This Incidents Around the House review is about the novel that pulled me out of the worst reading slump I’ve had in over a decade. For an entire month, the only books I managed to finish were the ones I had to read for work—until Josh Malerman came along and broke the spell. For that alone, I’m incredibly grateful. Now I’m also eagerly waiting to see how the upcoming film adaptation starring Jessica Chastain will turn out.
Incidents Around the House Review: Plot Overview
For eight-year-old Bela, her family is her entire world: her mom, her dad, and Grandma Ruth. But there’s also Other Mommy—a dark presence that asks her the same question every day:
“Can I come into your heart?”
When a series of disturbing incidents around the house makes it clear that Other Mommy is growing tired of repeating herself, Bela realizes that if she doesn’t give her consent, her family will soon suffer the consequences.
As Other Mommy becomes more restless, powerful, and bold, Bela’s only protection lies in her family bonds. But new events begin to strain her parents’ marriage, threatening the sense of safety Bela desperately clings to.
And still, Other Mommy wants an answer.
Incidents Around the House Review: Why You Should Never Deny a Good Author a Second Chance
Years ago—long before the Netflix adaptation starring Sandra Bullock—I read Bird Box, arguably Josh Malerman’s most famous and widely praised novel.
None of its elements truly worked for me. I remember finishing it with a lingering sense of dissatisfaction. The prose felt overly pretentious and moralistic, and the characters left no emotional mark on me whatsoever.
This Incidents Around the House review, however, tells a completely different story. The novel delivers a gripping, fast-paced, deeply unsettling reading experience that is also, quite unexpectedly, emotionally resonant. What I appreciated most is that the entire story is filtered through the perspective—and unmistakable voice—of Bela herself, an eight-year-old child.
Experiencing the nightmare of her Other Mommy’s escalating, obsessive attention through Bela’s eyes felt, in a strange way, like diving back into childhood. Not because I ever had demons or ghosts living in my closet—but because there’s something deeply archetypal and universal in Bela’s loneliness, fear, and sadness.
It’s a very specific kind of pain: that of a young soul forced to confront the very demons the adults around her have unknowingly summoned, completely unaware of the emotional weight they’re placing on her shoulders.
Incidents Around the House Review: The Monster in the Closet
In many ways, the plot of Incidents Around the House follows the familiar structure of a classic horror story. That’s precisely what makes me slightly apprehensive about its upcoming film adaptation: the premise isn’t particularly original, relying on multiple jump scares and a shocking finale.
Still, as this Incidents Around the House review highlights, the true strength of the novel lies elsewhere. My hope is that the screenplay and cast (Jessica, we’re counting on you!) will manage to preserve the emotional complexity of the characters and the unusual delicacy of the book’s underlying message.
The pacing is relentless. The pages fly by at an astonishing speed, making this a compulsively readable novel. If you enjoyed Hidden Figures by Jason Rekulak, chances are you’ll appreciate Incidents Around the House as well—just be prepared for a more nuanced narrative and a far more restrained, contemplative ending.
Final Thoughts in This Incidents Around the House Review
If you love the horror genre, trust me: this will likely be a must-read novel! It won’t be for everyone—forget romantic subplots, religious twists à la The Exorcist, or traditional possession tropes.
But if you’re willing to accept that childhood wasn’t always a mythical Golden Age—where everything made sense and your parents were heroes capable of defeating any monster under the bed…
If you’re old enough, now, to remember that “childhood” sometimes also meant feeling small, insecure, confused, and utterly powerless…
Then read Incidents Around the House.
This novel will probably scare you to your bones—but it will also offer one of the most fascinating, unsettling, and strangely compelling portraits of the so-called “age of innocence” you’re ever likely to read.
Other Mommy: The Movie
The film adaptation of Incidents Around the House will be directed by Rob Savage (Host, The Boogeyman).
Jessica Chastain stars as Ursula, alongside Jay Duplass, Dichen Lachman, Sean Kaufman, and Karen Allen. The film is produced by James Wan—a name that needs no introduction among horror fans.
It will hit theaters around Halloween 2026.
What to Read After Incidents Around the House
- My Best Friend’s Exorcism by Grady Hendrix
- Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng by Kailee Lee Baker
- Wake Up and Open Your Eyes by Clay McLeod Chapman
- Diavola by Jennifer Thorne
- How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix
