I tried to construct A Head Full of Ghosts so that reasonable minds could disagree as to whether there was something supernatural going on or the events of the novel could be explained rationally.

As she recalls those long ago events that took place when she was just eight years old, long-buried secrets and painful memories that clash with what was broadcast on television begin to surface - and a mind-bending tale of psychological horror is unleashed, raising vexing questions about memory and reality, science and religion, and the very nature of evil.Īnd now, let’s hear what the scariest part was for Paul Tremblay:

When events in the Barrett household explode in tragedy, the show and the shocking incidents it captures become the stuff of urban legend.įifteen years later, a bestselling writer interviews Marjorie’s younger sister, Merry. With John, Marjorie’s father, out of work for more than a year and the medical bills looming, the family agrees to be filmed, and soon find themselves the unwitting stars of The Possession, a hit reality television show. He also contacts a production company that is eager to document the Barretts’ plight. Father Wanderly suggests an exorcism he believes the vulnerable teenager is the victim of demonic possession. As their stable home devolves into a house of horrors, they reluctantly turn to a local Catholic priest for help. To her parents’ despair, the doctors are unable to stop Marjorie’s descent into madness. The lives of the Barretts, a normal suburban New England family, are torn apart when fourteen-year-old Marjorie begins to display signs of acute schizophrenia.

Danielewski’s House of Leaves, John Ajvide Lindqvist’s Let the Right One In, and Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House. I think you’ll agree it’s one of the best of the year. Here’s the publisher’s description:Ī chilling thriller that brilliantly blends domestic drama, psychological suspense, and a touch of modern horror, reminiscent of Mark Z. If you like what he has to say here, check out the book for yourself. For all the amazing short stories and novels he’s already written, though, A Head Full of Ghosts might be his best yet. I’ve known Paul for probably two decades now, and I’ve always been in awe of his writing skills. This week on The Scariest Part, I have the distinct pleasure of hosting my good friend Paul Tremblay, whose latest novel is A Head Full of Ghosts.

A head full of ghosts