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Bad Things Happened in This Room
By Marie Still
Published by Rising Action
Distributed by Simon & Schuster
Table of Contents
About The Book
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.
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.
Product Details
- Publisher: Rising Action (September 16, 2025)
- Length: 352 pages
- ISBN13: 9781990253904
Raves and Reviews
“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
"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
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
"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
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