The Amityville Horror

By Jay Anson

“A fascinating and frightening book” (Los Angeles Times)—the bestselling true story about a house possessed by evil spirits, haunted by psychic phenomena almost too terrible to describe. In December 1975, the Lutz family moved into their new home on suburban Long Island. George and Kathleen Lutz knew that, one year earlier, Ronald DeFeo had murdered his parents, brothers, and sisters in the house, but the property—complete with boathouse and swimming pool—and the price had been too good to pass up. Twenty-eight days later, the entire Lutz family fled in terror. This is the spellbinding, shocking true story that gripped the nation about an American dream that turned into a nightmare beyond imagining—“this book will scare the hell out of you” (Kansas City Star).

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Published Dec 3, 2019

256 pages

Average rating: 6.28

82 RATINGS

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Community Reviews

What Bookclubbers are saying about this book

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Readers say *The Amityville Horror* by Jay Anson is a well-written, atmospheric account that maintains a realistic tone, respecting the complexity of ...

sp158
9/10 stars
This was a well written expose on the Amityville house that keeps reality in perspective; the author doesn't take sides or lean too deeply into what they think happened there. It allows the experiences to stand on their own for the reader to inpret.
Sarah Hackbarth
8/10 stars
“For God’s Sake, Get Out!”

So I finally picked up The Amityville Horror to buddy read with my friend Steph and wow… this one definitely gave me chills. It’s the kind of horror that creeps under your skin because it’s written like a true story and you kind of start wondering, “what if this actually happened?” Some say it did. I’m not sure what I believe to be honest…

The tension builds right off the bat, because once the weird stuff starts (cold spots, strange noises, that presence in the house), it doesn’t stop. I couldn’t put it down.

What I really liked is how it’s less about jump scares and more about atmosphere. There is this heavy, unsettling dread that follows the family around the house. It feels like the walls are holding secrets.
desiree anderson
8/10 stars
This book leaves its readers questioning everything they think they know. Everyone is so familiar with the story of what happened in Amityville that they, like me, probably had their minds made up when picking up this book, but that changes the more you delve into its pages. At this point, I just don't know.
Shahna
8/10 stars
Mind ya buzines!

I have an obsession.
Hartfullofbooks
2/10 stars
I’m sure this had a place when it came out in the horror sphere but today it just reads very antiquated and honestly I was pretty bored. This is supposed to be a true narrative of what occurred in Amityville during the Lutz’s time living there. I have been wanting to read this for so long, hoping it would add incite to the whole Amityville phenomena. Unfortunately the book seems to follow the film exactly but at a dragged out pace with other weird elements that just were not enjoyable to read. The Lutz’s often beat their children and the author eludes this is due to the “influence of dark forces”, just sounds like child abuse to me but ok! The Lutz’s haven’t touched each other since moving into the house! Another instance of the EVIL, or maybe they have marital issues they need to work on? Just a thought. If you really want to read the book so you can check it of your list, I get that, but I honestly don’t recommend this to people looking for a good nonfiction account or even a good story

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