‘A NIGHTMARE CALLED HOME’ By Brandon Long – Book Review

A Nightmare Called Home is the debut novella by Brandon Long, published by Helium Beach. I absolutely love reading debut novels. It’s a chance to discover new authors, who have put their heart and soul into their “baby” and are now ready to present it to the world. The synopsis intrigued and drew me in and I knew I had to read it.

What did I think of this debut? Read on for more spoiler-free review.

 

Synopsis: (via publisher Helium Beach website)

Struggling screenwriter Jonah Hartwell has searched the bottom of every bottle for inspiration. Nearly out of good will and second chances, he turns to a powerful psychedelic drug in his desperate bid for his breakthrough story idea.

Instead of gifting fame and fortune, the hallucination triggers an ominous sobriety and a chilling pull toward the small Midwestern town he abandoned fifteen years ago. He returns to find his former home transformed into a soon-to-be haunted house attraction.

But the real horror isn’t staged. As withdrawal begins twisting his body and fracturing his mind, Jonah must confront buried trauma and the restless spirits who linger within the house.

They haven’t forgotten him.

And they aren’t finished.

My Thoughts:

This novella did not disappoint. It is just that good. The opening scene grabs you and especially for those of us who have experienced panic attacks, it is the most relatable and true representation of panic and anxiety attacks I’ve read. From that opening, the story just takes off and this novella becomes a true page turner.

Jonah Hartwell is a complex character. There is just something about him that makes you empathize with him. He is real and flawed like all of us. The character development is impressive in this novella. Novellas are shorter and the author needs to set up the story rather quickly to keep the story flowing. Brandon does an excellent job with this. You care about Jonah for both what happened and what is happening to him.

The plot is fresh. It isn’t a typical haunted house type story. It is a story that incorporates haunted elements, but is more about dealing with inner demons and dealing with difficult feelings that we tend to bury deep inside until one day we are forced to deal with them.

The other characters in the novella are also well-developed and impressive. You end up feeling right along these characters, whether it’s sad, mad or frustrated. In the darker scenes of this novella, I gasped a bit at what happened in these scenes. I kept turning the pages, needing to know more. Brandon mastered the art of telling the story from two different time frames. Some of this book is current and some is fifteen years prior. The story flows and not confusing in the slightest. Pacing is near perfection.

The pieces of the story fall into place. The story culminates into an amazing end that I didn’t see coming at all. Brandon’s writing is compelling, this novella is truly a gripping read. He blends the character rich story with an action packed and emotional ride.

My Final Thoughts:

This is one of the best novellas I’ve read. Rich in character, with a fresh take on haunted house story.  Go check it out!

 

A Nightmare Called Home releases on September 15, 2026. It will be available on Amazon, including Kindle Unlimited.  You may read more about Brandon Long and Helium Beach HERE.