Surprisingly, The Day of the Door is neither a gripping tale of carpentry nor a DIY guide to home improvement. Nope. It is, instead, one of the best horror stories I read this year.
It works on all levels that count (for me) in horror - it ties tight plotting with strong character work and good pacing. The story revolves around a dysfunctional family. Lasco siblings, raised by narcistic Stella, share childhood trauma. They meet again, this time with their mother and a paranormal investigative team to discover the truth about a hellish night that ended their childhood. One thing is sure - their eldest brother Shawn died violently after being dragged behind closed doors. But how, why, and by whose hands? Stella claims she was a victim, too.
The book opens with a brutal scene and has a shocking end. Everything that happens in between feels perfectly timed, well-thought-out, and true to the narrative and circumstances. Unresolved family trauma and a history of abuse ties siblings. Their shared dislike (hate even?) for their mother results in an interesting family dynamics. And I get it - Stella is a terrible person with no redeeming qualities. And that’s what elevates The Day of The Door above most horror novels that use the trope of a film crew in a haunted location. I mean, it’s clear bad things will happen and we’ll get jump scares, but Hightower gives us much more.
As the sibling slowly discover the truth, we get a glimpse at what impact trauma has on family and its members individually. It’s the story about the kids and we spend enough time in their heads to make their responses to events authentic. The scares are real, too.
The Day of the Door is an excellent, often terrifying psychological horror that got to me. Also, this cover is nuts!
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