I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
A woman must confront the evil that rocked her childhood and still haunts her street in author Christina Henry’s “The Place Where They Buried Your Heart.”
The Synopsis
A woman must confront the evil that has been terrorizing her street since she was a child in this gripping haunted house novel from the national bestselling author of The House That Horror Built and Good Girls Don’t Die.
On an otherwise ordinary street in Chicago, there is a house. An abandoned house where, once upon a time, terrible things happened. The children who live on this block are told by their parents to stay away from that house. But of course, children don’t listen. Children think it’s fun to be scared, to dare each other to go inside.
Jessie Campanelli did what many older sisters do and dared her little brother Paul. But unlike all the other kids who went inside that abandoned house, Paul didn’t return. His two friends, Jake and Richie, said that the house ate Paul. Of course adults didn’t believe that. Adults never believe what kids say. They thought someone kidnapped Paul, or otherwise hurt him. They thought Paul had disappeared in a way that was ordinary, explainable.
The disappearance of her little brother broke Jessie’s family apart in ways that would never be repaired. Jessie grew up, had a child of her own, kept living on the same street where the house that ate her brother sat, crouched and waiting. And darkness seemed to spread out from that house, a darkness that was alive—alive and hungry.
The Review
One of the most chilling and engaging horror reads of 2025, author Christina Henry crafted a narrative that felt both horrifying and thrilling. The cosmic horror tone the story took on as the threat the house represented grew ever stronger, and the haunting imagery of the story itself, especially the grizzly deaths the house brought to life on the page, made it so enthralling and easy to get lost in.
The heart of this narrative lay in its dynamic character development. Much in the vein of Stephen King’s It, Stranger Things, and even a bit of The Haunting of Hill House, the iconic setting of the haunted house and the rich way the city of Chicago, especially this neighborhood, comes to life on the page blended that unsettling atmosphere with otherworldly vibes. Yet it was the relatability of the characters, especially the protagonist, Jessie, from her angsty teen years, that carried those horrific days through to the headstrong and resilient young woman who became a single mother and the only hope against an unstoppable evil.
The Verdict
Haunting, thrilling, and entertaining, author Christina Henry’s “The Place Where They Buried Your Heart” is a must-read horror novel of 2025. One of the best reads of the year, this story oozes with dread and creates such powerful imagery that the scenes of this book will stay with readers much in the same way Pennywise has for many horror fans around the world, and leaves readers on the edge of their seats the entire novel. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
About the Author
Christina Henry is a horror and dark fantasy author whose works include GOOD GIRLS DON’T DIE, HORSEMAN, NEAR THE BONE, THE GHOST TREE, LOOKING GLASS, THE GIRL IN RED, THE MERMAID, LOST BOY, RED QUEEN, ALICE, and the seven book urban fantasy BLACK WINGS series.
Her short stories have been featured in the anthologies CURSED, TWICE CURSED, GIVING THE DEVIL HIS DUE and KICKING IT.
She enjoys running long distances, reading anything she can get her hands on and watching movies with samurai, zombies and/or subtitles in her spare time. She lives in Chicago with her husband and son.
You can visit her on the web at
Facebook: authorChristinaHenry
Twitter: @C_Henry_Author
Instagram: authorChristinaHenry
Goodreads: goodreads.com/CHenryAuthor
