A Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay

A Head Full of Ghosts is a psychological horror novel reminiscent of The Exorcist. The story unfolds through the eyes of 8 year old Merry Barrett as she witnesses her older sister Marjorie's increasingly schizophrenic behavior.  The Barrett family is struggling financially and eventually becomes the subject of a reality show documenting her possession and eventual exorcism.  Marjorie's condition, the  cameras as well as the Bartlett patriarch's ever increasing religious fervor puts extreme strain on the family.  15 years later Merry Barrett meets with a best selling author to reveal her memories of the events that took place where reality and unreality become blurred.

Tremblay writes a fast paced story that always leaves the reader guessing at the end of each chapter.  Using alternating viewpoints of 8-year old Merry, a horror blogger reviewing the reality show, and 23-year old Merry we are always left with questions.

It's the sort of 'what actually just happened?' fiction that I enjoy because you, the reader, have to push back against the narrative to gain your own sense of truth. Was Marjorie possessed? Was their father just as dangerous as Marjorie? How reliable is an 8 year old narrator? A traumatized 8 year old narrator? The whole book is wonderfully written with great details and solid characters. Tense and exiting, I would recommend this to thriller readers as well as horror fans.

Recommended by Monica Shine
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