We Used to Live Here is equal parts ambitious and thrilling. Initially published on the Nosleep subreddit, Kliewer's debut is such a complex page-turner. What begins as a deeply unsettling home invasion story quickly turns into so much more - there are a multitude of puzzles layered throughout this novel. To name only a few, there are doppelgangers, portals, hidden networks, and parallel timelines. Each new detail contributes to a palpable sense of dread and distrust, which is one of the strongest elements of We Used to Live Here.

Perhaps it is because of these layered puzzles and intricate networks, though, that this novel struggles with pacing. There were almost too many threads to follow as the story entered its last third. I wish I could have had time to savor some of the surprises before new ones popped up. And I thought that the ending ultimately arrived in a rush.

Overall, I genuinely enjoyed We Used to Live Here and the layered creepiness of it all. I'm excited to see a follow-up novel and all the ways that a sequel could expand upon Kliewer's terrifying tangled universe.