Bad Things Happened in This Room - by Marie Still (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Bad Things Happened In This Room is a chilling psychological horror that descends into madness where the walls whisper, and secrets are buried in the garden; perfect for fans of Carissa Orlando and The Yellow Wallpaper, exploring motherhood, grief, and the thin line between reality and delusion.

In this haunting psychological horror, Willow's life has become a fever dream, her days lost in a twisted loop where time no longer flows as it should. Is she held captive by her husband Liam's iron rules--or by the insidious darkness of her own mind?

Her only connection to the world beyond her walls is a young girl named Sarah, whose unexpected visits to Willow's garden spark a glimmer of hope. But as cracks form in her carefully controlled existence, horrifying truths seep through, twisting the familiar into something sinister. The floral wallpaper peels back to reveal haunting messages carved into the walls, and the house itself pulses with malevolent life.

When Sarah suddenly vanishes, Willow is forced to confront the dark shadows of her past and the horrors lurking within her fractured psyche. The question remains: is Willow truly a prisoner of her home, or of her own mind?

Some doors, once opened, can never be closed. And some truths are better left buried in the garden.

Review Quotes

A deliciously unhinged story that keeps you guessing at every turn. This dark and gripping fever dream written with Still's intense prose and vivid imagery will have you questioning your own sanity as you try to untangle the real from the impossible.--Maggie Giles, author of The Art of Murder

Bad Things Happened in This Room is unhinged, dark, and twisted the best way. Still's prose is lyrical and hypnotic not to mention deliciously satisfying making me wanting more. And I've never been so devastated after finishing a book as I am with this one. It's an absolute masterpiece and the plot is brilliantly crafted. It will be reread for many years.--Stacey L. Pierson, author of Staticz

Marie Still's prose will wrap around your neck like ivy and slowly suffocate you until you squirm. Pick this one up--I promise it delivers all the way down to the devastating gut punch of the last page.--Jacquie Walters, author of Dearest, B&N Best Horror of 2024

Visceral and surreal, Willow's unraveling of the truth is heart-wrenching in the best way. Bad Things Happened in this Room plants a garden of domestic horrors that twist their vines around you, holding tight as you're forced to face the shocking answers blooming before you.--Emma E. Murray, author of Shoot Me in the Face on a Beautiful Day

A book you'll want to reread as soon as you finish--Bad Things Happened in This Room is a wild, page-turning ride. I loved every second of it.--Tatiana Schlote-Bonne, author of Such Lovely Skin and The Mean Ones

Still's chilling horror immerses the reader in the fragmented mind of a woman who's hiding her past from everyone - including herself. With vivid imagery and lyrical prose, Bad Things Happened in This Room is disorienting, visceral, and lingers long after the final page.--Brianne Sommerville, author of What She Left Behind

About the Author

Marie Still, an Amazon bestselling author, torments her characters from Tampa Bay. She also writes women's fiction under Kristen Seeley. Her novels include My Darlings (currently in development as a television series with Amazon MGM Studios), Bad Things Happened in This Room, We're All Lying (named by Buzzfeed as one of the most anticipated mystery/thrillers of 2023), and Beverly Bonnefinche is Dead (a Silver Falchion Award finalist).

Off the page Marie can be found attempting to corral her five mostly friendly cats for a cuddle, surviving the affection from her very cuddly 150-lb Rottweiler, or keeping up with her four children. She's also known to surprise her incredibly supportive husband with a new cat, to which he doesn't complain (too much).