The Residence

A Novel

By: Andrew Pyper

Narrated by: Madeleine Maby

Length: 8 hrs and 2 mins

Publisher's Summary

In this “chilling, profound” (Josh Malerman, New York Times best-selling author of Bird Box and Malorie) horror story based on true events, the president’s late son haunts the White House, breaking the spirit of what remains of the First Family and the divided America beyond the residence’s walls.

The year is 1853. President-elect Franklin Pierce is traveling with his family to Washington, DC, when tragedy strikes. In an instant, their train runs off the rails, violently flinging passengers about the cabin. But when the great iron machine finally comes to rest, the only casualty is the president-elect’s beloved son, Bennie, which casts Franklin’s presidency in a pall of sorrow and grief. 

As Franklin moves into the White House, he begins to notice that something bizarre is happening. Strange sounds coming from the walls and ceiling, creepy voices that seem to echo out of time itself, and visions of spirits crushed under the weight of American history.

But when First Lady Jane Pierce brings in the most noted Spiritualists of the day, the Fox sisters, for a séance, the barrier between this world and the next is torn asunder. Something horrible comes through and takes up residence alongside Franklin and Jane in the walls of the very mansion itself.

Only by overcoming their grief and confronting their darkest secrets can Jane and Franklin hope to rid themselves - and America - from the entity that seeks to make the White House its permanent home.

©2020 Andrew Pyper Enterprises Inc. All rights reserved. (P)2020 Simon & Schuster, Inc. All rights reserved.

I wanted to like it.

I wanted to like this book. I think the wrong reader was chosen. It was a lot of description, so much so that I think this would make a better movie and that’s a rare thing to say. The style of writing I found to be convoluted and at times distracting. Still, the story is interesting mostly because it’s based on fact. For me this is not the quality of Stephen King or Joe Hill.

Fantastic Horror Story !

I never write reviews but felt compelled to write up this one.

For fans of horror, ghost stories and historical fiction this book is a must! I particularly enjoyed Andrew Pyper’s descriptive style - it was enough to make you feel you were there - but not over the top. It was incredibly visual - his prose guides you visually but also makes you feel and hear things like you are watching a movie.

The story is based on actual events and includes other famous characters such as Nathaniel Hawthorne and the notorious Fox sisters. The tie between the occult and the painful history of our country is fascinating. And the metaphoric significance of the evil side of the White House is spot on.

I loved it!

Interesting and has some history in the story. Would definitely recommend this book to anyone.

Don’t Bother

I quit before it was over, chiding myself for continuing. Perhaps just not my genre but I found the entire story line ridiculous. Fortunately it was a sale so didn’t waste too much money.

Not up to Pyper's Par

I' m going to watch "Blazing Saddles", now . I can't go to sleep when I'm worried and depressed!

Interesting premise but very slow

The premise was eye-catching but the story moved at a traffic jam stop and start pace.

The narrator was very clear and eloquent, which suited the more old-fashioned precise manner of speaking that reflected the times, but I can't help but wonder if a different narrator may have been a better fit. Someone with more of an edge in their voice who could come across more sinister as the story required.

The story was clearly very well researched and it is well written, but I doubt I'll remember much of it.

This feels to me more a book for fans of presidential history and less for fans of horror.