“Don’t talk to day about what we do at night.”

When aimless twenty-something Mara lands a job as the night-shift production assistant on her cousin’s ghost hunting/home makeover reality TV show Haunt Sweet Home, she quickly determines her new role will require a healthy attitude toward duplicity. But as she hides fog machines in the woods and improvises scares to spook new homeowners, a series of unnerving incidents on set and a creepy new coworker force Mara to confront whether the person she’s truly been deceiving and hiding from all along—is herself.

In Haunt Sweet Home, Sarah Pinsker has created a truly unique ghost story, using ghost hunting reality show gimmicks to bring together a story that reflects on identity. From the very first, when we meet Mara, we see how the past impacts Mara, both in her family and how she views others. But as the narrative develops, we see how much that perception is warped by her own ideas.

What I love best is how the strange events in the story build tension and as more happens, how Mara has to figure out her new coworker Jo. The reality show aspects will resonate with any reader who has watched any of these types of shows and I absolutely love the moments in the narrative where it skips to transcript style. Not only does that help with the strangeness and the tension but it kept me involved in the story. I also love how art reflects truth and identity in this story, showing us the truth of ourselves by what we create.

If you love an- original and unique ghost story, I highly recommend Haunt Sweet Home. Mara is an incredibly compelling character and the story is well written and engaging. It is truly different and creative.

Rating: 5 out of 5 corn fields.