Strange Houses: A Novel

“Deliciously unsettling and refreshingly unique, Strange Houses will lure you in and keep you captive with every clever twist.” —Kristen Perrin, New York Times bestselling author of How to Solve Your Own Murder

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

BUY THE BOOK

Published Jun 3, 2025

208 pages

Average rating: 6.25

4 RATINGS

|

Community Reviews

Hartfullofbooks
Jul 29, 2025
7/10 stars
This was a very unique Japanese mystery story about a writer that who is drawn to a very strange house plan. With the help of a friend the author begins to unravel a dark tale involving a predominate Japanese family. I initially saw this book listed on a liminal space horror list, and feel that was a misrepresentation. This is not a liminal horror book, there is no supernatural threat. The evil here is all too human. While not what I expected I still enjoyed this little story delving into an investigation of eerie house plans. The book contains lots of pictures of the plans so the reader feels like a part of the investigation and the story is told through interviews as the author and his friend’s speculations which made it a very quick read. I recommend to anyone looking for a mystery heavy horror that’s fast paced and speculative.

See why thousands of readers are using Bookclubs to stay connected.