Now the house has yet another new owner. This time it's Ronnie Mitchell, a grieving woman who buys the run-down place sight unseen. She arrives armed with an unexpected inheritance, a strong background in renovation, and a blissful ignorance regarding the house's blood-soaked history. But her arrival has stirred up more than just dust and decay. In the shadows, unseen eyes watch. Then, a man comes knocking. He brings wild stories and a thinly veiled jealousy, as well as a secret connection to the house that can only lead to violence.

Venita's fury awakens, and a deadly game unfolds.

Caught between a vengeful ghost and a ruthless living threat, Ronnie's skepticism crumbles. The line between living and dead isn't as sharp as it seems, and she realizes too late that in Venita's house, survival might be just an illusion.

Genre: Mystery - Horror

Why I Picked This Book:  The author is one I've been wanting to read for awhile and I do love a book involving an old house - especially a haunted old house.

My Impression:  This book was absolutely bananas!  Ronnie has gotten a small inheritance and decides to make a lifelong dream of her deceased brother's come true with the buying of an old house with the intention to restore it.  The house has a complicated and violent history which Ronnie is mostly unaware of and she's definitely unaware that the ghosts of several of these people are still inhabiting the house with various motives.  

There's a lot of build up as we get to know Ronnie and the state of the house.  I also liked hearing Bartholomew Sloan's take on all the events both in his lifetime and then as his role as ghost/guardian/watcher.  There's a lot about home renovation (and quite a lot that confirms that while I love old homes I do not have the guts to restore one fully) and the evolution of the house.  

The tones of the story are Gothic-y and forbidding but it never gets super scary or particularly intense.  While I did enjoy the feel of the story and most of the characters it's a fairly slow build.  The blurb kind of oversells the scariness of the story and it's definitely a bit slower than expected.  Overall, even though this wasn't quite what I expected I did enjoy the book and I will definitely read more from this author.  

Would I Read More of this Series/Author?  I would!  I really enjoyed the writing style and would definitely read something else by her.

Would I Recommend this Book?  I would but I would recommend not reading blurb!  If you're picking this up because you want a horror story than you'll be disappointed but if you want a mystery involving an old house and lots of old scandal than I think you'll enjoy this one.

* I received this book in exchange for an honest review.  As always my opinions and impressions are completely my own. *