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Murder Behind Closed Doors

Author: Laurel Hightower

The Lasco siblings were torn apart by their mother, Stella, and her evil, her abuse, and the day when she took their 17-year-old brother behind a door and beat him to death with a baseball bat. After that, the authorities came, separated them, took her away, and yet, somehow, never quite found her guilty. Self-defense, she claimed. Shawn was suicidal, a creature driven by rage. A troubled teen. He was the violent one. Twenty years later though, as the remaining siblings have come together, each left with nightmares and troubles, Stella says that now she’ll tell the truth. She was haunted, you see, it was the house. There was a darkness in it. An entity that came to her, a single mother, struggling on her own. At first, it came as a friend, later, it filled her, possessed her, took her over. On TV she’ll tell her children what happened, and she’ll reconcile with them.

Nate is not interested in any of it. He remembers beating on the door, crying Shawn’s name, the bludgeoning sounds. He isn’t interested in more of Stella’s lies, her narcissistic desires for more attention. He is even less interested in this “paranormal investigation.” The only monster in that old house is a very human one – one that does not deserve the name “mother.” But his sisters are begging him, and he’ll do anything for them. He’ll even face the monster again. He’ll even force himself to remember again. But he won’t forgive.

The Day of the Door is classic Laurel Hightower, overlaying complicated themes of trauma, toxic relationships, betrayal on a basic level, and fractured humanity. Horror might be the theme used, but the monsters showcased, however supernatural they appear at first, are altogether human. This is what makes them terrifying, and this is what makes their depravity and Hightower’s imagination ultimately disturbing and moving. This is a hard book to read and not for the faint of heart. If you are expecting that the theme is one of forgiveness and moving on – think again. Likewise, the idea is not revenge either. It is deeper and more complicated than that. Here, we look at the grey spaces where the things with teeth are gnashing in their chains, and we fall in, spiraling all the way to the bottom.

For some, this book might be healing. For others, this book is going to be harmful, ripping wounds open. Be careful in reading. It’s not about the gore per say, but about the psychic damage. This book should come with topic warnings. Child abuse here is looked at in depth as are the emotions of both the children and the adults they become, each of whom are broken from a lifetime of manipulation by a narcissistic parent.

In the end, the story also delivers entertainment – of course – but the moral here is strong, and you’re not going to walk away without being disturbed in heart and spirit. You’ll also go away with an “I wonder” echoing, which is (perhaps?) the set up for a sequel. Is there “something” in the house?  Maybe. But Stella is still the #1 monster here, so be prepared if you are picking up this book to look past the horrors that go “bump” in the night and to look at what humans do to one another. A great, thoughtful read, but think long and deep before you pick this one up; it IS ROUGH. Do not read if you are in a vulnerable mental or spiritual place, because this one is going to tear you up.

– Frances Carden

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Frances Carden
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