Strange Houses: A Novel

· HarperVia · Narrated by Andrew Grace
3.8
5 reviews
Audiobook
3 hr 29 min
Unabridged
Eligible
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About this audiobook

From the bestselling author of the wildly inventive Strange Pictures and a phenomenon in Japan—unnatural layouts, trap doors, windowless rooms— a sinister conspiracy is concealed within a house’s warped and unsettling floor plans

When a writer fascinated by the macabre is approached by an acquaintance, he finds himself investigating an eerie house for sale in Tokyo. At first, with its bright and spacious interior, it seems the perfect first home. But upon closer inspection, the building’s floor plans reveal a mysterious ""dead space” hidden between its walls. Seeking a second opinion, the writer shares the floor plans with his friend Kurihara, an architect, only to discover more unnerving details throughout.

What is the true purpose behind the house’s disturbing design? And what happened to the former owners who disappeared without a trace? When a body suddenly appears and a young woman reaches out about a second house, it soon becomes clear that the writer and his friend may be in over their heads. Structured around a series of chilling floorplans, with Strange Houses, mystery-horror YouTube sensation Uketsu casts readers in the role of detective, inviting them to help map out the truth hidden within these puzzling floor plans . . . and the terrifying plot behind it all.

Translated from the Japanese by Jim Rion

Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.

Ratings and reviews

3.8
5 reviews
Paul Acevedo
October 3, 2025
Unique little mystery book. The reader is great. The mystery involves several floor plans of houses, which is a bit implausible but very different. The narrator is unnamed, and you don't get to know him much, which is a shame. But the mystery of the houses and who killed whom and why is very interesting. This one doesn't wrap up as neatly as the author's other book, but a sequel is apparently coming in the future. If you like mysteries and Japanese storytelling, give it a listen!
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About the author

Uketsu is an enigmatic presence on YouTube and an author specializing in horror and mystery. He always appears in videos wearing a white mask and black body stocking, with his voice digitally distorted. His true identity is unknown. Both his novels Strange Pictures and Strange Houses were massive hits in Japan, where he lives.

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