Review originally published at: https://www.lomeraniel.com/audiobookreviews/book-review-malefic-by-ambrose-ibsen/

The House of the Long Shadows, that we read about in book one of this series, is the main character again in this story. Having listened to the previous book last year, it was nice to go back to the same place and remember what happened there. But having read the first book is not a requisite, as we get enough information about past important events, and this is a story that could perfectly stand on its own.

There is a new family living in the house, but noises and strange shadows are making life impossible there. Creepy and disturbing, Ambrose Ibsen knows how to give soul to a house, even if this soul is a very dark one. I enjoyed the previous book, but I think I liked this one even better. The book is very well written, and this time we will know more about the origins of this house and its previous inhabitants.

Marcel Dubois is a relative of the family currently living there, and he takes full the job of ridding the house of its current dark presence with the help of his deceased wife. I enjoyed the characters’ relationships and especially the dynamics between Marcel and his wife. It was an original detail that made the story more interesting.

Joe Hempel delivered an excellent narration, keeping the tension and intrigue at the right moments, while also transmitting the characters’ utter horror and despair. Each character was recognizable thanks to subtle differences in tone and interpretation style. The narration made following the story a breeze. Ibsen and Hempel is always a winning combination, which will delight not only horror fans.

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.